OT: Bill Simmons on the LeBronocalypse

Submitted by Pea-Tear Gryphon on

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=simmons/100708

Thought this was a good read. Not a huge NBA fan or LBJ fan for that matter, but Simmons is a good read nonetheless. He also ends it with this quote:

What a week for LeBron's brand. I just hope he remembers to wipe the blood off the knife after he pulls it from Cleveland's back.

Poor, poor Cleveland. Not that I really feel bad being a UM/Tigers/Pistons fan though.

Wes Mantooth

July 8th, 2010 at 1:53 PM ^

My old roommate is also a Michigan fan from Cleveland.  He's definitely a Mich fan and definitely doesn't like OSU, but sometimes I get the feeling he's less anti-OSU than the rest of us (if that makes sense).  So I still don't feel bad for him as a Cleveland fan....

03 Blue 07

July 8th, 2010 at 3:11 PM ^

Yes, I know this individual you refer to. Mantooth is right: we have questioned his envy of OSU's success (although it is understandable in football, unfortunately). However, the man is going to be heartsick when Lebron announces he's going elsewhere.

However, we have plenty of other friends who are from Ohio, and some from Cleveland, who despise the Buckeyes. That's because they all made the right decision to go to U of M.

M-Wolverine

July 8th, 2010 at 6:41 PM ^

And wonder if he can take another hit. I was with him when the Indians blew the World Series.  And the Brown were taken away.  This might be the last straw.  Still, it was also pretty funny...

willis j

July 8th, 2010 at 2:33 PM ^

Being from Cleveland, I'm sort of a Browns fan, although I don't care about the NFL all that much, I don't really care about Baseball all that much to claim fandom towards one team. I am a CAVS fan back to the Price/Nance/Daugherty (sp) teams.

I see Browns fans around here, and listen to them talk, and feel bad for them. Then they start talking about OSU, and that feeling goes away and I instantly hate them. I can't stand them. I want nothing to do with them.

The Browns fans that don't care about tOSU, they seem ok. But there is just something about Cleveland sports fans/tOSU that rubs me the wrong way (more so for OSU). And speaking with my friend who is a Steelers fan, it is this:

They will always spin things in their favor. No worries that the Browns are 1-11 the last 12 vs Pittsburgh. But they are 1-1 the last two, or 1-0 vs them at home this year. Then there is the "there is always next year" line of BS. Its always something, always some line of BS that just makes you want to punch them in the face.

coldnjl

July 8th, 2010 at 1:25 PM ^

and Jamison, Big Z, Williams...

All former all stars I believe. Sounds like he just can't carry a team on his back. Besides, the last playoff series loss is on his back, and his alone...so maybe he does need 2 elite all stars to make him look good. Its Cleveland or betrayal

Huntington Wolverine

July 8th, 2010 at 1:51 PM ^

Agreed. If you're so committed to the town you grew up in, why not recruit some of those big names to come to you instead of going somewhere else?  I understand Lebron being frustrated with his situation in Cleveland but they built a team that made it to the finals and got steamrolled by the Spurs.  That team also posted the NBA's best record two years in a row after getting swept by the Spurs. They had the pieces but LeBron and co. couldn't handle the playoffs, not to mention Brown being a horrible coach with no respect in the locker room.

OysterMonkey

July 8th, 2010 at 2:00 PM ^

the fact that the Cavs have gone out of their way to try to add anybody that LeBron wanted to try to chase a title now.

"Hey, LBJ, you want to play with Jamison? Ok, we'll give up a first round draft pick for a 20 game rental who doesn't play defense and take on his salary for next year too, which means we won't be in a position to add anybody over the summer and we won't have a single draft pick. Sound good? We'll do whatever you ask, ok, just don't leave, please? Please?"

Ironically, I think the Cavs would have been in a better position to keep LeBron and add more good players now if they hadn't tried to cater to every request of his to "upgrade" the roster midseason over the past few years to try to appease him.

cargo

July 8th, 2010 at 2:46 PM ^

No offense if you watch jamison he tried his best on D while in cleveland there is a difference between not playing and not being good at. There is like 20 times i can remember where garnett hit a shot over the hand of jamison in the eastern semis

OysterMonkey

July 8th, 2010 at 3:13 PM ^

His defensive effort against Garnett left a lot to be desired. KG caught the ball wherever he wanted, moved unimpeded to anywhere else he wanted to go, and Jamison was a spectator.

I would venture to say that Jamison has all the requisite physical tools to play solid defense and that his main problem is not really wanting to.

In his defense though, KG seems like he's crazy, so I don't know if I'd want to piss him off, either.

The Shredder

July 8th, 2010 at 2:26 PM ^

People have to get over the Cavs roster. It's not that great. It's good but not NBA Champion great. Jamison is once again a solid NBA player but not a game changer. Big Z is old,slow and barley grabs mins. Williams is a regular season hero who plays solid when it's not for real. Once playoff time comes... Mo is a complete fraud. Kobe wouldn't have won a championship with that roster. 

TheLastHarbaugh

July 8th, 2010 at 2:37 PM ^

Exactly. I keep hearing pundits and others talking about how the Cavs won 61 games last year with their current roster, and that's a garbage reason for LeBron to stay. NBA regular season records mean virtually nothing beyond home court advantage.

The Cavs are not built to win in the playoffs. They don't have the matchups, and they don't have any one single player who can consistently take the pressure off of LeBron. They don't have the bigs to step out and guard the Rashard Lewis, and Lamar Odom type big men, and they also lack the defensive ability to handle elite point guards. LeBron can carry them in the regular season, but in the playoffs the Cavs are easily exposed. 

Thatguy2525

July 8th, 2010 at 12:35 PM ^

and this shit is getting really old. I hate all Ohio teams, but kinda like Lebron. But more for his personality. This shit is on local news, all over ESPN as everyone else knows. But a whole hour show just for a one minute decision. Gimme a break and get over yourself already!

wooderson

July 8th, 2010 at 12:57 PM ^

Well considering these days every 2-star and up recruit has a big press conference to announce their decision I think Lebron having a one-hour special is pretty obligatory.  At least the proceeds are going to charity.

NomadicBlue

July 8th, 2010 at 1:22 PM ^

I hope he comes out to a table of baseball hats to choose from.  Then he has to look down at them as if he really can't decide.  Maybe pick one or two of them up and look at them only to toss them aside until it comes down to just two hats - Cleveland and Miami.  After another moment or two of fake contemplation, he reaches for   .   .   .   .   .   .   .   .   .   .  .

Tune in tonight @ 9. 

BlockM

July 8th, 2010 at 12:37 PM ^

Simmons makes a lot of good points, one being that Lebron evidently has no one around him to tell him that this might not be the best way to go about things. It feels like a Jimmy Clausen type ordeal when there's no reason for it to be. Granted, he's proving to be a hell of a business man milking this thing for all it's worth. Just imagine what would happen if he announced tonight that he's planning to take another week to "sort some things out."

Tacopants

July 8th, 2010 at 1:23 PM ^

Lebron's posse is playing a big role in this.  Pushing away agents and advisors are not the way to maximize exposure and revenue in a positive way.  I'm not saying that NBA agents and people like WW Wes are looking out for Lebron, but I would assume they know more about selling players and building a brand than his best friend from high school.

Lebron will still make tons of money, but I know this whole ordeal has left a bad taste in a lot of people's mouths.  I don't think creating all this drama has made him any fans, and he's sure to disappoint far more people tonight than he'll make happy.

Moe Greene

July 8th, 2010 at 12:38 PM ^

Just for Lebroncolypse alone. Truly a megafantastic word. My previous thought of "lebronnening" pales in comparison and is far too nerdy for most mortals.

 

Well played, good sir!

 

Flying Dutchman

July 8th, 2010 at 12:41 PM ^

Great article.

I was at the Q for the Cavs home opener 2 seasons ago.   The upper bowl was at least half empty, and they had a 23 yr old LeBron in uniform.   Shame on them.

For some reason at an NBA game, they flashed the block M on the jumbotron, and drew vicious boos.   So, Fuck Cleveland.   LeBron's not going back, and they will be pathetic, and I will enjoy that very much.

Space Coyote

July 8th, 2010 at 2:03 PM ^

Or LeBron, or any of the Cleveland sports teams, I feel sorry for the people, the businesses downtown, and the such.  I know it's popular to have negative feelings toward Cleveland people and stuff, but I worked there, I know a lot of good people from the area, and downtown Cleveland is set to lose a lot of money if LeBron doesn't come back.  The people of Cleveland are the ones that are going to suffer because of this, and I feel a little sorry for them.

Essentially it just sucks that, in the state the economy is in, so much is dependent on one player in one sport for the success of business in a particular city, but I guess that's just the truth of the matter.

BlizzardOfOz

July 8th, 2010 at 1:38 PM ^

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/writers/jack_mccallum/07/08/lebron.free.agency/index.html?eref=sihp

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/writers/michael_rosenberg/07/07/lebron/index.html?xid=cnnbin&hpt=Sbin

LeBron James got what he wanted: adoration, adoration, adoration. And maybe I'm wrong, but I really think Cleveland will get what it wants: another half-dozen years of LeBron James. It should be the perfect marriage. It's just too bad that James is such a shameless flirt.

twohooks

July 8th, 2010 at 12:56 PM ^

Since the City of Cleveland has won any type of professional championship. I would make a tote board sign but the size of the sign alone would cause me to lease a luxury suite.

Seth9

July 8th, 2010 at 12:59 PM ^

Stephen A. Smith wins the Woodward & Bernstein Award for reporting last week that Wade/LeBron/Bosh in Miami was "done."

Had Smith said, "I learned tonight that Miami is the prohibitive favorite to get all three; someone would have to go back on their word for this not to happen," then it played out the way it had, he would have been the NostradamuSAS of this thing. But he tried to get engaged without the ring. Still, he gets a partial credit for sniffing it out.

Somewhat contradictory here, but OK. Of course, he later writes:

The truth is, New York might not mean anything to LeBron, just like college football recruits don't care about Notre Dame any more. 

This is incredibly, incredibly dumb. Notre Dame, despite being very mediocre for quite awhile, still has managed to draw top-tier recruiting classes year after year.

jrt336

July 8th, 2010 at 1:32 PM ^

Yeah, I don't think Simmons knows a  whole lot about college football. I don't get the whole "recruits don't care about tradition/programs that used to be great but have struggled for a while." I am the same age as these recruits, and I know ND is one of the most successful programs of all time. I don't remember them ever being that good since I can only remember back to around 2002 or 2003, but I still know that they have been successful in the past, and will be again someday.

VectorVictor05

July 8th, 2010 at 2:00 PM ^

And you win the Drew P. Sharp award for taking quotes out of context to make a point...?

If you read the article Simmons doens't contradict himself at all on the Stephen A. Smith point.  He's basically saying that he thought SAS was crazy when the Heat thing came out, now if that pans out SAS looks like the oracle.  Then he uses Smith's quote as an example of the quasi-fact based reporting that has been going on for weeks with all this....his point is that instead of providing facts and a disclaimer that things could change, SAS and every other reporter is spouting off half-truths as stone cold locks to get attention.  You pulled two quotes from two different parts of the article.

His point on ND isn't that off base...compared to the 60s/70s/80s ND doesn't have the same intrigue as it once did on a national scale.  Just like the NY Knicks aren't a premier destination for free agents unless you're past your prime and want a payday.....

Great...now I sound like I'm hard for Simmons.  Eh well...