It's a well-accepted idea that champions dedicate a level of effort to their craft that far exceeds their competition—no matter how strange or painful.
Kobe Bryant's preparation after the Los Angeles Lakers' 2008 NBA Finals loss to the Boston Celtics was both.
For two full years, the Black Mamba routinely listened to Journey's "Don't Stop Believin'" as a daily reminder of the agony of Game 6, after which Boston fans gleefully belted out the feel-good anthem. In 2010, Bryant and the Lakers earned redemption by beating the Celtics to win their second straight title.
Bryant described that self-induced miserable period to reporters Friday:
It was a tough two years in between. I remember when we were losing, they played that song, that Journey song, and the whole arena started singing that song, and I hated that damn song for two years. Seriously, man. But I listened to the song every single day because it just reminded me of that feeling.
Bryant said he did the same with "I'm ...
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Article written by Vanessa de Beaumont