Joe Chacon's Blog
Another year and another "Sportsman of the Year" award has been given out by Sports Illustrated. The recipient of this years award is LeBron James.
According to the official definition of the award, it is presented to "the athlete or team whose performance that year most embodies the spirit of sportsmanship and achievement."
So, in the eyes of Sports Illustrated, LeBron James did this better than anyone in 2012.
In scouring message boards and other news outlets, it appears many believe Serena Williams is the people's choice for the award. Williams won Wimbledon, the U.S. Open, Olympic gold, and year-end championships.
James didn't do so bad for himself. He became just the second player to win a title, MVP and Olympic gold in the same year. But did James embody the spirit of sportsmanship and achievement better than every other player and team in the world during 2012?
It's hard to say. It is such an abstract award and to pinpoint exactly who should win it every year would be a futile effort.
For James, he undoubtedly does a lot of stuff off the court that many aren't aware of, including lots of charity work in his hometown of Akron, OH.
James is painted as a pompous, selfish player by many fans around the league, but perhaps it is time to give him a chance to be a fan favorite in the same way we've done to other players over the years.
To his credit, James has stayed out of trouble and conducts himself well on and off the court. Is he going to be hated forever?
Sound Off: Do you agree with LeBron James being chosen as the 2012 Sportsman of the Year?
Joe Chacon is a staff writer for Operation Sports and a featured columnist for Bleacher Report. You can follow him on Twitter @JoeChacon.
# 17
Cod @ Dec 9
Does anyone else find it ironic that he has "Loyalty" tattooed up his side in rather large letters?
# 19
Jadakiss88 @ Dec 10
@Tarek I always love how people like to see one side of everything. There are so many things wrong with your comment is comical.
First, Lebron welcomed being drafted by the Cavs a team that was not good at all. He made no push back and made the best of a horrible situation. FACT: The Cavs did not know how to build a team around Lebron, however, Lebron still lead the Cavs to an NBA Finals and multiple Playoff Appearances. ALSO, he re-signed with the Cavs after his first contract ended. Lebron was with the Cavs for 7 years, yet name a consistent role player or side kick Lebron had throughout those 7 years..?
His contract ended!!! But you probably have no problem with Teams trading and cutting players whenever they feel right. Go ask Quentin Richardson how it feels to be traded 3 times in less than two months. I promise he won't say it was the most excitment he had in his career. So if he his contract has expired that means he has no obligations to the Cavs.
"The Decision", yes it was over the top and extremely unnessecary.
"I did the right thing for my family, and if you don't like it, you're a *****."
I would say the same. He manned up WTF...? There is not one athlete that plays a sport that will say "Yea I will play for a perennial loser for my entire career and never get to play for a Championship." If you were in the same position a Superstar playing for Toronto and your Front Office has no clue how to build a team around you and help you win a title I am pretty sure you would move on too.
But the thing that I find the funniest. Is that everyone wants to point the finger at Lebron, Wade, and Bosh when a few years before some guys by the name of Garnett, Pierce, and Allen did the exact same thing. One left a team that was sold and the other left a team that is just now getting back on track.
Look how much the Cavs got out of the deal.
First, Lebron welcomed being drafted by the Cavs a team that was not good at all. He made no push back and made the best of a horrible situation. FACT: The Cavs did not know how to build a team around Lebron, however, Lebron still lead the Cavs to an NBA Finals and multiple Playoff Appearances. ALSO, he re-signed with the Cavs after his first contract ended. Lebron was with the Cavs for 7 years, yet name a consistent role player or side kick Lebron had throughout those 7 years..?
His contract ended!!! But you probably have no problem with Teams trading and cutting players whenever they feel right. Go ask Quentin Richardson how it feels to be traded 3 times in less than two months. I promise he won't say it was the most excitment he had in his career. So if he his contract has expired that means he has no obligations to the Cavs.
"The Decision", yes it was over the top and extremely unnessecary.
"I did the right thing for my family, and if you don't like it, you're a *****."
I would say the same. He manned up WTF...? There is not one athlete that plays a sport that will say "Yea I will play for a perennial loser for my entire career and never get to play for a Championship." If you were in the same position a Superstar playing for Toronto and your Front Office has no clue how to build a team around you and help you win a title I am pretty sure you would move on too.
But the thing that I find the funniest. Is that everyone wants to point the finger at Lebron, Wade, and Bosh when a few years before some guys by the name of Garnett, Pierce, and Allen did the exact same thing. One left a team that was sold and the other left a team that is just now getting back on track.
Look how much the Cavs got out of the deal.
# 20
Jadakiss88 @ Dec 10
Thats where a parents job becomes important. No child should grow up thinking like someone they watch on TV. Ultimatley all those things come down to how they were raised and how they saw their parents react to things.
|
|||||||||
|
Joe Chacon
25
2 Forum Posts
92 Blog Entries
135 News/Blog Comments
0 Reader Score Votes
9 Friends
1 Chalkboard Messages
0 Screenshots
0 Videos
390,398 Arena Visits
Joe Chacon's Blog Categories
Joe Chacon's Xbox 360 Gamercard
Joe Chacon's PSN Gamercard
' +
Joe Chacon's Screenshots (0)
Joe Chacon does not have any albums to display.
More
Joe Chacon's Friends
Recent Visitors
The last 10 visitor(s) to this Arena were:
Joe Chacon's Arena has had 390,398 visits
Joe Chacon's Arena has had 390,398 visits
Working...
I don't dispute the fact that his time in Cleveland was not maximised due to poor acquisitions and poor management. His RIGHT to leave Cleveland was never in question. But the way in which he did so is what I question.
It is now widely known that whilst in Cleveland, the organisation basically walked on egg shells because his buddies needed jobs, and they didn't know what his intentions were so they were extremely scared to piss him off because from all indications (his childish attitude) it would have resulted in a tantrum (private of course) and he would have left.
Even now, with hindsight, Gilbert has stated that he should have read and seen the signs and traded him. And he regrets that. Essentially it reads that the organisations hands were tied, and thus the Cavs have seemingly learnt a big lesson from that experience.
Secondly, you are right that legacy is defined by wins and performance, and the Big O is entitled to his opinion. But my point is that we now live in a world where sport is more business than sport. Loyalty is shown to peers. Owners are loyal to other owners. Players and loyal to other players. And very very few are loyal to their fans.
Lebron James unfortunately won't be the last to break an fan bases' heart. And that's what hits me the most. I am a father with young children. When my kids start to associate whoever they decide to associate as their role models (external to their parents of course), I hope the choice they make builds up concepts of loyalty, pride, respect and other moral values which can help them long term.
If they follow role models who value self interest, elitism and 'me first' attitudes, then that concerns me because the real world doesn't work like that.
And so, Lebron James had every right to leave Cleveland. But the way he did so reflects upon a man who cares little except for what HE gets out of anything. If you know anyone like that in real life (and I certainly do) then you'll know what I mean.