Harris: Bulls Fans Need To Stop Hating LeBron James
By Adam Harris--
CHICAGO (WSCR) Chicago, it's time for us to let go of our hatred toward LeBron James.
I realize this blog is coming at a very bad time considering the Bulls will face the Heat in the Eastern Conference Finals, but before this series happens Bulls fans need to accept LeBron James as a player that can most effect the result of any NBA game he plays in.
I am not saying Bulls fans should root for LeBron or even hope he does well in this next series, but they need to accept right now that he chose to play in Miami (not Chicago), and we should respect his game and his decision.
Two nights ago, after the Heat beat the Celtics to advance to the Eastern Conference Finals, LeBron James apologized for how he made his decision last summer by going on TV with "The Decision."
"I went through a lot with deciding to be here, and the way it panned out, with all the friends and family and the fans back home," James said in his postgame interview. "I apologize for the way it happened. But I knew that this opportunity was once in a lifetime."
LeBron James made a decision for his own good, and while we as a fan base disagree with what he decided, we need to accept his decision or we will be frustrated and angry for years to come.
The Heat are going to be the Bulls' rival every year moving forward for a long time, and it will save us Bulls fans a ton of heart ache and frustration if we just accept LeBron James as the most dominant NBA player in the game; we shouldn't hate him for it. I realize Derrick Rose won the MVP this year and he completely deserved it, but if I were to pick one player to start my franchise with right now I would still pick the most desired free agent in NBA history, LeBron James.
This is a very passive approach for us Bulls fans to follow when dealing with LeBron James as a wall the Bulls need to climb every year to get to the NBA Finals, but I say it's a smart approach.
LeBron had a hell of a year. He averaged nearly a triple double every game this year (26.7 ppg, 7.5 rpg, 7 apg) and I find it so hard to hate him because of that. I do not wish him the slightest bit of success moving forward, however I do realize as an NBA fan that he will put up his numbers, and will probably win at least one game by himself against the Bulls coming up.
As a Bulls fan, I realize hating LeBron James will get me no where while watching the Eastern Conference Finals. If I prepare mentally to respect his abilities and understand he is a monster who will get his 27 plus points and 7 plus assists and rebounds per game, I will enjoy this series more. I will enjoy season's to come a lot more also.
"The Decision" is over with. It was handled poorly, but no one can blame LeBron for making the decision that he made. People can dislike him for how he made his decision, but they cannot hate him for it.
If hatred is what Bulls fans are hanging on to with LeBron James, they will be frustrated and angry for not only the next two weeks, but for years to come. The Heat may not beat the Bulls this coming series, but they are here to stay, and LeBron James is the most influential player on that team.
You can hate him, but it will get you nowhere as a fan. Just give into his talent and respect what he can do...oh and root against him with all your might, but put your "hate" away.
