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What we witnessed from LeBron is bad for sports

LeBron James is a great basketball player.

He has an MVP award, numerous endorsements and millions of fans everywhere.

But he's also a poor loser.

We witnessed his actions after the Cavaliers lost to the Magic on Saturday, eliminating them from the playoffs. And what he did speaks louder than any commercial.

James walked off the court, didn't shake anyone's hand from the Magic, let along congratulate them, and blew off the press.

The NBA doesn't need to have a line form at the end of the series and have the players shake hands like they do in hockey.

I will admit, though, that hockey has the best tradition around.

But what James didn't do, was something that goes all the way back to Little League. You shake a person's hand after a game.

Here's what James had to say Sunday, a day after his Cavs lost, trying to explain his actions:

"It's hard for me to congratulate somebody after you just lose to them. I'm a winner. It's not being a poor sport or anything like that. If somebody beats you up, you're not going to congratulate them. That doesn't make sense to me. I'm a competitor. That's what I do. It doesn't make sense for me to go over and shake somebody's hand."


When did James win anything? He's not won an NBA championship. He blew off the college game. If you count high school, his resume is a little better than Michelle Wie's.

James was built up as a savior for the Cavaliers. And, indeed, he's turned that franchise around. But he hasn't brought that beloved championship to the city of Cleveland.

He's a better Clyde Drexler with a hype machine promoting his every move.

Now, don't get me wrong, being compared to Drexler isn't meant as a bad thing.

Drexler had a Hall of Fame career and won an NBA championship. James is bound for the Hall. But a championship?

Drexler took a Blazers team to the NBA Finals once, as did LeBron. Both lost.

Drexler needed Hakeem Olajuwon to win a title. And like Drexler, James will need some help to win a title.

More important, however, is that James needs to learn some manners.

Here's a quick person to emulate: Rafael Nadal.

After Nadal lost at the French Open, ending his 31-match winning streak in Paris, Nadal was ever the sportsman.

"I must accept my defeats with the same level of calm that I accept my victories," he said.

Are you listening, LeBron?
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