I don’t hate LeBron or the Heat (they aren’t the 2007 18-1 Patriots) but James’ hourlong infomercial “The Decision” was the most narcissistic and insufferable thing I’ve seen from an athlete. The over-the-top arrival party in Miami days later where LaBron bragged about winning eight titles was almost as bad. It’s always nice to see such arrogance get schooled. Miami might have had the superstars, but Dallas had the team.

James will likely win an NBA title at some point (he’s only 26) but he will have to play a hell of a lot better than he did in these Finals. In the fourth quarter of the last three games he disappeared, looking afraid to dictate on offense, making dumb mistakes (six turnovers in Game 6) and generally looking lost. This is not how a King is supposed to act in crunch time. Wade was not a whole lot better. In the fourth quarter of the six games, Wade and James had a combined 62 points. Series MVP Dirk Nowitski had 62 by himself.

The defining moment in hindsight was Game 2, when Wade preened and strutted after sinking a 3-pointer to put the Heat up by 15 with seven minutes left in the four quarter. The Heat went on to blow the game and the series. LeBron might still get his eight titles, but that streak at some point will have to begin with his first and that ain’t happening this year.

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Last night they were a shining example for kids and adults everywhere: Part of taking charge of your own future is giving it everything you’ve got right now. The blocked shot by Wade and then James’ fighting for the ball then diving for it demonstrated these guys won’t let their big-time contracts get to their heads. They laid down the gauntlet and they’re backing it up. It’s awesome to see.

Of course, there’s still basketball to be played. Dirk Nowitzki poses a match-up problem for Bosh and the Heat. But how will the rest of that Mavericks team stop Wade and James, along with guys like Haslem and Miller? My bet is the boys in South Beach will be partying for as long as the team keeps playing with heart.

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The NBA Playoffs are not going how they were supposed to. When you look back at 2010-11, this will be the season when the power in the NBA shifted. Are the Heat destined to win the championship? Is that the only way this season can end? I know this much…the NBA is hoping the power hasn’t shifted to a Memphis-Atlanta final.

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Cher / Dwyane Wade
The one with the ring/oscar. The proven commodity that makes this a must buy ticket for loyal fans. Great when she’s onscreen, but missing for large patches of the movie/season due to script/injury. And surprisingly awkward chemistry with the new star that the movie team is built around.

Christina Aguilera / LeBron James
The superstar. Unnecessarily burdened with an origin story from the heartland that rings false the whole time. Every time they open their mouth during the preseason/1st 30 minutes of the film, they make things much much worse and you wish they would just show their supernatural talent for playing/singing and not force a character on us, that we don’t believe. And when they do play/sing they are brilliant, when the spotlight is on them. But when they are in the half-court/acting scenes they play down to the level of their supporting cast.

Stanley Tucci / Chris Bosh
Knows his third-star role. Plays it better than you expect, and produces by far the most winning moments, but not enough to meet expectations.

Alan Cummings / Udonis Haslem
Teased as a child about their name. A role player /character actor who looks great on paper for this movie/team but ultimately can never shine and is sorta redundant as long as Tucci/Bosh are in the way playing the role with more range.

Jonathan Antin / Erik Spoelstra
Out of his depth, and immediately has the crowd calling for the obvious choice Baz Luhrmann / Pat Riley who would get a championship/ amazing movie with this talent.

Cam Gigandet / Eric Dane
James Jones / Eddie House
Both playing the same role; and looking sorta alike doing it. One you know the name from him being a good role player somewhere else; one you don’t. Either way when you watch them, they are getting way too many minutes in this film/season.

Kristen Bell / Mike Miller
Somewhere on paper was supposed to be a critical complimentary piece… But not here, if they are on or off the court/screen. Meh.

Gordon Bellamy is a sports fan and member of the Los Angeles gay Flag Football League. He has even worked on Madden Football video games.

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I haven’t been a James or Miami Heat fan in the past. I just couldn’t care less about them. This makes me like him more. I’ll be cheering for him and his teammates to do well in the coming seasons. Good for them.

I will say that ESPN dragged it out way too long. I’d heard they were going to announce it in the first 10 minutes of the hourlong show. Instead, he announced it in minute 27 after an excruciating, needless interview. The advertisers on ESPN got their money’s worth today.

For all of the Cleveland Cavaliers fans who are surely upset right now, do try to see it from his perspective. I was talking with a LeBron hater today who said, “When he wins a title, then he can act like this. Until then, shut up.” That’s the reality: Until he wins a title, many people simply won’t regard him as highly as they should. He has his legacy to think about. And I personally respect him for that.

Now, after all this, if he doesn’t win a title before retiring, he will understandably go down as a step below the guys like Jordan, Bird, Magic and Bryant he so desperately wants to be considered an equal to. The pressure is on double: He has no one else to blame now.

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This is what greeted readers today on Deadspin.You can thank Deadspin contributor Drew Magary for this sophomoric comment. Magary has said he’s OK with gay people, but that “Jimmy Clausen eats cock.” If Magary hasn’t tried it yet, maybe he should: Then he’d have a finer appreciation for why so many people do it.

Hat tip to Joe. My. God., via Towleroad.

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Of course, this is just codifying what NBA refs have let great players like Magic Johnson and Michael Jordan do for years. These players were allowed to take two or more steps with the basketball while most other players were forced to stick to the rules. At least now all the players will play by the same traveling rules…until they allow LeBron to take four steps. Handball, anyone?

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The good news: he’s playing himself in “Fantasy Basketball Camp,” a comedy about five guys from different backgrounds who go to Las Vegas to attend the LeBron James Adult Basketball Camp, and manage to pull James into their lives and problems. It’s being produced by Brian Grazer of Imagine Entertainment (the company he and Ron Howard co-founded).

The bad news: well, just think of LeBron’s new teammate Shaquille O’Neal as “Kazaam.” Or Shaq as “Steel.”

Don’t do it, LeBron! Turn away from the light before it’s too late!

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So says the Wall Street Journal, which in the course of the two minutes it took to read their story on salaries made me wonder why I even bothered showing up for work today.  But as I got to the end of the list of how long it takes some jocks to earn 100 grand, I felt a little relieved to see at least Norm Duke has to work for it.

Duke, the money leader of the Professional Bowlers Association, has to bowl 2,360 frames to make $100,000. That’s about $2 for every pin he takes down.

Matt Hennie blogs on Atlanta’s gay sports scene (and other stuff) at Project Q Atlanta.

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Sammy Sosa, who just a couple weeks ago reiterated that he has never taken performance-enhancing drugs, reportedly tested positive for them in 2003. If true, Sosa, who once cheated with an illegal bat, should shut his trap and never speak again.

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