Kobe Bryant Featured in 'Call of Duty: Black Ops' Ad: Why the Backlash?

As I'm sure you've seen plenty of times on TV already, Lakers shooting guard and future Hall of Famer Kobe Bryant appears in the newest ad for "Call of Duty: Black Ops."

The game itself has already proven to be one of the biggest hits of the year, selling over 7 million copies world wide within 24 hours of its release on November 7th. Its been widely praised by video game critics and fans alike.

Kobe Bryant happens to be one of the games fans. However, because he's a professional basketball player in an ad where he's shooting an assault weapon, you have a nice set up for an easy high horse column. 

"How could he participate in a commercial that glorifies violence? What was Kobe, a usually intelligent man, thinking? What a poor lapse of judgement!"

That's a generic column about the commercial written by a generic 50-something sportswriter who likely has the video game hiding in his bedroom closet to give to his 12 year old son on Christmas morning.

I thought nothing of the commercial because I know what the message behind it was, and I guess being raised on Mario, Sonic, Mortal Kombat and Madden helped me in doing this. The message in the commercial is that no matter who you are, no matter what your occupation, when you play the game, you are a soldier. This message was conveyed perfectly, as in addition to Kobe, the ad also starred late night host Jimmy Kimmel and actor Jake Gyllenhaal, plus many others portraying people from all walks of life from secretaries to fast food workers to hotel bellhops. 

But with sportswriters, the focus is on the athlete, and they love nothing more than to seek controversy in something that's usually benign. This ad was pretty benign.

Yesterday on "First and 10", of course, Skip Bayless took some time off from praising Jay Cutler and criticizing Lebron to admonish Kobe for participating in the ad, then wondered not if but when commissioner David Stern would fine or suspend Kobe for it because:

"He is smiling while wielding an assault rifle in combat while there are troops overseas this moment doing the same thing for real in combat; its completely out of bounds for Kobe Bryant, who I thought completely rehabilitated his image after Eagle, Colorado, but even the great Kobe Bryant is not that, so to speak, bullet proof to me."

Seriously Skip? It's a video game. But, as in the case of Skip Clueless, people are too stupid to see that. He tried to make it seem like Kobe was minimizing what our troops overseas are doing by appearing in this ad, even though Kobe is well known for being involved in military charities.

Then I see an article on ESPN from Tim Keown also criticizing Kobe for appearing in the ad, comparing it to real street violence.

Really Mr. Keown? I've been playing violent video games since the first time I got Mortal Kombat for Sega Genisis. Not once have I ever ripped someone's heart out, frozen them, decapitated them, or impaled them. However, I can neither confirm nor deny that I've said "FATALITY" in a deep voice reminiscent of the game after beating someone in something competitive.

I've been playing first person shooters for a while too. I've never, nor will I ever, shoot someone. The argument that you present that people who play violent video games don't have respect for death nor life is extremely flawed.

I usually don't stray into politics in my writing, however this time it's clear that I see two things going on:

1. This is the typical liberal "think about the children, for their parents aren't smart enough to tell them the difference between right and wrong, fantasy and reality" crap that's been going on in this country that I can't stand. This is the same mentality that takes away personal accountability and responsibility by putting everything in the government's hands, thereby creating a Welfare-Nanny State.

2. Somehow I don't think the reaction would've been the same if Steve Nash were in Kobe's place. I'm sure you know what I mean by that.

This reaction is obviously just an overblown, high horse sports columnist that gets an easy column and an easy way to make news. This isn't news at all. 

But I do find one thing hypocritical: If they have a problem with Kobe appearing in such an ad, then why do they call him "an assassin?" 

Kobe appearing in the ad doesn't offend me, the faux-high horse media backlash does, and if I had to interview Kobe, then I only have one question to ask about the ad: Playstation 3 or 360? If its 360 then what's your Xbox Live name?

I challenge you Mamba, let's do this!

Thank God the Lakers don't take on the Heat anytime soon and this will blow over by next week, because anti-video game lawyer (I mean to call him other things but I'll save that for message boards) Jack Thompson would surely be outside the American Airlines Arena protesting Kobe for appearing in the ad.

Thomas Galicia is a Miami Dolphins Featured Columnist who also writes about the Miami Heat, Chicago Cubs, and Miami Hurricanes. Thanks to the three rings of death, he hasn't been on XBOX Live in a while, however when he gets it back he challenges any and all comers in COD. In the meantime, follow him on twitter, @thomasgalicia.