Anyone watching the Heat live thing on NBA.com right now?

[Fiasco West]

Re: Anyone watching the Heat live thing on NBA.com right now?

This was a mistake, as if Kobe and the Lakers needed more motivation...same for the Celtics, Magic, and any other team when playing these guys.

[Crimsontide27]

Re: Anyone watching the Heat live thing on NBA.com right now?

I think what they are doing is brilliant.

People are getting tired of seeing the same teams in the finals all the time, to the point that its predictable for the most part.

Miami has no fan base worth speaking about and couldnt even sell out their home stadium during big games.

Now...wether you like the Heat or not, the whole world will be watching.

All this horse and pony show is to create drama and money, thats it. The entire NBA fanbase is going to keep up with Miami now, wether it is to watch a high flying circus dominate, or to watch them crash and burn.

Excellent marketing strategy going on by the suits in this case. They make more money, while paying the premier free-agents less money.... Whoever thought this plan through should be getting a hefty bonus check.

[LingeringRegime]

Re: Anyone watching the Heat live thing on NBA.com right now?

That's by far the best one yet!

Totally agree. Awesome doesn't do it justice.

Wade: "Yeah, it's going to be REAL Hollywood down here, that's what they say yeah, (chuckles smugly)."

[BJNT]

Re: Anyone watching the Heat live thing on NBA.com right now?

Everyone can self promote, its easy to do, that doesnt mean its right.

If you are a NBA superstar, you dont need fancey lights, and to toot your own horn. People will be watching. Peyton Manning is a super star, and is in the spotlight a lot, but you dont see him saying hes the best, he has done all there is to do, hes been a champion on every level, etc...Sure he is confident, but he admitts his mistakes, stays humble, and gives credit where its do.

I think the best champions are the ones who let there work TRUELY speak for itself, and stay humble. Thats the kind of guy everyone looks up to...what makes A LEADER.

My role model was always Barry Sanders when I was in high school(92-95), the guy was classy, yet had skills like none other. I know that Sanders knew to himself that he was awesome, but he remained humble, and tried to share the credit with his teamates as best he could. Thats a leader right there. Thats the guy I want leading my team. Championships will come, and even if they dont, I truely believe that if you give 100%: its not if you win or loose, but how you played the game, and how you handled yourself through it all.

Bill Belechek is a great coach, but when I think of him, I think of the coach who brushes people off, and half the time wont shake hands with the opponent coach after the game. Plain sad IMO. Kids are watching. You are in the spotlight, and shaping how Americas future becomes. This is more realistic then some believe.

Same could be said about terrel Owens, Chad Johnson, etc, etc....great players, but not leaders. Not examples.

So I guess Ali wasn't a leader considering he talked alot of junk, but then backed it up in the ring. Same goes for Michael Irvin, Gary Payton, Deion Sanders, Joe Namath. I could go on and bring plently of great athletes that were flashy and talked alot of smack, but yet they still backed it up. So whats wrong with Lebron and any other athlete of his generation doing the same thing? I respected Barry Sanders as much as I did Deion Sanders. If you want to give the ball to the ref when you score a touchdown fine. If you want do a riverdance or whatever when you score fine. Everybody cannot be the same and you have to except people for who they are. My thing is make sure that if you going to do all of the better make sure that you back it up.

[kenn5373]

Re: Anyone watching the Heat live thing on NBA.com right now?

I watched it and loved every minute of it.

[Titans4lyfe]

Re: Anyone watching the Heat live thing on NBA.com right now?

I actually love the fact that they came across cocky and arrogant. It just adds more fuel to the fire. When I use to watch wrestling back in the day, I loved seeing NWO take over and thinking can anyone stop them. I have that same feeling about the Heat now (not saying they'll take over the NBA).

[Jonesy]

Re: Anyone watching the Heat live thing on NBA.com right now?

I agree with what someone else here said. Anyone over 30-32 probably has a complete different opinions then the under 28-30 yr olds.

I'm 30, have children of my own, have been watching the nba since i was 5 and i'm fine with the whole thing. Yes he could have handled it in a more classy way but it's all just supply and demand imo. People tuned into the ESPN special in their millions around the world to watch this thing so obviously people were intrigued enough to watch it and they made millions for a great cause in the process.

I can totally understand while Cleveland fans feel as angry as they do (except for those fools who are wishing death / career ending injuries etc, that just makes you a POS imo), they feel betrayed. Even then at this level it's a business and LeBron had to do what he felt was best for him. Every week players are cut from teams and are told "it's nothing personal, its just business". When a player does that to a team suddenly it's made out like he's let down the whole city and has stabbed the owner in the back (who looks like a complete turkey after that ridiculous letter). When you think about it from LeBron's point of view he gets to play in a dominant team, gets to win, gets to live in a beautiful city like Miami with a great nightlife, can probably prolong his career and can do it with people he calls his friends.

What i really don't get is the hate coming from other people with no vested interest in the town. People keep saying things like "he'll never be Jordan" etc well maybe he doesn't care. Maybe he will be content with making hundred's of million dollars, winning with his friends and he's happy with that. Not everyone has the Jordan / Kobe alpha personality.

As a fan of the sport and none of the teams involved (unfortunately for me i support the Clippers and the Nets ) this will be fantastic. We get see world class basketball at it finest, we get to see heated rivalries, we get more exposure for the sport we love and we get to see all this "drama" in a period of time that is usually very boring.

[King_B_Mack]

Re: Anyone watching the Heat live thing on NBA.com right now?

I'm 30, have children of my own, have been watching the nba since i was 5 and i'm fine with the whole thing. Yes he could have handled it in a more classy way but it's all just supply and demand imo. People tuned into the ESPN special in their millions around the world to watch this thing so obviously people were intrigued enough to watch it and they made millions for a great cause in the process.

I can totally understand while Cleveland fans feel as angry as they do (except for those fools who are wishing death / career ending injuries etc, that just makes you a POS imo), they feel betrayed. Even then at this level it's a business and LeBron had to do what he felt was best for him. Every week players are cut from teams and are told "it's nothing personal, its just business". When a player does that to a team suddenly it's made out like he's let down the whole city and has stabbed the owner in the back (who looks like a complete turkey after that ridiculous letter). When you think about it from LeBron's point of view he gets to play in a dominant team, gets to win, gets to live in a beautiful city like Miami with a great nightlife, can probably prolong his career and can do it with people he calls his friends.

What i really don't get is the hate coming from other people with no vested interest in the town. People keep saying things like "he'll never be Jordan" etc well maybe he doesn't care. Maybe he will be content with making hundred's of million dollars, winning with his friends and he's happy with that. Not everyone has the Jordan / Kobe alpha personality.

As a fan of the sport and none of the teams involved (unfortunately for me i support the Clippers and the Nets ) this will be fantastic. We get see world class basketball at it finest, we get to see heated rivalries, we get more exposure for the sport we love and we get to see all this "drama" in a period of time that is usually very boring.

I wish people would get this right already. You guys see those statements and react to it. People who say that aren't trying to compare him to Jordan or make him better or not better, they're just saying all those people who have tried to put LeBron in that conversation as GOAT with Jordan can now kill the discussion because he took his dog outta that race.

[55]

Re: Anyone watching the Heat live thing on NBA.com right now?

BTW, in watching that last nWo video with the all-star game highlights, something stuck out to me, the East with Bosh, LeBron, and Wade all starting were down by 30 to the West. Just saying.

Come on, man.

[da ThRONe]

Re: Anyone watching the Heat live thing on NBA.com right now?

I wish people would get this right already. You guys see those statements and react to it. People who say that aren't trying to compare him to Jordan or make him better or not better, they're just saying all those people who have tried to put LeBron in that conversation as GOAT with Jordan can now kill the discussion because he took his dog outta that race.

How has he taken his "Dog out of the race"? What if he wins the next 7 MVP awards and next 7 titles while being the Finals MVP.

We have no clue how this is going to play out. So how can we just write off a player considered by many to be the best player in the game off just because who he chooses to play with. If he goes there and steps his production up from what he's already done in the league then are you going to say "Dont matter he can never be the greatest because he went to Miami"?

[King_B_Mack]

Re: Anyone watching the Heat live thing on NBA.com right now?

How has he taken his "Dog out of the race"? What if he wins the next 7 MVP awards and next 7 titles while being the Finals MVP.

We have no clue how this is going to play out. So how can we just write off a player considered by many to be the best player in the game off just because who he chooses to play with. If he goes there and steps his production up from what he's already done in the league then are you going to say "Dont matter he can never be the greatest because he went to Miami"?

Because you can't be the best EVER running for help, it's that simple. First of all he isn't going to win the next 7 MVPs because he's not gonna put up the same numbers, these guys are not going to all average 29 points a game. While LeBron is averaging 25 points or less because Wade and Bosh have to get they're stats too, Durant will be in OKC putting up 28-29 as his team's primary scoring option. Kobe will be dropping his Kobe numbers. You dont' get to go off and talk about sacrificing all these parts to your game and still put yourself in MVP talks. So I couldn't really care less about the What If's that aren't even likely at this point.

[da ThRONe]

Re: Anyone watching the Heat live thing on NBA.com right now?

Because you can't be the best EVER running for help, it's that simple. First of all he isn't going to win the next 7 MVPs because he's not gonna put up the same numbers, these guys are not going to all average 29 points a game. While LeBron is averaging 25 points or less because Wade and Bosh have to get they're stats too, Durant will be in OKC putting up 28-29 as his team's primary scoring option. Kobe will be dropping his Kobe numbers. You dont' get to go off and talk about sacrificing all these parts to your game and still put yourself in MVP talks. So I couldn't really care less about the What If's that aren't even likely at this point.

The point is nobody knows whats going to happen what this dudes career or where he will be ranked among all-time greats. This move doesnt "kill his chances" of anything.

[King_B_Mack]

Re: Anyone watching the Heat live thing on NBA.com right now?

The point is nobody knows whats going to happen what this dudes career or where he will be ranked among all-time greats. This move doesnt "kill his chances" of anything.

As it stands, Jordan GOAT, everyone else chasing. The formula for GOAT status doesn't have 'admit defeat and teamup with top competition' to make winning a championship as easy as possible in there anywhere.

[Vaiasucks]

Re: Anyone watching the Heat live thing on NBA.com right now?

As it stands, Jordan GOAT, everyone else chasing. The formula for GOAT status doesn't have 'admit defeat and teamup with top competition' to make winning a championship as easy as possible in there anywhere.

Is it not okay to be your own man?

Why must everyone be held to the Jordan standard?

I'm sure many Lebron (or general basketball) fans would be willing to concede that Jordan is greater, but does that disqualify all of Lebron's achievements and efforts throughout his career?

[ProjectRipCity]

Re: Anyone watching the Heat live thing on NBA.com right now?

I might be the only one smiling besides Miami fans. I am looking forward to see the Heat take the court next year...It will be history in the making...Nothing like this has ever happened. It did happen on a smaller scale with Allen and KG, but these three guys blow them out of the water. Miami is going to be my 3rd favorite team to watch behind the Blazers, Hawks.

Beat the Lakers Miami!