The LeBron James Thread

[wwharton]

Re: The LeBron James Thread

You are off base...sorry, you just are in regards to what I'm talking about....

If you wanted to do your usual run down of LBJ transgressions so be it....don't mask it as fitting in this conversation though...

Are you talking to me or Pack? What are either of us off based about? What is the usual run down of LBJ transgressions? I can't even tell if you're accusing me of taking a shot at Dirk or at Lebron.

I'm really confused. You made a statement about Dirk in comparison to Lebron. I (and Pack) have said Dirk is not Lebron. What exactly are you talking about that says either of us is wrong or not fitting in the conversation in response to what you said?

[The 24th Letter]

What point? You haven't made a point yet.

I don't even know what you're arguing anymore because you went from "Nobody will make corny ring jokes about Lebron" to "Well nobody criticizes Dirk for having one" to "Nobody criticizes the amount of the rings you have".

My point is: I've never heard the criticism: "X player only has one ring" when talking about accomplishments since its so hard to even get one.

Pretty much it...

[wwharton]

Re: The LeBron James Thread

I think you're off on that wwharton. I think the point 24th was trying to make about Dirk, not that people went in there expecting criticism, but the criticisms of him not having rings and choker and all that stuff hasn't been mentioned anymore since he won his ring. However, the point I was trying to make about it, was of course no one is still clowning Dirk because he beat the bigger issue. Just about everybody hates LeBron even the people that talked **** about Dirk prior. So Dirk pretty much became a hero to everyone by beating the Heat and raining on their parade in their first year together when it looked like they were pretty much destined to win.

That was my point too, which is why I don't know what the problem is with what I said. People wish failure on Lebron for leaving Cleveland (Dirk stayed), for the decision (Dirk handled his situation with class), because he created an all star team (Dirk took whatever Cuban could build around him), for the preseason celebration claiming to win 7 titles (Dirk has never done anything but play), and for being one of the best talents we've ever seen but falling short of reaching the ultimate goal (Dirk was never expected to be the greatest basketball player ever).

Has Dirk been criticized? Of course. To the level of Lebron? Of course not. It's a bad comparison.

[wwharton]

Re: The LeBron James Thread

My point is: I've never heard the criticism: "X player only has one ring" when talking about accomplishments since its so hard to even get one.

Pretty much it...

My point, and I think I can speak for Pack, is that Lebron is not "X player"... for many reasons.

[King_B_Mack]

Re: The LeBron James Thread

My point is: I've never heard the criticism: "X player only has one ring" when talking about accomplishments since its so hard to even get one.

Pretty much it...

This one, I still don't know how you haven't heard that 24th. Back when all the Kobe trolls were trying to put him above Mike's level and then all the Jordan fanboys would go back and forth about the fact that Kobe still only has three rings or four rings or he couldn't do it without Shaq and all this other stuff. Hell there are still pictures floating around the net of Kobe and LeBron arguing about who's better based on rings with Kobe lording his five over Bron and then MJ comes in and checks them both with his six. You really think one ring is gonna shut people up about LeBron? Especially if he isn't the biggest reason they win it as opposed to Dwyane Wade taking over and carrying the team down the stretch? Again, Kobe just got the 'didn't win without Shaq' monkey off his back three years ago.

[ProfessaPackMan]

Re: The LeBron James Thread

My point is: I've never heard the criticism: "X player only has one ring" when talking about accomplishments since its so hard to even get one.

Pretty much it...

And in that case, I agree.

The closest "criticisms" we've heard are the Should've's, Would've's and Could've's(for example the "Kobe could have more rings than MJ if he didn't force Shaq out")but even they wouldn't hold much weight at all.

[The 24th Letter]

I was talking you wwharton...sorry, quoting gets kind've hectic....and yes you've definitely found a way to squeeze that list into the conversation a couple of times, lol. It's all good though...

King mostly summed up where I was coming from. I understand the counterpoint that "Dirk isn't LeBron", but what I was saying is I haven't heard that criticism with anyone....Dirk just being the latest example. King, I get what your saying with the Kobe example, but we have to look at the quality of the criticism lol. Sure the Jordan trolls were rampant, but I didn't really hear that stuff on a grand scale.

EDIT: I think what I'm saying too Mack, is HECK NO this won't stop Bron criticism.....just the "important" criticism if he leads them to a ship if you get what I'm saying...

[Pared]

Re: The LeBron James Thread

My point is: I've never heard the criticism: "X player only has one ring" when talking about accomplishments since its so hard to even get one.

Pretty much it...

Is this the The X Thread?

And I've heard this plenty of times. Heck it even comes up with Shaq, Wade, blah blah blah. How many times have you read "X player wouldn't have a ring if it wasn't for Y?" Scottie Pippen anyone?

[wwharton]

Re: The LeBron James Thread

I was talking you wwharton...sorry, quoting gets kind've hectic....and yes you've definitely found a way to squeeze that list into the conversation a couple of times, lol. It's all good though...

King mostly summed up where I was coming from. I understand the counterpoint that "Dirk isn't LeBron", but what I was saying is I haven't heard that criticism with anyone....Dirk just being the latest example. King, I get what your saying with the Kobe example, but we have to look at the quality of the criticism lol. Sure the Jordan trolls were rampant, but I didn't really hear that stuff on a grand scale.

EDIT: I think what I'm saying too Mack, is HECK NO this won't stop Bron criticism.....just the "important" criticism if he leads them to a ship if you get what I'm saying...

No worry with the quotes... especially if you're posting from your phone (if you are, thank you for taking that annoying signature off).

Maybe you're not getting what I'm saying bc you think I have some issue with Lebron (I honestly don't know what list you're talking about... still really confused about that). People are bringing up the talk about Kobe before too... Dirk isn't Kobe either. Dirk is a great player, and a lock at the HOF. He'd be on my top 50 players of all times list. But at no point in his career has he been under the media and fan scrutiny of players like Lebron or Kobe because these players are in the conversation for the best player ever (whether they should be or not).

You've also never heard anyone comparing Dirk to MJ... that's where I'm coming from. When you add all of the heat Lebron has put on himself, you add the people that want nothing more than for him to fail to those that won't be satisfied until his resume looks closer to Kobe or MJ, and you have ammo for him being criticized until he retires unless he reaches unrealistic expectations. What Dirk does is a bonus. What Lebron does well just checks off one of the negatives people criticize on.

Now, seriously, please tell me about this list I have, lol.

[ehh]

Re: The LeBron James Thread

Regular season = over.

Watching LeBron now =

[DocHolliday]

Winning a championship this year will only keep the "Ring talk" at the current level.

Back to back will start to make it positive.

Not winning will send it in to full on "lebron is a major disappointment of this century".

It's insane, but LeBron brought this on himself.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[BringTheHeat]

Re: The LeBron James Thread

Winning a championship this year will only keep the "Ring talk" at the current level.

Back to back will start to make it positive.

Not winning will send it in to full on "lebron is a major disappointment of this century".

It's insane, but LeBron brought this on himself.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I agree he did but honestly..what did everyone want the man to do? Go out on that stage and say "Well I hope we can win a Championship" No. Sure saying 5..6..7.. was ridiculous but honestly nobody wants their star to get out there and be unsure about the clear goal in sight.

Was he probably not thinking clearly? (thousands of fans screaming for them) Yes. Could he have said it differently? Yes. Does he honestly NOT want to win 7..8.. titles? Absolutely not. He does, and I don't understand why it's such a big deal that he said that. The man just spoke what was on his mind, none of this "Oh I just want to continue to improve and make my team better" crap. Rings is how players are remembered.

EDIT: /endrant

[King_B_Mack]

Re: The LeBron James Thread

I agree he did but honestly..what did everyone want the man to do? Go out on that stage and say "Well I hope we can win a Championship" No. Sure saying 5..6..7.. was ridiculous but honestly nobody wants their star to get out there and be unsure about the clear goal in sight.

Was he probably not thinking clearly? (thousands of fans screaming for them) Yes. Could he have said it differently? Yes. Does he honestly NOT want to win 7..8.. titles? Absolutely not. He does, and I don't understand why it's such a big deal that he said that. The man just spoke what was on his mind, none of this "Oh I just want to continue to improve and make my team better" crap. Rings is how players are remembered.

EDIT: /endrant

Or they could have just not had the damn championship rally period like every other team in the league did with their free agents. Plus the tone in which it was said had an impact as well. After all LeBron was the one talking about how easy it was going to be and how they'd be throwing alley oops to Pat Riley things would be so easy. Sorry if people like to throw stuff like that in people's face.

[23]

Re: The LeBron James Thread

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2012/magazine/04/24/lebron.james/index.html#ixzz1t3w6J4ui

LeBron James sinks into a restaurant booth on the first floor of the Westin in Jersey City, N.J., and orders a chamomile tea. The sun is setting on a Saturday in the middle of April, and through the windows he can see cars snaking toward the Holland Tunnel, beckoned by the lights of New York City. "For me," says James, "this is chillin' time." It is the travel day between two back-to-backs, four games in four cities, and he is swaddled in black sweats and a red Heat baseball cap with a flat black brim. His voice is hoarse but he says he doesn't have a sore throat.

He prepares the tea as if it is a science project, lifting a small jar of honey and slowly pouring it into a teaspoon he holds over the mug, until the honey is about to overflow. He lowers the spoon and gently stirs, then squeezes three lemon wedges into the tea and sucks the rinds. It is suggested that lemons are bad for his teeth. "That's OK," James says, easing his massive shoulders against the back of the booth. "My teeth are already terrible." He smiles wide enough to reveal almost every one.

Tranquil moments are few in the chaotic life of LeBron James. He steals them when he can, sitting on his patio in Coconut Grove, Fla., and admiring the waves on Biscayne Bay, biking across Rickenbacker Causeway with friends to Key Biscayne, watching basketball on television and flipping the channel when the announcers utter his name. Forward Shane Battier, in his first year with Miami, sounds as if he could lead a seminar at Duke deconstructing the James phenomenon. "He is a global icon, a basket-ball monolith, the most prevalent and recognizable athlete of our generation," says Battier. "And he's one of a kind, because he's the first to rise to prominence in the Information Age, which is why he's such a fascinating sociological observation. He's accountable every single day for every single thing, from how he plays to what he tweets to what he says in the pre- and the postgame interviews. He has a camera and a microphone on him wherever he goes, and then when he [goes out to] dinner, there's a camera phone on him. This is what he signed up for. There is a price to pay. He understands that. But I don't think a lot of guys could handle it."Inside SI


James isn't just coping, he is completing one of the finest all-around seasons in the NBA's modern era. At week's end he was averaging 27.1 points with 7.9 rebounds and 6.2 assists while shooting 53.1 percent. Larry Bird never shot 53.1 percent. His player efficiency rating of 30.6 leads the league by more than four points, and he is holding opposing small forwards to an anemic efficiency rating of 10.4, according to 82games.com.

The 6-foot-8 James is the Heat's best ball handler, passer and post scorer, but he also covers everyone from point guards to centers, sometimes in the same game. "We are asking him to play at an MVP level," says coach Erik Spoelstra, "and at a Defensive Player of the Year level." James is attempting fewer three-pointers than ever while making them at a higher clip (36.2 percent). He is grabbing more rebounds in part because he is spending more time inside. His game log is a litany of near triple doubles. The NBA has not witnessed such a balanced and prolific individual assault since Michael Jordan in 1988--89, two years before....

[BringTheHeat]

Re: The LeBron James Thread

Or they could have just not had the damn championship rally period like every other team in the league did with their free agents. Plus the tone in which it was said had an impact as well. After all LeBron was the one talking about how easy it was going to be and how they'd be throwing alley oops to Pat Riley things would be so easy. Sorry if people like to throw stuff like that in people's face.

I completely agree they shouldn't have had it. BUT, they did. And when you're standing on stage with all of Miami and the basketball world watching you, you have to "talk the talk".