I dislike Kobe as much as the next guy. But gotta respect him. If he goes out and plays, that just shows you that the guy plays through everything and anything.
He is 6'6", as physcially gifted as a person can be, rich, handsome, famous, respected and adored by peers and LA fans. And he plays through injury and pain. He gets positive attention for being the 'warrior'. But lest we forget -- he plays basketball. He isn't a neurosurgeon or a Navy Seal. He plays ball with ankle and foot injuries. This 'gotta respect the guy' stuff doesn't mean much to me. Kobe is intensely competitive and plays ball through pain. This is a descriptor that applies to many athletes.
Tell me one current NBA player that is more intensively competitive than Kobe... I sure can't think of one 
His devotion to his work is more than that of many people's. The fact that his work is playing basketball should not diminish the respect he deserves, in my opinion (or at least, not totally). If other people will work hard in their respective jobs as Kobe, they deserve just as much respect. The fact that they aren't receiving it also shouldn't diminish the respect Kobe may get.
His devotion to work compared to ANY of his NBA peers (with a few known exceptions) is nothing you nor I know much about (given that many athlete's injuries/maladies are not so public). We know about Kobe because he is among the best ever and, yes, he plays through pain and injury. For all you (or I) know, there are dozens/hundreds of NBA players currently with a work ethic the equal of Kobe Bryant. I don't disrespect his work ethic, it's just that am not needing to praise it each time he plays with pain.
It is a big part of the ethos of professional athletes to play through pain and injury. I assume that most do. Once in a while a JD Drew comes along, but for the most part, these guys do what they do through pain, injury and illness. They can ALL handle way more than I ever could.
When I see people in my work environment coming back from surgery early, working while injured or with a migraine, coming in sick (which they really shouldn't do), they are doing so in jobs that pay as little as $100 and as much as a $1000 per day. Kobe's work ethic, at about $400,000 per game, perhaps is worthy of a view through a different lens. I certainly don't DISrespect it, but I am more reluctant to make an effort to praise it.
Topic: Kobe has a bone spur (Read 2222 times)