718 replies to this topic

[bnickle]

Mercenary. Seriously, just let players go year by yer contracts and join up with whoever and wherever they want.

Playground crews.

[SportsGuy]

Players are mercenaries in all sports...So, go rant about that in every thread.  Or better yet, just go to the rant section and bitch about it...leave the basketball talk to others.

[SportsGuy]

I guarantee if you had stood a chance to move up in a company and get a better pay vs what you have now, you would leave too...Guess you are a mercenary as well.

[mweb08]

I will never understand why it matters so much to some if good players come to you or if you go to good players. Yeah, it's great to stay with one team your whole career, but unless you're a fan of that specific team, it shouldn't be that big of a deal to you. And again, the majority of these people who act like leaving your team to join others is terrible would have also ripped James if Wade and Bosh went to Cleveland and would rip him now if Melo went to Miami.

[mweb08]

As far as being loyal to the Heat, I'm sure that will play a factor in his decision, but I think loyalty to Wade and Bosh will play a bigger part in it. Then again, if he feels Wade may be done as a star, that could outweigh that loyalty.

[mweb08]

I think the biggest lesson learned from him going to Miami in terms of how he's perceived and his legacy is that ultimately, it helped him and it will help him even more years from now. 4 straight finals and two rings are much better for his legacy than staying with the same team would be. Now take that lesson to the present, and it's even easier PR and legacy wise to leave the Heat to compete for titles elsewhere.

[SammyBirdland]

I guarantee if you had stood a chance to move up in a company and get a better pay vs what you have now, you would leave too...Guess you are a mercenary as well.

 

 

I remember going through this when I was 16 years old.

 

"In two weeks...this is very tough...in two weeks I'm going to take my talents to the mall and join Toys R Us. I feel like it's going to give me the best opportunity to earn 25 cents more per hour, and not only just to earn 25 cents more per hour, but also to get an employee discount.  And I feel like I can cashier down there."

[SBTarheel]

I know it seems like fairy tale Disney crap, but I'd love for him to go back to Cleveland, but with Gilbert still owning them, I'd imagine he'd have to concede that he was an a hole when LeBron left..

 

But seriously, please God, no TV show. 

[You Play to Win the Game]

I know it seems like fairy tale Disney crap, but I'd love for him to go back to Cleveland, but with Gilbert still owning them, I'd imagine he'd have to concede that he was an a hole when LeBron left..

 

But seriously, please God, no TV show. 

 

Yeah, I'm pulling for Cleveland. That's be cool. The fact that these days, he doesn't seem to care at all what people think, makes me think it's not going to happen though. 

[Oriole85]

I know it seems like fairy tale Disney crap, but I'd love for him to go back to Cleveland, but with Gilbert still owning them, I'd imagine he'd have to concede that he was an a hole when LeBron left..

 

But seriously, please God, no TV show. 

Am I the only one who really didn't care about this? I mean look at the ratings it drew. If so many people thought this was an awful idea, they probably shouldn't be watching in the first place.

[You Play to Win the Game]

Am I the only one who really didn't care about this? I mean look at the ratings it drew. If so many people thought this was an awful idea, they probably shouldn't be watching in the first place.

 

So just because it had good ratings means it wasn't an awful idea? The two aren't mutually exclusive.

 

It was a train wreck that people didn't want to turn away from.

[Mackus]

So just because it had good ratings means it wasn't an awful idea? The two aren't mutually exclusive.

 

It was a train wreck that people didn't want to turn away from.

 

It was definitely awful, but he raised like $2-3M for charity by doing it.  Seems to justify the means, IMO.

[Oriole85]

So just because it had good ratings means it wasn't an awful idea? The two aren't mutually exclusive.

 

It was a train wreck that people didn't want to turn away from.

No one is being forced to watch it. Unlike a train wreck, you have a billion other options since you are stuck on that road or driving by it. If you don't like the concept, watch one of the other 10000 channels out there.

 

But I just don't think it's a big deal, he made it into a TV special. This "problem" comes after unemployment, hunger problems, human rights violations, and about 102929847 other "issues." I just don't think it's a big deal, but I realize I'm in the minority here.

[You Play to Win the Game]

It was definitely awful, but he raised like $2-3M for charity by doing it.  Seems to justify the means, IMO.

 

It doesn't for me. $2-3M for charity... that'd be like tossing a $100 bill for charity to him. Would have been much smarter to just do that.

 

Also, I still don't understand the correct way to abbreviate million... people at work think it's MM... a lot of other places, I see M. 

[You Play to Win the Game]

No one is being forced to watch it. Unlike a train wreck, you have a billion other options since you are stuck on that road or driving by it. If you don't like the concept, watch one of the other 10000 channels out there.

 

But I just don't think it's a big deal, he made it into a TV special. This "problem" comes after unemployment, hunger problems, human rights violations, and about 102929847 other "issues." I just don't think it's a big deal, but I realize I'm in the minority here.

 

Yeah, you're the only one then. Congrats. 

 

it's not very hard at all to see why it was such a stupid move on his part. And why people watched it.

[SBTarheel]

Had he announced on said TV Show that he was staying in Cleveland, and raised all of that money, he'd have been the most popular man in sports, bar none. 

 

The fact that he went to Miami, and they showed the disappointment on the Cleveland fans faces, them burning the jerseys...etc, spawned all of the haters , people that stopped caring how awesome of a player he was, and just focused on the fact that he somehow "deserted" Cleveland (even though free agents leave their original teams all the time, in every sport)....

 

I remember on OH back then, my Raymond Felton theory, he did the same exact thing like 2 days later (hometown proximity and everything), and no one batted an eye. But no TV show. 

[Oriole85]

Yeah, you're the only one then. Congrats. 

 

it's not very hard at all to see why it was such a stupid move on his part. And why people watched it.

I agree, but if you watched, you shouldn't be criticizing it IMO, you're part of the "problem." Nothing would show what a dumb idea this is, by having low ratings.

 

Anyways, one segment of fans should be outraged -- Cavs fans. And as KVV says, they have a lifetime pass at that. Besides that, I think it's bunch of fake outrage.

[Oriole85]

Had he announced on said TV Show that he was staying in Cleveland, and raised all of that money, he'd have been the most popular man in sports, bar none. 

 

The fact that he went to Miami, and they showed the disappointment on the Cleveland fans faces, them burning the jerseys...etc, spawned all of the BNick's of the world, people that stopped caring how awesome of a player he was, and just focused on the fact that he somehow "deserted" Cleveland (even though free agents leave their original teams all the time, in every sport)..

 

I remember on OH back then, my Raymond Felton theory, he did the same exact thing like 2 days later (hometown proximity and everything), and no one batted an eye. But no TV show. 

We all knew he was going to Miami. All you had to do was look at the shirt he was wearing -- Miami colors. And yeah if he goes back to Cleveland, it's not an "awful idea."

[SBTarheel]

We all knew he was going to Miami. All you had to do was look at the shirt he was wearing -- Miami colors. And yeah if he goes back to Cleveland, it's not an "awful idea."

Exactly...If he goes back to Cleveland, he's a hero, and "The Decision" is the best idea ever. 

 

It wasn't handled well. 

[Oriole85]

Exactly...If he goes back to Cleveland, he's a hero, and "The Decision" is the best idea ever. 

 

It wasn't handled well. 

Only thing that really bothers me is that he didn't let know Dan Gilbert know in advance, that's just the right thing to do. Also, he should've taken an ad out in the Plain-Dealer to thank the fans for their support and how would always be a Cav.

 

That would've softened the blow, but you'd still see people say things like "Jordan would've never left the Bulls." (not counting his Wizards tenure) If the Bulls, couldn't win a championship who knows. LBJ was in a no-win position here IMO, if he stays with the Cavs and don't win, he'll always be regarded as "the best loser."