The Estranged Bryants

Before anyone accuses me of converting to Laker fandom, let me state for the record that despite living in LA, I still loathe the Lakers and always root against them. But I couldn't help but be moved by today's LA Times article detailing Kobe Bryant's two-year estrangement from his father, former NBA star Joe "Jellybean" Bryant. The crux of the rift appears to be the fact that Kobe did not marry a black woman and as a result, Joe wants no part of his son's life. What a waste of what was once a great father-son relationship.