LeeBron?

I woke up this morning, went through my morning routine, and boarded the train to begin my hour-long exodus to Vanguard. The conductor, Rick, likes to give me a hard time and enjoys the fact that I’m going to a sports business program. He thinks I’m going to be the next Drew Rosenhaus. So when Rick came to check my ticket, he asked me, “So did you help make that Cliff Lee deal?” I gave the obligatory chuckle and nod and said “No Rick not yet, how much did the Yankees get him for? I didn’t see the news.” Rick retorted that the Yankees didn’t pull it off; the Phillies signed their prodigal son to a five-year/120 million -dollar contract. I was shocked, I wouldn’t say I’m a huge baseball fan, but I do keep tabs on the big stories, and I knew that the Cliff Lee sweepstakes were coming down to the Evil Empire (Yankees) and the small market dreamers with the Hall of Fame owner (Rangers). The media (ESPN) had painted Lee out to be somewhat of a money-hungry ace that wanted to be paid like other top pitchers (Sabbathia) and would go where the money was not necessarily the best team or chance for him to be happy. The Phillies weren’t even on the radar.

My initial reaction was that I need to bolt my doors and quit my job before playoff time and the inevitable parade down Broad Street and craziness that ensues. This team is no doubt going to win at least one more world series and has the best 4-man rotation I have seen in my 24 years on this earth. Two Cy Young winners, one WS MVP, and another perennial All-Star workhorse pitcher. Combine that an above average offensive team, and you will have a team that should be a lock to be playing in October. You also have the National League’s version of the Yankees and a new power player in a league that has been dominated by the Sox and Yanks free spending ways for years. Even as an anti-Philadelphia fan, I was still excited to see this team and I actually am looking forward to what is usually my least favorite time of the sports year, the marathon that is the MLB regular season. What records could be broken? Will Hamels and Oswalt ever lose a game going against other teams 3rd and 4th pitchers? How many Mets fans will meet their demise at their matchups at Citizens Bank Park?

I pulled up ESPN.com on my phone and read the Jayson Stark articles and tapped my ESPN Radio App on my iPhone to hear Mike and Mike’s reactions. My wheels started turning. I started to question what I was hearing, and drawing parallels to my favorite sport and player: the NBA and Lebron James. Didn’t Cliff Lee do what Lebron did when he decided to take his talents to South Beach? It’s eerily similar; minus the hour-long studio show and public humiliation of a fan base (also minus the millions of dollars raised for the Boys and Girls Club which we so often forget). Before we compare, let me just say this comparison excludes "The Decision," we can all agree that was narcissism and bravado at its worst. But excluding the show and the pep rally, the two are comparable. Let’s compare:

1) Cliff Lee chose to play for a dark horse team (Philly) instead of the options that ESPN decided were most likely and realistic (Yankees, Rangers, and Nationals). Lebron did the exact same thing choosing the relative dark horse Miami over the ESPN favorites Chicago, New York, Cleveland and even New Jersey.

2) Lee took less money to play for a team and a city that he felt comfortable with and that in his belief was the best chance for multiple championships. Lee’s deal reportedly can max out (depending on incentives and an optional 6th year) at anywhere from 120 million to 147.5 million dollars. The Yankees offered him a guaranteed 6-year deal with an optional 7th year that would max out at $148 million dollars. Lee could end up losing as much as 28 million dollars depending on if he meets the incentives for the 6th year of his Phillies contract. Lebron also took less money to play for a team and city he felt comfortable with and that he believed could get him the most rings (if you haven’t been watching the Heat’s renaissance lately, you are missing out on proof that they could win one sooner than we thought). Lebron’s contract ended being about 10 million dollars less than the maximum 6-year/$120 million max contract he was eligible for which when its all said and done may be more of a "sacrifice" than Lee is making if he meets all of the requirements for the optional 6th year.

3) Cliff Lee left a small market franchise, that he led to its first World Series in its 38-year history (since 1972) to go to a dream team of sorts that he was comfortable with and could consistently win him pennants. Lebron James left a small market franchise, that he led to its first NBA finals in its 37-year history for a team and city he could have fun and win with. The only difference between Lee and James is that James had an hour long TV show to commemorate his decision and raise money for charity, while Cliff Lee has done everything through the “proper” channels. He called the Rangers and his agent called the Yankees to reveal his decision. Is that really enough to justify the extreme difference in reactions? I don’t see any Cliff Lee jerseys getting set on fire, or national media calling out Lee for a lack of competitive fire. No one other than maybe Nolan Ryan will say “If it was me, I would never want to play with the guys I faced off against and who traded me last season instead of giving me an extension right away.” There won’t be legends and media pining for the old days where athletes hated other teams and signing on a team with an established star meant admitting that you were inferior and not good enough to do it yourself. Lee will be just like Lebron on the Heat, the second banana. Wade and Halladay are the resident leaders of the respective teams. But for some reason Lee is applauded for his decision and praised as a true competitor. The media is focusing on how good this team will be and not on how Lee let down the Rangers and their fans coming off a World Series run. At least Lebron left after they got dominated in the Eastern Conference finals, the Rangers made the World Series!

Maybe it’s because Lee isn't the spectacle that Lebron is; maybe it’s because its baseball not basketball and the individual is never bigger than the team; maybe it’s because he is returning to a team he already played for and was loved on; or, I hate to say it, maybe it’s like Lebron said, about race (see CNN interview and article here http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/blog/ball_dont_lie/post/LeBron-James-says-race-was-a-factor-in-backlash-?urn=nba-273678.) I don’t know why, but everyone who is applauding Lee as an unselfish, winner, who is sacrificing money to be happy and win multiple championships needs to remember the criticism and scorn they had when Lebron decided to team up with his version of Halladay, Oswalt, and Hamels. People have to choose one train of thought or another; I for one applaud both of them, and think that this is a great sign for sports. Deep down though, I kind of want somebody like Steve Carlson, or Greg Maddux to come out and question Lee for not being an “alpha dog” or being “the Scottie Pippen to Roy Halladay’s Michael Jordan” just for the pure hilarity of the comments. And maybe the pundits should be more critical as Lee is signing back with a team who didn't think he was worth signing last year and traded to "replenish the farm system." Shouldn't a true competitor want to stick it to this team every chance he can get? Wouldn't that show the competitive fire we demand from our athletes more than simply signing back with them to win a couple more championships?

Both of these players, Lebron and Cliff, simply made smart and selfish decisions, which in the sports world, where athlete’s peak earning years last only until their mid-thirties, are the only type we should expect athletes to make.