Basketball

Will I be buying a Clippers tee shirt this year? You bet. What is there not to like about this team? It's going to be fun, I just hope Paul or Blake don't get injured.

Listening to the radio the other day, someone made a good point about why the Miami thing last year was so offensive to so many people. They likened the situation to a 3-on-3 game where the 3 best players all decide they want to be on one team and play the other 3 guys.

But let me say this - I don't think LaBron is entirely at fault here. I think this idea of "winning is the only thing that counts" has morphed expectations of these athletes into a strange brew and LaBron's decision was a reaction to this culture. Prior to going to Miami, the word on the LaBron was always - "he's great, but hasn't won anything." And the "but he hasn't won anything" cry became louder and louder, repeated on ESPN at all hours of the day. And if you think about it, this claim is ridiculous. He was playing in Cleveland, who literally had no one else good on their team the entire time he was there. Never another all star even. And LaBron, at age 26, is considered a failure? For taking nobodies to the finals twice? A young guy like LaBron can't help but listen to the people and think to himself - "gosh, I gotta win, else these vultures will never get off my case. What is the best way to to do that?" So he goes to Miami and then everyone gets on his case about being uncompetitive and a betrayer and this bullshit. I didn't like the move, and I won't defend it, but I definitely think the "winning is the only thing that counts" culture of sports - which is a new thing - is partially to blame.