Kobe Bryant killed in helicopter accident

[WuShock16]

Or maybe it's just that Kobe was an all-time great yet one of the most likable players around.

I am treading carefully because I really don't want to sound disrespectful...because that isn't the case, I promise. Like you, I am still struggling with all of this because I enjoyed watching Kobe play and hate that his second act of life was cut short. So here goes...

At the time that he was playing, I wouldn't have said Kobe was "likable." He was a hard ass who had a will to win like very few others. Looking back at it now, you can understand his outlook. He wanted to win. Period. To achieve the level of greatness that he had, you have to have an edge to you that is borderline arrogance. You don't get to his level by being a fluffy nice guy. That's true in so many areas. Regardless of political affiliation, you don't desire to become POTUS and willingly bring all the requisite attention, criticism, and scrutiny upon yourself without having some screws loose upstairs. I've said similar things before about 3G. Is he arrogant? Hell yes he is. If he wasn't, there's no way that WSU goes to a Final Four and follows it up with 35-1.

I think maybe the better word for Kobe was that he was respected. If you weren't a Lakers fan, you certainly didn't like him, but with some perspective, you grew to respect him because he did everything right on the court. He put the work in. He backed up his bravado. He wasn't just a volume scorer who played matador defense (hello Carmelo). Above fame and noteriety, he just wanted to be successful. That's worthy of respect.

[ShockTalk]

I am treading carefully because I really don't want to sound disrespectful...because that isn't the case, I promise. Like you, I am still struggling with all of this because I enjoyed watching Kobe play and hate that his second act of life was cut short. So here goes...

At the time that he was playing, I wouldn't have said Kobe was "likable." He was a hard ass who had a will to win like very few others. Looking back at it now, you can understand his outlook. He wanted to win. Period. To achieve the level of greatness that he had, you have to have an edge to you that is borderline arrogance. You don't get to his level by being a fluffy nice guy. That's true in so many areas. Regardless of political affiliation, you don't desire to become POTUS and willingly bring all the requisite attention, criticism, and scrutiny upon yourself without having some screws loose upstairs. I've said similar things before about 3G. Is he arrogant? Hell yes he is. If he wasn't, there's no way that WSU goes to a Final Four and follows it up with 35-1.

I think maybe the better word for Kobe was that he was respected. If you weren't a Lakers fan, you certainly didn't like him, but with some perspective, you grew to respect him because he did everything right on the court. He put the work in. He backed up his bravado. He wasn't just a volume scorer who played matador defense (hello Carmelo). Above fame and noteriety, he just wanted to be successful. That's worthy of respect.

I think that your whole post is just like how I feel. However, I add to that last paragraph that Kobe showed me a whole new part of him I didn't see until after his 20 year career was over. He was talented in ways that I had not seen before. He was kind and well spoken. Most of all, a family man that loved his wife and put his kids to the front of importance. That's what was so very tragic with the accident.

[1979Shocker]

'He was my superhero': Tyson Etienne on impact of Kobe Bryant in his life

[WheatShock]

I am not a pilot and have no training. I am sorry for asking, but what does it mean to you when you say the vertical speed drops drastically and does not appear like a controlled descent?

Means he was dropping like a rock. I would actually take that data with a grain of salt. They were flying fairly low and I know from my own flying that the ADSB data can be pretty unreliable down low and can show some funky readings.

Reports are that visibility in that area was poor and they were flying under visual flight rules (VFR). Flying VFR into instrument conditions is a big killer in aviation and it sounds like that is a possibility here. The NTSB will investigate and eventually release a report on what happened.

[ShockTalk]

From the info I have seen, it looked like impact was between 1,150' and 1,200' in the green space and trails south of 101 and east of Las Virgenes Rd. It appears the crash site might be on the north end of the New Millennium Trail at the top of the switchbacks.

[Kung Wu]

From the info I have seen, it looked like impact was between 1,150' and 1,200' in the green space and trails south of 101 and east of Las Virgenes Rd. It appears the crash site might be on the north end of the New Millennium Trail at the top of the switchbacks.

[ShockTalk]

Didn't know if the elevation of the crash site had been previous mentioned and some were wondering about the "rapid descent". Last communication, I believe the pilot said he was at 1,500'. Also, had the copter been several hundred feet to the west, he would have missed the hill. Crash site was said to be near Las Virgenes Rd and Willow Glen St and emergency vehicles were entering the Las Virgenes Municipal Water District office parking lot as an entry for crews to "hike" to the crash site.

As a note, since I typed that info a few hours ago, I now see that Google Maps has designated the Kobe Bryant Memorial Place almost exactly where I determined that crash site to be.

[TheShocktocles]

Means he was dropping like a rock. I would actually take that data with a grain of salt. They were flying fairly low and I know from my own flying that the ADSB data can be pretty unreliable down low and can show some funky readings.

Reports are that visibility in that area was poor and they were flying under visual flight rules (VFR). Flying VFR into instrument conditions is a big killer in aviation and it sounds like that is a possibility here. The NTSB will investigate and eventually release a report on what happened.

Thanks.

[Kung Wu]

Didn't know if the elevation of the crash site had been previous mentioned and some were wondering about the "rapid descent". Last communication, I believe the pilot said he was at 1,500'. Also, had the copter been several hundred feet to the west, he would have missed the hill. Crash site was said to be near Las Virgenes Rd and Willow Glen St and emergency vehicles were entering the Las Virgenes Municipal Water District office parking lot as an entry for crews to "hike" to the crash site.

As a note, since I typed that info a few hours ago, I now see that Google Maps has designated the Kobe Bryant Memorial Place almost exactly where I determined that crash site to be.

I wasn't challenging anything about what you posted. I just didn't understand much of it.

[ShockTalk]

I wasn't challenging anything about what you posted. I just didn't understand much of it.

Oh, I know that. I was just trying to explain my post. I had noticed on all the pics/videos of the crash site that there was a visible trail going right through the main part of the crash. Anytime I see a plane or helicopter crash, I think of the WSU football team. Even though there was no trail around the WSU site, there is sort of one now and how we have hiked to the site to pay our respects. So I guess one could say there were a couple of memories that prompted my post along with the questions regarding the amount of descent.

[WstateU]

Oh, I know that. I was just trying to explain my post. I had noticed on all the pics/videos of the crash site that there was a visible trail going right through the main part of the crash. Anytime I see a plane or helicopter crash, I think of the WSU football team. Even though there was no trail around the WSU site, there is sort of one now and how we have hiked to the site to pay our respects. So I guess one could say there were a couple of memories that prompted my post along with the questions regarding the amount of descent.

I'm in the same boat. The WSU plane crash was one of the first things that went through my mind when I read that Kobe's helicopter went down... those images are forever 'imprinted' into my mind.

[WstateU]

https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/nba/rick-fox-talks-about-how-rumor-he-died-affected-his-family-friends/ar-BBZqCvs?ocid=spartanntp