[Other Sport] Kobe Bryant dies in helicopter crash

[Tim Over Whelmed]

The outpouring of emotion in this thread and, more so, the news and general media is understandable but is it really a tragedy? Clearly for this family, yes but when you balance this off, to the general public, is it really? There are nearly 8,500 children A DAY dying of a lack of nutrition, yes 8,500 kids die through a lack of food and / or water, that's a tragedy. I accept a pop or TV star, footballer or sports person dying is sad, of course it is, and my heart goes out to their families and loved ones, but really, we dominate the news and ignore the very tragedy happening under our noses every day, day in day out ..... that's the real tragedy.

 

[nicko31]

Never heard of him. How many Brits have? Main story on the BBC website though, for some reason.
Odd thing, news story values. We're all pretty insular. Wonder whether the Leicester City helicopter death crash a year ago made the headlines on Fox....

Me too never heard of him either, not a household name in this country.

Clearly a sporting icon in basketball though, I guess it a bit like us losing David Beckham.

RIP

 

[brightn'ove]

No, this is embarrassing.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1V9...9Dj7qiLVTRWVrFCz_7p1RaQ10-LvSkNpMWmLMsDY4Wjdg

“Go **** yourself, San Diego”

 

[Stat Brother]

Well worth a listen, as it's an immediate eulogy response, heart felt instead of considered. (if that makes sense)

[tweet]1221568600395460609[/tweet]

 

[TWOCHOICEStom]

The outpouring of emotion in this thread and, more so, the news and general media is understandable but is it really a tragedy? Clearly for this family, yes but when you balance this off, to the general public, is it really? There are nearly 8,500 children A DAY dying of a lack of nutrition, yes 8,500 kids die through a lack of food and / or water, that's a tragedy. I accept a pop or TV star, footballer or sports person dying is sad, of course it is, and my heart goes out to their families and loved ones, but really, we dominate the news and ignore the very tragedy happening under our noses every day, day in day out ..... that's the real tragedy.

And that completes NSC celebrity death thread bingo!

- Initial duplicate posts
- Crass attempt at a joke post
- Attack/ban joker post
- 10 "never heard of him" posts
- The "what about the starving kids in Africa" post

Kobe was a great. This accident is horrific.

 

[Stat Brother]

And that completes NSC celebrity death thread bingo!

- Initial duplicate posts
- Crass attempt at a joke post
- Attack/ban joker post
- 10 "never heard of him" posts
- The "what about the starving kids in Africa" post

Kobe was a great. This accident is horrific.

It certainly is an odd template to follow yet it is one NSC has perfected into a fine art.

 

[sparkie]

My knowledge of Basketball stretches to Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan and the 'short' bald chap ( Curly? ) from the Harlem Globetrotters.

But this sounds terrible. RIP.

 

[Garry Nelson's teacher]

The outpouring of emotion in this thread and, more so, the news and general media is understandable but is it really a tragedy? Clearly for this family, yes but when you balance this off, to the general public, is it really? There are nearly 8,500 children A DAY dying of a lack of nutrition, yes 8,500 kids die through a lack of food and / or water, that's a tragedy. I accept a pop or TV star, footballer or sports person dying is sad, of course it is, and my heart goes out to their families and loved ones, but really, we dominate the news and ignore the very tragedy happening under our noses every day, day in day out ..... that's the real tragedy.

I think it illustrates how difficult it is to calibrate the 'appropriateness' of a response. Celebs - and I mean genuine A listers, not someone who got their leg over on Love Island - are a big part of our lives. They inspire and their time on the planet enhances the lives of others. To not recognise this is a bit of an insult/hurtful to those people, even though many others will be bemused at the outpourings. I'm not a basketball fan myself, but what makes this tragedy particularly distressing is that his daughter (not to mention the other 7) also died. But sure, proportionality is important.

 

[Durlston]

I'm not a fan of American sports but Kobe was someone I had heard of. Basketball is ok though. It's a terrible tragedy and thoughts and sympathy go out to his family and friends.

 

[lost in london]

I do find 'not heard of him' a little odd, on a sport website.

Sure I have no doubt many of our mothers would be "Kobe who?"

In much the same way those of our American cousins who are also currently on a sports message board would say "how am I supposed to know Dale Stephens?"

But I'm pretty sure they could all tell me something about Ronaldo or Messi.

I agree with you, surely even a cursory glance at BBC Sport every now and then throws up some stories about American superstars, almost impossible to miss some of those names being banded around. But people LOVE saying they've never heard of someone.

 

[lost in london]

The outpouring of emotion in this thread and, more so, the news and general media is understandable but is it really a tragedy? Clearly for this family, yes but when you balance this off, to the general public, is it really? There are nearly 8,500 children A DAY dying of a lack of nutrition, yes 8,500 kids die through a lack of food and / or water, that's a tragedy. I accept a pop or TV star, footballer or sports person dying is sad, of course it is, and my heart goes out to their families and loved ones, but really, we dominate the news and ignore the very tragedy happening under our noses every day, day in day out ..... that's the real tragedy.

The reality is though that some people have more of an impact on the world than others, and their death in this manner is therefore more newsworthy. Just the way things are.

 

[Wozza]

The outpouring of emotion in this thread and, more so, the news and general media is understandable but is it really a tragedy? Clearly for this family, yes but when you balance this off, to the general public, is it really? There are nearly 8,500 children A DAY dying of a lack of nutrition, yes 8,500 kids die through a lack of food and / or water, that's a tragedy. I accept a pop or TV star, footballer or sports person dying is sad, of course it is, and my heart goes out to their families and loved ones, but really, we dominate the news and ignore the very tragedy happening under our noses every day, day in day out ..... that's the real tragedy.

Dear oh dear. Second worst take ever.

You're just behind Lee Ryan of boyband Blue, after 9/11.

“Who gives a f*ck about New York when elephants are being killed? They are ignoring animals that are more important. Animals need saving and that’s more important. This New York thing is being blown out of all proportion.”

 

[Stat Brother]

I agree with you, surely even a cursory glance at BBC Sport every now and then throws up some stories about American superstars, almost impossible to miss some of those names being banded around. But people LOVE saying they've never heard of someone.

Kobe was the US basketball 'Dream Team'.

So those completely unaware of him I assume must also have accidentally missed 2 consecutive Summer Olympiads.

 

[Wozza]

But people LOVE saying they've never heard of someone.

https://twitter.com/nvrheardofit

 

[lost in london]

Dear oh dear. Second worst take ever.

You're just behind Lee Ryan of boyband Blue, after 9/11.

“Who gives a f*ck about New York when elephants are being killed? They are ignoring animals that are more important. Animals need saving and that’s more important. This New York thing is being blown out of all proportion.”

Holy shit, that's amazing.

 

[Stat Brother]

Holy shit, that's amazing.

If only it was.

 

[hart's shirt]

The outpouring of emotion in this thread and, more so, the news and general media is understandable but is it really a tragedy? Clearly for this family, yes but when you balance this off, to the general public, is it really? There are nearly 8,500 children A DAY dying of a lack of nutrition, yes 8,500 kids die through a lack of food and / or water, that's a tragedy. I accept a pop or TV star, footballer or sports person dying is sad, of course it is, and my heart goes out to their families and loved ones, but really, we dominate the news and ignore the very tragedy happening under our noses every day, day in day out ..... that's the real tragedy.

At the risk of semantics, a helicopter crash is a tragedy. 8,500 children a day dying because of a lack of nutrition is an obscenity.

The former produces sadness and grief; the latter should provoke anger and action.

It's not helpful to compare. Both have their place.

 

[Mr Banana]

Not really, it just goes to show what idiots work at the BBC these days, it's bad enough but if it was done via the sports department for the news then it is totally unforgivable and amateurish.
Bryant was a legend in the game, the only people that may not know him are those that don't watch basketball, even many that don't still know or at least heard of him.

The suggestion that it's down to a lack of diversity at the BBC sounds true to me. I've had to read their diversity guidance for staff lots of times - it's basically loads of photos of Romesh and lots of figures about how great they are. Whether it's intentional or not, they seem to almost exclusively recruit white (usually young, preppy) employees.

 

[Greg Bobkin]

I agree with you, surely even a cursory glance at BBC Sport every now and then throws up some stories about American superstars, almost impossible to miss some of those names being banded around. But people LOVE saying they've never heard of someone.

Almost as much as they love to tell people that they don't like someone/something.

RIP Kobe. A true legend of the game. And also RIP to all the others onboard...

 

[Stat Brother]

Almost as much as they love to tell people that they don't like someone/something.

But wouldn't rush to try and be the first to say "I'm ignorant", which is odd.