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.
Showing posts with label Shaquille O'Neal. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Shaquille O'Neal. Show all posts
Thursday, June 9, 2011
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!
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