It’s time to Break It Down!

As a lifetime Lakers’ fan, I decided to add today’s post to my litany of reprised editions. For many of us, 2020’s downward spiral is underscored by the COVID-19 pandemic…but the spiral was launched by the crash of Kobe’s copter. To wit, without further ado…

A year ago yesterday, on Sunday morning, January 26, 2020, around 9:45 a.m. PST, a helicopter crashed in Calabasas in Northern Los Angeles County, California. As we now know, that crash ended the lives of Kobe Bryant, his 13-year-old daughter Gianna, A.K.A. GiGi, six other passengers, and the pilot, nine souls in total. Kobe Bryant gained immeasurable notoriety as a star among stars in the NBA constellation. There have been numerous memorials, and undoubtedly, there will be countless more.

But before going any further, let’s make it perfectly clear, the accident was a tragedy not just because Kobe Bryant was killed, though that was tragic. Rather it was a tragedy of immense proportion because in a moment, 9 people lost their lives, including one of Kobe’s own daughters, whom Kobe was scheduled to coach in a basketball game at noon Sunday at Kobe’s Mamba Sports Academy, two of her teammates, both parents of one of them, and the mother of the other, an Assistant Coach, and the pilot, in addition to Kobe. Every single one of those individuals was a vital functioning and contributing member of a family and friends circle. That multiple members were taken from three different families certainly deepens the blow. Those killed in the crash include:

• Kobe Bryant, 41
• Gianna (GiGi) Bryant, 13
• John Altobelli, 56
• Keri Altobelli
• Alyssa Altobelli, Daughter, Team Member
• Sarah Chester, Mom
• Payton Chester, Daughter, Team Member
• Christina Mauser, Assistant Girls Basketball Coach, Harbor Day School, and at Mamba Sports Academy
• Ara Zobayan, Pilot

For many basketball fans, Kobe Bryant often appeared larger than life. This was especially true for the majority of folks who claim occupancy in Laker Nation. More than a few consider him the greatest ever. Drafted out of Lower Merion High School, located in Lower Merion, PA, a suburb of Philadelphia, he certainly distinguished himself with a highlight reel career that included 20 years with my beloved Lakers. Kobe amassed a resume highlighted by 18 All-Star Team selections, 15 times a member of the All NBA Team, 12 Times All NBA Defensive Team, 5 NBA Championships, 2 Time NBA Scoring Leader, 2008 NBA MVP, 4^th on the all-time NBA regular season scoring list (Just passed by LeBron James this past Saturday night), 4^th in all-time NBA post season scoring, first guard in NBA history to play 20 years, scored 81 points in a single game, and amassed 60 points in his final game as an NBA player. Without question, he’s a Laker Legend, and an NBA luminary of the first order of magnitude.

In laboring through constructing this retrospective, I’m the first to admit, I was not always all-in on Kobe. I am that rare Laker fan who was not the most avid Kobe fan. Don’t get me wrong; I always fully appreciated his talent and totally respected his game. He was all that, and a bag of chips. But in 1996, when the Charlotte Hornets used the 13^th pick of the First Round to Draft him, I therefore and forever adhered to the notion he should have been a Hornet; my home team. Never mind that the Lakers are my all-time favorite NBA Team. Been a fan since the days of Baylor, West, Chamberlain, and Company. But as a Charlotte resident, and original Hornets’ Season Tickets owner, I’m also vested in their success. Moreover, I fully believe Kobe would have significantly altered and elevated their trajectory.

After his retirement, I softened my position. I never abandoned my opinion he should have played his career in a Hornets uniform, but I did understand (as I always did), that he made a shrewdly strategic business decision, and I absolutely respect that. I also recognize that he was instrumental in helping the Lakers win a handful of NBA Titles, and I don’t know if he’d have been able to do the same in Charlotte. On balance, he made the right call for Kobe. Each of us must do that for ourselves.

That brings me back to an undeniable reality. Our time on this earthly journey is brief, and unpredictable. According to Job 14, King James Version:

“Man that is born of woman is of few days and full of trouble. He cometh forth like a flower, and is cut down: he fleeth also as a shadow, and continueth not. And doth thou open thine eyes upon such a one, and bringest me into judgment with thee.”

Mamba obviously had a great career in hoops. He had also created a successful Brand and had become a formidable business magnate. Of late, he was immersing himself into being a model husband and father of four daughters. By most accounts he was committed to helping GiGi develop her basketball talent and eventually achieve her stated dream of playing in the WNBA. More complete biographies will address the challenges Bryant overcame in his quest for unparalleled greatness. I am content to report that he lived his life by the standards he set, and the bar was high. He was not afraid to pursue his passion, or of the success that came from such pursuits. Many will say, he left us too soon. Unfortunately, to paraphrase Job’s sentiment, that call is  not ours to make. It’s above our pay grade.

So, as I conclude, instead of lamenting the irreversible, or framing an even longer good-bye, I say, go with God. “Au Revoir Mamba: A Requiem for Kobe Redux ’21!”

I’m done; holla back!

Read my blog anytime by clicking the link: http://thesphinxofcharlotte.com. Find a new post each Wednesday.

To subscribe, click on Follow in the bottom right hand corner of my Home Page at http://thesphinxofcharlotte.com; enter your e-mail address in the designated space, and click on “Sign me up.” Subsequent editions of “Break It Down” will be mailed to your in-box.

For more detailed information on a variety of aspects related to this post, consult the links below:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kobe_Bryant

https://www.cnn.com/2020/01/28/us/priest-kobe-bryant-church-visit/index.html

https://www.cnn.com/2020/01/28/us/kobe-bryant-crash-timeline/index.html

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2020/01/27/kobe-bryant-helicopter-crash-here-nine-victims/4586582002/

https://thesphinxofcharlotte.com/2020/01/29/au-revoir-mamba-a-requiem-for-kobe/

https://thesphinxofcharlotte.com/2021/01/27/au-revoir-mamba-a-requiem-for-kobe-redux-21/

It’s time to Break It Down!

I’m gonna keep this one short.

Yesterday, the last full day of Trump’s term, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell directly blamed Mr. Trump for the deadly mob that attacked the Capitol.

On the floor of the U.S. Senate, Mr. McConnell said:

“The mob was fed lies. They were provoked by the President…and other powerful people.” Mic drop!

In the world of conspiracy theory and denial, enflamed and expanded by Trumpian rhetoric, Trump’s most ardent supporters claim Antifa is responsible for the insurgency at The Capitol on January 6^th. Numerous news outlets have identified Trump supporters as having been directly involved in the insurrection and attempted coup. This news is anything but fake. Mitch nailed it. There’s other news, of course. Not the least of which is, due to the wisdom of American voters, we get a new President at noon today. Adios El Presidente; Hello Mr… President

Meanwhile, there will be other days for other news. For me, today, this story says it all. For now, shoutout to Unindicted Co-conspirator and Individual 1. “The Mob’s Gotta Eat: Trump Fed Them Lies!”

I’m done; holla back!

Read my blog anytime by clicking the link: http://thesphinxofcharlotte.com. Find a new post each Wednesday.

To subscribe, click on Follow in the bottom right hand corner of my Home Page at http://thesphinxofcharlotte.com; enter your e-mail address in the designated space, and click on “Sign me up.” Subsequent editions of “Break It Down” will be mailed to your in-box.

For more detailed information on a variety of aspects related to this post, consult the links below:

https://www.chicagotribune.com/nation-world/ct-nw-mitch-mcconnell-trump-capitol-riots-20210119-wcvfpibhjrhohimy3y4wckdfbq-story.html

https://www.baltimoresun.com/news/nation-world/ct-nw-mitch-mcconnell-trump-capitol-riots-20210119-wcvfpibhjrhohimy3y4wckdfbq-story.html

https://www.cnn.com/2021/01/19/politics/mitch-mcconnell-rioters-provoked/index.html

https://thesphinxofcharlotte.com/2021/01/20/the-mobs-gotta-eat-trump-fed-them-lies/

It’s time to Break It Down!

Today, in all likelihood, Donald John Trump will claim another dubious page in the annals of American History. The United States House of Representatives is on a path to impeach Mr. Trump on the charge of “incitement of insurrection.” That will render him the first, and we must hope, the forever only, President to be impeached twice. Last night, the House approved a resolution calling for Mike Pence to invoke the 25^th Amendment to remove Donald Trump. Pence has said he is uninclined to do that, and he does not feel it is the appropriate action to take. Democrats have indicated, if Pence refuses to act, they will impeach Trump. The House adjourned until 9:00 a.m. this morning when they are expected to take up impeachment. Unlike last time, the effort is expected to receive a measure of bi-partisan (read that Republican) support. At least two Republicans, Liz Cheney (Wyoming) and Adam Kinzinger (Illinois) have signaled they are likely to support the measure. Maybe more.

A week ago, Mr. Trump gave a speech, during which he urged thousands of his supporters to walk down to the Capitol and “act with strength” to take back their government. His own sentiments were preceded by fiery remarks from Missouri Congressman Mo Brooks, Trump lawyer Rudy Giuliani, and First elder son, Donald Trump, Jr., among others. Mr. Trump’s incendiary comments were presaged by two months of repudiated and debunked claims that the 2020 Election was stolen, and that he actually won in a landslide. His provocative gaslighting was repeatedly rejected and/or disproved by vote recounts, in excess of 60 court cases, anchored by numerous Trump appointed Judges, including 3 he appointed to the SCOTUS, results certification in all 50 states, and vote validity confirmation by several GOP Governors, Secretaries of State, and election supervisors. In short, Mr. Trump lost the popular vote by over 7 million votes, and in the Electoral College by 306 to 232.

What happened? In short, after Mr. Trump implied he’d be joining them, he was driven back to the White House for one of his favorite pastimes, watching the events unfold on TV, while his trusty fans, followers, and fealty pledgers marched forthwith to the Capitol and instantly began to wreak havoc and mayhem on the fully assembled Congress of the United States, and his protégé, Mike Pence, as the joint session of Congress convened with the express purpose of certifying and confirming Joe Biden as President, and Kamala Harris as Vice President. Over the ensuing week, investigators have been busy dissecting the elements of what Trump’s most avid acolytes call a patriotic act, and what most of the rest of call a high crime, committed by a ruthless band of domestic terrorists.

Upon deeper inspection, it turns out, this group was not merely a loose collection of foot soldiers marching down to the Capitol to show devout support for its dear leader. These were men and women on a mission, armed with insider intel, and boosted by officials set to aid and abet their nefarious effort. As news continues to unravel the events, we now know that at least one elected Congressman was part of the invading horde, and that as many as 20 or more members of law enforcement were complicit in the attack. The FBI even indicated that they issued a warning the day before the incursion that extremists were planning to travel to Washington and commit acts of violence and war.

In True Trump form, he insists that, as with his erstwhile questionable calls, his speech was perfect. Likewise, his supporters fervently argue, the handiwork at the Capitol was not the action of Trump supporters, but rather the deviously desperate devices of Antifa and Black Lives Matter. As I told a Trump supporting friend, even Judge Janine Pirro and other fixtures at Fox News, along with a number of GOP Congressmen and women concede the miscreants were in fact, Trump supporters. When you’re stuck with denying the obvious, you’ve lost both the high ground, and more importantly, the argument.

History is sure to be replete with more than a few books about last week’s events. On one hand Americans will be reminded that one day in January, 2021, voters elected dual Democratic Senators from the state of Georgia, one Black, one Jewish, both firsts. On the other hand, they will be reminded of the un-American activities that unfolded the very next day (technically, later the same day, since both races were called after midnight. The latter event will undoubtedly be known as many things; a crime, a conspiracy, a coup attempt, sedition, insurrection, and as unfettered lawlessness which resulted in the death of at least 5 Americans, including two members of law enforcement, as well as an attempt to locate and murder Speaker Nancy Pelosi, and Trump’s own #2, Mike Pence.

Republicans will vote to impeach Donald Trump today, when none did in 2019. The fact that Individual 1 took actions that at least some of them perceived, could have resulted in their having been killed, will be sufficient motivation to change their tune, if not to sing an entirely different song. It’s too bad that epiphany required them to face their own mortality. But, as Mr. Trump has been known to say, “it is what it is.” The former is story of Americana at its best; overcoming great odds to succeed. The latter is the saga that gave birth to…”Impeachment Round 2: This Time Is Different!”

I’m done; holla back!

Read my blog anytime by clicking the link: http://thesphinxofcharlotte.com. Find a new post each Wednesday.

To subscribe, click on Follow in the bottom right hand corner of my Home Page at http://thesphinxofcharlotte.com; enter your e-mail address in the designated space, and click on “Sign me up.” Subsequent editions of “Break It Down” will be mailed to your in-box.

For more detailed information on a variety of aspects related to this post, consult the links below:

https://www.cnn.com/2021/01/12/politics/house-vote-25th-amendment-trump/index.html

https://www.cnn.com/2021/01/11/politics/house-democrats-impeachment-plans/index.html

https://thesphinxofcharlotte.com/2021/01/13/impeachment-round-2-this-time-is-different/

It’s time to Break It Down!

I’ll keep this brief. So, the nineteenth time was the charm. Last Saturday, Mr. Trump finally connected with Georgia’s Republican Secretary of State, Brad Raffensperger. He had made 18 previous calls to the Secretary since the November 3^rd Election, ostensibly to persuade, to coax, to convince, to cajole, and ultimately, to beg Raffensperger to overturn numerous court cases, a legal vote count, at least two recount’s, state certification, the vote of the Electoral College, and most importantly, the will of We The People. 

Secretary Raffensperger, along with Governor Kemp, and Lieutenant Governor Duncan, all Republicans, have repeatedly pushed back on the narrative and notion promoted by Trump and his most devoted supporters, that somehow in a state like Georgia, with stout GOP leadership, somehow they oversaw, or permitted a scheme to allow Democrats to steal the election from Donald Trump. The Associated Press and other major news outlets called the election on November 7^th. For the past two months Mr. Trump has been vacillating between whining/complaining and threatening/bullying people in an attempt to reverse the election results. That’s basically the set up for “Another “Perfect Call,” No Doubt: This Time With Receipts!” Hear the complete audio by clicking the second link below.

I’m done; holla back!

Read my blog anytime by clicking the link: http://thesphinxofcharlotte.com. Find a new post each Wednesday.

To subscribe, click on Follow in the bottom right hand corner of my Home Page at http://thesphinxofcharlotte.com; enter your e-mail address in the designated space, and click on “Sign me up.” Subsequent editions of “Break It Down” will be mailed to your in-box.

For more detailed information on a variety of aspects related to this post, consult the links below:

https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2021/01/white-house-made-18-previous-attempts-to-call-raffensperger.html

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/audio-trump-s-full-jan-2-call-with-ga-secretary-of-state/vi-BB1cqOiX

https://thesphinxofcharlotte.com/2021/01/06/another-perfect-call-no-doubt-this-time-with-receipts/