The LeBron James Thread

[ex carrabba fan]

Re: LeBron James Signs With Miami Heat

1. I don't think Brankles ever said "Cleveland support sucks". If he did then his last post clearly states what is plainly obvious: James has always had average to sub-par help.

2. It is painfully clear that James quit. Who said he didn't? I think some people [Kobe/MJ fans] just want to pile on now that James pretty much did the cop out thing and signed with Miami.

I really kinda wish I could live in an alternate reality where Kobe never really got Pau and see what would have happened.

[King_B_Mack]

Re: LeBron James Signs With Miami Heat

You got reports....Then you should believe that Delonte West was sleeping with LeBron's mother. You should believe that Tommy Hilfiger came on to Oprah's show and said he doesn't like black people wearing his clothes. You should believe Mike Piazza is gay. You should believe that Michael Jordan's give his fathers soul to the devil for talent.

Stop reading columns and blogs. And lets stop with the sources. Unless they are willing to come out and say it themselves. Lets stop the.....

Stick with the news.

Dude there's a difference between what you're trying to say here and people around the Olympic teams giving the reports of how close those guys were (BEFORE THE HYPE OF THIS OFFSEASON WAS EVEN ON THE RADAR) we saw the behind the scenes with the guys, we saw how they set up their contracts. Come on with that 'don't believe everything you read' argument on this one.

[jeebs9]

Re: LeBron James Signs With Miami Heat

To me quit is a strong word....You know what is quitting to me?...pause button...menu quit game in the middle...lol

If you want to say he didn't play well. I can understand that. If you want to say he sucks. I can understand that. But to say he mentally said...."I'm not going to play well" sounds like an excuse or some BS someone pulled out of their *** lol.

I would even take...He wasn't mentally perpared for this challenge. But to say he quit. Thats wrong.

[Cebby]

Re: LeBron James Signs With Miami Heat

Well it's no secret how close they got during the Olympics. Before the great race to Summer 2010 began the talk and reports were always about the friendships developed between these guys. The fact that they all did they're contract extensions so that they could all opt out at the same time after having discussed at length playing together isn't like it's some kind of huge stretch to believe that this has been in the works for a loooooooong time. LeBron not killing talk about what he was going to do, Bosh's obviousness that he wasn't going back to Toronto, Wade being the only one actually loyal to his team through the whole leadup (not just this year either), Bosh's slip of the tongue during their Championship celebration and of course, Bron's insistance after the Boston series that "his team has a plan and they'll execute it." It's not really rocket science.

If the Bosh/Wade/Lebron thing was so obvious why did New York, Chicago, and New Jersey ownership even bother to clear cap space?

If they knew this was the situation why did New York and Chicago rush to sign Amare and Boozer?

[wwharton]

Re: LeBron James Signs With Miami Heat

Where is everyone getting this info about a planned movement by Bosh and LeBron? From blogs and posted stories. I mean is this stuff confirmed. Do they have these conversations recorded? Or did someone just put 2 and 2 together?...And find out it added up to 5 lol

Because to me it seems like people are reading those columns like they were actually news reports.

Everything King_B_Mack said basically. It's far from fact but fairly obvious. The funniest point (that I don't think he mentioned) was the interview with all 3 of them when Bosh was basically letting the cat out of the bag and Lebron was giving him the stare of death the whole time he was talking.

Remember they were pretty much bragging about this huge player meeting they were going to have before Stern spoke up about it. Then that talk died down but the 3 players at the center of all that talk ended up on the same team.

Why do you keep saying hindsight is 20/20? Is that your way of agreeing with me that the Lakers did a much better job of building a championship team, and that the Cavs roster is nothing but average, but without giving me too much credit?

Looking back on this season and the seasons before this, it's easy to view the Cavs roster as very average. At the time we didn't notice it because of what LeBron did for the team. He made everyone around him better, including coaches, teammates and the organization in general. Mo Williams in Milwaukee was a fantasy basketball stud but nothing else. Jamison you can say the same thing, all numbers, never on a truly winning team. Anthony Parker is a dime-a-dozen player. We've all seen Shaq play and he isn't near the player he was on the Heat years ago.

I wouldn't trade those four for any other of the starting four supporting casts on the Magic/Lakers/Celts. Or the Hawks, Jazz, Mavericks, Thunder, Blazers, Nuggets and Spurs.


And this is somewhat giving LeBron a pass, but mainly because everyone has been so harsh on him. Yes, he may have given up against the Celtics, but he took his team further and was more successful with them more than any other player in the league today could have been.

If Kobe was in his place, won 45 games with a roster similar to the Cavs and got knocked out in the first round, would that make him a loser with no leadership? Because he did that twice.

LeBron's standards are raised moreso than any other player in the league. It's almost as if he wasn't as good and if he didn't make his team so much better than they actually are, that you would be fine with him losing. If he wasn't so legendary on the court, that his defeats would be more palpable to you. But because you expected absolute greatness out of him and he failed, that you knock him down more than you would a player of less talent and ability.

First, let me say thank you for having an intelligent discussion about this. Some people...

This is probably going to sound dismissive even though it's not meant that way. I don't really think I can say much more if that's your interpretation of "hindsight is 20/20". Basically my entire post was explaining what I meant when I said that so if you missed the connection then I can't help but think you missed everything that I was saying in that book that I wrote before.

I'll just say this, I expect every player to play up to their potential... physically and mentally and for the greater good of the team. I've coached for years and I've had teams where there was one "superstar". Some were champions with everyone working well off of the star, and others couldn't gel because the star wasn't good enough to carry the other pieces. On a much lower level I've seen both sides of the coin. I've also played with guys like that and you have no choice but to stand around and watch on offense unless they are just another member executing the coach's plan OR they make an effort to keep everyone involved properly. You're expected to be ready when they decide to take a break? The dynamics of a team aren't as simple as you're making them out to be. When it works, everything is great, the supporting cast was perfect, the 2nd best player is a great #2 option, and the dominos continue. When it doesn't? Well we know the best player was great so we skip his evaluation and look at what's left.

Evaluating the situation after the end result... hindsight is 20/20. The examples I presented earlier were all cases where players were looked at one way when the team was losing and looked at completely differently when the team won.

[jeebs9]

Re: LeBron James Signs With Miami Heat

Dude there's a difference between what you're trying to say here and people around the Olympic teams giving the reports of how close those guys were (BEFORE THE HYPE OF THIS OFFSEASON WAS EVEN ON THE RADAR) we saw the behind the scenes with the guys, we saw how they set up their contracts. Come on with that 'don't believe everything you read' argument on this one.

So you believe everything you read? Even if its not espn saying LeBron, Bosh, and Wade had planned to play with each other 3 years ago.

**** I have trouble telling my girlfriends "we will be together forever". I trouble commiting to a phone contract for 2 years.

These guys planned it 3 years ago. That they would play with each other. Damn this sports world to hell.

[Jasong7777]

Re: LeBron James Signs With Miami Heat

Ex, you are a Kobe/Jordan fan. Not sure what being a fan of those two have to do with anything.

[jeebs9]

Re: LeBron James Signs With Miami Heat

Everything King_B_Mack said basically. It's far from fact but fairly obvious. The funniest point (that I don't think he mentioned) was the interview with all 3 of them when Bosh was basically letting the cat out of the bag and Lebron was giving him the stare of death the whole time he was talking.

Remember they were pretty much bragging about this huge player meeting they were going to have before Stern spoke up about it. Then that talk died down but the 3 players at the center of all that talk ended up on the same team.

Now you see...If they had that recent meeting that they would join teams. I can understand that. But you guys are saying 3 years ago. They said we are going to be teammates....That sounds shaky....

[Jano]

Re: LeBron James Signs With Miami Heat

This my problem with saying LeBron "quit"...We all know that the ultimate hustle stat is rebounds. How could LeBron get 19 rebounds (triple double add the turnovers if you want too)....and people are saying he quit on the team? I mean its easy to say that because they lost.

But I will admit though. I had never seen LeBron play the way he did (that badly) since the Finals vs the Spurs. The Worst series of his career...I'll would say yes to that.

When I say he quit I mean he didn't give it his full (or at least a concerted) effort on both ends of the floor. Him grabbing 19 rebounds was an awesome stat but I felt like he put a lot more effort into doing that than anything else in that game.

And that to me was more of a testament to how talented he is then his actual effort on the court. I mean from game 4 to 6 it seemed like he was sleepwalking.

But the thing his sleepwalking is a lot better then some guys best effort at times. He's so good that he actually has the ability to grab 19 rebounds and still go down on the other end, barely try at all and score 21 points.

So to a person thats just lookin at stats it looks like a great game but if you watched it you would see somethings wrong there..

[wwharton]

Re: LeBron James Signs With Miami Heat

1. I don't think Brankles ever said "Cleveland support sucks". If he did then his last post clearly states what is plainly obvious: James has always had average to sub-par help.

2. It is painfully clear that James quit. Who said he didn't? I think some people [Kobe/MJ fans] just want to pile on now that James pretty much did the cop out thing and signed with Miami.

I really kinda wish I could live in an alternate reality where Kobe never really got Pau and see what would have happened.

1. not a far leap from "sucks" and "sub-par"... covering tracks now?

2. If you're going to keep calling me and others Kobe/MJ fans then why not respond to my other post the first time you did it. Which am I? Does it make you feel good to label people as things you want to look down on?

Get off your high horse. If you want to discuss it, discuss. Your posts look more like those of a certain "group" than the ones you're responding to.

To me quit is a strong word....You know what is quitting to me?...pause button...menu quit game in the middle...lol

If you want to say he didn't play well. I can understand that. If you want to say he sucks. I can understand that. But to say he mentally said...."I'm not going to play well" sounds like an excuse or some BS someone pulled out of their *** lol.

I would even take...He wasn't mentally perpared for this challenge. But to say he quit. Thats wrong.

Having a bad game is different than quitting. He didn't have a "bad" game. In the middle of the game (more accurately the crucial 4th quarter), it seemed pretty clear that he stopped trying. That's quitting.

If the Bosh/Wade/Lebron thing was so obvious why did New York, Chicago, and New Jersey ownership even bother to clear cap space?

If they knew this was the situation why did New York and Chicago rush to sign Amare and Boozer?

I'm not 100% on board with this idea but it does seem pretty likely but I don't think it was set on being Miami. I think it was initially NYC and then expanded to other possibilities that may be able to make it happen.

[wwharton]

Re: LeBron James Signs With Miami Heat

Now you see...If they had that recent meeting that they would join teams. I can understand that. But you guys are saying 3 years ago. They said we are going to be teammates....That sounds shaky....

They did have that meeting... they just stopped talking about it every day before it happened. The point is the tone of the meeting (we know bc they talked about it) was the same as what they discussed 3 years ago and many moves between that time and now validated the thought that they had some kind of plan. Keep in mind, it takes a small miracle to free up the cap space to make this happen so while I think they talked about it 3 years ago, I'm not completely sold on a full out conspiracy theory. I think Bosh was playing with one of these 2 no matter what. I think Wade wasn't playing with Lebron anywhere but Miami. I think Lebron was battling Wade (friendly battle) on who would sway Bosh to go somewhere with him and then saw that the original plan could work in Miami.

That's all my opinion and there are other ways it could've gone that would also make sense to me, but watch the interview between them all. Bosh clearly slipped up letting out some of the info and James looked like he was going to kill him.

[jeebs9]

Re: LeBron James Signs With Miami Heat

When I say he quit I mean he didn't give it his full (or at least a concerted) effort on both ends of the floor. Him grabbing 19 rebounds was an awesome stat but I felt like he put a lot of effort into doing that.

And that to me was more of a testament to how talented he is then his actual effort on the court. I mean from game 4 to 6 it seemed like he was sleepwalking.

But the thing his sleepwalking is a lot better then some guys best effort at times. He's so good that he actually has the ability to grab 19 rebounds and still go down on the other end, barely try at all and score 21 points.

So to a person thats just lookin at stats it looks like a great game but if you watched it you would see somethings wrong there..

LOL....You trying to tell me I didn't watch these games. I've been watching the whole series with friends every weekend (at least once). I have it on my PS3. All 6 games (I actually have every single playoff game of LeBron's in HD on there. I got a 500 gb in there. with a ton of other movies and Kobe games as well). So lets not label me the "stat guy".

I probably have more games (and watched more games) Then a lot of people on this forum has in their whole life. I also have a 2 TB harddrive just for other games.-

[ex carrabba fan]

Re: LeBron James Signs With Miami Heat

Sucks does not come anywhere near "sub-par". We have differing definitions on it and no, tracks aren't being covered LMAO.

You even responding to the topic of "his teammates suck" is sad. No point in even discussing with someone if their point of view is that James' support "sucked".

It's pretty simple: he had decent help but when you compare it to the other powerhouses around the league, they really didn't stack up well at all. If you look at history, and compare James' teams you would see the same thing.

As far as me calling out homers, if you're not under the category then fall back. I'm obviously generalizing.

Ex, you are a Kobe/Jordan fan. Not sure what being a fan of those two have to do with anything.

I am a Kobe/MJ fan not a Kobe/MJ homer

difference

[King_B_Mack]

Re: LeBron James Signs With Miami Heat

If the Bosh/Wade/Lebron thing was so obvious why did New York, Chicago, and New Jersey ownership even bother to clear cap space?

If they knew this was the situation why did New York and Chicago rush to sign Amare and Boozer?

Did I say it was obvious from the start? No, but now that the puzzle has been put together, it's obvious how the pieces were set up. By the way, Miami was the only team that had a shot at getting them that actually had a dog already in the fight and could pass along information about the intentions but...hey whatever. We don't know 100 % so that obviously means none of this ever happened.

[jeebs9]

Re: LeBron James Signs With Miami Heat

They did have that meeting... they just stopped talking about it every day before it happened. The point is the tone of the meeting (we know bc they talked about it) was the same as what they discussed 3 years ago and many moves between that time and now validated the thought that they had some kind of plan. Keep in mind, it takes a small miracle to free up the cap space to make this happen so while I think they talked about it 3 years ago, I'm not completely sold on a full out conspiracy theory. I think Bosh was playing with one of these 2 no matter what. I think Wade wasn't playing with Lebron anywhere but Miami. I think Lebron was battling Wade (friendly battle) on who would sway Bosh to go somewhere with him and then saw that the original plan could work in Miami.

That's all my opinion and there are other ways it could've gone that would also make sense to me, but watch the interview between them all. Bosh clearly slipped up letting out some of the info and James looked like he was going to kill him.

Now your speaking my language...I can kind of agree with that to a point.