Lebron James – Champ or Chump?

The fan backlash against Lebron James for his “decision” is deeper than I ever thought. For months I thought I was the only sports fan who was really disappointed with the whole “decision” scenario. On a recent drive to Siesta Key in Sarasota I listened to the Mike and Mike show on Sirius’s ESPN and not only did these guys have the same opinion, but I heard phone call after phone call from other sports fans around the USA who were equally disappointed. I was so surprised to hear the backlash since I live in Miami and most of my friends are MIAMI HEAT fans many with season tickets who are so happy Lebron is here.

Here are some comments I heard on the radio show that day;
1. A true sportsman would not have done it like he did on live TV. Lebron has no class or guidance or the ability to think for himself. Moving around and remaining upwardly mobile is fine and donating to the boys club and doing things for that organization is great – but the way he made his decision announcing it on live TV was just plain classless.
2. Lebron will never be in the league of the proven and authentic gentlemen champions like Michael Jordan, Larry Bird or Magic Johnson. He may be the best basketball player in today’s world but a true sportsman would not have done it like he did on live TV.
3. He may be the best basketball player that we may ever see (and time will tell that) but for sure deep down in his character he is nothing but a rich punk chump with no class.

Pretty harsh comments to repeat I know –  but obviously straight from the heart of many basketball loving fans. Lebron’s “decision” is haunting him!

I thought he was a champ when I met him!
A friend of mine works for the CAVS and when they came to town I would at times get complimentary tickets for myself, wife and daughter. After the game we would go to a section where the players would come out and greet friends and family. With the hoopla that followed Lebron, my then 11 year old daughter was excited and anxious to see him. She stood there waiting for him and when he appeared he was introduced to her at which point a young boy pushed my daughter aside clamoring for an autograph. Lebron’s reaction was to tell the little boy that pushing is not polite especially when pushing a girl. He instructed the little boy to step aside and proceeded to chat with and give my daughter an autograph ignoring the little boy. As  parent I was exstatic that a lesson was being taught to an impolite little one by a guy that is looked upon as a demigod. I thought to myself – “Lebron James is a gentleman and he plays like a true champion” I left that night with the impression that this guy is not only great but very well grounded.

Now as we get closer to the playoffs I am torn between rooting for him and rooting against him. I love the HEAT and want my hometown team to win big. But I also think the “decision” was not a good thing to do. It set the wrong example to the young and impressionable so I’m on the fence. I admit that a part of me enjoys watching the HEAT struggle this first year and sinfully hope they lose in the first round of the playoffs. This would be a good lesson for Lebron (and Wade and Bosh). I also hope Lebron looks back and thinks that maybe the “decision” was not such a smart thing to do after all. But I also know (by experience) that Lebron is a true gentleman and is capable of becoming a true champion. Only goes to show that one can be ultimately talented and rich but still led into making well thought out mistakes. And by the way the team is in Miami and not South Beach!

This blog posted by David Siqueiros.

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