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The W - Basketball - LeBron James to the Miami Heat (Page 2)
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It's False
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Since: 20.6.02
From: I am the Tag Team Champions!

Since last post: 2190 days
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#21 Posted on | Instant Rating: 4.27
    Originally posted by Dan Gilbert
    "I PERSONALLY GUARANTEE THAT THE CLEVELAND CAVALIERS WILL WIN AN NBA CHAMPIONSHIP BEFORE THE SELF-TITLED FORMER ‘KING’ WINS ONE"

    You can take it to the bank.



I can appreciate Dan Gilbert trying to soften the blow that his fanbase has just been dealt, but unless Carmelo Anthony's walking through that curtain, this is a lottery team now and possibly for the next 10 years.

Not that I wouldn't love to see it happen, just so Bill Simmons could rename the "Ewing Theory" into the "LeBron Theory".

(edited by It's False on 8.7.10 2031)



MD: You have to win, no matter what.
SC: Why didn't you try that this year?
Psycho Penguin
Liverwurst








Since: 24.6.07
From: Greenacres FL

Since last post: 4909 days
Last activity: 4905 days
#22 Posted on | Instant Rating: 1.05
    Originally posted by DirtyMikeSeaver
    Things I Saw On Twitter After The Decision:

    I wonder if Erick Spoelstra has gotten the call yet informing him that he wants to spend more time with his family.

    So the Knicks sending Isiah Thomas to talk to Lebron didn't work. I DID NOT EXPECT THAT.

    The Heat getting Lebron and Bosh will probably cut down on Joel Anthony's late-game touches, huh?

    Yo I just bought a 7 bedroom mansion in cleveland for $723 and a pair of low top gucci sneakers........

    I just googled cleveland & google said no matches found the city has disappeared

    I googled cleveland it said "man fuck you"

    (BTW, this is the best thing to happen to the NBA. Every league needs it's Yankees/Duke/Patriots/Cowboys for the country to hate and now they have it. NO ONE outside of Miami will cheer for this team now.)


Those are all awesome (especially the last one), but the NBA now has that team? Really? A former dynasty hasn't won the last 2 titles with Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol and now Ron Artest? The Celtics (who got two big name players like Miami just did, though not quite as big) didn't win it the year before that and almost won it this year? Now the NBA has that team?



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"I think that in five years, Orton is far more likely to be in Billy Gunn Land than being a major player in WWE." - Big Bad - 11/22/03
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Scrapple








Since: 4.1.02
From: Dorchester, Ontario

Since last post: 1917 days
Last activity: 1486 days
#23 Posted on | Instant Rating: 5.75
    Originally posted by JayJayDean
    And also, please don't give me the "ESPN show makes it worse"-nonsense. Would a press conference be any better? *picture LeBron holding a Heat jersey with "JAMES" across the back* That would've been somehow LESS insulting that this?


Yes. Because if James had done that, then he'd just be like every other superstar who left for free agency. Instead, he got all big-headed and had this hourlong FU to the Cavs and the city of Cleveland. It was a douchey move all around.

Go Cavs go.
StaggerLee
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Since: 3.10.02
From: Right side of the tracks

Since last post: 928 days
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#24 Posted on | Instant Rating: 1.63
It's funny that the owner in Cleveland is so full of venom. Only one team a year wins the title, and they couldn't do it with the reigning two time MVP? Seems to me he should be saying "thanks foe filling our arena for the past few years and lining our pockets, sorry the only star we could get to help you was the very old, very frail Shaw."

Stefonics
Frankfurter








Since: 17.3.02
From: New Jerusalem

Since last post: 2386 days
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#25 Posted on | Instant Rating: 0.45
I've been trying to rationalize this move since he made his announcement and I just can't do it. From a purely basketball perspective, this decision makes zero sense. He is going to Miami be the Alpha 1-A Dog. As has been said, his legacy will now be that he couldn't get it done by himself. He needed a "superteam". There is no Balboa to his Creed. His "brand" suffers and falls flat unless he changes it to "Plays Well With Others". If he wins, he didn't do it without significant help. He climbed the mountain without being THE man. If he loses, who does he point the finger at? All Star A or All Star B? Because he didn't sign on for the supporting cast.

I'm not a basketball purist, but something feels very wrong about Miami having these three players. Miami is a beautiful place. I love it. But the city doesn't give a shit about basketball unless its team is winning. It's a horrible fan base. Basketball matters in Cleveland, Chicago, New York, and New Jersey. He picked the city with arguably the most character, but the fan base with the least. And that's why it's a perfect fit. You have three world class players and 9 towel boys playing for a city where almost everything is appearance without substance.

So next season, if it's Lakers vs. Heat in the finals, who does America root for? And how long until Riles takes command?





"What you don't understand, you can make mean anything."
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TheOldMan
Landjager








Since: 13.2.03
From: Chicago

Since last post: 3276 days
Last activity: 1488 days
#26 Posted on | Instant Rating: 4.86
    Originally posted by Wpob
    I think Wade and Bosh mindfucked him into thinking this was a good idea and no one in LeBron's posse had the balls to tell him this was a bad idea.


I can't imagine that there was anyone in LBJ's posse that thought it would be a bad idea to relocate to South Beach.

Let's see what the contract numbers add up to before dooming the SuperHeat, but I think these players may be a little too clever setting this up - it's not going to be like USA-Angola for five straight years. James can start chasing down Scottie Pippen's legacy of "best sidekick in NBA history" (Or is it Bob Cousy?).



StaggerLee
Scrapple








Since: 3.10.02
From: Right side of the tracks

Since last post: 928 days
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#27 Posted on | Instant Rating: 1.63
    Originally posted by TheOldMan
      Originally posted by Wpob
      I think Wade and Bosh mindfucked him into thinking this was a good idea and no one in LeBron's posse had the balls to tell him this was a bad idea.


    I can't imagine that there was anyone in LBJ's posse that thought it would be a bad idea to relocate to South Beach.

    Let's see what the contract numbers add up to before dooming the SuperHeat, but I think these players may be a little too clever setting this up - it's not going to be like USA-Angola for five straight years. James can start chasing down Scottie Pippen's legacy of "best sidekick in NBA history" (Or is it Bob Cousy?).


How is Lebron, the MVP of the NBA automatically relegated 5o side kick status?

And, why are we saying the other nine are towel boys? They are. in the NBA, they are pros. Wouldn't playing with better players help them elevat their game?

Are you telling me Stockton and Malone wouldn't have benefited from an MVP caliber addition to those great teams they had?
Peter The Hegemon
Lap cheong








Since: 11.2.03
From: Hackettstown, NJ

Since last post: 51 days
Last activity: 21 days
#28 Posted on | Instant Rating: 7.06
    Originally posted by thecubsfan
    Up on Cavs.com, and I'm going to quote here before Stern has the website taken offline or something

    In the meantime, I want to make one statement to you tonight:

    "I PERSONALLY GUARANTEE THAT THE CLEVELAND CAVALIERS WILL WIN AN NBA CHAMPIONSHIP BEFORE THE SELF-TITLED FORMER ‘KING’ WINS ONE"

    You can take it to the bank.

    Dan Gilbert
    Majority Owner
    Cleveland Cavaliers



And if that doesn't happen, the fans get what? Because the only way it's happening is if Lebron never wins a title.

Had to mention this: a student in my LSAT class tonight left 45 minutes early (from a class he's paying a lot of money to be in) to watch this. I mean, I could understand leaving to watch an important game, but this?
TheBucsFan
TheChiefsFan








Since: 2.1.02

Since last post: 3507 days
Last activity: 3507 days
#29 Posted on | Instant Rating: 2.52
I'm definitely on the Cavs' side in this dispute, but I think Gilbert really would have been better off keeping his mouth shut. For one thing, he just looks stupid with the championship vow - I'm skeptical of Miami's chances of winning one with this trio, but they surely have a better chance than the Cavs minus Lebron.

But also now he's saying James "quit" during the playoffs (Here's an ESPN story about it) and that James is carrying the curse of Cleveland sports away from him and so on. He really just sounds like a jilted ex-lover, which I guess isn't that far from the truth, but there's just no point in saying these things right after you were trying to break the bank to keep him around.

I would very much like to see the Cavs win a title next year without Lebron, though, somehow. Or maybe just upset the Heat in the playoffs, that will be good enough.

EDIT: I also agree with Gilbert that James looked like he didn't really give a shit in most of that series with the Celtics. I think I remember a lot of people saying things to that effect at the time as well.

(edited by TheBucsFan on 9.7.10 0405)


redsoxnation
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Since: 24.7.02

Since last post: 3914 days
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#30 Posted on | Instant Rating: 5.91
I'll give this to Dan Gilbert: In an era of political correctness where no one says anything to offend anyone, he showed guts and said 'Fuck us! Fuck you!'. Only thing missing was 'I hope he blows out his knee'. I'm sure he'll be writing a check to the NBA for a fine from Stern, but, at least he showed he cares rather than 'we wish him well'.
El Nastio
Banger








Since: 14.1.02
From: Ottawa Ontario, by way of Walkerton

Since last post: 34 days
Last activity: 19 days
ICQ:  
#31 Posted on | Instant Rating: 3.85
Gilbert's letter is a highlight for sure.


    Originally posted by TheBucsFan
    EDIT: I also agree with Gilbert that James looked like he didn't really give a shit in most of that series with the Celtics. I think I remember a lot of people saying things to that effect at the time as well.


Here alone we have;

    Originally posted by CajunMan
    As for Lebron, NY going to eat you alive if you perform when you feel its necessary.


    Originally posted by The Game
    It seems that LeBron is not pushing himself 110% like an MVP should (Charles Barkley said he believes LeBron is still the best player in the world but he said he did not see the aggressiveness of an MVP that should have came in a very important game 5).....

    I know LeBron is still very young and has been in the league for 7 seasons but at this pattern, it does seem LeBron is heading towards the names of Karl Malone, Elgin Baylor and others who are some of the greatest players but have no rings to show for their accomplishments.


    Originally posted by StingArmy
    I'm not going to sit here and say that LeBron did everything he could to help the Cavs win, but after the way the rest of the Cavs played in Game 6... come on. That was absolutely pathetic. He/they had no chance.....

    LeBron's out-of-body experience from Game 5 was more or less inexcusable (and I'm STILL looking for a palatable explanation of wtf THAT was all about) but the sheer ineptitude of Williams, Jamison, Varejao, and Shaq in Game 6 was stunning. Stunning.


    Originally posted by BigDaddyLoco on the Delonte West situation
    It would be one of the few things that would make the way Lebron played seem acceptable.




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Since: 5.9.08

Since last post: 1672 days
Last activity: 1511 days
#32 Posted on | Instant Rating: 1.58
The real problem for LeBron was this one hour special. It created the aura of someone feeding their ego. He should have done a small press conference and called it a day. I do think a tweet like Durant did would have pissed more people off. He didn't come off looking good and it was pretty uncomfortable especially showing him the jersey burning. Even when he announced going to Miami, the kids in the audience were more shocked then happy for him. His agent probably should have re-thought this when the grumblings started as soon as this was announced. Maybe a half hour would have been fine. As for not telling Cleveland first after Gilbert's jilted lover letter, I don't really blame him too much.

He was in a no-win situation with this process. Bosh forced the issue with turning down the sign and trade. He has no shot of winning in Cleveland for the next few years. They had seven years to help build LeBron into a championship and failed. Granted some of that falls on LeBron as well, but they never got him the Pippen, Worthy, Parish or Manu that every champion had. The Celtics are all coming back as well as the Lakers. Miami had Bosh and Wade, the Magic has Dwight and good role players around him. He looked at the almost near impossibility of winning with what he had in Cleveland and made a good choice. Granted, I think the Bulls would have been good as well. Yet, who wants to play in the shadow of MJ. Jordan's legacy is going to hurt the Bulls for years to come. The Knicks and Nets real problem is their media would have eaten him alive if he didn't win in year one. I also disagree with Miami having nothing. We don't know the contracts for the new Big 3 and they drafted DeShane Jackson from West Virginia. If he comes back from his injury healthy, he maybe the steal of the draft. Also, there are going to be other free agents who will take less to make more later with a ring in their pocket when they come back to free agency in a year or two.

As for Cleveland, as a Pittsburgh fan, I pity them. Also, it makes me glad, we don't have an NBA team because this would happen every year to us.
whatever
Bierwurst








Since: 12.2.02
From: Cleveland, Ohio

Since last post: 1447 days
Last activity: 1407 days
#33 Posted on | Instant Rating: 3.93
1) Thanks ESPN for painting all of Cleveland like lunatics. One set of guys sets a jersey on fire and that's all they show. Not that it looked staged or anything *rolls eyes*.

2) I've been thinking this over and I have to conclude: Miami is going to win and win a lot. If everyone thinks that the Cavs are done, that LeBron had no supporting cast to note and he carried them all by himself to the 2007 Finals and back-to-back 60 win seasons, then what do you think he'll do with Wade, Bosh, (Miller?), and a collection of broomsticks? As long as he doesn't quit on his team like he did this year, he's proven to be a workhorse through the season and playoffs. Scoring will not be an issue, and as long as they get some defense from the rest of the team I think they'll go far.

Plus, they have an ex-Cleveland star on their team. GUARANTEED CHAMPIONSHIP.

3) In hindsight, as soon as Bosh and Wade announced their plans, I should have known 100% LeBron was going too. He's always been a frontrunner, being a longtime fan of the Yankees, Cowboys, and Bulls. For him to play on a dynasty would presumably be his dream.

4) Smart move by Gilbert to play on Cleveland's emotions to keep support going for your team.

    Originally posted by StaggerLee
    How is Lebron, the MVP of the NBA automatically relegated 5o side kick status?
    ...
    Are you telling me Stockton and Malone wouldn't have benefited from an MVP caliber addition to those great teams they had?
Wade was in Miami first, won a championship, and LeBron came to him. Miami is Wade's place, he is clearly the alpha dog there. If another superstar had joined Stockton and Malone, clearly they would have been subordinate to the superstars who had been there previously and established their team leadership. Jordan is about the only exception I can think of to this as he had such a domineering presence. LeBron is no Jordan. That said, that's also why I think this may work - LeBron will do anything to win, be it scoring, defending, or assisting his teammates. This will definitely work in Miami's favor.




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Since: 5.5.09

Since last post: 3815 days
Last activity: 3815 days
#34 Posted on | Instant Rating: 1.35
The expectations are extremely high for the Miami Heat and if they fall just slightly short of a championship, everything will be deemed a failure.

Going off the Bull dynasty; Jordan had Pippen (both listed on the 50 greatest players of all time and both Hall of Famers), but the Bulls also had a great supporting cast in their 2 3-peat seasons. The first Bulls 3-peat had Horace Grant, John Paxon, BJ Armstrong, Bill Cartwright and others. The second 3-peat had Dennis Rodman, Ron Harper, Steve Kerr, Luc Longley and others as well. The point being is though the Heat have LBJ to go along with Wade and Bosh, the Heat may find themselves short of winning a championship if they cannot find at least a couple good role players off the bench (then again, some people may come to the Heat with a minimum contract to play for a championship team and or the new big 3 can help others elevate their game as well).

I feel really sorry for the city of Cleveland (and I wish he stayed) but to face an argument, Cleveland perhaps wasn't going to win a championship unless they had another superstar to help LeBron (the Scottie Pippen to Michael Jordan if you will). Cleveland has a bunch of good role players as many teams would envy but LeBron didn't have that secondary superstar to carry them over the hump.

And to jump on the bandwagon and also because I am old-school in terms of sports, I think LeBron having an hour special was simply ego-driven compared to the other free agents who just signed with their new team or stayed and the rest of us either found out on ESPN or somewhere on the internet instead of tuning in for one guy to find out where he is going. If LeBron did matters behind closed doors and with an explanation, it still would have hurt for Cleveland but having your decision on national TV is a definite big F-U to Cleveland fans.

It is definitely going to be an interesting year for the 2010-2011 NBA season.



Von Maestro
Boudin rouge








Since: 6.1.04
From: New York

Since last post: 2596 days
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#35 Posted on | Instant Rating: 4.50
LeBron has accomplished something I previously thought impossible. He's made Kobe seem likable by comparison...
lotjx
Scrapple








Since: 5.9.08

Since last post: 1672 days
Last activity: 1511 days
#36 Posted on | Instant Rating: 1.58
No, because LeBron will never make me hate a team that I loved since the 80s. At this moment, it will be bad, but once the games start, people will buy a ticket to see this team play. Also, Chris Brossuard has now become the most trusted NBA inside guy of all time.
spf
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Since: 2.1.02
From: The Las Vegas of Canada

Since last post: 3060 days
Last activity: 395 days
#37 Posted on | Instant Rating: 5.16
The truly worst thing to come out of all of this?

Two people, people most sane rational sports fans loathe, come out of this looking like geniuses.

Stephen A Smith called this from the start. And Skip Bayless might just have been right about James this whole time.



2007 and 2008 W-League Fantasy Football champion!
Mr Shh
Lap cheong








Since: 9.1.02
From: Monmouth County, NJ

Since last post: 1286 days
Last activity: 1285 days
#38 Posted on | Instant Rating: 8.46
I've got nothing to add that's basketball-related, but you can't ever pass up an opportunity to make fun of Stuart Scott, right?

    Originally posted by Stu
    LeBron, on a scale of 1 to 10, 1 being none, 10 being 100 percent, the statement you wanted to play with a team that was good enough to beat the Los Angeles Lakers next season, how much truth to that statement is there?

If you're looking for a percentage, why are using a scale? Just ask for a damn percentage. And the scale's not even right. LeBron answered "zero", but the answer was really 50%. He didn't want to have to explain why that translates to 5.5 on the scale, not 5.

Yes, *this* is what I took away from the whole circus last night.

(edited by Mr Shh on 9.7.10 1040)


You askew my mirror. I askew yours.
Reverend J Shaft
Toulouse








Since: 25.6.03
From: Home of The Big House

Since last post: 1429 days
Last activity: 12 days
#39 Posted on | Instant Rating: 1.98
Quote from Art Modell in the News-Herald:

    Originally posted by article
    "Do I think LeBron James as he leaves Cleveland will become the most hated man in Cleveland, more hated than Art Modell?" Modell said from his home in Baltimore. "Nonsense. Nonsense. I don't think there's any basis for it"

    ...

    "Anyhow, I wish him well. I wish the team that gets him well. And as long as I do well, I'm fine."

Congrats Art! You're still the #1 a-hole in Cleveland.
TheOldMan
Landjager








Since: 13.2.03
From: Chicago

Since last post: 3276 days
Last activity: 1488 days
#40 Posted on | Instant Rating: 4.86
Michael Wilbon: LeBron James, excuse me. Excuse me. What in the world are you thinking?

LeBron James: Wilbon, the first thing you gotta do is to tell these people to shut up if they want to hear what I've gotta say.

Michael Wilbon: I have been covering you for so many years... for you to join up with the likes of these two men absoulutely makes me SICK to my stomach! And I think that these people here and this circus? The whole basketball world have had just about enough of this man and this man and you want to put yourself in this group? You've gotta be... kidding me!

LeBron James: Well the first thing you've gotta realize brother - is that this right here is the future of basketball. You can call this the New World Order of basketball, brother. These two men were tired of losing and everybody was wondering about who the third man was. Well who knows more about losing in the playoffs than me, brother?

Michael Wilbon: I've covered lots of great athletes and seen how built their legacy with their original team. You have made the wrong decision in my opinion.

LeBron James: Well let me tell you something, I made the Cleveland Cavaliers, brother! I made the people rich up there. I made the people that ran that organization rich up there. And when it all came to pass, the name LeBron James, the man LeBron James got bigger than the entire organization, brother! And then James Dolan amigo, he wanted to talk turkey with LeBron James. Well James Dolan promised me endorsements brother. James Dolan promised me a trillion dollars. And James Dolan promised me world-class teammates. Amar'e Stoudemire??? So as far as James Dolan, Dan Gilbert and the rest of the NBA goes, I'm bored brother. That's why I want these two guys here, these so called All-Stars, these are the men I want as my friends. They are the new blood of professional basketball and not only are we going to take over the whole NBA, with LeBron James, the new blood and these monsters with me. We will destroy everything in our path Wilbon.

Michael Wilbon: [referring to the garbage being thrown in their direction] Look at all of this crap at your feet! This is what's in the future for you if you want to hang around the likes of this man Wade, and this man Bosh.

LeBron James: As far as I'm concerned, all of this crap represents the fans out there. For seven years brother! For seven years, I held my head high. I did everything for the charities. I did everything for the kids. And the reception I got when I announced my decision? You Cavalier fans can stick it, brother! Because if it wasn't for LeBron James, you people wouldn't be here. If it wasn't for LeBron James, Mike Brown would be selling meat from a truck in Indianapolis. And if it wasn't for LeBron James, all of these "Johnny come-lately bandwagon fans" that you see out here - basketball wouldn't exist in Cleveland! I was selling the world out brother as an 18-year old while they were waiting tables to get through college. So the way it is now brother, with LeBron James and the New World Order of basketball brother, me and the new blood by my side. Whatcha gonna do when the New World Order runs wild on you? Whatcha gonna do?

[Grabs Wilbon] LeBron James: What are you gonna do?

Michael Wilbon: Hey, don't touch me! Don't touch me, I'm going to see the lawyers! Stu, Jim, Chris, Dammit let's get back to you!

Stuart Scott: All right. We have seen the end of LeBronamania. For Chris Broussard, for Jim Gray, For Michael Wilbon, I don't know...I'm Stuart Scott. LeBron James, you can go to hell! We're outta here. Straight to hell.

Stuart Scott: Boo-yah!

- - - - - - - - - - - - - -

(Inspired by The Sports Guy, with an assist from IMDb)



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To add to JJD's points, it makes zero sense to say Greg Oden was overhyped before you've seen him play one second of NBA basketball. Also, Jay Williams had lost his starting spot on the (at the time)
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