Kobe Bryant says he'll appeal $100,000 NBA fine for calling basketball referee a 'f---ing faggot'

Kobe Bryant says he will appeal the $100,000 NBA fine he got Wednesday after calling a referee a "f---ing faggot.'

From ESPN.com:

Bryant appeared on ESPN 710's Mason & Ireland show Wednesday afternoon and said that he will appeal the fine, which he said is "standard protocol." He also reiterated that his comments shouldn't be taken literally.

"The comment that I made, even though it wasn't meant in the way it was perceived to be, is nonetheless wrong, so it's important to own that," Bryant said on Mason & Ireland.

Click here to read the complete ESPN article.

Comments

[Dalbert]

Not surprised... our sports system has elevated ignorant thugs to superstar status and nothing will change that!

[Silky]

Nothing is ignorant nor thug about Kobe. He is a very intelligent guy. Oh, so you never get angry or show emotions on your job, right.

[Hector]

The fine against Kobe Bryant is just more evidence that the gays have a disproportionate amount of influence in our institutions. Pro-gay remarks are embraced. Anti-gay remarks are demonized. I cant wait for the pendulum to swing back and restore sanity and free speech in our great country.

[mark]

Relax gay community, stop making a big deal out of it. Absolutely ridiculous. Kobes a great competitor. Cry me a river, boo hoo . He was just playing a competitive game... his emotions got the best of him, now you do the same thing and call him a thug? Let it go. Go shopping or paint ur nails or get a facial or whatever u all do to calm down. Stop begging for attention, the comment wasn't directed at anybody on this site... only the ref.

[riles]

It doesn't matter who or where the comment was aimed, and it doesn't matter if he was playing a competitive game. Saying those words is wrong, period.

[Jay Rinaldi]

I have two comments...one, he should be suspended for the season, that irresponsible remark vallidates bullies, that could lead to depression and suicide...as we have seen so much of lately.
and two, whenever we see the n word its "n****r"...shouldn't it be the same for F****t ?

[tony]

Im a big fan of kobe but boy is an idiot!!who says that while he is being recorder .

[John]

you people make me sick, wow KObe said F word, I bet if he said F you ref he would have not been fined right? so some how Faggt word is offensive because Gay people said so? Honestly who in his right Mind thinks about Gay people when they curse? I sure don't, they keep putting their noses everywhere let people be, if you do not like their words do not listen to them and do not watch them.

so let me get this straight, you can be GAY and Nobody can tell you how wrong and sickl it is, yet when I make a comment because of my emotions you can come and tell me how to speak? a Gay man telling me how to talk? why don't you go find your Hormonial balance first then tell someone else how should they curse, he cursed and his emotions got best of him, that's it and it's done, but you are gay today and tomorrow so you need lot more help than Kobe who said F word, as someone said above me, someone needs to restore sanity in this country and on this planet as a whole,where all these Gay people crawling out from?

[riles]

YOU PEOPLE ARE WRITING ON A GAY BLOG. HGASDLGSA Like, seriously? Why are you even coming here?! There is nothing wrong with being gay - it's a natural aspect of a human being, same as being black or left handed. Calling someone a "f****t" is the same as calling someone a "n****r". That's why it's wrong. You're a moron, John.

[R Donaldson]

If he called the ref a B!%#& I wonder if women would have protested?

[Stephanie]

The comments on this article make me more upset than what Kobe said in the first place.

[Vic]

So much for freedom of speech....

[Hector]

I clicked on the article on the Herald website. The Herald send me to a gay activist blog.

I think it is so unfortunate that the Herald will pay to have a gay activist maintain a blog on their website while they layoff reporters who could be investigating corruption in out city and county governments.

[Persistent]

The problem here, is that gay people would love to impose their sick lifestyle to the entire world and that's NOT going to happen. They should go back to their respective closets, live their promiscuous life privately and keep it private.It is none of our business what they as long as they keep it to themselves.

[John]

"it's a natural aspect of a human being" There's nothing natural about being gay! Nature didn't intend for a man to be with another man or a woman to be with another woman. I don’t know what books you've read. I understand we should all tolerate and respect each other but there's a big difference between tolerating and applauding homosexuality. I don't agree with Kobe's comment but the same way he shouldn't express himself like that in public, homosexuals shouldn't display affection to each other in public. I happen to find that very offensive and disturbing.

[Are you thinking?]

He made an insulting remark or slur against an official and got fined less than what he makes per game.

SO what's the problem?

If a lawyer did the same towards a judge it would be much more expensive for him.

Anybody who has a problem with this, is just not thinking. Regardless of the gay issue.

[Ethan B]

Jay Rinaldi up above! your an idiot the "N" word is a derogatory term of a RACE! Being GAY is not a race in the least, and should not be handled the same! yes it is offending to some, but its all how u take it. I don't understand why gay people freak out at being called names either. "if being gay was right, then why is it any different from calling someone straight a mean name??" humans were created to be attracted to the opposite sex so that we could reproduce. "and people say the music and media has nothing to do with all the deceived people." and depression get over it. its because there's a drug for everything now. and parents giving up on there kids and don't know what being a parent is anymore. and the media plays a good part with depression as well. back to Kobe. I don't think Kobe Bryant is at all at fault! we all say things sometimes when we lose our cool! its not his fault that the camera had to zoom in on him at that certain time. its a freedom of speech, and i think its dumb that he's getting fined for bad timing! Even though for his salary this is like a parking ticket to us.

[mark]

Omg stop being so damn sensitive ( with a soft 's')

[Peter]

Wow, after reading the comments here, people in Florida are ignorant bigots.

Scientists have determined there is a genetic basis for sexual orientation, so, as a group, GLBTs should be given the same class protections as race groups.

Calling someone "straight" is not the same, because it does not have all of the history of violence and hatred as calling someone the F word.

Now, if I called you guys stupid cracker rednecks, that might be offensive, but you're probably too stupid to realize that.

[Jerry]

I wonder if any NBA player has ever used the N word in a game? With or without the R at the end . . . Also, I think the term "mother-effer" is offensive. If I am offended, should we start fining guys that use that term? Ridiculous...

[Vern]

I can understand that even seeing the term mouthed on TV can be offensive to some, and those in the public eye need to be careful. Nonetheless, it was spoken in anger, and, although I'm no Kobe fan, I don't seriously think for one moment that he thought the ref was gay. Has the term become a matter of speech - yes. Should it be used - NO. HOWEVER, my bigger concern here is the systematic erosion of one of the pillars of our society - freedom of speech. Any group that desires to see the elimination of a word that is offensive to them and succeeds today due to the present day malaise of hyper political correctness this country suffers from may see the elimination of a word they need that is offensive to another group tomorrow, when the societal winds of change blow in another direction. It is a slippery slope that we have seen repeated too often in human history. Accommodation becomes pacification, and then pacification becomes appeasement, and then before you know it, you have fascism. Remember, no matter how dearly you hold to what you believe to be true as also being right, those in opposition to your views feel just as strong that they are right, too. Pick your battles carefully.