LeBron at the Crossroads

“From a jack tooooo a kiiiiing.”  That’s LeBron Raymone James.

Country crooner Ned Miller could’ve been foretelling the odyssey of Miami’s majestic one with the title of his ‘62 crossover hit.

From highly-touted high school phenom (Akron), to celebrated draftee (#1 ‘03), erstwhile underachiever (’07), scorned defector (MIA) and MVP totting NBA champ (’12), Le. James has finally claimed the throne so many had presaged.

Though Heat coach Erik Spoelstra, two-time titlist teammate Dwyane Wade, Finals force Chris Bosh and the rest of Miami’s squad contributed nicely to the conquest (OKC) that secured King James long-awaited coronation, generously spreading the love is not how it’s done in the sporting world.

It’s all about celebrity and there is but one crown.  The team gets booty ($) and medals (rings) while the Finals MVP gets a well-deserved scepter and steady-stream of adoration.

But before his Highness gets too comfy in his royal state he should be aware he faces yet another crossroad in his storied and oh-so scrutinized career.

Unlike previous junctures (college vs. NBA, Miami or Cleveland), this intersection is not of his own choosing and the landing-spots not entirely within his control.

The destinations: a little hamlet know as ‘Greatness’ (Pop. 21), and the other, a terrific town that all too rarely topped America‘s ‘Best Basketball Place’ called ‘Wilt City.’

If James can lead his Heat to a repeat feat in taking another Larry O’Brien Trophy he’ll be in the driver’s seat cruising down Legacy Lane and headed straight for Greatness.

Back-to-backs mean dynasty and that would put LeBron and his Heat teammates in select company, a rarified-air few in this current NBA have inhaled, with team president Pat Riley and a handful of current Spurs & Lakers being among the lucky.

And another title is looking better-than-fair for favored MIA, having secured PS home-court with NBA’s top tally (65-16), set 2nd longest win-streak in NBA history (27), showcasing the 2012 MVP, exude a confidence that “super-abounds” after last year’s break-through win and face a field of competition that hardly sends shivers down one’s spine.

But LeBron’s got “miles to go” before he can buy that beachfront lot in Greatness.

With just one title in tow nobody, not even LRJ, can be sure which guy will show up in these playoffs: the hard-driving, post-season MVP of 2012 or the fade-away fella who saw Dirk Nowitzki take him and his Heat to school in 2011.  The precedent here’s open to interpretation (a bit murky).

These Knicks are smoother (‘12) but Celtics are a tough draw, Bulls a darkhorse and Heat top the East.  In the West, Clippers seek their first Final since birth (Buffalo), Grizzlies the darkhorse and until Westbrook (and Rondo) plays to his position (OKC) and Spurs time-travel back (age), both clubs will need all the stars in alignment to reach Finals ‘13.

If the Heat by chance drop the ball these playoffs, detouring from Greatness, watch as the Wilt Chamberlain comparisons begin for LeBron in earnest.

“Stilt” was the most talented player in the history of b-ball and did not lack for toughness, but the gold standard is the ring count, an item Chamberlain conceded far too frequently to nemesis Bill Russell and the Celtics.

If the Heat do win BTBs and forge dynasty, something Wilt & Co. never did (PHI / LAL), will that put King James on the Emperor’s throne as the greatest all-time (“GAT“)?  Many a writer are today preparing to make just such a claim on LRJ in anticipation.

But not this scribbler.  That the Heat will hoist another O’Brien in 2013 is a pretty good guess.  James going GAT?  That‘s a whole ‘nother conversation.
 
While the NBA gold standard is measured in championship metallica, it is weighted by it’s karat-count, competition.

Neither LeBron, nor Jordan for that matter, faced Finals foes the likes of Russell, Elgin, Oscar, Wilt or West, Willis, Walton or Jabbar, Larry, Julius, Moses or prime Magic.

MVPs glitter, scoring titles carry cachet, All-Defensive teams show substance, All-Star accolades are cute costume jewelry and who you beat matters BIG time.

And the ‘BIG matters’ Heat could face this PS: Kobe & Dirk are out, Duncan, Pierce & Garnett will be present while Nash & Parker are <100%; rising stars Rose (out), Durant, Randolph, Anthony, Harden, Howard, Paul, Griffin, J. Smith, George, Deron, Westbrook, Rondo, Amar‘e, Curry and Noah have more to prove before they add to the karat count.

Might there come a day when LeBron is referred to as ‘the greatest?’  He already is in some circles.  But consider that those are the same folks that when the next highly-hyped star comes down the pike they’ll be calling that guy ‘the greatest’ first chance they get.

Because of the competition-gap, because of his ‘Johnny come lately’ status in the title category (Y10) and the orchestration employed to fashion his Miami championship melody that left more than a few people miffed, it’s doubtful James will ever overtake the names Magic, Russell or Chamberlain when historians rank the best ever.

In his favor is the man’s age, still a youngish 28 (12-30).  Amazing.  If he avoids the serious injury bug, can cajole ownership to keep investing, stay hungry and play another ten years, those MVPs should keep coming and with no other player today under-30 who plays to his caliber, more titles should be had.

The big question: Does LeBron James even care about GAT?  Maybe not.  He probably needs one, maybe two more titles to feel fully validated but with all the fame, fortune and accolades he’ll have accumulated he might just decide to hang ‘em up at 35 and leave the rest to fans & media to sort out.

Whether or not LeBron James ever dons ‘greatest all-time’ regalia, there’s no doubt he’s ready to set down roots in that exclusive community know as Greatness.  It’s a place fit for a king.

Steven Keys
Nothing But Net
Photo Credit: LeBron James / wc.cc / "Cesar" / 3-30-11

Tony Romo: Cowboys "It" Man?

Vince Lombardi is famous for saying “Winning isn’t everything, it’s the only thing.” Point in fact, it wasn’t one of his proudest moments.

For starters, the legendary Packers’ coach borrowed the line from adorable & talented child actress Sherry Jackson. She uttered the famous words sitting next to the lovely Donna Reed in the John Wayne movie “Trouble Along the Way (‘53): “Like Steve says (her Dad), winning isn’t everything, it’s the only thing.”

And then there’s the other thing.  The line doesn’t exactly make sense.  If victory is the “only thing,” that’s “everything” too, right?  Right.

What bothered Vince was the wrong impression it gave people.  It made him sound like a narrow-minded, boob-head who couldn’t appreciate the reality of sport, which is: a team can play with heart, play smart and still come-up-short.  The effort oughta’ count for something and in reality Vince knew as much.

And in the ‘come-up-short’ department not many NFL’ers have a bigger office with a nicer view and supportive staff than Mr. Tony Romo.

To the surprise of few (count chatty teammate DeMarcus Ware among that tiny group (Sirius XM / 4-4)), Tone came-up-big Friday before last when he signed a contract extension which might, depending on health and term triggers, keep him in Big D the rest of his playing career (6Y, $108M, $40M-Gtd (CBS / JK / “Romo“ / 3-29)).

It’s an un-godly sum of money in a sinfully rich game for a quarterback who’s led his team to but one playoff win (‘09) since taking the Cowboy reigns in ‘06, a win quickly forgotten when the following week Dallas got dismantled by the Favre Vikes, 34-3.

To say TR doesn’t deserve such a deal ignores his skill-set and the healthy state of the NFL, meaning, Jerry Jones can afford it.  Romo’s put up some terrific tallies in his seven seasons as a starter and has that even-keel persona that keeps coaches & owners happy.

But there are problems.

First off, when you’re America‘s Team, the NFL’s marquee operation, anything less than on-going, title-contention should be unacceptable.  It should be.

Second: Tony Romo just doesn’t have it.

And what is “it?”   Well, it ain’t what Clara Bow had (‘27).

And it’s not leadership, not by itself, anyway.  Romo’s a leader, no doubt on that point.  With numbers that have him on pace to best HOF’er Dan Fouts, and three post-season / Pro Bowl appearances in his seven years as a starter, Tony clearly has a director’s skill.

And you don’t need a ring to have “it,” either, though, having one of what’ve become the most grotesquely over-stated pieces of symbolic jewelry on the planet will necessarily vest recipients with all the rights & privileges accorded Super Bowl stars, including “it.”

Men like Fran Tarkenton, Craig Morton, Warren Moon (5 GC), Dan Marino, Y.A. Tittle, Jim Kelly, Dan Fouts, Jake Plummer, Ken Anderson, Doug Flutie (3) and Drew Bledsoe, all came up short in the biggest games of their NFL careers but always left fans believing one more title-run was possible as long as they laced ‘em up and strode out onto that field.

All proof that how you lose, does matter.

Simply put, “it” is an athlete’s passion for winning.

And it’s that passion, a fire in the belly that somehow enables or energizes these quarterbacks in marshaling those skills they need in the big game to lead their men to the promised land.

Sound corny?  Not if that’s your man under center.

The pro-Romo camp might say something like this: ‘What else was Dallas gonna’ do, cut Tony?  Where would that leave the Cowboys?  It’s been slim pickens for quarterback-seekers in 2013 (free-agency & draft) and Tone still gives the Boys their best chance to win.’

True enough.  It’s been a seller’s market for QBs of late.

But standard-bearer clubs ought never settle for ‘good enough’ and Romo’s just not cuttin’ the mustard, or, as they say in the Lone Star State: ‘That dog won’t hunt.’

Because you can’t always draft a Troy Aikman or pick-up a known commodity like Peyton Manning, sometimes you just gotta’ roll the dice on an unknown or unproven.

Conduct yourself like a professional for nine seasons and Jerry Jones will take care of you.  That’s fine.  But Jones’ responsibility goes well beyond Tony Romo.  He owes a duty, like every owner, to his fandom, and in his team’s case that runs coast-to-coast.

And Jerry’s coming dangerously close to breach.

It’s his $1.3B Cowboys Stadium (‘09) and its high-falutin hosting-capacity (‘14 Final 4 / ‘15 FBS?) that’s become Jones’ crowning achievement, his pride & joy while he appears content to live off past glories (’92-93, ’95).  And keeping Tony on board helps keep the lid on things.  Tone may not win you a title but he will keep you outta’ the pishadoo.

So what’s done is done.  Romo’s gonna’ be ridin’ point in Arlington for a few more drives and as of this writing no serious plan in the works for a Cowboys’ quarterback competition this summer.

If there’s one sport where a less-than-great team can grab the victor’s laurel, it’s the NFL: win your division (NFC-East no biggie (NYG rates)), get a RD1 bye and you’re just three little ol’ wins away from hoisting hardware.  A veritable EZ-Pass post-season highway.

And if someone can get Jerry’s attention away from stadium scheduling, just long enough to wheel & deal a tighter Dallas D and fashion a reliable run-game, Tone just might bag that Lombardi trophy.  Stranger things have happened.  Who besides the Ravens thought Joe Flacco was gonna’ hoist last February?

One thing Tony might keep in mind when living on the links this off-season: “Winning isn’t everything” but ring-holders always get the best tee times and that means at least two strokes off your score.  Think about it, Tone.

Steven Keys
NFL Hunch Line