The LeBron James Thread

[ProfessaPackMan]

Re: LeBron James Signs With Miami Heat

It says that people don't like baseball in South Florida.

Plus the Marlins are such a screwy organization since they clean house anytime they have success.

No it means people in South Florida don't care about Sports period.

[Vast]

Re: LeBron James Signs With Miami Heat

Yeah man, I knew Heat "fans" last year that refused to go to the game after given free tickets because they didn't want to pay for parking and the stadium was further than 20 minutes from their house. Now their Facebooks have nothing but LeBron as their profile pictures. You really have to be around this culture to really understand the basketball apathy in this city.

No disrespect to the true Heat fans out there, y'all have stuck through a rollercoaster of a decade.

Thats crazy. If I were you, I'd call them out on their facebook page. lol

[Jukeman]

Re: LeBron James Signs With Miami Heat

I apologize if this has been posted but, I thought it was brilliant.

<object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/G7xlzLOZH5c&amp;hl=en_US&amp;fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/G7xlzLOZH5c&amp;hl=en_US&amp;fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object>

#DEAD

[DIESEL]

Re: LeBron James Signs With Miami Heat

No it means people in South Florida don't care about Sports period.

It would take to long to try and explain all the dynamics of the South Florida sports fan.

The #1 reason it's such a "bad sports town" is because South Florida was built by transplants from other cities.

South Florida can easily fill stadiums with fans of other teams from up north. I've been to countless Dolphins, Marlins and Heat games where the road fans either outnumbered or equaled the home fans.

People in South Florida care about sports, it's just most of them care about teams from their home towns.

Those are the people that will be jumping on this Heat bandwagon.

[King_B_Mack]

Re: LeBron James Signs With Miami Heat

The Dolphins have mid-level attendance. They finish in the mid to low teens.

The reason their stadium looks empty is because it's either the 6th or 7th largest stadium in the NFL. Finishing in the teens with mediocre teams is pretty good.



How many Detroit fans are showing up if in the 2004 offseason they traded Billups, Hamilton, and both Wallaces and came out the next year with a Hunter/Arroyo/Prince/McDyess/Darko lineup?

Probably not that many. Now couple with a city that doesn't care about the sport and its pretty obvious why it matters.

They've won two World Series, but those are also their only two playoff appearances. After their first chip they finished with the worst record in baseball by 9 games. That's not how you build fan support.

Can you please explain whether the attendance numbers you continue to cite in this thread is from actual people in the building or tickets sold? Most teams sell tons of tickets based soley on all the companies that buy up tons of them and they give them to employees and schools and the like. You keep talking about them being middle of the pack and all this stuff and that may or may not be the case. All I know is when I turn on the tv and the Heat aren't a 'lock' for a title (or any team in Miami for that matter) the seats shown on the hard camera (broadcast camera) are showing tons of empty seats and those are the seats that at the very least you want full on a broadcast.



Just sayin...



And sayin...

[rangerrick012]

Re: LeBron James Signs With Miami Heat

I apologize if this has been posted but, I thought it was brilliant.

<object width="480" height="385">


<embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/G7xlzLOZH5c&hl=en_US&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></object>

Brilliant indeed.

[Cebby]

Re: LeBron James Signs With Miami Heat

Can you please explain whether the attendance numbers you continue to cite in this thread is from actual people in the building or tickets sold? Most teams sell tons of tickets based soley on all the companies that buy up tons of them and they give them to employees and schools and the like. You keep talking about them being middle of the pack and all this stuff and that may or may not be the case. All I know is when I turn on the tv and the Heat aren't a 'lock' for a title (or any team in Miami for that matter) the seats shown on the hard camera (broadcast camera) are showing tons of empty seats and those are the seats that at the very least you want full on a broadcast.

http://espn.go.com/nba/attendance

And I have a feeling that the "companies that buy up tons of [tickets]" only applies to Miami and not say...Chicago, right?

[Starlin4Prez]

Re: LeBron James Signs With Miami Heat

http://espn.go.com/nba/attendance

And I have a feeling that the "companies that buy up tons of [tickets]" only applies to Miami and not say...Chicago, right?

You're really comparing the Chicago fan base to Miami again? Just stop.

I think you might be the only delusional one here, that ACTUALLY thinks that people in Miami (and surrounding suburbs) actually are passionate about sports.

They had a playoff basketball team last year, with one of the best players in the league. If that isn't enough reason to go to see a game, then sorry you're not a real fan. I mean jesus, the Warriors put more fans in the seats than the Heat.

[King_B_Mack]

Re: LeBron James Signs With Miami Heat

http://espn.go.com/nba/attendance

And I have a feeling that the "companies that buy up tons of [tickets]" only applies to Miami and not say...Chicago, right?

No, it applies to all teams in all professional sports and pretty much all events that you have to buy tickets to. Ad companies for the most part buy tons of tickets first of all, then there are the other companies that have partnerships with the teams and arenas.

That list you're reading still doesn't really help any arguments you're trying to make for the Heat.

03-04 During Wade's rookie season they finished 42-40 with a fourth seed in the East and made it to the second round and they finished 24th in attendance.

04-05 Making it to the second round, seeing D-Wade was good and of course knowing they had Shaq picked up the bandwagon as the following year they jump to 4th in attendance with the Heat going 59-23, a number one seed in the East and a trip to the Eastern Conference Finals.

05-06 The bandwagon continues with a 52-30 record and eventual championship and the Heat remain 4th in attendance.

06-07 Bandwagon begins its decline. 44-38 record, fourth seed in the East, they drop to 5th in attendance.

07-08 Bandwagon is still easing away. 15-67 record, drop to 8th in attendance.

08-09 Two years removed from championship, Heat back in the playoffs, Shaq's gone, 43-39 record and they're 15th in attendance.

09-10 Here we are before the mWo is put together, still sitting at 15th in attendance with a 47-35 record and fifth seed in the East.

So your argument defending the Heat is that all teams have fans that jump on the bandwagons and when the team isn't' good the attendance reflects it. Meanwhile the Bulls and Knicks since 2001 have never been out of the top ten in attendance as shown there and they both have had some god awful teams in the '00s. Like I said all I know is of the teams with superstar players on them, the only team I ever see with excessive empty seat syndrome is the Heat until they have a legit title contending team.

[Pared]

Re: LeBron James Signs With Miami Heat

Mack, whether or not fans are in the seats, people are buying tickets. You can't discredit a team's ticket sales when that is what is tracked.

At this point I'm leaning towards locking the thread. It isn't even about James anymore and is more a Chicago vs. Miami team support thread.

Let's get the thread back on track with James-related posts or we'll stick a fork in this one.

[Starlin4Prez]

Re: LeBron James Signs With Miami Heat

For Pared's sake...

*Runs in*

LeBron James is overrated...

*Scurries away*

[wwharton]

Re: LeBron James Signs With Miami Heat

I haven't read the article but want to help Pared get the thread back on track... any thoughts on the SI article if anyone has read it?

They quoted a few bits on the radio. Gilbert had a much calmer response. They asked what would've been acceptable from Lebron and he said something to the effect of coming in a day before the announcement and telling them face to face and giving them a chance to throw a last pitch at him, even if they didn't have a shot. He also said Cleveland is a blue collar town and LBJ knows that so he should've had the press conference (or whatever we're calling it) in Cleveland to face the people directly.

I think I agree with the first part but not the second part. He shouldn't have done the "Show" but I think he had a right to announce it wherever he wanted.

They also had some quotes from Barkley, some GMs etc.

[Pared]

Re: LeBron James Signs With Miami Heat

What article? Available on SI.com?

I honestly think if he had the press conference and kept beating the idea home that he loves Cleveland and was genuine that they wouldn't have all reacted the way they did.

He just looked smug when he made the announcement...

[Jeffx]

Re: LeBron James Signs With Miami Heat

Wade defends LeBron, saying he didn't quit on the Cavs.

http://wfan.stats.com/multisport/story.asp?i=20100715184513785424504

[ZB9]

Re: LeBron James Signs With Miami Heat

LeBron pendant now center of police investigation



WADSWORTH, Ohio - Just a few days ago, Vaneisha Robinson believed her dreams were about to come true. As NewsChannel5 and newsnet5.com first reported, Robinson paid $5 for a pendant in the shape of LeBron

Robinson thought it was costume jewelry until she had it appraised and certified by International Gemological Institute, which said the diamond-studded, gold jewelry was real and valued at nearly $10,000.

The amateur boxer put the pendant up for sale on eBay, hoping to use the proceeds to open her own gym.

On Wednesday, Robinson said she got a phone call that turned her dream into a nightmare. Robinson said it was Katherine L. Powers, the mother of Maverick O. Carter. Carter is the CEO of LeBron James' marketing company, LRMR.

"[Powers] said that LeBron James was at her house and they wanted me to come over there. They were going to make me an offer that I couldn't refuse," Robinson said.

It turned out the one-of-a-kind pendant belongs to Carter, who claims it was stolen. Robinson said she and her mother went to the Wadsworth house Carter shares with his mother, believing James was going to buy the pendant and give it back to Carter.

"When I got there, LeBron James was not there. It was about eight or nine other people there," Robinson said. "They pretty much accused me, they threatened me and they used their authority to they (sic) best ability to get the pendant in their possession."

Robinson said she and her mother drove to Carter's house in the 500 block of Caledonia Drive in her mother's pickup truck.

"They blocked her truck in the driveway. They told us that we weren't going anywhere until they got that pendant. I was scared for my life," she said.

Wadsworth police said they were called around 11:30 p.m. Wednesday night by a woman visiting a neighbor of Powers. According to a recording of the 911 call, the woman heard loud arguing. She said she called the police at Powers’s request.

"I walked away from that. I just kept walking just in case something was about to happen," the woman told the 911 dispatcher.

A Wadsworth police spokesperson said Robinson and her mother had already left when they arrived on scene. Powers was the only one there. She had the pendant.

"Ms. Powers showed me the pendant in question and I was able to determine that it was a one-of-a-kind item and it did actually belong to Mr. Carter," said Sgt. James Elchlinger.

Elchlinger said Carter was not at the house during the incident. A receptionist at LRMR told NewsChannel5 Thursday that Carter was unavailable for comment. Powers was not home when a reporter stopped at the house seeking an interview.
The case is under investigation.

Robinson did not call police Wednesday night, but showed up at the station Thursday afternoon. Robinson said she was advised to get a lawyer.
Police are trying to determine if the pendant was ever reported stolen. But Robinson maintains she could not have had the jewelry certified by the I.G.S. if it were stolen property.

The boxer vowed her next fight will be in a court of law.
"There was no serial number on that pendant so it's untraceable," Robinson said. "That pendant is mine. It belongs to me. I want it back."

http://www.newsnet5.com/dpp/news/local_news/lebron-pendant-now-center-of-police-investigation