What a week to be the King of your Sport!

How the mighty have fallen?  And that’s the point; how the mighty fell!

We all watched it (or at least 8.6 Million of us according to AP ratings) on live TV. 

In stunned silence we saw the NBA’s reigning MVP LeBron James refuse to shake hands with the Orlando Magic; he even ‘dissed’ Dwight Howard (aka: Superman).  He stormed off the court past the waiting microphone and TV camera’s that have fueled his Q-Rating to heights not seen since Muhammad Ali.  He then snubbed the media once again by refusing to participate in the post-game press conference. 

The very next day while LeBron was busy explaining his behavior many fewer of us watched Rafael Nadal’s impressive four year, 31-set winning streak at the French Open come to a shocking end on the red clay of Roland Garros.

What did Nadal do after his epic but “not tragic” loss?  He calmly walked up to the net, shook the hand of Robin Soderling, his virtually unknown opponent and then addressed his fans saying, “I need to face the fact I didn’t play well this week. I have to accept my defeat as I accepted my victories – with calm. No one remembers defeats in the long run.  People remember victories…. I have to move forward and try and prepare the best I can.”

Both men are young, Nadal (23, today!) and James (24); yet both are wise beyond their years.  Please don’t pile on and vilify King James.  As all winners do, he will learn from this mistake and never repeat it!

 

This is not a LeBron bashing!

 

Here is what I think is the ONLY difference between these two young men in facing defeat.  Nadal is in an individual sport; James a team sport.

 

James did all he could and lost; so did Nadal.

 

Was knowing he did his best and others let him down an invitation for LeBron to be a bit selfish?  Nadal had no one to blame; he had to accept the outcome.

 

Sometimes, being supremely talented makes it exceptionally hard to simply be a member of the team!

 

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Lon Kieffer, author of “Get Out of Bed and Go to Work!”, Speaker, Consultant, Executive Recruiter and Expert on Workplace Culture Change and Generational Conflicts, gives seminars, keynote and plenary addresses, runs annual sales meetings, and provides Common Sense Consulting at:  www.LonKieffer.com. He can be reached at:  (302) 462-6748 or via email at:  Lon@LonKieffer.com