LeBron the Decision and Return (Originally published 2010)

Wednesday, December 1, 2010

February 18^th 2002 he graced the cover of Sports Illustrated as a High School Junior.  He was then the most hyped athlete of all-time as he entered the NBA.  For seven season playing for his quasi “home town team” the Cleveland Cavaliers he was unable to win a championship; reached the finals once but did have multiple MVP trophies but was surrounded by mediocrity and players past their prime. i.e. Antawn Jamison and Zydrunas Ilgauskas  Then… nearly 10 million people watched “The Decision” in July.

For comparison the 2010 World Series averages 14.22 million viewers per game.

The criticism is reaching a potential boiling point as the Miami Heat makes their first trip to Cleveland with the Big 3.

How did we get to the decision?  Who is to blame?

LeBron James is a creation of us (fans and media).   The notion that people are upset over a publicity stunt is laughable.  I understand the frustration of a Cleveland fan (that he left the team).  But spare everyone with “I am not made he left, just how he did it”.  That is complete non-sense.   The city of Cleveland would have felt just as outraged if there was a text or a meeting with Dan Gilbert.

The media has grown exponentially to the point where athletes are in gossip magazines eating lunch with other celebrities.  But, we love it.  We love the drama that is Brett Favre.  ESPN has at least 5 television stations plus all of their online programming.  We have shows that breakdown the matchups in the NFL every week (on a daily basis).  Sports talk radio is popular.  We build up athletes to something that is far greater than they can even actualize.  Then, we (fans) don’t understand why we care more than they do.  

But, why should they?  It is a job that they do… Granted they are paid tremendous salaries to commit to their sport and perform.  With that also comes the scrutiny of the fans and media.  But, does an athlete have to be sullen after a loss?  Can they not enjoy themselves? 

People that live in Cleveland or any other rust-belt city are from there.  They have rooted for those teams for generations.  The people there identify themselves by their teams.  The athletes don’t.  They are entertainers.  They move from region to region.  They perform, and they better do it how we want them to or else…

Derek Anderson was “caught” smiling/laughing on the sideline during (an embarrassing) home loss to the 49ers.  The reaction by fans calling sports talk radio in Phoenix was ridiculous.  Fans say things like “I’d play for free”, or “he doesn’t have the heart”.  Derek Anderson is mediocre (at best) and the team stinks.

So.  We all have bad days at work… that doesn’t mean you act grumpy.  But we have cameras covering every angle.   For all that we have gained with the internet, sports talk radio, and television we have lost in perspective.  But this is not limited to a sporting arena.  The Presidency is quite different today than it was when Harry S Truman dropped the Bomb on Hiroshima.  As a society we crave constant information and then get mad when we see actions that do not fit with our values.  But the truth is the ideals of working society are miles from Billionaire athletes.

It is naïve to think that LeBron James doesn’t have an inflated sense of self-worth… why wouldn’t he.  LBJ has spent the last 10 years of his life being told how incredible he is.  We buy his shoes.  He is in countless commercials.  The decision (at least in his mind) was nothing more that a commercial.

I understand not liking “The Decision” or the decision to make “The Decision”.  But, move one.  Outside of Cleveland I don’t understand why LeBron is so hated.  Here in phoenix people despise the Heat.  It’s absurd.  How about we enjoy how great the NBA is and can be?  How about people stop demanding that athletes represent some abstract caricature that the fans have created?  Let’s stop talking about how great George Mikan, Red Grange, and Otto Graham were and reminiscent about the old days of ball players.  Remember Babe Ruth played on a steady diet of Beer, Hotdogs, and Hookers. 

December 2nd 2010

Enjoy the game and stop vilifying players.  It is easy to be critical… to complain how the players make too much money or they don’t care.  We need to step back and remember that LeBron James, Derek Anderson, and Chad Ochocinco are people.  But then again, I guess we aren’t either… fan is short for Fanatic.