Sorry Cleveland

[KB24]

Sorry to anyone in Cleveland. By now you all know that Lebron has left the building and is headed to South Beach. Few thoughts:

1. He is going to take less money so I respect it

2. He's putting himself in a good position to win many titles in the next 10 years so I respect

3. Kobe's still the best in the League

4. LBJ's people handled this situation terribly except for the proceeds being donated to the Boys and Girls Club of America

5. It was very disrespectful to not inform the Cav's organization prior to his decision

6. Dan Gilbert (Owner) wrote that letter not because LBJ decided to leave but because of the way he did so.

7. Kobe's still the best in the League

8. Miami will win many titles but not right away. Their roster needs to be filled out and the big 3 will need to learn to play with each other

9. I'm already excited for the Christmas Day games which will feature Miami @ Cleveland and Celtics @ Lakers

10. Kobe's still the best in the League

-Patrick

[jdeese88]

Lebron James is pretty lame. Never really liked the way he handled himself. He a great player, I just don't care for him. What I don't get is, why did he wait a day after Wade and Bosh signed to Miami to go ahead and commit by himself. It would have been a little more classy if they all would have went in together. Like how the big 3 did it in Boston in 08. But instead, we get an 1 hour special on "The Decision." Pretty lame if you ask me. I'm a big fan of Dwayne Wade, and as far as I'm concerned, this is still his team. Going to be interesting to see how this turns out.

[KB24]

Lebron James is pretty lame. Never really liked the way he handled himself. He a great player, I just don't care for him. What I don't get is, why did he wait a day after Wade and Bosh signed to Miami to go ahead and commit by himself. It would have been a little more classy if they all would have went in together. Like how the big 3 did it in Boston in 08. But instead, we get an 1 hour special on "The Decision." Pretty lame if you ask me. I'm a big fan of Dwayne Wade, and as far as I'm concerned, this is still his team. Going to be interesting to see how this turns out.

Bosh and Wade actually haven't signed to Miami. They verbally committed to Miami on Tuesday in hopes to lure LBJ there. By league rules, no player could physically sign a contract until yesterday, which DWade and Bosh didn't due because they needed to wait to see what LBJ did. Now that all 3 are headed to Miami, contract terms now need to be worked out as all 3 players will need to take a hit to make it work.

He could've committed with DWade and Bosh but he's an egotistical **** with terrible handlers helping him make decisions. One of the worst handled sporting PR event ever in my opinion.

[jdeese88]

Yeah, thats what I meant. They should have all committed together. They all knew they wanted to play together to win some championships. I just think it would have been better if they all would have come out at the same time and committed together instead of the way LBJ did it. Just my 2 cents.

[JasonInChiTown]

I think Lebron saw this and made up his mind

[CigarmanTim]

Remember that Florida has no state tax... Big BIG savings so the money point is mute.

For a city that's been down so long... this is the last thing we needed. Why make a big production of spurning your hometown fans? Should have bee done with class...wasn't.

[chinamike233]

Coming from Toronto, I can feel some of the pain that people in Cleveland feel (although JBJ is a bigger loss than Bosh).

To be honest, all I care from that show was that proceeds went to the kids. That's the most important in terms of

how he did it. He knew that his decision would garner alot of attention and took this as an opportunity to raise

some money for the kids. Good on him and his 'team'.

It'll be fun to watch all those 3 play that's for sure.

But, you forgot to mention that most important thing. Kobe is STILL the best in the league PERIOD.

After this free agency stuff, I've come to realize how great Kobe is.

[sloth]

this was a sad week in media... just lohan & james...

I'm so glad Netflix was kind enough to send me "curb your enthusiasm" season 7 disc 1 yesterday...

[thechenman]

There is no doubt that Kobe is the best in the NBA right now. No one better in the clutch than he is.

LBJ f'd up with this ill conceived escapade. With how the city of Cleveland and the Cavs treated him, the totally dissed them both. First by not informing the Cavs of his decision beforehand and then to debase the fans by telling the world that he is going to South Beach instead of announcing it through local media first is a disgrace. His handlers are idiots.

As far as the proceeds going to the Boys and Girls Club...in my opinion they just used those kids to acheive their objective. The publicity and stroking his own ego was bigger than the proceeds he would have been paid.

And finally about taking less money in Miami. True...on a gross basis he will make noticeably less, but as pointed out earlier, with the lack of state tax in Florida, he will only come up a few million short of what the Cavs offered him.

What really gets me is how he is alwasy talking about how loyal he is. The only thing he is loyal to is himself.

Truly sad...he has done a diservice to himself and all the kids that admire him. The NBA is probably laughing all the way to the bank right now though...it couldn't have worked out better for them financially.

[ChanceSchmerr]

What we're all forgetting is - Basketball itself is lame. C'mon, the same teams win year in, year out. When an outside team gets anybody good, you know that guy is gone as soon as he is able to leave. Whats the point?

Not that this is a problem just in Basketball. Most ballplayers want to play for the @#^$ing Yankees to get money and rings in MLB.

When The Raptors and Vancouver Grizzlies were formed, I formed moderate interest in them. Vancouver was managed terribly and moved to that huge market in Memphis...and anyone the Raptors have ever had that was good has left town on lousy terms. Vince Carter, H Olajawon, and now Chris 'Douchebag' Bosh. What's the point in following what's essentially a farm team for the 'big teams' in Miami, LA, Phoenix, NY and Boston?

Basketball sucks. I bet anything the Raptors move to Topeka, Kansas within a decade. I won't shed a tear.

Rant complete.

[khomeinist]

Definitely a low point in NBA history. I would have respected Bulls or even Clippers much more. ESPN should be ashamed as well. I would hope society learns from this debacle.

Other NBA thoughts....

Knicks roster is pure comedy

Bulls are the new Jazz. 2nd round playoff team. Always dangerous. Won't score enough.

Warriors (my team) made a nice little move picking up David Lee for some bench guys. Nice team coming together.... (borderline playoff). ha

But seriously...THE DECISION. And then pick friggin Miami? When it was already leaked? Such poor advising. His brand is trashed. Remarkable.

[reg]

its been one hell of a week since july 1st. we may see another big free agency like this again, but this was the first, and will always be seen as the biggest. And I doubt we will see another primetime decision show again. I must admit, I loved the jim grey interview. That was the one saving grace of how he handled it. I think Miami was the wrong choice though. Only time will tell how it all works out

[khomeinist]

What we're all forgetting is - Basketball itself is lame. C'mon, the same teams win year in, year out. When an outside team gets anybody good, you know that guy is gone as soon as he is able to leave. Whats the point?

Not that this is a problem just in Basketball. Most ballplayers want to play for the @#^$ing Yankees to get money and rings in MLB.

When The Raptors and Vancouver Grizzlies were formed, I formed moderate interest in them. Vancouver was managed terribly and moved to that huge market in Memphis...and anyone the Raptors have ever had that was good has left town on lousy terms. Vince Carter, H Olajawon, and now Chris 'Douchebag' Bosh. What's the point in following what's essentially a farm team for the 'big teams' in Miami, LA, Phoenix, NY and Boston?

Basketball sucks. I bet anything the Raptors move to Topeka, Kansas within a decade. I won't shed a tear.

Rant complete.

No offense Chance. But your NBA takes are kinda 'special'

Portland, Oklahoma City, Chicago, Orlando, Charlotte, etc will all be interesting next year. There is decent parity in the league. Yes. L.A. is the best, but Boston was terrible for years, and Miami has been up and down. New York? Complete Joke. I think that many things could be done to make the NBA better (reducing the schedule to 60 games would be a huge improvement) and the narcissistic side can be annoying, but the overall level of talent in the league is very high right now (if only more guys would practice jump shots though).

As for baseball? Toronto is the victim of bad deals and bad luck. They have two rings. Pretty good output really.

You have to have a strong stomach to be a small-market fan in this era of advanced capitalism. MAN UP

Buffalo/Toronto Bills, Buffalo Sabres, Oakland A's, Golden State Warriors, Tottenham Hotspur....surely equals Toronto/Vancouver's pain

[mrmighty]

For Portland, it's all about if Odin can stay healthy THEN see how he performs. If Odin gets injured again, or just can't perform...I hate to say it, but he then might be a wash.

Lebron should not have done his lame show for his decision. He lost a lot of class in my eyes by doing that.

[ChanceSchmerr]

No offense Chance. But your NBA takes are kinda 'special'

Portland, Oklahoma City, Chicago, Orlando, Charlotte, etc will all be interesting next year. There is decent parity in the league. Yes. L.A. is the best, but Boston was terrible for years, and Miami has been up and down. New York? Complete Joke. I think that many things could be done to make the NBA better (reducing the schedule to 60 games would be a huge improvement) and the narcissistic side can be annoying, but the overall level of talent in the league is very high right now (if only more guys would practice jump shots though).

As for baseball? Toronto is the victim of bad deals and bad luck. They have two rings. Pretty good output really.

You have to have a strong stomach to be a small-market fan in this era of advanced capitalism. MAN UP

Buffalo/Toronto Bills, Buffalo Sabres, Oakland A's, Golden State Warriors, Tottenham Hotspur....surely equals Toronto/Vancouver's pain

I'm 'special'. It's a rant, man - it doesn't have to make the best of sense!

Interesting is one thing. I've watched less and less basketball since the Vince Carter decided he was bigger than Toronto and left, so I can't argue the point - I don't know and don't care enough to find out. But there is a difference between Interesting and Potential Champion. The Blue Jays have been Interesting for much of the last decade. Now that Roy Halladay had enough and demanded a trade and left, they are now Completely Pointless, as they were in the mid-late 90s following the strike. What's the point in watching an Interesting and Competitive team if you know the're still going to lose to teams like the Lakers, Celtics, Skankees, Red Sux, etc?

Yes the Jays are victims of bad deals and bad luck. They have 2 rings, that they got 17 and 18 years ago. Are you saying because of what they did almost 2 decades ago, that I should continue to support their fruitless endeavours? I'm going to anyway, because baseball will always be my favorite sport and I'm loyal. I just get more and more bitter as the years go by and what you call "Advanced Capitalism", I call "Professional Sports Greed". Guys like Tony Gwynn and Cal Ripken, who played out a whole career in one town - as impossible to find as Cuban Maria Guerrero Cigars. And it's a Goddamn Shame that all we have left is the same questions/articles every year -

"Who will the Yankees/Red Sox buy in the offseason?"

"Who will the Yankees/Red Sox trade for in-season?"

"What can the Yankees/Red Sox do to be better this season?"

"Bud Selig 'couldn't be happier' with the state of baseball and competitive balance"

It's enough to make you sick.

I have a strong stomach, and I'm not changing my allegiances. BUT I don't have to like it or think it's great to watch my team lose every year.

The teams you mentioned - are just what the Jays and Raptors WILL BE in a few years - devoid of fans and relevancy. A Damn Shame.

[khomeinist]

Haha. I hear you man. Oakland has been brutal for several years. You have to go the Moneyball route and that is a difficult. I root for small-market teams. I hope they can maintain marginal relevance.

Toronto is in a bad spot. High taxes. I feel for Blue Jay fans, but they have bad management to partially blame. Maybe realignment will become a reality. Tampa has proven that success in that division is possible though.

Vancouver Grizzlies should never have happened. Canucks are good and Maple Leafs have nobody to blame but themselves

I agree with your pessimism. I am holding out hope. I am more annoyed with ESPN than the league structures today. The media should not have been complicit with LeBron's little show.

[brutusthebuckeye]

LBJ came from the ghettos of Akron,Oh....his mom lets just say is no June Cleaver....when he say "his"people he means his "homies" ....The moral of the story is...Lebron is GHETTO and what he did last nite was GHETTO....

I didnt watch much NBA when LBJ was in C-Town....so for me i will not lose sleep...

[greenpimp]

Honestly even with all his show and ego I think LeBron wanted to go somewhere where he didn't have to be the MAN all the time. Watching him disinterested in the end of this years playoff games proved it. It was unbelievable for me to watch. Standing in the corner off the 3 point line. Just standing there! He doesn't want it to be ALL up to him EVERY night, every crunch time at the end.

Jordan relished that. He WANTED it to be all up to him. That's why he won so many titles. His will was unbelievable. LeBron doesn't have that. Not ALL the time. Honestly he should, with all the talent and the hype and the money, you should want the damn ball in your hands every time at the end of the game.

The way he "chose" was lame and everyone saw through it. That's what irks me. Just tell the truth.

"I love Cleveland and all but they aren't capable of building a good enough team around me to win a championship and I'm no Michael Jordan. Oh and Kevin Garnett warned me not to get stuck in Minnesota like he did."

[LeafLover]

OK. I'll play devil's advocate here:

Yah, f'd up how he did it. Sure, he let down Cleveland and a lot of his fans there. Yes, many people are disappointed. But, Lebron is looking out for number one. It is his career, his money. Can't fault him for looking out for the best interests for himself and his family.

Miami will be strong next year. It's gonna be a real competitive season.

[Wicky]

The Heat's sold out. You know everyone will be watching this for better or worse!

[Bill Hayes]

Sorry to anyone in Cleveland. By now you all know that Lebron has left the building and is headed to South Beach. Few thoughts:

1. He is going to take less money so I respect it

2. He's putting himself in a good position to win many titles in the next 10 years so I respect

3. Kobe's still the best in the League

4. LBJ's people handled this situation terribly except for the proceeds being donated to the Boys and Girls Club of America

5. It was very disrespectful to not inform the Cav's organization prior to his decision

6. Dan Gilbert (Owner) wrote that letter not because LBJ decided to leave but because of the way he did so.

7. Kobe's still the best in the League

8. Miami will win many titles but not right away. Their roster needs to be filled out and the big 3 will need to learn to play with each other

9. I'm already excited for the Christmas Day games which will feature Miami @ Cleveland and Celtics @ Lakers

10. Kobe's still the best in the League

-Patrick

11. Miami is close to Cuba - More cigars!

12. Miami has Mangoes Bar where caramel latino girls dance on the bar in leopard print g-strings and serve you Patron tequila.

13. Miami has Horatio Kane protecting you.

[rdb6]

The LeBron free agency period in the NBA was history being made. The power in the NBA now belongs to 3 players who made a pact during the Olympic Games to play together after their contracts expired. The Heat led by Pat Riley had the foresight to understand what was really happenning and seize the day. The Heat will contend for many years to come just not next season. The lakers are still the best team in the NBA.

The big loser in this was the Cavaliers and the Knicks. The Cavs just didn't have enough to have a chance at LeBron. The Knicks totally screwed this up. For 2 years they touted the coming of King James. Knick fans bought the crap being dished out by management (Dolan and Walsh) and were confident the King was coming. The Knicks got crowned alright.

The winners are yet to be determined. Actually ESPN was a winner. This process was a farce or rather LeBron, as great as he is, was a farce. Leave it to the NBA to create this absurd situation.

[Hoops]

What we're all forgetting is - Basketball itself is lame. C'mon, the same teams win year in, year out. When an outside team gets anybody good, you know that guy is gone as soon as he is able to leave. Whats the point?

Don't judge the game of basketball by the NBA. I find college hoops to be much more entertaining and interesting, partly because the team aspects and coaching are much more important. Give me the NCAA college tournament over the NBA playoffs anytime.

[DrunkenMonkey]

What we're all forgetting is - Basketball itself is lame.

Well said.

[brutusthebuckeye]

Long Live The King.............Lebron found out there's kno place like home!