Readers find different answers to ‘What makes a superhero?’

Thank you, Steve Smith, for your version of Kobe Bryant (“Kobe made

more than a mistake,” Saturday). It is exactly as mine. What could I

tell my grandsons who look up to Bryant as a role model? There is

absolutely no excuse for what he has done. I don’t think I can ever

watch him play basketball again.

A $4-million diamond ring? Think what that could do for the

homeless in Orange County.

GWEN JOHNSON

Corona del Mar

I praise the article “Kobe made more than a mistake,” in which

Steve Smith took a bold look at the morality of Kobe Bryant’s hotel

room behavior.

The image of the press conference -- Bryant gripping his wife’s

hand as he plead innocence of sexual assault while asking us to

excuse his infidelity -- left me with a sour feeling. I’m a Lakers

fan and I admired and respected Bryant. Now what? Is his wife’s

forgiveness all I am expected to need before I excuse him? Does

Bryant expect us all to shrug our shoulders and accept, as he does,

that immorality is inevitable, that humans will be humans, men will

be men, and basketball players will be basketball players? On the

other hand, why shouldn’t he ask that of us? America virtually

ignored how Magic Johnson got HIV and welcomed him right back into

the mainstream, as a victim and a hero. We excuse the chronically

misbehaving Dennis Rodman time and again for his misbehavior.

The message we give kids who look up to these men is that there

are no apparent consequences for breaking laws, whether moral or

civil. Yes, eventually Bryant should be forgiven. But first he should

perform some sort of public penance. Something that pinches more than

potentially losing a multimillion-dollar endorsement contract; he

already has more millions than a man can spend in a lifetime --

unless $4-million apologies are on the budget.

Maybe Bryant would have gained some sympathy if he’d donated $4

million to women’s causes, too.

LIZ SWIERTZ

Corona del Mar

Lately, Steve Smith has taken on the task of being the campus

moralist. When Smith was talking about education, water quality and

bureaucratic bungling -- we were right there with him. Recently, he

has been airing a series of guilt-ridden, self-indulgent articles.

Those regarding Newport Beach City Councilman Dick Nichols and Kobe

Bryant have stirred our concern that Smith is no longer in the

“reporting the facts” business.

His latest issue: Shame on Kobe!

First of all, Bryant is a handsome, black 24-year-old, an

international superstar with more popularity, skill and money than

Tiger Woods. So, who is best qualified to write a cogent article

about Bryant’s moral propriety -- Harry Potter, maybe?

Smith is quick to point out that Bryant is a publicly confessed

“adulterer.” We know Bryant recently paid his perfunctory penance

with a small token of contrition to his wife, Vanessa, worth a few

pence, for this wrongdoing. We might explain to Bryant and all others

of his age or disposition that this still doesn’t mean much; once a

man fails his moral duty he will be reminded “by his spouse” on a

daily basis, not Steve Smith, for the rest of his life! Elvis and

Priscilla, Richard and Elizabeth ... to name a few.

Breaking a “commitment” might have gone further to explain the

wrong, if it were to be addressed at all. Certainly, we are all only

as good as our word and personal commitments to others. The Smith

personal editorial on the other hand, discusses moral equivalency,

respect for children and what a “real man” is. Let’s hope that Smith

is not preaching here and not suggesting that Bryant steps down from

the Lakers for moral ineptitude or turpitude.

Smith appears entirely too hung up and jealous -- that Bryant made

a magnanimous and honest attempt at atonement. We kept waiting for

Smith to break into song: “Momma’s don’t let your babies grow up to

be ... Basketball players.” Bryant’s public apology to his wife was

gutsy, unnecessary and very caring. Much more of Bryant’s judgment

and character will be revealed to all of us in the days ahead.

Perhaps we should wait until the jury is in before the hanging.

“If only Jim Ferryman had shown such an act of contrition ... our

kids might have gotten a better message.” Oh, forget it. Smith, you

be the real man. Stick to the facts; not self-purging, preaching,

moralizing opinions!

RON and ANNA WINSHIP

Newport Beach