Tuesday, May 26, 2009

President LeBron James?

No doubt is was an amazing and unforgettable shot. Even from someone who could give two shits about the NBA and basketball in general, it was a thing of awe-inspiring athletcism and grace.



But holy shit, you'd think Jesus Christ had just been resurrected the way ESPN covered it. And covered it. And recovered it. And analyzed it. And reanalyzed it. And reanalyzed the reanalysis. Then had to report on other sports, like baseball, NHL playoffs, Indy 500, Mickelson's wife's breast cancer, blah, blah, yadda, yadda, yadda, let's go back to covering LeBron's shot!

And that was just on Saturday's broadcast portion. It was understandable because it was The Day After The Trey By Christ. But it carried over into Sunday too.

And Monday.

Now here it is Tuesday, four days after The Trey By Christ, and ESPN has a clear case of journalistic priaprism.

I mean, really, LeBron James playing in the NFL is a nice fantasy and a great TV spot, but writing a 1,500+ word column about the scenario possibly happening is fanatical hyperbole.

It's. A. Fucking. TV. Spot. It's not real. LeBron wouldn't last 2 plays in the NFL.

Look, I know the NBA is desparate for the Average Sports Fan's dollar, which it's losing at a rapid rate. I also know the NBA's big PR machine is doing everything it can to push LeBron as the Next MJ or Magic or Bird and The One that saves the NBA from itself—and LeBron may very well be all those things and quite possibly better and more. I also understand ESPN is a 24-hour all-sports channel and they have to eat up time and space and pay the bills some way. Those are all well and good. But is this kind of coverage necessary? Reasonable? Even sensible?

Honestly, this LeBron adoration is merely the sports version of the unthinking, unquestioning idolatry we saw the mainstream media partake in during the last presidential election. Really, it is—only on a much smaller, much less important scale.

I will tell you what, though, if I'm President Obama and I start to see King James' mug on Newsweek every other week, my ass is starting to worry about my 2012 reelection.....

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