Cry Havoc
07-09-2010, 10:23 AM
First of all, I'd like to say that this will not be a piece expressly defending LeBron James or his recent decision to move to Miami. I think the move could have been much more tactfully executed than what James chose to do, especially considering the scores of loyal fans in Cleveland who have to deal with yet another heartache. But basketball is a business, and LeBron is making a decision about business, which involves money and winning. There will probably be a lot more of the latter now that he has more All-Star Games among a single teammate (and that's either Bosh OR Wade) than in all his time in Cleveland, the lumbering silhouette of Shaq notwithstanding. Even so, pulling the guts out of an entire city (and state) is never an admirable thing to do.
The ire of this piece however, is directed directly at the "Total Sports Network". It means like, sports, in Spanish, or something, right? In this case, the unique situation this "Decision Day" program has presented us with is nothing short of a spectacle to match Disney's best anniversary display. The entire sporting world, especially here in the States, was talking about one thing. Chances are if you're on Facebook, you saw people who never post, and do not even care about sports as a whole talking about where LeBron might go. Does Facebook matter in the world of sports as a whole? Of course not. The point is that, much like the USA's recent run in the World Cup, ESPN hyped LeBron so much that even the average person who doesn't watch sports knew about it.
That really does seem to be the going mantra for the network that first brought us "Sports 24/7" these days. Much like MTV lost it's way and needed to create MTV2 to give themselves a network that actually, you know, played music videos, ESPN seems to have devolved into a continuing volley of Sportscenter reruns, daily talk shows, and the occasional athletic contest. It's similarly fitting that if you wanted to watch the World Cup this year, chances are you had to tune in on ESPN3 via the internet to get streaming footage of games. Because obviously no one would want to watch a non-US game on the television! I would rather watch last night's PTI, or Stuart Scott blaring out half-ebonics while attempting futilely to narrate the highlights of a Red Sox game from behind the SC desk.
Yes, I'm laying this, all of this (well, we'll say 95% of it, anyway) squarely at your feet, ESPN. You did this. You virtually gave birth to this situation, fostered it, gave it all the care it needed, and now here we are. Yesterday, analysts on Around the Horn openly criticized LeBron James for having an ego about himself. Nevermind the fact that the originator of said comment (who shall remain nameless, Bob Ryan) typically seems to have a pretty high opinion of his own sports-writing, overweight self, and god forbid Jay Mariotti ever call someone an egotist. The fact that someone employed wholly or in-part by ESPN could ever find themselves critical of LeBron for thinking too much of himself is so hilarious it shouldn't even need mentioning. It's akin to CNN/MSNBC/etc. being hypercritical of BP for the massive oil spill, or Saturday Night Live angrily berating the existence of Sarah Palin. Can you actually be that irate about someone who landed you more job security than you had prior to their existence?
Only in this case, it's far worse. LeBron was 16 years old the first time a basketball game of his was broadcast on national TV. The source? Yep. ESPN. A magazine cover before he graduates high school? Yep, ESPN as well, although SI can also be guilty of this. Let's pose this question from another angle: How many basketball fans did NOT know the name of LeBron James before he turned 18? The number there would probably check in at under a single percentage point. SI smattered a huge, "Chosen One" cover across their issue, and ESPN stated that LeBron (along with Sebastian Telfair) were about to "rule the baskeball world".
Think about it. You're 16. Many men haven't achieved their full height by this age, to say nothing of the emotional maturity that usually comes 5-15 years later (and never for some of the more unfortunate members of the gender). You're already being touted as the next MJ, be it Jordan or Johnson. You're very soon going to be worth $100,000,000+. You have a new Hummer, with more exotic cars to follow in the future, you have women undoubtedly throwing themselves at you, and you have unrivaled athletic prowess. Hell, how many of you can look back in high school and find massive egos with the jocks that were only "decent" enough at sports to start on their varsity team? But in this case, this starter is good enough to have NBA players attending his high school games. Who can honestly say that all this would be happening, while on national TV, without a dramatic effect on the character of said individual?
I'm not excusing LeBron. It's obvious that "the King" thinks a lot of himself (so did Jordan and Bird, and more recently, Kobe and Shaq), and it's an ego that has an ugly side, such as when he walked off the court without shaking the hands of the team that beat him. But that is one of the unfortunate costs of having too much pride. You cannot accept that you're beatable. The entire sports world has been your playground for nearly a decade now, and this entire time people have been telling you that you're a God, or at least the second coming of a guy who's already got a statue outside of the United Center.
The issue I have is that ESPN is attempting to act like LeBron pulled a fast one on us. Like they didn't see this coming. As if it's a shock that a guy who's been talked about virtually every second of every day somewhere in the country on a sports channel or ESPN radio thinks a lot of himself now. The thing is, you tell a human being he's superior to other people enough, and he's eventually going to start asking for your piety. And what is ESPN to do but cave, and give LeBron his run of their primetime programming at 9 PM for a "Decision Day" special?
So now LeBron is gone. To Miami. A city that will probably fit his tastes much better. The pre-decision day backlash in the media was palpable. Even outside of Cleveland, where it's understandable, any manner of talk show hosts and sports analysts are rushing to chip in their two cents about LeBron. Many are criticizing him for hyping his decision. Others are ridiculing his legacy for departing Ohio, his home state. So yeah, there's a point to be made that it's a questionable decision. But they who criticize him also have their checks stamped because of people like him, and Terrel Owens, and Brett Favre. How can you be so critical of something you depend on? Sports are a business, after all. You only have to look as far as the mirror to remind yourselves of that.
The ire of this piece however, is directed directly at the "Total Sports Network". It means like, sports, in Spanish, or something, right? In this case, the unique situation this "Decision Day" program has presented us with is nothing short of a spectacle to match Disney's best anniversary display. The entire sporting world, especially here in the States, was talking about one thing. Chances are if you're on Facebook, you saw people who never post, and do not even care about sports as a whole talking about where LeBron might go. Does Facebook matter in the world of sports as a whole? Of course not. The point is that, much like the USA's recent run in the World Cup, ESPN hyped LeBron so much that even the average person who doesn't watch sports knew about it.
That really does seem to be the going mantra for the network that first brought us "Sports 24/7" these days. Much like MTV lost it's way and needed to create MTV2 to give themselves a network that actually, you know, played music videos, ESPN seems to have devolved into a continuing volley of Sportscenter reruns, daily talk shows, and the occasional athletic contest. It's similarly fitting that if you wanted to watch the World Cup this year, chances are you had to tune in on ESPN3 via the internet to get streaming footage of games. Because obviously no one would want to watch a non-US game on the television! I would rather watch last night's PTI, or Stuart Scott blaring out half-ebonics while attempting futilely to narrate the highlights of a Red Sox game from behind the SC desk.
Yes, I'm laying this, all of this (well, we'll say 95% of it, anyway) squarely at your feet, ESPN. You did this. You virtually gave birth to this situation, fostered it, gave it all the care it needed, and now here we are. Yesterday, analysts on Around the Horn openly criticized LeBron James for having an ego about himself. Nevermind the fact that the originator of said comment (who shall remain nameless, Bob Ryan) typically seems to have a pretty high opinion of his own sports-writing, overweight self, and god forbid Jay Mariotti ever call someone an egotist. The fact that someone employed wholly or in-part by ESPN could ever find themselves critical of LeBron for thinking too much of himself is so hilarious it shouldn't even need mentioning. It's akin to CNN/MSNBC/etc. being hypercritical of BP for the massive oil spill, or Saturday Night Live angrily berating the existence of Sarah Palin. Can you actually be that irate about someone who landed you more job security than you had prior to their existence?
Only in this case, it's far worse. LeBron was 16 years old the first time a basketball game of his was broadcast on national TV. The source? Yep. ESPN. A magazine cover before he graduates high school? Yep, ESPN as well, although SI can also be guilty of this. Let's pose this question from another angle: How many basketball fans did NOT know the name of LeBron James before he turned 18? The number there would probably check in at under a single percentage point. SI smattered a huge, "Chosen One" cover across their issue, and ESPN stated that LeBron (along with Sebastian Telfair) were about to "rule the baskeball world".
Think about it. You're 16. Many men haven't achieved their full height by this age, to say nothing of the emotional maturity that usually comes 5-15 years later (and never for some of the more unfortunate members of the gender). You're already being touted as the next MJ, be it Jordan or Johnson. You're very soon going to be worth $100,000,000+. You have a new Hummer, with more exotic cars to follow in the future, you have women undoubtedly throwing themselves at you, and you have unrivaled athletic prowess. Hell, how many of you can look back in high school and find massive egos with the jocks that were only "decent" enough at sports to start on their varsity team? But in this case, this starter is good enough to have NBA players attending his high school games. Who can honestly say that all this would be happening, while on national TV, without a dramatic effect on the character of said individual?
I'm not excusing LeBron. It's obvious that "the King" thinks a lot of himself (so did Jordan and Bird, and more recently, Kobe and Shaq), and it's an ego that has an ugly side, such as when he walked off the court without shaking the hands of the team that beat him. But that is one of the unfortunate costs of having too much pride. You cannot accept that you're beatable. The entire sports world has been your playground for nearly a decade now, and this entire time people have been telling you that you're a God, or at least the second coming of a guy who's already got a statue outside of the United Center.
The issue I have is that ESPN is attempting to act like LeBron pulled a fast one on us. Like they didn't see this coming. As if it's a shock that a guy who's been talked about virtually every second of every day somewhere in the country on a sports channel or ESPN radio thinks a lot of himself now. The thing is, you tell a human being he's superior to other people enough, and he's eventually going to start asking for your piety. And what is ESPN to do but cave, and give LeBron his run of their primetime programming at 9 PM for a "Decision Day" special?
So now LeBron is gone. To Miami. A city that will probably fit his tastes much better. The pre-decision day backlash in the media was palpable. Even outside of Cleveland, where it's understandable, any manner of talk show hosts and sports analysts are rushing to chip in their two cents about LeBron. Many are criticizing him for hyping his decision. Others are ridiculing his legacy for departing Ohio, his home state. So yeah, there's a point to be made that it's a questionable decision. But they who criticize him also have their checks stamped because of people like him, and Terrel Owens, and Brett Favre. How can you be so critical of something you depend on? Sports are a business, after all. You only have to look as far as the mirror to remind yourselves of that.