Baseball Comparisons to Lebron James

The Bulls have the $$$ and the Robin.

quote:

Originally posted by Holden Caulfield:
The Bulls have the $$$ and the Robin.

I can't imagine LeBron going to Chicago and for his entire career hearing he couldn't do what Michael did .... win six championships. What Lebron needs in his life is less yes men and someone to tell him the emperor has no clothes (or an NBA title).

Who's to say he wouldn't?

The only way he hears that in Chicago is if he's a bust. If he ends up a bust in NY, do you think they'll be any kinder to him???

If he wants to hide and avoid that kind of criticism, stay in Cleveland. But I doubt he will

quote:

Originally posted by RJM:
Note: The Knicks are 37M under the cap. They've been sitting on this moment for a year.

The Knicks have been cutting loose bad contracts since Donnie Walsh signed on two years ago. They have been positioning themselves for July 2010 since April 2008. That was the only way for them to get to this position. For years (since Ewing left), the Knicks have been badly mismanaged and run into the ground by Isiah Thomas (what organization hasn't Thomas ran into the ground as an exec) and the only way out was to tank a few seasons and dump bad contracts.

Now that the time is here, Donnie Walsh's job is to sign LeBron James.

His job has to be on the line for his signing.

quote:

Who's to say he wouldn't?

It's not that easy to assemble the kind of talent to win six championships. I'd call it an extreme longshot. Aside from talent there has to be a lack of equal competition. If he wins one championship in New York he's a hero for bringing the franchise back.

The Celtics won more than six in the Russell era. But the 13th pitch in the draft was the second round. It was easier to accummulate talent. The Celtics and Lakers in the 80's had more talent than Jordan's Bulls teams. But they would beat each other. Jordan's Bulls didn't win anything until the Magic, Bird, Isiah Thomas era was over. Even Kobe can't win six.

Lebron might win a championship in his lifetime just on his talent. But the problem with acheiving true greatness will be no one dares push him and upset him. He's surrounded by yes men including the Cav's organization. He's been surrounded by yes men since he was a teen. He may not achieve the true greatness of a champion. He may retire a great individual player like Dominique Wilkins unless he gets a coach who tells him the way it is instead deferring to him.

There may even be some behind the scenes pressure by the league to get a true marque(spelling) player like Lebron to one of the flagship franchises such as the Knicks.

quote:

Originally posted by Three Bagger:
There may even be some behind the scenes pressure by the league to get a true marque(spelling) player like Lebron to one of the flagship franchises such as the Knicks.

Good point. I fear this as well.

If LeBron would have given it his all and not emotionally checked out the last two games, I would have still supported him and understood his decision to leave. Now however, I have a low opinion of him - unless he comes back of course

LeBrons final game was not a checkout--9 turn overs can happen when you try to do much--do you think Jordan would have won without Rodman,Pippen, et al?

Look at Boston today---oneguy won't do it

quote:

LeBron's final game was not a checkout

A lot of people think he checked out in the final minutes. They also think he didn't have the 4th quarter of a true champion.

Jordan didn't win with Pippen and other solid talent until the Celtics, Lakers and Piston's run was over. James isn't playing with dogmeat for teammates. He has some talented teammates who also didn't show up. It's James job as The King to lead and make teammates better players. It didn't happen in the playoffs.

I think part of it is that he had a lot on his mind and sometimes that can distract even the greatest athletes. This is no small decision when you know a lot of people will be affected. I think LeBron does want to be liked by people. The money is going to be there no matter where he end up. Maybe this is the difference between he and Jordan as MJ was truthfully pretty callous in his dealings with others and maybe that's what made him the player that he was.

I don't think it was just Lebron that checked out of the game the last few minutes...heck, they were within 12 points and not trying to put Boston on the line to kill the clock. IMO, the coach checked out and it was a trickle down effect down the line.

quote:

I think part of it is that he had a lot on his mind and sometimes that can distract even the greatest athletes.

With all of his sideline business adventures there are those who have said he's been more focused on chasing Washington's and Lincoln's than Pierce's and Kobe's.

quote:

Originally posted by Three Bagger:
There may even be some behind the scenes pressure by the league to get a true marque(spelling) player like Lebron to one of the flagship franchises such as the Knicks.

No doubt about that. The NBA is about stars and marquee players and James would be the perfect fit in NY. The Knicks have to get this done and there'll be a lot of people in NY selling it to him.

I would be very surprised if James don't sign with NY. He don't need convincing to come here. He knows how big a star he will be in NY. He's a big Yankees fan and going to the Knicks, he'll be part of the NY athlete scene and at the same time, will make people pay attention to the Knicks again.

quote:

With all of his sideline business adventures there are those who have said he's been more focused on chasing Washington's and Lincoln's than Pierce's and Kobe's.

Money is the last thing he has to worry about.
I only see an amazing athlete giving it everything he has. Seems like the Celtics aren't getting enough credit for winning the series.

Also I'm "guessing" that Lebron has some type of ulner nerve problem. The description of numbness (like hitting your crazy bone) sounds like a ulner nerve issue. This type injury can be corrected but will stop a baseball pitcher. I would imagine it wouldn't stop a basketball player from playing, but could affect performance, especially in shooting and ball handling.

I was a big Michael Jordan fan, but if it's only about winning championships, Bill Russell won 5 more than Jordan. If the best individual player was determined by championships the list would look like this...

1 - Bill Russell
2 - Sam Jones
3 - John Havlicek
4 - Ton Heinsohn
5 - KC Jones
6 - Tom Sanders
7 - Frank Ramsey
Maybe Robert Horry should be considered, he won 6 championships with three different teams.

I think we should consider how many championships have been won by age 25. For those comparing Michael Jordan was 28 years old when he won his first championship. That was Jordan's 7th year in the NBA!

Jordan didn't win with Pippen and other solid talent until the Celtics, Lakers and Piston's run was over. .[/QUOTE]


As I recall, it was Jordan, Pippin et al who ended both the Pistons' run and Magic's.

The key is the teams mentioned in the "runs" were teams that were deep---not one player teams---I recall watching Reggie Miller ( one of my alltime favorite hoopsters) and MJ come to the Garden and score 40 to 50 points and the team went home with a huge L

MJ got a team around him and Phil Jackson as a coach and they won--and do not discount Rodman's
contributions--all he had to do was rebound and make the outlet pass--if he got points it was a bonus

The Celtics with Russell were a "team personified"---they were a unit---so were the knicks and their coaches taught that

Today it is a "me me " game !!!!

quote:

As I recall, it was Jordan, Pippin et al who ended both the Pistons' run and Magic's.

After their prime was done. Until then the Celtics and Pistons made a habit of sending Jordan and the Bulls home.

quote:

Today it is a "me me " game !!!!

Watch the Celtics play. It's a different star every game. They're one of the best pick and roll and passing teams in the NBA. The interesting thing is watching a transition from The Big Three which was really Pierce's team, to Rondo's team. Rondo is now the straw that stirs the drink.

quote:

Originally posted by PGStaff:

quote:

With all of his sideline business adventures there are those who have said he's been more focused on chasing Washington's and Lincoln's than Pierce's and Kobe's.

I was a big Michael Jordan fan, but if it's only about winning championships, Bill Russell won 5 more than Jordan. If the best individual player was determined by championships the list would look like this...

1 - Bill Russell
2 - Sam Jones
3 - John Havlicek
4 - Ton Heinsohn
5 - KC Jones
6 - Tom Sanders
7 - Frank Ramsey
Maybe Robert Horry should be considered, he won 6 championships with three different teams.

Bill Russell was an amazing player although I never remember seeing him play and have only seen clips in black and white newsreal. I think I saw a stat the other day that said Russell's career playoff rebounding average was 25!!! Imagine having a guy on your team who allowed no easy looks at the basket and pulled down 25 rebounds every night in the playoffs - how many games do you think you would lose?

Robert Horry a great player? Don't think so but he had to be awfully good to collect that number of rings.

Dan Marino, Jim Kelly, Dan Fouts - stiffs because they didn't win titles? Don't think so. Would you take Jeff Hostettler over any of those guys? Don't think so.

Here is a guy who should be on the list - Yogi Berra - 10 rings. I know Yogi does not get his just due with all the other greats on the Yankees but he was right in the middle of it. A great player.

Russell could have scored twenty-plus a game if it was needed. Those Celtics teams had six or seven players who could have put up twenty-plus a game. They played completely unselfish ball.

I think KOBE made a huge statement to LeBron last nite---

RJM

You make my ppoint for me---the teams that win with superstars have a great supporting cast--you do not win with one superstar palyer

quote:

You make my point for me---the teams that win with superstars have a great supporting cast--you do not win with one superstar player

Please don't compare the 50's-60's Celtics with the Cavs. It's one of sports great dynasties. There isn't a roster in the history of basketball that can match up. Seven players from the '62 team are in the Hall of Fame.

That's not a garbage supporting cast on the Cav's roster. Jamison came to the Cav's as a career twenty point scorer. Williams had become a fifteen point scorer and a very good passer. Shaq is still a rebounding force when he's in the game. While not an agile defender adnymore he takes up a lot of space. The rest of the rotation is a decent supporting cast. What the Cav's lack is the second supporting star. Very soon they may be lacking a superstar.

What happened is the Celtics stifled them defensively. When healthy the Celtics may be the best team in the east. Rivers was smart to sacrifice homecourt for rest and health. Now the key is to bang and avoid injuries for two more series.

RJM

I am not comparing--just the simple fact that all the previous teams did not win with ONE PLAYER---they won with a team

This year the Celtics may surprise--they are aging but now healthy---I say look out