Official 2008-2009 NBA Thread

[RockRaines]

Most guys that have him labeled him as classy , usually watch games from their tv and have no clue on what the guy is like if you seen him play in person for several games. I have seen James play close to 20 games in person and he does do things out of camera view that puts him no where near the top 50 classy guys in basketball. Guy has a huge ego (selfish), Jordan had a different kind of ego and I seen him play in person over 100 times. In Jordans case, he helped his teammates a bunch with defensive techniques on time outs. I always seen him as a coach out there, he was very animated sometimes but you could tell he really cared about the individual and the team most of all. Just saying , you dont see it all by just watching the tube, and to label an individual as that being your backing is just silly.

Dont kid yourself, Jordan was a f***ing asshole to his teammates. But he did have a drive to succeed that still probably hasnt been equaled.

[MHizzle85]

Dont kid yourself, Jordan was a f***ing asshole to his teammates. But he did have a drive to succeed that still probably hasnt been equaled.

Exactly. IIRC, didn't he embarrass Kwame Brown at a practice when they were both on the Wizards?

[Ron]

LeBron comments on last night:

 

James said he sent an e-mail to Howard following Saturday's game.

 

"It's hard for me to congratulate somebody after you just lose to them," he said. "I'm a winner. It's not being a poor sport or anything like that. If somebody beats you up, you're not going to congratulate them. That doesn't make sense to me. I'm a competitor. That's what I do. It doesn't make sense for me to go over and shake somebody's hand."

 

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/playoffs/200...tory?id=4219933

[BigSqwert]

LeBron comments on last night:

 

 

 

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/playoffs/200...tory?id=4219933

Classy

[Jordan4life_2007]

Damn, I didn't realize what a b**** Lebron was. lol. Somebody needs to get him a pacifier.

[MexSoxFan#1]

LeBron comments on last night:

 

 

 

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/playoffs/200...tory?id=4219933

What I want to know is...did he come up with that since the Magic beat him or did he also go off the court without congratulating his opponents since he's been a pro.Did he do that to the Spurs when they beat him in the Finals?If so,why didn't we ever hear about his unwillingness to be gracious in defeat.

 

From now on it would be funny to see opponents he beats in the future not aknowledge him,just walk off the court,what class!

 

He can spin it all he wants,he looked like a little b**** sore loser...next time take the ball with you before time expires,juniour.

Edited June 1, 2009 by MexSoxFan#1

[MHizzle85]

This is comedy. I've never seen so many people upset about something so pointless. If Dwight Howard did it, no one here would give a damn.

Edited June 1, 2009 by MHizzle85

[Jordan4life_2007]

This is comedy. I've never seen so many people upset about something so pointless. If Dwight Howard did it, no one here would give a damn.

 

Who's upset? Just observing Lebron acting like a little b**** now that his ass is going home. Nobody is even really making a big deal about it. I don't like Kobe. But he gets way more s*** than Lebron EVER has. Kobe immediately went over and embraced KG and Doc Rivers after the finals loss last year. If he were to have gone Lebron's sissy route, man, I'm not even gonna go there.

Edited June 1, 2009 by Jordan4life

[kjshoe04]

This is comedy. I've never seen so many people upset about something so pointless. If Dwight Howard did it, no one here would give a damn.

Seriously. I don't have any idea where all the Lebron hate came from. I'm sure the Magic are really upset that Lebron didn't come over to congratulate them. Half the time you hear fans b****ing about how players are to friendly to rivals and when this happens it apparently is classless. He's a 24 year old man who doesn't like to lose. It happens.

[kjshoe04]

Oh and when it comes to class, Jordan is not the person to bring up. He was more classless than Lebron. He just didn't lose.

[Jordan4life_2007]

Oh and when it comes to class, Jordan is not the person to bring up. He was more classless than Lebron. He just didn't lose.

 

Stick to ISU related topics.

 

Jordan didn't win 13 titles. He did lose. And he always showed respect and gave the other team their due. Nobody is saying Lebron is a bad person. He's just apparently a very sore loser.

[DBAHO]

Yeah Lebron's a winner alright.

 

Be a man and have some sportmanship. Unfortunately that word probably doesn't exist in his vocabulary.

[Flash Tizzle]

Put what he did in the context of a lower level of competition. For someone to leave the court before congratulating the other team and thereafter not join teammates post-game would be viewed as selfish and everyone here knows it. That's exactly what it is. If pre-teens can shake hands after a game, a 24 year old Lebron can.

 

It's not overreacting either, at least for me. Yes, what he did wasn't terrible, but to dismiss what happened because of his competitiveness is a bit ridiculous. So, what exactly does it say that Lebron doesn't shake hands after a loss because he's competitive, yet his teammates do? Wait, are they not competitive then in Lebron's eyes? If there is some differing definition of what it means to be competitive, one of their coaches should step in and tell Lebron he's wrong, or the team they're wrong. Someones wrong in this picture. Teammates should be together on and off the court.

 

Also, does anyone think Lebron tells kids across Ohio and elsewhere, when visiting middle schools, that not showing sportsmanship is ok because storming off the court proves to everyone how competitive you are? Of course not. It's the epitome of a superstar ego being deflated.

Edited June 1, 2009 by Flash Tizzle

[Kyyle23]

An awesome collection of quotes from national newspapers responding to LeBrons game 2 game winning shot

 

We Were All Witness.....

[MexSoxFan#1]

Put what he did in the context of a lower level of competition. For someone to leave the court before congratulating the other team and thereafter not join teammates post-game would be viewed as selfish and everyone here knows it. That's exactly what it is. If pre-teens can shake hands after a game, a 24 year old Lebron can.

 

It's not overreacting either, at least for me. Yes, what he did wasn't terrible, but to dismiss what happened because of his competitiveness is a bit ridiculous. So, what exactly does it say that Lebron doesn't shake hands after a loss because he's competitive, yet his teammates do? Wait, are they not competitive then in Lebron's eyes? If there is some differing definition of what it means to be competitive, one of their coaches should step in and tell Lebron he's wrong, or the team they're wrong. Someones wrong in this picture. Teammates should be together on and off the court.

 

Also, does anyone think Lebron tells kids across Ohio and elsewhere, when visiting middle schools, that not showing sportsmanship is ok because storming off the court proves to everyone how competitive you are? Of course not. It's the epitome of a superstar ego being deflated.

Great post

 

I guess for those who support LeBron's unwillingness to show sportsmanship should just tell to shut up because we are Witnesses to the Chosen 1,King James!!

 

What others like Bird,Magic,Jordan,Wilt,Dr J,Kobe,Shaq etc..did after losing DOES NOT APPLY to King James dammit!

[MHizzle85]

Everyone in this thread still proves me right. It seems that because it's Lebron, he's supposed to go out of his way to show that he's a classy individual. Well guess what people, he's human. If this was anyone else on that team that left, no one here would give two s***s. But since it's the guy who was supposed to win it all, the MVP, etc. Now he's a b**** or selfish because he didn't congratulate the winning team. Get the f*** outta here. I'm sure all of you have always made the unselfish decision when it matters.

[Jordan4life_2007]

Everyone in this thread still proves me right. It seems that because it's Lebron, he's supposed to go out of his way to show that he's a classy individual. Well guess what people, he's human. If this was anyone else on that team that left, no one here would give two s***s. But since it's the guy who was supposed to win it all, the MVP, etc. Now he's a b**** or selfish because he didn't congratulate the winning team. Get the f*** outta here. I'm sure all of you have always made the unselfish decision when it matters.

 

Dude, what don't you get? Nobody is claiming Lebron is Osama Bin Laden. I'm sure you didn't discover sports yesterday. You see guys in all sports at every level exhibit a certain level of sportsmanship after a loss. Why is Lebron exempt from this? Is it because he's "King" James? Is it because he's made us all "witnesses?" Let's say Lebron was just extremely emotional and disappointed after the loss and made a mistake or whatever. Instead of eventually giving Orlando their props, he comes with this - "It's hard for me to congratulate somebody after you just lose to them," he said. "I'm a winner. It's not being a poor sport or anything like that. If somebody beats you up, you're not going to congratulate them. That doesn't make sense to me. I'm a competitor. That's what I do. It doesn't make sense for me to go over and shake somebody's hand."

 

He can't congratulate the other team because he's a winner? lol. It doesn't make sense to congratulate someone if they beat you up? What the hell is that supposed to mean? It doesn't make sense for him to shake somebody's hand? So in Lebron's world, you're not a winner/competitor if you shake the hands of the team that just whooped your ass. Yeah, there's nothing at all wrong with this picture. We just hate Lebron. He's evil. We just don't want to be witnesses!

Edited June 1, 2009 by Jordan4life

[nitetrain8601]

Everyone in this thread still proves me right. It seems that because it's Lebron, he's supposed to go out of his way to show that he's a classy individual. Well guess what people, he's human. If this was anyone else on that team that left, no one here would give two s***s. But since it's the guy who was supposed to win it all, the MVP, etc. Now he's a b**** or selfish because he didn't congratulate the winning team. Get the f*** outta here. I'm sure all of you have always made the unselfish decision when it matters.

 

If Kobe did the same it would be magnified. Hell when Shaq and Kobe wouldn't shake hands it was magnified. When the Pistons didn't shake the Bulls hands after they got swept, it was a big deal. So no, it's not just LeBron. LeBron gets the worse heat though because he was the one showboating, posing before home games, and is supposed to be a class act. This guy probably hasn't known anything about class since 8th grade.

[Jordan4life_2007]

If Kobe did the same it would be magnified. Hell when Shaq and Kobe wouldn't shake hands it was magnified. When the Pistons didn't shake the Bulls hands after they got swept, it was a big deal. So no, it's not just LeBron. LeBron gets the worse heat though because he was the one showboating, posing before home games, and is supposed to be a class act. This guy probably hasn't known anything about class since 8th grade.

 

What's funny is that a lot of Cavs fans have even called Lebron out about this. Yet we've got Bulls fans over here saying that it's perfectly OK for Lebron to act the way he has. "He's human!" GMAB.

[knightni]

It takes a real man to be able to congratulate someone when they beat you in competition. If you want to be congratulated when you win, you should be big enough to congratulate the other guy when you lose.

 

That's sportsmanship and a part of growing up.

[Chisoxfn]

The Knicks are actually building a decent enough nucleus ATM. They'll prob sign Steve Nash if he hits UFA in 2010 (doubtful now since Gentry is coaching in PHX), and they'll re-sign David Lee and with him, Gallinari, this year's draft pick etc. they've got some pieces to build upon.

 

Just how would the Bulls get enough cap space to sign Lebron anyways? They'd probably have to trade someone like Deng for an expiring contract right?

 

But as for the Cavs, I think this series showed that they need better players down low, and a 3/4 type of forward who can stretch the floor ALA Rashard Lewis (someone better than Wally Szcerbiak).

 

All Igauskas is good for now is hitting long jump shots, Vareajao's an energy guy at best (and the guy I despise most in the NBA besides Lebron), while there's word that Ben Wallace could retire now.

Andrew, if the Bulls want they can easily clear CAP room to offer two guys from the 2010 class max deals. Doesn't mean they'd get them, but they are in a great cap position. You move Deng or Hinrich and its an even better one.

[lostfan]

What's funny is that a lot of Cavs fans have even called Lebron out about this. Yet we've got Bulls fans over here saying that it's perfectly OK for Lebron to act the way he has. "He's human!" GMAB.

I just don't get why people are going to extremes to defend him here - it's a basic part of being an adult IMO. If any superstar did it, they would be called out. LeBron happens to be one of, if not the biggest superstar in the league, so yes, it's going to get a lot of attention. Plus he really made it worse with his explanation, if he'd been up front and was like "my emotions got the better of me and I wanted to get out of there" or something people would've been like "oh, i see, he's human" but instead he chose to be a b**** about it.

[RockRaines]

Everyone in this thread still proves me right. It seems that because it's Lebron, he's supposed to go out of his way to show that he's a classy individual. Well guess what people, he's human. If this was anyone else on that team that left, no one here would give two s***s. But since it's the guy who was supposed to win it all, the MVP, etc. Now he's a b**** or selfish because he didn't congratulate the winning team. Get the f*** outta here. I'm sure all of you have always made the unselfish decision when it matters.

Sportsmanship.

 

 

I've seen guys in the UFC pummel each other's faces into a bloody pulp after talking about their families pre-fight. They always shake hands. Its part of being a real competitor, respecting the game and sportsmanship.

[Steve9347]

LeBron showed he's a huge b**** with his actions, and I love it.

[rangercal]

Lebron is still the most awesome player to lace up a pair of sneakers since the other #23. Lebron is also the biggest name in sports right now.