1) Who's the best salesman in the NBA?
Answer:
He had a vision, and he sold LeBron on the boldness of it. It's the Big Three but better. If I may..."LeBron, look at what Boston was able to do with KG, Ray and Paul. Once they brought that nucleus together the Celtics were able to build around that core and create a championship team the very same year. Dwayne has made his commitment to us (Dwayne nodding). Chris has made his commitment to us. You've played with both of them. You know what they can do. All three of you are in your prime (pause), at the height of your powers (lascivious laugh). Think of how many championships we could win together over the next decade.
There was much more after that, but you get the point. When you think about it, Miami was a long shot. Never before has the "best player in the league" decided to go join the second maybe third best player in the league, and have a top 25 player join him just for good measure. Moses coming to the Sixers may have been the closest, most recent, similar example. This wasn't a trade or two a la Danny Ainge. Pat Riley got all three guys to sign with him through free agency at the same time. And again, two of those three guys are the best players in the entire free world!! That means he's got 5 solid years to establish his proof of concept. That's an absolute eternity in the NBA. Stability is the hallmark of the best franchises in the NBA. Lakers, Spurs, Phoenix (til a few days ago), Thunder (establishing it). They find their guys, they stick with them, build around them, develop a coaching philosophy and always demonstrate a commitment to winning. Sidenote: Erik Spolestra's gonna get a chance, but he's outta there if this team's not on 60-win pace at the All Star break. I just don't think Pat's gonna take it over again. I think he's gonna get the best coach available this time. Could even be JVG.
2) Overall, I'm struck by my strong feeling of compassion for LeBron. This guy was being asked to carry a franchise, city, an entire region with his mere presence. Just stick around. Don't leave us. You're our only hope. It's too much to ask of anyone to make a decision about their career, their future and their legacy based on the hopes and expectations of others. People do it all the time, but we should never expect people to do it. You should never expect people to sacrifice their own well being or happiness for you whether 'you' is just you or 'you' is millions of people. It's unfair, and usually unrealistic. This isn't LeBron choosing to sacrifice his own life to save the world from obliteration or jumping in front of a car to protect his true love. It's a business decision.
3) 25, is the number that jumped out at me. Everything I just said about carrying a region and the hopes and dreams of millions, and you're 25. And you play basketball. You're not running for president, or owner of a big job-creating company moving into town. You're a symbol, an icon, a brand. You're affect is psychic, not material. You simply being who you are, doing what you do, here is what's most important. It's really amazing to consider that kind of pressure and how odd a dilemna it presents.
4) Good "handlers": LeBron carried himself well. He didn't badmouth the Cavs organization. Clearly, he got some media training in preparation for this event, and learned about how to re-direct questions back to the answer that you want to give. His message was forward-looking, personal and overwhelmingly positive.
5) "He has gotten a free pass." "He quit...not just in Game 5, but in Games 2, 4 and 6. Watch the tape. The Boston series was unlike anything in the history of sports for a superstar." "LeBron James needs to go to another team with two superstars already so he can win a championship," "You simply don't deserve this kind of cowardly betrayal. "The self-declared former 'King' will be taking the 'curse' with him down south," "And until he does 'right' by Cleveland and Ohio, James [and the town where he plays] will unfortunately own this dreaded spell and bad karma."
6) "It's the disrespect. It's time for people to hold these athletes accountable for their actions. Is this the way you raise your children? I've been holding this all in for a long time." This one I had to separate. He did everything but call him an ungrateful nigger. He is openly comparing him to a child. You know, LeBron made Dan Gilbert a lot of money. He made Dan's franchise relevant. Dan Gilbert's gotten a lot more from his relationship with LeBron James than vice versa. Yet, when LeBron becomes a Free Agent and decides to leave the farm, Owner Dan thinks LeBron deserves to be hobbled. LeBron is a disloyal, disrespectful Bad nigger. LeBron owes him his whole productive life, and not a second more. All the other quotes above lay out the cover story. How could you do this to us? But this quote gets to the heart of the matter. This is a personal betrayal of the worst kind: the kind that cost the betrayed money.
I could write a book on this quote. I want Maya Angelou to write an open letter to Dan Gilbert asking him about his attitudes toward the athletes who work for him. I want something that the Washington Post will quote. Sports is one public space where we [citizens] let it all hang out, but then we don't have discourse about the things that are said. We just brush shit off or sweep it under the rug. With millions of people all around the world taking their cues about how to live life from the NBA, doesn't this kind of delusional 1864 thinking deserve some discussion?
7 comments:
"[Dan Gilbert] did everything but call him an ungrateful nigger. He is openly comparing him to a child. You know, LeBron made Dan Gilbert a lot of money. He made Dan's franchise relevant. Dan Gilbert's gotten a lot more from his relationship with LeBron James than vice versa. Yet, when LeBron becomes a Free Agent and decides to leave the farm, Owner Dan thinks LeBron deserves to be hobbled. LeBron is a disloyal, disrespectful Bad nigger. LeBron owes him his whole productive life, and not a second more...This is a personal betrayal of the worst kind: the kind that cost the betrayed money."
Goddamn right. Glad you have the sack to say it.
By extension, I think anyone who expressed disgust at last night's "spectacle" needs to take a good hard look in the mirror. I've read today, in more than a few pieces, that LeBron "hijacked" ESPN. He did? His company went to ESPN with an idea, and ESPN jumped at it. Earned them a 7.3 rating. That's a "hijacking"?
Listen: I hate what this did to the city of Cleveland. But I don't think that's what bothers most people. Most people seem bugged that a black guy that bounces a basketball around for a living drew that much media hype, when back in the good ol' days players were "loyal" and "obedient."
And to anyone reading this who thinks I got brass ones for suggesting it, let me ask you this: Who bugged you more with his leverage of media, LeBron or Farve?
Thought so.
G.
I've said it once, I will say it again. You guys really need to make me a contributor. Because I'm the only one who seems to be contesting shots around here. So, if you gentlemen are done hi fiving each other, it's time I go in.
First, Umi you don't even think Lebron is the best player in the league. Even though you use quotation marks, you should be honest about your bromance with Kobe Bryant. You should put that as a disclaimer somewhere.
So now that everyone hates him, you suddenly like the guy? Come on, give me a break. I'm starting to think you just hate going with public opinion. If everyone applauded the move, you would have villified Lebron. You would have written a blog about how he doesn't hold a candle to Kobe. And you would have broken it down why.
I see you didn't put any counter arguments around point five. The truth is, he did quit the last game. That can't really be denied. Those other games he tried. Nothing wrong with giving your best effort and losing. There is something certainly wrong with quitting before the bell rings. I know you don't respect that.
Still my favorite player to watch, I just don't have it in me to root for the new empire. So physically talented. Yet unable to ever get the job done. I always wondered why. Then it hit me. He's not that type of player. He's not a Kobe. He's not an MJ. He's not a Tim Duncan. He doesn't have that winner's sneer. That on the court mean streak you need to beat your enemies. He's a physical specimen with once in a lifetime skills, all the hype, but without that edge. In other words, he's this generation's Dr. J. He realized he could never be Jordan, so changed his jersey number to someone he's much more similar to. Nothing wrong with that. Lebron isn't who I though he was. He owes me no apology.
As far as what the owner of the Cavs did, even I won't defend that. He was wrong. Wrong how he felt, mostly. Wrong how he said it, absolutely. It's disgusting.
Kind of how the Cav's fans feel about how Lebron paraded that he wasn't coming back to the city. Instead he was "taking his talents to South Beach." On an hour long special no less. So, don't blame the fans for their actions, how they feel, or what they say. They are fans. It's their party, they can cry if they want to. You would cry to if it happened to you.
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=5372266
Reese, I'm glad you showed up tot he party. Somebody needs to make this guy a contributing writer.
1) It's not a bromance. The issue I have is that everybody talks about LeBron as being the best player int he league as if its not even a discussion. Meanwhile, Kobe just won his fifth ring. Facts is facts. "To be the man, you gotta beat the man". Or at least win one ring. Point 2 on Point 1 is, this is not LeBron's doing. He feeds into this mythology of being the "King", but he didn't create it. The NBA, media types and fans-all-to-ready to worship their next superhero did. You just laid out your own argument as to why he's not the best player in the league. Why do I have a bromance when I do the same thing? All I'm sayin' is, Kobe's the guy doin' it right now. No one else is coming close. Not yet.
2) I didn't put counter arguments to point 5 cus I didn't think it needed any explaining. Honestly, I wasn't commenting on the veracity of Owner Dan's statements, I was commenting on the fact that he made them at all. If LeBron had signed with Cleveland, it woudl been all :this is a proud day for the city of Cleveland, the state of Ohio and the Cleveland Cavaliers. LeBron James has shown his unquestionable loyalty to the area and to this organization. We couldn't be more proud to have him as the centerpiece for a contender for years to come." But he decided to "take his talents" elsewhere. So now it's all, "I been holding on to this for a long time..." Fire and Brimstone. I'm calling bullshit, period.
Wow, this is fun. You're right, Reese. You should join us more often.
I can't defend Dan Gilbert. This whole thing reeks of slimebag. Pure, unadulterated skeez.
1) But Lebron did quit.
2) I always said Kobe is better than Lebron..SIKE!!! I must now say once and for all Kobe trumps all current players. Period. I argued Tracy was better. And I was wrong. I argued Lebron was better. And I was wrong. I will keep my mouth shut about Kevin Durant because I seem to have a losing streak going. You were right. Kobe is the best. Period. (That HURTS TO TYPE)
3) But I still don't like him. You do! It's guy love! I'm not judging. I'm just going to tell your wife. Unless 100 dollars mysteriously appears at my door.
4) I hate being wrong, can't you tell! So just to balance it out. I was right about A.I.! There, take that! HA! (It's cheesy, but I already look bad by having previously said Un-King James & T-badback > Black Mamba.)
5) Isn't it great to be able to talk about bastketball this late? I mean, I can't wait for the season to get started to see how this all plays out.
Much as it pains me to type it...yes, Kobe is the best in the game today. That's true.
But this is also true: Kobe quit on his team once, too. Game 7, vs. Phoenix, 2006 Playoffs. Aaaah, how soon we forget.
(And even when he wasn't quitting, he was barking at his teammates and acting like a spoiled psychopathic brat the rest of the time. I agree with you, Reese -- Bron doesn't have that streak. Accordinly, he would never treat his teammates like tragic foster children, like pre-1990 MJ and pre-when-Memphis-giftwrapped-me-the-league's-second-best-center Kobe did. And it ain't cause he's soft. He believes in TEAM. Like Duncan does/did. And you can win that way. So great as he's been, Kobe will never be the GOAT. Even if he's truly embraced the alpha-dog-on-a-TEAM mentality -- which I still don't buy -- he's done it too late. For that reason, I still believe Bron will eclipse Kobe in the end. I know, I know...too many variables and what-ifs to say that now. But in my gut, that's what's going to happen.)
G.
Far as LeBron "quitting" the last game, we have to ask:
Think there's any truth to the Delonte rumor?
G.
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