Column: 'Heatles' fill the seats
NBA Column
Monday, Jan 3 2011, 11:12 pm
Gabe Whisnant
CHARLOTTE — The nickname had been bandied about in print and on the twittersphere before, so it may not be fair to give LeBron James full credited for dubbing the Miami Heat the “Heatles.”
But when asked about the packed venues the team draws, specifically on the road, James compared his star-laden squad to the Fab Four Beatles on Monday night before Miami faced the Charlotte Bobcats at Time Warner Arena.
“We sell out 99.9 percent of the time on the road, so we like to call ourselves The Heatles,” James said. “But we’re humbled by the opportunity to play basketball at a high level and to have 19-20,000 people come out see us and their home team play.
“It’s a lot of excitement for us too, because we like to play in a hostile environment.”
Since LeBron announced in the summer that he was leaving Cleveland and “taking his talents to South Beach,” when the Heat is in an opposing town, it’s half-basketball, half-spectacle.
Led by James, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh and Co., the Heat has become the team opposing fans loves to hate, arguably more than the Lakers or Celtics.
Overall, NBA fans have certainly switched their tune on LeBron. He was once the dominant opposing player that drew cheers on the road. Make no mistake, there were Heat jerseys mixed in among the Queen City faithful on Monday, but there were more boos than applause when his name was announced. The same went for Wade and Bosh.
Hate them or not, Miami makes it tough to not admire their talent. After Wade (31 points, 11 rebounds) sparked the visitors in a somewhat-sluggish first half, James (nine assists) pumped in 26 of his 38 points in the second half.
Bosh chipped in 11 points as the Heat steadily pulled away to win 96-82. The win was Miami’s 18th in 19 games as they’ve surged to second in the Eastern Conference.
But the bottom line … they pack the house. Charlotte’s downtown arena was an announced sellout for just the second time in 17 home games this season. Miami visits the Bobcats again on Feb. 4, and you can bet it will be full again.
There was much debate about whether the three All-Stars joining forces was good or bad for the NBA as a whole with two of the top offseason free agents — James and Bosh — signing with the same team. However, there’s no questioning that the Heat create a buzz wherever they play.
“We have three spectacular players in Bosh, Wade and James. They make everybody else on the team better,” said Jamaal Magloire, a Heat reserve and former Charlotte Hornet. “It’s somewhat of a spectacle when we go from town-to-town. It’s good that you have teams that can bring people into the seats, and we’re fortunately one of them.”
This fuggin' guy...
Lebron needs to stop talking.
Lebron as always, opening that wide ass mouth of his.
That kind of a creative name, too.
lol beatles>>>>cHEAT
"The Heat is more populor then Jesus Christ".
-Lebron James February 7, 2011
you know its coming.
So..
LeBron is John
Wade is Paul
Bosh is George
Coach Spo is Ringo
Too bad they didn't sign Shaq, he would have made a perfect Yoko.
at least he hasn't said they are more popular than Jesus like john lenon did...yet
lol at the butt hurt beatles fans
Bron Bron is a little bipolar. He rides the highest of highs and then the lowest of lows.
From calling the heat, The Heatles, to calling his coach out for playing him too much early on in the season when they were suckin.
all lebron has to do is say they are better than allah to have al qaeda on his back
" I'm a winner, that's why I didn't shake hands with Tim Duncan"
- Lebron James Game 4, NBA finals, 2011
after the Spurs swept the Cheat LOL
I better see a good photoshop out of all of this.
4 games earlier...after beating the KG-less Celtics.
"weeee stttaaackkkkked"
-Lebron James, Eastern Confernce Playoffs
So it begins ...
Every time LeBron opens his mouth I seem to hate him more and more.....don't athletes have publicists that keep them from saying stupid like this
so sons when will "Mark David Chapman" come around?
the Heatlers? I thought they were German team
what a jerk
p.s that cake looks ghetto as
There is just one Yoko here and thats Maverick Carter
Well, and who is Chapman? Cant wait
Well,it's right.
Everybody want to see them.That's the ing truth.
More popular than the Beatles? Sure they are rigth now.
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