LeBron aims to upstage NBA Finals

[duncan228]

LeBron aims to upstage NBA Finals (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slug=aw-lebronshow060210)
By Adrian Wojnarowski

Free agency was forever LeBron James’ chase, the Championship of Me, and how fitting that he uses the most vacuous vehicle of our time – the “Larry King Show” – to upstage an NBA Finals rich with such history and substance. As the Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers gather for a championship series to remind us of what built the league, what made it great, here’s LeBron James with a public ode on LeBron James.

“I’m the ringleader,” he told King.

Only, he has no rings.

No judgment.

No shame.

He was talking about the free-agent crop of stars, because that’s mostly what James has cared about for two years now. He tried to win a title with the Cleveland Cavaliers. He has surrounded himself with a collection of sycophants and incompetents, sneaker reps and childhood buddies and middlemen whom he calls his team. Somehow, they couldn’t let him stay quiet until the playoffs were over, until everyone had pushed past the way he disappeared in the conference semifinals. He did a vapid sit-down with King to air on Friday night, and they made sure to leak out a transcript that drones out the start of the NBA Finals.

In so many ways, he’s a young Alex Rodriquez, so insecure with himself and his MVP awards, so desperate to find validation in the courtship of free agency.

“He seems more enthusiastic about this than he did trying to beat the Celtics,” said one Western Conference GM. “I mean, who goes on Larry King to talk about ‘When I become a free agent?’ ”

Different times, different measures of self. James refuses to see himself in the context of sport, in the lineage of those before him. There are two preps-to-the-pros stars in these NBA Finals – Kobe Bryant and Kevin Garnett – and sometimes people forget how much they struggled early on, how no one ever anointed them as skinny high schoolers leaping straight into the draft. They were talents, but they never had childhoods like James.

James climbed out of limousines at prep All-American sneaker camps. He wore shades and shirts which proclaimed himself King. He never learned to treat people with many manners, or to treat authority with respect. When he had something to say about himself, LeBron James never needed to consider the circumstances surrounding him. Now, it happens again. Free agency has enough hype without this selfish stunt, without him thinking that somehow everyone else is just a prop for his drama.

Two seasons ago, James marched into Madison Square Garden and sounded like a carnival barker, bellowing: “If you guys want to go to sleep right now and not wake up until July 1, 2010, then go ahead because it’s going to be a big day.”

He sat on a news-conference podium, with uncomfortable Cavaliers officials looking on, spitting out the date his personal playoffs begin: July 1, 2010. He loves to hear other free agents – Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh, Amar’e Stoudemire and Carlos Boozer – all insist this process starts with him. He loves that no can make a move in July until he does.

The NBA had always been about June, but LeBron James couldn’t stand this month without him. The Celtics and Lakers earned themselves this stage, a throwback rivalry that makes those in the ’60s and ’70s and ’80s so proud of the way these two teams, these champions, comport themselves. The Celtics and Lakers are the NBA’s test of time – Bryant and Garnett, Gasol and Pierce. They’ve come to understand that those teams, those uniforms, represent something bigger than themselves, something that’s sustained this league forever.

Maybe someday LeBron James will find it, but something tells you of the emptiness awaiting him in July. Eventually, he’s going to have to find a team, sign a contract and the Championship of Me will be over. All he’s ever truly wanted was to be the so-called ringleader of free agency, and it’s almost here, almost his now. All these years, all these stars who lived for June, and now maybe the most gifted of them all has never stopped talking about July. No judgment. No shame. The ringleader is still searching for something.

[Muser]

What a douchebag.

[Bob Lanier]

How can he "upstage" the Finals without the enabling and assistance of the media... oops.

[DMX7]

OMG, that avatar is kill me after my lungs explode from laughing.

[Spurminator]

Aside from the uniforms, what is it about this series that reminds anyone of what "built this league?"

If this was happening during a Spurs-Pistons Finals I doubt we'd be seeing this Wojnarowski column. How sorry of LeBron to draw attention away from one of only 3 or 4 possible Finals matchups the sports media can get themselves excited about.

[Cry Havoc]

People bow at this kid's feet when he's not even old enough to drive a car and then there's a big shock when he has an ego?

[Mel_13]

This does remind me of Arod announcing his opt out during the 2007 WS.

[TheManFromAcme]

Aside from the uniforms, what is it about this series that reminds anyone of what "built this league?"

If this was happening during a Spurs-Pistons Finals I doubt we'd be seeing this Wojnarowski column. How sorry of LeBron to draw attention away from one of only 3 or 4 possible Finals matchups the sports media can get themselves excited about.

Because the Lakers and Celtics ARE the NBA and because it's hard to put the uniforms aside.

LeBron is still a shallow kid.

[Goran Dragic]

This does remind me of Arod announcing his opt out during the 2007 WS.


That's the first thing that came to my mind too. An attention whore butthurt about never making a world series/NBA finals.

[The Gemini Method]

That's the first thing that came to my mind too. An attention whore butthurt about never making a world series/NBA finals.

Well, to be fair, LeBacle did make it to the Finals once...

[TheSpurglar]

Aside from the uniforms, what is it about this series that reminds anyone of what "built this league?"

If this was happening during a Spurs-Pistons Finals I doubt we'd be seeing this Wojnarowski column. How sorry of LeBron to draw attention away from one of only 3 or 4 possible Finals matchups the sports media can get themselves excited about.

:toast

[admiralsnackbar]

Man... remember Bron's first season when he was still poised and humble? Sad to watch people buy their own hype.

[Goran Dragic]

Well, to be fair, LeBacle did make it to the Finals once...


Wow I completely forgot that. Kinda shows how hollow that finals appearance was :lol

[Ashy Larry]

How can he "upstage" the Finals without the enabling and assistance of the media... oops.


he does have the media by the balls ...... hell, ESPN has the LeBron Watcher :lol


I mean, you can't blame him. He's got them on a string and it's the nature of the business. Reporting stories and trying to be the first one to break said story.

If LeBron took a shit in Central Park, that turd would represent he's signing with the Knicks .......

[rjv]

maybe james has come to understand what the cavs uniform is all about. failure.

[baseline bum]

Why is the media bitching about LeBron's media circus? If you think it's so wrong that LeBron is the story, then don't fucking write about him.

[Ashy Larry]

maybe james has come to understand what the cavs uniform is all about. failure.

well Mike had a huge hand in that, you take away the Bulls, the Cavs may have snuck out a ring. Same goes with the Hawks. Just Mike was being stingy and kept a lot of people from seeing the Promised Land.

[Mel_13]

LeBron James says he was humbled by Mayor Bloomberg pitching for him to come to New York, but is quick to point out President Obama's preference is for the NBA superstar to go to Chicago.

"I mean the mayor of New York is -- he's great. I mean he's -- he's done some great things. But it is humbling, and not just from the mayor of New York, but, you know, you had a President saying ... you know, go to Chicago," James said Tuesday.

"You have other cities and -- and other people wanting you to be a part of their city, wanting you to be part of their franchise. It's very humbling, because I work very hard at my craft and what I do. So it pays off."

http://www.nypost.com/p/sports/more_sports/full_transcript_of_lebron_interview_DlHDAiP4M9TuJ2 hTZYnrRO#ixzz0pjALRAWf

Just amazing

[The Gemini Method]

Wow I completely forgot that. Kinda shows how hollow that finals appearance was :lol

It wasn't much of a Finals though, so I can see how you missed it. It was, however, one of the few Finals I didn't watch from start to end.

[cobbler]

Man... remember Bron's first season when he was still poised and humble? Sad to watch people buy their own hype.

That didn't last long at all. He was minutes from being asked to go home from the 2004 USA team in Athens. One of the players on the team had to say... "the way you order volunteers around like they are your personal assistants, maybe a THANK YOU might come in handy".

Never before has so much been done for someone who has done so little.

[baseline bum]

well Mike had a huge hand in that, you take away the Bulls, the Cavs may have snuck out a ring. Same goes with the Hawks. Just Mike was being stingy and kept a lot of people from seeing the Promised Land.

I don't think the 92 Cavs would have gotten through Portland. The 93 team may have had a shot against New York, but no way I could see them beating that Phoenix team.

[duncan228]

he does have the media by the balls ...... hell, ESPN has the LeBron Watcher :lol

I mean, you can't blame him. He's got them on a string and it's the nature of the business. Reporting stories and trying to be the first one to break said story.

It's unreal. ESPN has the LeBron Tracker (http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/feature/index?page=LeBron-Tracker), SI.com has the LeBron Watch (http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/basketball/nba/05/19/may.19/index.html). I don't remember anything quite like it. :lol

[Ashy Larry]

I don't think the 92 Cavs would have gotten through Portland. The 93 team may have had a shot against New York, but no way I could see them beating that Phoenix team.

yeah, that Blazer squad was stacked and the Suns should have won that series.

Cavs, Hawks and many others just played in an era where Mike was head and shoulders above every and Scottie was arguably the best defensive player in the league.



It's unreal. ESPN has the LeBron Tracker (http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/feature/index?page=LeBron-Tracker), SI.com has the LeBron Watch (http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/basketball/nba/05/19/may.19/index.html). I don't remember anything quite like it. :lol

I haven't seen anything like this either. But I can see why. Having these players move to a different place could really shift the balance of power in this league. Imagine the revenue that would flow in if the Knicks landed LeBron, for him and the squad. You know everyone would be a Knix fan and Knicks jerseys would be everywhere especially since New Yorkers are everywhere.

[Killakobe81]

i dont have a problem with it ...

Lebron is a great player with a potential to be an all-time great ...

But he does have somethings he needs to work (post moves, jumper still solid 1 on 1 defense) on but he is 25 i hope he does ..

[Mr Bones]

I don't understand all the Lebron hate. He's clearly a great player, and it seems pretty obvious to me that he played hurt against the Celtics and didn't try to use the injury as an excuse. If anything, I think he's exceptionally gracious and mature in interviews. The only thing that needs work in my opinion is his free throw shooting and the decisions he makes regarding tattoos.

[HarlemHeat37]

Lebron is one of the best teammates in the NBA..unlike some other notable superstars, he has never said a bad word about his teammates, even when it was obvious(still is) that they aren't championship-caliber compared to the other elite teams..the media has tried to bait him into it many times..shit, even when Lebron talked about needing help in the past, he didn't mention any names or drop any subliminals..

Yes, he's a media whore..it's annoying, but that's the nature of superstar athletes, unless you're a Tim Duncan or Hakeem Olajuwon, it's a rarity..

[Goran Dragic]

After you go 4-13 you shouldn't be blaming your teammates.

[DPG21920]

After you go 4-13 you shouldn't be blaming your teammates.

That is lame. He does not blame his teammates, at least not publicly. He also put up sick numbers in the playoffs. If we are going to mock players for one bad game in the playoffs, then no one deserves anything.

[Goran Dragic]

He quit. I never said he blames his teammates, it was in response to HarlemHeat commending him like not blaming his teammates was some noble act. Quitters have no one to blame but themselves.

[DPG21920]

He did not quit. Why is it that certain posters are so quick to claim a player "quit" as soon as they have one bad game?

They chastise a player like Nash, then end up looking foolish. Their team loses one game, they curse them for having no heart, their team wins the next 2 and they end up looking foolish. People here throw accusations around wayyyyyyyy to causally imo.

[Goran Dragic]

A bad game and standing in the corner of the court trying to stay away from the ball are two different things.

[DPG21920]

Guy, he had 15/6/7 and got to the line 12 times. How does someone who quits get to the line that much?

[HarlemHeat37]

I wasn't talking about this season in that regard anyways..Lebron could have been blaming his teammates all these years, but he never did..again, MANY other superstars have done this..in fact, I'd say MOST superstars have done it..

[Goran Dragic]

Because he's Lebron James and can easily get to the FT line without a 100% effort.

Do you, in your honest opinion, believe Lebron tried as hard as he could to win game 5?

[DPG21920]

Do I think it was his best effort, no. But that is not the same as quitting. Yes, Lebron can get to the line, but to get there 12 times, is wayyy above average and shows at least a decent effort.

We can just agree to disagree, but I think that is a pretty heavy thing to say about a player that carries his team like that.

[duncan228]

Kobe plays, while all LeBron can do is talk (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slug=ap-timdahlberg-060210)
By Tim Dahlberg

It’s June again, and by now the script is getting awfully familiar. Kobe Bryant is in another NBA finals, providing the kind of star power the league relies on to make this must-see TV.

LeBron James? He’ll be on TV, too, pouring his heart out to the familiar guy in suspenders.

What? Oprah’s couch was unavailable?

The King on CNN’s “Larry King Live” should draw respectable ratings, too, if only because all of Cleveland will undoubtedly take time off from singing his praises to listen to his pronouncements. They’ll dissect every sentence he utters, rewind the DVR and listen again and again.

Thanks to King’s publicists, we already have a hint of what he will tell the people of Cleveland. It’s not much, just tidbit that might keep their summer from being ruined just as it was starting.

The city, it turns out, isn’t so bad after all, James says: “It’s comfortable. I’ve got a lot of memories here.”

Why those few words carry so much importance, of course, is that come July 1 the player who made Cleveland semi-cool will have a chance to flee for the Big Apple or any other place with an NBA franchise. They’re even more important because, since being unceremoniously ousted from the playoffs, James has said nothing about his future plans.

Not when Cleveland’s elite got together to sing a song imploring him to stay. Not even when Cleveland’s own Iron Chef offered to go to his house once a month and cook a meal for family and friends.

It matters that much in Cleveland. The very soul of a much maligned city seems to be at stake.

This wouldn’t play in LA. Then again, James isn’t playing in Los Angeles this June, either.

Bryant is, however, for the third straight year. That by itself is a remarkable streak, even if you subscribe to the theory that Pau Gasol and Lamar Odom help make up a far better supporting cast than Mo Williams and Shaq.

If the Lakers win this one—and the wise guys in Vegas have made them the favorites—Bryant will wear a fifth championship ring and likely will be part of conversations matching him against Michael Jordan as one of the game’s greatest players.

James isn’t in that conversation. Won’t be, unless he starts winning some titles.

Great talent, sure. Great player, too, at least when it comes to winning regular-season MVP awards.

But greatness is measured by titles won, not awards bestowed. History has a habit of rewarding winners and James still doesn’t have a ring after seven years in the league.

By that time in his career, Bryant already had won three titles. And though he may have lost a half step in recent years, he has reinvented himself with a different cast of characters.

Like James, Bryant is revered in the city where he plays. Unlike James, he’s made sure he is still playing when it counts most—in June.

Bryant has taken a team that looked dysfunctional at times during the regular season and all but willed them into the final against the Celtics. He’s done it in a businesslike yet purposeful manner, revealing as little about his playoff thoughts as possible.

To hear Bryant talk, it doesn’t matter that the Lakers and Celtics are playing for a title for the 12th time. Doesn’t matter that he and his teammates can extract some revenge from their loss to the same team two years ago.

Doesn’t matter that Phil Jackson can cement his lock on greatest coach ever by winning his unprecedented 11th title with two different teams.

All that matters is that the Lakers win.

That’s the singular focus of great players. So far, James hasn’t managed to zero in on that, no matter how much he wants it.

That’s why Bryant will be the most watched player on the court Thursday night when the Lakers meet the Celtics at Staples Center. It’s also why the only way you’ll see LeBron these days is to tune in to a cable talk show.

I won’t be watching because I’ve already seen and heard far more about James than I can safely digest. I’m tired of the incessant speculation about his future, tired of watching the people of Cleveland keep embarrassing themselves.

Call me when he wins a title.

[cobbler]

He did not quit. Why is it that certain posters are so quick to claim a player "quit" as soon as they have one bad game?

They chastise a player like Nash, then end up looking foolish. Their team loses one game, they curse them for having no heart, their team wins the next 2 and they end up looking foolish. People here throw accusations around wayyyyyyyy to causally imo.

The entire team quit.

[The Gemini Method]

The entire team quit.

Not true...Mariachi kept hitting it and didn't quit ;)

[Goran Dragic]

The entire team quit.


True, and in my book, when a team quits, that's a problem that starts at the top.

[Goran Dragic]

Not true...Mariachi kept hitting it and didn't quit ;)


Sup Lefty

[cobbler]

True, and in my book, when a team quits, that's a problem that starts at the top.

Agreed 100%

Lebron is a quitter.

[DPG21920]

Agreed 100%

Lebron is a quitter.

Is Kobe?

[Venti Quattro]

LeWhore lol

[ginobili's bald spot]

What's with all the teammate bashing? His teammates were good enough for this entire forum to be licking the Cavs nuts all year talking about how good they were and how they were going to win a championship. Oh snap the Cavs got Jamison! It's over now Fakerz lolz! His teammates were good enough to win 60+ games but now all of a sudden they are an excuse? :lol

[DPG21920]

Once again, teams that play hard every game and have Lebron are going to win a lot of regular season games. They don't coast like other teams do in the regular season. So using that argument does not hold water.

Sure, he had some good talent, but nothing like LA's.

[JoeTait75]

He did not quit. Why is it that certain posters are so quick to claim a player "quit" as soon as they have one bad game?

He did quit. He wasn't playing hard.

That was the difference between Game 5 and, say, Game 1 of the 2008 ECSF in Boston when he went something like 2-for-20. The latter game he was trying and failing. Game 5 he wasn't trying.

Bron in Game 5 looked like a kid sitting through class on the last day of school.

BTW, Woj has just been KILLING LeBron for the better part of a year now. Which is funny because Woj has ALWAYS been front-and-center with the LeBron FA speculation. That's practically all he's written about for 2-3 years.

Now he's going to get all shocked and appalled? He helped create this circus.

I'm not saying LeBron doesn't deserve to be thrashed. He does. I just don't think much of Woj wielding the whip.

[JoeTait75]

Even though that talent beat LA twice?

http://www.homehealthcareroi.com/images/8115-A_400_A.jpg

[DPG21920]

Regular season. Lebron had a very good team. I am not trying to say he had nothing. But they played hard the whole regular season so they pile up the wins.

LA clearly has the talent that makes the most impact.

[DPG21920]

CLE fans don't deserve Lebron.

[DPG21920]

Please. I have always argued LA had the most talent.

[DPG21920]

In fact, Cobbler gave me so much shit for saying "If you swap LA's team w/ CLE's and give Lebron LA's talent it would be scary".

[Venti Quattro]

Let's be clear here.

I've always thought that LA had the most talent and the more experience but Cleveland's talent wasn't shit and in fact it is championship-material if and when LeBron's cavaliers were clicking.

[Ghazi]

Please. I have always argued LA had the most talent.

Mmm, Boston has more talent I'd say. Maybe even Orlando. Cleveland has more depth, but Gasol >>> JAmison

I still say Cleveland had the talent to win a championship this year, although a big part of that is Lebron's transcendence.

[JoeTait75]

CLE fans don't deserve Lebron.

Well if it's gonna be like that, I think we deserve a guy who is going to answer the bell and play hard in a playoff Game 5.

And Bron, this demigod we don't deserve, has as many Finals wins as a Cavalier as Mark Price, Brad Daugherty, Terrell Brandon and Bobby Phills. And those guys didn't jerk around their team and city for years on end by being the biggest diva in sports.

I'm not seeing the returns from kissing this guy's ass, frankly.

[cobbler]

Is Kobe?

Yes

[DPG21920]

Let's be clear here.

I've always thought that LA had the most talent and the more experience but Cleveland's talent wasn't shit and in fact it is championship-material if and when LeBron's cavaliers were clicking.

I agree with this.

[DPG21920]

Well if it's gonna be like that, I think we deserve a guy who is going to answer the bell and play hard in a playoff Game 5.

And Bron, this demigod we don't deserve, has as many Finals wins as a Cavalier as Mark Price, Brad Daugherty, Terrell Brandon and Bobby Phills. And those guys didn't jerk around their team and city for years on end by being the biggest diva in sports.

I'm not seeing the returns from kissing this guy's ass, frankly.

Jerk around the city or give the city something to cheer for? You don't have to kiss his ass, but to turn on the guy for one game is ridiculous imo, especially when he has been a great teammate and done a lot for basketball in your city.

[DPG21920]

This is the attitude you should have, Joe. When a city hands over the keys to a player, and does everything they can to get him the talent needed to win, and he shows no loyalty, you should boo him like we did Kobe. This is why Laker fans are so great. We put team before the players. Shaq leaves... fuck him. Kobe asks to be traded...BOOOO!

:lol yeah, I see a lot of Boo's for Kobe now.

[cobbler]

:lol yeah, I see a lot of Boo's for Kobe now.

He's not asking to be traded now. He's winning us rings.

What is not to get?

[Venti Quattro]

This is the attitude you should have, Joe. When a city hands over the keys to a player, and does everything they can to get him the talent needed to win, and he shows no loyalty, you should boo him like we did Kobe. This is why Laker fans are so great. We put team before the players. Shaq leaves... fuck him. Kobe asks to be traded...BOOOO!

The reason why the Celtics and the Lakers have withstood the test of time is because of this. Both teams have many greats but the priority of the fans is always the decal on the front of the jersey.

[DPG21920]

He's not asking to be traded now. He's winning us rings.

What is not to get?

So what? He did, he spit in the fans faces and now the fans forgive him. Lebron has done nothing of the sort and these fans turn on him? Give me a break.

[Venti Quattro]

So what? He did, he spit in the fans faces and now the fans forgive him. Lebron has done nothing of the sort and these fans turn on him? Give me a break.

They're both being bitches with their actions, they only have taken different routes. In the end, it's the same shit. Don't you think that LeBron trying to upstage the finals between long-term rivals is a bitch move?

A good portion of the public has forgiven him, it's just obvious that the fans who are closest to him and the organization should be the first to.

[JoeTait75]

Jerk around the city or give the city something to cheer for? You don't have to kiss his ass, but to turn on the guy for one game is ridiculous imo, especially when he has been a great teammate and done a lot for basketball in your city.

Look, if LeBron doesn't play well and they lose, that's one thing. Especially considering how Boston performed against the Magicians.

I saw a guy who was not putting out. YMMV.

That's on a whole different level than just playing poorly and losing to a very good team.

Then throw in the FA thing, which has been a circus pretty much from the second LeBron signed his second contract. A circus LeBron has contributed to in a huge way.

He has been a boon to the city in terms of basketball and entertainment. No doubt. Bartenders, waitresses and restaurant owners in the area around the Q have a lot to thank for him as well.

But he still tanked a pivotal playoff game. And the Cavaliers were good enough to win the title this year. I said that all season and I still think it's the case.

[Goran Dragic]

So what? He did, he spit in the fans faces and now the fans forgive him. Lebron has done nothing of the sort and these fans turn on him? Give me a break.


Lebron has indirectly spit in Cleveland's face countless times. He's made it pretty clear he doesn't care about Cleveland any more than Kobe cares about LA.

[Goran Dragic]

A circus LeBron has contributed to in a huge way.


This. Lebron has only fueled the fire with stupid shit like wearing Yankees hats around and making an effort to show everyone how friendly he is with A-Rod and Jay-Z.

[midnightpulp]

This is the attitude you should have, Joe. When a city hands over the keys to a player, and does everything they can to get him the talent needed to win, and he shows no loyalty, you should boo him like we did Kobe. This is why Laker fans are so great. We put team before the players. Shaq leaves... fuck him. Kobe asks to be traded...BOOOO!

:lmao

There's probably more Kobe fans in Southern California than there are legit Laker fans.

And those BOOOOss sure didn't last long. The minute the "Mamba" started making a few shots, you short attention span, selective memory Faker fans started cheering him on as if the previous few months never happened.

I ain't hating though. That's just the way you guys are. Easily distracted by the next figurative shiny thing that's dangled in front of you.

[cobbler]

So what? He did, he spit in the fans faces and now the fans forgive him. Lebron has done nothing of the sort and these fans turn on him? Give me a break.

Sooo saying you want the team to honor their commitment and get players or trade me is unforgivable? Most fans I know said trade him. I was one of them. I am certainly glad they didn't. He has a work ethic that is 2nd to none and committed to trying to win for our team. When you win, forgiveness is soon to follow. So yes, we have forgiven the childish transgressions. The owners are happy, the players are happy, and the fans as well. All is good in Lakerland.

LBJ has been playing this media game all year and it's only going to get worse. IMO, I would rather have a player demand imidiate action as opposed to them holding something over your head for months on end.

Fact is he quit on the team. Regardless of the reasons, we all saw it just as we all saw it with Kobe in game 7 of Suns series. If LBJ returns to the Cavs and wins titles, the Cav's fans will forgive this transgression just as the Lakers fans forgave Kobe. To act as if the chastising isn't justisfied is just wrong.

He quit. Now how does he make amends?

[SomeCallMeTim]

What's with all the teammate bashing? His teammates were good enough for this entire forum to be licking the Cavs nuts all year talking about how good they were and how they were going to win a championship. Oh snap the Cavs got Jamison! It's over now Fakerz lolz! His teammates were good enough to win 60+ games but now all of a sudden they are an excuse? :lol

Bingo.

just the usual overreaction to every little thing. team goes on 13-game win streak, they'll never lose again. team loses 4-2 in the ECSFs, they suck. player has a bad series, there must be something defective in his DNA. etc.

[Venti Quattro]

Fans are like the media. Every player is just good as the last thing that the player does.

Nothing too surprising.

[21_Blessings]

:lmao

There's probably more Kobe fans in Southern California than there are legit Laker fans.
.

There's probably more obsessive Kobe haters like you than Kobe only fans.

[ducks]

you trade phil jackson and mike brown
cavs still fail
why james choked and quite

[midnightpulp]

There's probably more obsessive Kobe haters like you than Kobe only fans.

I don't hate Kobe. I just think he's slightly overrated compared to the hype he receives and I find it intellectually dishonest how his fans try to rewrite the history of the 3 peat as to inflate his legacy. In their minds, it's like Shaq never existed or was merely a "good" player and not one of the best to ever step foot on the hardwood. Speaking of which, the only Laker I truly hated was Shaq. All his shit talking, grandstanding, etc. Kobe has always been cool and respectful.

Don't have a problem with the "Mamba," but I can't stand the delusion of some of his fans.

[tlongII]

Adrian Wojnarowski is a hack.

[4>0rings]

Adrian Wojnarowski is a hack.:shootme

[SomeCallMeTim]

Adrian Wojnarowski is a hack.

Good writer but he definitely seems to have it out for LeBron right now.

[HarlemHeat37]

If you believe Lebron quit, that's on you..everybody has the right to their opinion..that doesn't change the fact that he's never threw his teammates under the bus and threw a fit about shit, which is rare, considering his stature..

Most players of Lebron's stature have done the opposite, so it deserves respect IMO..

[cobbler]

Some people respect unsporstmanlike quitters... others don't. As you say... everybody has the right to their opinion. :toast

[fmedrano1977]

Going to Chicago, book it! Obama will offer him a government job if he goes there.

[MaNuMaNiAc]

LeBron is an annoying egomaniac prick who's never won shit and people love him for it. Fans are so fucking desperate for someone to look up to that they'll eat whatever the media throws at them.

Personally, I hope the worst for the dumbass until he learns some fucking humility. Disgusting how this guy is worshiped.

[MaNuMaNiAc]

If you believe Lebron quit, that's on you..everybody has the right to their opinion..that doesn't change the fact that he's never threw his teammates under the bus and threw a fit about shit, which is rare, considering his stature..

Most players of Lebron's stature have done the opposite, so it deserves respect IMO..

so we've come down to admiring people for not being a complete douchebag? Not throwing your teammates under the bus is something to be expected, its called being a professional. The standards for admiration have hit rock fucking bottom.

[Darrin]

Lebron James as a black hat? Who woulda thunk with the way we annointed this guy. The longer he goes without a Championship, the worse things will become. There's usually a backlash against talents that don't make the Finals (Steve Nash the exception). People are trying to bring him back to earth now. I don't know if this is real or fake, James' obsession with Free Agency, but too much of this season has been on July 1, 2010. It was bound to cause a negative reaction in the press. They can only talk about how great and historic and exciting it is before people tune you out and try and watch some real basketball games. Don't read too much into what is being written, is my point. We'll have a lot of negative stuff said until he assumes the gold ball. If he does it next year after team hopping, he'll be a carpetbagger to most, a visionary to a select few. If he doesn't, they'll question his decision. This is too big for him now. Just focus on a team, sign with them, and stay as low-key as possible. But not too low-key, you could end up a malcontent. Of course, that ship has probably already sailed.

[Mel_13]

Adrian Wojnarowski is a hack.

Still mad?

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slug=aw-redflags091307

[TheManFromAcme]

Going to Chicago, book it! Obama will offer him a government job if he goes there.

:lol