GustavBahler wrote:

Uptown wrote:

GustavBahler wrote:

Uptown wrote:David Stern and the NBA machine is responsible for over-marketing Lebron and many other young players they prematurely annointed as the second coming. Ever-since His Airness hung up the Jordans, David Stern has plucked Rooks-fresh out of the womb almost-up by their ears and plopped them onto the NBA stage before the world. He did it with Kobe, (remember the slob job he got at the allstar game in NYC?), he did it with Shaq, and the list goes on.

And of course Lebron is a willing participant, what 19,20 year old doesn't want to see his face on Mags, be the star in commercials, etc. Is he supposed to say, "No, I dont want the fame or the money?" Who does that?! The problem isn't Lebron's for accepting it, its the NBA's for offering it in the first place particularly before he got a chance to accomplish much....

I agree that the league is also a willing participant (Harold Miner was billed as the next Jordan) but it goes beyond just marketing another star. Other ways to market oneself and clean up. Allowing yourself to be marketed as the "King" and all that implies before you have accomplished anything gives fans the right to question if its deserved.

So far, LeBron has been the "King" of the regular season. That's an empty title for someone who is supposed to be the best player on earth, someone who has been in this league for going on 8 years, and has had a couple of chances to close the deal. James was partly responsible for his teams not winning a title yet.

LeBron wanted to be called "King" and heavy is the head that wears the crown.

Lets keep it all the way real. The only reason he was given the nickname "King" is because his last name is James. "King James" as in the bible version of...Seriously, if his name was Lebron Brown, I highly doubt his nickname would be "King Brown". The hype machine would still be behind him, but with a different nickname. Similar to Bernard King. He wore a crown and robe because his last name was King. It was convenient. In all honesty, Bird, Magic and Kareem were better players than King at the time and they could have easily been crowned, but unfortunately for them, none of them had the last name of King....

When keeping it real goes wrong I understand the genesis of the name. I also understand what the word means. You sell yourself as a King you'd better play like one. At least Bernard King's name was King, it was more of a joke, he's smiling in the picture. LeBron's ad campaigns don't reference the Bible, they play on his being royalty, as being born into the title. LeBron looks deadly serious when he's sitting on the throne or wearing the robes.

After 8+ years in the league LeBron needs to win a championship to prove he is basketball royalty. Jordan did it, Magic did it, Kareem did it, and Bird did it. Now its LeBron's turn to do it, if he can. Until he does people are going to ask if he deserves the name and rightfully so.

mrKnickShot wrote:

JesseDark wrote:Rondo and Garnett should've shook hands, it's not a good look.

They will just say that its because that they have so much fire in their bellies but that was pretty bitchy

Its amazing how nothing is being said about this. I remember when the Isiah, Laimbeer and Aquirre walked off the court with seconds remaining when they lost to the Bulls in 91 and the media was killing Isiah. Garnett and Rondo do the same exact thing and nothing is being said.

CrushAlot wrote:

Uptown wrote:

mrKnickShot wrote:

JesseDark wrote:Rondo and Garnett should've shook hands, it's not a good look.

They will just say that its because that they have so much fire in their bellies but that was pretty bitchy

Its amazing how nothing is being said about this. I remember when the Isiah, Laimbeer and Aquirre walked off the court with seconds remaining when they lost to the Bulls in 91 and the media was killing Isiah. Garnett and Rondo do the same exact thing and nothing is being said.

I thought the Heat were trying to injure Rondo, especially Wade. He dislocated his elbow the previous year in the playoffs. I have no issue with him not shaking their hands.

Dont recall the Heat trying to injure Rondo. Rondo was fouled hard a few times but so was Lebron. Going by your philosphy, Lebron shouldn't shake hands with anyone because he's been fouled harder than anyone in the league this entire playoffs.

JesseDark wrote:Yeah Isiah and company got killed over this, today not a peep.
I didn't see anything that struck me as out of place concerning Rondo and don't think he was being targeted.
If he were to use the elbow for an excuse that would be weak, especially after playing the entire season and doing push ups after a hard foul. T

CrushAlot wrote:

Uptown wrote:

mrKnickShot wrote:

JesseDark wrote:Rondo and Garnett should've shook hands, it's not a good look.

They will just say that its because that they have so much fire in their bellies but that was pretty bitchy

Its amazing how nothing is being said about this. I remember when the Isiah, Laimbeer and Aquirre walked off the court with seconds remaining when they lost to the Bulls in 91 and the media was killing Isiah. Garnett and Rondo do the same exact thing and nothing is being said.

I thought the Heat were trying to injure Rondo, especially Wade. He dislocated his elbow the previous year in the playoffs. I have no issue with him not shaking their hands.

A year after the fact, Miami Heat forward LeBron James offered perhaps his most insightful perspective on his failures in last season's NBA Finals against the Dallas Mavericks, a series the Heat lost 4-2.

"I didn't play well," he said during Monday NBA Finals media day, in advance of Tuesday's best-of-seven series opener against the Oklahoma City Thunder at Chesapeake Energy Arena. "I think I said that 100 times this year. I didn't play well. I didn't make enough game-changing plays that I know I'm capable of making, and I felt like I let my teammates down. I don't know. I don't know if that's something I haven't said before. Just didn't make enough plays.