Lebron

A few words on the Lebron situation.

I have to say that it has taken me a little while to understand what I was feeling regarding the Lebron announcement. Initially, I was caught up a bit in the circus of it all excited by the potential changing of everything. An excitement reminiscent I guess when the original Dream Team was concocted. “Wouldn’t it be cool if Jordan and Bird were on the same team? How about throwing in Barkley (CB) as well as Magic and David Robinson.” It was sort of a glutenous idea throwing a bunch of superstars together, but it was fun to imagine. Now that it has happened and Lebron has made the bold move of leaving Cleveland for Miami, I have been left with the conflicting feelings of what that action really means. The fantasy is exciting, but what really is the reality here? Was this a bush move? Is this the move of someone who is truly narcissistic, or is this just ‘biz-ness’ as Lebron states. Lets take a look at it…

Biz-ness.

Isn’t business about capital? Isn’t it about more bang for the buck? If his move was purely business then he would have made at least 30 million more staying in Cleveland. Yes, winning eventual championships would help the biz-ness aspect of things, further increasing stock in his product, but honestly, could this guy even make any more money? The shit ain’t about business. it’s about winning right now. Regardless of it being the right way or the wrong way. The “biz-ness excuse” to me feels nothing more than that. A convenient phrase to hide behind since business fronts as non-feeling, cold, impersonal, and calculating. An easy thing to lead with when arguably doing the wrong thing. “This is business people…I have to take personal feelings out of it.” In business, sure. In this case, not so much. The “personal feelings” which I’m sure he does have, is probably his inner voice/voice of reason/sense of right or wrong, saying, “Um…Lebron?”….or “Nigga please?” I don’t know the his inner voice. But I do know that he is an intelligent man, a passionate man, but also one who has the tattoo, “The Chosen One” brandished on his body. As well as, “The Answer”. One thing to have those ridiculously hyperbolic statements adorning the cover of a Sports Illustrated issue, but to display that on your own body, buying into all that shit? May as well tattoo a red flag next to those tattoos because that is what they represent. And that red flag is violently flapping in the breeze right now.

Do I blame Lebron? Not entirely. It has to be tough to be treated as God since at least Junior High. But I think we are getting a view of some of the short-sightedness that comes from living the life he has lived thus far. How does one have perspective when living in a castle their whole life? The dude has been a pre-destined King all along.

Anyways, enough psycho-babble on that. That is my take. I have sympathy for him. I like him as an individual. He is an amazing talent and does nearly everything ‘right’. I do believe he made a very bad choice as he allowed winning to trump everything at all costs. And yes that is what an athlete should do, win at all costs, but there is a caveat. You do whatever it takes to win, but you do so with your own team.

Jordan would cut the throat of any opposing player to win. Maybe chuck in a few of his own into a woodchipper to achieve that goal. BRRRRRRRRRRZZZZZZZZZZ Cartwright surely would have been Fargo-ed had Jordan the opportunity to do so. But never in a million years would 23, arguably the most competitive successful killer in the history of the NBA switch teams to win. (And by the way, this isn’t a Jordan getting his Pippen/s. These are the creme de la creme joining forces. It’s lame. It’s truly lame). You win where you are. And that is that. There is pride in playing where you are…hell where you’re from… and making your team a contender. Then a championship team. Then a potential dynasty. Lebron already had made his team a contender. They had the best record in the NBA the last two years, coming off of an NBA Finals appearance in 2007. He bailed while knocking on the door of the highest echelons. Saying he needs a team where he can win? He just left one.

I wish him the best, but the man in my opinion just made a mistake of massive proportions. Even if he wins a whole string of championships, they will feel somewhat artificial because it didn’t come from the house that Lebron built. He left that foundation to do a modified Dream Team. It is a short cut taken at the wrong time in his career. I think he will regret it, but that is life. We fuck up and we hopefully learn. Again Lebron is a smart cat so I think he will end up viewing this as a wrong move later on down the road, but unfortunately for him, his big blunder has witnesses. Witnesses who right now feel gutted and betrayed. I can’t blame them at all.

BN

**Updated irritation… I didn’t feel like weaving the point into the body of this post, so saying it here. I truly dislike how star athletes use God as a way to portray humility while being the opposite. “I thank the Lord for my God given abilities… I owe my amazing-ness to God…. I am the Chosen/Amazing/Deified mortal who shines above all because God picked me as the shiniest apple of the bunch.” It is just fucking lame. Humility doesn’t come from bowing down before God while urinating on the rest of us. It’s being humbled in the presence of both. In Bob Dylan’s, “Just Like a Woman”, there is a lyric that states, “Queen Mary…..she can’t be blessed ’til she finally sees that she’s like all the rest”.That’s true humility. That is true class. That is truly being blessed. Not posing as Superman and ‘humbly’ thanking God for making you better than everyone else.