If you hear the names Cameron Smith and LeBron James in the same sentence, it would usually be regarding the heralded ‘GOAT’ discussion.
Arguably the greatest in their given sports, these two athletes have a lot more in common than you may think.
Both are fresh off title wins in their given competition, LeBron just won his fourth NBA ring and Smith his fifth (third legitimate) NRL ring. Both are considered ‘old’ for their given sport, with the former being 35 and the latter 37. Both play important positions, with LeBron a point-guard-forward-based position, with the ball in his hand the majority of the time, and Smith, who plays hooker, touching the ball at almost every play and having to make around 30-plus tackles a game.
Funny enough, prior to their seasons beginning, both were considered to be ‘getting on’ or, in LeBron’s case, ‘washed’.
If anything was proven this season, both players are still arguably the best in their competitions.
The similarity that I do want to touch on the most is how they are perceived and how they carry themselves on and off the field.
Both have a mixed reputation and seem to have this negative aura about them.
Smith is accused of being called a cheat and a pocket ref due to his persuasion skills over referees. Do not get me wrong, people applaud his skill and just how good he is, but those two labels seem to stay with him.
LeBron, on the other hand, has been labelled ‘soft’ for the era he plays in (which he cannot help) and also comes for certain situations in which he may have passed the ball up on a game-winning chance, or even to when he got carried off the court when the air conditioning wasn’t functioning (yep).
He has switched teams on three occasions and seemingly always brings stars with him in his bid to chase rings and be the best he can be. They seem to be the most hated things about LeBron.
What people seem to not see is what astounds me.
In 2016, after a grand final loss, Smith delivered the most humble and gracious speech for a losing captain. On Sunday, when Panthers players were down at full time, Smith made his way over to young prince Nathan Cleary and told him to hold his head high.
Does Smith get any credit? No.
LeBron is known to be one of the most supportive teammates in the league. In almost all of his final losses, he has stayed on the court to congratulate the winners. He is very good to fans, who await his presence, and has given away game-worn clothes and shoes to fans.
Keep in mind, this man has been a celebrity since he was a teenager and he keeps his same tendencies.
Oh yeah, and he opened a school for disadvantaged children, yet he still cops hate? Absurd!
LeBron James (Steve Dykes/Getty Images)
Neither has been in trouble for outside behaviour and are both good family men, husbands and fathers. For their entire lengthy careers, they have upheld themselves as citizens, copped flack unfairly but never let the flack sway them as human beings. Both have been as consistent as taxes and always seem to be the topic of discussion.
They are good humans first and foremost. You may argue their performances on the field, but do not let it sway your opinion of them as people.
Greg
Roar Pro
I've always enjoyed hating Smith. The game needs villains as much as it needs champions. And typically, as in Smith's case, the villain is simply the champion of the other team. I think there are a lot of reasons for disliking Smith are justified. But admittedly there are just as many that are not. But even I can differentiate between Smith the on field villain and Smith the off field gentlemen.
matth
Roar Guru
Interesting take.
Willie La'ulu
Roar Guru
LeBron also has 4-7 chances to prove his worth for Finals MVP. Cam gets 80 minutes and 80 minutes only, and played with arguably 3 immortal candiddates (Inglis, Cronk and Slater). 2017 he should have won, that wasn't the correct decision.
Sam
Guest
I actually thought that was poor form and condescending to RTS and the Warriors. Put the shoe on the other foot and how do you think Smith would react if James Tamou wanted to come into the Storm dressing room and give them a pep talk after just beating them?
soapit
Roar Guru
this is all that should ever be said regarding peoples attitudes towards smith.
matth
Roar Guru
Sounds good Jimmy I’ll have a look
Mr Right
Roar Rookie
The smell of success?
Mr Right
Roar Rookie
"But I don’t like the way he often talks to, and in my opinion, seems to condescend to refs". That puts him in a very large listing of players. The difference is that only a small % are truly great players, so those are the ones that get remembered. Due you remember John Elias?
Mr Right
Roar Rookie
After the 2016 State of Origin loss, guys at work were slagging out Smith for how often he "innocently" got tangled up in the tackles when Qld where defending which in turn slowed down the NSW attack. I queried why they were annoyed with him rather than the referees Cummins and Sutton who he was consistently playing for smucks. He is a very smart player, a few penalties for that offence & he would have quickly changed his ability to clear the tackle. Yes he has run the lines over the years but organised match officials should have communicated strict boundaries & enforced them. After all, that is what they are getting paid for, Cameron Smith is getting paid to win matches. And he has earnt his money.
Mike B
Guest
I'd like to make clear, regarding my earlier post, I'm not a Smith hater. I have, however, posted about why it is I don't particularly like him - let alone worship/love him. I'm entitled to my opinion about how I see his behaviour towards refs. I don't post negative things about him off the field or make unfounded generalisations and I don't ever say I hate him. I was clear to state that the often raised McKinnon thing was irrelevant - I think he was unjustly vilified there. I do however, in this forum, believe it's appropriate to post about the one aspect I don't appreciate about him. I thought this was a place to raise different opinions and just as it shouldn't be a place for unfounded character assassination, I suggest it also shouldn't be a back-slapping fest. So, to summarise, I don't hate or loathe Smith, but I don't like the way he often talks to, and in my opinion, seems to condescend to refs.
The Sporacle
Roar Rookie
I was adding my least favourite NRL sides :stoked:
jimmmy
Roar Rookie
Oh Matth , i loved the guy but he was a rogue . Like all true Rogues though he thrived on the hate. Great times. Oh as an aside I have a book recommendation for you.' A Mans Got to have a Hobby' by William McInnes. A story about growing up in Redcliff in the 60s . There is a story in there about Bevan Bleakly. A classic . If you haven't read it , do yourself a favour as they say.
matth
Roar Guru
Smith’s action to go into the Warrior’s dressing room after the Storm flogged them and give them a motivational speech was a good moment.
matth
Roar Guru
I remember one day Struddy putting Lewis on his shoulders under the cross bar to distract the opposition kicker while he was attempting a penalty. His nickname of The Rat was well earned. But he was an absolute winner.
AE
Guest
If you are comparing elite sports people in their sport, Novak Djokovic comes more to my mind then LeBron. Smith and Djokovic have achieved great heights in their sports, but just have something that smells about them IMO.
Stevo
Guest
Smiths' a great player, but as an Aussie this parochial GOAT argument gets a little bit embarrassing. You can't talk about the rugby league GOAT without including all players from wherever. Talking about Cam's lengthy career is fine. but how Gus Risman's 791 games and 3825 points.
Walter Black
Guest
It is very interesting to compare Cameron Smith with Paul Gallen as players, human being and looking at their achievements and transgressions. While Paul Gallen is generally held in fair esteem, Cameron is constantly vilified and yet if you objectively compare their records, that presents a very different picture. In Cameron's case, we have lots so called "unsavoury acts" laid against him which are often very dubious in nature. A picture appears of Cam pulling the jersey of a player and he is accused of pulling the players ear, something both can and the player involved said didn't happen and yet a section of fans cling to this as an example of Cam being a grub. The Alex McKinnon incident had a Ch9 tv programme aimed at discrediting him which later proved to be false yet again some fans cling to the very worst out of that to fit their image of Cam the grub. There are lots of examples of this and yet you take Paul Gallen and this process is almost reversed. Paul does something nasty and he is a bit of a lad. Paul throws a punch in Origin and he is just a tough guy whilst bigger issues like the Peptide scandal just get swept aside and forgotten. Its an interesting dynamic but what it means I will leave upto you.
Walter Black
Guest
OK, Storm Fan here Just thought I would list my least favourite teams Port Adelaide Brisbane Lions Richmond Geelong Cats West Coast Eagles St Kilda Western Bulldogs Collingwood Melbourne (not Storm) GWS Giants Carlton Fremantle Essendon Gold Coast Suns ........... uou get the picture. By definition, no Rugby League team can appear in this list.
jimmmy
Roar Rookie
OK I will bite. I grew up supporting the most successful and most hated side in the BRL. We had the two most hated players in the comp,as well, Ross Strudwick and yes Wally Lewis. Both , great ,great players but both gamesmen. They knew what to do to slow the game down. They feigned injury. They niggled their opponents and they gamed the Ref. I recognise now the hate they got was well earned even though it made my blood boil at the time. Now at the same time the Captian of Easts was Desi Morris and what a player he was. Unlike Struddy and Lewis though he wasnt a gamesman and I never ever met a RL fan in Brisbane that disliked the top Tiger. Cameron Smith is a gamesman. You reap what you sow. I hated Gallen with a passion ( a whinging gamesman) but I can't even mildly dislike Boyd Cordner. Gamesmanship is not illegal , it's a successful tactic used by players in all sports. I don't want it banned and sometimes it's quite admirable. But it doesn't breed goodwill.
Brendon
Roar Rookie
I think its just the way we humans are built. Unless you support the Storm, you'll hate Cameron Smith. I don't particularly like James Tedesco, there are no basis to my feelings, I just don't like that he is so good. I couldn't stand Burgess or Hayne at their peaks either. Anbd I dont particularly like Le Bron as a Bucks fan despite knowing what an awesome person he is outside of the game. I think the only talented players on opposing teams we like are the loveable under dogs. Thurston is loved as a Cowboy, hated as a Maroon. Benji, Ponga and RTS are the same. Extremely talented and everyone really loves watching them play, but they'll never win so its no threat. It will be interesting when Smith does retire, who becomes the most hated player in the NRL?