Nadal (and Kobe)

Couple of weeks ago, I watched last year's epic Wimbledon final: Federer vs Nadal. It was quite a match - a contrast of styles, an upstart knocking on an established champion's door, ebbs and flows of competitors hitting their strides, and the microscopic margins of error. Made me wish for something that provided a background for Nadal like Chuck Klosterman's piece did for Federer. It is now here - this week's NYTMag has a superb feature on Rafa. It is a solid article touching on his game style, character, and upbringing. The most interesting part was how he was coached (and raised) by his uncle Toni Nadal. It just appears to me that what makes Kobe Bryant a brilliant athlete but a fatally flawed character, is the lack of someone like Toni in his life. Never has any article about Kobe mentioned a mentor in his life that taught him how to be a human being - everyone around him exists solely to remind Kobe that he is untouchable. Kobe's is an otherwordly talent supremely unmatched by his inability to become a inspiring man in his life outside the court. Lets hope there is still time left for him to figure this out.