29toLIFE

We keep begging LeBron James to do one of two things: either be a villain or be quiet. Black or white. Pick a side. But, we forget that he’s only twenty-six. And that, despite our belief that his every move is a meticulously calculated one, he might just be a very large, very man-like, immature kid. One whose actions are as random and devoid of meaning as most other kids his age. Maybe he should know better by now. Maybe he should be more self-aware. But, he’s doesn’t. And he isn’t. And at some point, we’re going to have to be the ones to understand that, instead of the other way around.

The Cavaliers were down by 173 points the other night, when LeBron sent out that now-infamous tweet.

And within minutes, he was already seeing the backlash.

Who knows if it was intended for the Cleveland Cavaliers? He insists that it wasn’t. He insists that it wasn’t even his, that he was simply repeating what someone else had sent him. But, even if it were intended for Dan Gilbert and his team of Washington Generals cast-offs, then what?

We keep expecting LeBron James to pick a side, as if this were some kind of WWE pay-per-view event.

Sometimes we want him to shut up and play. Let his game speak. But really, how realistic is that? Check Twitter. Check Facebook. Twenty-six year olds are saying idiotic shit all the time, and although he may look like a grown man, he’s still just that; a blissfully unaware twenty-six year old kid saying stupid things. So, no, he’s probably not going to shut up, because that’s exactly what people his age do. They boast. They tweet. They talk shit. It’s fun. And they don’t put too much thought into any of it. So, who are we to expect him to do otherwise?

And then there are other times, times like Tuesday, when he mocks the Cavs misery or questions the Nets necessity, times when we wish he’d make a full heel turn. Be the villain. We watch, certain that one day he’ll truly embrace the role of the bad guy. That he’ll enter an arena to the sound of a thousand boos, look up to the crowd and beg them for more, feeding off of the negativity. Real HHH-type stuff.

But, he does neither. Instead, he makes a stupid comment and then tries to cover it up with a lame excuse. Because sometimes he doesn’t care what we think, but sometimes he does. Because he’s allowed to regret the things he says. But, he’s also allowed to be stubborn enough to not admit it. Because he’s a human being. A twenty-six year old human being.

Maybe it’s about time we realize that.