Wow. Some of this stuff is just...wow.
Malone associate rebuts accusation
LAKERS: A witness says Bryant's wife was flirting and that Bryant's reaction "stunned" Malone.
12:27 AM PST on Wednesday, December 15, 2004
By BRODERICK TURNER / The Press-Enterprise
SEATTLE - An eyewitness to the exchange between Kobe Bryant's wife and Karl Malone that led to a feud and ended a friendship between the two Lakers said that Malone never made a pass at Vanessa Bryant and that she was "flirting" with Malone.
Lloyd Sapiga, a personal trainer and bodyguard for Malone for 10 years, spoke out in a phone interview Tuesday because he said Bryant has tried to "tear down Karl's reputation."
Bryant accused Malone of making a pass at his wife.
"Karl did not make a pass at her," Sapiga said. "He would not be stupid to do something like that. ... He's a better man than that. Karl is the best power forward to ever play the game, but he's 100 times better as a person than as a player.
"That personal attack Kobe made against Karl is ridiculous. I feel like I have to say something because Kobe is out there parading around and saying that Karl was making passes at his wife. That's ridiculous. Karl would never do such a thing."
Bryant did not want to address the subject further on Tuesday.
"I'm done talking about it," Bryant said. "I've said what I've had to say on the matter, and I'm just moving on."
Malone, who has not played this season because of a knee injury, attended a Laker game Nov. 23 against Milwaukee at Staples Center. His son, Karl Jr., and Sapiga were with him.
"Vanessa is the one who greeted Karl with a hug," Sapiga said. "She was so excited when she saw him. She looked like a little kid in a candy store. There were people from the Lakers organization that saw her reaction. She was excited. She was elated.
"She was flirting with Karl. She was all happy, giggly, smiling, laughing."
At halftime, at Vanessa's request, Malone took his son to sit with her. After the game, Malone, who was wearing a cowboy hat and boots, went to get his son. Sapiga's version of the ensuing conversation is consistent with what Bryant has said publicly.
"'Hey, cowboy, what are you hunting?'" Sapiga, who said he was there and heard the conversation, said Vanessa asked Malone.
"Karl kind of responded accordingly and jokingly, 'I'm hunting little Mexican girls.' There was nothing there after that."
Sapiga said he and Malone hugged Vanessa while her bodyguard stood and watched.
While Malone was driving home to Newport Beach, Bryant called him, ranting and accusing Malone of making a pass at Vanessa.
"He threatened Karl," Sapiga said.
"... I could hear Kobe yelling and screaming. Karl was like, 'Kobe, if I offended your wife in any way, I apologize.' Kobe continued to say he was going to kick Karl's (butt). He was going to kill him. Karl was totally shocked by what happened."
Bryant then called Malone's wife, Kay, and told her that Malone was having affairs on the road last season.
"He told Kay, 'Keep your eye on Karl. You have no idea what your man is doing,'" Sapiga said. "... When we got home that night, she asked Karl, 'What the hell is going on?'...
"Karl was stunned by all this. After everything Kobe went through last year (Bryant's sexual assault trial in Colorado), he was the one who really reached out to him and stood by him. And then to say that Karl is making advances at his wife, that's ridiculous. ... I don't know why she felt that way. ...
"Karl and Kay were the biggest supporters of Kobe last year when he went through everything. But now the shot that he's taking at my friend and my brother, this just makes me mad. Every time I hear about Kobe's name, it makes me sick. ... "Why she said what she said, I have no clue. But it's her word against his, and obviously Kobe decided to stick by his wife. But he's the one who cheated on his wife last year."
LAKERS: A witness says Bryant's wife was flirting and that Bryant's reaction "stunned" Malone.
12:27 AM PST on Wednesday, December 15, 2004
By BRODERICK TURNER / The Press-Enterprise
SEATTLE - An eyewitness to the exchange between Kobe Bryant's wife and Karl Malone that led to a feud and ended a friendship between the two Lakers said that Malone never made a pass at Vanessa Bryant and that she was "flirting" with Malone.
Lloyd Sapiga, a personal trainer and bodyguard for Malone for 10 years, spoke out in a phone interview Tuesday because he said Bryant has tried to "tear down Karl's reputation."
Bryant accused Malone of making a pass at his wife.
"Karl did not make a pass at her," Sapiga said. "He would not be stupid to do something like that. ... He's a better man than that. Karl is the best power forward to ever play the game, but he's 100 times better as a person than as a player.
"That personal attack Kobe made against Karl is ridiculous. I feel like I have to say something because Kobe is out there parading around and saying that Karl was making passes at his wife. That's ridiculous. Karl would never do such a thing."
Bryant did not want to address the subject further on Tuesday.
"I'm done talking about it," Bryant said. "I've said what I've had to say on the matter, and I'm just moving on."
Malone, who has not played this season because of a knee injury, attended a Laker game Nov. 23 against Milwaukee at Staples Center. His son, Karl Jr., and Sapiga were with him.
"Vanessa is the one who greeted Karl with a hug," Sapiga said. "She was so excited when she saw him. She looked like a little kid in a candy store. There were people from the Lakers organization that saw her reaction. She was excited. She was elated.
"She was flirting with Karl. She was all happy, giggly, smiling, laughing."
At halftime, at Vanessa's request, Malone took his son to sit with her. After the game, Malone, who was wearing a cowboy hat and boots, went to get his son. Sapiga's version of the ensuing conversation is consistent with what Bryant has said publicly.
"'Hey, cowboy, what are you hunting?'" Sapiga, who said he was there and heard the conversation, said Vanessa asked Malone.
"Karl kind of responded accordingly and jokingly, 'I'm hunting little Mexican girls.' There was nothing there after that."
Sapiga said he and Malone hugged Vanessa while her bodyguard stood and watched.
While Malone was driving home to Newport Beach, Bryant called him, ranting and accusing Malone of making a pass at Vanessa.
"He threatened Karl," Sapiga said.
"... I could hear Kobe yelling and screaming. Karl was like, 'Kobe, if I offended your wife in any way, I apologize.' Kobe continued to say he was going to kick Karl's (butt). He was going to kill him. Karl was totally shocked by what happened."
Bryant then called Malone's wife, Kay, and told her that Malone was having affairs on the road last season.
"He told Kay, 'Keep your eye on Karl. You have no idea what your man is doing,'" Sapiga said. "... When we got home that night, she asked Karl, 'What the hell is going on?'...
"Karl was stunned by all this. After everything Kobe went through last year (Bryant's sexual assault trial in Colorado), he was the one who really reached out to him and stood by him. And then to say that Karl is making advances at his wife, that's ridiculous. ... I don't know why she felt that way. ...
"Karl and Kay were the biggest supporters of Kobe last year when he went through everything. But now the shot that he's taking at my friend and my brother, this just makes me mad. Every time I hear about Kobe's name, it makes me sick. ... "Why she said what she said, I have no clue. But it's her word against his, and obviously Kobe decided to stick by his wife. But he's the one who cheated on his wife last year."
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