Talk about dead on balls accurate.

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=simmons/100708

Awesome.

I now hate LeBron as well

Whatever. Simmons is a loon as usual. And I'm no Lebron fan, either.

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I always thought the goal was winning rings. That's what Russell, Bird, Magic and Jordan taught us. That's what I grew up believing. But sports are different now. You're a brand as much as an athlete. In the past 72 hours, with the suspense building for his announcement, LeBron created a Twitter account, launched his own website and agreed with ESPN on a one-hour live selection show….. Seven months later, it's happening. I can't wait to watch for the same reasons I couldn't turn away from O.J.'s Bronco chase or the Artest melee: it's Car Wreck Television.

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That’s rich coming from a guy who reports on the business of the NBA as much or more than the actual games. Simmons just wrote upwards of 5000 words on a free agent making a decision. He shouldn’t turn around and act like he doesn’t get off on this kind of stuff.

If people didn’t want to watch it, they wouldn’t watch. That’s what is despicable to me. People like Simmons are enabling egos like Lebron by spending 5000 words on him. Frankly I don’t give a **** where Lebron ends up. All I know is that wherever it may be, because of the way he’s handled himself in all of this, its my new least-favorite NBA team.

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Picking anyone other than Cleveland on this show would be the meanest thing any athlete has ever done to a city. But he might. Assuming he's not malicious, and that he's just a self-absorbed kid who apparently lost all perspective, that doesn't make him much different than most child stars who became famous before they could legally drink -- or, for that matter, Tiger Woods. That's just the way this stuff works. Too much, too fast, too soon. You don't lose your way all at once; just a little at a time. Then one day you look up and there's a TMZ photo spread with 15 of your mistresses, or you're agreeing to stab an entire city in the heart on a one-hour television show

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Frankly I don’t give a **** where Lebron ends up.

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You wouldn't have read or skimmed that entire 5000 word diatribe if you didn't give a ****. If you are checking and posting on this board, I guarantee you that you definitely give a ****.

And to think a CELTICS HOMER wrote this:

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Just don't think you can win a title with a 228-pound big man who doesn't block shots and grabs 10 rebounds a night. You need more help than that. Which brings us to …

10. Let's say LeBron signs with Miami. Can you even make the Finals with LeBron, Bosh, Wade and nine minimum-salary guys? Because that might be next year's team … and if that's what happens, the answer is "no effing way." You don't win titles just because of your top three. That belittles the meaning of guys like Derek Fisher, Robert Horry, Steve Kerr, John Paxson, Brian Shaw … you could go on for hours naming role players who swung a title. The 2008 Celts lucked out by getting James Posey, Eddie House and P.J. Brown for practically nothing; Miami wouldn't have that luxury this summer, not with so many role players jockeying for contracts one year before the possible lockout. Nobody is taking less money to showcase themselves for a summer that might not happen. Even if Miami could spin Michael Beasley for a fourth guy (say, Trevor Ariza), that's still not enough. They'd need one more rebounder, point guard, a 3-point shooter and a center. Good luck.

11. Another problem: You realize how many minutes these guys would log on a three-man team? 42-44 minutes for 100 games … and if anyone missed an extended stretch of games, then that would put even more pressure on the other two. Crazy. No way they win more than 50, especially with teams gunning for them every night. We've also never seen two perimeter superstar alpha dogs coexist for an NBA title

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He just slammed the Celtics 2008 championship strategy.

It really was different for the Celtics. They were already past the 30-year-old mark and all had their shots individually. The Celtics were more like the 1998 Rockets than the potential 2010-11 Miami Heat.

Boston's current incarnation was built through trades. This Miami team is potentially three guys deciding to load up together.

and boston's big 3 were very different players. while they all had been the best players on their own teams, none of those teams had had a lot of success, nor would they have been considered elite players like lebron or wade (garnett maybe, but 12 years of not making it very far in the playoffs is probably enough to show you're not an elite player).

it could end up working, but lebron and wade up to this point have typically needed to have the ball in their hands the majority of the time to make their team go. who's going to take less touches?

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Boston's current incarnation was built through trades. This Miami team is potentially three guys deciding to load up together.

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While I don't disagree with your first point made before this statement, this is BS. Garnett and Allen were a package deal to Boston from day one. Garnett and Allen were both tired of being exposed in the playoffs by the Spurs and Lakers, and they only wanted to end up in Boston together.

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and boston's big 3 were very different players. while they all had been the best players on their own teams, none of those teams had had a lot of success, nor would they have been considered elite players like lebron or wade (garnett maybe, but 12 years of not making it very far in the playoffs is probably enough to show you're not an elite player).

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I'll concede this point.

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it could end up working, but lebron and wade up to this point have typically needed to have the ball in their hands the majority of the time to make their team go. who's going to take less touches?

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This was no different than Allen / Garnett / Pierce, however...and it worked out okay.

[This message has been edited by aggie_2001_2005 (edited 7/8/2010 12:09p).]

right, but again, none of those guys had had a lot of individual success. allen had been the main guy on one sonics team that played well and a couple bucks teams that had gotten thru a couple rounds of the playoffs. but he'd never made the finals, nor had garnett or pierce. mostly, those guys had played for bad to mediocre teams that occasionally made into the playoffs and even less often made it deep in to the playoffs. it was also clear that those guys were probably not winning titles where they were the alpha dog (or at least where they didn't have much better players around them).

lebron has been to the finals, the conference finals and a few other years where they've been in the playoffs. I'd say he's had more success than any of the boston players, and more specifically as the undisputed best player on those teams. And of course Wade has won a title. right now, wade and lebron would be considered 2 of the 5 best players in the league (and will be for the next 5 years or so...which you couldn't say about any of the Big 3 at the time they went to boston). at best you could argue that boston's big 3 was made up of guys who were in the top 20 (for the first year, garnett was probably top 5-10, Pierce top 10-15 and Allen top 20), but again, they all had very different definable skills. Pierce can create, Allen shoots, KG plays down low, rebounds and plays defense. Not the same as putting together a super team of 2 top 5 talents who do a lot of the same things.

Lebron and Wade depend on having the ball to be able to create. can they change? absolutely, but it's a whole lot harder to get elite players to change when they're used to the game running thru them.

no doubt the celtics were formed as a "let's team up a bunch of all stars together to try and win a title", but it's just not nearly the same situation as two guys who are considered elite players in the league and really should be able to win titles without the other. boston's big 3 couldn't win it on their own and had proven that over much longer careers.

[This message has been edited by Doug Christie (edited 7/8/2010 12:46p).]

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You wouldn't have read or skimmed that entire 5000 word diatribe if you didn't give a ****. If you are checking and posting on this board, I guarantee you that you definitely give a ****.

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I like Bill Simmons. I read his book. I like reading his column. It was linked in this thread.

Doesn't mean I give a **** where Lebron lands.

Try again.

Ok, you wouldn't more of an opinion than my Wife, mother, or Grandmother re: his press conference or antics in any of this and whatever team he ends up on wouldn't be your least favorite team if you didn't give a ****.

My whole point is don't criticize people for 'feeding the bear' that is this story when you are as well... if you follow the NBA in the slightest, you can't pretend that you aren't 'feeding the bear'.

Borrowing a Simmons reference, choosing Miami would be the Fredo move...

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My whole point is don't criticize people for 'feeding the bear' that is this story when you are as well... if you follow the NBA in the slightest, you can't pretend that you aren't 'feeding the bear'.

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Right. And I drove Kobe to be a rapist, and I drove Tyson to bite off Holyfields ear. After all, since I heard about it through the media I was "feeding the bear".

I'm not sure your point makes much sense. I've been avoiding all of this lebron bull**** like the plague, but if you are a sports fan it is 100% unavoidable. It is an annoyance, to say the least. Just because I looked at a linked article does not mean I care more than my grandmother where lebron ends up. I really don't.

Since you don't know me from atom, it seems kind of silly that you are trying to convince me that I do.

I know you from Adam. Adam is class of 87 and like a decade older than you.

That Boston team also had a 10, 4 & 7 in the playoffs Rondo that was starting to come around.

The Heat more than likely will not have a 4th guy close to that good, or that can have that big of an impact on a series.

And I also concur on the Lebron & Wade do much of the same shat. The Boston guys all filled a key role in addition to being All Stars.

A spot up shooter would be a nice addition for a team with Lebron/Wade.

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Right. And I drove Kobe to be a rapist, and I drove Tyson to bite off Holyfields ear. After all, since I heard about it through the media I was "feeding the bear".

I'm not sure your point makes much sense. I've been avoiding all of this lebron bull**** like the plague, but if you are a sports fan it is 100% unavoidable. It is an annoyance, to say the least. Just because I looked at a linked article does not mean I care more than my grandmother where lebron ends up. I really don't.

Since you don't know me from atom, it seems kind of silly that you are trying to convince me that I do.

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Right since Kobe allegedly raped for media attention and Tyson bit Evander's ear off for media attention... apples and oranges.

Look, I like Simmons too, but if he writes a 5000 word essay about something I could care less about, I'm not bothering to read it... most wouldn't.

However, you are clearly an NBA fan as you've taken time to read and post here pretty often... you took at least some amount of time to read a 5000 word article on this stuff so you can't say you are trying to avoid it like the plague.

And there's nothing wrong with caring about it some, but don't call out a reporter pretending he doesn't get off on this sort of stuff... because the evidence points to somewhere in there, you do too. It's somewhat hypocritical.

If you've paid even the slightest attention to it, you are feeding the bear. I don't have to know you to know that you have.

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That Boston team also had a 10, 4 & 7 in the playoffs Rondo that was starting to come around.

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Except Rondo was a 2nd year nobody going in to that season. No one expected him to contribute anything.

I'd say Chalmers would be in about the same boat. (not the same player but same low initial expectations with decent potential)

Chalmers will be in his 3rd year & he actually regressed last year.

In Rondo's rookie year he had a clear upward progression including averaging around 10 & 6 over the last 1/3rd of the season. He has done nothing but get better and better from his rookie year on.

It's not that good of a comparison.

And if you'd notice, I specifically mentioned that they aren't the same player and the comparison was based more on low expectations with the potential to improve when playing with 3 all stars.

I love how everyone beats off to Rondo, by the way, when he'd be no better than extremely pedestrian on a team that did not have KG, Pierce, and Allen to do the heavy lifting.

Rondo CLEARLY did more heavy lifting that any of those 3 except for possibly Pierce in the 2010 Playoffs. He's probably at least a top 8 PG in the NBA right now.

Yeah, let's swap Rondo for Rose and then see what happens.

2 different players... I don't think either would benefit from that situation or make the other team much better.

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And if you'd notice, I specifically mentioned that they aren't the same player and the comparison was based more on low expectations with the potential to improve when playing with 3 all stars.

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I did notice, and your comparison is crap. I initially said that the chances of Miami having anyone as good as Rondo as their 4th player is very low.

Your comparison, even with the lame caveat, was weak, ESPECIALLY when Chalmers is a shoot first PG who went from being a starter as a rookie to the 3rd guy off the bench by the end of last year.

AGAIN, since you had trouble with it the first time, the chances of Chalmers or anyone else being as good, or more importantly as valuable as Rondo in '08 as a 4th player is low. He averaged near 7 assists during that run. He filled a valuable role that Wade basically ALREADY fills for Miami & Lebron ALREADY does as well. Chalmers' value MIGHT be 3 point shooting, but he was only 32% last year.

[This message has been edited by Syd_X_Barrett (edited 7/8/2010 7:30p).]