p.diddy

iTrader: (3)

Bravedemon I agree lebron didn't have the best supporting cast but you have to admit lebron did tank that playoff game. It was obvious that he threw in the towel during that game. He realized they weren't going to win and he had no help.

Yumcha

Well, I'm sure they'll make a movie about "The Decision"...

Yumcha

Oliver Stone will direct.

Yumcha

Starring Tyrese Gibson as LeBron James.

CarbonGray Earl

I speak for myself, but I don't hate the heat. Maybe the east coast guys have beef with them, but I don't think they are on that level of 'sports hate' since they've only really managed to put together one good run at a title and 1st or 2nd round knockouts since.

Its really the method that Lebron put a show on and ESPN (hardly a bastion of restraint) fed into the monster that I dislike. And this will play well into the season and the playoffs...which is a slap in the face to a well stocked Celtics squad and a Orlando squad who are equal if not better due to their experience and interior.

I don't care if the proceeds went to charity....if it were an hour long show that were dedicated solely to those kids, then it would be a selfless act, but its purpose was to disguise the true intent of self-promotion.

BraveDemon

Yep. No denying he was definitely in a funk and didn't pull through that last game - I honestly think he was tired from carrying the Cavs during the season and into the Playoffs. About 4 minutes into the 4th, it was apparent he lost his step and wasn't playing as hard and as well as he could have.

But I wouldn't say it was solely because of him mentally checking out of the Cavs - although in the back of his mind he knew it was going to happen.

Even the best can have off nights - Look at Kobe in Game 7 against Boston, Pau won that game for LA hands down. Unfortunately for LeBron, he had Williams, Fat Shaq and Sideshow bob, who simply can't help him out in crunch time.

clpassenubye

iTrader: (20)

My comments about Lebron quitting had nothing to do with Gilbert's letter I thought that he quit when I was watching some of those games. I don't think he quit as many Gilbert said but I remember distinctly thinking at the time that he's not trying as hard because he probably knows he's not coming back to Cleveland and the emotions and guilt were getting to him.

BraveDemon

^ Fair enough. I agree LeBron didn't perform as well as he could have in that final game.

clpassenubye

iTrader: (20)

Also game 5. I also believe the Cavs could have won a championship by now if they had a better coach even with the same cast of characters they had the last 2 years.

SG81

iTrader: (1)

that division is going to be tough. sucks for the magic, hawks, bobcats etc

BraveDemon

Yep. Atleast it'll be interesting in the East.

The west is pretty

I mean is there any team out in the West that can compete with the Lake Show?

clpassenubye

iTrader: (20)

Dont' crown the Heat just yet they need to fill their roster and come up with a system that these players can thrive in. Remember both Wade, Lebron are used to dominating the ball when they weren't playing together that will have to change so we will have to wait and see how it all meshes.

SG81

iTrader: (1)

oh don't worry, i won't

Doom878

^see the olympics for a possibility of strategy

Moog-Type-S

so where did he end up?

CocheseUGA

lulz

CocheseUGA

LeBron James Fatheads are on sale for $17.41 at their website.

I'll give you one guess who owns Fathead and why 1741 is relevant.

clpassenubye

iTrader: (20)

Dan Gilbert owns it and 1741 is Benedict Arnold's birthday.

CocheseUGA

In one.

CarbonGray Earl

The one where Kobe had to take over for the Wade-Lebron-Bosh led team that couldnt close out spain with one Pau Gasol and a bunch of mediocre talent?

Yumcha

Well, I'll say this: If someone Year 1 does not get a Title...we may have a drama that is -worthy with Wade and LeNocleveland.

Yumcha

They all kinda stood around with the you-want-it thing and then Beef said, eff it...and took over.

asianspec

iTrader: (1)

I think that if bosh didn't go to miami that this situation would be totally different.

clpassenubye

iTrader: (20)

Or the 2004 Olympics were Wade and Lebronze came in third.

hdcolumbus

I was just coming in here to post this

Scottman111

Bring back Tim Hardaway and the team is complete!

Yumcha

Saw him on TV the other day in Joes vs. Pros.

Rounder

blacksleepercl

Ugg, the NBA is the one thing I have in my life that I can always just escape from the world and watch, I am a trailblazers hardcore and believer through thick and thin, but I love the game of basketball more than any one team. What happened last night made me sick to my stomach, both the hour long special, Lebron ripping the hearts out of his fans, and what this move did to the NBA as a whole. All I can said, is I hope they fail, and I hope its an Epic fail.

97BlackAckCL

iTrader: (6)

Don't know why all you guys wasted time watching the special, I had the answer on page 4 what what?

F lebron, good riddance btw

neuronbob

I haven't read through the entire thread, so if you don't read me hitting your point, don't be offended.

I've had some time to take in LeBron's news. Here's what I think:

1. I was shocked, but not surprised, at his decision to go to Miami.

a) He wants a championship and he sees the best way to do it as playing with his friends, people he won with in the Olympics. You can't beat that kind of friendship and camaraderie, and he gave up money to do that. I completely respect this.

b) He's 25 and frankly, there's nothing in Cleveland that hold young people here. Kids come here for college and leave as there are no jobs and no night life for them. The only young people who stay here are doctors and lawyers, and those who serve them.

c) He's 25, has never lived away from his home region, and wants to try something different. I completely respect that.

I wish LeBron the best of luck in Miami.

2. Here's what I don't like: the way he announced. The way he did this, he completely fucked the Cavs for the coming season. Free agents already don't want to live in Cleveland (see 1b above) and because the Cavs waited until LeBron made his decision to make personnel plans, they now have only the dregs of free agency to deal with. Further, they did well enough during the regular season that they had basically no picks in the draft. So they are left with their essentially junior varsity squad and the generosity of other, lesser teams who would like to trade players. Shaq (washed up anyway) isn't going to return.

In an ideal world, LeBron would have talked to Dan Gilbert after the last game and said...."Look, I want to go to another city to play, and preferably with my friends". I could respect that. Instead, he completely screwed the Cavs by making them wait, and therefore any hope that fans have that the Cavs will be anything other than "in rebuilding" for at least five years.

3. What LeBron did is a total reversal of what the owners usually do....they choose the players they want to move and trade them out. LeBron basically did the reverse. Of course, this means that Dan Gilbert now owns what will be for many years to come, the low-lovel small-market team the Cavs were before LeBron came along. Gilbert bought high.....and now is going to have to figure out a way to make money on a team that won't bring in as much money. If you are someone who hates team owners, this could be a good thing. Personally, as someone who supported the Cavs by buying tickets, I don't see how Gilbert puts together a competitive team this season, his letter notwithstanding. (I think his letter was delusional, though also understandable given how screwed he must feel).

I will still support the Cavs, but I sure as hell won't be going to as many games and I certainly don't see the value in a season ticket when the best they'll be able to do is a JV squad.

On balance....I understand LeBron's decision, but am still saddened that he didn't get the job done here.

Thanks for suffering through my post. BELIEVE THIS....THE CLEVELAND SPORTS CURSE is real!

clpassenubye

iTrader: (20)

Well the pressure is on Dan Gilbert now to live up to the promises he made in that letter. Don't you believe him?

juniorbean

iTrader: (5)

He can only do so much before he runs out of gas. 84 games is a long season and the NBA draaaaags out the playoffs so long, it just wears on you... especially on a guy who gives 150% every time out and carries his team.

And therein lies the #1 reason why he bolted from Cleveland. If he did this for another 5-6 years on the Cavs he'd be in his low 30's and shot... likely without a title. Had Cleveland had less tunnel vision this whole off-season and brought a big name free agent in (or a couple of "1A" free agents), LeBron likely would have stayed put and gave it another shot. Again, I don't blame him for leaving, but a 5-10 min press conference behind a podium would have sufficed.




Mike Brown just coasted on LeBron's back through the regular season, and the playoffs showcased how bad of a coach he really was. Boston proved you do not need to dominate during the regular season to be a championship contender. Once they got into the playoffs, Rivers was just money, and they almost took it all even though they were out-manned on paper. You put a real coach on that team in 2006 or so and the Cavs may have won 1-2 titles by now.

But that's just another reason for LeBron leaving... he carried the entire organization for 7 years and in the end, he just got tired of it. You have a shitty owner, shitty coaching, and a supporting cast which leaves a lot to be desired. That's why... to me at least, it was no surprise he left. If he was intent on staying, he would have renewed before he became an unrestricted free agent
.

Yumcha

Let's be clear, JB...I think most of the "haters" in here are not jumping on LeBron for signing with Miami.

Signing with WHOEVER is his right. It's the way he went about it. What an attention-whore.

And honestly, I'll slot Wade in there as well. They played everyone.

juniorbean

iTrader: (5)

Yup... I know... that's pretty much what I said one page back

neuronbob

(Quoting myself)
I think his letter was delusional, though also understandable given how screwed he must feel.

IOW, no. He just spouted off the same stuff every NBA owner feels about their team.

As far as a title without a deep bench and especially without LeBron....fughetaboutit.

I do not expect to see a title for ANY Cleveland team in my lifetime....and I expect to live another 50 years or so given my family genetics.

BTW, JuniorBean, Dan Gilbert is not a sucky owner by any means. He has done more than ANY Cleveland franchise owner to get/buy a winning team. The previous owner simply did not have the same fire as Dan Gilbert. I can tell you he is the MOST screwed person in Cleveland sports right now. He bought the team at high value, and now he has no franchise player. He has a bunch of nobodies on the team. The Cavs will be lucky to win 30 games in the upcoming season....it will take YEARS to rebuild into a playoff contender. Cleveland fans are screwed again. Our asses are raw and bleeding from the repeated screwings since 1964.

juniorbean

iTrader: (5)

You have to wonder... if this is how Gilbert acts publicly (throws the fit of a 3 year old when things don't go his way), how has he been acting privately the last 7 years? Makes you think if Gilbert may be a large part of LeBron leaving as well. We'll never know that for sure and LeBron seems to be taking the high road (so far) and not saying anything bad about him... but it is something to ponder

Yumcha

What these 3 show-boaters should take a lesson from is the younger Kevin Durant and how he signed his extension/contract.



Or honestly, look over to the other professional sports league: the NHL. The stars there are generally non-me-me-me types. And are all generally (there are some exceptions) classy and gracious individuals.

juniorbean

iTrader: (5)

You're right, he's a good owner... he just needs to learn to control himself.

Think about this... you're a free agent... you see this go down with LeBron and it was all pretty predictable. Then Gilbert lashes out like he does. Are you going to want to play for a guy like that or are you going to cross Cleveland off of your list? If it were me, I'd remove them ASAP. He wasted no time throwing LeBron so far under the bus he was siphoning fuel. I get he's pissed. I get he's screwed. But to do that to someone who revitalized an entire franchise and made this guy bank for the last 7 years and frankly, made Cleveland relevant again within minutes of the announcement does not come across well and will make some free agents think twice about signing there. Gilbert leached off of him for 7 straight years, then threw a child-like tantrum all over the media when LeBron decided to move on. You already listed several reasons why it's tough to attract and retain talent in Cleveland... the owner of the franchise does not need to add himself as another.

Oh and BTW, I'm a Bills fan going on ~22 years now, so in a way, I feel your pain


Big huge That was the classiest signing of the entire off-season...

Yumcha

Well, knowing how competitive Beef is...I'm sure he's just licking his chops to go after this Miami squad and sink them every chance he gets when the Lakers meet up with them...