It is incredible how short our attention is. I blame MTV with their quick cuts in videos and crappy new music that forces us to look for the next big thing all too quickly. Lebron is a "monster" and "cowardly"? Are you serious?
How quickly we forget that one of the most beloved big men of all time left his initial team titleless to join forces with a young amazing 2 guard and subsequently won 3 straight championships. What multi-nick-named, rapping, law-enforcing, unable-to-make-a-free-throw seven-foot 300 pound superstar am I talking about? Why Shaq of course. Why did he leave? My guess is he left an organization that had never won to go to one that almost always wins.
Oh and how about just a couple years ago Kobe went through THE SAME THING that LeBron just did. Now, sure, social media wasn't the cyber-king that it is now so there wasn't as much attention on it, but if you recall, Kobe was done with the Lakers. There were all kinds of rumors he was going to Chicago (ring a bell?). He had even demanded a trade before he became a free agent and then, well, he decided to stay. Why? My guess is because he was already on a WINNING ORGANIZATION!
"But Michael, Magic and Larry would never have teamed up just to win a title," you may say. Well that's probably because they were all part of organizations that built teams around their superstar giving them the ability to win. Sure, Chicago is not a historically great team, but Jordan did play with Pippen (one of the NBAs 50 greatest players), all-stars Horace Grant and BJ Armstrong and more than serviceable role players. For the Bulls' second three-peat Pippen was still there and so was one of the best defensive and rebounding forwards of all time in Dennis Rodman. Larry Bird played with Hall-of-Famers Kevin McHale, Bill Walton, Robert Parish and probably more that are slipping my mind. Magic of course played with James Worthy and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (arguably the best center of all time) and, as has been discussed, he played for the LAKERS.
My point? Lebron didn't cold-heartedly, cowardly, deviously or any other adjective you wanna give him leave the fans of Cleveland. He smartly yet reluctantly left a BAD organization. James gave them the better part of a decade and they gave him squat. He had them in the FINALS with nobodys. By the time they got a big name, that big name was the aforementioned Shaq who has been reduced to a shell of is former self. They have done nothing but take the money that The King brought them. One could argue it's not their fault that big-time free agents wouldn't come to Cleveland. Then whose is it? It's their job to sell their organization, to prove that they are a good team to play for. Don't blame LeBron because Dan Gilbert is a bad salesman.
Why are Jordan and Barkley criticizing James? Probably because James and Wade and Bosh figured out a way to do something that they couldn't--not wouldn't but COULDN'T. The player was not nearly as powerful in their era as he is now. To me, it just sounds like sour grapes.
Not to mention the fact that LeBron WASN'T EVEN PLAYING HIS GAME in Cleveland. He is a born passer, a facilitator, a Magic Johnson not a scorer, ice-veined Jordan. He was unhappy. He didn't want to leave his home but did for the sake of his own happiness. Now, he gets to play HIS game, with HIS friends with an organization that has WON and has Pat Riley. Given the two options, who would not have done the same thing? It's not like this was his first contract. He gave Cleveland 7 years. It then became obvious that the relationship was clearly one-sided. So he left them. And I should feel sorry for them? Do you feel sorry when your lazy, selfish and short-sited friend gets dumped by a 10? No. Because you knew all along that it would happen unless your friend shaped up.
Sure, The Decision was awful and poorly ran. Should LeBron have spoken with Gilbert? Probably. But did the hottie call your loser friend or did she just take all her stuff and move out. Exactly.
I'm a Bulls fan so I will always root for them, but I wouldn't mind it if the Heat do go and 7-peat. A big middle-finger to every cry-baby owner who is upset that they didn't get their way. As a free market society, the better salesman (Pat Riley) will get his bonus. And LeBron, "King" James will be remembered as one of the best ever. Winning is the ultimate memory eraser. We always forgive the "villans" in sports if they win.
And a side note: Interesting that LeBron's nickname is "King". True leaders make tough decisions. And they make them usually to lengthen their reign and better the lives of those they love. The King made a tough decision. He left his home land because they wouldn't work with him. And his new Kingdom will reap the benefits. I say, "Long Live The King!"
I would agree somewhat if he didn't sand bag during the playoffs. Combine that with "the Decision" (Which was equally ESPN's responsibility. Shame on you, ESPN. You're supposed to be journalists, not PR people) and he just looks like a guy who decided to leave before the playoffs and gave up just so he could say that he's leaving to win championships.
ReplyDeleteA big thing is how he's going to handle himself in Miami, where he will be playing on Dwayne Wade's team. Say what you want, he is now second fiddle. He may be King, but Dwayne Wade is now the Emperor.
And yes, most people would do something similar, but we want our "role models" (if we can call them that) to be better than we are, and to have loyalty like Magic or Bird did. Gilbert built his team around LeBron hoping LeBron would be a franchise player and he has the right to be upset that his franchise player gave up on him in the playoffs and then bolted without even a heads up about his decision.
You use way too many capital letters in your blog. :-)
ReplyDeleteOk, seriously here's my take:
As a Yankees fan my team plucks the best players from the other 29 teams constantly either through trades or by outbidding each at the free agent table. Like you I have no problems with LeBron moving teams they way I have no problems with players signing with the Yankees for more money/prestige/titles.
I think what made everyone so upset was not the signing with the Heat as you seem to indicate in your blog. It was The Decision. Not just the show, (though that was a massive part in it,) but the whole proceedings in general.
For weeks LeBron PUBLICLY (I can use caps too) jerked teams around...and that's the key point here.
LeBron I'm sure is not the first player in any sport to jerk teams around. It happens constantly...but it also happens behind closed doors. What enrages fans, and I think rightfully so, is being toyed with. It goes back to the whole saying of "no one likes a tease."
I bring up the Yankees again. Of all the stars they signed, how many pulled public stunts like LeBron? Not even the self absorbed A-Rod pulled anything like "The Decision" when he opted out of his last Yankee contract 3 years ago. He didn't parade teams in for all to see. He didn't schedule a 1-hour TV special. He and Scott Boras worked behind closed doors and got the deal done to remain a Yankee.
What A-Rod did do is opt-out of his contract the day of the first game of the World Series that year (I think it was 2007 when the Yanks weren't playing) and he got blasted for being a glory hog for doing that. If people are going to rip A-Rod for opting out which 99% of the population knew he was going to do, it's not fair to say people shouldn't rip LeBron too.
As for the Cleveland factor, I disagree with many of your points.
1) Yes, it's Dan Gilbert's job to be a salesman, but he can only do so much. Cleveland has had a bad stigma to it for years. Jokes/videos/sketches are made about how bad the city is. It's up to the PEOPLE of Cleveland to turn it around not one man. Cleveland got a coup when they got the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. They need to expand upon things like that.
2)Most analysts disagree with you on your notion that the Cavs pocketed money they made of of LeBron and didn't spend it on other players. How you also seem to quickly forget The Cavs far and away had the best record in the NBA this year and that the Cavs were also the 1 seed last year too. Each signing they made was predicted a good move more than a bad one including the trade for Antwan James this year which ended up hurting the Cavs this off-season because they gave up an expiring contract for him. The Cavs built to win now to try to hold onto LeBron. Sadly for them it didn't work. This isn't like The Clippers, Pirates, Royals, (and for years) Cubs, who's owners truly don't spend money. The Cavs ran into a very good Celtics team this year (They have 4 marquee players) and a team in the Magic last year who exploited the weakness in the Cavs size. Those things happen. If the Cavs didn't make it to the playoffs or would constantly lose in the first round I think you'd have a point, but they made it to the Finals one year and were the number 1 seed in other years with LeBron and those rosters.
3) You wouldn't feel bad if a friend of yours got dumped by someone you perceived as being too good for them with no warning? Wow, I thought I was the Douchebag. So, if it happens to you should I tell you "tough luck Dan, but I don't feel bad for you?"
ReplyDelete4)You said LeBron made his decision because he wanted to go to a "winning franchise." Last I checked the Heat had only one 1 NBA title...not exactly Lakers and Celtics there. Also last I checked the Cavs made it farther the last few years than the Heat did in the playoffs. A "winning franchise" the Heat are not. Located in a great, lively city they are. Plus if he wanted to go to a "winning franchise" the Knicks, Clippers, and Nets shouldn't have even been in the running.
I don't have too much to add to this since I a) hate the NBA, b) think LeBron should have stayed loyal. But, I love this blog, Dan! :)
ReplyDeleteBobby, to answer your points in order:
ReplyDeleteFirst, I agree that HOW Lebron decided to announce his departure was a bad decision. And yes, I do think it may have heightened the reaction but the fallout would have been bad regardless.
As to the point about other athletes not pulling stunts like this, I dont think many others COULD nor do i think they wanted to. I could be naive, but i think basketball superstars shine brighter than other sports simply because they are more visible and there are less people on the court. Lebron and our fantasy football team could have made it to the NBA finals. A-rod still needs good pitching.
Also, i dont think players like A-rod have the outside-of-sports ambition that Lebron does. Granted this probably hurt him, but he took a risk to gain more eyes. Again, the way it was handled wasn't the classiest, but it was a first-time thing. I bet it's not exactly what he had in mind.
now to the numbers:
1) I would agree it's the people and the city that too are at fault for the lack of attractiveness to free agents. So instead of burning LeBron jersey's maybe they should burn their own---figuratively.
2) I still say the Cavs didn't do enough, or perhaps couldn't because of the things mentioned in point 1. The regular season means nothing. Boston was a mid seed this year and went to the finals. Teams built for the off-season are different than teams built for the regular season. The Mavericks and Suns both regularly are at the top of the west but have one Finals appearance between them in the last few years. To my point, the Cavs wanted LeBron to be a leader-scorer-MJ type which he isn't. They believed the hype they created. They needed to get him a top-flight scorer and weren't able to. Again, me, you, matt and judd with Lebron could have won 60 regular season games in the NBA. But we would have been ousted at least in the 2nd round of the playoffs if not before.
3. Read what I said. If the friend had chances to improve and didnt. It's like if a certain mexican friend of ours started dating a rich hottie. And the rich hottie told him over and over to get a job and the mexican didn't. Then the hottie left. I can't really feel sorry for the mexican because he could have prevented it by getting a job. The cavs could have prevented this by landing a better player.
4. Here you have a point. I think if it was PURELY for championships he would have went to chicago. I think playing with his friends was just as enticing. I think Miami was the best compromise because he gets to play with his boys in a state with no income tax and with the level of talent, the championships are implied.
Bobby, to answer your points in order:
ReplyDeleteFirst, I agree that HOW Lebron decided to announce his departure was a bad decision. And yes, I do think it may have heightened the reaction but the fallout would have been bad regardless.
As to the point about other athletes not pulling stunts like this, I dont think many others COULD nor do i think they wanted to. I could be naive, but i think basketball superstars shine brighter than other sports simply because they are more visible and there are less people on the court. Lebron and our fantasy football team could have made it to the NBA finals. A-rod still needs good pitching.
Also, i dont think players like A-rod have the outside-of-sports ambition that Lebron does. Granted this probably hurt him, but he took a risk to gain more eyes. Again, the way it was handled wasn't the classiest, but it was a first-time thing. I bet it's not exactly what he had in mind.
now to the numbers:
1) I would agree it's the people and the city that too are at fault for the lack of attractiveness to free agents. So instead of burning LeBron jersey's maybe they should burn their own---figuratively.
2) I still say the Cavs didn't do enough, or perhaps couldn't because of the things mentioned in point 1. The regular season means nothing. Boston was a mid seed this year and went to the finals. Teams built for the off-season are different than teams built for the regular season. The Mavericks and Suns both regularly are at the top of the west but have one Finals appearance between them in the last few years. To my point, the Cavs wanted LeBron to be a leader-scorer-MJ type which he isn't. They believed the hype they created. They needed to get him a top-flight scorer and weren't able to. Again, me, you, matt and judd with Lebron could have won 60 regular season games in the NBA. But we would have been ousted at least in the 2nd round of the playoffs if not before.
3. Read what I said. If the friend had chances to improve and didnt. It's like if a certain mexican friend of ours started dating a rich hottie. And the rich hottie told him over and over to get a job and the mexican didn't. Then the hottie left. I can't really feel sorry for the mexican because he could have prevented it by getting a job. The cavs could have prevented this by landing a better player.
ReplyDelete4. Here you have a point. I think if it was PURELY for championships he would have went to chicago. I think playing with his friends was just as enticing. I think Miami was the best compromise because he gets to play with his boys in a state with no income tax and with the level of talent, the championships are implied.
Jay, I dont think LeBron necessarily "sandbagged" it in the playoffs. I truly think he is a Robin that was marketed as a Batman. He's Magic and needs a Kareem. I think he's fine with being the number 2 to Wade. And i think he'll end up being the best number 2 ever.
ReplyDelete