Taking My Talents to South Beach – Part One
Despite swearing up and down that I would not tune in for ESPN’s one-hour “Decision” special, Thursday night I still somehow found myself huddled around the television awaiting what I felt was the obvious resolution of what had been one of the most over-hyped and narcissistic off-court spectacles in the history of sports: Lebron was staying with the Cavs. I figured that most of the show would be filled in with footage of James visiting his high school gym, one of the nine or ten hovels he lived in growing up in Akron, the locker room at Quicken Loans arena, etc. It’d be sentimental and trite, but it’d be a furthering of his image of the homegrown savior that he and his handlers have so skillfully crafted over the last seven years. However it played out, I was convinced that he was staying Cleveland. Because the idea that Lebron James and his coterie of hangers-on could possibly, in good conscience and with sound business sense, orchestrate an elaborate and painfully awkward nationally televised one-hour special only to announce that he would be leaving Cleveland was, I thought, unthinkable. It just seemed too cruel, too oblivious–not to mention, just too damn stupid. I realize that athletes and other celebrities are often deluded and self-absorbed, but this—teasing along your hometown fans for weeks and weeks, having them hang on every rumor, to then turn around broadcast the betrayal—just didn’t seem at all possible. So, I watched, though uncomfortably, confident that I already knew what would happen.
But then, after what seemed like an eternity of inane softball questions from whatever is left of Jim Gray’s credibility came the words: “I’m taking my talents to South Beach.” Stunned.
Come on LeBron… We Dare You
Looks like SOMEONE finally decided to stop sucking up to LeBron and give it to him straight. This is a dare and a warning all wrapped into one. Yes, LeBron is believed by many to be the best basketball player in the world, but after the past 2 years people are doubting his ability to come through when it counts.
This idea was dreamed up by sports-loving ad guys at the city’s Leo Burnett agency and was the culmination of a four-day campaign featuring a fresh challenge each day.
Figuring the biggest hurdle — and potential advantage — to winning him for Chicago was the legacy of Bulls’ superstar Jordan, they got together with a creative team from the agency and decided to appeal directly to James’ competitive spirit: Challenge him to outdo even Jordan, who always loved a good challenge himself.
“You’ve got to play against the memory of a legend in Chicago,” Girts said. “Do you dare do that?”
So Monday, they sent to his house the classic red, white and black Air Jordans and asked if he could fill those shoes. Tuesday it was a case featuring seven empty ring boxes, representing one more championship than Jordan won here, and the question, “Can you fill these boxes?”
Looks like LeBron is waiting until Thursday to make his decision, so I guess we’ll have to wait and see.
Uneasy Lies The Head That Wears A Crown
[guest blog by M. Scott]
“I spoil a lot of people with my play. When you have a bad game here or there, you’ve had three bad games in a seven-year career, then it’s easy to point that out.”
I’m not a Cavs fans and I don’t like LeBron. And I certainly didn’t like his comments after the Celtics embarrassed him and his team on their home court Tuesday night. It really just adds to my distaste for all things Cleveland. So you’d think I’d be enjoying this. Unfortunately, I’m not.
The only thing more infuriating than Mike Brown’s illogical and seemingly random substitution decisions is reading articles and blog posts criticizing LeBron’s “commitment” or his “passion for the game” by people who just a week prior were lining up to shine his, uh, shoes. These writers and bloggers and fans have spent the past few years lauding the man, extolling the many virtues of his game, calling him the “King,” and now, when the chips are down, want to turn on him, do an about-face, and question his desire to win, his ability to come through in the clutch? As far as the sportswriters are concerned, it’s just hack journalism–just trying to stir up controversy. For the fans, though, well, that’s classic Cleveland for you: short-sighted and without class. FIY: Not a good idea to boo the man that’s made your city relevant again a few weeks before his impending free-agency. With fans like that, why would he ever want to leave for New York?
Greatest NBA Intro of All-Time: Cavs Recreate The Warriors
Big Z looks a lot like the dude from that “ELEKTRONIC, SUPERSONIC” music video from back in the day.
By the way, the Cavs should ditch their jerseys and start wearing these throwbacks full-time.
LeBron James – More Than A Game Trailer
Spike Lee directed the Kobe movie (it sucked) and now it’s LeBron’s turn to hit the big screen. The story follows his historic high school basketball career.
LeBron > Kobe
Vodpod videos no longer available.Drake feat. Kanye West, Lil’ Wayne & Eminem – Forever
Kind of surprised to see the entire video is dedicated to LeBron. Kind of fiting, though. “First name ‘Best,’ last name ‘Ever.'”
I still can’t believe Drake got a cast like this for a remix… And I STILL think Em’s verse is whack.
Vodpod videos no longer available.Top 10 Dunks of 2009
Videos like this are the only thing getting me through the off-season. The #10 and #9 dunks should have been much higher and there is no way in hell any clip of Tracy McGrady should ever be included in a Top 10 list.
Video of LeBron James Getting Dunked On by Jordan Crawford
All that hype for this? HOW DISAPPOINTING. Wouldn’t it have been smarter for Nike to do nothing and have this video get maybe 100,00 hits in a week on YouTube than “confiscating the tapes” and having 20 million hits in 24 hours? Seriously. There are PLENTY of clips of LeBron getting dunked on. Not a big deal until you made it a big deal, Nike. I’m going to go ahead and include a nice 1:20 montage of Lebron getting punched on. The dunks at :35 and :55 are straight beast status.
Lebron Got Dunked On; Nike Confiscates Video Footage
On Monday night at the Nike LeBron James Skills Academy in Akron, Ohio, NBA star Lebron James was dunked on huge by Xavier’s Jordan Crawford with a vicious two-hander. Unfortunately you won’t be seeing the replay of the dunk anytime soon. According to CBS Sports who was in attendance and filming the game, the Nike officials upon convening with Lebron after the play confiscated all of the cameramen’s tapes from their cameras. Here is what CBSSports.com had to say about it:
Turns out, there were at least two cameras rolling Monday night when Crawford dunked on James during a pick-up game here at the LeBron James Skills Academy. It was a two-handed jam, the kind that would’ve circulated quickly on YouTube. But Nike officials eliminated that possibility shortly after the dunk happened by allegedly confiscating tapes from various cameramen.
Freelance photographer Ryan Miller was one of the cameramen shooting the game.
He told CBSSports.com that Nike Basketball Senior Director Lynn Merritt took his tape.
“He just said, ‘We have to take your tape,’” Miller said. “They took it from other guys, too.”
Worth noting is that there is no policy against filming at the LeBron James Skills Academy, and Miller said he had been filming all day without incident. Nobody ever told him to stop. Nobody ever said there was a problem … until after Crawford dunked on James.
“LeBron called Lynn over and told him something,” Miller said. “That’s how I knew his name was Lynn. LeBron said, ‘Hey, Lynn. Come here.’”
Minutes later, Miller said Merritt demanded his tape.
Maybe the footage one day will surface in a Nike commercial about Lebron’s failures, like that Michael Jordan commercial about all of the buzzer beaters he missed. Sort of a ‘you must first fail to learn from your mistakes’ type motivational spot. But until then, we’ll all just have to imaging how sick the dunk must have been to serve it up on King James.
**Update** Fox Sports had a chance to ask Jordan Crawford himself to recount his dunk on Lebron James.
via Hoopdoctors
via Propaganda: Debonair – LeBron James
You may or may not have heard Lil’ Wayne’s song called Kobe Bryant, but this is LeBron’s response… Kind of hot and the video has a lot of good clips. Shouts to Propaganda for the heads up.
Nike x Kobe x LeBron x Cool Kids
I don’t know if this spot is going to get any play on TV but they put a Cool Kids track in the middle of the video. I love the concept behind these commercials, but Kobe’s puppet does not remind me of Kobe at all.
LeBron Hits Game Winner to Tie Series at 1-1
I went bananas when that shot went down. I thought they would run some sort of alley oop play going to the rim. CLUTCH.
LeBron Getting His “Projectory Right”
LeBron is arguably the best bastetball player in the world, but remember, he did skip college. Trajectory sounds a lot like projectory.
Nike Kobe & LeBron Chalk Commercial
They did an amazing job portraying LeBron, but I had to read the description to figure out the other character was Kobe. I don’t think there is any resemblance at all. Overall the commercial is pretty funny and I’m not mad at the Ohio shoutout.
BREAKING: LeBron James to be Named 2009 NBA MVP
According to a league source, LeBron James will be named the NBA Most Valuable Player this afternoon. Rumor has it Kobe Bryant has been crying all morning.
Shouts to John Paul King for the link. Check the entire article here.
“Top Ten Plays Kobe Can’t Make”
Title and video stolen from John Paul King.
Can’t we just skip all these meaningless games and skip right to Cavs vs. Lakers in the finals? Oh, that’s right, the Lakers might not even make it.
LeBron James x State Farm Insurance Superbowl Commercial
Steelers 24 – 10 in the Superbowl.
LeBron James Is Bored In Cleveland
That is the most uninterested look I’ve ever seen on a players face when dunking. It almost looks like he is laying down on the couch and watching TV.
LeBron needs a challenge. I say the hoop jumps up to 11 feet everytime he touches the ball from now on.
My interpretation of the dunk.
We got more bounce in Columbus. 
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