enigmaax;423261 wrote: Ring chasing. Yeah, no shit. Who plays that doesn't want to win a ring?

Yeah haha. Well said. Apparently you must accept mediocrity for several years and then and only then can you want a championship and go elsewhere. Let's call that the Z approach, because everybody seems to agree that there was no issue with his exit.

Ring-chasing is frowned upon. You guys clearly don't get it.

Instead of "being the man" and winning the title on YOUR team, you join somebody else's team.. That constitutes in ring-chasing.

Is this seriously that hard to understand?

thedynasty1998;423708 wrote:So it's okay to be old and want a ring, but when you are young you shouldn't?

Glad that's cleared up.

Yes.

When you're young and in your prime and considered one of the greatest players, you should try to win it as THE man. When you get old and still haven't won anything, it's ok to go ahead and admit you weren't good enough.

Besides, KG/PP/Ray do not compare in ANY way to Wade/LBJ/Bosh. KG is greater than Bosh, but Wade and LBJ are >>>>>>>>>> Allen and Pierce.

enigmaax;423261 wrote:Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha.



What is idiotic is trying to rationalize a perfectly explainable move. As someone mentioned on this or another thread, NBA guys get blasted for going where the money is all the time. Now guys sacrifice salaries to put together a dream team and win and that is bullshit. Can't win with the fans either way. But sorry, the fact that they are in their primes doesn't mean shit. Everyone is trying to put together the best team. Miami may have just put together a better team than anyone else and that is pissing people off.



Here's the newest overused internet message board term. Ring chasing. Yeah, no shit. Who plays that doesn't want to win a ring?

This post is too stupid to even pick apart. Like, really...

Also, it's not a "new" or overused word.. The term ring-chasing has been around for a while...

In 2006, LeBron himself used the word--in this sentence:

"I DON'T WANT to go ring-chasing, I want to build a champion here in Cleveland"...

And seriously, WAKE UP dumbass... If this wasn't a big deal, the national media (not the Cleveland media) wouldn't be ripping the shit out of LeBron for this move.

Yeah.

Well goddamn, I'm glad hoops23 wrote the fucking book on how an NBA player should handle his career. Oooohhhh, and he's got the "national media" as backup. Fuck, I wonder how they will all explain their nutsucking if Miami wins a couple championships. The national media blasted Kobe for raping a chic, but how long has it been since anyone respectable has tossed that out there in a "greatest" discussion?

By the way, I said "newest overused" term. Not "new" and "overused". Meaning, it is new to the overused terms, like 234093 times on this message board alone. And it is retarded. Gee balls, a couple guys want to put together the best team. If they win 74 games some year, they'll be talked about as the best team ever. No one is gonna say, "well they aren't really the best team ever because they all just signed together so they could be the best team ever". Even if they win one title, no one is gonna say, "they aren't really champs because they should've been on different teams". Reality is eventually going to check these emotions when it comes to history, legacy, etc. On the flip side, if they don't win something (probably has to be more than one), they'll be viewed as the biggest jackasses of all time. All that is going to matter is the end result - winning trumps everything.

IggyPride00;422248 wrote:

I mean...they have professional photogs over there at SI, right??

could you not come up with just one somewhat more flattering picture for the cover??

hey...I'm no longer a fan of any of those multimillionaires, but that cover is painfully uncomfortable to look at.
maybe shades of things to come.
this triumverate is just one long losing streak away from some serious crazy meltdown sheet.!


edit: and yes, Bron is Pippen 2.0

Bryant Gumbel:

"Despite such evidence to the contrary, LeBron James seems to think he needs a ring to change his life and secure his legacy," Gumbel said.

"Maybe he'll get one, maybe he won't, but it's probable that no amount of rings will ever remove the stench he wallowed in last week. LeBron may yet find that in the court of public opinion, just as putting on a tux can't make a guy a gentleman, winning a ring can't make one truly a champion."

nice...."stench"....from a mainstream media personality....
maybe we're all not just crazy after all.

I'm usually not a Bryant Gumbel fan, but after that one...

"Gumbo, I salute you"

Lebron's titles will be looked at in much the same way Kobe's were with Shaq in that people will always put that asterik by them until he wins one on his own.

In those first 3 titles Kobe was All NBA 2nd team twice, and 1st team once, so it is not like he was some scrub Shaq was carrying. Yet the dominant narrative always was couldn't win one without Shaq until he did it.

Lebron will always hear that he "couldn't win it without Bosh/D-Wade" until he wins one without them. It is the way it is.

Just look at how differently Kobe is treated by the media and general public now that he has a pair on his own, the respect level has went up ten fold even though he already had 3 titles to start with.

I totally see a scenario in which Lebron gets his titles, and ultimately leaves around the age of 29-30 to try and go win one on his own because he (like Kobe) is sick of people devaluing his titles because of who he won them with with the "couldn't win one without so and so" argument.

It's not fair, but it is the way it is.

Iggy - Other than people who just hate Kobe, do you really think prevailing opinion on Kobe was that those were Shaq's rings? I mean, I know there was an underlying thought but the only real example where I ever heard that come up was when someone tried to discredit the titles in an argument about Kobe and LeBron.

Kobe's last two titles certainly cemented him, but I almost think it has more to do with the fact he got to five than it is that they were on his own. As in, he's surpassed a few of the biggest legends and is closing in on some others. If he ends up with seven, you know people will use that in talks comparing him and Jordan. At that point, I really don't think anyone is going to say, well he only won four on his own (again, other than people who will never ever give Kobe any due anyway).

In all seriousness, I know there is a population that wants this "the man" thing to mean something and to them it always will. I just don't think it is a large enough group that it would make a difference in the history books (if LeBron happens to win a lot of titles).

Maybe Lebron wants to play on the "Greatest Team of All Time", rather than being the "Greatest player to never win a championship"?

In all seriousness, I know there is a population that wants this "the man" thing to mean something and to them it always will. I just don't think it is a large enough group that it would make a difference in the history books (if LeBron happens to win a lot of titles).

The article sums it up pretty neatly...that LBJ is not "the man"(on many levels) that we all thought he was.
That doesn't come from just Cleveland homers, but is the general perception of James nationwide. That James is a great basketball player is unquestioned....but he has abdicated his claim on being the greatest. He could win a lot of titles, but the aura of him being a man of strong will and character is gone. It hurts Cleveland fans the most because we so wanted him to be.

Loved Gumbel's quote

hoops23;424096 wrote:Bryant Gumbel:

wow---dead on

hoops23;424096 wrote:Bryant Gumbel:

"Despite such evidence to the contrary, LeBron James seems to think he needs a ring to change his life and secure his legacy," Gumbel said.

"Maybe he'll get one, maybe he won't, but it's probable that no amount of rings will ever remove the stench he wallowed in last week. LeBron may yet find that in the court of public opinion, just as putting on a tux can't make a guy a gentleman, winning a ring can't make one truly a champion."

wow--dead on

Sounds like some cavs fans have not recovered yet, lol.

I didn't know Bryant Gumbel was a Cavs fan...

I didn't realize Bryant Gumbel was a Cavs fan...

HitsRus;424377 wrote:The article sums it up pretty neatly...that LBJ is not "the man"(on many levels) that we all thought he was.
That doesn't come from just Cleveland homers, but is the general perception of James nationwide. That James is a great basketball player is unquestioned....but he has abdicated his claim on being the greatest. He could win a lot of titles, but the aura of him being a man of strong will and character is gone. It hurts Cleveland fans the most because we so wanted him to be.

The funny thing about that was that some of us were saying that all along and getting pounded by Cleveland fans. Any national media person who ever doubted the king was blasted by Cleveland fans. Now he leaves and you suddenly see the light.

enigmaax;424445 wrote:The funny thing about that was that some of us were saying that all along and getting pounded by Cleveland fans. Any national media person who ever doubted the king was blasted by Cleveland fans. Now he leaves and you suddenly see the light.

OMG NO SHIT?!?!?!

hoops23;424534 wrote:OMG NO SHIT?!?!?!

So you are admitting that you were a fucktard for the seven years LeBron fooled you?

Collusion doesn't seem to bother some it would appear.

ytownfootball;424652 wrote:Collusion doesn't seem to bother some it would appear.

Like the entire rest of the NBA, who found no reason to push that issue?

Do you feel like players shouldn't be allowed to talk to each other?

Naw, It is what it is, doesn't mean we have to like it as fans, or even accept it for that matter. Fact will remain as to how he left, why he left, etc...we ain't gonna like it as fans. Nothing Stern, the Miami media, NY media, LA media, you or anyone is going to say to make us feel any different...it also is what it is.

I just find it as funny, as you find it funny that people have their panties in a wad over it, that there are so many who continue to try and convince us that we shouldn't...LOL.

ytownfootball;424662 wrote:Naw, It is what it is, doesn't mean we have to like it as fans, or even accept it for that matter. Fact will remain as to how he left, why he left, etc...we ain't gonna like it as fans. Nothing Stern, the Miami media, NY media, LA media, you or anyone is going to say to make us feel any different...it also is what it is.

I just find it as funny, as you find it funny that people have their panties in a wad over it, that there are so many who continue to try and convince us that we shouldn't...LOL.

No, I'm past that. I'm just trying to understand anymore. The collusion talk hasn't been brought up as much as some of the other stuff ... and I'm actually interested in your perspective. I know we aren't going to change each others minds, I just want to know if you really believe that or were just throwing that term out there (can't tell tone) and if you're serious, where you'd draw the line on players' freedom to get together.