Goodbye Kobe

"It’s the one thing you can control. You are responsible for how people remember you—or don’t. So don’t take it lightly." — Kobe Bryant

I was in Los Angeles, in LAX, when the news of Kobe Bryant's death broke. I had seen the fog and was preparing to fly into it myself when I heard that Kobe, along with others, were killed in a helicopter crash. And it seemed unbelievable. I spent most of my two and half hour flight back to Denver thinking about that, and on the ride home with my dad talking a bit about Kobe and the details. Still in shock.

Bryant wasn't the only one lost. His daughter was on board. A mother, father and daughter were with them. Another mother-daughter duo. A coach, who had a husband and three children of her own was there. And a pilot. Nine souls were lost, and each one is a tragic loss. One that's been somewhat overshadowed by Bryant's fame. We should take a moment to think of them all.

I've also been struck by some of the negative posts about Kobe. They have been far outweighed by the loving stories and heart-felt tributes, but they are there. Kobe was a man, an imperfect man who made some mistakes. He was a great player, too. But he was also a loving husband and father, one who spent many years atoning for his mistakes. The wake of tragedy isn't the time to re-hash personal grudges, as some have. And that's unfortunate. I'm not here to sweep all his past under the rug, but rather to say as a fan, I appreciate Kobe and will miss him.

I wrote about him when he retired. He was one of my favorite players, but it wasn't always that way. Kobe was an incredible player and sometimes a challenging player. But that's part of what made him great.

I remember the summer the Lakers traded for Shaq. I was at summer camp at the time, and excited. They also had drafted Kobe the prior year, and I thought he was going to be great. I was born in California and lived there all my life. The only California team I ever watched was the Lakers, and that was thanks to my father. I'm 38-years-old, and so Kobe dominated most of my formative years watching basketball, and playing video games. He was always the centerpiece of my teams in real life and in my online franchises. He was thrilling to watch.

I remember the championships and playoff runs. I remember the lean years. And, I remember watching his final game. People can watch that again tonight, and if you haven't seen it it's worth checking out.

Then there was the short animated feature, "Dear Basketball." It was nominated for and won the Academy Award, which is why I first watched it. But it was a beautiful tribute to his heart as a competitor and the game he loved. And that was what first came ton mind thinking about Kobe yesterday and today.

He was a force on the court and seemed to have been a force for his family in the years away from the game. I'll remember watching him, and I'm glad I got the chance to see him play.