Decision Made – Lebron James


It’s official!!! Lebron is a Heat!!!

After two years of waiting, we have Lebron James – self proclaimed “King James” – on a media tear in reference to his NBA/personal decision of where to go for the next 5-6 years.  He literally hijacked ESPN for about month now, but whose fault is that?  I blame the media and NBA fans as much as I would Lebron for this crazy dramatic event.  To personally invest so much time, energy, and emotion into his decisions is self inflicted especially for the “losers.”  People may ask me if I feel bad for the teams that lost out in the sweepstakes.  I would say absolutely not.  Are you kidding me?  Uhnuh too covetous!!  As a professional organization, how can you hinge your decisions on the whim of one person with absolutely no guarantees.

I feel bad for the fans of Cleveland because they just can’t buy a break.  They got no justice!!

At the end of the day, I’ll always be a Knicks & Nets fan (NY area guy).  I think that the drama for the NBA has now been raised to another level with this new landscape.  You’ll have more relevant teams now to contend with: LA Lakers, San Antonio Spurs, Oklahoma City Thunder, Denver Nuggets, Boston Celtics, Miami Heat, Orlando Magic, & Chicago Bulls.  Do notice how the geography has been spread out nice and wide.  The parity is important for the league and at the NBA brand should see an improvement over what has been a lack luster amount of true competition.

My question to you is this:  Was this is a good move or bad move by Lebron??  Your thoughts??

Lebron James goes to Miami

I’ll leave you with a couple of tweets that were just hilarious when I was watching this craziness unfold.

@cthagod: Text “YELE” to 501501 to make a donation to the Cleveland Relief Fund….

@chrissyteigen: i feel bad for cleveland but they will always have the drew carey show and the uhhhh cleveland show

@cthagod: Breaking News Courtside Season Tickets for Cavs games are 7 dollars for a family pack….

@qsteph: I hope Kanye West doesn’t interrupt Lebrons decision reminding that Jordan was the best basketball player ever.

@Soulrific: Will there be tap dancing midgets at LeBron’s press conference?

26 thoughts on “Decision Made – Lebron James

  1. Yeah it’s good for the Heat, but I wonder who else they can get for the minimum salary.

    If I was the heat I would rid myself of michael beasley, and pickup mike miller or matt barnes for SG, then pick up a defensive presence rebounding center. Dwade moves to the 1 and let chalmers come off the bench. All you gotta do then is find some decent journeymen bench players and BOOM, championship team!

    Like

  2. Well this wasn’t a good move or bad. If he can’t even win in the Heat, it would be a bad move, but Cleavland is at fault for not bringing him the supporting cast to be able to win a championship. No player has done it on his own.

    Like

  3. Wow bruu, where to begin? Okay, so I can’t say I’m completely shocked. I don’t think he was lying when he said he made his decision just the night before. My opinion is that he weighed 2 options; play alongside A’mare, develop a meager bench for a year in NY and hold out hope for Tony Parker next summer, or win right now in South Beach. Now that he’s made his ‘Decision’, some things need to be said about LeDrama Queen’s legacy.

    Let’s make this clear; this is Dwayne Wade’s team. Lebron is NOT the alpha-male/head-honcho everyone thought he was. Charles Barkley said “If I was 25, I’d try to win by myself”. Lebron saw Boston’s Big3 success and knew he’d never be able to do it on his own. I think watching KG/Pierce/Allen win it in a few years back and soundly beating his Cavs this year really got to Lebron. We know he’s an egomaniac, and watching a team in Boston succeed so well against him was definitely disheartening for him.

    The Wade/Bosh/Lebron ‘Super Team’ in Miami is bad for the NBA. I’m not saying that Lebron had to stay in Cleveland like some prison-sentence, but this cannot be good for the parity of the league, and that’s what I’ll have to disagree with you. 2 stars per team is alright, I think, but not 3. Lebron signing with A’mare/NY would have set up the renewed rivalry of New York/Miami for the next 6-7 years, must-see TV at least 4 times per season, not counting any playoff meetings.

    I really do hope that team has in-fighting and never accomplishes their full-potential. But you know how I do, Aurie.. Lebron hater for life!

    Like

  4. Great comments everyone! Thanks for sharing your thoughts. Just seeing all the analysis is exactly what makes the NBA feel relevant. No matter which side of the argument is pitched, the fact that there are differing views is exactly what the NBA needed.
    @Sul – I really don’t think that Lebron going to New York would immediately create parity like you see in American Football. It would just be nice for us NY Knick fans to feel relevant again after a decade. Just be fortunate that we’re not Cleveland. The bad thing is that the NYK franchise has the worst management & ownership for a team with so much money. It’s ridiculous that we are unable to be patient and turn it around in less than a decade. The East hasn’t been like the West for years and we had plenty of opportunity to show restraint and didn’t. I’m not a Lebron hater, but I do agree that he’s not the same championship pedigree as the greats yet. But maybe, winning one will transform him…Who thought that the Boston big three really had it in them to get it done until they did it. We can all hate right now, but at the end of the day, I still think that this will be better for the league if other teams respond in the right way (be hustlers).

    Like

    • from that standpoint, he’s going to make a boat load of money, but on a purely economic basis, the salary of a professional athlete is hardly one that can be rationalized in my mind. There was even a report out there from some guy at cnbc that said something to the effect that he’s going to end up winning even if he takes less money because Florida has no state income tax.

      Like

      • Cost of living is also quite low. . . he’s given himself a big raise. . . besides endorsements always net a lot more than the salary

        Like

        • Absolutely on the money (pun intended) – that’s one of the reasons why I’m looking to move to Florida with the quickness. 😀

          Like

      • He did what he thought was best for winning. Pairing up with 2 all stars. That doesn’t mean it would work but if I really wanted to win I would join a team with more all-stars. Stop Hating. He wants to win. He tried for 7 seasons in Cleveland if he didn’t get it done there then its time to move on. What do you expect him to do – spend his career in cleveland and never win a title? He could be selfish and go to another teams and make it his team. In fact he went to Wade’s team which shows he is unselfish.
        Stop the hate. Miami will be an awesome team. Lets see who they surround them selves with

        Like

  5. I agree with Creme de la Creme….the man wants to win and carrying a whole city and team on his back just aint cutting it….plus are we forgetting Lebron is like 24! No comparisons with Kobe, because when Kobe started out he had the big man Shaq to help him out and win those rings..Bron bron made the right decision..plus we cant forget Pat Riley is a great coach and has some rings as well. its going to be a great season for Mia and I will be watching

    Like

    • Now why is Jesse Jackson getting involved in this subject matter according to new reports on the wires? According to one tweeter, Lebron is not Kunta Kinte! *dwl*

      Like

  6. Don’t hold your breath, I’m about to light up this page.

    I’ll start with responding to issues in order to absurdness and stupidity.

    1. Dan Gilbert – This guy is the epitome of class. The way he rose to the occasion to unexpectedly meet the demands of Cleveland fans was in no other words but: classy. Cleveland classy. Gilbert’s response to Lebron’s departure illustrates why Detroit is a better city than Cleveland. Let’s face it, Gilbert, in the midst of losing Lebron to the Miami Heat blew his lid, and probably killed any opportunity to sign future all star free agents. If he wanted Lebron to sign with the Cavs so bad, why did he note that Lebron quit on the team in the last playoffs? This guy is a scam, just like his Fathead business (of which he changed the price of the Lebron fathead to $17.41, the year of Benedict Arnold’s betrayal). I’m sorry Dan Gilbert, but it’s called free agency – and owners don’t have that type of control anymore of player’s careers. It’s practically your fault for not getting Lebron another all star to play with. Nobody can win it by themselves. Jordan didn’t. And most recently, Kobe didn’t. Instead, the Cavs acquired “decent” talent, who could take the scoring load off of Lebron such as Mo Williams and Antawn Jamison. But, it still was not a legitimate all star (like an Amare Stoudemire…hold on Knicks fans – I’m going to get to you). The talent around Lebron wasn’t title worthy – Lebron didn’t have true role players around him like a John Paxson or a Steve Kerr, Trent Tucker, Craig Hodges, Ron Harper…and the list goes on. The only player, other Lebron that I would consider being title worthy would be Anderson “Carrot Top” Varejao. What Gilbert did do, was energize his fan base with his ruthless letters concerning Lebron’s departure. By the end of this hoopla, it almost seemed like Lebron could never go back to Cleveland….ever. And you know what Dan Gilbert, he’s not from Cleveland, he’s from Akron….good job on losing any potential free agents to the Cavs with your classiness. Instead, you may have just very well provoked the worst beat down by an NBA Team since Michael Jordan and the Bulls on Cleveland.

    2. New York Knicks and New York Fans – What are you crying about? One minute, Lebron is going to be the supposed savior of basketball of New York and the next, your calling him Queen Lebron, or He’s a b. New York, How selfish of you to think Lebron would go there and not stay back near his home in Cleveland? You sign Amare and then you think your owed Lebron? If anyone is to blame here it is EDDY CURRY. He is eating up more than 11 million of cap, which potentially could have put the Knicks over the hump with the potential to sign 3 max players, instead of two. If Lebron went to New York, he would go just to continue his brand name and continue to establish himself as a global icon. The World’s Best Player, In the World’s Greatest City – I know that headline is sexy. But you know what; Lebron wouldn’t have been a great fit in New York. I don’t ever re-call New York ever having the best players on their teams. I do remember the Knicks have team chemistry, tough defense, and just a pure determination to win. Remember that other time you guys signed a huge free agent. And, he now is a decent backup power forward. Yup, Antonio McDyess (who, not at all is at Lebron’s level) was going to team up with Allan Houston and the Knicks were going to be back! Well…it clearly didn’t happen that way. Nothing goes as planned in New York; you work with what you got. Why don’t you get angry at your management for over-paying Raymond Felton and acquiring Anthony Randolph (who by the way plays the same position as Amare). And I’m sure most Knicks fans like homebred superstars like Syracuse national champion Carmelo Anthony…who will be a free agent next year (and FINALLY EDDY CURRY’s contract comes off the books). I know Sul for one has always been a Lebron hater, and having Carmelo would probably cause him to go running to the restroom in excitement. So, Melo is a possibility and as I write this…maybe Randolph wasn’t a bad move…the Hornets craved him during the draft a couple years back. I’m sure a Felton, Randolph, 1st Rd Pick, would certainly entertain possibility from New Orleans who is in great debt. Chris Paul, Melo, Amare………dream like New Yorkers…dream BIG…but not like EDDY CURRY big.

    3. Cleveland Fans – Lebron doesn’t owe you a damn thing. Burning his jersey, calling him un-repeatable names and straight up crying will not help your situation. So, you should be a little angry – Lebron’s “The Decision” show wasn’t the greatest PR move – but you know what, that’s what you get. As fans, you should have voiced to management that MO WILLIAMS SUCKS and ANTAWN JAMISON IS ONLY GOOD ON BAD TEAMS AND DELONTE WEST CANT SLEEP WITH LEBRONS MOM…what was that? No he didn’t. I didn’t remember him getting any playing time in the playoffs though. It can’t be. Maybe you should just Google that rumor for yourself. In any case, Cleveland fans – you somewhat had a right to be angry. But not at Lebron. At your management and your selves even. This is what happens when you idolize some one. This is what happens when your entire economy depends on one man. This is why Art Modell left. Lebron provided Cleveland fans with everything. You went to the finals. You were a consistent playoff team…with a subpar supporting cast for Lebron. This is the farthest you have ever gotten. Lebron isn’t even your first love. It’s the Cleveland Browns….as bad as they are at times. And perhaps that may have affected Lebron’s decision, knowing even at home…he wasn’t top dog. How selfish of you, Cleveland! Did you want Lebron to be Kevin Garnett and never win a championship until you go on an all star team and have bad knees! I don’t re-call Cleveland fans creating a website, having t-shirts with WE WANT LEBRON. And after this, I won’t have the need to re-call anything Cleveland since they just became irrelevant to the world again.

    4. Lebron James – There is a possibility Lebron may have tarnished his brand, his legacy. Especially with “The Decision” ESPN Show which was not a good PR move my friend. You need to stop hiring your buddies, and get some real professional advice…like the type of advice you received from your mom: follow your heart. And its clear Lebron’s heart was not in Cleveland. If I was in Cleveland/Akron for 25 years…the first place I’d move to is Miami too. But your move was more intricate than that. You had Bosh scheme that a deal was in place with the Raptors and Cavs and since he wanted to go to Miami instead…it made Cleveland a less desirable place to play. I think you knew who you wanted to play with the entire time, and it was just a matter of how the story would unravel.

    What I do believe is that Lebron’s move is admirable. In a world where if you are a super star you need to be the highest paid person on your team, you are taking a pay cut (unlike JOE “OVER-PAID, OVER-AGE” JOHNSON). One word comes to mind when I see this entire transfer come to fruition: sacrifice. Lebron is sacrificing his name, his brand, his legacy just to play on someone else’s team. I think it’s admirable that Lebron understands he cannot win it on his own, and that if he went to New York or Chicago, he was just doing it to please others and continue to become the greatest sports icon since Michael Jordan and Tiger Woods (eh…). And I do believe joining the Heat is the best opportunity for Lebron to win a title. Granted, many analysts felt that the Chicago Bulls had the best fit for Lebron, but if you carefully look at that scenario…it’s really not. And this is coming from a Bulls fan. Jerry Reinsdorf is a snake just as much as Dan Gilbert. Jerry screwed over Scottie Pippen to the point where Pip was getting paid less than Luc Longley for crying out loud. (And now apparently Pip is bankrupt…bada Bing!)

    According to Jim Boeheim, who coached Team USA – Lebron, Wade and Bosh will be just fine sharing the rock. Lebron has sacrificed too much to be the selfish player taking all the shots. If we learned anything, he doesn’t want to be like Michael Jordan and he will never be like Michael Jordan. That is admirable in itself. (Yea Kobe, I’m talking to you…you wannabe =]. In any case, Lebron has become human again, and it’s going to be fun to watch now that there are more teams in the NBA ready to fight for the title. The Knicks are close to being back at it, the Bulls, Magic, Celtics and Heat will all contend in the East…and Atlanta will be there as well. And the West, even though several all stars have been off loaded to the East – is still loaded with contenders like the Mavericks, Jazz (just acquired Al Jefferson, Blazers, Nuggets, The Kevin Durant Show, and of course the Lakers are still the best.

    For those of you who think the Heat will win the title this coming year – it may be so…but it certainly won’t be easy. The Lakers are better than the Heat, player wise. And they have Phil Jackson. Coaching impacts the game more than we truly understand. Remember how the Lakers couldn’t win with Nick Van Exel and Eddie Jones on the team with Kobe and Shaq and then suddenly Phil Jackson came to town and bam…cha cha…CHAMPIONSHIP. Or what about Doc Rivers in Orlando making the playoffs, when they had nobody. And you can’t cut out Larry Brown with the Pistons and what Pop has done with the Spurs. Heat still need a big man as an enforcer (Udonis Haslem is not a big man…just a good veteran undersized power forward) and more vets, specifically at Point (Derek Fisher would have been a nice signing but Pat Riley used all the magic on Lebron).

    I know we all wanted Lebron to win it by himself, but he can’t. And it’s not a given they will win any titles. Not if Kobe has anything to say about all this. This move just made him the hero and if he can pull it off and continue to fake it and be like Jordan is he is able to beat Lebron/Wade/Bosh. At least that will be the story line. I think Pau Gasol is better than Bosh. He has proven he can bang down low and play with Kobe and a loaded supporting cast. Also Bosh is starting to remind me like a Rashard Lewis at PF/C, you’re just there and when they need you, you’re nowhere…but that’s another conversation.

    I can see why Lebron choose the Heat instead of all the other beggars. I just hope they don’t beat my Bulls regular season record of 72-10. There is so much more to analyze, so let this all marinate and then I’ll bring over dessert.

    Like

  7. at the end of the day, he made what he believed was the best decision in order to expand his business and his propensity to win championships… i could really care less, as i have or had no stake in who he played for… i respect him for doing what he thought was best

    Like

  8. Whaddap Uncle/everybody,

    I don’t hate him for leaving Cleveland. Like you said, if I was 25 and all I ever knew was a loser-town like Cleveland, I’d jump at the gun to go to Miami, too. The biggest thing for me was how it was handled. And I don’t even think the biggest Lebron apologist (Creme de la Creme, here’s looking at you) can justify what a douche he looked like. If you wanted to leave Cleveland, just come out and say so. You obviously didn’t make this decision for the money, seeing as how you took a pay-cut to play in Miami, so it’s not like you were using your indecision as a bargaining-chip. And up until ‘The Decision’, the worst thing Dan Gilbert did was not snag A’mare at the trade deadline last season. Matter of fact, Dan Gilbert pretty much made you the Mayor/Governor of Cleveland; billboards all over with you posing like Jesus on the cross, claiming to be ‘The King’, the Chosen One, etc etc.. So why not have some professional courtesy and let your former owner know what to expect.

    And some parting thoughts about Kobe and SuperTeams… As for the Kobe hate, here’s the bottom line. Kobe IS this generation of player’s MJ. He is the ultimate competitor, the ultimate winner. Think about it, the MJ-era had arguably the most skilled players we’ve ever seen dribble a basketball. Hakeem, The Admiral, Ewing, Reggie Miller, Tim Hardaway, Gary Payton, Clyde..those guys in today’s game would make the majority of the NBA look foolish, but compared to MJ, they didn’t hold a candle. It’s the same with Kobe. There’s more athletic guys now (Lebron), but no one has the same killer-instinct as Kobe, and that’s the truth. Yes, I know Kobe’s not doing it on his own since he has the help of a giant Spaniard, but he’s certainly not on a Super-Team, as first thought up of by Boston’s Big3. I think Lebron found an easy way out, and that’s what’s sad. Charles Barkley said “If I was 25, I’d wanna beat these guys every night, not play on the same damn team as them.” I know everyone is going to point out that Chuck never won a title, but I can’t help but feel he has so much respect, at the end of the day, he didn’t need a title. The ring-less ones are still greatly respected, title or not. Guys like Malone, Miller, Ewing and Barkley I think will be viewed as a different breed of athlete than the Super Team-era. They were more stubborn, and didn’t know how to play nice with each other..sure. But forgive me for being nostalgic, but those guys were all champs in my book.

    Like

  9. Let’s hold the dessert since the main course was a bit heavy. Here’s some sangria to wash it down:

    I want you all to answer this question honestly: If Dan Marino had won two or three Super Bowls, do you believe he would be considered the greatest Quarterback of ALL TIME?

     

    Sul, you are absolutely correct that all those guys who never won championships are still and should be respected. But everyone you have mentioned, failed at their opportunity (please replace the “y” with an “ies” for Karl and John). And a young Lebron did as well against the Spurs.

    I think as fans who have witnessed recent basketball dynasties (Bulls, Lakers, and Spurs); we have put a discount on the NBA Finals. We think it’s easy to get a championship. I mean, come on, it’s every year. It’s not like the World Cup, that comes around every 4 years and your players need to be bred like race horses to perform at their peak level at the exact instance the cup stage begins.

     

    And I believe Lebron understands the difficulty in getting to the big dance. It’s evident, we have put a discount on championships and a premium on super star status. Come on, Joe Johnson would not be an all star back then. He wouldn’t have warranted max money. He just became the new Allan Houston, but at least Houston showed up for big games. Would Chris Bosh have been an all star back then? He’s certainly got a better case…but still iffy. His impact to the game is like Rik Smits, it’s very important but you’re still a role player son. People over here in Dallas (Bosh’s hometown by the way) are saying he’s soft in a way that Gasol was considered soft when Kevin Garnett beasted on him for his first title a couple years back. But then Gasol, lesson-learned and experience gained returned the favor to a quickly aging KG this past go around.

    The point is, championships are not as savoring to fans now as they used to be. But to Lebron, I believe it is still alive. And he’s hungry. No, not hungry like obese Americans hunger for more after already eating. I’m talking about the type of starved hunger than the people in Uganda used to suffer through. LBJ is HUUUNNNNNNGGRRRRYYYY. He wants to win, he wants championships. I am seeing Magic Johnson highlights from Lebron. Imagine if he played PG, Wade at SG, Miller at SF, Bosh at PF (even though he is a freaking Center), and insert your Bill Perdue/Bill Wennington player here at Center (Yes, I am actively voting for Kwame Brown to sign with the Heat at Center.) If Adam Morrison has two rings, so can you Kwame!

    Lebron seriously should have been the scoring champion for at least 5 out of his young 7 years in the league. He was right when he said he didn’t care about the scoring title, since he could have it when he wanted it. And if LBJ was averaging 7 assists on a Cavs team, imagine Wade cutting to the basket or Mike Miller dropping bombs from the arc. Then there is always Bosh as an option or Lebron having the other team’s PG guarding his 6’8 frame. If Lebron wants to win a championship, I am sure he will do whatever it takes to win.

    What I am afraid of is the Grant Hill effect. Remember when T-Mac and Hill signed max contracts to create a super team in Orlando. But it wasn’t in the stars….since Grant Hill went through not 1, not 2, but 3 (maybe more if my count is wrong) surgeries. He too, like Antonio McDyess has worked hard the rest of his career to be a “decent” player. Going to Orlando, he thought he was going to take his place next to Michael and Scottie with some rings. And let’s not forget, Grant was a man averaging 25 pts, 8 rebounds, and 8 assists at one point in his career.

    Nothing is for certain. Ask Grant Hill…he is still working hard, still searching. Its sad how forgotten he has become. This was a man that put FILA on your feet. Who in their right mind (excluding Michael Fouad) would put FILA on their feet today?

     

    Lebron messed up with his decision show. So let’s drop it from the conversation once and for all. Let me point out some things you have forgotten. The show was the third most watched event of the year. All the attention, advertising proceeds, and pure revenue from that show went to Lebron’s charitable donations. He didn’t owe Dan Gilbert anything (look at the way he acted in the aftermath…I don’t care how angry you are…if you are a leader of an organization, have some class – especially since you empowered Lebron to take over not just your organization, but the entire city). Lebron’s “performance” on the show certainly wasn’t an award winner but I am sure he wanted to illustrate not just to Cleveland fans but to everyone, the degree of difficulty of the situation. Like the recent movie that just flopped, “The Last Airbender” – was horribly scripted above all things. It just came out all wrong. But again, that’s what happens when you’re getting advice from your hometown friends. I’m surprised Maverick Carter, Lebron’s Advisor…the person who nobody knows…literally…let that go.

    And lastly…well well, what can I say about Sir Charles. The dude is hilarious. He’s a respectable sports personality and just downright one of the greatest Power Forwards of all time (and he was shorter than MJ). But when he was 25 years old, he didn’t have 7 years under his belt. In fact, Charles came into the league when he was turning 21…and by the time he jolted Philly for Phoenix, he was leaving 8 years worth of being the man in Philadelphia. So, I would give Sir Charles another chance on his statement. I mean, 7-8 years with no titles on a stagnant team caused him to want a chance to win a championship with KJ and Thunder Dan. At the age of 28/29, Barkley was in his prime when he bolted for Arizona. And he also had too much of an ego to ever play alongside another top super star…not until he was getting rounded out and with bad knees that is.

    But you both are right, Lebron isn’t Michael Jordan. And he very well might not be an alpha dog. But he certainly doesn’t want to be the odd man out without a ring. Miller, Ewing…and all those players you listed who were great players who never won championships are just that great players without championships. You’re not a champ, until you win. You can have the heart of a champion, the determination of a champion…but you still are not a champion. And it’s sad because it will always carry over where ever you are. For example, Charles Barkley….man…that guy was a beast…he was just an awesome player…oh yea…he never won a championship…poor Chuck. Instead of Sir Charles in one instance, you retain Chuck…..it’s tough to be a competitor at that level and accomplish so much, and not being able to get a ring when guys like Adam Morrison on the bench have two.

     

    So, if Dan Marino had won two championships…would he be the greatest QB of all time? What if Terry Bradshaw (who doesn’t have the greatest stats for even an average QB) never won a Super bowl…would he even be ranked in the top 50 QBs?

     

    If Charles Barkley won as many rings as Tim Duncan, who is better? Being a super star is a great accomplishment, but being a champion takes it to a whole different level.

     

    Let’s finish up our Sangria with this final thought. La Furia Roja…VIVA ESPANA…congrats on winning the WORLD CUP! So, who’s ready for cake?

    Like

  10. Pingback: Experience Aurie Year In Review: 2010 | Experience Aurie

Leave a comment