With the exception of a few teams in baseball, such as the Red Sox or the Phillies, most teams think of themselves as being different than the Yankees because they don't spend as much money as the Bronx Bombers. The Twins are no exception to that. There are those Twins fans that believe they can't compete against the Yankees because their payroll is twice that of the Twins. The money argument is a stale one, considering the success of teams like the Cardinals and Giants over the last couple of years. The truth of the matter is that it doesn't have as much to do with the amount a player makes, but more with the talent he has and what the team does with it. Right now, it doesn't appear the Twins have done enough with the talent they do have, and continue to feel sorry for what they don't have.
With the Twins now 13 games back in the Central Division, 2011 has quickly become a lost season. Injuries ravaged the team from the start, and made it clear that if they were to succeed this season, it truly would be a total team effort. For the most part, the Twins and their fans tend to be a bunch that lives in the past, rather than a bunch that looks at what's going on in front of them or in the future. You'll hear statements such as, "we've won six division titles under Ron Gardenhire," or, "he's a three-time batting champion," or, "he was the MVP back in 2006."
It can be said that teams like the Twins or like the defending World Series Champion Giants have to make the most with what they have. This is very true. At the same time, teams like the Yankees and Red Sox do the same, making the most of the players they have, and in many cases, making them better than they were. People can complain about them buying all the "great" players, but what matters is what those "great" players do for the Yankees when they're there.
A prime example of this is evidenced by the breakout season of Curtis Granderson. Granderson was always a fantastic player for the Detroit Tigers, but seems to have taken his offensive game to a new level with the Yankees. Upon arriving in New York, Yankees hitting coach Kevin Long worked with Granderson, an already proven big-league hitter, on his stance, calming his movements down at the plate. The result has been noticeable, with Granderson leading the league in Runs, RBI's, and Extra-Base Hits, and currently sitting second in Home Runs.
What the Yankees don't tend to tolerate is mediocrity. If a player isn't getting the job done, the Yankees will find a solution, either through a trade during the season, or the free agent avenue after it. Yes, often times that requires the check book to come out. But, what it does show, to both the Yankee players and their fans, is that the team is willing to do what it takes to win.
When the Yankees come to town, boos can be heard throughout the Twin Cities. Those boos are for Alex Rodriguez. Those boos are for Derek Jeter. Those boos are for Nick Swisher. Those boos are even for Mariano Rivera. Sadly, those boos are incredibly misplaced. OK, maybe the boos for A-Rod are placed pretty well.
When a team continues to allow its star player to average an extra-base hit in every 17.9 at-bats, that should be booed. When a team allows its rookie shortstop to struggle immensely at the plate and in the field without even an attempt to find a better solution, that deserves to be booed. When a team's "power-hitting" first baseman sits out a game because he fouled a pitch off his foot the night before, while his counterpart in the other dugout who fouled three pitches off his feet in one at-bat in that very same game plays, that should be booed. When a team continues to accept mediocre-at-best performances from its starting rotation, as well as pathetic displays from its bullpen during important close games, that needs to be booed.
Just because a team comes into town with the willingness and desire to actually succeed, regardless of the financial cost, they shouldn't be booed. They're doing only what we would want our own team to do, and that's be as competitive as possible. If people think that booing the opposition for wanting to be the best is something that helps their own team, they're mistaken. It really only shows how little respect those people have for the game. If you're booing that, then you're accepting the very mediocrity that your own team continues to march onto the field, which only means that you can expect to continue seeing that level of mediocrity in the future.
But hey...you've won six division titles in the last 10 years, so, it's not that big a deal, right?
Showing posts with label Derek Jeter. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Derek Jeter. Show all posts
Sunday, August 21, 2011
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
Is Thome's Accomplishment Being Under-Sold?
Barry Bonds, Hank Aaron, Babe Ruth, Willie Mays, Ken Griffey Jr., Alex Rodriguez, Sammy Sosa...and now, Jim Thome. Those are the only eight members of baseball's 600 home run club. It's not necessarily the most elite record there is. After all, there are only two members of the 4,000 hit club (Pete Rose and Ty Cobb), only two members of the 2,000 RBI club (Aaron and Ruth), and only one member of the 1,000 stolen base club (Rickey Henderson with 1,406). But when it comes to records in baseball, there has always been something special about those involving the long-ball.
Thome hit home runs number 599 and 600 on Monday night, to very little fanfare leading up to the feat. When Derek Jeter got hit number 3,000 a few weeks ago, MLB Network cut into their programming to show every Jeter at-bat from 2,998 through 3,000. ESPN ran story after story about what Jeter's accomplishment would mean, given no one had ever achieved 3,000 hits with the New York Yankees. Even HBO got into the mix, airing a special only one week after Jeter reached the milestone about his quest to get there.
Yet, it seemed only fans of the Minnesota Twins were aware of how close Thome was to joining the "Elite Eight". Some would say that the lack of emphasis on the 600 milestone had to do with the Twins' struggles this season. Others would say that it's because Thome is playing in Minnesota, a smaller market, and as a result, Jeter playing in New York brought more attention. A third suggestion is that the home run has lost its luster now that we're in the post-steroid era.
Regardless of the reason for such little hype, the baseball media, and fans alike, need to understand the significance of the accomplishment because it's conceivable we may not see such an accomplishment again.
Looking through the list of eight, we know that three have been directly tied to steroid use (Bonds, Rodriguez, and Sosa). Taking that into account, that leaves only five considered to be "genuine" members of the club. Suddenly, the club seems more elite. Now, looking to the future, only one active player in the top 50 has a legitimate chance to reach the 600 milestone, and that player is Albert Pujols (currently with 437 homers). Pujols, like Thome, is widely regarded as a guy who's "done it right" throughout his career. Given his age (31) and the average number of home runs he's hit in each of his first 11 seasons (39.7 per year), it's assumed that Pujols will reach the 600 milestone sometime around the end of the 2015 season. He would be 35 at that time, and would have a reasonable chance to overtake Bonds as the all-time home run leader by the time he's 40.
It's possible that Thome could be the second-to-last person to ever achieve that magical milestone, yet, the accomplishment seemed to fall by the wayside. Looking at it all, it truly seems a shame that one of the true "good guys" in the game became one of the greatest sluggers of all time, and some people are still questioning whether or not he belongs in the Hall of Fame. I think he deserves a little more respect than that.
With talk of realignment, the possible shortening of schedules to prevent November baseball, and cleaning up the game of performance-enhancing drugs, these types of records and accomplishments shouldn't be taken for granted. There's nothing certain about Albert Pujols reaching the 600 club, albeit likely. There's nothing to say that a young, up-an-coming slugger might not reach that mark in 15 more seasons. However, as with anything in life, we just don't know.
Make sure Thome is getting the credit he's due. More so than anything, he's earned it!
Thome hit home runs number 599 and 600 on Monday night, to very little fanfare leading up to the feat. When Derek Jeter got hit number 3,000 a few weeks ago, MLB Network cut into their programming to show every Jeter at-bat from 2,998 through 3,000. ESPN ran story after story about what Jeter's accomplishment would mean, given no one had ever achieved 3,000 hits with the New York Yankees. Even HBO got into the mix, airing a special only one week after Jeter reached the milestone about his quest to get there.
Yet, it seemed only fans of the Minnesota Twins were aware of how close Thome was to joining the "Elite Eight". Some would say that the lack of emphasis on the 600 milestone had to do with the Twins' struggles this season. Others would say that it's because Thome is playing in Minnesota, a smaller market, and as a result, Jeter playing in New York brought more attention. A third suggestion is that the home run has lost its luster now that we're in the post-steroid era.
Regardless of the reason for such little hype, the baseball media, and fans alike, need to understand the significance of the accomplishment because it's conceivable we may not see such an accomplishment again.
Looking through the list of eight, we know that three have been directly tied to steroid use (Bonds, Rodriguez, and Sosa). Taking that into account, that leaves only five considered to be "genuine" members of the club. Suddenly, the club seems more elite. Now, looking to the future, only one active player in the top 50 has a legitimate chance to reach the 600 milestone, and that player is Albert Pujols (currently with 437 homers). Pujols, like Thome, is widely regarded as a guy who's "done it right" throughout his career. Given his age (31) and the average number of home runs he's hit in each of his first 11 seasons (39.7 per year), it's assumed that Pujols will reach the 600 milestone sometime around the end of the 2015 season. He would be 35 at that time, and would have a reasonable chance to overtake Bonds as the all-time home run leader by the time he's 40.
It's possible that Thome could be the second-to-last person to ever achieve that magical milestone, yet, the accomplishment seemed to fall by the wayside. Looking at it all, it truly seems a shame that one of the true "good guys" in the game became one of the greatest sluggers of all time, and some people are still questioning whether or not he belongs in the Hall of Fame. I think he deserves a little more respect than that.
With talk of realignment, the possible shortening of schedules to prevent November baseball, and cleaning up the game of performance-enhancing drugs, these types of records and accomplishments shouldn't be taken for granted. There's nothing certain about Albert Pujols reaching the 600 club, albeit likely. There's nothing to say that a young, up-an-coming slugger might not reach that mark in 15 more seasons. However, as with anything in life, we just don't know.
Make sure Thome is getting the credit he's due. More so than anything, he's earned it!
Monday, July 11, 2011
All-Star, Or All-Whosever-Available?
All-Star games are supposed to be showcases for the fans. In all sports, fans have the opportunity to vote for their favorite players to see them play on a stage of superstars. Dream team-like rosters dueling it out to see whose stars are superior. Whether it be the NBA, Major League Baseball, the NHL, or the NFL, All-Star games are meant to showcase the best talent each sport has to offer.
So, why does it feel as though every year, in every sport, All-Star games have become more of a "who wants to play" than a "who we want to see" atmosphere?
Of the four major sports, Major League Baseball's All-Star Game is the one that has the most significance, given the recent change to the format making the All-Star Game the determining factor for home-field advantage in the World Series. The NFL's showcase of stars, the Pro Bowl, occurs after the season and the Super Bowl have been completed. The NBA's All-Star Weekend arrives every February, just past the mid-point in the season, as does the NHL's All-Star Game.
With tickets to the MLB All-Star Game on Tuesday night going for between $67 and $5,500, the event is pricy for the average Joe. It is an event, no doubt about it, but one where people would more than likely be interested in watching stars like Alex Rodriguez, Derek Jeter, Jose Reyes, Ryan Braun, and Justin Verlander and not as interested in watching guys like Jhonny Perolta, Pablo Sandoval, Miguel Montero, Ricky Romero, and Craig Kimbrel. Unfortunately, injuries sometimes determine who it is we all get to see, and more often than not, that's the case. In the event of some pitchers, however, their normal starts on Sunday prevent them from taking part in the showcase.
This year, it seems as though more of the superstars of the game are absent from the event. Pitchers like Justin Verlander, C.C. Sabathia, Cole Hamels, and Felix Hernandez will all be out of the game itself, having pitched on Sunday. That's a combined 44-19 record that won't be throwing during the game. Yankee stars Alex Rodriguez, Derek Jeter, and Mariano Rivera will be out of the game, nursing injuries (Rodriguez opting to have surgery on his knee on Monday). Perennial all-stars Joe Mauer, Albert Pujols, Mark Teixeira, Ryan Howard, and Jimmy Rollins will not be present, thanks to sub-par years on their parts (although Pujols has come on late in the first half, despite a wrist injury). So, is it really an "All-Star" game if the game's best players won't actually be playing?
Sure, it's disappointing for fans who tune in to the game to watch their team's stars or to see players they don't normally see, when those players aren't playing for a variety of reasons, but that's not the true point of the game. The All-Star Game, regardless of sport, is to showcase the best talent in the league that season. To reward those players who are deserving of that spotlight, regardless of popularity. The fact that the fans get to vote in the starters is one thing, but the overall game itself is where players performing at their best get to become household names. Let's be honest and say that, aside from his 3,000th hit coming just three days prior to the game, Derek Jeter has not done much at all this season to warrant a starting spot in the All-Star Game, and that's coming from somebody that would consider himself a Derek Jeter fan. Asdrubal Cabrera of the Cleveland Indians has been the best shortstop in the American League throughout the first half, and is truly deserving of the start.
What becomes irritating is when players decline to partake in the All-Star Game to "avoid" injury. You tend to see this more in the NFL and NBA than you do in Major League Baseball, but it occurs anywhere. With the NFL, the Pro Bowl takes place after the season. When you're on a team that has just played two, even three games in the playoffs, you tend to see players decide to just end their season after that final loss, as opposed to suiting up just one more time for the fans. That's where it becomes unfair to the fans. For the NBA, it's even worse. When each conference has 15-16 players on their roster, in a league with only about 15-20 superstar names like Kobe, KG, and LeBron, it can be devastating for one of these superstars to back out of the game to avoid injury or to just "rest up" for the second-half of the season.
We as fans deserve to see the best players on this special stage. If there are injuries, it's understandable that you not participate. If you're electing to stay away to remain healthy and not risk hurting yourself, stop being selfish.
So, why does it feel as though every year, in every sport, All-Star games have become more of a "who wants to play" than a "who we want to see" atmosphere?
Of the four major sports, Major League Baseball's All-Star Game is the one that has the most significance, given the recent change to the format making the All-Star Game the determining factor for home-field advantage in the World Series. The NFL's showcase of stars, the Pro Bowl, occurs after the season and the Super Bowl have been completed. The NBA's All-Star Weekend arrives every February, just past the mid-point in the season, as does the NHL's All-Star Game.
With tickets to the MLB All-Star Game on Tuesday night going for between $67 and $5,500, the event is pricy for the average Joe. It is an event, no doubt about it, but one where people would more than likely be interested in watching stars like Alex Rodriguez, Derek Jeter, Jose Reyes, Ryan Braun, and Justin Verlander and not as interested in watching guys like Jhonny Perolta, Pablo Sandoval, Miguel Montero, Ricky Romero, and Craig Kimbrel. Unfortunately, injuries sometimes determine who it is we all get to see, and more often than not, that's the case. In the event of some pitchers, however, their normal starts on Sunday prevent them from taking part in the showcase.
This year, it seems as though more of the superstars of the game are absent from the event. Pitchers like Justin Verlander, C.C. Sabathia, Cole Hamels, and Felix Hernandez will all be out of the game itself, having pitched on Sunday. That's a combined 44-19 record that won't be throwing during the game. Yankee stars Alex Rodriguez, Derek Jeter, and Mariano Rivera will be out of the game, nursing injuries (Rodriguez opting to have surgery on his knee on Monday). Perennial all-stars Joe Mauer, Albert Pujols, Mark Teixeira, Ryan Howard, and Jimmy Rollins will not be present, thanks to sub-par years on their parts (although Pujols has come on late in the first half, despite a wrist injury). So, is it really an "All-Star" game if the game's best players won't actually be playing?
Sure, it's disappointing for fans who tune in to the game to watch their team's stars or to see players they don't normally see, when those players aren't playing for a variety of reasons, but that's not the true point of the game. The All-Star Game, regardless of sport, is to showcase the best talent in the league that season. To reward those players who are deserving of that spotlight, regardless of popularity. The fact that the fans get to vote in the starters is one thing, but the overall game itself is where players performing at their best get to become household names. Let's be honest and say that, aside from his 3,000th hit coming just three days prior to the game, Derek Jeter has not done much at all this season to warrant a starting spot in the All-Star Game, and that's coming from somebody that would consider himself a Derek Jeter fan. Asdrubal Cabrera of the Cleveland Indians has been the best shortstop in the American League throughout the first half, and is truly deserving of the start.
What becomes irritating is when players decline to partake in the All-Star Game to "avoid" injury. You tend to see this more in the NFL and NBA than you do in Major League Baseball, but it occurs anywhere. With the NFL, the Pro Bowl takes place after the season. When you're on a team that has just played two, even three games in the playoffs, you tend to see players decide to just end their season after that final loss, as opposed to suiting up just one more time for the fans. That's where it becomes unfair to the fans. For the NBA, it's even worse. When each conference has 15-16 players on their roster, in a league with only about 15-20 superstar names like Kobe, KG, and LeBron, it can be devastating for one of these superstars to back out of the game to avoid injury or to just "rest up" for the second-half of the season.
We as fans deserve to see the best players on this special stage. If there are injuries, it's understandable that you not participate. If you're electing to stay away to remain healthy and not risk hurting yourself, stop being selfish.
Saturday, July 9, 2011
Derek Jeter: The Newest Member To The 3,000 Hit Club
There are some players in sports you just want to dislike. It's easy to dislike guys like LeBron James. It's not tough to root against guys like Alex Rodriguez. Heck, some could make the argument that Michael Jordan, possibly the greatest basketball player of all time, was the most hated man in the NBA. In many cases, we dislike the successful players who play on the best teams. It's safe to say that the New York Yankees and their players could be the team in sports more hated and disliked than any other.
Try and try as you might, there is one Yankee player that is difficult to dislike. That player is Derek Jeter.
Throughout his 17-year career, Derek Jeter has been nothing but the consummate professional. He's not a trash-talker. He's not a hot dog. He is the definition of a "team leader". Within baseball, he is one of the most respected players in the game. "The Captain" is as appropriate a nickname as any in the game. On Saturday, Jeter became the 28th player in Major League history to reach the 3,000 hit milestone, going 5-5 in the game, and reaching the magical number with a solo home run in the third-inning.
Over the last 20 years, with players embracing the free agent idea more and more, it's rare to see someone of Jeter's caliber remain with the team that drafted him, but, he has. He is easily one of the greatest Yankees to ever play the game, and when you're mentioned with the likes of Mickey Mantle, Babe Rute, Joe Dimaggio, and Lou Gehrig, that is truly saying something. Of those Yankee greats, Jeter became the first of them all to reach that amazing feat. Truly a special moment in that team's rich history.
Being a Minnesota Twins fan, the Yankees have been our playoff nemesis over the last few years. We have nothing compared to the great rivalry between the Yankees and Boston Red Sox. Regardless, both Twins and Red Sox fans, as well as all baseball fans alike, have to respect what Derek Jeter has done over his career. In this day and age, it's difficult to find players like him. We've seen some fantastic shortstops come and go over the last 20 years, but Jeter stands head and shoulders above them all. His yearly numbers may not be as great as some others (Alex Rodriguez when he was with the Rangers, Hanley Ramirez of the Marlins, Jimmy Rollins of the Phillies to name a few) but there hasn't been a better leader and a more consistent guy in baseball over that time. If you're building a team from scratch, Jeter is the type of player you would want to build around.
Congratulations to Derek Jeter. Easily one of the greatest Yankees of all-time, and a sure-fire first ballot Hall of Famer!
Try and try as you might, there is one Yankee player that is difficult to dislike. That player is Derek Jeter.
Throughout his 17-year career, Derek Jeter has been nothing but the consummate professional. He's not a trash-talker. He's not a hot dog. He is the definition of a "team leader". Within baseball, he is one of the most respected players in the game. "The Captain" is as appropriate a nickname as any in the game. On Saturday, Jeter became the 28th player in Major League history to reach the 3,000 hit milestone, going 5-5 in the game, and reaching the magical number with a solo home run in the third-inning.
Over the last 20 years, with players embracing the free agent idea more and more, it's rare to see someone of Jeter's caliber remain with the team that drafted him, but, he has. He is easily one of the greatest Yankees to ever play the game, and when you're mentioned with the likes of Mickey Mantle, Babe Rute, Joe Dimaggio, and Lou Gehrig, that is truly saying something. Of those Yankee greats, Jeter became the first of them all to reach that amazing feat. Truly a special moment in that team's rich history.
Being a Minnesota Twins fan, the Yankees have been our playoff nemesis over the last few years. We have nothing compared to the great rivalry between the Yankees and Boston Red Sox. Regardless, both Twins and Red Sox fans, as well as all baseball fans alike, have to respect what Derek Jeter has done over his career. In this day and age, it's difficult to find players like him. We've seen some fantastic shortstops come and go over the last 20 years, but Jeter stands head and shoulders above them all. His yearly numbers may not be as great as some others (Alex Rodriguez when he was with the Rangers, Hanley Ramirez of the Marlins, Jimmy Rollins of the Phillies to name a few) but there hasn't been a better leader and a more consistent guy in baseball over that time. If you're building a team from scratch, Jeter is the type of player you would want to build around.
Congratulations to Derek Jeter. Easily one of the greatest Yankees of all-time, and a sure-fire first ballot Hall of Famer!
Thursday, June 9, 2011
LeBron's Legacy Can't Stack Up With Other Greats
When it comes to gut-check time in sports, there are certain superstars in history that show they want to be "the guy" (or "the girl" in ladies sports). There are names that come to mind: Michael Jordan, Curt Schilling, Derek Jeter, Kobe Bryant, Peyton Manning, Tom Brady to name a few. One name that won't appear on that list is LeBron James. His lackluster performance in the NBA Finals thus far has many asking questions about his heart and about his drive. With the Dallas Mavericks taking a 3-2 series lead on Thursday night, it appears that LeBron is exhibiting neither.
This NBA Finals was supposed to be LeBron's coming-out party. He made his bed by "taking his talents to South Beach," and this was the time he was supposed to sleep in that bed. Unfortunately for Heat fans, LeBron is showing why his Cavaliers teams of the past always came up short at the end. When you look back at championship teams led by Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant, what you saw was an unwillingness to accept defeat. Their drive and their heart carried their teams to multiple championships, not just one. And, aside from Kobe's first three titles with the help of Shaquille O'Neal at his side, neither Jordan or Kobe had multiple superstars to play with. LeBron has two in Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh. And what we're seeing from LeBron is more of a stance of "I'll take a back seat to let you two be the stars." That's not the attitude of a champion.
Yes, champions are unselfish. Champions know when to delegate. But champions also know when it's time to take over and ensure victory. With all the scrutiny placed on LeBron this season, this was his time to squash all of his "haters" and critics. Instead, he's gained more of each, and in some cases, deservedly so. Scoring 8 points in Game Four showed a complete lack of heart. That performance was his first single-digit scoring performance in over four years, and it came at a time when he should've been having his best performance in four years. When questioned after both Game Three and Game Four, LeBron insinuated that he was allowing Dwyane Wade to be "the guy." This was a convenient reason given the results of each game. But, had that game plan been one that was discussed before the series started, it's probably one that we all could've bought as legit. Instead, we got the performances, followed by the "reason" for the performances. Put two and two together here.
Thursday morning, a rumor began circulating that LeBron's Game Four performance came because of a lack of focus. That lack of focus was apparently caused by something off the court. Regardless of what this may have been, it shows his inability to compartmentalize outside situations and take control of things on the court, as a true leader would do. Instead, he decided to defer to the other stars on his team...not in the way of delegation, but moreso in the way of pacification. He chose to take himself out of the mix, and it cost his team a game. After the game, as a result of his passive approach, he chose to put much more undue pressure on himself for Game Five, tweeting that "It's now or never." What the Heat got was a slightly better version than the Game Four LeBron, but still a shell of what a leader should be.
And the result? A long flight back to Miami with the likelihood of being sent home as the 2011 NBA Finals Runners-Up after Game 6, and an off-season to contemplate what you actually want your legacy to be. The question is whether or not LeBron has the heart to change that legacy. At this point, that doesn't appear likely.
This NBA Finals was supposed to be LeBron's coming-out party. He made his bed by "taking his talents to South Beach," and this was the time he was supposed to sleep in that bed. Unfortunately for Heat fans, LeBron is showing why his Cavaliers teams of the past always came up short at the end. When you look back at championship teams led by Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant, what you saw was an unwillingness to accept defeat. Their drive and their heart carried their teams to multiple championships, not just one. And, aside from Kobe's first three titles with the help of Shaquille O'Neal at his side, neither Jordan or Kobe had multiple superstars to play with. LeBron has two in Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh. And what we're seeing from LeBron is more of a stance of "I'll take a back seat to let you two be the stars." That's not the attitude of a champion.
Yes, champions are unselfish. Champions know when to delegate. But champions also know when it's time to take over and ensure victory. With all the scrutiny placed on LeBron this season, this was his time to squash all of his "haters" and critics. Instead, he's gained more of each, and in some cases, deservedly so. Scoring 8 points in Game Four showed a complete lack of heart. That performance was his first single-digit scoring performance in over four years, and it came at a time when he should've been having his best performance in four years. When questioned after both Game Three and Game Four, LeBron insinuated that he was allowing Dwyane Wade to be "the guy." This was a convenient reason given the results of each game. But, had that game plan been one that was discussed before the series started, it's probably one that we all could've bought as legit. Instead, we got the performances, followed by the "reason" for the performances. Put two and two together here.
Thursday morning, a rumor began circulating that LeBron's Game Four performance came because of a lack of focus. That lack of focus was apparently caused by something off the court. Regardless of what this may have been, it shows his inability to compartmentalize outside situations and take control of things on the court, as a true leader would do. Instead, he decided to defer to the other stars on his team...not in the way of delegation, but moreso in the way of pacification. He chose to take himself out of the mix, and it cost his team a game. After the game, as a result of his passive approach, he chose to put much more undue pressure on himself for Game Five, tweeting that "It's now or never." What the Heat got was a slightly better version than the Game Four LeBron, but still a shell of what a leader should be.
And the result? A long flight back to Miami with the likelihood of being sent home as the 2011 NBA Finals Runners-Up after Game 6, and an off-season to contemplate what you actually want your legacy to be. The question is whether or not LeBron has the heart to change that legacy. At this point, that doesn't appear likely.
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