Lebron James manager says race played a role in negative press

Like Ed, I think race (and gender, at the very least) plays a factor in almost everything, when it comes to perceptions. How much and to what effect is very much up for debate. But if you're going to drop a powder keg like that, you need to have some pretty solid reasoning/evidence for how much and to what effect.

I thought his special was ill-conceived. Rightly or wrongly, sports is not just entertainment for everyone. It's important to some and James knowingly and purposefully hurt the fans he had built up in Cleveland in order to focus the spotlight more solidly upon himself. It may or may not have been a good business decision...I can't evaluate that.

I don't think there was anything at all wrong with joining two other very talented players. Games and championships are won by total team talent. If you want to win championships, you should maximize your team's talent, not just your own. There was nothing cowardly about it...it was an intelligent decision that maximized winning and fun playing basketball without giving up any cash.

 

Agreed also, but the NBA is one of the only places I think you can't say that about. Well, at least for black players. The only time I think of race in the NBA is when people compare every decent white player to Larry Bird, whether they play like him or not.

 

The NBA and most things that have anything to do with it are more racist towards white people.. sooo....

 

You think they thought they owned him more than a white player because he's black?

 

Well, in that case, him being rich is a reason, him being male is a reason, him having kids out of wedlock is a reason, him talking in the 3rd person is a reason, what his political persuasion is a reason ... I mean, this is the NBA we're talking about, not the PGA Tour. If people are so irate at LeBron in part because of his race, why didn't people have those same feelings for Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, and to be current, Kevin Durant? It was a stupid thing to say, and given the fanbase he is criticizing, I find it lacking in any intellectual merit.

 

It's a black league that idolizes, caters to, and excuses the personal shortcomings of any player who is black.

If anyone has been overly criticized for seeking to control his own destiny simply because of his race/nationality it is Rudy Fernandez.

 

I hate Rudy because he's MEXICAN!

 

I haven't heard anyone provide one example of racism in the coverage of "The Decision." It amazes me that James can make this accusation and not have the balls to back it up.

 

No. James is saying that he is being criticized right now in part because of his race. I find that charge hilarious. I backed him after The Decision on this board to great length, but injecting racial victimhood to excuse his douchebaggery has made me flip on him. Initially, the sheer brazenness of taking an hour of ESPN air time to announce where he was playing made me respect him. I figured he didn't give a shit about what the reaction would be, and donating the money to charity was solid. Now, to criticize him is to be a racist, at least in part. Fuck him, and anytime he wants to stop talking in the 3rd-person would not be soon enough.

Dude needs a PR person and not his HS buddies advising him.

 

Reminds me of the Obama supporters that said people who don't like him are racists.

 

I rank LeBron's actions in order, from harmless to bad:

1) The TV special. Well conceived. High ratings. Made a profit for ESPN.

2) Leaving his team of 7 years, next to his hometown Akron. He wasn't loyal, but then management was too untalented to put a couple of stars around him in those 7 years. A wash.

3) Talking other stars into leaving their teams. Convincing Bosh, Ilgauskas, Amare, Chris Paul, etc. to try to leave their teams. He's still texting Paul to do so. What a league wrecker.

 

Well it's true. The blacks have lost all their long-time trained virtue of loyalty since the whites have abolished slavery and allowed them freedom of choice. Right?



fyi - being sarcastic (before someone takes that serious)

 

Lebron is a douche.

 

Exactly, i would think he was just as big a douche as i do if he was white or hispanic, race never played into it.

 

I'm sure the racist bigots that already hated him, hate him even more. So in a way, he's right.

 

I would think him even more of a douche if he were Hispanic, so that goes to show that his race is not a factor!

 

The funny thing for those that don't know, is that he has a "Loyalty" tattoo on his body: