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Dear Mr. Bryant

Hey there buddy. You remember me, Kyle Benbow. I'm the one who showed up when you can to indianapolis last season. I was eight rows back wearing the number 8 Blue throwback with the Los Angelas Lakers hat. You may not want to remember that game because you shot 7-25 in a loss but it still was one ony my best sports memories. I saved up long and hard to get that money to see you play and no matter what I was going to leave satified that I got to see one the NBA greatest play...even if it was poorly. My friends made fun of me but I defended you then like I always do.

But recently Kobe I have found myself finding extremely hard to defend what you doing. At first when the trade demands surfaced and you went on tirades on the radio, I believe it was just a superstar that was unhappy with losing in the 1st round once again. See I know that you know that many people don't appriciate what you have done over your career because during the most part you played with Shaq. I understand how bad you want to prove that Shaq needed you as bad as you needed shaq. I thought it would all blow over and you would return to LA because you realize that that is your home. They love you there and will appriciate you because they ,like me, realize that you are truly one of the greatest to play the game. But Now since this video came out, I don't know if you are realizing how you are isolating yourself from the fans. In the video you throw Andrew Bynum under the bus and tell the guys shooting to "buy a Chicago jersey". Kobe, Andrew Bynum is 19 years old. In fact he is 2 months younger than me. At 19 I find it hard just work and go to school, so playing NBA basketball has to be a huge challenge for Andrew. We all know he should have been traded for Jason Kidd but you don't have to cuss him out in a video to prove the point.

I understand you may have not known the video was on and I understand you probrobly didn't want it to get this expose, but you have to know as a star in LA nothing getting past anyone. Kobe I understand you will like to be traded but you are taking the completely wrong road. Remember that other superstar that wanted to be traded ealier this season. He had a lot of great moments in his city like you did Kobe. He was also in legal troubles where his fans backed him up like the Lakers fans did for you Kobe. He also was considered a ball hog like you Kobe. Yet when Allen Iverson demanded to be traded thier was no video Kobe, no radio tirades. 

Kobe, wherever you are I just want you to remember the fans during this whole summer. Not the ones that were there when you had 25-11-7 during that amazing comeback against the Blazers in the WCF. Not the ones that were there for that 48 you had against the Kings in the playoffs when you were 22. Not the ones that were their when you had that amazing rebound and lay-up against the Spurs in game 4. I want you to remember the ones that were there when you were airballing shots against Utah in the WCF. Remember the ones that were there when you wept after losing to the Spurs in 2003. The ones who were there when scored 11 against the Pistons in game 3 during that terrible 5 game Finals. Don't remember the ones that booed you the year after Shaq was gone, remember the ones that defended you during that season. The ones that stayed after game 7 of the Suns series, the ones that were there for the entire Suns series this year. Remember the ones who were there after Colorado Kobe, because you are on the verge of losing those fans...

Kobe you remind me of another favorite athlete I had. He was more flamboyent than you, but he also was one of the best when he was in his prime. He too played along a great which people discredit some of his career for too. But he came into his own and had plenty of amazing playoff performances. He also has a single game performance that rivals yours. But unfortunately he too, threw teammates under the bus and in the end Terrell Owens had to be traded to Philly. Kobe do you want to become Terrell Owens?

Kobe I just hope you are thinking about the true fans you have remaining. No matter how unfair it is you on the court performance can be tarnished by your off the field antics. Just ask TO why he lead the League in TD's and sat at home February 11th. Kobe man, I hope this all blows over because you are the Lakers. You are our Brett Farve, our Barry Bonds, our Peyton Manning. We always took good care of you and always defend you. I just want you to make it a little easier to do so

You number one fan

Kyle B