Was It Premature To Crown LeBron James King?

Everywhere one looked, he or she heard about the poor playing of LeBron James against the Boston Celtics during the eastern semi finals. The subsequent beatings that LeBron James continue to take on the sport pages and elsewhere for losing to the Boston Celtics are palpable; even now I could hear that one particular song, which seems apropos to what LeBron (“King James”) must be going through, blasting in my ears. It is that song, "Dirty Laundry," from Don Henley with the lines, "kick them when they're up...kick them when they're down…." What made the last two losses more grating was the fact that one took place on Cleveland's home court…with the nails in the Cavaliers coffin being pounded in last night in Boston.

[caption id="attachment_533" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="LeBron James Photo Credit: Keith Allison"][/caption]

For those who do not follow b-ball, let me summarized by conveying that LeBron James is a ‘Phe-nom’ with all the physical attributes coupled with the requisite skills, which makes him the best basketball player in the world now. However, like Michael, Kobe, Bird, Shaq, and Jesus the Messiah, who all had integral supporting players to lead them to their respective Promise Lands; LeBron seems to be lacking these necessary disciples.

But because so many in the sport media pre-ordained and anointed LeBron King, they have mercilessly slaughtered him on the pages for not living up to their expectations. To these pundits, this was the time for LeBron to take Cleveland to the basketball Promise Land. Mind you. bear in mind, that LeBron is still in his early twenties. More and more I am becoming more in awe of what Tiger Woods has accomplished in Golf, especially, since it takes an individual effort to reach the pinnacle of that sport - but I digress.

In all areas of life, there were secular prophecies that didn’t come to fruition - Molly Ringwald once adorned the prestigious covers of Time Magazine with a caption tantamount to she being the future of acting; Ryan Leaf was supposed to bring the Super Bowl Championship to San Diego; President Obama was supposed to be the Secular Messiah who would end all earthly trials and tribulations, and LeBron James was supposed to stop once and for all…the endless Cleveland jokes. LeBron made it easy too for the biting critique he is now receiving because his props were a royal chair and the attendant crown - see his long running commercial on ESPN and ergo, why his given royal name is “King James.”

LeBron “King” James should take heart that there have been giants of the game of basketball who did not reach the Promise Land - Charles Barkley, Patrick Ewing, Allen Iverson, Karl Malone and John Stockton come to mind. It is said that no man is an island…as I have mentioned above, even the Christ had Peter and the rest of the disciples to assist Him. LeBron contract is up with the Cleveland Cavaliers and now we all will wait with bated breath to see which team he is going to sign with. Not-with-standing the beating LeBron is currently taking on the sports pages, there are basketball fans in New York, Miami, Chicago, New Jersey, and Cleveland crossing their fingers…hoping for the basketball King services.