The LeBron James Thread

[Brankles]

Re: New Akron Billboard Makes Fun of LeBron

Basketball is a team sport. Championships are earned by teams, not players.

Pick any team LeBron has ever played on and compare that roster to the NBA Champions from the last 25 years. I promise you that you will laugh.

[utexas]

Re: LeBron James Signs With Miami Heat

Says the guy who openly admitted to jumping on the Heat bandwagon. Smh. Your opinion on any basketball topic in general is virtually irrelevant, especially when it involves LeBron being better than Michael at anything.



Still has 1 more than LeBron, and is still living in Wade county...get real.

If you can only name call in this thread then you may want to sit this one out.

Jordan was a once in a generation/lifetime type player. But I believe Lebron has the chance to be better than MJ because of the physical traits he has. And he is a threat to avg a true triple double. Being 6-8 265 and arguably the fastest guy in the league, just give you a leg up. He attacks the basket relentless energy and vigor. He's jumper at this stage of his game is more consistent than MJ's but we all know how much MJ worked on that jumper as he aged.

Defensively, MJ locked down his opponent, and Lebron is a good defender in his own right. Lebron's instincts on defense and help defense makes him special.

I really believe Lebron's best basketball is still 3-5 years away, as his skill set catches up with amazing athleticism.

[utexas]

Re: New Akron Billboard Makes Fun of LeBron

Basketball is a team sport. Championships are earned by teams, not players.

Pick any team LeBron has ever played on and compare that roster to the NBA Champions from the last 25 years. I promise you that you will laugh.

QFT, I don't why guys duck this all the time.

[ProfessaPackMan]

Re: New Akron Billboard Makes Fun of LeBron

Just like guys have been ducking every other counterpoint made in this thread.

It's basically one big *** circle and it might be the biggest one in OS History because the SAME arguments are being rehashed over and over and over and over and over again lol.

Wouldn't be surprised if next week rolls around and people are still going back and forth over who's team it is, then after that it'll be the Lebron vs MJ/Kobe Comparisons made again and after that someone will bring up the "Lebron didn't have any help" argument up again LOL.

[King_B_Mack]

Re: New Akron Billboard Makes Fun of LeBron

Just like guys have been ducking every other counterpoint made in this thread.

It's basically one big *** circle and it might be the biggest one in OS History because the SAME arguments are being rehashed over and over and over and over and over again lol.

Wouldn't be surprised if next week rolls around and people are still going back and forth over who's team it is, then after that it'll be the Lebron vs MJ/Kobe Comparisons made again and after that someone will bring up the "Lebron didn't have any help" argument up again LOL.

And around and around we go

Though at least a lot of comedy has come out of this thing...right? Right?

[Jonesy]

Re: New Akron Billboard Makes Fun of LeBron

Just like guys have been ducking every other counterpoint made in this thread.

It's basically one big *** circle and it might be the biggest one in OS History because the SAME arguments are being rehashed over and over and over and over and over again lol.

Wouldn't be surprised if next week rolls around and people are still going back and forth over who's team it is, then after that it'll be the Lebron vs MJ/Kobe Comparisons made again and after that someone will bring up the "Lebron didn't have any help" argument up again LOL.

It's pretty amazing just how many times the same arguments have been had. I guess because of the size of the thread and the interest in the topic people just jump in with their 2 cents then other people (who missed the first, 2nd, 3rd or 4th time the argument was had) feel the need to reply and it all gets started back up again.

[dexvex]

Lebron writes thank you to Akron.....

no mention of CLE.

http://www.cleveland.com/cavs/index.ssf/2010/08/lebron_james_takes_out_an_ad_t.html

"To My Family, Friends and Fans in Akron:
"For all my life, I have lived in Akron -- and for that, I am truly a lucky man.
"It was here where I first learned how to play basketball, and where I met the people who would become my lifelong friends and mentors. Their guidance, encouragement and support will always be with me.
"Akron is my home, and the central focus of my life. It's where I started, and it's where I will always come back to. You can be sure that I will continue to do everything I can for this city, which is so important to my family and me. Thank you for your love and support. You mean everything to me."

I know james isn't the world's favorite right now but I think its sincere. If you look at it he's always been a akron guy and this kinda shows he had no real emotional ties to cle......

[Cebby]

Re: Lebron writes thank you to Akron.....

If you look at it he's always been a akron guy and this kinda shows he had no real emotional ties to cle......

I've been saying this for the last few weeks.

People who think Cleveland "raised Lebron" or that he loved Cleveland are like the guy in Can't Hardly Wait who thinks a girl is in love with him because they have the same favorite Pop Tart flavor.

[Murkurial]

Re: New Akron Billboard Makes Fun of LeBron

It's pretty amazing just how many times the same arguments have been had. I guess because of the size of the thread and the interest in the topic people just jump in with their 2 cents then other people (who missed the first, 2nd, 3rd or 4th time the argument was had) feel the need to reply and it all gets started back up again.

That and then Cebby feels the need to clog stuff up a bit by throwing out some blatantly silly "arguments." Really a bit disingenuous and more than a little irresponsible to be honest.

Other guys just choose to ignore the overwhelmingly valid arguments on the other side and feel like there are no legacy issues. Lebron will snatch the Heat away from Wade (the alpha dog argument is no longer valid in this case). He will continue to put up monster numbers. He will win 8 titles. He's bigger and stronger than MJ (crazy chasedown blocks) and therefore will be better in the long run. What happened in the past doesn't matter because if the old guys could have left and joined up they definitely would've, and the old farts that were alive in that distant, bygone era will all be dead when it's time to evaluate Lebron's accomplishments and thus he'll be judged on a entirely new set of criteria. Now, that criteria may not GUARANTEE his place as the best ever, but the fact that so many seem to be making the aforementioned "arguments" betrays a desire to see this happen (****riders will be ****riders).

HOFer yes. But some don't seem to want to compromise even a little bit, and some even want to rewrite the rules. In the end it's just a buncha fools (myself included) on the 'net arguing and we make up such a small part of the total NBA-watching audience that our opinions obviously don't matter much in the grand scheme of things. Not saying that it makes no sense to have discussions like this, but I feel confident that those who do matter, past greats, basketball historians, and those who remember how the real greats did it, don't care about this "new era" garbage that's being spouted. They know what's up.

[Kully]

Re: Lebron writes thank you to Akron.....

Definitely will be twisted to be used against him.

I also feel that this shows his feelings for Akron. Doesn't really acknowledge the rest of Cleveland. I know to many Cavs fans that this is "too little, too late" but he does seem sincere.

This episode should teach LBJ the meaning of having a good PR/spin team. Nothing he does will go unanalyzed; it will be worse than ever for him.

[HMcCoy]

Re: New Akron Billboard Makes Fun of LeBron

Basketball is a team sport. Championships are earned by teams, not players.

Pick any team LeBron has ever played on and compare that roster to the NBA Champions from the last 25 years. I promise you that you will laugh.

No one was laughing 3 months ago. Hindsight FTW.

Lebron was the biggest reason we never built an elite roster, and even though the cast could have been much better, he's still the main culprit in this years playoff exit.

The crappy way Lebron handled everything has people calling him the worst competitor ever, or labeling him sidekick, etc, which is all pretty shortsighted...but sympathetic reaction to LeBacklash has in turn made alot of folks cling to really silly notions like Lebron having absolutly no blame for Cleveland not getting over the top.

Dude carried the franchise. Unfortunately, carrying the franchise all the way wasn't #1 on his priority list. Truth.

[ex carrabba fan]

Re: LeBron James Signs With Miami Heat

HM can you please bulletpoint how LeBron is the biggest reason CLE never got elite level help? I have heard a few of these posts from CLE fans but I haven't heard a worthy argument for it.

[HMcCoy]

Re: LeBron James Signs With Miami Heat

HM can you please bulletpoint how LeBron is the biggest reason CLE never got elite level help? I have heard a few of these posts from CLE fans but I haven't heard a worthy argument for it.

A high-profile character like LeBron actively recruiting makes news. We know in the past few weeks LeBron recruited Mike Miller. Literally called Miller, told him to chill, and got him to take less money than he could have gotten eleswhere. We know he met D Fish at an airport, and reportedly reached out to Ray Ray before he re-signed. Again, this is news because of who Lebron is. He recruited Z to play for pennies...and who wouldn't on a team with title hopes?

How many players have you heard of LeBron recruiting to the Cavs over the last 3 years? Anyone? Ariza would have come. Artest said he up in the air between LAL and CLE, and was going to sign with whomever called first. Michael Redd? All available at some point, none of which Lebron made an effort to get to come here. Joe Johnson was a FA, no recruiting. Mike Miller was a FA last year. No calls. Fish was a FA 3 years ago. No airport visits. LeBron made it clear that Hickson was untouchable, whom could have possibly landed us Amare. Again, when Lebron calls it's news. He just never did. Kobe makes calls. Kobe has reached out to guys...so lets not act like elite players don't reach out to others to help the organization. Kobe even recruited guys who hated his guts, lol.

Lebron knew he was leaving and didn't want to leave guys stranded here, flat out.

Worst of all, when Lebron hatched this idea three years ago, only one team got the message that they should clear their roster completely. You think Wade didn't communicate this to Riles, lol? Did Lebron communicate that to the Cavs? Nah, he demanded more help, immediate help. Made it seem that the short deal was to make sure they kept making stop gap moves, instead of falling back and trying to build through the draft.

Don't get me wrong, CLE made some really dumb moves here and there...but great players attract other great players. LeBron declined to do that here, and now he's suddenly recruiting like the second coming of Coach K.

[HMcCoy]

Re: Lebron writes thank you to Akron.....

I've been saying this for the last few weeks.

People who think Cleveland "raised Lebron" or that he loved Cleveland are like the guy in Can't Hardly Wait who thinks a girl is in love with him because they have the same favorite Pop Tart flavor.

Most Akronites call themselves Clevelanders. Its closer to Cleveland than some parts of the Greater Cleveland area. There is no huge divide or distinction between the two cities as half the damn population are Cleveland transplants. LeBron was just one of those militant Akronites who felt the need for recognition, but I can understand it. Alot of CLE dudes really do have a "we're bigger/better than you" swagger when lounging in Akron, and Ive seen alot of that first hand. Its similar to the NY thing I guess.

Too bad Bronny let something so trivial really impact his thought process so heavily. He def had a dysfunctional relationship with CLE, and only pulled out the "I love Cleveland" theme when he needed it. I'm prett sure he got some personal satisfaction out of "The decision", which is sad considering that the city embraced him as one of their own.

[TheMatrix31]

Re: Lebron writes thank you to Akron.....

Merged the thread, because the last thing we need is ANOTHER LeBron thread.