Thursday, July 8, 2010

LeBron Jumps Ship, Heads to Miami

Wow, LeBron. I was never a fan. Now I'm even less of one.

In an over-dramatized, over-hyped hour-long TV special, The King let the country know that the Miami Heat will be the recipient of his services starting next year.

Ok, so let's state the obvious. The Heat will be stacked next year with James, Wade, and Bosh. That trio, if healthy, gives the Heat a chance to win the big prize for many years to come. LeBron has consistently stated in recent weeks that winning is his number one priority. So what's wrong with this decision?

First, let's think short-term. Right now, assuming Miami gets rid of Michael Beasley, the Heat will have a bunch of scrubs surrounding the new Big 3. That's definitely not a guaranteed recipe for success. And if James, Wade or Bosh gets injured for any extended period of time? That team suddenly falls in the average to good range...certainly not the 70+ win team that many are projecting them to be (40% of respondents in an ESPN poll think they'll break the 70-win threshold next year).

Now let's think long-term/LeBron's legacy...because we all know that LeBron is deeply concerned with his reputation and how people perceive him. Simply put, he's an egomaniac. Why then would he want to go to a team, that frankly, isn't really his? Miami is Wade's team; he's already led them to a championship, something that the King has never experienced. Given that, I can't really see Wade giving the reigns of the team to LeBron. How, then, will the King react in crunch time when Wade demands the ball and gets it? Will he pout and stop trying like he essentially did in games 5 and 6 of this year's Eastern Conference Semifinals against the Celtics? I could definitely see that happening.

And if LeBron and the Heat do go on to win multiple championships, how would people react to that? I think there would be a large contingent of people who would belittle his achievements, who wouldn't overlook the fact that he'd be winning them with another bona fide superstar in Wade. Given his failure to win a championship in Cleveland where he was The Man (the King, actually), you can just hear people saying that he "couldn't win the big one" by himself.

Count me among the critics. I would've respected him the most if he had stayed in Cleveland and committed to finishing what he started, but I still would've respected his decision had he decided to go to Chicago or New Jersey and build a team around young talent. But now? He looks like a sellout. He went for the sexy move, joining a mini All-Star team. He may win a championship or two or three in Miami, but clearly he will not have built the championship product from start to finish. A major contributor? Obviously. But at the end of the day, he'd still have jumped on board Wade's team.

Let's get back to the bottom line, though. LeBron stabbed the city of Cleveland in the heart. The reason this is so egregious is because he did it in slow-motion, with his LeBronathon primetime TV special, instead of just stating his decision and being done with it. He obviously understands the anguish that Cleveland sports fans have suffered over the years. But he couldn't care less. And that about sums up LeBron: he's largely indifferent to the plight of those around him. Of course, he wants everyone to show him the love, but he doesn't realize that you have to be, at the very least, respectful to people in return in order to be universally liked (or loved). Obviously Cavs fans would've been pissed even if LeBron had announced his decision to leave in an understated manner. But would they have been burning his jersey in the streets and throwing eggs at his giant "Witness" billboard in downtown Cleveland, as they were in the immediate aftermath of The Decision (sponsored by Vitamin Water and a collection of other James-endorsed products)? I don't think they would have.

How LeBron's career unfolds from here on out remains to be seen. But by signing with the Heat, LeBron made the decision that gives him the least to gain and most to lose. Not to mention a growing number of people who hate everything he stands for.

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p.s. Dan Gilbert is my new favorite owner. He tells it like it is.