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When's Poland ever won anything?
King James left the playoffs as a loser
By Adrian Wojnarowski
I’m a winner, King James proclaimed. So, there you go. That’s his reason for rushing out of the conference finals without so much as a nod to Dwight Howard and the Orlando Magic. That’s his reason for marching to the bus and letting the Cleveland Cavaliers’ spare parts take care of his responsibilities in the interview room.
Funny, but James stayed on the court to make sure the Detroit Pistons and Atlanta Hawks paid respect to him. As it turns out, there’s one thing allowed to happen at the end of a playoff series: Everyone bows down and kisses the King’s ring. Only, LeBron doesn’t have a ring. He’s never won a game in the NBA Finals.
So, yes, maybe they just have to kiss his ass.
“It’s not being a poor sport or anything like that,” James said.
No, nothing like that. Yes, James cares so much that it isn’t possible to be gracious and humbled.
You know me, he told the reporters in Cleveland on Sunday. I’m a compe or. “If somebody beats you up, you’re not going to congratulate them,” James said. “It doesn’t make sense for me to go over and shake somebody’s hand.”
Here’s the question: Who has the guts to tell him that he sounds like an immature, self-absorbed brat?
Here’s the problem for the Cavaliers and James: No one.
It won’t be Cleveland Cavaliers ownership, front office and coaches. It won’t be the NBA. It won’t be Nike. And it sure won’t be those childhood sycophants who surround James and tell everyone what a brilliant businessman LeBron is because they can answer the phone when corporations call for a famous pitchman.
LeBron doesn’t want to win more than Michael Jordan did, but Jordan could stop and shake a winner’s hand. Magic Johnson and Larry Bird could, too. Julius Erving did. Kobe Bryant. Isiah Thomas led a walkout after losing to the Chicago Bulls after winning two NBA les, but Joe Dumars never followed him. He stayed and shook Jordan’s hand, the way Jordan had always shook his when the Pistons had beaten him.
“M.J. had stopped, shook my hand and hugged me three straight years that we had beaten them in the playoffs,” Dumars once told me. “There was no way I walking off the court without shaking the Bulls’ hands.”
Within the Cavs, someone needed to tell James that he embarrassed himself and the franchise, but that won’t happen. They’re too scared of him. Most league executives with knowledge of Cleveland’s operation believe it’s far more of an ownership issue, than basketball operations.
If general manager Danny Ferry and coach Mike Brown privately disdain the ridiculous posing for pictures that James started with his teammates on a 13-game winning streak, the owner is believed to see the foolishness as a marketing dream.
Someone should’ve told James that the pregame Polaroid act was belittling and beneath a championship contender, but it never happened.
All season, the Cavaliers acted too en led, too arrogant for a team that’s won nothing. They ran out demanding that Mo Williams be made an All-Star, when the truth bore itself out in the playoffs: Cleveland has one All-Star. Nevertheless, Williams still embarrassed the Cavs with foolish proclamations and guarantees his middling talent couldn’t deliver.
“If you believe in karma with that nonsense,” one Western Conference executive said, “then Cleveland got what was coming to them.”
The Cavaliers are terrified of James. When you’re around them, it’s sometimes embarrassing to watch the way they tip-toe and grovel with him. In their defense, that’s how James wants it. As a childhood prodigy, that’s all LeBron’s ever known. The Cavs are at his mercy until he becomes a free agent in July of 2010, and that isn’t going to change. There’s no chance that he signs an extension this summer, because that would be the end of the drama, the intrigue and LeBron James isn’t letting that go away.
Now, Ferry goes back to the phones and starts work on surrounding James with championship talent. Cleveland is sure to revisit the Shaquille O’Neal talks with the Phoenix Suns, and James and his associates will send out word that, hey, we’ll go to New York unless the Cavs deliver him his le. Well, they’ve reached the NBA Finals and had the best record in the NBA within the past three seasons, so they must have surrounded James with something that works there.
Nevertheless, James distanced himself in losing again, after a season in which he sold himself as all for one, and one for all. James had been an MVP until the very final moments of the basketball season, and then, he embarrassed himself and acted like a petulant kid. In a world where everyone in his life is too fearful or too dependent, LeBron James goes into the summer believing his own nonsense that he walked out of this season a winner.
As usual, there’s no one to tell him.
Except maybe now, Kobe’s puppet.
When's Poland ever won anything?
Good read.
the lebron hate is getting ridiculous
14th century?
Adrian Wojnarowski is about as credible as the garbage that should be in his trashcan- basically everything he writes. The guy is the worst columnist Yahoo has on staff. I don't even bother to read his articles anymore but I thought I'd give this one a gander... worth yet another goose egg.
The bold is a huge reason why I cant stand the Cavs. Their fans also acting that same exact way. Watching them fail was a beautiful thing to see.
Dang, truth can hurt huh?
and your LeBron love is getting disturbing
EXCELLENT article, and he said everything I've ever thought about James and Cleveland.
I've never understood the love and admiration heaped on someone who's never won, not to mention comparing the guy to Jordan. Give me a break.
What really kills me is this:
After Cleveland lost in EC Finals, the "experts" were saying, "LeBron has no help. He has to do everything by himself." Boo Hoo...poor LeBron.
Where were these so called "expert" comments when Cleveland had the best record in the league, and swept through 2 series? No one was complaining then.
I am so sick of this guy. I seriously wish he'd just disappear and take Kobe with him.
your kobe sucking is ing gay
What is ridiculous is that James is getting all these articles written about him, keeping him in the spotlight when it was Dwight Howard who won.
Mention the James tatrum in a paragraph of a Dwight Howard article, but give James no more press than that.
Wow, you really are worked up over the Cavs loss...don't cry Bastian, it's all part of the neverending story
The same guys who thinks James has no support are the same guys who chose Cavs in 6.
they cried when mo williams was not an allstar they deserve it
never thought of that.
Hey !
Those polish dudes could really dunk back then
People are just reveling in LeBron's loss, because they know it might be the last time they really get a chance to enjoy the words "LeBron James" and "lost playoff series" in a sentence.
Hes at the free throw line!
This year was LeBron's only realistic chance at a Ring. Cavs are ins such a mess they pretty much need to blow up the team and start over again.
If they keep this same roster, they'll be in 4th/5th Place in the East come next year.
Well we've heard it four years in a row now...and counting...
should we "take note"?
who/what types of players do the Cavs need and who/whom can they get? I think many players would like to play with Lebron but what specifically do thy need?
I recall it took MJ years to win his first of many championships so I don't think all is lost for Lebron so long as the Cavs FO has the smarts and wherewithall to put together good players around him to win a championship....easier said than done of course.
Youre re ed. They have expiring contracts to dangle next year and are under the cap for 2010-2011.
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