Posts
However in the realm of superstar athlete vs. rabid fanatic,
“hate” takes on more of a cartoonish gravitas.
Hating an opposing team or a specific player is a time-honored
tradition, in fact, it’s the god-given right of every sports fan to name a
nemesis and then hate them for all eternity.
Many athletes interpret the boos at opposing venues as a showing of
respect. For a player to induce such a
reaction by simply being good at what they do is a form of “good-hate” and
something athletes wear as a badge of honor.
Then there is the other end of the spectrum, which usually encapsulates
a player in a brick wall of self-imposed bad choices. This kind of hate, although not as severe as true, real-world
hate, is definitely not a sign of respect.
It’s a fire that pro athletes and their agents try to avoid ever igniting. Owning the “bad guy” role in
sports is a mask worn only by an exclusive group of players whose superpower is
the ability to absorb the relentless backlash from fans and media and strangle
it into an unwilling amount of admiration.
Although he tried it on for a while, this mask was a poor fit for the
face of LeBron James.
During the 2010-2011 NBA season, James tried to accept the
role of villain. He tried to
impersonate the arrogance of a young Alex Rodriguez, the bravado of Alan
Iverson and the merciless play of Reggie Miller. Just one problem . . . LeBron James is a horrible
impressionist. He’s not naturally
arrogant, is obviously uncomfortable and awkward when boasting, and didn’t have
the cutthroat demeanor needed to vanquish his opponent all by himself.
After losing to the Mavericks in the 2011 NBA Finals, James
admitted to not playing within himself, getting caught up in the hype and
making some very immature decisions.
But ever since The Heat’s premature Super Sweet Sixteen Bar Mitzvah
bash, words alone were never going to be strong enough to delete the “… not
one, not two, not three …”. from the cerebral hard drives of fans. James was simply going to have to convince
everyone through the loudest form of communication possible . . . actions.
So James developed a “post game,” something he’s been
criticized for his entire career, and a good one at that. He took definitive control as leader of the
team, no more looking in the magic mirror for Romper Room share time with Wade. And perhaps most important, his change in
attitude with the media. Much like
A-Rod has since coming out about steroid use, James has stopped taking
everything personally. He just answers
the questions with poise, and with the exception of one slip about maybe going
back to Cleveland someday, he did not hand the media much kindling this season.
But what about his heart?
Was he able to Grinch-up his play to overcome the inevitable knockdown
moments that most teams will experience in such an intense tournament like the
NBA Playoffs? The answer: down 2-1 to Indiana, down 3-2 to Boston,
down 1-0 to OKC . . . winner, winner, championship ring dinner. James simply wouldn’t let defeat
happen. Single moments are everything
when creating a legacy and to this point, James was lacking in the “memorable”
section. That is until Game 4 of The Finals with 4
minutes left and a tie score, James drills a 3-pointer on one leg that he had no
business taking and puts Miami up to stay.
It’s the accumulation of those kinds of moments that morphs a good
player into a great player, a great player into a Hall of Famer and a Hall of
Famer into an immortal. That “3” was a
moment no one will ever forget, a moment that makes a champion.
Perhaps though, an even more telling example of the
maturation of King James, even more important than the Game 4, 3-pointer, more
powerful than the plethora of “and 1” drives to the basket, was his instinctual
reaction to a teammate celebrating too early in Game 5. As Mario “little brother” Chalmers started
to rile up the crowd at American Airlines Arena with a good portion of the 4th
quarter left, his leader pointed at him like a teacher who just caught a
student smoking in the bathroom. He
told him, “No, none of that. Just play
ball.” That was LeBron’s “Anakin” moment. Yes that’s right I’m going to make a Star
Wars analogy here and there’s nothing you can do to stop me. Besides it’s appropriate as The Heat were
definitely getting the “Evil Empire” treatment in Oklahoma City for their
introductions, but I digress. In that
moment, LeBron James was no longer under the influence of the dark side; the kid straight out of high school who
thought he could use anger and aggression to take a team to a championship all
by himself. He was no longer the guy who thought he could just take a short cut by teaming up with other all-stars and dominate the league like it’s an
X-Box game. The circle is now complete, but not in the ominous evil way The Emperor says it. LeBron is now a complete player, a
leader who makes everyone on the team better not only by his play when the
clock is running, but also by his demeanor when it’s stopped.
Now that he finally has his ring and won it with an MVP
performance, supreme unselfishness and, most surprisingly, with class, fans can
now continue to “hate” on LeBron James, but now for the right reason . . .
being a champion.
Member of the Boxxet Network of Blogs, Videos and Photos
21 comments:
AAhhh, I was waiting for someone to write about the Championship. The Heat were dominate the last two games.
Another example, that I noticed, showing Lebron's change and unselfishness was in game 4. He was one rebound short of a triple double and helped get the W not that last rebound.
That being said, he still has a little work to do with his answers and body language. He made some borderline comments.
What do you think about Stuart Scott's questions to the team at the end of the game? I thought they were ridiculous.
Stuart Scott is a duechebag!
lol
I heard you went to NYC. How was it?
Had a good time. Watched the Spiderman play, ate Lombardi's twice and watched a Mets game. Just to name a few.
LeBron is now a Champion douchebag.
WEEEEEEE ARE THE CHAMPIONS MY FREEEEEEENGS !!!
All the hate from the players point of view and the fans point has only made the celebration sweeter.
It is a beautiful thing to live in the city of the most ignorant, hypocritical fan base i have ever met
( MAGIC, GATOR FANS) and to be a HEAT fan.
It's going to be great at the next HEAT vs tragic game at amway, as we cheer on the champs and outnumber the losers !
But hey maybe sully can post cute pictures of a team not his as the super friends of DC next yr.
Try the grizzlies hat on sulls , since that tragic one is broken!
Great way to sum it up Koko,
the mask of the MVP CHAMP fits Lebron much better.
Haters only wear the mask of hypocrisy , thinking who they are and who they root for dont stink like the next man !
Congrats to your team Juan, but I think you're still missing the point of the hate. It was all warranted.
LeBron and the Heat were being hated for all the "wrong" reasons brought on by nothing other than their own actions.
Now everyone can move on and hate them for the "right" reasons.
Nope , never stated anything about warranted or un-warranted.
Simply that when everyone you encounter on a daily basis wants your team to fail , it makes it that much more sweeter.
And I am basking in it baby !!!
Yeah but that's the point. When everyone is hating on you, you like to prove them wrong, which is what makes the celebration sweeter.
In this case, most of the hate was not wrong. So taking an "in-your-face" type of stance is completely unfounded.
But I will give you the exception of the few moron analysts and any fans who said Wade and LeBron can't play together. You can definitely rub it in their faces.
Reality is that the "exception" was what I most heard.
I wish lebron would just die.
This team will never work together.
Lebron will choke again.
They are buying a good team( even though in the NBA there is a cap, and these guys make less than ohhhhh let's say Joe Johnson and Carmela )
You can't beat a real team like the bulls( we beat them in 5 games last yr....that's pure hate)
I heard this much more than any constructive critisicm.
I mean cmon, sully yelled bosh sucks cock in front of kids!
I'm basking because my team won despite all the hate weather warranted or unwarranted!
LETS GO HEAT!!
Ray Allen come on down!
Lamar Odom come on down!
Steve Nash ?????
You definitely get to bask in the glory. Your team just won the whole thing. And yes Pat Riley, now you CAN celebrate. You see how it works is you celebrate after you win something, not before. He still doesn't get it.
And let's be honest Juan you had selective hearing since the team was put together, you never conceded to any of the Heat's or LeBron's bad decisions in any of our conversations until very recently.
But I for one am over it. They won, proved that the team works and LeBron did it with total class. I see him as a much more mature and scary player. Hopefully for him, he stays on this path.
ummm I will chime in now. Lebron finally made "got it" in the last game vs the Celtics. Total domination, not some lucky 3 pointer that he misses 9 out of 10 times. He realized that nobody, and I mean nobody can guard him and he finally took control. Good for him. Of any non Milwaukee team, the Heat has always been my favorite because of Wade, so hopefully they can repeat
I mean finally "got it"
Great article Koko you made some fine points. And Juan.....Congrats....but ease up with your bad boy everybody is haters and you can all suck it mantra..........your kind of proving the point of all the haters.
It's sports.....and even when you win (or Don't win just claim not one, not two...etc)......you still should show some class.
You should be happy..not exude anger and belittlement which only creates more anger and hate.
Let's be honest...all the haters were simply jealous. Jealousy begets hate...no need to feed it.
Thanks Keith, but hate and jealousy are not mutually exclusive. Most fans hated LeBron and The Heat for very substantial reasons.
But that should be over now as they proved the team works and is absolutely the best in the league. Plus LeBron conducted himself with class and elevated his play to that of champions like Jordan and Kobe.
If he can maintain that approach, then yes, the only reason left for hating him will be jealousy.
"Very Substantial" Reasons??? C'mon....it had waaaay more to do with Jealousy than because they got carried away at a "SEASON TICKET HOLDER" Event......and Cuz Lebron made a dumb TV Show "The Decision".
I still get sick when I hear idiot callers on MadDog calling up and complaing Lebron and the Heat bought a championsip etc...........People Hate on the Yanks but do you hear rhetoric complaing "Texiera or Sabathia" are chasing rings???
No.....that is now the norm in baseball......but people just choose to hate on the Yanks more because they are jealous of embarrasment of riches and their managment teams unfounded ineptitude to actually develop a winning team like other poorer teams are forced to do.
Would I like my Brewers to outspend the Yanks.....of course...however I know that is impossible and so when the Yanks are better I have to get angry and root against the Yanks.
We all hated the Sharks....did we not??? That was more born out of jealousy than anything???
Yes Keith, as usual I have to give you a lesson in sports etiquette.
For instance, leaving your team in the lurch to forfeit a game with first place on the line to go on a fishing trip, might inspire a little "hate" that has nothing to do with jealousy. I can say with the up most assurance that no one was wishing they were in Wisconsin.
Just messing with you, at no time on Friday was I wishing for you on your trip to get forcibly mounted by a rabid mad cow with e-coli, Deliverance style.
As for the Heat, it's sports, it's entertainment, so like I said the word "hate" takes on a subdued meaning.
LeBron had accumulated plenty of instances to inspire hate amongst fans before the decision. Giving himself the nickname of "King," the baby powder ritual, quitting on his team multiple times when the chips were down . . . those are some things that may have irritated people but for the most part they were overlooked.
But then add in the Decision to the mix and it enhances the smaller stuff. And "hate" starts to snowball. The Decision was the absolute worst way to go about leaving Cleveland, even LeBron now admits it was immature.
Then add in that unprecedented pep rally thing. Which I believe was the tipping point for most people. To say they are going to roll off 8 championships and also follow up that statement with "...and when I say that, I'm not blow'in smoke, I really believe it," spits in the face of everyone who has suffered with their teams in trying to win just 1 title. It belittled the incredibly hard process of winning a ring.
Then during that first year when they hit a bad stretch of games, they had the pity party, blaming everyone that they were being judged too harshly and the media was out to get them. Follow that up with making fun of Dirk during the Finals, saying that he wasn't really sick and then end up losing to him while performing horribly in the series.
Those are all the legit reasons people "hated" on them. All the other stuff that people piled on, like "buying a ring" or "LeBron and Wade can't play together," is all bullshit but they were the ones who opened the floodgates.
Now that the Heat has righted the ship, fans can "hate" them for the right reason . . . jealousy. That is the only way you want to be "hated" in sports because it means that you are just simply the better team.
But in the Heat's case the "hate" was not born out of jealousy at all.
As for the Yanks, yes you finally now get it. You "hate" them simply because you are jealous.
Jealous of the rings, the HOF players, and the unprecedented blueprint for the most successful business in pro sports history.
Congrats Keith, the first step toward recovery is admitting you have a problem. Only 29 more days until your first chip.
I havent done any in your face celebration keith.
I have simply treated those who hated for ignorant reasons(not you & Koko) with a dose of there own medicine.
Am I allowed to say ignorant Keith since you call maddog callers ignorant?
Is it ok to push some dumb Tragic fan after he shoves a Lebron sucks poster in my wifes face?
Is it ok Keith?
Stay classy Milwaukee
Wow....you wonder why all the anger and hatred.....it is spewing on this friendly site.
However, I am thrust into a sadness cuz Koko attacked the one place that makes me sad and that is letting my fellow teamates down.
I had no idea we would be forced to forfeit as I have always taught THE TEAM Above all and figured we would rise up and missing one part we always adapt.......especially after one of our greatest victories in my mind anhilating our old Rival Pretzels playing only 9.
Or......maybe I was trying to Lull the Cleaners into a sleep for when they face us in the playoffs they will have no idea who the Real Cobra Kai are until we wax them and they are left looking like Mr. Clean's dome!!!! Which one is it.....either way Cobra Kai is goin all the WAAAAY!!!
And Juan....why are you so angry? Is it wrong to push a Magic fan.....ahhh...yea.
And...Cmon Juan.....MadDog radio is great except their callers are all atrocious. I can't beleive MadDog keeps taking callers....95& of them have no idea what they are talking about.......oh except you Juan if you call in.......
And Koko......the best blueprint in baseball.....HAHAHAA. Oh wait....I don't want to make fun of the yanks or Koko will attack my kryptonite of letting my fellow Cobra Kai down..........that one hurt Koko.....just plain hurts.................I will make up for it tonight!
Hey if the fire is too hot for you Keith, get out of The Dojo. This is no place to be merciful. Mercy is for the weak. DO YOU HAVE A PROBLEM MR. GREIVELDINGER!
And you know what really hurts? A fucking forfeit, that's what!
Keep on laughing Polly-O string cheese boy. Yanks are the most successful sports franchise in history, both on and off the field. No amount of beligerant ignorance from you can change it.
Post a Comment