The hyped up drama of where Lebron James was going to sign as a free agent has, quite frankly, bored me to death. I don't care where this overrated ego-maniac ends up.
An hour long prime time special on ESPN just to announce where he is going to sign? You've got to be kidding. ESPN has certainly done all it can to build up the hype. The best part of the special was where they cut to footage of Cleveland fans burning James' jersey, and asking him to comment.
It was a very telling moment when James made the announcement - saying he was going to South Beach to play with Wade and Bosh. NOT Miami, NOT the Heat - but South Beach - high dollar party capital. That's the overriding factor. The team doesn't mean a damn thing. James kept involving his 'mama' as having approved of all of this - I'm pretty sure that mama would love to ditch Cleveland for a South Beach hi-rise condo.
It was widely reported a couple of months ago that James, Wade, and Bosh had met, and had multiple conversations about all of them ending up in Miami. The goal was to create a 'super team' that would win multiple titles, then they would split up and go to seperate teams. Supposedly, they were willing to take smaller salaries (smaller is a relative term) if the three of them could become a package - the rings were what they were after.
I almost feel sorry for the people of Cleveland, who thought this man was their property - their salvation. Guess what Clevelanders - you just got a taste of sports business reality.
If owners, coaches, or ANYONE associated with any NBA team had even remotely done something like this, the NBA would have jumped all over them. As it was, Mark Cuban, the owner of the Mavericks, was fined $100,000 by the NBA for mentioning the obvious - that his team would be interested in James. At least two others were fined by the NBA for like comments. The NBA calls it collusion, and tampering.
However, if the athletes do it, it is perfectly fine. They can get together and plot and plan all they want - they can say pretty much anything they want to, and the NBA is perfectly fine with that.
That's just wrong. The players can manipulate the teams and the NBA in any way they want to, while everyone else has a straight jacket on? That's Bullshit ....
As for King James and his 'dynasty' in Miami - I hope they fall flat on their faces. They should not be rewarded for this kind of manipulation. I think I won't have long to wait for that - there's only one ball ont he floor at a time, and three prima-donnas fighting for it won't build a champion, that's for sure.
All pretty disgusting ...
Update - NBA Commissioner David Stern fined the Cavs owner $100,000 today, for the angry letter he sent to Cavs fans after James' defection. The letter was pretty over the top, but the fine was uncalled for. I guess you just aren't allowed to criticize the 'golden' boys of the NBA - the guys who sell all the jerseys and sneakers.
Why isn't Stern fining James and Bosh and Wade for collusion and tampering?
It is nice, however, to see Stern fine someone other than Mark Cuban ...
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