Archrivals

Archrivals
I don’t know it he deserves full credit for it, but Bill Simmons is largely responsible for this ridiculous notion that LeBron James and Dwyane Wade were archrivals prior to their becoming teammates. In his most recent column, he wrote of Wade, “we’ll remember him forever as an evil genius who somehow convinced his biggest archrival to move to HIS city, play for HIS team, and become HIS sidekick.” Last November, it was, “Don’t forget that Wade convinced his biggest rival—a two-time MVP, the best player alive—to turn his back on his hometown and play for Dwyane Wade’s Miami Heat.” Even before The Decision, there was this passage: “Any super-competitive person would rather beat Dwyane Wade than play with him. Don’t you want to find the Ali to your Frazier and have that rival pull the greatness out of you?” Simmons is firmly entrenched in the Wade and James are rivals camp. And others in the media and American public have bought in. I’m on the outside wondering where this idea came from.

The concept of Wade and LeBron as rivals baffles me. Before becoming teammates this past offseason, each of them had spent 7 years in the league. Sure, they were from the same draft class, but Wade was a virtual afterthought at the top of the draft. LeBron & Carmelo—that was the rivalry (and I do find it ironic that LeBron and Wade now play with 3rd wheel Chris Bosh since you could say Wade was the Chris Bosh of the 2003 draft, the 3rd best wing player available, the one who wasn’t supposed to be quite as good as the other, more desired two).

There is nothing in Wade & LeBron’s past to suggest that a rivalry between them is anything other than a media creation. Despite playing in the same conference, not once did they ever face each other in the playoffs. Only once prior to this year did both make it out of the first round during the same postseason, and that was 2006, the first year LeBron took the Cavs into the playoffs. Cleveland and Miami were never contenders in the same seasons. Check it out:

• 2004—Miami makes second round, Cleveland no playoffs
  
• 2005—Miami makes conference finals, Cleveland no playoffs
  
• 2006—Miami wins championship, Cleveland makes second round
  
• 2007—Miami out in first round, Cleveland makes Finals
  
• 2008—Miami no playoffs, Cleveland makes second round
  
• 2009—Miami out in first round, Cleveland makes conference finals
  
• 2010—Miami out in first round, Cleveland makes second round

If you look closely, you’ll notice that the Heat did not get past the first round of the playoffs between 2006 and this year. In the four seasons between winning the championship and LeBron joining the team, Miami won exactly four playoff games. Four playoff wins in four seasons, and Dwyane Wade was LeBron James’ biggest rival? Come on, man. LeBron’s biggest rivals were and are Kobe Bryant and the Celtics’ Big 3. Isiah Thomas and Mark Aguirre were bigger rivals than LeBron and Wade.

Like I said, media creation, and the public continues to buy it.