Is LeBron James’s career the best adaptation of the Odyssey?

Dear OMFers—

My most sincere apologies for not getting my Odyssey content published in a timely manner, but as I’ve been reiterating, kind of a big thing happened in Philly sports this weekend. For those living under a rock, LeBron is a Sixer! You read that right, LeBron is a Sixer! I didn’t think anything could overshadow The Odyssey at this point, but leave it to LeBron (more on that later).

Before he signed with the Sixers, and before I saw The Odyssey, a far more important event occurred: I took my daughter to her first movie at a theater. I’ve been waiting for this for ages, but I am concerned that I may have committed parental malpractice at the same time. You see, I thought seriously about going with her when Sheep Detectives was getting positive buzz, but I was concerned that for the rest of her life she’d be asked “what was your first movie in a theater?” and she’d feel embarrassed answering Sheep Detectives. It just sounds so dumb. So I didn’t do it. And you know what, I watched the movie and thought it was dumb—despite its 95% on RT. What’s more, I don’t think my three-year-old would’ve been able to follow a somewhat complex whodunnit.1

We went to see the live-action Moana instead. Yes, potentially parental purgatory considering it’s sub 40% on RT.2 But here’s the thing: it’s the same story/music/visuals, and she loved it.3 So get off my back!

Now she’ll get to deceptively say Moana was her first movie, and everyone will assume the animated version. Genius!

I went to see the new Nolan movie last week and enjoyed it, like most Nolan movies. But it got me thinking about how we adapt stories. The Odyssey is probably the most adapted story of all time. A lot of people are telling it without even knowing.

Sure, there have been some quintessential retellings — Joyce’s Ulysses, O Brother, Where Art Thou?, Cold Mountain (the book, at least), etc. But what of the less obvious ones? What about Dope, which is basically the Odyssey in Compton? Some have cited the SpongeBob movie, which is pretty overt.

My personal favorite, in large part because there’s no critical writing about it (obviously), is Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle—yes, the stoner movie about two guys trying to sate their marijuana cravings.4 There are sirens (Princeton girls), monsters (Freakshow), Calypso (Malin Åkerman), Penelope (Maria), among other references.

It’s an underrated classic that should be mentioned alongside other, serious adaptations.5

In keeping with the theme, LeBron’s 24-year career has become an odyssey in its own right. More than any other athlete, he’s probably the most Odysseus-like than any other celebrity:

• Penelope: Savannah James by his side through his whole career.

• Suitors: All the teams that have been calling for years during each free agency cycle.

• Telemachus: Bronny trying to make it in the NBA, now maybe without his dad.

• Calypso: The Lakers have kept LeBron out of the East for about seven years.

• Cyclops: Dan Gilbert felt jilted after LeBron left and probably cursed the Heat and then the Lakers.

• Scylla: Those pesky Boston teams that irked LeBron early in his career.

• Circe: Klutch Sports has left the remains of many ex-LeBron teams in a pig-sty-like state.

• Giants: Some tall players (Duncan, Durant, Dirk, Giannis) prevented some LeBron titles.

Hopefully now that LeBron is in Philly, it’ll serve as a kind of new and improved Ithaca. It will certainly be a wild ride however it shakes out.

—Matt