Many people thought I was daft when I predicted an Orlando Magic victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers in six games, but I held firm to my beliefs because in the end, I knew the Magic was simply a bad match up to the Cavs. I knew how the Magic's lithe and quick frontline would pose problems for the Cavs' big but lumbering big men and I expected Lebron James' teammates would not provide enough support to lift the Cavaliers. What I didn't expect though, was how bad Lebron James would blow it.
Forget about Lebron losing a chance to play in the NBA Finals on his Most Valuable Player season. Forget about him losing to the less favored Orlando Magic despite finishing with the league-best 66 to 16 win loss record. What Lebron blew was the opportunity to look like a classy guy.
After losing game 6 and the series to the Magic, James quickly retreated to the locker room, avoided the media and went straight to the team bus. Most disappointingly, he never offered any congratulatory hugs or handshakes to the Magic players, even to his team USA teammate Dwight Howard. Asked about his abrupt exit from the arena, the "King" explained, "It’s hard for me to congratulate somebody after you just lose to them,” he said. “I’m a winner. It’s not being a poor sport or anything like that. If somebody beats you up, you’re not going to congratulate them. That doesn’t make sense to me. I’m a competitor. That’s what I do. It doesn’t make sense for me to go over and shake somebody’s hand.”
Come on Lebron. Being a "winner" doesn't mean you don't congratulate the winner. Recognizing and congratulating someone who has beaten you fair and square doesn't make you a loser; in fact, it makes you a bigger person worthy of adulation. Even bitter rivals MAtt Hughes and Matt Serra congratulated each other after trying to kill each other in UFC 98. Oscar de la Hoya found time and character to congratulate Manny Pacquiao after the Pacman beat him to a pulp.
There he was, Lebron James, a star athlete with transcendent popularity, a role model for kids all over the world with a chance to show them what true sportsmanship is all about. He had a chance to show kids that sportsmanship is not just about playing fairly and cleanly and competing relentlessly. It is, more importantly, accepting defeat and enjoying victory graciously Being the superstar James is, he simply can't do two out of three and expect the world to indulge him because of his youth and frustration. Youth coaches in different sports from all around the world can try to teach kids about sportsmanship and graciousness, but in the end, kids' heroes like Kobe Bryant and James will impact the kids more with their behavior. If he truly cared about helping kids and molding them into better people, he would have recognized his basketball camps with the youth in Akron, Ohio is not enough. He should have seen this as a perfect opportunity to show kids how great and classy athletes take losing to worthy rivals. He blew his chance to help educate kids about true and unadulterated sportsmanship.
Lebron James is a tremendous athlete, one of those once-in-a-generation type athletes who will no doubt win many more accolades and championships, and I hate to think that this episode blemish a lasting legacy that he is destined to leave the world with. I really hope he owns up to this boo boo of his. He is once again presented with an opportunity to show kids proper behavior, to own up to one's mistakes and apologize properly. Let's go Lebron. Don't blow it this time.
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