Kobe says Vanessa wouldn't exaggerate

http://www.dailynews.com/Stories/0,1413,200%7E25388%7E2593963,00.html

Bryant confirmed Malone approached his wife, Vanessa, at the Lakers' Nov. 23
game against the Milwaukee Bucks at Staples Center and made suggestive
comments that prompted Vanessa to call Malone's wife and tell her Malone was
out of line.

Vanessa reportedly asked Malone what he was out hunting with the cowboy hat
he was wearing to the game and the 41-year-old Malone answered, "I'm hunting
for little Mexican girls.' Vanessa Bryant is 22 years old and Latina.

Bryant found out what happened after the game and was incensed. He still was
angry speaking in the locker room before Sunday's game against the Orlando
Magic.

"What he said is what he said,' Bryant said. "Facts are facts. This thing
went on for a while. My wife isn't going to sit there and exaggerate
something or blow something out of proportion that doesn't need to be blown
out of proportion.

"She felt uncomfortable being around the dude. To the point where she felt
like she had to call his wife and tell his wife, 'Your husband's acting out
of control right now.''

Bryant also said Malone made other comments beyond the "Mexican girls' line
that left his wife feeling unnerved. Bryant did not elaborate on what those
were.

"To be really honest with you,' he said, "there was a lot more that took
place beside that that made her feel uncomfortable being around the dude.'

He later added, "My relationship with him on a personal level will never be
the same. How can it be?'


"He was like a mentor to me, an older brother to me,' Bryant said. "You know
what I mean? So when something like that happens ... you're upset, you're
hurt, there's all those emotions tied into one at the same time.'

Bryant said Malone did not deny making the comment when he confronted him on
the phone. Bryant also said he didn't threaten Malone in subsequent
conversations and felt he had nothing for which to apologize.

"I don't have anything to apologize for as far as from what took place down
there,' Bryant said. "The comments that he said, I don't know any man in
this room that would not be upset about that. That's just not human nature.'

He made clear his personal feelings for Malone, but Bryant said they still
could play on the same team if Lakers management so desired.

Lakers owner Jerry Buss and general manager Mitch Kupchak are expected to
meet with Malone in the next two weeks, a team spokesman said.

"I'm going to have to embrace him as a teammate but only as a teammate,'
Bryant said, "and try to accomplish a goal and that's help this team win
ball games.'

Bryant also detailed what was said in his phone conversation with Malone.

"'Stay away from my wife,'' Bryant said. "'What's wrong with you? How could
you?' He said, 'I'm sorry if I said anything that was out of line, I
apologize.'

"I don't know what else to tell you guys.'

Miguel M <MickBarr.RemoveThis@hotmail.com> scribbled:

>
> Wouldn't the probably mistrust issues stemming from Kobe's infidelity
> make the couple even more sensitive to incidents like this. Yeah, the
> guy cheated, but apparently he and Vanessa have decided to try and
> stay together. I don't think it's all that ironic. It kind of
> follows from the kind of breach of trust that Kobe was guilty of.

it's ironic because here is he freaking out over a comment, (or his wife is
making it up to be a lot more than it is) when he cheated on his wife soon
after she gave birth. Where was his outrage then?
--

"if the women don't find you handsome, you haven't bought them enough
beer."