I am writing in response to Sports Reporter Brian Thomas’ article about Carmelo Anthony not being the real deal and LeBron James is. First of all, anyone and who knows anything about basketball would know that what Carmelo did last year with Syracuse would already make him about 1,000 times more worthy of being the “real deal” than King James. Let it be known that I am from Syracuse, New York, and followed Carmelo and the Syracuse Orangemen with a passion last season. Also, I am not one of your typical Bowling Green students who live and die for Cleveland sports. I will flat out say I hate the Browns and do not like the Indians at all. So, being that I am a senior here at BG, all I hear about is how great LeBron. I find it necessary to show some well, deserved respect to my Cuse fans and those who know Melo is the “Real Deal”.

Upon watching Melo drop 14 on the Cavs, and King James, a single digit seven points, I would say that so far, Melo deserves to be considered the real deal. Not only just for having more points than LeBron in their first meeting, but for everything leading up to there first NBA game against each other.

So what was obvious is that the Real Deal article was written way too soon. Carmelo played a much better game than LeBron, draining a three that LeBron failed all night to hit. Carmelo, as a freshman for anyone who doesn’t know, took Syracuse University, an unranked, very young team that nobody thought had it to go all the way, and won the NCAA Championship. He averaged 22.7 points per game and 11 rebounds in college. Oh yeah, may I mention that he did that all against college basketball players and against the Big East and one particular Big Ten team, Michigan State. That was before they completely whipped the tournament floor clean against three Big 12 teams in Oklahoma State, Texas and then Kansas, as we all know, all behind King Anthony. He tore up the court against the best college basketball players in the country and before I forget, let me mention he received the Final Four MOP(Most Outstanding Player)as a freshman. I dare anyone to travel up to Syracuse and start spilling LeBron James’ name all over town. Don’t be surprised if you hear a few “who” or “overrated” remarks fly back at you. That is one place that hasn’t been beaten in the face with “LeBron Mania” and never will be. The King of the Cuse is none other than Carmelo Anthony, not King James.

If James was to go to college, I very highly doubt that he would have done what Carmelo did, and if you think he would have, please seriously think again. James played against 17 and 18 year old high school kids, some barely into puberty. I would hope to god a kid 6’8 would tear them up on the court. But LeBron was doing last year, is what Carmelo was two doing years before at Oak Hill Academy in Virginia. Let me also mention that Carmelo and LeBron’s high school teams did meet twice, Carmelo’s team came out on top both times, same result as their first pro– match up. Some things will never change.

I will completely understand if the majority of people think James better but try leaving the state of Ohio and trying to find someone who thinks he is better than Melo. New York is Melo Mania so forget that, and now that Carmelo is in Denver, the West Coast is beginning to experience that small but frightful force. LeBron is in no way, shape or form the real deal when compared to Carmelo Anthony. It still may be too early yet, but, Anthony knows how to win big games, James still needs to figure out how. I am not in any way saying he never will, only Anthony is and will be the real deal before LeBron James, despite all the hype and hoopla. King James will take a while to develop real deal status, while Carmelo is much closer in line to it, and is well on his way to being the NBA Rookie of the Year. All the media coverage surrounding James is not something to be too keen on. Carmelo is loving the fact that the media is all over James and not him. Don’t underestimate Carmelo, with all the attention on James, Melo will be very good, very fast. Sometimes I can not say about King James. Maybe in a few years he will deserve King status, but by that time, Carmelo will have well surpassed King NBA status, and by that point be well on his way to the NBA Hall of Fame in Springfield, Mass.