I know that most folks are tired of hearing about the whole LeBron James saga. For the past few weeks, it’s been nonstop speculation and rumors. Then, finally, last week James shocked the world, especially Northeast Ohio, with his decision to bolt to Miami for better weather—and presumably a better chance to win an NBA championship. I reflect on the drama in a commentary at UrbanFaith.com, where I explore the various messianic monikers that have been attached to James by his marketers and himself (e.g., the King, the Chosen One) and I wonder whether now a more appropriate biblical metaphor might be “the Prodigal Son.”
I know there are more important things happening in the world, and that when it comes down to it LeBron is only a basketball player. But, as Washington Post columnist and ESPN analyst Michael Wilbon says in this great piece, the LeBron story touches on so many other cultural flashpoints beyond simply sports. We’re talking issues of money and power, family and friendship, civic pride and loyalty, manhood and responsibility, and, of course, race.
You’ve got Dan Gilbert, the bitter owner of the Cleveland Cavaliers, posting a scathing anti-James screed at the team’s website, accusing his former employee of betraying the team as well as his hometown. You’ve got folks in Ohio burning jerseys and scrambling to dismantle the gigantic downtown murals of LeBron that, to the outsider, always appeared just a little bit too excessive (like a shrine to a Greek deity, or like the Jackson brothers strolling triumphantly over the earth). And now you’ve got Jesse Jackson accusing Gilbert of viewing James as a runaway slave.
You knew the race angle was coming. It’s never too far away when you’re talking about professional sports in America, especially in the NBA, where 99 percent of the ballplayers are black and 99 percent of the franchise owners are white. William Rhoden’s controversial 2006 book, Forty Million Dollar Slaves, is just one of many commentaries linking pro sports in modern America to the slave trade of yesteryear.
I wish Rev. Jackson wouldn’t have been the one to verbalize the obvious pachyderm in the room (“There he goes again, injecting race into everything!” folks will say), but there it is.
Personally, while I think it’s probably impossible to completely extract race from the issue of power relationships in pro sports, I believe Gilbert should be allowed to rant, rage, and generally come across as an emotional jerk without being accused of racism. He simply reacted like any scorned human being whose business just lost an estimated $100 million in value probably would. I’ll give him the benefit of the doubt. That said, I think it would’ve been wise for him to wait a few days before issuing a statement. The unintentional damage that he caused his franchise through his outburst could be worse in the long term than losing LeBron James.
Still, it’s unfair to imply that Gilbert is acting out of a “slave master mentality” just because he happens to be white and LeBron is black. That doesn’t excuse the fact that Gilbert might be a mean, arrogant, and impulsive billionaire who was trying to save face. But why add “racist” to the equation without sufficient proof?
But back to LeBron James. As long as he’s still able to do the things that LeBron James does on the basketball court, his reputation as a superstar player, though tarnished, will recover. The real tragedy, in my view, is the way James made his announcement. He had every right to leave Cleveland, but why do it in such a … ahem … cavalier manner? He was apparently so disconnected from the reality of his decision—and focused on his own self-interest—that he could not grasp the full implications of rejecting his former team and his devoted fans in Northeast Ohio on national TV in an overblown ESPN special. Or, as some have speculated, maybe he did it that way to inflict maximum pain on Gilbert and his franchise for some behind-the-scenes reason.
Either way, I hope James will someday grow into a more mature understanding of humility and compassion. Come to think of it, in an odd way, maybe that’s why he’s going to a place with two other elite stars in Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh (not to mention team president Pat Riley). Maybe he’s leaving the comfort, security, and adoration found in Cleveland because in his home state he’ll always be venerated as “the Chosen One.” Maybe he needs to escape to Miami to become human again.
Reconciliation Blog 
Nice commentary with some good points.
I guess at least the proceeds from LeBron’s televised special go to charity…
http://www.dailyfinance.com/story/media/espn-bends-journalistic-rules-for-lebron-james-special/19546481/
Glad I took a minute to read this. I had only heard tell of the Lebron announcement. Thank you for pointing out some very good points especially about the “race” card. It has become, in my opinion, as effective as the boy who cried wolf. Why can’t we look at issues. They are emotional and sensitive enough, in the minds of those involved, without adding any extra ingredients that mostly likely are not there.
Forty Million Dollar Slave? Sign me up! All I have to do is watch what I say and don’t rock the boat, imagine how flamboyant Dennis Rodman could have been if not for the man constantly keeping him down. Poor Michael Jordan could have made some real money if he had only been white.
But seriously, back to the subject. I haven’t paid much attention to the NBA for several years but I do seem to remember basketball players changed teams all of the time, why did Lebrons situation get so much press? I’ve really been confused about that. It’s not like this doesn’t happen all the time?? I wish him well with the Heat, it will be interesting to see how well a 3 man team competes with nothing but lowly minimum wage one million dollar players filling the remaining positions. Although I must admit, I would have started watching the NBA on a more consistent basis again if he had gone to Chicago!)
As a resident of Cleveland Ohio for the last nine years by way of California, here’s some observations:
The media (ESPN in particular) had hyped and fueled Lebron James from the his Senior year in high school. And the media in Cleveland continued to feed his massive ego. The King, The Chosen One all blasphemous titles in my opinion. But if you are telling an 18 year old boy this, and he has virtually handed him every thing since, and have given him his own way, well a child left to himself for the last seven years will come to ruin.
Dan Gilbert empowered Lebron James’ actions and attitude. So did coach Mike Brown, he acted more like a fan of Lebron instead of a coach. All the celebrating without winning anything, arrogantly rubbing it in his opponents’ face while winning, but being a sore loser in defeat by not shaking hands with Miami. Not realizing that they (the media) are portraying you as the “face” (good guy of the NBA).
Fans became irate by his departure here in Cleveland, because many fans feel that the city deserves a championship because they field 3 sports teams.
Unfortunately, many of the people here, live their lives vicariously through the sports figures. Lebron being their biggest star ever in Cleveland.
They have lost 2 years in the late 80’s close games, one game away from the super bowl, they lost 2 world series during the 90’s, and Michael Jordan’s skilled last second shot knocked them out of the NBA playoffs as well. Other cities with sports teams suffer their defeats, remember them and to my knowledge live and deal with them, Cleveland names their losses, and believe that there is a “curse” on Cleveland’s sports.
Driven by their emotions they forget that people fail and pressure. Talented people come through every sports franchise, but again the people of Cleveland (not all mind you) worship these sports figures.
I like some of what Lebron does on the court, his off the court antics though not outrageous show a lack of polish, and maturity, which had he gone to college might have helped him somewhat, though I believe that massive ego, would still be there. Personally, I wish him well, and I feel sympathy for him and many of the sports fans here.
Cleveland fans show their intelligence by their actions and comments following his departure. The real sports fans in this area have actually wished him well, and they get it, these things happen.
Dan Gilbert on the other hand may not have been racist in his comments, though Lebron disrespected this franchise by not having the decency to return calls. Dan Gilbert’s anger might have been justified in his anger, but the bottom line is you never give a child everything they want in order to keep him happy. As the leaders, Dan Gilbert and Mike Brown should have sat him down, and made him man up long ago! Gilbert only has himself to blame for Lebron’s departure. And as a sports fan, I wish him well.
As a Lakers fan since childhood, we will continue to dominate. Even post Kobe.
And yes, I’m tired of Lebron manipulating the airwaves. He wasn’t in the NBA championship, he quit during the playoffs, his team lost, so talk of his “free agency” dominated the media and internet to find out where he would go during the NBA finals!
Sorry to blow up your blog brother Ed.
Its better to respect the decision of Lebron James rather than making it a big fuzzzzz, he has the right to choose what team he should be in, anyway its not about the team but its about how he play the game… we cannot dictate Lebron, its like his getting a new car the “White Chevrolet Camaro SS” [http://celebritycarshomes.com/721/lebron-james-white-chevrolet-camaro-ss/] it’s his choice and its not for us to decide…. Give him a chance to play at his best in MIAMI. Go Lebron James!