Lay Off Lebron! (coach, playoff, jersey, star) - - Page 2 - City-Data Forum

USNRET04 · 07-19-2010, 06:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RyDizzle23

Like those Cleveland fans...

Instead of banging your head on a brick wall (trying to win a championship with average-at-best talent), go try to bang it on this tissue paper (some place with a better chance to win)... And get over it, Cleveland. You wanna root for a winner so bad? Move somewhere else...

I haven't lived in the Cleveland area for over 25 years, yet I still root for Cleveland.

Some people still believe in loyalty and are not fair weather fans.

Never the less, it's time to move on. There are more important things in life than worrying about LeBron.

RyDizzle23 · 07-19-2010, 03:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by USNRET04

Some people still believe in loyalty and are not fair weather fans.

At the expense of years of heartache and disappointment? No thanks. Call me up the next time the Cavs are relevant. In the meantime, I'll go where the action is. Like Miami... LA...

Why'd you leave Cleveland in the first place? Better job? More money? Better weather? (

you don't really have to answer. don't want you to get upset if it's too personal...)

Oildog · 07-21-2010, 12:01 PM

This actually may help the NBA and TV ratings. Now there is a team the public (outside of Miami) will actually hate. Love and hate are both good for ratings. Just like the Dallas Cowboys in the NFL.

RyDizzle23 · 07-21-2010, 12:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Oildog

Love and hate are both good for ratings. Just like the Dallas Cowboys in the NFL.

And the Yankees, and Notre Dame football...

Fred314X · 07-22-2010, 04:35 PM

The OP has expressed a hope. Unfortunately, it's a pie-in-the-sky hope. Anyone who thinks that talk about Lebron James is going to quiet down has been putting some controversial substances in their morning coffee. And as Opening Day approaches, things are only going to get worse.

usedtobeanyer · 07-23-2010, 09:31 AM

In my opinion, there are 2 major reasons why Lebron is getting bashed so badly for his decision:

1. The meetings and televised decision: He had multiple teams come to him to present their offers, when in reality it seems quite likely that his decision had already been made. And then the farce of a televised announcement. No one--not A Rod, not Moses Malone, not anyone went to that level of "look at me" behavior.

2. The choice to go to Miami: Every other option to him--Chicago, Cleveland, New York, even the Nets (ha ha) would have been more "acceptable". If he stayed home in Cleveland, it's a great story and his public image just improves. If he goes to New York, no one says a bad word about him--the excitement generated by that move would have been off the charts and his image would have skyrocketed. If he goes to Chicago, less exciting but still not a bad thing, and the MJ comparisons would have been the big story. But out of all of those options, he chose Miami. There's NOTHING good that will come out of this for his image. He wins a ring or multiple rings? Well, big deal, he should. He doesn't win any ring? He is LeFraud.

In my opinion, by the time he is 30, if not sooner, he will be elsewhere. And he will always regret this decision.

chaotix · 07-23-2010, 10:29 AM

^^^interesting, can't wait to see how it all plays out. . . I agree with Oildog, the LeBron fiasco has possibly placed the NBA/ratings back on the charts as Miami is the team to hate and beat now, they will most likely make the playoffs, it's on then.

ThatTNGuy · 07-23-2010, 10:57 AM

The douchiest (is that a word?

) part of it all, at least in my eyes, was the fact that Lebron didn't call the Cavs himself. To me, that exemplified everything people do not like about professional athletes. I mean, yes, it's a given that Lebron will surround himself with a sizeable entourage, but why not do the classy thing and call the owner himself? Is he "above" that now? Not to mention the fact that it was like two minutes before his announcement on national television. That move really stuck out to me, and not in a good way.

His reasons for leaving Cleveland were justified, but his image has definitely taken a big hit. Whoever advised him that the TV special dedicated solely to his decision was a good idea should probably be slapped - definitely some bad advice, regardless of the fact that the proceeds went to a worthy cause. If it was Lebron's idea, that's a whole new level of narcissism.

I don't hate Lebron, but he's gone from a guy that many people rooted for regardless of their team allegiance to a guy that many people will enjoy rooting against. He probably didn't want that to happen, but it's clearly not his top priority.

RyDizzle23 · 07-23-2010, 01:31 PM

So he made a bad decision... Who hasn't made a bad decision? The tv special was a bad idea. Why are we killing him? It was self-indulgent? If you knew how many of these superstars acted, you wouldn't like pro sports period. What successful person hasn't had an idea that just bombed? What marketing firm hasn't had a commercial that completely whiffed? Why does his brand take such a big hit for that?

And for him not calling the owner to tell them he's leaving, why is he any different than the same owner(s) that trade and cut players without telling them? Many players find out on Sportscenter they've been traded. On July 1st, LeBron was a free agent, no ties, no responsibility to any team. And as I've said before, I'd bet that ridiculous, unprofessional crying Dan Gilbert did after the fact is more indicative of his true personality and may be a significant reason not only why LeBron left, but why they couldn't get free agents to come play for them in the first place. It works both ways. We don't know if Gilbert and LeBron were buddy-buddy. They could've had a contentious relationship.

Is LeBron above all of this? Do you see how he was treated all over the NBA? In every city? Heck yea he thinks he's above it all. The fans made him this way. The fans make all these athletes this way. Stop buying jerseys, waiting in endless lines for autographs and pictures, and chanting his name and things like this wouldn't happen.

And how would any other destination have been more acceptable? Cleveland fans would've burned his jersey no matter what. Dan Gilbert would've been unprofessional with his letter. People would have found ways to criticize the move because it isn't the feel good story of staying in Cleveland. *Gag* If he wins 1 ring or none, his career/legacy will be downplayed forever if he stayed in Cleveland or otherwise. It'll always be "Lebron James (insert superlative), but only won 1 ring -or- was the best player to never win one with Barkley, Malone, Ewing, etc." Might as well go where you feel like you have the best shot to win often.

LexusNexus · 07-24-2010, 03:52 AM

I always thought Lebron was overexposed and was actually sick of the guy. I never rooted for Cleveland and wanted them to lose. When he announced that he was going to the Heat to join Wade and take a pay cut, I had a lot of respect for that move. It shows character and humility. Wade one of my favorite players.

I was surprised by the instant unpopularity of Lebron with that move. Even the media turned against him. I wish him the best now and hope it works for the Heat.