Lebron James is a polarizing figure in the sports world. His talents are undeniable, but his “Decision” back in 2010 left a sour taste in the mouth of many a sports fan. James is the best player in the NBA, and has been for quite some time now, but the media circus that follows his every move has grown tiresome.
On ESPN, it’s all Lebron James, all the time
When I go on ESPN every morning, I’m usually looking for scores or trades. What I’ve found the past weeks ranges from the color of Lebron’s new face-mask that he wears after suffering a broken nose, the NBA’s position on the mask he chose, and Lebron’s response to the league’s position on his face-mask. The week before; a front page topic on both ESPN and SI was Lebron’s request to speak to new NBA commissioner Adam Silver.
Am I the only know who’s tired of Lebron James? The media have obsessed over the former Cavalier for years, and the front page headlines are usually warranted. When Lebron scores 40 against a top Western Conference team, then no one has a problem seeing him on the front page. But not some ridiculous story about how Lebron James’s black, carbon face-mask represents the Miami Heat’s hidden identity. The excuse of, “it’s a slow news day” is no longer.
How about we hear about the rest of the NBA once in awhile? Like how the Dallas Mavericks are slowly creeping up on the rest of the NBA, or how the Oklahoma City Thunder suddenly look beatable with Russell Westbrook back in the lineup? Surely those qualify as front page material compared to one guy’s thoughts on a broken nose?
One of the main problems about the Lebron conundrum is that it isn’t just ESPN who’s redefined themselves as the Lebron James News Network, it’s Bleacher Report and Sports Illustrated; and then there’s NBA.com who continually hails their golden boy.
The constant talk of Lebron and his daily habits poses the biggest problem towards casual sports fans. People in Utah or Indiana won’t come back to the ESPN or other outlets if all they see is Lebron. The trouble is, as long as the media fauns over Lebron and the Heat, sports-fans can’t “take their talents” elsewhere.
