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Their names echo across the sports galaxy, like shining stars. They are instantly recognizable as the best of the best.

In Baseball – Babe Ruth, Willie Mays, Jackie Robinson, Bob Gibson, Tom Seaver, Nolan Ryan, Pete Rose, Johnny Bench, Goose Gossage, George Brett, Tim Lincecum, Albert Pujols.

In Football – Dick Butkus, John Elway, Brett Favre, Troy Aikman, Lawrence Taylor, Tom Brady

In Hockey – Wayne Gretzky, Mark Messier, Gordie Howe, Phil Esposito, Bobby Orr, Steve Yzerman, Sidney Crosby

In Soccer – Pele, Lionel Messi

In Basketball – Wilt, Bill Russell, Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, Moses Malone, Dr J, Tim Duncan, Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant

Do you notice a big name missing from the list above, a guy who is considered to be the best player in his sport today…That’s right, I didn’t include “King James”….Each of the sports figures listed above posses the one intangible that Lebron DOES NOT currently have and from the looks of things will NEVER have. That intangible is “the ability to impose one’s will on the opposing team”.

To be a truly great player you have to be able to carry your team on your back when everyone else is looking to you for LEADERSHIP. Take for instance Mark Messier. In 1994, when the NY Rangers were facing elimination in the conference finals against the NJ Devils, Mess not only guaranteed a victory, but went out and scored 3 goals.

I remember on multiple occasions watching NY Giants games and thinking if we could only get a stop on D, and then LT would throw off the blocks of 2 or 3 guys, and tackle the RB for a loss or sack the QB. He had the ability to elevate his game when the time called for it.

Magic, Larry Bird, Kobe…they all had the will. They could be the only one having a good game, and they would carry the team, demand the ball, and win the game. They knew how to impose their will even when the other 10 guys on the team flat out sucked during that game. It didn’t matter if it was the first game of the season or the final game of the playoffs, they had “that look”, that “thousand yard stare”. All they saw was the ball and the basket. Nothing else mattered to them. They knew that giving everything they had meant being able to rise above pain, or poor shooting when crunch time came…when it was time to separate the men from the boys.

Michael Jordan had the ability to bring his team back in the 4th quarter by himself. He wanted the ball. He made sure his team knew he would bring them the victory. LeBron has had an awful tendency to disappear in the 4th quarter of games that needed his leadership skills. In Game 5 of this years finals, he scored a total of TWO points in the final period. How is that being a leader? He has on multiple occasions either not shown up for games, or looked like he wasn’t interested in putting out his best effort.

When a team is either leading or losing in a close game, you look to your leader to give you the lift you need to get over the hump. Look at the Dallas Mavs. EVERYONE knows that Dirk is getting the ball. They dare you to try and stop him. Sometimes you do, but most times, he imposes his will and lifts his team to victory. That is the difference between a true superstar and just a “great” player.

I am not saying that LeBron won’t someday find the missing ingredient to his game, but the way things are now he either doesn’t know how to find it or maybe he doesn’t really care to find it. He is a great player, there is no question about that, and will be remembered as one of the best to play the game. But plenty of greats have played and never won rings because they were missing that one thing to put their team over the top; just like LeBron is at this stage of his career,

I can’t decide whether to feel sorry for him, or to just plain pity him.

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By Jon Tessler – Jabberhead, SJ Moderator/Contributing Author

http://forums.sportsjabber.net/sjforums/showthread.php?t=89983