LeBron James Keeps The Faith While Rebuilding His Gutter Image
By Editorial Staff
Lebron James may be one of the few men in the league that refuse to believe that the entire 2011-12 NBA season will be cancelled.
Despite the many reports of the dwindling amicable relationship between both the union and the owners, including a suit filed on behalf of the league citing the union’s ‘unfair labor practices’, James remains optimistic about playing part of this season.
Even while fans are already finding other ways to entertain themselves in moments where they should be flabbergasted by summer league plays and offseason workouts leading up to the season, James stays faithful to his US fans, or lack thereof.
"“I’m optimistic that we will have a season this year,” James said. “Very optimistic.”“Right now I’ve just been focusing on being a better player, working on my game every single day,” James said at a news conference before the AP interview. “Like I said, the Dallas Mavericks were a great team and they deserved to win that championship. And I’ll just use that as motivation coming into this season.”"
The fact that he is still relishing the thought of his last step onto the Finals stage means that his lack of performance in the 4th quarter really stood by him. This is a great thing for all of LeBron’s five fans that believe that he can still resurrect his image. It is even better for those who could give a crap about his image and want him to step on anyone he needs to in order to get a ring.
In either scenario James would come away from a championship game looking like the man that everyone believed he was as a rookie. He would once again look like the savior Nike felt he would be when offering him that multimillion dollar contract with their brand. He would represent the diehard, winning by any means necessary trait that all of the previous greats have exhibited before him.
Cleveland fans may ache a little bit at the sight of a brother town mayor, Akron mayor Donald Plusquellic, heavily endorsing LeBron’s on court talents and his demeanor as a great human being.
"“I believe LeBron is a better person than he is a basketball player,” Akron Mayor Donald Plusquellic said. “And I believe he’s the best basketball player that ever lived. So that puts it in perspective, because he cares. He gives back. He doesn’t have to do this. Riding around the city street, taking a chance on falling or something, giving back here and having some jerk yell something like they yell at me … there’s a sincerity inside of him.”"
So while we stand back in awe of the mediocrity he displayed in the fourth quarter of the Finals and previously in that exact position alongside former Cavaliers’ teammates, those who truly experience his person understand more than we ever could. But, as fans that is our right. It is our right to judge players by what we see and not by what potential lies in the background.
Is it fair? Is it just? Nothing could be farther from it. Still, as fans we are swept into the camera personalities of a man or woman instead of looking deeper. All we are concerned about is the game and until LeBron can prove that he can excel in the game, his persona will be treading the gutter.