Biggest Off-season Drama

it was a toss up between the last 2.

Hands down - Lebron James news has gotten extremely old.

Enough of this foolishness.

Is it Lebron's " Championship of Me" or is it the media crawling all over the story? I will admit announcing his decision live on tv is a bit over the top.

All of these stories are manufactured beyond normal by so many competing sports media circles. ESPN amped up exposure beyond the original media (tv, newspapers). Then came FoxSports and regional cable sports. Now there's internet media (ie Yahoo Sports). This phenomenem isn't just about sports. It's also about politics and any other news story.

Another issue is being the one who breaks the story. I don't care who breaks the story. I don't care about all the speculation. I want the news when it happens reported accurately.

There's no escape for the target personality or the sports fan who wants to scream "Enough!" Then again there is the option to not read or watch the stories.

I think I hit my end of speculative curiosity when I went the entire two weeks preceeding the Super Bowl without reading one article.

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Is it Lebron's " Championship of Me" or is it the media crawling all over the story?

Good question. I think it is both. You can't have one without the other. Some can handle the hype with a decorum of class and others it goes to their heads. To LeBron's credit, he is a fairly unselfish team player. His ego has gotten the better of him in this fiasco however. I see similarities with Brett Favre. There are egos in every sport but they are no doubt fueled and nurtured by the media imho.

I can't take credit for the label of "Championship of me" in regards to Lebron.

Where I got it was Yahoo Sports. Interesting read.

State of Lebron

Glad to see Brett Favre is winning in the poll.....being from Wisconsin, I've lived it first hand.

Stu

So far Favre has only one vote - and I claim it (the poll 'line' is the one above the player's name - it's kind of deceptive).

The guy has created a fiasco with ripple effects throughout the NFL. Had he actually retired from his Packers career I'd be fine with him, but he has made a mess (with his mouth moreso than his play) of what should have been a healthy and respected departure.

ARGH

I KNEW I forgot to add 1 more athlete to this poll.

How could we forget Michael Vick....??!!!

I just went to Yahoo Sports. Now I'm ready to puke and vote for James.

King Drama

Don't forget Lebron. You can't be king until you earn the ring.

Tiger Woods for me.

Lebron really hasn't been going on that long and I think it will go away come tomorrow afternoon.

Favre was a close second but that whole thing has really been going on since 2008. Every year he pulls this ****.

Tiger Woods simply drives me crazy. OK, I get it, he decided to play around on his wife. His wife didn't like it and decided to take it out on his car. It was a media circus simply enthralled with the idea of tearing down another supposed pillar of the sport. I'm not defending the guy, Tiger got everything he deserved but enough is enough. He lost his endorcements, his wife is divorcing him and he stands to lose at least nine figures from all of this.

He is dumb, arrogant and getting his due but they let the whole thing go on about three months too long. Heck they still are badgering him about it after he plays in tourneys. Enough.

I went with Tiger. Lebron is current but the Tiger stuff had more legs to it.

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He (Tiger Woods) is dumb, arrogant and getting his due but they let the whole thing go on about three months too long. Heck they still are badgering him about it after he plays in tourneys. Enough.

The media makes stories bigger than they are. This story won't die until he's winning tournaments on a regular basis. Then the golf world will be back to normal. Until then the stories will be ... Can he get back where he was in a given year? Can he get back to being on track to breaking all the records and becoming the greatest golfer of all time?

You never know what will derail the train. At one point it looked like Ken Griffey Jr would become the greatest baseball player of all time. Then injuries started happening.

I can understand the Favre situation. He struggles with going back to his family versus the struggle pro athletes have with walking away from the limelight. The media chases him on this story.

Lebron's situation is a team of twenty-five year old advisors not understanding he's not bigger than the game itself. Then ESPN walks into the middle of it and validates their thoughts with a one hour special. ESPN should have told Lebron they'll give him fifteen minutes during a scheduled SportCenter and which fifteen minutes it will be.

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Originally posted by Krakatoa:
So far Favre has only one vote -

As a die hard Packer fan my first question was "Bret who?"

My next thought was "Who cares". Then I thought of all those 3rd world countries that take in those exiled from their homeland and figure MN has enough wilderness where Brets head and ego might fit.

If LeBron is holding this press conference and doesn't announce he's staying in Cleveland, I have lost all respect for him as a person for doing this to his fans, who have supported his career. That's like a knife in the back.

He just becomes another "me" guy and we have enough of them in sports today. I hope he proves otherwise, although coming to Miami (the talk around town and all over the sports world) would be awesome.

IMO, I think he is going to stay where he is.

Miami is the winner. If they can find a few more players.

I got a lecture from son, he can do what he wants, he's put in his time. After a while you do what's best for you, to make you happy, not others.

Shows you how much I know.

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What do you think guys? Does green really work for Alex? I think something more like a dusty maroon or burgundy would be better for him. Which color of shirt would be best? This is a very serious question. He's got to learn...snazzy, snappy, get with it!

Perception! Perception! Perception! That's all!

Take a look for yourself!




.

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Originally posted by TPM:
I got a lecture from son, he can do what he wants, he's put in his time. After a while you do what's best for you, to make you happy, not others.

Shows you how much I know.

TPM - I got a lecture back for your son. Tell him to put himself in other people's shoes. I certainly understand how he feels but...

What if Jack Leggett and Coach O'Sullivan would have bolted for say Arizona State after his freshmen year at Clemson. I mean, it may have been the best thing for them - right?

I remember my son saying that the best thing about UW-Madison dropping baseball is that he wasn't obligated to stay home. Obligation was not a negative word, he meant that he owed family, friends, and community the same respect they gave him over the years. It looks like I have a new team to root against.

I won't wish the Heat injuries...just terrible luck, and team dissension.

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Originally posted by rz1:
I remember my son saying that the best thing about UW-Madison dropping baseball is that he wasn't obligated to stay home. Obligation was not a negative word, he meant that he owed family, friends, and community the same respect they gave him over the years. It looks like I have a new team to root against.

I won't wish the Heat injuries...just terrible luck, and team dissension.

We are kindred souls and I appreciate the support! To hell with Miami (not the city, but the Heat).

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I won't wish the Heat injuries...just terrible luck, and team dissension.

There's only one ball. Plus the Heat roster only has four players and almost no money left. It takes a quality bench to get a team through 12-15 minutes a game and injuries. Some role players are going to have to be sold on playing for next to nothing for the opportunity to win a championship. Where are Karl Malone and Gary Payton when the Heat need them?

The word after the season was Lebron was Batman and needed a Robin. Kobe has Gasol. Pierce has Garnett and Allen. Jordan had Pippen. With Lebron's decision he became D-Wade's Robin. You don't acquire a Batman. You acquire a Robin.

True superstars don't run to the perceived easiest place to win. The build legacies. They let the team be built around them. Staying with the Cavs would have been building a legacy. But I could understand leaving Cleveland. It's not a media center. Going to the Knicks would have been an attempt to rebuild a tradition and build a legacy. I was hoping to see the Celtics-Knicks rivalry revived. The Nets would have been the other New York and building a legacy. There was no way James was going to Chicago. He doesn't have the balls to stand in the shadow of Jordan. And James doesn't have the balls to play in the same city (for the Clippers) as Kobe and take him on one on one for the hearts of the city.

Ladies and gentlemen, I give you Robin James. The kid advisors, err punks who advise James and James himself don't get it.

Right on RJM.

Here is a perfect summary:

"What a spectacle, what a train wreck.

What a shame."

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/ne...lebrondecision070910

OH and BTW Boston is going to give little Robin and his band of merry men one big bloody nose come playoff time.

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Originally posted by ClevelandDad:

quote:

Originally posted by TPM:
I got a lecture from son, he can do what he wants, he's put in his time. After a while you do what's best for you, to make you happy, not others.

Shows you how much I know.

TPM - I got a lecture back for your son. Tell him to put himself in other people's shoes. I certainly understand how he feels but...

What if Jack Leggett and Coach O'Sullivan would have bolted for say Arizona State after his freshmen year at Clemson. I mean, it may have been the best thing for them - right?

CD,
I didn't agree with his opinion. As far as lecturing him back, he's entitled to his opinion, if that is how he sees it. Part of his perception is when you work hard and do things for others, sometimes you got to do what you feel is best for you. We all know in the sports world there are people made up of those that want to make lots of money and those who will take less for a chanpionship opportunity, we see it in recruiting often too, don't we. How many players will sacrifice a large scholarship on a team but a lessor one on one that might get to Omaha?
I do remember one thing, when son was deciding whether to stay in FL or go out of state his biggest concern was about us, how we would feel if we were not able to be there often. We told him not to think about making us happy but do what will make him happy and stop worrying about everyone else.
I don't agree with his reasons for coming to Miami. But even grown men sometimes have to turn to their momma's for advice, can't take that way from him.

This is NOT good for baseball (or hockey) here in South Florida, already a market largely dominated by football, now it will have to compete with basketball for attention.

Saddens me that he never called his former team to tell them and they had to hear it on national TV, also saddens me that Cleveland fans burned their LeBron jerseys.

In sports, perception is a huge part of it. I'm afraid now, LJ will be perceived somewhat differently and not in the positive side. Of course there is one town in Florida that that's not true.

I think it's funny James switched from #23 to #6 because a great, famous player wore #23. It's a perfect example of how many of today's players are so self centered they don't know the history of the game. The winningest player in the history of the NBA wore #6. The MVP of the NBA Finals is named after him. Lebron wishes he could take over a big game and dominate like #6. Very few NBA players can place the team on their back and refuse to lose. #6 was one of them. The amazing thing was how he could dominate a game from the defensive end. James can't dominate must win games. Psst James, Kobe can put on a team on his back and win. You can have your ESPN special. Kobe has the ring. He's the big winner (Can't believe I praised a Laker ... where's the soap).

'

Jesse who?




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Originally posted by gotwood4sale:
'

Jesse who?




.

The race card king strikes again. The man is nothing but an irrelevant media w hore. There was nothing racial about how management, the media and the fans responded to James leaving the Cavs. It was the classless way he did it regardless of his color. Any person with any class would have informed the employer who paid him millions before he went on his Looking At Me tv show. James owed Gilbert a phone call before the show.

The class way to handle the situaton would have been to hold a press conference in Cleveland or Akron. Then start by thanking the Cavs fans and management for the past seven years before making an announcement. He would have come off as a class act and respected by the people of Cleveland. I'll bet even the owner would have wished him well had the announcement been done right.

James isn't the victim. The Cavs fans are the victims. Not because James left. Because of the way he left after they supported and loved him for seven years.

Could Jackson please tell us when in history an owner paid his slave 100 million.

don't look if you will be offended at a spoof on Jackson

BUMP!

LeBron

A self absorbed, self centered, back stabbing, entitlement grabbing, "piece of dirt" ( thank you STO Sports Bruce Drennan). The NBA is just a bunch of millionaire thugs milking every dime they can from the common fan. The NBA will be gone within 5 years without an intervention. David Stearn is a joke.

I respectfully submit...........................

LOL

How do ya really feel?

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The NBA is just a bunch of millionaire thugs milking every dime they can from the common fan.

This is one thing you can't say abut LeBron James. He took less money to go to Miami. So did Bosh. So did Wade to give the Heat more cap space.

Paul Pierce and Ray Allen did the same thing in Boston. Rasheed Wallace and Jermaine O'Neil took the veteran's exception (which is not a lot of money by NBA standards) to play for Boston. Nate Robinson took less money to stay in Boston as an eighth or ninth man over moving on for more money and playing time because he feels the team can win and he enjoys the environment.

You probably work for a company that makes money from consumers. Do you turn down raises for the good of the consumers? Just like your job the NBA and other sports pay what the market will bear.

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This is one thing you can't say abut LeBron James. He took less money to go to Miami. So did Bosh. So did Wade to give the Heat more cap space.

On the contrary, LeBron will be making more money in Miami than he ever would in let's say, New York simply because of the favorable tax implications. I will agree that the statement would be better as the following:

The NBA is just a bunch of millionaire thugs who milk every dime they can from billionaire owners who then milk every dime they can from the common fan.

ESPN has a feature called Salary Crunch, where you can find out how long it takes famous players to make your salary and vice versa. Here's what Lebron has to do to earn my highest salary in 25 years as a law enforcement officer: .43 games, 3.25 rebounds, 12.78 points, 3.64 assists. Or how long I'd have to work to make LeBron's annual salary: 201.65 years.

These guys are out of touch.

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Originally posted by PA Dino:

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This is one thing you can't say abut LeBron James. He took less money to go to Miami. So did Bosh. So did Wade to give the Heat more cap space.

On the contrary, LeBron will be making more money in Miami than he ever would in let's say, New York simply because of the favorable tax implications. I will agree that the statement would be better as the following:

The NBA is just a bunch of millionaire thugs who milk every dime they can from billionaire owners who then milk every dime they can from the common fan.

ESPN has a feature called Salary Crunch, where you can find out how long it takes famous players to make your salary and vice versa. Here's what Lebron has to do to earn my highest salary in 25 years as a law enforcement officer: .43 games, 3.25 rebounds, 12.78 points, 3.64 assists. Or how long I'd have to work to make LeBron's annual salary: 201.65 years.

These guys are out of touch.

Who cares what other people make. I concern myself with what I make. Anything else is just a curiosity. Pro athletes fit into a skill category that is less than 1% of all athletes. And many are out of the game in three or less years. The average person on the street isn't going to fill stadiums doing their job. Top surgeons make in the millions per year too. If your employer called you into the office and offered to double your salary would you turn it down on the grounds it's not fair to the company's consumers?

You completely ignored my statement about the guys who took less money to stay with the Celtics. Massachusetts has one of the highest state tax rates in the country. So much for your tax argument since the NBA is a bunch of thugs chasing dollars.

Whenever I see people go after NBA salaries and not other salaries I see racial undertones. If baseball players strike they're not greedy? If baseball players holdout they're not greedy? If baseball players sign with Boras because he gets the best deal are they greedy? Where do actors fall into your scheme of milking money out of common people. Businesses pay their employees and charge for products based on what the market will bear. How many people would pay to watch you work? The reality is the common man doesn't have to be milked. He can chose not to participate. Life is full of choices.

Now you have yourself in two debates where your arguments are inconsistant and you don't appear to know what you're talking about.

By the way, another NBA thug Shaq O'Neil is looking at taking the NBA veteran minimum to play for a team with a chance to win a title than get the most money from just any team.

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Who cares what other people make. I concern myself with what I make.

I am represented by a union that is paid to care what I make and what others who do the same work make compared to me. Basketball players are members of a union also that does the same thing. You should care what others do for their money.

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If your employer called you into the office and offered to double your salary would you turn it down on the grounds it's not fair to the company's consumers?

My employer ( the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania) is running in a deficit.........I would never see a raise over the cost of living much less doubled income.

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You completely ignored my statement about the guys who took less money to stay with the Celtics.

There are stand up good guys in every sport. LeBron is not one of them.

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..... I see racial undertones.

You mean like this from one of your posts: don't look if you will be offended at a spoof on Jackson

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The reality is the common man doesn't have to be milked. He can chose not to participate. Life is full of choices

Yes the point is indeed freedom to chose.......it is freedom to chose to participate and not be excluded due to condition of finances and discriminatory excess fees. The truth is the less money you make, the less choices you have. The NBA ticket price is discriminatory to the "common" man.

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Now you have yourself in two debates where your arguments are inconsistant and you don't appear to know what you're talking about.

You are much too intelligent a person to resort to name calling. The reader can decide who is inconsistant and appears as if they don't know what they are talking about.

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By the way, another NBA thug Shaq O'Neil is looking at taking the NBA veteran minimum to play for a team with a chance to win a title than get the most money from just any team.

Shaq is washed up at the end of his career and I'd put him in the "good guy" class.

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I am represented by a union that is paid to care what I make and what others who do the same work make compared to me.

I figured as much but felt I would wait for you to state it. Fortunately I've always been free to have unlimited earning power. I only concern myself with how much I can make.

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My employer ( the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania) is running in a deficit.........I would never see a raise over the cost of living much less doubled income.

You didn't answer the question.

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You mean like this from one of your posts: don't look if you will be offended at a spoof on Jackson

I think I posted that. Jackson is a media w.hore and an opportunist who uses race to find the tv cameras.

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it is freedom to chose to participate and not be excluded due to condition of finances and discriminatory excess fees. The truth is the less money you make, the less choices you have. The NBA ticket price is discriminatory to the "common" man.

Are you saying prices should be lowered to accomodate everyone rather than what the market will bear?

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Shaq is washed up at the end of his career

Shaq is washed up relative to being a star. Any physical center who can average 12 points and 7 rebounds in 24 minutes a game can play a role on a team.

Favre just coughs and mentions he'll come back if he is healthy...OR...did this come up AFTER the Vikings magically mentions they'll bump up his salary for the year (with incentives) by almost $7 MILLION dollars..???

He was already scheduled to make $13 million.

How convenient Brett.

How about SHAQ---playing for the veteran minimum---I think he fits well on the Celtics