The LeBron James Thread

[boomhauertjs]

Quote: Originally Posted by Altimus

Cuban says Dallas will pursue LBJ. This could fall under the tampering guidelines. If it does, the Mavs might face some really serious fines. Up to Stern now.

Jay-Z has been tampering with LeBron for years, and the Nets haven't gotten in trouble. Stern should come down hard on any tampering with LeBron and award that team's first round pick to the Cavs.

[ehh]

Quote: Originally Posted by Dice

Don't tell the Golden State Warriors of the early 90's that. They had Mitch Richmond, Tim Hardaway and Chris Mullins. All 20pt scorers. No championships.

That was exactly my point.


I was mocking Lindsay.

[ehh]

Quote: Originally Posted by boomhauertjs

Jay-Z has been tampering with LeBron for years, and the Nets haven't gotten in trouble.

Yeah that's a tough one. I'm guessing the pre-existing friendship makes it hard to police that.

[King_B_Mack]

Quote: Originally Posted by NYJets

Playing in the same place as Jordan may or not be a factor for Lebron, but if you can't see that there is a difference between being compared to Jordan as a Cav versus as a Bull, that is being oblivious.

No, no there is not a difference. Kobe Bryant is sitting at four rings right now, possibly five after this season. The Kobe/Michael Jordan talks are going to go wilder than ever all over the country. LeBron is compared to Michael every single time he accomplishes something. We've seen comparisons of LeBron to Michael everytime he's had a birthday to compare LeBron at whatever age to Michael at that age. Scoring X amount of points at a certain point of his career and so on. You make it seem like by playing in Chicago after every single game the entire world will start breaking down LeBron's performance in his first Bulls game compared to Michael's, then his second, third and so on and so on for the rest of his time there. There is no new level of comparison to Michael that LeBron will face by wearing a Bulls jersey. People in Chicago aren't as simple and stupid about their star players as everyone likes to imply where no one can be embraced because of a previously great player. Now New York on the other hand...A-Rod/ Derek Jeter anyone?

[wwharton]

Quote: Originally Posted by Dice

Letting a player play GM is death. I don't care how great a player is on the court, he should not be having a say on roster personnel. Back before Jordan was winning championships, if Jordan had his say the Bulls would have never traded for Scottie Pippen and they probably would have keep their original draft pick in Olden Polynice. Yeah, how would that have worked out! Jordan back in the day used to always harp about how the Bulls were lacking a big man. Then Krause decided to feed into Jordan's ego and draft Polynice. Then luckily, Krause decided to use his own common sense and trade for Scottie Pippen when Seattle offered him on the table for Polynice. You start letting James make trades and watch your team go to hell. Now if he's consulted by the GM on a potential trade is one thing. BUT him coming to the front office and saying, "I want player A on this team" is another. Many of the great players have the basketball God complex. They feel that because they were great on the court that they could translate it off the court. The only person who was great on the court and great in the front office was Jerry West.

I agree with all of that but I wouldn't say West is the only one. I'd say he's the best one but McHale's not bad, Paxson, even Aignes. There will probably be another West someday too but the most important part is that none of them, including West, would be good at it while they're playing at the top of their game... especially if they're the center of the team.

Quote: Originally Posted by ex carrabba fan

Try to explain. Try being the operative word. You seem to think that these were the "final pieces" to a title team, when in reality both Mo and Jamison are not fit to play Robin. Everyone knows that, but you can't seem to accept this. If you would like to respond to any of the posts I made to Altimus, feel free because I've already stated where I'm coming from.

You keep saying it but that doesn't mean people agree with you. I'd say you can't throw together pieces to win a championship anyway. Didn't work with Payton and Malone going to the Lakers. Some may argue the Celtics but they added a HOFer and another borderline all time great. Mo and Jamison are not Garnett and Allen. Generally speaking, teams need to gel, and having a competent coach helps that too. There have been plenty of things in this thread (on this board) about why adding Mo, Jamison and Shaq didn't equal the championship and them not being a proper "robin" is just one theory.

Quote: Originally Posted by King_B_Mack

No, no there is not a difference. Kobe Bryant is sitting at four rings right now, possibly five after this season. The Kobe/Michael Jordan talks are going to go wilder than ever all over the country. LeBron is compared to Michael every single time he accomplishes something. We've seen comparisons of LeBron to Michael everytime he's had a birthday to compare LeBron at whatever age to Michael at that age. Scoring X amount of points at a certain point of his career and so on. You make it seem like by playing in Chicago after every single game the entire world will start breaking down LeBron's performance in his first Bulls game compared to Michael's, then his second, third and so on and so on for the rest of his time there. There is no new level of comparison to Michael that LeBron will face by wearing a Bulls jersey. People in Chicago aren't as simple and stupid about their star players as everyone likes to imply where no one can be embraced because of a previously great player. Now New York on the other hand...A-Rod/ Derek Jeter anyone?

Maybe you just don't want to see it bc you want him to play for the Bulls. Bottom line is in Chicago every thing LBJ did wrong would be looked at more critically in comparison to MJ. He'd be expected to start winning championships right away. I don't think the town would have a problem turning on him at all if he had no rings after 2 years.

[King_B_Mack]

Quote: Originally Posted by wwharton

Maybe you just don't want to see it bc you want him to play for the Bulls. Bottom line is in Chicago every thing LBJ did wrong would be looked at more critically in comparison to MJ. He'd be expected to start winning championships right away. I don't think the town would have a problem turning on him at all if he had no rings after 2 years.

Or maybe I live here and know a little bit more about Bulls fans and they're expectations than most the people who continue to trot out what we're expecting of LeBron and how we're going to judge him. If the Bulls were in a Cubs like haven't won in most of the cities residents lifetime type of situations, then yeah this type of move would be held to Michael like standards and he'd catch hell after 2 years of no rings. But again you're basically calling Bulls fans basketball stupid cause no one here is expecting a championship in 2 years. They expect the team to improve significantly but no one is expecting a guranteed championship and if it isn't delievered by X amount of time LeBron's a dead man walking.

Derek Lee is embraced here, Aramis Ramirez is embraced, Brian Urlacher (only starting to garner some dislike in recent years because of his own actions more than not winning) is embraced, Jay Cutler has been embraced with no one turning on him (despite reaaaallllly good reason to do so after last year). You don't have to win right away in Chicago. Zambrano is only just now wearing his welcome out here after ten years of being here and that's with a team that's more starved for a title than any in sports. LeBron in Chicago will not be turned on anytime in the near future should he sign here and not win any championships.

[Yeah...THAT Guy]

Quote: Originally Posted by King_B_Mack

Or maybe I live here and know a little bit more about Bulls fans and they're expectations than most the people who continue to trot out what we're expecting of LeBron and how we're going to judge him. If the Bulls were in a Cubs like haven't won in most of the cities residents lifetime type of situations, then yeah this type of move would be held to Michael like standards and he'd catch hell after 2 years of no rings. But again you're basically calling Bulls fans basketball stupid cause no one here is expecting a championship in 2 years. They expect the team to improve significantly but no one is expecting a guranteed championship and if it isn't delievered by X amount of time LeBron's a dead man walking. Derek Lee is embraced here, Aramis Ramirez is embraced, Brian Urlacher (only starting to garner some dislike in recent years because of his own actions more than not winning) is embraced, Jay Cutler has been embraced with no one turning on him (despite reaaaallllly good reason to do so after last year). You don't have to win right away in Chicago. Zambrano is only just now wearing his welcome out here after ten years of being here and that's with a team that's more starved for a title than any in sports. LeBron in Chicago will not be turned on anytime in the near future should he sign here and not win any championships.

Being a Cubs fan and an informed NFL fan, I gotta point out that the difference between someone like Derrick Lee or Brian Urlacher and Lebron James is pretty monumental. Nobody expects Lee to be as good as Ernie Banks, and if they did, there's still a big difference between what Ernie Banks was for MLB and what MJ was for the NBA.

[Anavar]

Quote: Originally Posted by King_B_Mack

Or maybe I live here and know a little bit more about Bulls fans and they're expectations than most the people who continue to trot out what we're expecting of LeBron and how we're going to judge him. If the Bulls were in a Cubs like haven't won in most of the cities residents lifetime type of situations, then yeah this type of move would be held to Michael like standards and he'd catch hell after 2 years of no rings. But again you're basically calling Bulls fans basketball stupid cause no one here is expecting a championship in 2 years. They expect the team to improve significantly but no one is expecting a guranteed championship and if it isn't delievered by X amount of time LeBron's a dead man walking. Derek Lee is embraced here, Aramis Ramirez is embraced, Brian Urlacher (only starting to garner some dislike in recent years because of his own actions more than not winning) is embraced, Jay Cutler has been embraced with no one turning on him (despite reaaaallllly good reason to do so after last year). You don't have to win right away in Chicago. Zambrano is only just now wearing his welcome out here after ten years of being here and that's with a team that's more starved for a title than any in sports. LeBron in Chicago will not be turned on anytime in the near future should he sign here and not win any championships.

King B, don't even waste your time anymore. It's not worth it. Apparently, people outside of our own city know more than us when it comes to our sports teams.

Yes, maybe there are some people out there who do know more than the average Joe in Chicago, but not in this forum or in this particular case.