Shaking My Head...

I read today yesterday from an ESPN Cleveland Facebook post that LeBron thinks that race has played a factor in all of the backlash he's received following his announcement to "take [his] talents to South Beach," and although it wasn't something I expected to see, I really wasn't surprised.

LeBron's official quote from the CNN interview with Soledad O'Brien had him respond to the question "Do you think there's a role that race plays in this?" with "I think so at times. It's always, you know, a race factor." James' trusted friend and adviser Maverick Carter added, "It definitely played a role in some of the stuff coming out of the media, things that were written for sure."

I don't know about you, but I was pissed as hell when LeBron left. I'll admit that I had invested way too much in a singular athlete, but LeBron really showed his true colors when "The Decision" aired, with not only his smug attitude, but the fact that he never mentioned his teammates that he completely let down when he QUIT on them in the playoffs. Call me bitter, call me salty, call me whatever you like, but what I saw out of LeBron was someone who had his mind in an completely different place in those last few playoff games. I sat in the stands and watched LeBron play horrendously in his last game at The Q as a Cavalier. I was disgusted with the complacency he showed - even though back then he had the "elbow" as an excuse.

But I think the fact that he wants to bring race into this is truly ludicrous. I thought it was ridiculous when Rev. Jessie Jackson said that Dan Gilbert's letter showed the Gilbert thought of LeBron as a "runaway slave" and I think it's ridiculous to bring race into this now. I truly believe that the backlash against LeBron would be the same no matter what race, creed or color he was. I'll put it like this, I'm black and I bad mouth him every chance I get. I even have a hard time watching that smug smile on ESPN - the network that broadcast the self-serving hour of narcissism - whenever they talk about the three amigos.

The bottom line is this - No LeBron, this "backlash" is absolutely not about racism. You've received backlash because your "special" was narcissistic, rude, and childish. Get over yourself; this has nothing to do with race and everything to do with you being a selfish jackass.

~MAS