Goodbye, Kobe — A Suns fan’s answer to the retirement letter

Kobe Bryant of the Los Angeles Lakers penned a retirement letter/poem that appeared on The Player’s Tribune Sunday afternoon.

After this season, Bryant will be retiring from the NBA.

Bryant did his fair share of damage against our hometown Phoenix Suns. Our Jarrett Carlen, producer for the Bickley and Marotta Show on Arizona Sports 98.7 FM, has “honored” Kobe with his own personal poetry, through the eyes of a Suns fan.

Dear Kobe,

From the moment
You arrived with the Lakers
And started shooting
Game-winning shots
Against my beloved Suns
I knew one thing was true:

I really, really hated you.

A hate so deep I gave it my all–
To loudly boo and hiss
Every time you got the ball.

When you teamed up with Shaq
To win multiple titles
I never saw the beauty in your game.
I only saw you as champ
While my Suns couldn’t get one.

And so I watched.
And every time you ran down the court
I chanted names at you.
I screamed you got every call
I said you were no Jordan
And everything you did annoyed me.

When you hit the game-winner in the ’06 playoffs
When Artest put back your air ball in 2010.
Every time you stuck out your tongue
And jutted out your jaw
And complained to the refs
A piece of me died inside.

Was I jealous of your talent and success?
Did I want Jack and Denzel to root for the Suns?
Or was it your preening and cockiness
That made me a “hater”?

I was never happier
Than when Bell clothes-lined you
Than when the Suns eliminated you.
And to watch you struggle at the end
So at least I have that.

And we both know, no matter what you do next
Whenever I see you
In the crowd or on the sidelines
In a studio or owner’s box
On TV or in person
I will boo
And boo and boo and boo.

Cause I’ll hate you always,

A Suns fan

Follow @JarrettGC