LeBron James went on ESPN two nights ago and talked to reporter Rachel Nichols about some of his regrets about the way he handled leaving Cleveland. He said he regretted leaving the fans and that if he was a fan of a great athlete in his city and the athlete left him/her there would be a sense of betrayal. LeBron understood that and said he was sorry for how it happened. He said he thought the way he handled his departure from Cleveland in “The Decision,” was a mistake.
It was a very honest interview by the superstar for the Miami Heat. I’ve always thought LeBron was a nice guy, good person who has always been misunderstood. I’ve always liked him a lot and have admired his basketball skills. He’s made some errors in judgment in some of the things he’s said and done like saying he wanted to dunk over President Bush; that was disrespectful. But I cut him some slack. He’s a young man and young men, particularly in the public eye like professional athletes, are going to say some things they probably regret. I’m sure he regrets that comment. But he’s a good guy and I’ve forgiven him for the way he handled “The Decision.” I remember watching him play in Cleveland last year. The fans were booing him while the Cavs were beating the Heat, he looked to be almost in tears. This was his home state; the place he grew up in. He was born in Akron, but had been a Cleveland Cavalier for eight years. He is a sensitive, and I’d say, nice person.
Skip Bayless and Stephen A. Smith, whom I both like and enjoy watching at night on ESPN’s First Take, were pretty hard on ‘Bron yesterday. A. said he’s acting like a superstar but hasn’t done anything yet–he hasn’t won an NBA title. Skip said he’s just not mentally tough. Well, maybe ‘Bron is just really a nice, sensitive guy. He’s a competitor; there is no doubt about it. I’ve watched him play. He’s relentless and tough. But off the court, it’s OK for him to be a nice guy. What’s wrong with that? And it’s OK to be a nice guy on the court and in that I mean respectful of your opponent, congratulating your opponent when they win and being humble in defeat. Nobody likes to lose, but losing with grace and dignity is the right thing to do. Acting like a poor loser is not the way to act. You can not like losing, but you’ve got to be a mature man, and handle it with class.
John Wooden was one of the nicest, kindest, gentle men to ever coach in sports. I read a powerful quote by him one time. The Wizard of Westwood said,”You should never try to be better than someone else, but you should never cease to try to be the best you can be.” John Wooden was a genuinely nice person. Did he have success? How about 10 national championships in 12 years at UCLA, seven national titles in a row and 88 straight wins; an alltime record. Anything wrong with Wooden being a nice guy?
Of course, Wooden and now LeBron were and are intense competitors. I’ll give a smaller example of how I treat a golf round with a friend or if I’m in a tournament. I’m so focused on playing the course, as they say, that I don’t think about beating my opponent. I’m just trying to be the best I can be. I want to complement and respect my playing partner or opponent. I’ll encourage them when they hit a good shot or make a putt. That’s the way it should be. Golf is competitive, but it’s a gentleman’s game and should be treated that way. Being the best you can be is important, but showing class and respecting your playing partner or opponent is just as important.
There are tremendous competitors out there like Nick Saban, Coach K and Bill Belichick. They are terrific coaches. But I bet they feel better about themselves when they compete with class. Don’t get me wrong they want to win; all competitors do. But when they’ll look back on their careers they want to be remembered for the relationships they had with their players and the impact they had. They’re strong, tough and relentless, but they’re decent people.
LeBron is a good guy, a nice guy. I really like him and always have. “The Decision” was exciting for me, but I was hoping he would have stayed in Cleveland. LeBron regrets the way he handled it, and told Nichols so in the interview. It’s OK to show some vulnerability. I think people like you better when you do that. And it’s OK to be a nice guy. You can be an intense competitor in the arena or the stadium, but you can also be a good sport and you can show integrity and be respectful of your opponent on the court or inside the stadium. That’s a good thing. It’s a spiritual thing. That’s the way the Lord wants you to act.
The thing about nice guys finishing last is a bunch of baloney. There are millions of nice guys who are winners. How about Drew Brees, who is one of the classiest, nicest guys you’ll ever want to meet. He’s done OK. Super Bowl champion in 2009 and looking to be a Super Bowl champion in 2011. The Packers will definitely have a say in that, but Drew and the Saints are in definite contention. And he’s got plenty of good years left as he’s 31. If you have read Drew’s book Coming Back Stronger, you have read what a class act he is and what a good person he is. He helps the city of New Orleans in many ways and helped in rebuilding the city physically and spiritually through his play in 2006. And, yes, he’s a very nice guy.
Tim Tebow is another one. Just a nice person, Christian guy. Many doubters in the media and in the public have lined up to criticize Tim for his Christian beliefs and his play at quarterback. Well, he’s 6-1 as a starter and hasn’t lost any of his humility and his decency.
LeBron is a nice person. And I see him winning some championships alongside his two teammates, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh.Chris is another very nice, respectful person who has been roundly criticized by sportswriters and commentators like Bayless who has called him “Bosh Spice,” since he came to the Heat. Chris actually went on the show and Skip explained to him why he called him that. Chris handled it with grace and dignity. He’s a thoughtful guy who played at Georgia Tech, a fine academic institution. He said to Skip that it bothered his family a lot more than it bothered him. He also said that Skip’s name for him “motivated him.” He never attacked Skip verbally, just handled it with decency and grace. He’s a fine basketball player and had a very good finals last year, so I expect Chris, ‘Bron and DWade to be very motivated this season.
Nice people finish first all the time. I think Tom Brady and Peyton Manning are nice guys. Trent Richardson and RGIII are nice guys. They are the ultimate warriors, but they’re class guys off the field. All four of those guys are. So I can make an argument that nice guys are better competitors than the rough, cantankerous guys. Nice guys keep their cool. They execute better. You always compete better when you’re calm and focused than when you’re angry. I think you lose your focus when you’re angry. Your emotions get the best of you.
LeBron could be the next nice guy to win it all. More importantly, he’s showing his maturity and decency for making mistakes in the past and admitting them. He’s a good guy and I wish him the best. He deserves it. He’s worked hard, tried to be the best he could be and admitted his mistakes to the national public. It’s OK to be nice. As a matter of fact, it’s an asset. People like nice people. You can be a great competitor on the floor and be a nice guy off of it. I think you’ll like yourself better if you are.
(LeBron is a nice person who is somewhat misunderstood.)