There are some Americans that can tell you where they were when JFK was shot. I can tell you where I was when the news broke of the death of Elvis. Now there will be Americans talking to their grandchildren in generations to come about that Sunday afternoon.
There are many already suffering from depression and stress having to come to grips in their own way about the death of the man that is loved and was loved to be hated by his opponents.
Nothing can be done about something that eventually happens to all of us, not just to champions. But it's sometimes unbearably hard when it happens so unexpectedly and so sudden to someone so young.
How do you think Kobe would handle something like this? Certainly not like a man in Memphis did when On Sunday night, Officers responded to the fatal crash and reported that a man drove into the center lane into opposing traffic to make a left-hand turn and disregarded the red light then crashed into the victim’s vehicle because he smoked weed because he was upset about Kobe Bryant’s death.
As we have talked about, there is good and bad stress. But now in this bad time, let's do as champions do and turn it into good stress. Let me show you some champions..
There has been an unpleasant disagreement between NBA stars Kendrick Perkins and Kevin Durant in recent weeks, but in a Twitter post Perkins said “Whatever I did to hurt you I’m sorry, bro, and hope you forgive me!!!” he wrote on his Twitter account. “I love you, bro. Real talk" in the aftermath of the tragedy.
We all know of the complicated relationship Kobe had with the Utah Jazz fans but also on Twitter, Jazz fan after Jazz fan openly mourns the unexpected loss of the man they used to despise and admire at the same time. As champions, the animosity has been replaced by respect, admiration and a sincere love.
Tony Jones, a news reporter who covers the Jazz shared a beautiful moment he had since the news of the 7 people killed. “My brother called me from jail to tell me (he) loved me,” Jones tweeted. “He told me he was proud of me.”
Kobe lived his life as a Champion. In an interview he was asked about going to practice everyday in a helicopter, he said
Traffic started getting really, really bad. Right? And I was sitting in traffic, and I wound up missing a school play, because I was sitting in traffic. And these things just kept mounting. I had to figure out a way where I could still train and focus on basketball, but still not compromise family time. And so that’s when I looked into helicopters and being able to get down and back in 15 minutes. And that’s when it started. So, my routine was always the same. Weights early in the morning, kids to school, fly down, practice like crazy, do my extra work, no media, everything I needed to do, fly back, get back in the carpool line, pick the kids up. And my wife was like, “Listen, I can pick them up.” I’m like, “No, no, no. I want to do that.” Because of road trips and times where i don’t see the kids, you know? So, every chance I get to see them and spend time with them, even if it’s 20 minutes in the car, I want that.
We can use this for healing if we only think like champions.
Byron Scott, the Lakers coach described him perfectly on the night Kobe finished the Jazz off for good by scoring 60 points in his NBA grand finale in 2016. "He showed up every night ready to destroy his opponent. Kobe ate the hate for breakfast" said Scott.
I want to share 6 ways that we can take what Kobe left with us so we can be champions and do it by turning bad stress into good stress
On Steadfastness and Determination
In a 2008 interview, he spoke to his positive attitude. “Have a good time. Life is too short to get bogged down and be discouraged. You have to keep moving. You have to keep going. Put one foot in front of the other, smile and just keep on rolling.”
On the impossibility of perfection
“Oh, yeah. But the things that make a person average are also problems. The things that make someone not good at anything at all are a problem. If you want to be the greatest of all time at something, there’s going to be a negative side to that. If you want to be a high school principal, that’s fine, too — but that will also carry negative baggage
On making sacrifices
In a 2015 documentary he reflected: “We all can be masters at our craft, but you have to make a choice. What I mean by that is, there are inherent sacrifices that come along with that. Family time, hanging out with friends, being a great friend, being a great son, nephew, whatever the case may be. There are sacrifices that come along with making that decision.”
On achieving a tranquil mind
In a 2013 ESPN interview, Kobe was told he seemed different — he seemed calm
“Because I am. That’s just the maturation. That’s 17 years of seeing everything the game can dish out. I’ve seen it all before. There’s no need to get too crazy or bent out of shape. There are still challenges every day. But I’m still having fun. I was born to play this game. I still love it.”
On working
From 2015 “I have ‘like minds.’ You know, I’ve been fortunate to play in Los Angeles, where there are a lot of people like me. Actors. Musicians. Businessmen. Obsessives. People who feel like God put them on earth to do whatever it is that they do. Now, do we have time to build great relationships? Do we have time to build great friendships? No. Do we have time to socialize and to hang out aimlessly? No. Do we want to do that? No. We want to work. I enjoy working.”
And On Failure
He said: “When we are saying this cannot be accomplished, this cannot be done, then we are short-changing ourselves. My brain, it cannot process failure. It will not process failure. Because if I have to sit there and face myself and tell myself, ‘You’re a failure,’ I think that is worse, that is almost worse than death.
So i ask one thing, if you are stressed and depression has got you feeling like your losing at the buzzer, take the shot and become the Champion for you, the ones that love you…..and Another champions memory.
Kobe put it best on his Instagram in 2017,
"Be sad. Be mad. Be frustrated, scream, cry, sulk. When you wake up you will think it was just a nightmare only to realize it’s all too real. You will be angry and wish for the day back, the game back, that play back. But reality gives nothing back and nor should you.”
R. I. P. Kobe
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