LeBron James’ Surreal Year Comes Full Circle In Cleveland: Let’s Relive The Journey

On the heels of my endorsement of LeBron James as Sportsman of the Year—a distinction that, admittedly, means absolutely nothing—I figured it’d be fun to relive LeBron’s year through some of the writing that made it so fascinating. Because not only did James unwittingly create a backlash unlike anything we’ve seen in sports in a long time (maybe ever), his clumsiness brought out some of the best writing of the year.

There’s no doubt we’re forgetting at least twenty phenomenal pieces, but among the writers featured here are, in order: Bill Simmons, Chris Palmer, Brian Windhorst, Michael Wilbon, Adrian Wojnarowski, Scott Raab, Bethlehem Shoals, Drew Magary, Will Leitch, Dan Gilbert, Buzz Bissinger, Trey Kerby, Tommy Craggs, Katie Baker, The Onion, Arash Markazi, Spencer Hall, Dan Le Betard, Henry Abbot, J.R. Moehringer, Kevin Arnovitz, Mark Cuban, Barack Obama, Scott Reiter, Jason Whitlock, and Wright Thompson.

FEATURING (in order): Bethlehem Shoals, ESPN News Services, Drew Magary, Will Leitch, Dan Gilbert, Scott Raab, Buzz Bissinger, Trey Kerby, Tommy Craggs, Katie Baker, Matt Taibbi, and Brian Windhorst.

I never thought I would say that about an athlete. Do you “get it”? Do I? Do either of us have the slightest idea what it means to “get it” with LeBron’s brain and body, in his particular life-situation? No, of course not. But there is such a thing as common decency and honor. I don’t have kids who learn from sports, and basketball players aren’t role models. Regardless, though, this is just so ... gross.

FEATURING (in order): The Onion, Arash Markazi, ESPN, Spencer Hall, Dan Le Betard, Henry Abbot, J.R. Moehringer

7/28/2010: After weeks of debate over their collective nickname, Lebron James, Chris Bosh, and Dwyane Wade announced yesterday that the newly formed all-star trio would call themselves the Three-Headed Shitstorm. “It was between the Three-Headed Shitstorm, Miami’s Mighty Three-Way, Category 3 Hurricane Fuckface, and Super NBA Friends, which was LeBron’s idea that nobody liked,” Wade said during an interview with ESPN.

FEATURING (in order): J.R. Moehringer, The Daily Beast, Bethlehem Shoals, Charles Barkley, Brian Windhorst, Windhorst (x2), Scott Raab

9/1/2010: There’s that old journalism rule that sunshine is the great disinfectant—which is how reporters bust their way into meetings and such all the time. In sports, I really think winning is the great disinfectant. And so I think the danger is that he’ll go to Miami, they will be a super team, they’ll win, their fans in South Beach will love them, and he won’t ever be forced to examine his choices. If he goes to Miami and it’s a big disaster, then maybe he’ll be forced to take a hard look at his life. But my suspicion is that he’ll go there, they’ll win, and there won’t really be an incentive for him to look back at the last year and do any post-mortem.

FEATURING (in order): Bethlehem Shoals, Tom Ziller, Bill Simmons, Kevin Arnovitz, Mark Cuban, Shoals, Barack Obama, Scott Reiter, Wright Thompson, Jason Whitlock, and Brian Windhorst.

10/27/2010: “Sorry if everyone thought we were going to go 82-0. It’s just not happening.”

I wonder what they’ll write tomorrow...