Young men are prone to having big egos. LeBron James is no exception. The NBA superstar announced his intention to sign with the Miami Heat on national television last night. It was a boring display of one man's sense of self importance. But before I get too carried away with blasting James, who is just another inarticulate professional athlete, let me say that sports figures in general are given way too much importance in our society. James is not the only one to blame for last night's infomercial.
ESPN, sports agents, advertisers and even some of his friends and family should take responsibility for feeding into this free agent's inflated view of himself. Yes, James is the one who stands before the crowd before each game and thrusts his arms upward after clapping powder in his hands, almost demanding that fans look at him. Yes, James is the one who awkwardly bragged about his having "won at every level" prior to his seven years with the Cleveland Cavaliers -- a ridiculous claim for someone who never played college ball. What level is he talking about? High school? Middle school? Recreation leagues?
The 25-year-old MVP is leaving his home state of Ohio for Miami, Fla. Makes perfect sense at his age. South Beach is a fun place to be for young men with cash. However, fans don't really need to hear about how Cleveland will always be home or how James agonized over this decision. We don't need anymore nonsense about how winning championships is his only goal or how his mom inspired him to make this move.
For what little they contribute to society, athletes get way too much attention. If James was going to plug the BP oil well in the Gulf of Mexico, I'd say give him his own television series. James is entertainment for those who enjoy watching competitive sports -- nothing more, nothing less. His ego will probably subside as he matures. Life has a way of taking us all down a notch or two. Until then, I can't say that I am going to be rooting for the Heat. While I have a certain affection for the city of Miami after living in that area in the 1980s, I simply can't cheer for a guy who allows himself to be promoted in such an over-the-top, distasteful manner.
There are reasons why young men think more of themselves than they should. Nature built guys that way, mostly for survival. But the prisons, bankruptcy courts and graveyards are filled with young males who thought they were invincible. James, who will probably make well over $100 million with the Heat, plus whatever he gets in endorsements, should tread carefully. Miami is a city with many temptations and threats. As we saw with the late Sean Taylor, star athletes are targeted in glitzy cities. The young Washington Redskin was gunned down in his Miami home two years ago. Others have gotten themselves into various messes while in South Florida.
I don't believe James will necessarily win a championship in Miami. There is something about him that doesn't have the intangibles of Kobe Bryant or Michael Jordan -- something in his character that doesn't elevate the play of those around him. James can't simply market himself into being a champion. And with the distractions of the area, maybe Miami wasn't the best choice for a young athlete with a big ego. If, however, the vibrato dies down and James becomes more focused on basketball, he might be able parade down Biscayne Boulevard at least once before he retires.
Read what Cleveland's owner had to say about James.
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