Did you see the LeBron James spectacle? Never has it felt so stupid to be a sports fan. At least that’s what Will Leitch argues for New York Magazine. After watching the big announcement on Wednesday, Leitch was overcome with what I like to call LeBrondigestion—that sickening feeling you get after consuming unhealthy amounts genuflecting sports journalism, the kind that coddles the egos of self-involved sports stars. You felt it a little bit at Michael Jordan’s Hall of Fame acceptance speech. You felt it a lot bit if you watched the LeBron show the other night. Leitch writes:

I used to think that Michael Chang’s victory over the top-seeded Ivan Lendl in the 1989 French Open was the quintessential Iron Man match. Well, move over Michael Chang. There are two new Iron Men in town, and their names are John Isner and Nicolas Mahut. Earlier today, the American John Isner won his record-setting epic match against France’s Nicolas Mahut. As ESPN reports, the match took 11 hours, 5 minutes over three days and lasted so long it was suspended two nights in a row because of darkness. They resumed playing earlier today at 59-all before an overflow crowd on Court 18. They continued for 20 games and 65…

John Isner and Nicolas Mahut are playing what is already the longest match on record in tennis history. They are in the fifth set right now, and the game count is 50-50! The match has been going on for over 8 and half hours. ESPN.com is streaming the match live, and you can watch it here. The match is also being aired on ESPNU. Both of these guys should get a trophy. They are soldiering on, and neither one is willing to throw in the towel. There’s a sermon illustration here somewhere. I’m sure of it.

“To lead the way Coach Wooden led takes a tremendous amount of faith. He was almost mystical in his approach, yet that approach only strengthened our confidence. Coach Wooden enjoyed winning, but he did not put winning above everything. He was more concerned that we became successful as human beings, that we earned our degrees, that we learned to make the right choices as adults and as parents. In essence he was preparing us for life.” –New York Times

Mike Wise says that it’s no longer “heresy” to ask who’s the greatest NBA player of all time, Kobe or Michael? He summarizes arguments for both sides of the debate and shows that Bryant is poised to surpass Jordan in the relevant statistical categories. But then he concludes with this: “The unfortunate truth for Kobe is he can never be Michael because he isn’t thought of as likable as Jordan,

I love it that Tebow went in the first round. He’s a winner, and the Broncos won’t look back on this decision. Here’s an excerpt of the report from the Palm Beach Post: ESPN’s Mel Kiper trashed Tim Tebow at the Senior Bowl, calling him a fourth-round pick who will have to switch to tight end in the NFL. Former quarterback Joe Theismann suggested that Tebow retire in January to save himself from embarrassment as a professional. Few people thought Tebow would be a first-round pick. Instead, the quarterback with the strong faith and growing endorsement list proved them all wrong Thursday night when the Denver Broncos selected Tebow with…

This just in: The LSU Athletic Department has begun preparations to install purple field turf in historic Tiger Stadium in time for the 2010 home opener against Mississippi State. “It’s now time to expand the traditions that surround our football program,” LSU head coach Les Miles said. “LSU is going to take the lead in what we think will become the wave of the future and that’s field turf in the colors of your school. The installation of the purple field turf will add to the excitement of a Saturday Night in Tiger Stadium and this team will enjoy the opportunity to play on what will be the finest surface…