TechMiso

Why did Lebron James create a Twitter account the same week he decided to crush his hometown’s collective heart? Maybe he was unaware that the micro-blogging service had been available to the public for the past 4 years. It could be a coincidence that he decided to utilize that forum during the biggest spectacle of self-love that I have ever personally witnessed. Truth is that Twitter provided an environment where he could display his glaring character flaws. Compassion, humbleness, loyalty and respect are not prerequisites to creating a Twitter account.

This culture of instant media, instant gratification and instant fame usually is closely trailed by shame and doubt. After watching a one hour special dedicated to “King James”, the two words I would use to describe the look on his face are shame and doubt. The Cleveland Cavaliers billionaire owner should also feel the same way for his tribute to the “Chosen One” that was fitting of a bratty, spoiled 13 year old girl. Who is to blame for this latest display of selfishness and taking the path of least resistance? You…well, us I guess.

I too have been in awe of his talent just like every other sports fan. But I saw his flaws before most. Last year when the Orlando Magic exposed the Cleveland Cavaliers in 6 games to reach the NBA Finals, “Bron Bron” walked off the court without congratulating or at least acknowledging the winning team’s upset. Not even a post game interview. What was his explanation for this act of immaturity and disrespect?

“It’s hard for me to congratulate somebody after you just lose to them. I’m a winner. It’s not being a poor sport or anything like that. If somebody beats you up, you’re not going to congratulate them. That doesn’t make sense to me. I’m a competitor. That’s what I do. It doesn’t make sense for me to go over and shake somebody’s hand.”

I’m not sure, but that could be the biggest load of crap I’ve ever heard. The dude was being sore loser and he knows it. After that I refused to buy his shoes for my son ever again. I wasn’t going to be apart of creating that monster. ESPN, NBA executives and more importantly this cyber culture created this gigantic jackass. He can be insulated from the world on Facebook and Twitter, so he doesn’t have to face the ramifications of his actions. The man singlehandedly crushed the hopes of an entire state and did so on an international stage.

His logic in doing so was flawed and just a smoke screen. He wanted to win right away…please, his previous team had the best record in the league the past 2 years. Plus the Chicago Bulls actually had a whole team waiting for him. He just didn’t want the pressure anymore, so he slithers off to Miami. Look, I know he is only 25 years old and that he will make mistakes. But he is a super rich megastar that has a TEAM of advisors. How many of us had a team advising us when we were coming up? Oh yeah, it was our families. They were there to tell us when we were going off the right path and help us get back on it. Now all you have to do is turn to social media to have a bunch of “friends” validate your every move.

I LOVE sports and the Internets, but not all of the creations that spew from their loins. We have to remember that words and actions hurt people. Hurting them on TV, web or radio doesn’t damage them any less. And after hurting people then turning to your new city to be instantly praised sends the wrong message. LeBron James will not learn from this, because we won’t make him. You will forgive and forget because he entertains and everyone loves a winner. Well, I love the Chicago Cubs and will continue loving them for the next 100 championship-less years for reasons that LeBron’s fans would probably never understand.

LeBron James has 405,000 followers (and counting) on Twitter, so he doesn’t need me to be apart of the lovefest. We are all “witnesses” to this phenomenon of our own making, and we should all feel ashamed. I just hopes he gets the values he’s lacking in Miami, but I doubt it.