King James

We have a tendency to get a bit parochial in our sports rants here in Philly.

In other words, the NHL season ends when the Flyers are eliminated.

The NBA season? It never started, since the Sixers are offering their very own version of "Tanks for the Memories."

We obsess endlessly on what Ruben Amaro Jr. is or is not doing in remaking the aging Phillies roster.

And, of course, we are all-Eagles, all the time, our very own 365-day-a year obsession.

But every once in a while, we need to step back and take a look at the bigger picture. Like on Saturday when we marveled that American Pharoah was able snap the 37-year Triple Crown drought when he captured the Belmont Stakes.

Today we focus on a two-legged athlete, although what he is doing makes me wonder whether he is indeed human, or even of this world.

I've never been much of a LeBron James fan. Something about someone referred to as "King James" rubbed me the wrong way. And this was before his prime time TV stunt, clearly staged for an ESPN audience, in which he turned his back on Cleveland and decided to "take his talents to South Beach" and the Miami Heat.

Now he's back in Cleveland, attempting to break another drought, one that has seen the proud city of Cleveland capture a major sports title for the first time in more years than anyone can really remember.

That James is doing this with a cast of characters that only a Sixers fan could love only underscores the enormity of what he is accomplishing.

I did not give the Cavs much of a chance against Golden State, the team that amassed the best record in the NBA this year. And that was before they lost Kevin Love and then Kyrie Irving to injury.

Instead, James did what only the very special ones do. He put the city of Cleveland - and the Cavs - on his back and is willing them to victory.

Last night James again dropped 40 points on the Warriors, pushing the Cavs to a 96-91 lead and a 2-1 edge in the NBA Finals. You can argue all you want about James vs. Kobe, or James vs. Michael Jordan.

But if he is able to pull this off, if he's able to end Cleveland's championship drought, it will have to be recognized as one of the truly great individual achievements in sports history.

King James? Maybe they were on to something.

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