Blogger/Baller Paul Shirley Calls Kobe Bryant a ‘Douche’ in an ESPN Chat and the Four-Letter Erases It
Uncategorized April 17th. 2007, 2:31pm
There’s no way to verify this with 100 percent accuracy because ESPN has scrubbed away the evidence, but a reader who was paying attention to Paul Shirley’s chat Monday claimed that the former Suns benchwarmer called Lakers star Kobe Bryant a ‘douche,’ but the four-letter quickly erased the comment.
Here’s all the proof we could come up with:
Ted, The SLC: Paul, the chat isn’t even done yet and you’ve already been censored…your Kobe post has been removed from the chat. I’ll always remember it though. Nice to see someone speak his mind about a superstar.
SportsNation Paul Shirley: Fantastic. I wonder if it was the descriptor or the comment itself…
Here’s our problem: is douche a bad word? No. So why censor it? In fact, this is something ESPN should be endorsing – especially since the Suns are on the verge of a much-anticipated rematch against the Lakers in the first round of the NBA playoffs. Remember Raja Bell’s clothesline of Kobe? And Kobe’s facial on the two-time MVP, Steve Nash? Shirley’s comment – whether you agree or not – would be adding another log to the fire.
As for ESPN … we’re not sure what’s the point of letting athletes speak their mind and chat with readers if you’re going to censor some of their comments.
[Update: The Fan's Attic finds a previous usage of 'douche' on the .com that slipped by. Plus, 'd-bag' seems to fly. Almost makes you wonder if there's some kind of Kobe-protection thing going on ...]
[Update II: Deadspin comes through with Shirley's exact quote: 'Kobe Bryant is the biggest douche I've ever met.' Let's hope the LA Times goes to Kobe with this at practice today ... ]
26 Responses to “Blogger/Baller Paul Shirley Calls Kobe Bryant a ‘Douche’ in an ESPN Chat and the Four-Letter Erases It”
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April 17th, 2007 at 2:45 pm
I witnessed it first hand, gotta love Shirley for being honest
April 17th, 2007 at 3:10 pm
So you can say ‘douchebag’ on NETWORK TELEVISION, but not ‘douche’ in a chat?
That’s poppycock.
Anybody doubt that comment would have stood if it had been made about Whitlock or Harold Reynolds?
April 17th, 2007 at 3:15 pm
Just because you can say it on television doesn’t mean it’s couth. I’m also sure that ESPN might be afraid of slander/libel/defamation.
April 17th, 2007 at 3:18 pm
He then called Phil Jackson a turd sandwich.
April 17th, 2007 at 3:50 pm
1. This will probably be the first and last time the word ‘poppycock’ will be accurately used to described the usage of the word “douche.”
2. Paul Shirley is hilarious, it would serve them well not to censor him. His opinion is not reflective of the four-letters anyway.
3. Who would disagree that Kobe is a douche?
April 17th, 2007 at 4:10 pm
I was following along with the chat and yes that indeed happened…it’s a shame the Worldwide Leader would censor it’s own people (by the way kudos to Shirley for getting to play ball again)
April 17th, 2007 at 4:36 pm
Context! I demand context!
April 17th, 2007 at 4:38 pm
I was following along w/ the chat also and yes did this happen. The context was that someone asked Shirley what he really thought of Kobe…
April 17th, 2007 at 4:53 pm
I would disagree that Kobe is a douche. And I’m pretty sure this wouldn’t “add another log to the fire” when it comes to phoenix and the lakers because… nobody gives a shit what Paul Shirley says.
April 17th, 2007 at 6:04 pm
Some of you guys who were in on the chat … what brought about the usage of douche?
Question about the MVP?
Kobe’s balls on Nash’s forehead last year?
Raja Bell being the latest and greatest Kobe-stopper?
Anyone?
April 17th, 2007 at 7:12 pm
“Some of you guys who were in on the chat … what brought about the usage of douche?”
My understanding was it was cuz Kobe smells like country flowers and tropical rain.
April 17th, 2007 at 7:15 pm
born and raised in l.a. my dad would have chick hearn on as we drove home from baseball practice, and i totally fucking agree with the honorable mr. shirley, watching that jackass drive into 4 defenders get fouled repeat, is the worst brand of basketball i have ever seen, everybody who rides his dick when he scores 60 and chants mvp at the staples center should be killed for encourageing him.
that is all
April 17th, 2007 at 7:26 pm
I still don’t get why everyone got all fire up about the Kobe dunk over Nash last year — yeah it was good, but it’s not like he’s some sort of lockdown defender or shotblocking behemoth. Plus, the Suns won the series and Nash won the MVP — I’d say he got quite the last laugh.
April 17th, 2007 at 7:29 pm
@TheBigLead
During the chat there were several Kobe Bryant questions asked, all concerning Bryant’s contingency for the MVP, followed by their opinion of him as a person and a player. Paul then stated (I’m paraphrasing here) to throw out your opinion of Bryant and respect his offensive game, given that few players can score at will and with grace.
The second question after this was, “What do you think of him as a person?”, to which Shirley responded, “The biggest douch I ever met.”.
April 17th, 2007 at 8:03 pm
“I’m also sure that ESPN might be afraid of slander/libel/defamation.”
I don’t think he [Shirley] was actually asserting that Kobe Bryant is, in fact, a feminine hygiene product. That would be downright silly.
April 17th, 2007 at 8:07 pm
First of all, Kobe IS a douche.
Second, Phil Jackson IS a turd sandwich. (Best. Line. Ever.)
Third, if you’ve read :07 Seconds or Less, you know the entire Phoenix Suns organization (from D’Antoni down to Shirley) thinks that Kobe is a douche, so this should all come as no surprise.
April 18th, 2007 at 12:45 am
leave phil out of this
April 18th, 2007 at 3:42 am
Here’s the context…
Chris (Valencia, CA): Here’s a better question on Kobe, then: why does it seem that all the players in the NBA simultaneously respect and loathe him? Is he really that bad a guy?
Paul Shirley: (3:49 PM ET ) Biggest douche I’ve ever met.
April 18th, 2007 at 6:10 am
take a look at the video of kobe’s “dunk” on nash. yep, that’s joey crawford calling nash for the block, ignoring kobe’s obvious flagrant-foul-level charge, then delay of game/technical hanging on the rim…..
April 18th, 2007 at 6:45 am
Fuck me.
I can’t defend Kobe’s play some of the time… but the hate is just ridiculous.
If Kobe was a Knick he’d be regarded as the greatest player to ever play the game. Hands down.
Some hack writer/ basketball player that is a Bill Simmons pseudo-media creation says Kobe is a “douche” and that has some sort of authority on the matter? Really? We’re supposed to care? (See boys and girls… it’s easy to write like Bill Simmons… just write “Really?” all the time after your statements.
By the way… “SonDog”… “Best. Line. Ever” is weak. Don’t write that anymore. Do yourself a favor. In fact your entire comment is like when fat white guys yell “You suck” at NBA players at games. Objectively untrue (or they wouldn’t be NBA players) and utterly ridiculous.
Phil Jackson is a “turd sandwich”? Really?
April 18th, 2007 at 4:30 pm
Paul who?
April 18th, 2007 at 6:49 pm
If Kobe was a Knick, he would be regarded as the greatest ever? What bullcrap. L.A. is a huge market and they have already had about 5 other players who journalists and fans have bowed down to for the past 30 years. Wilt, Jerry West, Kareem, Magic, and Shaq. Meanwhile, you don’t hear much about how great Patrick Ewing was now do you?
April 18th, 2007 at 6:52 pm
Quitbe is the most overrated player there ever will be. I can’t stand this 45% shooter who is trying so hard to clean his image. He is a league pass player who gets his 15-45 shooting games for 50 against the worst teams in the -no-handcheck era and thinks he’s suddenly Jordan. What a sad disgrace to sport in general and even sadder are kids who think this is something. Friggin joke with small hands and little hops and chucks mindless threes all day.
April 18th, 2007 at 10:04 pm
Who the hell is Paul Shirley? Name doesn’t even ring a bell.
Just another Phoenix Suns bum looking for some airtime through Kobe. So sad.
April 19th, 2007 at 11:57 am
PAUL SHIRLEY IS NOT A MEMBER OF THE PHOENIX SUNS. jeebus! this trifle will have absolutely zero impact on any matchup between the lakers and the suns.
and #24, “another Phoenix Suns bum looking for some airtime through Kobe”? uhm, yeah, riiiiiiight. that sound you hear is my eyes rolling out of their sockets, rolling across the floor and into the bathroom, jumping into the toilet and drowning themselves to end the misery brought upon them from that post.
April 27th, 2007 at 2:25 am
Kobe a douche? I would have to agree with Paul. Read his new book coming out May 15th if you want more of his writing. He takes some crap because he is one of the few professional basketball players who knows that he only plays a game. This game is important to him, but it is just a game. Keep writing Paul and keep pissing people off. It sure is fun to watch!