Real Problems: Lebron James

On July 7, 2010, in Real Problems, by Henshaw

Congrats Lebron, you're this year's Brett Favre

With all the major problems facing the nation it’s nice to see Americans taking a break to watch the most important sports event of our time. No, I’m not talking about the World Cup. I’m talking about Lebron James. I think even Club Soda would agree that the World Cup is more fascinating to watch that this ridiculously over-hyped James saga.

It’s gotten to the point that ESPN is going to run an hour-long special at the behest of Lebron James so he can “announce” where he is playing. There’s over indulgent and then there’s Lebron James. Mr. James is 25 years old, and by everyone’s reckoning a pretty decent basketball player, but he’s never won anything significant. Is Lebron really worth his own variety hour on ESPN?

This is the most absurd television stunt since Geraldo Rivera unlocked the mystery of Al Capone’s vault in April, 1986. On that night over 30 million people tuned into see literally nothing happen. The only mystery after that event is why anyone paid attention to Geraldo after that debacle.

I take all that back. My guess is that Geraldo Rivera’s humiliation on TV is infinitely more entertaining than anything that will happen Thursday night. Lebron James will likely stay in Cleveland and all this will be over nothing. However, I hold out hope that James will retire from the NBA, start his own franchise in Hawaii, and as Thursday night’s variety hour begins Lebron sings “I got you babe.” A man can hope.