Lebron to announce decision Thursday Night at 9pm on ESPN

[gangreenman]

Back on topic... Gilbert this morning has now accused Lebron James of quitting during the playoffs and said he is sick of everyone making excuses for Lebron James and these superstar athletes and that they need to be held accountable.

Talk about Pot meet Kettle. I guess when a team fails to win a title with one of the best players in the NBA for seven years...It is the owner of that teams right to blame it all on said player after he leaves. Mr. Gilbert -- Over the last couple of weeks, have you ever thought for a minute that there is a reason why DWade and Bosh and other free agents would be willing and eager to join LBJ anywhere BUT Cleveland? Maybe its you and your organization that need to change, and not Lebron and the superstar players?

If Gilbert believes anything that is coming out of his mouth these past 24 hours then he needs to step up and take some accountability for himself.

The more he talks, the more I start to side with Lebron's decision to get the F outta there.

[JohnnyHector]

have you ever thought for a minute that there is a reason why DWade and Bosh and other free agents would be willing and eager to join LBJ anywhere BUT Cleveland? Maybe its you and your organization that need to change, and not Lebron and the superstar players?

Not defending Gilbert, but first off, there's no way they could've fit all 3 under the cap if, in fact, they had some grade school "pact" to play together.

Secondly, have you ever been to Cleveland? Who in their right mind would willingly go there to play over places like Chicago, New York, or Miami?

[gangreenman]

Not defending Gilbert, but first off, there's no way they could've fit all 3 under the cap if, in fact, they had some grade school "pact" to play together.

Secondly, have you ever been to Cleveland? Who in their right mind would willingly go there to play over places like Chicago, New York, or Miami?

I would think players care more about winning championships and playing for solid organizations than where those organizations are located. I agree they probably wouldnt have fit all 3 under the cap, but even if they could, both Wade and Bosh would refuse to play there. Doesn't that say something?

[RutgersJetFan]

Not defending Gilbert, but first off, there's no way they could've fit all 3 under the cap if, in fact, they had some grade school "pact" to play together.

Secondly, have you ever been to Cleveland? Who in their right mind would willingly go there to play over places like Chicago, New York, or Miami?

AN0WqSeCKW8

[ECURB]

Back on topic... Gilbert this morning has now accused Lebron James of quitting during the playoffs and said he is sick of everyone making excuses for Lebron James and these superstar athletes and that they need to be held accountable.

Talk about Pot meet Kettle. I guess when a team fails to win a title with one of the best players in the NBA for seven years...It is the owner of that teams right to blame it all on said player after he leaves. Mr. Gilbert -- Over the last couple of weeks, have you ever thought for a minute that there is a reason why DWade and Bosh and other free agents would be willing and eager to join LBJ anywhere BUT Cleveland? Maybe its you and your organization that need to change, and not Lebron and the superstar players?

If Gilbert believes anything that is coming out of his mouth these past 24 hours then he needs to step up and take some accountability for himself.

The more he talks, the more I start to side with Lebron's decision to get the F outta there.

Lebron did quit in the playoffs and now he quit Cleveland and you can bet in 5 years when everyone is ripping him about needing Wade he will quit Miami and run away again.

[ECURB]

NHL has highest salaries for fanbase.

http://www.marketwire.com/press-release/NHL-Fans-Have-Higher-Mean-Household-Income-Levels-Than-Other-Sports-Fans-906203.htm

Higher mean income levels does not = increased spending on sporting goods

If anything the highest spenders on merchandise are most likely some of the lowest income people... swing by the 'hood" real quick when doing some of your baggy pants research and notice how much clothing is team sports related... then go take a ride through Greenwich CT and tell me how many people are rocking New Era caps with Jerseys.

[Lil Bit Special]

I understand and agree with the anger towards LBJ many basketball fans have displayed...

I have no problem with Lyndon Baines Johnson.

[gangreenman]

Lebron did quit in the playoffs and now he quit Cleveland and you can bet in 5 years when everyone is ripping him about needing Wade he will quit Miami and run away again.

May be true. But not my point. My point is that Dan Gilbert is the owner of the Cavaliers. Not sure how he plans to do it while alienating the fraternity of NBA greats with all this talk, but last night he guaranteed the Cavs will win a title before Lebron and the Heat do.

From a business/ownership standpoint, Gilbert is being a hypocritical idiot. Even if what he is saying is technically true.

[ECURB]

May be true. But not my point. My point is that Dan Gilbert is the owner of the Cavaliers. Not sure how he plans to do it while alienating the fraternity of NBA greats with all this talk, but last night he guaranteed the Cavs will win a title before Lebron and the Heat do.

From a business/ownership standpoint, Gilbert is being a hypocritical idiot. Even if what he is saying is technically true.

He did not alienate any greats, how is calling out someone who has won nothing even comparable?

Gilbert show bigger balls last night than Lebron ever has... Lebron Quit on his team it was obvious, nobody wanted to talk about it because it was so awkward that he would do it but at least the man had the balls to call him out on it.

[JohnnyHector]

I have no problem with Lyndon Baines Johnson.

What about the Gulf of Tonkin?!

PS - no politics, clown.

[JohnnyHector]

AN0WqSeCKW8

As much as I dislike Noah, even back to when he was at Florida, I have to admit that I was quite amused when he made those comments.

[gangreenman]

He did not alienate any greats, how is calling out someone who has won nothing even comparable?

Gilbert show bigger balls last night than Lebron ever has... Lebron Quit on his team it was obvious, nobody wanted to talk about it because it was so awkward that he would do it but at least the man had the balls to call him out on it.

Because what NBA superstar in their right mind would want to change teams to sign with that organization? Have you read the letter? Have you heard the interview?

If Lebron was still a Cav, do you think Gilbert would have said any of this? He is being an emotional assclown... This has nothing to do with balls or bravery or anything like that.

[dbatesman]

Because what NBA superstar in their right mind would want to change teams to sign with that organization? Have you read the letter? Have you heard the interview?

Ex post facto at its finest. Gilbert is a clown, but his only real crime was not firing Danny Ferry two years ago.

[InstantClassic]

How is this news that SJ is a racist?

Thug Turd ring a bell??

[InstantClassic]

Meh, as a Knicks and Magic fan...this couldnt really be any worse.

Orlando will not be any where near as good as they've been next season if they dont totally revamp their team.

Vince sucks. Lewis sucks. Nelson is average. The Magic have a ton of work to do now...a ton.

You're entitled to your opinion..I think otherwise .

Vince is what he is..he can play when he wants to. He was very disinterested most of last season.

Lewis was suspended the 1st 10 games..never got his rhythm to come back to his all-star form from a year prior. Was very ill in the Boston series.

Nelson is a score first PG..but when you're putting up 20 in the 1st Q during the playoffs..I don't see that as a bad thing.

J-Will offered nothing..and is gone. We'll see if Barnes returns..but if not I slide Pietrus in to the starting 3. Dwight will continue to improve and evolve..this team is still very, very good.

If the league was a 3-3 NBA Jam league..i'd be worried about the Heat. Not so much.

[visajets]

Cavs owner Dan Gilbert is a douche bag. LeBron put the Cavs on the map. He gave them 8 years of his career. He wants to win a championship something he knew would never happen in Cleveland.

[rillo]

How is this news that SJ is a racist?

Thug Turd ring a bell??

Exactly, but nothing gets by me

It's nothing new, that's why I asked if him and JGB were the same people, but now I know the deal.

[rillo]

Cavs owner Dan Gilbert is a douche bag. LeBron put the Cavs on the map. He gave them 8 years of his career. He wants to win a championship something he knew would never happen in Cleveland.

True, but we'll never find out, he gave up.

[Aten]

http://www.nba.com/video/channels/nba_tv/2010/07/08/20100708_lebron_barkley.nba/

/thread

I didn't watch the video but I assume this is what he said about how he'd have wanted to do it himself if he were 25. You can tell that the argument is specious because he had to append that last part to let KG and Ray off the hook. Not to mention the fact that Barkley is just about the last person I'd ask for advice on how to go about attaining LeBron's stated goal of winning NBA championships. The indignation over LeBron/Wade/Bosh going Voltron seems crazy to me. This is supposed to be different from Magic/Kareem, Jordan/Pippen, Kobe/Shaq why? Because those guys didn't choose to play together? So what? The idea that this is somehow a unique affront to the spirit of competition just because the players are the ones calling the shots is based on outmoded notions of who's supposed to be the boss of whom. That's the same thing I said when people got upset over Cutler being consulted about Chicago's offensive coordinator candidates. Same basic idea here about the chattel forgetting its place, only the outrage is exponentially worse in this instance, and since we both know perfectly well why, I'm not going to say it and set off a chain of angry responses from people who don't know the difference between overt and latent.

[Lil Bit Special]

What about the Gulf of Tonkin?!

PS - no politics, clown.

Im not the one who referenced LBJ. There is only one LBJ. And this NBA clown isnt him.

[RutgersJetFan]

The idea that this is somehow a unique affront to the spirit of competition just because the players are the ones calling the shots is based on outmoded notions of who's supposed to be the boss of whom.

I don't think that's it at all. Sure, the fact that they're all taking less money to play with each other should count in their favor, but it doesn't. I don't know why, it just doesn't. Especially with Durant doing what he did like 24 hours earlier.

Good to see you're alive though, I was worried that you might have been bulldozed over by street-rioters in flaming jerseys looking for mathletes to kill.

[RutgersJetFan]

I didn't watch the video but I assume this is what he said about how he'd have wanted to do it himself if he were 25.

Also, that was really just a part of it. It was more so about how Cleveland just finished with the #1 seed two years in a row, it took Jordan several years to get past Detroit, he should have stayed and finished it there because it would have meant that much more to his legacy...etc.

[dbatesman]

I didn't watch the video but I assume this is what he said about how he'd have wanted to do it himself if he were 25. You can tell that the argument is specious because he had to append that last part to let KG and Ray off the hook. Not to mention the fact that Barkley is just about the last person I'd ask for advice on how to go about attaining LeBron's stated goal of winning NBA championships. The indignation over LeBron/Wade/Bosh going Voltron seems crazy to me. This is supposed to be different from Magic/Kareem, Jordan/Pippen, Kobe/Shaq why? Because those guys didn't choose to play together? So what? The idea that this is somehow a unique affront to the spirit of competition just because the players are the ones calling the shots is based on outmoded notions of who's supposed to be the boss of whom. That's the same thing I said when people got upset over Cutler being consulted about Chicago's offensive coordinator candidates. Same basic idea here about the chattel forgetting its place, only the outrage is exponentially worse in this instance, and since we both know perfectly well why, I'm not going to say it and set off a chain of angry responses from people who don't know the difference between overt and latent.

Heh. I wondered if the discussion about fan incomes would be enough to rope you back in.

Can't speak for anyone else, but it doesn't run that deep for me. I don't think what LeBron did is offensive or unethical, but he made the whole process even more sleazy and self-aggrandizing than it already was, and as a tortured sports fan my heart goes out to Cleveland because he did them dirt. He's free to sign where he wants, I'm free to think he's kind of a punk.

That said, I think much of the backlash can be attributed to people being forced to recalibrate their opinion of LeBron's legacy, nevermind the fact that discussing a 25-year-old's legacy is retarded no matter where he plays.

[RutgersJetFan]

That said, I think much of the backlash can be attributed to people being forced to recalibrate their opinion of LeBron's legacy, nevermind the fact that discussing a 25-year-old's legacy is retarded no matter where he plays.

Yeah, but come on dude, it's legit.

[Aten]

Can't speak for anyone else, but it doesn't run that deep for me. I don't think what LeBron did is offensive or unethical, but he made the whole process even more sleazy and self-aggrandizing than it already was, and as a tortured sports fan my heart goes out to Cleveland because he did them dirt. He's free to sign where he wants, I'm free to think he's kind of a punk.

Of course it was sleazy and self-aggrandizing, but he's gotta make up the money he left on the table in New York somewhere, and as Wade and Bosh don't seem to care that he's already positioning himself as first among equals while shoveling humble pie into the other side of his mouth, I dunno why anybody else would.

And screw Cleveland. The fans are retards, Gilbert's clearly out of his mind, Ferry is the white Isiah, Brown is incompetent, and at least two of LeBron's teammates ****ed his mom. He doesn't owe them anything.

[Aten]

That said, I think much of the backlash can be attributed to people being forced to recalibrate their opinion of LeBron's legacy, nevermind the fact that discussing a 25-year-old's legacy is retarded no matter where he plays.

Particularly considering that the discussions of a 25-year old Kobe's legacy basically ensured that something like this was gonna happen eventually.

[JohnnyHector]

If you want to be the King, don't go out and form a republic.

[SouthernJet]

Higher mean income levels does not = increased spending on sporting goods

If anything the highest spenders on merchandise are most likely some of the lowest income people... swing by the 'hood" real quick when doing some of your baggy pants research and notice how much clothing is team sports related... then go take a ride through Greenwich CT and tell me how many people are rocking New Era caps with Jerseys.

100% agree.....

that was my point..cheap purchases...

thats why i said NBA viewers buy jerseys/sneaks and tv ads relate to that, while NHL , golf, mlb are more electronics, cars oriented their tv advertising..

me thinks u missed the point of my 'demographics as it relates to TV ads' post or jumped in mid thread

[dbatesman]

Of course it was sleazy and self-aggrandizing, but he's gotta make up the money he left on the table in New York somewhere, and as Wade and Bosh don't seem to care that he's already positioning himself as first among equals while shoveling humble pie into the other side of his mouth, I dunno why anybody else would.

And screw Cleveland. The fans are retards, Gilbert's clearly out of his mind, Ferry is the white Isiah, Brown is incompetent, and at least two of LeBron's teammates ****ed his mom. He doesn't owe them anything.

Positioning himself is entirely the problem. He can rack up all the triple-doubles he wants, but he basically kicked a city in the stones so he could invest in an LLC.

[SouthernJet]

How is this news that SJ is a racist?

Thug Turd ring a bell??

whites/blacks are in thug turd HOF.. wierd comment by instantpudding.

racist? , I am a person of oppression myself. My parents and their family were subjected to horrific crimes against humanity.

I have felt the oppression of 'the man' and his heavy laden boots.

I have had to overcome the taunts that people of color and creed are subjected to.

Oh, the pain we have seen in the Motherland.

But its all cool..we are all here in the good old USA where everyone is equal and all is cool beans as we have a square meal on the table and a song to whistle by as we go to work.

[SouthernJet]

Positioning himself is entirely the problem. He can rack up all the triple-doubles he wants, but he basically kicked a city in the stones so he could invest in an LLC.

he could have been the spokesballer for national companies if he was a NY Knick..now all he will get is spokesballer for Salsa Dance Schools and Gator Farms

[Aten]

Positioning himself is entirely the problem. He can rack up all the triple-doubles he wants, but he basically kicked a city in the stones so he could invest in an LLC.

You know who comes out of this looking really inept? Ari Emmanuel. I don't understand how the guy responsible for that spectacle ****ing runs William Morris. Leaving aside the merits of the whole strategy for the global launch of the LeBron brand, the way he came off in ESPN special alone cost him millions. I know it's in no way his fault that LeBron is stupid and inarticulate, but covering that stuff up is what PR is for.

[SouthernJet]

Which 2011 unrestricted free agent will Knicks land? :

Carmelo Anthony, Caron Butler, Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, David West or Tayshaun Prince

some good restricted 2011 FA's also:

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?page=FreeAgents-10-11

[dbatesman]

You know who comes out of this looking really inept? Ari Emmanuel. I don't understand how the guy responsible for that spectacle ****ing runs William Morris. Leaving aside the merits of the whole strategy for the global launch of the LeBron brand, the way he came off in ESPN special alone cost him millions. I know it's in no way his fault that LeBron is stupid and inarticulate, but covering that stuff up is what PR is for.

It's almost impressive in its way. My favorite moment was LeBron answering the tweet about Obama's game until my girlfriend reminded me of the bleachers full of kids. I don't know what they were hoping to gain from that, but any chance of avoiding TV Chernobyl went out the door the second "I'm going to the Miami Heat" was met with a combination of gasps and groans.

[InstantClassic]

whites/blacks are in thug turd HOF.. wierd comment by instantpudding.

racist? , I am a person of oppression myself. My parents and their family were subjected to horrific crimes against humanity.

I have felt the oppression of 'the man' and his heavy laden boots.

I have had to overcome the taunts that people of color and creed are subjected to.

Oh, the pain we have seen in the Motherland.

But its all cool..we are all here in the good old USA where everyone is equal and all is cool beans as we have a square meal on the table and a song to whistle by as we go to work.

Cry me a river..with the ideals you put forth here i'm not surprised your parents were opressed.