1 00:00:00,160 --> 00:00:03,480 Speaker 1: This episode contains content that may be disturbing to some listeners. 2 00:00:03,840 --> 00:00:08,559 Speaker 1: Please check the show notes for more information. Disgraceland as 3 00:00:08,560 --> 00:00:27,440 Speaker 1: a production of Double Elvis. The stories about Kobe Bryant 4 00:00:27,840 --> 00:00:32,640 Speaker 1: are insane. His legendary late game heroics were overshadowed by 5 00:00:32,680 --> 00:00:37,000 Speaker 1: an arrest for sexual assault. The allegations made him one 6 00:00:37,040 --> 00:00:40,680 Speaker 1: of the most hated players in the NBA. Hate that 7 00:00:40,840 --> 00:00:43,960 Speaker 1: was so intense that he had to create an encore 8 00:00:44,159 --> 00:00:48,800 Speaker 1: alter ego just to withstand it, a cold blooded basketball 9 00:00:48,920 --> 00:00:54,360 Speaker 1: assassin named the Black Mamba. As the Black Mamba, Kobe 10 00:00:54,360 --> 00:01:00,200 Speaker 1: Bryant ratted out teammates, sparred with coaches, and fought formidable rivals. 11 00:01:00,600 --> 00:01:02,840 Speaker 1: He also put up some of the best numbers in 12 00:01:02,960 --> 00:01:08,880 Speaker 1: league history. Because Kobe Bryant made great music. I'm not 13 00:01:08,880 --> 00:01:10,840 Speaker 1: talking about that hip hop album that he recorded but 14 00:01:10,880 --> 00:01:15,000 Speaker 1: never released. I'm talking about great music on the court, 15 00:01:15,200 --> 00:01:18,920 Speaker 1: figuratively and very much unlike that loop that I played 16 00:01:18,920 --> 00:01:21,480 Speaker 1: for you at the top of the show. That wasn't 17 00:01:21,520 --> 00:01:25,040 Speaker 1: great music. That was a preset loop form my mellotron 18 00:01:25,440 --> 00:01:30,520 Speaker 1: called Mister Chickens Haunted House MK one. I played you 19 00:01:30,560 --> 00:01:32,880 Speaker 1: that loop because I can't afford the rights to Bad 20 00:01:32,920 --> 00:01:37,480 Speaker 1: Boys by Beyonce featuring Sean John And why would I 21 00:01:37,520 --> 00:01:41,920 Speaker 1: play you that specific slice of reggae dancehall fantasy cheese? 22 00:01:41,959 --> 00:01:45,880 Speaker 1: Could I afford it? Because that was the number one 23 00:01:45,959 --> 00:01:49,240 Speaker 1: song in America on October tenth, two thousand and three, 24 00:01:50,000 --> 00:01:53,360 Speaker 1: and that was the day that Quentin Tarantino's Revenge Flick 25 00:01:53,640 --> 00:01:59,400 Speaker 1: Kill Bill was released, introducing Uma Thurman's iconic character The Bride, 26 00:02:00,080 --> 00:02:04,400 Speaker 1: an assassin code named the Black Mamba, a character that 27 00:02:04,640 --> 00:02:08,520 Speaker 1: Kobe Bryant would turn to for inspiration during the darkest 28 00:02:08,560 --> 00:02:14,160 Speaker 1: moments of his career. On this episode Cold Blooded Assassins 29 00:02:14,520 --> 00:02:18,200 Speaker 1: code names Revenge Flicks and the Black Mamba of the 30 00:02:18,200 --> 00:02:25,359 Speaker 1: basketball Court, Kobe Bryant, I'm Jake Brennan in This is Disgraceland. 31 00:02:48,280 --> 00:02:52,480 Speaker 2: He was a professional killer, a warrior trained from birth, 32 00:02:53,080 --> 00:02:56,560 Speaker 2: a member of the deadliest squad of assassins in the Association. 33 00:02:57,440 --> 00:02:59,960 Speaker 2: But that was before he tried to go so long, 34 00:03:01,000 --> 00:03:05,360 Speaker 2: and before they tried to kill him. But they made 35 00:03:05,440 --> 00:03:11,320 Speaker 2: one mistake. They didn't finish the job. Now the Black 36 00:03:11,400 --> 00:03:14,360 Speaker 2: Mamba is back for revenge on the ex partner and 37 00:03:14,440 --> 00:03:18,400 Speaker 2: boss who doublecrossed him, and he won't stop until he's 38 00:03:18,440 --> 00:03:22,640 Speaker 2: got his hands on the Ultimate Prize, The Assassin's Ring, 39 00:03:23,480 --> 00:03:28,160 Speaker 2: Starry Kobe Bryant as a Black Mamba, Job Got Finished, 40 00:03:28,480 --> 00:03:30,760 Speaker 2: Phil Jackson as the zen Master. 41 00:03:31,000 --> 00:03:33,880 Speaker 3: No man is an nihilist. No man goes his way alone. 42 00:03:34,120 --> 00:03:39,000 Speaker 3: Shaquille O'Neill as Big barishnakoffby You Can't do without Me, 43 00:03:39,280 --> 00:03:45,800 Speaker 3: plus Lebron James as the King, how Gasol as the Spaniard, 44 00:03:46,440 --> 00:03:50,880 Speaker 3: and Paul Pierce as the Truth in the Black Mamba's 45 00:03:50,920 --> 00:03:53,640 Speaker 3: Revenge Coming Soon. 46 00:03:57,840 --> 00:04:01,520 Speaker 1: Three vicious uppercuts sent the limp and bloody body crashing 47 00:04:01,520 --> 00:04:04,920 Speaker 1: to the floor. Five huge men circled their victim and 48 00:04:04,960 --> 00:04:09,000 Speaker 1: continued the assault. The flat, rhythmic sounds of fists slamming 49 00:04:09,040 --> 00:04:12,440 Speaker 1: into flesh echoed through the empty palace room, and the 50 00:04:12,480 --> 00:04:16,600 Speaker 1: frenzy of violence continued for five long minutes before it stopped. 51 00:04:17,480 --> 00:04:22,960 Speaker 1: Then footsteps clicking across the wooden floor. A mountainous man 52 00:04:23,240 --> 00:04:26,760 Speaker 1: dressed in red and black approached. He knelt down to 53 00:04:26,800 --> 00:04:30,800 Speaker 1: look at the barely conscious body below. As he stared 54 00:04:30,839 --> 00:04:33,080 Speaker 1: into the eyes of the man on the ground, the 55 00:04:33,080 --> 00:04:37,000 Speaker 1: mountainous man in red and black slowly pulled out a long, 56 00:04:37,120 --> 00:04:40,640 Speaker 1: double sided blade. He toyed with the knife for a 57 00:04:40,680 --> 00:04:44,840 Speaker 1: moment before making his next move, and without warning, the 58 00:04:44,880 --> 00:04:46,920 Speaker 1: man in red and black plunged the blade of the 59 00:04:47,000 --> 00:04:49,320 Speaker 1: knife deep into the ribs of the man on the ground, 60 00:04:49,680 --> 00:04:53,360 Speaker 1: giving it a twist for good measure. Then the knife 61 00:04:53,440 --> 00:04:56,159 Speaker 1: was pulled out and the man in red and black 62 00:04:56,279 --> 00:04:59,440 Speaker 1: wiped it clean. As the body on the ground below 63 00:04:59,520 --> 00:05:03,159 Speaker 1: him faded from consciousness, the mountainous man whispered in a 64 00:05:03,200 --> 00:05:06,440 Speaker 1: deep baritone, you think you can do it without me? 65 00:05:07,560 --> 00:05:17,080 Speaker 1: Will tell me, Kobe, how does it taste? Looked dead back? There, 66 00:05:17,120 --> 00:05:22,839 Speaker 1: didn't I? And in a way I was disgraced, double crossed, 67 00:05:23,680 --> 00:05:26,080 Speaker 1: left to bleed out on a wooden floor somewhere north 68 00:05:26,120 --> 00:05:28,719 Speaker 1: of Detroit. That kud ha gra out of the ribs 69 00:05:28,760 --> 00:05:31,400 Speaker 1: didn't quite kill me, but they wiped out any last 70 00:05:31,440 --> 00:05:34,880 Speaker 1: trace of my old life. Now I'm a man consumed 71 00:05:34,880 --> 00:05:39,880 Speaker 1: by only one thing, the burning, bloodthirsty desire for vengeance. 72 00:05:40,839 --> 00:05:44,000 Speaker 1: Vengeance against the people who betrayed me, people who made 73 00:05:44,000 --> 00:05:46,840 Speaker 1: a huge mistake. But they didn't kill me when they 74 00:05:46,880 --> 00:05:54,560 Speaker 1: had the chance. Now I'm gonna make them pay. Allow 75 00:05:54,640 --> 00:05:57,760 Speaker 1: me to give you a little backstory to truly understand 76 00:05:57,760 --> 00:06:00,800 Speaker 1: the events of June fifteenth, two thousand and four, an 77 00:06:00,800 --> 00:06:03,120 Speaker 1: event the press took to call him the Massacre at 78 00:06:03,200 --> 00:06:06,080 Speaker 1: Auburn Hills. You have to know some of the players 79 00:06:06,120 --> 00:06:09,760 Speaker 1: in the game. My name is but in my line 80 00:06:09,760 --> 00:06:13,279 Speaker 1: of work, it's safer to use code names. It helps 81 00:06:13,279 --> 00:06:16,599 Speaker 1: to keep the personal separate from the professional. When you're 82 00:06:16,600 --> 00:06:21,240 Speaker 1: a professional assassin, that's a pretty important line. I'm not 83 00:06:21,320 --> 00:06:24,839 Speaker 1: just an assassin, though. Some people say I'm the deadliest 84 00:06:24,880 --> 00:06:29,200 Speaker 1: man in the world, and you know what, they're exactly right. 85 00:06:30,360 --> 00:06:40,640 Speaker 1: My code name the Black Mamba. I work for an 86 00:06:40,640 --> 00:06:44,839 Speaker 1: elite crew out of Los Angeles called the Showtime Assassination Squad. 87 00:06:46,360 --> 00:06:49,560 Speaker 1: The squad is led by Phil. Phil used to be 88 00:06:49,600 --> 00:06:52,360 Speaker 1: a warrior, but once his hair turned gray, he discovered 89 00:06:52,400 --> 00:06:56,599 Speaker 1: he had a brilliant mind for battle plans. That, plus 90 00:06:56,640 --> 00:06:59,840 Speaker 1: his taste for quoting Eastern philosophy, earned him his code name, 91 00:07:00,480 --> 00:07:03,600 Speaker 1: the Zen Master. And that mountain of a man who 92 00:07:03,680 --> 00:07:05,920 Speaker 1: stabbed me in the chest and left me for dead, 93 00:07:06,640 --> 00:07:09,159 Speaker 1: that's my partner, my ex partner. 94 00:07:09,200 --> 00:07:09,400 Speaker 3: Now. 95 00:07:10,160 --> 00:07:13,239 Speaker 1: He stands seven feet tall, weighs over three hundred pounds, 96 00:07:13,240 --> 00:07:16,600 Speaker 1: but he has the quickness and agility of a ballet dancer. 97 00:07:17,320 --> 00:07:19,800 Speaker 1: That's why his code name is the Big bearishna cough 98 00:07:20,880 --> 00:07:24,680 Speaker 1: in hand to hand combat, he's unbeatable. Just don't hand 99 00:07:24,720 --> 00:07:27,360 Speaker 1: him a piece, though, because he can't shoot for shit. 100 00:07:29,680 --> 00:07:32,920 Speaker 1: The Showtime Assassination Squad was just one crew in a 101 00:07:33,000 --> 00:07:37,360 Speaker 1: league of assassins called the Association, where we competed for 102 00:07:37,480 --> 00:07:41,960 Speaker 1: turf money and the ultimate prize, the diamond and jewel 103 00:07:42,040 --> 00:07:46,840 Speaker 1: encrusted Assassin's Ring and the Association. You judge by how 104 00:07:46,840 --> 00:07:50,000 Speaker 1: many rings you collect, but if you ever get a ring, 105 00:07:50,440 --> 00:07:54,360 Speaker 1: you'd better watch your back because once you do, every 106 00:07:54,440 --> 00:07:56,960 Speaker 1: single assassin in the country will be coming for you. 107 00:07:58,960 --> 00:08:02,360 Speaker 1: For a while, we didn't worry about all that. With 108 00:08:02,360 --> 00:08:07,080 Speaker 1: Phil running the Showtime Assassination Squad, we dominated. We collected 109 00:08:07,080 --> 00:08:10,040 Speaker 1: three of those rings in three years before things started 110 00:08:10,040 --> 00:08:15,120 Speaker 1: coming apart. First, Barishnikov got cocky, he quit putting in 111 00:08:15,160 --> 00:08:18,040 Speaker 1: the work to stay sharp, and then the whole crew 112 00:08:18,080 --> 00:08:22,040 Speaker 1: got sloppy. They were so undependable that I started running 113 00:08:22,080 --> 00:08:25,200 Speaker 1: missions on my own. Phil accused me of trying to 114 00:08:25,240 --> 00:08:27,560 Speaker 1: take the squad over, but the hell else was I 115 00:08:27,600 --> 00:08:31,080 Speaker 1: supposed to do. I kept training like a madman. I 116 00:08:31,120 --> 00:08:34,000 Speaker 1: was determined to be the number one assassin, not just 117 00:08:34,040 --> 00:08:38,080 Speaker 1: on the squad but in the entire Association. And the 118 00:08:38,160 --> 00:08:43,319 Speaker 1: work paid off. On the job, I was bulletproof, but 119 00:08:43,480 --> 00:08:50,040 Speaker 1: in between jobs I was falling apart. The pressure was insane. 120 00:08:50,240 --> 00:08:52,920 Speaker 1: Other squads were coming at us constantly, but when I 121 00:08:53,000 --> 00:08:55,319 Speaker 1: had time off, I started taking comfort in places I 122 00:08:55,360 --> 00:08:59,319 Speaker 1: shouldn't have. Some accused me of doing even worse, and 123 00:08:59,440 --> 00:09:02,640 Speaker 1: the whispers it's so loud that the Association investigated me 124 00:09:03,360 --> 00:09:06,560 Speaker 1: and they decided not to exile me. But the damage 125 00:09:06,600 --> 00:09:10,360 Speaker 1: was done. Phil iced me out and the squad broke 126 00:09:10,360 --> 00:09:17,160 Speaker 1: into two factions, Mine and bearishna Coffs. Even with everything 127 00:09:17,200 --> 00:09:20,920 Speaker 1: falling apart, we knew we were still the deadliest squad 128 00:09:20,960 --> 00:09:25,319 Speaker 1: in the association. So we decided to do one last 129 00:09:25,400 --> 00:09:29,240 Speaker 1: job together, snatch a fourth ring, and then go our 130 00:09:29,280 --> 00:09:32,760 Speaker 1: separate ways. That's how we ended up in Auburn Hills 131 00:09:32,760 --> 00:09:35,600 Speaker 1: that June. We tracked down the ring to a rugged 132 00:09:35,640 --> 00:09:40,439 Speaker 1: crew Detroit thugs called the Bad Boys. Our plan was 133 00:09:40,480 --> 00:09:45,920 Speaker 1: a simple ambush. Barishnikov ran through the front door, gons blazing. 134 00:09:46,600 --> 00:09:48,959 Speaker 1: I would set up outside as a sniper, take as 135 00:09:48,960 --> 00:09:51,600 Speaker 1: many long range shots as I could before charging in 136 00:09:51,640 --> 00:09:56,000 Speaker 1: with the dagger. The night of the mission, Phil aka 137 00:09:56,080 --> 00:09:59,520 Speaker 1: the zen Master, walked us through the plan one more time. 138 00:10:00,559 --> 00:10:05,040 Speaker 1: I listened intently, but Verishnikov was cracking jokes and clowning around, 139 00:10:05,800 --> 00:10:07,640 Speaker 1: and I glared at him to shut him up, but 140 00:10:08,080 --> 00:10:11,280 Speaker 1: it didn't work. He just smirked and told me to relax, 141 00:10:12,120 --> 00:10:14,240 Speaker 1: and then he reached one of his big mits over 142 00:10:14,320 --> 00:10:16,080 Speaker 1: and started rubbing the top of my head like he 143 00:10:16,160 --> 00:10:18,679 Speaker 1: was my big brother or some shit. I ain't your 144 00:10:18,840 --> 00:10:21,560 Speaker 1: damn little brother, That's what I said, anyway, when I 145 00:10:21,600 --> 00:10:25,880 Speaker 1: slapped his hand off me. A few hours later, we 146 00:10:25,960 --> 00:10:29,840 Speaker 1: set up outside the palace and waited for dark. Just 147 00:10:29,880 --> 00:10:33,520 Speaker 1: after midnight, we stormed in, but the plan was off 148 00:10:33,559 --> 00:10:37,280 Speaker 1: from the start. The bad boys had more firepower than 149 00:10:37,320 --> 00:10:42,559 Speaker 1: we expected. The Barishnikov couldn't break past them in the chaos, 150 00:10:42,960 --> 00:10:45,760 Speaker 1: I couldn't get off a clean shot from outside. I 151 00:10:45,880 --> 00:10:48,920 Speaker 1: charged forward into the chaos with my dagger, and that's 152 00:10:48,960 --> 00:10:52,440 Speaker 1: when I felt it. One of those huge mits knocked 153 00:10:52,440 --> 00:10:55,440 Speaker 1: me to the ground. I turned around in shock and 154 00:10:55,480 --> 00:10:59,520 Speaker 1: saw Verishnikov coming toward me, five Detroit bad boys right 155 00:10:59,520 --> 00:11:02,080 Speaker 1: behind him. I tried to jump back to my feet, 156 00:11:02,120 --> 00:11:04,000 Speaker 1: but there were too many of them. They beat the 157 00:11:04,000 --> 00:11:06,080 Speaker 1: piss out of me until I couldn't fight back anymore. 158 00:11:07,160 --> 00:11:12,080 Speaker 1: Then Barishana cough brought out that fucking knife. You know 159 00:11:12,200 --> 00:11:17,120 Speaker 1: the rest darkness. I was trapped in a coma for 160 00:11:17,160 --> 00:11:22,960 Speaker 1: a full year until yesterday. That's when I finally woke 161 00:11:23,040 --> 00:11:27,240 Speaker 1: up in the hospital bed. It was no ordinary hospital, though, 162 00:11:27,720 --> 00:11:32,360 Speaker 1: it was more like a prison for wayward assassins. Guards everywhere. 163 00:11:33,320 --> 00:11:36,880 Speaker 1: I recognized those guys immediately, a savage crew out of 164 00:11:36,880 --> 00:11:40,440 Speaker 1: Toronto called the Crazy Eighty. You might say it would 165 00:11:40,440 --> 00:11:43,320 Speaker 1: be impossible for one man to fight through eighty armed guards, 166 00:11:43,640 --> 00:11:46,600 Speaker 1: and I'd say you were right. That's because I sliced 167 00:11:46,640 --> 00:11:49,480 Speaker 1: and diced my way through eighty one in total. 168 00:11:51,040 --> 00:11:51,240 Speaker 4: Day. 169 00:11:52,800 --> 00:11:56,760 Speaker 1: I guess they weren't so good accounting me. I'm an expert, 170 00:11:57,480 --> 00:11:59,000 Speaker 1: and I know I've got a score to settle with 171 00:11:59,080 --> 00:12:04,960 Speaker 1: barishna Cough. I'll get to him soon enough. Right now, 172 00:12:05,440 --> 00:12:08,080 Speaker 1: I'm flying down a two lane highway and rural Montana 173 00:12:08,120 --> 00:12:10,960 Speaker 1: behind the wheel of a bright red Ferrari. Far from 174 00:12:11,000 --> 00:12:13,640 Speaker 1: an inconspicuous ride, but I don't give a fuck about 175 00:12:13,679 --> 00:12:18,199 Speaker 1: being inconspicuous. I'm headed for the zen Master. We've got 176 00:12:18,200 --> 00:12:21,800 Speaker 1: some questions, and you better pray he has the right answers, 177 00:12:22,360 --> 00:12:23,880 Speaker 1: because if I don't like what he has to say, 178 00:12:24,600 --> 00:12:54,320 Speaker 1: I'm gonna fucking kill Phil. I drive the Ferrari to 179 00:12:54,400 --> 00:12:57,280 Speaker 1: a gorgeous lakeside cabin and put it in park, and 180 00:12:57,400 --> 00:12:59,520 Speaker 1: the engine purrs, and I just sit there listening to 181 00:12:59,559 --> 00:13:03,040 Speaker 1: that glory sound for a moment. It reminds me of home. 182 00:13:04,080 --> 00:13:07,079 Speaker 1: Not my home now, but back in the day when 183 00:13:07,080 --> 00:13:09,000 Speaker 1: I was a kid and my father was an assassin 184 00:13:09,040 --> 00:13:13,160 Speaker 1: in the Association. He worked for a crew out of 185 00:13:13,200 --> 00:13:16,720 Speaker 1: Philly until he pissed off the wrong people got himself 186 00:13:16,760 --> 00:13:20,560 Speaker 1: exiled for ten long years. When I was four, we 187 00:13:20,600 --> 00:13:23,800 Speaker 1: split for the only hideout my father knew, an Italian 188 00:13:23,840 --> 00:13:27,120 Speaker 1: monastery run by warrior monks that the Association used for 189 00:13:27,200 --> 00:13:31,200 Speaker 1: off the book's jobs. There the monks treated me like 190 00:13:31,240 --> 00:13:34,800 Speaker 1: one of their own. That meant training twelve hours a day, 191 00:13:35,400 --> 00:13:38,960 Speaker 1: that meant speaking only when necessary. And by the time 192 00:13:39,040 --> 00:13:42,480 Speaker 1: I was fourteen, my people's skills were lacking, but I 193 00:13:42,520 --> 00:13:46,320 Speaker 1: could already outshoot, outduel and out fight full grown men. 194 00:13:47,440 --> 00:13:49,120 Speaker 1: My father said it was time to come home and 195 00:13:49,160 --> 00:13:51,880 Speaker 1: earn back our family's honor. It was time for me 196 00:13:52,000 --> 00:13:56,160 Speaker 1: to take his place in the Association. All that to say, 197 00:13:56,480 --> 00:14:01,840 Speaker 1: I've got a thing for Italian sports cars. Okay, I 198 00:14:01,880 --> 00:14:04,680 Speaker 1: shut the engine off and look at the cabin. On 199 00:14:04,760 --> 00:14:07,560 Speaker 1: the outside. It seems like any other yuppie vacation home. 200 00:14:08,120 --> 00:14:11,880 Speaker 1: There's even one of those cheesy Livelove Lake signs hanging 201 00:14:11,920 --> 00:14:14,800 Speaker 1: on the front porch. You never guess it was the 202 00:14:14,840 --> 00:14:17,440 Speaker 1: home and one of the most brilliant battlefield tacticians in 203 00:14:17,480 --> 00:14:20,680 Speaker 1: the world. What can I say? Phil has always been 204 00:14:20,720 --> 00:14:24,400 Speaker 1: a real laker. I'm not in the mood to be subtle, 205 00:14:24,840 --> 00:14:27,040 Speaker 1: so I stride up the front walkway and raise my 206 00:14:27,120 --> 00:14:29,880 Speaker 1: fist to the door. Before I can even knock it 207 00:14:30,000 --> 00:14:35,960 Speaker 1: swings wide open, perfect timing as usual, fucking guy zen Master. 208 00:14:38,360 --> 00:14:41,120 Speaker 1: I don't waste time with words. I just lunge forward 209 00:14:41,120 --> 00:14:43,360 Speaker 1: with my dagger. He slides out of the way just 210 00:14:43,400 --> 00:14:46,080 Speaker 1: in time, and the old bastard is faster than he looks, 211 00:14:46,560 --> 00:14:49,720 Speaker 1: but not fast enough. I send him flying backwards with 212 00:14:49,760 --> 00:14:52,240 Speaker 1: a kick to the chest. He trips over a coffee 213 00:14:52,240 --> 00:14:54,560 Speaker 1: table in front of his fireplace and smashes into it. 214 00:14:55,080 --> 00:14:58,440 Speaker 1: Broken glass flies in all directions. I jump on him 215 00:14:58,440 --> 00:15:01,040 Speaker 1: and slam my fists into his face. When I pull 216 00:15:01,120 --> 00:15:02,960 Speaker 1: back to do it again, he grabs a fire poker 217 00:15:03,000 --> 00:15:05,880 Speaker 1: and drives it into my ribs, and the pain is intense. 218 00:15:06,680 --> 00:15:08,600 Speaker 1: I stumble back and he lunges at me, but I 219 00:15:08,600 --> 00:15:10,960 Speaker 1: slipped to his left and for a second he's off balance. 220 00:15:11,320 --> 00:15:13,880 Speaker 1: I take the opportunity. I slam my foot into his 221 00:15:13,960 --> 00:15:16,200 Speaker 1: knee and he falls to the ground. I'm on him 222 00:15:16,240 --> 00:15:19,400 Speaker 1: like that with my blade to his throat. Relaxed Phil, 223 00:15:19,840 --> 00:15:24,360 Speaker 1: I say, I'm not going to kill you yet, with 224 00:15:24,400 --> 00:15:28,080 Speaker 1: my knife to his neck. I ask my questions. He 225 00:15:28,200 --> 00:15:31,320 Speaker 1: swears he didn't know about the setup. He says Verishnikov 226 00:15:31,400 --> 00:15:34,440 Speaker 1: turned on him, that the Showtime Assassination Squad gave him 227 00:15:34,480 --> 00:15:37,600 Speaker 1: the boot. But Phil says, the bosses aren't too happy 228 00:15:37,600 --> 00:15:40,200 Speaker 1: with the new guys running the show, but maybe there's 229 00:15:40,200 --> 00:15:45,760 Speaker 1: a chance we could run the squad again together. Despite everything, 230 00:15:46,480 --> 00:15:49,960 Speaker 1: the offer is pretty damn tempting. We're talking about one 231 00:15:49,960 --> 00:15:52,400 Speaker 1: of the greatest battle planners in the history of battle. 232 00:15:52,920 --> 00:15:55,960 Speaker 1: Do I trust him? Hell no, But he is my 233 00:15:56,040 --> 00:15:59,360 Speaker 1: best chance to beat Barishnikov. So it looks like the 234 00:15:59,400 --> 00:16:02,600 Speaker 1: Showtimes Squad is about to ride again. And this is 235 00:16:02,600 --> 00:16:06,640 Speaker 1: just one more thing. Mamba, he says, and looks me 236 00:16:06,680 --> 00:16:11,359 Speaker 1: in the eyes. We have to talk about the Aurora Phile. 237 00:16:13,600 --> 00:16:14,120 Speaker 3: The case. 238 00:16:14,240 --> 00:16:18,000 Speaker 4: The whole country is watching new details and new questions, 239 00:16:18,120 --> 00:16:23,360 Speaker 4: is about the accuser of NBA star Kobe Bryant war What. 240 00:16:23,320 --> 00:16:26,520 Speaker 1: This young woman does, has her private life, has nothing 241 00:16:26,640 --> 00:16:30,320 Speaker 1: to do you with an allegation of ra. 242 00:16:32,680 --> 00:16:36,160 Speaker 3: The latest of the case against Kobe. 243 00:16:36,800 --> 00:16:41,760 Speaker 1: Mamba Phil says, I know what happened. I shake my head. No, 244 00:16:42,520 --> 00:16:46,200 Speaker 1: Phil doesn't, no shit, nobody does. I swear to him, 245 00:16:46,240 --> 00:16:48,640 Speaker 1: I didn't do what they accused me of. He says 246 00:16:48,640 --> 00:16:51,080 Speaker 1: he doesn't believe me, and then he says something that 247 00:16:51,200 --> 00:16:56,000 Speaker 1: stops me cold. There's more, Mamba, I know you did 248 00:16:56,040 --> 00:16:57,000 Speaker 1: the bearishion of cough. 249 00:16:58,240 --> 00:17:00,120 Speaker 4: Part of the problem is Kobe at least is a 250 00:17:00,320 --> 00:17:03,720 Speaker 4: relationship with Shaquille and Eel. Go back to your court case, 251 00:17:04,160 --> 00:17:06,600 Speaker 4: or was revealed that you had suggested that Shaquille and 252 00:17:06,680 --> 00:17:09,320 Speaker 4: Eel maybe has paid off of women in the past. 253 00:17:10,760 --> 00:17:12,960 Speaker 4: When's the last time you talked to Shakan. Did you 254 00:17:13,040 --> 00:17:15,200 Speaker 4: ever apologize those statements? 255 00:17:17,480 --> 00:17:20,199 Speaker 1: How can you know about that? That wasn't even in 256 00:17:20,240 --> 00:17:23,200 Speaker 1: the file. That was the worst night of my life 257 00:17:24,200 --> 00:17:26,440 Speaker 1: because no matter how many times I tried to explain, 258 00:17:26,520 --> 00:17:29,040 Speaker 1: I know that I still brought dishonor to my family, 259 00:17:29,520 --> 00:17:32,600 Speaker 1: to my father, to my squad, and to my partner 260 00:17:33,280 --> 00:17:35,760 Speaker 1: because after I made the worst mistake of my life, 261 00:17:36,040 --> 00:17:39,840 Speaker 1: I did something to make it even worse, something I 262 00:17:39,880 --> 00:17:43,520 Speaker 1: thought no one would ever find out about. I tried 263 00:17:43,560 --> 00:17:48,800 Speaker 1: to blame it on provision of cough. I stared down 264 00:17:48,840 --> 00:17:52,639 Speaker 1: at my hands. Shame washes over me. I don't know 265 00:17:52,640 --> 00:17:55,920 Speaker 1: what to say. The zen Master reaches out his hand 266 00:17:55,960 --> 00:17:58,879 Speaker 1: to my shoulder. He tells me that the Buddha has 267 00:17:58,920 --> 00:18:01,119 Speaker 1: a quote that says we can can't dwell on the past. 268 00:18:01,560 --> 00:18:04,639 Speaker 1: We can't dream of the future. All we have is 269 00:18:04,720 --> 00:18:08,280 Speaker 1: the moment and what we make of it. He tells 270 00:18:08,320 --> 00:18:10,920 Speaker 1: me that I'm a great warrior, one of the best ever, 271 00:18:11,520 --> 00:18:14,879 Speaker 1: but he sees more in me. It's not too late. 272 00:18:15,480 --> 00:18:18,600 Speaker 1: No matter what I have or haven't done, I could 273 00:18:18,640 --> 00:18:21,199 Speaker 1: be more than just a great warrior. I could be 274 00:18:21,240 --> 00:18:25,480 Speaker 1: a great leader too. I tell him one more time 275 00:18:25,520 --> 00:18:28,200 Speaker 1: that I didn't do it. He reminds me not to 276 00:18:28,280 --> 00:18:31,520 Speaker 1: dwell in the past. I can't make him believe me. 277 00:18:32,000 --> 00:18:34,600 Speaker 1: All I can do is live in the moment. If 278 00:18:34,600 --> 00:18:36,520 Speaker 1: I can learn to do that, there's still a hope 279 00:18:36,520 --> 00:18:40,400 Speaker 1: for me. We sit in silence for a long time afterward, 280 00:18:41,280 --> 00:18:44,840 Speaker 1: and then, like the buddhast suggests, we move on. We 281 00:18:44,840 --> 00:18:47,960 Speaker 1: don't look back. After all, we get to get the 282 00:18:47,960 --> 00:18:54,880 Speaker 1: squad back together. It's showtime. Phil heads to Los Angeles 283 00:18:54,880 --> 00:18:57,000 Speaker 1: to assemble the rest of the team, and I had 284 00:18:57,040 --> 00:19:00,199 Speaker 1: east to track down Barishnikov before we split up up. 285 00:19:00,560 --> 00:19:02,440 Speaker 1: Phil tells me he's got a new addition in mind 286 00:19:02,440 --> 00:19:05,040 Speaker 1: for the squad, someone who could be my new partner. 287 00:19:05,960 --> 00:19:08,440 Speaker 1: I believe it when I see it. I slice through 288 00:19:08,440 --> 00:19:11,280 Speaker 1: the entire Crazy eighty by myself, and I got more 289 00:19:11,320 --> 00:19:13,560 Speaker 1: than enough firepower to slice through anyone who gets in 290 00:19:13,600 --> 00:19:20,600 Speaker 1: between me and Parishnikov. I'm sure of it. June two 291 00:19:20,680 --> 00:19:24,639 Speaker 1: thousand and eight, almost four years since the bastard knife me. 292 00:19:25,680 --> 00:19:28,520 Speaker 1: I tracked Barishnikov down to a safe house in Boston's 293 00:19:28,560 --> 00:19:31,359 Speaker 1: North End. But while I was floating in that coma, 294 00:19:31,840 --> 00:19:33,840 Speaker 1: I heard that the big man picked up another ring. 295 00:19:34,680 --> 00:19:39,000 Speaker 1: But these days he's getting sloppy. He's got bad habits, 296 00:19:39,880 --> 00:19:42,439 Speaker 1: like going to the same wine bar every night, like 297 00:19:42,560 --> 00:19:45,680 Speaker 1: not looking over his shoulder. That's about to get him killed. 298 00:19:47,240 --> 00:19:49,760 Speaker 1: Just after one am, he stumbles out of the bar 299 00:19:49,880 --> 00:19:53,320 Speaker 1: as usual. I follow from a distance, and he cuts 300 00:19:53,320 --> 00:19:55,560 Speaker 1: through the garden, then slips up the front steps into 301 00:19:55,600 --> 00:19:59,520 Speaker 1: his safe house. Outside. I hide in the darkness and 302 00:19:59,560 --> 00:20:03,320 Speaker 1: watch him through a window. It's clear he's put on weight. 303 00:20:03,960 --> 00:20:06,760 Speaker 1: His days of moving like a ballet dancer are long gone. 304 00:20:07,440 --> 00:20:09,880 Speaker 1: Tonight he collapses into a chair and pulls a ring 305 00:20:09,920 --> 00:20:12,800 Speaker 1: from his pocket. He stares at it for a moment 306 00:20:13,320 --> 00:20:16,560 Speaker 1: and then looks out the window, almost like he sees something. 307 00:20:17,400 --> 00:20:20,359 Speaker 1: But then he drops the ring on the table, sits 308 00:20:20,400 --> 00:20:24,760 Speaker 1: back in the chair, and flips off the light. This 309 00:20:24,800 --> 00:20:28,000 Speaker 1: shouldn't be much of a battle. I creep forward in 310 00:20:28,040 --> 00:20:30,639 Speaker 1: the darkness and pull out my dagger. It's taken me 311 00:20:30,720 --> 00:20:34,480 Speaker 1: four long years to get here, and now revenge is 312 00:20:34,520 --> 00:20:38,320 Speaker 1: about to be mine. I glide up the steps without 313 00:20:38,359 --> 00:20:41,400 Speaker 1: making a sound. Slowly, I reach for the door knob, 314 00:20:41,440 --> 00:20:44,520 Speaker 1: when suddenly, from out of nowhere, I hear someone step 315 00:20:44,560 --> 00:20:48,560 Speaker 1: behind me and cack a shotgun. The gun fires, and 316 00:20:48,600 --> 00:20:51,760 Speaker 1: I feel something ripped through my legs. God, the pain 317 00:20:51,880 --> 00:20:55,480 Speaker 1: is unbearable. My legs are on fire. I try to 318 00:20:55,520 --> 00:20:58,320 Speaker 1: crawl forward. I'm inches away from revenge, but I can 319 00:20:58,400 --> 00:21:03,479 Speaker 1: barely move, I can barely breathe. He's inside. Barishnikov stands 320 00:21:03,520 --> 00:21:06,160 Speaker 1: up and turns on the light switch. And the bastard 321 00:21:06,240 --> 00:21:09,119 Speaker 1: was playing possum the whole time. From behind me. I 322 00:21:09,160 --> 00:21:11,760 Speaker 1: hear a voice chuckling, and the voice asks how I 323 00:21:11,840 --> 00:21:13,879 Speaker 1: like the load of rock salt he just blasted through 324 00:21:13,920 --> 00:21:17,560 Speaker 1: my legs. And Barishnikov opens the front door and bumps 325 00:21:17,600 --> 00:21:20,080 Speaker 1: fists with the shooter, and then he looks down at 326 00:21:20,119 --> 00:21:24,960 Speaker 1: me and says, write this down, Paul Pierce is the 327 00:21:24,960 --> 00:21:30,200 Speaker 1: motherfucking truth. The Truth just stands there holding the shotgun 328 00:21:30,240 --> 00:21:33,160 Speaker 1: and laughs. He tells me I should really get a partner, 329 00:21:33,640 --> 00:21:36,720 Speaker 1: somebody to watch my back. Then he grabs the ring 330 00:21:36,800 --> 00:21:39,120 Speaker 1: from the table and holds it up and I tell 331 00:21:39,160 --> 00:21:41,760 Speaker 1: him he must feel good to hold his first one, 332 00:21:42,200 --> 00:21:44,520 Speaker 1: and the fucker kicks me straight in the teeth, and 333 00:21:44,560 --> 00:21:46,639 Speaker 1: then he asks Barishnikov what he's gonna do with me, 334 00:21:47,680 --> 00:21:50,720 Speaker 1: and Barishnikov pulls a knife out of his pocket. It's 335 00:21:50,720 --> 00:21:53,359 Speaker 1: the same morning he stabbed me with before, and he 336 00:21:53,440 --> 00:21:55,560 Speaker 1: holds it up to his mouth like a microphone and 337 00:21:55,640 --> 00:21:57,560 Speaker 1: spits out a rime as he looks down at me. 338 00:21:58,840 --> 00:22:01,960 Speaker 1: You can't do it without me. It's no lie. You 339 00:22:02,119 --> 00:22:06,960 Speaker 1: rated me up, bitch. Now I'm gonna bury you a lie. 340 00:22:08,880 --> 00:22:10,639 Speaker 3: We'll be right back after this. 341 00:22:10,800 --> 00:22:12,280 Speaker 4: We were were. 342 00:22:20,200 --> 00:22:22,560 Speaker 1: Panic rises in my throat as I listen to the 343 00:22:22,600 --> 00:22:25,480 Speaker 1: dirt pouring down on top of me. I'm trapped in 344 00:22:25,480 --> 00:22:28,720 Speaker 1: a pine box barely wider than my shoulders. I'd never 345 00:22:28,760 --> 00:22:32,240 Speaker 1: been claustrophobic, but the darkness is terrifying. I can feel 346 00:22:32,280 --> 00:22:35,639 Speaker 1: my heart pounding. I'm breathing in huge gulps until I 347 00:22:35,680 --> 00:22:38,240 Speaker 1: remember that oxygen is a limited resource down here, so 348 00:22:38,280 --> 00:22:41,399 Speaker 1: I better start conserving it. I close my eyes and 349 00:22:41,440 --> 00:22:44,920 Speaker 1: I will myself to relax. My pulse drops a bit, 350 00:22:45,440 --> 00:22:49,639 Speaker 1: and I start digging for a memory, something, anything to 351 00:22:49,680 --> 00:22:56,280 Speaker 1: give me hope in this hopeless situation. I was fourteen 352 00:22:56,440 --> 00:22:59,720 Speaker 1: that summer. My father, fresh off of a decade and 353 00:22:59,720 --> 00:23:04,040 Speaker 1: ne egg, finally brought us back home to Philadelphia, and 354 00:23:04,200 --> 00:23:06,600 Speaker 1: after ten years in a monastery, he told me I 355 00:23:06,640 --> 00:23:09,680 Speaker 1: was ready to train in the American style. So he 356 00:23:09,800 --> 00:23:11,840 Speaker 1: drove me to a black top jungle in the heart 357 00:23:11,840 --> 00:23:14,359 Speaker 1: of our new city and left me with my cousin, Sharif. 358 00:23:15,640 --> 00:23:19,000 Speaker 1: Sharif was older, it was taller, and it was mean 359 00:23:19,080 --> 00:23:22,359 Speaker 1: as hell. As he stood glaring down at me, he 360 00:23:22,400 --> 00:23:25,679 Speaker 1: asked what weapon I trained with. I pulled up my dagger, 361 00:23:25,720 --> 00:23:28,879 Speaker 1: but he just laughed. He said that wasn't a weapon, 362 00:23:29,280 --> 00:23:32,800 Speaker 1: It's just some child's toy. And he reached out with 363 00:23:32,840 --> 00:23:36,600 Speaker 1: his bare hand and slapped me across the face. Jesus, 364 00:23:36,680 --> 00:23:40,199 Speaker 1: that stunt. I just glared at him, and then then 365 00:23:40,240 --> 00:23:42,200 Speaker 1: he reached up and slapped me with the other hand, 366 00:23:42,640 --> 00:23:45,679 Speaker 1: and my ears were ringing, I saw red, and he 367 00:23:45,760 --> 00:23:48,160 Speaker 1: pushed me in the chest. I felt the anger well 368 00:23:48,240 --> 00:23:50,760 Speaker 1: up inside me, and I slashed at him with my knife, 369 00:23:50,760 --> 00:23:53,600 Speaker 1: but he dodged it easily and slapped me again, knocking 370 00:23:53,640 --> 00:23:56,119 Speaker 1: me to the ground, this time now. While I was 371 00:23:56,200 --> 00:23:59,960 Speaker 1: laying there, he calmly pulled out five twenty dollars bills 372 00:24:00,080 --> 00:24:03,160 Speaker 1: and fanned them out in front of me, a fortune 373 00:24:03,200 --> 00:24:06,280 Speaker 1: for a fourteen year old. Touched me with the blade 374 00:24:06,320 --> 00:24:09,159 Speaker 1: even one time, he said, and I'll give you everything 375 00:24:09,200 --> 00:24:12,400 Speaker 1: I got. I got to my feet and ran four, 376 00:24:12,920 --> 00:24:15,320 Speaker 1: but again he jumped easily out of the way. I 377 00:24:15,359 --> 00:24:17,359 Speaker 1: turned around to face him, but he knocked me to 378 00:24:17,400 --> 00:24:20,080 Speaker 1: the ground with a flying tackle. He grabbed my wrist 379 00:24:20,160 --> 00:24:23,520 Speaker 1: and wrenched it up in the air. Pain was excruciating, 380 00:24:23,520 --> 00:24:26,000 Speaker 1: though there was nothing I could do. I was helpless 381 00:24:26,000 --> 00:24:29,520 Speaker 1: against him. Every day we met at the black Top, 382 00:24:29,960 --> 00:24:32,200 Speaker 1: and every day he found out the money in front 383 00:24:32,240 --> 00:24:35,199 Speaker 1: of me, and every day I went home empty handed. 384 00:24:36,520 --> 00:24:40,359 Speaker 1: For more than a year. I never landed a single blow, 385 00:24:40,920 --> 00:24:44,440 Speaker 1: not even once. But he wouldn't let me quit. He said, 386 00:24:44,480 --> 00:24:47,320 Speaker 1: no matter how many times he's beaten, the true warrior 387 00:24:47,440 --> 00:24:51,560 Speaker 1: never loses because he gets back up every time until 388 00:24:51,640 --> 00:24:58,080 Speaker 1: he wins. For two years we trained. I grew up bigger, faster, meaner. 389 00:24:59,119 --> 00:25:03,600 Speaker 1: Still I couldn't land a blow until one day, I'll 390 00:25:03,640 --> 00:25:06,159 Speaker 1: never forget it. He took a swing and I blocked 391 00:25:06,160 --> 00:25:10,359 Speaker 1: it instant kicked in and I counterattacked. Nothing much, just 392 00:25:10,400 --> 00:25:13,119 Speaker 1: a weak blow to the side of his face, But 393 00:25:13,200 --> 00:25:16,240 Speaker 1: I hit that motherfucker, and the next day I did 394 00:25:16,240 --> 00:25:20,800 Speaker 1: it again. Slowly, it happened more and more, and by 395 00:25:20,840 --> 00:25:22,800 Speaker 1: the third year, he no longer showed up on the 396 00:25:22,800 --> 00:25:26,359 Speaker 1: black top to fight me. I was seventeen years old, 397 00:25:26,760 --> 00:25:33,400 Speaker 1: and I was ready for the association. As the memory 398 00:25:33,560 --> 00:25:36,600 Speaker 1: washes over me, I feel the smallest glimmer of hope. 399 00:25:37,040 --> 00:25:39,080 Speaker 1: I smashed my fist into the lid of the pine 400 00:25:39,119 --> 00:25:41,679 Speaker 1: box inches above me, and I do it again, and 401 00:25:41,760 --> 00:25:46,400 Speaker 1: again and again. An hour later, a small crack appears 402 00:25:46,400 --> 00:25:49,480 Speaker 1: in the wood. My knuckles are busted and bloody, but 403 00:25:49,520 --> 00:25:52,040 Speaker 1: I'm getting the fuck out of here, and this time 404 00:25:52,480 --> 00:25:56,680 Speaker 1: nothing is going to stop me. So that's what I do, 405 00:25:57,240 --> 00:25:59,600 Speaker 1: and two days later I catch up to the zen 406 00:25:59,680 --> 00:26:02,480 Speaker 1: mast Or at his pad in La. It gives me 407 00:26:02,520 --> 00:26:05,040 Speaker 1: a look when I show up, beating a hell. I 408 00:26:05,160 --> 00:26:08,840 Speaker 1: shake my head as in, don't ask. He doesn't. He 409 00:26:08,960 --> 00:26:12,480 Speaker 1: just launches into a plan, a plan that sounds crazy, 410 00:26:13,119 --> 00:26:15,199 Speaker 1: but if we can pull it off, we'll net not 411 00:26:15,400 --> 00:26:18,879 Speaker 1: just one ring but two to make it work. Though, 412 00:26:19,400 --> 00:26:23,880 Speaker 1: I'm going to need a new partner Before I can 413 00:26:23,920 --> 00:26:24,800 Speaker 1: even shake my head. 414 00:26:24,920 --> 00:26:25,000 Speaker 3: No. 415 00:26:25,680 --> 00:26:29,120 Speaker 1: Phil calls out to the hallway and then walks some tall, 416 00:26:29,240 --> 00:26:31,960 Speaker 1: curly hair kid. But when he says hello, there's an 417 00:26:32,040 --> 00:26:35,640 Speaker 1: accent that takes me a moment in place. It's not Italian. 418 00:26:36,840 --> 00:26:42,959 Speaker 1: Phil says, Mamba, meet your new partner, codename the Spaniard, 419 00:26:43,920 --> 00:26:48,760 Speaker 1: a European assassin. Phil certainly knows how to pull the heartstrings, 420 00:26:49,400 --> 00:26:51,240 Speaker 1: but I want to see how he can handle himself. 421 00:26:51,960 --> 00:26:55,000 Speaker 1: So Phil tells the Spaniard to show me what he's got. 422 00:26:56,040 --> 00:26:58,199 Speaker 1: We walk to the backyard and the Spaniard tells me 423 00:26:58,240 --> 00:27:01,000 Speaker 1: to grab two beer bottles from the track. Then he 424 00:27:01,040 --> 00:27:02,960 Speaker 1: tells me to walk twenty feet out into the yard 425 00:27:02,960 --> 00:27:05,800 Speaker 1: and whenever I'm ready to throw both bottles in the air. 426 00:27:06,720 --> 00:27:09,359 Speaker 1: I let them fly and the Spaniard aims and fires 427 00:27:09,359 --> 00:27:12,320 Speaker 1: a shot that smashes the first bottle to pieces, and 428 00:27:12,359 --> 00:27:14,320 Speaker 1: before the second one can hit the ground, he tosses 429 00:27:14,359 --> 00:27:16,960 Speaker 1: the gun to his left hand and fires another shot. 430 00:27:17,240 --> 00:27:21,679 Speaker 1: The glass explodes. Shit looks like I got a new 431 00:27:21,720 --> 00:27:28,000 Speaker 1: partner and he's ambidextrous. With the Spaniard on the team, 432 00:27:28,240 --> 00:27:31,840 Speaker 1: the Showtime Assassination Squad is back on top of the Association. 433 00:27:32,000 --> 00:27:34,959 Speaker 1: In no time, we dropkick a crew out of Florida 434 00:27:35,040 --> 00:27:37,600 Speaker 1: and take our fourth ring. And that's the easy part 435 00:27:37,640 --> 00:27:40,520 Speaker 1: of the plan. We need the ring for bait. We 436 00:27:40,560 --> 00:27:42,200 Speaker 1: need to put a target on our backs that will 437 00:27:42,240 --> 00:27:45,879 Speaker 1: send every assassin in the country coming for us, including 438 00:27:46,320 --> 00:27:55,600 Speaker 1: Barishna Cough, including the Truth. June twenty ten, we hole 439 00:27:55,720 --> 00:27:59,399 Speaker 1: up at the Showtime Assassination Squad headquarters. Phil walks us 440 00:27:59,440 --> 00:28:03,000 Speaker 1: through the plane one more time. The Spaniard and I 441 00:28:03,080 --> 00:28:05,240 Speaker 1: listen intently and then guide the rest of the team 442 00:28:05,320 --> 00:28:09,280 Speaker 1: into position. As night falls, assassins are lining up outside 443 00:28:09,280 --> 00:28:13,159 Speaker 1: our gates and there will be no ambush. This is 444 00:28:13,200 --> 00:28:19,760 Speaker 1: all out. Wore three am, a full moon shines down 445 00:28:20,119 --> 00:28:22,440 Speaker 1: enough light for a group of assassins to slice each 446 00:28:22,440 --> 00:28:25,840 Speaker 1: other to ribbons and we weighed in the darkness, weapons 447 00:28:25,840 --> 00:28:29,920 Speaker 1: in hand, wondering who will make the first move. Finally, 448 00:28:30,359 --> 00:28:33,600 Speaker 1: the original cough charges forward, but the Spaniard trips him 449 00:28:33,640 --> 00:28:35,760 Speaker 1: and sends him flying to the ground, and I pull 450 00:28:35,840 --> 00:28:38,120 Speaker 1: my dagger from my belt to finish him off. When 451 00:28:38,160 --> 00:28:41,680 Speaker 1: someone steps forward to stop me, That's when I realize 452 00:28:41,920 --> 00:28:43,840 Speaker 1: that I'm not the only one with a new partner. 453 00:28:44,680 --> 00:28:47,880 Speaker 1: Standing opposite me is a towering linebacker of a man. 454 00:28:48,080 --> 00:28:51,000 Speaker 1: He's holding a giant hammer in one hand and tapping 455 00:28:51,040 --> 00:28:55,600 Speaker 1: it softly against his other back up mamba. He says, 456 00:28:56,200 --> 00:28:59,680 Speaker 1: there's a new king in town. I can tell by 457 00:28:59,680 --> 00:29:02,440 Speaker 1: his that this so called thing thinks he's a top 458 00:29:02,480 --> 00:29:07,280 Speaker 1: assassin and the association. He's big, he's strong, but his 459 00:29:07,360 --> 00:29:10,560 Speaker 1: head's not fully in the game. He's not in the zone. 460 00:29:11,160 --> 00:29:13,560 Speaker 1: There's no way he's put in more work than me, 461 00:29:14,400 --> 00:29:16,840 Speaker 1: and how could he. He's had a cell phone since 462 00:29:16,880 --> 00:29:20,560 Speaker 1: he was a kid. Hell, he probably spends three hours 463 00:29:20,560 --> 00:29:24,120 Speaker 1: every day staring at a screen, at least three hours 464 00:29:24,400 --> 00:29:27,560 Speaker 1: every day that I've been working on killing motherfucker's just 465 00:29:27,680 --> 00:29:31,320 Speaker 1: like him. I raised my dagger over my head and 466 00:29:31,560 --> 00:29:34,840 Speaker 1: charge forward. He swings his hammer and does the same, 467 00:29:35,280 --> 00:29:37,120 Speaker 1: and we're about to meet when all of a sudden, 468 00:29:38,840 --> 00:29:40,920 Speaker 1: I hear a shot ring out, and the King falls 469 00:29:40,960 --> 00:29:44,280 Speaker 1: forward to the ground, well, all of them, except the 470 00:29:44,280 --> 00:29:46,720 Speaker 1: half of his brain that's now splattered against the wall. 471 00:29:48,480 --> 00:29:51,520 Speaker 1: The Truth steps out of the darkness. His gun is 472 00:29:51,600 --> 00:29:54,320 Speaker 1: raised and he's got me clean in his sights. I 473 00:29:54,400 --> 00:29:56,520 Speaker 1: flinch and wait for the bullet to rip through me. 474 00:29:57,480 --> 00:30:03,360 Speaker 1: I hear a gunfire. Oh nothing. I opened my eyes, 475 00:30:03,400 --> 00:30:05,880 Speaker 1: and the Truth is laying on the ground, shot dead 476 00:30:05,960 --> 00:30:10,040 Speaker 1: by my new partner, the Spaniard. It looks like the 477 00:30:10,080 --> 00:30:13,160 Speaker 1: Truth was right. It's good to have somebody to watch 478 00:30:13,200 --> 00:30:16,240 Speaker 1: it back. I walk over to him and snatch the 479 00:30:16,320 --> 00:30:19,320 Speaker 1: ring off his finger, the same one he stole from me. 480 00:30:19,960 --> 00:30:24,440 Speaker 1: It's my fifth I watched Barishnikov crawl away. I don't 481 00:30:24,440 --> 00:30:29,120 Speaker 1: even care. It's clear that he's been beaten. This ring 482 00:30:29,200 --> 00:30:32,040 Speaker 1: is all the revenge I need. I slid it onto 483 00:30:32,080 --> 00:30:35,720 Speaker 1: my finger. But with my quest complete, I have just 484 00:30:35,840 --> 00:30:36,479 Speaker 1: one question. 485 00:30:37,920 --> 00:30:38,400 Speaker 3: What now? 486 00:30:46,080 --> 00:30:59,719 Speaker 5: I slower siller I seller, I saller, s ser i smaller. 487 00:31:08,920 --> 00:31:12,440 Speaker 1: The morning was foggy. Gray clouds blocked out the sun, 488 00:31:13,040 --> 00:31:17,120 Speaker 1: and light. Rain pattered on the roof. Inside, a man 489 00:31:17,280 --> 00:31:20,560 Speaker 1: lay fast asleep in a dark room, a man who 490 00:31:20,760 --> 00:31:23,480 Speaker 1: used to be a warrior, one of the deadliest in 491 00:31:23,560 --> 00:31:29,680 Speaker 1: the world, a man named Kobe Bryant. Suddenly, his eyes 492 00:31:29,800 --> 00:31:37,160 Speaker 1: snapped open up footsteps. He lay still and listened carefully. 493 00:31:37,880 --> 00:31:44,080 Speaker 1: He heard another movement. Someone was creeping closer. Slowly, quietly, 494 00:31:44,720 --> 00:31:47,040 Speaker 1: he reached under the mattress, where he still kept a 495 00:31:47,080 --> 00:31:51,560 Speaker 1: blade hidden just in case. His fingertips grazed the edge 496 00:31:51,600 --> 00:31:53,840 Speaker 1: of his handle, when suddenly he felt something land on 497 00:31:53,920 --> 00:31:59,080 Speaker 1: his back, knocking the breath out of him. Daddy, a 498 00:31:59,200 --> 00:32:04,560 Speaker 1: small voice. A four year old girl wrapped her arms 499 00:32:04,600 --> 00:32:08,880 Speaker 1: around him. He relaxed his grip on the knife, rolled 500 00:32:08,920 --> 00:32:11,040 Speaker 1: over in bed, and put his arm around his daughter. 501 00:32:11,680 --> 00:32:14,920 Speaker 1: Then the girl beamed at him. Behind her, he could 502 00:32:14,920 --> 00:32:18,080 Speaker 1: see his older daughter standing in the doorway, telling him 503 00:32:18,080 --> 00:32:23,920 Speaker 1: to wake up. It was almost time to go. It 504 00:32:24,000 --> 00:32:26,440 Speaker 1: had been nearly four years since the Black mom but 505 00:32:26,560 --> 00:32:29,640 Speaker 1: laid down his dagger for the final time. He left 506 00:32:29,680 --> 00:32:34,000 Speaker 1: an incredible legacy three consecutive NBA championships with his feuding 507 00:32:34,080 --> 00:32:39,760 Speaker 1: teammate Shaquille O'Neill. Five championships total league MVP eighty one 508 00:32:39,840 --> 00:32:43,320 Speaker 1: points scored in a single game, an achievement that to 509 00:32:43,440 --> 00:32:46,520 Speaker 1: this day remained second only to Wilt Chamberlain's legendary one 510 00:32:46,640 --> 00:32:50,160 Speaker 1: hundred point game that that happened in an entirely different generation. 511 00:32:51,240 --> 00:32:54,600 Speaker 1: But just as the zen Master predicted, Kobe Bryant became 512 00:32:54,720 --> 00:32:57,680 Speaker 1: more than a great legend and more than a great warrior. 513 00:32:58,200 --> 00:33:02,480 Speaker 1: He became a leader, build schools, He trained other warriors, 514 00:33:02,880 --> 00:33:06,400 Speaker 1: He wrote poetry, and especially as a father to four daughters, 515 00:33:06,920 --> 00:33:10,200 Speaker 1: he relaxed that famous killer instinct and allowed himself to 516 00:33:10,320 --> 00:33:13,560 Speaker 1: soften just a little bit while he fulfilled his purpose. 517 00:33:14,680 --> 00:33:17,400 Speaker 1: And if this were a movie, that's exactly where our 518 00:33:17,480 --> 00:33:21,920 Speaker 1: story would end. Our hero at peace, his arms wrapped 519 00:33:21,960 --> 00:33:25,600 Speaker 1: around his family, something like the ending of Quentin Tarantinos 520 00:33:25,720 --> 00:33:26,880 Speaker 1: Killed Bill Volume two. 521 00:33:28,640 --> 00:33:33,520 Speaker 4: I roared, I ram paged, and I got bloody satisfaction. 522 00:33:33,800 --> 00:33:42,560 Speaker 1: But life is not a movie. On the morning of 523 00:33:42,640 --> 00:33:46,520 Speaker 1: January twenty sixth, twenty twenty, Kobe Bryant and his daughter 524 00:33:46,800 --> 00:33:50,280 Speaker 1: Gianna left the house for a basketball game at the 525 00:33:50,360 --> 00:33:54,480 Speaker 1: John Wayne Airport in Orange County. The helicopter took off 526 00:33:54,720 --> 00:33:59,160 Speaker 1: despite poor weather conditions. We all know what happened next. 527 00:34:00,040 --> 00:34:03,600 Speaker 1: We can all agree on that because outside of the crash, 528 00:34:04,120 --> 00:34:06,680 Speaker 1: there isn't much about Kobe Bryant that people can agree on. 529 00:34:07,640 --> 00:34:10,960 Speaker 1: Going to any sports bar and ask around, some people 530 00:34:11,000 --> 00:34:12,920 Speaker 1: will tell you he was a hero and one of 531 00:34:12,960 --> 00:34:17,000 Speaker 1: the greatest late game assassins in basketball history. Others will 532 00:34:17,000 --> 00:34:19,600 Speaker 1: tell you he was a ballhog whose bad attitude broke 533 00:34:19,680 --> 00:34:23,279 Speaker 1: up one of the all time great dynasties. Some point 534 00:34:23,360 --> 00:34:25,399 Speaker 1: to his work ethic on the court and call my hero. 535 00:34:26,080 --> 00:34:29,280 Speaker 1: Others talk about the off court accusations in call ma villain. 536 00:34:30,560 --> 00:34:33,399 Speaker 1: Like all great sports debates, it's one that'll play out 537 00:34:33,440 --> 00:34:36,040 Speaker 1: in sports bars and living rooms across the country and 538 00:34:36,239 --> 00:34:40,080 Speaker 1: online for decades to come. But one thing that won't 539 00:34:40,120 --> 00:34:44,879 Speaker 1: be debated is Kobe Bryant's place in basketball history. He'll 540 00:34:44,920 --> 00:34:47,439 Speaker 1: go down as one of the greatest of all time. 541 00:34:48,680 --> 00:34:51,759 Speaker 1: As for the legacy of Kobe Bryant the Man, it's 542 00:34:51,840 --> 00:34:55,279 Speaker 1: a legacy that feels incomplete. It's one that was just 543 00:34:55,520 --> 00:34:59,719 Speaker 1: getting started. It's a hanging question what happens to the 544 00:34:59,760 --> 00:35:04,840 Speaker 1: worl after his quest is complete. What would Kobe Bryant 545 00:35:04,880 --> 00:35:08,200 Speaker 1: be doing now if he were still alive. It's a 546 00:35:08,320 --> 00:35:16,000 Speaker 1: question that has no answer, and that's a disgrace. I'm 547 00:35:16,160 --> 00:35:41,920 Speaker 1: Jake Brennan and this is Disgraceland. Disgraceland was created by 548 00:35:41,960 --> 00:35:44,880 Speaker 1: Yours Truly and is produced in partnership with Double Elvis. 549 00:35:45,239 --> 00:35:47,480 Speaker 1: Credits for this episode can be found on the show 550 00:35:47,560 --> 00:35:51,319 Speaker 1: notes page at disgracelamppod dot com. 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