Here's a small sampling of stories and columns about LeBron James winning the MVP.
Jack McCallum of SI.com is still waiting for James to mess up, saying: "It's the way he conducts himself on and off the court that has gotten my attention." And Jay Mariotti of AOL (sorry Alan) pretty much gushes: "When he could be the most arrogant S.O.B. in sports, a kid with loads of money and fame and famous friends, James is a remarkably mature young man with a light spirit and a driving ambition to achieve what has been forecast for him."
The other view came from the Newark Star-Ledger, which opined: "The media has an appreciation for James' peerless talent — if anything, he's underrated — but it spends an inordinate amount of time promoting a charisma that he simply doesn't have or speculating where he'll move his entourage 13 months from now. The franchise, meanwhile, lives in abject fear that the guy is going to ditch Cleveland, and bends over backwards doing whatever he asks."
Some anger there because the likelihood of James playing for the Nets has decreased? Who knows.
There are always two sides to a story, and I understand that. Truth be told, James did not really answer the question when asked if he'd leave Cleveland if he won a championship. He kind of hinted he might, or hinted he might not, depending on how you interpret things. Part of me thought that was not the forum for James to address the question, though the argument could be made there would have been no better place for James to say he was going to remain with the Cavs (See, two sides).
None of that takes away, in my mind, from the impact of the day. James brought the MVP trophy to Akron and shared his success with the community and school that gave him his heart. Perhaps it's too Rockwellian to take at face value, but James spoke in heartful, sincere, meaningful ways. He spoke with an experience far beyond is 24 years. He used humor, he had a misstep or two and his grammar was not always perfect. But the entire thing was touching. And the fact that he took the event to St. Vincent-St. Mary spoke volumes. Pretty much everyone I talked to thought that was a most meaningful gesture.
Yes, it could have had something to do with marketing the movie about his St. V-St. M days, but I'd be more inclined to believe that if this were the first time James involved his high school in things. He's been back there many times, sometimes to visit, sometimes to watch his alma mater play, sometimes to film an interview or commercial. James taking the MVP ceremony there was not out of character.
And it also highlighted one point about his future: He sure can't have an event like that if he plays in New York or New Jersey. He could win the MVP there, but the event could not come home in the same way. Me, I don't see James leaving. I think the opposite will happen. He will stay, and he will bring more players here, just like he will bring more business opportunities and more renown to his hometown and his playing town. It won't solve all the problems that are present, but if James plays in New Jersey he sure would not be able to watch his alma mater playon a night off.
McCallum is right. In a sense, James is bigger than life because he handles everything so well — on and off the court. In pro sports these days doubt always lurks around the corner. We media are skeptical to start — or least we should be – and our faith can always be proven unfounded. But in the time I've been around LeBron (admittedly it's not a been a lot, and it's in a controlled environment) he's been the same guy every time. Monday's event was about as sincere as I can remember — and James' words as genuine as I've heard in a long time.
One day it may all blow up in our face. But I doubt it. I really, really, really doubt it.
Pat, your second to the last paragraph pretty much sums up Livingston's mea culpa column about Dr. J. And while he was in Philadelphia, few media guys spent as much time around Dr. J. than Livingston.
I don't like blind loyalty or blind faith, particularly when it comes to the local media. I'm not limiting it to James, I mean any sportswriter in any city covering their own heroes. Because that slants a sportswriter's words, whether consciously or unconsciously. There's being impressed, and then there's going completely overboard to the point of worship. Jesus tossing up chalk.
I'm not saying sportswriters should take a jaundiced eye, but Livingston was completely starstruck, and only saw what he wanted to see. His "Rockwellian" view of Dr. J. hit the nail on the head. And it turned out making a total fool of him, albeit Livingston suprisingly was totally man enough to admit it in a Cleveland newspaper column long after he left his Philadelphia paper.
Let me ask you a question: Let's say you were a beat writer as well as a columnist. Kind of like what they've got Ocker doing, in his own crazed Larry King kind of way. You happened to pass James' hotel room while on the road, the hotel door was open, you saw two smoking hot ladies in there in various states of undress, neither of whom was his girlfriend, and you also smelled a strong hit of marijuana coming from that room. Would you write about it? Would you tell anybody, who in turn would tell somebody else, who in turn would tell somebody else? Or would you allow Rockwellian to remain Rockwellian. Or would you wait for the next Serena Roberts, whatever her motives, to show that the emperor has no clothes. In other words, what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas.
I think we both know the answer.
You earlier wrote a post that the former great Sports Illustrated, a magazine which old farts like us grew with and loved, has since morphed into People magazine, a point which I happen to agree with. Along with all the other soft celebrity stories and dopey features, it now reads as something put out by the athletes' publicists. But if you kept James' otherwise image-ruining secret, of which literally hundreds of millions of dollars ride, would you not be contributing to the very points you are criticizing? Sports Illustrated is a periodical, not a newspaper, but in this instance, I really don't think you can differentiate the two.
Well said Pat. Not everything has to have a alternate, orchestrated meaning behind it. Sometimes, it is what it is and you take it as face value.
Enjoy the moment people. Best team Cleveland has seen in decades. Yah, they might not beat the Lakers…they may not even make the Finals but damn, this team is fun to watch. Way better than the corporate Lakers or the bad attitude Celtics who beat their chests and swear at opponents when things go well and take cheap shots at opponents when they don't.
Why must certain people find the negative in and around every news story about the Cavs is a mystery.
c'mon pat! don't give alan credit for my anti-mariotti blurbs!
just in case people haven't seen these cleveland tourism videos.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ysmLA5TqbIY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oZzgAjjuqZM
the second one has a comment that relates to "(Lebron) will stay, and he will bring more players here, just like he will bring more business opportunities and more renown to his hometown and his playing town."
I noticed that too, terje. I think I've written just two brief blurbs about Mariotti. On the other hand, you've written about 30. Or 300. I've lost count.
pat, i have a comment stuck in your moderation queue. i think it's because there is a couple hyperlinks.
Alan, were such a thing to happen, I'd report it. I have to be true to myself most of all, and if that happened and I didn't report it I'd be a complete sham and unable to walk by a mirror, much less look in it.
Those video links are hilarious.
OK, Pat, I'll take you at your word. But I do think that is one of those, "I really don't know what I'd actually do unless it actually happened and I was forced to be put in that situation" kinds of things. Because if you did what you say you would do, you'd become like an Indian ostracized from the tribe. The difference being the Indians did it in a civil manner.
Frankly, I think you and your entire family would require immediate round-the-clock police protection. Seriously. Finally, the federal witness protection program would be your next and only viable career and life option. You'd have to become Floyd Weatherspoon, born and raised in Hastings, Nebraska. Nebraska's only dual potato and raisin farmer. How do you look in bib overalls?