Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez, who is no stranger to public criticism, wants the sports media to take it easy on NBA superstar LeBron James. LeBron's Heat were defeated by the Mavericks in the NBA Finals. "Winning a championship is not an easy thing to do regardless of talent," Rodriguez said. "LeBron is a once in a lifetime player, especially the last year." Rodriguez asked for patience in judging James. "We need to remember this kid is 26 years old, and celebrate his talent," Rodriguez said.