LeBron James

[TyGuy]

This whole thing is so ridiculous....

If LBJ is going to make the politics of fans and the owner part of his criteria, then I hope to hell he leaves at the end of the season so the damn soap opera can end.

Otherwise, can we boot the politics to Off Topic or something?

I'll be honest, i'm giving him a giant pass because of how good he is, but I don't like this at all. I hate it when people shame and disrespect people for supporting our president or how they voted. Voting differently than other people doesn't make you a villain, a racist, or someone lacking good moral judgement, and it sure as hell doesn't mean you are uninformed which is what LeBron said. Like he almost took pity on them for being these uninformed fools.

I don't mind him speaking up for something he feels strongly about, but don't make assumptions of other people that hold different views.

 

[The Human Q-Tip]

I'll be honest, i'm giving him a giant pass because of how good he is, but I don't like this at all. I hate it when people shame and disrespect people for supporting our president or how they voted. Voting differently than other people doesn't make you a villain, a racist, or someone lacking good moral judgement, and it sure as hell doesn't mean you are uninformed which is what LeBron said. Like he almost took pity on them for being these uninformed fools.

I don't mind him speaking up for something he feels strongly about, but don't make assumptions of other people that hold different views.

If support for sports teams is going to become tied to particular political views, then a whole buttload of people are going to end up just tuning them out. Kind of detracts from the whole fun vibe of being part of a fan base if we are supposed to start caring about how that other guy in a Cavs shirt voted.

 

[ACisKING]

This whole thing is so ridiculous....

If LBJ is going to make the politics of fans and the owner part of his criteria, then I hope to hell he leaves at the end of the season so the damn soap opera can end.

Otherwise, can we boot the politics to Off Topic or something?

I totally agree - but nowhere in the interview did he say that the politics of the owner or the fans would have any bearing on where he wants to play.

A lot of this crap is rampant speculation - much of which is fueled no doubt by the endless media desire to see LeBron in LA for God knows what reason. Like we don't even know if: 1) Gilbert supports Trump as @jking948 pointed out; and 2) if he did, whether LeBron gives a damn about it enough to make a business decision that could have major implications on his legacy because of it.

If anything the bulk of the evidence leans the other way towards him staying..from comments of his peers (JR and KD), to his many pro Cleveland/Ohio social media posts over the summer, to the fact that there really isn't a better situation out there next summer in terms of giving him a chance to win. But for some reason all of that evidence seems to be ignored while every clip of LeBron practicing at an LA high school or commenting about Trump is spun to fit the narrative of him leaving.

 

[Ohio]

I totally agree - but nowhere in the interview did he say that the politics of the owner or the fans would have any bearing on where he wants to play.

A lot of this crap is rampant speculation - much of which is fueled no doubt by the endless media desire to see LeBron in LA for God knows what reason. Like we don't even know if: 1) Gilbert supports Trump as @jking948 pointed out; and 2) if he did, whether LeBron gives a damn about it enough to make a business decision that could have major implications on his legacy because of it.

If anything the bulk of the evidence leans the other way towards him staying..from comments of his peers (JR and KD), to his many pro Cleveland/Ohio social media posts over the summer, to the fact that there really isn't really a better situation out there next summer in terms of giving him a chance to win. But for some reason all of that evidence seems to be ignored while every clip of LeBron practicing at an LA high school or commenting about Trump is spun to fit the narrative of him leaving.

Not to mention Wade saying he'd like to stay here beyond just this year.

There's no way in hell he'd say that if he thought LeBron was leaving.

 

[tocov]

I just wish entertainers stopped talking politics all together.
I mean, obviously everybody is entitled to their own opinion and the right to speak it. But quite frankly, no one cares.
They are not political analysts and usually are not versed in the details, and the vast vast majority of them live in a secluded bubble that could just as well be a completely different universe.

We watch sports and other forms of entertainment to have two hours of escapism from the world's horrors. We don't need multi-millionaire entertainers to teach us how to live and preach about morality or what not.
And it goes for both sides of the spectrum. Just focus on basketball. Most people just don't care about what you think about Trump, they care about you dunking a basketball.

Well that's my $0.02 at least.

 

[melecoaze]

I just wish entertainers stopped talking politics all together.
I mean, obviously everybody is entitled to their own opinion and the right to speak it. But quite frankly, no one cares.
They are not political analysts and usually are not versed in the details, and the vast vast majority of them live in a secluded bubble that could just as well be a completely different universe.

We watch sports and other forms of entertainment to have two hours of escapism from the world's horrors. We don't need multi-millionaire entertainers to teach us how to live and preach about morality or what not.
And it goes for both sides of the spectrum. Just focus on basketball. Most people just don't care about what you think about Trump, they care about you dunking a basketball.

Well that's my $0.02 at least.

That's the president

 

[The Human Q-Tip]

I totally agree - but nowhere in the interview did he say that the politics of the owner or the fans would have any bearing on where he wants to play.

A lot of this crap is rampant speculation - much of which is fueled no doubt by the endless media desire to see LeBron in LA for God knows what reason. Like we don't even know if: 1) Gilbert supports Trump as @jking948 pointed out; and 2) if he did, whether LeBron gives a damn about it enough to make a business decision that could have major implications on his legacy because of it.

To be clear, I couldn't care less how either of them voted. It has nothing to do with following the Cavs.

If anything the bulk of the evidence leans the other way towards him staying..from comments of his peers (JR and KD), to his many pro Cleveland/Ohio social media posts over the summer, to the fact that there really isn't a better situation out there next summer in terms of giving him a chance to win. But for some reason all of that evidence seems to be ignored while every clip of LeBron practicing at an LA high school or commenting about Trump is spun to fit the narrative of him leaving.

I also think its nuts when people spend so much time/emotional investment in what LBJ is going to do after the season is over. Kind of casts a shadow over the enjoyment of the actual season itself.

Maybe that's just me, though.

 

[cavsfever]

I do wish there didn't have to be such divisiveness when asked if a Trump fan could be a fan of his.....he said and I'm paraphrasing :"they can be a fan of my game, but me and what I'm about. No...it's unfortunate"....I think that is kind of unfair. Politics shouldn't be so personal...I promise there are a shitload of Ohioans that love LeBron and only voted for Trump as lesser of two evils in their mind.

I agree with this. That kind of thing adds to the general toxicity and tribalism of politics today. Which of course Trump is fanning from his side as well.

 

[TitleTown]

This whole thing is so ridiculous....

If LBJ is going to make the politics of fans and the owner part of his criteria, then I hope to hell he leaves at the end of the season so the damn soap opera can end.

Otherwise, can we boot the politics to Off Topic or something?

I don't why people get so up tight about athletes having opinions about things besides athletics.

I don't give two shits either way.

 

[TitleTown]

Maybe that's just me, though.

It does cast a shadow. But, I'd rather have the baggage (or shadow) than be experiencing a full rebuild.

 

[The Human Q-Tip]

It does cast a shadow. But, I'd rather have the baggage (or shadow) than be experiencing a full rebuild.

Oh hell, he's going to be 34 by the time the 2019 Finals roll around. It can't last forever anyway.

 

[TyGuy]

I totally agree - but nowhere in the interview did he say that the politics of the owner or the fans would have any bearing on where he wants to play.

A lot of this crap is rampant speculation - much of which is fueled no doubt by the endless media desire to see LeBron in LA for God knows what reason. Like we don't even know if: 1) Gilbert supports Trump as @jking948 pointed out; and 2) if he did, whether LeBron gives a damn about it enough to make a business decision that could have major implications on his legacy because of it.

If anything the bulk of the evidence leans the other way towards him staying..from comments of his peers (JR and KD), to his many pro Cleveland/Ohio social media posts over the summer, to the fact that there really isn't a better situation out there next summer in terms of giving him a chance to win. But for some reason all of that evidence seems to be ignored while every clip of LeBron practicing at an LA high school or commenting about Trump is spun to fit the narrative of him leaving.

Yeah, he should go to LA. You know, where they are morally superior to everybody.

 

[TitleTown]

Oh hell, he's going to be 34 by the time the 2019 Finals roll around. It can't last forever anyway.

True that.

 

[ACisKING]

I just wish entertainers stopped talking politics all together.
I mean, obviously everybody is entitled to their own opinion and the right to speak it. But quite frankly, no one cares.
They are not political analysts and usually are not versed in the details, and the vast vast majority of them live in a secluded bubble that could just as well be a completely different universe.

We watch sports and other forms of entertainment to have two hours of escapism from the world's horrors. We don't need multi-millionaire entertainers to teach us how to live and preach about morality or what not.
And it goes for both sides of the spectrum. Just focus on basketball. Most people just don't care about what you think about Trump, they care about you dunking a basketball.

Well that's my $0.02 at least.

I get where you are coming from, but I personally don't agree with "stick to sports/entertainment" refrain. Politics has a real impact on all of us...even those in their "secluded bubbles" as you called them. It's not clear to me why an athlete should be disqualified from speaking about politics but a trust fund baby born with a silver spoon can create a political blog or run for office - are they not living in a secluded bubble too? And yeah maybe athletes don't always have the ideal nuanced knowledge to discuss some issues but neither do half the radio hosts and pundits on both sides of the aisle that get to spout their opinions on the airwaves.

I respect those who have used their platforms to speak up on issues that matter to them like Ali, Kareem, Russell, and Brown did...and I respect that LeBron chooses to do the same. And by the way that goes to people on both sides of the political spectrum. I couldn't disagree more with Clint Eastwood politically, but I respect his willingness to speak his mind and he remains one of my favorite all time actors and directors. I have never owned a gun in my life and know like a grand total of one person who owns one, and yet I have a poster of Charleston Heston hanging in my office.

That being said, I think @TyGuy and @The Human Q-Tip make a salient point. Where LeBron erred in his recent round of comments was to make blanket assetions, intentionally or not, about a large set of voters that should not be generalized the way that he did. So yea I definitely don't agree with his assertions about Trump voters even though I generally applaud him for having the fearlessness to speak his mind without regard for the effect it might have on his brand.

Tl;dr - I support LeBron, other athletes, and other entertainers being active in politics. But for the reasons outlined eloquently by @TyGuy, I don't agree with LeBron's recent generalized comments about Trump voters.

 

[ACisKING]

To be clear, I couldn't care less how either of them voted. It has nothing to do with following the Cavs.



I also think its nuts when people spend so much time/emotional investment in what LBJ is going to do after the season is over. Kind of casts a shadow over the enjoyment of the actual season itself.

Maybe that's just me, though.

Great point honestly.