WHAT HE SAID: James said after this Finals loss that "I pretty much don't listen to what everybody has to say about me or my game or what I've done with my career," but this is the same guy who tweeted last year "Don't think for one [minute] that I haven't been taking mental notes of everyone taking shots at me this summer.
And I mean everyone!" WHAT HE MEANT: You couldn't have told me when I came into the league that I didn't have the testicular fortitude to "lead" a team to an NBA Championship.
Competition has a way of exposing us for who we really are as athletes.
I was anointed "King James" early in my career but it sadly became apparent that I couldn't be King of any...
thing while playing in Cleveland.
Being the selfless man that I am, I chose to take my talents to South Beach to let DWade and Chris (Avatar inspiration) Bosh squeeze in under my crown to share the glory with me.
I don't listen to everybody because they'll just remind me of my cerebral meltdown against the Boston Celtics in the 2010 Conference Finals.
The series where I morphed into an 8th grader with my first case of stage fright.
I patented the professional version of "hot potato" in that series and I actually had an out of body experience during that period in my life.
For the life of me, I couldn't understand why my talents, will, desire, focus and determination abandoned me when my teammates needed me most.
It was a surreal experience and I spent the entire 2010 summer working on my mental toughness.
Fast forward to 2011 and it appears that my own self therapy just didn't do the trick.
I, once again, shrunk from the spotlight on the big stage.
Yea, I know I appeared to have cast those past demons aside when I came up big against this years Celtics and Bulls.
However, that wasn't the championship.
What separates all time great athletes from good athletes is the ability to focus when it counts most.
Michael Jordan won championships because the bigger the moment, the bigger his focus and resolve.
Karl Malone couldn't win a ring because the bigger the moment, the more his knees shook.
I'm not saying that you should color me Karl Malone but I'm saying that I haven't found that part of me that can elevate to the next level while focusing on playing my best ball at the right time.
Allow me to apologize to DWade and Chris because they brought their A game to these finals.
I let them and South Beach down and I plan to work on my big game temperament for the next several months.
The problem is it's virtually impossible to duplicate the environment.
Perhaps I'll envision championship moments when I'm filming commercials this summer.
I'll see myself making the big shots when I'm playing nerf ball with my son.
I'll dominate my entourage during pickup games and bring big time intensity whenever I see a basketball court.
One thing that I will not do, is talk smack..
...
preen, pose or dance on the sidelines.
I'll look foolish since I haven't busted a grape on the court to cement my legacy.
My team, friends, family and the people of South Beach deserve the best of me and, with their help and support, I can re-emerge next year like a contemporary version of Steve Austin.
A better, stronger, faster version of the The King...
without a country!!