The ultimate basketball mystic has journeyed to the Cradle of Liberty. LeBron James embraces the final epoch of his terrestrial hardwood odyssey in Philadelphia. Alignment with the 76ers brings complete cosmic harmony. The pursuit of championships merges with American history. A monumental symphony of legacy resonates along the Schuylkill River.
Just so beautifully written! I wish he had joined Warriors though! Please could you do a piece at some point on Steph? Something like this that gives such deep poetic insight into what drives him or how he has that energy and joy?
I haven't had the chance to watch the Odyssey movie or to read the books. I read a bit about it, but learned more through your article.
Wow, to be stuck on an island for 7 years is rough. It's intriguing how time has passed in the books. The journey is long, and how time progresses is fascinating.
Excellent job in tying the Odyssey to LeBron James' decision to sign with Philadelphia.
I was thinking he'd go to Golden State or Cleveland. It also wouldn't have surprised me if he went to Miami. I was a bit surprised when I heard he went to Philadelphia.
This upcoming season is going to be interesting. It is too early to predict who will win it all, but what I will say is that I'm fascinated and intrigued.
"What’s striking is that over the span of 23 seasons, it’s probably some of the longest idle professional time James has ever had. " I didn't consider that. You're spot on though...I think he had even more time than he did in 2010.
"He presents the unknown like a gift: I’ve never been able to have no clue what to do." Usually, I see the unknown as stressful. As worrisome. But, the way he put it has gotten me thinking differently about it. So has your article. I can see how it can be a gift, a blessing.
"The inference there has always been a target and an arrow rocketing toward it, one set by James and the other launched by his hand, simultaneously."
And "Odysseus who is fated to wander and roam, whose nature it is to strike out for the next horizon. Who has won wars, is remembered in epics, got the hero’s welcome and can’t, for the life of him, hang it up.
I’ve never been able to have no clue what to do. Here’s the hero, telling us who he is."
That's such a great throughline, Katie, a great connection between a myth and a real-life story (the story of James). It reminds me of how society or one's loved ones, one's peers, etc. can have expectations for oneself - a roadmap of how one's life should be. And James, as you said, has had these high expectations throughout. And, as you indicated, both Odysseus and James had/have accomplished so much. They didn't have to keep going.
But they keep going. They set their paths.
And sometimes it's the passion that keeps us going, just like how it is here. To be able to go one's path and live out one's passions is amazing and invaluable.
"Patience, or that bone-deep acceptance of time, doesn’t exist for us as it did Homer or his characters. To treat time as a landscape is to cease to wrestle with time as a figure, accepting it as inescapable.
I’ve never been able to have no clue what to do.
A lament and a wish." A strong and wonderful way to end your article.
Damn, you’re a good writer.
The ultimate basketball mystic has journeyed to the Cradle of Liberty. LeBron James embraces the final epoch of his terrestrial hardwood odyssey in Philadelphia. Alignment with the 76ers brings complete cosmic harmony. The pursuit of championships merges with American history. A monumental symphony of legacy resonates along the Schuylkill River.
Just so beautifully written! I wish he had joined Warriors though! Please could you do a piece at some point on Steph? Something like this that gives such deep poetic insight into what drives him or how he has that energy and joy?
Superb post, Katie!
I haven't had the chance to watch the Odyssey movie or to read the books. I read a bit about it, but learned more through your article.
Wow, to be stuck on an island for 7 years is rough. It's intriguing how time has passed in the books. The journey is long, and how time progresses is fascinating.
Excellent job in tying the Odyssey to LeBron James' decision to sign with Philadelphia.
I was thinking he'd go to Golden State or Cleveland. It also wouldn't have surprised me if he went to Miami. I was a bit surprised when I heard he went to Philadelphia.
This upcoming season is going to be interesting. It is too early to predict who will win it all, but what I will say is that I'm fascinated and intrigued.
"What’s striking is that over the span of 23 seasons, it’s probably some of the longest idle professional time James has ever had. " I didn't consider that. You're spot on though...I think he had even more time than he did in 2010.
"He presents the unknown like a gift: I’ve never been able to have no clue what to do." Usually, I see the unknown as stressful. As worrisome. But, the way he put it has gotten me thinking differently about it. So has your article. I can see how it can be a gift, a blessing.
"The inference there has always been a target and an arrow rocketing toward it, one set by James and the other launched by his hand, simultaneously."
And "Odysseus who is fated to wander and roam, whose nature it is to strike out for the next horizon. Who has won wars, is remembered in epics, got the hero’s welcome and can’t, for the life of him, hang it up.
I’ve never been able to have no clue what to do. Here’s the hero, telling us who he is."
That's such a great throughline, Katie, a great connection between a myth and a real-life story (the story of James). It reminds me of how society or one's loved ones, one's peers, etc. can have expectations for oneself - a roadmap of how one's life should be. And James, as you said, has had these high expectations throughout. And, as you indicated, both Odysseus and James had/have accomplished so much. They didn't have to keep going.
But they keep going. They set their paths.
And sometimes it's the passion that keeps us going, just like how it is here. To be able to go one's path and live out one's passions is amazing and invaluable.
"Patience, or that bone-deep acceptance of time, doesn’t exist for us as it did Homer or his characters. To treat time as a landscape is to cease to wrestle with time as a figure, accepting it as inescapable.
I’ve never been able to have no clue what to do.
A lament and a wish." A strong and wonderful way to end your article.
Excellent work :). Have a great week :].