Kobe Bryant's Post-Game Answers: Grin and Bear It and Try to Survive

Is it worse to sleep in the clubhouse during a baseball game and be unavailable to pinch-hit, or to sleep through your press conference after your team loses a game in the NBA finals?

Flip a coin.

For anyone who watched Kobe Bryant, with his head resting on one hand and a look of total disgust and disinterest with every question anyone dared to ask him, it was an extremely uncomfortable few minutes.

Bryant has never been known to be Mr. Personality in a press conference, but this was taken to a whole new level, even for him.

How anyone had the cahones to keep asking him questions as this thing wore on was beyond me. I would have thrown up my arms and walked out long before the end. But I guess if you need the quote, you need the quote, and you ask your questions, hoping for at least a seven or eight word response (most were two or three words) and take his crap, smiling.

Kobe Bryant's disgust for other fellow beings is always somewhat thinly veiled. After a loss in a press conference it is more obvious. After a loss in a playoff game it is bitterly evident. After a loss in an NBA finals game on home court, he turns into a Mr. Potter from It's A Wonderful Life.

Most players and coaches make some attempt to answer questions after a loss—even a frustrating loss in the NBA Finals. Nobody wants to be up there. But it's part of the gig. It is something that comes with the big bucks and the fame.

A pretty small price to pay.

We all know you're frustrated, Kobe, but can you be frustrated and civil at the same time? Can you treat fellow human beings with respect? People who, like you, are just trying to do their job.

Post-game press conferences are always a bit strange in the first place. The winners are happy and ready to talk your ear off, and the losers are pissed and want to go home or get on a plane. They could care less if they offer you a good quote or sound bite.

Ray Allen had a bad game shooting threes in game one. But, after the blowout, he came out there, looked everyone who asked him a question square in the eye, and answered questions. Even expanded on answers and offered insight.

Ray did his job that night.

Kobe didn't do his last night.

Neither on the court or in the media room.