Sunday, the Dallas Mavericks won the NBA title against the maligned Miami Heat. It seems as if everyone is taking shots at Lebron losing in the NBA finals. There is nothing wrong with criticizing and constructively discuss Lebron James the Miami Heat but when does it come to the point where a person is totally showing their internal desire to HATE?
For all the hate people spewed towards this man like their life depends on it. I would like to give you this edition of… THE GAS FACE!!
I will be the first to say I have been very critical of Lebron James, the Miami Heat, and “The Decision”(see Oscar Grant...Who? Please, Change the Channel to Lebron and Dear Lebron, You’re Not Acting Too Kingly). I am the first to talk about how Lebron James, Dwayne Wade, and Chris Bosh have portrayed themselves in the media as whiny and complaining kids. Between Chris Bosh’s continual crying throughout the season and Dwayne Wade’s and Lebron James’ comments throughout the season they didn’t make the situation and “hate” any better. Let’s not forget the ego driven idea of Lebron “hosting” of “The Decision”. Even if a person wants to talk about how Lebron James and the Miami Heat played the finals I can even listen and take credence to what they have to say. I even had some choice words for Lebron via twitter (@diggame). But, when a person just says they don’t like Lebron for (fill in blank with any unsubstantiated reason besides performance on the court) that is when I have to raise my eyebrow and ask…ARE YOU A HATER?
I found more people watching the NBA finals not cheering for the Dallas Mavericks or the Miami Heat but watch to see if the Miami Heat lose. Take that basck they watched it…ONLY wanting to see the Heat lose. The Dallas Mavericks were just their tool of destruction. It almost felt the same way people would watch Muhammad Ali fights and why many people watch Floyd Mayweather fights to not watch them actually fight but to watch the fight in hopes that they lose. There are people who set in front of their TV to just HATE on Lebron instead of watching a greatly contested NBA Finals.
There is nothing wrong with disliking or even criticizing Lebron but throwing out red herrings and unconstructive discourse just makes you foolish as a sports fan. You have people trying to lump their hate of Lebron James into the profiles of Mike Vick, Barry Bonds, Plaxico Burress, and even Ray Carruth! Yes, Ray Carruth!
I am not going to even get into the racial dynamic of many people hating Lebron James but you have the city of Cleveland not just disliking a player but hating a man because of him making a sound business decision. I understand the city being upset with Lebron for living and how he did it but this deep-rooted hate for the man makes Cleveland look like the bitter ass boyfriend or girlfriend who just can’t get over the relationship. You have the owner of the Cleveland Cavaliers’ Dan Gilbert who continuously says things that make him look like a bitter douche. You even have ex-teams (see Mo Williams) commenting on how happy they are to see him lose. I understand their distaste with Lebron leaving them but damn do you have to look like a chick from Waiting to Exhale every time Lebron name comes up? Yeah, the people in Cleveland who continuously hate Lebron are the same guys who hate the girl who played them back in ’00 and can’t seem to get over the fact she is married now.
I know someone who knows me will ask what is the difference between their HATE for Lebron and my HATE for The New England Patriots, U. Iowa, U. Kansas, Kobe Bryant and Chicago Cubs? Well, aside from Kobe Bryant (and I wouldn’t say Hate just a strong dislike) I don’t hate a player or person on any of those teams…I hate the organizations themselves big difference between hate an institution than an individual person. I don’t know if I have EVER burned a person’s jersey (ala Cleveland fans) like they were some m
ortal enemy of mine. I have always reserved the idea of burning as either something in political protest or deep emotional pain and a NBA player should never be that serious for a person.
Lebron has become the tragic victim of media hype, public hype, and his own hype. Society loves to build up a “hero” only to tear them down. One of the keys of life is being able to handle the balance between getting accolades and hate at the same time. When you buy into one too much you are susceptible to an ultimate fall. Lebron James has to find a balance between those who praise him and his detractors only then will be able to shake off the pressure of “having” to win a championship just to prove detractors wrong. Because now his haters feel great after burning up his car like Angela Bassett did her husband’s in Waiting to Exhale. They won’t get over what he did but his test as a man will be if he will be able to get over his “haters”. But, today those straight up bitter haters will get….THE GAS FACE!!
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I agree totally with this post! I’ve been critical of Lebron. I think the “Decision” was a disaster. However, he was a FREE AGENT and he could leave.
Lebron gave Cleveland 7yrs to “get it right”. They didn’t and he moved on. I think Dan Gilbert and the rest of the “Cavs Nation” should do the same.
It’s one thing to be critical. It’s another thing to hate. I’m clearly seeing the hate. Trust me, the hate is gonna keep coming b/c this team isn’t going anywhere. Truth be told, this was the year that they weren’t supposed to win. Once they have more cap room and flexibility next season (if there is a next season), this team is gonna be dangerous. As a Hawks fan, I’m not looking forward to seeing this team year in and year out. But I don’t hate em.
Not sure why so many people hate Lebron
“You can’t spell HEAT without spelling HATE.” – DWade
I understand where you coming from but Lebron is a punk! Saying what he said about people having to go back to their normal lives was a punk move in my book! He definitely takes hate a lot but is isn’t it humble pie considering the decision and other things he has said?
Hmmm, not sure about everyone taking shots at Lebron. Yes, there are people who do…… and there are some (like myself) who just don’t admire or respect him. That’s a HUGE difference between that and the word, HATE. That word is thrown around too much and inaccurately it becomes cliched and lame. In my opinion, LBJ is very, very, VERY TALENTED. He’s brought excitement and hype (yes, he contributed also to the hype, i.e. THE KING), had a major PR w/smoke machine showcase, claiming multiple championships and didn’t start working (practiing) with his teamates until the start of the 2010-2011 season. Nah,…true Champions don’t do that .With all of Kobe’s bravado, he didn’t do that and KB is a champion. As for me, I don’t hate Lebron. I don’t dislike Lebron. I just don’t have respect for him or his game……he and the HEAT…………….gets no sympathy.
I am glad you wrote this! There is a fine line between having constructive criticism and being a jack ass hater. If you don’t like he did a part…who cares? How does that hurt you? If you want to talk about the game lets do that people need to quit worrying about what another person does like that. We talk about bravado but didn’t Ali say he was the greatest before he even got the title belt. People ahted A;i then and its funny how we have a revisionist history and rever Ali when most people hated him during his heyday
@Big K, It’s my opinion, I’m entitled to it. Now…how does my post offend or hurt you? Never rode the bandwagon and NEVER WILL. Actually, most people didn’t hate Ali; it was people who weren’t black who had a problem with him. Btw, CONGRATS to Dallas! I’m actually a Wizards Fan……….that was a great series……
Ddidn’t even see your post till now but your post didn’t hurt me and its your opinion. Lebron is not without criticism at all but just because they did a party and were braggadocious a bit. Also if you look at articles it was just not white people who didn’t like Ali. There were a lot of black people who felt he was a rabble rosser. Also remmeber he was a member of the Nation of Islam at the time and most black people did not align themselves to that. The point is Ali wasn’t respected in many circles to till way after history was written/ I don’t likewhat Lebron did but I have no venom towards the man either.
“Didn’t even see your post till now but your post didn’t hurt me and its your opinion.”
@Big K, didn’t mean to jump the gun on ya’. Initially thought you were first replying to me; but you weren’t. My bad. True about Ali stirring up both admiration and resentment. Though, I believe the situation with Ali is just a little different because he would still get out and shake a few hands and talk with folks in the street. Now, I’m told I’d go back to my normal life with my same problems I had the day before, lol. That’s cool….but my life IS normal……..and sane…
I agree with you Neil about Lebron’s temperment! I have been one of his harshest critics but when it gets to the point everything he does OFF the court is an indictment on his game thats where I draw the line. I agree the decision in the TV porgram was a bad idea but him leaving Cleveland was that a bad idea on the real? He went to a better opportunity. Would you stay at your job when you had a chance to go work for a bigger company being able to further your career? i am the first to speak on how bad he has conducted himself and the cricism he gets he should because of his antics but where is the line drawn when people are partying for a team losing? I mean Cavs fans for Mavs fans! What kind of suckerish is that?
@Digg……..right, RIGHT……and to add even more insult…….Dan Gilbert decides to tweet his personal contempt for Lebron AND the Governor of Cleveland drafts an official document?? Huh?? Talk about sore LOSERS……
Great Post, Digg!
This is the BEST thing I have read ALL week!! Cleveland is my hometown and I was lucky enough to escape the toxic haterville for almost 10 yrs. I have recently returned to find that the city is just a bitter as it was 10 years ago. I completely adore this post! Great job
Thanks for the heads up on the read Digg, I’m glad I didn’t miss this one.
Insanity is defined as doing the same thing over and over in the same scenario, yet waiting for a different result.
I’ve been covering the saga around LeBron for the last year or so and watching the escalation around it from the Cavs series against the Celtics to now as been similar to watching a lynch mob gain speed going throughout the town. It’s ridiculous! This is a man who made a completely legit decision, with some questionable approaches to doing so. That’s it. He committed no crimes and is SIMPLY A BASKETBALL PLAYER!
But I don’t want to talk about it in terms of his completely stand alone, unique walk through the world of the media swarmed Pro Basketball. Rather it is a case of a lot of folks deputizing themselves in the Moral Police Department and taking aim at a common target. You don’t have to like the way he did things, but even if you are a lifelong Cavs fan, making a man who made one of the NBA’s most irrelevant franchise’s something to pay attention to (even after he is gone) is something he should be hailed for. Nobody was checking for the Cavs except for sports writers and commentators like me before 2003. They were the equivalent of what the Wolves and Warriors are now. And since they were associated with him for some time, they are what the Cowboys and 49ers are now in football: once hot franchises that are down on their luck, but still paid attention to now because of name association.
And who do you thank for that? Public Enemy #6, who simply did what anybody who was offered the chance to develop their own destiny in their professional environment did: chose the most productive possibility available. Folks gotta get off those moral horses and understand he did exactly what any sane person would do if they were stuck catching the same results despite their best effort at work every day.
No matter how glorified he is, he just a human. And ex-girlfriends and boyfriends are too…but save that for later.
“I hate Lebron so much I wanna burn my own clothes!” – Cleveland fans…. Dumbasses
I will admit it’s hard for me to root for anyone who I don’t think is a good person or who seems to arrogant (hence why I was so turned off by Michael Jordan after the Hall of Fame debacle), but I don’t bear any ill will to Lebron or any Miami Heat players. I almost always root for the underdog when my team isn’t playing, and I admired Dallas. There were a lot of people on Dallas that I wanted to see retire with a ring (Jason Kidd, Dirk). Miami is a young team and can get back to the Finals many more times if they continue to cultivate a solid team.
I just hope that Lebron takes this dose of humility and tones it down a bit. It’s time to focus on your game and being a member of a team, not on protecting your ego or being the center attraction. The discussion should begin and end on the court if we are talking about a players performance, but that doesn’t mean everything that happens off the court shouldn’t matter. I think people are offended by the arrogance and lack of humility more than anything else (outside of Cleveland fans, who have a personal dislike of Lebron). I liked Kanye West a lot better when he was on the confident side of the confident/arrogant side. Still, as you stated, no pro athlete is really worth so much concentrated energy–whether intense hatred or idol worshipping. At the end of the day, he’s just a person.
Great post!
Here’s my question….considering he had all the talent Miami could afford (Chalmers and Miller stepped up big in the post-season, D-Wade was punishing the boards), can you sensibly develop an argument as to why Bron’s move from Cleveland was lateral, instead of an upgrade?. For me, that’s a LOUD YES!
Miami has the same caliber of bench role players as the Cavs did…some nights, Mo Williams could be counted on for a 20-8 contribution…getting Antawn Jamison was a step in the right direction in terms of leadership…but Miami did the same thing Cleveland did as far as surrounding Wade and Bron w/ average talent (Juwan Howard, Eddie House, lazy a$$ big Z and phantom Mike Bibby)…I think Bron just can’t deliver when he’s thrown in the pressure cooker…he’s now living under the microscope even more so b/c the move hasn’t show itself to be better than where he was…I think maybe that’s why Cavs fans and Dan Gilbert are so OD w/ Dallas winning…it’s a slap in the face for them like “dude you left us cold and dry and still loss” #jasonterrycmonsonface
Far as peoples’ hate for Bron, I think it’s a mixture of 3 things: A) they’re sick of him being compared to Kobe and MJ, when he hasn’t won anything except seasonal MVP, B) he gives the worst sound bytes ever which the media ride out, and C) of course “The Decision”…but it’s always overlooked that he raised $ for the B&G Club by airing “The Decision”
LeBron never had a chance to receive positive comments. Had he stayed in Cleveland for MORE MONEY and a less talented team he would’ve been labeled as “all about the money”. If he picks Miami for lesser of a salary and a better chance of winning, they said “he jumped ship” regardless of increasing his chances of winning. LEbron is only about 26 years old. And for the FIRST time in his life he had the choice of which employer he wanted to work for. Sometimes people are just very “anti-establishment” and they have a need to see the fall of the empire. Some people HATE the Patriots, Yankees, Laker’s, Duke, North Carolina, and now Miami Heat. People enjoy putting down others. If you didn’t like him then, and you don’t like him now, you just hated him all along. And it’s almost to a sick degree! Good post.
I totally agreee. I have been away for a min, but I’ll catch up soon. Lebron I also agree just can’t step up, he is a sure example of a CHOKER in my eyes (like ) Webber)…but great talent. But I don’t hate this dude. And that goes for other examples of why ppl would hate a person so bad, veen in their personal life, even if it was a job decidion or a decision to make THEIR life better. Never understood that, that is HATE and beong a hater. I don’t have to like somethin someone does but that doesn’t mean I am going to hate on the person. Lebron chokes. He will never be the greatest. Period.
I must add, Lebron’s poblems are mental. He is still the same athlete. The same dude and player. He cokes and that’s mental. He can’t finish and it’s horrible to watch him not take control of the game. It’s hard to watch him have that confused, unknown look in his eyes, as if he’s not the best player on the court. If you’re a Bball fan, no matter if youlike dude or not, its hard tosee him fail and be so good. All the should’ve, could’ve, would’ve…
Truth.com! I supported the Mavs because I wanted Jason Kidd to get a ring, but as my friend Chris says, there’s no reason for Miami Heat haters (who are not actual Mav fans) to be singing “We Are The Champions” just because Lebron and co lost.
Good article.
Lebron brought all of this attention and negativity to himself, but some people are truly being extreme in their criticism of him. He deserves harsh criticism but not hate. Good post!
Heres the best part .Eventually LeBron James is going to win enough rings to start a pawn shop. Theres a guidebook on the entire process .First only have strong opinions when it seems to be safe naturally ..Second just in case you might be wrong make sure that every article you ever write contains a bunch of weaselly cop-outs and qualifiers such as .It tastes like Drano in my mouth but Ive got to say it The are pulling off one of the greatest I Told You Sos in the history of American sports..and.Im the last guy that wants to write a glowing column about LeBron James..Third kinda from time to time. I caught that jerkoff Bill Simmons doing the same thing years ago during one of LeBrons first playoff runs his piece was so bad ESPN removed it from their archives .
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Jordan said it right, “im not gonna call magic and bird to get together.” There’s no competition with what miami did. thats why I hate miami as a whole because it’s a cheap way to win by taking short cuts. i feel like they lost to the mavs on purpose so people think they’re vulnerable. the mavs had dirk. thats it. i will never respect miami as true champions. david west said it best too. he went to the pacers and said he wanted to go to a team with no stars. i dont know if he’ll ever win a ring, but he has the heart and competitive drive of a true champion. unlike wack ass miami. nkw yhey got ray allen too. man… they’re a bunch of pussies with no heart to compete. the jus want the glamour. cheap and lame. fuck them.