The Anti-LeBron Spirit

This summer I focused most of my attention on the World Cup that took place in South Africa, but everyy once in a while I would be bothered by the constant and insipid media attention to LeBron James and his low-class abandonment and rejection of the city of Cleveland for the beaches and glamor of Miami. His self-centered and ill-conceived treatment of the city that gave him the chance to become a star was shameful and it seemed to me that all big stars in every sport ore self-serving mercenaries, whose only interest lies in reaping the most lucrative offers imaginable. As many of us struggle through the recession, it is hard to sympathize with LeBron, but there are stories that can help restore our wonder at the power of sport and community. Two of my favorite stories from the past year come from the English Premier League.

Chris Eagles is a winger for the recently relegated Burnley side that had a remarkable run two years ago that led them to promotion to the Premiership. Despite a strong start Burnley was relegated to the second division--the Championship. This past summer, Eagles was offered the opportunity to play for Scottish powerhouse Glasgow Rangers. The money was there and the possible prestige...but Eagles said 'no.' He decided to stay with Burnley and help the team fight its way back to the Premiership. During the press conference, Eagles spoke of 'fighting alongside his teammates,' --the exact opposite of what LeBron said during his televised spectacle last summer. Kudos to Chris Eagles. Players like him make it easy to root for Burnley.

The other wonderful story developing in the Premier League involves Blackpool, FC. This team was promoted to the Premier League for the first time in nearly 40 years and what a run they have been on! They have defeated traditional powers such as Liverpool, FC and have made a proud showing for their fans in Blackpool, a seaside town located in northern England on the coast of the Irish Sea. The 'Seasiders' were not supposed to be playing so well; they did not follow the script. They have played hard and played for their community and have come up with some impressive results. Follow Blackpool by visiting the website of the The Gazette.

Burnley and Blackpool might never win the championship, but they personify the characteristics and represent the hopes and aspirations of their respective communities in a way that LeBron James never will. And for that reason alone I am a fan of these two wonderful teams. I hope that Cleveland can take heart in the fact that there are players out there who take much more inspiration from the uniform they wear than from the paychecks or prestige tossed out be the sporting elite.