Kobe asks ref to let his man play tough (in Spanish)

from a Spanish article (rough translation using Altavista Babel Fish)

"But most unusual it is what it happened to me with Kobe Bryant before beginning the third quarter. The player came to look for to me directly and in a perfect Spanish he requested me that it let to his defender play more hard. He said to me that it needed more rigor the rival because if no, one became bored. I answered to him in English and he continued speaking to me in an excellent Spanish. I swear to you that still I cannot think what happened."

More at LINK

Kobe is ready...oiled up. He needs the challenge to not fall asleep...he is THAT much better than the rest.

this guy is just incredible

dam he can speak fluent spanish too?

kroublees wrote::man10:
dam he can speak fluent spanish too?

Vanessa is Mexican, after all.

Damnnnn

RJ wrote:

kroublees wrote::man10:
dam he can speak fluent spanish too?

Vanessa is Mexican, after all.

That's an awesome article!

To those who can read spanish, read it!

LOL and the funny thing is, if that ref never spoke about it, nonone would know,lol, that Kobe is a one of kind player.

^ Kobe speaks French too.. he spent some childhood years there as well.

Anyone care to translate it properly? That babel fish translation is horrible.

two0one7 wrote:Anyone care to translate it properly? That babel fish translation is horrible.

not too horrible that you can't get the gist of it..

the ref basically talks about all the players being cordial to him.. he thought it would be quite different after watching all these guys on TV.. it surprised him that they were that friendly...it was a memorable experience for him.. he wished he had taken a picture with Kobe, his new "friend". he is a young ref and says this experience has given him confidence.. he will cherish the memories even if he doesn't get a chance to ref again in this setting..

Kobe says it's not an all-star game even though there are some flashy plays.. this is serious and their first big test is coming up against Brazil.. Coach K calls it a team without ego.

Kobe is special.

nbafan wrote:^ Kobe speaks French too.. he spent some childhood years there as well.

In France?

I think you mean Italy my friend.

ladam24 wrote:

nbafan wrote:^ Kobe speaks French too.. he spent some childhood years there as well.

In France?

I think you mean Italy my friend.

actually, he did live in a france for a bit

"Next they lived in Mulhouse, France, before returning to America eight years later. The Bryants were one of the few American families in Riete. Kobe learned ..."

-from the book Kobe Bryant:Basketball Big Shot

i saw it on google

I love how Krzyzewski apologized for the tantrum of that one player. And how they praised the refs for their good job.

I imagine those poor bastards must be find it welcoming to have better refereeing standards in the game.

Andy OlawaBynum wrote:

ladam24 wrote:

nbafan wrote:^ Kobe speaks French too.. he spent some childhood years there as well.

In France?

I think you mean Italy my friend.

actually, he did live in a france for a bit

"Next they lived in Mulhouse, France, before returning to America eight years later. The Bryants were one of the few American families in Riete. Kobe learned ..."

-from the book Kobe Bryant:Basketball Big Shot

i saw it on google

Yep.

Living in Italy and France, and attending school in Switzerland, Bryant was exposed to a new way of life. LINK

He was in France when Magic announced his HIV: LINK

Kobe is so cultured. haha

two0one7 wrote:Kobe is so cultured. haha

ya right now tho is is trying to learn Plutonian

grande cojones

KB8@CL wrote:

two0one7 wrote:Kobe is so cultured. haha

ya right now tho is is trying to learn Plutonian

italian and spanish is very similar. i've been on trips with an italian friend and he was talking to shopkeeper in italian while the shopkeeper responded in spanish.

probably didn't take kobe much time to learn spanish.

Here's the complete article translated:

Rodrigo, Kobe Bryant’s friend
In the win against Canada 113-63, the Los Angeles Lakers star spoke several times in perfect Spanish with the ref.

Las Vegas. - “What happened to me in this city is incredible” said the still surprised ref from Argentina, Daniel Rodrigo.

“This is an enormous experience, to be able to ref these monster superstars that we watch from afar on television, and for them to treat you with the outmost respect and kindness is very astonishing. But the most amazing thing is what happened with Kobe Bryant before the beginning of the third quarter.

The guy (in Argentina ‘tipo’ is like dude is a common phrase and it means no disrespect is just common language) came directly to me and in perfect Spanish asked me to let his defender guard him more competitive. He told me that he needed to be guarded tougher or he would get bored. I would answer him in English, but he (Kobe) would continue to speak in excellent Spanish. I swear to you, I still cannot believe what happened.”

No questions were needed; Rodrigo was still overwhelmed by what happened. “ During the game I told the defender not to push him and I told Kobe not to touch him, that’s the reason why he came to me and asked me to allow more physical play. Always with respect, like all the players from the Dream Team. For example Jason Kidd he seems to be a gentleman. He said hi before the game, during the game and after the game. And every time I would call a foul, they would raise their arm towards the table to accept the call. Even coach Mike Krzyzewski asked for my forgiveness when one of his players insulted me, and he said it would not happen again.”

The ref lamented not having a picture of the scene with Kobe, something that he will save in his memory. “I don’t know if I will ever ref the Dream Team again, but if I do, I think the interaction with these players, will help me be a better ref and have more credibility. Nevertheless I never thought I would experience this. All of them at the end of the game said hello to me, they told me ‘good game ref!!!’ We think they are from a different planet. I’m really excited about the whole experience,” he added.

After the game Kobe said, “ It’s an honor and a responsibility to represent your country and even though sometimes we have fun and we look for spectacular plays, this is not the all star game. Beginning tomorrow things might change, and we have to play very good against Brazil, because it will be our first test.”

The attraction, here, are the monsters of the NBA. Like Daniel Rodrigo said, from now on…‘Kobe Bryant’s friend’

http://www.lanacion.com.ar/EdicionImpre … 7#lectores

Players give you class when you call a fair game. *Cough NBA refs *cough

If only they'd call the NBA game this way. AND more importantly if only the NBA players acted the way they do here, showing respect for the calls and the refs, in the NBA, instead of crying like babies on every single call. Why can't they pretend like they are playing the international game and have to be respectful in the NBA? How hard would it be? I mean, when was the last time a ref changed a call because a player whined, complained, jumped up and down, ran around with his hands in the air, or cussed them out? NBA players should be more professional than that and I'd love it if NBA games looked like these games.