The Problem With LeBron James

With Free Agency a day away and the entire professional basketball landscape salivating over what is going to happen with LeBron James and other key free agents, I think that it is high time that we call James out on some of the things that many people are not willing to address in their adoration of the young talent.

James broke my heart. Many people throughout Northeastern Ohio had their heart broken by James. Many people are not willing to stand up and say it, because even though we have had our hearts broken by James, we still want him to stay in Cleveland. It's almost like staying in an abusive relationship with someone who has thrilled you most of the time but at the most crucial points, really threw a dagger at your heart.

That's what it's been like being an admirer and supporter of our home grown talent.

But outside of our misguided love affair with LeBron, let's look a little bit deeper.

Can people recall games four, five, and six against the Boston Celtics in these recently passed playoffs that were supposed to lead to Cleveland's and James's first ring? Do people recall how confused, unsettled, immature, and unaccomplished the Boston Celtics made him look? People want to point to the team. Many people want to say that LeBron didn't have a good enough supporting cast to help get him to the championship.

That is complete and utter nonsense.

I also recall Shaquille O'Neil stepping up in those final games against Boston. Antawn Jamison was sorely missed in those last few games, but, more than all...so was LeBron James. James's performance in game four was so pitiful that some people thought that he had already began thinking about free agency and had one foot outside of the gym. Other people were pointing at his elbow, feeling as though he was in so much pain that he could not perform at the level that we had become accustomed to seeing from him. But you simply can't use that excuse when he did put in some dominating performances in the playoffs.

However, you look at James's performance in those last three games and you come away with a feeling that he just kicked you in the stomach. Sure, he pulled down a triple double in the last game, but he also made some ill advised passes and took some horrible shots down the stretch. In that three game span, all losses, he was a miserable 18 for 53 from the field, a paltry 34 percent.

Isn't that time when the "kings" of the game take their game to the next level? Isn't that when you see Kobe go unconscious and bury teams on his own? How about Michael Jordan? Individuals who have claims to great legacies to be cherished throughout the history of the game have put together performances in the playoffs, when the games mattered most, that defined their greatness.

In what could have been James's defining moment to cement his legend amongst the likes of Bird, Magic, Jordan, et. al.—he failed. There are many words that can be used to describe what happened, but quite simply—he failed.

Nevertheless, the entire basketball world is awaiting his every word, his every movement. Is he going to the Knicks? The Bulls? Miami? On and on and on we go. He is a team's marketing dream, billions of dollars to be made...but...where is the trophy? That's right, it's in Los Angeles—with Kobe Bryant, Phil Jackson, and a city that is used to watching their players take their game to the next level when it matters most to bring home the shine.

It is true that James is possibly the last great hope for Cleveland. The mistake on the lake is not used to demand more out of their players like other cities are. We are not used to berating someone when their play is miserable. But the fact of the matter is that LeBron James did whatever he wanted in Cleveland, had it the way that he wanted it in Cleveland, and nobody stood up to say anything to him.

This is the bottom line—he failed. Not only did he fail, but he failed miserably. If he doesn't believe that he owes Cleveland more than that, then his ego is as big as many people say it is.

James can continue to play drama king, but the reality is when it came down to him being able to put the team on his back and take his game to the next level, he was thinking about New York lights and acting more like a drama queen looking for fouls and excuses rather than looking at his on weak performance.

Boston was not the better team. The players and team were in place to win that series.

Antawn Jamison could have stepped it up. Mike Brown could have acted like he knew what he was doing. But, if James is who he says he is, who the whole world wants to believe he is, then he should have been hoisting the championship trophy at the end of the season. But, he didn't. He whined his way out of the semifinals for the second straight season...without a clue. And the teams that are bending over backwards for him in advance of him playing for them better get a clue about how to handle an ego without rings.

Yes, I'm angry. He used the city of Cleveland for his hype. He could be the greatest icon that the city has ever known. But if he leaves tomorrow, we will still be glad to keep that title in Jim Brown's hands. At least he earned it.