NBA Screwed?: James Leaning Towards Heat
 

Personally I think this would screw the NBA. The League already has such a low rate of parity as it is. Put together a super team of two top 5 players and another top 10 or 15 player and the NBA Finals becomes an afterthought.
[url=http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=5363055]2010 NBA free agency: Sources: LeBron James leaning toward joining Miami Heat - ESPN[/url]

If it does happen it'll be good for the first year or two as the Lakers could still compete with team absurd, but after Phil leaves and Kobe ages the lack of contenders would make the NBA monotonousness.

I thought this was pretty funny though:
"Outwardlycalm (7/8/2010 at 3:05 AM) Report Violation
Lebron will announce that he has decided to play with himself."

[IMG]http://img180.imageshack.us/img180/3113/saeqw.jpg[/IMG][/CENTER]

Re: NBA Screwed?: James Leaning Towards Heat
 

still guessing knicks

not because of a couple of key people who said it.. because of the market

Re: NBA Screwed?: James Leaning Towards Heat
 

i say cavs. but who am i?

Re: NBA Screwed?: James Leaning Towards Heat
 

I still have no clue where he's playing, as late as this morning I've heard equally reliable people say Knicks, Heat, Cavs, Bulls, even Nets. The only team that seems to be out is the Clippers...which means he'll sign with them. Maybe I'll swing by his announcement tonight and make a last minute pitch to him to join the Wizards.

I don't believe him signing with the Heat will have any negative impact on the league, but I do question James' decision to sign with the Heat (if he does). I'm not a LeBron hater by any means at all. But I don't know how signing with the Heat and joining a team led by D Wade that has already won a title would help James in his bid to be considered on of the greatest all time. I think if he goes somewhere like New York and leads them to their first title in 30 some years that's one thing, joining Wade in Miami and winning a title is another.

This isn't like the Celtics where none of the Big 3 had won a title yet, or Houston where Pippen and Olajuwon already had titles and Drexler was looking for a ring to end his career (or even LA, with Shaq, Kobe, and the Mailman).

Re: NBA Screwed?: James Leaning Towards Heat
 

If he really wants a ring, Miami is the obvious choice. My darkhorse is NJ.

Re: NBA Screwed?: James Leaning Towards Heat
 

He should go to Orlando with Dwight Howard, he be King of Florida

Re: NBA Screwed?: James Leaning Towards Heat
 

I think one of the reasons I really like the NFL is because it's so hard to win by building a team through free agency.

It just rubs me wrong that an NBA team can work years just to position itself for all contracts to expire in order to clean the books ahead of the arrival of three superstar free agents. And poof, championship caliber team. It's just too easy. There's no in-house development of players like you have in the MLB farm systems or on the depth charts of NFL teams. In those sports, you can't just add one or two superstar free agents and expect to be necessarily any better than you were the year before. You have to develop depth, draft well, coach well.

It's lame. If LeBron joins the Heat and wins 5 rings with Wade and Bosh, he'll never measure up to Kobe Bryant in my mind, who currently has five rings. Kobe won three with Shaq, true. But the other two were won without the superstar talent that LeBron will have around him in Miami. It's just lame.

I hope he goes back to Cleveland. I still think there's a good chance of that. How do you go on TV for a special centered around you, and announce that you're leaving the city you grew up in? Talk about an image-killer in your hometown. Supposedly the guy is all about image, if that's true, his image will get destroyed if he announces anything but a return to Cleveland on prime time TV.

Re: NBA Screwed?: James Leaning Towards Heat
 

[quote=Mattyk;711140]If he really wants a ring, Miami is the obvious choice. My darkhorse is NJ.[/quote]

If he wants a ring, then I think Chicago is the best choice. Derrick Rose, James, Boozer, Noah, Deng, Gibson, that's not bad at all.

Re: NBA Screwed?: James Leaning Towards Heat
 

[quote=Schneed10;711152]I think one of the reasons I really like the NFL is because it's so hard to win by building a team through free agency.

It just rubs me wrong that an NBA team can work years just to position itself for all contracts to expire in order to clean the books ahead of the arrival of three superstar free agents. And poof, championship caliber team. It's just too easy. There's no in-house development of players like you have in the MLB farm systems or on the depth charts of NFL teams. In those sports, you can't just add one or two superstar free agents and expect to be necessarily any better than you were the year before. You have to develop depth, draft well, coach well.

It's lame. If LeBron joins the Heat and wins 5 rings with Wade and Bosh, he'll never measure up to Kobe Bryant in my mind, who currently has five rings. Kobe won three with Shaq, true. But the other two were won without the superstar talent that LeBron will have around him in Miami. It's just lame.

I hope he goes back to Cleveland. I still think there's a good chance of that. How do you go on TV for a special centered around you, and announce that you're leaving the city you grew up in? Talk about an image-killer in your hometown. Supposedly the guy is all about image, if that's true, his image will get destroyed if he announces anything but a return to Cleveland on prime time TV.[/quote]

Well in the case of the Heat, they drafted Wade. But whether it's through the draft or free agency the NBA is a different animal simply by the fact there are only five players on the court and one player can make all the difference in the world.

I mean let's compare Albert Pujols and Kobe Bryant for example, each arguably the best in their sport. Pujols can only contribute so much (3-4 at bats/game). On the other hand, Kobe can basically be "at bat" every time in his sport.

As for staying in Cleveland, I think he's past the point of being concerned about his image in Cleveland.

Re: NBA Screwed?: James Leaning Towards Heat
 

I say he stays in Cleveland. If LJ stays in Cleveland that is a pretty good mix in the East. The west needs to build up some of their teams to make a run at the Lakers.

Re: NBA Screwed?: James Leaning Towards Heat
 

[quote=SmootSmack;711155]Well in the case of the Heat, they drafted Wade. But whether it's through the draft or free agency the NBA is a different animal simply by the fact there are only five players on the court and one player can make all the difference in the world.

I mean let's compare Albert Pujols and Kobe Bryant for example, each arguably the best in their sport. Pujols can only contribute so much (3-4 at bats/game). On the other hand, Kobe can basically be "at bat" every time in his sport.

As for staying in Cleveland, I think he's past the point of being concerned about his image in Cleveland.[/quote]

Definitely agree. In basketball if you have a great 1-2 punch it's all you need. It's just not the team focused sport that football and baseball are.

And I don't see how his image will be destroyed by not going back to Cleveland. He's making a business decision, I think most (outside of Cleveland at least) will understand that. He doesn't owe Cleveland anything. If anything, getting out of Cleveland is only going to increase his exposure and hype.

Re: NBA Screwed?: James Leaning Towards Heat
 

[quote=Mattyk;711160]Definitely agree. In basketball if you have a great 1-2 punch it's all you need. It's just not the team focused sport that football and baseball are.

And I don't see how his image will be destroyed by not going back to Cleveland. He's making a business decision, I think most (outside of Cleveland at least) will understand that. He doesn't owe Cleveland anything. If anything, getting out of Cleveland is only going to increase his exposure and hype.[/quote]


I think you guys are really discounting the bench in NBA. To win a championship you need a proven bench and great role players. I watch a lot of NBA basketball and I can tell you one of the main reason the Cavs got beat by the Celtics in the East Finals was becasue of there lack of a bench. LJ was just plain beat by the end of that series.

The NBA season is a long long season and no one or two players can carry entire team.

Re: NBA Screwed?: James Leaning Towards Heat
 

[quote=mredskins;711163]I think you guys are really discounting the bench in NBA. To win a championship you need a proven bench and great role players. I watch a lot of NBA basketball and I can tell you one of the main reason the Cavs got beat by the Celtics in the East Finals was becasue of there lack of a bench. LJ was just plain beat by the end of that series.

The NBA season is a long long season and no one or two players can carry entire team.[/quote]

Of course, you need a bench. I wasn't trying to say depth isn't important, just that one superstar in the NBA has a bigger impact than one in the NFL or MLB

Re: NBA Screwed?: James Leaning Towards Heat
 

^^ Exactly. We're talking about star impact. Toss 2 great NBA players on a team and even with an average cast around them chances are they can still carry that team pretty far.

Toss 2 great NFL players on a team with an average cast, and they're going probably nowhere.

Re: NBA Screwed?: James Leaning Towards Heat
 

[quote=SmootSmack;711155]Well in the case of the Heat, they drafted Wade. But whether it's through the draft or free agency the NBA is a different animal simply by the fact there are only five players on the court and one player can make all the difference in the world.

[B]I mean let's compare Albert Pujols and Kobe Bryant for example, each arguably the best in their sport. Pujols can only contribute so much (3-4 at bats/game). On the other hand, Kobe can basically be "at bat" every time in his sport.[/B]

As for staying in Cleveland, I think he's past the point of being concerned about his image in Cleveland.[/quote]

Re: the bolded portion, that's exactly my beef. It's not the structure of the NBA or the way the business model is set up that causes the problem, it's just a sport that revolves around star players. Coaches come second to star players. One star player makes a gigantic impact. In that way, it's much less of a team sport, and hence a lot less appealing to me.

As for James' image, Cleveland will never forgive him. The rest of the country won't care, and as soon as James wins that first title in Miami, he won't even care about Cleveland anymore. He'll feel the love and adulation from Miami fans, and that will help him move on from the bad breakup with Cleveland.

But I'm just turned off by the ego involved here. He's purposely keeping his lips sealed as to where he's going (or at least telling Broussard not to reveal the information and thus managing the message), so that he can go on TV for an all-about-me hour dedicated to revealing where he'll go. He's got a marketing team to push his "brand".

Can he do that? Hell yeah, it's his way of making a buttload of money, and I can't fault that but so much. But the ego of it is overwhelming.

I just prefer the NFL, where superstars make an impact, but still recognize that as great as they are, they aren't bigger than the team.

Re: NBA Screwed?: James Leaning Towards Heat
 

[quote=Schneed10;711176]Re: the bolded portion, that's exactly my beef. It's not the structure of the NBA or the way the business model is set up that causes the problem, it's just a sport that revolves around star players. Coaches come second to star players. One star player makes a gigantic impact. In that way, it's much less of a team sport, and hence a lot less appealing to me.

As for James' image, Cleveland will never forgive him. The rest of the country won't care, and as soon as James wins that first title in Miami, he won't even care about Cleveland anymore. He'll feel the love and adulation from Miami fans, and that will help him move on from the bad breakup with Cleveland.

But I'm just turned off by the ego involved here. He's purposely keeping his lips sealed as to where he's going (or at least telling Broussard not to reveal the information and thus managing the message), so that he can go on TV for an all-about-me hour dedicated to revealing where he'll go. He's got a marketing team to push his "brand".

Can he do that? Hell yeah, it's his way of making a buttload of money, and I can't fault that but so much. But the ego of it is overwhelming.

I just prefer the NFL, where superstars make an impact, but still recognize that as great as they are, they aren't bigger than the team.[/quote]

I hear what you're saying. Good post

Re: NBA Screwed?: James Leaning Towards Heat
 

[quote=Mattyk;711169]^^ Exactly. We're talking about star impact. Toss 2 great NBA players on a team and even with an average cast around them chances are they can still carry that team pretty far.

Toss 2 great NFL players on a team with an average cast, and they're going probably nowhere.[/quote]


Ok I see your guys point.

Re: NBA Screwed?: James Leaning Towards Heat
 

[quote=Schneed10;711176]Re: the bolded portion, that's exactly my beef. It's not the structure of the NBA or the way the business model is set up that causes the problem, it's just a sport that revolves around star players. Coaches come second to star players. One star player makes a gigantic impact. In that way, it's much less of a team sport, and hence a lot less appealing to me.

As for James' image, Cleveland will never forgive him. The rest of the country won't care, and as soon as James wins that first title in Miami, he won't even care about Cleveland anymore. He'll feel the love and adulation from Miami fans, and that will help him move on from the bad breakup with Cleveland.

But I'm just turned off by the ego involved here. He's purposely keeping his lips sealed as to where he's going (or at least telling Broussard not to reveal the information and thus managing the message), so that he can go on TV for an all-about-me hour dedicated to revealing where he'll go. He's got a marketing team to push his "brand".

Can he do that? Hell yeah, it's his way of making a buttload of money, and I can't fault that but so much. But the ego of it is overwhelming.

I just prefer the NFL, where superstars make an impact, but still recognize that as great as they are, they aren't bigger than the team.[/quote]


I totally agree about the hour special. Please no one watch it, it is a stupid hype machine.

Re: NBA Screwed?: James Leaning Towards Heat
 

From a casual observer of the NBA, I'm buying into the hype. I'm interested to see where he goes and I think the excitement surrounding the start of the season will be huge. Will I tune in to this special tonight? Probably not, but I'll be checking ESPN.com frequently to see what his decision is.

Re: NBA Screwed?: James Leaning Towards Heat
 

I am sure the twitterverse will blow up around 9:50 tonight.

Re: NBA Screwed?: James Leaning Towards Heat
 

[quote=mredskins;711189]I totally agree about the hour special. Please no one watch it, it is a stupid hype machine.[/quote]

I've been working like crazy on this special for the last couple of days...please everyone watch it :)

Re: NBA Screwed?: James Leaning Towards Heat
 

Agreed with Schneed. I have my opinions about the way the game is called too, which I hate.

Key example, were the Patriots that won a bunch of Super Bowls with sub-par and aging rosters

Re: NBA Screwed?: James Leaning Towards Heat
 

[quote=SmootSmack;711201]I've been working like crazy on this special for the last couple of days...please everyone watch it :)[/quote]


Oh sorry, not that anyone was listening to me.

Re: NBA Screwed?: James Leaning Towards Heat
 

can someone explain why this is getting so much pub? it's being broadcast on espn for a freakin hour??? are you kidding me? what a joke! you could not pay me to watch this garbage. espn ought to be ashamed of themselves for buying into the hype of this attention whore, ego maniac. kobe destroys this guy by miles. i'd rather watch the womens us open at oakmont, or watch the hard knocks re runs on NFL Network.

Re: NBA Screwed?: James Leaning Towards Heat
 

Speaking of Hard Knocks I can't wait til the new season. It's such a great show. I've been watching the re-runs too.

Re: NBA Screwed?: James Leaning Towards Heat
 

SS its been said he will make his decision in the first 10 minutes of the show. what are you guys going to fill the rest of the time with? i love me some Lebron, but im getting to the point where enough is enough

Re: NBA Screwed?: James Leaning Towards Heat
 

skinsfan69, there is a market though that is why it is on.

ESPN didn't get to where it is currently at by airing TV which was not highly rated, got attention, etc. Although you and I probably share that opinion, I think many don't. I think younger generation especially. Not ESPN's fault, rather what society is interested in.

Re: NBA Screwed?: James Leaning Towards Heat
 

It's big news, hell even the guys on NFL radio are talking about Lebron. I'm getting tired of it too but it will die down by the end of the week.

Re: NBA Screwed?: James Leaning Towards Heat
 

[quote=dmek25;711231]SS its been said he will make his decision in the first 10 minutes of the show. what are you guys going to fill the rest of the time with? i love me some Lebron, but im getting to the point where enough is enough[/quote]

Analysis, live interview with LeBron. This will rate higher than any taped programming we would have had there.

Re: NBA Screwed?: James Leaning Towards Heat
 

[quote=SmootSmack;711258]Analysis, live interview with LeBron. This will rate higher than any taped programming we would have had there.[/quote]


One trickle of entertainment I have found in all of this is how ESPN is hyping it and SI is bashing it.

[url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/writers/jack_mccallum/07/08/lebron.free.agency/index.html?eref=sihp]LeBron James' TV spectacle fitting end to wild free-agent process - Jack McCallum - SI.com[/url]

Re: NBA Screwed?: James Leaning Towards Heat
 

[quote=mredskins;711267]One trickle of entertainment I have found in all of this is how ESPN is hyping it and SI is bashing it.

[URL="http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/writers/jack_mccallum/07/08/lebron.free.agency/index.html?eref=sihp"]LeBron James' TV spectacle fitting end to wild*free-agent process - Jack McCallum - SI.com[/URL][/quote]

Funny thing is, I agree wholeheartedly with SI. But I'll probably watch ESPN tonight!

LOL

Re: NBA Screwed?: James Leaning Towards Heat
 

And just in time...

[url=http://www.cbssports.com/mcc/messages/chrono/23076490]Lebron Sued By Man Claiming To Be His Father - CBSSports.com Message Boards[/url]

Re: NBA Screwed?: James Leaning Towards Heat
 

[quote=Schneed10;711268]Funny thing is, I agree wholeheartedly with SI. But I'll probably watch ESPN tonight!

LOL[/quote]


Even the guy who wrote the article for SI is going to watch it! LOL!

As I write this, there are still about 12 hours until this newest reality show hits the airwaves. Still time for 100 more crawls, 1,000 more educated projections, a million more tweets. I'll probably watch "The Decision," because, like so many others in my business, I am a prisoner of the process. I told my wife to buy the popcorn, and I'll bring the Pepto-Bismol.[LEFT][COLOR=#000000]
Read more: [url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/writers/jack_mccallum/07/08/lebron.free.agency/index.html?eref=sihp#ixzz0t72Z7SN0]LeBron James' TV spectacle fitting end to wild free-agent process - Jack McCallum - SI.com[/url]
[/COLOR][/LEFT]

Re: NBA Screwed?: James Leaning Towards Heat
 

[quote=SmootSmack;711269]And just in time...

[URL="http://www.cbssports.com/mcc/messages/chrono/23076490"]Lebron Sued By Man Claiming To Be His Father - CBSSports.com Message Boards[/URL][/quote]
another guy out there trying to make a buck. for the love of god....

Re: NBA Screwed?: James Leaning Towards Heat
 

Bill Simmons on ESPN is very critical of this whole hour long show and LeBron too.

I wouldn't say all of ESPN one way or another.
[url=http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=simmons/100708]Bill Simmons: Countdown to the LeBron James decision - ESPN[/url]

Re: NBA Screwed?: James Leaning Towards Heat
 

[quote=SmootSmack;711269]And just in time...

[url=http://www.cbssports.com/mcc/messages/chrono/23076490]Lebron Sued By Man Claiming To Be His Father - CBSSports.com Message Boards[/url][/quote]

I thought this guy was Lebron's father
[IMG]http://img62.imageshack.us/img62/1891/0725175254rolandbivensgb5.jpg[/IMG]
Anthony McClealand.
[quote]Her name is Gloria Marie James, and she's a testy, diminutive woman with a serious set of lungs: "I'm loud, can't help it." She got pregnant at 16, and it's been just her and her "Bron Bron" ever since. She says the father was a casual sex partner named Anthony McClelland, who by now is well-known within the state and county penal systems. He's been convicted of arson and theft, to name just two of his many transgressions, and he certainly wasn't the one to help Glo out of her monetary hardships.[/quote]

Re: NBA Screwed?: James Leaning Towards Heat
 

[quote=Mattyk;711226]Speaking of Hard Knocks I can't wait til the new season. It's such a great show. I've been watching the re-runs too.[/quote]

yeah it's kind of tough cause i've already seen it. but should be real good stuff w/ the jets this year. can't wait.

Re: NBA Screwed?: James Leaning Towards Heat
 

[quote=skinsfan69;711282]yeah it's kind of tough cause i've already seen it. but should be real good stuff w/ the jets this year. can't wait.[/quote]


So is Hulu going to show new episodes?

[URL="http://www.hulu.com/nfl/hard-knocks"]Hard Knocks - Full Episodes and Clips streaming online for free - Hulu[/URL]


Each season is only 5 episodes???? IS that right?

Re: NBA Screwed?: James Leaning Towards Heat
 

[quote=hooskins;711234]skinsfan69, there is a market though that is why it is on.

ESPN didn't get to where it is currently at by airing TV which was not highly rated, got attention, etc. Although you and I probably share that opinion, I think many don't. I think younger generation especially. Not ESPN's fault, rather what society is interested in.[/quote]

i can see broadcasting it live, for about 10 minutes or so. but an hour??? i just don't get it. he hasn't even won anything and he flat out quit on his team in the playoffs.

Re: NBA Screwed?: James Leaning Towards Heat
 

[quote=mredskins;711284]So is Hulu going to show new episodes?

[URL="http://www.hulu.com/nfl/hard-knocks"]Hard Knocks - Full Episodes and Clips streaming online for free - Hulu[/URL]


Each season is only 5 episodes???? IS that right?[/quote]

Yeah, 1 show per week during training camp