How many times have we heard that phrase? It’s been uttered from the block to the board room and from the White House to the housing projects. Loyalty is bandied about in sports, films, songs, books, barbershops and beyond.
Loyalty is almost universally expected demanded…from others. In our own lives though, loyalty is often optional. We’re loyal when it benefits us, strengthens our reputations or makes us feel good inside.
I always get a good chuckle when salty sports fans angrily call players disloyal. Such was the case when Kevin Durant departed the Oklahoma City Thunder for the Golden State Warriors. Fans and media personalities used words like “weak,” “soft,” “traitor” and plenty of others that can’t be published in this family publication.
People pointed to players such as Magic Johnson, Kobe Bryant and Larry Bird as examples of players who spent their entire careers with one team and earned numerous championships along the way. They conveniently forget that in 1981, unhappy with his coach Paul Westhead, Johnson demanded a trade. They also forget that Bryant demanded a trade to the Chicago Bulls in 2007.
Neither trade happened because the Lakers balked at trading away its franchise players in both situations. However it wasn’t due to the players’ lack of trying.
As far as Bird is concerned, there’s no other name as synonymous with the Boston Celtics, with the possible exception of Bill Russell. Oh wait, didn’t ‘Larry Legend’ coach the Indiana Pacers for three seasons and serve as president of basketball operations for another four years? Does he get a loyalty exemption because Indiana is his home state? Can someone show me the rules in the loyalty handbook?
While we’re talking about front offices, what are the loyalty rules for franchises? Owners and GMs are typically only loyal to the bottom line. As soon as a player, coach or executive stops producing, they are shown the exit.
In one of the silliest moves in league history, Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban refused to re-sign Steve Nash to a lucrative contractin 2004 simply because the star point guard was 30-years-old. Nash went on to win back-to-back MVP awards in Phoenix.
When the G.O.A.T. Michael Jordan decided to un-retire for the second time at age 38, the Bulls took a pass, even though Jordan is Chicago Bulls basketball history and his statue sits outside the United Center. Jordan linked up with the then-lowly Washington Wizards to get on the court.
Countless examples exist of NBA front offices trading, releasing or benching players because they feel it is deemed best for the franchise. Beloved players vanish in the twinkling of an eye. Franchises relocate for more lucrative stadium deals and tax exemptions. There’s no loyalty to the fans. (Let’s not even talk about other leagues such as the NFL.)
Throughout NBA history, star NBA players such as Wilt Chamberlain, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Charles Barkley, Vince Carter, Jason Kidd, Kevin Garnett and Chris Paul have each used their influence to force trades.
Because former St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Curt Flood sued the MLB over an unwanted trade, players in all sports have free agency rights.
NBA legends such as O’Neal, LeBron James, Moses Malone, Dikembe Mutombo have used free agency to move on from the teams that drafted them.
Durant exercised his right to go to the Warriors. He was present when the SuperSonics left Seattle for Oklahoma City. He was present when the Thunder dealt James Harden over a $6 million dispute. He was present when the Thunder sent Serge Ibaka to Orlando.
If he hadn’t left the Thunder, Russell Westbrook wouldn’t be the odds-on favorite to be named league MVP. It’s unlikely the Thunder would’ve made it out of the West. Even if they did, the Thunder would’ve had a difficult time defeating the defending champion Cleveland Cavaliers. He wouldn’t have been Finals MVP. We wouldn’t have had that awesome Nike commercial after the Finals.
Durant made a wise move by not paying attention to us fickle fans. One moment we are ride or die supporters. The moment a player does or says something we don’t like, we turn on them. We make mean memes, write nasty tweets and boo at the top of our lungs.
Durant was loyal to his dreams of being an NBA champion. He was loyal to his competitive spirit by joining one of the best teams in the league and then pushing himself to become the best player on the court. He was loyal to his mother, Wanda, by praising and celebrating with her in front of millions of fans.
He was loyal to his legacy.
When it’s all said and done, critics will forget the manufactured reasons for the hate. Durant will be remembered as a champion. If he re-signs in Golden State, as expected, this won’t be the only time.
Ward vs Kovalev II
Speaking of legacies, this week’s rematch between Andre Ward and Sergey Kovalev will determine a lot about where each fighter goes down in history. Ward (31-0-0, 15 KO) earned a unanimous decision victory in the first fight back in Nov. He picked himself off the canvas in the second round and went on to narrowly outbox Kovalev.
Kovalev (30-1-1, 26 KO) and many observers felt that the power puncher did enough to earn a victory in the first fight. Now Kovalev will get an opportunity to prove he is the better man.
Each man’s strategy is simple. Ward will once again have to rely on his superior speed and boxing skills if he wants to defend his WBA, IBF and WBO light heavyweight titles and retain his spots as the #1 pound for pound fighter in the world.
In order for Kovalev to win, he must maintain effective pressure on Ward for the duration of the fight. It’s very unlikely that Kovalev will win a boxing match. He must seek and destroy Ward. If he hurts him again, he cannot let the champion off the hook.
In another matchup between two of the best fighters in the world, I believe Andre Ward will emerge victorious once again via decision victory. In the first bout, Ward showed he had the heart and the skill to take whatever Kovalev threw his way. Once he got comfortable in the ring, Ward showed why his record is unblemished.
The second time around, I expect Ward to nullify Kovalev’s power for most of the fight and retain his titles once again.
Follow Ishmael and In the Clutch on Twitter @IshmaelSistrunk
