Lebron

Brett Favre, Brett Favre, Brett Favre. Lebron, Lebron, Lebron. Heat, Heat, Heat. The decision, the decision, the decision. It's all you ever hear about right. I'll admit, I don't find Favre all that interesting, and am sick of hearing about him every time he breaks a nail, but Lebron fascinates me. It may be because he was "the franchise" of my favorite franchise for 7 manic-depressive seasons.
Now I don't like Lebron. I'm not naive enough to forget that I'm a Cavaliers fan. I understand that my dislike is rooted deep in my "fandom". But I want to make a case that Lebron is an unlikable person regardless of what team he is on. This holds true, even though Michael Vick killed dogs, and Steve McNair beat his girlfriend, and Kobe at least had an extra marital affair. If your point is that what Lebron did in "the decision", is nothing in comparison to what these men did, I would shoot back that what Lebron did wasn't even wrong. It's not even worth comparing. Dan Gilbert and the city of Cleveland's reaction would lead one to believe that Lebron committed the worst atrocity against humanity in the 21st century, but in the end their reaction also did more to justify Lebron's departure than anything. Who would want to work for a boss like that? The decision wasn't wrong. "The decision" wasn't wrong either. Lebron has broken no laws; has shown no one any disrespect. He has just went about his business as a free American employee.
With that said, I am also a free American employee, who has the right to not like somebody. And what makes Lebron so fascinating is how the last 5 months he has made PR gaffe after PR gaffe to the point where you wonder if he should fire his PR guy, or if he was always that much of a jerk, and now with new found free agent freedom he has come out. What he has come out as is a self-centered, naive, Generation Y crybaby, who is in way over his head. He overestimated his "untouchable" quality. He underestimated the value of team chemistry. He underestimated the historical value of bringing championships to a city, especially like Cleveland. He has made us suspect of his competitiveness, perhaps seeing his move to South Beach, as the easy road to a championship.
Granted, I don't know him. I might even like him if I met him. Maybe the media has cast him in this light. I admit that my opinion of him is based merely on the perception I get from the media. My only point is this. If the media is the only chance I get into Lebron's psyche, then I don't feel bad for him that people don't like him. With that said, I defend Lebron's right to play for whomever he wishes as a free agent. I am not really all that offended over "the decision", although a little irked by the way he went about it, and his undiscerning/insensitive/arrogant comment about taking his talent to South Beach. The Cleveland fans reaction has been childish, unacceptable, and worse than anything Lebron has done. But this post is not about the Cleveland fans. It's about me understanding why Lebron is not liked. He's not a real competitor, or leader. He doesn't seem to be very team oriented. He's a millionaire with a victim mentality. His one redeeming quality beside his skills at basketball is... um... he hasn't slaughtered any dogs, gotten in any legal trouble, or sold drugs??? In the immortal words of Chris Rock. "You're not supposed to slaughter dogs!" You also don't have to be a nice guy. You're allowed to be selfish and whiny. But I don't have to like you for it.