Kobe, Japan vs. Kobe Bryant

I am sick and tired of supposedly educated news anchors mispronouncing the name of the city in Japan that was struck by an earthquake in 1995. Kobe is pronounced Koh-beh. Even Dictionary.com's American Heritage Dictionary entry is wrong in that it actually shows a long 'e' sound! At least it gives a secondary version, which is semi-correct. "(kō'bē', -bā') A city of southern Honshu, Japan, on Osaka Bay south-southwest of Kyoto. A port and manufacturing center, it was almost entirely rebuilt after World War II. The city was badly damaged by an earthquake in 1995. Population: 1,530,000."

Below, you will find the "Contact Us" message that I sent to Dictionary.com about their pronunciation key.
"The entry for the Dictionary.com Unabridged definition for the city of Kobe, Japan has an incorrect pronunciation guide. It has never been pronounced like the L.A. Laker Bryant's first name. The fact is, it is only pronounced Kaw-bee if you are a person from the South with a strong drawl. It is indeed pronounced Koh-beh, with a short 'eh' sound. I know that my Dictionary documentation format may not be correct, but I do know that I lived in Japan for 12 years growing up and that I took an overnight bus from Tokyo to Kobe in April of 1995 to assist with earthquake relief efforts. It was never pronounced like you say it is in your dictionary."