General: No more Kobes wanted

Every time I see Kobe Bryant on SportsCenter or on the nightly news, I remember something that happened at this summer's Baseball Hall of Fame induction in Cooperstown, New York.

As Gary Carter left a press conference, a young kid wearing a Montreal Expos jersey approached him seeking an autograph. Carter said hello to him, and the kid said something back in a mumbled voice. Carter didn't quite understand and said "You want me to sign 'Kobe'?"

You almost could not find any two athletes more different than Gary Carter and Kobe Bryant. Carter is a devoted family man. He had his wife and kids with him at Cooperstown. His acceptance speech offered many thanks to his family members for their support over the years. It was clear from his emotions that he loves his family very much and would never betray them. As a member of the Expos and New York Mets, Carter was squeaky clean, and I'm not referring to his Ivory soap commercials. He treated fans well, showed good sportsmanship, and only made headlines for his actions on the field.

We used to look at Bryant as being squeaky clean, but his trip to Eagle, Colorado, shattered that image. We don't know exactly what happened in that hotel room, but Bryant did say he cheated on his wife. Then, he tried to show his love and devotion to her by purchasing a multi-million dollar diamond ring.

In America, a person is supposed to be innocent until proven guilty, but the reality today is that if you are rich and found not guilty, you're presumed to be guilty and that your lawyer got you off on a technicality. Just look at the O.J. Simpson case. He was acquitted (his lawyers had help from bungling prosecutors), but bankrupted by a wrongful death lawsuit. If Bryant is ultimately acquitted, many will think he was guilty, but his lawyers got him off the hook. He still has the talent to be successful in the NBA, but fans may never look at him the same way again.

To answer Carter's question above, please don't sign "Kobe." Please don't turn into him either.