What is it going to take? Someone is going to die in the name of professional sports. Did you see the elbow Metta World Peace (Ron Artest) threw at James Harden! He could have killed him!
There was a movie many years ago, called The Deadliest Season. In that movie a hockey player killed another player…. Here’s a summary:
Gerry Miller, a professional hockey player, gives in to internal and outside pressures and adopts a more aggressive style on the ice. During one particularly violent game a player on an opposing team dies, and the authorities charge Miller with manslaughter.
And the viciousness of today’s sports are putting us right on the cusp of a death occurring during a sporting event.
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Suspend Mr. Peace (ironic huh?) for the remainder of 20112 – 2012 season and the entire 2012 -2013 NBA season.
File assault charges against Metta World Peace.
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Here are some violent sports videos.
(a) Yesterday: Metta World Peace (Ron Artest) assaulting James Harden during an NBA game.
(b) 1977: Kermit Washington hitting Rudy T during an NBA game.
(c) Dale Hunter hitting Pierre Turgeon during an NHL game.
(a) and (c) are very similar in that they were both after a score and the other person had no way of knowing they were about to be the target of an assault. Please take a look at the videos below.
With his self-aggrandizing, narcissistic one-hour TV exit – The Decision – LeBron James ruined his public image, not racism. LeBron inflicted more damage to his image Wednesday night when he told CNN’s Soledad O’Brien that race is a factor in the public backlash against him since The Decision.
Lebron, just between us, do you really believe it’s race? Come on. Really. Tell me. It’s just between you and me.
When I watched the beginning of The Decision, it brought back memories of Rocky’s Apollo Creed coming into the room in an Uncle Sam costume.
I cannot know what it’s like to be a person of color in America. I cannot know what it’s like to be a multi-millionare at age 23. I cannot know what it feels like to have people kissing my butt since I was a little kid because I was going to be a world class athlete.
I can give you a bit of advice from John Q Public.
People are smarter than you think. Do not underestimate them. (Example:) Nobody fell for The Decision being a fundraiser for The Boys and Girls Club. We all know it was about you.
You can’t fight the press. And with the number of microphones being stuck in your face, you are bound to make some errors.
Take ownership. Take a step back. Hire a top public relations firm. You should worry about playing basketball.
With his self-aggrandizing, narcissistic one-hour TV exit – The Decision – LeBron James ruined his public image, not racism. LeBron inflicted more damage to his image Wednesday night when he told CNN’s Soledad O’Brien that race is a factor in the public backlash against him since The Decision.With his self-aggrandizing, narcissistic one-hour TV exit – The Decision – LeBron James ruined his public image, not racism. LeBron inflicted more damage to his image Wednesday night when he told CNN’s Soledad O’Brien that race is a factor in the public backlash against him since The Decision.
Lebron – you need to surround yourself with different people. Who is guiding you?
This move to ask for an hour on ESPN to announce your decision, shows you in bad light.
Don’t pretend it’s for charity. (Yes, we all know the advertising proceeds will go to The Boys And Girls Clubs.That’s nice. You can write a check to the charity for more than they will make tonight.)
Please don’t kid yourself. We all know it’s all about you – Lebron. It doesn’t sit well with people.
This is not helping your brand. It’s simply showing your ego and how “Team James” is misguiding you. A simple press conference would have been appropriate.
People rise and fall quickly. This is not what Michael Jordan would have done it. Perhaps you should speak with MJ?
Are you starting to believe you really are King James?
<You need to read the post OK Fess Up Calvin before reading this post. >
IF the Affair of Lebron Jame’s Mom with Delonte West is untrue and just big business trying to manipulate where Lebron James ends up (see post) – this is the news – that team should have released. (For this fairytale, let’s assume Calvin Murphy was paid-off and use the New York Knicks as the culprits.)
The Headline on The Huffington Post would have read:
Lebron can’t play with anyone who is messing with his mom. Any team that had someone who was with his mom would be immediately eliminated from the Lebron James Sweepstakes.
Delonte West gets him to leave the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Devin Harris would eliminate the NJ Nets.
Blake Griffin would eliminate the LA Clippers.
Derrick Rose would eliminate the Chicago Bulls.
Michael Beasley would eliminate the Miami Heat.
Dirk Nowitzki would eliminate the Dallas Mavericks.
Professional Sports is big business. And we now have the biggest player in team sports, Lebron James, potentially becoming a free agent.
After the dirty stories in Washington DC, Congress, lobbyists, Wall Street, etc… and even our local school board election, I have become a pessimist and believe people will do anything to get to their goals.
Lebron James may become a free agent. AT LEAST financially, the Cleveland Cavaliers have an advantage because of the Larry Bird Rule. (Please correct me if I am wrong. Thx). The first hurdle, for teams other than the Cavs, to getting James is to make sure he wants to leave Cleveland.
Go after his mother? How underhandedly brilliant!
Whether it’s true of not, getting a story to circulate that James’ mother had sex with a teammate? Someone out there is being very aggressive… you know who you are…
So Calvin – FESS UP – Who paid you? NY Knicks? LA Clippers? NJ Nets? Chicago Bulls? Miami Heat? Dallas Mavericks? Come on. We know. We know you may have been paid indirectly… Tell us… Just between us…
Regardless of the culprits, the NY Knicks, LA Clippers NJ Nets, Chicago Bulls, Miami Heat and the Dallas Mavericks are the winners (or beneficiaries) of this rumor. The green flag has dropped, go for it!
Who will win the Lebron James Sweepstakes – and how far will they go?
Both won the top collegiate individual awards (player of the year and Heisman Trophy)
Both are hard-working, good citizens.
Both will have difficult times in their professional sports (NFL, NBA). Hansbrough may actually have a better chance of making a “good length” career in the NBA than Tebow in the NFL.
Congratulations to Tim Tebow on a great collegiate career. Please be open-minded in the NFL. You may need to be a part-time hybrid quarterback and receiver. Get in the league and show your value. All the cards will then fall into place. We wish you the best.
It’s great watching a team come back during the the 4th quarter of an NBA game. Exciting. That’s what sports is all about.
If a player gets fouled during the act of shooting, and the shot is good, he has the opportunity to take a free throw and make a three-point play. He has the opportunity of increasing the point total of the play by 50% (Increasing from 2 to 3 points).
If a player if fouled when shooting a “three pointer”, and the shot is good, he has the opportunity to take a free throw and make a four-point play.
To keep games exciting in the fourth quarter, here is a new NBA rule proposal:
During the final 4 minutes of the fourth quarter, and for the final 4 minutes of all subsequent overtime periods, a player successfully hitting a “three pointer” while being fouled in the act of shooting, will get 2 free throws. (The player, will in affect, have the opportunity of a five-point play.)
This would allow more teams to comeback late in games and add to the excitement for the fans. The NBA (and advertisers) will also benefit because more fans will watch games later into the games because of the potential of an exciting comeback.
Let’s face it. The NY Knicks are a horrible sports product. Bad team. Bad management (that is hopefully getting better now that Isiah Thomas is gone). The only reason they have any revenue is because of (1) corporate sales, and (2) convenience of the location of Madison Square Garden and Penn Station.
In recent years the team has not improved. There is no indication this coming year will be any better.
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The Knick goal for the next few seasons should be the following:
Clear Salary Cap Room.
Clear More Salary Cap Room.
Get a few solid young players.
SIGN LEBRON JAMES!
When Lebron James becomes a free agent after the 2010 season, the Knicks must sign him. Hopefully, they will have collected a solid group of role players to support him. This will make the Knicks franchise on the rise. Lebron will give us a winning team and he will be largest star in NY. NY should be his the top choice on his list of franchises. Imagine all the opportunities he would have!
But… the rumors are that the NJ Nets (Brooklyn Nets?) may get Lebron James when he becomes a free agent. If the Nets get Lebron James and have decent mass transit to their new Brooklyn arena, say good-bye to the Knicks. The Nets will become New York’s team. And Lebron will still have many of the same opportunities he would have playing for the Knicks.
So… Hopefully, the Knicks are already working on the strategy on how to sign King Lebron James! They need to do whatever it takes!
The USA Olympic Basketball Team, or should I say, the NBA Olympic Basketball Team, consists of Carmelo Anthony, Carlos Boozer , Chris Bosh , Kobe Bryant , Dwight Howard, LeBron James ,Jason Kidd , Chris Paul , Tayshaun Prince , Michael Redd , Dwyane Wade , Deron Williams.
Talent-wise, this is by far the best basketball team on the planet.
The NBA will now have increased visibility overseas. The NBA will start playing games in Europe, Asia, and the Far East.
If the US Team wins, as expected, it proves absolutely nothing. They should win. There is no upside.
And for those of you who say it brings us national pride, please stop… A group of wealthy professional athletes winning a Gold Medal does nothing for us. If we sent college and high school kids such as OJ Mayo, Derrick Rose, and Michael Beasley… and they medal’d… now that would be a story…
This is really about the NBA and not national pride. The NBA benefits the most out of the arrangment…
Perhaps the NBA should be paying advertising fees to the United States Olympic Committee…. the way a company buys TV time to run an infomercial.
One of my favorite quotes is from the movie Other People’s Money. It relates to institutions making rules and the targeted parties working around the new rules….
Kate Sullivan: Someday, we’ll smarten up, change some laws, and put you OUT OF BUSINESS. Lawrence Garfield (Danny Devito): You can change all the laws you want. You can’t stop the game. I’ll still be here. I adapt.
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According to the NY Times (6.23.08, Sports Section) Brandon Jennings, a great high school basketball player, may work around the NBA’s minimum age rule by heading to Europe to play professional basketball.
To prevent high school players from jumping to the NBA, the NBA instituted a rule requiring a player to be at least 19 years of age and one year removed from high school.
So, the NBA, NCAA, and the NBA Players Association get together and require individuals to play at least one year in college, knowing (a) he has no desire to get a college education, (b) the schools benefit financially through tournament money, and (c) the coaches get additional recognition.
How does the player benefit from the deal? Hmmm….. He doesn’t…
Brandon Jennings adapted, worked around the rule, and found the loophole.
Head to Europe. Sign a short term contract to play professional basketball. Earn good money. Work on and improve skills. Get solid basketball experience against better talent than in college. Live like a rock star.
He may enjoy living and playing ball in Europe and choose NOT to head to the NBA!
what sports is all about.
James ,
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