LeBron James says race played role in backlash to his decision

[Ashy Larry]

just another example of the white man keeping a blackman down.

damn pinktoe, patty crackers

[SomeCallMeTim]

Just read any darrin post and you'll get it.

Ah. Thanks.

[Bukefal]

LeBron James says race played role in backlash to his decision
By Kurt Helin

Did race play a role in the backlash -- both in the media and in the general public -- to LeBron James' decision to take his talents to South Beach?

LeBron James and his business partner and close friend Maverick Carter both said yes in an interview on CNN Wednesday night.

"I think so at times. It's always a race factor," LeBron said as part of a segment that focused largely on Carter.

"It definitely played a role in some of the stuff coming out of the media, things that were written," Carter said.

A lot of the backlash seemed to be focused less on the choice itself -- outside of Cleveland, anyway -- and more on what came off as an egotistical way to do it. But both Carter and James said that "The Decision" -- the hour-long show on ESPN announcing his move to Miami -- may have had something to do with that.

"The execution could've been a little better and I take some of blame for that," Carter said.

But James noted that the event raised $3 million for the Boys & Girls Club and any "heat" he took was worth it (something he said with a smirk after saying the word heat).

There certainly has been a lot of LeBron hate. The numbers back up what James and Carter have said about race.

Among blacks, LeBron's positive Q rating among dropped from 52 percent in January to 39 -- however his negative Q rating barely changed, going from 14 percent to 15. Blacks seemed to change what they thought of him, but to a more neutral stance.

Among non-blacks, LeBron's negative Q rating went from 24 percent to 44 after the decision.

Why different races reacted to the situation in very different ways would make an interesting study in race relations in America.

pff come on

Yes he got a lot of haters because of it, but to say race was a factor, that's just a load of crap. It did not have anything to do with it. I don't hate LeBron, but if he doesnt have any better thing to say, he should just not talk about it. Sad excuse.

[ducks]

james why is brett hated
why is mat leinhart hated
james you are making a bigger ass out of yourself
you should learn to shut that big pie hole of yours up
you ran to wades team
you quite on the team
you could be white and people would have bashed you the same for what you did

but wait you say white men can not jump

[kamikazi_player]

omg how can anyone read ducks post?

[HarlemHeat37]

james why is brett hated
why is mat leinhart hated
james you are making a bigger ass out of yourself
you should learn to shut that big pie hole of yours up
you ran to wades team
you quite on the team
you could be white and people would have bashed you the same for what you did

but wait you say white men can not jump

What a way to end the usual Ducks post full of greatness..

[Daddy_Of_All_Trolls]

I worked my way through this thread, lot of Lulz. Anyway, I am not here to judge LeBron. Honestly, as much as I bash him, what he did was his own choice. What happens as a result, he lives with, or ignores. Race may be playing an issue here, I don't know. All I do know is, LeBron is keeping the "Decision" and its ramifications alive by bringing it back up. If no one talks about it, it may go away. I don't see how he profits from defending what he already did. If LeBron wins multiple rings because of the "Decision" that's going to take years to happen. He said he wanted 8. That should take him until his late 30's if he can do it. 8 les in 12 years would be a remarkable feat. However, that outcome is still 12 year away. He may end up with 3 rings like Larry Bird. That's about the same time frame. If he wins more with his move than he could have won staying in Cleveland, then he made the right choice for himself. The future is a long way off. His dreams will succeed in full, partially, or not at all. Sit back and enjoy the ride. But focus on the journey, not the past.

[Giuseppe]

He said he wanted 8.

Well, pish posh.

[Daddy_Of_All_Trolls]

Well, pish posh.

They asked Magic Johnson after game 6 vs. Philly in 1980 how many more he wanted. He said "About 20". He got 4 more. IMO if LeBron beats Bird in rings, it's a huge success and everything above that is gravy.

[Ginobili2Duncan]

While I do not agree with the way LeBron handled his decision, I do think that this issue had some racial overtones. I think what older generation African Americans saw, was a black superstar athlete make his decision as a free agent. Then, a white owner puts a letter talking down on LeBron, putting curses on him and calling him a traitor. Most African Americans were offended whether you agree with it or not. Also, it certainly didn't help that the media only showed whites burning LeBron's jersey.

Some of my black friends who hardly ever watch NBA games side with LeBron on this issue. Meanwhile, some of my white friends, who do not watch any NBA games think LeBron was wrong for leaving Cleveland.

[TheMACHINE]

i thought white guys like slaves.

[TheMACHINE]

Some of my black friends who hardly ever watch NBA games side with LeBron on this issue. Meanwhile, some of my white friends, who do not watch any NBA games think LeBron was wrong for leaving Cleveland.

its like black people who think Mayweather is the best, while every other race things pacquiao is.

Cant go against your race son.

[Ginobili2Duncan]

its like black people who think Mayweather is the best, while every other race things pacquiao is.

Cant go against your race son.

Matt Ryan vs Micheal Vick in Atlanta also had some racial overtones too.

[DeadlyDynasty]

i thought white guys like slaves.

we tolerate them...that cotton's not gonna pick itself

[ezau]

lol as usual, ezau aka deadwifedynasty gets regulated by trying to bring up Holocaust smack.

you're such a winner, just like your uncles and aunts who got skunked by the Fuhrer

[Deimosfobos]

I didn't know Lebron was white in Cleveland...

What color was Jordan again?

[duncan228]

Charles Barkley on LeBron: "Just when you think it couldn't get any stupider..."
By Kurt Helin

Well, the chances of Charles Barkley and TNT getting a one-on-one sit down with LeBron just fell to below zero...

Charles Barkley went on WIP in Philadelphia with Howard Eskin and Ike Reese, primarily to talk about football because... sorry, don't have an answer for that one. But Barkley talked McNabb coming back to Philly Sunday.

Then, of course, somebody asked him about LeBron saying race played some role in the backlash to his decision and... here we go:

"It's like watching a movie. Just when you think it couldn't get any stupider, it gets more stupid...

"Howard I'm telling you. Sometimes you just say he's making bad decisions and you're like okay, he's gonna get it together. Then he makes more bad decisions. The thing that's interesting about LeBron, I don't think Magic, Michael, and myself, we said we wouldn't have did it. That's not a criticism. We were asked a question. I don't want to play with Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, or Michael, I want to beat them. That's strictly basketball. The only criticism I've heard about LeBron and it was my biggest criticism, that decision thing was just stupid. It was stupid. The second thing when they all came out there dancing around on stage, that was silly. That's the only thing I've heard LeBron get criticized about. That has nothing to do with race. That's what makes this last thing so stupid. That's stupid. The only criticism of LeBron has been the decision and the one hour of our life that we can't have back. And ESPN, oh my God. Oh my God. To go down to training camp and report everyday is one of the most ridiculous things I've ever seen. I'm watching yesterday and one of the guys actually said LeBron looked fierce in practice. I'm like fierce in practice? What the does that mean? He was fierce in the second day of training camp. You're like come on man, he really didn't say that did he. This summer with LeBron and all the stuff that went on is like a bad movie. You just can't make this stuff up."

No you can't make stuff like this up.

[ogait]

"It's like watching a movie. Just when you think it couldn't get any stupider, it gets more stupid..."

Barkley calling it like he sees it. Just another mental note for Lebron I guess.

[Jt.ONE]

i officially believe lebron is the dumbest idiot on earth.

[ezau]

Charles Barkley on LeBron: "Just when you think it couldn't get any stupider..."
By Kurt Helin

Well, the chances of Charles Barkley and TNT getting a one-on-one sit down with LeBron just fell to below zero...

Charles Barkley went on WIP in Philadelphia with Howard Eskin and Ike Reese, primarily to talk about football because... sorry, don't have an answer for that one. But Barkley talked McNabb coming back to Philly Sunday.

Then, of course, somebody asked him about LeBron saying race played some role in the backlash to his decision and... here we go:

"It's like watching a movie. Just when you think it couldn't get any stupider, it gets more stupid...

"Howard I'm telling you. Sometimes you just say he's making bad decisions and you're like okay, he's gonna get it together. Then he makes more bad decisions. The thing that's interesting about LeBron, I don't think Magic, Michael, and myself, we said we wouldn't have did it. That's not a criticism. We were asked a question. I don't want to play with Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, or Michael, I want to beat them. That's strictly basketball. The only criticism I've heard about LeBron and it was my biggest criticism, that decision thing was just stupid. It was stupid. The second thing when they all came out there dancing around on stage, that was silly. That's the only thing I've heard LeBron get criticized about. That has nothing to do with race. That's what makes this last thing so stupid. That's stupid. The only criticism of LeBron has been the decision and the one hour of our life that we can't have back. And ESPN, oh my God. Oh my God. To go down to training camp and report everyday is one of the most ridiculous things I've ever seen. I'm watching yesterday and one of the guys actually said LeBron looked fierce in practice. I'm like fierce in practice? What the does that mean? He was fierce in the second day of training camp. You're like come on man, he really didn't say that did he. This summer with LeBron and all the stuff that went on is like a bad movie. You just can't make this stuff up."

No you can't make stuff like this up.

I never thought I would say this, but Lebron's summer antics are a lot worse than all the Twilight movies combined.

[Giuseppe]

i officially believe lebron is the dumbest idiot on earth.

Though Hussein Obama is giving him a legit run for his money.

tee, hee.

[gmartin02]

Race is still a serious issue in America.

I admit, I do view a black person differently than someone who is white. It's more a 'my kind, their kind' at ude. I find that I've gotten more tolerant as I've grown older, but the progress is not fast enough for me to have any pride in that.

Two summers ago I was mugged by two people (black) in Franklin, IND. I spent the rest of my time there afraid of men and afraid of African American men in particular. I was aware of this, but my emotions were still getting the best of me. I would often find myself in tears, similar to what happens when I think about the brawl that destroyed the hopes of my Indiana Pacers.

I would flinch walking down the street. I felt the obvious emotional turmoil a crime creates, but I also discovered that when I was pushed to the edge, I had latent tendencies to evaluate solely on skin color.

With the economy as bad as it is here in Hawthorne, IND, I fear I am not the only one who will be subject to a crime that deepens racial tensions. It has made me more vigilant on things like racial issues. I don't want to hand racist tendencies to my future children, and that means we have to even out our society, and do it quickly before we revert to the traditional American view on skin color, as I sadly did 2 summers ago.

You'll have to excuse me, I always feel like a blubbering child when I write on this topic. It's the same way I feel when I write about the Pacers-Pistons brawl that left me in tears of rage.

Sounds like you need to be mugged by by a couple of white guys - then you won't associate mugging with skin color - you can just be scared by everybody equally when you walk down the street.

[gmartin02]

Though Hussein Obama is giving him a legit run for his money.

tee, hee.

Birther slime - go back to your Tea Party meeting

[duncan228]

George Karl: Jealousy to Blame for Criticism of LeBron's 'Decision'
By Chris Tomasson

It's not racism. It's jealousy.

At least that's the word from Denver coach George Karl.

Karl told reporters Saturday he doesn't believe there's racism attached to the criticism LeBron James received for his ESPN "The Decision'' show last July in which he announced he would leave Cleveland as a free agent for Miami. In a CNN interview earlier this week, James and his manager, Maverick Carter, said there were some racist overtones to it when asked if race was a factor.

"People are jealous,'' Karl said of James going to Miami. "The guy's making a lot of money. Some people are thinking he might be the best player ever to play the game of basketball. There was something to those two or three days (around when James announced his decision) that just didn't feel good. So you got to blame somebody, don't you? You can't blame the system.

"I think LeBron is tremendous for the game. I think he's worth every penny he's getting paid. But I don't think it's a race situation. It's like, I like looking at pretty women but I don't think I'm a sexist. I think I'm very open to women's rights but I do think they're pretty.''

Karl believes seeing Heat president Pat Riley pull off the coup of landing James and fellow free agent Chris Bosh to join a re-signed Dwyane Wade also played a role.

"We were probably jealous,'' Karl said of the Nuggets' thinking when Miami assembled its superteam. "We were scared that MIami is going to win the championship. There was talk of Riley succeeding at doing something that nobody thought (possible). All of us who have been beaten by Riley probably got some conscious anger because of that.''

Riley has won five les as an NBA coach. He beat Karl just once during those championship drives, his Lakers defeating Karl's Golden State Warriors 4-1 in a 1987 West second-round series.

[Giuseppe]

Birther slime - go back to your Tea Party meeting

Gotcha!