I think lebron has now set up a scenario where he will not be able to win regardless of what the outcome is in miami. let us look at the whole picture.... 1)if he wins now it will be in part to the supporting cast of wade and bosh. His legacy as the guy who won it for his team will have to be shared now. 2)he is the guy who could not bring a championship to his hometown. 3)I am assuming he will have to sign a six year deal there so if this experiment goes wrong he will be stuck. 4)there are NO guarantees that he will win with this setup. I love wade but he is injury prone and they literally have no bench. when these three go out, other teams should be able to capitalize. 5)as we all know injuries are a part of the game. I am assuming miami will get hit with some as various points and if they do, they could be in trouble 6)there are no guarantees that the three of them will mesh. chemistry is a huge part of what makes a team work and no one knows if the three will have it. 7)he has really hurt his image (even further) with the whole "decision" thing. the only people pulling for him now are his mom and a few apathetic heat fans. 8)if they do not win multiple championships I think it will be considered a bust. and if they do, it was an expected outcome considering the money spent and the players that they got. either way this will not leave him with the same level of respect that people have for the other legends of the game.
He's put incredible pressure on himself. He will be the only player in the league whom the press will ask after every season "Why couldn't you win a championship this year?"
I just posted in another thread that I am kind of re-evaluating him as a player in light of his playoff performance and exodus to Miami. I think he may be better off when he doesn't have to be the man all the time. Wade (when healthy) will be able to take a lot of pressure off of him. It's odd because he puffs out his chest so much, talks crap, and has all the ability in the world (see him scoring 20something points straight a couple years ago), but for whatever reason doesn't always take over. He seemed completely apathetic during the last few games of his final series in Cleveland. He is the most gifted player in the league by far, but I don't know if he has the mentality to fully capitalize on it. I think going to Miami will be very good for him.
Maybe he does not want to be "the man". But the most hyped player EVER in NBA history should welcome the chance to be "the man". I guess he just needs a set of ovaries. Diana Taurasi did not shy away from much lesser hype and won 2 titles (so far).
I know Adrian Wojnarowski is persona non grata arond here, but this is a must read. http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slug=aw-lebrondecision070910
When he's not pushing an agenda, he's a pretty decent writer. This article was particularly good. Honestly, I wonder what happens when Riley kicks LeBron's entourage out of the practice facility or off the court? James will throw a snit fit and then probably love him for the discipline.
If this trio can break the Bulls' 72 win record, that's what people will remember about LeBron. That and the number of championships.
Probably ... and after the way Mav Carter and World Wide Wes just trashed LBJ's brand and image, you might think he starts to question how much influence and bad advice he's willing to let them provide from now on ... especially when he's got a guy like Wade who is supposedly his good friend and a shit load more media savvy right next to him every day.
I disagree. LBJ will be remembered as a Wade's sidekick -- he went to Wade's team, Wade's city and will probably defer to the older guy with a true closer's mentality -- if they win big he'll be remembered as the super star who couldn't get it done without leaving his own team to join a trio of superstars.
I don't think anything can penetrate the bubble of self-delusion LeBron occupies. I guarantee you he believes last night was a huge success from a PR standpoint. No one near him is going to tell him otherwise.
Where do you think the bubble came from...? Could it possibly be from being hounded by everyone in the world since junior high as the next Michael Jordan? It's easy to Judge Lebron at this point in his career, but its not so easy to put yourself in his shoes. I'm tired of all the Lebron hate, but I guess it comes with being King
I don't hate Lebron. However, he has successfully portrayed himself as a "good guy." Now we know he's a dick like Kobe and MJ.
You know, I remember when the Blazers were looking at Oden & Durant. They said that Oden was a caretaker. That he would be loyal. They said that the Cavs lived in fear of James leaving and the franchise becoming irrlevant. Sounds prescient. What I don't agree with in the article is the pity for James. He's a grown man. He is responsible for his own decisions. I see no reason to pity him if his decision, really not the decision itself but how he made & announced it, tarnishes him.
LOL Yeah, Wade's 47-win team is quite the dynasty. James, by all accounts, tried to recruit Bosh to Cleveland. Bosh even says this is the truth, but Bosh didn't want to live and play in Cleveland. The idea that James just took a dump on Cleveland without trying to stay is laughable. Not getting Bosh probably made it an easy decision for him. Had he stayed in Cleveland and continued to not win titles, would it have been better for him? Also, the idea that his image is somehow destroyed seems goofy to me. He'll get on the court, the Heat will win, the ratings will be huge, and everybody except the bitter Cleveland fans and the bitter message board junkies will move on.
I think LeBrand did irreparable harm to people of this generation. Yes, bandwagon bitches will love him like the little brown shirt followers they are. However, connoisseur's of the game will know he is a tool. Wade is the big winner in this move followed by Bosh. LeBron is the big loser of the three. Non-corrupted sportswriters who aren't sucking off Stern will rightly call out LeBron.
