ADVERTISEMENT

Enough With 'LeBroning'

It's only Game 1/Terez Hilton Twitter
June 6, 2014

Word to Dan LeBatard for compiling that shining example of the misogyny and faux-machismo still rampant in today’s average sports fan. Those reactions were as guaranteed as the sun rising in the morning as soon as LeBron James’ bout with debilitating cramps benched him for the remaining seven minutes of in the NBA Finals last night. San Antonio rode that gift horse on a 21-7 run to close out Game 1.
lecramp

Even if the Heat had won, the reaction would have been just as damning (and just as ridiculous). But because this is the Internet and we'll memeify the fall of civilization, LeBron's condition ...

AP
AP

... inspired "LeBroning." As if Tebowing could become more obnoxious.

Terez Hilton Twitter
Terez Hilton Twitter

It’s mind boggling that we’re even having this conversation this morning considering the whole "LeBron has won back-to-back titles" caveat. I don’t hate myself enough to trawl through the "LeBroning" backlash to see if any Heat fans are consuming their own, but fans of the other 29 teams in the NBA relish instances like last night to dredge up the same old, tired argument of "Michael Jordan won a title with the flu!" (Poor Dirk Nowitzki gets ignored. Again)

For one evening of mismanaged hubris—"The Decision"—LeBron will earn an inexplicable amount of hatred. It’s practically a Pavlovian response.

I’d say it’s an indictment of NBA fans or casual sport fans at large that the LeBron hate comes swiftly while Kobe Bryant’s general unpleasentness is lauded. Let’s also take this moment to remind everyone that Michael Jordan is a huge d-bag himself.

LeBron has steered clear of the brazen Jordan comparisons while Kobe has fully embraced them. Kobe’s so obsessed with meeting and exceeding MJ, he’s kneecapped the Lakers into forking over 2006 Kobe money for two years, just so he can pass MJ on the all-time scoring list. He’s not getting a ring for his other hand, but he’s damn well going to beat Jordan one way or another.

Relax everybody, it’s long series. The Heat have won every Finals series in which they lose the first game. After you sift through all of the "LeBron cramping" thinkpieces like the one you’re reading right now and find an actual box score, it’s clear as day that the Heat were well on their way to stealing Game 1 on the road. San Antonio fumbled the ball 23 times and only secured the win once LeBron started to gas.
Valeria-Orsini-Miami-Heat-Fan

After all, the Heat play better from behind anyway.

Published under: Sports