The American Spectator

Washington Prowler

(Page 3 of 6)

br> This is what it's come to: an open confession of adultery is regarded as a sound defense in a rape case. Blame Clinton, blame Hollywood, blame the corruptions of the modern NBA, but Kobe Bryant's eerie press conference the night of his indictment redefined the decadent mind. "You know, I sit here in front of you guys, furious at myself, disgusted at myself for making the mistake of adultery." Mistake? Mistake is when you double-dribble. What happened to the notion of sin? Or how about this love song suddenly delivered by Bryant to his faithful wife? "You're a piece of my heart, you're the air I breathe." (Quite a thing to say in smoggy L.A.) And what's a true confession if not accompanied by a pathetic excuse: "I'm a man just like everybody else." Just what the feminists love to hear. /p>

On Sunday much was made of an Orange County Register report suggesting that the young plaintiff in the case had contemplated suicide just two months ago. Experts view this development as a bonanza for the defense, given that it could paint the woman as "hysterical and over-reactive." But what does it tell us about a man who would go after a woman in such frail condition in the first place?

In a final creepy note, Bryant acknowledged he has much as stake and "it has nothing to do with the game of basketball; it has nothing to do with endorsements" -- a sure sign it has everything to do with basketball and endorsements, without which he doesn't qualify for press conferences at Staples Center. Huge interests are involved, and note how the Bryant's Lakers went ahead last week signing two key veteran free agents and all the coverage of these signings assumed the newcomers would be playing alongside Bryant and the Lakers' other superstar, Shaquille O'Neal (a law enforcement aficionado who's been silent throughout this scandal). Bad news is unacceptable if it disrupts a celebrity franchise on its way to invincibility.

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p> Playing Long Ball (posted 7/16/03 1:29 a.m.) br> It was an ominous All-Star Game. The National League had it wrapped up. A big lead, and baseball's three top closers ready to snuff out the Americans over the last three innings. The McCarvers in the announcers' box essentially told viewers to shut down early. They seemed totally unprepared to call the two gigantic home runs that won the game for the American League in the late innings. /p>

Democrats and media (a.k.a. Mr. & Mrs. One And The Same) will immediately seize on a parallel between the National League's collapse and the Bush team's (supposedly) vanishing lead. In this scenario, Bush may have been riding high, but he's not a finisher and has no bullpen. How presumptuous. For one thing, the Dems don't exactly have a Jason Giambi or Garret Anderson in their lineup. At this stage they'd probably settle for a banjo hitter. For another, the Americans' Hank Blalock, the misunderestimated hero who hit the winning two-run pinch-hit homer in his first at bat as an All-Star, is an unsung member of the Texas Rangers. Last anyone checked, it's still George W. Bush's team. How long before Mr. Blalock receives a Crawford welcome?

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p> Fabricated Request (posted 7/10/03 1:29 p.m.)

topics:
Abortion, Hollywood, Law, Military, Iraq, Israel, NATO