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~_~
Anyways, ShamSports.com is pretty much updated with the new cap figure and scenarios. I particularly love how he points out Sacramento has already flown the white flag by signing DeMarcus Cousins, since they somehow couldn't wait an extra 18 hours to find out.
If you found out ESPN pulled a move like that, wouldn't you question all the news coming from them? I think someone briefly touched on this yesterday, but I thought it was an interesting topic to bring back up. It's the classic reporter's dilemma of writing the facts versus answering to advertising dollars.
You all think it's too much but you can't stop reading the news or the blog posts about it can you?
How many of you are not going to watch the show about his decision?
As for building false information,... uh, have you NOT seen what's been happening this past month? If not I don't blame you, but it's been almost ALL false information. Remember what the 'E' in ESPN stands for?
Atleast follow Yahoo! if you want better NBA news.
They've been spewing out false reports since this whole thing started anyway. The summit that never happened, then it did. The "done" deal with Brian Shaw going to the Cavs, only for the Cavs to hire Byron Scott. This whole thing would make a great thesis on the integrity of sports journalism, or lack thereof.
If I'm the network brass, do I undercut my own special (and my advertisers) in favor of breaking the news first. Maybe the reason we're hearing all these stories about Lebron-to-Miami being a misdirection is because other news sites are pissed that ESPN gets the exclusive rights to the information. Rather than it being found out through traditional sources (friends, rumors, etc.), other sites are forced to use ESPN to get this information, which can be a bit frustrating if you're a reporter (see: Woj's article).
Speaking from experience, one thing that is infuriating is knowing that your sources used you to create misdirection so that they could surprise people with the real announcement/information.
This is the inverse. I'm so happy that the general public is starting to share my understanding of LeBron as douche.
I think it's simply because it was supposed to be a free-agent class that shook up the foundation of the NBA. A lot of the free-agents simply stayed put: Joe Johnson, Dirk, Pierce, Ray Allen, Wade. Right now (assuming LeBron goes to Miami) does it really feel like they're guaranteed to win multiple/consecutive championships?
I wouldn't call the Shaw/Scott thing a "false report," because at the time, Cleveland was debating the two coaches. It's not like Cleveland had their minds made up about who to hire immediately after firing Brown (see: the Izzo fiasco). So the process of them hiring a coach became an ongoing story until they the Cavs finally picked Scott, and Scott accepted.
I'm a big believer in most reporters truly trying to get the facts straight, and sometimes that means writing information that is...premature to print. With people able to get scores and stats instantly, sports writing has evolved it something of a columnist style of writing, becoming more infatuted with the whys and the hows rather than the whos and the whats (and the wheres). But this Lebron thing is interesting, because there is a very real possibility that ESPN has a gag order (or NDA) in place about this specific information until the special tonight. And a gag order goes against reporting of any kind.
I won't be watching the special tonight. They won't play a game for months--why the rush to know?
I have basketbawful come to my RSS reader and keep a watch on the site for my team (blazersedge.com, obviously not even in the lebron sweepstakes) and that's all I really do.
@Bawful
Awesome post. So hilarious. I mean, honestly, how big of an ego do you need to have someone tattoo "Chosen 1" on your back and refer to yourself (in the third person) as king james? Maybe he is a really nice guy, I've never met him, but you compare his fanfare to Durant's unobtrusive signing and the gratitude he displayed because of it and, well, just seems like one of those people would be more fun to hang with. Which brings a question: who do you think actually would be the coolest basketball player to hang with? I think Steve Nash would be awesome, but who else is just a down to earth guy?
---
SO...
Wojnaroski reports...
James’ representatives spent part of Wednesday calling free agents to assess their interest in helping strengthen the Heat roster. James’ camp, sources said, went so far as to propose scenarios where the Heat would trade forward Michael Beasley(notes) to create additional salary-cap space to sign a complementary player. In those conversations, the representatives spoke only of Miami as the destination for James.
Wait wait - isn't that a GM job, not World Wide Wes's? Unless Triple W is going to install himself as coach, GM, and team owner Riley-style should King Crab crawl to South Florida.
Not down to earth, but definitely up there for most fun is Gilbert.
Trust me, if LeBron re-signs with Cleveland, I think that would be a very cool thing. As a beleaguered Jazz fan, I appreciate free agent loyalty. My comment was directed at the relatively weak level of league shake-up this last week has brought. Dirk re-signed. Pierce re-signed. Johnson re-signed. Even Ray Allen re-signed. Then New York got Amare, Chicago got Boozer, and Miami got Bosh to go with Wade (not what I would call a formula for a guaranteed title). So if LeBron sticks in Cleveland, I just don't see anything changing all that much outside of Miami becoming more of a contender. Well, that and the Jazz not making the playoffs.
So I could slip poison into his drink and piss in his skull.
@LeBronsVerdict: LeBron James will overturn Bush v. Gore. #lebrondecision
@speakofthedevs: #lebrondecision If train A leaves Akron at 3 traveling 65mph & train B leaves Greenwich at 4 traveling 70mph, why are you a dick? @KingJames
@GaryJBusey: I really hope Chrysler decides to bring back the LeBaron. #lebrondecision
But then the C's operate from that "life starts at 40" philosophy, right?
AnacondaHL: tee hee -
Amlradio: RT @realhairdntcare: RT @WatchJ: I will announce my decision to either have Chick-Fil-A or McDoncalds for lunch at 2 pm today...tune in #lebrondecision
:D
...
Too soon?
You know Derrick Rose can get to the hole just as good as you. He just can't finish as consistently because he's just finished his 2nd year. Maybe if you had one more move then then him then you know you could win a championship. You know maybe be a little less predictable than a second year.
I'm just sayin. Just thinking out loud, nothing set in stone.
Glen Davis requested fans to come up with nicknames for him, being sick of big baby. This was the result:
Ball Don't Lie: Davis wants a nickname
I've always looked upon that as the ultimate 'axe to one's own feet' move. Bron's twitter comments leave it in dust.
The man nearly exploded Twitter and melted ESPN.
Yeah, because ESPN IS COMPLICIT in this dog-and-pony parade. It's like their hyping up of Major League Soccer, or the pathetic Indy Racing League (ugh), or poker - they have the NBA contract so why not end any semblance of impartiality in the name of making some of the crustacean's projected billions?
Yeah, that's probably true. Also, the lacktation faithful are the one's who know most about these basketball players (that sadly don't get much press otherwise...)
@No Ring King
Yeah, I thought of Artest too just because it would be fun to chill and play some video games, shoot hoops, swim in his shark tank ... you know. The usual.
@BadDave
I seriously laughed in the middle of my absolutely silent office. Which was not awkward at all
Not watching indecision 2010.
As a raps 'fan', ballin' Turk taught me all I need to know about the excitement of free agency.
-BJ
@Vasco: Speak for yourself, sir. I won't watch the show. And I don't visit ESPN's site (unless someone here links to a Simmons article or some such). And yeah, I'm curious about what LeDouche is going to do, but I have already lost all respect for the MAN as a result of these shenanigans, but to avoid this topic is to avoid the internets. So your conclusion that "we are all part of this" is a little misguided, I think.
I guess the crustacean's pincers are so strong that they've managed to pull the Crab Kingdom to the northeast, with his loyal subjects ready to tune into LeBronTV tonight.
Or maybe that's what this hour is for the rest of us, the announcement of an official state television network covering the royal domain of Northeast Ohio!??!
I'm just sayin'.
This gets better and better. And by that, I mean the exact opposite.
In fact, I would rather watch 60 minutes of that clip on repeat than THE INDIGESTION OF KING CRAB, LIVE FROM CONNECTICUT.
...beside my obvious stupidity and glaring lack of basketball knowledge, that is.
Much grief as AI gets for being a cancer in the locker room, he's never really done it to so many legit contenders, save for Denver and Philly.
Lost in the shuffle of the LeBron insanity is that Shaq's play this last season hurt the Cavs on the court (out of shape, injured, then ineffective in the playoffs), on the books (20 million dollars, pushing Z out of Cleveland), and in the locker room, though not as much as Delonte West being brought up on gun charges to start the year and ending it by alledgedly sleeping with the James' mother.
Then again, James had to ok all of those players being on his team, so if anything, he cannot judge talent.
I don't care about lebron and his bs, really, I don't!!!!!!!
Karc: Well, at least World Wide Wes and stuff are rumored to want the Heat to trade Michael Beasley, so they're not quite as bad at talent-judging as Kevin McFail.
To take your mind off Jermaine "The Drain" O'Neal signing with the Celtics, please watch this.
I mean, how troubled would you be looking everyday at a Willis Tower sized LeSun poster?!
http://probasketballtalk.nbcsports.com/2010/07/shaquille-oneal-wants-to-join-the-spurs-talks-have-taken-place.php
http://www.usmagazine.com/moviestvmusic/news/lebron-james-plans-weekend-party-in-south-beach-201087
So why am I starting to loathe LeBron James?
His announcement Thursday night on ESPN -- not just an announcement of where he will play next season, but an hour-long mental masturbation about the wonder of LeBron -- did it for me.
http://www.cbssports.com/columns/story/13612376/lebronfest-makes-us-face-ugly-truth-about-james-unmatched-ego?tag=coverlist_active;coverlist_footer
I mean, how troubled would you be looking everyday at a Willis Tower sized LeSun poster?!
Actually, I kinda hate LeBron. But if you can get one of the best players in the league on your team, you do it.
Why am I the only one who doesn't think Chicago is a championship experience just waiting to explode?
...beside my obvious stupidity and glaring lack of basketball knowledge, that is.
Is Miami a championship experience waiting to happen? Three superduper egos and nine minimum wage-level scrubs? Two Alpha Dog perimeter players...has that ever worked?
But who knows, maybe it will.
I fully endorse signing Detlef Schrempf to be the guy at the end of the bench handing out towels and high-fives. That would be awesome.
JimmyTraina Good lord. Stephen A Smith just told Mike Francesa Knicks would've had a better shot to get [LeBron] if Isiah Thomas was still around. Seriously.
Miami: Chalmers/Wade/LeBron/Beasley/Bosh/7 replacement-level players (if that's possible salary-wise) is good, but not front-runners. If we thought the Lakers bench was giving away too many leads last season, this bench would put them to shame. They'd be banking that there are a ton of players in the league willing to take a salary far below their market value to play for a championship.
Chicago: Rose/LeBron/Deng/Boozer/Noah/Gibson/others is on paper the best, I think, but from a basketball strategy perspective, LeBron is their best jump shooter. I think people around here can guess how that might turn out.
New York and New Jersey would be huge dice rolls, I think. Not going to comment.
Cleveland: Cleveland's roster, optimally used (i.e. not the way Mike Brown used it), will still be a championship contender. Byron Scott should represent an improvement in coaching, at least until the players become disenchanted with him after a few seasons. But it remains very close to the teams of the past few seasons, which were never able to get over the hump. They won't be the immediate favorite either.
=====
tl;dr version: Basically, I don't see anywhere that LeBron goes and they are immediately the championship favorite.
"The mission of "SportsCenter" is to recap the biggest stories of the day. If the show's producers do any less, they haven't fulfilled their promise to the viewer. And although that unfortunately leads to an existential truth -- you're not going to please all the people all the time -- ESPN would be wise to continuously listen to sports fans and ensure its decisions are in sync with the desires of its audience."
Now, depending on which side of the current LeBron James issue people take, this could go both ways. No mention of the LeBron James situation, of course, because that would actually take some personal responsibility on the part of ESPN, and really, we're past that.
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=128383085&sc=fb&cc=fp
-BJ
http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/basketball/bulls/chi-hamilton-lebron-june30,0,4343074.column
Sights seen: LeBron dining at Harry Caray'sÂ… LeBron dining at Le Bernardin, while conferencing in with a Harry Caray's waiterÂ… LeBron dining at Joe's Stone Crab and Harry Caray's while serving Ebi Ebi rolls at Japonais and hoisting the Stanley Cup at UndergroundÂ…
These things write themselves!!!!!!
No one clever will actually expect the Heat to win it all next year, but the following year (with a full MLE and Bi-annual), and another MLE afterwards, watch out because there's your 8 man rotation.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nfo08qpvZNA&playnext_from=TL&videos=IJwmOAhmTSg&feature=sub
Lebron can go and die for all I care. I'm very much despairing toward the NBA after this free agency period. Ah fuck it, I'm throwing the towel in and rooting for the Timberwolves this year, at least I'll be guaranteed Kahn's never ending carousel of errors as well as the hope that there's "always next year". Oh and I forgot, Darko's the starting center! Awesome time to be a wolves fan.
God I hope he goes to the Knicks so he can be saddled with Amar'e's lame ass for the prime of his career.
How does this make you feel?
Hey, the despair could result in an even more hillarious Association!!!
Maybe we won't get back to tape-delayed playoff games on CBS, but hillarious matchups, more lacktion, no complaints there. Darko IS still in the game.
;)
LeBron Bingo!
http://espn.go.com/blog/sportscenter/post/_/id/64936/no-matter-where-lebron-goes-were-all-winners-with-lebingo
Honestly that Darko contract is absolutely crazy: Has Darko's agent got some sordid tape of David Kahn hiding in the bushes of some middle class Minneapolis kindergarten, because I'm really struggling to see how anyone could pay so much for the biggest bust in NBA history.
I'm going to sleep.
And when I'll wake up, all this bs will have finished.
Envoy me, or not, I don't care (until I read your comments).
Lebron will be very rich... and Artest will be a champion the entire year.
What are the Bawful Gods preparing us for?
(Well I don't know but thank you for all the good reading moments given, bawful community)
I'm so fucking hard right now.
If you haven't turned on ESPN, and don't enjoy getting cum in your eyes, keep your TVs off.
I haven't seen a masturbatory load like this since Peter North first debuted.
I'm watching, but only because I want to see, synchronized, the reaction of a Cleveland-area bar:
http://www.ustream.tv/channel/cleveland-com-live-broadcast
In fact, they are showing LeBron in different uniforms.
Magic lead 4 Championship teams.
Bird lead 3. Duncan lead 4. Shaq lead 3. Jordan 6 Lebron 0.
Lakers still champs next year
Shhh, secret hint, they get an MLE and Bi-Annual next year, just like every other team, Shhh.
Mario Chalmers has great potential given starter minutes, other saavy vets can be signed, and again, an MLE and Bi-Annual next year. And they're all signing for 5 years.
And how long will it take before the arena is half-empty again, even with THE GREAT TALENT THAT IS DWYANE WADE BUILDING A DYNASTY WITH KING CRAB PIGGYBACKING!?
---
For the record, I have yet to turn my television on this hour. Not in the mood to watch infomercials on the "Worldwide Leader."
*Hi Five, Delonte, Hi Five!
Et tu LeBrutus?
If the Heat get some decent fillers on that team, they're going to be a beast. If it's just those three and not much else, I don't know if they'll make it to The Finals. It's gonna be interesting to see what happens.
How long till Riley stabs Erik Spoelstra in the back a la Stan Van Gundy?
A selection of views:
http://kingjamesgospel.com/2010/07/08/lecoward-disproves-loyalty/
http://cavs.ohio.com/2010/07/james-joins-miami-heat/
http://www.cleveland.com/livingston/index.ssf/2010/07/whatever_his_voiced_reasons_it.html
http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=news&cd=88&ved=0CEQQqQIwBzhQ&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.clevelandleader.com%2Fnode%2F14137&ei=74s2TL-wLcSKnQfM75yxCg&usg=AFQjCNG0IKxACcgI6y27i3zqiGFsR4Q3_g
First Heat@Cavs game will be on ESPN, may even be opening day. Heat@Magic or Heat@Celtics will be one (or both) of the ABC games in 2011.
Seriously, though, LeBron James drawing this out has been diabolically brilliant. Cavs and Bulls were somewhat legit, they are done. New York and NJ tanked two years for nothing, they are finished for the next several years. The Jazz and the Suns just lost their frontlines. That's four playoff teams right off the bat that are toast.
No excuses, though, if this team fails, it's still on him (and on Bosh to a lesser extent). Wade has nothing to prove, King James has to become Sir Lancelot for the Heat to have a shot, because that is still Dwayne Wade's team.
"How long till Riley stabs Erik Spoelstra in the back a la Stan Van Gundy?"
Before the Christmas Day game.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BIylKeZaDb8#t=2m20s
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=5365704
The fact that they haven't decided on payroll (inspite of everyone else in FA getting their deals done) is a glimmer of hope that this super team does not go through due to ego.
Yes, the MEGA-Powers, explode!!!
SHE HAD A WING! D'oh!
Now that he's with the Heat, is he the Hot Crab?
So....any bets on which Cleveland players get the ol' ejection for an intentional foul vs. the Hot Crab?
@ Everyone else, this is really worth the read.
http://www.nba.com/cavaliers/news/gilbert_letter_100708.html
Comics Sans? Really?!
Maybe that basketball team from Cleveland should change its name and logo to this: http://twitpic.com/23nf26
I think Wade-Bosh-Lebron just became the most hated team in the league, and not just by fans, and think the entire NBA is going to try to stick it to them next year. I'm looking forward to how Boston's Big Four, Dwight Howard, Derrick Rose, Joakin Noah, and, of course, the Lakers will react to this Heat team next year. Is it possible that the Lakers will be more motivated next year? What about Boston? What about the Bulls? How bad do you think Rose wants to dunk on this whole team? How bad do you think Noah wants to shut James or Bosh down? Do you think Bosh/Wade hold it against James when the Heat is the most despised team in the league?
There is a potential for this team to implode Tiger-Woods style. Here is their situation: Three good friends (one divorced), all in their mid-twenties, are about to become the city's favorite team. And they just got paid a lot. And they got summers off in a town that parties until 4 a.m. on average. I have a good feeling about this.
Yep.
the cavs website just takes you directly to the dan gilbert letter now..
Yep, it looks like the seven-year honeymoon is OVER.
WhitlockJason
Dan Gilbert knows where the bodies are buried. LeBron, Maverick, Turtle, Drama and LeBrontourage pissed off the wrong billionaire.
WOW.
Really makes you wonder what the real dynamics of the "pre-game photo" crab crew were.
and the main topic has _61_ pages at present.
"In many ways it's one of the most amazing, selfless and unabashedly positive stories in sports." (Is Abbott for real with this?!)
"In this world of ours, you will find some truly terrible people. There are murderers. There are rapists. There are abusers, bullies, polluters, dictators and everything else. And this is the guy you need to single out?"
Hank Abbott is a weird guy. He's always been way over the top about LeBron for whatever reason. I guess it's a combo of his undying, unflinching love of PER and his working for ESPN or something. Whatever the reason, he's pretty much the odd man out with his take here. Check out his closing sentence from this article:
"The show will go on, and James will be in the role he created for himself years ago, and cemented tonight, as the center of attention."
I think the only thing tonight LeBron has cemented for himself is his new role as the most despised player in the NBA. And here I thought Kobe would have to retire for someone to take that title away from him!
Also, considering Abbott thinks this whole thing by LeBron is sports at its most "selfless", I'd like to close with my favorite quote from LeBron during his announcement tonight (as taken from TrueHoop's transcript):
LeBron: "For me it's not about sharing."
He said it.
I haven't forgotten.
MEANWHILE...
Michael Rosenberg of Sports Illustrated rips King Crab a new one!
"We don't have the pressure of going out and scoring 30 every night or shooting a high percentage."
Yeah, you want a situation with LESS pressure, LeBron? Really?
The first time I watched LeBron James live, I thought he could be the greatest player ever. The sad truth for us, for him, and for the NBA is that he never really believed it himself.
LeBron's going to win titles, but he most likely won't win the G.O.A.T. title. Eventually we're all just going to have to accept that. He's this generation's Wilt Chamberlain, not Michael Jordan.
You're re-writing history quite a bit here, actually. For the record, Kobe could have left the Lakers in 2004 as a free agent, and he could have done so after the Shaq trade to Miami. He was rumored to be looking at Chicago and the Clippers, but instead chose to stay with LA. That was the last time he was a free agent. So he actually was loyal when he had the chance to be otherwise.
In 2007 he did go on national radio and say he wanted to be traded (preferably to the Bulls), and the Laker management was amenable to trading him, but nobody put together a trade package LA thought was worthy of trading him, and so Kobe began the 2007-2008 season with LA (and the Staples Center crowd booed him in an opening night loss to Houston on a Battier buzzer-beating 3). Kobe's displeasure with the Laker front office was mainly due to two consecutive years of a starting 5 that featured Kwame Brown and Smush Parker, though prior to that 07-08 year the Lakers had ditched Smush and brought back Derek Fisher, but still had Kwame as the starting center. Kobe was pissed that LA had balked at trading Andrew Bynum for Jason Kidd, and figured LA wasn't working hard enough to improve.
But Bynum came into that season having made gigantic strides from the previous year, and that combined with Kwame Brown getting hurt suddenly gave Bynum a ton of minutes alongside Odom and Kobe in the starting 5 (with the newly-traded for Trevor Ariza and Derek Fisher), and soon enough LA was the top seed in the West, having twice pounded the Suns, once on Xmas Day. By January Kobe had backed off his trade demands and was a happy camper even before Bynum got hurt (thus prompting the Gasol trade).
Kobe's demands and tantrum the previous summer being fresh in Kupchak's ears probably helped Kupchak pull the trade that brought in Pau Gasol, although I'd like to think that Kupchak is smart enough to go for a Gasol for Kwame Brown trade whether Kobe wanted him to or not. And that's what really happened. Sorry if it's not exactly how you remembered it.
Sorry, but you don't recall correctly. Since you're having trouble recalling Game 7 of the 2006 series against the Suns, here's some suggested reading to jog your memory (and hopefully once and for all put this "Kobe quit" nonsense to rest).
People forget that the Lakers were badly overmatched in that series against Phoenix (they were the 7 seed to Phoenix's second seed), and the fact that LA even pushed it to 7 games is remarkable enough. Phoenix pounded LA in Games 5 and 7 in Phoenix, though LA came one missed rebound from eliminating Phoenix in Game 6 behind 50 points from Kobe (his two miracle buzzer beaters in Game 4 also helped LA get to that 7th game). Phoenix was the much better team that year (they swept LA in the regular season) and they showed it in that 7th game by absolutely crushing the Lakers from start to finish (people forget Phoenix was up 17 after the first quarter and were up 15 at the break, despite Kobe scoring 18 2nd quarter points). Kobe didn't "quit", the Lakers just got whipped by a team that was far, far superior to them, and a team that shouldn't have let the Lakers take them to 7 games.
In 2009 in the second round when LA beat Houston at home in Game 7 by 29 points, nobody said the Rockets quit. They all said that LA should have been embarrassed to be pushed to a 7th game by such an inferior opponent. The same thing should have been said about the Suns against LA in 2006. Instead for some reason the storyline became that Kobe "quit". What nonsense.
only thing I care about is:
has anyone already photoshopped a Miami CHeat logo??
if anything, they (our free-agent "stars") made their own Leastern Conference even more sucky. thank you, selfish basterds!
superduper double props go to Kevin Durant. it's called: humility. you should try some, King Lames.
A few days ago, Kevin Pelton picked this contract as a strong candidate to become the worst in the NBA in a couple of years. If this contract proves to have been a mistake, the stat geeks will have to be credited with seeing something the NBA market does not.
Uhhh, everyone on the planet with eyes, even the Hawks, know that's a HORRIBLE contract. So why the fuck is he trying to use that, of all things, to make some labored and specious point trumpeting "stat geeks?" To me, it just exposes a pretty transparent agenda and perspective, and I'm not sure what his goal is in continually pitting stat geeks against other NBA observers. Even Hollinger is better about outlining the uses and limitations of his statistics, and applying them to reality.
My theory is this happens to hardcore NBA fans whose teams go nowhere long enough, nor will they any time soon. So, if your team can't be champions in real life, you can at least start studying how championship worthy they and their players could be in a vacuum. Real world outcomes are so incidental anyway!
Gabe + Chris: Have you guys forgotten the basics of Kobe Hating 101? He destroyed a super team and drove Shaq away over his selfish need to be the man! Kind of the exact opposite of what LeBron is doing here, though how it's going to work between him and Wade remains to be seen. Which all goes back to the basic hypocrisy of the Basketball covering media; the individual can't be great if their team doesn't do great, but if their team does do great, then the credit goes to the individual, unless their team is too great, then the individual doesn't get credit for being truly great anymore! It's maddeningly stupid, and a bawfully mixed message that drives great players nuts. Kobe's been on both sides of it, now it's LeBron's turn as he'll no doubt get more credit from some for carrying a crappy Cleveland team all these years than he may for possibly winning multiple championships with Miami in the years to come.
"so is he going to pay our city back for the 18 yrs we supported him on welfare? what an ass"
LeBrand really fucked up this time.
Would you all feel different if he had tweeted his decision like Durant, or joined Dwade and Bosh when they announced on ESPN that they were signing in MIA?
Also, I think the whole "that is a slap in the face to Cleveland" is just bullshit. He positioned himself to be a free agent in 2010 years ago. The Cavs knew it. What difference would it have made if he had told Cleveland before the press conference he was leaving? It wouldn't change the fact that he was leaving, that's for sure.
I agree that maybe his hour long special was over the top, but like I said he was expected to be over the top since high school.
I think the real jerk is Dan Gilbert. His letter was completely unprofessional and classless.
Total mayhem!
(... but to be nitpicky, that's the Florida Panthers, not the Nashville Predators. Not your fault for confusing cities that the NHL should never have gone to in the first place, though.)
I hope everyone can foresee what's to come: Heat start playing well, quickly accumulates highlight reel plays, everyone starts gushing about the Super Three (the same people that are bashing him today), they lose in the Finals, Spolestra is made the scapegoat, Miami makes brilliant use of their MLE and win the next three championships.
This is an interesting historic moment, and as a fan I can't wait to see what happens. Oh except for all you aforementioned retards finally figure this out in December and need the media tidal wave to show them what's going on. The only question left is why he didn't choose Chicago over Miami, but IMHO it's some combo of truly believing the three are buddies and can work through this long-term commitment to winning, no state income tax, weather women and beaches, a chance at unique history, a crappy Bulls front office, and maybe a legitimate hate of Joakim Noah.
LeBron ALMOST is the most hated player now, but good lord Dan Gilbert is biffing it. He should have taken the high road humble route with guilt and admitting his faults and mistakes, rather than this crappy Comic Sans MySpace breakup letter. Our NBA ombudsman of chillness, Kevin Durant, has now tweeted this same sentiment.
So good luck to the Miami Heat, I will be watching closely. Who the fuck cares about the term "bandwagon fan" at this point, I want history.
And unrelated to the whole LeBron thing, remember that Super Mario Crossover game I linked to several weeks ago? Here's a tribute to the NES characters that didn't make the cut.
I don't think that's what the (remaining) Crab fanbase needs, another generic corporate note posturing any more tribute to a man who clearly was more than happy to rub in his desire to leave Northeast Ohio. Professional? Of course not. Entertaining? Absolutely.
Um, that WAS the series Yao got hurt, explaining a little bit of the criticism, IIRC.
Oooh, he's leaving Cleveland? So what? Had he grabbed the max contract in Cleveland you would have said he was all about money.
What do you guys want him to do?
Be loyal to this kind of an owner? Anyone who writes a letter like this deserves no trust. LeBron just filled that arena for every night for years, generating all kinds of income for this guy - and Gilbert thanks him with this one? They were even lucky that they stumbled upon him in that lottery back in 2003! What if anyone else won this big prize LeBron back then? Are we talking about loyalty and long-suffering city and such?
Last time I checked you were bashing Ferry and Brown for not getting talent and not getting the most out of the team. So it's LeBron's fault all of a sudden?
Also, right now everyone seems to be angry about Miami. What's the deal with that? What did they do wrong? Three players teamed up believing in that they can supplement each other well. Believing in TEAM, sacrificing some money and some ego possibly. Isn't that an honorable thing?
I wouldn't have thought this to happen a few weeks ago. James is such an egomaniac dude it didn't seem conceivable for him to be anything less that a surefire alpha dog. Now I'm not sure. Oh well, who am I joking here? He is, definitely is, but to a lesser extent. The Decision. It's a clear evidence of that. Although everyone seems to forget that all sponsorship money (very big money, I read) goes to a nonprofit organisation. Aside from that, it was narcistic as hell.
So yeah, you might be disappointed that Cleveland doesn't win a championship with him (how many you are Cavs fans, again?), you can bash him for being an egomaniac prick (agreed), but if you believe in the team concept and you believe that winning is more important than money, than give LeBron a little credit for that.
Now Dan Gilbert the honest money lender is all upset about loyalty. I guess all the strong principles and integrity of Dan Gilbert never rubbed off on Lebron. Now it's time to tell Lebron what he thinks of him. I wonder why. Possibly because he's not making him millions of dollars any more and that's the only thing he gives a shit about?
It was like a real-life version of the kitten in Feed the Kitty (brilliant Bugs Bunny cartoon with a really cute kitten who is 'babysat' by a huge bulldog.
For those of you who have kids, Monsters Inc. had a great homage to that cartoon when Sully thinks that Boo has gone through the trash compacter.
On the flip side, wtf are NJ and Chicago going to do with all that cap space? I'm betting a ton of C grade players are lining up to make their case for huge long term contract deals.
If you ask me, him throwing around words like "never" and "promise" shows his complete irresponsbility. Even worse, PDCavsInsider slyly states that this letter was probably a compromise already between Gilbert and the PR department.
Who the fuck here with any common sense, or can look at the numbers, or whatever, actually believes the Cavs will win a championship before LeBron? Can a team win one solely on spite? That's some bullshit motivation.
Like I said, by December people will finally start clearing their heads at what this all means. I wouldn't be shocked to find out some crazy Clevelander tried to jump Gilbert. Until then, enjoy the retarded "can they play together" "can they shelve their egos" "who will take the last shot" inane bullshit this summer.
But when your organization and city gets publically humiliated in unprecedent fashion like that, how else could you respond? I'd rather have an owner that clearly IS on the fans side than one who is more than happy to play the same game (i.e. the Maloofs) as the players.
greggrant: If winning was sooo much more important than money here, then why was Beasley (admittedly, a headcase) traded just to generate more cap space for the likely three max deals?
And I can't wait to see Kevin Garnett slam his head into the stanchion after knocking one (or all) of the "Holy Trinity" to the hardwood.
I hate the Heat more than I hate the Celtics now.
I never thought it could happen.
if Tim could come out of his not-self-imposed exile, and ref the next Lakers-Heat game with Dick Bavetta and Bennett Salvatore, I will be all for it as long as the chosen team happens to be the purple and yellow.
Heretic - First, there's almost a finished trade of Beasley to Minny for a second rounder and swapped first rounders. Second, there's plenty of websites tracking free agents (NBA.com, BBR, ShamSports), but Yahoo's FA tracker might fit the need here, as it's sorted by position with their previous salaries. There's plenty of SG/SFs and backup PF/Cs left to make Chicago a very strong team.
Anyways, I still think Chicago was the quickest route to a championship, but Miami was the long term route to more overall championships.
Disappointed as hell LeBron didn't pick my Bulls. But, like AnacondaHL, as a basketball fan I'm fascinated to see how things pan out in Miami. Love 'em or hate 'em, you're gonna wanna watch.
LeBron is a HUGE douche. He just is. I mean, the whole ego-stroking free agency tour thing was him wanting his c*** sucked by the world at large. But you know, I've thought 'Bron was a douche for a while now. He refers to himself in third person and has an ego that would sink an aircraft carrier. It is what it is.
That said, the whole "loyalty to Cleveland" angle is wrong. He did what most human beings would do: He went for what he thought was best for him. Money, women, weather, great ownership/management and Super Friends to help carry the load. If I was LeBron, I probably would have done the same thing.
I guess there's this idea that Cleveland sacrificed for LeBron...but did they? Sure, they gave in to his demands and let him act as the de facto GM, but that was because letting LeBron play God was in their best interest, both as a team and as a community. Their "sacrifice" was really just them acting in their own best interest.
Now LeBron is acting in his own best interest and that makes him a villain? Nay, good sirs and madams. Nay.
Does it hurt his legacy in the long run? Let's face it, kiddies, we won't know that until after the long run has actually passed us by, so don't bother predicting it now. I mean, the NBA has never seen anything like this: Two of the top four players in the league and a guy who's probably top 12 joining forces...
...I mean, what if in the mid-80s Bird, Magic, and (let's say) Hakeem Olajuwon went to the same team. Or in the early 90s, Jordan, Barkley and Karl Malone.
This isn't three past-their-prime players going for One Last Try. These 2.5 great players in their youth/prime.
Paul Allen came the closest with the best team money can buy approach in the late 90s. Those Portland teams that had arguably the best talent 1 - 12 ever, but lacked any A+ or even A stars. I am very interested to see if the LeDouche approach works.
Knicks are the biggest losers here with 5 plus terrible years mortgaging their seasons to try to sign him. Instead they still pay eddy curry, and get stuck with A'mare. Welcome to a 35 win season.
Also, championships heal all wounds. If LeDouche, the RuPaul of Big Men and D Wade County pull off even 2 championships in the next 5 years people will say it was a success. But they have to win it all.
Lastly, people forget Kobe could not stand being Robin and drove Shaq out of town so he could sit in the big boy chair then bitched when big boy chair proved to much. Only the gasol gift has changed that. So I still hate kobe more.
Isn't that the type of thing that a real alpha dog - Mamba or otherwise - WOULD want to take on?
Damn, never thought I'd see a Kings fan say that.
My problem was with James and ESPN slapping us in the face with this tease of leaving over the last two years, without any sort of accountability that the reason he "had to leave" was because he was a large part of their failure in the playoffs. This is where I have no faith in that super team winning any rings. The only guy who has delivered consistently in the postseason was Wade, and has been seen, you need at least 6 guys to get it done in a series. At best, Miami now has one and a half (Wade and LeBron when he decides to care). Sure, you can use the MLE to get some role players, but as I alluded to before, who would want to go there? Certainly no one under the age of 30, who can make far more money elsewhere or have a better chance to win with an established unit now (like LA, Boston, or Orlando) and piggyback that to a bigger contract somewhere else.
Maybe they win one title, but we are dealing with huge egos here. That is legit. Shaq and Kobe could have won five titles, but all it took was one before they started fighting over who was the alpha dog and Phil Jackson was really the only guy who could stop it. Spurs won four (two of them under the radar) because they never let egos get in the way of success. Boston won one, but injuries and age got in the way, never ego. Portland in 1999-2003 should have won one, but we all remember how that infamously collapsed because of chemistry issues, despite having a loaded team. Indiana was on poise to get one until Ron Artest went into the stands. Just because three guys play in the Olympics and decide to get together does not equate success, or someone else would have done it long ago. With Wade and Bosh, Miami is a contender with the money to get role players. I am morbidly curious to see what happens now. Whether or not the media pushes the idea of a potential feud (which they will), James and Wade are going to have to have a serious sitdown with Riley and figure out who is in charge. And really, this should have been ironed out long before the "decision." Dwayne Wade and Micky Arison did not know LeBron's decision before the rest of us did. That's going to be a problem.
Hmmm thought Beasley was still on the market. If the heat actually manage to get Mike Miller it would be a good start. Also a defensive specialist that can guard a pierce or a kobe while "The new big 3" can keep being aggressive without a chance of foul trouble.
As far as the quickest route is concerned, I think it may boil down to team chemistry and coaching. If Lebron turns this team into another camera snapping, soft shoe dancing team then it may take longer for them to become true contenders but if they are disciplined from the start and the coach keeps them in check then they may go all the way next year.
http://www.sportsmediawatch.net/2010/07/white-hot-heat-lebron-special-scores-73.html
Basic gist, his announcement of going to the Heat outdrew his last game as a Cavalier when they lost in Game 6 to Boston (7.3 to 7.1).
"Cleveland-Akron was the top market for Thursday's telecast, with a 26.0. Despite being virtually the same size, the Miami-Ft. Lauderdale market was well behind with a 12.8."
That just makes me laugh, no one in Miami cared nearly as much. It's not surprising, just funny.
-He had a friend call the Cavs organization to break the news
-He didn't bother telling the other teams that he was picking Miami.
-He invited the Clippers to the table, as if he ever had any intention of going there.
-He failed in his promise to bring a championship to Cleveland (something he promised three years ago).
-He broke up with Cleveland on national TV.
Even if they still had "The Decision," he should have just made a statement at the beginning, thanking Cleveland (which he never did) and explaining his reasoning. It would have been douchey, but people would have understood (like how KG broke up with Minnesota). Instead, he turned it into a dog-and-pony show.
Also, he didn't want the challenge of winning on his own terms (a challenge Kobe, Pierce, Russell, and Jordan all accepted). What's worse is that he has the gaul to take Russell's number next year after taking Jordan's. Even in his jersey number, he's not his own man.
All basketball fans are disappointed in him, because he lowered our expectations of him. Instead of the trying to become the next great transcendent superstar like Magic, Jordan, or Bird, he's the second coming of Scottie Pippen.
That's rough.
I don't think this is as big of a concern as in the other stated cases.
This isn't a case of management trying to force feed a working system. It looks as if this was the players plan from the get-go. I'm willing to bet that they have thought this out from an on court perspective. Plus, they all play different positions and very complementary styles.
I'm not suggesting a championship is a guarantee but I like their chance in the next few years assuming Miami doesn't surround them with 9 total incompetent bums.
The real problem in my eyes is that no matter how well they play to together, their is still only 1 ball. I'm old enough to have seen a few high scoring trios get left by the wayside come playoff time.
http://espn.go.com/blog/truehoop/post/_/id/17885/databases-love-miamis-roster
I'm not saying that means their won't be trouble, but (like many have said already) this is unprecedented so we can't compare it to Shaq and Kobe or anyone else.
Yeah, Bosh and Wade were real surprised by Lebron's last minute decision.[/sarcasm]
Some nice media manipulation by the 3 of them. But even tha Sports Guy started to catch on.
Bosh is no Gasol, but he shouldn't have a problem out jumping Garnett anymore. Wade is aging, but he can still kill Allen and Carter. Personality issues don't stop Lebron's basketball skills.
Full marks to Riley. Unless he complete butchers the rest of the team make-up, he's built a multi-year contender.
Personally I prefer more level playing field in sports. So potential domination by Heat looks boring.
Hopefully Lebron and Bosh continue to focus on media projects and some hungrier teams that care about basketball upset them.
lol at Yams with funniest posts with his full on defense of Kobe, while everyone else was really killing Lebron.
wv nasha, Knicks, Cavs and Bulls owners and management nasha their teeth at getting played by Le-Wad-Bo
And for Chris, yes Raptors Mascot is most entertaining.
WFNYScott
Excellent RT @darrenrovell1: LeBron Fatheads for $17.41, year Benedict Arnold was born http://tinyurl.com/29cgxyk Cavs owner owns Fathead
3 minutes ago via TwitterGadget
And for Chris, yes Raptors Mascot is most entertaining.
Indeed.
Guys are dragging Kobe into this, you should lol at them. Those peaple really don't know the real story about the 2004 Lakers break-up - so they just assume it was Kobe.
Agreed, Dallas from 2001-2003 immediately springs to mind. Could not beat the Spurs. I see Boston doing something similar to this version of the Heat, if they are healthy (and that's a big if).
http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/blog/ball_dont_lie/post/11-strange-things-LeBron-James-said-during-The-;_ylt=AhyNmjUwICIurnXbeFdEPIuLvLYF?urn=nba,254895
Yeah...first off, this has nothing to do with Kobe. Why Kobe needs to get brought up at all is behind me.
And second, since he has been brought up, every Kobe situation seems to have two sides: The Kobe is 100 Percent Guilty side and the Kobe is 100 Percent Innocent side.
Take that infamous Game 7 against the Suns.
Did Kobe quit? Yes and no. On the one hand, he was following Phil's game plan, which was "get the ball inside." Kobe was going to the spot on the floor he was supposed to go to and he was making the plays Jackson wanted.
But come on...dude was going through the motions. He took three shots. He would pass the ball into the post -- to Kwame Brown, mind you -- and remain three or four feet behind the three-point line just standing there. No cutting. No moving without the ball. No crashing the boards.
Compare his effort in the second half of that game with any game in the 2010 NBA Finals and try to tell me he was going balls out to win that game against the Suns.
As for the breakup with Shaq: At that time, their egos could not co-exist. Neither of them would budge a single inch and the Lakers were forced to make a business decision. The right decision, by the way. And like many correct decisions, it hurt them in the short run and benefitted them in the long run (with a little luck and the Gasol heist).
I hate to "break"t his news, considering I'm a Boston fan, but the Celtics are D-U-N. I've actually talked to some other Celtics fans talking themselves into The Drain and Shaq...to which I say: "Did you watch those guys play last season?"
Why not go for a Kentucky Derby win by picking out a horse at the glue factory.
It also helped that...Phil Jackson came back. Without that, does any of the Kobe/Gasol era really occur the way it does?
You're absolutely right. If Phil doesn't come back, a lot of things would have gone very differently the last several years.
http://blogs.houstonpress.com/hairballs/2010/07/game_time_lebron_the_decision.php
What could have been accomplished in a tweet, a published statement, or a brief radio interview was a one-hour atomic wedgie on the 216 area code wrapped in a LeBron infomercial disguised as a charitable endeavor for the Boys and Girls Clubs of America in front of a room full of boys and girls in Greenwich, CT who may or may not have driven to and from the event in their own BMW's.
Such little faith. I did watch them play. Shaq was on a team that, frankly, he shouldn't have been on. A team that doesn't utilize any of his strengths. He needs to be teamed with one player that can create his own shot and be consistent with outside scoring (Wade/Kobe), and he didn't have that in Cleveland (Lebron is not the best shooter). Pierce fills that role, as does Allen to a lesser extent. The Drain is a serviceable backup, and that's what he'll be in Boston.
If the Lakers taught us anything, it's that length, shotblocking, and rebounding might have equal, if not bigger, affects on games than scoring and passing. If there's two things Miami don't have it's length and shotblocking. And with Shaq, KG, The Drain, and Perkins, the Celtics have a lot of talented length that can play some D and clog a lane.
And...they will be motivated. These next two years will absolutely be the last two to win it all in Boston. I'm not as confident in Orlando, because they still have Vince Carter. And the Bulls, I'm waiting to see Rose's ceiling, which may be a year or two off.