VeeshanVault

On your purchase of the NBA championship.

I think it's kind of silly to accuse a team of buying a championship when it's impossible for them to even hit the luxury tax threshold and they play in a league with a fairly strict salary cap structure.

I don't get all the vitriol. So these guys want to take less money so that they have a better chance at winning and can play with their friends? What a bunch of assholes... I guess.

I still dont see them getting past Magic even if they do get Shaq, no way he can guard Howard....let alone Koby and co.

Last I checked they don't hand out the trophies in July. If Miami wins it next year I actually will be a bit surprised.

Sueven wrote:I think it's kind of silly to accuse a team of buying a championship when it's impossible for them to even hit the luxury tax threshold and they play in a league with a fairly strict salary cap structure.

There's a cap but now that you have the big three there, you get all the players that are desperate for a ring that will ride the coattails of those three and sign for the exceptions allowed, way below the player's "value".

It's disgraceful that those three players felt they needed to completely dominate the talent pool (all agree those were top three players avail) Any player that joins that horror show is also demonstrating a lack of ambition.

I'll be rooting for any team besides the Heat (teams made up of talent that works well together as opposed to superstars). I hope they suck and injury befalls them. Those three players will soon learn how fast the bandwagon fans can turn on them. I'll enjoy every minute of their meltdown.

Seeing as the Raptors are going to suck more than usual this year, I'll be rooting for Miami.
Bosh and Wade are two of my favorite players.

miir wrote:Seeing as the Raptors are going to suck more than usual this year, I'll be rooting for Miami.
Bosh and Wade are two of my favorite players.

I'm not a big basketball fan by any means, but Dwayne Wade has always amazed me by his character and talent. I used to watch Miami games when they were on TV up north, but now that they are local to me I rarely miss a game. I'm extremely excited for this, and I think all 3 of those guys deserve respect for going against the grain. How often do you see people take pay cuts to go to another team? They are doing this because they want to win, and it's their right to do so.

Don't care if they win. I care if they lose!

Michael Jordan didn't need to orchestrate huge free agent moves to win (nothing on this scale or even the Celtics scale). He remains on top of the heap. Even Kobe got Pau Gasol after the Grizzlies were raped in a trade for him.

I don't blame anyone for wanting to leave Cleveland.

Good for them to be able to play on the same team. What a dream--all that money, sweet half-year job, can retire basically whenever, and get to hand out with good friends. Sign me up!

Riley must be stoked...

Still though, they haven't won shit yet, and seasons are quite long. Injuries, bad chemistry...

Go Lakeros.

Canelek wrote:Still though, they haven't won shit yet, and seasons are quite long. Injuries, bad chemistry...

Since those 3 have wanted to play balls with each other for years, I'm not sure that chemistry is going to be much of an issue. It's not like management went out and signed 3 random top players.

True, but ya still need 2 other guys and a bench.

Lakers did it in the past. Yankees do it all the time. Why should the Heat be any different. They all play by the same rules set down.

Bubba Grizz wrote:Lakers did it in the past. Yankees do it all the time. Why should the Heat be any different. They all play by the same rules set down.

Because the Heat are not an Arizona team.

Boogahz wrote:

Bubba Grizz wrote:Lakers did it in the past. Yankees do it all the time. Why should the Heat be any different. They all play by the same rules set down.

Because the Heat are not an Arizona team.

I would move to France and sleep with a harry arm-pitted woman if those three came to AZ!

Leprawn starts at the top of the key, as he always does, drives the lane and shoots a 50% bucket which Bosh has a slim chance of rebounding, while Dwyane (dwuh yah nee) keeps a straight face nearby.

Lakers in 5.

Tom Green in Cleveland for the announcement.

Winnow wrote:

Boogahz wrote:

Bubba Grizz wrote:Lakers did it in the past. Yankees do it all the time. Why should the Heat be any different. They all play by the same rules set down.

Because the Heat are not an Arizona team.

I would move to France and sleep with a harry arm-pitted woman if those three came to AZ!

you ARE a hairy arm-pitted woman.

Irony is that most of Ohio people giving Lebron shit for leaving Ohio for the beach did the same fucking thing 10 years ago. But he's the traitor.

masteen wrote:Irony is that most of Ohio people giving Lebron shit for leaving Ohio for the beach did the same fucking thing 10 years ago. But he's the traitor.

Exactly. The local Cleveland fans here were bitching about LeBron and the sports DJ kept asking them the same question, "You left Cleveland and are now here. Why is it OK for you and not LeBron?"

I only have an issue with the way he handled it. We really needed a TV announcement? The only way that would have turned out well is if he had stayed, otherwise he looks like a douche.

Tyek wrote:I only have an issue with the way he handled it. We really needed a TV announcement? The only way that would have turned out well is if he had stayed, otherwise he looks like a douche.

As somebody who isn't so emotionally involved, I thought it was nice to see so much coverage of the biggest trade in basketball history.

Leonaerd wrote:

Tyek wrote:I only have an issue with the way he handled it. We really needed a TV announcement? The only way that would have turned out well is if he had stayed, otherwise he looks like a douche.

As somebody who isn't so emotionally involved, I thought it was nice to see so much coverage of the biggest trade in basketball history.

It was a 1 hour dick punch to Cleveland fans.

Aardor wrote:It was a 1 hour dick punch to Cleveland fans.

Not a Cleveland (anything) fan, nor a basketball fan in general. I say more power to him.

The hour long coverage of his announcement was mostly a fund raiser for Children's sports. Such a dick move.

Gonzoie - Luclin wrote:The hour long coverage of his announcement was mostly a fund raiser for Children's sports. Such a dick move.

Yeah. I kept waiting for LeBron to mention the kids once....just once, but didn't hear a peep out of him the entire hour +

The kids meant jack shit. I hope you don't believe otherwise.

In a plan initiated and unveiled by James, all proceeds from ads sold for the broadcast – expected to be between $2 million and $2.5 million – will be donated to the Boys and Girls Clubs of America (BGCA). Several minutes later, one of the show’s sponsors, the University of Phoenix, announced it would make a separate donation – five full-tuition scholarships – to the organization.

That's a lot of jack shit for sure.

source

Gonzoie - Luclin wrote:

In a plan initiated and unveiled by James, all proceeds from ads sold for the broadcast – expected to be between $2 million and $2.5 million – will be donated to the Boys and Girls Clubs of America (BGCA). Several minutes later, one of the show’s sponsors, the University of Phoenix, announced it would make a separate donation – five full-tuition scholarships – to the organization.

That's a lot of jack shit for sure.

source

I don't care if millions were donated. LeBron didn't give enough of a shit to say anything about it.He could have taken the time to mention that he's going to help kids wherever he goes (you know...the usual bullshit), but he didn't even glance a the kids. It was a cover for claiming the spotlight for self glorification. ...and University of Phoenix caring about the kids? hell no! It was a prime advertising opportunity. University of Phoenix is a private, for profit, school and all they care about is the bottom line for their shareholders and making a buck. Don't get all teary eyed over corporate donations...tax write off!

Winnow wrote:It was a cover for claiming the spotlight for self glorification.

$2,500,000 to charity earns LJ the right to not mention his good deeds during the most important NBA trade broadcast in basketball history.

Plus he did mention it...

He spent the entire "any last words" question talking about the charity.

Also, is this fucking bizarro world?

We're bashing LeBron to take less money in order to play with good teammates and win?
We're bashing LeBron for donating shitloads of money to charity and NOT bragging about it?

Seriously, what the fuck?

Sueven wrote: Also, is this fucking bizarro world?

You do realise you're arguing with Winnow?

miir wrote:

Sueven wrote: Also, is this fucking bizarro world?

You do realise you're arguing with Winnow?

about sports....and you are not sucking on Phoenix cock?

So people actually watched this? It is hard enough to get through Sportscenter with all the misleading "coming-up" crap. ESPN is more about celebrity drama than sports these days.

Kilmoll the Sexy wrote: about sports....and you are not sucking on Phoenix cock?

Better than sucking on the corporate schlong so many of you can't seem to resist.

This was all about LeBron. If he really cared, he'd stay in the Midwest where there's bound to be a lot more needy kids due to neglect form their out of work, alcoholic, ex steel worker parents. He should have started a fund to help all kids in Ohio and Pennsylvania get their tetanus shots. There's got to be a shit ton of old rusty steel mills to protect these kids from.

Sueven wrote:Plus he did mention it...

He spent the entire "any last words" question talking about the charity.

Also, is this fucking bizarro world?

We're bashing LeBron to take less money in order to play with good teammates and win?
We're bashing LeBron for donating shitloads of money to charity and NOT bragging about it?

Seriously, what the fuck?

So he losses a few million on salary, only to see that advertising cashflow grow by leaps. If you don't think the advertising cash he can generate as part of the "3 Kings" group is far greater then the loss of income, you are crazy.

3 more!

still three more!

Excellent game last night.
Dallas played some ridiculous D in the second half and nearly pulled out a win.

Two more!

Still two more!

At least the series hasn't been boring!

Every game has been a barn-burner!

This has been the best NBA final in recent memory.
Don't really care who wins at this point but I'd love to see it go 7 games.

I'd love to see Lebron stop shitting bricks from outside the arc.

not me.

I am a lifelong mavericks fan, since I went to Derek Harper's All Star Basketball Camp after 5th grade.

This series has been great. I am hoping I can make it through without having a heart attack. Rick Carlisle is coaching out of his mind. The zone defense is keeping bron bron out of the paint, and i love it. JJ "the streakin puerto rican" Barea may be my favorite player in basketball now. JEt hitting his shots and we can put the "Dirk is soft" routine to bed forever.

but this is not sewed up by any means. as a mavs fan (read: life of disappointment) i know that it aint over until the final buzzer rings and the scoreboard reads in our favor. Sure as shit learned that five years ago. i can see why casual basketball fans opt for the more polished, media friendly trio of superstars. but knowing the ins and outs of this mavs team, it is hard not to love them. they are a TEAM. not a bunch of uber talented high dunking personal highlight reels, but a team. for the Laker haters, you gotta love them mavs. for the LeBron haters, you gotta love them mavs.

i only take issue with "the decision" not because of the media frenzy, but because these guys colluded with each other to basically stack the deck. my cat could've coached the Heat to the Finals. hmm, spoelstra kind of remind me of a cat now that i ponder it a little. also success to this team would reshape the free agency in the NBA forever, and not in a good way. high talent players will consolidate to a few teams, to the point that youll see the same 2-3 teams winning the championship forever. in a game where being blessed physically is perhaps the biggest piece of the puzzle, it could mean the end of an interesting NBA. quality squads with low star power, like the Spurs, would become flies on the wall. huge market teams like the Knicks and LA have all to gain, smaller market teams would lose. and long term vets who've made their names and hall of fame credentials in smaller market teams will always retire wearing a miami hear jersey. sure it sucks that guys like Barkley, Stockton and Malone (well not Malone fuck the mailman) didn't get rings, but that's how it goes sometimes. rooting for the Heat to win now is rooting for the Heat to win the next 4 championships at least.

much respect to the heat's defense. it is by far the best D we have faced this post season. Super props to D-Wade. Though I hate his flopping, that guy has proved that he is the alpha dog on the squad when it counts, not Bron Bron. Shit, if I were Spoelstra, I wouldnt even game plan for LBJ to do anything offensively next 2 games. Tell him to play hard D and take the obvious shots.

Gras Mavs!

What a great series!

where now lebro

I never cared much for LeBron James. He's probably the most overrated basketball player in NBA history.

I love everyone tonight.

All I can say on a "Grats Miami" thread right now is

GRATS DALLAS!

GRATS CLEVELAND! (or their owner, for his statement lasting another year now...at least)

Hitler finds out about LeBron choking...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6eES8xEjclQ