It's always hard to make statements like this, but I think it's safe to say that the good majority of the country was fully behind the Dallas Mavericks last night as they went on to win their first NBA Championship. There really isn't an awful lot to dislike about the Mavericks. They have one of the greatest superstars in league history in Dirk Nowitzki. They had one of the best point guards in history in Jason Kidd. And they have probably one of the best owners in all of sports in Mark Cuban. But all those reasons combined weren't the main purpose for the country-wide backing of the Mavs. The primary cause for the support of the Mavericks was nothing more than the shear disdain for the Miami Heat, centered almost exclusively around #6, LeBron James.
When it was all said and done, Dallas outplayed Miami, Rick Carlisle outcoached Erik Spoelstra, and the Maverick players outclassed those of the Heat. All told, the Mavericks earned the right to call themselves champions. On the flipside, the Miami Heat earned the right to call themselves runners-up, chokers, or classless losers.
Over history, in all sports, teams often times take on the form of their leaders. Michael Jordan's teams in Chicago took on his killer instinct en route to six NBA titles. The Yankees teams over the last 10-15 years have taken on the persona of Derek Jeter, their calm, cool, and collected captain. And this NBA Finals was no exception, with the Miami Heat taking on the form of the "leader" in LeBron James. The only issue is that James clearly, by going to Miami, never wanted to be the "leader," and it showed over the last week.
LeBron was tentative throughout the series, seemingly deferring at every chance he had, primarily down the stretch. If you match up the two superstars, Dirk outscore LeBron 26-3 in the final five minutes of each game in the Finals. How does the supposed best player in the NBA not score a single point in the final five minutes of all six Finals games, until 1:51 left in Game 6, when he hit a meaningless 3-point shot down 12? Although he put up 21 points last night, James never looked comfortable, aside from his 4-4 start from the field. From that point on, he looked to give the ball up rather than take control, in an almost cowardly display of leadership. Some will say he was just being unselfish by giving the ball up. Those whose eyes are actually open will say that he gave up, and chose to be the sidekick. Honestly, I almost feel that this was an attempt to shift the blame of a loss onto his supporting cast, almost in a way saying "I was letting them try to win it, and they couldn't hit the shots." No LeBron, those shots were supposed to be yours to take. Those shots were shots that Jordan, Magic, Bird, and Kobe all would've taken. Those were shots that Dirk Nowitzki took, and that's the reason your season is finished, and your fingers are void of jewelry.
What truly bothered me about the Heat in these Finals wasn't necessarily LeBron, although it's no secret I am not a fan of his. It was the actions of Dwyane Wade. I'm not talking about actions on the floor. Dwyane Wade had no other alternative but to take the reigns of this team, his team, and try to win the title with seemingly little help from the greatest player in the game. What I'm referring to was the off-court actions of Wade, primarily in the moments before Game Five. Wade has been a player many have thought of as classy, full of heart, intelligent, and gritty. This will be the second time I've used this word in this post, but his actions prior to Game Five, mocking Dirk Nowitzki's Game Four illness by pretending to cough into his shirt on the way into the arena, was nothing short of cowardly. What was worse was his explanation of the incident when asked about it later. Wade claimed the cough was real, and that it was actually played up a bit more because their were cameras in front of them and they were hoping the media would "blow it up." No Dwyane, you did it because you were a coward, plain and simple. You earned what you got.
LeBron and D-Wade, the two leaders of this team, were both responsible for the overall let down, but the reason most people are excited about the Heat's loss can be centered almost solely on LeBron. When he chose to do what he did, taking his talents to South Beach, it was expected that he was also taking some leadership ability to the team, helping to take the burden off Wade's shoulders. Instead, with his inability to perform when it matters, he did just the opposite, putting D-Wade in a position to have to carry the Heat, which he was already doing the year before when he was by himself. Unfortunately for him, the results were the same, even though he now has a higher priced Robin to his Batman.
To make matters worse for James, he's now distanced himself even further from many of the fans he always looked to for approval. His post-game press conference alienated him even moreso than his play on the court. What LeBron doesn't realize is that the majority of the sports fan population is more intelligent than he is, and we can all read between the lines with what your comments actually were.
"All the people that were rooting me on to fail, at the end of the day they have to wake up tomorrow and have the same life they had before. They have the same personal problems they had to today. I'm going to continue to live the way I want to live and continue to do the things that I want with me and my family and be happy with that. They can get a few days or a few months or whatever the case may be on being happy that not only myself, but the Miami Heat not accomplishing their goal, but they'll have to get back to the real world at some point."
Basically, what he told all of us that were rooting for his failure is, in so many words, he's better than all of us. We, as everyday people, have to go back to our $45,000 a year jobs, our $250,000 mortgages, our $25,000 car loans, and our mundane lives, while he gets to continue living his multi-million dollar life of expensive cars, huge houses, and insane toys. Closed circuit to Mr. James: If the rumors are true and you have a cheating girlfriend, you're much closer to all of us than you actually realize. The biggest difference is that you get paid a lot of money to perform your job, and unfortunately for you, you can't perform it very well.
Congratulations to Mark Cuban, Dirk Nowitzki, and the Dallas Mavericks. You earned the title of NBA Champions through hard work, dedication, and a will to not stop until you got it.
Congratulations to LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and the Miami Heat. You also earned something through all of this. You earned the titles of NBA Villains. You've earned the right to be rooted against, booed, and ultimately hated by the majority of, not just NBA fans, but sports fans in general. Good luck overcoming that "every day problem."
Showing posts with label Miami Heat. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Miami Heat. Show all posts
Monday, June 13, 2011
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.
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
Love Shaq
There's not going to be too much overly special about this particular post. This is actually a post I never would've thought I would've written if you'd told me 10 years ago that I would be. On Wednesday, one of the greatest players to play the game of basketball decided to call it quits for a career. Shaquille O'Neal announced on Wednesday that, after a 19 year career, he has decided to retire from the NBA.
What made Shaq one of the greatest wasn't always about his talent, but what he brought to the game of basketball both on and off the court. Shaq was one of the most "real" stars of the game. What do I mean by that? Frankly, he let his personality shine through, and wasn't afraid to be who he was. He had other interests outside the game of basketball, and he would pursue those, but never at the expense of his team and teammates. In an era where it's far too common to read about athletes putting themselves in situations they shouldn't be in, Shaq was one that never did. He was flamboyant at times, yet still humble at times. He was the consummate teammate.
I'm not going to go through all of the Hall of Fame caliber numbers, but trust me, they're there. There's absolutely no question that he is one of the greatest big men to ever play the game. In fact, when he broke into the league 19 years ago, he revolutionized the way the game was played. He was nearly unguardable at times, and even spawned a new style of late-game defensive strategy known as the "Hack-A-Shaq." He brought Orlando to an NBA Finals, along with the Los Angeles Lakers and Miami Heat, winning with both the Lakers and Heat. Later in his career, he hung on because he wanted to play the game, because it was a game that had given him almost everything he had...which was fitting, because he did the same. Sure, there were times where he was injured and didn't practice much because of bad feet or leg problems, but his heart was always there.
As a personality, there was almost no one more entertaining in the game. He may have come across as bland at times, but what came out of his mouth was usually great for conversation, and many times, great for a laugh. Kobe Bryant aside, his teammates loved him, and, if he were honest with himself, Kobe did as well. Kobe has proven later in his career that he is "the man", just as Shaq used to be. But without Shaq, Kobe's early success would've more than likely come much later in his career. Whether he wants to admit it or not, Shaq helped Kobe learn how to win, and learn how to lead a team. Putting a team on his shoulders was a Shaquille O'Neal calling card, and that's now been passed on to Kobe.
Over the last two or three seasons, Shaq wasn't close to the player he used to be, but that didn't stop him from trying. I always hated when my team would run up against him, but have learned to respect the talent and overall person that is Shaquille O'Neal. Thanks for the great career!
What made Shaq one of the greatest wasn't always about his talent, but what he brought to the game of basketball both on and off the court. Shaq was one of the most "real" stars of the game. What do I mean by that? Frankly, he let his personality shine through, and wasn't afraid to be who he was. He had other interests outside the game of basketball, and he would pursue those, but never at the expense of his team and teammates. In an era where it's far too common to read about athletes putting themselves in situations they shouldn't be in, Shaq was one that never did. He was flamboyant at times, yet still humble at times. He was the consummate teammate.
I'm not going to go through all of the Hall of Fame caliber numbers, but trust me, they're there. There's absolutely no question that he is one of the greatest big men to ever play the game. In fact, when he broke into the league 19 years ago, he revolutionized the way the game was played. He was nearly unguardable at times, and even spawned a new style of late-game defensive strategy known as the "Hack-A-Shaq." He brought Orlando to an NBA Finals, along with the Los Angeles Lakers and Miami Heat, winning with both the Lakers and Heat. Later in his career, he hung on because he wanted to play the game, because it was a game that had given him almost everything he had...which was fitting, because he did the same. Sure, there were times where he was injured and didn't practice much because of bad feet or leg problems, but his heart was always there.
As a personality, there was almost no one more entertaining in the game. He may have come across as bland at times, but what came out of his mouth was usually great for conversation, and many times, great for a laugh. Kobe Bryant aside, his teammates loved him, and, if he were honest with himself, Kobe did as well. Kobe has proven later in his career that he is "the man", just as Shaq used to be. But without Shaq, Kobe's early success would've more than likely come much later in his career. Whether he wants to admit it or not, Shaq helped Kobe learn how to win, and learn how to lead a team. Putting a team on his shoulders was a Shaquille O'Neal calling card, and that's now been passed on to Kobe.
Over the last two or three seasons, Shaq wasn't close to the player he used to be, but that didn't stop him from trying. I always hated when my team would run up against him, but have learned to respect the talent and overall person that is Shaquille O'Neal. Thanks for the great career!
Thursday, May 26, 2011
The NBA's Landscape Is About To Change
The Rapture came and went this past Saturday, and the world is still here. For fans in about 23 NBA cities, however, the end of the world will be recognized sooner rather than later, thanks in large part to the new Eastern Conference Champions, the Miami Heat. I've lost a lot of faith in the NBA, but for those that haven't, unless you live in Miami, you all better become Dallas Mavericks fans during the NBA Finals.
What the Miami Heat may accomplish, should they win the 2011 NBA Finals, could potentially ruin the overall appeal of the NBA. Even getting as far as they have could change to overall landscape of the league for years, and not for the better. When LeBron James and Chris Bosh joined Dwyane Wade in Miami, they started a new free agency trend in the league that could be very damning for teams not in the NBA's "elite" circle. Los Angeles, Boston, New York, Chicago, Dallas, and New Jersey...six of the league's seven premier cities (Miami being the seventh), will become the centerpieces of the NBA's free agency market over the next year or two, leaving the other 23 franchises left to wonder if they will even be able to compete in the coming years. The sad fact is, they will not.
Should the Heat win the title in the coming two weeks, you can almost be assured that superstars playing on their current teams will begin conversing with others throughout the league, persuading and pleading with each other to form similar "super teams" to the one that Miami put together this season. Sure, the NBA as a "company" makes most of its money from those seven cities, however, popularity of the sport may suffer if fans in other cities begin to feel detached from their teams. Personally, this is something true for myself, who has lost total interest in my local team here in Minnesota, because of what appears to be an unwillingness to even want to compete with the elite.
Winning a championship in any sport brings a great deal of revenue to that city and organization. The team becomes marketable to the league, resulting in more nationally televised games, higher jersey sales, and increased revenue at the opposing arenas when the champions come to town. These are all things any team and its ownership group would love to see. But unfortunately, with the precedent now set forth by the Miami Heat, there may only be a handful of "A" level talent available for those other 23 teams to pick from, leaving many of them to flounder.
Looking at the Timberwolves as an example, ownership has gone in a direction they feel is "exciting," by bringing younger, more "athletic" talent into the mix. It also happens to be an inexpensive way of forming the team. With plenty of money to spend on an "A" level player, the team is choosing not to, more than likely because there would be no point. With just one player of that caliber, the team would most certainly not win a championship. It happened here already with Kevin Garnett, who was the face of the franchise for over 10 years. Garnett had a decent cast around him, but nothing to the level of the cast LeBron has around him in Miami. It wasn't until Garnett joined Paul Pierce and Ray Allen in Boston (via a trade from Minnesota, not a free agent signing) that he won his first NBA Championship. The Timberwolves, however, have never recovered from that loss, and haven't seemed to even really try to.
The dilemma going forward for the NBA is a difficult one. On one hand, you have a league looking out for its bottom line, and on the other hand, you have the 30 owners looking out for theirs. The dilemma is that each has different agendas that don't coincide together. David Stern and the NBA as a league are perfectly fine with the revenue that will be generated by the soon-to-be seven mega teams, whereas you will see owners of the other 23 franchises be "okay with" not signing high-priced free agents because they know without two or three of them together, their team won't be able to compete for that title. At that point, those owners will be more inclined, from a business standpoint, to just hold on to the money they would've spent on a free agent, and eventually pad their bottom line that way. Great for the owners, but not great for the fans in those cities.
The best thing that could've happened for the NBA would've been to have a team like Oklahoma City find their way into the finals against a team like the Chicago Bulls. OKC, with two up-and-coming young stars, not high-priced free agents, playing for the biggest prize in the sport. Instead, the worst nightmare of fans throughout the league, other than those in Miami, is about to come to fruition.
Go Mavericks!
What the Miami Heat may accomplish, should they win the 2011 NBA Finals, could potentially ruin the overall appeal of the NBA. Even getting as far as they have could change to overall landscape of the league for years, and not for the better. When LeBron James and Chris Bosh joined Dwyane Wade in Miami, they started a new free agency trend in the league that could be very damning for teams not in the NBA's "elite" circle. Los Angeles, Boston, New York, Chicago, Dallas, and New Jersey...six of the league's seven premier cities (Miami being the seventh), will become the centerpieces of the NBA's free agency market over the next year or two, leaving the other 23 franchises left to wonder if they will even be able to compete in the coming years. The sad fact is, they will not.
Should the Heat win the title in the coming two weeks, you can almost be assured that superstars playing on their current teams will begin conversing with others throughout the league, persuading and pleading with each other to form similar "super teams" to the one that Miami put together this season. Sure, the NBA as a "company" makes most of its money from those seven cities, however, popularity of the sport may suffer if fans in other cities begin to feel detached from their teams. Personally, this is something true for myself, who has lost total interest in my local team here in Minnesota, because of what appears to be an unwillingness to even want to compete with the elite.
Winning a championship in any sport brings a great deal of revenue to that city and organization. The team becomes marketable to the league, resulting in more nationally televised games, higher jersey sales, and increased revenue at the opposing arenas when the champions come to town. These are all things any team and its ownership group would love to see. But unfortunately, with the precedent now set forth by the Miami Heat, there may only be a handful of "A" level talent available for those other 23 teams to pick from, leaving many of them to flounder.
Looking at the Timberwolves as an example, ownership has gone in a direction they feel is "exciting," by bringing younger, more "athletic" talent into the mix. It also happens to be an inexpensive way of forming the team. With plenty of money to spend on an "A" level player, the team is choosing not to, more than likely because there would be no point. With just one player of that caliber, the team would most certainly not win a championship. It happened here already with Kevin Garnett, who was the face of the franchise for over 10 years. Garnett had a decent cast around him, but nothing to the level of the cast LeBron has around him in Miami. It wasn't until Garnett joined Paul Pierce and Ray Allen in Boston (via a trade from Minnesota, not a free agent signing) that he won his first NBA Championship. The Timberwolves, however, have never recovered from that loss, and haven't seemed to even really try to.
The dilemma going forward for the NBA is a difficult one. On one hand, you have a league looking out for its bottom line, and on the other hand, you have the 30 owners looking out for theirs. The dilemma is that each has different agendas that don't coincide together. David Stern and the NBA as a league are perfectly fine with the revenue that will be generated by the soon-to-be seven mega teams, whereas you will see owners of the other 23 franchises be "okay with" not signing high-priced free agents because they know without two or three of them together, their team won't be able to compete for that title. At that point, those owners will be more inclined, from a business standpoint, to just hold on to the money they would've spent on a free agent, and eventually pad their bottom line that way. Great for the owners, but not great for the fans in those cities.
The best thing that could've happened for the NBA would've been to have a team like Oklahoma City find their way into the finals against a team like the Chicago Bulls. OKC, with two up-and-coming young stars, not high-priced free agents, playing for the biggest prize in the sport. Instead, the worst nightmare of fans throughout the league, other than those in Miami, is about to come to fruition.
Go Mavericks!
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