Say what you will about him, LeBron James did not shy away from the assembled media on Tuesday and took on the tough questions about his game and his post game comments.
It was those comments — saying about all the people who rooting against him “tomorrow they have to wake up and have the same life that (they had) before” — that drew a firestorm and suggested LeBron was the same arrogant guy from “The Decision” and the Heat’s pep rally.
LeBron said it was not intended like that at all. (Quotes via the twitter account of Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel.)“It wasn’t saying I’m better or superior than anyone else. I would never look at myself as bigger.”
“It was interpreted different than what I wanted...Everyone has to move on with their lives and I do, too.”
LeBron also took questions about his play in the finals, which late in the series seemed passive in the face of Dallas giving him any defensive pressure. Earlier in the day Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said that all the criticism of James’ play was unfair. (To me it seems discussion and criticism of his play is the thing that is most fair, the rest is the sideshow.)
“I didn’t play up to my own standards. Did that cost us losing the Finals? I don’t know. But I’m not satisfied with my performance.”
“I could have played better... I put a lot of pressure not to let my teammates down . . . maybe to a fault at times.”
These quotes are a Rorschach test of what you think of LeBron. People will see in these quotes what they want. LeBron’s backers will say that he is humble and learned lessons from the Heat’s loss. Those who can’t stand him will say it was all just PR. The quotes really say more about what you think about LeBron than having much other insight.
In the end, the only thing that can silence those who hate him are championship rings. And LeBron understands that.
