I saw this online last night for the first time and my initial reaction was "Hmmmm. Intersting." The more I have thought about it the more I wanted to support LeBron (I'm a big LeBron fan) and this commercial. He comes across introspective and slightly remorseful (or not at all, depending on your interpretation). He pokes Barkley and Jordan in response to their comments about his "Decision" to join D Wade and Chris Bosh in Miami. And he asks some rhetorical questions about the happenings of the past few months.
I wanted to feel the rebellion LeBron seemed to feel when filming this. I wanted to feel like this commercial did a good job of justifying the "I'm just doing me" attitude of my generation and LeBron's. But really, I just can't.
"Should I stop listening to my friends" he asks. Then he says, "they're my friends". This isn't high school and I know he's not that far removed from high school but that's a bit immature. Just because they're your friends doesn't mean they give good advice. Just because you're loyal to them (and vice-versa) doesn't mean you should take their advice. Fact is, your friend(s) helped you make what many believe to be a really bad decision in doing "The Decision". I think it was a bad idea no matter how much money it raised for the Boys & Girls Clubs of America. Had he chose to stay in Cleveland, maybe it would have been a "decent" idea. But to do an hour long special knowing you were gonna go to another team was in poor taste no matter how much you're doing what's right for you and yours. Even when you're "doing you", there's a way to be respectful of others.
In the very beginning he asks, "what should I do?" and at the end he asks "should I be who you want me to be?" The answers to both of those questions are really quite simple. You should just play basketball and be whoever you are. The latter of which we've all seemed to get a much better idea of since "The Decision".
LeBron's legacy won't be tarnished when-and-if the Heat win a couple titles. LeBron will regain popularity this season much like Kobe did after he beat the rape case. My advice would be for LeBron to let his basketball do the talking. No need to care what people think. He didn't break any laws! We live in a society where people are fickle. They'll love you one day and hate you the next and vice-versa. It's like Jay-Z said: "First they love you then they hate you then they love you again!"
LeBron, what goes around comes around. They loved you in Cleveland. They hate you now. But when you guys start winning in Miami and you're droppin' triple doubles, they'll love you again. Well, most of them will, lol. You've got a talent that not many people have and been blessed to make millions of dollars using it. Instead of feeding into the media's reaction and fighting over your so-called marketability and image...
How about you remember that damn near 100% of your "marketability" is tied to the sport you love and are gifted at.
How about you just do basketball well like you've been doing and watch the marketability and brand rebound (pun intended). You've gotta remember that if you couldn't play basketball, you wouldn't be half as rich or as popular as your are right now. Stick to what you do best and find a mentor with experience in the NBA limelight both on-and-off the court but not someone as huge as Jordan or Barkley. Someone with a bit more humility and less fame that's grounded might do you some good.
And last but not least, if you do decide to address something, make it something more worthwhile than what people think about your dumb-azz "Decision". Make it something that counts! Like the fact that no matter how rich you may be, there will always be a white man richer than you that writes your checks for both on-and-off the court activities. Or, the fact that no matter how much money you make or fame you are given, to a lot of people you're still a tall, muscular, lawn jockey. And for all the progressive white folk that may read this, everything isn't about race but a lot of it is. Even if it's subconscious and not overt, it still is.
But to answer your question... What should you do? Play basketball. JUST DO IT!
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