Lebron James (Los Angeles Lakers)

[cincibuck]

The situation here is neither as simple as you put it nor so black and white. And I know, based on reading (and having a lot of respect for) your posts in the past, that you know this.

How so? It's one of the few businesses that drafts talent and then signs them to a contract that only one side can break for a specified period of time-- imagine being told you HAVE to play in a certain city for seven years despite the fact that you can't make as much money, don't fit their style of play, don't like the state's tax code--

Most of us on this board were "free agents" coming out of school. We were free to examine all of those tangibles and the intangibles and make a choice. LeBron had no such choice until now. The size of his contract does not change that principal.

Was the show a good idea? I don't think so and I didn't watch it, but I do know ESPN and the NBA loved it. Cleveland's problems are much bigger than LeBron James and major league sports. Recovery or death does not/will not rest on this decision.

 

[kn1f3party]

The two guys that signed with the heat and talked Lebron into going there? Why couldn't the Cavs sign those two? or someone like them?

First we have to be frank and admit Chris Bosh is overrated. And Dwayne Wade didn't leave, nor would he. He is the king of the Heat. He has stayed in good and bad times, he would have signed there regardless of where Bosh and James went. We just haven't had any opportunities to get free agents like these guys because there haven't been any--none that would realistically leave and none that we could make cap room for. We spent 7 years building a team around 1 player, he decided when he signed his extension where he was playing. The rest has been smoke and mirrors. The writing was on the wall back then that all of these guys were going to the Heat.

What is sad is that this is public knowledge, and he lays eggs in the playoffs this year... like a man that didn't care anymore. He gave up. Then he fucked the Cavs out of any hope at replacing him with a decent free agent. He gave the Cavs organization the finger. The way all of this has been handled is not worthy of adulation.

 

[AuTX Buckeye]

The two guys that signed with the heat and talked Lebron into going there? Why couldn't the Cavs sign those two? or someone like them?

They tried with Bosh (sign and trade), but he didn't want to go to Cleveland... This has been coming since he signed that BS contract in 06... the front office did what they could to get players around him because the free agents believed he wouldn't stay (and they were right) in Cleveland and they didn't want to be on the Cavs without Lebron.

Lebron wanted to "win now" the cavs did what they could with what they had. Some where questionable in hind sight.

Does anyone know the free agents we signed vs went after since 06? Did any of them play a signification roll?

 

[jimotis4heisman]

How so? It's one of the few businesses that drafts talent and then signs them to a contract that only one side can break for a specified period of time-- imagine being told you HAVE to play in a certain city for seven years despite the fact that you can't make as much money, don't fit their style of play, don't like the state's tax code--

Most of us on this board were "free agents" coming out of school. We were free to examine all of those tangibles and the intangibles and make a choice. LeBron had no such choice until now. The size of his contract does not change that principal.

Was the show a good idea? I don't think so and I didn't watch it, but I do know ESPN and the NBA loved it. Cleveland's problems are much bigger than LeBron James and major league sports. Recovery or death does not/will not rest on this decision.

umm actually he did. he could have not signed a contract after being picked, right?

 

[kn1f3party]

There's a big difference here in that he was no longer under contract. You and I don't work under a contract. We are free to find a new job anytime we like (sans 2 week notice). Cleveland was free to pursue any free agent that they wanted. It wasn't like they were led to believe he was not going to talk to other teams. They rolled the dice that they would get him back without a clear backup plan.

Nobody was waiting around until 9:15 last night to sign contracts. He bolted in the 11th hour. While unrealistic, would it be equally fair for the Cavs to hold off on signing him back and just decide not to when it was too late for him to sign with another team?

There is going to continue to be a huge marginalization on opinion of this because we have on one hand people that are loyal to the individual athlete and on the other that are loyal to the team. These two sides just won't find middle ground.

 

[AuTX Buckeye]

umm actually he did. he could have not signed a contract after being picked, right?

Or played out his Rookie contract instead he signed an extension.

 

[crazybuckfan40]

1. Cleveland didn't make LeBron. Do you remember where Cleveland was before LeBron joined the team? What about Cleveland's draft picks after LeBron?

Of course I remember where they were, but it is the fans and the city did all they could to put him on the map. Jersey Sales, billboards, believing him for his words

2. I'm not a Cleveland fan but I'll watch because LeBron was playing. Guess what, I'll watch more Miami games now. You've highly underestimated the number of people who follow individual professional athletes instead of a team. Do you not cheer for former Buckeyes that do not play for your favorite NFL or NBA team? I can remember watching Jim Jackson play on some crappy Nets, Golden State, and 76ers teams, but I still watched the games.

I understand watching good basketball. I will watch Kobe, because he is a good player, I will watch Turner, Oden, Conley, etc. But I am not rooting for Turner against the Cavs...The Cavs are my team.

3. To question the reasons why anyone that does things for their community makes you look silly. At least that person is doing something positive to give back.

Call it what you want, but to me it is like bring roses home to your wife, because you are cheating on her on the side.

4. There a lot of people posting in this thread that sound (Bitchmade).

Because we are frustrated in someone that we thought was one of us, left the way he did. He bent us over...There were other ways he could of done what he did.


You try and stand behind the guys that you think believe in what you do, and LBJ while he seemed about himself a lot, looked to be doing a lot for the city, and said a lot of things that were a lot of lip service.

From my favorite sports player to my most hated...That takes a lot...

 

[Tlangs]

My take:

a lot of people are complaining that "it's not that he left, it's how he left". To me that doesn't hold water. No matter how he left, battery throwing Cleveland fans would burn his jersey. He was in a no win situation. If he tweets his decision to sign with Miami he is a pussy for not going in front of the camera to explain his decision. If he does a traditional press conference, it would have been covered live by about 50 television outlets and the result would have been exactly the same....Lebron dumping Cleveland on national television. At least with the ESPN deal he set up he raised some money for charity.

To all the Cavs fans bitching that he couldn't win the big game and refused to take the big shot.......if that is all true, didn't he make the right decision to go to a team with a proven closer where he doesn't have to carry the load?

Good luck in Miami Lebron...your former owner's meltdown proves you made the right decision to get outta dodge.

 

[AuTX Buckeye]

How so? It's one of the few businesses that drafts talent and then signs them to a contract that only one side can break for a specified period of time-- imagine being told you HAVE to play in a certain city for seven years despite the fact that you can't make as much money, don't fit their style of play, don't like the state's tax code--

Most of us on this board were "free agents" coming out of school. We were free to examine all of those tangibles and the intangibles and make a choice. LeBron had no such choice until now. The size of his contract does not change that principal.

Was the show a good idea? I don't think so and I didn't watch it, but I do know ESPN and the NBA loved it. Cleveland's problems are much bigger than LeBron James and major league sports. Recovery or death does not/will not rest on this decision.

just for the record... I'd LOVE to have this problem... get paid millions of dollars to play a kids game for a living... I'd even play in tsun..

 

[OSU_D/]

First, Ohio State needs to remove itself of the LBJ23 line immediately. If they're still rocking his gear next season, someone's head should roll.

And if LeBron thinks he can claim Ohio State and still come to the Shoe, Tressel should take personal pride in putting a foot up his ass.

Agreed. We all know LBJ and his buddy WWW send recruits to Kentucky already so its not like it will cost OSU any favors from him.

 

[buckeyesin07]

How so? It's one of the few businesses that drafts talent and then signs them to a contract that only one side can break for a specified period of time-- imagine being told you HAVE to play in a certain city for seven years despite the fact that you can't make as much money, don't fit their style of play, don't like the state's tax code--

Most of us on this board were "free agents" coming out of school. We were free to examine all of those tangibles and the intangibles and make a choice. LeBron had no such choice until now. The size of his contract does not change that principal.

Was the show a good idea? I don't think so and I didn't watch it, but I do know ESPN and the NBA loved it. Cleveland's problems are much bigger than LeBron James and major league sports. Recovery or death does not/will not rest on this decision.

For starters, no one outside of about two or three people probably cares about the city in which you or I work. Millions care about where LBJ works. Beyond that, there's the whole school of thought that he used the cities of Cleveland and Akron as a stepping stone to build his public persona--he was the hometown kid who said he loved his city and would bring it a championship. Those statements made people adore him in Ohio (at least certain parts of it), and likely made impartial people outside of Ohio at least respect him more. And then he did what he did last night. I think that kind of background, among other things, are why it's not a good argument to say that this isn't any different from me leaving my job.

 

[kn1f3party]

For starters, no one outside of about two or three people probably cares about the city in which you or I work. Millions care about where LBJ works. Beyond that, there's the whole school of thought that he used the cities of Cleveland and Akron as a stepping stone to build his public persona--he was the hometown kid who said he loved his city and would bring it a championship. Those statements made people adore him in Ohio (at least certain parts of it), and likely made impartial people outside of Ohio at least respect him more. And then he did what he did last night. I think that kind of background, among other things, are why it's not a good argument to say that this isn't any different from me leaving my job.

This.

LeBron doesn't reach the level of adulation he has without the posturing he has done. Most fringe fans would not have even cared about him if he didn't play in to the Pete Rose stereotype.

Edit:

Furthermore, there aren't kids sitting at home wearing my jersey and idolizing me. How would Jordan have looked if he pulled this after three straight collapses to the Pistons before winning a ring?

 

[AuTX Buckeye]

quick note... doesn't the league have to approve of all these signing's and trades? not that stern has the balls to do anything but it would be funny if he put the kibosh on it.

 

[buckeyesin07]

My take:

a lot of people are complaining that "it's not that he left, it's how he left". To me that doesn't hold water. No matter how he left, battery throwing Cleveland fans would burn his jersey. He was in a no win situation. If he tweets his decision to sign with Miami he is a pussy for not going in front of the camera to explain his decision. If he does a traditional press conference, it would have been covered live by about 50 television outlets and the result would have been exactly the same....Lebron dumping Cleveland on national television. At least with the ESPN deal he set up he raised some money for charity.

To all the Cavs fans bitching that he couldn't win the big game and refused to take the big shot.......didn't he make the right decision to go to a team with a proven closer?

Good luck in Miami Lebron...your former owner's meltdown proves you made the right decision to get outta dodge.

This post (especially the final sentence) shows that you couldn't be less informed.

 

[jimotis4heisman]

http://www.buckeyeplanet.com/forum/...-ohio-gubernatorial-election.html#post1725338

wonder if gov strickland is still pimping out lebron? or if the DNC ads kinda backfired for them?