LeBron James is a poor sport
You heard it here. From a true fan. LeBron James is a poor sport.
Well, that’s what you’re hearing on ESPN, Fox Sports, MSN, Orlando newspapers, or any other media outlet reporting on this topic, anyway. As a fan of The Next One for some ten years, since he started really making noise his sophomore year in high school, LeBron James did make what is probably the poorest decision of his young career Saturday night in Orlando, Florida.
After his Cleveland Cavaliers had their season improbably ended in Orlando by the Magic, LeBron walked off the floor, never offered congratulations to his opponents, and then went a step further in shunning the media after the game. He refused to answer questions, didn’t make an appearance at the media table, he simply walked back to the locker room, got a shower and clothes, and left the Amway Arena a bitter, defeated man.
Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls faced the Detroit Pistons in the Eastern Conference Finals in 1990. In game 7, Jordan’s number two guy, Scottie Pippen, missed game 7 of their series with a severe migrane, and delayed the reign of the Chicago Bulls as the best in the league another year. He kept himself, and the rest of the Bulls team from what would have been their first NBA championship with Jordan at the helm. Pippen couldn’t go, though, and Jordan tried with everything in him to overcome the Pistons without him, but it couldn’t be done. And in the end, Michael Jordan crossed the court and shook the hands of the players who had just ended his season.
Be like Mike, LeBron.
In a press conference on Sunday, LeBron said he sent Orlando’s Dwight Howard a congratulatory email after the game. I sure wish I could have been a BCC on that one.
“D-dub,
LeBron here. Dude, you guys smoked us. Congratulations on your win. Hope Kobe doesn’t average 40/8/8 on you guys, because he has the cast to make the numbers stick. Good luck, and enjoy wearing my championship ring.
LBJ23
You are all witnesses”
There is just one thing, though.
LeBron opened the series with a post-season career high for himself with 49 points. After the game, a heartbreaking one point loss to the Magic on Cleveland’s own floor, LeBron kept his chin up and told the reporters, “My statistics don’t mean anything if it ends in a loss.”
After they lost games 3 and 4, LeBron took his medicine, sat down and talked to the press, took blame in places he both should and shouldn’t. He admitted after game 4 his eight turnovers wouldn’t win them any games. He’s been gracious in victory and defeat.
At only 24 years old, LeBron is painted as the face of the league. He’s under amazing scrutiny and pressure. He’s upheld himself with class and dignity for five years now. He came into the league with everyone’s expectations being so lofty, a lesser player would have cracked, crashed, and burned, a la Sam Bowie, or more recently Greg Oden. Can we really let the actions of this kid, by all rights and means, after one game marr his image the way everyone seems to be set on doing? LeBron tried to hoist his team on his back, and he couldn’t do it. I can only speculate, though, that Saturday night the frustration that showed when he left the floor and the arena without a word spoken wasn’t aimed at his competitors. They were merely bystanders. I’d wager the anger and irritation was directed at three parties: himself, his teammates, and probably his coach.
The only thing I think LeBron himself even can ask, is are you willing to give up on him after one poor decision? I’m ready to see if Dwight and company can overcome Kobe and his lakers. But after that, I’m ready for next season- not so I can scrutinize LeBron further, but to see if he can gather himself and make another push. I’m interested to see if the front office of the Cavs will go out and make the moves to get LeBron a solid number two guy. And let me say, if LeBron can get that solid secondary supporting figure, look out, NBA. I’ll be over before it begins.
More importantly, I don’t think we’ll be calling LeBron a poor sport again- we’ll only call him CHAMP.
