doclinkin wrote:Eh, the point of the article is not so much that LeBron gets star treatment, it's that the treatment he gets is practically unprecedented.
An again the least of what's galling is that he is treated well by the refs, and more that he expects he deserves it, is entitled to it. Whines when he doesn't get it, throws tantrums like he thinks it's cute that a full grown baby man acts like a pampered infant. And if he makes a mistake, he immediately looks for a ref to bail him out.
I mean granted in a play like this one he was basically like totally decapitated by Trevor Ariza, basically:
Note the gouting blood.I mean come on. He's built like a God Of Victory. Is lauded like a hero of days of yore. A Legend. But to allatime pretend you were fouled or check your lip for blood whenever someone brushes your shadow with their unclean foot. (Or their eyebrow in the case of Trevor Ariza) . Come on now, is that heroic?
In wrestling, say, where the heroes and villains are scripted, the good guy doesn't wait 'til the ref has his back turned then throw chalk in the opponents eye, smack him with a chair, and when the ref turns back roll around on the ground complaining it was the other way around. That's a villain. A heel.
Part of what we look for in sports is that metaphor for honor, hard work, personal achievement. You know, sportsmanship. What does LeBron embody? He can't help but be a role model for people who admire him, and he wants to be a Global Icon. (Mother*@#* a Barkley with his 'I'm no role model' jazz-- LeCon-artist wants the status). But an 'icon' stands for something, some greater concept. So whats he stand for? So what does this this teach your kids? If it don't go your way look for someone to bail you out? It's a different set of rules for them who God almighty, the refs, and David Stern has blessed. Manifest destiny.
Nope. Point of sports, and rules in sports, and referees in general, is that we all get the same set. It's a true meritocracy. You win by virtue of, well, Virtue. Don't matter your color. No different rules for you nor anybody else. Again, if LeBron wants to play the heel, fine I don't fault him, that's how he wants to brand himself: LeFraud, LeTravel. But I don't expect the refs to play into it when you know it just happens to be one of his tactics.
And okay yeah I just don't expect the spoiled brat routine from the best of the best, most talented player in the league. I guess I like heroes to act you know heroic and not like a spoiled Brat who has been handed everything his life ever gave him. If I get my ass kicked, better not be by a skirt wearing pantywaist dressed in a man's body. Looking for Mommy or the refs to intercede whenever he's not allowed to win. It's frankly a little nauseating to seen a grown-ass man whine to the referees so much. Makes you wish for the old school league with beer drinking in the locker room where you had enforcers on the squad who would knock a guy out. Think about your grandfathers generation (or their fathers before them) coming out of World War Two. They would have shaken their collective head in disgust at the antics.
Seriously though. You think Bill Russell was rolling around on the floor checking for loose teeth whenever someone bumped his elbow? Grown ass man. Most talented in the league. Stop acting like a spoiled child, and refs-- don't buy the act. Sit him in a corner for a few minutes until he can behave like the rest of the kids. Because, quite frankly, that's your damn job.