LeBron and his celebration of himself: Should we be surprised?

There's good and bad to this whole Facebook and Twitter thing (and whatever other social media platforms are out there I've yet to hear of).

The good: You can catch up with folks you haven't seen in 15 or 20 years (or longer). You can feel more in-touch with family and friends you don't get many opportunities to see in person. And if you're in this business, you can send out updates to the masses on breaking news and other noteworthy items.

Now for the bad: Some people think their lives are way more interesting than they actually are.

You know the people I'm talking about (and no offense meant if some of you are reading this).

The people who breathlessly post (or Tweet, or whatever) every single mundane event that occurs in their lives each day.

"Just overslept by six minutes ... gotta get rolling!"

"Sitting in traffic. Sucks!"

"Just mowed the yard. This glass of water is refreshing!"

"Going to bed early tonight. Big day tomorrow!"

I've often been tempted to post something really snide, such as "I honestly don't care that you just took your second bite of Raisin Bran," or something like that. But I don't want to sound like the mean old man I'm probably becoming.

And before we go any further, it would probably be hypocritical for me to blast others for self-absorbtion when I'm the guy who has the blog that contains about 38 "I" references per entry. So I'm certainly guilty of it, too.

But anyway, the mindless side of this social media phenomenon came to mind this morning when I was reading accounts and opinions from last night's celebration of LeBron James, by ESPN and by James himself.

I told myself I wasn't going to watch, but ended up reluctantly turning to ESPN at 9 p.m. while using the lame rationalization that I cover sports for a living and needed to watch because it's my job (despite the fact that, before this year's NBA Finals, I watched a grand total of about an hour of NBA basketball over the last decade).

The hour-long spectacle did make me want to take a shower, for various reasons (the main one being ESPN and former bulldog reporter Jim Gray shedding the sliver of journalistic credibility they had remaining).

But I gotta say this: It wasn't as bad as I thought it'd be.

First of all, donating the circus' proceeds to the Boys & Girls Club was a nice touch. And maybe I'm gullible, but shoot, seems like LeBron really does just want to win.

A lot of people have railed on LeBron for the narcissism, the self-importance that's been on display when he refers to himself as "King James," when he refers to himself in the third person, and yeah, when he sees fit to devote an hour to an exercise that should consume a mere five seconds.

No, it's not the most refreshing thing in the world. Most of us would prefer our superstars -- particularly the superstars that have yet to win a title -- be more selfless and humble and not make such a big deal out of stuff like this. We think back to the good 'ole days when Michael Jordan announced his return to basketball with a simple "I'm back."

But really, should we be surprised? Should we, the same people who think everyone else is interested about everything short of our latest bowel movement, really be all that outraged that perhaps the most gifted basketball player on the planet has no problem engaging in a love-fest for himself?

Eh...

Opinions abound in the wake of last night's announcement.

This guy, from ESPN, wonders what was so wrong about what LeBron did.

What is James' crime, exactly? I have been hashing out this issue with e-mailers over the last few hours. Most accept that he had the right to choose whatever team he wanted. Most accept that Cleveland was not the best team. Most accept that he played hard for the Cavaliers and -- this year's playoff disappointment notwithstanding -- got better results than could have been expected.

Pretty much it boils down to the fact that he put himself on TV to make this decision, which sends the twin messages that he has an overblown view of his own role in the world, and that he's insensitive to how the whole thing would play in Ohio.

And OK, fair enough. Quibble with his media philosophies if you'd like.

But realize, if you're bitter, you're bitter about the format of his expression. Not the contents of his soul. And without clearing the bar in that last sentence, it's a little extreme to call him nasty names on the internet, isn't it?

I'm angry at Mitch Albom for his take ... not for ripping LeBron, but for dissing my man Ringo Starr.

In Chicago, Rick Telander was repulsed by what he saw.

Players change teams all the time, I know that. Who doesn't? Hello!

But no player has ever done it with the pomp, phoniness, pseudo-humility, and rehearsed innocence of LeBron James and his ESPN bed-mates.

Why, for a moment there Thursday night during the hourlong show, I thought James was going to break down and weep with his sadness.

Oh, the horror of joining Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade and the millions of dollars on the Miami Heat!

''The Decision.''

Hurl.

How about ''The Fraud''?

How about ''The Guy Who Knew All Along''?

''In the history of the league, we have never seen this!'' burbled ESPN master of ceremonies Stuart Scott, as though a plague of flying monkeys had been spotted over the Atlantic.

And this was before James had said anything.

Another Chicago columnist, Rick Morrissey, also isn't buying that LeBron made the decision yesterday morning.

The NBA has just turned into a farce, friends.

No amount of words from James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh will be able to convince some of us that Thursday night's announcement wasn't a done deal weeks ago, months ago, years ago.

''I think I decided [Thursday] morning,'' he said.

Sure you did, LeBron.

The intrigue, the splashy free-agent interview tour, the pained facial expressions of indecision on the faces of Wade, Bosh and James -- all of it looks like something out of a bad summer-stock production.

''The Decision,'' as ESPN and James' team pompously titled it, didn't look like a decision at all. It looked like a wink and a snicker.

''The Deception'' is more like it.

Even by NBA standards, James' self-importance is stunning and, in his case, extremely disappointing. He was supposed to be different, better. A caring guy, we were told. Complex, too.

Well, no.

Moving on to some stuff that actually sorta matters...

In this piece from Rivals, games that should not be happening in 2010.

Think they overlooked one. (Cough, cough -- PRESBYTERIAN! -- cough, cough).

And Nebraska dispensed with subtlety when it came up with its 2010 team slogan:

"Wear Red. Be Loud. Beat Texas."

Like it.

Major brawl last night in Knoxville.

The co-owner of a nightclub near the University of Tennessee campus said “seven to 10” Volunteers football players were involved in a fight early Friday morning at the establishment.

Bar Knoxville co-owner Sandy Morton offered her eyewitness account of the event to the Times Free Press.

Morton said the fight started inside but spread outside, and it ended with an off-duty police officer knocked unconscious in Cumberland Avenue.

Maybe they were Cleveland Cavaliers fans?

In the Charlotte Observer, a look at the ACC's new TV deal.

A deal that will be tainted forever given that it does not include Doc Walker.

Walker's absence might lead to the blog going to three days a week instead of five. Because there goes about 30 percent of my material.


LW

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