In Defense of LeBron
Why? Why is it so important for LeBron James to win a championship? Why does Cleveland deserve a championship? Yes, we spend our hard-earned money to go to games and support our teams and cheer them on. And yes, so far, we’ve ended each season not quite on top. So what? LeBron had a bad day and the Cavs lost. We’re down three games to two against Boston instead of having shut down the Celtics and resting up for our next round. We can talk about the Drive, the Fumble, the inglorious history of Cleveland’s sports failures. We can rail on and on about how there is a Cleveland curse. We can even gang up on LeBron and call him out for being a 25 year old spoiled brat that, if he were a true champion – like Larry Bird, Michael Jordan, or even Shaq – he would take the blame on himself.
Well, he’s done that. Time and again, he’s supported the weight of the Cavs success or failures on his shoulders. He’s stepped up and scored 40 points and single-handedly won game after game after game. But ultimately, the team is not called King James and the Cavaliers. He is one of the team. And the burden of getting out of a personal slump and performing at a professional caliber should lie upon the shoulders of each and every player on the team. He is not the only one paid to play a game that people choose to spend money to watch. It is a sport, a form of entertainment, and you know, before buying your ticket, that the outcome is not certain. That’s part of the fun. Spending your money, no matter how much of it you choose to spend, does not entitle you to a particular outcome.
Cleveland has a lot going for it. Not that you’d realize it listening to people today. We are a leader in biotech. We are a bike-friendly city. We have world-class museums, great theaters, and the world-renowned Cleveland Orchestra. We are home to great universities and the “World Class Care” of the Cleveland Clinic. We are a big enough city to have plenty to do, but small enough not to have the crappy traffic that everyone complains about in bigger cities. We have incredible private schools, high-performing public schools, and diversity that enrich our children. Affordable housing, support for small businesses, and a strong sense of community.
And the food here is incredible. We have so many great restaurants all around town to rival the restaurants of bigger cities. Which brings us to Michael Symon. Poor Cleveland hasn’t won any sports championships. But Cleveland’s own Michael Symon, chef extraordinaire, is an Iron Chef. He won that competition, remember? He brought glory to Cleveland, and attention to Cleveland’s restaurant scene.
You know what? You don’t have to watch the game tonight. It’s a form of entertainment, after all, and you can choose to enjoy time with your family instead. Which is absolutely fine. And I may seem hypocritical anyhow, since I long ago vowed to stop spending money on the Browns until they win because the NBA, NFL, etc. are ultimately businesses, and that it seems absurd to spend money on a business without their showing any results (fans will buy tickets even when the Browns don’t win a game).
But ask yourself this: are you as hard on politicians and large corporate CEO’s as you are on LeBron? Here we have a man who has worked hard, is starting his own marketing company, being a great role model for lots of children. The biggest offenses he’s had have been wearing a Yankees cap and failing to apologize for having a bad game. Meanwhile, other “role models” are in the limelight for gun possession, alleged rape, drugs, drunk driving, or being sex-crazed cads. Here’s what isn’t being highlighted today:
So you can all focus on one day, one performance, and try to tell me that it is all that matters. That LeBron may as well leave if he can’t bring Cleveland a championship ring. But with everything he’s done to improve the lives of others – the way he’s used his celebrity and his wealth to help others – I say that in my eyes he’s still a winner.
And frankly, even if we get the win, then what? At the end of the day, what will you have done to make the world a better place? That moment is fleeting, but the lasting effect of everything he’s done for this city lingers. And we’ll just be back to complaining about losing next season…
Well, he’s done that. Time and again, he’s supported the weight of the Cavs success or failures on his shoulders. He’s stepped up and scored 40 points and single-handedly won game after game after game. But ultimately, the team is not called King James and the Cavaliers. He is one of the team. And the burden of getting out of a personal slump and performing at a professional caliber should lie upon the shoulders of each and every player on the team. He is not the only one paid to play a game that people choose to spend money to watch. It is a sport, a form of entertainment, and you know, before buying your ticket, that the outcome is not certain. That’s part of the fun. Spending your money, no matter how much of it you choose to spend, does not entitle you to a particular outcome.
Cleveland has a lot going for it. Not that you’d realize it listening to people today. We are a leader in biotech. We are a bike-friendly city. We have world-class museums, great theaters, and the world-renowned Cleveland Orchestra. We are home to great universities and the “World Class Care” of the Cleveland Clinic. We are a big enough city to have plenty to do, but small enough not to have the crappy traffic that everyone complains about in bigger cities. We have incredible private schools, high-performing public schools, and diversity that enrich our children. Affordable housing, support for small businesses, and a strong sense of community.
And the food here is incredible. We have so many great restaurants all around town to rival the restaurants of bigger cities. Which brings us to Michael Symon. Poor Cleveland hasn’t won any sports championships. But Cleveland’s own Michael Symon, chef extraordinaire, is an Iron Chef. He won that competition, remember? He brought glory to Cleveland, and attention to Cleveland’s restaurant scene.
You know what? You don’t have to watch the game tonight. It’s a form of entertainment, after all, and you can choose to enjoy time with your family instead. Which is absolutely fine. And I may seem hypocritical anyhow, since I long ago vowed to stop spending money on the Browns until they win because the NBA, NFL, etc. are ultimately businesses, and that it seems absurd to spend money on a business without their showing any results (fans will buy tickets even when the Browns don’t win a game).
But ask yourself this: are you as hard on politicians and large corporate CEO’s as you are on LeBron? Here we have a man who has worked hard, is starting his own marketing company, being a great role model for lots of children. The biggest offenses he’s had have been wearing a Yankees cap and failing to apologize for having a bad game. Meanwhile, other “role models” are in the limelight for gun possession, alleged rape, drugs, drunk driving, or being sex-crazed cads. Here’s what isn’t being highlighted today:
-
The LeBron James Family Foundation - The LeBron James ‘King for Kids’ charity bike-a-thon,
- Donating $1 million to Matt Damon’s ONEXONE charity against child hunger
- Treating 800 families to a Thanksgiving feast and more
So you can all focus on one day, one performance, and try to tell me that it is all that matters. That LeBron may as well leave if he can’t bring Cleveland a championship ring. But with everything he’s done to improve the lives of others – the way he’s used his celebrity and his wealth to help others – I say that in my eyes he’s still a winner.
And frankly, even if we get the win, then what? At the end of the day, what will you have done to make the world a better place? That moment is fleeting, but the lasting effect of everything he’s done for this city lingers. And we’ll just be back to complaining about losing next season…
posted by BrainHickey | 11:46 AM
|
1 Comments
