Dwightmare Hands off Bozo Award for the Week to Lady Lebron

[Go2gtr]

"So you want your athletes and sports personalities to speak in cliche's? Just in case they might offend someone?

You must love Bill Belichick press conferences. Conversely, you must hate Steve Spurrier pressers and interviews."

Your exact words to me. I never addressed you. I'm out.

[regurgigator]

Originally Posted by UFG8rGuy3283

I guess I just don't understand why anyone would think that guys playing basketball making $17MM a year, in this economy especially, should be getting "credit" for taking less. That's what peaves me about Lebron's interview.

Relative to players making more than him, yes, he is undervalued, but don't expect people, especially the average fan, to give you "credit" for anything other than being the best basketball player on the planet. Most everyone would agree with that statement? What more does the guy want?

Billy Hunter gave back 7% of revenues in the new CBA. The players agreed to it collectively. Lebron agreed to him contract. What the hell else does the guy want?

There was a guy who said something about being a replaceable peon insurance guy. I'm not an insurance guy, but that comment irks me, completely. Doctors don't make as much as many NBA players, but it doesn't diminish their importance to society.

Perhaps the better question that should be discussed is, why have we allowed sports to become so important in our culture, much like music and entertainers? Why do they dominate our culture so much to where we care what a guy like Lebron James is saying?

My life perspective and priorities changed significantly when I got married and became a dad. I used to yell and scream at the TV whenever UF would play. Hell, I missed my high school graduation to see the Magic play game 1 against Houston in the NBA Finals.

Now, most of the UF games get DVRd or I might even miss a game here and there and the NBA gets watched as a passing afterthought if I can't fall asleep after a long day. I like to frequent these boards to have a good dialogue with fellow Gator fans about our teams and get info that others graciously take the time to research and share.

I'm not saying that people who live for sports are wrong, but in the grand scheme of life, I find it perplexing as to why someone defends a guy like Lebron who cares so much about who is giving him credit for taking a little less money. I think he gets plenty of love from the world in general and when you complain about stuff like this, whether you are or not, it comes off as very self centered and needy.

I finally had to open the article to see what LeBron was saying about not getting credit. Now, I'm not even sure he said it, because the article puts "the credit" in parentheses, which I think means he said something else. In any event, it looks like he's just saying that there hasn't been a lot of press about him never having a max contract and/or that the Heat's Big Three all took less than max contracts. I'm not sure I agree; I've heard it mentioned a number of times on tv. But, so what?

That said, I do give athletes "credit" in the sense of an "attaboy" when they take less money to join a championship contender. Just as I gave credit to Haslem and Miller for doing that to play with the Heat.

And, while I don't think players are exactly "wrong-headed" if they go for the money instead, I must say that when Steve Garvey was literally crying because he had been "forced" to leave the Dodger team he loved to got to the Padres because the Dodgers wouldn't match waht the Padres offered, I had to laugh. The man was already very wealthy. He could have stayed with the Dodgers if he wanted.

[BLING]

I can't say I feel bad for Lebron, but he does have a point. If NBA free agency were a true "free market" Lebron would probably be making $50 Million a year (or more!) instead of $15 mil or whatever it's artificially capped at now.

That being said, salary cap makes sense to have a more competitive league. Maybe there should be a better system of "exclusion" though, so each team can sign 1 superstar at a completely uncapped salary if they so choose. There's really only what, like 10-15 players in the league that would truly demand a salary far and above the current cap? That might have made the dynamics of his joining the HEAT a little different. It is widely known he gave up a little Salary to go to Miami instead of Cleveland, but it was probably the difference between $15 Million and $14 Million - so he didn't care because his salary was being artificially capped anyway and it's a drop in the bucket compared to Nike $$$. What if there was a bidding war, and teams with no other super-stars (like Cleveland) were able to offer him like $50 Million. Probably would have made "the decision" a little different.

[altalias]

With apology to Hall of famer Warren Sapp. He makes a king's ransom to play a child's game and he's unhappy? If there were no cap there might be six teams a lot less tv money and he might make less not more.

[FearNoSpear]

Originally Posted by SwampFox

They make more than enough with endorsements, etc. How much do they NEED???????

Hell, young kids, cnnot begin to afford to ever see them play.

Besides my point is, think before one speaks. A lot of folk in this country are having tough times. He isn't.........

How much does he need? Whatever he can earn. Young kids should look up to this. Work your tail off in your field and maximize your earnings.