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Review of “Bama Profiles in Courage: Laykin”: (Capers) Barr flexes through an emotional range that most writers would never dare attempt … Humor and Bama sorrow are fused together like twined tree trunks that keep each other standing…..It’s part satire, part character study, with a wry lens on fame, fandom, and the modern South. Well done, Capers, well done.”– Ian Allen, The Times Literary Supplement.

Part I: If Lebron’s not enough…

Alright, NBA finals, huh? That’ll get ya jacked up. Cleveland vs. San Antonio. The outline to this dull, yet surprisingly appealing NBA finals is simple. And the outcome filters around whether Lebron James plays comparable to his magical series against Detroit, or if he is just “good”. Because sorry Lebron, “good” is gonna get you…

2–3 minutes

Alright, NBA finals, huh? That’ll get ya jacked up. Cleveland vs. San Antonio.

The outline to this dull, yet surprisingly appealing NBA finals is simple.

And the outcome filters around whether Lebron James plays comparable to his magical series against Detroit, or if he is just “good”. Because sorry Lebron, “good” is gonna get you swept.lebronoverduncan.jpg

(And I’m just taking a shot in hell with this one, but this story is relying on the assumption that Daniel Gibson won’t be scoring 30 on a regular basis.)

It took Lebron James 357 NBA games to grasp just how remarkable he actually is. It took until Game 3 of this years Eastern Conference finals for Lebron to figure out that he is the Cleveland Cavaliers, and he has the natural ability, the leadership, and the mental strength to win games in a certain manner that can only make us think of Jordan.

Eastern conference players, coaches and fans have dreaded this juncture since Lebron was drafted almost four years ago. Why?

Because now that Lebron has tasted what it feels like to be dominate (and win), he is going to control the Eastern conference for the next 8-12 years. And everybody either has goosebumps (Cleveland) or they are scared shitless (Everyone else).

And it all starts in Texas Thursday night.

The series features two teams that revolve around defense. Neither score that much and both teams are located in unpleasant cities. Both of which I’d rather watch my dog shit on an oriental rug than travel to for an informal vacation.

Fittingly, when Dan Gilbert bought the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2005, he committed himself to assembling a team oriented around a defense first mentality. Or the mentality of the San Antonio Spurs.

Gilbert even hired Spurs executive Danny Ferry to serve as the teams GM and opportunely hired Mike Brown to be Cleveland’s head coach. Mike Brown, a former assistant coach, learned from one of the best defensive-minded coaches in the NBA.

San Antonio’s own Gregg Popovich.

So even though Lebron is really the only intriguing basketball related portion of this years’ NBA finals, there are numerous side stories that almost compensate for the clash of two boring teams.

Also, the fascinating saga which includes the story of the “next” Michael Jordan who just beat the Detroit Pistons, all by himself, now facing the big bad San Antonio Spurs in his first NBA finals appearance in what can only be describe as David vs. Goliath. Even though David is an unstoppable 6’7 black guy who can shoot, pass, and literally jump out of a gym. But who’s keeping track.

Not to mention the fairy tale story that revolves around a deprived sports city, Cleveland, that hasn’t seen a championship since 1964.

Preview (True Hoops)

Part II: Tomorrow

14 responses to “Part I: If Lebron’s not enough…”

  1. Jai Eugene Avatar
    Jai Eugene

    You know I was listening to Dan Patrick pontificate on LeBron vs MJ. I believe that he said that LeBron was in the finals quicker than MJ was in his career..

    Did that make any sense at all?

  2. hogpage Avatar
    hogpage

    No, that makes no sense to me at all considering Jordan averaged 28+ in his rookie season. Not to mention he was on the cover of Sports Illustrated months into his first season. The title, “A Star is Born.”
    The only thing I can think of is it only took Lebron twice to beat Detroit, while it took Jordan three times.

  3. Jai Eugene Avatar
    Jai Eugene

    No, i meant my incoherent rambling and sentence structure

  4. hogpage Avatar
    hogpage

    ha. right. I know.

    Uhhh…well yes it made sense, but that is what I think. (1st post)

  5. jonkoncak Avatar
    jonkoncak

    The comparisons to Jordan are understandable and everyone has been looking for the next one, but he’s not close yet. Sure he’s in the playoffs, but how many hall of famers does Lebron face in the Eastern Conference? Because Jordan had to play, oh I don’t know, Bird, Mchale, Ewing, Dominique, Barkley, Isiah, and Dumars to name a few.

    Sure, it only took Lebron to 2 times beat the “pistons” in the playoffs. Let’s see, how do today’s pistons match against Isiah Thomas, Joe Dumars, Bill Laimbeer, Dennis Rodman, Rick Mahorn, Vinnie Johnson, Adrian Dantley, and John Salley? They’d get their asses kicked on the scoreboard and on the court. You think Rasheed Wallace is nasty? He’s a weeblo compared to the bad boy’s mike tyson style of play.

    This is just off the top of my head. Today’s NBA is getting better than it was a few years ago, but it’s far from what it was in the 1980’s and 90’s.

  6. Jai Eugene Avatar
    Jai Eugene

    Nice old school hawks avatar. Have I added you to this blog as an author?

  7. hogpage Avatar
    hogpage

    I agree with you that Lebron is not even close to Jordan yet.

    Completely.

    I agree with you that the NBA doesnt compare to what it was in the late 80s and 90s. But I’ll tell you one thing. I laughed at people when they told me he’d be as good as Jordan three, four years ago.

    I’m not laughing anymore.

    I know he’s not close, but when was the last time you saw someone carry a team to the finals with a supporting cast comparable to Lebron’s.

    Even Jordan had Pippen. Kobe had Shaq. Dwade had Shaq.

    McGrady hasn’t done it. Not many have.

    So to mention a comparison between Lebron and Jordan just isn’t laughable anymore. Though I am a firm believer in Jordan>Lebron.

    Jai, are you asking me?

  8. jonkoncak Avatar
    jonkoncak

    No, Jai, I don’t think I’ve been added. Thanks for thinking of me though. I feel all warm and tingly. Wait, you just added me.

    Hogpage, I hear you on Lebron. After hearing Jordan gush over Lebron when he was a senior in high school, I knew he was the truth. If anyone can do it, Lebron can. Dwade maybe, but Kobe? Never. He could cure aids and is image will always be tarnished as a butt humper and tattle tailer.

    I can’t say Jordan had Pippen. Jordan made Pippen like Magic made Worthy. Although Worth was a better all-around player than Pippen. Pippen was a bitch and he recently insinuated that he was as good as Jordan.

    Lebron can’t be what Jordan was. Jordan brought the game to people all over the world. Jordan created the need for $200 shoes. Jordan brought us baggy shorts (thank god). Jordan had us shooting fade away jumpers with our tongues hanging out on our nerf goals in our bedroom which was wallpapered with Air Jordan, Spud Webb, Dominique Wilkins, and Magic Johnson posters. Jordan is at the level of Naismith, John Wooden, Wilt, and Dr. J. Hell, Jordan played minor league baseball. Yeah, it was a publicity stunt, but he was such an icon that it was worth having him around the organization that the let him do it. Then after 3 years of messing around, he comes back and wins 3 more titles in a row.

    Lebron has a lifetime to a legend and it will take a lifetime to accomplish that kind of legendary status.

    I think Lebron is a refreshing hybrid of Magic and Jordan. He really needs to improve his defense and become a cold blooded killer every night of an 82 game regular season. Jordan was a killer. He wanted to win every game and nearly did. Bird was a killer too. Lebron was a killer against the Pistons and I loved it and I’ve hated the NBA for about 6 years now. Lebron has brought me back and I hope he keeps it up, but it’s going to be tough.

    Here’s to hoping the Cavs can pull it out. I want to see Lebron win game 7 on a fade away buzzer beater.

  9. hogpage Avatar
    hogpage

    Well put. Spurs suck.

  10. Pug Avatar
    Pug

    Since you asked, Lebron isn’t enough. I’ll be watching the Stanley Cup finals featuring a nationwide audience of 8.

  11. hogpage Avatar
    hogpage

    Ha. make it 9. I’m in

  12. jonkoncak Avatar
    jonkoncak

    Sweet, it looks like retro NBA logos are in. I can’t say I started the trend, but I have made it popular just like I did kangaroo shoes in 1985.
    http://www.shoes.com/productimages/shoes_ia63548.jpg

    Conversation from 1985: “Yeah, my lunch money is in my zipper pocket on my ‘roos. Where’s yours? In your jordash jeans? Ha, no one keeps their money in their pant pockets anymore.”
    http://www.jordachecorporate.com/2006/images/logoBrandsjordache2.jpg

    I can’t even joke about hockey. It can only be watched live as TV does it no justice. Plus, it’s played on a surface we rarely see in the south. Typically when there’s that much ice around in the South it’s crushed up and in styrofoam coolers keeping beer cold or used in crown and cokes for a tailgate or a NASCAR race.

    Simple equation for ice in the south: Ice = drankin’.

    But I do want to thank the Canucks for Crown Royale.

  13. boochiegilchrist Avatar
    boochiegilchrist

    Joncontract’s right: Jordan and the Bulls had to wait till the Bad Boys imploded after back-to-backing till they could make a run at the finals.

    Rodman. Mahorn. Buddha Edwards. Microwave Johnson. Floppin’ Bill Laimbeer. Zeke Thomas. Joe Dumars. Shark Aguirre. John Salley. When you’re two, maybe three players shy of having a complete team around you, like say, the Cavs of today, that’s a hard rotation to beat.

  14. jonkoncak Avatar
    jonkoncak

    Eh, I’m not so sure it was an implosion of the Bad Boys as much as it was Jordan and the Bulls’ time. The Bulls of the 1990’s were better than the best Pistons of the late 80’s. As much as Laimbeer was a flopper he could’ve beat Rasheed Wallace’s ass like the bitch he is. Rasheed is real tough yelling at those tiny, old white refs. As soon as Laimbeer beat him, Mahorn beats Rasheed even worse the next game and then Isiah would french kiss him while he lay on the court.

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