Sports: 2009/10 NBA & NCAA Basketball Season

[Jim Alfredson]

I agree, but even with all that, he never did anything remotely close to "The Decision" while he was a player. I also agree that was probably the beginning of the superstar era. At least Jordan had the record to back up the designation. Another good reason to stop watching the game.

[papsrus]

fair 'nuff.

[Quincy]

It's not like Jordan was the first mega-star anyway. Crap, oodles was written when Bird-Magic retired. "Oh dear, where will find a star? What will the NBA do?" At the time Jordan was viewed as a selfish scorer who couldn't win. Before those 2 the NBA welcomed Dr. J, an ABA legend who never quite lived up to it in the NBA but was still fun to watch (never should have chopped down the afro.) Bird & Magic were a little different in that each was surrounded by other great players and their teams had marquee value on their own, but when the promos ran it was almost always "Bird-Magic" because of their face off in the NCAA championship. Some earlier potential stars made the marketing mistake of converting to Islam or having bad genes that made them prone to bone spurs.

Comparing a retired Jordan visiting Oprah's show to The Decision...I don't get the comparison at all. If you want a comparison of massive egos how about when Michael retired from basketball to play baseball. There was a press conference, but it's not like it was teased forever nor did he book his own ESPN show to do it. Although if one isn't really following the NBA as Paps stated or as others have said "I don't care," well that pretty much says it all. You don't care, don't follow it, so maybe that's why you don't get why it bothers some people. Perhaps some should just substitute "Barry Bonds" for "LeBron," then maybe they would.

Jim's right, the way game 5 was called the last time these 2 teams met is easily one of the worst officiated games in the history of championship sports. Although I watch the NBA that game along with some other terribly called playoff games (before & after) I consider the NBA to be more akin to wrestling than a "real" sport. I'll still take it over the fake rah-rah of the seedy NCAA though.

[Dave James]

Every now and then, when I'll watch some of an NBA game, it doesn't take long for the name Tim Donaghy to pop into my head. Phantom fouls, no-calls, palming the ball, three seconds in the key, traveling...it's unreal what does and doesn't get called. I know this is a fast game played by great athletes, but that doesn't hold up as an excuse for what passes as officiating. Stern just pooh poohs it like it's not a serious problem, but it really is. Enough so that it messes with the integrity of the game.

[GA Russell]

Shaq has announced that he will retire.

http://www.foxnews.com/sports/2011/06/01/shaquille-oneal-announces-retirement-web-video/

[papsrus]

Comparing a retired Jordan visiting Oprah's show to The Decision...I don't get the comparison at all.

The comparison, while not apples-to-apples, was only meant to illustrate that self-serving mega-media events arn't the sole provenance of LeBron. I'd guess that Oprah's farewell show(sssss) were more widely watched than The Decision. And I'd say Jordan strutting around the United Center calling it "my house" more than a decade after he played there gives off more than a whiff of arrogance. Particularly with a young star, MVP Derrick Rose, now on the rise there in what MJ reminds us is his house.

I know, I know, Jordan's been very complimentary of Rose. Still. If it's inflated egos we're talking about, professional sports is full of them.

As far as LeBron milking the marketing machine for the staging of The Decision, Jordan's "I'm back," and Tiger Woods' "Hello World" were both specifically crafted for marketing purposes -- in Tiger's case, a multimillion dollar marketing campaign. Proceeds from The Decision went to charity.

And besides, Cleveland was an eager participant in creating the monster, elevating the man's image to almost Christ-like proportions. They shouldn't have been surprised that he wanted a second coming.

Although if one isn't really following the NBA as Paps stated or as others have said "I don't care," well that pretty much says it all. You don't care, don't follow it, so maybe that's why you don't get why it bothers some people.

By "I don't care," what I mean to say is that I find the hysteria and animosity generated by the whole thing a bit ... overdone. Even more so now that the guy has apologized for what was clearly a misguided media event. I just never got that worked up about it one way or the other, that's all.

I can understand why folks in Cleveland might be disappointed -- pissed even -- over losing him. Not so much some dude in Dubuque.

[Aggie87]

I can understand why folks in Cleveland might be disappointed -- pissed even -- over losing him. Not so much some dude in Dubuque.

While it may not make sense to you, there is a sizable portion of the population that lost respect for James when he put on that tv show (not just press coverage of an announcement, but an actual show hyping himself up). He was perhaps the most popular NBA star prior to changing teams, and now it's a different story.

Why couldn't he have tried to win it all in Cleveland? They got to the NBA Finals with him and a bunch of lesser players, only to lose to the Spurs. Recruit one good player to Cleveland (which should have been easy, many would have been willing to play alongside James), and that probably would have put them over the top.

Instead, he opted for the selfish "ME ME ME" alternative, and put on a big production to announce his back-turning on Cleveland. Looked like in his mind he was bigger than the sport.

I like Dwyane Wade, and will be happy for him (and Haslem) should they win, but won't be rooting for James.

Edited June 1, 2011 by Aggie87

[JSngry]

Everybody hates celebrities. That's why they're so popular.

[Quincy]

And I'd say Jordan strutting around the United Center calling it "my house" more than a decade after he played there gives off more than a whiff of arrogance.

The building is nicknamed "The House That Jordan Built." (Kind of shame that old Chicago Stadium couldn't have continued on at least from a TV viewer's standpoint as that place rocked.) No one has ever called Jordan humble, but as he brought 6 titles in a decade to a city that doesn't have the draw of a warm winter club scene nor Hollywood, it is impressive. It's not like the other Chicago teams combined have provided as many titles in the average resident's lifetime either.

Still. If it's inflated egos we're talking about, professional sports is full of them.

No doubt about it. Music, the arts, journalism, and apparently classical threads on jazz boards too.

Proceeds from The Decision went to charity.

...

I can understand why folks in Cleveland might be disappointed -- pissed even -- over losing him. Not so much some dude in Dubuque.

Style matters to people is why, and that's why the "it was for charity" excuse doesn't work for many. If you want to give to charity give to charity, don't take 48 minutes to do what can be done in 7 or less. LeBron has become to the basketball world what Wynton is to jazz around here (I noticed Yogi Sangry popped in so I couldn't resist.)

Edited June 1, 2011 by Quincy

[papsrus]

I can understand why folks in Cleveland might be disappointed -- pissed even -- over losing him. Not so much some dude in Dubuque.

While it may not make sense to you, there is a sizable portion of the population that lost respect for James when he put on that tv show (not just press coverage of an announcement, but an actual show hyping himself up). He was perhaps the most popular NBA star prior to changing teams, and now it's a different story.

Why couldn't he have tried to win it all in Cleveland? They got to the NBA Finals with him and a bunch of lesser players, only to lose to the Spurs. Recruit one good player to Cleveland (which should have been easy, many would have been willing to play alongside James), and that probably would have put them over the top.

Instead, he opted for the selfish "ME ME ME" alternative, and put on a big production to announce his back-turning on Cleveland. Looked like in his mind he was bigger than the sport.

I like Dwyane Wade, and will be happy for him (and Haslem) should they win, but won't be rooting for James.

Yeah, I get all that. I don't know. I guess I just find it curious that folks who had no real rooting interest in Cleveland feel like LBJ owed it to them to:

A) not stage an ill-conceived media event and

B) not leave Cleveland.

He agrees that the media event was ill-conceived. And he's apologized. That's usually good enough. Not even close to good enough for this guy though.

And why should he have stayed in Cleveland? He gave them 7 years and took them to the finals with almost no help. The cavalry wasn't coming.

Garnett didn't stay in Minnesota. Shaq left Orlando after taking them to the finals and falling short, like LeBron, and then went to the Lakers to team up with Kobe. Sound familiar? Players move all the time. What makes LeBron moving to Miami different?

As far as his move being selfish -- what if it is? Although he took less money and is basically playing second fiddle to Wade, so it can easily be argued that it really isn't selfish. But what if it is selfish? So what? What about Elway stiffing Baltimore? Eli Manning poo-pooing San Diego? Or any player who has vetoed a trade to some place he doesn't want to play?

What if he just wanted to play on a great team instead of carrying the entire load in Cleveland? That's selfish?

Anyways, it's all good. It just seems sometimes folks want something, anything, to be pissed off about and once the old bandwagon picks up a little steam, it's all-aboard and damn the torpedoes.

I suppose I've gone on far too long about something I said I don't really care about.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E7TGlcHy3ug

[JSngry]

Why do people seem to resent athletes being great businesspeople? Lebron is a great athlete and a great businessman. He's created a brand and he's making it pay.

Anybody who refuses to "know their place" has a head start on me liking them. They can blow it after that, but not for that.

Make that money brer, make that money. Ain't nobody gonna just give it to ya'.

Long as they spell the name right, right?

(I noticed Yogi Sangry popped in so I couldn't resist.)

Thanks for getting it!

[ejp626]

Long as they spell the name right, right?

Heck, if they wanna give me it in cash, they can spell my name however they want.

I thought the Decision was overblown and pretty tacky, but I'm pretty much over it. Truly, I have many, many other things to worry me late at night...

[JSngry]

Definitely overblown, definitely tacky, but people still be talkin' about it.

Brand Awareness + Product Placement = Knowing The Marketplace = Good Business

In other words, is Lebron losing money in the wake of all this?

Not yet.

[Dave James]

Here's a little something for LeBron:

[Quincy]

Why do people seem to resent athletes being great businesspeople? Lebron is a great athlete and a great businessman. He's created a brand and he's making it pay.

Does this mean that Cliff Lee no longer owes you one?

[Joe]

I reserve the great, pullulating, febrile, Gondwana-like mass of my sports hatred for Pat Riley.

Edited June 2, 2011 by Joe

[JSngry]

Why do people seem to resent athletes being great businesspeople? Lebron is a great athlete and a great businessman. He's created a brand and he's making it pay.

Does this mean that Cliff Lee no longer owes you one?

No, that motherfucker fine gentleman still owes a debt, make no mistake, but as long as he repays it, we are cool. I never hold it against anybody for being a good businessperson so long as they do the right thing before it's all over and done with. And sometimes that takes time.

Who knows? Maybe his businessaction resulting in the forced development of the starting staff from within, hey, maybe that might someday be enough to repay the debt. Maybe. Time is a funny creature, time is.

But to the point germane - does Lebron owe anybody anything at this point, other than to play his best ball now that it's Clutch Time? Can't say that he didn't give Cleveland that, unlike the bastard great Cliff Lee.

[Quincy]

Garnett didn't stay in Minnesota.

No one is losing sleep over this, it's just fun to have a villain in sports and he's made it easy. It's interesting that you brought up KG. He was criticized for being loyal to Minnesota to the point where some questioned his desire to win. It took former Celtic teammates in front offices to pull the trade off which was not orchestrated by Garnett. So yes, it's quite possible that LeBron would have been criticized for staying in Cleveland. Face it, he'd have been criticized no matter what he did.

He agrees that the media event was ill-conceived. And he's apologized. That's usually good enough. Not even close to good enough for this guy though.

I liked a joke by a woman from Cleveland who said she'd accept it if LeBron booked a 1/2 hour show on ESPN called "The Apology" for charity. As it was just a sentence after finishing off Boston and occurred 10 months after his show there are plenty of folks who haven't even realized he apologized, or may not think much of it. You were married once right? You know that timing is everything as is magnitude of the transgression vs. the apology.

And it's not about forgiving (here's where I say "I don't care"), but more like forgetting. High grade douchebaggery sticks in the brain, and it's not just The Decision but not shaking hands after losing in the playoffs to the Magic and confiscating a tape of someone dunking on him in a pickup game which got on youtube anyway. For now he lights up the page if you Google "biggest douche in sports." (Also try "king of…") With Farve & Bonds retired it may stay that way for awhile. But I have faith that someday a bigger douche will take his place. At least he's a very talented one.

[Bright Moments]

what a great game!!

[Chalupa]

What a choke!

Miami gave that game away. What was up w/ their D on the last possession? Miami had a foul to give but just let Dirk drive to the basket w/out anyone sliding over to help Bosh. WTF? I don't care how wide open you leave your man you can't let Dirk drive the lane like that.

Memo to Pippen: None of MJ's teams ever coughed up a 15 point lead w/ 6 minutes to play in the finals.

[Free For All]

what a great game!!

So was this one!

[JSngry]

Miami needs to save the attitude for after the plays get made, not before.

[Quincy]

I know you don't do it but I was within 40 seconds (real time) of shutting it off just before the Mavs run. Whew! What ugly (non)offense from Miami at the end. OKC had a similar breakdown in a game vs. Dallas but Westbrook & Durant are much younger so it wasn't that unexpected. One of the great comebacks to (as JSngry notes) premature attitude too. Cool, now we got a series.

Edited June 3, 2011 by Quincy

[Soulstation1]

Big Game this afternoon

I still think the Heat will win series

[JSngry]

Watched most of the game while playing, and I gotta say, I can probably never again feel "love" for the Mavs again as long as Dirk, JT, & Mark Cuban are involved, but watching that Mavs team refuse to give up and actually play some hard, nastyass defense and basically rebuke the loss that was hovering in the air, well, I don't have to have love in my heart to know that that was a true sign of character from a team that has goie out of its way to demonstrate that it has none, at least on the court, for too many years now. And although they may never get the love back, they, at least for now, got the respect back.

And where is this LeBron cat, who's being represented as greater than Jordan? I've hear he can really play, will he be doing so at any point during his team's current engagement?