Soxbadger

Hes just a 25 year old kid who just doesnt understand exactly what this decision is going to do for his image or his life. He was loyal to his friends but I doubt he had any real advisor who was telling him how this might all go down and public perception. I forget how young he is. I think he just was frustrated and got swept up in Wade's pitch. I think in the future he may have made a difference decision.

Miami was sadly my 2nd choice after Chicago on the first page of this thread. Grr

Gilbert should have left it at the letter. Now hes hanging himself with his own rope. Miami will be good, but I think that there can be some interesting strategies to use against them depending on their ultimate line up.

Ace You cant just give up if your the Bulls. They may not have the star power, but a solid team with a great system can win 4 out of 7 games. There will be a huge bulleye on the Heat, they will get the other teams A game every night. Well see what happens.

If you had asked me, would I ever agree with Cleveland radio, I would have undoubtedly said, No I will never agree. But I agree entirely. Lebron could have been the chosen one. He could have won in NY, he could have won in NJ, he could have won in Cleveland. Thats how respected he was a player, that people thought he could have won everywhere. So he becomes a free agent and he has a chance to play for 1) his home town team, 2) to play for the team he loved as a kid and his idol played for, 3) to play in New York where he has an affection for and could have become the man in NY forever. Instead he chooses the Miami option, teaming up with Wade and Bosh, where Wade is the man. I expected more. Why? Because Lebron was just that good. I would watch Cavs games and root for them in playoffs because Lebron was the man. I just cant see myself rooting for Miami, Id rather root for the Lakers. Id never root for the Celtics haha Anyway, I think that Lebron is going to end up regretting this decision. He was unfortunately to young to understand the magnitude of what he was doing.

No way Gilbert needs some blow and a private jet to get down to Miami. This guy has cops episode written all over him

I think the better question is does Gilbert have enough money to buy voodoo dolls? It sounds like he has some sort of plan that I want to be a part of. At least College Basketball comes back soon.

Here is the Cav fan board reaction to Dan Gilbert letter: http://www.cavfanatic.com/go/thread/view/3...m_Dan_Gilbert... Notice how in Cavs darkest hour hes actually giving them something to be hopeful about. It was a brilliant move. It would have been way different if Lebron had class and notified Gilbert first. I think the Cavs at least deserved a phone call from Lebron himself saying "Im not coming back". Only a coward only calls the team hes going to. That was just bulls***.

I think Gilbert showing his emotion was 100% the right call. Where Lebron was a robot, Gilbert was the owner saying that he would stick it out with Cleveland until the end. If your a Cav fan how is that letter not exactly what you want to hear from the owner? Hes just like one of them, hes been hurt, hes been betrayed, but he wont give up. It makes him human, I love it the more I think about it. Different people have different opinions, some times you just gotta be real.

I like what Gilbert did. I guess Im a meathead, but I think Gilbert did exactly what his franchise needed, they called a spade a spade. What good would it have done to say: "We thank Lebron fror all of the great years, we regret that he made the decision that he did, but unfortunately people do need to move on. I understand Cleveland was a great place for Lebron to start, but some times you need to leave home. Hopefully when Lebron comes back to Cleveland the fans will give him the round of applause he deserves." Screw that, if Lebron didnt have the decency to tell Gilbert and only told the Heat, thats shameful. Lebron should have been a man and made a call, no excuse for that. And because of that he deserves no respect from Gilbert, none at all. Its cowardly. Im a meathead though so cant take my opinion. (First time ive ever been called that so im kind of reveling in my own glory)

What Lebron did was classless. Most professionals give their employer notice. They dont parade around on tv and then leave them. He could have left as a free agent with class, but he didnt choose that route. He chose to take this all to another level, a level that goes beyond what anyone in a "profession" would ever consider. So I think Gilbert was right on the money. It was Lebron's world, but now hes beholden to Miami and Gilbert doesnt have to bite his tongue or worry about what Lebron thinks, because who cares? Who cares if Lebron doesnt like Gilbert, how will that ever hurt him? Maybe in 6 years Lebron would have come back? Gilbert is not a guy used to failing, hes acting exactly how I expected Lebron to act. You dont run from a challenge, you break it down. Not everyone can be the best, but thats what the best do.

Wait what, people dont believe that is Dan Gilberts letter? The guy has given Lebron everything over the last 6 years and this is how Lebron treats him? Tells him on national television, not even the damn respect to treat the franchise that would have done anything for him (and probably has) at the beginning of free agency he is bolting. Gilbert owns a franchise that is on the brink, if you are a Cavs fan this at least has to give you some hope that the team isnt going to sit there and cry about how Lebron broke there heart. But instead will do whatever they can to try and stick Lebron.

The way Dan Gilbert acted, is the way that Lebron should have acted. If Bosh really wouldnt have come to Cleveland, Lebron should have told him that hed personally make sure he never won 1 championship. Where was the heart Lebron? Being a great one is all about emotion, and you didnt want to make an emotional decision.

How would choosing the Knicks, Cavs, Nets, Bulls be at all comparable to Miami? On each of those teams Lebron is the man. On Miami Wade is the man. He choose to be a follower instead of a leader. In terms of respect, I would have gone 1) Cleveland, 2) Knicks/Nets/Clippers, 3) Bulls, 4) Miami.

I wouldnt be surprised to see no other NBA team willing to trade for Beasley at this point. I also would pick the field against Miami, would not pick them to win 72 games and believe you are about to see some other teams try and make some moves to compete against this.

If Lebron was as good as I thought he was, he could have won with the Knicks or Nets. I respect a player who gives up salary so that HIS team can get better. But Lebron left his home town team in shambles, so he could help WADES team. How can I respect that if Im a Lebron fan? Pick a challenge, try and be the first guy to win in NYK, try and play in MJ's shadow. But just to try and take the easy way out and leave your home team to rot, screw that. If MJ left the Bulls to play with the Pistons and Isaih Id have lost all respect for him. Its far different when he let Rodman on HIS team so he could win more.

Kobe considered going to the bulls. Kobe was not talking about going to team up with 2 other great players. Its a pretty big difference. If Lebron went to NYK or Nets, id still really respect him.

Thats the problem with a threesome. They all cant be the best. So if Lebron is the best, than Wade/Bosh can only be Pippen/Rodman or Grant. Some one has to get demeaned in the process. Lets see if these guys can make it work, its not the Celtics where you have 3 guys who are older and understand their place.

NBA is reeling because you just dont see 3 players who are supposedly great decide that they cant win on their own. For all the s*** Kobe takes, no way does he go to Miami to be Wade's b****. You gotta respect Kobe for that.

We as a people create reality. I wanted Lebron to be the greatest, I wanted him to beat Kobe and all that jazz. But he failed my vision of who I thought he was. And so Lebron will never be what I thought he could be, and I will stop stumping for him. 1) MJ 2) Magic Thats how it says, Lebron had a shot at those names, but he passed.

Tru, There is nothing wrong iwth it. I understand Lebron wanting to win, and figuring that if he teams up with great players he has a good shot. But anyone who has ever considered themselves the best at a profession, sport, etc, will tell you it isnt the same as just going out there, dominating and not going out of your way to play with some one who already is a proven winner. Its just a mindset, Lebron took the easy way out. That's not what the greatest does in my opinion. The greatest would have gone on the air, said screw Chicago, screw Miami, Cleveland was the best team last year, they will be the best team this year, and Im going to win a championship if I single handedly have to drag my team there.

Winning 10 titles wouldnt make Lebron the best player, anymore than Russel's 11 make him the best player or Sam Jones 10 rings in 11 seasons. Being the best means that you dominated. When you watched MJ, he dominated the game. Pippen/Grant were good players, but at no point did MJ just sit back and coast while they ran the show. Do you think Lebron is going to be running Miami every game? Or will some days Wade be the man? I have always thought Lebron was the man, but being the man means you dont go running to the competition. As a Bulls fan i thought he should come to Chicago, but in my heart I felt if he truly was as great as his press clippings, hed stay in Cleveland and bring a win hime. 1 win for Cleveland would be worth a bunch of rings in Miami.

Alleged rapist, Rock!

I actually think Wade's intentions were to make sure the Bulls didnt grab Bosh immediately. By stringing the Bulls along they didnt go after Bosh as aggressively as they might have. Then everything just fell apart.

Didnt the Heat send a bunch of white guys? The difference was Wade/Bosh pitching Lebron. If Rose was a little more established he probably can pull in lebron. If youre a bulls fan and a nba fan, you just gotta believe that there are coaches out there right now trying to figure out a way to beat the Heat.