CB4: Default(y) Leader

"No one is coming in today to save the day," Wade said. "This is my team. I have to continue to lead this team. I'm not worried about who's not here. I'm worried about who's here." -Dwyane Wade

When will you ever hear CB4 say something to that effect? After all these years, I still don't see Bosh as a leader. He's the leader of this team, almost by default.

By naming CB4 the leader so early on in his career, it forced him to mature quickly. But more importantly, keeping him as the leader of this team has proved to be a hindrance. Once someone is labelled as a leader, whether or not they accept it, a possessive discourse comes into play. This is _____'s team. The issue I have with it? Naming a leader can lead to unnecessary controversy in the future that the media will swell into a shitfit. Had CB4 been considered one of the best players on the team versus being called the leader, perhaps things could have been different. Perhaps we could have acquired someone of a greater calibre with more leadership qualities later on. That way, drama about who's team it is could be avoided, and CB4 could (gladly and I'm sure willingly) step back and let someone take the role. I'm almost positive that if Bosh were to be traded or go to another team in 2010, he wouldn't dispute being a part of the core and not at the centre of it.

Propelled and almost coerced into the position in his earlier years, he's come to accept that he's the face of the team. It took a bit of time, but he would eventually accept his role, which is very Chris Bosh-like. A passive, kind person with a calm demeanour. Are these necessarily bad qualities to have? No. Are they not appropriate for a leadership role? Yes. I thought that CB4 would come back with more fire and intensity after the Olympics, and hoped for a ridiculous turnaround, much like Calderon's second season. And I got it... for the month of November.

But here CB4 goes again, reverting back to what's comfortable, but not substantial enough for this team to convert into some W's. Jump shot after jump shot, jab step after jab step, hesitation after hesitation. The fiery attack on almost every possession is gone. And the same old intimidation by great defensive players (*cough* KG) that leads him almost to paralysis.

Becoming a leader by default is not the foundation that any team should rely on. What happens when you do? You don't pass the first round of playoffs twice and sit 3rd worst in the Eastern Conference, 4.5 games back from the 8th seed. You end up riding your second 5+ game losing-streak with little hope in sight. And this is when you start thinking about lottery picks. I don't put all the blame on CB4, because that would be inhumane and irrational as can be. But I do think that people need to realize that Bosh does not have that leadership quality that has potential to manifest into a championship. Some were born to be leaders, and others weren't. So why force the issue?