I'm Offended by Your Honesty

I've never been interested in anything 99% of athletes have to say. I don't care for interviews, post game press conferences or post-career commentaries. They are known for having won the genetic lottery, allowing them to run and jump better than the rest of us. Others with less impressive physiques have superior hand-eye coordination or a few screws loose.

Athlete interviews are terrible. In the rare chance that I watch/listen to one, I like to play a game that I call Guess The Answer. It's simple. After the question is posed, I try to guess what the athlete will say. The key to the game is matching a cliche to the question. In other words, you want to form the most bland answer possible.

Boring interviews are our fault.

Athlete interviews are devoid of interesting bites not because they don't know how to express themselves, didn't attend college, or know how to read (I kid). I'm sure they have plenty to say to family, friends and agents. These honest opinions aren't available to the public because society kills people for being candid.

I hate All-Star games, including "who got snubbed?" arguments, but that's a subject for another post. The only tidbit from the event that caught my attention was Joey Votto's refusal to celebrate a good play by Marlon Byrd. Byrd plays for the Cubs, and Votto is a member of the rival Reds. "I don't like the Cubs," Votto told ESPN. "And I'm not going to pat anybody with a Cubs uniform on the back." I was actually shocked that something so refreshing would be said during an otherwise bland week in the world of sports.

Should I/We/Byrd take offense to this public snub? I don't think so. As a fan of the Cubs, I wholeheartedly support this type of rivalry and honesty, and wish that the sports world could be rid of what pervades the cable news world: feigned outrage and offense.

The latest "offense" comes courtesy of Dwayne Wade, who recently converted from Hero to Villain as the result of The Decision.

"We enjoy the bull's-eye. Plus, there's going to be times when we lose 2-3 games in a row, and it seems like the world has crashed down," Wade said. "You all are going to make it seem like the World Trade is coming down again, but it's not going to be nothing but a couple basketball games."

Comparing the media coverage of a potential losing streak to the worst terrorist attack on our soil is stupid, but did I take offense? No. I just thought that Wade wanted to be superlative but chose the wrong analogy. It was short-sighted, but at least he was speaking extemporaneously. If Wade turns into Derek Jeter I'm blaming the public.

Lighten up, everybody.

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He's Not Who We Thought He Was

Do we have a right to be disappointed in LeBron's decision to take his talents to South Beach with his friends rather than the Bulls, Knicks or Cavaliers? For weeks I felt that the time was right for him to take over New York and revitalize the Mecca of basketball. I grew nostalgic for the NBA of the 90s where MSG was rocking. He would cement his claim as the generation's best player, and I was ready for the ride.

In the aftermath of "The Decision" I realize that not only does he not care to be the greatest player of his generation, he doesn't care to be the best player on his own team.

It turns out that he's not wired like Jordan or Kobe, and maybe that's why I like him. His happiness lies off the court and not on it. He would rather play with friends capable of sharing the scoring load and pressure than carry the hopes and dreams of an entire state. He'd rather receive the praise and adoration of a community with great weather and attractions than one that's ... Cleveland. Do I blame him? Not at all. Do I think he'll become the Greatest of All Time? Not at all. Does he care? Not at all.

My first reaction was disappointment, but those feelings have changed. I get it, even if I don't like it. I'd love to see if the Three Mi-Egos could win a title with a roster full of D-Leaguers. They might have to. Regardless of the remaining roster, no team in recent memory will have greater pressure to win in the playoffs than this one. I can't wait.