UPDATE BY LM
My patna Lesbo wrote this article almost year ago and I was really debating with myself if I wanted to repost this article. The decision was made. After almost a year, I thought things would be different but I was wrong. The media is still at it. Craig wrote this article moments after THE DECISION. Truthfully, Lebron is not in Houston therefore I do not care however as an HMW Creep it's my duty to laugh at this coverage. Some in the media are acting like Lebron murdered someone. In the midst of the all day onslaught of Lebron Hatred I decided to go back in time and read the article below. As you will read below, nothing much has changed.
THE EXCORIATING OF LEBRON JAMES
Written by: Craig Shelton
Date Posted: 07-19-2010
Maybe I'm the last guy to know? Perhaps the past seven years I've been in a coma or dream-like state, totally unaware of the current state of events? Somewhere in the past seven years as an NBA observer folks, I missed the memo that Lebron James had become the most sought after marketing agent in America. Clearly Lebron's talents as a professional basketball player have been surpassed by his apparent ability as a marketing guru with freakish talents in the field, right? How the hell did I miss that memo...hmmmm?
Please allow me to paint the picture of an 18 year-old kid, fresh out of high school as a basketball prodigy. He joins his hometown NBA team as a player and is immediately thrust into the media's very own version of Cleveland sports & media publicity purgatory. For the past seven years, he lived within the prefabricated atmosphere of "planet media" with almost complete negative P.R. anonymity. If not for a single media hiccup of a poor showing of sportsmanship in the 2009 loss to the Orlando Magic, in the NBA Eastern Conference Finals, his public record would be without incident.
I've told a close friend on numerous occasions that I refuse to talk religion or politics with most folks. I say that because in my lifetime, I've learned that hot button issues of race & religion, causes "intelligent people to say really, really, stupid things". Stupid things like calling Lebron James the: "self-proclaimed King". Wow! Somehow, I don't get a big picture of a wet behind the ears 18 year-old walking into his first major marketing endorsement with the "swoosh" and start calling shots with an internationally accredited marketing behemoth like Nike. My point is, stop calling Lebron the "self-proclaimed" king of the NBA, when we all know he more than likely didn't make that call.
"You people were really reaching with all the Lebron pile-on antics. Geezzzzzz!!"
Lesbo
After observing the aftermath of Lebron James aka "The King" making his now infamous, prime-time cable network "decision" on ESPN, I'm now prepared to add "Lebron talk" to my short list of conversations on my "no can do" list.Before any of my buddies even consider bringing Lebron up in a conversation to me, hoping to get some beauty shop gossip response out of Craig, think again. You may as well be talking to Dan Gilbert about forgiveness, because your percentage chances of getting a favorable reply from me, is less than the percentage chance of Gilbert finding forgiveness in his heart for LeBron James.
BARBER SHOP OR BEAUTY SHOP?
When Cleveland Cavalier owner, Dan Gilbert, fired the initial shot that began to deflate the "fun" helium from the Lebron hot air balloon, he really "set it off". How could we all have not seen it coming in predictable fashion that he would be followed by the Reverend Jesse Jackson of the Rainbow Push Coalition?
HMW HMW HMW HMW HMW HMW
PICTURED ABOVE: HMW FACEBOOK FRIEND
RODNEY WAITES
In the words of my man, Rodney Waites, of CBS Radio: "BOOM"!
Even before the two rich guys (Dan Gilbert & Jesse Jackson) started running their collective, and surprisingly untamed comments; all the fun was trickling away from the Lebron saga; at least for me anyway. I mean c'mon, after I watched and listened to "men" go from talking sports to being "gossip" queens, enough was enough for me. No one was talking basketball anymore in regards to what the pros & cons would be if the Lebron, Wade, Bosh super trio was to come to pass as reality. No conversations about the on-the-court X's & O's related to the trio "ballin' outta control" in South Beach. No, none of the aforementioned angles dominated the airwaves, instead we got girlish gossip. What we got was beauty shop, soap opera gossip, and not barber shop male bonding chatter!I'm not going to spend an entire article perpetuating the farcical events that have taken place since Thursday, July 8, 2010, when "The Decision" came to pass. The one important fact that I will add is that; the only truly revealing thing that I took out of the Lebron James/ESPN production was that he's just a kid, folks. Lebron James is just a kid trying not to have a Michael Jackson-like existence in the world of the NBA and sports in general.
"SELF CHECK"
Stating the obvious: Lebron James never went to college or experienced the whole recruiting process. After listening to his unprepared delivery on July 8th and observing his demeanor during the Jim Gray interview, I understood what we all should need no reminding of: HE'S JUST A KID!!! The guy is very immature in areas just as you and I were at age 25. Even though Lebron James is obviously physically developed as a man, it's equally clear that intellectually speaking, Lebron James is not where he needs to be to reach his goals financially or basketball-wise. That's the story here folks.
"WE THE PEOPLE"
Lebron James is the best example out there of the pros & cons of youthful super athletes being thrust into the public limelight. We're not ready as adults in America to "do as we say" to our children and be decent individuals and not pass judgement on folks. You see, "we the people" of this great country, teach values to our children that we ourselves refuse to live by. Yes American media, "we the people", are not prepared to raise the young men and women we're paid to cover. "We the people" are not prepared to be a positive part of these young men and women's life-learning experience in a helpful, positive manner, while maintaining a proper professional standard. "We the people" as sports fans have not matured enough to show compassion when young people act like "young people" and make foolish, non-criminal mistakes. "We the people" are so consumed with bandwagon chatter and athletes living, as we believe they should live that we forget that if the eye of public scrutiny was ever turned on us, we would crack and run for the cover of our safe little corporate cubicles. "We the people" don't have what it takes to enjoy observing young Americans that are 20 years younger than us live their dreams and cultivate their livelihoods, as they see fit.
"WE THE PEOPLE HAVE YET TO GET WHY WE'RE NOT EVEN CLOSE TO BEING ON THE RADAR OF THE STARS WE CLAIM TO LOVE, BUT WE'VE CORRALLED IN AN ARENA OF HATRED & APATHY." THE QUESTION IS WHY?
I MEAN, IF LEBRON JAMES WAS YOUR SON, WOULDN'T YOU BE A PROUD PARENT?
NOTE: PLEASE REFRAIN FROM USAGE OF ANY DEROGATORY COMMENTS REGARDING MY USE OF "CAPS" IN THIS PASSAGE AND IN THE LAST PARAGRAPH AS WELL. YOU SEE, I'M A REALLY BIG FAN OF DAN GILBERT, SO IF I CAN'T HAVE DAN, DAMMIT, NO ONE CAN!
Craig Shelton
HMW
Email: houstonmediawatch@yahoo.com
Facebook Search: Hmw Shelton\
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/lesbiancraig
1 comment:
In my opinion, the negative sentiment against Lebron James stems from what was at first disappointment for the choice of the decision escapade. If it would have been left at that, I think he would have survived the media and public criticisms. But he didn't stop there. Tweeting things about karma when his old Cavaliers lost to the Lakers by 50 points and a slew of bad press conference comments just have been to much to bare for most of the sports loving public. Lebron is a tired subject though. He is what he is and at this point in the game, I don't think there is any turning back for him. This is who has to be. I don't think he will ever surround himself with anyone that will promote to him to be anything different. He is the king of his world..... I lost a lot of respect for Dwayne Wade to be honest. He has regressed in my opinion from the young kid that won the title in 2006 and was crying as he held on to the championship trophy as he sat next to Shaq. He seems to be a guy that forgot where he came from pretty quickly. I really was taken a back when he and Lebron both mocked Dirk and his sickness during this past series. I didn't know he had that in him. Especially to be the ring leader. Like I said in a previous post about Wade and James both, if the best thing you can say about anyone is that they are good at their job, in this case being a basketball player, I don't know if I want the rewards of that life. They haven't proven to me to be as good of men as they are basketball players. And now even their basketball progress can be questioned. Chris Bosh is who I feel sorry for. He seems to be the most legit man out of the big three even if he is the weakest link of the three on the court. His post game interviews told me a lot about his character. I don't think he belongs in this big three scheme. He doesn't fit. But not because of basketball. I think he doesn't have the ego Wade and James have. I wonder what he feels in his heart. If there is any regret. He was honest about his game and his team every time. He took that game 6 loss harder than James or Wade immediately after the game. I think he sold his soul to the devil to be a part of that group and realized that disobeying his principles as a man might not be worth the pursuit of an NBA title. Not everyone can have the glory of a championship. But you can always have honor in the pursuit. I hope Bosh finds his way because I believe he has hope and potential outside of basketball. Really and truly though, if I have to exert energy to hate or love anyone as a fan, I can at least hope and pray for them rather than talk bad things about them. I at least hope for James and Wade, one day they find their way and these criticisms can make sense to them and bring them some sort of peace and understanding. I wish them all the best in enduring and hope that the game will one day become fun for them again. They took they joy out of the game for themselves with this decision. That is what Bosh needs the most, to enjoy the game. That is the missing ingredient I think. If they find peace, they can experience joy and have a legit chance down the road. But for now, karma is something else huh Lebron?
Post a Comment