I Hate LeBron James
July 3rd, 2010
Nick Gelso
Dwyane Wade is likable and respectable to the sport that has made him a very rich man. He respects the city of Miami and his boss, Pat Riley. Although, he can be cocky at time. We all remember, “This is my house…” while perched on top of the scorers table. Even I thought that moment was cool.
Essentially, Wade has not done much differently than LeBron– except prove he can win on the big stage.
LeBron praises Akron and the city of Cleveland. LeBron throws powder in the air and riles up his home crowd. No question James is fun to watch. He is a phenomenon– a physical specimen. LeBron leaves it all on the court. He works hard to win. He racks up a lot of dimes. He can rebound and he can score. He has won 60+ games the last two seasons. The Cavs have decimated opponents in the regular season and LeBron led the entire circus.
Wade, though garnering a finals MVP and an NBA title, has been injured frequently. Yet, despite Wade’s early accomplishments, he was injured in 2009 and his team failed miserably in 2010.
Yes, he won a title. For all intense and purposes however, Wade has not had the over-all success nor media praise that the sports world has given to LeBron James.
So… they are similar. They are both commiserating and posturing to play together during this summer’s free agency. The media attention has honed it’s bright light on these two stars. They are very much sailing in the same boat.
Then why do I loath LeBron James and respect Dwyane Wade?
It’s really quite simple.
LeBron James is the self proclaimed “chosen one.” He has crowned himself the king and yet behaves like a jester. He snaps fictitious photo’s and dances to the tune of Cavs (regular season) blowouts. He encourages his teammates to clown around. He is a silly, loose guy when things are going well for his team and, ultimately, for him.
Yet, when the going gets tough, LeBron sticks his nose up to the world and, unfortunately, the fans that have made him a multi millionaire. He claims to have billionaire aspirations. Has anyone advised the king that you should not bite the hand that feeds you?
Let’s face it, LeBron is for no one but LeBron. He proves it in his behavior off the court. He has teased and taunted the Cavs, and their fans, with free agency for nearly three seasons. The man could have dispelled the growing free agency tornado when it began. Style aside, you do not wear a New York Yankees hat in public when the world is speculating that New York may be your next home.
I know. I know. The Yankees hat is overplayed. It’s still relevant though.
Nothing confirmed it more than during his semifinal loss to the Celtics. As his team was nearing complete elimination, we were all witnesses to the chants of “New York Knicks” in TD Garden. As I, a self declared LeBron-Hater, heard those chants raining down on LeBron while he bricked up free throws under the pressure, I couldn’t help but feel the pain of his teammates. I honestly believe that LeBron basked in the attention that moment brought him while the final buzzer was about to sound on another early playoff exit for the Cavaliers.
His teammates, the guys who went out and busted their asses to help the Cavs accumulate 60+ wins in the regular season, had to realize that all along they were just pawns on the Kings chess board. Yep, I felt bad for Mo Williams. I felt pain for Antawn Jameson. I was almost hating the fact that Shaq may have played his final NBA season as a losing piece of a puzzle, smeared by the distraction LeBron’s circus had created. I can even say that I (unbelievably) felt sorry for Anderson Varejao. Anderson may be on the leagues most annoying list but their can be no doubt that he is a hard working man, with the hustle reminiscent of Dennis Rodman (before he started wearing a dress).
The sports world loves to blame LeBron’s failure on his teammates (lack of) support. LeBron is perpetrated as a martyr having to do it all alone. Saddest part is, I have never heard LeBron defend his teammates– not once.
Team’s do not win 60+ games playing 1 on 5. What changes in the playoffs? Do his teammates disappear or does LeBron overwhelm them with his distracting aura? Does the “LeBron traveling circus” overwhelm the rest of the Cavaliers, leaving them ineffective– hiding in the shadow of the king?
During the sixth game of the semifinals, as the Cavs were nearing vacation time, the chosen one essentially looked composed in loss. Almost too composed. He never discouraged the media from distracting his teammates with the “LeBron’s last game as a Cavalier” nonsense. The series was never about the Cavs struggles or the Celtics’ successes. To the media, the series was about LeBron, and the King found nothing offensive about that.
LeBron James is the most self centered player I have ever witnessed. I am sure their have been worse but, since the dawn of the ESPN era, no player has captivated the public spotlight (nor embraced it) more than the chosen one. For that reason, and none other, LeBron has ended up a loser season after season.
Don’t give me the bull shit about LeBron lacking a supporting cast either– I know it’s coming. Championship team’s are just that– a cohesive unit. Led by a dominant superstar, not dominated by that star. LeBron James wanted every player Danny Ferry brought to Cleveland. They were the perfect compliments on the king’s court throughout 60+ seasons. Perfect in success, yet the reason for failure. That makes no sense.
Now, Danny Ferry has given up as Cavs GM and Mike Brown is in the unemployment line– two more casualties left to eat the pain of loss while LeBron dances around the NBA teasing and taunting everyone to become the next team to claim him.
Folks, we are fools in LeBron’s hype machine. We have all bought into the hype that LeBron so adores. I have read, on this site, more often than I would care to, that LeBron is going to New York. No, wait! LeBron is going to Miami! Oh.. correction! LeBron is headed to Chicago to try and follow in his air-ness’ footsteps. Aw Shit! We were all “summit-suckers” again, LeBron is staying put in Cleveland!
Ladies and gentlemen, give it up!
When is the world going to ask themselves, maybe it’s not the players surrounding the superstar, possibly it’s the superstar himself that cannot get the job done.
How is LeBron James going to share the stage with such high power ego’s as D-Wade and Chris Bosh? It’s not going to happen. LeBron says he will wrap up free agency as soon as Monday and not a moment too soon for me. Than we can all get back to talking about basketball and not the one man who thinks he is bigger than the game.
LeBron, you were right. You should not wear Michael Jordan’s number. You shouldn’t wear it because you don’t deserve to have it placed upon your chest. You couldn’t fill his Nikes.
Stay in Cleveland LeBron. Appease your subjects. They enjoy being witnesses. As for me, I have witnessed quite enough of this nonsense.
Free agency could not end sooner. The “summer of LeBron” has, thus far, been enough to make me switch the tube on the game I love and that is why I am proud to say that I am a LeBron hater to the bitter end.
