Too much hype?

Resslin' Around, by Casey Ressler

Remember back when you were 18, looking to have fun every weekend? There didn't seem to be a care in the world, and you could get away with just about anything.

Now imagine you're 18, and television cameras follow you around everywhere you go. It's national news if you buy a car. You are interviewed during every spare moment you have. People hound you for your autograph as you try to go out. All the attention would be cool for about 17 minutes, and then it would get old. In a hurry.

Welcome to the Lebron James show. James is the 18-year-old phenom who is hyped more than Michael Jordan -- gulp -- ever was. And so far, he hasn't disappointed, turning in three good performances and being an all-around good guy. A good 18-year-old with a bank account of more than $100 million, that is.

While he is living up to the hype, the big question is whether there should be this much hype to begin with. He's a basketball player. Period. He isn't going to replace the Pope, he isn't going to change the world. He's a baller, and he's only 18.

Take a look at some of the playing fields here in the Valley. There are 18-year-olds playing every day. The basketball teams will field seniors who are 18, and while they may be very mature, they are still 18-year-old kids. They make 18-year-old kid mistakes, like they should.

Lebron is handling the hype well, and it hasn't ruined him. Yet. Let's hope it doesn't, because he seems like a decent enough guy. My point is that we should save the national hype for Lebron -- and for all 18-year-olds, really -- until they've accomplished something in their chosen profession. Let them grow up on their own, without a camera following their every move.

On the sports pages, these athletes get the attention they deserve, which is fine. I'm not advocating not covering high school sports. They are an important part of a community. But when your high school games are being carried live on pay-per-view TV like James' games were last year, it is going a bit too far.

Casey Ressler (valleylife@frontiersman.com) is the Valley Life editor. He's pinch-hitting for Jeremiah Bartz, who was put on the DL with bronchitis last week.