Whoa. Most of the time in sports, hatred is shallow. If you're actually playing in the finals, winning means something, like when everyone talked about how special Dirk was and he even among other players had crazy work ethic. Then all the trials mean something, and working your whole entire adult life to chase one improbable goal, how could you not cry? You've reached sports nirvana, where the moment you win you realize and become everything you put in before.
(Bandwagon) fans and the media, though, don't want epic heroes. They want gods, who at their whims use their powers to express themselves by winning. Especially in basketball, where we want to see Magics, Birds, Shaqs, Duncans, Kobes, Wades, Russells. And where we turn Jordan from a guy who got clubbed down by the Pistons year after year to the guy who won finals merely by showing up. And I guess people think of Lebron as an evil god?
But sometimes it really matters to people, which is what surprised me. Most people who rejoiced at the Heat losing were just, well, haters. But when I read Mo Williams tweet, and remember how he pleaded with Lebron to give him another chance and not to go, how he had bouts of depression, I see a victim. More like a collateral damage victim from LeBomb than a drive by, but a traumatized victim nonetheless.
So for most people who hate Lebron for his image of arrogance, they deserve Lebron's words. Your words are void of any true meaning or feeling, so go back to your lives while Lebron gets another chance next year. But for Williams who felt betrayed and abandoned and marginalized, that's the real humanity that makes me love the fake world of sports.
Whoa. Most of the time in sports, hatred is shallow. If you're actually playing in the finals, winning means something, like when everyone talked about how special Dirk was and he even among other players had crazy work ethic. Then all the trials mean something, and working your whole entire adult life to chase one improbable goal, how could you not cry? You've reached sports nirvana, where the moment you win you realize and become everything you put in before.
(Bandwagon) fans and the media, though, don't want epic heroes. They want gods, who at their whims use their powers to express themselves by winning. Especially in basketball, where we want to see Magics, Birds, Shaqs, Duncans, Kobes, Wades, Russells. And where we turn Jordan from a guy who got clubbed down by the Pistons year after year to the guy who won finals merely by showing up. And I guess people think of Lebron as an evil god?
But sometimes it really matters to people, which is what surprised me. Most people who rejoiced at the Heat losing were just, well, haters. But when I read Mo Williams tweet, and remember how he pleaded with Lebron to give him another chance and not to go, how he had bouts of depression, I see a victim. More like a collateral damage victim from LeBomb than a drive by, but a traumatized victim nonetheless.
So for most people who hate Lebron for his image of arrogance, they deserve Lebron's words. Your words are void of any true meaning or feeling, so go back to your lives while Lebron gets another chance next year. But for Williams who felt betrayed and abandoned and marginalized, that's the real humanity that makes me love the fake world of sports.
I definitely see what ur sayin there.
A lot of cavaliers fans felt the exact same way tho. They felt betrayed, they felt let down. Their hero, the one they always supported left without the decency to tell them about his plans or motives.
And let's face it, for some of the fans their team is indeed all they got or at least a big part of their live. Lebron knockin on them with his postfinal comments is just not the way to go. He shoulda just taken the hate in silence and work on his game.
On June 14 2011 05:17 Ack1027 wrote: OR MAYBE ROSE WAS OVERRATED DUN DUN DUNNN
Or maybe he emerged as hands-down the most explosive point guard in the league, carried a team missing it's next two most important players for significant stretches of the season, scored or assisted on close to 50% of the Bulls' points during the season, won the MVP award, and led a team with little-to-no postseason experience to within a few missed shots and free throws of the NBA finals.
Yeah i'm a very passive basketball fan... but Rose is far from overrated. Also, James did a number on him in the playoffs, like ~the jibster~ said
On June 13 2011 19:26 Manifesto7 wrote: Lebron has played ten NBA Finals games, and his highest point total is 25 (done twice in 2007). Today Jason Terry put in 27.
That stat just freaking blows my mind.
leOuch
twenty seven OFF THE BENCH. Good god I woke up today and still couldn't believe that stat.
For the record Mark Cuban (or some lackey on his account) answered both my emails that I sent him this playoff run. I'm going for 3/3 today.
Interesting analysis from David Thorpe that contains a link to comments he made before the Decision. He comes down pretty hard on Lebron, but I think it comes out of shock and disappointment like it does for the non-hater Lebron critics.
On June 14 2011 08:37 XaI)CyRiC wrote: Interesting analysis from David Thorpe that contains a link to comments he made before the Decision. He comes down pretty hard on Lebron, but I think it comes out of shock and disappointment like it does for the non-hater Lebron critics.
Typical ESPN bullshit. Now that Miami lost there are a bunch of "see I told you they couldn't do X" when Dallas couldn't do a lot of things either. No team in the NBA can do everything.
Even worse these are the SAME guys who created a Heat Index and hyped up every little thing the Miami Heat did. What a pitiful "news" organization.
On June 14 2011 08:37 XaI)CyRiC wrote: Interesting analysis from David Thorpe that contains a link to comments he made before the Decision. He comes down pretty hard on Lebron, but I think it comes out of shock and disappointment like it does for the non-hater Lebron critics.
Typical ESPN bullshit. Now that Miami lost there are a bunch of "see I told you they couldn't do X" when Dallas couldn't do a lot of things either. No team in the NBA can do everything.
Even worse these are the SAME guys who created a Heat Index and hyped up every little thing the Miami Heat did. What a pitiful "news" organization.
Read the ESPN book, it's pretty interesting. I don't see them ever as a news organization, but more of a forum on sports.
They are still terrible no matter what. Seeing them come down on Lebron this hard is pretty sickening as all season long, and even before this year the amount of outrageous love they gave the guy was annoying.
Coach Thorpe is even more of a fraud. Now he's claiming Lebron and Wade need to become better 3 point shooters, as if they are put on this pedestal to be able to do everything on offense. I wonder what he would have said about Dirk's ability to play defense on Chris Bosh had Dallas lost in 6. Just a bunch of uninformed critics over there, with the exception of a few guys that contribute to True Hoop when they feel like being unbiased.
On June 14 2011 09:33 Ace wrote: They are still terrible no matter what. Seeing them come down on Lebron this hard is pretty sickening as all season long, and even before this year the amount of outrageous love they gave the guy was annoying.
Coach Thorpe is even more of a fraud. Now he's claiming Lebron and Wade need to become better 3 point shooters, as if they are put on this pedestal to be able to do everything on offense. I wonder what he would have said about Dirk's ability to play defense on Chris Bosh had Dallas lost in 6. Just a bunch of uninformed critics over there, with the exception of a few guys that contribute to True Hoop when they feel like being unbiased.
Where would I find quality coverage about the NBA then? Since I am not from the US, I really have no idea where to look. ESPN just seems like the obvious choice, so I just read their stuff.
The CBS sports blog, specifically Ken Berger is pretty entertaining and solid as well. He offered a really good critique of Lebron James a while back.
Bill Simmons is good if you take what he says with a grain of salt and read it for entertainment.
ESPN's Live Chats during games are golden. Not only for the information that occasionally leaks out, but because when you see how much people DONT know and how biased they can be, and then get corrected by some of the mods you start to realize just how hard it is to be a top 10 player in the NBA.
On June 14 2011 09:57 Ace wrote: They do have quality stuff once in a while, but to find stuff that is better for understanding what the hell is happening on the court:
The CBS sports blog, specifically Ken Berger is pretty entertaining and solid as well. He offered a really good critique of Lebron James a while back.
Bill Simmons is good if you take what he says with a grain of salt and read it for entertainment.
ESPN's Live Chats during games are golden. Not only for the information that occasionally leaks out, but because when you see how much people DONT know and how biased they can be, and then get corrected by some of the mods you start to realize just how hard it is to be a top 10 player in the NBA.
Thanks, will check this stuff out in the next few days.
On June 14 2011 09:57 Ace wrote: They do have quality stuff once in a while, but to find stuff that is better for understanding what the hell is happening on the court:
The CBS sports blog, specifically Ken Berger is pretty entertaining and solid as well. He offered a really good critique of Lebron James a while back.
Bill Simmons is good if you take what he says with a grain of salt and read it for entertainment.
ESPN's Live Chats during games are golden. Not only for the information that occasionally leaks out, but because when you see how much people DONT know and how biased they can be, and then get corrected by some of the mods you start to realize just how hard it is to be a top 10 player in the NBA.
Yeah, ESPN live chats are great.
Also, is there any analyst more infuriatingly dumb than Skip Bayless? I swear, that guy drives me nuts.
Skip Bayless is another guy I put in the Bill Simmons camp. He is downright hilarious though, just because the creative ways which he finds to blame Lebron James for everything is truly an art. I remember when he kept saying Dwyane Wade was allowing Lebron to close games and thats why Miami lost.
EPT
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