q sports panel on saying goodbye to controversial Kobe
On today's sports panel — the end of Kobe, shinning new light on Jackie Robinson and Adam LaRoche.
q's sports culture panel thinks beyond the play-by-play to weigh in on the societal impact of sports stories. Not a fan? Not a problem. Our panel watches much more than the scoreboard.
Shad checks in with Toronto Star sports reporter Morgan Campbell, CBC host and reporter Sonali Karnick and sports editor at The Nation and host of the Edge of Sports podcast Dave Zirin.
At issue today:
- Controversial NBA legend Kobe Bryant retires — "It's very telling that Kobe Bryant's sexual assault charge and the lawsuit hasn't come to define him the way it could and probably should have," says Morgan.
- A new Ken Burns documentary takes a deeper look at Jackie Robinson, one of Baseball's favourite sons. "Jackie Robinson was so three dimensional, he was somebody who had anguish in his heart because he lacked a political home in the 1960s," says Dave.
- Chicago White Sox slugger Adam LaRoche — he walked away from a 13 million dollar contract because his son wasn't allowed to hang out in the dugout — Is he a hero to working families, or an entitled jerk? "Does a 14 year old need to be around their parents all the time? Probably not, it does seem bizarre," says Sonali.