{"id":86114,"date":"2020-02-24T15:14:26","date_gmt":"2020-02-24T21:14:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/news.medill.northwestern.edu\/chicago\/?p=86114"},"modified":"2020-02-25T09:19:02","modified_gmt":"2020-02-25T15:19:02","slug":"why-l-a-is-still-covered-in-purple-and-gold","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/news.medill.northwestern.edu\/chicago\/why-l-a-is-still-covered-in-purple-and-gold\/","title":{"rendered":"Why L.A. is still covered in purple and gold"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Annie Krall<\/strong>
\nMedill Reports<\/em><\/p>\n

I don\u2019t watch basketball. I don\u2019t follow basketball. I don\u2019t know the rules of basketball. All I know is outside the arc means you get one more point than usual, and Kobe Bryant was a legend.<\/p>\n

I quickly realized I wasn\u2019t the only one who saw Bryant as more than a sports figure and his Lakers as more than a team once I touched down in Los Angeles two weeks after his tragic death.<\/p>\n

Everywhere I turned, from the streets of L.A. Live to the Riviera Country Club, the numbers \u201c8\u201d and \u201c24\u201d stood proud as if arithmetic required no other numbers.<\/p>\n

It was magnificent.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\"\"
One Kobe fan is adorned in the bold color choice of solidarity for the fallen star even at the Genesis Invitational at Riviera Country Club. (Annie Krall\/MEDILL)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

But why had he transcended sports and infiltrated into the very fabric of the second-largest city in the country?<\/p>\n

To even begin to understand that question, I had to go to where it all began: Staples Center. The home of the Lakers held the key to cracking the Kobe code.<\/p>\n

Respect.<\/p>\n

On a warm Monday night in L.A., this word reverberated off the walls of the massive basketball arena where the Lakers were preparing to tack on another victory to their already impressive 39-win season. Their adversary was the struggling Phoenix Suns, who by comparison, were in 12th place in the Eastern Conference.<\/p>\n

Walking into the stadium, the squeaky floor sounded like a cacophony of high-pitched shoes harmonizing in tandem with the beat of a ball striking the court. It was enthralling.<\/p>\n

\"\"
The Phoenix Suns prep for their battle against the hot Lakers on Feb. 10 at Staples Center. (Annie Krall\/MEDILL)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

For someone who had never understood all the hype, it was hard not to be struck by more than just the sound of heated competition. The bright lights split through the arena\u2019s darkness. It took little imagination to see the dazzling arena transformed into the home of the Grammys as it had been just two weeks ago.<\/p>\n

Hanging high and proud over the lively athletic entertainment were those two numbers again, 8 and 24. They were the only two jerseys on display at the uppermost point of the center symbolizing Kobe\u2019s retired numbers. This space was typically reserved for all Lakers retired numbers but to show solidarity all other numbers had been removed since Kobe\u2019s passing. The two jerseys were suspended silently and barely noticeable by fans sucked into the game.<\/p>\n

A game that was quickly shifting in favor of the Lakers by the end of the third quarter with a score of 90-75. \u00a0These two apparel mementos of the man who wore both of them spoke to a player who was very different at certain stages of his life.<\/p>\n

Scoop Jackson, veteran ESPN writer who covered Kobe for years, described the icon best as someone who early in his career \u201clooked at every player on his team as the enemy.\u201d Jackson described Kobe as being difficult to get along with but after having kids, some of his selfishness was removed.<\/p>\n

Five daughters seemed to make all the difference.<\/p>\n

For the 2020 Lakers team who has been winning with rock stars like LeBron James and Dwight Howard, the team is still fighting for championships just as much as they were before Kobe retired in 2016. Four years after his retirement, his caliber of play is being honored on the court that now has his numbers marked on its floor.<\/p>\n

\"\"
LeBron James drives to the basket on Feb. 10 to the cheers of thousands expecting a big win over the Phoenix Suns. (Annie Krall\/MEDILL)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cNobody in the league can guard Anthony Davis,\u201d said Suns coach Monty Williams after a disappointing 125-100 loss for his team. Having basketball titans like Davis dribbling alongside James and Howard makes it difficult to combat. It was a tough but predicted loss for the Suns.<\/p>\n

\"\"
Phoenix Suns Head Coach Monty Williams answers media questions after a tough loss against this year\u2019s sensational and traditionally victorious Lakers, 125-100. (Annie Krall\/MEDILL)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

At the end of the day, the Lakers are winners.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s a mentality stitched into the purple and gold jerseys no matter who puts them on. Kobe was a man elevated to mythical status because of how impressive he was on the hardwood in those colors.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s not about the number of points on the board. It\u2019s not about how much he was loved and adored. It\u2019s about his legacy and what it all meant: dedication to a sport and his family. He wanted to be able to write his own story. The best way he knew how to do that was to keep his head down, work harder and win more.<\/p>\n

What I can say is walking the streets of L.A. meant a lot more to me than I ever expected. One of basketball\u2019s greatest legends made an impact on someone who couldn\u2019t tell you the difference between goaltending and a technical foul.<\/p>\n

Let us not forget the streets in February 2020 sprinkled with purple and gold and the numbers 8 and 24. A fashion statement that otherwise would be exceedingly too bold. I don\u2019t know when and I don\u2019t know how, but someday the streets won\u2019t be so vibrantly loud.<\/p>\n

Now, I have no doubt that the Lakers will keep honoring their fallen legend by doing what he loved best: wining championships.<\/p>\n

Many Los Angeles fans and those across the globe will still don the daring color combination regardless of which sports season it is. Being able to strap that audacious attire on means respecting a team who has permanently etched their name in the history books.<\/p>\n

My generation will teach the next that the name \u201cKobe\u201d meant \u201cskill\u201d.<\/p>\n

Photo at top: Some Lakers fans take a walk in their proud gold and purple before their first-place team takes on the struggling Phoenix Suns at the Staples Center only two weeks after legend Kobe Bryant\u2019s tragic passing. (Annie Krall\/MEDILL)<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Annie Krall Medill Reports I don\u2019t watch basketball. I don\u2019t follow basketball. I don\u2019t know the rules of basketball. All I know is outside the arc means you get one more point than usual, and Kobe Bryant was a legend. I quickly realized I wasn\u2019t the only one who saw Bryant as more than […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":610,"featured_media":86285,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4892],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-86114","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-winter-2020"],"yoast_head":"\nWhy L.A. is still covered in purple and gold - Medill Reports Chicago<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/news.medill.northwestern.edu\/chicago\/why-l-a-is-still-covered-in-purple-and-gold\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Why L.A. is still covered in purple and gold - Medill Reports Chicago\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"By Annie Krall Medill Reports I don\u2019t watch basketball. 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