NBA: LeBron James Named MVP

As many expected, LeBron James of the Miami Heat was named MVP of the NBA.  This is the 3rd time that the league’s highest individual award has been bestowed on James in a four year span.   With his 3rd trophy he joins Michael Jordan, Bill Russell, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, and Moses Malone as players to have won the award at least 3 times.   James was third in the NBA in scoring (27.1 ppg) while also leading the Heat in assists (6.2 apg) and rebounds (7.9 rpg).  He took to YouTube to thank fans for the award and support.

After a disappointing loss in the NBA Finals to the Dallas Mavericks last season and after facing harsh criticism (rightfully so) for his performance in that series, James set out to improve his game.  Something that was sorely lacking from his game was the ability to post up.  At 6′ 8″ and 250 pounds, he is a match up nightmare for NBA defenders but for some reason never developed a post game to take advantage of his size.  During the off-season, James worked with NBA legend Hakeem Olajuwon to add a post game to his arsenal and it paid off as he posted a career high in field goal percentage (.531).

There is some thought out there that James doesn’t deserve the award because he went to Miami to play with Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh.  There is a flaw in that type of thinking though.  That is like saying that Magic didn’t deserve his awards because he played with Kareem and James Worthy.  Bird didn’t deserve his award because he played with Kevin McHale, Dennis Johnson, and Robert Parrish.  Jordan didn’t deserve his awards because he played with Scottie Pippen and Dennis Rodman.

A lot of the criticism that gets thrown James’ way is unwarranted.  Even if he wins his first NBA championship this year, he will be discredited because he plays with Wade and Bosh.  No other NBA superstar has ever won a NBA championship on their own.  There has always been at least one other star, if not two.  James was able to elevate a Cleveland Cavaliers team filled with nobodies and take them to the NBA Finals.

James has established himself as the best player in his era and placed himself in the discussion for best ever.  The question is will he finally break through this year to add NBA champion to his long list of accomplishments.  Time will tell.

Dwight Howard Is Worse Than LeBron James

Since LeBron James made “The Decision” to leave the Cleveland Cavaliers for the Miami Heat, he became one of the most vilified athletes in the world.  What Dwight Howard is doing in Orlando with the Magic is worthy of more scrutiny.  Howard has spent the better part of this NBA season holding the Magic franchise hostage.  Howard demanded to be traded, his camp publicly identified teams that he would accept being traded to, and used the threat of using his Early Termination Option (ETO) to force his trade demand.  This put the Magic in a position where they needed to trade him or let him walk away at the end of the season, getting nothing in return.

I look at guys and they don’t look like they want to play. I told them at halftime, If you don’t want to play, just stay in the locker room, because it don’t make sense for a team who we should beat to just demolish us. – Dwight Howard

Howard publicly blasted his teammates for a second time (first time was against the Boston Celtics) after a loss to the New Orleans Hornets as if he had the moral high ground to do so.  Here is a guy that had been talking about wanting out of Orlando, criticizing the efforts of his teammates in public.  Did he ever stop to think that they had grown weary of the circus that he had created?  All he had to do was keep his mouth shut about his trade demands and the possibility of using his ETO.  Instead he behaved completely opposite of the public image he had built for himself prior to this season.  He said and did all the wrong things, becoming a cancer in the locker room and within the organization.

I have gotten some bad advice. I apologize for this circus I have caused to the fans of our city. They didn’t deserve none of this. I’m sorry from the bottom of my heart. I will do whatever I can to make this right and do what I was put in Orlando to do…This has been a very hard time, for me, my family and all of us. The fans deserve a better hero and I will make that happen. I love and appreciate my fans and this city. – Dwight Howard

After creating this circus around his teammates and the organization, he suddenly has a change of heart?  Why put everyone, including the fans, through all of this if you aren’t all in one way or the other?  Wouldn’t you be better served just to keep your mouth shut?  This made Howard look even more like a dumbass.  To top it all off, he then blames his dumbass behavior on the “bad advice” that he was given.  If he was dumb enough to listen to this bad advice, I hope he was smart enough to fire the person(s) that was giving him the advice.  It sure seems he wasn’t smart enough to think for himself either way it goes.

Speaking of firing people, it seems that Howard was lobbying management to fire his coach, Stan Van Gundy.  In a very odd chain of events, Van Gundy was speaking to reporters during a recent Magic practice, when he stated that he was told by Magic upper management Howard wanted him out as coach.  Apparently, Howard must have heard some of the discussion because he felt it necessary to interrupt the media session which seemed to irk Van Gundy who excused himself.

This move to lobby for Van Gundy’s job is another bad PR move by Howard.  So I am going to guess that his bad advisers are still on his payroll.  This move to get Van Gundy fired exposes Howard as a controlling, spoiled athlete.  If he was so unhappy with the performance of Van Gundy or with their relationship, why retract his trade demand?  Why sign a document to waive his ETO?  If you are man enough to demand that he be fired behind close doors, then be man enough to stand up and say that you did it!  It is very clear that Howard is not who we thought was.

For your viewing pleasure, the Stan Van Gundy’s media session:

Those With The Biggest Bullhorns…

I am part of a generation that has grown up in a post-Civil Rights era, a generation that is void of socially conscious athletes.  Athletes in my lifetime have been more concerned about commercial appeal and advertising than with social issues.  For far too long those with the biggest bullhorns and pulpits have remained silent on inequality and social injustice throughout this country.  We place athletes on pedestals, they become our heroes, but they remain largely silent on issues that matter.  As I look back at my father’s generation, one thing that I envy, is that sports heroes weren’t just heroes between the lines.  They took a stand; placing their life, freedom, and livelihoods on the line in the process.

The fact is, we still need Muhammad Ali, Jim Brown, and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.  We still need Arthur Ashe, Tommie Smith, and John Carlos.  We still need Bill Russell, Jesse Owens, Jackie Robinson, and Hank Aaron.  They gave us a voice where we had no voice.  They brought attention to issues that plagued the black community and shined a light on the ugly effects of racial discrimination.

Today’s athlete has been reluctant to take the baton from this great generation.  The biggest athlete of my generation, Michael Jordan, famously stated that Republicans buy shoes too as a way to explain his refusal to endorse a Democrat.  His philosophy on politics  gives us insight about why the most recognizable figure in the world has given so little of himself to social causes.  Jordan isn’t the only one to carry this philosophy; Tiger Woods, Kobe Bryant, and many others have been mute over the years as the black community continues in a downward spiral.

This is why it was so refreshing to see LeBron James, the biggest athlete of his generation, tweet a picture of himself and his Miami Heat teammates taking a stand for Trayvon Martin.  His teammate, Dwayne Wade, jumped on board as well with his own tweet for Trayvon.  Carmelo Anthony posted a picture of himself on Twitter in a hoodie with the words, “I am Trayvon Martin!!!”  Others such as Chris Webber have also shown their support.  I was shocked to see them put themselves out there so publicly and yet it was a moment that made me swell with pride that they took a public stand on something.

It is tragic moments like Trayvon’s death that tend to hit home and galvanize a movement.  Let’s make sure that his death be in vain by springing into action.  I hope that the sports heroes of this generation can take stands on social, economic, racial, and educational injustices just as their predecessors did.  I pray that they give a voice to those that have none and hope to those that are hopeless.  Do not let this be a passing fad.  It is time for all of us to use our bullhorns but those with the biggest bullhorns need to speak up!

I Am Trayvon Martin