OCR Text |
Show TUESDAY CAGE 32 Daily Utah Chronicle V f Matthew Ouellette Sports Columnist The tale of two Kobes 'l ii r1 ' ' r ff f It's hard to find a written opinion on the Kobe Bryant rape trial, especially from a nationally syndicated source. ESPN and Sports Illustrated reserve their reporting to the facts because rape is a touchy subject (and rightfully so). But this isn't exactly an ordinary rape case. So, although I said I didn't care about this trial in a previous column, I feel somewhat obligated to outline the ridiculous figure it's cutting in the world, and the consequences it will likely have. I'm not talking about how will react to their idol being accused of rape that's covered ground. I'm not talking about the image of pro athletes, the sanctity of marriage or the integrity of women who file charges of rape. Although this trial brings them all into question, I'm going to avoid these sensitive issues like many other , writers have done recently. Instead, I'm going to focus on the other pertinent question of movie rights. I'm talking about who's writing the script, who's producing, and how much will they have to pay an already wealthy man and an already suicidal girl to be able to release it. The answer is completely dependent on the outcome of the trial, and possibly Kobe's marriage, because the outcome will decide who is good and who is evil. Without these two staples of modern plot structure, there would be no movie, and so two s3istinct factions have been developing stories since day one to deal with the two possible outcomes. Let's say hypothetically that the USA Network is working on the story for a not guilty verdict, and Lifetime, television for womn en, is writing for the outcome. When the news about accusations being brought against Kobe first broke on bottom lines and special reports, the writers for both networks were told to begin working, but there still wasn't sufficient material. Then Kobe held a press conference to admit infidelity, maintain his innocence, and buy his wife's support back with a grossly overpriced ring. That's when ESPN's content and daytime ratings finally surpassed soap operas in outlandishness, and the writers began licking their chops. When his wife accepted the ring and agreed to stand by her troubled husband, two distinct plot lines developed that have continued to flourish throughout the trial. The writers for Lifetime began developing a story that centered around Kobe's wife and his accuser (both of whom have lost their actual names and become Kobe's possessions). It is a story about struggle, strength, sorrow and salvation. Kobe's wife is depicted as the strong, infinitely re- spectable woman. Despite the fact that she has Kobe by the balls and could take him for all he's worth, she decides, amazingly enough, to stick ,. with him through the trial. Meanwhile, Kobe is vulainized in an aurally explicit, but visually depriving, rape scene, and several flashbacks that show him womanizing in sleazy bars. A recurring theme will be Kobe's use of the phrase, "Come on, baby, I'm Kobe Bryant." The accuser is portrayed as a troubled youth who finally starts getting her act together by the end of the movie. The turning point for her character comes during an emotional confrontation with Kobe's wife, which ends in a teary embrace. When the guilty verdict is finally passed down, Kobe once again delivers his definitive plea, this time to the judge: "Come on, baby, I'm Kobe Bryant." Then comes a resolution involving a divorce and ample compensation . i "I I Jf i w r 1 4w , re -- - ry . guilty-as-si- Nick Jacobsn drives around BYU's Mark Bigelow in the first quarter in Provo Monday night. Utes beat themselves Asad Kudiya Sports Editor point for the first four minutes of the game, it seemed that Utah (20-- 8 5) would impose its defensive will throughout the entire game. But with two steals by Mike Hall and a couple shots by Mark Bigelow, the Cougars (19-got back into the thick of things. With the crowd of the Marriott Center behind them, the Cougars exploded, as they completed a 2 run to finish the half. "I don't know what happened in that stretch, but it seemed like BYU settled down after being excited about Senior Night, and we turned the ball over," Jacob-so- n 8, The U basketball team finished Monday night's game with more turnovers than made baskets, which was the entire story in the Cougars 70-5- win. The offense was absolutely 7 horrendous for the Utes and after a meltdown, Utah could not comeback as they did in Salt Lake City earlier in the year. A season-hig23 turnovers for the Utes, to first-ha- lf h BYU's seven was the difference and the hottest team in the conference won their seventh straight game. "If you have 23 turnovers, you are going to lose," Ute senior Nick Jacobson said. "Even though I don't want to say we beat ourselves, we made some unforced turnovers that really gave them the momentum." BYU solidified the second place spot and that is as high as they will go, since Air Force defeated San Diego State, 9 to clinch the regular season conference; title. Even if Utah wins next week and the Cougars lose, the fact that BYU defeated Air Force once will give them the edge in the tiebreaker for second. After not scoring a single 61-4- 7, 9-- 4) 19-- said. It was the Ute mistakes that allowed the Cougars to get back into the game and take the lead. Seventeen of the Cougars 26 first half points came off Ute turnovers, which may have been a result of the absolutely intense crowd noise. The turnovers k resulted in points which made the crowd even more hostile. "They got a lot of easy baskets," U center Tim Frost said. "Their pressure was tough and we gave up a lot of fast breaks." The offense was stagnant and the Utes seemed like fast-brea- they did not know what to do, much like the first half of the game in Salt Lake City. The gameplan was scrapped and the Utes could never get comfortable in their offense. "We did not prepare the guys well to handle the pressure and that is my fault," U head coach Kerry Rupp said. The second half wasn't any better for the Utes. Even after scoring the first four points, the Cougars defense stiffened and the offense capitalized on even more turnovers. After a quiet first half, BYU center Raphael Araujo scored 6 quick points and the Utes seemed to be in disarray, as the Cougars extended the lead to But another quick foul in the second half gave Araujo three fouls, which gave the Utes a chance to come back with their size in the middle. Even though Cleveland kept Araujo in the game, the Utes started to cut into the lead with baskets from seniors Tim Frost and Nick Jacobson. But it was the BYU senior Bigelow, who answered the calls for the Marriott Center crowd with five straight points. He finished the game with 19 points and three field goals from beyond the arc. With six minutes left in the 34-2- 3. game the Cougars maintained their nine-poilead, but this time the Cougars would not relinquish it. BYU answered every blow the Utes dealt them with blows of their own. After a Bogut three pointer, Terrence Woodberry also hit a three to take the air out of Utah. After a dunk by Hall to give the Cougars a 5 lead, a desperation heave by Jacob-so- n was long and BYU had the victory within their grasps. An airball on a three pointer by Bogut sealed the Utes fate, but it was amazing that the Utes were even as close as they were throughout the game, considering the ineptitude of the offense. "We were just standing around a lot of the second half," Rupp said. In his last game playing against BYU, Jacobson finished the game with a team-hig- h 16 points, but Hall did an amazing job defending him nt 55-4- throughout the contest. Along with the great defensive performance, Hall also had a game-hig21 points and the two steals that really got the team going in the first h half. The only positive that the Utes could get out of the game was how close they were even with the horrible offensive play. "We had all those turnovers, but we were fighting all the way till the end," Jacobson said. "If we cut those turnovers in half, then we would have: been right their competing for the victory," Rupp said. But now, the Utes are in a tight position and it looks like they will have to win the conference tournament to sniff the NCAAs. "It looked like we were going to have to win the conference tournament anyway and at least it is in Denver," Jacob-so- n said. "There is no home-cou- rt advantage anymore." If the Utes and Cougars d both win there matchup in the tournament, then they will play each other or a third time on a neutral court. "What is better than two, teams who split at home in the regular season to play in first-roun- the conference tournament on a neutral court?" Jacobson said. But if the Utes execute on offense in the tournament like they did against the Cou-- . gars Monday night, then there will be no way they will make it to the semi-fingame to meet BYU. al akudiyachronicle.utah.edu SEE KOBE PAGE 8 |