ESPN and LeBron James overdid it when they decided to make an hour special out of his choosing of new team to play with.¬† I don’t see anything wrong with him choosing to play in Miami, but the hour special was too much.
How could you decide to have an hour special on yourself and your decision after you played poorly against the Celtics, failed to even make it to NBA Finals and of course failed again to win a NBA championship?
James also made an error at his coming out party in Miami by saying it was going to be easy to win it all in Miami.¬† It’s not going to be easy.
I think ESPN left it’s position of independently covering the NBA, when they decided to team with James to make the hour special.¬† Why wasn’t there more coverage of how badly James played in the playoff series against the Celtics?
You know ESPN was in bed with James by not even mentioning the horrible game he played in the fifth game of the series.¬† Why wouldn’t Jim Grey ask some tough questions?
Cleveland Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert is a multi-millionaire who is used to getting what he wants.¬† He didn’t get what he wanted when James decided to play in Miami.¬† Basketball team owners like Gilbert say good-bye to players all the time.¬† It’s business.
It was pathetic of him to cry like a baby and call James all kinds of names because this year’s NBA MVP decided not stay in Cleveland.
Gilbert was offering James over $100 million dollars to stay in Cleveland to play for the Cavs, so how could Reverend Jesse Jackson say that Gilbert was treating James like a slave.¬† Slaves don’t get paid anything much less, over $100 million dollars.
Some people will try to turn everything into a racial controversy, but there’s no way in the world that you can offer a player over $100 million dollars and at the same time be treating him like a slave.
I can see the slave metaphor as fitting.
Gilbert treated James as if he didn’t have a choice and that it was in fact he (Gilbert) that was in control of James’ career. As soon as James escaped the owner tried to abuse him as best as he could, this is not all that dissimilar from the procedure after a slave escape in the 1500’s-1700’s. If he could have legally shackled him, whipped and dragged him back I personally have no doubt that’s the direction it would have gone based on the post-James comments made by Gilbert. If that’s not a Slave/Slave owner mentality there’s no such thing.
100% right G.
Butch, you are way off base. Too compare this to a slave relationship is a slight to anyone who is a slave today or is related to someone who was in the past. This is not even close. He was paid 10s of millions of dollars to do what he was doing and you know that LeBron had a big part in choosing who he wanted on the Cavaliers.
Gilbert overreacted when this is out of context, but the fact that the LeBron-a-thon ended with a 1 hour show about himself, then a huge media response seemed appropriate. He reacted like a fan and on behalf of Cleveland.
In the end LeBron can go where he wants to go, but is he a slave now in Miami for 110 mil? Is it the whole owner thing that galls you, because Gilbert doesn’t own the players more than a business owner owns his employees.
gilbert like a 15 yr old girlfriend who just got dumped thats all
i would have rather seen lbj stay but i didnt mind seeing a player stick it to an owner vs what we see every yr here in philly with our players
hey hopefully kolb puts together a montanna yr and leaves ar and company nxt yr
karma is a b
First off gary the 1 hour special is to make money in a bad economy. Thats all thats really about. i dont think it was lebrons idea to have that stupid special. Second he did NOT say he was going to be easy to win it all in miami. He said Miami gives him the best chance to win a championship now. Witch it does in this case. Kobe and shaq and gasol….jordan had pippen…lebron has who…..moe williams lol haha thats a joke. Jamison? Who averaged 13 a game? Lebron still hasnt had the supporting cast. In Miami he has others for help. And as far as jesse jackson…….ive never seen more reverse racism in my life the guy is an idiot. All my black friends hate him. The man is stupid!! Keep up the good work G
i meant never seen more reverse rascim
The whole 1 hour special, contrived suspense and ridiculous ESPN “reporting” on sources within ESPN prior to the special is something that will leave many with a bad lasting impression of Lebron. The ego was really on display, and will lead to alot of haters packing the stands when the Heat visit their town.
Free agent means FREE AGENT, he can make his decisions based on whatever motives HE wishes. If Gilbert wanted him to stay, he needed to identify what James needed to stay, and make it happen. He wasn’t able to do that, and James never promised him he would stay.
I agree with the 15 yr old girl comment, he said some stupid things in the heat of the moment, but those comments may hurt his team in the long run when other talented free agents look to decide where they will play and see an owner that seems pretty emotional and is not afraid to slam a player.
As far as the Jesse Jackson comments, I look forward to the day when race doesn’t enter into every conversation. I didn’t see it that way, saw it more as a gutteral response from a spurned fan / owner, and definately believe that Butch’s comment about Gilbert wanting to shackle and whip James were overstatement, but that is just my opinion.
I heard that Direct TV was now offering a 24 hours-7 days a week “Lebron Channel” as part of it’s
NBA Package on Satellite..
The 1st week is footage when he was playing in the 5th/6th grade and taking Phillywill to school
big-time at Akron Middle School #4 …
No footage on that PW vs. Lebron 5th/6th grade matchup…rumor has it that PW dunked over #23 (or is it #6 now I guess) and Lebrons camp confiscated the camera so there is no proof
hahaha dont dare associate me with akron lmao
direct tv or dish network gotta get comcast sports channel its ridic comcast has a monopoly on sports in philly
“Something about that movie though, well I just can’t get it out of my head, but I can’t remember why
I was in it, or what part I was supposed to play..
All I remember about it was Gregory Peck and the way people moved, and a lot of them seemed to be
lookin” my way “
Jackson needs to get a new pair of dentures because every time he speaks he sound like his mouth is full. LeBron didn’t return text messages and calls and snuck out of town like a coward not even addressing the fans of Cleveland. I don’t like the fact that he refused to shake hands when he lost. The older Celtics stomped him and he will get stomped in Miami.
The $100,000,000 slave What a crock of bull.
I agree with you on every one of these points, Garry.
While I don’t necessarily see this as a race issue. I’m certain Gilbert viewed the relationship Slave/Slave Owner type of relationship.
Prostitutes, for the most part, are enslaved by their Pimps, it’s not a race issue, the prostitutes are paid and paid well in a lot of circumstances. Is money that important to some people that it makes these less wrong or any less of a person (people) as property issue? I don’t know what Jesse Jackson said about Gilbert relative to his comments on the Slave/Slave Owner mentality so I don’t know how much of it was about race, but that’s not completely how I see it.
Could it be about race? Possibly. To eliminate that outright without knowing the relationship, or any of the people involved personally because it makes you feel better is naive and is willful ignorance. Could it be about an old businessman thinking he could psychologically manipulate a younger, less experienced, businessman into doing whatever he wanted? Possibly. It’s hard to say, but it isn’t hard to say that a 60+ year old man attempting to publicly humiliate a 25 year old man that’s committed no crime is highly abnormal.
“While I don‚Äôt necessarily see this as a race issue. I‚Äôm certain Gilbert viewed the relationship Slave/Slave Owner type of relationship.”
Butch, how can you be so certain to know how a person thinks? Have you ever spoken with the man? I am sure that you haven’t, me either.
The guy went way overboard, much like a jilted lover does when scorned, but to assign all of these devious motives and attempt to be able to analyse his mentality takes it to another level. As a business man he made a few mistakes. He was reacting like a fan of the team, and to say it was racially motivated is unfair.
There are those who are able to profit from keeping the pot of racial intolerance stirred up. But by focusing on something such as this it prevents real progress from being made in race relations.
i just dont understand some of his comments like if u really think a player quit on ur franchise in the playoffs of all places are u then gonna offer that player a 6 yr deal for a 130 mil no. so dan which 1 is it do u normally pay a 130 mil to quitters or u didnt think he quit u were just talkn s.
PW, I had the same thought about those comments….if he quit, why empty the bank to pay a player that could quit again in a similar situation.
In my opinion, I think it is like you stated earlier, you are back in middle school and your girlfriend just told you she doesn’t like you anymore (not that I ever had that problem, ask P-man, figure he went through it a few times…..just kidding P-man, we all know you are a ladykiller). After she breaks up with you, as a 14 or 15 year old, you go around telling anyone who listens what a terrible person she is. Gilbert did the same thing…you won’t sign with me…well I didn’t want you anyway…the only thing he didn’t do was stick out his tongue…..he had an immature response that is going to haunt him until he is out of the league.
I did hear that anyone who has a “LOAN” thru Gilbert’s “Quicken-Loan Company” has just seen a
1 % increase in the rate charge by them to cover declining reveneus with LBJ leaving..
Whether you have a mortgage,car loan,student loan or personal loan…
I also heard that any customers who work or live in the Southern Florida area will have their loans terminated without reason… (this Gilbert means business and it pissed….)
yeah P-man, but I heard Gilbert will give you a 1% discount if you join his “I hate Lebron” facebook page
thanks Greenfan,
Luckily for me, I have no outstanding loans for I only pay Cash or in Canoli’s…
Back to Lebron,
I am neither a big fan or a hater.. he obviously is a great player,but I don’t think he’s got what it takes to
be a Champion and I don’t like how he is a sore loser and won’t even acknowledge his competitors/opponets… I hate when athletes do this ….
These type of comments just keep Jesse Jackson relevant and spoken about.
while u r politically correct pman i loved the fact he didnt shake hands i wish no1 shook hands
i used to hate when we like lost to dal or ny and like d5 is hugging and kissing ev1
man sports is war especially come playoff time and u know rather than see an athlete fake it i loved that he was so sick so mad so pissed he wouldnt shake their hands
wish more guys were like this
this aint lil league
PW, I agree 100%….I used to hate seeing Magic & Issiah kiss before the game. #5’s smile and hugs after games always got to me…I know that times have changed, but at least on the field or directly after a game we stop the buddy buddy stuff. Chuck Bednarik….I doubt that guy was looking to shake hands after a game.
I don’t think athletes need to be lovey-dovey with each other either,
but I do think all competitors should respect and acknowledge their opponents and give credit when credit is due and not act like they don’t exist or that the other team didn’t deserve to win and move on…
I love competitiors who are passionate about competition, I just hate sore losers that blame their losses and shortcomings on everybody else but themselves …
yea chuck aint shaking ur hand if he won lmao
“Seen the arrow on the doorstep Saying, “This land is condemned”
All the way from New Oreleans to Jerusalem”
I traveled through East Texas, where many martyrs fell,
and I know, no one can sing the blues, like Blind Willie McTell
“See them big plantations burning, hear the cracking of the whips,
Smell the sweet magnolia blooming, see the ghosts of slavery ships.
I can hear them tribes a moaning, hear the undertaker’s bell.
There’s a woman down by the river, with some fine young handsome man,
He’s dressed up like a squire, bootlegged whiskey in his hand.
There’s a chain gang out on the highway, I can hear the rebels yell..
Well, God is in his heaven, and we all want what’s his, but power and greed and corruptible seed,
seem to be all that there is..
I’m gazing out the window, of the St James Hotel, and I know no one can sing the Blue’s
Like Blind Willie McTell…”
“Blind Willie McTell” Bob Dylan 1983
Again, I don’t assume that race was part of Gilbert’s issue with Lebron James not taking his money, but I don’t discount it. He clearly thought he owned the James otherwise he wouldn’t have made the comments he made.
__________
BigE-
“The $100,000,000 slave What a crock of bull.”
vs.
Marge Schott
“…Eric Davis, who Schott allegedly referred to as one of her ‘million-dollar ******’ ”
Schott was lightly reprimanded by the MLB for a number of confirmed statements like this one. While Schott is clearly racist she also clearly possesses a slave-owner mentality relative to her employees.
I just thought the similarity in statements was too striking to not post it here. It’s really not about the money it’s about the mindset.
Butch, I can follow your logic with Marge Schott used as an example of ownerships mentality.
I would disagree with the “light repremand”, she was banned from managing the team in 1996, at which point she began to sell her interest in the team. Clearly the woman was from an earlier generation and held certain prejudices. She died in 2004. There is no evidence that Gilbert has the same prejudices, and as I have stated previously, his statements are more akin to a jilted teenage lover or rabid fan of a team than that of a slaveowner in the 1800’s.
wow never saw that statement by marge be4 good stuff
Lebron was just plain jive.