Lebron Ruins The Puppet Show AGAIN!

I knew I might have to talk about this, I just didn't know it would be this soon! The world wanted to see the puppets go at it, 24 vs. 23 for basketball supremacy. We all wanted to see if the young upstart could take out the wily veteran. Once again Lebron couldn't hold up his end of the bargain. It appears Lebron is more style than substance. The media likes to portray him as an unstoppable force who will win multiple rings and MVP trophies, a player that will carry the league to higher heights. Fairy tales don't always come true however and Lebron is nothing more than a wet dream gone dry, a paper gangster, a toy soldier. The Celtics didn't respect him after game 5 and in game 6 he looked like a 14 year old lost at an amusement park. Too old to go looking for his parents but not old enough to get where he needs to be by himself. I've said all along Lebron needed to go to New York and resurrect the Knicks franchise. After watching this seasons playoff collapse I take it back. The level of expectation will be too high and the city will eat him alive when he doesn't deliver. He is not what we thought he was. The regular season is for playing basketball but the playoffs is when we see who can really hoop. Lebron is not a hooper. When the air gets thin and the lights get bright Lebron ceases to be a great player. In this society championships validate greatness, noting else. Skip Bayless called him a ringless fake MJ, more Pippen than Jordan. As much as I don't like Skip I would have to agree. It's better that Lebron didn't face Kobe in the finals. Failure on the biggest stage is tough to overcome (just ask Dirk Nowitzki) and he has quite a few years left to carry out this charade. For all those teams fighting for Lebron in free agency you might do better signing the hooper from Miami. Think about it.

Cleavie Wonder's 5 Favorite Athletes

It's fair to say I gravitate towards the talented and the arrogant. I'm superstar oriented with a flair for the dramatic and I'm not particularly fond of the quiet role model types. I'd prefer you talk the talk if you can walk the walk. With no further adieu, here are my 5 favorite athletes of all time.

5. John McEnroe. Supremely talented and misunderstood. It's unfortunate his well documented anger management problem overshadows his accomplishments on the court. 77 singles title and 77 doubles titles separates him from the rest of the pack. His 82-3 record in 1984 is still the greatest season in tennis history. John may still be the most popular player in the sport today.

4. Eric Dickerson. Every running back in the league should donate 5% of their salary to #29. Before Dickerson it was ok for the coach to make more money than the record holder for yards in a season. If he stayed in Los Angeles he might have rushed for 20,000 yards. You'll wake me the next time someone rushes for 1,808 yards in their rookie season.

3. Dan Marino. I don't give a damn what you say, Dan Marino is the greatest quarterback of all time. 5,084 yards and 48 touchdowns in a season sounds like video game numbers. I understand the absence of championship jewelry contradicts this statement but nonetheless I'm sticking with it. 2 minutes left to go down by 5 with 80 yards to go I wouldn't take Manning, Favre, Montana, or Brady. I'd take Golden Arm. We'll never see a release that quick and accurate again.

2. Barry Bonds. Barry Bonds has 7 MVP trophies and he should have 9. Terry Pendleton has 1 that doesn't belong to him and Jeff Kent has 1 for a season he hit behind Barry. He was the most feared hitter in the history of baseball, his glove was golden 10 times over, and he stole a ton of bases. Before the BALCO scandal there was no doubt he was a first ballot hall of famer. After the BALCO scandal there is no doubt he should be a first ballot hall of famer.

1. Michael Irvin. The Playmaker. The epitome of the Miami Hurricane mystique and the catalyst for the 3 time super bowl champion Dallas Cowboys. He played hard and he partied even harder. You will go your whole life and never see an athlete more intense, more driven, or more narcissistic. His passion for winning and his work ethic were unparalleled. A prima donna chiseled out of granite with a cocky swagger that makes you want to beat him to a pulp. If only you could.