Kobe in postgame presser

So Kobe Bryant has his two little girls with him in the postgame press conference, and it just struck me as manipulative on his part. As in, "they won't ask me any tough questions if I have my kids with me."

Does that seem out of line to anyone else? I mean, if you catch him outside Staples and he has his girls with him, that's one thing, but in an arranged interview session? Probably nothing that can or will be done, but it just seemed wrong on a coupla levels.

 

Covered a women's college coach who did this after nearly every game. It was incredibly distracting and juvenile. Hang with them after a 10-minute press conference, not during.

 

I've lost track how many people have done this in the past.

It usually works remarkably well.

 

LeBron's son was with him in a press conference. I think it was after one of the playoff games.

What kind of tough questions does anyone ask in a postgame press conference anyway?

 

Bonds did it a couple times during the home run chase and once when he met reporters for the first time at spring training.

I think Bobby Knight has done it a few times with grandchildren.

 

Dusty Baker was notorious for this in Chicago.

 

It's smart because it works. Plus, if any reporter calls them out on it, they look like a complete douche when the player, coach, manager says "Look, I just want to spend a few minutes with my kid..."

 

If Kobe is trying to protect himself from tough questions in a postgame press conference, shouldn't he have brought them in after his team's choke job in Game 4?

 

Someone did that to Bonds at the spring training one and he chastized the reporter for making him act a certain way in front of his kid. I don't remember if it was "make him cry" or "make him mad"

It's also not always done for strategic reasons, sometimes they just want to spend a few minutes with their kids...

 

Probably none, but to me that's beside the point. He's brought his preschool children into what for all parties concerned is a work environment. I don't buy the notion that it's not contrived. They're human shields. I mean, who in their right mind would bring their kids into a room full of reporters?