LeBron: Public Enemy Number One

Listen. I have to hate someone. Kobe has recently passed into my good graces (conditionally, pending winning Lakers-Suns series), so there is a void. Watching a downright entertaining Wizards-Cavs Game 5 last night it became eminently apparent that the void is to be filled by the new villain, LeBron James.

Don't take my word for it. Let the Washington Times (a disreputable and biased source if there ever was one) lay it out:

LeBron James skipped down the floor like a little baby after incurring a player-control foul late in the first half of Game 5 last night. This is the face of the NBA? This is not a face anyone should have to see. The only item missing from this sad, sorry spectacle was a stuffed animal. As wimpy as this display was, there were others. And these shallow bursts of immaturity seemed to work on the decision-making abilities of referees Bernie Fryer, Mark Wunderlich and Joe Forte (!?) in the early going. The trio indulged every whimper of the Cleveland Crybabies. It is a wonder the referees did not hold the Crybabies close to their bosoms.

Bold and punctuation added there after Joe Forte. So that's what became of him.

There's more in that article. It's an absolute treat, as well as a case study in why conservatives win elections. They simply know how to fire up the electorate.

Back to LeBron. Also mentioned in the article is the winning shot he made in Game 3. This shot was referred to by a coworker of mine (who used to coach Martell Webster no less) as "almost a triple travel".

Towards the end of OT last night the Cavs had possession with just less than thirty seconds to go, down one. A 2 for 1 was the desirable situation here for the Cavs, but there was hardly enough time to pull it off and get a reliable look at two points. Unless you're LeBron James that is.

Realizing he had the refs in his pocket at home, James lowered his shoulder and dribbled straight into Caron Butler. HE WASN'T EVEN GOING TOWARDS THE BASKET!! The neutered refs of course called a block that sent LeBron to the line. This allowed for Cleveland to achieve the 2 for 1 that that provided the opportunity them to win the game. All without having to actually earn a basket. Pathetic.

The game winner that is being so highly touted, wasn't even all that impressive. It was a traipse through a meadow of flat footed defenders. The fact that the AP has dubbed that 'miraculous' shot "The Layup" points out how lame it was far better than I ever could.

Last time I checked, this is LeBron's first playoff series ever. The referees are calling the games like he's won four championships. I gather that Nike's new We Are All Witnesses ad campaign is in reference to the criminal officiating in this series. I won't root for LeBron until I feel like he's earned something, and so far it's all been handed to him.

Go Kobe!!! Happy Dave Brubeck Day!!

UPDATE:

I'm starting to think I know something about the NBA, because I beat freedarko to the punch by a day on the LeBron analysis.

"If this series has been the first true unobstructed view of LeBron, this much is clear to me: while he plays like a man among boys, he acts like a spoiled fucking baby."

That site is great. I'm in awe of their writing.