Criticism of Lebron's 2-4 Finals Record is Illustrative of America's Fear of Failure

I love basketball. I love the stories and I love that American culture emphasizes the motivational power of sports.

I loved watching LeBron win in Miami and I hated watching him lose. I loved watching the Warriors come out of nowhere and win the title this year, but I don't see that victory as a blemish on LeBron's performance or record at all.

I love watching Stephen A. Smith and Skip Bayless and Tony Kornheiser and Michael Wilbon debate about basketball, but I always think it is absurd to criticize Lebron for losing at the highest stage.

The argument goes that LeBron is not as good of a player as Michael Jordan because he's lost 4 times in the finals and has won only twice in comparison to Jordan's 6-0 Finals record. I find this argument highly dubious. While the wins are definitely important in the discussion, to me, the losses are a distraction.

Lebron still has a number of years ahead of him. He has two superstars with him and if his team is healthy, the Cavs are frightening. It's safe to say that he will be back in the Finals again. He will likely finish his career with more Finals appearances than Michael Jordan. Why is a Finals loss penalized greater in our appraisal of a player than a loss earlier in the playoffs or failing to make the playoffs?

Michael Jordan played 15 seasons in the NBA. He failed to make it to the finals 9 times. One must concede that he was well past his prime for two seasons, he was injured for a season, and if he had stayed in the game of basketball, might have more finals appearances and more championship rings.

Despite all of this, no one ever says, "Jordan didn't make the finals 9 times, so Bill Russell is the greatest of all time." Bill Russell played 13 seasons and won 11 titles. Is that alone enough to crown him the greatest of all time? Some people believe he is one of the greatest of all time, but for some reason, 6-0 is always the mark for comparison.

What does a Finals loss mean? Does it mean the season was a waste? Of course not. As a player, one gets to enjoy season as a whole for a longer period of time. One gets playoff bonuses and Finals bonuses. It offers experiences that one can learn from and life lessons that one can use in the future to better himself. So why do commentators emphasize the losses so much?

When LeBron first lost in the Finals, he was a kid. He was 22 and he was up against one of the dynasties of the 2000s. He was overmatched. What's wrong with losing to the best in your field at 22? Where were you at 22? Were you competing to be the best in your field with little help at all?

When I was 22, I was struggling to make a steady income. I have no shame in saying that. There's no one I know in their twenties who hasn't complained to me about a significant problem in their work life or personal life.

When LeBron teamed up with Wade and Bosh in Miami, he opened himself to criticism when he said his intention was to win multiple championships. His loss to Dallas in 2011 was definitely not his finest hour and was clearly an upset, and his loss to San Antonio in 2014 was crushing. Nonetheless, he won twice in the years between against strong opponents. This year, he was up against one of the best teams historically in the NBA, and he was missing 3 key pieces of his starting lineup including 2 superstars. Clearly the credit James receives for his victories is not enough, because they are somehow blemished (in the minds of analysts) by 4 losses in the Finals.

One of my friends ran a hedge fund and he told me the impact of a loss is ten times greater on our psyche than a victory. The inability to be objective in times of loss prevents people from making rational decisions. The fear, not the loss, is what defeats us.

I have spent my whole life in America and I don't think I will ever leave. We have so many astounding places to live and work, we have freedoms and safety not experienced in other countries, but our culture of fear is about to have a negative impact on our attitude collectively.

If people absorbing this argument that failure is something that counts against someone, then people will stop trying to achieve. Edison, when asked by reporters about his "failure" at creating a lightbulb, famously said, "I have not failed, not once. I’ve discovered ten thousand ways that don’t work." Where is this healthy attitude?

Do the sports writers of America think people are too slow to realize how sloppy their logic is? Or is it that they have a professional interest in emphasizing the importance of each game and each series? Regardless, they are promoting a type of thinking that is and will continue to be damaging to the psyche of Americans.

After 9/11, Americans suffered widespread fear of physical harm. Then, it was fear of anthrax. Now, it is fear of inadequacy in the face of impossibly thin and fit models. Americans fear changes in the economy even though the economy follows a predictable pattern and grows an average of 7 percent annually. In the modern day, fear could even be the social anxiety that goes with an unreturned text message.

I was recently having a cup of tea with an incredibly successful business man whose expertise led to the widespread distribution of a product universally used in modern business. His message to me was this: eliminate failure from your dictionary. There is no failure. There is only moments in which you succeed and moments from which you learn. Once you can do that, you will be unstoppable.

It is the fear of failure that leads to these silly comparisons anyway. Jordan played in a league that was much less internationally competitive. Dirk Nowitzki was international talent who sunk LeBron's Heat in 2011. The Spurs were a greatly diverse group of talented individuals. Jordan's defensive tactics, such as hand-checking, are illegal in the modern NBA. People must realize they are comparing apples and oranges.

Perhaps LeBron defenders (such as myself) are too easy on the King when they say he has no help. This was certainly not the case in Miami in 2011, but in 2007, 2014, and 2015, his supporting cast was not strong enough to help LeBron come away with victories while LeBron put up performances that were amazing by sheer numbers. If there's anything to criticize, it could be his efficiency. His shooting percentages have gone down from last year as far as free throw percentage, field goal percentage and three point field goal percentage. Perhaps, the King would benefit from some introspection and stop wondering where his help is coming from when he knows he can play better.

Is LeBron one of the greatest of all time? His versatility, his defense, his rebounding, his passing and his scoring are indicative of a special talent. Furthermore, his leadership and workload are unmatched in the modern NBA. He took a Cleveland team from the first pick in the NBA draft to the NBA Finals and watched Miami crumble in his rear-view mirror. He made a city believe and that city desperately needed something to believe in.

LeBron is an incredibly successful young man. Losing is just feedback. Quitting is true failure. LeBron will always be a winner as long as he keeps playing. The man is young, rich, has a great attitude, and just put up monster numbers in the finals. His numbers are historically significant and next year, he will become the youngest player to reach 25000 points.

For LeBron, there is still time. There is time for him to break records and chase championships. That time is dwindling and he must make the most of it, but he should never be afraid of failure.

If he never touches a basketball again, he will still be an incredible success in NBA history.

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