Re: Media madness

[Eggcentric@xxxxxxx]

< The Globe apparently forgot there was a game going on last night.
 Two stories on The King (Ryan and Springer), and it was left up to the AP to 
actually write about the game. > - Tammo

Make that three stories... don't forget about Jackie Mac (see below).  
Too bad May missed the deadline. 

Egg

He wins you over despite the losing

By Jackie MacMullan, Globe Columnist, 11/15/2003
Are you sick of him yet? He knows you might be. But given the chance to 
address the general population that has been saturated by the LeBronization of the 
NBA, the namesake of this phenomenon would plead his case something like this: 
Hey, nice to meet you. Call me LeBron. Try me out. I know I'm overhyped, 
overdone, overconfident, and over-the-top, but you know what? I bet you'll like 
me. I bet at least once last night I coaxed you into a little involuntary bunny 
hop in your seat, when I floated above the rim on that first-quarter fast 
break or when you saw me dish one of my no-look passes. I kind of look like Magic 
Johnson, don't you think? I smile like him, and I mean it, too, when I smile, 
just like Earvin always did.
I know I'm dripping with confidence. I know y'all like us to be humble, but 
I'm too excited for that. I've got so much I want to accomplish, I'm busting 
out of my skin. I'm good. Really good. Gifted. Don't hold it against me. Here, 
come close. A little closer. I'll put my arm around you. I'll take a picture 
with you . . .
"He's unbelievable," declared Cleveland coach Paul Silas. "He gets it. On 
almost every level."
Do not fall into the trap of presuming anything about LeBron James based on 
last night. It was, he said, the worst performance of his young career: 10 
points on 3-of-12 shooting, 5 rebounds, 3 assists, 4 turnovers. His team lost to 
the Celtics, 91-82, and at times he looked rushed, a bit pressed. But there was 
no denying, even on this "off night," that he has special court vision, a 
rare, precious gift.
If you simply chronicled the comments of this teenager, this athletic icon, 
without the benefit of experiencing his live persona, you might jump to the 
conclusion that he is arrogant, or selfish, or entitled, or something. But there 
he is in front of you, saying these things with the bravado of a 10-year 
veteran, dispensing his state of the league address with intermittent flashes of 
that blazing smile, and you walk away, in spite of yourself, with a hint of a 
grin, too, because this kid has got it: the charisma, the poise, the charm. He 
is Magic Johnson, and that is saying something.
"Am I sick of talking about LeBron? Of course I am," admitted Silas. "But he 
kind of likes it. He's on stage at all times. It's good for him, because if 
not, we'd have some huge problems.
"When the camera's on, he's ready to give everyone a little taste of what 
he's like."
LeBron's youthful exuberance is only matched by his immense potential. Debate 
if you must whether he's a point guard or a 2-guard, but do it among 
yourselves. Do not try to fit him into some kind of traditional basketball box. Just 
sit back and watch him pass, watch him adapt to the pace of the game, watch him 
fly in transition like Michael Jordan did, watch him shoot -- not as well as 
he'd like just yet -- and know he is not afraid of anyone.
While he has proven he was worthy of the No. 1 selection, James is enduring 
what most of his teammates suffered through last season -- losing. The 
Cavaliers are young, exciting, and immature. It will take time for King James's 
monarchy to flourish.
"I'm not a loser," James said insistently. "I've got nothing to do with our 
record. I knew some of that would come with the territory, but as long as I go 
out and give my all, I can take it."
He is not too proud to learn, not too boastful to accept the observations of 
others. He has Jordan's phone number plugged into his cell, and talks with his 
Airness on a regular basis.
"He gives me a lot of advice," LeBron said. "He wasn't winning a lot in his 
rookie season, either. He tells me to stay focused, to not get distracted."
You wonder how long that can last. The LeBron scrutiny will be constant, 
relentless. It reduced last year's top rookie, Houston center Yao Ming, to tears. 
He became a near recluse in the final days of his first season, exhausted and 
frustrated from the endless responsibilities.
Perhaps LeBron James will fall victim to similar maladies. In the meantime, 
the kid is genuinely enjoying the attention.
"It's good," he said. "It electrifies the game. It makes the media and the 
fans like the game a little better."
Does he have all the answers? No, but he's gaining on it. Does he need to 
improve? Of course, he says, beginning with his shooting.
"I'm really working at it," he said, "because y'all said I can't shoot. I'm 
gonna surprise y'all."
His coach surprised him last night when, with 6:37 left in the third quarter, 
he gave his rookie the hook and left him on the bench until the fourth 
quarter. LeBron bit his fingernails down to nothing waiting for a chance to go back 
in ("I actually bit my fingers, I was chomping on them so bad," he confessed).
When he did, he knocked down a monster three with 10:50 left to cut his 
team's deficit to 8 (76-68), but after that there were no more highlights. Asked 
how he felt, knowing the Boston crowd would go home wondering what all the hype 
was about, James answered, "I play for my coach, my teammates, and myself. I'm 
not playing for nobody else."
This will be his curse, of course. On nights he is not spectacular, he will 
be a disappointment. That is the superstar's lament.
There will be bad moments. There will be more losses. Maybe it will wear on 
LeBron. Maybe it won't.
"He understands he's a rookie," Silas said. "He still has to carry the bags. 
There's no animosity at all. Plus, he's a good passer, and he finds his 
teammates."
Do not dismiss this 18-year-old man-child because he did not razzle or dazzle 
you last night. It is not his fault some fools want to compare his rivalry 
with fellow rookie Carmelo Anthony to Larry and Magic. He did not ask for that, 
nor does he endorse it.
Sick of LeBron James? Not me. Not until he stops playing hard or stops 
smiling. Not until he stops coaxing me into that little bunny hop in my seat.