Why is LeBron getting so much hate?

[BostonSportsFan]

Re: Why is LeBron getting so much hate?

ABCDE

I have a few issues with this.

"The whole thing was a poorly concocted charade of unprofessional garbage, that's why. And it offends me on several levels.

It offends me as a coach. I have a few years of coaching experience, and this basically says "The hell with loyalty, the hell with sticking it out. Just go somewhere with better players and you'll get what you really deserve." Great example for the kids. IF HE HAD GOTTEN INTO AN ACCIDENT ON JUNE 30th AND WAS UNABLE TO PLAY AGAIN WOULD THE CAVS OR ANY TEAM BEEN LOYAL TO HIM? OR IF IN A FEW YEARS HIS SKILLS DECLINED AND THE CAVS HAD CHANCE TO DEAL HIM FOR PLAYERS THEY FELT BETTER HELPED THEIR TEAM WOULD THEY? IT IS A BUSINESS.

It offends me as a competitor. Who exactly sits up and says "You know what I'd like to do? Join 'em rather than beat 'em. If I can't win in the playoffs in a relatively short period of time, then I'll find a way to stack the deck." WADE AND BOSH ARE NOT THE GUYS HE HAS TO BEAT: KOBE AND THE LAKERS ARE, THEY AND NOT THE HEAT ARE THE CHAMPS. THE CELTS AND MAGIC HE HAS TOO BEAT ALSO.

It offends me as an Ohioan. Of all people, a player in Cleveland who grew up in Akron should be extremely mindful of the history of sports in northeast Ohio, and even more mindful of exactly how much the teams mean to a region that has had so much adversity (outside the world of sports) and taken so much crap over the last 50 years. HE FELT HE TOOK THE TEAM AS FAR AS HE COULD IF HE RETIRED RINGLESS BECAUSE HE STAYED A CAV, IT IS HIS LEGACY THAT IS HURT WITH PEOPLE SAYING HE NEVER WON LIKE MARINO or STOCKTON.

I am sure LeBron felt he took this current team as far as he could. Again, I will say if managment got smart and got under the cap by 15 - 25 mil in the next season, then they could have gotten someone to take the money come to Cleveland and play with LeBron. Would LeBron ever have won with this current roster, probably not but they are close, one or two really good/all star players away from winning a title or at least they were very close. To say that if he was not patient and waited another season or two assuming that the Cavs moved forward and brought in more help that he could not have won is really a stretch. The irony here is that I am discounting the Heats ability to win this year with 3 All Stars and a bunch of junk that would not be the 8th or 9th man off the bench on almost any other team let alone starters or 6th men so he might still have to wait a year or more to win the title.

It offends me as a courteous individual. If I leave a job, as I have before, you'd better believe I'm giving notice no matter how acrimonious it may be. If I have issues with my wife, you'd better believe I'm talking about them with her rather than emptying out the house and disappearing while she's off at work. HIS CONTRACT WAS UP HE WAS FREE TO GO WHERE HE WANTED.

There is a professional way to handle any situation. Was LeBron free to go yes. Did he handle this correctly, in my opinion no. You are hard pressed to find anyone who thinks it is appropriate to suggest that having one of your reps call the team you played for 7 years five minutes before you go on the air to announce you are leaving. He could not even make that call himself. Just a very, very poor way to handle this. Obviously, LeBron does not have any real business acumen or sense or his advisors don't either as that was just low class and bush league. Again, it smelled of someone who was bitter and angry and wanted to stick it to the team for whatever reason. Normal professional individuals do not operate in that way.

Sorry for the caps just trying to make my comments stand out.

[legaleagle92481]

Re: Why is LeBron getting so much hate?

The OP's question was why is Lebron getting so much hate. I don't think anyone is saying he's the first guy to do it.

I don't really follow baseball. Aren't most MLB clubs simply farm teams for the half dozen teams that ESPN follows? Teams start tanking in June then firesale their talent to the playoff teams.

See, Lebron made us think he was going to put a lowly NBA franchise on his back and take them to the promised land. Hell, he was almost there. He didn't pull an Elway/Lindros/Manning and cry to go to a contender before he'd even played a single pro game. He was looking old school. Get a great player and build the squad around him. The NBA is terribly watered down these days. One great player and some good role players and you can get pretty far. The Answer and Lebron both made the Finals with not much of a supporting cast. It's not like he needed an 80s kind of Lakers/Celtics HOF starting lineup. But I guess it was just looking like too much work.

He killed his image. And the way he handled it with The Decision when it had long been decided, was brutal.

Baseball does have a different system my point is just now that AROD won noone is like well the way he went about it is not good enough as they are doing to Lebron. I don't feel sorry for the Cavs, I feel sorry for their fans. The NBA system rewards epic failure. The Cavs spent years making horrible picks i.e. Trajan Langdon, Diop, etc. and bad trades i.e. dealing Andre Miller for Darius Miles and lost year after year and finally won the lottery and did not screw it up only because they had the first pick and the guy the world agreed was going to be special was available. But Cavs fans are not alone. I live in New York we are the biggest market and the Knicks have stunk for a decade and besides now Amare have had noone worth watching for almost that entire time as those running the team have made bad move after bad move.

[legaleagle92481]

Re: Why is LeBron getting so much hate?

I have a few issues with this.

"The whole thing was a poorly concocted charade of unprofessional garbage, that's why. And it offends me on several levels.

It offends me as a coach. I have a few years of coaching experience, and this basically says "The hell with loyalty, the hell with sticking it out. Just go somewhere with better players and you'll get what you really deserve." Great example for the kids. IF HE HAD GOTTEN INTO AN ACCIDENT ON JUNE 30th AND WAS UNABLE TO PLAY AGAIN WOULD THE CAVS OR ANY TEAM BEEN LOYAL TO HIM? OR IF IN A FEW YEARS HIS SKILLS DECLINED AND THE CAVS HAD CHANCE TO DEAL HIM FOR PLAYERS THEY FELT BETTER HELPED THEIR TEAM WOULD THEY? IT IS A BUSINESS.

It offends me as a competitor. Who exactly sits up and says "You know what I'd like to do? Join 'em rather than beat 'em. If I can't win in the playoffs in a relatively short period of time, then I'll find a way to stack the deck." WADE AND BOSH ARE NOT THE GUYS HE HAS TO BEAT: KOBE AND THE LAKERS ARE, THEY AND NOT THE HEAT ARE THE CHAMPS. THE CELTS AND MAGIC HE HAS TOO BEAT ALSO.

It offends me as an Ohioan. Of all people, a player in Cleveland who grew up in Akron should be extremely mindful of the history of sports in northeast Ohio, and even more mindful of exactly how much the teams mean to a region that has had so much adversity (outside the world of sports) and taken so much crap over the last 50 years. HE FELT HE TOOK THE TEAM AS FAR AS HE COULD IF HE RETIRED RINGLESS BECAUSE HE STAYED A CAV, IT IS HIS LEGACY THAT IS HURT WITH PEOPLE SAYING HE NEVER WON LIKE MARINO or STOCKTON.

It offends me as a courteous individual. If I leave a job, as I have before, you'd better believe I'm giving notice no matter how acrimonious it may be. If I have issues with my wife, you'd better believe I'm talking about them with her rather than emptying out the house and disappearing while she's off at work. HIS CONTRACT WAS UP HE WAS FREE TO GO WHERE HE WANTED.

Sorry for the caps just trying to make my comments stand out.

[Nathan]

Re: Why is LeBron getting so much hate?

The whole thing was a poorly concocted charade of unprofessional garbage, that's why. And it offends me on several levels.

It offends me as a coach. I have a few years of coaching experience, and this basically says "The hell with loyalty, the hell with sticking it out. Just go somewhere with better players and you'll get what you really deserve." Great example for the kids.

It offends me as a competitor. Who exactly sits up and says "You know what I'd like to do? Join 'em rather than beat 'em. If I can't win in the playoffs in a relatively short period of time, then I'll find a way to stack the deck."

It offends me as an Ohioan. Of all people, a player in Cleveland who grew up in Akron should be extremely mindful of the history of sports in northeast Ohio, and even more mindful of exactly how much the teams mean to a region that has had so much adversity (outside the world of sports) and taken so much crap over the last 50 years.

It offends me as a courteous individual. If I leave a job, as I have before, you'd better believe I'm giving notice no matter how acrimonious it may be. If I have issues with my wife, you'd better believe I'm talking about them with her rather than emptying out the house and disappearing while she's off at work.

It offends me as someone who actually can recognize basic truth. Cleveland in the last two years had the NBA's best record twice and was 127-37. To hear the national media and a lot of other boneheads tell the story, it was LeBron James and a cast of poorly-trained cattle out there trying to go against the 1992 Dream Team, who besides having a roster of HOFers also had the "on fire" boosts from NBA Jam available at all times.

You know what I can do that LeBron James cannot do? I can go to northeast Ohio, as I do about once a month, and be able to eat at any restaurant and attend any event without being turned away. Let's see LeBron Modell try that sometime soon.

Lebron leaving Cleveland was like an attractive guy dumping a less attractive girlfriend. She (Cleveland) was totally all about him, but he (obviously, Lebron) was not so much. And when he breaks up with her, do you expect a rational reaction from someone who is infatuated with somebody? Not going to happen. And everybody then feels sorry for the less attractive girl who can't understand how he could leave her when she loved him so much, no matter what reason he may or may not have had to break up with her.

I think that sums it up.

Poor girl, who gets so close to the altar so many times and yet gets her heart torn out time and again. And everyone outside her inner circle just spends most of their time talking about how much of a skank she is, even though it's not the case.

[spartakid]

Re: Why is LeBron getting so much hate?

Lebron leaving Cleveland was like an attractive guy dumping a less attractive girlfriend. She (Cleveland) was totally all about him, but he (obviously, Lebron) was not so much. And when he breaks up with her, do you expect a rational reaction from someone who is infatuated with somebody? Not going to happen. And everybody then feels sorry for the less attractive girl who can't understand how he could leave her when she loved him so much, no matter what reason he may or may not have had to break up with her.

I think that sums it up.

Best explanation by far

[Jags Fan Dan]

Re: Why is LeBron getting so much hate?

Lebron leaving Cleveland was like an attractive guy dumping a less attractive girlfriend. She (Cleveland) was totally all about him, but he (obviously, Lebron) was not so much. And when he breaks up with her, do you expect a rational reaction from someone who is infatuated with somebody? Not going to happen. And everybody then feels sorry for the less attractive girl who can't understand how he could leave her when she loved him so much, no matter what reason he may or may not have had to break up with her.

I think that sums it up.

[otismalibu]

Re: Why is LeBron getting so much hate?

How is what Lebron did different than what Arod did?

The OP's question was why is Lebron getting so much hate. I don't think anyone is saying he's the first guy to do it.

I don't really follow baseball. Aren't most MLB clubs simply farm teams for the half dozen teams that ESPN follows? Teams start tanking in June then firesale their talent to the playoff teams.

See, Lebron made us think he was going to put a lowly NBA franchise on his back and take them to the promised land. Hell, he was almost there. He didn't pull an Elway/Lindros/Manning and cry to go to a contender before he'd even played a single pro game. He was looking old school. Get a great player and build the squad around him. The NBA is terribly watered down these days. One great player and some good role players and you can get pretty far. The Answer and Lebron both made the Finals with not much of a supporting cast. It's not like he needed an 80s kind of Lakers/Celtics HOF starting lineup. But I guess it was just looking like too much work.

He killed his image. And the way he handled it with The Decision when it had long been decided, was brutal.

[both-teams-played-hard]

Re: Why is LeBron getting so much hate?

It'll be fun to watch the Heat lose in the playoffs and listen to LeBron offer up his excuses for why they didn't win.

How many non-basketball fans will be watching, just for that reason?

[Dewey2007]

Re: Why is LeBron getting so much hate?

I agree it's not so much what Lebron did by going to Miami it's how he went about it. He could have told Cavs management his decision well in advance and went about his business. He would have caught some flak but nothing like he's getting now. This crap that he didn't know his decision until he woke up that morning is just a slap in the face of every sensible sports fan. The King needs to fess up and take his medicine.

For someone not high on drugs or alcohol this was probably one of the most embarrassing moments of unprofessionalism by an athlete ever. This just sets the bar for future athletes to do the same thing. Thank heavens I didn't waste an hour of my life watching "The Decision". The fact that ESPN signed off on it is not surprising so they have to take a little of the blame for allowing this farce to go forward. I wonder how long before we have the first high school athlete getting his own one-hour show on ESPN to announce where he's signing.

It'll be fun to watch the Heat lose in the playoffs and listen to LeBron offer up his excuses for why they didn't win.

[BostonSportsFan]

Re: Why is LeBron getting so much hate?

It really is all about the way LeBrick did it. He is free to do whatever he wants wherever he wants that is his choice. You cannot convince me though that he was not trying to stick it to the Cavs on the way out the door. The way he handled this process with Cleveland was like a disgruntled employee trying to stick it to the employer on the way out the door and drive the knife deep into them.

This entire circus was planned out by these guys possibly several years ago. It came down to Wade convincing Riley to get low enough under the cap to make this even possible. If Riley did not know beyond a shadow of a doubt that these guys were all coming down there assuming he could gut the team, there is no way you just gut the whole team. If he did that and did not land these guys Miami would have been stuck for years as a losing club.

LeBrick just handled this incredibly poorly. To not let your employer know until you are going on the air to announce on a nationally televised TV special that you are leaving is just bush league. He did not even have the decency apparently to make that call himself. Assuming that this entire thing was planned at least several months out, why the dog and pony show bringing in all these NBA teams when these guys knew all along what their plan was. It was a complete three ring circus and made everyone look like a bunch of fools.

LeBrick is 25, he is getting so desperate that he cannot wait to win and has to win NOW. Everyone keeps saying that Cleveland does nothing to help him. For god sake, they had the leagues best record the past two seasons. LeBrick's problem is, that nobody cares about the regular season, playoff basketball is totally different and his team and he cannot win when it really counts.

If LeBrick would have been patient and told management, gut the Cavs, get 30 mil under the cap, you don't think his buddy Chris Paul would have come there in two years if you wave enough money at him. How about other front line players. Yeah its Cleveland, but if you wave enough money, someone will take it, maybe not Bosh but someone will. He is just so desperate to win and win now that he will sell his soul to the devil and do whatever it takes to win. Jordan was 28 when he won his first title, LeBron just cannot understand that you don't just show up in the league and someone hands you titles, you have to bleed, sweat and eat, breath and sleep this stuff 7 days a week to be the man. I don't know if he has it in him to do that and nothing he has done recently shows me otherwise.

AGain, I have no problem if he wanted to leave, but how about a call two weeks out to the Cavs ownership saying, I have decided to leave, I would appreciate if you would keep that silent but do what you have to do, thank them for allowing you to play there and go on your merry way.

The whole thing was just handled really, really bad and LeBron came off looking like a complete fool. Please, a one hour special that should have taken 5 minutes what a joke.

[legaleagle92481]

Re: Why is LeBron getting so much hate?

How is what Lebron did different than what Arod did? At 25 Arod chased money and went to Texas then decided three years later that money was not enough. He manuvered to get traded to the Yankees, baseball's most stacked team who had just come off a World Series loss and had the game's second best shortstop, after Arod and changed postions to play alongside him. Several years later Arod won a ring and his career was "complete". In the years between the trade and the ring the stacked team flopped in the postseason. Arod lead his team to a championship only after the team that had at the time of the trade, had likely future hofers in Mariano Riveria, Derek Jeter and Jorge Posada and added and subtracted other likely HOFers during that time period (Clemens, Randy Johnson, Sheffield and Ivan Rodriguez) acquired one of the top pitchers in the game in CC and one of the most productive middle of the order hitters in baseball in Tex.

[otismalibu]

Re: Why is LeBron getting so much hate?

Totally agree. The YMCA analogy is perfect. I'm not playing right now, I'm waiting for my boys to show up. The stacked team with battery operated sneakers gets beat by 5 stoners wearing Vans. Meanwhile, the stacked team calls foul with every missed shot. It will be fun to root against the Heat.

It's funny as hell when the stacked teams loses to the leftovers. In a short game, a hot hand and the dynasty falls and begins to woof at each other. But the YMCA ain't the NBA except that everyone now uses the bogus jump step and waves off picks. Shitty NBA officiating has let the overlooked violations trickle down to the playground.

The NBA is a clown league now. Jumped the shark. Daps for a miss.

Jealousy. Nah. I'm a Steelers fan, but actually like Peyton Manning. Now, if he would have left Indy to try and build a Super Team a few years back, different story.

James is in his mid 20s, one of the best players in the league on a top team and he tapped out.

Julius Erving lost in the 1977, 1980 & 1982 Finals before winning his only NBA belt in 1983. He should have gotten together with old ABA pals Iceman & A-Train and tried to build a powerhouse squad.

[BergerKing22784]

Re: Why is LeBron getting so much hate?

Ive always said I wished players would put the money aside and just take acouple yrs and make a super team to get their rings and championships. Ive always wanted some players to say screw the yankees and make a superteam on their own to battle them and take the rings. I am not even a Twins fan but I feel like they always tend to have the best teams on lowest payroll so I wish a bunch of superstar studs would sign cheap 1 or 2 yr deals to go to them to get a championship or two.

My biggest issue with all of this is they are acting like they already won with parades and all this glamour and I feel like they are rubbing it in on the rest of the leagues face.

He wants to win though and that is fine by me. He is giving up the chance at the title of being called the best ever or one of the best ever by this move but winning as a TEAM is more important to him and I cant fault him for that.

[both-teams-played-hard]

Re: Why is LeBron getting so much hate?

When all 3 guys (in their prime) plan this out, it just seems like the guys at the YMCA who try to stack their noon ball squad. Bush.

This isn't the standard aging NBA star w/o a ring who feels he's owed one, so he looks to piggy-back with a contender (Barkley, Payton, Mailman).

It's not like the Cavs were that far away. It just looks like a puss move. Like it would have been too hard or taken too long.

Totally agree. The YMCA analogy is perfect. I'm not playing right now, I'm waiting for my boys to show up. The stacked team with battery operated sneakers gets beat by 5 stoners wearing Vans. Meanwhile, the stacked team calls foul with every missed shot.
It will be fun to root against the Heat. Besides, I'm an Orlando fan.

[legaleagle92481]

Re: Why is LeBron getting so much hate?

Jealousy. People hate people who are excessively gifted at something to the point that they can be considered the best there is at it and who as a result get tons of riches and fame. It is the same way with Peyton Manning and Arod in their sports nothing they do will ever be good enough. In hockey they used to treat Jagr that way.