Woj for the ages

[jb]

The ABJ reaction is interesting.

They have a piece blasting TMLP for his letter prominantly posted and have differentiated Cleveland from Akron. As pro Bron as you could muster today.

http://www.ohio.com/

[e0y2e3]

If you haven't read Simmons column at this point you really, really should:

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/st ... ons/100709

[fundamentals]

"You don't live in Cleveland, you live in Akron" was the statement Sam Wyche told LBJ to go with upon this impending split.

It's still exasperating to note the length LBJ goes to jam the Cavaliers. There has to be waaaaaaay more to the story than we are getting presently.

Woj's foray into the LBJ saga was a good read.

Simmons equating this to the NWO in pro wrestling back in 1996 is hilarious and the Miami Heat are now going to be the team that people will love to hate. Funny now it looks like LA, Boston, Orlando are now the "good guys"

[aoxo1]

Simmons was OK today. I fucking hate the goddamn woe is me, revel in being the most tortured fans, though. Eat shit and die, everyone who writes in to Simmons or anyone else begging to be acknowledged as the losingest fans in the country.

[e0y2e3]

Simmons was OK today. I fucking hate the goddamn woe is me, revel in being the most tortured fans, though. Eat shit and die, everyone who writes in to Simmons or anyone else begging to be acknowledged as the losingest fans in the country.

Just found it interesting to read the 10K instant reactions, from C-town to Spain.

[aoxo1]

I did like the podcast; usually I hate his podcasts and don't listen, but some good cracks at LeBitch.

Especially enjoyed the questions that should have been asked including "How's your elbow? Did the Heat have to get a doctor to check that out beforehand?"

[motherscratcher]

Simmons was OK today. I fucking hate the goddamn woe is me, revel in being the most tortured fans, though. Eat shit and die, everyone who writes in to Simmons or anyone else begging to be acknowledged as the losingest fans in the country.

A-fuckin-men to that. I love Simmons. But every time I ran across one of these assholes demanding that Simmons acknowledge that we suck the worst it made me cringe.

[Triple-S]

This is the fanbase he gave us up for:



everyone of those guys look like Jersey Shore Rejects. Douche bags.

I'll say it for the thousandth time, Fuck Florida, they don't appreciate their sports teams, they're shitty bandwagon fans, and enjoying sports is about 10th on their list of hobbies.

I don't care, you can shit on this post all you'd like, sue me, venting is needed.

Can't wait for their to be a real live remake of "Escape from NY/LA", inserting florida into that area

[e0y2e3]

Latinos and Italians are not the same thing SSS.

[Triple-S]

Hispanics and Italians are not the same nationality SSS.

I hope it didn't come off as racist, I have no beef with their background, hell, I'd say a good portion of this board is of Italian decent, and so are my two best friends off the site.

My beef is just the way they look and act, they seem like the type of guys that would wear pink polo shirts, collars popped and the kanye sunglasses, see the "look at my striped shirt" video by Mike Polk, those types come in all races, shapes, sizes. Miami though, seems to be filled with them.

[aoxo1]

But they aren't wearing any of those things...

[Orenthal]

Good stuff. I have like 20 tabs with articles ready to go, but haven't finished all these threads.

Like usual I really have nothing to add, but enjoyed the scrap upthread. nWo was epic and my favorite wrestling storyline ever. LeBron is not Scott Hall. Hall had charisma and wasn't programmed. Shit, I am comparing this to wrestling. They are no way the nWo... I liked the nWo...

[peeker643]

This is the fanbase he gave us up for:

everyone of those guys look like Jersey Shore Rejects. Douche bags.

I'll say it for the thousandth time, Fuck Florida, they don't appreciate their sports teams, they're shitty bandwagon fans, and enjoying sports is about 10th on their list of hobbies.

I don't care, you can shit on this post all you'd like, sue me, venting is needed.

Can't wait for their to be a real live remake of "Escape from NY/LA", inserting florida into that area

This place is cheaper than therapy SSS. But at some point, someone with a psych degree is gonna have to sit down with ya and discuss this inferiority complex deal.

[Triple-S]

This place is cheaper than therapy SSS. But at some point, someone with a psych degree is gonna have to sit down with ya and discuss this inferiority complex deal.

I hear ya man

[jfiling]

I rather like Terry Pluto's interview with Joe Tait.

http://www.cleveland.com/cavs/index.ssf ... rs_br.html

It was an embarrassment to everyone involved -- the league, ESPN, LeBron, everyone. Making it worse, they didn't even know it was an embarrassment.

[waborat]

I rather like Terry Pluto's interview with Joe Tait.

Right on

The only suger-coating Joe knows, are the ones on his sundae

[aoxo1]

Taibbi on the spectacle: http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/ma ... 9533/83512

3. Gray isn't visible during most of the interview -- thank God -- but about five minutes into their talk LeBron glances down slightly, and suddenly I was conscious of feeling Gray's off-camera eyes locked on LeBron's crotch during LeBron's answers. I burst out laughing. Overall, the whole scene was an uncanny replay of the Hot Tub Time Machine sequence in which the balding white Rob Corddry is forced to suck off black comedian Craig Robinson after losing a football bet. This has to have been the absolute low point in the whole history of the "interview," right? Charlie Gibson's 2008 Bush interview is a candidate, I guess, but this has to be the worst ever -- especially when you throw in the fact that Gray was a) paid by LeBron to do the interview, and b) chosen because he has a "special sales relationship" with one of the sponsors, the University of Phoenix.

[motherscratcher]

I love the title: "Lebron James: Global Superdouche"

That got me rolling from the start. Great article.

[Orenthal]

Rolling Stone nails another level of this crap.

[Ziner]

I disagree with blaming Gilbert for enabling Lebron. Riley promised all the same stuff to Lebron. Lebron was treated that way because that is what he demanded. Had Gilbert treated him just like any other player Wojo could go and write an article about how stars are different and in this NBA you must treat them as so. I just have a hard time blaming Gilbert. These athletes are not like us and certainly do not think like us. Gilbert took a calculated risk that giving LBJ what he wanted would produce loyalty. If someone wants to make the argument that taking the opposite approach would have changed his decision on Thursday I just disagree. Lebron has serious character flaws, that isnt Gilbert's fault.

[Madre Hill, Superstar]

I can't leave Gilbert completely blameless. Enabling LeQuit only made the situation worse.

That said, I'd like to think TBDOIT's learned his lesson.

[e0y2e3]

I disagree with blaming Gilbert for enabling Lebron. Riley promised all the same stuff to Lebron. Lebron was treated that way because that is what he demanded. Had Gilbert treated him just like any other player Wojo could go and write an article about how stars are different and in this NBA you must treat them as so. I just have a hard time blaming Gilbert. These athletes are not like us and certainly do not think like us. Gilbert took a calculated risk that giving LBJ what he wanted would produce loyalty. If someone wants to make the argument that taking the opposite approach would have changed his decision on Thursday I just disagree. Lebron has serious character flaws, that isnt Gilbert's fault.

Owners have told Kobe and MJ to piss off in the past, LBJ had less legs to stand on then they ever did.

Granted Kobe did use FA to force the Lakers into making the Lake Show his team, but he has also been ignored whenever making personnel demands.

[Hi Oktane]

I can't leave Gilbert completely blameless. Enabling LeQuit only made the situation worse.

That said, I'd like to think TBDOIT's learned his lesson.

Easy to look back after what's transpired and say we shoulda just told Jester James to piss off, but if you were advocating a) that placating him was not the best way to keep him or b) that he was gone regardless, you were one of a select few.

We all knew it wasn't particularly healthy for one player wield so much power, but most of us thought it was a necessary evil. (Read: Cleveland is not exactly LA.)

Alas, cue Mick Jagger..

[Ziner]

I disagree with blaming Gilbert for enabling Lebron. Riley promised all the same stuff to Lebron. Lebron was treated that way because that is what he demanded. Had Gilbert treated him just like any other player Wojo could go and write an article about how stars are different and in this NBA you must treat them as so. I just have a hard time blaming Gilbert. These athletes are not like us and certainly do not think like us. Gilbert took a calculated risk that giving LBJ what he wanted would produce loyalty. If someone wants to make the argument that taking the opposite approach would have changed his decision on Thursday I just disagree. Lebron has serious character flaws, that isnt Gilbert's fault.

Owners have told Kobe and MJ to piss off in the past, LBJ had less legs to stand on then they ever did.

Granted Kobe did use FA to force the Lakers into making the Lake Show his team, but he has also been ignored whenever making personnel demands.

Yeah, I get that, but do you think that would have changed what happened with "The Decision"? I dont. I jagree that there is certainly criticism that can be laid at the feet of Gilbert, but I don't buy in to this one. You have hit on many of them.

[Orenthal]

I think the bigger part isn't that Gilbert gave LeBron whatever he wanted, it is that Gilbert in his letter made it seem like he had no part in creating/sustaining a self absorbed athlete. If Gilbert hadn't come off as so naive and blameless people wouldn't be wanting to throw even this 1% blame at him...