The Cavs just got upset in the Eastern Conference Finals. The magical (no pun intended) season was over. And what is the story that refuses to go away? LeBron leaving the arena without congratulating Orlando or speaking to the media. Give me a frickin' break. This isn't youth sports where you have to lineup and shake hands after the game. This is the NBA. Let's not get our panties in a bunch because someone didn't want to talk to you in his moment of disappointment. Now David Stern wants to speak to LeBron about it. How is this a story?
Be a good sport and gracious in defeat, they say. Give me a break. What makes someone great is the unstoppable desire to win. T0 put winning above all else (without resorting to performance enhancing drugs or otherwise cheating). Just a few years ago we were bashing Larry Hughes for not caring about the team and putting himself first. I, for one, am glad LeBron was so pissed about the loss that he had to leave without congratulating Orlando or speaking to the media. I wish the whole team was that pissed. They should be. I want players who care about winning that much. And I don't want players who are so sensitive that they would feel slighted if the opposing team didn't shake hands with them after a crushing loss.
Bad sportsmanship is going to the other team after the loss and picking a fight. It's talking sh*t and making excuses after a loss. What LeBron did is not bad sportsmanship. But the oh so petty media insists on getting its interviews. Especially with the big stars in the league. And if that star spurns them, the media is compelled to lash out with this stupid story. Heaven help all those sports fans out there who are agreeing with the media and buying this "story."
Until next time, this is Barry Lakin, sayin' all the world is schlach.
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35 comments:
Not congratulating the magic should not be a big deal, but addressing the media is part of his job and thats where he made his mistake. He has an obligation to the media, not the Orlando Magic.
1. I don't want to see my superstar gladhanding the other team after mine suffered another crushing defeat. I want him to get pissed and take it personally.
2. This is not pee wee hockey. There is no rule that says that all parties must shake hands afterwords.
3. Nobody seems to be making the sportsmanship argument about Orlando yet Van Gundy and Howard were the ones crying like little girls to the media in-between every game about the officiating. Orlando is also the team that jacked up a 3 with 2 seconds left when they were up double-digits in the closeout game.
4. Lebron could've gone up to the podium, thrown his team under the bus, and taken backhanded swipes at the Magic. He did neither. He went into the locker room, got his emotions under control, spoke to his team, and then congratulated the Magic the following day.
This is EXACTLY how I want my superstar handling a situation like this. F*%K the media.
I agree that he owes nothing to the Magic, actually prefer Lebron to not shake hands with the opponent in a series like this. Athletes that are professional need to address the media in someway, even if he went up there and said "no comment" to every question, he is still obligated to address the media in some manner after a game. Lebron messed this part of this fiasco up and should not have done that. If the NBA wants playes shaking hands with oppenents than do what the NHL does and line up after games to shake them as a rule, if not then dont criticize him for this at all.
This entire story is a wwl concoction, and anyone who understands competition realizes Lebron did nothing wrong.
This isnt 7th grade girls softball where everyone is assured playing time and you line up in even file lines to shake hands after the game.
What do you suppose the reaction would have been had Lebron gone over to Howard and buddied up with him, smiling and shaking hands?
It looks like we are all in agreement on how he handled the opposing team, what are your thoughts on him not addressing the media? I felt this is where he went wrong, as it is part of his job.
I think he probably should have. It comes off juvenile if hes more than happy to address the media following his heroic game winning shot, but doesnt following a beat down that ends their season.
That being said, Lebron is typically about as accessible as any athlete of his status, so Im tempted to let it slide.
Perhaps he knew hed say something hed regret??
I honestly don't care. As a fan, you don't learn a damn thing from those press conferences. All they do is ensure that a pack of beat writers will get another paycheck. Seriously, I could care less.
Besides, let's be honest. Lebron was going to get only two types of questions from the idiots in the national media: 1) questions designed to bate him into dumping on his teamates, and 2)questions designed to bate him into hinting at leaving Cleveland.
Wow, I'm really sad we were spared from that atrociousness.
The media can try to bate him into saying something he will regret, but he still has an obligation to address the media following his last basketball game of his MVP season. He is th face of the franchise and needs to own up to his responsibilities to represent this team, especially after his last game of the year. It was a mistake, thats it Im sure he will learn from it and move forward, just hate sportswriters who will write about this all summer, but then again that is their job as well.
He is also not addressing the fans, but rather the media outlets, lets not put the fan perspective into this talk, they are seperate. Press conferences are for the media
Lebron owes nothing to the media. That may sound harsh but I believe it. Lebron owes something to his team and the fans. The media is a bunch of parasites that should take what they can get.
I'm sitting here trying to put myself in the shoes of an athlete who just suffered a devastating lost that ended a magical season. As a fan, I know I was disgusted, angered, depressed and upset at the Cavs inability to play the level of basketball that I had been accustomed to seeing all season. I turned off the TV and avoided ESPN the next few days, and I have no interest in watching the finals. As a player, I can only imagine those feelings would intensify and that I would have no interest in speaking with anyone. What LeBron’s actions show me is that he cares deeply about winning – which is a huge positive in my book.
I couldnt care less either, those press conferences are completely and utterly useless. And he obviously doesnt owe the media anything, but this outlash is predictable given the medias propensity for making issues out of nothing. And they are gonna make an even bigger issue if they feel some rich arrogant athlete dared to not show them the proper respect they believe they are entitled to.
This whole thing is an effin joke.
Yes he does owe the media something, it is part of the players job day in and day out. They HAVE to talk to the media, they do talk to the media, especially lebron. I loved the fact that he didnt say shit to Orlando, but the media is a whole different beast. If he can sit up at that podium and talk about how the new "23" has arrived after game 2's shot he hit, then he can sure as hell stand up there when his team loses the series. Remember he is not only snubbing national media outlets, but local ones as well when he did that- to me that is unacceptable, but dont get me wrong the media is blowing this out of proportion. Like i said before its a small mistake, something he can learn from-not the end all the media is making it out to be.
And if he wants to be a global icon, richest athlete...etc than he must talk to the media, as it will be vital to his success. Its something that every athlete must do, address the media...Especially a superstar in the NBA and global icon such as Lebron James.
Does that mean that Tarence Kinsey owes it to the media to hold a press conference after every game? There is nothing in an NBA contract that says that a player MUST be available to the media. It's implied that a superstar like LBJ is going to do so but he doesn't HAVE to. The truth is that Lebron has a job because he's a great basketball player and fans will pay to watch him. Members of the sports media have jobs because guys like Lebron exist. Given that reality, Lebron can give them access whenever the hell he wants to and shouldn't feel guilty for doing so. He's puting food on their tables every night. He can and will do so at his convenience.
I realize that its not in their contracts...if thats your view than what is your take on a company that does not give any goodwill to their communities they operate in- no law there but the company is still obligated to give charitable to community.
And yes Tarence Kinsey, along with every other member on the playoff roster should be made available after the last basketball game of the cavalier season-whether or not the media is interested in talking to him is a different story-and i think you know that but they are obligated to address the media as well.
Except in your analogy, the Cavs are the company, the fans are the community, and the media are the annoying salesmen. Lebron's obligations are to his team and his fan base. Anything beyond that done for the league is gravy. Again, the league and the media need Lebron more than he needs them. It's bargaining power 101.
I agree with what your saying, but in that analogy i used are the local media not part of the community? are they not fans of the team? Like i said he not only avoided the national media, but the local media from our community was snubbed as well...he is obligated to address and didnt, again a small mistake that was blown out of proportion by the national media-not the local media.
Actually he probably helped the local media by creating a controvery and then making statements to the local news and writers the following day.
Yes he may have gave them recognition on the next day, but his mistake was he didnt do it after the last game, he did it the next day-his only minor mistake.
just wanted your thoughts on not addressing the media, have heard enough about Lebron "dissing" the magic-nonsense, thanks guys.
Im not even sure why this is an issue. Lebron does not HAVE to address the media.
The media depends on Lebron, not the other way around. They should be thankful for ANY access he grants them.
But instead, they act like whiny spolied brats when they are "snubbed" once in an 8 month season.
Well i think this settles this debate, Lebron was fined 25,000 for skipping the press conference, just proves that what he did was wrong, an athlete must be accesible to the media, especially after a playoff series loss. lebrons mistake, he will learn from it im sure.
Athletes must address the media at games, practices and other events associated with the NBA. Lebron is the head guy on the team so he especially has to talk to the media. It is not in their contracts with each individual team, but an unwritten rule and you can be fined for it.
It is a NBA league rule, not in their player contract. Its the same thing as not dressing up in a suit when not in uniform, all athletes on each team must be made accessable to the media. Lebron did not allow this access after the game, therefore he was fined, not sure why you say he does not have to address the media.
I stand corrected. He "has" to address the media or face a sweeping fine that will surely bankrupt him.
Len was right, but 25,000 wont put a dent into Lebrons Kingdom, just a way for the commish to let tell him he made a mistake, in which Lebron admitted today. Hopefully the national media moves on, lebron knows he was wrong and he admitted it as well, time to turn the page ESPN.
Right or wrong, the point is the way the story has escalated from nothing. The WWL just wouldnt leave it alone.
Initially Stern said Lebron would NOT be fined. But the 4 letter pushed the snowball down the hill, and what do you know? A couple days later Lebron is fined. Seems curious to me.
Whatever, as long as Uncle Dave pushes a superstar off of a good team in another one-sided salary dump this Summer, he'll be A-OK in my book.
Lets assume the MVP race is close next year, and that LeBron is involved. Do yall think this incident influences the voters?
I think how the Cavs went out this season in the playoffs may have a greater impact on the
MVP voting of next year.
I doubt it. The writers can seperate performances from year to year.
But if they feel slighted and disrespected on a personal level, that may be a different story.......
Just poor sportsmanship in my opinion.
to person above:
just a poor comment if you ask me.
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