OT: He is coming...

[VeveJones007]

The biggest problem I have was the BS answer he gave about why he chose Miami. That team does not give him the "best" chance to win championships. The objective analysts out there were pretty adamant that the Bulls were the team that fit that criteria.

LeBron wanted to play with his pals. Why did he hide behind the "winning" excuse? I feel really sorry for Cavs fans right now. That has to suck. As a Colts fan, I can't even imagine how I would feel if Manning just up and left on national television like that.

[BUBrave28]

The Sports Guy weighs on the 'Big 3'...great read.

10. Let's say LeBron signs with Miami. Can you even make the Finals with LeBron, Bosh, Wade and nine minimum-salary guys? Because that might be next year's team ??¦ and if that's what happens, the answer is "no effing way." You don't win titles just because of your top three. That belittles the meaning of guys like Derek Fisher, Robert Horry, Steve Kerr, John Paxson, Brian Shaw ??¦ you could go on for hours naming role players who swung a title. The 2008 Celts lucked out by getting James Posey, Eddie House and P.J. Brown for practically nothing; Miami wouldn't have that luxury this summer, not with so many role players jockeying for contracts one year before the possible lockout. Nobody is taking less money to showcase themselves for a summer that might not happen. Even if Miami could spin Michael Beasley for a fourth guy (say, Trevor Ariza), that's still not enough. They'd need one more rebounder, point guard, a 3-point shooter and a center. Good luck.

11. Another problem: You realize how many minutes these guys would log on a three-man team? About 42-44 minutes for 100 games ??¦ and if anyone missed an extended stretch of games, then that would put even more pressure on the other two. Crazy. No way they win more than 50, especially with teams gunning for them every night. We've also never seen two perimeter superstar alpha dogs coexist for an NBA title -- not even when Jerry West and Elgin Baylor teamed up with Wilt Chamberlain against the aging Celtics in 1969. LeBron would have to accept becoming Mega-Pippen to Wade's Jordan. (Yeah, right.) Even during the final quarter of the 2008 gold-medal game, when everyone on the American team was staring at each other wondering who was going to step up against a red-hot Spain team, there were a few minutes of tentative, "I don't want to step on anyone's toes here" basketball before Kobe said, "Screw it, get out of my way" and took over the key portion of the game.
Well, at some point, Wade and LeBron will have one of those 2008 Spain moments ??¦ but what happens if both guys say, "Screw it, get out of my way"? You need to have a special type of mentality to want that moment; that's why Scottie Pippen melted down in that 1994 Bulls-Knicks playoff game, because Phil Jackson had spent that entire year building him up and making him think, "We can win without Jordan, you're just as good, we can DO THIS," then designed the biggest play of the season for someone else. It was a slap in the face. Pippen reacted terribly, but still, don't you want him to be pissed there? Isn't that what being an alpha dog is all about? Don't you need a special level of swagger and confidence to carry that load every night? And once you reach that level, doesn't it become impossible to share the spotlight with someone else? Of course ??¦


http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2...simmons/100708

BB -- for some reason I always quote you You must know something. Anyways, I read this article while in a meeting with my CEO (I didn't get caught, no worries). If you read the article, Bill puts LBJ's choices into perfect perspective. I have no doubt in my mind that LeBron B*tched out. Not only on his city, his team, his fans, but himself. If he wanted to prove something Chicago or New York were the best places to do that.

I refused to watch ESPN all day, go to their website, or participate in this bull**** circus. Do you really think for one minute they didn't know exactly what was going on? I have yet to even see replay of what LBJ said. Whatever it was, I guarantee it was a complete farse.



Heres the long-winded rant I went on earlier:
LBJ just cost Cleveland **** near a BILLION dollars in future revenue. That whole state is in more trouble than Illinois or Cali but noone knows/cares cause it's Ohio. Not to mention the 50 years of futility they have suffered through in sports. But LBJ knows nothing about that as a fair weather fan of the Bulls, Yankees, and Cowboys. Once again he showed his selfish attitude tonight.

By putting this whole thing on TV and making a mockery of the whole situation he has also made a joke of the NBA, the Miami Heat, and himself. He won't ever recover from the damage he did to HIMSELF today. His "brand" is tarnished forever and most people I know would rather cheer for Kobe ..never will be Jordan and had Shaq on my side.. Bryant than cheer for LeBron ..I'm a ho, can't do it with my own team, flushed my chances of being on Jordan or Kobe's level down the toilet, and it's all Clevelands fault.. James.

When details come out about the meetings these guys had across the NBA I will do nothing but lose more respect for each and every one of them. Loyalty is a word that doesn't even exist at it's true meaning anymore.

If LBJ wanted rings they were waiting in Chicago and there's no way to doubt that. If he wanted to save basketball in NYC, he could have done it (and I would have respected that). If he wanted to stay home and make his city crazy dollars, so be it, easy decision. Going to Miami, renting a cabana, and proclaiming to the world he's a backstabbing #$%^, and then go down in history as the biggest scum bag piece of s*^t is just gutless.

LeBron James is ******* *****. I hope nothing but the worst for him and I guarantee today they will NOT be a top 3 seed in the East. Book it. LeBron is an embarrassment, period.. not only to Cleveland but to professional sports. This isn't the *****ng WWE, it's the NBA. Get outta here with the BS theatrics. I LOVE everything Dan Gilbert said and I hope we see them in the Eastern Conference Finals before I see LBJ bitch out on the game winning shot and pass it off to Wade.

Have fun with minimum salary losers filling out your top heavy roster.

PS -- D Wade for daddy of the year .. glad he took his kids into consideration instead of using them as a pawn. Stay classy.

[Future Walk-On]

what are the bulls going to do now? that have all that money

[ChewaBrave]

All of that was just too funny. Pretty sure this officially drops cleveland down to 'detroit' status now.

[DUBrave5]

what are the bulls going to do now? that have all that money

All that money ensures that a few more players get some nice payday and that the Bulls have a very solid roster from top to bottom.

[Da Coach]

Sorry if this was posted-
Miami was able to ship Michael Beasley to Minnesota last night for a lousy 2nd round draft pick in 2011, plus a possible swap of first round picks in a future draft.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=5365794

Also, with the money freed up by Beasley's departure, the Heat are reportedly close to signing free agent Mike Miller for 5 years/$27.5 million. If true, it won't leave much money for anyone else, but it does give Miami a shooter.


One more-
Check out this "open letter to fans" by the majority owner of the Cleveland Cavaliers regarding LeBron's decision last night. He sounds a little bitter-

http://www.nba.com/cavaliers/news/gilbert_letter_100708.html

[Da Coach]

The Bulls lost out on the LeBron sweepstakes, despite maneuvering their roster over the past year to make enough money available for him and Boozer. But the Bulls are still in pretty good shape to be better next year.

There are 3 teams that come out the worst in this debacle.
The New Jersey Nets won only 12 games last year, and didn't do anything to improve themselves yet in the free agent market.

The Cleveland Cavliers might not win any games next season with the poor collection of talent left there.

But the Knicks could battle the Nets and Cavs for the NBA's worst team next year. They still have money left to go after another free agent or two. But all they have for next year are Amare Stoudamire and his bad knees, and a really bad collection of players (irrelevant names like- Eddy Curry, Danilo Gallinari, Toney Douglas, Wilson Chandler, Bill Walker, and Jerome Jordan, recently acquired Anthony Randolph, Ronny Turiaf, and Kelenna Azubuike, and 2 draft picks that most experts did not expect to even be drafted- Andy Rautins and Landry Fields) and no point guard. Their best player, David Lee is gone. Maybe they will go after a washed up scorer like Tracy McGrady. But next year in the NBA will be fun to watch as long as you are not a fan of the Cavs, Nets, or Knicks.

http://sports.espn.go.com/new-york/nba/news/story?id=5365731

[Dallas Brave]

Blame the Celtics for LeBron runing to the safety of Dwayne Wade's skirt. The Celtics pinned a diaper on LeBron and told him not to take it off.

LeBron's legacy now becomes closer to Scottie Pippen than Michael Jordan. Maybe the Heat will win a championship, but LeBron will play second fiddle.

LJ quitting during the playoffs this year showed that he is not cut out of the same cloth as Kobe or Michael ... his decision to go to the Heat further demonstrates his failure to be a leader.

[amckillip]

Wow, talk about hurt feelings. The guy took less money to go play with better players, I don't EVER want to be accused of wearing rose-colored glasses by the Bulls fans on here hating on LBJ. I don't even like LBJ, I'm a Kobe guy, but the guy's good, and left for a better situation. Has no one in here taken a better job for a different company?

[SFP]

The biggest problem I have was the BS answer he gave about why he chose Miami. That team does not give him the "best" chance to win championships. The objective analysts out there were pretty adamant that the Bulls were the team that fit that criteria.

LeBron wanted to play with his pals. Why did he hide behind the "winning" excuse? I feel really sorry for Cavs fans right now. That has to suck. As a Colts fan, I can't even imagine how I would feel if Manning just up and left on national television like that.

Manning doing that would be far worse IMO...Manning has won the big game something LeBron has not.

Who knows really why LeBron chose Miami but where would you rather live? I agree that Chicago would have given him a much better platform to win now and into the foreseeable future. Basketball is a team sport and they are still not an overall better team then The Lakers right now.

Chalmers - Fisher (Fisher has shown that he is clutch)
D Wade - Kobe (Kobe by very little)
LeBron - Ron Artest (LeBron wins it out but Artest would be a pain in his side)
Bosh - Gasol (Gasol is better right now)
????? - Bynum (Who will Miami find???)
Bench - (Miami will have to build one with zero $$$)
Coach (Phil is the best period!)

If he went to the Bulls I could paint a much better picture!

[amckillip]

Manning doing that would be far worse IMO...Manning has won the big game something LeBron has not.

Who knows really why LeBron chose Miami but where would you rather live? I agree that Chicago would have given him a much better platform to win now and into the foreseeable future. Basketball is a team sport and they are still not an overall better team then The Lakers right now.

Chalmers - Fisher (Fisher has shown that he is clutch)
D Wade - Kobe (Kobe by very little)
LeBron - Ron Artest (LeBron wins it out but Artest would be a pain in his side)
Bosh - Gasol (Gasol is better right now)
????? - Bynum (Who will Miami find???)
Bench - (Miami will have to build one with zero $$$)
Coach (Phil is the best period!)

If he went to the Bulls I could paint a much better picture!

You say the picture would be better with the bulls, I'm not disagreeing, because I buy into team chemistry. But the Heat now have three players better than the Bulls best player. That is seriously something to consider.

[SFP]

You say the picture would be better with the bulls, I'm not disagreeing, because I buy into team chemistry. But the Heat now have three players better than the Bulls best player. That is seriously something to consider.

If LeBron went to the Bulls

D Rose over Chalmers
DWade - Better then the shooter they will sign
LeBon - LeBon
Carlos Boozer - Bosh (I like Boozer)
Noah over whoever they can afford.
Bench - Again Miami has zero bench
Coach - If Pat Riley goes back then they Miami gets the check

I would say Chicago would have offered a much better younger team. I'm not a Bulls fan by any stretch.

[amckillip]

If LeBron went to the Bulls

D Rose over Chalmers
DWade - Better then the shooter they will sign
LeBon - LeBon
Carlos Boozer - Bosh (I like Boozer)
Noah over whoever they can afford.
Bench - Again Miami has zero bench
Coach - If Pat Riley goes back then they Miami gets the check

I would say Chicago would have offered a much better younger team. I'm not a Bulls fan by any stretch.

I think about anyone will take Bosh over Boozer, and like I said, I don't disagree with you that the Bulls might have been a better fit, but there is a very strong argument to be made that the 3 star system could work, and that it might be better than the Bulls.

[SFP]

I think about anyone will take Bosh over Boozer, and like I said, I don't disagree with you that the Bulls might have been a better fit, but there is a very strong argument to be made that the 3 star system could work, and that it might be better than the Bulls.

Yea you are right about Bosh over Boozer but Bosh has yet to be tested in a playoff situation. I'm not sold on him. The 3 star system worked with Boston but who would have known that Rondo would be so good. Boston also had a pretty good bench to compliment the 3.

[AE Braves Fan]

Would have been pretty stupid to play in New York where almost 13% of his salary would have been flushed down the toilet in state and city income taxes.

I wish he would have picked Chicago but I can see why he picked Miami - Florida doesn't rob him of his money with income taxes.