LeBron James - for God, country, family, team . . and Cleveland: Cain Pence (Opinion)
It is wrong to look at sports victories as a panacea for all social ills. An NBA championship does not bring manufacturing jobs back to Cleveland, a Stanley Cup does not revive closed steel mills in Pittsburgh and a long-desired Cubs World Series win will not end gang violence in Chicago.
Yet, it is true that sports can teach us many of the greater lessons in life: loyalty, forgiveness, just rewards for hard work and commitment. Sports can also teach us the values we Americans hold most dear: racial harmony, strong families, dedication to God and country.
When LeBron James left the cold and losing of Cleveland for the warm sands and winning of Miami, many Americans were not surprised. Why would they be surprised for a superstar to go to a nicer locale with a better chance to win? Sports is nothing more than a business, we are constantly told. But after winning two championships with the Heat, LeBron James surprised, even shocked, many by declaring his desire to return and bring a championship to his native Northeast Ohio.
James delivered on more than his promise to win a sports championship.
There were numerous contrasts in the latest NBA championship series. It is hard to find two cities more different than Cleveland and San Francisco. The vast tech money of the Bay Area and the old rust belt economy of Cleveland are hardly the only differences. The recent San Francisco Giants and the football 49ers of the Joe Montana era brought the region numerous championships compared to Cleveland’s half century of sports torture.
As LeBron James put it when he returned, nothing in Northeast Ohio is given; it is earned.
The culture class of the two cities is represented in the contrast between the two superstars and multiple MVPs — Steph Curry and LeBron James. Curry grew up in a stable, affluent home, the son of ex-NBA player, Dell Curry. LeBron grew up in tough neighborhoods raised by a young single mother. Many NBA players can relate to LeBron’s upbringing. Many have not followed his outstanding example as a father himself.
With LeBron determined to be the father he never had, there was something very moving about LeBron celebrating his championship and series MVP with his young sons front and center. One of the great lasting evils of the legacy of American slavery has been the breakup of African-American families and the too-large number of African-American males raised with no father figures. Watching LeBron celebrate on Father’s Day with his sons sends a strong message to all.
Why LeBron James decided to be a great dad and break the cycle of single parenting
The first person LeBron hugged when the final whistle blew was Kevin Love. With Love oft-criticized in both Minnesota and Cleveland for a lack of defense and personality flaws, LeBron stood by Love as a key component to winning a championship. Loyalty to teammates is as important as loyalty to city and state.
It is also true that sports reminds us of our ongoing quest for racial harmony. Black and white working and fighting together to accomplish a common goal is one of the great lessons professional sports teaches us. Barack Obama’s election as the first African-American president did not end America’s racial problems. Neither will LeBron’s hug of Kevin Love. Yet there is something powerful about men from different races and background working together to overcome the critics and the odds to accomplish something grand.
Finally, when interviewed by ABC-TV immediately after the game, an emotional
James remarked, “the Man above don’t put you in situations you can’t handle.”
Many critics do not like it when professional athletes credit God with their success. I’ve always believed there is something refreshing about the greatest athletes acknowledging a higher power than themselves. In a world of massive egos and even bigger paychecks, it is a good thing when champion athletes humble themselves to a Maker and acknowledge there exists a power greater than the human hand.
An NBA championship in Cleveland will not magically revive the rust belt’s
economy, heal America’s racial wounds and restore the many broken families
in our nation. Yet, the hard work and loyalty of the NBA’s best player, his
example as a father and teammate, and his acknowledgment to a community
and Maker greater than his large self, can remind us that pro sports teaches us the lessons we hold most dear as a nation.
Cain Pence, a graduate of Georgetown University, is a Minneapolis-based writer.
To contact Cain Pence: caino@cainpence.com
LeBron James - for God, country, family, team . . and Cleveland: Cain Pence (Opinion)
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