Oscar fought racism

Oscar did not have a hype machine, a shoe company, a sports drink, a posse, a camera crew filming his games at Crispus Attucks, an interview on 60 minutes or any jewelry in his ears

Oscar was a revolutionary before the revolution was televised

as far as lebron - everything in the world can happen between now and the end of his career. he could have an even more impressive run with miami than he did with cleveland, take home some rings, and go down as the best ever. maybe he even goes home to cleveland after his miami contract and wins there. who knows? other than that octopus who was predicting the world cup games.

misterearl wrote:Oscar was a pioneer

Oscar fought racism

Oscar did not have a hype machine, a shoe company, a sports drink, a posse, a camera crew filming his games at Crispus Attucks, an interview on 60 minutes or any jewelry in his ears

Oscar was a revolutionary before the revolution was televised

I know what Oscar stood up for off the court, etc. Nevermind endorsements, I'm talking strictly on the hardwood and the legacy you leave behind in the gym.

sidsanders wrote:oscar was traded to the bucks... plus it sounded like he didnt want to leave: "Then, prior to the 1970-71 season, the Royals stunned the basketball world by trading Robertson to the Milwaukee Bucks for Flynn Robinson and Charlie Paulk. Theories attempting to explain the trade abounded. Many observers believed it was Cousy's jealousy of Robertson that led to the trade. The Big O had just broken many of Cousy's records and Cincinnati was suddenly too small for the both of them. "Whatever his reasons were," Robertson later said, "I think he was wrong and I'll never forget it." Fans up and down the Ohio River mourned."

from: http://www.nba.com/history/players/robertson_bio.html

Trade or no trade, what I'm getting at is Oscar was the best player in the world at the time and he didn't win any rings until he joined Kareem. To this day, Oscar is still regarded in some realms as the best ever. The fact that he didn't get a ring until he joined an already established champion in Kareem, didn't tarnish his place in history in peoples eyes.

Uptown wrote:

sidsanders wrote:oscar was traded to the bucks... plus it sounded like he didnt want to leave: "Then, prior to the 1970-71 season, the Royals stunned the basketball world by trading Robertson to the Milwaukee Bucks for Flynn Robinson and Charlie Paulk. Theories attempting to explain the trade abounded. Many observers believed it was Cousy's jealousy of Robertson that led to the trade. The Big O had just broken many of Cousy's records and Cincinnati was suddenly too small for the both of them. "Whatever his reasons were," Robertson later said, "I think he was wrong and I'll never forget it." Fans up and down the Ohio River mourned."

from: http://www.nba.com/history/players/robertson_bio.html

Trade or no trade, what I'm getting at is Oscar was the best player in the world at the time and he didn't win any rings until he joined Kareem. To this day, Oscar is still regarded in some realms as the best ever. The fact that he didn't get a ring until he joined an already established champion in Kareem, didn't tarnish his place in history in peoples eyes.

well, he was traded which i think makes it a bit diff -- i dont think you can dismiss the fellows own feelings on leaving. plus, there was no such thing as FA as it is now. its not like oscar was the first top line guy to go to another team and get a title, and wasnt the last. wilt did the same and forced his trades.

lbj goes and wins a bunch of titles, folks wont care as much about his leaving. winning makes folks forget -- unless you are a cavs fan.

Besides, the best player of that era was Bill Russell

After Russell, Wilt

Oscar was Charles Barkley, Patrick Ewing and Karl Malone

sometimes, even the great ones can't catch a break

Cosmic wrote:

Uptown wrote:

sidsanders wrote:oscar was traded to the bucks... plus it sounded like he didnt want to leave: "Then, prior to the 1970-71 season, the Royals stunned the basketball world by trading Robertson to the Milwaukee Bucks for Flynn Robinson and Charlie Paulk. Theories attempting to explain the trade abounded. Many observers believed it was Cousy's jealousy of Robertson that led to the trade. The Big O had just broken many of Cousy's records and Cincinnati was suddenly too small for the both of them. "Whatever his reasons were," Robertson later said, "I think he was wrong and I'll never forget it." Fans up and down the Ohio River mourned."

from: http://www.nba.com/history/players/robertson_bio.html

Trade or no trade, what I'm getting at is Oscar was the best player in the world at the time and he didn't win any rings until he joined Kareem. To this day, Oscar is still regarded in some realms as the best ever. The fact that he didn't get a ring until he joined an already established champion in Kareem, didn't tarnish his place in history in peoples eyes.

Everyone needs a sidekick or needs to be a sidekick in order to succeed.

The fact that LBJ teamed up in MIA isn't what bothers me.

What bothers me is how he and the other two went about it.

You couldn't get any more self absorbed, selfish, arrogant, immature, and disrespectful to all involved in how these three went about things.

Therein lies the anger of most I would assume. It does for me.

Lebron and his camp totally mishandled the 'Decision' and his "brand" if-you-will has taken a major hit. I cant agree with you more.

Nice

Paladin55 wrote:

sidsanders wrote:oscar was traded to the bucks... plus it sounded like he didnt want to leave: "Then, prior to the 1970-71 season, the Royals stunned the basketball world by trading Robertson to the Milwaukee Bucks for Flynn Robinson and Charlie Paulk. Theories attempting to explain the trade abounded. Many observers believed it was Cousy's jealousy of Robertson that led to the trade. The Big O had just broken many of Cousy's records and Cincinnati was suddenly too small for the both of them. "Whatever his reasons were," Robertson later said, "I think he was wrong and I'll never forget it." Fans up and down the Ohio River mourned."

from: http://www.nba.com/history/players/robertson_bio.html

Thank you for pointing this out. He was also in the twilight of his great and under-appreciated career, and had spent 10 years in Cincinnati. I was happy that I got to see him as a kid watching him battle against the Knicks, but I only saw the shadow of what he had once been.

Did they even have free agency back then, by the way?

The Big O was a man in many more ways than LeBron and most modern athletes are. His greatness and legacy are not defined by the title he won with the Bucks, and even today he carries himself with a dignity that James will never have.

James has chosen his path, and done so in a way that will tarnish whatever he accomplishes with the Heat. The fact that all three of them probably colluded during Wadegate, means that teams were scrambling around to lure him by rearranging their rosters for something that COULD NEVER have happened,and makes what he and his two buddies did even worse.

oscar filed the lawsuit which lead to the FA as we know it in the nba. i think he has been shunned by the league because of it, and now many of the modern players making silly $$$ have no idea what the older guys did for them. same story in all the big leagues you can say.

reading stuff on oscar -- crazy stuff he went through. best player in indiana, cant even get IU's interest. only thing that he didnt win was a college title and he got flippin close multiple times. heck they name the best player in college award after him now. never got to see many of the older greats. thats why i love that book i mentioned. some of the stuff the greats did to make the game what it is under bad times...