The reality of Gilbert's guarantee

[KingSpeed]

It kind of sounded like a death threat. He didn't say the Cavs would win a championship before the Heat. He said the Cavs would win before self proclaimed former King.

If it wasn't a death threat, then what does Gilbert have planned? McGrady and Scola, maybe?

I'll be very interested to see how Gilbert goes about delivering on his guarantee.

I would really like to see an amped up Cavs team sneak into the playoffs to play the Heat in the first round.

 

[Natebishop3]

Death threat? If it were coming from the Nets' new boss I might be able to see it...

 

[maxiep]

It was a stupid thing to say in an otherwise entertaining letter. The chances of the Cavs competing for a ring, much less winning one without LeBron is pretty slim. Meanwhile, it's going to take a 2009-10 run of Blazer injury luck to deny the M'eat from going deep into the playoffs.

 

[the ob]

unfortunately he should have worded that differently. he should have said something like he was going to do everything in his power to bring a championship to cleveland before lebron won one. he was pissed and probably fired that thing off before he calmed down.

 

[Wizard Mentor]

unfortunately he should have worded that differently. he should have said something like he was going to do everything in his power to bring a championship to cleveland before lebron won one. he was pissed and probably fired that thing off before he calmed down.

absolutely. There is no conceivable plan to accomplish what he promised.

However, he can continue to smear LBJs name. If he does that for the next 10 years, LBJs legacy will be the suck.

 

[LameR]

It was a stupid thing to say in an otherwise entertaining letter. The chances of the Cavs competing for a ring, much less winning one without LeBron is pretty slim. Meanwhile, it's going to take a 2009-10 run of Blazer injury luck to deny the M'eat from going deep into the playoffs.

This. That guarantee was pretty ill-advised.

 

[BGrantFan]

absolutely. There is no conceivable plan to accomplish what he promised.

However, he can continue to smear LBJs name. If he does that for the next 10 years, LBJs legacy will be the suck.

Why is LeBron James the villain? He took less money than he would have made in Cleveland, less attention than he would have received in New York, and fewer Jordan comparisons than he would have received than in Chicago. Plus, he made $5 million for the Boys and Girls Club last night. He chose Miami because he felt it was his best shot at a title, and I agree with that assessment.

Meanwhile, Dan Gilbert is so "loyal" that he just fired his coach and let go his GM after a 60-win season. Perhaps one of the reasons James left is because of Gilbert? Gilbert certainly didn't do himself any favors by writing that crap.

 

[andalusian]

Why is LeBron James the villain?

James is the villain, and Gilbert is one too. It's not mutually exclusive. James did not really take any less money, given the tax difference between Ohio and Florida, and Gilbert is a douche.

It was a win-win in the "the biggest loser" fest they had in Cleveland. They are both douche losers.

 

[yenniedn]

Is that a threat? Better ask PapaG.

 

[noknobs]

Why is LeBron James the villain? He took less money than he would have made in Cleveland, less attention than he would have received in New York, and fewer Jordan comparisons than he would have received than in Chicago. Plus, he made $5 million for the Boys and Girls Club last night. He chose Miami because he felt it was his best shot at a title, and I agree with that assessment.

Meanwhile, Dan Gilbert is so "loyal" that he just fired his coach and let go his GM after a 60-win season. Perhaps one of the reasons James left is because of Gilbert? Gilbert certainly didn't do himself any favors by writing that crap.

Quit repeating what Colin Cowherd says and think for yourself, you puppet. (j/k)

Lebron is more than entitled to go where he wants. the problem is how he handled this. In the most egotistical, self-serving, and cruel way possible. He simultaneously thinks he's 'The King' but he has to chase rings in his prime?? i didn't watch the cruelly named special, 'The Decision', but I assume it consisted of Lebron sitting on a throne holding a scepter while Stu fed him grapes and Jim fanned him with a gigantic leaf.

For some perspective..
http://www.cleveland.com/pluto/blog/index.ssf/2010/07/in_the_end_lebron_james_inflic.html

Lebron could have gone somewhere else and not been the villain, he CHOSE to be the villain by the way he acted. And if this was about the Boys and Girls club, he can write a check instead of having sponsors pay for it. But no, that would require some actual character on his part.

 

[Nikolokolus]

Why is LeBron James the villain? He took less money than he would have made in Cleveland, less attention than he would have received in New York, and fewer Jordan comparisons than he would have received than in Chicago. Plus, he made $5 million for the Boys and Girls Club last night. He chose Miami because he felt it was his best shot at a title, and I agree with that assessment.

Meanwhile, Dan Gilbert is so "loyal" that he just fired his coach and let go his GM after a 60-win season. Perhaps one of the reasons James left is because of Gilbert? Gilbert certainly didn't do himself any favors by writing that crap.

With Florida's tax laws and the fact that Bron will probably receive an extension in three years, he actually just took more money.

 

[Blaze01]

Why is LeBron James the villain? He took less money than he would have made in Cleveland, less attention than he would have received in New York, and fewer Jordan comparisons than he would have received than in Chicago. Plus, he made $5 million for the Boys and Girls Club last night. He chose Miami because he felt it was his best shot at a title, and I agree with that assessment.

Meanwhile, Dan Gilbert is so "loyal" that he just fired his coach and let go his GM after a 60-win season. Perhaps one of the reasons James left is because of Gilbert? Gilbert certainly didn't do himself any favors by writing that crap.

I can't believe you seriously even have to ask that???

 

[BGrantFan]

With Florida's tax laws and the fact that Bron will probably receive an extension in three years, he actually just took more money.

$12 million > $30 million? Plus, property taxes in Florida are sky-high.

James already chose Cleveland once when he signed his first extension. This time around, he is starting at a thin roster, no GM, no coach, and an owner who should probably be posting on this board, after reading his public meltdown.

James never chose Cleveland initially. They drafted him, and after that, Cleveland had him for 7 years and only made the Finals one time. Why would they be upset, given James' track record there? Seems to be a lot of hatred for a guy who just raised $5 million for a worthy cause and made a decision that he had every right to make.

 

[BGrantFan]

I can't believe you seriously even have to ask that???

I don't get the hatred for James, and I posted my opinions why he doesn't deserve it. What is your take? That he owed Cleveland something after making them more than a national laughingstock for 7 years?

 

[Nikolokolus]

$12 million > $30 million? Plus, property taxes in Florida are sky-high.

James already chose Cleveland once when he signed his first extension. This time around, he is starting at a thin roster, no GM, no coach, and an owner who should probably be posting on this board, after reading his public meltdown.

James never chose Cleveland initially. They drafted him, and after that, Cleveland had him for 7 years and only made the Finals one time. Why would they be upset, given James' track record there? Seems to be a lot of hatred for a guy who just raised $5 million for a worthy cause and made a decision that he had every right to make.

Lebron just signed a 4 year deal with a player option for a fifth, implying that the sixth year he could have taken in Cleveland is something he wouldn't have been interested in.

My only dispute is with your claim that he went to Miami for less money, not that Cleveland was the right place to go.

 

[HailBlazers]

Lebron is more than entitled to go where he wants. the problem is how he handled this. In the most egotistical, self-serving, and cruel way possible.

A one hour special is nothing compared to the days upon days of crap the media (ESPN) has been feeding for the last year. I think your going a bit overboard. No matter how James did it Cleveland would be up in arms.

i didn't watch the cruelly named special

Oh Ok that explains your dissertation

 

[Blaze01]

I don't get the hatred for James, and I posted my opinions why he doesn't deserve it. What is your take? That he owed Cleveland something after making them more than a national laughingstock for 7 years?

How about that he owed all those CLE fans who have supported his pompous ass the last 7 years better than going on National TV to tell them he was leaving?

Did he have to make a spectacle of it? Is that what decent human beings do? Breaking thier fans heart and sinking that franchise into the abyss by leaving is one thing, but would it have hurt him to do it in a much more quiet and sympathetic way?

IF you can't see how crass the way he handled this is, then I don't know what that says about you as a human being....seriously....

As far as from a basketball persepctive this is bad for the NBA...pure and simple....My only hope is that at the next bargaining agreement the owner hammer the players to stop this sort of insanity from happening....having mega superstar teams is NOT good for the NBA at all......There is a reason why the NFL rules the sports landscape...any team has a good chance to win....that is nowhere near reality in the NBA or MLB for that matter and that is bad for those sports, bad for fans in general....

Free agency is killing sports...fantastic talents\franchise players are meant to stay with thier teams not leave them in a smoking pile of ruins....You think Magic, Bird or MJ are just revered b\c of thier talent or b\c they won titles? Or for what they delivered for thier franchises (and themselves in the process) while they played there for thier entire\majority of thier career?

Does Lebron really think that if goes down and wins 4,5,6 titles in MIA that fans around the globe are going to revere him? If he does, he is sadly mistaken.........

 

[Minstrel]

The rules for athletes are complicated. They shouldn't care about money and taking a higher money offer is mercenary, despite almost every American worker being lauded for it. They should care about winning....but can only pursue winning by joining other good players if they're officially a Complementary Player. If they've received their Star paperwork, they'd better not consider hooking up with other talented players, or else they're coattail riders. Swagger is good, but ego is bad. Which is which is a case-by-case determination.

It must be exhausting being a pro athlete, if you pay attention to the fan rules, and that's before even playing the games.

 

[HailBlazers]

Repped Minstrel, Shits Complicated!

 

[Blaze01]

Hey if we were all getting paid millions of dollars then would as many people keep looking for higher paychecks?

b\c leaving your employer to go from making $40,000 to $65,000 is a lot like going from CLE where you could have made $120mil to making what $100 million? I wish we all could make that sort of monetary sacrifice...

 

[Minstrel]

Hey if we were all getting paid millions of dollars then would as many people keep looking for higher paychecks?

Do you think CEOs, who make even more than pro athletes, stop caring about or looking for more money? This doesn't hold true for every single person, obviously, but the vast majority of humans are always interested in more success and more wealth, if it's easily within their grasp.

 

[Erroneous Subterfuge]

The rules for athletes are complicated. They shouldn't care about money and taking a higher money offer is mercenary, despite almost every American worker being lauded for it. They should care about winning....but can only pursue winning by joining other good players if they're officially a Complementary Player. If they've received their Star paperwork, they'd better not consider hooking up with other talented players, or else they're coattail riders. Swagger is good, but ego is bad. Which is which is a case-by-case determination.

It must be exhausting being a pro athlete, if you pay attention to the fan rules, and that's before even playing the games.

it's not what he did, it's how he did it... shit ain't that complicated.

treating others with a certain level of respect is not complicated if you're a good person. it probably is complicated if you're an asshole. do you think the same level of outrage and hate would exist if Lebron would have just signed a contract with miami and then held a small press conference?

 

[Minstrel]

it's not what he did, it's how he did it... shit ain't that complicated.

I have not argued anyone who's claimed James is a tactless, egotistical jerk. From what I can tell, that's true.

What I've been responding to is that James is a coward for joining up with two other superstars and that this shows he's clearly not ever going to be a candidate for greatest ever, etc.

In other words, it's both the "what" and the "how" that are being criticized, and I find criticizing the "what" to be silly.

 

[Erroneous Subterfuge]

What I've been responding to is that James is a coward for joining up with two other superstars and that this shows he's clearly not ever going to be a candidate for greatest ever, etc.

In other words, it's both the "what" and the "how" that are being criticized, and I find criticizing the "what" to be silly.

ok. so you believe he's not a coward? i'll let Adrian Wojnarowski respond

Now, Clevelanders truly see it for themselves: He was a fan of the Cowboys, the Yankees – never the Browns and Indians. He was a frontrunner, and he just made the most frontrunner move in the history of the NBA.

He’s just taking less risk and less burden in his championship chase.

“This whole idea that he makes his own decisions, that [bleep] went out the window with this,” one NBA executive said. “Someday, he’s going to look back at this and not believe that he let those kids at LRMR talk him into doing this. This idea that he’s his own man … Come on, he’s a follower. And he’s following all the way to Miami now.”

Only, James is a taker, and he took and took until he had bled Gilbert and that franchise to the bone.

After all these years, it was clear he had been coddled and protected and ultimately prepared to do one thing: Take the easy way out.

 

[Minstrel]

ok. so you believe he's not a coward?

That's right, I don't think so. A bunch of "he's a coward" rhetoric isn't precisely compelling. I don't think there's anything cowardly about assuring winning, money and playing with friends and talented players. Sounds incredibly smart, actually. I'd question the sanity/intellect of someone who turned a perfect opportunity like that because a certain segment of fans/writers would get mad at him because they subscribe to a silly "Hey man, don't be a pussy...go to an untalented team and prove you can win on your own" concept.

 

[Erroneous Subterfuge]

That's right, I don't think so.

alrighty then.

 

[Minstrel]

alrighty then.

I've been lolpwned. I must rethink all my positions.

 

[Erroneous Subterfuge]

I've been lolpwned. I must rethink all my positions.

and when he couldn't even call Gilbert himself, he had one of his boys call up Gilbert a few minutes before his special - you probably think that's not cowardly either.

 

[craigehlo]

That's right, I don't think so. A bunch of "he's a coward" rhetoric isn't precisely compelling.

He’s a coward because he took the concept of the “path of least resistance” to a whole new level.

For that he's just permanently tarnished the legacy he so desperately trying to enhance by becoming a “champion ™.”

 

[Minstrel]

and when he couldn't even call Gilbert himself, he had one of his boys call up Gilbert a few minutes before his special - you probably think that's not cowardly either.

As I said, I'm only arguing about James' basketball decisions. Not his off-court character. I've already agreed that he acted obnoxiously. Very obnoxiously.