Friday, July 9, 2010

LeBron James put on a quite a show Thursday Night.

"The Decision" gave LeBron a chance to showcase himself and show us what he is all about. The overriding conclusion is that James is one of the most selfish athletes on the planet, which is quite an accomplishment. 

This was narcissism at its best. In this era of Twitter, Facebook and the constant need for self-admiration, LeBron James became the poster boy for what our society has become. 

James went so far as to get charity involved in all of this, by selling ad space and donating all proceeds to the Boys & Girls Clubs of America. In doing so, James looked like he was attempting to build up his image, displaying that he truly "cares" about the kids, and that's why he was doing the show. It had nothing to do with propping himself up in front of a nationwide audience and attempting to become an even bigger icon. No, this was all about the kids. What a guy, huh?

As for his actual decision, I have no problem with James leaving the Cavaliers; it's the way in which he did it that sickens me. James was a hero in Cleveland and the state of Ohio, revered like few players in the NBA. To Cleveland, James was their savior, the man that was finally going to give the city a championship after years of gut-wrenching heartbreak. Instead, all James did was give the city its worst defeat of all. The kid from Akron, who always claimed to love Cleveland, is deserting his hometown team, crippling their spirit in front of millions on a national television audience. And that's ultimately my biggest gripe here. Had James simply announced his decision on Twitter or his website, Cleveland wouldn't have felt quite as disgusted as it did. The problem is that James showed little compassion for the city, figuratively slapping it in the face in front of the entire country. Cleveland fans have a right to be angry, and James deserves all the boos he undoubtedly will receive when he returns to the Quicken Loans arena as a member of the Miami Heat.

This is what happens when an athlete surrounds himself with friends and puts them in managerial positions. James' camp couldn't have handled the situation any more poorly, turning LeBron's decision into a complete circus show. They fed information to the media on a daily basis, always making sure to give us something new to think about. Is he bringing Bosh to Cleveland? He was intrigued by the Nets pitch, maybe he's going there. He's always loved Madison Square Garden, so the Knicks are still in the running. The drama surrounding this was an absolute joke, and James' reputation has taken a major hit because of it. 

James, however, is too immature to realize just how bad this process makes him look. The 7.3 rating the show received will do nothing to bring him down, but the hits will come this fall. For the first time in James' career, he's going to booed relentlessly almost everywhere he goes. Remember when he walked into Madison Square Garden and there were more fans cheering for him than for the home team? Forget it. New York fans can be brutal, and Knicks fans aren't going to hold back when he comes to town. He toyed with everyone for two years, building his  free agent status as the biggest event in NBA history. 

For a man exceedingly concerned with his "brand," you'd think James would surround himself with experienced employees who would know how to handle every situation -- not ex-high school teammates who he is too nice to get rid of. The whole process was a disaster, with each day becoming more and more about James. When news came out that Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh were teaming up in Miami, it promptly was leaked that James would be making his decision on ESPN in a one-hour circus show. How convenient that the news would break just after Bosh and Wade made their decisions. Everyone needed a reminder that this was all about LeBron James, and any other news simply wasn't that important. Someone, anyone, should have told James just how bad an idea this all truly was. Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant, the two players James continually is measured against, would not have done it this way. And if they had, at least they would have had championship rings to somewhat justify it.

For whatever reason, James believes he actually accomplished something in Cleveland. During his interview with Jim Gray, he repeatedly referred to how much he gave the organization. What exactly did he give? In his seven years, the Cavs had one Finals appearance, where they were swept by the San Antonio Spurs. His last two years, the Cavs had the best record in the regular season and were prohibitive favorites to win the championship, but the team failed to even reach the Finals in both years. If James truly thinks that fans are going to remember the good times, he's more naive than we all thought.  No, his last few moments as a member of the Cavs is what fans will remember. His final home game was an embarrassing 88-120 loss to the Boston Celtics in which James scored just 15 points. James did register a triple double in his final game, but anyone who watched that game against the Celtics knows that his team needed more than 27 points from their leader to win. Sorry, "King," but championships are what make a player a legend, not continually coming up small in the biggest moments. 

No matter what James does from here on out, fans will always remember this moment. This moment will define him; because this was the night the whole world saw the real "King James." He is all about himself, not caring one bit about the people who loved and adored him for seven years. Cleveland didn't need this kind of torture, but James went ahead and gave it to them. 

Wednesday, July 7, 2010

More on 'The Decision'

The details of "The Decision," LeBron James hour-long special on ESPN Thursday night where he will announce which team he will be playing for, were sketchy as of last night.

Information has trickled in throughout Wednesday, including the location of the announcement. According to Alan Hahn of Newsday, James will be making the announcement from Greenwich, Connecticut; ESPN has since confirmed the report, adding that it will be from the Boys & Girls Club. James left Akron today after hosting his Nike camp.

Now, I don't plan on being a geography major, but I do know that Akron is a significant distance from Greenwich. Moreover, Greenwich is only 25 miles away from Manhattan, home of the New York Knicks and near New Jersey, home of the Nets. Whether that means James is going to be a member of either team next season, I don't know. Phoenix Suns forward Jared Dudley has sources telling him that James is going to be a Knick, but we'll see. Players certainly have connections, but James' camp has reportedly been keeping his decision close to the vest.

It does seem significant that James would decide to make his announcement outside of the state of Ohio, where Cleveland Cavaliers fans worship him. If he were indeed going to remain a Cavalier, wouldn't he want to make the announcement in Ohio?

As for the actual show, it will be hosted by Stuart Scott from Bristol, with Mike Wilbon and Jon Barry on hand. Jim Gray, as requested by James' representatives, will get the first interview with James from Greenwich in what is every reporter's dream. Congratulations to Gray, a solid reporter who has been somewhat shut out of the NBA scene since his days with ESPN in the mid-2000s. ESPN reporters will be in all the important locations, ready to either congratulate an executive or lead the figurative eulogy.

"The Decision" can be seen on Thursday, 9pm EST on ESPN and espn3.com, as well as heard on ESPN Radio. Fasten your seat belts, it's going to be one wild ride.

Durant gets extension

Overshadowed by Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade agreeing to sign with Miami is the news that Oklahoma City Thunders superstar Kevin Durant is set to sign a five-year, $85 million extension with the team on Thursday. Durant announced the move on his Twitter page, and his agent Aaron Goodwin later confirmed it.

Durant is already one of the NBA's superstars, and last season he became the youngest scoring champion ever, averaging 30.1 points per game. His Thunder are a team on the rise and have a roster that will allow them to compete in the Western Conference for years to come.

Just 21-years-old, Durant has not even come close to reaching his prime. He can score at will and with his size is a talented rebounder as well. Moreover, his ability to get to the free throw line on a consistent basis makes him even more lethal. Last season was his first career playoff appearance, and he represented himself well against the eventual champion Los Angeles Lakers -- he averaged 25 points per game to along with nearly eight rebounds.

Quiet and reserved, Durant isn't the kind of player who makes a big deal about himself (unlike LeBron James). He simply goes about his business, which is extremely refreshing in today's world. He's a guy anyone can root for, and the NBA should start marketing the hell out of him.

Bosh, Wade to team up in Miami

The NBA's Summer of 2010 took another interesting turn Wednesday morning, as Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade will reportedly be teaming up in Miami. Chris Broussard of ESPN was first on the scene.

Wade and Bosh are expected to make their announcement today, 24 hours or so before LeBron James makes his announcement live on ESPN.

Bosh was being courted by several teams, including the New York Knicks, Chicago Bulls and New Jersey Nets. There was a time when people believed he could be dealt to Cleveland in a sign-and-trade to team up with LeBron, until it was reported that Bosh had no interest in playing for the Cavs.  Wade was being courted by the same teams, but many league executives reportedly feel that his free agent visits were designed to gather information and distract other teams, not seriously consider a city other than Miami.

One of the various issues surrounding the signings is how exactly Bosh will be coming to South Beach. It's been reported that he would only agree to a sign-and-trade, since that would give him an extra $29. The problem is that Toronto, according to sources, is not interested in what Miami has to offer. Miami, in fact, has just two players currently on the roster -- Michael Beasley and Mario Chalmers. The team has reportedly been trying to trade Beasley for quite some time now, without any success.

The financial details of this deal are going to be complex, especially if LeBron decides to join the pair to form one of the greatest trios the NBA has ever seen. And that is now the biggest question: Will James join Wade and Bosh?

If he does choose to do so, James would have to swallow a bit of pride. Michael Jordan didn't need two superstars to win six championships, and Kobe didn't need two to win five championships. James going to Miami would be viewed as him needing Bosh and Wade to win, which would hurt his image. Nets owner Mikhail Prokhorov reportedly said in team meetings that he believes the "LeBron brand" would be diminished if he were to go to Miami, and I completely agree with him.

Despite all this, the trio has made no secret of their desire to play together -- but money will make it difficult. If James is serious about teaming up with a superstar, his options would appear to have narrowed. Cleveland, other than that extra $29 million, would seem to have little to offer. Bosh and Amar'e Stoudemire are off the market, and it's unknown whether James would want to pair up with Carlos Boozer or David Lee. If he does, New Jersey or Chicago are still strong options -- especially with the Nets going after Boozer, according to reports.

And speaking of Stoudemire, he may play an important role in all of this. Here's an intriguing nugget from Broussard on Twitter last night: "Knicks gaining major ground in LeBron sweeptakes. Bosh snub hurts Cavs, though they're still in hunt." 

As I said in a post yesterday, New York has always been intriguing to James, who loves the bright lights of the Big Apple and Madison Square Garden. But as far as rosters go, the Knicks don't have much to offer -- other than Stoudemire. Though the Nets won just 12 games last season, they have some good young talent. Moreover, James is good friends with part owner Jay-Z. But if we are going solely by current roster -- and this is excluding Miami -- the Bulls have the best talent. Derrick Rose is already a superstar, and Joakim Noah has proven to be a solid big man. Playing under Jordan's shadow likely isn't something James wants, though the Bulls reportedly remain in the running. 

All I know is this: In a little more than 24 hours it will all be over. 

Tuesday, July 6, 2010

James to announce decision on Thursday (ESPN, 9pm EST)

Sources tell ESPN's Chris Broussard (who else?) that LeBron James will announce which team he will sign with on ESPN on Thursday.

This is remarkably pathetic. James has been milking this process for years, always telling the media that July 1, 2010 would be a "big day." July 1 turned out to be not that big a deal, with James merely meeting with two teams. We've heard numerous reports citing tons of sources who all had a different idea of where James is headed. James has now decided to make this even more of a joke by announcing his decision on TV. Who does LeBron think he is? Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant -- the two players he is measured against -- would never think of doing such a thing. Both have too much respect for the game of basketball to turn an announcement into a circus show.

Moreover, what exactly has James done to warrant a TV announcement? Did I miss the season where he won a championship? Sorry, but all he has ever done is come up small in the playoffs. James continues to show that he doesn't get it, and at this point I don't think he ever will.

There is one big plus with this announcement, however. All the madness will finally be over. Thursday should be quite the interesting night.

Teams should do whatever is necessary to get Cliff Lee

If there is one thing Major League Baseball teams can never have enough of it's pitching. Nothing is more important than having a good pitching staff, something that has carried many teams to unforeseen heights.

When the trade deadline approaches every year, pitchers are typically the premium position. No matter how well a team is doing, there always seems to be an emphasis on acquiring that one pitcher who can put a team over the top. Luckily for these teams, there always seems to be a top-notch pitcher available. For the right price, teams are usually willing to part with their best pitcher if they are not in contention. This year's prize is Seattle Mariners star Cliff Lee.

In last place and 14 games back of the A.L. West-leading Texas Rangers, the Mariners have no chance of making a run in the second half of the season. Lee's contract expires at the end of 2010, and the rebuilding franchise needs young players to help revitalize the club. With the non-waiver trade deadline approaching -- it's on July 31 -- expect teams to line up at the front door for Lee, one of baseball's best.

In 13 starts, Lee is 8-3 this season with a 2.34 ERA. The man has consistently been one of the best pitcher's in all of baseball over the past few years, and at 31-years-old there is no sign that he's slowing down anytime soon.

One of the many things that makes Lee great is his innate ability to work his way through a game, something that a lot of pitchers struggle to do. Moreover, Lee recently threw three complete games in a row -- some pitchers aren't even able to throw three complete games in an entire season.

What also makes Lee so appealing is his past performance in he postseason. Lee was virtually un-hittable last October, winning two games in the World Series against the Yankees. It's rare that a player with Lee's track record in the playoffs is available at the deadline, and it's a big reason why so many teams should be willing to throw Seattle just about anything they wants for his services.

I'm a big believer in winning now while also paying some respect to the future. Too many teams are attached to players in their farm system and as a result are not willing to part with them in trades. But when you have a chance to acquire a player of Lee's caliber, you do whatever is necessary. If that means giving up a top prospect, so be it.

The Minnesota Twins seem to be following that philosophy. Leaders of the A.L. Central,  the Twins are desperately in need of an ace on their pitching staff. Yes, the Twins have never been a team that gets into the fray at the deadline, he Twins are apparently attempting to join baseball's true elite -- and that means making the blockbuster deal at the deadline. Although the Twins have been a perennial playoff team over the last decade, they haven't been perennial World Series contenders. Signing Joe Mauer to a huge long-term deal was a step in the right direction for Minnesota, and acquiring Lee would send a clear message to the rest of the American League that the Twins are for real.

Also in the hunt for Lee are the division-leading Cincinnati Reds,Texas Rangers and New York Yankees, as well as the New York Mets and Philadelphia Phillies (Lee's team last season). If Minnesota isn't able to get Lee, any of these teams would benefit greatly from adding him to their respective pitching staffs.

Any team in contention would be smart to acquire Lee, and they should be willing to do anything necessary to make it happen.

Sign-and-trade becoming more of a possibility for Bosh

Early in the NBA free agency bonanza, several reports emerged that the Toronto Raptors would be unwilling to do a sign-and-trade involving star power forward Chris Bosh. The reasons were never clear, but the stance didn't make sense since Bosh has made it abundantly clear that he will not be returning to the Raptors.

As a sign that G.M. Bryan Colangelo and the rest of the organization may be coming to their senses, ESPN's Chris Broussard reports that Toronto has changed its mind. Per several sources, the Raptors would be willing to do a sign-and-trade with Cleveland. Bosh has indicated all along that he wants a maximum deal, which he could only get through a sign-and-trade. The difference between a max deal through a sign-and-trade and a free agent max deal is about $29 million. So it appears LeBron James is staying in Cleveland, and Bosh is going to join him.

The only problem? Bosh has other ideas.

James remains part of the equation for Bosh, but in a different city. Broussard's sources indicate that Miami, Chicago and New Jersey are the teams he would prefer to play for. James is being recruited by each of those teams, but it is not yet clear which way he is leaning. Should James decide to remain in Cleveland, the apparent belief is that Bosh will head elsewhere. If that becomes the case, Bosh may have to settle for the free agent max deal, because Toronto has only OK'd a sign-and-trade with the Cavaliers and no one else. The Raptors are reportedly uninterested in what Miami and Chicago would have to offer.

Where Bosh ends up is anyone's guess, but it's a safe bet that it won't be Cleveland.