LeBron James won his first NBA championship. Congrats! Hey, Brett Favre on line two. He wants to know what took so long.
On the day that the accomplishment finally outshined the hype we’re all stuck listening to the lament of LeBron James hatred.
Stop me if you’ve heard this before but LeBron James is the most scrutinized athlete of all-time. Right and before him it was Tiger Woods and before him it was Kobe Bryant. That’s just the nature of the beast. It comes with the apex predator status and as the times change so too do the outlets for scrutiny. But we’re supposed to feel some remorse for a multi-millionaire who brought the hatred of the world upon himself by being an arrogant douche? Please!
LeBron getting angered Tweets from a 16-year-old in in New Jersey has nothing on what Jack Johnson went through. Want to talk about scrutiny? If you know nothing of Johnson and his life then stop what you’re doing and Google the name. FYI – you’re looking for the boxer not the hipster with a guitar.
So now that the King finally has his crown we’re supposed to act as if he’s proven all the haters wrong. Really? I thought he was the most “scrutinized athlete of all-time”. I do remember Kobe Bryant having three rings in hand and all we Kobe-apologists heard was “he can’t win without Shaq.”
Now I’m putting that on the most scrutinized athlete of all-time because that what’s natural. Right? He can’t win without Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh.
Before all the LeBron sentiment comes pouring in like crap beer out of an easy-flowing can with a mini-shotgun hole built in let’s keep in mind one simple fact – James brought this all on himself, literally!
The Decision. Nuff said.
Think about that for a second.
THE Decision.
A man that had never won a title was making THE Decision.
Tim Duncan taking his talents to another city after David Robinson retired. That would have been THE Decision.
Phil Jackson jumping ship mid-dynasty in L.A. to help guide the Boston Three Party to Titletown would have been THE Decision.
LeBron was the one who called his shot by counting imaginary titles then choked when the trophy was in an arm’s reach like a drunken virgin at his first kegger about undo the top on the hottest cheerleader. But we’re supposed to act as if he’s authored a redemption tale with his arrival as a champion. I don’t think so.
The LeBron James hate wasn’t manufactured it was inevitable. When you prop yourself up as “The Chosen One” yet fail to deliver in moments that Sam Cassell was navigating with ease as a rookie then the hate should be expected.
When you announce your arrival to a new place of employment by strutting on stage like an 80’s hair band yet can’t even give it your all when your new coworkers need you most then the hate is already in the mail.
You can miss me with the redemption tale. LeBron might have learned a valuable lesson by going belly-up against Dallas then turning it around by becoming a king against Oklahoma City. I’ll give respect where respect is due. Just don’t expect any sympathy.
The LeBron martyrdom is worse than the hate because like all thinks King James it has been manufactured. You want to talk about redemption? The hatred LeBron’s suffered at the hands of millions has nothing on the hatred Brian Banks suffered at the hands of one.
The hatred of James might have forced him to stay in his massive mansion for a couple of weekends he would have otherwise spent trolling around Coconut Grove. The hatred Banks dealt with robbed him of a decade of his freedom.
LeBron’s redemption is as false as his premature bravado. Most scrutinized athlete of all-time quiets the haters. That’s the headline everyone has been waiting to author. Too bad Muhammad Ali already crashed that party nearly a half-century ago.
The real crime in the LeBron martyrdom is that we’ve lost our sense of history. We forget that the path LeBron has walked is no different than what all the greats have gone through. He just so happened to do so when the sports media exploded like Kirstie Allie at a Vegas buffet. The world put in on James that he was the exception and didn’t need to pay his dues. That wasn’t his fault. He didn’t create the hype. But he and his yes men on the payroll sure bought into it.
So on this day I offer a sincere congratulations to the Miami Heat for being the best team in the NBA this season. LeBron authored one of the great postseasons in the history of sports and for that he has my respect, for whatever that’s worth. Just don’t expect any sympathy.
Do expect more hate. Why? Because that’s what comes with being the “most scrutinized athlete of all-time”. So until someone else puts on that crown of thorns it’s still yours to wear, LeBron. Do yourself a favor and learn from Kobe. Wear that crown with pride then, when the time is right, pass it off as it you never had it on.