Why I Hate LeBron James--And I Don't Care If You Do Either

In the wake of the Miami Heat's second consecutive NBA Championship, I had prepared a very nasty post concerning one LeBron James.

And although I am going to tone down some of that rhetoric, I will explain why I don't like the so called 'chosen one.' Not that I need to defend myself to the LeBron Apologists, who believe everyone should be a fan. That they should bow before his greatness, as if he has somehow found the cure for cancer or AIDS.

No, to me LeBron has become more hated than the Pittsburgh Steelers, John Elway, Art Modell, and Ray Lewis combined. Anyone who knows even the slightest about Cleveland Browns' football understands why that is such a huge statement.

LeBron Apologists will say get over The Decision, it's more than time to move on. I say LeBron Apologists get over yourselves. Basketball is a team game, and LeBron has chosen himself over the team. Drafted by Cleveland at the age of 18, he was expected to lead the Cavaliers to greatness they had never seen before. And although he didn't get them there, it wasn't for a lack of trying.

Or was it? A Cavs team that had been hand picked by LeBron himself--the decision to let Carlos Boozer go, the acquistion of first Damon Jones, then Mo Williams, and later Antwan Jamison--were all moves that had been rubber stamped by the 'King' (makes me sick even saying that) himself. Even the decision to hire Mike Brown as head coach--essentially a James yes man--was an indirect sign of the influence this man had over the Cleveland front office. Yet, at the end of the day, the only thing the Cavs would have to show for themselves was a 0-4 NBA Finals sweep by the San Antonio Spurs in 2007.

LeBron Apologists will point to the fact there have been other great players to earn championships after leaving their original teams. Shaquille O'Neal, Clyde Drexler, Kevin Garnett are three of the most recent examples. Yet none of these players left their original teams with nearly the fanfare that surrounded James. I'm also pretty sure that before they left town they also thanked the fans for supporting them--something the 'Chosen One' has yet to do for the city of Cleveland (an apology would be nice, too.) And once they got to their new destination, they didn't talk about the number of rings they would win---they just went out and won them.

Then there is the whole  post game interview where James emphatically states " I'm from Akron, Ohio (the inner city)--I'm not even supposed to be here." Give me a break. You're six foot eight inches tall, blessed with natural quickness and a leaping ability that most guys would die for, and have been told you would be great probably since you were 10 years old. I don't think you'll get an ounce of sympathy from me. There are a lot of other people in the world that have overcome a lot longer odds than you have.

But the biggest issue I have with LeBron is the way he helped form the current Miami Heat team. Got together with his buddies Chris and Dwyane and asked them in the middle of the night if they all wanted to play together. Of the three aforementioned individuals who were also high profile free agents, I am certain none of them got to rubber stamp their teammates before they moved to their new location. In fact the struggles between Shaq and Kobe in Los Angeles have been well documented. But each player put aside their personal differences, at least for a little while, in interest of the greater good of the team. To me that is the true definition of being the ultimate team player. Do you honestly think Michael Jordan agreed with every decision that the then Chicago Bulls GM Jerry Krause made?

LeBron Apologists will say this is all stupid, I need to get over myself. I say get a life. Quit putting hero worship on an individual who clearly values his own legacy before the team. A man who, despite making millions upon millions of dollars doing something he loves, needs an entourage of yes men calling him 'The Chosen One' and 'King James.'  Do you honestly think the man really cares if you root for him? I don't remember him thanking the fans once during the whole Game 7 post game interview that has since circled the internet a million times over.

I'll acknowledge that what he has done is impressive. And if he wins another title next year, he may be among the top five players all-time, maybe top three. But he has a long way to go to win my support back. In fact, I am not sure there is much he could do at this point that would change my mind.

Weekend Rant: Tiger Woods, Kobe Bryant, etc...

Tiger Woods is staying put this weekend at Augusta National.

He just might even win his fifth Masters tournament in the process.

As social media is abuzz regarding his controversial drop on the 15th hole, the game of golf needs him to be in contention on the final day. So of course they're going to create an exception for him.

Golf purists can argue all they want that Tiger should remove himself from the tournament, but he's not going to do that. Neither would they if they happened to be in his position. When you're chasing history, sometimes you bend the rules. And if the tournament officials allow it, then you say you're fine with it too.

Look, I really don't like Tiger myself that much. In all honesty, I'd rather see someone like Rory McIlroy, Rickie Fowler, or even Phil Mickelson(known by many as a big choker) put on the green jacket instead on Sunday afternoon. But the PGA understands the power of Tiger, and is willing to let bygones be bygones at this point. Doesn't mean it's right. Or even fair.

And to those who say that no golfer is above the rulebook, I say this: yeah right. From the moment he won his first major, there was already an unofficial rulebook created for one Eldrick 'Tiger' Woods. If you're just realizing that now, well shame on you.

So if Tiger goes on to win Sunday, historians can put an asterisk by his name if that makes them feel better. But it won't really change anything at this point.

...Kobe Bryant may have played his last game of professional basketball.

Well, not really, but even he is sensing the end is near after MRI's reveal that he suffered a tear in his achilles tendon the other night.

Many Lakers fans around the world are hoping that this isn't the end for Kobe.

As for me, while I hope he makes a full recovery, I hope that this indeed is the beginning of the end for no. 24 of purple and gold.

A man called by many the greatest Laker of all time, in my opinion he was merely a superior one-on-one player surrounded by other great players.

He won three titles with Shaq, two more with a list of All-Stars and a coach (Phil Jackson) that even LeBron would be envious of. Now, without Phil and with two of the supposed best players in the league (Steve Nash and Dwight Howard), they're barely making the playoffs.

History has already shown us that LeBron had success in Cleveland with a bunch of castoffs that no other team wants for very long. The proof is the fact that the Cavs haven't even made the playoffs without LBJ, despite the efforts of coach Byron Scott(who actually led the then New Jersey Nets to the NBA finals once upon a time).

And then there is the G.O.A.T., one Michael Jeffrey Jordan. Not only were Jordan's Bulls a contender before Phil, but Jordan also lifted the lowly Washington Wizards to near playoff status. At the age of 40. After he had been out of the game for several years mind you on his second retirement tour.

So Kobe is pissed that, at age 35, this might be the end of the road for him. Well, don't expect me to feel to sorry for him knowing that others have come back and still been successful under less than ideal circumstances.

Most Impressive Streak in Sports History?

A topic of discussion that has created a lot of buzz around the sports world lately is who has the more impressive streak, the Chicago Blackhawks (National Hockey League) or the Miami Heat (National Basketball Association.)

To be honest, I am not sure the two are totally comparable. For starters, the Blackhawks streak includes games that earned them a point to their record (and thus include several overtime losses), whereas the Miami Heat's streak only counts wins.

The Heat have looked absolutely dominant during their latest run, with LeBron James making yet another case why he should be the league's MVP.  Miami has also been able to do this while not taking themselves too seriously, as evidence by the filming of their very own Harlem Shake Video.

Yet I would argue that Miami's streak should come with an asterisk, if only because they are one of the few elite teams in the league. There isn't another team in the Eastern Conference that has been able to give the Heat a consistent challenge.

On the other hand, Chicago's streak, even if it has taken place in the midst of a shortened season, should not be taken lightly. That they have been able to score 45 points in only 24 games is nothing short of amazing, especially given that the team with the best record last season (Vancouver) amassed 111 points in a 82 game season. Certainly, over an 82 game schedule, the 'Hawks would not match the 180 point pace their current record suggests, but it is a fair assumption to say they might have scored in the 130-140 point range.

That is not to say the Blackhawks streak is by any means more impressive. First off, one must take into account that, due to the lockout shortened season, they are playing teams in the Western Conference only. And it should also be noted that, as a casual observer of hockey (watching the Columbus Blue Jackets will do that to you), I am far from an expert on the matter.

But I digress. All of this fuss leads me to the central question of this post:  who holds the most impressive streak in all of sports? Is it the Philadelphia Flyers (who scored a point in 35 consecutive games)? Or maybe it was the Los Angeles Lakers, who won 33 straight games way back when. Or how about Joe Dimaggio's 56 game hit streak? And let's not forget Cal Ripken's 2,632 consecutive games played for the Baltimore Orioles. Maybe it isn't even someone in the professional ranks. How about the UCLA Bruins' 76 consecutive wins in the 1970s? Or Oklahoma football's 57 consecutive wins?

So, whom do you think holds the most revered streak in all of sports? I'll be waiting your answer.

Memo To David Stern: Please leave Pop, Spurs Alone

So in case you've been living under a rock for the last 24 hours, NBA commissioner David Stern has threatened to impose some sort of sanction against the San Antonio Spurs or their head coach, Gregg Popovich, in light of recent events.

And, in case your not familiar with what those events were, I will be happy to refresh your memory. Popovich sat starters Manu Ginobli, Tim Duncan, and Tony Parker in last night's game against the Miami Heat. Popovich was trying to give his stars, who had just played four games in the last five nights, a breather before their home contest Sunday versus Memphis. Although San Antonio would eventually lose the game, the 105-100 result was more than likely closer than expected.

So now Stern and his cronies want to punish the Spurs for an action that was clearly the coach's discretion. I mean, come on, I understand the fans pay good money to see a quality product on the court. But I was wondering if someone could please explain to me how a five-point contest isn't a quality product?

Look, if we're going suspend/fine/otherwise punish coaches/teams for doing what is in their best interest, I have a few other suggestions. About 10 years ago or so I went to a Lakers-Celtics contest in Los Angeles but I didn't get to see Shaquille O'Neal play because he was hurt. How about giving me and the rest of the people who bought a ticket that night a refund? No? Well, I also went to see the Spurs play the Wizards a few years before that, but David Robinson didn't play because he was hurt. C'mon commish, you need to punish the Spurs for that, too. I'm pretty sure if Pop wasn't the coach he was at least the GM at that point.

What's that, Commissioner Stern, cat got your tongue? That's what I thought. The proposals I made are just as ludicrous as the proposed sanctions you are about to levy on today's Spurs. I will admit, I am not a huge pro basketball fan, but if I do watch I sometimes root for the Spurs. Most people don't like them because they aren't flashy enough, but, as I have said before, I like the fact they play fundamentally sound team ball for the most part.

And yes, as a fan, if I was in Miami (not entirely out of the question, as I spent the last week two hours northwest of South Beach. Of course, I didn't get a ticket, as I was unaware the two teams played) and I had gone to the game, I would be upset that some of my favorite players were not even dressing. But at the end of the day, I would be happy that my team was in a position to possibly win the game.

So, commissioner Stern, leave Pop and the Spurs alone. There is no rule that says a NBA head coach can't sit his stars if he feels its in the best interest of the team. This is just another attempt by you to unnecessarily throw your weight around, and another reason why once avid fans like myself are becoming more indifferent by the day.