At first it kind of took me by surprise and I instantly thought to myself, why would somebody just come right out and not only say it but actually right a article about it? Well, needless to say that was it, I was hooked and I had to read it. I clicked on the header and when I got to the page, I noticed the author. It was none other than Chris Broussard. I have nothing but respect for Chris (we'll call him CB) as he has come a long way to make it where he is today. He always provides in depth coverage and great inside information BUT, there comes a time when a writer is wrong. There comes a time when a writer just doesn't have all their facts straight. There comes a time when a writer will scramble and put together an article so fast and so careless, just to get it out to the masses and see the reaction. That is what CB did with this piece and I would like to go over it.

Let's start from the very beginning.

“The notion that every player -- or at least every star player -- in the NBA wants to play in New York tickles me.”

As soon as I read that, I knew this was going to be an anti-Knicks article. I mean, why would any journalist writing with an open mind start their article like that?

“In the early 2000s, while a Knicks beat writer for the New York Times, I remember being baffled because many of my colleagues and readers thought every skilled free agent was headed to New York ”

CB said it himself, “while a Knicks beat writer for the New York Times” Why would you be so “baffled” at your readers (NY Knicks fans) thinking a skilled free agent wants to play in NY? Newsflash Broussard, it's like that in every city. The people that think this way are called fans. You go up to a New Jersey Nets fan today and ask him if he thinks Lebron James will be a Net. More times than not the Nets fan will say yes.

“They thought Grant Hill would leave Detroit for the Knicks (for less coin) and Chris Webber would spurn Sacramento for the Big Apple (and chump change). ”

See this is where CB tries to trick you. Everybody knows the players go where the money goes. Just for the record, Grant Hill only signed a 7 year $93 million deal with the Magic and Webber only signed a $127 million deal with the Kings in July of 2001 that just expired in July of 2008. All the Knicks could offer both of these players was at the most what...$6 million or $7 million at the most per season? None of the fans really thought those players would play in NY because NY fans whether it's basketball, baseball or football, are the smartest fans in the world. NY fans know the rules of their sport better than most “analysts” and “insiders”.

“while New York has a decent shot at LeBron, the idea that LeBron -- or any other great player -- needs New York or harbors this intense desire to play there is a joke. ”

That was a quick blow below the belt after the bell by CB, but like the all time greats you have to shake that off and come out ready for the next round.

“LeBron, an endorsement king, is already the face of the NBA despite being ringless in tiny Cleveland. ”

I think Kobe would have something to say about that since he's in a market about 100x's larger than Cleveland and he's actually playing in the Finals right now. Oh and in case you haven't noticed, this is his 3rd straight finals appearance. I've also noticed a lot of people have stripped Lebron of the best player in the league title and given it back to Kobe.

“The Internet and globalization have largely made where a player plays irrelevant in regards to marketing and popularity. ”

This is one of the funniest lines in the column. I would really like to hear what Kevin Durant has to say about this. Especially since he was the top scorer in the league while selling the 9th most jerseys. I wonder if he played in NY would he be that far down the list. Or how about this. I wonder if Nate Robinson and David Lee didn't play in NY, would their jersey sales be #11 and #12 respectively?

“So to suggest LeBron needs New York is nuts. The only thing that can make him bigger is a title, not a town”

What about the business side of it CB? Do you think he would sell more sneakers and LBJ apparel in the most populated city in the US which just so happens to be the Mecca of basketball? That might not make him bigger but it will make him richer. Plus, are you sure he doesn't need New York? Is there any other way to compete with the best player ever (Jordan) and his legacy? Name me one other city where Lebron can win half the rings as Jordan and still have a bigger legacy? Yes, if Lebron were to win 3 rings in NY he would have a bigger legacy than Jordan. Just because he did it in New York.

“New York is not the center, err, mecca of the basketball universe, as advertised.”

I know I know, I should have stopped reading right there but I didn't.

“Sure, every player who traipses through the Garden while helping his team wax the Knicks praises the city, telling the local media he'd love to play in New York. But many free agents, not wanting to burn any bridges, do that in every palatable NBA city. Yet in New York it becomes a back page and hysteria ensues.”

That's what happens when you play in the largest media market in the world, but you should know that since you were a Knicks beat writer for the New York Times right? Now imagine what the same media market would do if Lebron were to lead the Knicks to the finals and heaven forbid a championship. You don't have to imagine it if you don't want to, but you can bet Lebron is.

“And where did this idea that the NBA needs the Knicks to be good come from? (Of course, having a contender in the nation's biggest market would be nice , but the league seemed to do pretty well in the 1980s and 2000s when the Knicks were doormats.)”

And where did this statement that the NBA needs the Knicks to be good come from? Who said that to you CB? Then you go on to answer your own question when you say “Of course, having a contender in the nation's biggest market would be nice”. CB if the nations biggest market has a good team that means better numbers for the league right? Better numbers means more money right? Is it a necessity that the Knicks are good? No it's not. Besides the LA Lakers, there is no other team that can have the impact on the NBA's bottom line more than the New York Knicks. There's a reason why they've been a 30 win team each year for the past 10 years but yet their still 2nd in value of all teams only trailing the Lakers. To put it in more perspective, the Lakers just took over the #1 spot from the Knicks not even a few years ago.

“That idea led the conspiratorially minded to think David Stern would fix the lottery to make sure Yao Ming and then James ended up in New York. How'd that theory work out? ”

What? Where did that come from? Are you seriously using this as a fact in your column?

“Don't get me wrong: I love New York. It's a fabulous city. ”

Do you really love NY? Do you really think it's a fabulous city?

“But that doesn't hold much sway when the best basketball players are deciding where they want to play, especially when someone else can pay more. ”

There's only 1 team that can pay more and that's the same team that everybody (including you) thinks he's going to leave. So what other team besides the one he's leaving can pay more than the Knicks can?

“Look at last summer. Steve Nash, who lives in New York in the offseason and owes his hallowed status in the game to Knicks coach Mike D'Antoni, toyed with the Knicks but re-signed with Phoenix. ”

CB, Nash was not an unrestricted free agent so how could he toy with the Knicks? Nash was not able to go out and just sign with the Knicks. He was still under contract in Phoenix and the only way he could get to NY would be in a trade.

“Ditto for Hill, who took less money to return to the Suns, ”

Grant Hill took a 2 year $6.3 million deal from Phoenix. The Knicks offered a 3 year $10 million deal (3.3 per) with a team option for the last year or a 1 year $5 million deal. So you can't make it sound like he turned down a bunch of money. The amount doesn't even equal out to $200,000. That CB will try to pull a fast one on you won't he?

“and Jason Kidd, who seemed to use the Knicks to get a richer deal from Mavericks owner Mark Cuban. ”

We offered Kidd $19 million over 3 years and Dallas came back with a $25 million deal over 3 years. Kidd was doing what every smart player does in that situation and that's to shut up and let your agent do everything. I'm not following why your trying to kick dirt on the Knicks with the examples you have given.

“When the modern Knicks did reach the Finals in '94, it became a slugfest, Exhibit A for non-artistic, unwatchable basketball.”

What about when we made it in 99 also? 2 finals appearances in 5 years is more than I can say for Lebron, Wade, Bosh or any other available free agent looking for a max deal this summer.

“Even New York's rep for producing great players is overblown.”

Wow, did he really just say that? Should we go back and take a look at how many great players were born in New York? I'm not talking about the Jordan's and Carmelo's, who were born here but moved after a week. Where should we begin? Dr. J, Kareem Abdul Jabbar, Nate Archibald, Bob Cousy, you know what? I'll just leave it at that because it's to many to name. You give me 1 city in the world that had 4 players better than those 4 players. This is what I was talking about when I said some journalists are in such a rush to put their column together. Whoever oversees the basketball department at ESPN should have caught on to that statement and knew something was wrong. For their main basketball writer to not know the history of the biggest basketball city in the world is beyond me.

“First of all, there only a few recognizable players in the league who are from New York City -- Lamar Odom, Ron Artest, Sebastian Telfair, not to mention Stephon Marbury (just to name a few). And many of them are viewed as underachieving or troubled.”

Stephon Marbury is actually not in the league and 2 of those players (Odom and Artest) are currently playing in the NBA Finals for a championship. But what about the player on the Chicago Bulls that you just love to use as a point of emphasis in them recruiting Lebron James? Yes, Joakim Noah is from the Bronx and he grew up playing ball in the tri-state just like Odom, Artest, Telfair, and Marbury. Did you really not know that or did you just not want to put that in your story?

“And before you get hyped about LeBron or any other player wearing a Yankees cap, realize that boys and men all over the country are wearing them. Though LeBron is a fan, it's a fashion statement.”

Was it a fashion statement when Lebron wore the Yankees hat to the Yankees vs. Indians game in Cleveland? I think he wore his hat that night as a fan.

“The crowd can definitely get hyped, but the only real draw there is that famous actors, actresses and rappers are often in the front row. Otherwise, to most 20- and 30-somethings, it's the place where MJ dropped a double-nickle and where Reggie Miller burned the Knicks in eight seconds.”

I didn't know the arena was full of only 20- and 30-something year olds. I'm in my 30's and I seem to remember a bunch of memorable plays that happened in the Garden. Larry Johnson's 4 point play? The Dunk by Starks? Are you serious right now?

“This may sound like an anti-Knicks column,”

No not at all CB.

“The arrogant claims that the life's dream of a kid born in Akron, Ohio -- or Dallas (Chris Bosh), or Chicago (Dwyane Wade) -- is to play for the Knicks just makes you look foolish and out of touch.”

Who said anything about it being their dreams? Where are you getting that from CB? Do you have a link or a video of somebody saying that? I have never heard anybody say it's Lebron James dream to play in NY.

This was just a poor attempt to try to get some publicity for CB. You can't blame him though as a majority of reporters try something like this in their career to try to get people to talk about them and their article. Same thing with the Phil Jackson to Chicago rumor. CB made a big announcement on ESPN that's he's heard through “back channels” of how Phil Jackson was interested in the Bulls job. Then not even 2 weeks later the Bulls hire the Celtics top assistant coach.

Nice try CB but New York fans are smarter than that. Their smarter than you to.

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Solace wrote:I think you just pwned him. Hope he reads it.

I just hope he doesn't fact check because some of the responses maybe not be accurate. I recall a lot of what Broussard was talking about. Particularly the Grant Hill and Webber affairs. The NY media (especially that idiot Berman) and Knick fans indeed thought that Hill and C-Webb would run to the Knicks because of it being NY. I actually put more faith in Spree getting C-Webb than the allure of NY. For pete sakes the man was coming off a WCFs trip. Both situations worked out for NY though. Oh, that Yao Ming zing was spot on though. Scott Layden's face said it all. It ranks right up there with Prokhorov's face this past selection show.

Pharzeone wrote:BTW, this isn't a new article. There is a thread about the article.

I just think it shows how retarded it was to even give CB a response if the poster felt he was trying to get some attention. Well he gave it to him in his crybaby reply.

WTF cares what CB has to say or anyone at ESPN for the matter.

Some of us need a sensitivity checkup on the real.

Pharzeone wrote:

Solace wrote:I think you just pwned him. Hope he reads it.

I just hope he doesn't fact check because some of the responses maybe not be accurate. I recall a lot of what Broussard was talking about. Particularly the Grant Hill and Webber affairs. The NY media (especially that idiot Berman) and Knick fans indeed thought that Hill and C-Webb would run to the Knicks because of it being NY. I actually put more faith in Spree getting C-Webb than the allure of NY. For pete sakes the man was coming off a WCFs trip. Both situations worked out for NY though. Oh, that Yao Ming zing was spot on though. Scott Layden's face said it all. It ranks right up there with Prokhorov's face this past selection show.

There were some homers that thought we could get Hill and Webber, however it was regarded as a long shot because we were over the cap and it would have taken Camby in a sign and trade, which would have left us without a center. It is good to note that Webber tried to force a trade to Donnie Walsh's Indiana Pacers though. It is also important to mention thatWebber has gone on record that he thinks LeBron should go to NY.

Broussard has probably taken note of Bill Simmons' ascension. Bill Simmons is popular, not because he's a great journalist, or he provides some great insights, but because as the *Boston* Sports Guy, he's allowed to rip NY to shreds.

We're the biggest sports market. We get a lot of coverage. A lot of people hate the NY teams just because nobody gives a **** about their team. Kind of like how "hate" Brett Favre... i really jsut don't give a **** about the man. STFU.

So, Broussard, not really being an NBA insider has to have a plan to get to the top. Stein, Bucher, Adande, Hollinger and Ford--YES, EVEN CHAD FORD--are higher within the ESPN Basketball pecking order. And then you have the PAge 2 guys like Scoop Jackson and Simmons I'd rather read than Broussard.

Broussard has little value to add and is trying his damnedest to generate ESPN revenue any which way he can. The way to combat a dude like this is just to not click the link.

I'm only reading what's posted here because I refuse to let ESPN profit from that cheap, uh, "journalism"

Bippity10 wrote:DaJoka my advice is when you see a title like that, just move on and read something else. It does not matter if CB thinks he isn't coming here. It doesn't matter if Stephen A. Smith thinks he is. The only thing that matters is what Lebron thinks, and for that we will have to wait and see. These articles are based on nothing but someone's opinion and are pointless. CB wanted to rile up NYers and NY haters and did a good job. That was his goal and he achieved it. Still has no impact on Lebron.