The Shadow-gloom and Weight of the Sacred

There's been a lot of speculation over the last few months concerning the future of basketball player LeBron James, or as he is henceforth known on this blog, LeBaron. And, with LeBaron's recent announcement that he will join the Miami Heat, there has been a lot of debate concerning what he should have done. Based upon what I've read at ESPN.com and SI.com, along with what little I've listened to on The Sports Animal, the consensus is that LeBaron should have stayed in Cleveland because he owed it to the city.

It seems that this is a pretty normal sentiment in sports. When a player's contract is complete, it is the obligation of the player to re-sign with his or her existing employer because the athlete owes it the fans. Or, stated another way, more accurate way, the player owes it the community. Despite our capitalistic inclinations, our "get what you can while you can" mentality, we want our professional athletes to have limitations on their individual desires. We want them to be mindful of our desires; we want them to take on our desires. We want them to have the city in mind, the team in mind, the community in mind, before they have the self in mind.

I'm a huge fan of the St. Louis Cardinals baseball team. I'd like to think that Albert Pujols will play there forever, even if it means taking less money than what a rival organization would pay him. After all, what's the difference between 50 million and 55 million? I fear, though, that the dollar amount necessary to keep Albert in St. Louis will be so great that it will hurt the team in other areas. For example, what if Albert's contract makes impossible to resign all-star catcher Yadier Molena. Then the whole team is hurt. The team isn't as strong.

As fans, we're generally fans of the organization first. Only very rarely do we switch favorite teams. Only very rarely do you come across someone who'd rather cheer for individual players than a team. And, once upon a time, a person grew up watching the same players on the same team. Mickey Mantle was a Yankee. Bob Gipson was a Cardinal. Roger Staubach was a Cowboy. I remember how strange it was to see Joe Montana in a Chiefs's [according to Turabian, that is the proper use of the possessive in this instant] uniform.

In any event, here is what I wonder: if LeBaron had re-signed with Cleveland, as it seems most people felt it was his responsibility, would that not make him anti-American? Anti-capitalist? Anti-free market economy? Why should he consider others in his decision? I guess, because otherwise, he's ruining the whole experience for us. Or, for Cleveland, at least.