#6's Return?

[atlbraves]

Whether or not he actually tried to put an ad in the paper, who cares? Since when is running an ad in the paper thanking the fans a requirement for players who switch teams? I don't care about him making up for anything in the past, because he clearly made the best choice for him. Choosing to play for the Cavs again is all LeBron needs to do to regain my favor.

 

[jay_em]

Everyone reported that he and Gilbert were discussing the possibility, and Izzo admitted they did, but WFNY reported he was coming.

Perhaps you don't follow the PD, but they have been hemorrhaging money, like many print media outlets, since the rise of e-news. There's been talk of going down to 3 days-a-week home delivery. Not accepting $28,000 for a 1 page ad that would sell a boatload of copies? It defies all logic.

They could've reasoned that being on the wrong side of their consumers wasnt such a good idea. That losing potential customers by running James' ad wasnt worth it. The PD is talking of going down to 3 days a week almost 3 years after that potential decision was made. If said potential decision had to be made today they may go for $$$ and not consumer pride....but then again YMMV as im just playing devils advocate.

 

[col63onel]

They could've reasoned that being on the wrong side of their consumers wasnt such a good idea. That losing potential customers by running James' ad wasnt worth it. The PD is talking of going down to 3 days a week almost 3 years after that potential decision was made. If said potential decision had to be made today they may go for $$$ and not consumer pride....but then again YMMV as im just playing devils advocate.

If he put a full page ad in, that ad would've been on every website and sports show. PD couldn't ask for better advertising than that. Very rarely do you get paid and get great advertising,

Also, what does YMMV stand for?

 

[KB]

If he put a full page ad in, that ad would've been on every website and sports show. PD couldn't ask for better advertising than that. Very rarely do you get paid and get great advertising,

Also, what does YMMV stand for?

Your mileage may vary is what I've seen it used for

 

[gopre]

God DAMN I love reading through two people bitch at each other back and forth.

 

[Jack Brickman]

Whether or not he actually tried to put an ad in the paper, who cares? Since when is running an ad in the paper thanking the fans a requirement for players who switch teams? I don't care about him making up for anything in the past, because he clearly made the best choice for him. Choosing to play for the Cavs again is all LeBron needs to do to regain my favor.

I don't think the issue was ever him deciding to go to another team. It was just that he did it in the douchiest way imaginable, especially for a Cleveland sports team. I mean, how ignorant of the entire history of Cleveland sports do you have to be to purposefully give us another terrible moment and fucking name it yourself?

I'm not under any delusions that LeBron would have been liked in Cleveland had he left in a more classy way, but I don't think there would have been anywhere near the animosity toward him if he had released a statement that said something like: "I loved my time in Cleveland and appreciate the love the fans showed for me. However, I'm no longer confident that the organization can surround me with the teammates who can help me win a championship. Because of that, I've decided to sign with Miami."

Yeah we wouldn't have loved him, but at least with a statement like that we would have understood where he was coming from. I'm just constantly amazed that these rich athletes have essentially the worst PR people in the world. If I worked for them they'd have it easy.

 

[Jon]

I don't think the issue was ever him deciding to go to another team. It was just that he did it in the douchiest way imaginable, especially for a Cleveland sports team. I mean, how ignorant of the entire history of Cleveland sports do you have to be to purposefully give us another terrible moment and fucking name it yourself?

From his POV it made perfect sense to name the program, because if he didn't, someone else would have ... and it would have been called "The Betrayal", the "The Backstabbing", or something of that sort which would forever label the act with a negative connotation.

Basically, there's no good way to say "screw you" to 6 cities and "here I come" to a 7th. There was going to be a backlash regardless but the program became the focal point of that backlash. It legitimized the sour grapes and of course the media jumped all over it because the only thing more profitable in sports TV than raising up a new star is tearing an old one down.

In the end, everyone still tuned in ... hoping he'd get around to announcing their city's name - and then the feeding frenzy began.

 

[randymoss1881]

I really believe we will be able to win a ring without lebron comming back as long as we are patient. With the promise waiters,TT, and irving have shown its has proven that Grant is a master draft picker. We will have one more top 5 pick than another 8-12 pick in 2014 draft and have a trade assist in AV. When(if) we hit on our pick this year we will have a bright future.

Irving: Is showing signs pf being a franchise player
Waiters: Keeps getting better showing he can score and set his teammates up. Signs of a second scorer on a champioship team.
Thompson: Oozing with potential already getting 14-11 in his second year when big men tend to develop later, he is gonna be a force at the PF
Zeller: A good back up center who spreads the floor

We are missing 1 more scorer and a big man to compliment TT, I really belive we can get this done. I think we can all agree that winning a ring without lebron and going through him will taste better.

 

[Frank Reynolds]

I really believe we will be able to win a ring without lebron comming back as long as we are patient. With the promise waiters,TT, and irving have shown its has proven that Grant is a master draft picker. We will have one more top 5 pick than another 8-12 pick in 2014 draft and have a trade assist in AV. When(if) we hit on our pick this year we will have a bright future.

Irving: Is showing signs pf being a franchise player
Waiters: Keeps getting better showing he can score and set his teammates up. Signs of a second scorer on a champioship team.
Thompson: Oozing with potential already getting 14-11 in his second year when big men tend to develop later, he is gonna be a force at the PF
Zeller: A good back up center who spreads the floor

We are missing 1 more scorer and a big man to compliment TT, I really belive we can get this done. I think we can all agree that winning a ring without lebron and going through him will taste better.

I stopped reading here. Nothing, NOTHING has been proven yet about Chris Grant. He certainly looks like he could be a good drafter, but there's other things that a GM has to do to be effective. Danny Ferry was a master swindler in trades, but he could never trade for a big time player like a Kevin Garnett, Josh Smith, Amare Stoudemire.....

Typical Cleveland attitude. In reality, you could go all that time and still never win shit. You're acting like we are going out and recruiting LeBron, that's not how this is gonna happen at all.

LeBron is reaching out to us. He's gauging the franchises interest, he came calling us through the back channels.

Have you seen this guy lately? He's still not even close to his peak. He's going to become like Olajuwon next, you wait and see. The NBA has never seen a player like this in history. As marveled as I am with Kevin Durants crazy build, silky jumper and insane length, LeBron is going to OWN Durant every time until KD can man up.

This is the LeBron we always wanted and now he's interested in coming back and you are going to deny him why? Do you not want to MAXIMIZE the chances of us winning a championship?

Blake Griffin and CP3 are hella effective out there, Right?. LeBron's post game is taking a shit all over Blake Griffin's face right now. Kyrie's scoring ability is much better than CP3. Paul's no slouch, he's the best PG in the league, but Irving is the better scorer.

So, in essence, LeBron and Irving is a much more exciting tandem than CP3 and Griffin. To a hoops purist that is, unless you just want to see a dunk fest. In that case head over to YouTube and watch Team Flight Brothers.

I want championships and I know that LeBron has still never played with a guard that took the ball out of his hands. If LeBron and Irving were on a string, you are FUCKED. I refuse to believe otherwise.

 

[randymoss1881]

I stopped reading here. Nothing, NOTHING has been proven yet about Chris Grant. He certainly looks like he could be a good drafter, but there's other things that a GM has to do to be effective. Danny Ferry was a master swindler in trades, but he could never trade for a big time player like a Kevin Garnett, Josh Smith, Amare Stoudemire.....

True but being able to draft good to great players is a better trait than trading. With trading the other team has to accept the deal your not always gonna fleece a team unless your the lakers. If we draft good like Grant has shown all we have to do is be able to resign all our talent.

 

[Tlyons]

From his POV it made perfect sense to name the program, because if he didn't, someone else would have ... and it would have been called "The Betrayal", the "The Backstabbing", or something of that sort which would forever label the act with a negative connotation.

Basically, there's no good way to say "screw you" to 6 cities and "here I come" to a 7th. There was going to be a backlash regardless but the program became the focal point of that backlash. It legitimized the sour grapes and of course the media jumped all over it because the only thing more profitable in sports TV than raising up a new star is tearing an old one down.

In the end, everyone still tuned in ... hoping he'd get around to announcing their city's name - and then the feeding frenzy began.

terrible

 

[Jack Brickman]

From his POV it made perfect sense to name the program, because if he didn't, someone else would have ... and it would have been called "The Betrayal", the "The Backstabbing", or something of that sort which would forever label the act with a negative connotation.

Basically, there's no good way to say "screw you" to 6 cities and "here I come" to a 7th.

Sure there is, and I detailed it above. All it would have taken was a simple press release detailing that he was leaving and why, in addition to thanking the fans for their love and support through the first phase of his career. LeBron actually could have come out of the whole thing as a pseudo good guy had he casually shifted the blame to the organization's inability to pair him with a legitimate second option while at the same time avoided all of the labels that came with The Decision (arrogant, egotistical, etc.).

There was no way he was leaving Cleveland without some measure of disdain, but he certainly could have tempered it had he left in an actual intelligent manner.

 

[Shakalu M.D.]

From his POV it made perfect sense to name the program, because if he didn't, someone else would have ... and it would have been called "The Betrayal", the "The Backstabbing", or something of that sort which would forever label the act with a negative connotation.

Basically, there's no good way to say "screw you" to 6 cities and "here I come" to a 7th. There was going to be a backlash regardless but the program became the focal point of that backlash. It legitimized the sour grapes and of course the media jumped all over it because the only thing more profitable in sports TV than raising up a new star is tearing an old one down.

In the end, everyone still tuned in ... hoping he'd get around to announcing their city's name - and then the feeding frenzy began.

Seriously awful. It doesn't just come down to naming it. "The Betrayal", or "The Backstabbing", wouldn't have been options if he had just gone about his business and signed with Miami. Instead he had a live event announcing where he would sign. It's like he wanted the same BS that happens on national signing day with NCAA football. He knows the history of Cleveland sports, it was his choice. He didn't need to make it into a live event.

Sign with Miami, and do what Z did. Take out an article in the paper thanking Cleveland and explaining your choice.

 

[GreasySpread36]

I can't believe any LeBron worshipper would defend his "right" to do the Decision, which without question was a PR disaster for him. It's like defending your kid's right to go out and play in traffic.

 

[Jack Brickman]

Seriously awful. It doesn't just come down to naming it. "The Betrayal", or "The Backstabbing", wouldn't have been options if he had just gone about his business and signed with Miami. Instead he had a live event announcing where he would sign. It's like he wanted the same BS that happens on national signing day with NCAA football. He knows the history of Cleveland sports, it was his choice. He didn't need to make it into a live event.

Sign with Miami, and do what Z did. Take out an article in the paper thanking Cleveland and explaining your choice.

He didn't even have to do what Z did. Simply handling the whole thing like a professional would have been enough to diffuse the situation.

He should have let the organization know right from the start that he wasn't planning on coming back, which wouldn't have hamstrung them the way waiting until the last possible moment to announce his decision did. What pissed Gilbert off more than anything was LeBron's refusal to respect the organization enough to be up front with them. It's one thing to leave. It's another to lead the organization on for two months when you never had any intention of coming back.

He should have issued a quiet press release. I've detailed this in a few posts above. This is what Bosh did, and although Bosh screwed things up by asking people on Twitter where he should sign a few months earlier, the way he actually announced his decision was what you would expect of a star athlete changing teams.

Doing those two things would have altered his departure immensely. I have no doubt he would still have been booed when he returned, but he wouldn't have inspired Art Modell levels of hatred among Clevelanders, and he probably wouldn't have been on the receiving end of "asshole" chants either.