Simply Brontageous
“This is chess…”
…know the difference between a king and a pawn.” - Jay Z, D(is)S track.
There are a few things in this life that I am sure of. First off, intimacy is amazing and makes life worth living. Second, the hippopotamus at the Philadelphia Zoo looks exactly like John Goodman in the face–it’s uncanny. Third, don’t ever bet against LeBron James.
Really, the more you (non-Wizards fans) doubt LeBron James, the more you’re feeding into a…wait for it…dogged, subconscious, aesthetically preferential under-doggedness…that plagues perspective. Sure, the Wiz could have won round 1, and it wouldn’t be wise to think the Celtics won’t win round 2. But with King James, you never know. Ever. It’s like, if I gave you one in three odds that there would be some awesome 2,000 word metaphor post put up on SlamOnline on a random Tuesday during the dog days of February, would you take the odds? What if the bet was that if you were right, you get a million bucks and if you were wrong, you die. 1 in 3 odds that you perish.
The initial impulse might be to take the money. But you’d be fool, for two reasons.
Uno: Even if you win, you’re disparaging the game’s sacredness for financial gain, something you’d have to live with for the rest of your life. And unless you’re a corporate lawyer like White Hot Eboy, I don’t see that happening. Call me naive, but I maintain that Tim Thomas has trouble sleeping at night.
Either that, or he sleeps too well.
One or the other.
Dos: Game over.
Really, both options suck. And it’s the same way with LeBron. Bet against him and either you fail to recognize the essence of the game’s best young player, or you’re eliminated. So sit back, relax and let him rock the Mike right.
Now, I don’t know if LeBron James was the MVP of the league this season, and I don’t care one way or the other. In fact, the whole idea of an MVP flies in the metaphorical face of a team game. Two full years ago I made the case that Bron-Bron was the league’s MVP. If I gave a sh*t, I’d revisit it by adding paragraphs to that tower of babble, claiming that he was already robbed literally while everyone argued that Kobe was screwed in the “career collective” sense (congrats to Kobe, by the way; much deserved–any of the fantastic four could have won it and I wouldn’t have cared). Here’s an excerpt from what I wrote then:
[H]e took an entire city stuck in a stupor of fandom’s foremost suffering this side of the L.A. Clippers and rose the existing standard by himself—by passing the ball! That’s an MVP. Flip Murray for 3. A game winner that turned a season around. That’s LeBron, respecting the double team and making the right decision. Learning how to stick the fourth quarter dagger. That’s LeBron. Flip Murray’s next contract. That’s LeBron. Lil’ Flip’s next concert. That’s probably LeBron, too. Flip Saunders possibly flipping his lid in the second round. That’s LeBron. What about all of Cleveland defiantly flipping a certain finger at a dark history of losing and embarrassment? That’s LeBron. What about me overusing the word “flip” merely to try and make a point? That’s LeBron. What about Larry Hughes re-emerging from injury? His best games were played when LeBron’s ankle needed a break. The confidence gained? Crazy as it sounds, that’s LeBron.
In the first Links game report I ever wrote, I coined the term “Brontageous™”—revolutionary excellence proving to be contagious, as if his teammates were catching a behind the back, no look cold—because I felt that it was the perfect way to describe a young man whose game had an overarching influence on his teammates, and, more importantly, made them better. That’s an MVP.
(Footnote: Brontageous: It’s outrageous.)
(Footnote II: If you’re surprised that Wally World went Waterworld from three in game 6 or that Boobie started lactating when nourishment was necessary, you really haven’t been paying close enough attention over the years…No offense.)
Ben and I were talking recently about the inordinate amount of hate (though maybe “disrespect disproportional to overall accomplishment” is a better way to put it) Bron receives in these parts. This is interesting because a long, long time ago, yesterday afternoon, deep in an imaginary internets cave covered in SLAMups and vintage kicks, a debate between the 4 horsemen (former and current SLAM E-I-C’s was taking place…)
Tony G (Jordan Era): This is the basketball bible. You know the rules. Respect the game; don’t shit on the parchment.
Russ B (Shaq/Kobe Era): “When all is said and done he has the ability to be the best player in NBA history. But the “King James” nickname is all too appropriate. His sense of entitlement is astounding. The expectation is that everyone will just bow down and get out of the way. How DARE DeShawn Stevenson say he’s overrated! (Which he is, actually.) He’s the Xerxes of the NBA. Unfortunately for the Wizards, the Spartans lost too.”
Ryan J (Pistons/Spurs Era): “Funny, I thought LeBron was grooming himself by averaging 21, 6 and 6 as a rookie … averaging 30, 8 and 7 this year … leading a crap team to the NBA Finals … putting up a triple-double in his first ever playoff game … averaging 28, 8 and 7 in 39 career playoff games … being the youngest player in League history to reach 1,000, 2,000, 3,000, 4,000, 5,000, 6,000, 7,000, and 8,000 career points … scoring the last 25 points against Detroit in Game 5 of the ECF last year … joining Oscar Robertson as one of only two players in NBA history to average at least 27, 6 and 6 over three consecutive seasons … joining Oscar, Mike and The Logo as the only players ever to average at least 31, 7 and 6 for a season … lemme know if you need more … ’cause there’s LOTS more.”
“Bissinger”, as Russ was dubbed by his argument adversary, and Ass-Kissinger, went back and forth like that for a while, debating the merits of “King James.” Current SLAM E-I-C Ben Osborne tried not to allow the tornado of spit-fire to consume him, but it was too late.
It’s funny because SLAM is LEBRON–at least we’re supposed to be. If we’re not showing the right amount of perspective on a national/international level, then who will?
LeBron’s rep will continue, outside of Ohio, to be that of this perfect machine whose perfection many resent because it makes them insecure about themselves. There’s validity to this. Who can look at the way they perform their job and then look at LeBron and feel good, let alone a sense of self-worth defining accomplishment? It’s impossible. It gets worse for people looking to vent–some internalize their feelings while others are offended immediately–when LeBron starts referring to the Cavs as “his team” and talks about his all-encompassing importance to “my team” in the media because he’s so young. Who does that young whippersnapper think he is?
Answer: The 23 year old captain of the team. People outside of Ohio should focus more on paying attention to his precocious leadership skills instead of looking down on him for having the gall to be a leader. (Ironic note: people do this because they are sheep, not leaders and because any true self-reflection can be damning.)
It goes something like this:
Non Clevelander 1: Yo, dude. Good to see you again
Non Clevelander 2: Yeah, it’s great to see you.
Non Clevelander 1: This is my friend Jose.
Non Clevelander 2: Oh my God, where did you get those shoes, Jose? Those shoes are awesome. Wow. Totally jealous of your kicks. What do you do, Jose?
Jose: When I’m not building things–like the fountain of youth I started outside of the Rose Garden in Portland recently–I’m a Partner in a law firm that represents the welfare of people vacationing in Dubai. I also really love to paint. Actually, some of my work is having a gallery showing in Monaco in a few weeks. You should come. We’ll fly you out.
Non Clevelander 1: Tell him what else you do, Jose.
Jose [blushing]: I run an online limo service.
Non Clevelander 1: No, dude. The other thing.
Jose: By night I’m actually Ryan Gosling.
Non Clevelander 2: F*ck you, Jose.
Jose: I don’t get it. I just invited you to come fly with me? Oh, this is about you, isn’t it.
Non Clevelander 2: Why are you bragging so much?
Jose: You just asked me what I did for a living?
Non Clevelander 1: You know what? The more I think about it, I can’t believe you’d be that arrogant, Jose. What are we, your charity cases? You know what? We’ve decided that you think you’re better than us. Stop being such an elitist and fly your G-4 back to Teterboro. Really. Scram, Kanye, I’m sick of your attitude.
Jose: What I do?
Because people enjoy self-esteem, they hate to feel better; it’s childish. LeBron’s modern cocktail of on-court success and off-court simplicity is labeled “boring” because he doesn’t chew straws (highly underrated, try it sometime) or pretend to jump over Aston Martins. Meanwhile, basketball fans that love verbal sparring often forget he could blast on Martians.
We’ve gone from mystifying Magic&Bird, to deifying a persona Michael created, to nitpicking Kobe to bits, to completely dehumanizing LeBron James. Part of this is because LeBron is smart and knows to keep his name out of your mouth (except for when it comes to something like putting DeShawn Stevenson in his place, which is what made the situation so unique). But seriously, the progression of the causal NBA fan’s superstar judgment is analogous to someone asking for a four count and the response being:
ONE…TWO…THREE…NEGATIVE EIGHT!
Perfect LeBron is Jay corollary quote:
Lookin at themselves in the mirror backwards
Can’t even face themselves, don’t fear no rappers
They’re all weirdos, DeNiros in practice
So don’t believe everything your earlobe captures; it’s mostly backwards
Unless it happens to be as accurate as me
And everything said in song you happen to see
Then, actually, believe half of what you see
The unnecessary disrespect snowballs. Which is why I feel many picked DC to finally prevail over the Cavs. Was it possible? Sure. Impossible is nothing. (Actually, in a recession, impossible is money, but I digress…) Was it probable? Hell to the no. Selfishly, many wanted to believe it was, belittling LeBron’s supporting cast and casting aspersions (convenient psychological diversions?) on last year’s accomplishments–luck based though they may have partially been–because the team regressed slightly during a meaningless regular season while adjusting to injuries and trades.
Truth: If LeBron hadn’t missed 5 games in late November and early December, all losses, Cleveland would have matched or posted a win total similar to last year despite the persistent adjustment period.
In chess, you’re supposed to protect The King, not do everything in your power to try and fail to expose it.
Get over the fact that he’s better than you at what he does, and grow up. Or turn off Mozart when you’re trying to think better.
One or the other.
156 Responses to “Simply Brontageous”
May.6 at 10:34 am
Eboy says:
Jake will someday win a Pulitzer. Book it.
May.6 at 10:35 am
Russ Bengtson says:
…
May.6 at 10:35 am
Russ Bengtson says:
Cover the series yourself.
May.6 at 10:36 am
Ryan Jones says:
I’m Farmer Jones and I approve this message.
May.6 at 10:40 am
Eboy says:
Jake is the SLAM version of Lebron James. Young, rugged, game changing. The Future. Loves it.
May.6 at 10:48 am
Russ Bengtson says:
I’ll just say this, and I promise I’ll shut up, at least for a while: If people can kill Dirk, KG, Melo, Stephon Marbury (kidding!) for not winning anything yet, I think it’s absurd that LeBron not be held to the same standard. (But Russ, he’s only 23!) Yeah, whatever. LeBron’s probably the best 23-year-old I’ve ever seen. His future is bound to be littered with MVP trophies, championship rings, and billion-dolalr offshore bank accounts. If they put up a statue outside the Q right now, I’d fully understand (and endorse) it. Yet, and it appears that I’m alone in this, I still feel it’s possible to be overwhelmingly talented and STILL be overrated. Obviously I’m in the wrong business. To the extent that I’m actually in it.
May.6 at 10:50 am
Russ Bengtson says:
And if the whole point of this was to point out that people like me criticize LeBron because we feel like utter failures in our own lives, THANKS. I really needed that. Gonna go kill myself now.
May.6 at 11:07 am
Eboy says:
Here’s a funny thing, Dwyane Wade won a title, while a controversial one, one all the same. Does his winning one, coming from the same draft class and with similarly high expectations of him, make him a better choice as a player who got more done? Is Lebron more overrated than Dwyane? No. But Dwyane should have more crediblity right, because of the ring? Maybe. But Lebron is an anomoly. His numbers bear this out. Kobe has been talked about as being the gmaes greatest for the last few years. Or since he was 26-27 years old. Lebron has been in that conversation (while he may not be) for the last two seasons. All thing aside, Lebrons’s place in the game is unrivaled as a 23 year old.
May.6 at 11:10 am
Eboy says:
*games
May.6 at 11:16 am
Ryan Jones says:
Jake just called me. He wanted me to mention that he wrote most of this before the Russ v. Ryan back-and-forth comment battle yesterday, and that he added the stuff referencing our comments after the fact. I think he told me this because he doesn’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings. Jake’s good like that. Also, I think he’s aiming this primarily at the people (Non-Clevelander 2, et al) who hate out of ignorance, which would seem to exclude Russ. Russ hates out of habit, but he’s definitely not ignorant.
May.6 at 11:25 am
Z says:
Jake is not playing. That was thorough.
May.6 at 11:40 am
Captain America says:
is it over yet?
May.6 at 11:52 am
WhaHuh says:
In a strange way this LeBron love is refreshing in the outrageous sea of CP3
May.6 at 11:53 am
Benoit Benjamin says:
dude, that made me cry. loved it. But eboy, I agree with you, except for the high expectations thing. bron had high expectations placed on him since he was in high school for christ’s sake. the kid’s been told by everybody around the country that he’ll become the best ever. I guess that leads to some bragging after a while and he’s probably overrated in the sense that everybody expects even more of him. Hell if I had been told that at his age, i’d be dead already from all the drugs, booze and stress. But that’s just me, I’m overrated.
May.6 at 12:00 pm
RV says:
i’ve said it before, he’s overrated because people act like he’s a lock to accomplish certain things, to be the best ever, to be the all time scoring champ, to win 10 rings and 10 mvps, the expectations are the problem.
May.6 at 12:02 pm
TADOne says:
Hating out of habit is overrated.
May.6 at 12:03 pm
TADOne says:
And co-sign Eboy about young Jake and a Pulitzer. I feel like I slept at a Holiday Inn last night.
May.6 at 12:07 pm
Sam Rubenstein says:
very nicely done Jake. One weird thing about LeBron, every time he gets into a “controversy” it’s for something really stupid. The Yankee hat at the Indians game, the rap battle, hummergate, etc.
May.6 at 12:19 pm
KA says:
that was a great read. but Bron still travels too much. pat Ewing esque.
May.6 at 12:27 pm
maio says:
Man, LeBronze couldn’t even beat Greece.
May.6 at 12:28 pm
maio says:
Funny how only your teammates/coaches can stop you when you’re really good.
May.6 at 12:34 pm
Ryan Jones says:
This will probably only reinforce your opinion, no matter what it is…
http://www.boston.com/sports/basketball/celtics/articles/2008/05/06/singular_force/?page=full
May.6 at 12:38 pm
riggs says:
this bron love is brontagious, i feel like a bronvict who just escaped jail and waiting for my ride whos coming in a bronvertible.
May.6 at 12:46 pm
Nick says:
I think the problem is that media types (yes, Slam too) treat Lebron like the Deus ex Lebronica, descended from on high to save the game. I mean, how many covers did the guy have in high school? How high were everybody’s expectations? How can Lebron surprise anyone or exceed any expectations when we expect him to be the Messiah? The NBA’s personality driven marketing backfired with Lebron: we expect him to be transcendent, golden, jordanesque with a splash of magic all so much so that when he does something incredible, it’s just par for the course.
May.6 at 12:47 pm
The Latvian says:
Great Post.
May.6 at 12:53 pm
Myles Brown says:
“Yet, and it appears that I’m alone in this, I still feel it’s possible to be overwhelmingly talented and STILL be overrated.” Table for two please. No hating section. And what are your specials tonight?
May.6 at 12:55 pm
H to the izzo says:
I think it’s impossible for someone like LeBron who has been touted for years as the best thing that could possibly ever happen to basketball not to be overrated.That’s not disrespecting his game either and it’s not definitely not mindless ignorant hate.
May.6 at 12:56 pm
FLUXLAND says:
Co sign Russ - both comments. And: “His sense of entitlement is astounding.” People recognize what a talent he is and his potential, the “hate” just comes from the whole King (king of what exactly?) and Chosen 1 labels (and people blast DeShawn for getting his last name on his back!) that rub people the wrong way. And chosen to do what? Also, in a world where all stats mean nothing and rings rule, he hasn’t won one yet. (this is how the players themselves measure their accomplishments) Oscar and Wilt wrote the books on stats and have, what 3 rings among them? The Logo went to the Finals 10 times or something and got one! Who cares if he’s the youngest one to take a dump, it don’t mean a thing if you ain’t got a ring. The real King and leader is Bill (not even mentioned), then Mike..BronBron has a long way to go, not to say his initial steps are not impressive, and on his way a little humbleness would go a long way. I don’t remember MJ referring to himself in the 3rd.
May.6 at 1:06 pm
Allenp says:
I’ll be joining the Bengston and Brown party. Water with lemon if you please.
May.6 at 1:17 pm
Myles Brown says:
My man. Maybe when the waiter comes by he can provide us with a menu of ways to constructively criticize LeBron and a toothpick for getting all that hate in our teeth.
May.6 at 1:21 pm
Michael says:
Lebron is a beast yada yada yada. I get it, but this crap about him being unquestionably the best 23 year old ever is Bs. Magic droped 42 16 and 7 in game 7 of the finals at 21. Kobe averaged 30 8 and 7 while completely destroying the Western conference in the 2001 playoffs at 22. Jordan dropped 63 on the freaking Celtic at 23.
May.6 at 1:22 pm
Michael says:
ANd this unwarranted hate isn’t any different than people hating on Kobe because his smile was fake or he didn’t have any street cred.
May.6 at 1:27 pm
Krishan says:
“Can you be an astounding talent, future hall of famer, multimillionaire big-dog, without sounding arrogant or salf-serving? Yes, you can.”–KG
And I don’t get why just because someone’s annoyed by Bron’s attitude would translate to how insecure he is on his own life. For the record, I LOVE HIS GAME. Everytime he steps on the floor, I’m litereally in awe of his talents. I’m a fan of the game, and almost everything he does astounds me: his strength, his vision, and most importantly, his leadership. I’m just not a fan of his comments. So yeah, I guess I am an insecure loser. It’s either that, or I just value humility as quite an aspiring character. I’m not talented enough to figure that out it seems.
May.6 at 1:29 pm
Ken says:
Well-written. Thanks.
May.6 at 1:32 pm
Ryan Jones says:
Kobe fans criticizing LeBron’s attitude: PRICELESS.
May.6 at 1:33 pm
H to the izzo says:
Also,who is Ass Kissinger?
May.6 at 1:37 pm
jay says:
although it is a very wery well written piece Jake, but why does it remind me of hundreds of hate him or love him pieces written by almost every sports journalist on Kobe, you know the one’s where they list all his accomplishments and the reasons why people hate him. After reading this piece you almost had me believing that Lebron is a victim of some kind of hatred, mostly spewned by average nba fan that works 9-5 and wishes he had all the things lebron did, but then reality struck back and i realized that Lebron is a victim, a victim of overblown publicity, most of which he deserved because he is that good but good enough to put him atop of the world and have people (who might not be as blessed as Lebron is), worship him and his greatness??that did not fit too well with me. oh yea i know its not just a blessing he worked hard at it too blah blah and blah.
May.6 at 1:38 pm
jay says:
overall its a nice piece Jake, i always enjoy reading your column.
May.6 at 1:39 pm
Tom says:
Nice article Jake, my whole issue with Lebron, actually has nothing to do with him actually, because i mean he is obviously one of those once in a generation talents. My whole thing that makes me root against him, and this is the same reason i used to root against jordan in his prime; everything seems to come so easily for lebron, it never looks like he has any serious obstacles to overcome. I’d just like him to meet a challenge that he can’t overcome right away and then eventually defeat. Like what Jordan did with the Pistons and what happened to Kobe after Shaq left.
May.6 at 1:40 pm
Myles Brown says:
……
May.6 at 2:08 pm
neaorin says:
Some people just need to admit it: when LeBron put last year’s Cavs team on his back and took them to the NBA Finals, they got scared. REAL scared. Let’s face it: the number of people who have followed the NBA through the 90s and were NOT Bulls fans is… well, pretty big. Everybody, fans of Eastern teams especially, remember hating life back then… knowing that your team was only good until it was set to meet a certain team dressed in red and white, after which it was off to the golf course for a nice vacation. When an apparent heir to MJ is announced, people remember that. And they don’t want that to happen again to them and their beloved teams. This is the only way I can possibly explain people picking the Wiz - in fact, never mind the Wiz, picking the Eastern Champions Cleveland Cavaliers to miss the playoffs… I mean, seriously?
May.6 at 2:19 pm
Eboy says:
That’s kind of an interesting take on it, neaorin.
May.6 at 2:21 pm
Ryan Jones says:
I’m Ass Kissinger, izzo. I’m very proud of Jake for that one.
May.6 at 2:24 pm
H to the izzo says:
In that case,that’s fantastic.So we’ve argued about MJ,Kobe,Dirk and LeBron to the point of redundancy,who’s next?
May.6 at 2:33 pm
Eboy says:
You forgot T-Mac, izzo.
May.6 at 2:37 pm
d.Y. says:
If I could steal anyone’s prose, it would be Jake Appleman’s. Disagree to a degree though (good points jay). My only disappointment with Bron is that his dedication to greatness forces him to squander some life opportunities that I find more important. Maybe that’ll change when he grows older and gets his balance on.
May.6 at 2:37 pm
H to the izzo says:
Don’t think I was around for that thankfully.
May.6 at 2:39 pm
TADOne says:
So are we done beating Eight Belles?
May.6 at 2:43 pm
Eboy says:
That’s tasteless TAD.
May.6 at 2:53 pm
Ryan Jones says:
“My only disappointment with Bron is that his dedication to greatness forces him to squander some life opportunities that I find more important.”
d.Y. and his f*cking perspective. If you go a Facebook page I’ll totally friend you.
May.6 at 2:58 pm
Ryan Jones says:
Also: “Maybe that’ll change when he grows older and gets his balance on.”
Sadly, I’ll bet against it, as I’m guessing you will. I soothe my white liberal guilt over this by reminding myself that he does do a lot of charity work, especially around his hometown. But taking a sweatshop stand, or anything in that ballpark, seems highly unlikely.
May.6 at 3:18 pm
Z says:
Okay to to all of those that don’t really feel LeBron (Russ, Myles, Khalid, etc.) : what has HE done that you don’t like? Not the media, not the fans, not the league… I don’t even want to convince, I merely want to understand.
May.6 at 3:20 pm
Z says:
As a fan of his, I must admit that his ‘global icon’ rethoric gets on my nerves. That and the fact that he’s way too concerned about pleasing everybody to actually take a stance on anything à la Jordan.
May.6 at 3:34 pm
Allenp says:
Michael’s context was interesting. I did not know all those ages. Good info.
May.6 at 3:34 pm
Myles Brown says:
I have no problem with LeBron James outside of basketball any more than I have a problem with my mailman outside of my foyer. I just think they both could do their jobs a little better. And I’d like to think that my criticisms of Bron have been of the constructive variety and the same observances/assessments I’d make of anyone else. Outside shot, free throws, defense, footwork, consistency, etc. For the record, I think that he is the most talented player in the league, he has the tools to be the greatest player ever, and he could do much of the impossible. Average a trip, Break Kareems scoring record, etc, etc etc. When he does I will congratulate like anyone should, anything else is true hating. But he hasnt done it yet and when he’s treated as though he’s already fulfilled his potential and is beyond reproach then I just dont get it.
May.6 at 3:36 pm
Myles Brown says:
Ryan will be along shortly to tell you all of my criticisms of Bron are abject hating on Kobe’s behalf.
May.6 at 3:52 pm
Boing Dynasty says:
Hi i’m Kyra Sedgwick, TNT’s very own closer.
May.6 at 4:00 pm
Ryan Jones says:
All of Myles’ criticisms of Bron are abject hating on Kobe’s behalf.
May.6 at 4:02 pm
Ryan Jones says:
Word on that one thing you said, though — your mailman’s a DICK.
May.6 at 4:03 pm
Ryan Jones says:
A dick, mind you, who delivered more mail by age 23 than any other mail carrier ever.
May.6 at 4:06 pm
Z says:
@ Myles: Thanks. I get that. Bron’s outside shot is good enough for me at this point in his career, it’ll get better like MJ’s jumper got better and Kob’s jumper got better. To much movement and he tils to the left but I can live with that. His defense is what I would consider solid now. It’s more about commitment than technique because he can shut down most swingmen in crunch time. Free throws, I don’t get. It’s terrible, beyond terrible, it’s atrocious. Someone lock him up for a week in a gym with Dave Hopla. But to me, all of those things are secondary to Bron’s biggest weakness (which is, surprisingly, not often discussed). He has NO POST GAME WHATSOEVER. I have to blame Coach Brown on this one, at least partially. If Bron could get a Melo-type low post repertoire, it’s over. I mean like over for the rest of the L for the next decade.
May.6 at 4:06 pm
Z says:
damn typos
May.6 at 4:10 pm
Ryan Jones says:
You’re Lithuanian, Z. No one expects you to have mastered American keyboards.
May.6 at 4:13 pm
Ryan Jones says:
All this funny aside, Myles makes a great point about LeBron’s need to improve in a lot of areas. I’ve had conversations with his (Bron’s, not Myles’) high school coach about this, going back to when he was a junior in high school — the kid is SO f*cking talented that he is probably singularly capable of making near-triple-doubles look mundane. I referenced this in the game notes just the other day. He’s still incredible, though, and as a few others on here have noted, a lot of the hate sent his direction has little to do with him and a lot to do with the way he’s treated and/or marketed. Which, you know, isn’t really his fault.
May.6 at 4:21 pm
TADOne says:
Doesn’t his boy’s run his marketing?
May.6 at 4:27 pm
Ryan Jones says:
The vast majority of his mainstream marketing is through Nike, and that deal was in place before LRMR took over his biz. And they don’t control the media coverage, good or bad.
May.6 at 4:29 pm
Michael says:
Lebron needs to improve on scoring without the ball, i think if he would learn that he wouldn’t need to play the point to be effective and they could bring a legit pg in to help. That was a big reason why Larry Hughes wasn’t effective with the Cavs becasue he needs the ball in his hands to be effective as well.
May.6 at 4:30 pm
TADOne says:
“I want to be a global icon….”
May.6 at 4:31 pm
Ben Osborne says:
Great stuff, Jake.
May.6 at 4:35 pm
Ryan Jones says:
Is that your beef, Tad? That he’s honest about his ambition?
May.6 at 4:39 pm
TADOne says:
I have no beef with Bron, i’m just seeing if I can bait you.
May.6 at 4:40 pm
tealish says:
This was an interesting read for sure, but I don’t get the point. Is it saying, because of his amazing talent, those who choose not to stand in utter awe of his brontageousness and criticize parts of his game, are simply jealous?
I guess so, I do want to have live a day in Bron’s shoes. Hell who am I kidding, I’d take his whole life thank you very much. But I can also hold some reservations about his transcending greatness and not be deemed a self-depreciating ‘hater’, no?
Russ is right. Amazing talents and even once a decade players can be overrated. So far, I believe LeBron fits that billing. Maybe in a couple years, he’ll prove me wrong and I won’t be surprised. But as of now…. DESHAWN WAS RIGHT!
May.6 at 4:41 pm
Ryan Jones says:
It’s well known that I’m easy to bait on this subject. I’m also trying to discuss this topic with some level of sincerity. I should know better, I know.
May.6 at 4:42 pm
neaorin says:
A) jumper: good enough right now for a player who is not really a jump shooter, he just needs to remember that he is not a jump shooter on certain occasions and not take deep 3s with 17 seconds on the shot clock; B) free-throws: a real concern, his %’s are slipping and if he’s not careful we might start seeing the Hack-a-Bron more and more often; C) defense: improving, he should get at least to Kobe’s level by the time it’s all said and done; D) consistency: can’t help you there. This is what you’ll get - he’s not MJ, he doesn’t have his intensity, he takes nights off, he probably won’t win a regular season MVP anytime soon. Which is OK, as he’ll still kick your entire team’s a$$ when it matters.
May.6 at 4:43 pm
tealish says:
Z: What is Melo’s low-post repetoire? I see more double clutched blocked shots than anything…
May.6 at 4:44 pm
TADOne says:
Tealish: Jake has a habit of confusing people. It’s his Gift and his Curse.
May.6 at 4:45 pm
Michael says:
Melos nothing but Glen Robinson 2.0
May.6 at 4:45 pm
TADOne says:
Sorry Ryan, I didn’t know you liked being sincere.
May.6 at 4:55 pm
neaorin says:
@tealish: saying that LeBron needs to improve at the line or his defense is not hating. Going with the Wizards in 6 before the series started, on the other hand, IS hating. Or you could just as aptly call it “disrespect disproportional to overall accomplishment” ™.
May.6 at 4:59 pm
Z says:
I picked Melo (another wing)because I felt it was an honest comparison. I’m not expecting him to be on par with Duncan or Booze down there. Melo had a bad series against LA, but he’ll give drop steps, up and unders, spin moves (a wicked one, I might had), and a plethora of jap steps on the block.
May.6 at 5:01 pm
Z says:
Then again, low post game is a lost art. It’s an absolute disgrace that superstars like Amare and Dwight don’t have a SINGLE reliable move on the block.
May.6 at 5:02 pm
Jukai says:
Jake, you’ve taken over Vince as my favorite slam writer… hands down. This is just beautiful, and everything about it is right.
May.6 at 5:02 pm
Ryan Jones says:
Yes, this does sound like hate, doesn’t it?
“I’ll go with… Wizards in 6. LeBron’s back’s gonna lock up on him in Game 2 or 3, I’m guessing, and try as he might, Devin Brown simply won’t be able to make up the loss. Ben Wallace doesn’t care, Damon Jones sucks, etc and so forth. The Wizards will be inspired to finally shake the Cavalier-shaped monkey from their collective back, and the chance to lay down for slaughter at the Celtics’ feet would mean a lot (or at least a little) more to folks in D.C. than it would in Cleveland.
Or maybe LeBron will stay healthy enough, and inspired enough by DeShawn (who I understand is a loon), and they’ll finish this thing off in five or six. I don’t mean to hedge. I just don’t really care. Bron proved me wrong last year, and I’d love it if he did it again.”
May.6 at 5:03 pm
Jukai says:
I can’t believe people are still giving Lebron crap right now after that. It’s mind boogling. No one’s saying Lebron is better than Jordan or Magic. He may NEVER be. But he’ll probably be third. No doubt.
May.6 at 5:04 pm
Jukai says:
Ryan, yer mah hero too
May.6 at 5:05 pm
Khalid Salaam says:
This is for Z or anyone else who thinks similarly. I not a Lebron hater. Not at all. I just think Kobe is better. But LBJ is the second best player in the L (Chris Paul is 3rd) and i am just as impressed by him as anyone else. Dude is good. Real good.
May.6 at 5:07 pm
WhaHuh says:
Melo has a more advanced offensive game than LeBron. Its cool to hate him now, when he rips it up next year people will probably forget. He was better than LeBron in the USA uniform, but i digress- back to Lebron
May.6 at 5:09 pm
Ryan Jones says:
No one needs your rational, even-tempered opinion here, Khalid. Go away.
May.6 at 5:11 pm
Jukai says:
That’s true WhaHuh, Melo does have a more advanced offensive game than Lebron. Lebron, however, is twice as good when it comes to playing offense because he’s a passing threat. Everyone knows Melo’s court vision is pretty much equal to my 15-year-old brothers. People key up twice as hard on Melo cause they know he wont toss it to the open man. Lebron, on the other hand, gets twice as many open lanes because people know it could easily wind up in the hands of a shooter who will be open for half a minute before anyone gets to him.
May.6 at 5:12 pm
Diesel says:
LeBron doesn’t have the killer instinct and drive it takes to be great. If he never wins a championship, he’ll wipe his tears with his $95 million.
May.6 at 5:13 pm
neaorin says:
Ryan, your prediction doesn’t come across as hating to me, since you basically picked the Cavs in 5 or 6. Everyone knows that the Cavs sans LeBron are jostling for ping-pong balls. But a lot of folks - “experts” included - picked the Wizards because they thought they had a much better team, and that “LeBron and the pu pu platter” had no chance against the triple-headed monster - the same monster they had slain two years ago with a less-experienced squad for which Eric Snow had to play meaningful minutes.
May.6 at 5:14 pm
The Biz says:
Everytime he goes to the freethrow line I cringe
May.6 at 5:22 pm
LA Lakers Blog says:
Why is there always such ridiculous fuss about this Lebron guy. He’s a good basketball player, thats wonderful. Why can’t guys accomplish things, then get praise? The media has made such a big difference. MJ wasn’t big until he led his team to victory… not less then 10 games over .500 in the East.
May.6 at 5:22 pm
Jukai says:
Yes, Lebron does have a streaky outside shot, limited post game, a subpar free-throw percentage and probably has the ability to block a shot or two more than he does. Didn’t EVERY great player have flaws? Magic’s outside game was HORRENDOUS, and his shot mechanics were simplistic at best. He was quick but had tons of trouble defending guards quicker than him, and for his size, he couldn’t block a beach ball. Larry Bird was as slow as a manatee and it hurt his fast break and team defense. If the Celtics weren’t shooting well, then there’d be no way Larry Bird could get to the basket cause he simply couldn’t drive very well. Michael Jordan couldn’t REALLY fly, just float in the air for a short period of time. ALL players have flaws. The point is to improve those flaws so you maintain being a top notch player for your entire career. I’d say Lebron has time.
May.6 at 5:25 pm
Jukai says:
Uh, LA Lakers Blog, Michael Jordan was bigger than the world his second year in the league… Larry Bird said Jordan was “God in disguise” as a sophmore. Three years in, people were already guessing who in the draft would be the next Jordan. So, you fail.
May.6 at 5:29 pm
Ryan Jones says:
“LeBron doesn’t have the killer instinct and drive it takes to be great.” Is that a quote from one of the Pistons defenders who watched helplessly as he scored 25 straight in a pivotal playoff game last year? I ask because I think quotes should have attribution. Especially when they make the poster look stupid.
May.6 at 5:33 pm
Boing Dynasty says:
Is Lebron James that guy from SNL?
May.6 at 5:35 pm
Diesel says:
Ryan, the quote is an original. You gave an example of ONE game where he actually took over. I can do the same and show game 5 of the Wizard series where he airballed 3 3’s and turned the ball over in the final 5 minutes of the 4th quarter. Lebron is the same player now that he was his second year. His jumpoer and free throws are still horrible and other than the detroit game last year, he still defers to others in crunch time.
May.6 at 5:38 pm
Diesel says:
Horrible jumper is a strong word actually. I’ll say just average.
May.6 at 5:39 pm
snyper48 says:
Great piece of work.I would love to hear Scoop’s take on this
May.6 at 5:42 pm
Diesel says:
Screw Scoop! He was a horrible writer that always tried to be artistic but came off as trying to hard. He was extremely racist too.
May.6 at 5:42 pm
Jukai says:
How about above average, Diesel? He’s actually an average free throw shooter and a good jump shooter, and a great defender. Yet, because those aspects of his game aren’t SUPER INCREDIBLE, Lebron James isn’t living up to his potential. I don’t get it, when he left high school, was there hype that he was gonna be a Rick Barry-esque free throw shooter?
May.6 at 5:45 pm
Diesel says:
That’s just it Jukai, with his size, speed, and natural talent, he should be amzing at everything. I’m not saying he’s not good. I agree he’s the #2 player in the league now. I just feel if he worked on his weak areas he could be the best of all time.
May.6 at 5:50 pm
nothin personal says:
I guess is easier to like Lebron, if he is not shoved down your throat 24/7. Still, I evaluate teams, not individual players. “What if’s” and “if he weren’t there, this wouldn’t have happened” are rational arguements, but carry no weight on the court. Lebron is great, but I’ll take the Spurs and Jazz.
May.6 at 5:51 pm
Jukai says:
but that’s exactly the mentality that cheapens Lebron James, Diesel. He may NEVER be the best of all time. He may never be in the top five best players of all time. It may ACTUALLY BE out of his range as a human being! With the exception of last year, Lebron James has steadily improved every aspect of his game every year at a time. Yet, he may never be a Kobe Bryant-type jump shooter, or have post-up game that Jordan had, or hit 90% of his free-throws. It may never happen. Why should that cheapen him as a player? If he won three championships with 75% free throw shooting and a decent midrange shot, why shouldn’t he be in a catagory of the legends? If he never develops a post game, did he NOT live up to his potential?
May.6 at 5:54 pm
Jukai says:
I can only think of three or four small forwards who were better than Lebron James in the history of basketball (Larry Bird, probably Dr. J and Rick Barry, MAYBE Scottie Pippen but this year I’m not so sure). If he never becomes better than Larry Bird, has Lebron James failed??
May.6 at 6:04 pm
Diesel says:
LeBron himself admitted that he took plays off and didn’t try hard certain games! ( you listening Ryan?) If he didn’t take plays off and was as competitive and driven as Kobe or KG, he could easily be the best of all time. I’m not knocking what he’s accomplished already, I just feel like he already has the attention and fame for those accomplishments so there’s no motivating factor for him to WANT to be better…on the court.
May.6 at 6:07 pm
Tommy Patron says:
Like Baby Jesus…..
May.6 at 6:07 pm
Z says:
@ jukai : i like your reasoning, but i beg to differ. if he doesn’t become top 5 all time at the end of his career, i’d consider it a mild failure. he’s just that talented. @ diesel : nonsense. are you aware that the cavs have the most comeback victories this year, that lebron leads the league in 4th quarter scoring and that he willed his team to the nba finals last year when detroit was clearly the better team. if thats not drive than what is?
May.6 at 6:12 pm
Jukai says:
@Diesel:… plays off? You mean, sometimes, when the ball was in the Cavs possession, he walked the ball up the court instead of running? Wait, you’re serious? You think because he needs to conserve energy sometimes, he isn’t living up to his potential? Gimme a break Diesel.
May.6 at 6:13 pm
Jukai says:
Z, my top five are Jordan, Magic, Bird, Kareem and Chamberlain… I can live with Lebron being six.
May.6 at 6:21 pm
Z says:
When it’s all said and done, I’d go : MJ, Magic, Kareem, Chamberlain, Bron, Kobe, Shaq, Duncan (best pf of all time, don’t sleep),Dream, Bird. That’s a top 10 and all of those guys could form a legit top 5.
May.6 at 6:26 pm
Jake Appleman says:
Live from the press room in the TD Banknorth Garden: okay, then.
May.6 at 6:33 pm
TADOne says:
*Laughs as Jake admires the sh*t storm that he started from afar*
May.6 at 7:08 pm
Tariq says:
First off, Mr. Appleman, linguistically speaking, operates in that space between the signifier and the signified, or some such sh*t…point being, his wordplay runs the 400-meter relay, and it’s on once he grabs the baton from the DJ…Now I’m just typing GZA lyrics…I’ll stop now.
May.6 at 7:12 pm
Tariq says:
Secondly, I don’t mean to disrespect anyone or act holier than thou, and I really hope I don’t come off that way, but why does the average fan get so emotionally attached to these players, and I mean attached through both love and hate? I mean, I never understood that. I enjoy “hating” the Spurs because it makes the NBA fun for me…to the point that when Julian Wright sank a 3 to tie the game at 31-31, I screamed: “JULIAN! MY LOVE!” At the top of my lungs. But AFTER the game, I honestly couldn’t care less, because it’s just entertainment, isn’t it?!
May.6 at 9:12 pm
Hursty says:
Al Horford is better
May.6 at 9:22 pm
Hursty says:
Al Horford is better!
May.6 at 9:38 pm
tealish says:
Um……..Why is picking the Wiz in 6 “hating on LeBron”?
This is exactly the type of sentiments that befuddle me. I picked the Washington Wizards to win; I didn’t pick LeBron to choke.
And when his career is over, and he isn’t in the Top 5, it isn’t a failure on his part. He’ll still go down as one hell of a basketball player. Instead, it’ll just show that he wasn’t what some people were saying he was. Is that the definition of being “overrated”? Tough to say.
May.6 at 9:56 pm
Hursty says:
wasnt it expected that 2 very good players could beat a superstar? add in a better supporting cast they should have won the series.
May.6 at 11:02 pm
tealish says:
Disclaimer: Kicking a man when he’s down.
-
Was today Brontageous?
May.6 at 11:47 pm
Ben Osborne says:
No it wasn’t, Tealish, though I can guarantee he doesn’t have another 2-for-18 game this series.
May.7 at 12:05 am
namik says:
F*ck, tealish already made a “Brontageous” joke. But that’s OK because LeBron is better at what he does than most of us will ever be at what we do. Why then do we watch sports and criticize any of the players on TV, I wonder? Unles you were at some point or another one of the 400 best whatever it is you do, then you better shut the F up. According to that logic, not mine. What’s the bet Paul and Allen combine for 4 points again?
May.7 at 12:45 am
neaorin says:
@tealish: if you ‘re not sure why picking the Wiz in 6 was hating, read Jake’s piece again, he even spells it out for you. (Great job Jake, BTW).
May.7 at 12:52 am
John D says:
Where 2/18 with 10 turnovers happens.
May.7 at 1:16 am
neaorin says:
Really non-Brontageus game from LBJ tonight, yet the Cavs were in it right until the end. This game was very similar to last year’s Game 1 vs DET, when he finished with 10 points on 5-15, their last possession ended in an unfortunate miss (the ill-fated dish to Donyell Marshall in the corner) and they lost 79-76. Great D from both teams tonight.
May.7 at 1:24 am
tealish says:
neaorin: I know what Jake is saying. I also know that predicting team failure is not “hating on Bron”. But just to be safe, here’s my new prediction that’s sure to apease LBJ fans like yourself: Cavs 2008 Champs.
Phew, I’m no longer a hater right?
May.7 at 1:31 am
The Biz says:
It was just nerves for both teams I predict the series really going to 7 games. They all really played horrible except for KG,rajon, and Z.
May.7 at 1:39 am
neaorin says:
Hey whatever, I actually don’t have them as favorites to make the Finals, my Cavs in 7 pick in this series is
“somewhat” biased (although I feel they can absolutely do it). I guess “hating on the Cavs” is more understandable if you don’t follow them regularly and you’re not accustomed to the fact that they just don’t believe that the regular season record is that big of a deal (LeBron, Danny Ferry and coach Brown included). Otherwise, this is the best supporting cast LeBron has ever had here, and, barring injury, they weren’t going to go down to such a flawed team which they already knew how to beat.
May.7 at 3:34 am
tealish says:
Oh, you are right about that - I am definitely not accustomed to the fact that teams will not play to win every game (especially when they haven’t clinched early on) because the reg season record “isn’t that big a deal” to them. I’m sure you watch more Cavs games than I, so I’d have to take your word on that one.
May.7 at 5:36 am
Slobodan Chutzpah says:
Oh, please. Patronising people (whose lives’ must be failures if they dare to voice opposing views) on the other side of an argument may seem awfully convincing and clever, but in actual fact is not. I don’t dislike Bron because my life’s a failure (I can use other scapegoats for that), but because he will never amount to anyhing more than a multinational corporate puppet with no critical faculty whatsoever. He would never stand up for what he believed in - due in no small part to the fact that he doesn’t believe in ANYTHING. He is the guy who said he wouldn’t accept a gay on his team. He’s like Donald Trump with a jump shot. In short, in spite of his basketball skills, he will never be the People’s Champion. And that, friends, is no haterism, just the facts.
May.7 at 6:21 am
Tariq says:
Slobodan: I normally enjoy your input, but that is some ignorant sh*t right there. To say those things about a guy (”he’d never stand up for what he believed in…etc.”) is not only harsh, but also out of place. I mean, the guy is TWENTY-THREE YEARS OLD. How many twenty-three-year-old guys do you know who have complex views on life and wax philosophical about the decay of society brought on by materialism or whatever? I’ve only known ONE guy like that: the twenty-three-year-old version of me. And maybe Muhammad Ali.
May.7 at 6:27 am
Tariq says:
But I will say this: the way the NBA aggresively markets their stars is EXTREMELY sickening. That elite group of young studs who are supposed to “save” the NBA (i.e. bring in higher rating + hike up the jersey and merchandise sales): Dwight Howard, Chris Paul, and, above all LeBron get pushed down our throats. Just look at last night’s game: Bron had a TERRIBLE night. It’s OK, it happens to the best of them. No biggie. But they kept showing that graphic with “The Good: 9 rebs, 9 assts, 8-10 FTs; The Bad: 2-18 FG, 8 pts) or whatever. I mean, I realize that those rebounding and assist numbers are pretty good, but they don’t offset such a terrible shooting night AT ALL. Not even a little. So don’t try to spin it that way, TNT/NBA/Walgreens/Whoever- else-has-a-stake-in-the-guy. It insults our intelligence when you do try to do that. And I’m guessing that those type of stunts only increase the “hate”.
May.7 at 6:28 am
Tariq says:
*aggressively
May.7 at 6:33 am
Tariq says:
Speaking of annoying graphics, look at that stupid little thing they had where they’d type “ROLE:” and spoon-feed you what every player is supposed to do for his team: “Kevin Garnett: Elite defender, scorer”
“Sam Cassell: Scorer off the bench”
“LeBron James: THE SAVIOR” Oh really? I thought he was just supposed to attack the rim and score at will. Never realized he was expected to split the clouds and come down to Earth in the midst of hordes of cherabim and serafim. F*cking marketing.
May.7 at 6:40 am
Tariq says:
* “cherubim” and “seraphim”…I looked it up.
May.7 at 6:45 am
Tariq says:
It’s no fun when you’re the only one who’s awake. OK, I’ll just list some random observations about the Cavs-Celtics game. I would also like to know what Russ/Myles/Allenp and Ryan think about my position on the whole Bron situation, since I don’t really share either one of their views.
May.7 at 6:46 am
Tariq says:
- Even though it was an UGLY game, it was an extremely absorbing one in my book. Watching Boston play team defense is just a thing of, for lack of a better word, beauty.
May.7 at 6:48 am
Tariq says:
- It’s been said before, and he’ll even drive the point home through elaborate pantomime, but it bears repeating nonetheless: Sam-I-Am has an admirable pair of cashews.
May.7 at 6:50 am
Tariq says:
- Obviously, I wasn’t alive during the roaring twenties or the Great Depression. I’ve also never attended a Rocky Marciano boxing bout or driven a Studebaker. But listening to Dick Stockton call a game gives you an accurate simulation of all those experiences.
May.7 at 6:52 am
Tariq says:
- Is it just me, or did KG take that “isn’t aggressive enough offensively during crunch time” criticism, digest it, and decide to f*cking correct the situation?
May.7 at 7:03 am
Tariq says:
- If that Cassell foul on Bron was a flagrant, then maybe it’s time for Stu Jackson’s henchman to institute a new “guard-our-stars-strictly-through-mental-telepathy” rule.
May.7 at 7:04 am
Tariq says:
- Sorry, I’m not sure who Stu Jackson’s “henchmAn” is either.
May.7 at 7:56 am
neaorin says:
@tealish: you need to be introduced to the “NBA Mid-season” ™. It’s not just a Cavs thing, it’s all the rage nowadays.
May.7 at 8:22 am
Sam Rubenstein says:
2-18, bad game it happens.
10 turnovers, bad game it happens.
Both combined, rough night.
Jake was in Boston, the Game Notes should be interesting.
May.7 at 8:35 am
TADOne says:
Boston plays some really good TEAM defense.
May.7 at 9:18 am
Tariq says:
TAD: Some of the best I’ve ever seen (which isn’t really saying much, since I’m no expert, but whatever). I love how Cleveland start with the ball on the perimeter, but the trap comes, so they try to move the ball around. Boston, however, seem to shift the trap…I don’t know how to describe it correctly, but it’s like there’s always a second defender who takes over and makes a new trap. and then the clock runs out, and Cleveland turn the ball over. Awesome.
May.7 at 10:53 am
Z says:
@ Slobodan : Was it just me or weren’t most NBA players freaking retarded about the Amaechi thing ? Saying it was a trust issue and all that… whatever, if a guy cheats on his wife do you expect him to hold a team meeting and confess to the whole staff ? Who cares if your center likes men or women as long as he rebounds and block shots for you?
May.7 at 11:39 am
Ryan Jones says:
Z: It wasn’t just you. They were.
Random FYI, I had John in my class as a guest speaker a couple weeks ago. He was great.
May.7 at 1:34 pm
SLAM ONLINE | » Cavs-Celtics Game 1 Notes says:
[…] –Let’s get this out of the way: That may have been the worst offensive game of LeBron’s life. 10 turnovers (many came from haphazardly trying to split two or three guys) and 2-18 combine to form a putridity that even I don’t have to explain to you guys. He displayed visible frustration on a few jumpers that rimmed out and failed finish near the rim consistently–like the awkward guy that struggles to “put it back in.” With this performance coinciding with yesterday’s piece, I’d be lying to you if I told you I wasn’t disappointed. And yes, I kept expecting him to do something amazing in spite of the struggles. Here’s the thing though: When he dropped 50 on the Knicks, he scored 2 in the first quarter. Last night, he didn’t quit on anybody and he fought to the death. Regardless of outcome, these numbers are an aberration, not a trend. […]
May.7 at 2:07 pm
tealish says:
@ neaorin: I’ve seen other teams coast through reg season too - elite teams. The Spurs, Suns, DETRIOT, etc… does that sound like Cavs company? What I’m saying is if you finish the season as a middle seed IN THE FREAKING EAST, maybe you shouldn’t be coasting? And I don’t think they were. They’re just not a great team. But good on you for sticking with your team.
May.8 at 5:31 am
Dacre says:
this is what I wanted Jake…. THIS…is gold! Your a writer damn it and now the world can know….I just wish you wrote like this for the suns spurs series and I wouldnt hate you as a stranger can.
^_^
much respect today.
May.8 at 5:04 pm
Slobodan Chutzpah says:
Tariq, you were on you fire for a while there. Still, calling what I said ignorant is… well, pretty ignorant. I have known many younger than 23-year-old people who knew exactly what they believed in and had a complex view of the world. But I’m not even talking about that: I’m not expecting LeBron to be a shining intellectual beacon, or whatever. Why I dislike Bron is that I think he would never, for instance, speak out against something that was wrong, especially if doing so might jeopardize his own financial gain. Granted, many people and almost all corporations, including the one they call MJ, are like that, but it doesn’t make it any less detestable. (We have an example of this: Bron was asked by a human rights group to help improve the poor conditions in sweatshops. Not only did he refuse, he later mocked Marbury for promoting cheap shoes, saying he would never do that. Add to that the gay comments, and a not-so-pretty picture starts to emerge.) So no, I don’t think my comments were uncalled for at all, nor do I think he deserves any more leeway because of his otherwordly skill. On the contrary: he has real pop cultural clout, and could use it for good, but will probably always refuse to do so. And that is just sad.
May.8 at 5:24 pm
Slobodan Chutzpah says:
Actually, the cheap shoe/sweatshop issues might be part of the same problem (unfair labour conditions in sweatshops), but it’s not like that is the reason Bron said he wouldn’t promote them.
May.8 at 7:37 pm
tealish says:
Slobodan, those are very valid points. I’d back you up if it weren’t for the fact that LeBron is untouchable, sorry =/
May.8 at 10:03 pm
tealish says:
Methinks this article is a jinx. At least Bron doubled hit fg% from last game.
To be fair, Celtic D is amazing. But I still don’t know why they score so little though.