Hangover Week Continued: The NBA’s improved image problem
2009-06-03
First of all: you’ve gotta love Obama going with his pick of the Lakers in 6. Remember the whole tussle about all of Obama’s Final Four picks being from swing states? Well, Obama just chose a team from California, as money-in-the bank of a state as there is, over Florida. That’s gotta be how he really feels. Although now I’m vaguely afraid Obama’s about to raise taxes in California by half, or give San Diego over to Mexico.
But anyways, I don’t believe I’m on-record about LeBron James stiffing the media. This is mainly because I wasn’t aware that it happened until after I wrote my original recap-I turned off the TV and stopped looking at the internet pretty much immediately after the buzzer sounded in Game 6. Here’s my post on the subject and some context for it over at SLAM. Have fun reading it.
Keep coming back, we will be going strong this off-season with move ideas, reporting on rumors, draft stuff, and assorted other offseason goodness. If you have other things you’d like to see this off-season, don’t hesitate to shoot me an email or put it in the comments.
The $25 grand is perfectly fine. It’s just consistent, which is the important thing. If he wasn’t fined, it would set a bad precedent of favoritism. But yeah, people are definitely making a much bigger deal about this than it should be. LeBron deserves some slack for everything he’s done right so far. I don’t think his actions should be defended, but they also shouldn’t be used as ammunition to try to pick him apart.
I really like your writing and like this blog, but I also disagree with the gist of this article. I don’t like the NHL comparison people are making either. I don’t see how insincere, involuntary handshakes after a game in which people take cheap shots at each other (something for which NBA players are crucified) somehow makes them good sports. NBA players are held to a higher standard. I also don’t like people bringing up children, as if they don’t see much worse things in the media every day. Anyways, LeBron got the $25K fine, which is standard and no… Read more »
John, I have a problem in general with you criticizing NBA players for how they act. A lot of this is heat of the moment, and typically, you aren’t there in that moment. But even more disturbing to me is that you don’t take into account the possibility that they act this way because it is part of who they are and who they are is part of what makes them the best. KG is incredibly intense. Do I think it verges on the insane? Yes, but unlike a lot of guys in the league and its history (kermit washington,… Read more »
You know, when I first heard about him walking off the floor, I was a little upset too. He has never really slipped up in his career, and this seemed so out of character. However, after hearing all the hate being spewed at him, I’m kind of glad he did it. Maybe this will end up the same way as Kobe. He became despised (for other reasons, obviously), but he acted this way and now he is hailed as the ultimate competitor. I’m sure there were people unhappy with things Michael did (such as punching teammate Steve Kerr), but now… Read more »
And compare to Darnell… Everyone seems think Hickson is the one with the real potential, but the more i see from Jackson, the more i am convinced that he can be a very successful banger in this league, with some pretty good offensive abilities as well, including a nice jump shot.
First off, I’d just like to say that I really enjoyed following your writing throughout the playoffs. I appreciate the combination of basketball knowledge, especially fluidity with the advanced statistics that haven’t quite broken completely into the mainstream and thus one doesn’t get from many of the popular newspaper columnists or TVcasters, and the dedication and emotion of a devoted Cavs fan. I didn’t discovery your blog until the playoffs this year, but I am excited to keep following over the offseason, the next season, and hopefully a deep playoff run. I’m hoping to make it to some live games… Read more »