Lebron, Tiger Woods, Sidney Crosby, Alex Rodriguez. There is something about being the face of a sport that captivates everyone. Sports are essential in the fabric of society. It gives young kids big dreams; it keeps people active and healthy and for some it’s a livelihood. Each of the five athletes I mentioned is or has been the face of their sport at one point in their careers. Think about that for a second, an entire sport, where there are countless number of players playing at the highest level that make up the body of the league but only one can be the face of the sport.
The most polarizing start to come onto the scene in years is Lebron James. Scouted as the next best thing and proclaiming himself “The King,” James could have played professional football but felt that he was a better basketball player. Good call. Since being drafted #1 overall out of St Mary’s-St.Vincent high-school (the last high-school player ever to be drafted) James’s jersey has sold more than anyone else in the league and time and time again wow’s us with his spectacular play. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OAmW2C6hxiM)
By the time James' senior year began, he had already appeared on the covers of ESPN the Magazine and Sports Illustrated with the caption “The Chosen One.” Since then he has graced the cover nearly 10 times with other captions like “The New Era” “The Importance of being Lebron” and “Best Ever?” In his nine-year career James has made it to three championship finals including this year’s. He has gone 0 for 2 but perhaps the third time’s the charm. He has also won 3 MVP’s including this year’s, a few scoring titles, an Olympic Gold in 2008 and even though his play has gradually improved each year, there are people out there that just want to see him fail and no it’s not just the state of Ohio. For most, it was the widely speculated and much talked about "Decision” in which James chose Miami and his 2 buddies Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh that got people angry . What people may not know is that Lebron made 1 million dollars from “The Decision” all of which went to his charity: The Boys and Girls Club of Ohio. (http://blog.cleveland.com/metro/2011/04/boys_and_girls_clubs_in_northe.html)
The thing that really gets people angry when they hear James’s name mentioned is what happened a few days after he announced his decision. Was it just pure cockiness? Absolutely. The Miami Heat held a party to welcome the Big Three, to which Lebron Said: “ Not 1…. Not 2…Not 3…” referring to the Rings he will win. Even this writer believes that was a little too overboard from James who has yet to back it up. Had he won last year and then said it after the confetti had fallen, then you would not have an argument, but he’s 0 for 1 as a member of the Heat.
Whether it was the Decision or it’s the thought of a power team like the Heat existing, James should not be criticized. I’m not a big basketball fan but I do enjoy watching Lebron play. The guy is just a force. Double-team or triple-team him and he will still find the open player, hit the nice jay or take it to the hoop for a flush. His combination of Power, Speed and Will are unmatched. Comparing him to Michael Jordan is just not fair. It’s like comparing Gretzky to Crosby, its apples and oranges. Jordan and Gretzky were on a totally different level then James and Crosby. The time period was different. If you are mad because the team is just three players, look who Jordan played with: Scottie Pippen and Denis Rodman, both Hall-Of-Famers. I can almost guarantee as great as Jordan was, without Pippen or Rodman they do not win those championships. The same applies with Gretzky, who had Messier, Jari Kurri, with Grant Fuhr as a Goalie in Edmonton,.At the end of the day Lebron plays the game the right way and is a true role model to little kids who wear his Heat#6 or his Cavaliers #23 jersey.
James has been in the spotlight his entire life; just watch his documentary “More Than a Game.” He was drafted by his hometown team the Cleveland Cavaliers and just could not win a championship. Great seasons led to disappointing playoffs. They did everything they could to win around James, including bringing in a guy named SHAQ. He wanted to win and chose to move on. Gretzky left Edmonton.,Jordan left the Bulls,it happens; just the way it went down was not the brightest but it did bring money to a charity and he has been nothing short of spectacular. Lebron.it’s time to prove the naysayer’s wrong with a ring and to do it against the other best player in the league Kevin Durant, would just be the icing on the cake.
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