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wow f'n james keeps on trying to justify his poor decision and keeps digging himself a larger hole.. stfu already.
LeBron on losing, shaking hands and getting dunked on
By David Aldridge, TNT analyst
http://www.nba.com/2009/news/feature...ron/index.html
TAMPA -- If he could turn back time, LeBron James would have stopped on his way out of Amway Arena and spoken to reporters after his Cleveland Cavaliers were eliminated in the Eastern Conference finals. But if you still think he should have shaken some Orlando Magic players' hands after Game 6, he must agree to disagree.
"I would definitely do the media," James said Thursday in some of his first expanded comments on both the handshake controversy and the controversy over a confiscated tape of his being dunked on this summer at his skills camp. "Looking back on it, without you guys, honestly ... there's really no, there's no LeBron, there's no Dwyane Wade, there's no Tiger Woods, there's no Peyton Manning and the rest of these guys that do the things and (are) seen every day."
"Looking back on it, (not) doing the media was basically the big part of why it happened, why it got out there, and why it's still going on. If I had it to do over again, I would definitely do the media."
But as far as declining to shake hands with the winning team, James continued to defend his decision.
"I look at the handshake like this," he said. "During the regular season, no one ever says anything. We play 82 regular-season games, eight preseason games, guys at the end of the game, no one ever shakes hands. Ever. And you move on to the next game. The congratulations, I congratulated Dwight (Howard) via e-mail, told him congratulations and good luck in the Finals. The shaking hands thing is really not a big thing for me. It's not I'm a sore loser or anything like that. I'm just moving on. You guys beat me ... I think sometimes people want you to accept losing, and I will never accept losing. There's ways to handle it certain times, and shaking hands may be it. But I will never accept losing, at anything that I do."
James spoke on Thursday at the National Association of Black Journalists' convention as a guest of NABJ's Sports Task Force. He was in town for a screening of his do entary More Than a Game, which will be released this fall after finishing as runner-up in the Toronto Film Festival last year to Slumdog Millionaire. The movie chronicles James' days at St. Vincent-St. Mary High School.
James also was promoting his new book, Shooting Stars, which is to be released along with the film. The book is co-written by James and Buzz Bissinger, the author of Friday Night Lights.
The 2009 NBA Most Valuable Player also shed light on the doings last month at his LeBron James Skills Academy in Akron, when a camper dunked over James during a pickup game. The dunk was taped by a freelance cameraman, who then had the tape confiscated by a Nike representative.
Initial reports implied that it was James who ordered the Nike rep to take the tape, which was ultimately returned to the cameraman after online media outlets found other tapes of the dunk and aired them on the TMZ.com and eBaumNation.com websites.
James denied ordering the seizure.
"First of all, I never told anyone to confiscate any tapes," James said. "Nike has a no videotaping policy at pickup games. They've always done that. It just so happened that LeBron was involved, so now it's blown up. But it's a play in the game of basketball that happens all the time. You can go on YouTube right now and see me getting dunked on by a lot of guys. I mean, I like to call myself a shotblocker sometimes, and that tends to happen sometimes, when you just don't judge the ball right."
During the 20-minute conversation, James expressed his excitement at playing with Shaquille O'Neal next season, calling him "godfather" of the NBA players and recalling that O'Neal came to one of his high school games. And James said he would have no problem playing off the ball next season if it goes inside to O'Neal first.
"I've never had a low-post presence since I've been in the league, he said. "I love it. I can defer to a teammate. If Shaq is going I'm OK, and if it's one of those nights when he isn't feeling it, I can take over ... I know one thing that's going to happen: You can't check Shaq one on one. I can use some of my athleticism when a double team comes and slash to the rim. He's a very good passer so he'll just throw it at the rim and I'll go get it. If I catch the ball in the spot-up (position) I can either drive it or pass it. You're at my mercy."
James was non-committal on the issue of whether he'll re-sign with the Cavaliers after this season, though he said that he loved playing in Cleveland and had no reason to leave, given the team that general manager Danny Ferry has assembled around him and the rabid fan support the Cavaliers receive at Quicken Loans Arena. The Cavaliers have begun discussions with his agent, Leon Rose, about a contract extension, but James is almost certain to opt out of the last year of his deal following next season and at least test free agency.
James also expressed hope that the league and the players' union could reach agreement on a new collective bargaining agreement. The two sides began talks this week, with a lockout in 2011 looming.
"I've spoken to some of the guys who were there for the last lockout," he said. "Ben Wallace was a teammate of mine and he went through the last one. It was awful."
wow f'n james keeps on trying to justify his poor decision and keeps digging himself a larger hole.. stfu already.
Grow the up.
As long as James doesn't attempt to shake hands when he wins--I got no problem with him declining the act when he loses.
It's not a game.
Massengill OR Summer's Eve?
it depends on which thong he's wearing.
Grow up.
I did. And Lebron's still a .
Little boy lebron james is simply put, a giant asshole!!!
LeBron is starting to get Kobe Bryant type level hate now. I cant find one thing wrong with anything that he said in that entire article.
^
yall jus jealous that he the best player in NBA right now
I don't think you understand what the word "jealous" means.
What a ing baby. Shake the hand and congratulate the winners you dumbass arrogant loser.
sons King Crab needs to stop taking himself so serious. he needs to take notes from his teammate Delonte West on how to enjoy life and have fun.
No no no he needs to develop that 'killer instinct'
I guess Lebron doesn't understand the difference between a regular season game and a playoff series where it's win or go home and you play the same team at least four times.
Having said that I've seen plenty of players shake hands at the end of regular season games.
And how is sending someone a congratulatory email any better than just shaking their ing hand, seems pretty ing gay if you ask me.
"Oh hey Dwight, just wanted to congratulate you guys on a well played series, bravo my dear friend.
Your truly and forever,
LeBron "King" James"
man his ego is getting to be too much.
referring to yourself in the third person is the biggest form of baggery there is
"You're at my mercy"...
Kneel before LeBron!
This is why I actually have Kobe in higher regard than LeBron. Kobe wants to rip your heart out on the court, and their is nothing wrong with that, but when its over he has no problem giving credit where it is due or shaking hands or anything like that. On those rare times someone gets the better of him or his team, he is gracious in defeat. That is the sign of a true champion.
the haterism is ridiculous. its mainly from the narrowminded morons that cant think for themselves so they buy into everything the media says, so if the media says hes a for it, these idiots do too.
Let's be real. The media didn't rip LeBron for not shaking the Magic's hand. Kobe didn't shake hands after getting slapped by the Suns, either. No one really gives a . The difference is, Kobe talked to the media afterwards and LeBron didn't. Sports journalists are the most butt-hurt, en led people in the media. They'll deny you the MVP if they don't like your at ude.
I pretty much agree with all this.
Not shaking hands is not a big deal at all.
But I agree Lebron should have talked to the media.
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