Woj Unloads on CP3

[swerb]

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news;_ylt=A ... ture072310

[StewieG]

Good for Woj. Paul, and more importantly, WWW and James all deserve that.

But he does hit on a much, much bigger issue. James and his leeches are making a power ploy. They're trying to become the big players in the NBA. They're trying to dictate what happens with each and every team. Stern absolutely needs to break them. He needs to crush the union, and get WWW completely away from the game.

[Madre Hill, Superstar]

I wonder what Billy Hunter has to be thinking right now.

[papacass]

Good for Woj. Paul, and more importantly, WWW and James all deserve that.

But he does hit on a much, much bigger issue. James and his leeches are making a power ploy. They're trying to become the big players in the NBA. They're trying to dictate what happens with each and every team. Stern absolutely needs to break them. He needs to crush the union, and get WWW completely away from the game.

The Miami Heat might make for great TV ratings and a great road draw, but that is the only way the South Beach Mafia is going to positively influence basketball.

If the Heat start winning titles, it sends a league-wrecking message to small and midmarket teams that currently employ a single star player (spend into the red to win now, or punt your franchise player away before he can leave), teams in "cool cities" that aren't contending (tank your asses away, make no effort to get better, because your team could be where the next holy trinity decides to hook up) and any star player currently not on a contender (If LBJ, Wade and Bosh did it, why can't I?)

Basically, the feeding frenzy that just took place for the past year could become the norm.

The upcoming NBA lockout is going to be basketball's version of the '94 baseball strike. It's going to be long and ugly.

[peeker643]

The upcoming NBA lockout is going to be basketball's version of the '94 baseball strike. It's going to be long and ugly.

Works for me. I've suddenly lost interest in the league as it's going down this road. At least I'll be entertained in some way.

It won't be watching the squad the Cavs put on the floor.

[swerb]

The upcoming NBA lockout is going to be basketball's version of the '94 baseball strike. It's going to be long and ugly.

Works for me. I've suddenly lost interest in the league as it's going down this road. At least I'll be entertained in some way.

It won't be watching the squad the Cavs put on the floor.

Exactly. I am in full blown Cheer For A Lockout Mode.

[papacass]

The real entertainment starts when Stern and the owners throw the gauntlet down and say "nobody sees the floor again until we have a hard cap."

The star players in the league might be developing into an organized crime syndicate, but unlike the weasels who represented MLB in '94, Stern and his posse can swing a big stick. And I think the NBA's owners are more prepared for a fight than baseball's owners ever were.

Just thinking about what is going to fly out of the mouths/Twitter pages of Mark Cuban and Dan Gilbert, I get goose bumps. Too bad Pat Croce no longer owns the Sixers.

[CP]

The players are about to hit a deep divide amongst the superstars and the rest of the players. When it basically has become that several high-profile players can basically dictate everything that goes on with regard to player movement, the incentive to pay other players without the presence of a star or two is greatly diminished. Who wants to try and compete in the East? Boston has 3 stars, Miami has 3 stars, and the Knicks may soon have 3 stars. Atlanta has no chance to come out of the east. Orlando might but it depends on whether Nelson & Lewis play like stars or role players, but the concept has become the same.

[tired]

They need to throw away the key. It did wonders for hockey. Hexter they even took dental away from those players.

[Orenthal]

The only time I ever saw an extended interview with Paul is when he was on the TNT crew during a post-season game. Came off as a total douche. I am not surprised by any of this...

[Madre Hill, Superstar]

The upcoming NBA lockout is going to be basketball's version of the '94 baseball strike. It's going to be long and ugly.

On one hand, I think more of the '04-05 hockey strike as to how long and ugly it could be.

But then again, I think of the Antoine Walker's of the league and wonder how long these guys can reasonably hold out. If Stern wants to bend the player's association over a table, he won't have to try hard.

[StewieG]

I wonder what Billy Hunter has to be thinking right now.

He's searching far and wide for good prices on anal lube in preparation for next year.

[StewieG]

The upcoming NBA lockout is going to be basketball's version of the '94 baseball strike. It's going to be long and ugly.

On one hand, I think more of the '04-05 hockey strike as to how long and ugly it could be.

But then again, I think of the Antoine Walker's of the league and wonder how long these guys can reasonably hold out. If Stern wants to bend the player's association over a table, he won't have to try hard.

If most of the players last longer than 3 months, I'll be shocked. Most of those idiots know nothing about saving money. Once they start losing their bling and their cars, they'll fold quicker than SoulDawg can doublepost.

[OldDawg]

I can't remember the article, I've read so many. But the piece was comparing the days of MJ to now, particularly the impact of the current AAU. These guys (LBJ, et al) are in control of the whole free agency thing... they are now essentially making their own teams. The author compared it to AAU, in particular, LBJs. These guys form their own AAU teams and get a coach who won't get in their way. It is all about talent. LBJ went a step further and took that AAU team to play at StVM. Almost all of them. And does it surprise anyone that their AAU coach with no formal coaching experience (and a father of one of the boys) was hired as the StVM assistant coach? Who's controlling whom??? LBJ surrounding himself with his people as an incoming HS frosh. And then when the head coach leaves, this AAU coach gets hired as the head coach??? Why?? You can't tell me that the powers-that-be at StVM didn't sit in a room and say, "If Dru Sr doesn't get the gig, LBJ and the rest could leave." I am not saying Dru Sr has done a bad job. I am saying that LBJ has been in control (or people have cow-towed to him) since he was a pup. The dude has controlled his basketball experience regarding adults since he was in middle school and earlier. And now, into the NBA. And we have all turned a blind eye.

AAU is an amazing animal. Not many basketball purists think AAU is good for amateur basketball, but the power it yields is amazing. High schoolers will get offered college full rides when the college coach has never seen them play in a real high school game... only AAU. The summer NCAA recruiting periods lead to that over-emphasis of AAU. In the winter, the college coaches have restrictions and are often too busy trying to win games themselves than to be able to go see high school games. Why go to one high school game to see one player, when you can go to a July AAU tourney and see 100+ prospects at one time. The AAU has the NCAA recruiting process by the testicalia. And AAU is not about playing as a team, playing defense, about playing hard or about being coachable... it is about talent. Assembling the most talent.

And now that mentality has drifted into the highest arena... the NBA. Unbelievable. Stern better grow a pair and take control of his league.

[waborat]

Word is LeBron indeed advised Paul to demand a trade but he wants CP3 to stay in Western Conf. to make a better rivalry.
4:11 AM Jul 24th via TweetDeck
.PDcavsinsider
Brian Windhorst

Chosen One to destroy the league as we know it

[Bayou Tribe]

I am so obsessed and pissed with the whole CP3 thing right now it's disgusting. The organization made stupid decisions with Okafor, Posey, MoPete, Peja, but they're trying to turn the corner. Completely gutted the basketball ops department, new GM, new head coach and before the end of the year they'll have a new, local, billionaire owner. The only negativity surrounding the direction of the franchise right now is coming from this selfish son of a bitch being fleeced by Lebron and his mob. Said it before and I'll say it again, I have never seen a player who I liked so much on the court that I hate so much off it.

War Darren Collison!

[Madre Hill, Superstar]

Word is LeBron indeed advised Paul to demand a trade but he wants CP3 to stay in Western Conf. to make a better rivalry.
4:11 AM Jul 24th via TweetDeck
.PDcavsinsider
Brian Windhorst

[RIBrownsFan]

"This is NOT a league for sissies and pantywaists...or small-markets."

[Triple-S]

You know, if this keeps going this way, you may as well just have a 12 team league, and I'm being dead serious.

The way franchises like the Cavs and the Hornet gets held hostage by their own players is bullshit.

[waborat]

You know, if this keeps going this way, you may as well just have a 12 team league

And I bin on all em,

Juwan Howard

[papacass]

You know, if this keeps going this way, you may as well just have a 12 team league, and I'm being dead serious.

The way franchises like the Cavs and the Hornet gets held hostage by their own players is bullshit.

Which is kind of like baseball. Except the biggest players are actually more powerful than the union. In baseball, the MLBPA is God, Family and Country. In the NBA, guys like Bron say "Nuts to the union. I'll own the union. I'll own the league. I'll own the whole flipping world. I give a rip about the Greater Good like I give a rip about 50,000 starving people in Darfur."

And if Stern says "You won't hold my league hostage. I'll banish you before I let that happen," then Bron and Co. might go start their own league.

"Let's see how you do when all the stars bolt for some And-1 Tour shit. Have fun featuring Darko Milicic and the Timberwolves versus Wilson Chandler and the Knicks, tonight at 8 on TNT. We Used To Know Drama."

The NBA is kind of screwed right now as a governing body. But they were party to the clusterhump that allow it to reach this point.

[Madre Hill, Superstar]

And if Stern says "You won't hold my league hostage. I'll banish you before I let that happen," then Bron and Co. might go start their own league.

"Let's see how you do when all the stars bolt for some And-1 Tour shit. Have fun featuring Darko Milicic and the Timberwolves versus Wilson Chandler and the Knicks, tonight at 8 on TNT. We Used To Know Drama."

At which point Stern smiles, "Right. We have the contracts with TNT and ESPN. If you haven't also noticed over the past 20 years we pretty much own every arena too. We have the league structure, the millionaires bankrolling it, and the rosters waiting for all the other guys who're jonesing for a paycheck to handle their next child support payment. But I'm sure Versus will be overjoyed to show you balling against robots on Gilligan's Island."

If LRMR is thinking of going to the wall on this, they ain't going to win. Not with every man for themselves and the fans abandoning Brand Lebron. NFW.

[papacass]

If LRMR is thinking of going to the wall on this, they ain't going to win. Not with every man for themselves and the fans abandoning Brand Lebron. NFW.

Of course, LBJ is arrogant enough to maybe try it, or at least threaten it. If Stern tries to rein in Team LBJ, I can't wait for the back-room stomping and pouting and tantrum-throwing. What's World Wide Wes going to leak to his media lapdogs then? Is Mav Carter going to say "Screw you Stern, we'll start our own cable network. We already have Jim Gray on the payroll."?

I'll be very interested to see how Stern manages a superstar who doesn't just believe that he's the face of the league, he believes he's bigger than the league.

LeBron James (and to a lesser extent D-Wade, Bosh and CP3) are the monsters turning on their master. All the post-Jordan years of having a star driven league, where the league is focused on promoting its superstars as larger-than-life icons, and the net effect is finally coming home to roost. You now have players who see themselves as gods.

In the ultimate studio-flash, face-time sport, the best players now officially believe they can break the league if need be. Maybe they can't, but they just might try.

Heck, who needs the NBPA if you're Bron? The NBPA exists so Danny Green and Ryan Hollins get a pension in 30 years. What Bron, Wade and Bosh are trying to start, with CP3 on board but not in Miami, is the NB-HMFIC-PA. Superstars united in a joint cause to rule the league, the country and the world.

[The Score]

The only time I ever saw an extended interview with Paul is when he was on the TNT crew during a post-season game. Came off as a total douche. I am not surprised by any of this...

ESPN, I think, did a documentary on Paul when he was in HS that was pretty good.

[aoxo1]

You guys are both ignoring the real reason an And-1 style tour can't work: it would be far too black for all those corporate luxury suite holders.

[e0y2e3]

Yeup, the off-season has officially raped a fan base of all sense of reality when you start finding threads debating the merits of a superstar led succession from the NBA.

[Gradysmanldy]

Secession. But yes, raped fan base. I didn't even know the battered wife of Cleveland fanhood was capable of being raped, figured (Pre-lebron) it was already the girl in the corner with the helmet and drool trail mumbling, "potato" all day. Color me fooled.

[e0y2e3]

Ever see the movie Pumpkin?

Cleveland was Pumpkin in this whole situation, only Christina Ricci dumped our asses at the end instead of walking away w/ us.

[Madre Hill, Superstar]

Yeup, the off-season has officially raped a fan base of all sense of reality when you start finding threads debating the merits of a superstar led succession from the NBA.

I see someone's managed to ignore NBA news for the past month.

[e0y2e3]

Haven't ignored any of it, just find the whiny overreactions in here hilarious.

[Orenthal]

Glad I wasn't the only one who thought it laughable that the players would somehow form their own league...