The Cult of LeBron James: Myths and Reality With NBA Superstars

Superstars earn their title. They perform actions on the court (or field) on a consistent basis that defies anything us mere mortals (fans, writers, etc.) can do maybe even once in our lifetime. Coupled with this immense talent is the personality that drives fans to worship and rivals to sneer. These qualities are requirements of a superstar and anyone placed under that title has them, no arguments.

LeBron James is a superstar, one with immense talents that I and many others envy and are constantly wowed by. His off-court personality befits a superstar: it impresses many and turns off many but, regardless of the perception, it is a big personality that gets headlines. Both the talent aspect of super stardom and the personality part of super stardom are purely understood and can't be argued. Once again, because of these qualities, LeBron James is the real deal when being classified as a superstar.

But superstars can't choose their fans or their critics and they are hardly ever found on the middle of the opinion meter. So when it comes to success, something that makes the superstar memorable past their playing days, there will always be a polarizing opinion amongst the masses. What gets lost most of the time, however, in the great debate of how, well, great a superstar is, is objectivity.

In general, there aren't too many people who are undecided about their feelings towards LeBron James at this point in his career, especially after the now famous "Decision." You either love the guy or you hate him. The argument, thus, becomes: how great is he really? In general, the people who love continue to love and those who hate continue to hate. But many fans (or, as sometimes appropriately named, fanboys) take their appreciation to another level. Enter blind faith and the absence of objectivity... and this works on both sides of the love-hate spectrum: the people who dislike James (or other superstars) have their own version of passionate criticism.

For the fanboys, there is the unequivocal loyalty and support even in the face of sometimes ignorant refusal to acknowledge negatives. The "Haters" are exactly the opposite, exploiting the negatives and remaining blissfully absent-minded when it comes to the positives. Many might classify me as a (LeBron) "Hater" but I think that might be a bit too extreme. I dislike LeBron heavily for many reasons but I wouldn't classify myself as a 'hater' because, well, read the top paragraphs: I try, as hard as possible, to be objective.

And I'm using LeBron James as an example here (another figure of the immense "Hater-Fanboy" War would be Kobe Bryant) because he is the figurehead of the current NBA and, it appears, his super stardom, while not in question, is constantly being fought for or over. Like I said above, success is the separation between present-day superstar and all-time superstar. James is currently at a crossroads in his career: habits have formed, history has been made (and in some cases, repeated), and the formation of what James is is almost formed. So, with this crossroads, comes the rabid war between fanboy and hater.

In my objective travels, I've come across a group both large in number and fierce in their fanboy-ness (a new word, I guess). See, LeBron James has his own group of fanboys: The Cult. The Cult are a notorious group who view LeBron as a messianic figure and those who even try to slight their Lord are given a raged-filled flogging and almost nothing in the "King's" defense is off limits. Those who know me personally or have witnessed the lively discussions I've had on numerous articles here know I openly decry the LeBron-James-as-God rhetoric.

I try, as I may, to not predict James' future, as he still has a long career, but to temper both expectation and over exaggerated exaltation when recent but, perhaps meaningless, events occur. And while it may be my fault I challenged the Idol and his Idolaters on Miami Heat articles written by Miami Heat fans, the soul-crushing defenders from the Cult of LeBron make sure that all outspoken criticism is crushed in any way possible.

Now we'll get some history out of the way here: I am an Orlando Magic fan so after seeing numerous articles on LeBron's impressive beat down of the Magic a few nights back I had to react: not as an angry and upset Magic fan (we got our butts handed to us) but as the objective and calm Neutral (a concept unheard of to fanboys and haters), trying to not let the excitement over a domination overtake LeBron's immense flaws that still need to be handled.

Why did I need to do this, you ask: because every article, and supporting response, was about the overwhelming dominance of LeBron over, not just the Magic, but the entire league. Throw in a few Kobe bashing moments, a few 'Dwight Howard sucks' barbs, and you have the Cult in action. . .in need of temperament.

But the Cult are immensely energetic and one 51 point performance outdoes any past discretion if, as we'll discover, there was any discretion at all. See, The Cult are uber-Fanboys. Not only are the positives over-praised but negatives don't exist: it's always someone else's fault. This drives 'Haters' and Neutrals nuts. And, as an amateur historian (and Neutral) I just want to see thought-provoking, well thought out debates (or even discussions) without dipping into the wonderland of fanboy euphoria.

Needless to say, and I've done this many times in many different forums, I messed with the wrong crowd. As I said at the beginning of this immense tome of fake mythology (Haters, The Cult, idols. . .what's next. . .a Pegasus?), the skills and general "superstar" nature of LeBron is not on debate. But, here on B/R, out in the streets, on fan pages and "hater" pages, on television and in the papers, the Cult of LeBron wants nothing to do with the likes of me (and I know there are many of you out there).

I won't get into the details of my criticisms but, as you can imagine, I'm not impressed with LeBron James dropping 51 points in a game aside from the "wow'"factor of the feat itself in it's isolated setting. To me, LeBron has shown this type of dominance but has never carried it through like, say, a Kobe or Michael Jordan when the season is over. And is it fair to compare LeBron to those two? Yes. . .because the Cult is!

But you'd be amazed the lengths the Cult go to protect LeBron: In my time these arguments have come up:

--LeBron has nothing to prove. He wins when it matters.

When that is challenged, it turns into this:

--LeBron has nothing prove to YOU!

When that is challenged, it turns into this:

--You're ignoring what LeBron does and speaking from some personal hate:

After pointing out the irony of that statement and challenging it again it becomes:

--You don't make any sense! You don't watch basketball! The Magic and Howard suck!

And, as you can imagine, it morphs into this:

--Once you play the game you can comment! You don't know anything!

And, lastly, my favorite, it morphs into this:

--I think you're actually in love with LeBron. . .

By this point I am out of the conversation. As much as I'd like to explore my passive aggressive Cybil-Willis, love-hate relationship with LeBron, I am already out of fuel. Defending history and retaining objectivity is a war of attrition once you reach The Cult's stage.

Now, every now and then you see light somewhere in this depressing activity of "discussion." In regards to LeBron, though I was told I was a Doomsday seer, I was told that LeBron's future is not yet written with the Miami Heat and should thus stop predicting doom and damnation. Fair enough, but my argument, from the beginning, is being patience and waiting for this year to end. So far, LeBron has sung the song of dominance and the chorus is always the same: Fail fail fail.

This article is less about LeBron, I suppose, and more about the sanctity of intelligent discussion. And this applies not just to LeBron, though that is where this clash of love-hate meets most passionately, but with arguments of Kobe Bryant, Michael Jordan, anyone who has inspired fans of adoration and anti-fans of despair.

Fans have the right to choose what they say and who they cheer for. But what can't be forgotten is the need to speak from a historical perspective. The future isn't written but the past has and that, when making a prediction or simply stating what has happened, can't be changed but "Fanboys" and "Haters" can't ignore that which fits their purposes.

Nothing I say or do here will change anything but I had to speak my peace. I'm always up for a LeBron James discussion but only while it stays civil and smart. The same goes for any other subject. LeBron is a superstar and certainly one of a kind: his legacy is still being formed but too many assumptions of his future or his current status are being made while history is being ignored. This is a call to bring it back. . .let's remain fans and not fanatics. . .or Cults.