Kobe Bryant plans to appeal $100K fine, says calling ref "f**king f**got" wasn't "a message of hate"

[Amerigo Vespucci]

Kobe Bryant -- I'm APPEALING the NBA Fine

4/13/2011 3:35 PM PDT by TMZ Staff

Kobe Bryant just wrapped up a live interview on ESPN radio -- where he said he plans to appeal the $100k fine issued by the league for dropping a homophobic slur during last night's game ... but he never squarely apologized for calling the ref a "f**king f**got."

http://www.tmz.com/2011/04/13/kobe-bryant-nba-lakers-radio-espn-radio-homophobic/



Kobe said the decision to appeal the fine is "standard protocol."

Kobe also said, "The concern that I have is for those that follow what I say ... look to me as a role model .. for them not to take what was said as a message of hate or a license to degrade ... or to embarrass or tease ... because that's something I don't wanna see have happen."

Kobe stated he plans to talk to gay rights groups.

Kobe said his message to people is, "It's OK to be who you are."

[BeyondGeography]

1. Pay up, dude

[MrsBrady]

2. he's such a charming fellow

do I really need this???? :sarcasm:


more like....."chaaaaaaaarming" the way Bette Davis would have said it.

[Drale]

3. I was wondering what sports star I was going to hate

now that Manny has retired, I think I just found my guy.

[Name removed]

4. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[MNBrewer]

5. I guess that Kobe loves fucking faggots, then

*not hate, my ass*

[Bluenorthwest]

6. Hateful words, bigoted and backward.

Kobe Bryant is a plain old bigot. Among other things, as I recall. He sounds just like old style racists from the KKK, hurling vicious slurs with impunity, because the entire 'sports culture' encourages hate and hateful speech.

[abelenkpe]

8. Prolly could say that about our culture in general these days

what with all the hate talk on radio and Faux news.

I remember growing up my brothers friends all going thru a particularly disturbing period (around age 13) where every time they wanted to say something was stupid they would say it was either retarded or gay. My mother would chase them out of the house with a spoon whenever they would say that...not that she ever caught them.

[benld74]

7. He got outta a rape charge didn't he? His wife got a 4.5 carat ring afterwards

[Iggo]

9. Aw...Kobe, Kobe, Kobe.

Quit digging.