Quote:
Originally Posted by grossnex
Well said keefriff my brother. If LeBron wanted to just make the most money he could've signed with New York or the LA Clippers & cashed in on those media markets through endorsements. In my own cynical way however, I see him trying to build the LEGEND of LeBron now vs what he's done so far - build himself as the KING (whatever that means). In the end it's all about himself though. I have a hard time believing that he even knows the history of the game as much as the hardcore fan does. I feel like most of the professional athletes across all American sports are too busy building their image & not focusing on the task at hand - winning. It's like they're using the NBA to catapult themselves to greater goals. As a fan it makes me feel kind of dirty to root on a self absorbed over marketed politician trying to sell me his personalized junk.
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Thanks for your response. It seems we are the few who are interested in this topic.
I agree with you that it seems to be more about "image" and personal gain than about winning with some players. LeBron may be one of those types but time will tell. I agree 100% that his rep has taken a tremendous blow and with good reason. He came off as arrogant and completely narcissistic. But if the issue is about money and/or winning, he should be praised by fans, outside of Cleveland
, for taking less money to play with a team
he thinks has a better chance of winning. Udonis Haslem and Derek Fisher each took less money to stay w/ current clubs because they thought they could win. It does happen. LeBron made the Cavs a TON of money. Don't ever forget that. He owes them nothing.
I also agree that it is hard at times to cheer for some athletes. Some of them are self absorbed, have a sense of entitlement, etc. We all know the type. They are
some not
all pro athletes. Is LeBron one of them? Up until Thursday most people would have said no. His image and marketability were praised less then two weeks ago. He is not solely responsible for that image. The NBA, the Cavs, his agency, the players union, and the media all have had a part in building his image. They made money off of it. That's why they do it. It may be hard to swallow at times, but that is the reality.
The final thing that I'm going to say is that the personal transgressions of some athletes can not be used to cast a net across all athletes. Crazy spending, bankruptcy, drug use, violent behavior etc. is not a by product of pro sports it is a by product of society and each player is an individual who make their own choices. Yes, you read of the examples like the ones posted earlier but there are also lots of guys who have saved their money and have never comitted a crime. I see them in my town nearly every day.