Warriors

This is the song of my warriors / A warrior song, my Lord
Bravehearted and strong / Definition of a warrior
Gonna keep marching on / To the sound of our own beating drums

Sing it, girl.

Yesterday's game was pretty amazing. The Pistons appear to be harder to beat than I had previously expected, too. For those of you who don't know (and for those whom I'd like to rub it in =P), the Pistons made an amazing comeback in the 3rd and 4th quarter, and were up by 3 at the end of the game. But here comes Kobe - big 3 leaving 2.1 seconds on the clock. The Lakers beat the Pistons in overtime.

Kobe was considered the hero of the game. He said right after, "This is what we do. If you can't rise to the position, don't play." Or something like that. And as he usually does, he irritated the heck outta me with that line. Not only because he's sooooo mayabang, (or how Bo would put it, "YABANG-BADDA-BING-BING"), but because he is not ONLY a basketball player. Your profession does not define who you are.

For some weird reason, I was reminded of his press conference when he publicly admitted to commiting adultery with that young woman in Colorado. I was reminded of his solemn-looking wife, arms cuffed with his, as she sat next to him, hearing his words and apoligies. For the first time kaya? Maybe not - who knows.

When I was watching it when it first aired, I kept thinking, Now there's a woman who stands by her man. Poor girl. Out of self-comfort, I try to convince myself that she knew what she would be marrying into beforehand. Kobe's one of the most talked-about men of the NBA. Young, talented, rich, and [over]confident, he's attractive to maybe millions of women worldwide. Her poor parents, at that! I wonder what was going through their heads when she first brought her boyfriend home.

Anyway, she took it. She actually stood by him admidst the scandal, humiliation, and grief. That woman personified for that moment those incredibly meaningful (though widely ignored) words, "for better or for worse." And now, she has to accept lines from her husband like that rising-to-the-position bit he gave after yesterday's game. I was utterly irritated for her.

Who knows - Mrs. Bryant may not be able to take it in the long run. Kobe didn't "rise to the position", or responsibility & duties, of a husband when he did what he did, so I can't believe he could say those words with such arrogance and without blushing - even slightly.

Someday, I will make those same vows of for better or for worse to a man who has the human prospect of doing to me what Kobe did to that poor woman. How hard would it be if he did? Instinctively, I can't imagine myself linked arm to arm with my husband while he apoligizes for his sin. I can, to my shame, imagine not speaking to him for a few months. I can imagine screaming things like, "I'm leaving and I'm taking my children with me!" That woman is a warrior. Maybe not a warrior in the sense that most people would define a warrior, but a warrior nonetheless. I like Nas' definition of a warrior (in this song playing right now): bravehearted & strong.

Kobe's a free agent after this year. I hope they trade him. I WANT TRACY!!!!!!!!!!!!
GO LAKERS! 1-1!!!!!!!!!!