LeBron got a ring. After weeks of hate-watching the NBA
playoffs since Derrick Rose went down, it has all come to an end with an
outcome that will leave many of us angry and disappointed. But I’m not at all
surprised. It was his time.
In a world of excess, glitz, illusory glamor, shortcuts, promoting
yourself as a brand rather than a human being, and the want to constantly
remind the world of just how goddamn special you are, it’s only fitting that
the city of Miami and their basketball team are the “World” Champions of
Basketball. What other team in the NBA would represent our time better than
this above average mish mash of a team? We all sat, stared, and hoped that the
thing we’ve been afraid of for two years now wouldn’t come true: LeBron James & The Miami Heat, Champions. It might have started with The Decision and then continued with the
“…not 4, not 5, not 6, not 7…” but up until this point the real reasons we’ve
rooted against them is because of our hope (and denial) that the great sport of
basketball would not take the same inelegant path our American culture and
society has taken. (It has.)
LeBron James is an undeniable talent. He’s built for the
game of basketball. He works hard, constantly tries to improve, involves his
teammates, stays out of the tabloid headlines, and he seems like a nice enough
guy. He is the best basketball player in the world. So why do we cheer against
him so often? The answer is simple: he’s not the Hero. In the 90’s, when
Michael Jordan was dominating the globe with his game and his brand, there were
only a handful of people who genuinely hated him. And they were all either
playing or rooting for the Knicks so they don’t count (because they’re barely
human). It was extremely difficult to really hate the guy, even when he was
beating your team easily and mercilessly, because you had to appreciate his
dominance, his confidence, and the beauty in which he elevated the game of
basketball. Jordan was the hero, even when he was supposed to be the villain.
When I talk to Knicks fans, which is very rarely (remember there is a language
barrier, they’re barely human), they brag and boast about the moments when the
Knicks were close to knocking off the Bulls (they remember history differently,
they’re barely human), and then they pause and their eyes gloss over as if they
are simultaneously remembering their child’s first steps and the death of a
beloved dog. They remember, in awe. Hero.
When LeBron and his talents arrived in Miami, it seemed more
childish than anything. Like the kid who complains to the gym teacher endlessly
so he can get switched to the other team that his friend is on. A shortcut,
instead of braving the storm and manning up. And we judge this harshly because
we place superhuman qualities onto superstars of the world. We want them to
figure it out and fuck shit up. When LeBron put on his assassin face and
chopped it up against the Celtics in Game 6, I watched in awe. Sighing at every
made LeBron basket but also respecting the game. It was a thing of beauty. But where
was the team in all of this? Making wide open 3’s from the corner or lying on
their backs like hillbilly teenage girls. I’ve never once heard a team get
applauded for their ability to draw a charge until the 2012 Miami Heat. Who is
a fan of that style of basketball? Where is the beauty in it?
It is the Miami Heat’s time. Instead of building a team
around fundamentals and passion, we will watch LeBron overpower everyone and
everything while complaining for fouls. His teammates will stand around until
they can draw a charge and they’ll all dance in the end. We’ll all sit and
watch disgusted, knowing that this team and style of basketball has turned into a
reflection of the American mentality. Bullshit, boring, and disgusting.
When we’re bouncing our grandkids on our laps in a few years
from now, how will we describe this moment? Will time have eased the pain and
will we give this team more credit than they deserve? Will we still be
comparing LeBron James to Michael Jordan? Or will we just accept it for it was.
A YMCA basketball team lead by the most dominant basketball player in the world and his bitter sidekick, oh yeah and the Avatar looking guy. Obviously, a lot
of our future opinions depend on what LeBron does with the rest of his career.
But we’ve undoubtedly already started shaping them. Whatever happens I will
remain a fan of the game and of my Chicago Bulls. A team that is defined by
hard work, team first, and most importantly, humility. That’s the world I
aspire to live in. That’s the narrative I want to watch unfold and be a part
of. I will continue to watch LeBron in awe but not in the same way I watched
Jordan. LeBron is an awesome player. Jordan was a God. It didn’t matter if they
were fans or opponents, he made us all feel like little kids again. And as
kids, we see everything in a new way, a more beautiful way. Let’s hope Derrick
Rose and the Chicago Bulls will bring us there. I want to feel like a kid
again.
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| Beautiful. |
