Tag Archives: LeBron James

November 6, 2011 · 1:57 pm

NFL Week 9 Lines and my thoughts on the NBA Lockout, and Michael Jordans role

On a day in which the NBA Players Union and Owners met to try and discuss a happy medium for both sides to figure out a deal, as much of these negotiations have gone, progress was interuppted by threats and ultimatums.  Conversations of gloom were being whispered about in the boardrooms and both sides pointed at the other as culprits of why there would be no basketball for the forseeable future.  Welcome to the NBA labor negoations which is in its fifth month of existence and seem to always move towards a darker future than a quick dissolution.

Let’s assess what the issues are shall we?  BRI which is Basketball Related Income is the biggie.  In their previous deal which expired, the Players had received 57% of it while the owners only enjoyed 43%.  The owners obviously want a bigger share.  Why?  Because the owners have been doling out huge guaranteed contracts to players that have neither lived up NOR played out their contracts because they either suck or they got their big contract and decided it wasn’t worth it to try anymore.  I call it the Eddy Curry clause.

The Players have argued, and fairly enough, that they should not be penalized for mistakes the owners have made and don’t feel that their revenue should be affected by it.  The owners have complained that the NBA has been in the red for the last 4 years.  The NBA showed the players side the books and the players argued that the figures they were shown were innacurate and made to seem like the NBA was losing money when it was only a few small market teams.

Which bring us to those small market teams.  Much of the hard line stance has been taken up by these small market owners.  They fear that they will not be able to compete in this new NBA if several system changes are not made to penalize big market teams.  They want those teams to pay a luxury tax of 1.75 per every $1 they go over the cap.  So for example, the Lakers last year went over the cap by $20 million.  They paid an extra $20 million in luxury tax.  In this new deal offered by the owners, the Lakers would pay $35 million in luxury tax.  The owners also want big market teams to not be able to execute sign and trades which would allow teams to gain flexibility.  They also want to lower the amount of mid level exceptions for big market teams that go over the salary cap from $5 million to $2.5 every other year and only give them the option to hand out 2 year deals.

This means that there is a fraction within the ownership group .  But according to Stern, there is unanimity that these changes must take effect for the greater good of the game.  Small market teams will not be able to compete with big market teams because their owners will not be able to afford to be in the same ballpark as their other owners.  You may be wondering “why not?  Aren’t all these guys billioinaires?  Why can’t they spend like the big market teams?”  Because at the end of the day, what made them billionaires still holds true.  This is a business for them, so if they don’t see revenue to match the big salaries they are committing to (remember these are guaranteed contracts, so once they are signed, there is no going back.  See Curry, Eddy) they won’t spend.  The bottom line IS the bottom line and that’s what rules.  They won’t overspend JUST to overspend unless your name is Mark Cuban and you actually care for the product.  Most owners are just rich people who love having extravagant toys so that when they go over each other’s yachts they can sip $1,000 champagne glasses yucking it up over their sports franchises.  Its true.  I read it somewhere in some magazine.  That’s what these people do.

But the owners of these small market teams want to be able to compete with big market teams and protect their own superstars from pulling a Lebron or worse pulling a Carmelo.  Lebron held the Cavs hostage for two years.  Dan Gilbert invested heavily into the Cavs and yet his reward was the Lebron Decision special and watching his star player bolt for richer pastures in South Beach.  Carmelo Anthony, craved the big market and big lights and was able to finally leave Denver after they decided that it best to receive a group of complementary players than watch Carmelo appear on national television with a Knick jersey and so they made a deal which they certainly didn’t get equal value in return JUST to avoid the whole “you let him leave for NOTHING?” arguments that would’ve started.

Unfortunately big market teams will always have that allure and always have that ability.  Dwight Howard has already intimated in recent interviews that he feels Orlando may not be big enough for what he wants to accomplish in his future which goes back to the whole small market problem.  Players want to be featured and want to be shown on billboards and take their brands global.

This of course is the biggest problem the NBA has and Stern has only himself to blame.  Unlike the NFL or NHL or even baseball, the NBA markets its players above the team.  It has helped players earn so much more money than their actual basketball income and has allowed them to explore options outside of the hard court and has made them so much more business savvy. They are seeing the creation of that culture with Lebron James whose company has marketed itself has a player friendly company that allows them to build their own empire under their own watch.  This is very important for players who want to build value for themselves long after they leave the court.

All of this was started by one guy: Michael jeffrey Jordan who has had the most interesting affect on this labor lockout.  During the last labor lockout he was a player advocating the players side and even telling the Washington Wizards owner Abe Pollin (former owner) that he should probably look into making better decisions.  Ironic now given Jordan’s own inability to make good decisions (see Brown, Kwame number one draft pick under Jordan’s watch) and his inability to get his own franchise, the Charlotte Bobcats out of the mire that is mostly his own doing.  Jordan emerged over the weekend as the biggest voice among a contingent of owners wanting an exclusive 50% deal to be put in front of the players as a take it or leave it kind of talk after more rumors had emerged that there was a group of players now looking into decertification and the process.  Jordan’s stance seems hypocritical in some respects but his actions this weekend during the lockout negotiations spoke volumes about him as a player and person.

During negotiations, players were ready for Jordan to speak and say something, ANYTHING so they could fire back at his hypocrisy but he said nothing.  When it came time for Jordan to open up he didn’t.  He knew that it was a battle he was unprepared to fight and unable to win and thus he never tried.  This has always been true of Jordan.  I said this before and I’ll say it again, Mike is good at being Mike.  He isn’t good at being Muhammad Ali or anyone else with a platform that has been outspoken on issues pertaining to his people OR to anyone else.

Mike has always looked after number one and that, more than anything has been evident.  Jason Whitlock wrote a scathing article depicting Mike as a sellout.  I’m not prepared to call him a sellout to his own people but I’ve always knew one thing about Jordan: he’s not the guy you should look to when the things get really sticky outside of a basketball court.  He’s never been.  When a person of color gets a platform to speak out about atrocities or injustices happening around him, he/she is given unnecessary pressure to do something or say something about it.  It doesn’t mean that Jordan, in this instance, is FOR the injustice or FOR the wrongdoing that is going on, it just means that he would rather not come out publicly about it to protect himself from unnecessary collateral damage.  He’s protecting himself and his empire.  Jordan’s always done that and always been cool for it.

We would rather imagine Jordan in a basketball uniform dunking and holding form in Utah in Game Six of 98 Finals.  We don’t want to picture Jordan outside of a courthouse in a suit because that’s not the brand he sells.  Jordan sells basketball shoes not courtroom suits.  He’s protecting his image and doing a great job at it.  But there will always be people who expect more from Jordan.  Bill Simmons this weekend wrote a great article about Eddie Murphy’s career and wrote that by early 90’s Jordan had wrestled the title of the coolest black dude alive title away from him and Michael Jackson.  But the fact is, when their apex was done, there was nothing lasting for us to remember them by.  They didn’t take a single stance worth remembering or do anything worth conserving.  If in a 1,000 years someone were to utter their names, what would be their legacy?  Would they even be remembered that far down the line?  I bet only Muhammad Ali would because of his greatness on the court and the life he lived off it.  His story and fight for racial justice is far more important to a greater segment of the population than Mike’s ability to hit a jumpshot or Eddie Murphy’s ability to make us laugh.  In a 1,000 years people will remember Ali’s struggle and his fight for equality far more than either of them.

And that’s a shame to some.  Years from now people will remember Bill Russell as the greatest center alive and as one of the greatest basketball players alive for his ability to fight racism and win as much as he did.  Magic will be remembered as a pioneering player who played center in Game 7 of an NBA finals in his rookie year and then go on to be a huge proponent of AIDS/HIV awareness.  These people impacted society.  Michael Jordan won championships and sold shoes.  His reach only goes to the poor neighborhoods whose message has been “Be like Mike”.  But if you’re going to be like Mike, does that mean make a lot of money but don’t do anything for your community?

I don’t think that’s Mike’s role in these labor talks but I find it comical that he would even be mentioned as a vocal leader of a group  of owners who want sweeping change.  THIS is not the arena in which Michael wants to make a stand.  When I read the reports I said to myself that this couldn’t be.  Mike always liked to play it safe when it came to really important stuff.  He was going to be outspoken NOW?  When it could come back and bite him in the ass and hurt players who work for him?  Really?  So it didn’t surprise me one bit that he came to his senses and didn’t utter a peep.  Nothing.  Not a word.

Its this legacy that forever will remain with Jordan.  When it came time to say something, he didn’t.  He sat quietly in a corner as people with real balls to do something actually did something.  Jordan’s greatness on the court isn’t to be questioned.  He’s the greatest basketball player that has ever graced the courts.  But when it comes to being a leader off it, he’d much rather let people who have more to lose do the losing.  He’s a winner and the more he stays quiet and allows this process to be led by other people the more he wins.  He’s still idolized and revered and not lumped in with the owners who want to greedily take away the players money.

Jordan is finally going to the craps table and just standing by while others gamble their good names away.  He’d much rather stand and watch that happen.

In the end, this labor deal will get done.  In one way or the other.  My prediction is that this ultimatum will be taken off the table because it won’t matter.  Players will accept a 50% deal with projections that allow them the 51% or 52% they seek as the NBA does better.  The owners know that they have to appease them and more importantly Stern knows.  Stern’s biggest task is to convince these owners that allowing some of these concessions is imperative to keeping a season.  Having a season off the one we just had is SO IMPORTANT.  In the end if these talks break down and the league ends up not having a season over what is being described as 1 measly percentage point then BOTH sides will be looked at as greedy and failures.  Right now, no one cares because football and fantasy football is keeping us busy.  But if people still don’t care when February comes, then the NBA will know they have a huge problem.  Remember, come February, spring training will begin so the public will be distracted by that as well.  How long can the NBA and its Players continue to play this game of chicken until they realize that what is happening is already affecting them long term?

More so than the threat of the next group of offers from the owners being worse due to projections of lost revenue thanks to the first month of games being lost, the threat of people not really caring should be the biggest worry for both sides.  Get a deal done.  Stop worrying about public perception of who won or lost because both sides are headed to big fat L’s if they don’t bandy their respective groups together to come to a happy medium.

But for people like MJ, does it really matter? As long as his name isn’t dragged through the mud.  The sad part of all this is that MJ could do wonders if he spoke up in the owners group and forced the owners to give an actual offer that would appease the players and appease the owners.  A happy middle ground.  Have an economist draw up numbers so that MJ could present it to the owners.  Imagine what would happen to his reputation then if it came out that it was MJ who went in front of the owners and spoke as a player as to the importance of keeping a season alive and keeping this great momentum they have.  Imagine what would happen to MJ’s stock if he was the guy that got the owners to present a very good deal to the players.  Imagine the pressure on the players to accept a deal then.  Michael could come across as the hero, an unfamiliar role for a guy who has never seen any type of success in his life as an NBA GM/Owner.  This would be his biggest victory and a lasting legacy.  The guy who allowed the NBA to continue its growth.  The NBA has enough really good young players to take over once Kobe/Nash/Dirk retire.  They have enough young talent to take over that’s exciting.  To build upon all the success that Jordan helped continue when Bird and Magic helped to revitalize the NBA in the 80’s.  This would be Jordan’s legacy.  His shoebrand and empire empowered this generation of kids to be more business savvy.  That generation is now seeking its own financial security and its own step forward.  Michael could help it.  Mike needs to be Mike in this case.  Mike needs to invoke his name and reputation and use it for good.  Mike needs to step up.  Mike needs the ball.  The clock is ticking.  Who else would you rather see with the ball in his hands?  Yep, its time for Mike to step up and hit the shot to bring us back an NBA season.  Let’s see if he can do it.

 

Here are the Picks for Week 9:

Falcons (-6.5) over COLTS

SAINTS (-8.5) over Bucs- No way the Saints get beat again and lose the way they did last time.

TEXANS (-10.5) over Browns

Jets (+2.5) over BILLS

CHIEFS (-4) over Dolphins-  Seriously, if the Dolphins decide to compete, I would be very upset with them if I were a Dolphin fan.

49ers (-4) over REDSKINS-  if the Niner offense were explosive this would be a double digit line.  But the NIners run a conservative offense thus, only 4.

Seahawks (+11) over COWBOYS- The Seahawks have a sneaky good defense.

RAIDERS (-7) over Broncos

Bengals (+3) over TITANS

CARDINALS (-3) over Rams

PATRIOTS (-9) over Giants

Packers (-5.5) over CHARGERS

STEELERS (-3) over Ravens

EAGLES (-7.5) over Bears

 

Enjoy Week  9 Folks.

 

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June 10, 2011 · 4:04 pm

Seriously Lebron- What’s up?

52 to 11.

That’s Dirk Nowitzki’s fourth quarter tally and that second number is Lebron James.

I am going to preface this by saying I didn’t watch all of Game 5 but the beauty of social networking websites and 24 hour sports news networks and league specific channels running on an all day clock make it so that you NEVER have to kick yourself for not setting your DVR.

A few days ago I wrote an article questioning what was eating Lebron James.  What could possibly be weighing on his mind that could possibly cause a second consecutive crash and burn for the self-appointed King James?  If you believe the internet, then its Rashard Lewis.  But Mike Wise had a great line in his Washington Post article which says it best:

“After boxing, nothing affords a naked-eye view of a supreme talent like basketball. Viewers see James’s mood swings, interpret his body language, see the fidgety nibbling of his nails, the primal roar after a malicious slam, and they instantly feel they know him in a way they could never know a helmeted free safety or a masked goaltender.”

And we all feel that instant connection to Lebron James, the most televised athlete in the history of the game.  Lebron the phenom came up at just the right time, as social networking was exploding, as tv cameras were following child prodigies around, everyone carrying around smartphones so we would never miss a score, and as DVR’s made it possible for people to NEVER miss an important sports game ever again.  So his connection with us is instant.  We see everything even this unbelievable footage of Wade and Lebron clowning Dirk and acting as if he were putting on a performance with the reports of a sinus flu.

Yet, the biggest act has been this Lebron James.  Whoever this Lebron James is.  Is the real Lebron the guy who torched Boston and absolutely destroyed Derrick Rose and the Chicago Bulls?  Or is it THIS James, on the biggest stage of his career and looking about as lost as a kid who walked into the wrong classroom on the first day of school.*
*= not like that ever happened to me 

For James haters this is best case scenario: the Heat losing, and Lebron being a shadow in the fourth quarter shrinking under the weight and burden that his talent brings.  Who is Lebron James?  He’s the most televised athlete of our generation and yet we have no clue what he is.  But we will find that out in Game 6 and perhaps Game 7.  The law of averages for a talent of his kind suggests that he will get it together, put his skirt away and bring his man pants to American Airlines Arena in Miami on Sunday and help the Heat reclaim some of the lost momentum.

Of course, if they don’t, Lebron may never recover.  The camera tells the whole story.  Nail biting.  Lebron looking around for someone to get this hot potato we call a basketball away from him.  The pathetic display of emotion when he creates a turnover.  You know, the “I gotta show something here so that fans don’t think I don’t care” look of half ass incredulous-ness.*
*= yeah, I just created a word right there- deal with it! 

But if these last few outings have proven anything its this: we now have a clear understanding of who’s the man.  Its almost universal that Lebron James is the better player than Dwayne Wade.  But perhaps even that discussion is changing and shifting.  Because its what have you done for me lately and lately James hasn’t done diddly.  Wade, with bruised hip and all, sitting a quarter managed 23 points.  Lebron happy to play stat-sheet killer threw up a triple double and still the haters were in full force.

His supporters will run to that argument: are you kidding me? He had a triple double.  What else do you want him to do?

The only problem with that argument is he came to Miami because his supporting cast was infinitely better here.  Yes, I’m even giving Chris Bosh some props because I can’t be more impressed by him.  He can’t fall on that safety crutch that his teammates suck like he could in Cleveland.  Dwayne Wade has consistently shown up.  He will get the Finals MVP if the Miami Heat win.  Chris Bosh has been better than I EVER expected on the glass and he’s been consistent with his jumper.  But everyone’s waiting for Lebron to show up.

Don’t count him out either.  With his kind of talent you never want to give a guy like that motivation but the Mavs have consistently given him that motivation throughout.  Deshawn Stevenson said he quit.  Jason Terry dared him to think he could guard him for the next five games like that.  These threats should’ve fueled Lebron to have a monster games 4 and 5 and yet, it seemingly deflated him even more.  The thought process here is this: what’s going on that Lebron can’t seem to focus?  Where is Lebron James when his team needs him?

Physically its tough to miss him, mentally he’s miles away.  In his mind, the Heat have won the title and he’s playing pick up games with Jason Kidd and Jason Terry.  He probably hasn’t seen the huge banner that reads FINAL on it.  This is it Lebron.  Make or break.  Its about that time.

Oh wait, he said that too.

Now all this is making sense.  Lebron wasn’t teaming up with Wade, he was running to Wade.  Lebron said it perfectly: he was taking his talents to South Beach to be Wade’s lackey.  It makes sense that Scottie Pippen, always jealous of Michael Jordan and never able to do what he did, would dis Michael to give props to Lebron.  Because he sees everything in him that he saw in Lebron.  He wants everyone to make THAT comparison.  Lebron is Scottie 2.0.  And ya know what Scottie?  You’re right.  He is.  He’s Karl Malone 2.0.  He’s freaking Shawn Kemp 15.0 (i mean he has a lot of baby mama drama doesn’t he?).  Yep, he’s the evolution of the talented Superstar with one glaring thing missing: that ring.

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June 8, 2011 · 3:14 pm

What’s eating Lebron James?

Honestly, when the question was asked about Lebron shying away from the big moment in crucial situations, even I was a bit taken aback by it.  I felt bad for Lebron who I reminded myself quickly should NOT be a person anyone feels bad for.  Not after the offseason and not after the preseason parade.  But I was a bit puzzled by his question.  Sure, Lebron is allowed to have one bad shot or one bad quarter which is all fine and well.  But if you want to be the best you have to earn it and for Lebron there is no other end game.  If he becomes anything less than better than Michael Jordan when all is said and done consider his career a failure.

Seriously.

Its not that I think being better than MJ is going to be easy by any stretch.  The weight of that title can crush any normal man but Lebron hasn’t been trained to be normal all his life.  His teenage years, his adolescent years have all been spent under the watchful eye of the television camera and so there is no hiding for Lebron.  He’s made his life one big Truman show so we can all enjoy and bask in the life and times of a great basketball player and before I say anything about his Game 4 performance let me repeat: Lebron James is already a great basketball player.

But game 4 was atrocious.  From beginning to end.  He looked like a rookie navigating his way around his first playoff game.  He looked like a kid in a toy store for the very first time.  He was there for the ride and happy to be there.  Unfortunately that’s not Lebron’s job.  Lebron is supposed to be everything and nothing that Michael Jordan was.  He has to take over fourth quarters.  He has to score the game winning basket.  He has to get the big steal.  He has to make the big defensive play to turn the tide.  That’s what HE has to do.

There is however, the problem of having someone on your team that can rival your own talent and skill set.  After all, isn’t that why Lebron and Wade joined forces?  Lebron never had the kind of band mates he has in Miami in Cleveland.  It was about winning and forming the best team possible under NBA free agency rules.  So if that IS the case. why should anyone care if Wade does the heavy lifting?  If Wade carries the team once in a while.  I mean, it was Lebron who carried the Heat against the Bulls.  Shutting down Derrick Rose on one end and then hitting clutch shot after clutch shot on the offensive end.  It was the fulfilling of the prophecy moment for most Lebron fans.

But Wade’s disappearance throughout the Bulls series was not due to failure of trying.  We never questioned Wade’s effort like Lebron’s clearly was after Game 4.  Lebron looked confused.  He looked uncertain.  He looked scared.  He looked lost.  He looked nothing like what we expect and what we expect is MJ.  What we expect are memories we have of Michael Jordan.  Sure we acknowledge the push off on Byron Russell in 98 but we remember the hand staying in the air as he posed for what SHOULD HAVE BEEN his final game.  An artist so sure of what to do in critical moments.  A different being in critical situations.  What was so crazy about LBJ’s performance was this: we saw it in his eyes.  He wasn’t in the game.  He wasn’t so much involved in the goings on of this crucial game 4.  Another game in which they held a 9 point advantage with 7 minutes to go and faltered again.

There are really two sad things about last night’s game:  If Lebron had looked anything like his normal self, the Heat win this running away.  They are up three games to one and on their way to either a five game win or six for added celebratory effect in downtown Miami.  They lost by 2 because for some reason Lebron just wasn’t himself for the entire game.  Dirk Nowitzki outscored Lebron James in the fourth quarter alone.  In 90 career playoff games no one had ever held him to single digits in points and yet on the Finals stage, in a game where I was blown away more by Dwayne Wade’s ability as the BEST two way guard in the game* than Lebron’s no show until I started looking for Lebron on the court like a parent who just remembered they had a kid with them.  Panic set in and I was wondering if Lebron was even in the game and then I saw him turn it over.  I went online looking at his stats and was confused.  6 points?  Are they only showing me the points for the quarter?
*= seriously if there is any argument I’d like to hear it because Dwayne Wade’s block of Tyson Chandler and his 32 points and his Finals MVP showcase performance are all you need to know to end any argument anyone has.  He’s the best 2 way guard in the game.  Better than Kobe.  Better than everyone.  Forget it.   

It was beyond me.  But that’s only because my expectation of Lebron is so much higher than perhaps he has of himself.  Maybe he’s unsure.  Maybe he got a text message from Delonte West and noticed he had checked into Akron, Ohio near his mom’s house.  Maybe the lingering Jordan debate is just too much for him.  Who knows what was bugging him, but what we do know is that for the Heat to win this series, Lebron has to be himself.  Lebron has to rise above his below mediocre self and become that guy from the Bulls series.  How can anyone think that Jason Terry can guard him?  Credit the Mavs D from taking the ball out of Lebron’s hand and making him throw passes to players wearing blue jerseys.  But also you have to consider that Lebron is fading from this series for altogether other reasons just like he did when he quit on the Cavs last year against Boston.

You have to wonder, what’s eating Lebron James?

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June 1, 2011 · 2:45 pm

Dealing with Game 1 ramifications

Don’t quote me on this but: its over ya’ll.

It has been for a while but we never wanted to admit it.  We talked ourselves into adjmustment periods.  We talked ourselves into the whole “these guys can’t close”, “they aren’t clutch” arguments.  We even went as far as to say “they aren’t THAT good.”

Gulp.

They are.  If these playoffs have been anything its been the Heatles last song in a season long concert of hits.  Some were dicey and murky but in the end, these guys figured it out and have made it work.

Remember when we wondered who would be taking the last shot?  That debate is now moot because it doesn’t really matter.  Lebron and Wade seem to tag each other in in close moments and will their team to victory.

Last night was Lebron’s first Finals victory of many presumably.  If they can lift this squad of ho hums and nobodies then imagine what will happen when they fill out this squad with more talent.  How many Juwan Howards and Mike Bibby’s will forego extra dollars just to ride the James-Wade express to a championship?

This is only beginning folks.  When Dirk Nowitzki lifted up his finger to show the torn tendon that he suffered in the third quarter going for a strip of Chris Bosh- it might as well have been the white flag he was waving.

Jeff Van Gundy said it best: “the difference between the Mavs and the Heat are that Miami has Lebron James and the Mavs don’t.”. Simply put he’s the great game changer.  He pulls 60 regular season victories out of his hat.  He shows great feel and poise for the game.  He has incredible range as evidenced by his third quarter fall away three at the buzzer.  He now has added fourth quarter closer to his reportoire.

There is no place left for any Lebron hater to go.  His game is that good- we’ve always recognized that.  We have nitpicked and enjoyed his misery when he misses but those are Jordan like qualities he possesses.  He’s so good, he makes us hate him but marvel at the same time.

When I was growing up Michael Jordan consistently put an asswhooping on my beloved Knicks when it mattered.  In the playoffs he could not be beat.  It wasn’t close.  In the regular season he was human though he tried not to show it.  The Knicks would beat the Bulls and Knick fans like myself had this false sense of superiority that eventually came crashing down when Mike would eventually turn it to a level that John Starks, Patrick Ewing and Co. could only dream of.

Look at the teams Lebron has vanquished.  It was like his teams never beat the Celtics.  The season series was 3-1 in favor of Boston.  0-3 versus the Chicago Bulls.  Both series went in 5.  Finally the Heat were 0-2 against Dallas this season but after game 1, its 1-0 in favor of the MoHeat-os.

As a Lebron hater its difficult to view him as anything but a coat tail rider and prima donna and every other nasty synonym of loser I can conjure up.  But as a basketball fan I’m in awe.  A great one is forging his legacy before our eyes.  He’s asked for this attention, and gotten it, his whole life.  Now on his sport’s biggest stage he’s teaming up with his friend D-Wade to claim the last bit of relevant gold he has yet to put his stamp on: the NBA championship.

Of course the comparisons to Michael will only intensify.  In the aftermath of these Finals, it will go from Lebron winning his first championship to talk to me when he wins six.  After that, what will Lebron haters like myself do?  Will we ask him to lead his team to a better than 72-10 mark?  82-0?  Hey Lebron, betcha can’t score more than 100 in a game.  Yo Bron, nice triple double but can you do that over an entire season like the Big O?  What will we have?

Why? Because we’ve waited for MJ’s successor for so long.  Because we wanted Lebron to be that dude.  No matter what we say, Lebron is the closest thing we have to MJ.  Maybe not better Scottie, but close enough.  He’s the next version of the MJ type.  The successor, the evolution of the Jordan gene.  We don’t want to admit this but this is what we want.

We want someone to take the reins and ride the horse.  We want to witness greatness and marvel and hate on it.  We want Lebron to be what we know he can be: the best.  Period.

Last night’s late game pull away has been like a script the Heat have acted to perfection this postseason.  Line for line, scene to scene, it was a virtuoso performance by 2 of the best players, and Chris Bosh, who has done a more than serviceable job cleaning up the boards and tip ins that he’s managed to be very good but that’s as far as I’ll go in praising him.

The Heat have never looked like they weren’t in command and their defense has been the catalyst.  The Heat’s speed and ability to cover ground force Dallas’ shooters to not have the kind of open looks and opportunities they’ve been used to seeing these playoffs.  Terry, Peja, Deshaun Stevenson all had hands in their faces as soon as the ball reached them.  One by one they lost their confidence and they folded under the Heat of Miami’s defense.  The Mavs were supposed to be the deeper team, but it was the Heat who gained steam as the game went on.

It all adds up to a Heat game one win and a preview of things to come for several years.  The Heat are only going to get better folks.  Admit the inevitable and just enjoy the ride.

Gulp.

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June 1, 2011 · 1:11 am

the Inevitability of the NBA Finals

I dont know if Dirk Nowitzki knows this or not, but he’s the last line of defense.  He’s the last thing that stands in the way of Lebron James and inevitability.  The last stand against the great army that marches from the beaches in the South.  This aint Normandy but its imperative that Dirk and Co. storm that bleep.

History may say different, but for me personally and everyone my age, there has NEVER been anything like this.  In fact, let’s go one step further: there has NEVER been anything like this.  Imagine the best player in the sport holding it hostage over a year period prior to his free agency and then well into the summer until finally announcing his decision on a nationally televised “fundraiser”?  You can’t.  It has never happened.

Even Lebron can admit somewhere that the “Decision” was a misguided endeavor put together by friends and people who advised him to do this.  People who have constantly given him this sense of entitlement that rules don’t apply to him.  What else could be the cause of a human being putting on such a show?  It doesn’t make any sense.

The fact is, the Lebron James Summer culminates in these Finals.  I don’t expect anything less than a raucuous atmosphere in both American Airlines arenas.  I watched the game at Tonic last Thursday and the waves the fans were riding with each Lebron shot in the Fourth Quarter, in which he destroyed the league MVP in much the same way Michael Jordan did to Karl Malone when Malone won in 1997, was incredible.

We constantly compare Michael to Lebron but criticize Lebron for taking a much different path.  Michael didn’t let down an entire city because before he had to make a “Decision” the Bulls had drafted Scottie Pippen and had assembled the necessary pieces to make a run.  Michael had his shoe deal and hype coming out of college.  Lebron had his starting at age 13.  Michael went to North Carolina to learn his craft, Lebron played in front of a very demanding home town crowd who expected nothing but great things out of the kid from Akron.  Michael scored, and scored and scored but Lebron has had to score for his team, set up the offense and grab rebounds.

Consider the stat that STILL blows me away about Lebron James: he’s led his team in points, assists and rebounds, all three categories in the same game 19 times.  19!!!!  Nobody in NBA HISTORY has done it more than 3.  Let that sink in before you start cursing out Lebron.

Don’t get me wrong.  I still hate the prick for choosing to take his talents to South Beach over coming to the big city and taking on a real challenge but think about the even bigger challenge he created.

He brought this incredible weight and pressure on himself.  He chose to do go through with the Decision.  He chose to dis Cleveland as their owner said in his dis letter of record to Lebron.  He decided to join his friend Dwayne Wade in Miami and throw a big championship parade prior to the season and declare his intent of winning “not one, not two, not three, not four, not five, not six…..”  He’s the one that made everyone pissed off at him to the point that we laughed at every failure.

I remember a sense of unbelievable pride when the Knicks came back and beat the Heat.  Suddenly I fooled myself into thinking that this regular season game was bigger than what it was.  I remember believing the Knicks were better than the Heat.  That’s what Lebron did for the game of basketball.  He made EVERY single game matter.  Every loss was vindication for Heat haters.  Every win was greeted with cynicism; “only won by 15 eh?  WEAK!”

The Jordan comparison got to be ridiculous.  Jordan would’ve NEVER done this, never done that.  Jordan would’ve made that game winning shot.  Jordan would’ve passed there.  All this because we hated Lebron and those of us who had seen Jordan at his apex remember what a dominant figure he was capable of winning games by himself.  “Lebron can’t win by himself.  Look, he ran to Wade to get help.  He’ll never be number one.”

But after the last two rounds of these playoffs you tell me who’s team the Miami Heat is?  Who’s carried the Heat down the stretch hitting clutch shot after clutch shot?  The Heat trailed the Bulls in the last two games of that series and yet there was Lebron bringing them back.  I clenched my fist and held my tongue.  Finally, we were witnessing.  Finally, with a decent supporting cast, Lebron James was providing us with the magic that we were all promised from the moment he arrived in the public consciousness.

I won’t forget watching the 2007 Eastern Conference Finals Game 5 where Lebron scored 25 points down the stretch of the fourth quarter to will his team over a still formidable Pistons team.  Lebron James went on a rampage and could not be contained and THAT moment convinced me that he was special.  He was better than any player.  Nobody could stop him.

Throughout this entire playoffs I’ve been a third hating him, a third marveling at him, and the final third just being mad that he wasn’t taking over.  He’s had this ability all his life and he didn’t seem to understand how to harness it.  It came and went and when it wasn’t there he looked like a guy who didn’t care and as an NBA fan when you see a guy that big, that strong, that fast not able to post up Muggsy Bogues you’d be mad too.

I’ve always seen Lebron as a guy who could be, can be, and should be.  He isn’t.  Yet.  The scary part is, if he figures it out, he could go on a Jordan like run.  A run which the NBA hasn’t seen the likes of since Jordan himself.  There’s that name again.  A few days ago Scottie Pippen drew the ire of every basketball fan when he dared to suggest that Lebron James could be better than Michael Jordan.

Physically, its possible.  Mentally is what separated Jordan from the pack and even there I think Lebron has a feel for the game that very few have.  By NO MEANS am I a Lebron fan.  I want the Mavs to win because I think Mark Cuban being handed the Larry O’Brien trophy by a pissed off David Stern is must see t.v..  Because I think Jason Kidd deserves to win a championship and because I think Dirk Nowitzki will NEVER be appreciated if he doesn’t win one here.  Because the 2006 Finals were such a complete and utter disgrace officiating wise that karma MUST reward the Mavs with a title over this star laden team.

But if Lebron does win, I’ll be happy as an NBA Fan.  Amazed that one man put himself in such a hole and in such a bad way and can somehow still come away with a victory with a majority of the NBA fan base so violently rooting against him.  Against the inevitable.

 

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March 7, 2011 · 11:39 am

Monday Morning or the other

I’m not going to lie.  If we learned one thing this week, its that it is currently Charlie Sheen’s world, we’re all just living in it, waiting for him to tweet his next set of instructions.

In today’s post, I’m going to give you my thoughts on the new Met news about their newest rumored shenanigans.  The NFL just extended itself for another week in order to hopefully get a resolution.  Plus our steady diet of links and things you sing about.  Also my latest on who the Met owner should be and my random thoughts.  So let’s jump in shall we?

Charlie Sheen-ing on Twitter

 

@charliesheen
Born Small… Now Huge… Winning… Bring it..! (unemployed winner…)
I enjoy Bill Simmons’ podcasts.  There’s one guest in particular I enjoy listening to with whom he’s going to team up at some undetermined date to bring to us sports geeks a new website characterized as “70% sports and 30% pop culture” which even I don’t know what kind of a website that would be.  Either way, the person I’m speaking about is Chuck Klosterman.  Klosterman is probably the most interesting person to speak to because I always come away thinking far deeper about any subject than I normally would have.  Of course in his latest podcast he and Bill discussed this whole Charlie Sheen phenomenon which has been sweeping the nation over this past week.
For those of you living under a rock let me summarize: Sheen and Chuck Lorre, the producer of the hit show “Two and a Half Men” have had a falling out.  Such a falling out that Sheen has gone on multiple media formats blasting the very successful producer of many good shows, none more successful than Mr. Sheen’s.  His tirades on radio and print have become things of legend.
First of all, I think this whole Charlie Sheen is ridiculous.  So ridiculous in fact that it gets me mad.  In conversations with friends I’ve realized that opinion is torn on both sides of the fence on him.  Some people think he’s so cool for doing this and some people can’t believe that this guy is getting pub for this.
I’m kind of in the middle.  Let me explain.
I don’t think there’s anything special about Charlie Sheen.  Nothing.  His acting has never made me stop and take notice.  I’ve never come away talking about his performance in any movie.  He’s on a hit TV show because his movie career died about a decade ago.  I don’t think “Two and a Half Men” are funny but the numbers don’t lie, I’m in the minority.
But what Sheen did this week when he signed up for Twitter was probably the biggest contribution he’s ever made to society and his most remarkable achievement and let me tell you why.   For those not on the social networking sites, its ok.  I don’t think any explanation is necessary.  Social networking sites aren’t for everyone.
But to dismiss its relevance and say its not the present or future would be ridiculous.  Its like saying that the internet was just an ok idea.  That’s reedonkulous, the internet was a GREAT idea and its the most revolutionizing thing ever.  Its also the present and the future of where this world is going.  Everything is being digitized and conformed to appease the internet.  Nobody wants to read a book anymore, we have Ipads that allow us to do that.  We have created newer ways to get the internet and I predict that in about 5 years phone carriers are going to exclusively start offering smart phones.  There won’t be any phones that just make phone calls.
Social networking sites like Facebook or Myspace (yeah that’s still alive but Friendster isn’t- sorry Asians) and Twitter are now the accepted norm of society.  Every form of communication has embraced it by acknowledging corporate pages on their shows and on their products.  Every business has bought in, its time that those of you who still doubt, do too.
But I suppose its just a natural form of progression that we as a society make.  Before it was television.  Think about the three most popular images on television.  I made a Top 3 and here they are:
-OJ Simpson verdict and car chase (tie)
– Man walking on the moon.
– JFK being shot.
When those events happened, it not only elevated those 3 events, it made us stand up and notice in a completely different way.  Our society was having more and more of a dependence on T.V.’s for our information, it merely needed its headline moments.  Every person alive for those three events knew where they were when those things happened.  That kind of event comes along once a generation.
Just like H.G. Wells reading War of the Worlds and scaring the daylights out of his listeners, signature moments on media have become time stamps.  It also defines a generation.
I grew up consuming news through television and newspapers.  Six P.M. broadcasts became appointment viewing.  Then came along the internet.  It started off on slower dial up connections and now almost everyone has some version of high speed connections which have made our consumption of information quicker which has made us less dependent on those television broadcasts.  Why wait for the news when I can watch it online at my convenience or better yet, when I can read up about it online?  The way we are getting news has changed.
My cousin asked me what the big deal about Twitter is.  Its unfair to ask me.  I’m a huge fan of social networking sites.  In fact I’m a social networking whore.  Don’t tell that to my fiance.  I think they are great but I’ve grown a special appreciation for Twitter because I read a lot more cooler things and get more links from that website than anything.  Plus, the challenge of being witty at 140 characters is pretty tough and satisfying.
I’ve discovered plenty of cool material over Twitter and the way celebs have absolutely engrossed themselves in this format makes regular folk like me interested because if they like it, it must be cool.
So consider Charlie Sheen’s arrival and huge fan base on Twitter its first true watershed moment.  I dont know if its the future but Sheen’s crazy antics and his equally puzzling fame which made his record setting Twitter following (over a million in the span of a little more than 24 hours) gave Twitter its breakthrough moment and entered it into the pantheon of great moments in media.  For two days, Charlie Sheen’s stupidity caused almost every single person to blindly worship a guy who’s never been that successful in anything except this T.V. show and you know what?  He wants to ruin that too.
But even bigger than the big moment for Twitter is the truth that can’t be shaken:  the internet has given us the opportunity to change perception.  When used properly, and wisely, the internet can not only revive one’s career but can make one as well.  Bill Simmons became a huge star because of his blog.  The Huffington Post was recently purchased for $350 million.  Betty White became a superstar again because of an internet campaign to get her to host an SNL episode so everyone could remember how funny she was.  Perception can be changed over the internet.
Why?  Because there are too many voices now.  Before there were fewer people with more access.  Now there are too many people in one big bubble trying to get their opinions across that can influence your thought processes.  The internet’s claim is that the flow of information is much greater and that there’s more information being shared but how trustworthy is that information?  A friend of mine said that Charlie Sheen was an icon.
Was he really?  I won’t dispute the notion that he is one NOW.  He’s created a moment that will live on  depending on how long Twitter stays around.  He’s an icon because of his outlandish appearances since this whole story broke.  He’s an icon because he put the most successful sitcom on America’s #1 network on hiatus until this whole thing gets resolved.  To imply he was anything more than an average actor who had access to the business because of his father who was famous would be stretching the truth.  The internet allows US to make up our mind and allows voices to make up our minds for us.  Its the beauty of democracy and a reason why our country is what we are.
We’re confused.  We think Charlie Sheen is an icon.  We believe our opinions are right.   We think our ways are the best.  Fact is, its not entirely true.  Not everything we do is with everyone’s best interest at heart.  But our country has so many voices, democrats, republicans, libertarians, and every other voice that at some point our society will grow tired of every competing voice and will eventually be turned off by the whole thing.  Which eventually will lead to a bunch of citizens who really don’t care about anything other than what’s going on in their very limited social circle.  That its going on with Hollywood socialites isn’t enough, the rest of society will eventually catch up.
Having too much information isn’t bad until one, more skilled writer, makes a better argument than one less skilled writer and an opinion takes hold and becomes gospel.  That’s what’s going on with this whole Charlie Sheen craziness.  His fans are running with the persona and making him out to be this mad scientist preaching truth and this newfound wisdom that nobody else knew about when that’s just not the case.  Here’s what I think: he’s crazy, he’s on drugs, but he’s a smart son of a bitch who understands that using the media to manipulate opinion is the only way to win this war and he’s #winning  the battle so far.
So big props there.

Heat can’t handle the…well…Heat?

@WindhorstESPN: Derrick Rose has scored or assisted on 45.2% of Bulls baskets, highest in league. LeBron is 2nd with 42.9% That sounds like an MVP stat.

That’s a week worth of games.  Three of which that came down to the wire.  Two of which Lebron had the final say in things and completely bricked and 4 losses.  Everyone’s panicking.  Everyone’s gasping.

As well they should.

Michael Wilbon said it best “they were not brought in to be the fourth best team in the East.”  No.  They were going to revolutionize basketball.  A teaming up of this nature had never been done before so there was no reference.  Sure, players had talked their way onto certain teams to form a formidable tandem but never had 3 players so thoughtfully crafted their entrance on to such a stage as the Heatles had done.  They were stars in their prime deciding that together they were going to win multiple championships.  We all were shocked as a public and yet we didn’t quite know what to say except to dismiss it and say it was terrible for the NBA.

But look at the numbers.  They have us caring again and whether they like it or not, its because we don’t want them to succeed.  I had this idea of an article right about the time that the Heat were getting spanked in San Antonio.  They wound up losing, in their most lopsided defeat all season on Friday night.  Of course the great Joe Posnanski beat me to it.  It truly has become remarkably satisfying to root not only against Lebron but against the entire Heat team.

I think if anything has changed its not that I don’t like Lebron, its that I had a hard time dealing with the fact that everyone labeled Chris Bosh a superstar as well.  I just didn’t see him in that light.  Wade and James are in that upper echelon of superstars that can win games and carry teams.  Chris Bosh had never carried a team.  He was the best player on a team but you couldn’t call him the leader of anyone.  He was a follower.  They called him the pet of the group in the introductory press conference for crying out loud.  If that isn’t side bitch status, I dont know what is.

But I’ve been more impressed with his game and his toughness than either of those two.  For some reason I’ve felt that Wade, a player that I enjoyed watching and like and who’s opinion of him hasn’t changed, has regressed.  He’s somehow gotten worse.  People said that in the beginning he and Lebron would have a tough time dealing with each other.  They would find it difficult to work with each other.  But is that truly the case?  Is that what’s going on here?

I think they have no clue.  I said this in my earlier articles about the group but I think this was poorly thought out.  I think they were friends who got drunk one night and thought it would be cool to team up.  They never thought how it would mesh.  They imagined loads and loads of championships.  They said it live.

But out of that animosity built.  Cities that had craved Lebron like fat people in front of buffet felt slighted.  They no longer welcomed him with cheers, but they enjoyed his suffering.  They heaped even more pressure on to his shoulders.  Want to be the king?  Well win a title!  They are 0-6 against the East elite (Bulls and Celtics).  They went 2-2 against the Knicks.  Remember?  They were beating the Knicks up and down the court in their first two contests, but these last two have been anything but.  They still have no answer for Dwight Howard.

This last week wasn’t just a wake up call.  It wasn’t just a reality check.  It was a glimpse into the future.  A future they never saw coming.  A future they thought wasn’t even in the realm of possibilities.  They thought this would be a whole lot easier but if anything they should have seen this coming.

Dwayne Wade in yesterday’s press conference said “the world is getting what they want.  The Miami Heat losing.”  Not only did it NOT bring any feeling of compassion for them, I found it very arrogant.  Were we supposed to feel sorry for you?  Were NBA fans supposed to just throw roses?  Was every team in the NBA supposed to cater to your every wish and desire?

The discussion has been torn on whether this is good for the NBA.  You know, stars picking where they want to go and leaving franchises that drafted them in the dust so they can hand pick their location and get what they want like Carmelo Anthony just did with the Knicks.  I dont have an answer because I dont know if it will bring financial ruin to the NBA.  Will small market team fans care if their team can’t hold on to their stars?  Are OKC fans trembling with fear over the prospect of losing Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant after his contract is over?  Should Kevin Love jerseys just stop selling since we know that he will be out the door so fast in Minnesota?  Dwight Howard has his sights set on New York (Brooklyn and MSG) or L.A..

I dont think its a bad thing these guys are doing this, because I think there is enough talent flowing through these corridors.  I think OKC is on their way to becoming the next San Antonio.  The next small market that wins multiple championships and a team that keeps its star laden nucleus.  But dont take it from me.  I’m not Nostradamus.  I dont know where this thing is headed this offseason when collective bargaining begins.

All I know is that Lebron and the Heat have made it fun for all NBA fans.  They’ve been fun to root against.  Thanks Lebron.  Thanks Wade.  Thanks Bosh.  Thanks for being jerks and giving fans a reason to care enough to hate on you.

 

Another plea for the Coupons to flee

 

The Coupon family’s resistance to their impending financial doom is getting pretty comical.  They continue to insist that everything is ok while daily evidence continues to mount suggesting otherwise.

This week, it was revealed that the Coupons had exhausted Major League Baseball’s funds and were now in dire straits with national banks who the Coupons had tapped.

The hands to take from are growing far and few between.  The one source they tapped a long time ago, the fan, now actively seeks their removal from among the hierarchy of owners and trust me when I say that the Coupons are up there among Bud Selig’s select few favored.  Its why he approved a $25 million loan for them and did NOT for Frank McCourt, the owner of the Los Angeles Dodgers.  If you aren’t among the core of Selig’s fellowship don’t expect to be helped.

Belieee dat.

The type of support the Coupons receive means they are well liked and people believe they are worth the benefit of doubt as it relates to the Madoff scandal and what potential harm it can do to their status as owners of a major league team.

Bud Selig knows how important it is for him that Fred Coupon remains aboard.  He’s long been on Selig’s side as it relates to many of Selig’s initiatives like a slot system for paying drafted players; a reason why many feel the Mets system is so weak.  Fred was also the person who led the charge to have his Bud get appointed Commissioner when Fay Vincent was relieved of his duties.*  Selig knows that losing one of his friends on the board would deal a major blow to anything he wants to accomplish when the next labor bargaining sessions open up.
*= hahahaha

What this week’s revelation tells us is that the Coupons refuse to go quietly and will exhaust every avenue until they are out of options.  This will likely draw out the process for several months and until after a ruling on exactly how much the Coupons will settle for in the Madoff case.  Irving Picard says he won’t settle and that he intends to get the $1 billion he is seeking but that’s all semantics and good tough talk that those involved need to hear.

Good litigators know that settling is not only the quickest way to end things but the threat of a trial and what potential harm can come from dirt being revealed.  But there really is no timetable for an amiable agreement to be put in place and thus the Mets will be in limbo until that happens.

What does this mean for the actual product?  Plenty.  Consider that the Mets will be hamstrung.  Will they have the funds that a new ownership group might bring or will they be pinching pennies as the Coupons continue to cut costs in order to keep their team.

Think about what it means for former franchise cornerstone Jose Reyes.  Reyes will be a free agent after this year.  Will the Mets risk keeping Reyes and letting him walk to a team for just draft picks?  The risk will be huge if Reyes has a big first half and teams line up to pay him.  The Red Sox are rumored to be a favorable trading partner.  I don’t think that makes any sense since top prospect Jose Iglesias will be major league ready in 2 or 3 years and Reyes won’t sign a 2 or 3 year deal with the Sox when he’s entering the prime of his career at age 28.

Sixty million will come off the books next year and the promise of Sandy Alderson to have more financial flexibility next offseason is what Met fans are tolerating but its becoming clearer what their intended purpose was.  To bring in number crunchers who could field competitive teams while operating at lower budgets.

If that’s the case, Met fans who are left sitting in seats in 2011 won’t return in 2012.  No matter what, the product on the field is what dictates everything else.  What the Coupons don’t understand is that New York sports fans care dearly.  If a team underperforms they don’t get a pat on the back and “we’ll get em next year” consolation.  They will get destroyed in the press and fans will turn on them and quick.  That kind of publicity isn’t something easily washed away.

The Coupons haven’t made this process easy.  They have consistently refused the possibility that they need help or that they are in trouble and yet behind the scenes they have asked for help from every possible outlet.  But those wells have run dry.  The one well they should have been able to go to they dried up a long time ago.

Despite all the kind words from prospective buyers of 25% of the Mets they know one thing: in order to get into this exclusive club of baseball owners they have to suck up to Fred Coupon who will hand pick his successor to the throne.  That person must think highly of Bud Selig who then will give the yay or nay to their bids.

The Coupons don’t need to wonder why they are in trouble.  They need only look at newspaper clippings.  Their reputation in league circles is now coming under fire.  Their rep with fans is pretty bad and no matter what they say there seems to always be evidence that comes out that says otherwise.  They no longer decide how this ends.  Their decisions have finally caught up to them.

No disrespect to them, but like many have been screaming: its time to get out Coupons.  Do us a favor.  Leave.  If you truly love the Mets you can’t let this team suffer while you pick up the pieces of your life.  This is clearly more doom than had first been imagined.

The next owner of the Mets should be….

Well, apparently there already is a list and the New York Post just got wind of some of the names on that list.  Apparently 30 groups gave their names and the two most prominent are one headed by a few Goldman Sachs partners which, judging by how much trouble they were in after this financial crisis, perhaps staying away from the public eye would be the best move and the other was a group led by Bobby Valentine the former beloved manager of the last World Series team the Mets fielded in 2000.

I’m bias to Bobby V who I’ve always felt got a raw deal at the end of his tenure in New York and deserved more of a shot there.  So his entry as a bidder makes me very excited.  Obviously more will come out in the following days.  I personally can’t wait.

Random Thoughts:

 

@SI_PeterKing Peter King

Good breakdown of the meaning of the extension by Mike Silver:http://yhoo.it/gULSJ1

 

 

Universally hailed as the best rundown of what Friday’s event meant for football’s labor process.  Basically they decided to delay the lockout by 10 days.  I truly believe that both sides don’t want a lockout but will do so to get what they want.  I do think they are far apart on many issues and just because the deadline was pushed for a week to ten days, it doesn’t mean that something is very close to happening.  Between rookie wage scale (I agree), 18 game schedule (I disagree) and an extra billion off the top (could care less), there must be several other issues that are causing this process to get no-where past the 5 yard line like Adam Schefter had been reporting up until Friday.  They didn’t break bread over the weekend unless leaders met privately.  Nothing is being discussed yet.

– People said I was pretty harsh on Kevin Costner.  Sorry, like I said in earlier Sheen article, I think people are confusing the truth and misinterpreted rememberings.  The internet doesn’t lie.  But people still do.  The facts are there.  Just watch the tape.

– Growing more and more into a Parks and Rec fan.  Love Rob Lowe’s character.  He’s fantastic.

– I think Mad Men is one of the best written shows on television today.  Its no Wire, but the acting, and direction of the show is fantastic.  Don Draper is the definition of cool.

– Got about an hour to blow?  Well, here’s a very interesting article I picked up on my travails through the internet that I thought people would enjoy.  Would love to hear back what people think about it.

-Viggo Mortenson as General Zod?  Very cool.

 

Later in the week, I’m going to write an article about the Knicks.  It needs to be done.  It needs to happen.  I’m going to talk Amar’e and Melo and how well they are meshing.

As always if you have ideas, on how this space can be more improved.  Let me know.

and as always……

 

@RONARTESTCOM RON ARTEST

“peanut butter”
Don’t ask me why I found that hilarious, but I did.

 

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February 28, 2011 · 1:33 pm

Monday Morning something or the other…

Happy Monday morning.  Ok forget it, I tried you lazy bums.  Here’s the racket this morning:  Huge win for the Knicks last night over the Heatles.  I will talk about the trade deadline.  No links this week but I will come back strong next week.  The Melo trade was indeed a victory but Prokho scored a major coup but I will tell you why it won’t all be vodka and salad dressing for the Russian.

Also some on Kevin Costner, Keannu Reeves, Adam Sandler and Spring Training.  Let’s warm up shall we?

FUSSING OVER TRADE DEADLINE

I weighed in on Carmelo already so no need to rehash that.

But anyone who thinks this Carmelo deal was exclusive to itself is beyond nuts.  This deal had 60% to do with Carmelo and 40% to do with the free agent class of 2012.

By now you know that Dwight Howard, Chris Paul and Deron Williams* all have the option to be free agents during the summer of 2012.  They will all go to where they feel give them the best chance to win.
*= D-Will has a player option for next year which could make him a 2011 free agent.

Melo’s deal wasn’t just supposed to make the Knicks a better team in the short term but also as a call to those guys that the Knicks need an extra playmaker who can come in and make them a whole helluva lot better.

The talked about lament of small market teams was firmly waved aside by Bill Simmons and other like minded people who agree that a hierarchy of teams in the league make for “must see television” which the NBA can properly plug in to prime time slots as they see fit.  It will also elevate the product come playoff time when the best teams are supposed to be playing against each other.

The NBA for far too long has tried to tell everyone that the league needs balance.  That led to the crappy decade we are only coming out of.  Look at the last decade of winners and tell me one team other than the ’04 Pistons who won without two or three guys that were top 5 at their particular position.  The NBA has and always will be a star led league.  Stars dictate where this league is going and like it or not, guys like Lebron, and Carmelo will always have the power.

At its core the NBA comes down to one on one matchups.  Those stats that seem too hard to calculate like clutch ability in other sports is a much simpler debate to have in the NBA.  Every team has one or two guys we label as finishers.  How can the league or its fans deny the power the players have?

This may be big market thinking but here’s one other point some people so easily forget.  Lebron played in Cleveland for 7 years and won 0 NBA titles.  Carmelo played in Denver for 7 and a half seasons and won 0 NBA titles.  KG played in Minnesota for 12 years and won 0 NBA titles.  Ray Allen played the same time and won 0 NBA titles.  Its not like these guys played out their rookie contracts and left the first chance they got.  They signed one and even two extensions before forcing their way to better situations.  Meanwhile Tim Duncan has been in San Antonio for 13 seasons and won 4 NBA titles.  Your team either does everything they can to surround you with complementary pieces or they don’t.  Name me one player that Lebron played with that you thought when they acquired him the Cavs would win a title.  I bet you had that convo when he, Wade and Bosh came together in Miami.  Those same conversations were had in New York this week.

This is a league of few stars and many complementary pieces.  When I was researching this whole NBA labor issue and saw the reason for a soft cap it made my mind up.  Soft caps allow teams to go over the set salary limit in order to add pieces and surround good talent.  Its meant to keep stars that were drafted by teams in their original uniforms.

The owners arguments have been faulty at best.  To ask players to give back almost $800 million in salaries because the NBA tried to be balanced is ridiculous.  Made more ridiculous by the fact that these owners signed off on these crippling deals.  Hey dumbass owner: if you didn’t wanna pay, say for arguments sake, a lazy, fat, unenthused center with a heart condition a huge contract then guess what?  DON’T.  To blame Eddy Curry for cashing those checks is ridiculous because we all would have done the same.*
*= I realize with that logic that all of us would be Eddy Curry’s but its the truth.  In some bizarro universe, we are Eddy Curry.

I think the league is about to go into a great upswing where its popularity is about to explode.  The stars aligning and allying with another isn’t a bad thing for the sport but the best thing for this sport.  Figuring out a way to share revenues seems to be the only problem that needs mediation.  The players are setting the trend.  To restrict movement and keep players in situations that are not conducive to their own happiness isn’t just unproductive, but also very stupid.

At the end of the day if teams surrounded their talent with equal talent then perhaps Lebron would still be in Cleveland getting set to win another championship.  Melo would be in Denver realistically challenging Kobe in LA.  Mark Cuban has held on to Dirk Nowitzki.  Tim Duncan has won titles in San Antonio and remains there and won’t leave.

Want a sad tale?  Steve Nash, the great white hope, won’t be traded by Robert Sarver because he refuses to let go of the one guy that keeps paying customers coming back.  Nash’s best years are gone, undoubtedly, and as long as he remains in Phoenix, he will never sniff an NBA title.  They have continuously shed draft picks and superstars like they were going out of style and they did so to reduce their salary demands.

You think if Steve Nash were younger he wouldn’t want to leave?  That he wouldnt grow tired of the same old crap?

The NBA is becoming a hierarchical society and the owners had better figure out how to deal with it.  That’s their best bet.  That’s their only play here.  Anything else would be evidence of the truth that owners of unsuccessful franchises have long tried to hide from its fans: they don’t care.

REAL LIFE RIVALRY

Nationally, the story of the real budding rivalry has gotten minuscule attention and rightfully so.  Its a non-story at this point.  The Knicks are the main event and the Nets are the hopeful under card.  Of course, that doesn’t mean that the upstart doesn’t have to give in to that logic.

Right as the Knicks were paving the streets with roses and carnations in anticipation of Carmelo Anthony’s debut at MSG, the Nets went out and hijacked Deron Williams from the Nets for a smaller version of the Carmelo offer.  Two first round draft picks, Devin Harris, and Derrick Favors.   The consensus around the league was that of shock and awe that the Russian Mad Scientist could pull off such a deal without the wherewithal of the NBA scribes who were sniffing around every corner.

The story was that this deal was consummated in 24 hours, shortly after Denver signed off on the Knicks package.  Prokho wanted a replacement superstar pronto and that he got.  Many instantly assessed Deron as the better player with the better upside.  Though there are several flaws in that logic.

Not to say that Deron Williams isn’t as good a player as Melo, or even better, I think that opinion came from the mouths of those that were still reeling from the shock of the Jazz, a very smart and steady organization, going through major renovations of its product after 20 something years with the same old script.  First Jerry Sloan and now Deron Williams?  With nary a hint that something like this was in the works?

But such is the trend and the two sided nature of the debate that small market execs are going to have to have in the coming months.  Keep our budding superstar or try to get as many building block assets before he jumps ship to more lucrative waters.  Melo’s reasoning was sound.  He’s a Brooklyn boy and wanted to come to play on the team that his childhood idol played on: Bernard King.  Deron Williams, as far as we know, did no such clamoring to get out.  Some would say that he got what he wanted when Sloan threw in his towel after twenty plus years on the bench with the scowl.

The Deron Williams trade and Melo trade have one very unique attribute in common.  Its not just done to make the team immediately better, but more so to attract potential superstars to Jersey/Brooklyn.  Williams’ value is much higher for Prokho than Melo’s is to James Dolan who is still trying to craft the next memo, in unison with Isiah Thomas, that he is in no way shape or form still associated with the Hall of Fame Point Guard.  Williams’ name represents star value and a billboard that Prokho can put up across the street from 34th and 8th in full view of Mr. Dolan who must look at the Nets as that fly that he just can’t seem to swat.

That fly of course is growing bigger and by 2012 will be gigantic when they move to Brooklyn and open up the Barclay Center.  The question now becomes will Deron Williams be there?  Unreported are two clauses in both contracts that Deron Williams and Carmelo signed.  Melo has an out clause after 2013 which means that he will give this homecoming a joyride before deciding if he really wants to commit which means there’s still another big pay day coming.  Deron Williams has a player option for next season.  Not a team option a player option.  Which means he decides that over the next 23 games that Brook Lopez is the real deal and if the Nets aren’t just a perennial contender for the 8th seed.  Like I said previously (scroll up slackers), this generation of players are much more in tune with what they want.  They are not willing to go along with organizational philosophy unless its in tune with that of their own.  They have dreams and aspirations that go far beyond the basketball court and the best and brightest of the bunch have a brand to protect.

The good thing about them is that they understand that a championship exponentially increases the value of that brand.  With no title gets no pub.  No pub means no love.  And no love on the streets means credibility is shot and if the credibility is shot amongst the basketball watching community, then its shot among execs who see them as cash cows.  Williams never committed to the Nets during his press conference only issuing the usual credo of “let’s wait and see.”

Which means that Prokho hasn’t done anything but upstage the Knicks in the back pages which is precisely what his intent is.  There’s no doubt in my mind that Prokho will be content in winning that war because that’s what counts in this city.  Perception is often a much more willing participant than reality.  It knows only the truth which you enter.

George Steinbrenner knows this and so does Mikhail Prokhorov.  The Big Russian must be looking and laughing at James Dolan as he pulled off this heist thinking that all the basketball community could talk about, on the day of Melo’s much ballyhooed debut, was the deal that brought Deron Williams to Jersey.  Prokho’s people have not made any overtures to sign him to an extension although I’m sure they will try as heck.  They will offer him a boat load of money and his chance at being the man in Brook-Land.  The major play was the back page victory.  Whatever comes next for Jersey will be gravy or gory.  If Prokho doesn’t get Deron to commit to his vision of the Nets it may be the biggest chance he ever took but he knew that it was his only play.  For that I will give the big Russian credit.  He played his hand and played it very well.  He won in every aspect of what he wanted to do.

He brought an equally talented superstar to his digs without surrendering his entire starting 5 which really wouldn’t have said a lot.  The newest trick for Prokho will be to ink Deron and ink Dwight Howard who will also become a free agent in 2012.  If he does that then he won’t have to pull any stunts to get everyone’s attention the basketball team will do all the talking for him.

 

THE BIG COUP

Finally, those of you clamoring for the reunion of the real big 3 of Melo, Stat and CP3 allow me to add some perspective.  The Knicks don’t require a point guard of the highest degree like many would like them to get.  What they require is precisely what they were missing against Cleveland.  A big man.  A gigantic big man.  The kind of big man who would make people think twice and thrice of coming into the paint.  The kind of big man that comes along as often as Haley’s Comet.  Dwight Howard should be the Knicks big signing in 2012 not CP3 or D-Will.  Sorry guys.

If the Knicks are serious about winning defensively the Knicks must up the ante and must do what they can.  I would say that in two years they can try and re-sign Felton and carry on but that bridge may have been burned.  The Knicks major deficiency is on the defensive end (last night’s final 3 minutes of the game not withstanding) and God-Willing the Knicks can convince Superman to join the Avengers and bring a title to Broadway.  Rumor has it that its between them and the Lakers meaning Dwight sees himself as a superstar (Which he should) and wants more than what Orlando can offer him and will take his time thinking things through.  The next two seasons can be exceptional auditioning tape.  What Dwight can see is a team and a system that provides numbers offensively and also a team that has two superstars in place at the prime of their careers and ready to take the next step.  On the left coast, Kobe’s aging and the team is dedicated to the development of Andrew Bynum.

Of course things can change next season.  If Kupchak gets word that the Magic want to deal away their superstar center before him wanting to leave becomes a big deal then yes, I’d say that the Lakers would ship Bynum and whomever to Orlando and export the big kahuna to help Kobe win ring number 6 (if he hasn’t already claimed it by the end of the season) or seven.  Kobe cares about his legacy and about winning more than anything and knows he’s entering that territory where it will atleast become a debate as to who is the greatest player ever: he or Jordan.

For people of my generation it will always be Jordan.  End of discussion but like I said perception is always a far greater tool than reality.  Kobe’s comeuppance has been greatly chronicled beyond words.  He won 3 titles with Shaq then exiled him to travel the great plains searching for titles and revenge.  He’s won two with a new big man who’s content to rebound, take charges and score the minimum amount of points to count as a superstar.  He’s got the complementary pieces to win with and he’s taking all the credit along with Phil who once again is along for the ride.

But even Kobe understands how many years Howard’s arrival would add, not only to his legs but also to his championship counter.  Dwight’s recent offensive output means that he’s finally harnessing his massive potential and teams are now beginning to finally see a finished product.  At age 25 he’s playing ball like even most of his biggest fans couldn’t have seen coming and that’s with Gilbert Arenas and Jason Richardson who love to call their own numbers as often as they can.  To be sure his offensive game is improving but his defense is still his major calling card.  Size, rebounding and defensive girth is what he provides and since its in limited supply in this league (see uproar of Kendrick Perkins to OKC) his move would create a seismic shift more so than the ones that CP3 or D-Will will create.

Whatever his decision is, I’m sure whomever Knick management will be at the time will be wise to remind Dwight that he can enjoy the summer of his playing days as a card carrying member of a superstar trio of 20 year olds to battle that knucklehead crew in Miami.  That team of Stat, Melo and Dwight would instantly be the best team in the NBA.  Hands down.  That would be the most dominant front court and with Landry Fields playing the 2, it really doesn’t matter who they get to play the one.

Although getting Dwight Hardy from St Johns couldn’t hurt.  Right?

Spring Training update

Far be it from me to ignore the masses clamoring for a spring training update from both teams.  First we’ll start off with the Yankees who debuted their new cast of characters and there are actual jobs to be won in Tampa this year.  The biggest question mark for the Yankees this spring is their pitching which will be a “we’ll play it by ear” kind of strategy.  Unless the idea of Bartolo Colon as a starter impresses you.  Of course this isn’t 2005 or 2003, so I’m sure any sane, rational Yankee fan (I’ve met a few though I can’t say there are that many in the wild) knows that whatever Colon gives them will be gravy.  But the one major player not really mentioned is Ivan Nova who’s up and down campaign last season had more positives than negatives.  Internally the Yankees are praying that they can put Colon back into the storage compartment and ship him to the Dairy Farm factory for restocking as soon as possible.  Nova’s performance yesterday did much to calm the nerves of Brian Cashman and company who would love to see Nova wrestle the job away from Colon so they can tell Colon “no mas.”

Meanwhile, remember those kids I mentioned who would be instrumental this year in how the Yankees play the C.C. Sabathia card this year?  Well Dellin Betances came in and struck out the side against the Phillies which included Dominic Brown, Wilson Alvarez and Ben Francisco which isn’t murderer’s row I know, but still good for a first crack at impressing the bosses.  Cashman’s stubbornness has kept him from offering these two gems in any trade, as he should.  The scouting scribes are all hot and bothered with the “Killer B’s” Betances and Manny Banuelos.  If they continue to impress during Spring Training those threats of new contracts may go on deaf ears so that Cashman can fall back on his “we don’t discuss extensions until the contract runs out” philosophy.

Curtis Granderson hit a 2 run home run which propelled the Yankees to a victory over the Phillies everyone’s favorite.  Granderson must have a big year for the Bombers and if the final month of the season is any indication, he may be on the rise.  Remember how everyone in the fantasy camps assured you that Grandy would be handily hitting 30+ homeruns with that inviting right field porch?  Well consider that prognostication fit for 2011 as he’s showing signs that he has worked through his hiccups and found a steady stroke that will propel him to that season we had hoped for last year.  You know, as fantasy campers.

As for the Mets, listen, if you’re going to make smart ass comments about the $25 million loan, then sorry you won’t get a chuckle out of me.  Not because it isn’t funny, but its sad.  The Wilpons’ house of cards are slowly crumbling and even they are too dumb to issue the requisite statement of “we have a problem.”  The Mets are worth around a Billion dollars roughly with the stadium and SNY.  No way someone comes in from the wood works and pumps $150 million into the revenue stream so they can help pay the Madoff money they’re accused of making off with.  Unless they build in an exclusive window to buy out the team should it ever go on sale.  Other than those assurances I can’t see any businessman with any gravitas ponying up the pesos to do that exchange.

In actual baseball news Luis Castillo played and well, he played.  1 for 2 with a single and a defensive play.  He was still hitting like he’s helping the other team do fielding drills but its a step up for the guy who’s been blasted and called every name under the sun by Met fans.  He’s lost weight and has impressed his owners.  Maybe long enough to get some trade value built up.  Meanwhile in other not so surprising news Ollie Perez couldn’t quite get a handle on the strike zone and issued 3 walks and let 4 runs cross the plate.  Of course the guy couldn’t hit the strike zone with consistency from 6 feet so forget 60 feet and 6 inches.  There is no sad news to report there.  All in all positive news.  Both players will likely get dumped.  One in the garbage and the other on another team.  Only time will tell which will be.

Meanwhile Chris Capuano and Chris Young pitched impressively enough to earn wins in their Met debuts.  Young pitched two perfect innings while Capuano struck out 4 in two innings of work and allowing one run.  Young’s job is assured but Capuano’s isn’t which means his starts will be much more noticed if he flops.  Young and Cap aren’t going to make your ears pop hearing their fastball but both are effective in the upper 80’s which many Met fans can attest are good enough sometimes.

Loving R.A. Dickey’s emergence in the clubhouse as both sage and leader.  His innings will be dictate how well the Mets do this season.  The more he pitches the better chance the Mets have at winning.

THE NEW OWNER OF THE METS IS….

 

Source: Bobby V interested in buying piece of #Metshttp://es.pn/ibggsm #espnst
-@AdamRubinESPN Adam Rubin
Here I was ready to write an entertaining piece about my second hopeful owner of the Mets and Adam Rubin is reporting that Bobby Valentine is perhaps interested in owning a piece of the Mets.  Listen, I dont get cheesy over many things but this brought a great big piece of provolone to my grill this morning.
Valentine’s place in Met lore is well talked about.  He’s an icon to scores of Met fans and the name they were hollering from roof tops when the job of manager was initially up for grabs.  The problem with that was his salary demands may have been something that they couldn’t afford though now that all this information is coming out, not too much could be afforded.  This is just the initial phase but yes, there is plenty to be smiling about.  But like I said earlier, if the Mets dont write assurances that the group who purchases the minority stake won’t have exclusive bidding rights to buy out the rest of the team then there won’t be too many.
I love Bobby V’s flair to come in on a white horse and save the day for the Mets.  Even if he doesn’t, the fact that he is actively trying to get back into Flushing tells you what he means to this fan base and how much he adores us back.  Thanks Bobby V.
Okay the fan-dling of Bobby V can stop.  On to more sarcastic news.

Closing Thoughts:

Thought I’d close with these last few gems.

– Chauncy Billups, is no throw in to any deal.  What a performance by Big Shot with that three pointer late in the game that made me go from “no, why would you take that shot you…GREAT DECISION!” valleys to peaks so quick.  I’m afraid my heart won’t be able to take too many of these Knick performances.

– Melo’s defense is in his body.  Lebron’s build is one of a kind and for many an impossibility to guard but Melo brings his own unique build to defend Lebron and he did a fine job.  I love the fact that he demanded to guard Lebron late in the game.  Sounds like the guy can handle the big time.

– Big win for the Knicks  but they need size. I wonder what Troy Murphy was thinking.  Murphy is reportedly deciding on whether to join the Knicks or Heat and this game may have swayed him to Broadway.

– Alex Rodriguez dropped ten pounds entering camp.  He must have been one of those guys building mansions that Hank Steinbrenner was referring to.  So worry not Jeter.

– Speaking of which, maybe it was his popcorn diet courtesy of Cameron Diaz?  Who knows what diets these celebs are on these days?

– Big win for the Storm of St Johns.  Dwight Hardy continues to play beyond his years.  That kid’s draft stock has to be going up, no?

– Had a conversation this weekend about Adam Sandler’s career and more importantly how underrated he is.  Yes, underrated.  I’ve never been a huge fan of his work but needless to say his post SNL career has been ten times better than most and that’s saying something.  Or maybe its not saying much at all but Sandler’s work deserves much applause.  He does serious work as well.  His acting in Spanglish was pretty damn good for a guy who many peg as a slapstick artist.

– Kevin Costner meanwhile is last generation’s Keaunu Reeves.  I realize that won’t make much sense but work with me here.  Has any two men been given more lucrative roles than those two aforementioned?  Luck of the draw?  More like horsehoe up the butthole.  Or maybe their agents are just smarter than the average bear.  Whatever the source of their good fortune is, re-watch their movies and tell me one role where you could see no one other than those two in those roles and I promise you i’ll get you a roll.  With butter on it too.  I promise.

– Speaking of crazy.  No.  Actually he isn’t even crazy.  He’s beyond that and there’s a reason I’m putting him before the Ron Artest tweet of the week.  Charlie Sheen’s rant on the “Alex Jones show” was one for the ages.  This guy is beyond crazy, he’s in another planet.  Bill Simmons labeled that the Tyson zone.  But even that’s unfair to describe the mind numbing all over the place-ness of this doozy of a rant which will go down as one of the most puzzling, frightening, terrifyingly funny rants ever.  If you’re Jewish, or Catholic you may not appreciate the following but its all in good fun.  Right?  Ok fine.  Its not but take a gander at this:

http://www.aolnews.com/2011/02/25/charlie-sheen-rant-listen-here/

– Finally the Ron Artest tweet to make all of you happy:

 

LA vs LA tonight… I think LA gonna win
@RONARTESTCOM RON ARTEST
I will have more on Melo and Amare during the week.  More on Spring Training.  More stuff coming.  Enjoy the week folks

 

 

 

 

 

 

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December 5, 2010 · 2:24 pm

Thoughts on Lebronaclypse

It was Apocalypse Now. It was happening, Lebronaclypse. TNT had turned on to live coverage of Heat-Cavs aka Le-Traitor’s return. No music, just audio of Cleveland- the victim.

That’s what they were. Make no mistake, Thursday night every city looked at Lebron as a villain because we felt sorry for Cleveland. Because ESPN wouldn’t stop playing that Top 10 Cleveland’s most suckiest moments countdown.* And let’s face it, after “The Decision”, everything about Lebron seemed to have a bad vibe.
*= I mean Cleveland HAD to be booing ESPN too right? I mean for months their reporters gave Cleveland zero chance to retain Lebron. They kept making snarky remarks about how sad Cleveland was pre-Decision if Lebron were to leave and the worst was that countdown. If I were Chris Broussard, I’d steer clear of Cleveland for a while till this blows over, oh wait, it won’t.

I even had an article written up about how selfish Lebron was- you know piling on. There were reports about him already wanting coach Erik Spolestra out. Maverick Carter- his best friend/business adviser/consigliere was planting stories in the press. Chris Broussard- the go-to reporter for Lebron’s camp was the pipeline for information leaks.

The problem was, many in the press had grew tired of his act. Spolestra was Riley’s hand picked successor and a well respected coach in the eyes of basketball scribes. So reporters started remembering little tidbits of Lebron during the Olympics that fit the new national mindset on Lebron: child superstar turned big baby. Attention seeking crybaby who needed things to go his way and wanted NO part of the struggle.

Which is what made the mash up of Lebron’s commercial and Michael Jordan’s excuses Nike commercial so great for people of my generation: Jordan was the best, who built his game on the time honored tradition of hard work- the kind that built up the country and Lebron represented the new school- immensely gifted but only interested in the shortest path to glory- the kind that put this country in the mess that its in today.*
*= I realize that I’m reaching BIG TIME with this, but work with me, its mostly for effect.

With that said, we knew everyone would focus on Lebrons every movement, his facial twitches and we’d harp on every show of emotion.

Fast forward to the open of the program and there was no music, just a shot of Lebron entering the arena. Ernie Johnson with a brief set up and then “BOOOOOOOO”. That’s all you heard. I was literally ready for anything at that moment. They wouldn’t allow fans to take bottles into the arena- beer was flowing but only into paper cups. The National Guard was called in and extra security was in the house. Kenny Smith called the atmosphere “Game 7 like” and for game 19 of an 82 game schedule, that’s a big deal.

But everyone was focused on Lebron. The camera was fixed on him for a few minutes, following everything. But Lebron kept cool and something else happened that I wasn’t prepared for: Lebron embraced the atmosphere.

I was sure that he would crack. That the city would will the Cavs to a victory and Lebron would press and try and do too much. If the stories were true, then he wasn’t strong enough to handle it and would crumble like a house of cards. I bought into it. Add on to the fact that the Heat were a mystifying 10-8 entering the game.

The Heat who talked about multiple championships in their introductory public self congratulating ceremony, the team that was going to threaten the 96 Bulls for greatest team of all time label, were a less than Jordan-esque 10-8 heading into the Cleveland showdown. Somewhat of a letdown considering how much trouble the league was supposedly in.

But out came Lebron and he was singularly focused. A different Lebron showed up. He went through the crowd and began to start shoot around and as he touched the ball he began to immediately do dunks, but the kind you perform during dunk contests. But the kind you do with extra emphasis to intimidate. The kind you do to send a message: Let’s set things straight Cleveland, I’m still one of the two best players on the league and physically may be the most impressive specimen ever. I’m not just going to beat you, but for every time you boo, I’m going to show you it only serves to motivate me.

He had that snarl about him that made him more noticeably intriguing. He made his first two shots. He was playing a bit tougher on defense. He was taking over games and allowing the Lebron who was in Cleveland to manifest itself in his old playground. I began to watch more and realize that two things had happened:

Lebron’s killer instinct was beginning to take form and Cleveland had no shot. Lebron, for all his lack of P.C. and unawareness, still has the talents to take a team to the Finals. We have never questioned his physical ability, but this move shocked the heck out of traditionalist fans who wanted to see a superstar deliver. Especially one that’s supposed to be one of the two best players in the league.

But Lebron had that look in his eye thursday that if its all about basketball, removed from the B.S. of all the extra curriculars, Lebron is still the most physically gifted talent the NBA has and he’s only ENTERING his peak. That’s what everyone wanted to see. 38 points in 30 minutes. 5 rebounds. 8 assists. Blowout victory. That’s the Lebron we expected all season. The turbo that was on for the last two seasons was in full effect Thursday night.

Even Cleveland had to witness. At some point, even the boos faded. Lebron began chatting it up with the Cav bench and to be honest, it was then that I was most scared for him. Thursday night was supposed to be the cherry on a crap sandwich Lebron was supposed to eat if you believe in karma. Lebron was supposed to miss every shot. Cleveland should have had its victory. But once again Cleveland was a victim and at this point I don’t think anyone cares. All the crap Lebron took, he came out on the other end of Thursday night looking every bit the golden child he was in Cleveland for the first seven seasons. Cleveland went back to its position as a tortured city and the world was put back in its axis. I kept watching to see Lebron.

For some reason I kept thinking to his pre-game dunks and the most telling moment was when it came time to do his ritualistic powder toss. He did it. Powder flew and the boos grew, and he looked around and like any classic wrestling villain, he stared at the crowd and embraced the hate. All of the insults muted by each other and it was just rambling nonsense in his ear. It was the moment that I got the inkling that this night would not end up the way that most Lebron haters would like it to. This night was about Lebron and he would make it about him and do everything he could to destroy the Cavs. He was facing more than just the Cavs, he was facing his own immortality. All the hate must have crested in his mind and if this one game did unlock the Lebron most feared when he signed with the Heat, then this was a bigger win for the Heat than anyone couldve imagined.

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July 26, 2010 · 8:50 pm

Getting Knick’d off at all this waiting

Minutes after Lebron announced that he was “taking his talents to South Beach”, I turned around and resumed the Happy Hour I was in the middle of.

I care deeply about sports and care would be an apt word to describe me and my fan dom. I take losses personally and sulk. I still haven’t gotten over Game 7 of the NLCS of 2006. I still haven’t gotten over ball 4 in Game 7 of the NLCS in 1999. Hell, I can’t get over the image of Nate Robinson jumping up and down with Paul Pierce during the playoffs like they’ve been boys for years.

But Lebron choosing to go for Miami wasn’t a loss. July 8th was like every morning you check the lotto results and hope and pray to God that your numbers hit. If it doesn’t, guess what? Life goes on. Not to gass up Lebron any more but if he had chosen New York, let’s be real it wouldve been like hitting the lottery.*
*= of course the other side of it is Cleveland. It hit the lottery in 2003, literally, got Lebron and in 7 years they flushed away the money and were left with nothing and was left really bitter about it.

But New York moved on. Or did it?

Almost 3 weeks later the Knicks find themselves in the same will he or won’t he game that they were playing for the last two years, and surprise surprise it appears Lebron James has his hands over this one.

Chris Paul, is NOT a free agent. He has exactly zero leverage to demand anything of his team. But in reality, the situation is not that simple. Sports stars sell tickets. Owners are at the whim of sports stars and thus to protect their money maker they cater to the wishes and wants of any sports star like changing flight schedules and preferential treatment that others don’t get. Seats for family members, and jobs for friends within the team. Just a few of the perks.

But when a star player becomes disgruntled for whatever reason and demands to be traded it not only hurts the owner from a business sense, it hurts him from a personal sense, thus you have nutjobs like Dan Gilbert writing “I hate you” notes.

I suppose, taking notes from his good friend Lebron Chris Paul plans on making trade demands when he, his new agent (Chris Rose, who also reps Lebron), Hornets new GM Dell Demps, and new coach Monty Williams sit down to go over the plan for the Hornets as they try and convince Paul that they are committed to bringing a title to N’awlins.

Star players can demand these sit downs with ownership because its viewed as a sign of good faith because let’s face it, no player wants to spend their peak years playing on borderline good to bad teams.

But Paul has listed the Knicks as a possible landing spot if he demands a trade and the Knicks could match up trade wise with the Hornets if they were so inclined.

I say no.

I say if anyone in this city has any pride they should say no. I know that trading for him would make the Knicks a much better team but think about the message it sends throughout the league. If Paul wants to come here in two years, then let him but the precedent Lebron has set is unsettling for a few reasons:

1. STOP THE AAU-ization of athletes- It gives free rein for superstar athletes to up and leave teams high and dry. Fan bases and whole communities become connected with these guys and teams that let these players call the shots within the organization set themselves up.
The biggest thing AAU did for these guys was give them the shady runner/agent feel from an even younger age than football players. These traveling camps pick the best kids from inner cities then these coaches pocket the money and influence a kid to whatever high school and college pay them the most.

These “mentors” stay with the player throughout, and become who teams talk to in order to get to the star player. That’s why even earlier on, being the lackey is a far more lucrative business than player.

The players are from a young age given preferential treatment which of course allows them to think that the rules don’t apply to them. At no point in their lives, until they mess it up off the field, do they ever have to lift a finger for them. They have an entourage to do everything.

Next time you wonder who this guy thinks he is, when he asks for a trade with two years left on a guaranteed scale with absolutely no leverage except being a star player, remember what I just told you. These guys are spoiled beyond belief and no amount of “reason” can convince them of any other way.

So I suppose it makes sense that Lebron, the king spoiled athlete/brat is advising him to do what “is best for him and his family.”

2. SUPERTEAMS may be enjoyable. But only for the 4 or 5 fanbases lucky enough to have one. I have no problem with the way Oklahoma City is built through the draft or how San Antonio was built. I do however have a problem with the league being just a few really powerful teams and everyone else being mediocre to poor teams. Its just not fair and even if the dream scenario were to happen in NY of a Melo, Amare, and CP3 union.
Its clear that these guys are much smarter business wise than generations before them. They are trying to follow the Jordan plan to be wealthy and not just rich.
Only the elite guys have the opportunity to do that and they are taking advantage of that. And Lebron and his friends are leading the charge.

3. Stop the US vs THEM argument- and by them I mean management and leadership. Riles may have coaxed the threesome to South Beach but I think Lebron’s grand scheme goes further than that. His boys want a piece of the pie and are using Lebron’s status to get there. Thus, if management doesn’t give them what they want they can seek out new ones that will and don’t think it will just stop at basketball. IF Paul’s group can get him out of New Orleans plenty other sports stars will view them as miracle workers and they can market themselves as such. Owners and players have long been at odds and while I wholistically disagree with Jesse Jackson’s assertion that Dan Gilbert has a “slaveowner’s mentality” that’s really what it comes down to for them. The ownership are the enemy and its going to take players teaming up on THEIR terms to bring back leverage to them. It is a players league after all. Here’s the problem to all this: The players and the owners are heading towards a lockout. Owners will remember this kind of player collusion much like the NFL’s players will remember the suspected owner collusion in doling out rookie contracts. No one forgets a thing in these matters and when it comes time to resolve issues at a bargaining table all the ugliness will come out and it won’t help that ownership sees more power shifting to players as they see a bigger cut of the profit pie.

Those reasons may or may not have convinced you, but let me explain my side to you in another light.

When I agreed to meet my friends for happy hour and watch “the Decision” I did so realizing that I would most likely be disappointed, but the bright side was that cheap drinks and a rooftop would ease my pain.

It didn’t. It sucked. I really thought the Knicks were getting set to cash in the lottery ticket and for the first time I saw the city’s collective wind being sucked out. Everyone went back to their respective conversations but we kept looking at the screen with disappointment and all you kept thinking was “is this guy serious?”

For the last two years we had waited patiently and sat through bad basketball. We had waited for this moment and we were all in from jump street about the plan of action. We could take the losing if in the end it meant a bigger reward. We laid two stink bomb years and even put our pride to the side and cheered Lebron despite the fact that he was wearing a different team’s uniform.

We were rewarded with Chris Broussard’s constant Miami theory and Stephen A Smith’s rant about Miami. We were given a phony hour long special and a lousy explanation. We were duped into believing that we had a shot when we never did and we paid by sacrificing two years of sucky basketball just to not hear our name called when time came for it to be called.

Frankly Mr. Paul, and all other free agents, I have a message: New York is not a city full of suckers. We’re not going to sit and wait for things to happen. We aren’t going to be drawn in and read into twitter posts or sit through Chris Broussard’s “source reports.”.

I like our team. I like Felton and I LOVE that we got Anthony Randolph for nothing. If a free agent wants to grab enough balls to come here, that’s cool. We’d love to have you but if not, that’s fine. I’m done waiting for the next generation of superstar athlete baiting us into another few seasons of losing.

I’m not blaming the free agents, its not their fault that we let Scott Layden and Isiah Thomas make foolish trades to have us tied up for years. But the way things are going, Knicks fans are continuously left waiting on a lottery ticket to be handed to them and frankly I’m done waiting. Its time to make with what we got.

So if I have to trade away my entire team for Chris Paul, thanks, but no thanks.

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July 9, 2010 · 11:52 pm

Lebron’s decision: the day after.

The one thing that I knew going into last night’s announcement was this: no matter what happened, Lebron James was now going to be universally disliked.  The last few months were unlike the NBA has ever seen or ever will see.  His “Decision” special was filled with as much drama as a Yankees/Twins series.  The outcome had been there for days and this growing sentiment that the three men had arranged this together seemed fitting.  But still, it was something that came off as unsettling and almost pitiful even as a fan of one of the hopeful teams.

As a Knicks fan after much sulking, I looked at it from a rational standpoint and I understand why he did it.  Lebron did it to win championships and nothing else.  At the end of the day that’s what this game is about and for the winners go the spoils and for losers go nothing.  There’s no such thing as second place.  Lebron understood that better than anyone.  As a man expected to carry his team to the championship these last two years it was a colossal disappointment that he never accomplished that goal for his home state.  Despite all the rumblings the fact was this, Lebron wanted the championships and naturally one would expect the glory that comes with it.

I get it.  I even get the need to have two very talented men to support you and help shoulder the burden of bringing a title to the resume.  Even as he’s teaming up to become part of this (un) holy triumvirate, make no mistake this is all about Lebron which explains why he didn’t go the simple route and join Chris Bosh and Dwayne Wade at the podium for their announcements (which of course makes the cry of ego maniac ring truer but we’ll get to that.).  I get why he would want to play with his friends and build a dynasty with them.  I get all of that.  In fact, me and my buddies from high school always joke about each getting a place on the same block and growing old together.

Even then you didn’t expect it.  Even then you held out hope that perhaps this whole Lebron to the Heat was just smoke screen for either his eventual return to Cleveland or escape to Chicago or New York which both wouldn’t be as universally destroyed like this move is.  Don’t get me wrong, leaving the Cavs makes him look like a jerk.  Leaving the Cavs for South Beach makes him look like a doubting-his-own-talent jerk.

I don’t buy that this is bad for the NBA.  In fact, all this Lebron speculation cost ESPN a lot of its credibility and almost destroyed Twitter.  It was THE TALK of the internet and everyone and I mean even the President had an opinion on the matter.  This is fantastic for the NBA in a time in which ticket sales are down and the league is losing money in the hundreds of millions.  All this hype over the super team will draw huge ratings.  Quick prediction about how many Heat games will be shown on national television?

I don’t even buy the talk that this immediately vaults them to the top of the pack in the NBA.  The Lakers still have Kobe, Artest, Gasol, and Odom and a very good supporting cast which the Heat will have to address in the coming days.

But there are some negatives here in the immediate future that must be discussed, and other points but before I do that I just want to throw one last conspiracy theory because these Lebron rumors have been so fun:  David Stern facing sagging sales and a tough economic future, send an email to every big name free agent over the next two seasons to begin forming super teams.  The NBA will push through outlandish trades and create 6 or 7 elite teams filled with two or three top 20 players in the league and approve an unbalanced schedule where these teams will meet once a week on TNT and ESPN.  Don’t put anything past Stern.

First negative: Immediate fall out in Cleveland was bad.  So bad that all you saw were Lebron jerseys being burned, young white women crying, and empty bars perhaps symbolizing Cleveland’s economy now that Lebron isn’t there.  But the icing on the cake was a half drunk/half crazed letter by super fan/owner Dan Gilbert destroying Lebron’s reputation and basically saying everything that any Cleveland fan would.  In all of this, Cleveland is the biggest victim, but are they?  If the fix was in from jump street and Lebron, Wade and Bosh had planned this all along, then yes Cleveland is victim.  But if not, if this were an actual decision and Lebron heard out every camp’s proposal how could New York be bashed for its proposal and not Cleveland?  Everyone’s biggest complaint about New York’s presentation was that it was all about New York and very little about the roster and about the players it would surround him with.  Well, Cleveland had a 60 win team with no cap flexibility to add pieces unless it had a sign and trade set with a player but Chris Bosh, the player that many had earmarked as Lebron’s pick to roll with him, refused to play in Cleveland (I don’t blame him).  Other than that, Cleveland did nothing else to show Lebron that they were serious suitors other than to play on his emotions of staying at home.  While the Cleveland roster was better than the Knick roster, in time we’ll see how much Lebron elevated that roster to a 60 win team.  Lebron on last year’s Knicks could’ve made them at least a 50 something win team in the East if they were capable of winning 29 on their own.  The point is that Cleveland made nothing more than a half hearted attempt at keeping their star player on their roster.

Which brings us to the Heat’s first game at Cleveland which should bring more than just fireworks.  I legitimately am worried for Lebron’s life.  What he did by screwing them over and doing it on national television was embarrass a town that didn’t need another reminder of how sports-cursed they are.  He gave them 7 years of his heart and yet in the end, all anyone will remember is Dan Gilbert’s assertion that he quit on the team in his final 4 games and took the cowardly way out.  That will lead to bitter resentment.  I was listening to talk radio this morning and they were trying to find a perfect comparison of how he would be greeted by fans in Cleveland and the best they came up with was Vince Carter who’s every shot for years was met with resounding boos.  This was for years and he’s not even from Toronto.  Lebron’s exit is a little more personal and he’s already eclipsed Art Modell as the most vile sports figure in the Cleveland area.  That’s no easy task but Lebron found a way to do it.  Also, the poetry in the fact that every cruel Cleveland loss is just one word: the Fumble, the Drive, the Shot and now, the Decision.    Lebron couldn’t have been that cruel could he?

Second Negative: It sets precedents on several levels.  What does it tell small market teams like Cleveland that they can’t even keep one of their home grown stars?  Sure, on the same day Kevin Durant resigned with the Thunder quietly via Twitter, but he’s a shy kid who’s on a pretty loaded roster.  There will be more guys that go the Lebron route and leave for flashier pastures and it sets a precedent on another note as well.  Lebron’s one of the biggest basketball stars on the planet and his decision became a nationally televised event.  What will the next super talent do to upstage the self titled King?  How will technology affect this change and how much has unbridled access destroyed the mystique of star players?  Imagine we hadn’t been put through this charade?  If Lebron knew where he was going all along it seems rather selfish and egotistical to do something like this and stretch this out for his own sense of self worth doesn’t it?  What was he promised?  How hard was he laughing inside while Mikhail Prokhorov made his business pitch?  What does Jay-Z think of him now that he made his choice to join D-Wade and Bosh?  I’m sure he won’t be thrilled if he finds out that he had made up his mind a long time ago.  Point is, our society seeks answers and requires access at all times and doesn’t seem to have a sense of boundary to them.  If Princess Di’s death marked the explosion of the term paparazzi, then what will Lebronapalooza be the start of?  Technically Lebron gave us what we now crave.  Everything.  We want to be the fly on the wall.  I wouldn’t be surprised if a documentary detailing everything will be released with extra footage of them discussing this plan months in advance giving us the answer we pretty much know.  They planned this and they strung us along for the ride.  Whatever new era in media we are entering its uncharted waters and Lebron is making history.

Third negative and I can’t come to call this a negative, because its more selfish on my part.  The biggest question mark coming into this whole thing was motivation:  What was Lebron really after?  Was he out to be the greatest of all time?  Was he out to be the home town kid makes good storyline play out?  Was he out to be the kid from the sticks makes it big in the Big City?  Was it legacy?  Was it about pride?  What was it?  Selfishly all the hype about Lebron had made us come to expect something uniquely incredible.  We were all convinced that he would do something that had never been done before on an NBA court before all was said and done and that may still be the case but its a very long shot now.  By taking his services to South Beach he’s joining Wade’s team.  He’s now fully inserted himself into shot gun mode and decided to lower his game and his possible stature as the game’s greatest to help Wade become a multiple time champion.  Sure Lebron stands to gain but not as much as previously thought.  Forget his brand and what it will do to it financially by becoming just another piece.  His legacy is lessened by joining forces.

I’m sure Lebron will tell you a good story about sacrificing for the greater good of championships and all that and frankly I’ll believe him.  At the end of the day he couldn’t deal with the weight and burden of being THE MAN at one spot.  He couldn’t imagine failing in New York or Cleveland or Chicago because in those three places he would’ve certainly been the undisputed number one.  He goes to one of three places where he’s the undisputed number two.  It was a tough choice and one made with the understanding that he will be seen as a lesser player but with the knowledge that that sacrifice will be forgotten in the stream of championships this Heat team will compete for.

We all want to compare players to Jordan and I’ve never thought that it was a fair comparison but I get why people do it.  We all need a reference point, something to judge another person by and the only way to do that is by comparing that person to one of equal talent.  The fact that Lebron was continuously compared to Jordan without any rings tells you what people see in his potential but now, in my opinion, he has to go above and beyond to jump back into the conversation.  Say what you will about Jordan and how he played in a different era, but even if Jordan, Bird, or Magic were in the place of Lebron they would’ve never joined forces.  They had too much hubris and pride to do that.  They all wanted the recognition and worked hard to get it and they could never handle being upstaged by their own teammates.  Jordan would’ve went to a place that he could own or stayed in Cleveland to finish the job.  They had a certain pride that kept them from walking away.  You knew those guys would eventually get rings because that’s all they wanted.  But talk of being a billionaire clouded Lebron’s head and clearly his mind.  He was busier setting up his post-basketball life than focusing on the task at hand.

I guess its selfish on our part to see a person not see his potential reached.  I would’ve rooted for Lebron had he stayed in Cleveland.  I would’ve understood had he went to Chicago and I would’ve been positively thrilled had he come to New York.  But Miami still makes no sense to me from one stand point: Why not do it unless you wanted no parts of the responsibility?  If we had billed you as our best player how come you weren’t ready to accept that responsibility?  I guess that’s the main word: responsibility.  Is it his responsibility to us as fans or to himself that he should pay attention to?  We were told that we were witnesses, but what are we witness to now?

Just like last night, he’s taking much of the mystery of the next few seasons out of it.  Its almost expected that the Heat will win the title for the next few seasons.  They will be the biggest attraction the NBA has ever seen since they broadcast the original Dream Team’s games back in 1992.  Nobody can deny the talent level oozing from this team but one can imagine the blame that will fall on the Heat if they dont fullfill the prophecy.

Maybe Lebron walked into an even greater challenge than he left.  I mean, to lift Cleveland to a championship filled city was tough enough but to do so on a team where everyone will watch with a microscope and wait for failure could be even more trying.  Maybe the thrill of being the team with the big target on their back, a traveling team of all-stars will motivate them to show up on every single night.  The need for fans to be treated to a show will make them work harder to give them one.

But let’s step back and take a breath for what last night was: a self centered 25 year old embarking on the next chapter in his not so secretive life.  A guy who couldn’t handle the big city lights of New York, or walking in the shadow of MJ, or lifting his home town team to championship glory, but rather chose a path less traveled with two of his close friends.  I’m not saying that he made the wrong decision, that answer will reveal itself with time.  I’m saying that his decision could’ve been handled better by a kid we all thought knew how to handle it.  But maybe we don’t know a thing.  Maybe Lebron will win and we’ll eventually forget and Cleveland will get another superstar to bring them that elusive championship that city seeks.

But one thing will always bug me:: how on earth did Chris Bosh’s insignificant ass convince both Lebron and D-Wade that he was the key in all of this?

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