LeBron James has caught a lot of heat (pun intended) over his team’s inability to bring home the title. Many of you will remember how James left the Cleveland Cavaliers to join Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh in Miami in hopes of winning his first title. James’ departure from Cleveland was an extremely unpopular move from the point of view of folks in Ohio, where many saw James as a local kid turned hero.
As you might imagine, more than a few Cavs fans have gotten a kick out of James not winning the title, including a sizeable group of them that call themsevles the “Cavs for Mavs.”
In the wake of Sunday night’s game, more than a few Miami fans have also voiced displeasure over LeBron’s poor performance in the finals, especially his inability to put the ball in the hole in the final minutes.
A sports-writing friend of mine in Mobile, who grew up in Goodway, a suburb of Uriah, told me a funny little story about LeBron the other day that hit right to the point.
“A friend of mine met LeBron one day many years ago at a mall in Ohio,” he said. “She approached him asking him for change for a dollar. LeBron said, ‘Sure.’
“She gave him the dollar. LeBron then reached into his pocket and handed her 75 cents. When queried about being 25 cents short, Lebron shrugged his shoulders and said, ‘I don't have a 4th quarter.’”
This was the first LeBron James joke that I heard after Sunday’s Miami loss, but something tells me it won’t be the last.
Another interesting thing about Sunday night’s game is that it made Mavs coach Rick Carlisle one of 10 men to have won NBA titles as a player and a head coach.
The other nine men on that elite list include Billy Cunningham (Philadelphia 76ers), Bill Russell (Boston Celtics), Tommy Heinsohn (Celtics), William “Red” Holzman (Rochester Royals and New York Knicks), Phil Jackson (Knicks, Chicago Bulls and Lakers), K.C. Jones (Celtics), Buddy Jeannette (Baltimore Bullets), Pat Riley (Lakers and Miami Heat) and Bill Sharman (Celtics and Lakers).
Switching gears, I read in Monday’s Mobile Press-Register that Mike Tyson and Sylvester Stallone were among those inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in Canastota, N.Y. on Sunday.
Alabamians in this Hall of Fame include Joe Louis of LaFayette, who was the world heavyweight champion from 1937 to 1949. During his professional career, he fought in 70 fights and won 66, including 52 by knockout. He lost only three and had one no contest.
The International Boxing Research Organization named him the greatest heavyweight of all time in 2005, and The Ring magazine named him No. 1 on its list of Top 100 Punchers of All Time.
If you ever find yourself in Chambers County, you’ll find a big statue of Louis, mitts and all, in front of the courthouse in downtown LaFayette.
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