I guess I wasnt alive in the early 60's to understand this mentality. What next, burn a cross? tTt
The man is a father and a buisnessman, just like the owners. So lets treat him like one.
Did anyone boo and riot Ferry for trading Z, then losing the next 3 games, messing up the team chemistry, then not winning a championship? Or did you all blame Lebron. For those of you who say, "Well, we got Z back!." It wasnt the same team at all.
Quote: The way its being hyped on ESPN already (which is what led me to start this thread even though I don't give a tiddly about the NBA) makes me further wonder how many times are they gonna replay shots of that one hour special?
What's the over and under in minutes into the telecast do we get to see "The Drive" and "The Fumble" capped by the "Decision" somewhere in some "Cleveland Sports Fans Disappointments" montage.
Very interesting read. Thanks for posting it. It will be interesting to see what happens in Miami going forward. I hope Miami's coach sticks to his guns with LeBrat. Somebody needs to.
[color:"white"]"Never argue with a fool, onlookers may not be able to tell the difference."
I still would love to hear the place go dead silent each and every time James has the ball in his hands.
Imagine Wade with the ball .... the crowd is loud as can be .... he passes to James and ...... nothing. It would be hilarious for LebronSPN to try and show highlights with absolutely NO crowd noise. They could show highlights of every other player with the crowd cheering and going nuts .... but every LeBron highlight ..... nothing but dead air.
Micah 6:8; He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.
John 14:19 Jesus said: Because I live, you also will live.
Quote: Hopefully the crowd will chant several things that will get under LeBron's skin. Something like "Role Player, Role Player" or "Akron hates you".
MIAMI (AP)—LeBron James(notes) says he wants to give the fans of Cleveland “a lot of thanks” for their support during his seven years with the Cavaliers.
He knows they won’t feel the same, at least not on Thursday night. Miami Heat small forward LeBron James (6) goes for a dunk during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Dallas Mavericks in Dallas on Saturday, Nov. 27, 2010. Miami Heat small forward LeBro… AP - Nov 27, 10:04 pm EST
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James is going back to the city he scorned, wearing a Miami Heat uniform and playing before fans that treated him like royalty. All that changed in July, of course, when James went on television to announce that he was leaving Cleveland and joining the Heat.
James says “it’s going to be very emotional” for him, and that he’s had some good-natured talks with former Cleveland teammates about what the scene will be like. Heat teammates say they have a sense James cannot wait for the experience to be over with.
i don't understand it. he wants to give thanks? what, by telling a reporter? that's it?
not that it mattered, but if he was going to "give thanks" he should have taken out something in the PD months ago thanking the fans and city. and that's after he should have not gone on bspn to handle his free agency.
i don't hate the guy like everyone else. i'm pretty much over it, but my God his PR people are dumb. seriously, maverick carter should be working at mcdonald's. that guy isn't qualified to handle a pro athlete, especially someone as high profile as lbj.
and lebron is just as dumb for hiring him. i know he's your friend, but dude, come on man.
if i won the lottery, i wouldn't hire my friends to handle my money and assets. and i love them to death, but come on man.
Well technically he took "less" money, because he didn't sign an extension a few months before free agency. He ended up signing for the same max deal the Cavs could give him once he hit free agency, so the whole, "he took less money" angle, is pretty weak.
he signed for 14m a year right? i think the cavs could have given him like 19 or 20 max. per year. something like that. he does make less than what he would make.
but it was still about money because his brand takes a hit if he doesn't win. so he took the easy way out.
According to that, it's a bit backloaded ... and he's actually making more than Wade is (and he would of been eligible for the absolute max from Miami as well)
If you look at Joe Johnson's contract in Atlanta ... I think he got the absolute highest contract possible with the rules, and it only seems to be about $2mil more a year ... so I guess over 6 years, he left $12 mil on the table.
Ugh, Cavs better not play on Thursday like they've played tonight or they'll get routed by 30. I don't think we need to worry about Miami getting 60+ in the paint like Boston has tonight though.
Edit: And an ugly display of basketball is capped off with Glen Davis nailing a 3 to put the exclamation point on the Celtics' throttling of the Cavs tonight.
This team has three major issues that need to be overcome if they want to have any hope of winning any games at all. They are, in order, perimeter defense, outside shooting and JJ Hickson.
Their perimeter defense is atrocious. When opposing players drive, all five players collapse into the paint. Teams are shooting nearly 40% from outside the arc, good for 5th best in the league (for them, not us). Opposing teams have hit 123 threes against the Cavs, including 12 and 14 threes in beatings by the Pacers and Magic, respectively.
The Cavs are NOT an outside shooting team. Mo and Boobie are, obviously, the best outside shooters, and from there it is a steep dropoff. There are a few guys (Parker, Moon, 'Twan) that will hit the occasional three when they get a chance to set and shoot, but they are not jump shooters. And yet, this team refuses to run, penetrate, get to the basket and draw fouls. They get into halfcourt sets, stagnate and either put up poorly chosen, contested shots, or they turn the ball over. This lets the other team fast break and score in transition, putting the Cavs in an even deeper hole, so they start chucking up more outside shots. The Cavs are shooting 44% from the field, which is one of the worst in the league. Look at tonight...they started off running and working the ball inside to Andy, and they led by 2 after the first quarter. Then they slowed down, let Boston D up on them, and got outscored by 21 over the final three quarters.
Lastly, JJ is playing like absolute garbage, and its 100% mental. He came out of the gate like gangbusters to start the season, and now he's had one double-digit scoring game in the past 8. He scored 1 point tonight. 1 freaking point from our starting power forward. Coach Scott needs to put him on the bench, let him sort out whatever it is that is going on in his head, and start 'Twan for a few games, because JJ is simply not getting the job done right now.
Not sure if the Celtics play thursday? But if they dont, the Cavs should invite Delonte West to the game as a special guest and have him sit behind the miami bench wearing a shirt with lebrons moms face on it.. That would be too funny.. LMAO.
The Pieces Of The Browns Puzzle Is Falling Into Place And I Cant Wait Till Its Finally Finished
Noted fan-relations expert, Albert Belle, weighs in ...
Albert Belle is hoping LeBron, Cavs fans 'take the high road' on Thursday
Tuesday, November 30, 2010 Paul Hoynes, The Plain Dealer
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- From one Cleveland villain to another, Albert Belle hopes LeBron James and Cavaliers fans can play nice Thursday at the Q.
"My advice to LeBron is to take the high road and act professional," said Belle. "I hope the fans do the same. I don't want them to embarrass themselves on TV. I'd like to see everybody hug and kiss before the game and then the fans can boo the heck out of LeBron during the game."
Belle knows what the wrath of Cleveland feels like. He was a bad-tempered, power-hitting hero with the Indians for eight years before signing a then-record five-year, $55 million free agent deal with the rival White Sox after the 1996 season.
When Belle returned to Cleveland for the first time on June 3, 1997, he was the enemy. Playing left field at Progressive Field, fans showered him with fake and real money from the home run porch. It was a windy night, with dark clouds hovering over the ballpark, and the money swirled behind Belle on the warning track.
A prop plane, dragging a banner with a derogatory message directed toward Belle, flew over the ballpark.
Belle kept motioning the taunting fans to join him on the field. The more he motioned, the louder they yelled.
"It was crazy," said Belle. "They were throwing batteries. Someone threw a pair of binoculars."
At the end of an inning late in the game, Belle turned and flipped off the crowd. He was fined $5,000 for making the gesture.
"John Hart [former Indians general manager] had his little camera on me," said Belle.
Chicago won the game, 9-5. Belle had three hits, including a three-run homer. After the game, he called the fans "village idiots." For the last two games of the series, the home run porch in left field was blocked off and the Indians and MLB increased security.
"I fed off my teammates," said Belle. "They kept saying, "We're going back to Cleveland. I tried to keep my emotions under control, but it was emotional and stressful."
Now it is James' turn with Belle cast in the unlikely role of peacemaker.
Belle had no problem with James leaving Cleveland for Miami. He had no problem with "The Decision" being aired on ESPN.
"But he still should have had the courtesy and professionalism to call Dan Gilbert and say, 'I'm doing this show and I'm going to Miami.' When I signed with Chicago, I had my agent [Arn Tellum] call John Hart to see if the Indians would match it because I wanted to stay. John Hart said 'bull ... you don't have that kind of offer on the table.' My agent got mad and said, 'We'll be signing with Chicago tomorrow.'"
It's been reported that Gilbert, the Cavs owner, had little, if any contact, with James and his handlers before The Decision.
"If I'm Dan Gilbert and I've gone six weeks without talking to LeBron since the end of the playoffs," said Belle, "well, I know where LeBron lives. I'm going to go there and call LeBron and say, 'I'm standing outside your house. Are you going to let me in or what?'"
Belle, 43, offered this idea to ease the tension between James and the fans.
"What about the Cavs doing a video tribute of LeBron before the game?" said Belle. "Wouldn't that be a surprise? Then the fans could boo once the game started."
If there isn't a video tribute to James, Belle had another idea.
"Maybe they could do one of me," said Belle, with a laugh. "I never got one when I came back to Cleveland. They did it for Sandy Alomar, Jim Thome, Kenny Lofton. ... Now that LeBron is catching heat, maybe they can give me one."
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