What LeBron James did on Thursday night was nothing short of disgusting. It was sickening. It was way too much.
Some of it wasn't LeBron's fault. The half-hour homage to how great LeBron is before the decision was announced was all ESPN. To call this the "biggest free agency signing ever" is a slap in the face to Shaquille O'Neal. Remember that in 1996, Shaq's free agency was epic and ... as revisionist history will show ... changed the landscape of the NBA entirely. He would win three titles with the Lakers while the Magic have been back to the Finals just once. Sure, LeBron James was waaaaaay more hyped and there's waaaaay more money involved.
But the spectacle was overblown. Especially since ESPN had led the entire day that LeBron James was picking the Miami Heat. That was the word all day long ... yet ESPN found it in their hearts to try to keep that "but it's not a done deal" and "he could change his mind at the last minute" so that we may actually watch "The Decision" with some suspense and purpose.
I watched the entire program ... including the bonus features. I guess that's the point all along. Who cares if it was wretched TV? We watched it.
Still, LeBron came off a lot worse than I though he would have. He seemed just as narcissistic as people have whispered about. He talked in the third person repeatedly. He kept talking about "taking his talents" to Miami. He just looked smug.
It's fine that he's moving on. He has every right to look at every opportunity out there and take the one he wants. Thoughtful people understand that. And he should be happy about his decision ... so seeing any joy in it is fine. He should be excited.
But why the show? Why the charade? Why the dumb drama? It would have had a ton more meaning if we hadn't been told all day long that Miami was the destination. LeBron must have millions of fingers since he said he could count all the people who knew his decision on one hand. Instead, the drama was replaced by a slow painful death for the city of Cleveland ... as well as New York and Chicago.
New York and Chicago will get over it pretty quickly. They never had LeBron. They have never seen him wearing their teams' jerseys before. While it was yearned for, it never happened. Cleveland, however, lost its star. Lost its hometown guy. Lost its sporting soul again.
Just look at the Cavs owner, Dan Gilbert. He ripped LeBron just moments after the decision was made ... going as far as calling LeBron a "coward" and saying "he quit" on the Cavs during the playoffs. He even dropped this awesome line: "Some people think they should go to heaven but NOT have to die to get there."
While I'm fine with his decision, I'm definitely not fine with the way it was given. Just have someone announce it to the media ... then have your news conference. That's what everyone else does and what is expected.
But LeBron always thought he was better than everyone else.
Some of it wasn't LeBron's fault. The half-hour homage to how great LeBron is before the decision was announced was all ESPN. To call this the "biggest free agency signing ever" is a slap in the face to Shaquille O'Neal. Remember that in 1996, Shaq's free agency was epic and ... as revisionist history will show ... changed the landscape of the NBA entirely. He would win three titles with the Lakers while the Magic have been back to the Finals just once. Sure, LeBron James was waaaaaay more hyped and there's waaaaay more money involved.
But the spectacle was overblown. Especially since ESPN had led the entire day that LeBron James was picking the Miami Heat. That was the word all day long ... yet ESPN found it in their hearts to try to keep that "but it's not a done deal" and "he could change his mind at the last minute" so that we may actually watch "The Decision" with some suspense and purpose.
I watched the entire program ... including the bonus features. I guess that's the point all along. Who cares if it was wretched TV? We watched it.
Still, LeBron came off a lot worse than I though he would have. He seemed just as narcissistic as people have whispered about. He talked in the third person repeatedly. He kept talking about "taking his talents" to Miami. He just looked smug.
It's fine that he's moving on. He has every right to look at every opportunity out there and take the one he wants. Thoughtful people understand that. And he should be happy about his decision ... so seeing any joy in it is fine. He should be excited.
But why the show? Why the charade? Why the dumb drama? It would have had a ton more meaning if we hadn't been told all day long that Miami was the destination. LeBron must have millions of fingers since he said he could count all the people who knew his decision on one hand. Instead, the drama was replaced by a slow painful death for the city of Cleveland ... as well as New York and Chicago.
New York and Chicago will get over it pretty quickly. They never had LeBron. They have never seen him wearing their teams' jerseys before. While it was yearned for, it never happened. Cleveland, however, lost its star. Lost its hometown guy. Lost its sporting soul again.
Just look at the Cavs owner, Dan Gilbert. He ripped LeBron just moments after the decision was made ... going as far as calling LeBron a "coward" and saying "he quit" on the Cavs during the playoffs. He even dropped this awesome line: "Some people think they should go to heaven but NOT have to die to get there."
While I'm fine with his decision, I'm definitely not fine with the way it was given. Just have someone announce it to the media ... then have your news conference. That's what everyone else does and what is expected.
But LeBron always thought he was better than everyone else.
No comments:
Post a Comment