LeBron James: Classless

[bucks2281]

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/playoffs/2009/news/story?id=4219933

 

This story probably doesn't have much traction and isn't that big of a deal, but I think it spoke volumes about one of the greatest athletes of this generation. After the Cavs were eliminated on Saturday, LeBron James raced off the court, failing to congratulate the Magic on winning the Eastern Conference. He also declined to speak to the media. Today, he justified his actions:

 

"It's hard for me to congratulate somebody after you just lose to them," he said. "I'm a winner. It's not being a poor sport or anything like that. If somebody beats you up, you're not going to congratulate them. That doesn't make sense to me. I'm a competitor. That's what I do. It doesn't make sense for me to go over and shake somebody's hand."

 

It sounds like somebody has a lot of growing up to do...

[stoutdude04]

I agree to a point. Like in hockey, after a hard fought 7 game series, you need to go over and shake their hands. I understand sportsmanship, I do it after I do anything competative. Im sure he had a whole lot of emotions going on. So..to a point I tend to agree.

[crewcrazy]

I think it's hard to judge him on one isolated incident when in every other case he's seemed to be a great guy. At the same time, he's still only like 24 and emotions can get the best of anyone. If there's a lot of negative backlash based on this, I think it'll mostly be from people who didn't like James (or maybe more specifically, the hype surrounding James) in the first place. After all, Michael Jordan was never one to congratulate opponents if he lost, either, and nearly every sportswriter fawned over that.

[JoeHova]

Yeah, I think his emotions overwhelmed him and now he's retroactively trying to justify it. It's not really a big deal, there is no way the Magic cared about him slighting them at the time. It would be nice if he would have expressed himself a little bit better (I mean, what does "I'm a winner" mean in the context that he used it?), for example, you often see boxers congratulate each other after they literally have been beating up on each other for 36 minutes, it doesn't mean they aren't competitors, it just means they respected the effort of the other guy. He articulated his thoughts poorly and made it seem like he has disdain for sportsmanship, which I am 90% sure was not his intention. LeBron is usually one of the main guys hugging players on the opposing team before and after games. It's just that the stakes were extremely high in Game 6 and so he took the loss worse.

[Invader3K]

His team lost a hard fought series and are now done for the year. I can understand why he wouldn't be in the mood to stick around and give some fake congratulatory gesture to the other team.

[RyDogg66]

They dont shake hands after a baseball series.

[JJHardy7]

I don't have a problem with it at all. I'd rather have that then what happened after Mavs/Nuggets games in the playoffs. I just imagine he's upset because they had such a good regular season and got it handed to them at the end. I don't think it's a big deal and he's not the first or last guy to do it. I think saying he has to 'grow up' is not true at all. My bet is he's one of the most mature 24-year olds out there. I'd suspect there'd be more guys going off the deep end instead of simply not wanting to shake hands or discuss it.

 

I think the media is blowing up the loss is what is a big deal to me. They're comparing the Mavs team that won 67 games (I believe 67) and lost in the first round a few years back to this team and how it's one of the biggest upsets ever. I don't think ESPN radio is right about that. Losing in the Eastern Conference Finals to one of the better teams isn't a huge upset...the Cavs just didn't match up well at all with the Magic. It's as simple as that.

[CheezWizHed]

"It's hard for me to congratulate somebody after you just lose to them," he said. "I'm a winner. It's not being a poor sport or anything like that. If somebody beats you up, you're not going to congratulate them. That doesn't make sense to me. I'm a competitor. That's what I do. It doesn't make sense for me to go over and shake somebody's hand."

 

That's the difference between a sport and a school yard fight. At the end of a sport, you congratulate the winner. Because it was a contest and not a brawl. Running away is called poor sportmanship.

 

Personally, I don't care about the "King's" aura (nor Kobe's), but I've heard good things about the person. I would think players of their (and Jordan's) caliber don't lose very often, so its tough to handle (me on the other hand, I learned it often!). So I don't have a problem with a mulligan. But he needs to learn from it and not do it next time. Or the King will earn a big baby moniker...

[Fatter than Joey]

The Cavs were on the Magic's floor as well -- usually the visiting team gets off the floor ASAP to let the home team celebrate.

[MJLiverock]

I'd rather he said nothing and did what he did which is being upset and going inside to be with his team than rant on TV or make up a bunch of fake humility or cliched praise of the other team. I'd rather have a guy upset about the loss than hear the boring cliches anyway. I think this is being made into way more than it really should be. As someone said they don't shake hands after a baseball series and football is pretty non chalant about post game handshakes, the coaches shake hands but everyone else goes their own way.

[Invader3K]

I agree with MJLive. I just think the media is over blowing this so they have something to talk about until the finals.

[bullox]

At the end of a sport, you congratulate the winner. Because it was a contest and not a brawl. Running away is called poor sportmanship.

Baseball must be totally classless and devoid of sportsmanship.

[JJHardy7]

I'd rather he said nothing and did what he did which is being upset and going inside to be with his team than rant on TV or make up a bunch of fake humility or cliched praise of the other team. I'd rather have a guy upset about the loss than hear the boring cliches anyway. I think this is being made into way more than it really should be. As someone said they don't shake hands after a baseball series and football is pretty non chalant about post game handshakes, the coaches shake hands but everyone else goes their own way.

 

This is a good point. I guess I like that LeBron was actually upset enough that he didn't want to talk. I don't see anything wrong with that. I know Cowherd on ESPN radio is always whining that fans care a ton more than athletes. That is true sometimes, but it appears that LeBron was just as upset as some Cavs fans. It's good to see athletes 'caring' about wins and losses -- especially in the NBA.

[bobbledude25]

He must have watched the Super Bowl before the game...He took a page right out of Bill Bellicheck's book

[bucks2281]

LeBron walking off the floor w/o acknowledging anybody...fine. I understand; it's not like it's never happened before. I think he exacerbated the situation with his quote on Sunday. He's a diva, no doubt, but I also thought he was a classy guy, too. He probably misspoke, and IMO, he sounded like a sore loser. This is corroborated because he didn't speak with the media. I know he was overwhelmed by emotion, but it's a responsibility. No big deal, but I guess I expected more of him.

 

Talk show hosts are making a big deal out of this, from what I've heard. Some guy compared this situation with the Air France crash last night. Crazy.

 

It's good to see athletes 'caring' about wins and losses -- especially in the NBA.

 

Agreed.

[TooLiveBrew]

I agree with MJLive. I just think the media is over blowing this so they have something to talk about until the finals.

 

DID YOU SEE HE WORE A YANKEES HAT SOMETIMES HE IS GOING TO PLAY FOR THE KNICKS!

[bucks2281]

DID YOU SEE HE WORE A YANKEES HAT SOMETIMES HE IS GOING TO PLAY FOR THE KNICKS!

 

Just wait until next June. Can't wait for that http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/eyes.gif

[craigharmann]

I'm a winner.

No, LeBron, you are not. You see, the Magic scored more points than your team in 4 games. You lost. Congratulate them. Then you can go take your ribbon for participating and go eat your orange slices.

 

Seriously, this is what we're going to get to look forward to as a generation of coddled children who were given cheers just for showing up, and not even doing anything, feel entitled to everything, without putting in any work. What would MJ have done had he lost? He probably wouldn't have said what LeBron said, spent 12 hours in the gym every day shooting buckets, working out, getting better. What's LeBron going to do? That's the question. Does LeBron put in the work to better himself over the summer? Or is he just going to hang out, waiting for his mega payday in one year?

[pretendastronaut]

No, LeBron, you are not. You see, the Magic scored more points than your team in 4 games. You lost. Congratulate them. Then you can go take your ribbon for participating and go eat your orange slices.

 

Seriously, this is what we're going to get to look forward to as a generation of coddled children who were given cheers just for showing up, and not even doing anything, feel entitled to everything, without putting in any work. What would MJ have done had he lost? He probably wouldn't have said what LeBron said, spent 12 hours in the gym every day shooting buckets, working out, getting better. What's LeBron going to do? That's the question. Does LeBron put in the work to better himself over the summer? Or is he just going to hang out, waiting for his mega payday in one year?

 

You should maybe look into Lebron's work ethic before you write such a condescending post about your biases. I don't follow the NBA much these days, but Lebron is one of the most impressive figures in all of sports, someone who was given immense hype while still in high school, and he's shattered that hype.

Nobody will be there, Cavaliers coach Mike Brown thought as he left the house early one morning last May.

It was a few days after Cleveland's disappointing season ended with a bitter Game 7 loss on Boston's famed parquet floor and it was down time. The Cavs had dispersed to Cancun, the French Riviera and other vacation spots for rejuvenation and reflection.

Brown was headed to the team's plush training compound with his son, Elijah. Time for some father-son bonding with nobody around but security guards.

But as the Browns walked in the door, the lights were on in the gym. And as they neared the courts, they heard the thump, thump, thump of a basketball kissing hardwood.

One player stayed home: LeBron James was back at work.

A life lesson diagrammed like an inbounds play in front of him, Brown turned to his impressionable boy.

"I said, 'See, LeBron doesn't just show up at the games with his Superman outfit on,' " Brown recalled. "He works harder than anyone. That's why he's LeBron."

With Jent's help, James began reconstructing his jumper. He spent five days a week, two hours per session, refining his outside shot, still the weakest area of his immaculate game. James finished the regular season shooting a career-high 49 percent.

Like Tiger Woods teeing off balls for hours on the driving range, James took thousands of shots in practice.

Fans "just see the fantastic plays and his God-given ability," Jent said. "They don't understand that there were kinks in the armor and he wanted to figure them out. He wanted to straighten them out and he wanted to be better and the only way to do it is by working. When things are going good he works, and when things are bad, he works harder."

James doesn't slack -- ever. Two summers ago, Jent accompanied the All-Star to New York for the week leading up to him hosting "Saturday Night Live." If James wasn't practicing his lines or rehearsing a skit, he was on a midtown Manhattan court making himself better.

"It surprised me," Williams said. "I knew he was good, but you always want to get around somebody who is great and see how they go about their business. I know how hard I work. His drive and work ethic are off the charts."

Recently honored as coach of the year, Brown feels blessed to coach the self-motivated James, whose selflessness has inspired teammates, coaches, front office personnel -- everyone around him -- to do more.

This may be the highlight of this article though, written a month ago, before all of this hub-bub;

Head down, eyes trained on his Nikes, James stormed off the court in Boston last year. No congratulatory handshakes or good-luck hugs. No words.

He was disgusted. Never again, James promised himself.

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[CheezWizHed]

At the end of a sport, you congratulate the winner. Because it was a contest and not a brawl. Running away is called poor sportmanship.

Baseball must be totally classless and devoid of sportsmanship.

For some reason baseball doesn't. Why don't they? (probably started by the Cardinals) But at least its not the norm for MLB (I know we shook hands with the opposition from T-Ball all the way up to HS). If its the norm and you blow it off, yes it is classless.

 

I'd rather he said nothing and did what he did which is being upset and going inside to be with his team than rant on TV or make up a bunch of fake humility or cliched praise of the other team. I'd rather have a guy upset about the loss than hear the boring cliches anyway. I think this is being made into way more than it really should be. As someone said they don't shake hands after a baseball series and football is pretty non chalant about post game handshakes, the coaches shake hands but everyone else goes their own way.

Of course you want players that are upset at losing. Being content with losing is called apathy. But there is a difference between being upset and being a poor sport. Be upset, vow to improve yourself and your team, be disappointed, but that doesn't give you a bye at being a jerk to those that beat you.

 

As I said IMO, he gets a mulligan. But if it continues, his reputation will suffer.

[bullox]

I get this eerily similar vibe from the people who despise this act to the people who object to the Brewers untucking their shirts.

[saxyman1004]

I can understand him leaving the court. But come on, you're one of the biggest names in the sport, and you don't talk to the media because you're mad that you got beat? Sounds pretty whiny to me. I mean, what did he do, just sit in the locker room with his arms crossed? "LeBron, let's go talk to the media."

 

"NO NO NO NO NO" *holds breath*

[cwolf2012]

Is talking to the media in his job description? That's not meant to be snarky. If it is (I believe it is), then he is obligated to speak with the media, upset or not. I don't expect him to be cheery or anything but pissed off when he loses, but it's his responsibility as a professional athlete to deal with the media, win or lose.

 

Now, on to his attitude, I like it. I'm pretty similar. When I lose, I get upset, mostly at myself for making mistakes. I usually put this aside when the match is over and shake the team's hands, then immediately leave and cool off for a bit. He probably should have gone through the formality, but I'm not particularly upset about it though.

[CheezWizHed]

Now, on to his attitude, I like it. I'm pretty similar. When I lose, I get upset, mostly at myself for making mistakes. I usually put this aside when the match is over and shake the team's hands, then immediately leave and cool off for a bit. He probably should have gone through the formality, but I'm not particularly upset about it though.

Except you just seperated yourself from him by saying you are mature enough to shake hands anyway. I think that is why people talk about maturity levels, not because he was upset.