Lebron James: The Tragic Hero

"You either die a hero, or you live long enough to see yourself become the villain." - Harvey Dent

You love him, or you hate him. There is no in-between. Lebron James, one of the most polarizing figures in the NBA, is my definition of a tragic hero.

Once upon a time, Lebron James was one of the most well liked athletes in the entire world. He was the darling of the media, the hometown hero, and anything he did was the trend of the NBA. He had it all. He had the skill, the accolades, the fans, the endorsements, the fame. Then one event changed his life...

The minute that changed it all...

It was like the world paused for a second, just to take in what just occurred. Then chaos. The burning of his jersey (something I've never seen happen,) the relentless criticism of the media, and everything else that followed. I've never seen a player fall from grace so fast (for something that wasn't illegal.)

The downfall of his popularity is almost unimaginable. If you look at it, its quite sad. Lebron has now become almost a punchline, and here are a few reasons why:

Lebron One-Liners - There is a page with nothing but jokes about Lebron.

Youtube - There are videos that Lebron is not even mentioned, yet people say things like "Lebron traveled", "Lebron sucks", etc etc.

His own hate site - It's pretty funny that Adolf Hitler or Joseph Stalin don't have hate sites, but Lebron does.

Now, I'm not going to list the reasons why and why not we should hate Mr. James. I'm also not here to defend Lebron. I am going to say the facts. Lebron was the NBA's most popular icon. Lebron switched teams. Lebron is now the most hated player of all of basketball outside of Miami. That change is position is why I believe he is a tragic hero.

Now, I've read an article on The Bleacher Report that inspired me to write this. You hate on Lebron all you want, but remember, you created this monster. You built him up on a pedestal so high that the only thing he can do is fall. Read the article here.

The Second Annual Brian Scalabrine Awards: Showcasing Unintentional Humor In Basketball

Welcome to the Second Annual Brian Scalabrine Awards! This award is dedicated to all the unintentionally funny players, happenings, or events in the game of basketball. Most are just mentioned for about a week, but the special ones have a cult following that will last forever (like the White Mamba himself.) 

Our winner isn't as popular as the White Mamba, but hardcore NBA fans usually get a kick out of watching him play. Sure, he's an asset to your team, but you can't help but laugh when something happens to this guy. So without further ado...

The Second Brian Scalabrine Award goes to....

Zaza Pachulia

Words cannot express how I feel about his suit.

First off, look at the picture. If that does not make you laugh or smile, I really don't know what else will. Secondly, for an enforcer-type player, Zaza is not the name you would be looking for. His name would be someone you would find on fashion week. Zaza is just a goofy guy. The look, his game, his name. He's certainly not a bad player, and he's representing his country of Georgia, but sometimes his antics get the best of me. For example,

Zaza jumps too early on the jumpball...twice.

See what I mean by goofy? After he gets a warning on the first one, Zaza is just a little too antsy and jumps again. Good thing he won on the third try, or that would have been pretty embarrassing. Though it was embarrassing enough that Josh Smith has to give you a quick tutorial on the rules of the jump ball.

Channeling the inner enforcer

As the enforcer of the team, if you decide to headbutt someone, please follow up with a swing if he puts his hands on your face. I just love the how riled up he is. Zaza always gets in scuffles like this, so it's always great to see him in a playoff atmosphere. Speaking of the playoffs...

Nothing easy!

The first time I saw this, I nearly pissed my pants. First things first, why in the blue hell would they choose Zaza Pachulia to be the interviewee after a great playoff win? Second, you cannot understand a word he is saying. No, being European isn't an excuse. Last but not least, his face at the :24 second mark is THE funniest look ever. He has the look that screams "awkward." Not just any awkward, it's like "walking in on your parents" awkward.

There you have it, ladies and gentleman! The second Annual Scalabrine Awards come to a close, but there is more great content found in the Full Article list!

Missed the first winner of the Brian Scalabrine Award? You can check it out here!