Le-Traitor shows true colors
By Brian Edwards
When LeBron James burst on the scene as an NBA rookie during the 2003-2004 season, I typed these words, “He has the potential to be Magic Johnson, but with more muscle. He can be Michael Jordan, but with more height. He can be Larry Bird, but with more athleticism.”
In other words, I could not have given him more praise. Seven years later, I could not possibly think any less of him as a person and a player.
When LeQueen James got done with that stunt last night, I thought this: What a coward. What a drama-seeking little boy. What a chump. What a scrub. What a self-absorbed, narcissistic follower. And really, does that even do it justice?
I don’t care that he left Cleveland. I’m just floored at how he decided to leave Cleveland.
I get that he’s lived in Ohio his whole life and that at the age of 25, he’s excited for a change of pace. I get that he’s ready for something new, something fresh. You see, those are normal desires for normal people.
But that’s the thing: LeBron’s not normal, he’s The King. Right? Isn’t that what he calls himself? Isn’t that what his first tweet said earlier this week?
The Cavs have had the NBA’s best record the last two seasons, yet haven’t made it out of the Eastern Conference either year. Why’s that, you ask? Well, because LeBron James hasn’t played well enough to lead his team to the NBA Finals.
In Game 5 of the Eastern Conference semifinals against Boston with his team favored by 7 ½ points at home, James went 3-for-14 from the field and missed all four of his 3-point attempts in a 120-88 loss. Paul Pierce had 21 points, 11 rebounds, seven assists and one turnover, while James had 15 points, seven assists, six rebounds and three turnovers.
Translation: Pierce, who we should note has worn Celtics’ green his entire career on good teams and bad, completely outplayed James in the most important game of James’ career so far.
In Game 6 with his team facing elimination, James produced a triple-double but also committed nine turnovers. In addition, he was just 8-for-21 from the field. By my math, that’s 22 offensive possessions that ended with James either coughing up the ball or missing a shot. Hence, his team scored just 84 points even on a night when Mo Williams produced 22 points. Hence, his squad was sent into vacation early for the second straight season.
Now if memory serves, that happened to Michael Jordan a few times. Even when Jordan dropped 63 points in that memorable effort at Boston Garden, his team still got swept in that series by Bird and Co. Remember the Bad Boys from MoTown? As I recall, they beat up on MJ in several playoff series en route to winning NBA titles.
How did Jordan react? Did he go team up with Magic out West to get some help? Did Jordan go join Patrick Ewing and Anthony Mason with the Knicks to give him some physical protection against the Pistons?
Hell no! Of course not! Instead, MJ let those L’s fuel his desire for a championship even more. In fact, Jordan and the Bulls dealt Joe Dumars, Isiah Thomas and the Pistons broom treatment on the way to collecting his first ring, which came against Magic and the Lakers in just five games.
MJ, Magic and Larry Legend were the ultimate competitors. Before they would leave their team(s), they’d just assume go punch Rick Mahorn and/or Bill Laimbeer in the face. On the flip side, James is content with his last home game for the Cavs being a 3-for-14 debacle in a 32-point pimpslap loss.
In essence, LeBron has said “if I can’t beat ‘em, I should go join ‘em.” He’s pulled an A-Rod, who couldn’t get close to a World Series until teaming up with Derek Jeter, who saw his run of winning Fall Classics disturbed for several years when A-Roids came to the Yankees.
Where’s LeBron’s loyalty? Where’s his competitive fire? If you’re The King, why do you leap at the first chance to go join a superstar that’s already won a ring? Why on earth would The King want to go be The Prince and play second fiddle to Dwyane Wade? After all, they call it Wade County these days instead of Dade County.
Whatever the case, there was absolutely zero excuse for the nationally-televised spectacle that had swiss and cheddar cheese all over it from the get-go. Seriously, I was embarrassed to be watching such a disgraceful presentation. The whole episode was so lame and seventh grade-ish that I honestly thought for a minute that he was going to do a flip-flop – you know, like the high school seniors on Signing Day when they put one school’s hat on for a minute, only to switch to the other.
Why did I think that? Because I thought surely – surely!! – James wasn’t such a cold-hearted traitor to leave the Cavs in such an astonishing act of self-promotion.
I know, I know. He gave them 'his talents' and 'great things' and 'was able to build something great' for seven years. How do I know? Because he told us so while referencing himself in the third person five different times, that's how.
If anything is to be learned from LeRing-less last night, it's that the word 'great' is getting bandied about way too freakin' often. James took Cleveland to the NBA Finals in 2007 and to his credit, that was an outstanding accomplishment. Since the Cavs got swept by the Spurs, however, it wasn't what greatness is all about.
Outstanding? Yes.
Good? Definitely.
Very damn good? Yes.
Great? No way.
Not for The King, at least. For The King, dealing out the broom treatment rather than taking it would be great.
Nevertheless, it is what it is and so now we move on to more important things – like gambling.
**B.E.’s Bonus Nuggets**
Earth to LeBron's marketing team: You just made him unmarketable.
The only way I got through Jim Gray’s disgusting interview of LeQueen was by reading Buzz Bissinger’s hilarious tweets throughout the ESPN telecast. If you’re on twitter, go check ‘em out.
By the way, we need not call Gray out any further because he was already the biggest douchebag in sports journalism before last night’s debacle even went down.
I wish I could boycott ESPN for last night’s train wreck.
As you might imagine, the national media was all over LeBron and that three-ring disaster of a circus last night. Let’s link you to a few of our favorite takes…
Y! Sports Adrian Wajnarowski throws darts at LeBron, his ignorant entourage and Cavs owner Dan Gilbert in easy come, easy-go fashion.
Gregg Doyel of CBSSports.com says that LeBron has an unmatched ego.
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