But the concept is naïve. What about Kobe's image? In the year 2003, image in America has very little to do with reality and very little to do with the substance of the person under consideration.

Kobe Bryant, Michael Jordan, Shaquille O'Neal & Co. sell things to the public not because they are believable, trustworthy human beings, but because they are superheroes who land in living rooms on 50-inch television screens. Nobody who buys Bryant-endorsed sneakers would purport to know him.

As a sportswriter, I am often asked to speak to groups of children (all ages) and adults. Questions and answers ensue. Have you ever met Mike Vick? (I did, when he was at Virginia Tech. I liked him. And I am, at this point in my career and life, immune to desiring a celebrity's company.) Here's what I try to tell people: As far as I have been able to learn, famous (and not-so-famous) athletes are just people with a gift. Some of them worked very hard to become great, some of them got lucky in the gene pool. Some of them are very nice, some are insufferable. Enjoy their gifts, but don't worship them.

Which brings me back to Kobe. I mean, Bryant. His case is certain to get very ugly. Heck, it's already ugly. At his press conference last week, Bryant fought back tears and held his wife's hand ... if this was a legal tactic, it was deplorable. If this was genuine, it should have been kept private. Showing emotions like those to the public reeks of manipulation. Jury manipulation. Opinion manipulation. Image manipulation. (There's that word again. By nearly crying in public, Bryant made us feel as if we know him a little better. Of course, we don't. Just like we didn't know him when he was winning titles and smiling and speaking Italian.)

As far as image goes: I'm not worried about the kids. Kids are smarter than you might imagine. Back in 1992, I talked to a group of Spanish schoolboys before the Barcelona Olympics. They wanted to know all about Magic Johnson. One little kid said, "But didn't he get sick because he was with too many people?" Don't worry about the kids.

The public? The public will remember a little and forget a little. Bryant will emerge from this scarred and changed, but hardly smaller. Regardless of the outcome of the case. His image will be patched up, because it supports too many other people. He will sell goods and services again, though perhaps not quite as well. But he will sell them, because it is a not a person at all who does the selling. It's a smiling cardboard cutout.

Sports Illustrated senior writer Tim Layden weighs in with a Viewpoint every Friday on SI.com. Click here to send him a comment.

 

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