Farewell To A Legend

When I was a boy, you could not find bigger sports fans than my brother and I.  We would watch every game we could and obsess and analyze our baseball cards, basketball cards, even hockey cards.  With our fathers tutelage, we studied the games, learning the nuances that made them great.  I vividly remember teaching a middle aged gentleman the icing rule at a hockey game...when I was 12 years old.  The one sport I never followed as closely as the others was football.  Unlike these other sports, my parents never allowed us to play football as children due to safety concerns (with the information coming to light these past years on concussions, they were clearly ahead of their time) and I am certain that played a big role in not fostering my love for the game.  But as a devoted watcher of Sportscenter I knew the teams, the players, what was going on in a general sense, just not the real intricacies of the sport.  Adding to this disconnect was my lack of a team to follow.  Growing up in southern California we were exposed to the Rams (who were flat out terrible) and the Raiders, who, as I was taught, encompassed everything that was wrong with sports.

This all changed my freshman year of college.  I went to school at Indiana University, which is not really a hotbed of professional sports.  Up to that point the greatest Indiana sporting moments, not NCAA related, came via Reggie Miller, "Captain Comeback", and a caravan of Mayflower trucks.  But every Sunday morning, my friends (the majority being from Indiana) would wake up and crowd around the television to watch their beloved Colts and a rookie quarterback named Peyton Manning.  Not wanting to be left out, I joined them in this ritual, and became enamored with Manning.  His command and knowledge of the game could be seen by even a casual fan like me.  Week after week I watched the Colts and Manning get better and better.  And as time passed I looked forward to Sundays, not just for the camaraderie that comes with watching a sporting event with friends, but with seeing what Manning and Colts would do.  Even though they finished 3-13 (they lost at least 5 close games and Manning set numerous rookie records) I had become a full fledged Colts fan.  I could see how special Peyton was and how the sky was the limit with him running this team.  

The start of a magical run

The rest is well documented.  7 AFC South titles, 2 AFC Championships, a Super Bowl title and MVP, 11 Pro Bowls, 4 league MVP awards, the list goes on and on.  There is no question, at least in my mind, that Manning is hands down the greatest quarterback to ever go under center.  His preparation and work ethic are legendary.  If given the opportunity, there is little doubt he could have been a successful player/coach.

But just looking at numbers and statistics are only part of the story.  Manning has been a model citizen ever since arriving in Indy.  He started the Peyback Foundation to help disadvantaged youth soon after being drafted, and a few years ago had the Children's Hospital at St. Vincent's Hospital in Indianapolis named after him.  Even the ability to parody himself and have the personality to pull of goofy commercials just adds to his appeal.  I can't even count the ads during games that he appeared in that had me doubled over.  Not to mention his classic appearance on Saturday Night Live, where he absolutely killed it.  He is not flashy or a boastful showboat like other athletes of his stature.  He is a down to earth regular guy who happens to excel at his job in a way never before seen.

All this is and more is why today's announcement that the Colts would be releasing Manning into free agency was so hard to take.  We, as Colts fans, all believed that Manning would finish his career with the Horseshoe.  How could we allow the greatest quarterback in history to walk away?  Well, as much as we try to ignore it, professional sports is a business.  And this was purely a business decision.  Coming off of 3 neck surgeries, the team in a rebuilding year, and Manning owed a $28 million signing bonus, there were only two options for owner Jim Irsay to choose from.  Either keep Manning, trade the #1 overall pick in this years draft, and use those later picks and players to rebuild, or let Manning go, draft Andrew Luck (ironically seen as the heir apparent to Manning) and use the money saved to rebuild.  Irsay chose the latter.

While no true fan can fault Irsay for his decision, there are a number of questions that arise that may have changed this outcome.  First, Irsay, in my opinion, has handled this entire situation with little class and little respect for Manning.  This decision was clearly on the horizon when it was announced Manning would be missing considerable time this past season due to his recent surgery.  Irsay could have come out then, saying that it would be a difficult decision to make regarding Manning's future, and that he would do what what was best for the team and for Manning, restructuring his contract to make it incentive based if necessary.  But if it was in the team's and Manning's best interest to let him go, that's what he would do with a heavy heart.  He did none of this, instead deflecting questions all season, then waging a media offensive against Manning, I assume to draw favor to the decision he was likely to make.  This was not the actions of a man who owes his success to Manning.  And how he believed he could win this battle with the fans is beyond me.  All he did was alienate many die hard Colts fans, not because of his decision itself, but because of the process that that decision was made.

Other questions to consider is how did the nonsensical lockout hurt Manning's recovery?  Due to league rules, Manning was not allowed to rehab with team doctors and trainers, many of which he has worked with for over a decade.  Could this have got him back on the field sooner?  With the bounty program employed by defensive coordinator Gregg Williams coming to light, how did this effect Manning, seeing that his neck problems began on a vicious hit by the Washington Redskins Phillip Daniels, who was playing under Williams?  What would have happened if the Colts didn't completely shit the bed (KB) this year and didn't end up with the #1 pick in the draft?  All valid questions that may have altered what happened today.

The hit that began it all

But the bottom line is that Manning brought so much more to the table, not just personally, but for the entire city of Indianapolis.  He legitimized the city and became the face of the state.  Sure the Pacers had some success, making the finals in 2000, but that all vanished after the "malice at the Palace" and they are just now coming back.  Indy is a Colts town.  Personally I have never seen as many blue jerseys during game day as I did in downtown Indianapolis when he Colts were playing.  The team may be playing in Los Angeles right now if Manning didn't come along, and they certainly wouldn't have a brand new stadium and have just hosted a Super Bowl if it were not for him.  The city bleeds blue.  And this is all thanks to Manning.

But watching the press conference, you could tell the toll this whole situation has taken on all involved.  But as usual, Manning handled it with grace and class.  He spoke about the relationships with the players, coaches and staff.  He spoke lovingly of the city and all of the great memories he will carry as he enters the next phase of his career.  It was classic Peyton Manning.

Saying goodbye to The Greatest

No matter what direction the team takes, I will forever be a Colts fan.  But I will also never waver from my admiration of Manning.  And with that, I owe Peyton a great deal of thanks.  Thank you for converting me into a football fan.  Thank you for the unforgettable memories, from the amazing comebacks to the magnificent Super Bowl run in 2006.  Thank you for reenforcing that you can succeed in professional sports without losing who you are, and for being the consummate role model to us all.  Thank you for the years of joy you've brought me and a city that you will always have in the palm of your hand.  But most of all, thank you for teaching us that no matter the hardships you're facing, you can handle them with dignity, class and respect.

Like most good things, you never want them to end, but they inevitably do.  So, congratulations to whichever team has the honor of signing him.  You are not only getting a star player, but a star human being, the stature of which we may not see again for a very long time.

Why We Hate LeBron

Lebron James is in the midst of one of his best statistical years to date.  He is averaging nearly a triple double this season (28-7-9), has his team among the league leaders and are a favorite to win the championship.  Despite this he remains one of the most polarizing figures in sports.  This is somewhat surprising when you consider other athletes become polarizing due to their off court issues (Michael Vick, Tiger Woods, Kobe Bryant), or because of their athletic ability, or lack thereof (Tim Tebow).  So why is LeBron James so hated when he is seemingly an upstanding citizen who is putting up numbers that we haven't seen in generations?  The answer says a lot about not only who he is but who we, as a sports nation, are as well.

There has never been a more hyped athlete coming into the league quite like LeBron James.  When he was in high school his games were televised nationally by ESPN.  He graced the cover of Sports Illustrated.  He received a 9 figure endorsement deal from Nike.  All before ever being drafted. When he was finally selected by his hometown Cavaliers it seemed to play like a Hollywood script; the hometown kid taking the perennial cellar dwellers to the mountain top.  And LeBron and his posse were  well aware of this.  LeBron entered the league at a time when social media was taking off, and was aware from a young age of his image and need to cultivate that image worldwide.  He embraced the attention, making commercial after commercial, and playing up his image as the "next Jordan".  A massive banner was even erected in Cleveland of James in a Christ-like pose with the saying "we are all witnesses".  And for the most part he delivered on the hype.  Cleveland jumped to contender status immediately.  The Cavs made the finals in his third year (getting swept by the Spurs) and he won consecutive MVP awards from 2008-2010.  The team was winning, they were having fun, and the carefully structured image he had created was in top form.  People not only were enamored with his play, but truly liked him as a person. He brought joy and excitement to a city in desperate need of it.  It seemed only a matter of time before he gained the success that seemed ordained to him coming out of high school.  Even with enormous expectations, LeBron seemed to be not only embracing them, but living up to them.  But in the summer of 2010 things took a turn that LeBron and his people should have seen coming, but didn't.

Witnesses to untapped potential

It is well publicized that LeBron has a close knit group that he travels with.  These are not only his friends but his business associates.  They are the ones that advice him and "look out" for him and his interests.  When you are massively successful like LeBron, it is hard to take a step back and look at the big picture and see the ramifications of your actions.  You feel invincible; like everything you touch will turn to gold.  When you have close friends around you at all times advising you, it is also hard to get good, honest direction.  They tend to become "yes men", agreeing with you, scared to go against the grain for fear or being alienated.  When you factor in that all of these guys are in their mid 20's with no real business experience, it is a recipe for disaster.

When ESPN and LeBron's team put together "The Decision" it was doomed to fail.  Using a nationally televised special to announce where you would be signing as a free agent clearly rubbed people the wrong way.  It takes a massive ego to do such a thing, and while the public was aware of LeBron's ego before this, "The Decision" took it to another level.  But he and his advisors saw this as great publicity, and justified it as a charity event benefiting the Boys & Girls Club (how many even remember this?).  How LeBron could not see the perfect storm brewing is a mystery.  Only signing with one place could justify such a classless publicity stunt like this, and that would be resigning with Cleveland.  Instead, he chose Miami.  The entire nation saw Cleveland's favorite son deliver a nut punch to the city of epic proportion.  Fans couldn't understand how he could do such a thing to a city decimated by recession and unemployment in front of a nationally televised audience.  But the NBA is a business, and LeBron had every right to choose where he played.  He was not bound to Cleveland in any way, and the whole point of free agency is to weigh your options and play where you want.  But the way he went about it destroyed his image.  After the backlash of this ridiculous special, LeBron responded like a spoiled kid, playing the victim, not understanding why there was such an outcry.  The arrogance that he showed spoke volumes to the fans who had fell in love with him.  And in acting like an entitled child he pushed many more fans away.  What he didn't realize was all he had to do was apologize for the way he announced his choice, that he should have notified the Cavs prior to his announcement to give them time to rebuild, and show them the respect that they and the fans deserved by thanking them for their love and support while a Cavilier.  But for someone who had been coddled through high school and the pros he hadn't dealt with anything like this before.  He was being criticized for the first time and couldn't cope with the ramifications of his poor decision and became defensive, failing to see how he had harmed so many that believed in him as a player and a person.

Clearly LeBron's actions during his free agency alienated him from many fans.  No matter what he did on the basketball floor could rebuild what he had done in their eyes, as he was now seen as a spoiled brat with an ego as big as his potential.  "The Decision" itself was the first chink in his carefully cultivated persona, but it also transformed the spotlight shown on him into a microscope.  Everything he would do from then on both on and off the court would be scrutinized, and how he responded would shape his legacy and status with fans.

We as sports fans, when we see a specimen like LeBron, understand the potential they possess.  And with that understanding we expect them to excel.  Sometimes they meet our ridiculous expectations and have successful careers.  Others don't and fade away into obscurity or live on as a trivia question.  Whether this is fair or not it is the way sports work.  Athletes understand this, and either embrace it or run from it.  LeBron embraced this fully.  He wanted to be the next great NBA star.  He wanted the attention and to be the "King".  And America, seeing the potential and freakish nature of LeBron's ability, bought into it.  Which is why choosing to play in Miami, with his closest rival Dwayne Wade, didn't make sense to the true NBA fan.  NBA history is filled with rivalries; Russell vs. Chamberlain, Magic vs. Bird, Jordan vs. whomever he thought was slighting him.  None of these players would ever dream of playing with each other.  In fact, all they wanted to do was BEAT the shit out of the other.  Why did LeBron not want to beat Wade instead of joining him?  Wade had already lead the Heat to a title, and the Heat was clearly Wade's team.  Why would LeBron want to be second banana at the prime of his career?  Wasn't he aware that no matter how many titles they won he would never surpass Wade?  But LeBron seemed to be content to playing Robin to Wade's Batman, which baffled everyone outside of South Beach.

Again, the public hoped, and LeBron led us to believe, he was the chosen one, coming to take the NBA to new heights.  But truly great players are great when it is needed most.  They not only want the ball, they NEED the ball when the game is on the line.  They lead their team to victory any way they can, and if they don't, it kills them inside.  They want to win so badly it physically hurts them when they don't that memory drives them to be better.  There are many great players, but few elite players who live up to this status.  LeBron is a great player, one that we may never see again, but despite this massive potential he is not an elite player.  We only need to look to look to this past week as evidence of what kind of player LeBron James truly is.

During the All-Star game last Sunday LeBron was a beast.  He had a mind boggling stat line and led the East back from an enormous deficit to have a chance to win the game.  With seconds left, LeBron had the ball in his hands.  It is situations like this that make great players elite.  What did LeBron do?  He passed to Deron Williams.  When the East got the rebound and the ball made it back to LeBron with the chance at one more shot, he made an awful cross court pass that was intercepted by the West, securing the victory.  There are two things that can be taken away from this.  First off, LeBron did not want to take the shot.  Whether he was shying away from the pressure of the situation, or he was trying to do too much, he was looking to pass and not shoot.  This is not how an elite player acts.  But he has a history of shying away from the pressure, as his no-show performance in last years finals indicate.  He will dominate up until it matters most, at which time he shrinks from the moment.  But what can also be taken away from this situation is the scene of Kobe Bryant barking at LeBron for not taking the last shot.  It was assumed Kobe was talking trash to him for again shying away from taking over.  But Kobe later confirmed that the reason for him taunting LeBron was that Kobe himself, who was guarding LeBron, wanted the challenge of defending the potential game winning shot.  He knew the game was on the line and wanted to influence the outcome himself.  THIS is what an elite player does.  He wants the ball in his hands at the end of games.  He wants to guard the best player on the opposing team.  He does not back down from a challenge, but steps up, regardless of the circumstances.  It is this reason that Kobe is on a whole other level than LeBron, and why Kobe, despite his own issues in the past, is more respected by fans and peers alike for his play.

Kobe trying to teach LeBron what it means to be "elite"

Sunday's Lakers-Heat game was also very telling about LeBron's mentality.  Dwayne Wade had fouled out with 5 minutes left and the Lakers went on to win a huge nationally televised game.  This was the Heat's second consecutive loss after 9 straight wins.  When the game ended and the cameras panned the players, you could see Wade looking out onto the court, dejected, knowing he could have helped his team win had he not fouled out.  You could see this loss hurt him and it truly effected him.  In contrast, LeBron was running around the court, shaking hands and joking with players, coaches and media, with a huge smile on his face.  We want to see our elite players angry when they lose.  We want them to feed off of that and store it away for later.  We do not want to see them running around like everything is okay.  Fans, reasonably or not, take these games seriously, and allow the outcome to effect them.  A win can make an entire day great.  A loss can cause depression.  And when we see someone seemingly not taking a game seriously, we question their motives and their competitive drive.

But truthfully, this is who LeBron is.  He is not the type of player who is in the gym religiously in the offseason working on his game.  He is content with coasting on his pure unprecedented athletic ability and being the fun loving teammate.  It is a mystery as to what type of player LeBron would be if he had that killer instinct and worked on facets of his game that he doesn't have.  Watching him guard Pau Gasol on Sunday in the post was a thing of beauty.  But it brings the question, why does he refuse to develop a post game?  Is there any small forward in the league who could contain LeBron in the post?  Absolutely not.  Nor is there anyone who can stop him from getting to the basket.  Yet he refuses to take advantage of this, instead deferring to Wade and his teammates when they need him most.  It would make sense for us to just accept him for what he is, a great player with freakish ability.  But it pains us to see such potential go to waste.  LeBron has the potential to be one of the greatest to ever play the game, and the fact that he does not want to meet his full potential turns off many fans.  We can't comprehend how he doesn't possess that drive.  This may not be fair, but this is also the image that he has cultivated for the past 8 years.  And when you build yourself up as something that people believe in, and you fail, there will be a backlash.  He wanted people to believe he could be elite.  We saw that he could be elite.  But he isn't.  And that, along with the arrogance and inability to be accountable for his actions is the true reason why we root against LeBron.