Tuesday, July 27, 2010
New Deal
I had to change the title because the old title was too vulgar according to my "advisors." I named it the same thing as my last post. I'd ask you guys for opinions but nobody who reads this would ever post anything helpful so nevermind.
Friday, July 9, 2010
No Mercy
People often like to handicap themselves. You say, "Oh, I'm an idiot," or, "I have really bad ADD," or, "I wish I were...(something)." We do this because we don't want the responsibility of being great. On this blog, I joke about nobody reading it and myself having no credibility all the time. The truth is, I believe this blog is better than most of what you read on the internet or see on TV about sports, but even by just making that statement I open myself up for criticism and ridicule. One could ask why I am so lazy about proofreading, updating, picture-including, promoting, etc. All valid points. I would respond, "I'm just lazy," or, "I don't really care." Both of those things might be somewhat true, but the real reason is that once I commit to that, if I fail, it becomes a revelation of mediocrity which would be hard for me to take. I'm just like everyone else.
LeBron James never seemed to do this. Was he an egomaniac? Absolutely. But his arrogance was almost endearing because of how well he played and how he appeared to be the hero of the depressed city of Cleveland. And Cleveland needed nothing short of a true hero, make no mistake about it. He was a local kid who came from the projects of Akron, Ohio with no visible father. These are not only humble, but unremarkable beginnings. The "Witness" marketing campaign made so much sense. The label of "savior" was no hyperbole. These expectations were thrust upon him and he accepted them like a true hero. A man.
His decision to leave was his own to make. We all want to play with our friends, we all want to live in Miami and we all want to win. Some even argue going to Miami was an unselfish choice. That being all about winning is the right side. I, personally, don't believe that sports ethics apply to free agency. Winning is the most important thing on the court and going to join two other all-stars as opposed to staying home is most definitely selfish, but that is your choice when your contract runs out.
A player does not owe his hometown or the the team that drafted him anything, necessarily. The grass really is greener in Miami and he will probably win more there than in Cleveland. It's hard to play for Cleveland just like it's hard to be Cleveland, which is why it's hard for me to call LeBron a coward or a traitor for leaving.
No, LeBron James is a great player. He's not a coward and he's not a traitor. But he's also not a hero and that makes me sad.
LeBron James never seemed to do this. Was he an egomaniac? Absolutely. But his arrogance was almost endearing because of how well he played and how he appeared to be the hero of the depressed city of Cleveland. And Cleveland needed nothing short of a true hero, make no mistake about it. He was a local kid who came from the projects of Akron, Ohio with no visible father. These are not only humble, but unremarkable beginnings. The "Witness" marketing campaign made so much sense. The label of "savior" was no hyperbole. These expectations were thrust upon him and he accepted them like a true hero. A man.
His decision to leave was his own to make. We all want to play with our friends, we all want to live in Miami and we all want to win. Some even argue going to Miami was an unselfish choice. That being all about winning is the right side. I, personally, don't believe that sports ethics apply to free agency. Winning is the most important thing on the court and going to join two other all-stars as opposed to staying home is most definitely selfish, but that is your choice when your contract runs out.
A player does not owe his hometown or the the team that drafted him anything, necessarily. The grass really is greener in Miami and he will probably win more there than in Cleveland. It's hard to play for Cleveland just like it's hard to be Cleveland, which is why it's hard for me to call LeBron a coward or a traitor for leaving.
No, LeBron James is a great player. He's not a coward and he's not a traitor. But he's also not a hero and that makes me sad.
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