Averaging nearly 40 points a night during the playoffs, grabbing 7+ boards and dishing out 7+ assists, Lebron James was inhuman in the playoff series verses Orlando. Sure, he was pretty damned amazing during the other two series and of course the regular season, but against Orlando he was a monster.
At the end of the series, he was called a monster, but not for the same reasons. Accused of tarnishing the game and called a cry baby by ESPN.com, Lebron James must have done something absolutely terrible right? He didn’t hang around for the ceremonial team hand shakes and he didn’t talk to the media.
It’s no wonder the media is upset, they didn’t get their advertising selling few minutes of their fallen star. You want my opinion? Probably not, but you are going to get it anyway. Good for him. I am not saying not hanging out for handshakes was not un-sportsmanlike, it was a bit. I am not saying that he doesn’t have an obligation to talk to the media, he does. What I will say is “Give me a fucking break.” Excuse my French, I think this is the first F-bomb ever released on my site.
Lebron James has been more than anyone ever expected of him, and that was a ton. But off the court, he has been so much more. He has been clean, he has been respectful and he has stayed out of trouble. The NBA has players with drug problems, players who admit openly to doing drugs, players beating their wives, players getting accused of rape and even players going into the stands to punch out fans.
The affable Shaquille O’Neal has even been caught on tape asking Kobe Bryant “Tell me how my ass tastes?” Lebron James didn’t want to talk to the media or the team that just crushed his dreams, once.
Now, if you can tell me that you have never stormed away from a loved one in an argument, and you can say that you have never removed yourself from a situation at work because you were pissed off about something, then you are a bigger man than me, and obviously Lebron James also.
The NBA expects it’s players to talk to the media, and if they don’t they get fined. That’s enough for me. I don’t think the press is entitled to more and have the right to vilify someone who has been such a positive force in the NBA and sports in general for so little.
So get off his back will you? He was pissed. He was disappointed. He still managed to not beat up anyone, he didn’t go alleviate his pain with a crack pipe and as far as I am concerned, he is still a class act. Don’t let the pissed off media tell you any different.
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I agree that this whole Lebron leaving without congratulating the Magic players or having interviews with the media is a little unfair. I’d rather read about how he left without being interviewed than him throwing a chair across the room, hitting Sasha Pavlovic in the head.
We’re talking about frustration here, and I think you give some good examples/comparisons. This is far more tame than giving fans the finger or kicking the ball into the stands.
After about a week, we won’t even be talking about this… until the Cavs play their first game against the Magic in the 2009-2010 season.
I believe that in this day and age with salaries so high and such a severe lack of disrespect in society overall, he owes it to the public and his teamates to shake hands. This same question has been asked before (Barkley) about being a role model. Well they are role models. If they can walk off without shaking hands then going into the stands and punching people will be the norm. It’s televised, it’s public, and the right thing to do is be respectful, no excuses.
You honestly think jumping into the stands ala Ron Artest is the next logical step? I would hope to think that Lebron James did not intentionally refuse to shake hands. I imagine it was closer to being upset at a loss and just leaving the court. I would be willing to bet it wasn’t until after that he realized the formality that he had failed to participate in. And let’s be clear, it’s a formality. What’s next? If I forget to fill out thank you cards after a wedding I am likely to jump into the pews and start beating up attendees?
Like you said, he’s been under so much pressure because of he’s expected to do good, or even great. We’ve all been disappointed on one point in our life, haven’t we? That’s what LeBron felt. I believe he didn’t even bad mouth his opponent, he’s just plain disappointed from losing. He did everything yet Cavs still lost. And I think no one likes that feeling.
Shaking hands is a nice act of sportsmanship. But if it’s not sincere, then maybe it’s better not to do it.
(Isn’t Shaq, who has been a “role model” for a long time, saying something like that to Kobe a more shameful act? To think he and Kobe shared Championships…)