Remember the brief outcry over this picture? Ridiculous beyond belief.Guess who handled it flawlessly? LeBron.
Credit: BetorSedge.com
Anyways...
#1. First off, LeBron doesn't need anyone to defend him. Only trailing Tiger Woods (probably) in popularity as an American athlete, Bron Bron has more cash than Wells Fargo (is that saying much these days, though?) and this moment will pass quickly. The legacy is still secured, my friends.
#2. I like LeBron. In fact, I'm a huge fan of the 24-year old. I don't like Kobe. I never have. I never will, either. That night in Denver has been dismissed (not just forgotten) far too easily. That affects my opinion, too. Sure, there are a lot of people who love LeBron and are nailing him for his actions (or inactions); however, a lot of people have been waiting for a moment like this to pile on the King.
#3. The NBA was foolish to all but predict Lakers vs. Cavaliers so early in the Playoffs. It was unfair to talented players like Carmelo Anthony, Dwight Howard, Paul Pierce, and a few notable others. This doesn't dismiss the dissapointment most of us feel for not having the series; however, I don't like when predictions are made on a company basis.
#4. LeBron didn't display sportsmanship. Not even a drop of it. But let's not equate not shaking hands and not giving a press conference with: assaulting another player, directly taunting another player, interacting negatively with fans, cursing on camera (KG!), berrating one's coach (Superman!), or chewing out his team. No breakdowns either. Hell, he didn't even refuse to shake Dwight Howard's hand. Or anyone else's. He looked around, realized the totality of the moment, and left the scene as soon as he could. He also didn't openly sulk, pout, and give up on a sideline after a series slipped away, despite his best efforts (KOBE!). He also remained loyal, as he could, to Cleveland with his most recent comments. If that city feels offended, they're insane.
#5. I don't like people who accept defeat readily. I understand sportsmanship and it being paramount to the game, but I also don't expect people to immediately dismiss a season's effort lost in an instant. I want my team to fight until it's over, maybe even after. I also don't ask them to smile and hug their counterparts. I want true rivalry, not chivalry. If I see Bart Scott hugging Tom Brady next season, I'm hurling instantly.
Sometimes, even I wish he was just a little more serious.Check that. I don't. Not at all.
Credit: EveryJoe.com
#6. Dwight Howard is a goofy bastard. I think he's an amazing talent and I root for him, but his demeanor would be tough to swallow after a gut-wrenching series. LeBron has his post-victory moments as well, so I don't expect Howard to be gung-ho with the props as well. It's not like Howard needed to mob LeBron after the game-winner a week back.
#7. LeBron had every right to chew out his team, coach, and front office. When you have the talent of LeBron, you don't have guys like Delonte, Wally, Anderson, and Ben next to him. Mo Williams is not a legit #2 on a title-contending team. I've said it before. I'll say it again, too.
#8. ESPN, Sports Illustrated, Yahoo! Sports, and all the other media outlets need a story. While your typical radio call-in is dissapointed in LeBron, they also won't care enough to not watch him. This is just like steroids...a media issue. What else are they going to talk about: hockey???
#9. Mark Cuban is the owner (eccentric or not) of a team who insulted someone's mother. Even though it was Kenyon Martin, Cuban apologized via his friggen blog and lookey lookey...that issue is forgotten. Honestly, do you remember how long ago that was? Me neither. This will pass quickly, too.
#10. It's the NBA. It's professional basketball. No kids are going to become poor sport's (who weren't already) because of this. The youth of America will survive. The game of basketball will go on. LeBron will live to play another game. James Naismith isn't rolling over in his grave. Dwight Howard will somehow recapture his smile. In fact, I guarantee he has already.
In the end, LeBron made a mistake. He didn't rectify it, but he didn't shoulder bump an opponent into the sidelines, admit to smoking weed in the offseason, get a DUI, slap his wife, committ adultery, or kick a cameraman in the crotch.
He didn't shake someone's hand and didn't explain himself to the media.
I wonder if he could've bitten his tongue towards his teammates, which would've been a more serious issue.
Call me a "King"-lover or biased, but I'll call it like it is.
So take a deep breath and a sip of some get-over-it-juice.
We're still better off for the likes of LeBron. Who's still 24.
Oh yeah, if it matters, Wally Szczerbiak did it too. Where's his heat for Wally World??
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