(07-08-2010 09:32 PM)Sundanceuiuc Wrote:  

(07-08-2010 09:08 PM)kabluey Wrote:  

(07-08-2010 09:00 PM)TripleA Wrote:  I don't understand all the aggravation with LeBron. He gave it 7 years in Cleveland. Couldn't get it done. He wants to win. Dude is taking WAY less money and one less year to try to win. Hard to fault that, in my book.

True.

Heat = #2 in my book.

Not faulting him for leaving. Faulting him for doing it in this manner. An hour long TV special to flip the bird to the entire state of Ohio? Seems a LOT like the Cal man did to us.

(07-08-2010 10:04 PM)QuitoTiger Wrote:  And again, it's not the "what";it's the "how". All bigger than life, prime timed, puffed, and insensitive to a city and state - the how of it. Contrast that to a Kevin Durant quietly signing to a multi-year contract extension, maximum deal possible, $85 million over five years. No fan fare. No spotlight. No "ta-daaa".

Meh, you guys are faulting him for THAT? Really? Okay, so he hyped himself in a drawn out, week-long free agency dance, when he likely had made up his mind long ago. BFD. HS recruits do it ALL THE TIME.

And he did give the money to charity. What's wrong with that part?

And it is NOT like what Cal did. As I said above, LBJ's exit didn't include cheating, illegally recruiting players, bringing down sanctions as he left, or poor-mouthing anyone on the way out of town.

And on top of that, I don't even like the guy, never pull for him, just think he's being criticized for no good reason.

I think what Gilbert pulled with the letter was worse. Talk about childish. All LeBron did was finally sit down on TV and explain his decision. Blame ESPN for hyping it so much.

(07-08-2010 11:49 PM)justintiger Wrote:  $$$ talks, its not groundbreaking news. Rings talk, not news. No one cares or gives a crap about Cleveland unless you live / from there. And the stupid laker fans are worried now because they have some legitimate competition. Laker fans will always be laker fans.

Also people forget that MJ did the same thing, I didn't see chicago throwing a fit when he went to the (wizards) in his later years. $$ talked then, it will talk forever in the basketball business. Simple. Bron had an extra $400 million incentive to play a in a top 3 big market w/ his nike contract, and he said no thanks because he has plenty of money to be set for life, he wants the hardware. Maybe all this NBA Free agency crap will end and we can talk about the pennant race or something.

edit: Thanks, yes i meant the wizards. I've been talkin about this thing with everyone tonight and typed it in a fury, my bad.

Are you serious? That was a totally different situation, he wasn't a free agent but was coming out of retirment. You can't even begin to compare this to the Lebron circus.

(07-09-2010 07:24 AM)TripleA Wrote:  

(07-08-2010 09:32 PM)Sundanceuiuc Wrote:  

(07-08-2010 09:08 PM)kabluey Wrote:  

(07-08-2010 09:00 PM)TripleA Wrote:  I don't understand all the aggravation with LeBron. He gave it 7 years in Cleveland. Couldn't get it done. He wants to win. Dude is taking WAY less money and one less year to try to win. Hard to fault that, in my book.

True.

Heat = #2 in my book.

Not faulting him for leaving. Faulting him for doing it in this manner. An hour long TV special to flip the bird to the entire state of Ohio? Seems a LOT like the Cal man did to us.

(07-08-2010 10:04 PM)QuitoTiger Wrote:  And again, it's not the "what";it's the "how". All bigger than life, prime timed, puffed, and insensitive to a city and state - the how of it. Contrast that to a Kevin Durant quietly signing to a multi-year contract extension, maximum deal possible, $85 million over five years. No fan fare. No spotlight. No "ta-daaa".

Meh, you guys are faulting him for THAT? Really? Okay, so he hyped himself in a drawn out, week-long free agency dance, when he likely had made up his mind long ago. BFD. HS recruits do it ALL THE TIME.

And he did give the money to charity. What's wrong with that part?

And it is NOT like what Cal did. As I said above, LBJ's exit didn't include cheating, illegally recruiting players, bringing down sanctions as he left, or poor-mouthing anyone on the way out of town.

And on top of that, I don't even like the guy, never pull for him, just think he's being criticized for no good reason.

I think what Gilbert pulled with the letter was worse. Talk about childish. All LeBron did was finally sit down on TV and explain his decision. Blame ESPN for hyping it so much.

Okay, putting some of the blame on ESPN makes sense, too. Some of us are just weary of the whole industry's distorted spiel. But I'm done, (even if you did call me a 'wuss', , you're still my good friend.) My schedule is it's back to not watching NBA games, the same as it's been.

Man, this makes the NBA more riveting and dramatic. It was always better when it was personal.

Undoubtedly, the NBA has improved its character (far fewer knuckleheads, far more good guys), its players are more and more talented, what was missing with it is that players were too nice to each other, opponents fist bumping and joking around.

Can't do anything about a marathon season, but maybe this will restore some edge.

Love the haters. And note to them, the same people who criticize LBJ for being a "prima donna" criticize Tim Duncan for not having a personality. You can't please all the people all the time, because most of them have double standards.

(07-08-2010 09:00 PM)TripleA Wrote:  I don't understand all the aggravation with LeBron. He gave it 7 years in Cleveland. Couldn't get it done. He wants to win. Dude is taking WAY less money and one less year to try to win. Hard to fault that, in my book.

A'.............c'mon! How can you NOT find fault in what James just did? As for the money, his salary has very little to do with his decision. His endorsement money by far is where the money is. He lost millions and millions on how he handled this whole narcissist party he just put on.

Saying "I realize all the things I'VE done for Cleveland"...............WTF?

Not one word of thanks to all CLEVELAND has done for him. He'll be viewed as the lowest piece of **** in the NBA. Right above Wade and Bosh.

He ******* out by declaring himself as not the man by going to Chicago or staying in Cleveland. I bet he loses at least 50 mil a year over this decision. The display he put on it will take years to erase. I don't care how many rings he gets. He's going to be the most hated man in sports.

"Me and my buddies are gonna hang out in South Beach and win us some Jew-ree".

My favorite tweet last night was:

Lebron woke up this morning as King James and is going to bed tonight as Scottie Pippen.

(07-09-2010 09:52 AM)neillis Wrote:  My favorite tweet last night was:

Lebron woke up this morning as King James and is going to bed tonight as Scottie Pippen.

Quote: What was revealing about LeBron’s decision was the degree in which it appeared to be motivated by going to a team where he will no longer have the pressure of the last shot. He obviously began to resent that role in Cleveland. But in Miami he now has the perfect out in Dwayne Wade. The Miami all-star has no fear of shooting the game-winning basket, and LeBron will have no problem in letting him do it. It means that LeBron will play a different role than league-leading scorer, and it also means that it is now absurd to put in the same class as Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan

http://www.vanityfair.com/online/daily/2...tness.html

A good read if you were not a fan of last night's events.

(07-09-2010 09:48 AM)Chi-TownTiger Wrote:  

(07-08-2010 09:00 PM)TripleA Wrote:  I don't understand all the aggravation with LeBron. He gave it 7 years in Cleveland. Couldn't get it done. He wants to win. Dude is taking WAY less money and one less year to try to win. Hard to fault that, in my book.

A'.............c'mon! How can you NOT find fault in what James just did? As for the money, his salary has very little to do with his decision. His endorsement money by far is where the money is. He lost millions and millions on how he handled this whole narcissist party he just put on.

Saying "I realize all the things I'VE done for Cleveland"...............WTF?

Not one word of thanks to all CLEVELAND has done for him. He'll be viewed as the lowest piece of **** in the NBA. Right above Wade and Bosh.

He ******* out by declaring himself as not the man by going to Chicago or staying in Cleveland. I bet he loses at least 50 mil a year over this decision. The display he put on it will take years to erase. I don't care how many rings he gets. He's going to be the most hated man in sports.

"Me and my buddies are gonna hang out in South Beach and win us some Jew-ree".

Can't say it's about the money. Isn't that usually a great thing?

He should've expressed more gratitude to the fans.

I've heard this might've been sending a message on a personal note. To whom, who knows. I'm just speculating, but it's gotta be someone in the Cavs organization (Gilbert himself? That would explain his unhinged classless response). That said, you don't have to put the fans in the middle of it. But maybe he did not want to air dirty laundry with this someone on national tv, but he wanted to give a proverbial finger to him. Doesn't make it right, doesn't make it smart.

The smart thing would be to find another way to give this someone the finger, making the announcement in this way would damage your brand more than giving the finger to this person would vanquish your visceral quest for vengeance.

This is all speculation. It would've been more boring though if he was grateful, wouldn't it? From an impersonal perspective?

(07-08-2010 09:39 PM)tigerlloyd Wrote:  

(07-08-2010 09:00 PM)TripleA Wrote:  I don't understand all the aggravation with Cal. He gave it 9 years in Memphis. Couldn't get it done. He wants to win. Dude is taking WAY less money and one less year to try to win. Hard to fault that, in my book.

i respect this statement but if you make these substitutions, how does it make everyone feel?

there is no loyalty in sports anymore. it seems the larger/attractive cities are winning the battles that the smaller, less fortunate cities cant fight. grizz have to be smart in the draft and build up like san antonio did. no free agent wants to go to san antonio even though they have won more titles than the heat. its all about the larger market teams and loyalty is losing its place in sports

I can agree with that quoted post except Cal contributed to the sanctions left in his wake.

Lack of loyalty must also include institutions, NCAA, and owners of teams. The Cavs ditched Mike Brown. Teams sometimes trade players and not tell him until last minute, and won't feel apologetic about it.

(07-09-2010 12:58 AM)Tigers2640 Wrote:  

(07-08-2010 10:28 PM)BARTLETTTIGER Wrote:  

(07-08-2010 08:09 PM)Tigers2640 Wrote:  Chris Broussard should have his "journalist" title stripped for life if LeBron chooses anywhere but Miami. He's been touting the Heat for two days like he's had the inside scoop on the nation. Now he doesn't sound so hot on it.

Chris Broussard of ESPN has some of the better sources to break the story of LeBron James going to Miami late last night. He is the truth for his basketball knowledge with free agency.

Broussard comes out smelling like roses tonight. His leak from yesterday morning was 100% spot-on.

Heat have traded Beasley and signed Mike Miller for 5/$30M in the past couple of hours.

Wow, look at just what happened in the last 24 hours with the Miami Heat. They are going to get a bunch of shooters around the new Big Three. I do not think even at this point they are favorites to get out of the Eastern Conference. You still have Boston and Orlando to fight for suprremacy in the NBA East to get to the Finals.

ESPN 2 is showing a live special event from Miami introducing the trio. This thing reminds me of a event up north, except less queasing.

(07-09-2010 08:07 PM)blueandgrayashley Wrote:  ESPN 2 is showing a live special event from Miami introducing the trio. This thing reminds me of a event up north, except less queasing.

The present incarnation of D-Wade, Chris Bosh and LeBron James with the announcers calling the new players "The Three Kings of Miami" just makes me physically ill. I have respect for Wade and Bosh, but I absolutely have zero respect after what LeBron did in the last two weeks. I understand this is his right in free agency, but why did he make this into a three ring circus? Does he not have respect for NBA fans?

(07-09-2010 08:19 PM)BARTLETTTIGER Wrote:  

(07-09-2010 08:07 PM)blueandgrayashley Wrote:  ESPN 2 is showing a live special event from Miami introducing the trio. This thing reminds me of a event up north, except less queasing.

The present incarnation of D-Wade, Chris Bosh and LeBron James with the announcers calling the new players "The Three Kings of Miami" just makes me physically ill. I have respect for Wade and Bosh, but I zero respect after what LeBron did in the last two weeks. I understand this is his right in free agency, but why did he make this into a three ring circus? Does he not have respect for NBA fans?

This special just made me throw up in my mouth. I hope these guys never win a ring.

Lebron makes a uk- pat riley reference. Dbag.

"That's why i'm here man" says the punk with no rings.

This is a major jinx-fest.

(07-09-2010 08:21 PM)BandwagonJumper Wrote:  

(07-09-2010 08:19 PM)BARTLETTTIGER Wrote:  

(07-09-2010 08:07 PM)blueandgrayashley Wrote:  ESPN 2 is showing a live special event from Miami introducing the trio. This thing reminds me of a event up north, except less queasing.

The present incarnation of D-Wade, Chris Bosh and LeBron James with the announcers calling the new players "The Three Kings of Miami" just makes me physically ill. I have much respect for Wade and Bosh, but I zero respect after what LeBron did in the last two weeks. I understand this is his right in free agency, but why did he make this into a three ring circus? Does he not have respect for NBA fans?

This special just made me throw up in my mouth. I hope these guys never win a ring.

I cannot root for any team LeBron James will play for the rest of his career after this mockery or sham that was called the LeBron free agency period. I like his basketball game and understand his need to win championships, but enough is enough.

And when I mean less queasing, I meant the lesser of two evils.

Already calling themselves the best trio to ever play the game of basketball. Please.

Just off the top of my head:
Elgin Baylor - Jerry West - Wilt Chamberlain
Kareem Abdul Jabbar - Magic Johnson - James Worthy
Bird- McHale - Parrish
MJ - Pippen - Grant/Rodman
Pierce - Garnett - Allen (to a lesser extent but untill "The 3 Kings" win a 'ship, this trio is better)

(07-09-2010 08:38 PM)Jenkz Wrote:  Already calling themselves the best trio to ever play the game of basketball. Please.

Just off the top of my head:
Elgin Baylor - Jerry West - Wilt Chamberlain
Kareem Abdul Jabbar - Magic Johnson - James Worthy
Bird- McHale - Parrish
Pierce - Garnett - Allen (to a lesser extent but untill "The 3 Kings" win a 'ship, this trio is better)

Jordan, Pippen, and Grant would wipe the floor with the queens of miami, and i don't really consider horace grant a great player but he was dam good.

(07-09-2010 08:42 PM)tmoneyinmphs Wrote:  Jordan, Pippen, and Grant would wipe the floor with the queens of miami, and i don't really consider horace grant a great player but he was dam good.

I don't know how I could almost forget MJ,Pippen,and Grant. I was editing my post to add them as you were typing this haha.