Why Nnamdi Asomugha Is Football's Answer to LeBron James

LeBron James is one of the most complex figures in all of sports. He oozes talent with every step and his physical capabilities are without doubt the best in the NBA, bar none. 

His ludicrous combination of both size and speed, coupled with a strength that often displays what some may call brute force has turned him into, at times, the most dominant player we've seen since Michael Jordan. 

It's become common practice amongst casual basketball fans to say that LeBron is all athleticism and no actual basketball skill. Ever since "The Decision," he's been scorned publicly, and some of the comments have been ridiculous.

His fundamental skill level is near the top of the league, as he posses extraordinary handles along with great passing ability. His perimeter footwork is clean, and he saw saw his shooting percentage increase in the playoffs due to a fundamental tune-up in which he slightly changed the bending of his knees. 

He is by all means, a wondrous basketball player.

To say he comes without flaws however, is foolish.

I'm not one to say he can't play well in the big game, but I'm also not one who says he does play well in big games. He's on and off, hit or miss, and that's how it is when you roll with LeBron in the playoffs.

One day, you're jumping for joy and the next, you're wondering what happened to the man that made your jaw drop to the floor.

In many ways, the NFL's version of LeBron James is Nnamdi Asomugha.

Left Bad Situations

Neither of these megastars were supported with stellar supporting casts in their tenure with their former teams.

LeBron's situation in Cleveland was stale and rotting, as they were financially restrained and were not able to surround him with championship pieces.

In football, you don't center an entire team off of a cornerback, but if you were, Nnamdi just might be your guy. His coverage is stellar and is only rivaled by that of Darrelle Revis.

Asomugha was never fed with offensive support in his time in Oakland. He watched JaMarcus Russell stumble out of the gates and then fall out of the league, and he watched an inexperienced Jason Campbell overthrow receivers with his cannon of an arm.

Talented he was, but not talented enough to do it by himself.

So like LeBron, he left. He formed a super-team, a "dream team" as Vince Young would call it. The most sought-after free agent this offseason, Asomugha signed with the Philadelphia Eagles for a very nice and hefty contract.

Big Games

Again, I don't want to say LeBron plays poorly in big games because that simply isn't true. If you don't believe me, then call up Derrick Rose and Paul Pierce and ask them how their playoff runs went.

The bottom line is that he's getting there, but he's not finished yet. Ironic, isn't it, that the best finisher at the rim struggles legitimately finishing much else?

One day, LeBron will break the image that is binding him to public humiliation as a ringless, pompous athlete. It's amazing what winning can do.

Asomugha hardly knows what a big game is, but when the spotlight came on early in the season in Philly, he made his fair share of mistakes.

With a bigger microscope pointed toward him, he struggled, much like James did in the Finals.

However, I'm relatively positive each will overcome their respective struggles and eventually arrive on top.

Skill

What do you say about a cornerback who absolutely dominates his position not only with athletic capabilities, but also with skill and fundamentals too?

You say, that's Nnamdi Asomugha.

He's an All-Pro cover corner who won't let you by, and he'll deceive quarterbacks as he makes his move on the helpless man behind center.

The bottom line is that both of these players have innate talent and skill that separate them from being good and being great. They don't settle for satisfactory, they strive for greatness.

Public Reception

Clearly LeBron's got it worse here, but Nnamdi received his fair share of traitor and short-cutter insults.

The hate-storm LeBron received is nearly unparalleled in sports history as far as non-criminal sporting movements go. He merely exercised his right to switch teams in order to give himself the best chance at being successful, but when you're practically an entire city's economy, people have expectations, hopes and dreams that only a 6'8" 260-plus pound character could fulfill.

Each of these athletes has been branded as traitors who have taken the easy route to a championship. 

Tell me everyone, though, what's been so easy about this for both of them?

Nnamdi and the Eagles have gotten off to a terrible 3-5 start, as Michael Vick struggles to get going offensively and the defense continues to allow points on the board. The Eagles will be lucky if they squeeze out a wild card.

The Heat struggled early as well and went through several rough patches when LeBron was questioned more than ever. He pulled through at times, and fell short at others, including last season's Finals. If it was as easy as branded, the Eagles would be 8-0 or 7-1, while the Heat would have been NBA champions.

It's impossible to shortcut your way to a championship. There will always be trials and tribulations, and LeBron and Nnamdi are finding that out early on, so they can grow and overcome those hurdles at some point in the future.