Fact-Checking The LeBron Hype

When a player is deemed great by the media a certain ineffable aura appears around them. Not in my eyes, mind you, but in the eyes of sports talking-heads across the country.

Derrick Jeter is the probably the best example of this in modern sports.

EVERYTHING Jeter does is powered by some supernatural force and though they don't yet have the capacity to measure ESP, the talking-heads are all but certain he is regularly willing his team to victory. Which is weird, because, you know, sometimes they lose and I'd imagine Jeter really wants his team to win those games also.

Which brings us to LeBron.

ANY attempt to downplay his OVERALL playoff performance (because, yes, he put the numbers up twice in the Pistons series in two critical games. He also came close to AVERAGING a triple-double in that series which is phenomenal) But how much credit should the supposed heir to His Airness' throne get for that kind of thing?) will be met with response relating to his presence, his leadership, his sheer determination to win and you can't really combat that kind of argument.

Here's the thing: there aren't stats relating to presence, leadership or determination. There are just stats that happen to do a fairly decent job at reflecting a players contribution to his team. While stats do lack context, and in the case of LeBron being double and triple teamed it does affect the bottom stat line -- you can't account for context influence by just assuming that is was there. That LeBron was double-teamed and his teammates had open looks due to him drawing coverage.

No.

The only way to account for context is to watch every play and note exactly when, where and how each play occurred. For every player on every play. And wouldn't those stats be fun?

Anderson Varejao: 2 - 5 (OPEN LOOKS), 1 - 3 (MAN IN HIS FACE), 0 - 2 (BAD ENTRY PASS), 0 - 2 (MAN IN FRONT ROW YELLING AT HIM), 3 - 3 (SHOTS NEAR LADY WITH EXTREMELY VISIBLE CLEAVAGE)

It's just not feasible.

So called "presence" doesn't seem to exist anywhere outside of sports which would seem to undermine it's very existence. LeBron doesn't pull into a long drive-thru line at Arby's and the people inside just somehow start working faster.

And while poor leadership certainly can affect performance, be it a boss who makes negative comments or a coach who puts to much undue pressure on players, great leadership (outside of life and death situations where people are quite literally losing their heads) also only does so much -- and it's only serving to allow players to play at their peak level through helping win the mental battle.

As for the passionate "we aren't going lose this game" speech -- it's overrated. In all my years of playing sports and listening to these impassioned pleas for performance I never noticed a direct correlation to speeches and performance. Sometimes after the guy who over-compensated for his questionable sexuality yelled to us, "WE'RE NOT GOING TO LET THESE FAGGOTS BEAT US, ARE WE?" we did string together a great comeback rally to be the Lambda Pride in the ninth, but what about all the other times that speech had no effect whatsoever

So let's look at the only measure of contribution we have to find out just how great LeBron has been; the stats.

Remember, the point of this isn't to downplay what LeBron has done, which has been in mind what the best player on any team should do, but to derail the hype-train.

PLAYOFFS PPG LEADERS:

Kobe Bryant 32.8
Antawn Jamison 32.0
Carmelo Anthony 26.8
Amare Stoudemire 25.3
Tracy McGrady 25.3
Baron Davis 25.3
Ming Yao 25.1
LeBron James 25.1
Carlos Boozer 23.1
Dwyane Wade 23.1

LeBron has also played more minutes per game than any player in the playoffs.

ASSISTS PER GAME:

Steve Nash 13.3
Antonio Daniels 11.8
Jason Kidd 10.9
Deron Williams 8.6
LeBron James 8.0

Impressive that LeBron is the only player on this list among the top-10 scorers. He is responsible for roughly 40 pts of his teams offense. Nash and Williams being close to 40 also. When you factor in AST/To ratio LeBron drops to 13th with 2.78 a game.

Where LeBron should get the most credit is where Cleveland won the Conference Finals: defense. LeBron led the Conference Finals with 16 steals, helping hold Detroit to only 86 PPG. This is a -.5.47 differential from their playoff average and -10 from their regular season average.

Giving credit where credit is due? Nah. Let's just keep talking about the offensive greatness that is only slightly present in the stats. That makes sense.

Here's another crazy stat to look out for: LeBron plays far better on short rest, almost leading the playoffs in PPG after one day rest, but (though the amount of games is small for statistical comparison) worse after more days rest, whereas the Spurs big-three all increase their PPG on longer rest. Game 2 is after 4 days rest. Good luck, King.

Platitudes

Time to add another sports-ism to the list of sports-isms that we hate. This list includes the oft-used "This team just isn't built for 3rd and long"...because we all know that the goal of every GM is to make a team that shines in those 3rd and a bunch situations.

During the Spurs/Cavs: topic being the Cavs only down 6 with LeBron still without a FG.

"The Cavs have to be happy with that score. They are only worried about getting those other guys started. LeBron is good enough that he can make shots when he wants to."

Remember this was about Lebron going 0 for 6, those 6 shots, we must assume given that statement, shots that he didn't really want to make.

Ultimately, at some point during these finals, the Cavs starters not dubbed "The Chosen One" will be blamed for the team's performance but how does that statement square with their stout D in the first quarter of game one and ending the first half only down by 5 while Lebron is without a FG?

He Will?

I realize that Barry Bonds -- in all statistical likelihood (despite him only hitting 25 dingers last year) -- will break Hank Aaron's all-time HR record, but given that injuries do in fact happen, and sometimes result in missing multiple seasons (Griffey) and, though less common for position players, careers (Puckett) -- why is it that sportscasters state that Bond will definitively break the record?

Am I missing something? Time travel? Anything at all that lets them know this is a done deal before it's actually a done deal?

Beause if so I've got like ten thousand things I need to know about the Redskins' roster next year.


IN OTHER NEWS Hammering-Hank seems like one hell of a guy and I wish he was in my family. Maybe a son, or something.

Those Rapscallions And Their Orange Ball

NBA All-Star Game = Crime. This is the new meme. Or, for some, it's just another case of 'nothing to see here, move right along.'

Once again, it's just the sports media overreacting and non-reacting and creating a vast gulf between opinion and truth.

I wasn't there, so I don't actually know what happened -- but neither were most people who will read lurid accounts in the news and pass judgment upon the league and it's players. I'm just trying to use this crazy thing called reading comprehension, which may be nuts, but I'm willing to try it this once, instead of just mindlessly reacting.

For the overreacting we have AOL's Jason Whitlock who hopes that David Stern considers "moving the event out of the country for the next couple of years in hopes that young, hip-hop hoodlums would find another event to terrorize." Like Russia, that'd be cool.

I was there. Walking The Strip this weekend must be what it feels like to walk the yard at a maximum security prison. You couldn't relax. You avoided eye contact. The heavy police presence only reminded you of the danger.

So, because Jason Whitlock was tense and looked at his shoes it felt like prison must feel (though 'tense' and 'looking at your shoes' may amply describe some prison activites), and the heavy police presence reminded him of the ever-present danger. I thought heavy police presence reminded you that danger will be taken care of, but I'm white so maybe I just don't get it.

Again, I wasn't there, he was.

His piece is littered with such fact based phrases like 'word spread', 'reports of' and even the word 'gossip', which means we don't have to question the veracity of it. Hell, if it made it's way around thousands of drunken, gambling, tourists it must be true.

Don't get me wrong, it sure doesn't sound like a great place to be but it wasn't 'Nam either.


Funny guy Bill Simmons also adds his account of the madness in Hip-Hop Woodstock:

There were barely any cops along the Strip,

Not the good kind at least, only the ones that were there to remind you of the danger.

even though tens of thousands of people were walking around at all hours, even though there were tons of legitimately sketchy people cruising around who seemed to be sizing everyone up and didn't seem to be heading in any specific direction (reminiscent of the shady guys who walk around during Mardi Gras looking everyone over), even though cab lines and gridlock were forcing everyone to walk more than they expected to walk. Again, this was a free-for-all: Walk around at your own risk.

After initial reports that the weekend was relatively quiet, more and more information about shootings, arrests and brawls keeps trickling out. I know for a fact that the Strip was closed twice on Friday night because of shooting incidents (saw it myself), that there was a 20-person brawl outside the Mirage's cab line at 5 a.m. that same night (my friend Marty saw it), that paramedics were covering up something that looked to be a corpse in front of the MGM Grand on Saturday morning (Sully saw it), and that I threw myself into the spirit of the weekend and shot somebody outside of Treasure Island because they were wearing a Yankees cap (fortunately, no witnesses). Who knows what else happened? Was it in Vegas' best interest to report every unflattering crime or brawl that happened? Probably not.

So legitimately sketchy people (read: black) were walking about (which should be illegal, am I right?) and Bill saw the strip closed twice and somehow managed to witness the cause of both, that being multiple shooting incidents which, I mean what are the odds! And one friend saw a massive brawl and figured he should count how many people were involved instead of getting help, and it's a good thing he did because we now know conclusively that it was twenty. And another friend saw something get covered up by paramedics and it looked like a corpse (although, no homicides were reported) so it probably was. Sure, everyone was half drunk on Red Bull vodkas but, hey it looked like a freaking corpse man!

I know Bill writes with exaggerations and facetiousness and that's why he's funny but it still leaves the reader thinking that the weekend was a juiced up south central LA.


For the non-reacting we have Michael Wilbon in this week's Washington Post chat house. Whether to protect the image of the league (which supplies some of his pay) or to protect the already tarnished image of a sport played by young black men, it's quite clear he's on the defensive.

Manassas, Va.: [...]the NBA All-Star festivities were a fun time, but what's with the mass brawling, shootings and hundreds of arrests? That should be addressed as well.

Michael Wilbon: There are brawlings and shootings in Las Vegas every night. You want to blame the NBA All-Star weekend for that? Did you blame the Super Bowl weekend for the shootings and brawling in Miami a few weeks ago?

Do I want to blame the brawling and shootings that happen every night on the All-Star game?

Nope. I'm cool with those, Mike.

I want to blame the increase in brawling and shootings on the All-Star game. And, other than dissimulation, what the hell does the NFL in Miami have to do with the NBA in Vegas? NFL/Miami, NBA/Vegas -- those are different things right? Am I wrong about that? Totally different places and leagues, right? Nothing at all to do with each other? Because, assuming I'm right about that, it's really odd that Mike would try to compare such unlike events.

The important thing to note is that Mike apparently doesn't think the game had anything to do with an increase in crime, which, does in fact happen daily with or without the All-Star game.

Really? Is he serious?

That's funny, because I put together this handy chart (Yes, I made a handy chart) using data from the Las Vegas police department website (using The Strip zip code, 89109) and it seems that the weekend of the game saw more crime reported to police per day than the 8 days prior.


As you can see the game had a definite impact on reported crime. No shootings in the beginning of the week, shootings at game time. A slight increase in fights and narcotics.

Another important thing to note is that other than A & B's and throw back jersey sightings, crime didn't really sky rocket, at least, not anymore than any influx of people to any festival in any town. And it was Vegas. Tens of thousands of people decended upon The Strip and only 23 measly assault and battery's on game day? That's it? Chuck Norris has battered more people in 5 minutes. Pathetic.

And that's what Wilbon, or any of these writers, should say; when people come from out of town to a party, things go down.

A close approximation to the truth wasn't melee or mayhem but rudeness, bad attitudes and a lack of tipping (I AM SHOCKED!) that left people in sour mood. From that paragon of truth, the Casino City News:

From Thursday through Monday, 403 arrests were made of people attending NBA All-Star events or in town for NBA-related activities, Gillespie said. Of those arrested, 172 were residents, and 231 were from outside Southern Nevada.

A majority of the arrests, 239, were for prostitution-related crimes. During an average week, the department makes about 175 vice-related arrests. Gillespie said vice arrests increased because the number of squads dealing with such crimes was doubled.

The second-largest number of arrests, 63, was for trespassing. The remaining arrests were for disorderly conduct, battery, burglary, petty larceny and outstanding warrants.

There was an average of 81 arrests every 24 hours during All-Star Weekend. By comparison, on New Year's Eve more than 130 people were arrested during a 12-hour period, Gillespie said.

It's no surprise that an event billed for weeks as 'crazy' ended up being rowdy, in of all places, Sin City. But it's not an indictment of young black men or the league as much as it is of Vegas and big parties.

Don't want this to happen again? Don't make sporting events into extravaganzas.

ESPN: Now With 25% Less Suck

Michael Irvin (snort) has received the ax from ESPN, being replaced by the Tuna. Happy trails, Mike! It's a long a lonely road so pack accordingly, you know, like with foil, a lighter and your friend's crack pipe. I also missed this Irvin gaffe when it happened:

Last season, ESPN did not discipline Irvin after he jokingly suggested that Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo's strong performance might be attributed to one of his ancestors sleeping with a slave.

IN OTHER NEWS YOU MAY HAVE MISSED...and it's on the internet, so it must be true.

The NFL analyst who took a picture of his penis with a cell phone camera and has shown it to numerous, uncomfortable women, was suspended by his network.

That analyst's name; Sean Salisbury. If you don't believe me just google 'penis' and 'Sean Salisbury' but don't forget the 'Sean Salisbury' part.


ALSO...watching the NBA All-Star game I remembered something funny. Remember when Marv Albert was arrested for biting that lady during sex? That was awesome.


...

You're Going To Shower With Him, And You're Going To Like It

I caught Tim Hardaway's (relation to the former 'Next MJ' Penny Hardaway?) comments about THE FIRST OPENLY GAY NBA PLAYER EVER John Amechi's gayness.

How do you deal with a gay teammate?

"First of all, I wouldn't want him on my team. Second of all, if he was on my team, I'd really distance myself from him. I don't think he should be in the locker room when we are in the locker room. I wouldn't even be a part of that. . . . I'd ask for him to get traded. Something has to give. The majority of the players would ask for him to be traded, or they would want to get traded. Or just buy him out of his contract and let him go.''

At this point I was thinking, "Eh, well a little closed minded but it's not that bad of a comment, why all the hoopla?"...and then Tim inserted foot firmly into mouth and I had my answer

But, Tim, you realize that's bigotry and homophobia?

''I hate gay people. Let it be known, I don't like gay people. I don't like to be around gay people. I'm homophobic. I don't like it. There shouldn't be a world for that or [a place] in the United States for it. I don't like it.''

Blunt is an understatement. Blunt to the power of Hate-omatic. Damn.

Hate is bad word. Truly.

But once you get past that word you realize that the man is entitled to his opinion and since the Democrats haven't pushed the thought-police legislation through congress -- YET -- the line for hate is drawn at acting upon it.

There are plenty of types of people that I dislike -- that I would rather not be around -- and I don't get called a bigot for not liking them.

Crackheads; I'm no a big fan of. Ditto for Eagles, Giants and Cowboys fans. Smelly folks, obesse people next o me in airplanes, really trashy white-trash, people who watch 'Lost.' There's a plethora of reasons to not like someone, and one of those reasons could be their sexual preference. As someone surmised on the Miami Herald blog:

"So, now we must LIKE gay people? Now we must agree with the gay lifestyle?...
Personally, believe it or not, I have no problem with someone being gay. BUT, I also sure as hell don't expect people to like it, either. Go ahead and put your **** in some guys *** buddy, but dont expect other people not to be disgusted by it."

The problem with preaching a kumbaya-acceptance of everyone is that it's a complete crock.

Isiah Thomas recently said this about gays in the league:

"We're a diverse society and we preach acceptance. No matter what your sexual preference may be, there's acceptance and a tolerance level that should be accepted everywhere. No one should be excluded."

Which sounds well and good...if it weren't complete BS.

There are PLENTY of sexual preferences that aren't accepted and, hopefully, will never be. I'm not equating homosexuality (which I'm good with "as long as you don't bring your gayness on me") with pedophilia or bestiality or necrophilia but, just like heterosexuality, they are sexual preferences and people don't have to accept or like any of them. Hell, some looney tunes people are even asexual!!! Should we all go around not boofing to appease that group?

The fact that you're not considered pedophobic or beastiaphobic because you refuse to approve of that behavior should hold true for homosexuality. People don't have to like it, and consequently people don't have to like people who don't like it. And so forth.