Friday, July 30, 2010

Putting a Team Together


The marriage of LeBron James, Chris Bosh, and Dwayne Wade reminds me of the playground as a kid. We worked hard for even sides, played some good games, and then the 8th graders - the big kids to us fourth graders - would show up and pound the “little kids.”

They had it orchestrated. They were too tall, too physical, and would win easily to 10.

They took great delight in it and would rub it in with fancy passes and long passes over our heads to the cherry picker on the other end. It wasn’t really winning. It was a contrived win, a set up.

When you get a chance to put together a team for a game, do the right thing. Don’t show up with a loaded squad and just swat and swat. Make it even.

A couple of things will happen. If you have to grind, you get better. There is no question about it.

Second, the respect will follow. Somebody will notice you pulled back from just pounding a lesser team. If you sit there and hold the court with a bunch of big dudes, the hate will show up sooner or later. You can play basketball for an hour or so a day. The other 23 hours somebody is going to think you are a creep for being a bully on the court.

The Heat are running a risk. They might win a title, but it is not a sure thing. What is more certain is that there will be contempt league-wide for this crew.

Here is the learning moment from this marriage of players…

The LeBron Spectacle on television with his own special show should be a warning to terrific players not to humiliate teammates or friends. James humiliated the city of Cleveland and his teammates on TV.

If you have talent, stand down off the court. Be humble. Admiration for your skills could quickly turn into contempt.

James found out quickly what the backlash would be when his former owner chastised him in public. It was a severe scolding.

Here is another learning moment….

Can three players, James, Wade, and Bosh, who are accustomed to playing with the ball, play without the ball?

I’m just asking.

I’ve seen enough of James to know he stands and stands. Can he set a screen? Can he stay out of the way of a Wade drive, or a baseline move by Bosh?

This is not hate. Just questions. We’ll see.