That's actually a good example. How much more would Marino be discussed in the greatest QB's of all time if he won as many as Montana for example? I'm not saying he isn't right up there, but he would be a hell of a lot more with a few rings under his belt. Who's career would you rather have as an owner Troy Aikman or Dan Marino? Who was the better QB?
Again... great player (not debating that). Economic impact... yeah I get it. Made his team a PLAYOFF team..... yippy. After 7 years into his career why are teams like the Lakers, Celtics, Bulls, Pistons etc.... thought of as championship organizations and not the Cavs? He came .... he left.... and there are no banners hanging. Impact? zero LOL.
yeah gilbert is being an idiot too. The whole thing is silly. If cleveland spent as much money trying to keep other 20 somthings inthe city as they did on lebron, this place mightbe a pretty booming city... instead....
Who had the better line, RB and most important Tight End It's a great example, I hate LB, but Cleveland needed to put players around him to win. Barry Sanders was a crappy RB also Put Barry and Dan on the same team and what would have happen?
One other interesting thought is that how now everybody is talking down on all the guys that LeBron played with, saying that they were the reason he couldn't get his ring... but when guys like West, Shaq, Big Z, Mo, Anderson, and Jamison were on the court with him... all you heard was how good those guys were. Hell, for a while, the media would have led you to believe that Jamison was the second best player in the NBA besides LJ
Shaq is a shadow of what he was, I guess my question would be, where we these guys against Boston? All Boston did was stop LB, and said to the cavs, the rest of you beat us. That is how you beat the cavs in the playoffs. Go back and look at playoffs teams who win, it's not one player stepping up night after night. It's the other guys. Again I hate LJ, but the cavs put a team and coach on the floor that could win games, not championships Look at it this way, the cavs had 7 years to build a champion ship team around LJ.
Gary... honestly... your reply makes sense.... but if you want to call Shaq a "shadow of what he was"... you have to say the same thing about KG, Paul Pierce, Ray Allen, and Rasheed Wallace. I hate to break it down for Cav's fans... but LeBron wasn't the only reason that the Cav's were beat in the playoffs... that was an entire team effort (or lack there of). The role players were signed to contracts.... they were given the chance.... they folded under the pressure WITH LeBron. The major factor that most everybody is forgetting is determination.... watch any game that Paul Pierce, Ray Allen, or KG has played in and compare it to LeBron's games... YES... LeBron may have better stats, he is more flashy and puts on a show that "WOW'S" the crowd.. but at the end of the day.... KG, Pierce, and Allen all have more heart, determination, and the ability to refuse defeat.... that is the entire reason that they have rings and LeBron doesn't.
Exactly right. People want it both ways. It's not exactly like he was surrounded by a high school basketball team. I thought the Jamison move was to guarantee a title so "the king" would stay in cleveland. Guys like West and Mo werent' good supporting casts either? What power houses did Jordan have aside from Pippen? Ding ding ding we have a winner. It's really that simple. Make all the excuses in the world. Who he didn't or did have to play for. Who all the other greats had around them. Blah Blah blah boo hoo. Like BM said... at the end of the day some refuse to lose... period. Champions don't make excuses they make results. It's something you can't teach and something you won't see on the top 10 plays of sportscenter.
I will give my opinion on the subject again... There was plenty of talent in Cleveland to win a couple championships. The only weakness the Cavs had was a bruiser in the center position (Shaq was there only one year and only played 20 some minutes per game, plus he missed a good portion of the season due to a thumb injury. And by the way his injury didnt negativly affect there overall record what so ever) He left Cleveland because he is jealpus of Kobe's 5 and counting rings.... That's my honest opinion. The media (Nike the NBA ESPN etc) has built up this Kobe vs. LBJ drama for the last few years.... (remember all of the Nike puppet commercials with Kobe and LBJ?) LBJ got crushed in the playoffs by Orlando and then Boston while the Lakers and Kobe had their championship express enroute to back to back finals births and triumps. It make Kobe look like a winner (after all he is) and LBJ look like a loser and it crushed his ego. I do not like the fact what so ever the NBA fans will no longer get to see an LBJ - Wade showdown. Those made for fantastic games and wonderful highlights on ESPN. I would have rather seen LBJ go to Chicago and try to lead a team to the finals rather than play second fiddle to Wade who has been there and done that. To me the NBA just got a lot less interesting and it doesn't have anything to do with me being upset Lebron left Cleveland as I am honestly not upset about it. Would I have liked him to stay? Absolutly I would have... But if his heart isn't in Cleveland anymore he needed to move on.
Really? That is the only reason? How many championships did Pierce, Allen and KG win before playing together? You don't have to look it up...its ZERO. I'm surprised heart, determination, and the ability to refuse defeat didn't get them championships before they joined forces.
Lebron is a great ball player and I don't really see where he's a bad guy at all......egomaniac? sure, into himself and the light? sure, but he did turn down more money from the Cavs to go to Miami and he did play with the Cavs for 7 yrs and what did they do to help build a team around him??
Right. But now he's trying to win championships....and he's getting his jersey burned. lol Damn him for trying to win with winners....damn him. And for whomever said he had zero impact....that's just funny. ESPN doesn't cover him for fun....they cover him because people watch. When people watch...ESPN gets paid. Incomplete agreement with you Matt.
OH No you didn't say that. You're suggesting that BASKETBALL IS A TEAM SPORT. LOL A prime example......(I couldn't resist)
How you managed to squeak a Duke post in a Lebron thread is beyond me lol. You and your Duke blue underwear enjoy it while you can. Duck fuke..... and for everyone else..... just listen to this guy he has it figured out. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IMk5sMHj58I
