[NbanflguyParticipant]

This is from a yahoo article:

 

Go ahead and hate LeBron James.

It seems like the thing to do if you like any NBA team other than the Heat.

Hey, I get it. The guy spurned a hard-luck sports city in the most distasteful of ways. Taking his talents to South Beach? Who says stuff like that?

In Oklahoma City, the disdain has only grown. LeBron has become the face of the franchise that poses the biggest roadblock to NBA gold for the hometown team. We may know just how big a block after Sunday night’s game.

Add in his Twitter-fueled spat with Kendrick Perkins, and LeBron tops the public enemy list.

But before you bring out the torches and pitchforks, you might want to hear this story about LeBron, a layover in Oklahoma City and a run-in with some servicemen.

Three weeks ago, the Heat left Miami for a three-game West Coast swing.

First stop: Portland.

That’s a 2,700-mile trip, but it’s a flight that most planes make without stopping to refuel.

But on the day that the Heat headed west, the headwinds were stronger than normal. The team plane was going to use more fuel than usual, so a refueling stop would be necessary.

Turns out, Oklahoma City was that stopping point.

Refueling a massive airplane takes time, so according to an airport worker who witnessed the entire scene, the players got off the jet and went inside the general aviation terminal at Will Rogers World Airport. Some lounged in chairs. Others stretched their legs. Most stayed in their own little world.

He noticed a couple of uniformed military personnel approach the team’s security person. Unbeknown to him, about a dozen helicopters were stopped there for fuel as well. There were Blackhawks and Apaches and Chinooks, all on long-distance flights. Will Rogers happened to be their refueling stop.

Just like the Heat players, the helicopter pilots were in the terminal stretching their legs.

They never expected the Miami Heat to walk through the door.

Some of them wanted pictures with the players, but when the crew members approached the team’s security detail, they were told no.

Maybe LeBron could overhear the conversation, or perhaps he could just tell by their body language what was going on. Either way, he piped up.

“Hey, hey,” he said, “any of these military guys can take a picture with us.”

He turned to his teammates.

“You guys get up,” he told them.

He turned to the servicemen.

“Get your camera up,” he said.

He started to wave the servicemen over but noticed that some of the players weren’t yet on their feet.

“Hey, everybody get up,” he said. “Get in a circle here. Anybody that wants their picture taken with us, we’ll do it.”

And that’s exactly what they did. Any of the four or five dozen helicopter crewmen who wanted a photo got one. Not all of them did, but LeBron and his teammates posed with each and every one of them who asked.

When those pilots and crewmen walked out of the terminal and back across the tarmac, they had big ol’ smiles on their faces.

“Can you believe that?” they asked each other. “Who would’ve ever thought?”

Maybe they meant who would’ve thought they’d run into the Miami Heat at the Oklahoma City airport.

But maybe they meant, “Who would’ve ever thought LeBron would be so cool?”

It would’ve been so easy for a superstar like that to ignore those military men. No one would’ve ever known that he turned a blind eye to their request.

But that’s not what he did. One of the biggest villains in sports did something nice for some of the folks who have volunteered to protect and defend our country’s freedom. It wasn’t for publicity. It wasn’t a big deal for those players. But for those helicopter crews who may one day put themselves in harm’s way, it is something they’ll always relish.

So, go ahead and hate LeBron if you must.

I’m just not sure he seems like such a bad guy anymore.

Read more: http://newsok.com/lebron-james-the-nice-guy-run-in-with-servicemen-makes-miami-heat-star-harder-to-dislike/article/3660652#ixzz1qFa2A212

 

[mookieParticipant]

To me, Lebron has always seemed like the type of guy that does stuff for attention.  Personally I think a people should be humble like D. Rose or flat out not care and be arrogant like Kobe (as long as they can back it up like Kobe) but don’t be fake

[apb540Participant]

But I still don’t like LeBron.  Really glad to hear about him taking the initiative in this type of situation though.

[er1csh3nParticipant]

 Lebron James was never a bad guy, that’s like comparing him to a criminal. Sure there is disdain for him due to his public actions, but Lebron James was never a bad person with low morales or criminal activity. The Big Three on the Heat usually volunteer and do aesthetic work to the community, and this is coming from a Raptors fan.

[aamir543Participant]

Lebron to me has always been the guy that tells the media everything they want to hear, Kobe has always told the media whatever he wants to say, and I feel that Durant and Rose take more of a humble approach when discussing these matters. 

[Pro-21Participant]

Plus any smart person tells the media what they want to hear, because lebron has always been persecuted by the media just for being honest. Durant and D.Rose are humble, but its overblown, we don’t actually know too much about any of these players but I’d honestly be willing to be that they arent too much better as people than lebron is. Also technically D.Rose has done a controversial thing too with his sats

[IndianaBasketballParticipant]

I don’t think LeBron is doing this for attention. The Miami Heat train on a military base, so I’m sure being close to that has touched him. Being around those families… Seeing dudes younger than you going to fight for their country knowing it’s a possibility they won’t come back. They’re fighting/dying while he’s here dribbling a ball getting paid millions to do it. I’m sure he appreciates it just like the rest of us.

I’ve never thought LeBron was a bad person off of the floor. He’s never been in trouble. I’ve never even heard his name involved in anything negative off of the floor to be honest. He grew up in a bad neighborhood, single parent mom… Mom wasn’t all that great. I mean, so many things could’ve went wrong with him. LeBron has been a mature/well rounded dude from the get go.

I really just think he’s made some bad decisions the last few years and it’s hurt his image/popularity (popularity not really though since his jersey and shoes still sell amongst the top).

[surveParticipant]

 Not everyone is going to love you and not everyone is going to hate you.  As a public figure, it comes with the territory.  Lebron does do things to get attention.   I dont think this was one of them.  But let me explain.

With the whole Decision thing, he became a villian.  Every sport needs one.  The thing is, when you are labled a villian, then thats what you will be to a large contingent….NO MATTER WHAT YOU DO AFTERWARDS….until that period wears off.

If you are made into a villian, then what people usually do is play into that role, which you may as well since you are seen as one anyway.  Floyd Mayweather is a perfect example of this.  Floyd was never a villian in the ring until he started being villified, so he had to come up with all this "Money May, Flashy This" talk.    (although Floyd has had problems outside of the ring)  Lebron started off trying to play up the villian thing, but Lebron I believe is truly a good guy and no matter how hard he tries he just cant play into that role even though he has been cast in it.  Some actors can play bad guys and good guys, some are good at only one.

Sometimes in sports a villian can become beloved in the twilight of one’s career.  George Foreman was the bad guy in his first career.  He had no personality and was just a menacing brute.  In his 2nd career, he was articulate and inviting.  Very charming and basically became a big teddy bear to the media.

Kobe has done a good job restoring his image, likewise with Michael Vick.  There are others.  The fact is, the media makes these guys good/bad, but whatever role you are cast in, you cant go against the grain, you have to play that role up to the fullest.

Near the end of his career, I can envision a storybook like ending for Lebron….particularly if he returns to Cleveland.  I dont believe he will go down as one of the most hated.  He will be beloved by many.  Right now though…for the moment….he "has" to play his role.

[scott3210Participant]

To steal a quote from Clark Kellog: "A lot of people say about Lebron that we have never seen a combination of such size and strength, but I would add one more thing; maturity."

[Champzilla21Participant]

 I hate when i watch a D.rose or Durant interview. Theres a difference between being humble and just playing dumb. They give bland answers so you cant really hate them or they wont cause controversy. Take Durant all his Tats are underneath his jersey to protect his good guy image. I mean i dont want them to straight up say there better then everyone but everyonce in a while itd be nice to hear what they actually are thinking and not just the right public relations answer.

I love kobe interviews becuz most the time he tells you directly what hes thinking or what he thought. When asked how someone guarded him did it bother him or not he gives you the no it didnt and it was his own fault he messed up not defense and thats what he truly believes that no one should be able to guard him and whos to argue with him?

[ProudGrandpaParticipant]

ImPOSSible!  He must have been possessed by a…a…a angel or something!

[NotHamedHaddadiParticipant]

LeBron has never been a horrible person. He is actually a really good guy. But ever since The Decision it has become the only point of judgement for LeBron haters saying how he is a jerk and all that, but he really isn’t. He realizes the mistake he made by his decision and is slowly repairing his image. I would rather have him and Kobe because they actually do stuff that you know is from the heart. Kobe answers his interviews with the truth, no matter what it is. Rose and Durant just give you the nice stuff so you don’t hate them.

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