People are already making fun of the accurately nicknamed “Big Baby” Davis, sobbing and sulking on the Boston bench last night after being screamed at by his teammate, Kevin Garnett. It’s just one more incident that gives you some insight into Garnett’s personality. Of course, most of the country probably believes what we saw in the nationally televised game Friday night was just one more example of Garnett’s sterling leadership. Tough love, is what one of the commentators called it.

Yeah, right. In most cases, that kind of stuff is not leadership. It’s just a guy being a jerk or it’s some sort of act, showing everyone how powerful he is. And Garnett — who comes off as a borderline psycho and a bully – is good at that. Of course, he’s always excused because he’s a great player. But understand, losing your temper and embarrassing teammates in front of standing-room-only crowds and a national television audience is not leadership. It’s an ego running amok.

When I look around at great leaders, in sports, business or politics, I don’t see a lot of people behaving like this maniac. As great as he is as a player, I bet he’s a real handful to coach. If an opponent doesn’t pop him in the nose one of these days, a couple of his teammates will. If body language is any indication, it looks to me as if most of the guys on his team are tired of his act, too.

Ladies and gentleman, the measure of what a great competitor you are is not how much you scream, yell, growl or snarl. You can compete just as hard with a mask of stoicism. You can compete just as hard with a smile on your face. People used to understand that. Fans and competitors alike used to respect the quiet dignity of the likes of Bill Russell, Jimmy Brown, Oscar Robertson or Joe DiMaggio. That was the standard. Now, because they don’t make a public spectacle of themselves during a game, those guys would probably be accused of not caring.

Again, this makes me look like a cranky old timer. Maybe. I think it merely means I value civility. And I worry that when kids watch Garnett pull this junk on television and is praised for it, we’re creating a whole bunch of mini-Garnetts, who can’t wait to get out on the field or court and belittle their teammates in the name of leadership.

Spare me.

Tweet This Post