In your face, your majesty

SPORTING GOODS

Here's a pretty amusing story:

[O]nly a lucky few can say they saw LeBron James, reigning NBA MVP and the leading heir apparent to Michael Jordan's throne, on the receiving end of a dunk courtesy of Xavier sophomore Jordan Crawford.

That's because a Nike official confiscated tapes from a pair of cameramen who were shooting games involving James and several college players Monday night at the LeBron James Skills Academy ...

Nike issued a statement later in the day.

"Nike has been operating basketball camps for the benefit of young athletes for decades and has longstanding policies in place regarding what events are open and closed to media coverage. Unfortunately, for the first time in four years, two journalists did not respect our "no videotaping" policy at an after hours pick-up game Monday evening following the LeBron James Skills Academy."

On Tuesday, Merritt told a handful of reporters covering the event that the tape was confiscated because it was against the camp's rules for media to film any of the pro players participating.

Golly, the censorship (Let's call it what it was.) couldn't have had anything to do with the sweat shop owner Nike's concern for its golden goose or the damage sustained to the fragile ego of the NBA's $16 Million Man, could it?