Friday, July 9, 2010

My Thoughts on LeBron James

Just a warning, this post has to do with exactly what you would think, LeBron James and NBA basketball. I know, it's probably going to be a hot topic on blogs everywhere today. Not. Anywho, not sure how many of you out there follow NBA basketball, I sure didn't until I started dating Derek. Derek is a LeBron James fan. Which means that he used to be a Cavs fan, but now he is a Heat fan. We've been to several Cavs games together and we both have a LeBron Cavs jersey.


This year, LeBron became a free agent and over the past few weeks, everyone in the NBA world has been wondering whether he would stay in his hometown of Cleveland or pack up and play for another team. Last night, he made the announcement that he would leave Cleveland and head to Miami to play with Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh. Shortly after the announcement, ESPN was showing video footage of fans in Cleveland burning LeBron's jersey.

I feel like this is such a perfect picture of the way we as a society have become. Before LeBron James played for the Cavs, they were the worst team in the NBA. He gave them 7 years of his life, and turned the franchise around from the being the worst, to one of the best. If it weren't for LeBron, half of the people who call themselves Cavs fans wouldn't even be fans, and the other half would still have a horrible team. LeBron James playing for the Cavs was a gift. They should appreciate all he has done for the team. Instead, now they all act like he owes something to them, and how dare he leave.These are the same fans who turned on him and got angry at him when they didn't make it to the Eastern Conference Finals last year.

The sense of entitlement that people have and the attitude that people think they are owed something makes me kind of mad. Especially when LeBron has already given them so much. Honestly, if you are an NBA player, who would pass up the opportunity to be on a team that would be made up of three players from the Dream Team? No one is going to pass that up. LeBron doesn't owe Cleveland anything - if anything, Cleveland owes LeBron because he totally turned their team around and gave them a decent sports team for 7 years.

Now, lest you think this post is just my rambling frustrations, I do have a point here. I think we all do the exact same thing to God everyday. I cannot judge the fans of Cleveland, because I am no better. How much has God already given me? He sacrificed His Son for me, has blessed me beyond measure. Yet, when things don't turn out how I want, I complain to Him. Like He owes me something. I have the same entitled attitude of being ungrateful for the ridiculous blessings I have already received and expecting even more and feeling as though it is owed to me. The way I felt towards Cleveland fans when I saw them burning jerseys is the way I should feel about myself as well, because in the end I have done the same thing.

2 comments:

chloë. said...

Good post today! I know a little about basketball from my husband [I'm an MLB girl myself] and the only reaction I had to LeBron's move was disappointment that he didn't go to the Knicks, only for my husband's sake! But I did feel sorry for the Cavs fans until I read your post. Yeah it stinks for them, but you're right, they have been given a lot. And you're definitely give me something to ponder on in terms of MY reactions as you described...hmm...

Anna Baur said...

I was thinking the same thing when my husband was watching ESPN recaps this morning...and wondering why it's so horrible for a professional basketball player to change teams. isn't that what they do? but I can also relate to your point at the end...thanks for the humbling reminder!!