Windy: After LBJ signed w/ Heat is when he really burned the Cavs

[Real Deal]

Right now he's laughing at us, sitting on the beach living it up while not having any doubt in his mind. I would love it if something happens and he's out for the year. I hope.

 

[Real Deal]

I kinda think things are being overblown for drama's sake (and I personally think Adrian Wojo does this alot). LeBron's ego-centric and all, but is he THAT much worse than other NBA stars? I find that hard to believe. I just think some of these things are being written because it makes for a better story.

LeBron committed two mortal sins IMO, and I could careless about the rest. One was that he quit in the Boston series, and the other was that he knowingly shoved "The Decision" in Cleveland's face on national tv. Everything else doesn't really concern me.

That's what mainly pisses me off about the whole ordeal, well and he chose the cHeat to but he made "The Decision" to go down with the rest of The's...

He knew what he was doing obviously and we was stabbed in the heart and he twisted the knife several times.

He we get his soon.

 

[PistolPete]

but is he THAT much worse than other NBA stars?

I don't remember any other NBA star manipulates a franchise (with the owner's complacency) as much as this one : it seems like he had it in his head since 2006 that there was a good chance he would leave, hence the short contract aligned with DWade and Jurassic Park (apparently, he was the one convincing the other two to do that)

If you add that he "forced" the team to go all in every year, quit against Boston and now is complaining that the Cavs never focused on the long term (thanks to him ), I think it's quite different from what we have ever witnessed from other NBA stars (even the rant form Kobe), and this is even before talking of his FA circus...

 

[Coyote]

What makes it different is the utter sense of entitlement.

This is not a person used to losing in any sense. Therefore, he will go wherever it takes him. The bottom line is that he never gave is current employer a chance, once, in my opinion, the 2008 playoffs were over.

Yes, against Boston.

Other series were the tipping point, but the seeds were planted a long time ago. He hadn't been committed to winning in Cleveland since 2006.

Light it up like Vegas? More like Bikini Atoll.

 

[Randolphkeys]

Windhorst is treading on dangerous waters. His readers want to know what has been going on behind closed doors for the past seven years. His peers are breaking the superficial stories of which he knows depths of information. At the same time, his meal ticket to becoming the youngest beat writer and national NBA commentator is the subject of the stories. In many ways, Windy's ticket to remaining a national figurehead in the NBA remains LBJ.

I wouldn't want to be in his shoes right now.

 

[Cavatt]

Windhorst is treading on dangerous waters. His readers want to know what has been going on behind closed doors for the past seven years. His peers are breaking the superficial stories of which he knows depths of information. At the same time, his meal ticket to becoming the youngest beat writer and national NBA commentator is the subject of the stories. In many ways, Windy's ticket to remaining a national figurehead in the NBA remains LBJ.

I wouldn't want to be in his shoes right now.

Right now LBJ is a joke, don't know what he will be tomorrow. He really looked stupid in that interview, and no one has actually addressed that. He was narcissistic, but like a child. No one took it seriously, no one thinks he is more of a man now. His speech was honestly pathetic, just from a public speaking standpoint.

My opinion of course, but it seems to be the zeitgeist right now. In most people's mind this is the "Pau Trade" but 100x worse. I think Windy doesn't want a Miami job. Not much better than the Cleveland one. Lebron took a demotion, Windy wants to be promoted.

 

[Sirius]

But then James signed a six-year contract with the Heat and instantly began recruiting other free agents. He called up former teammates Zydrunas Ilgauskas and Jawad Williams.

​

Pisses me off, but at the same time, too funny.

Our high-school sweetheart, who only let us hold her hand, is now happily giving bjs to some bozo and his pals.

LBJ - in Cleveland he was King,
In Miami, just another slut.

 

[Noonan]

I'm not sure where some of this Windy criticism is coming from. The guy has been writing for years that #6 has been encouraging the front office to "win now" by going after veteran free agents while foregoing a youth movement. A couple months ago Windy was on The Sports Guy's podcast going over #6's apathy toward recruiting free agents to Cleveland and his inability to get Trevor Ariza to commit. The only new information is what #6 has done since signing with Miami. Now Windy is able to compare that with his actions in Cleveland.

Also, with respect to Woj's article, all of that stuff about #6's prima donna act at the Olympics was well reported at the time. Most Cleveland fans just chose to ignore it.

With that said, I do agree Windy is at a bit of a crossroads. His meal ticket has split town. And he has a decision to make about how much he wants to disclose about #6's time in Cleveland. My best guess is that he's going to write a book that doesn't hold any punches, while knowing that his coverage of The Decision has garnered national praise and that his talent is well known by larger markets. Windy has a bright career ahead of him.

 

[futuristxen]

I imagine a key difference might be that Pat Riley is making Lebron do the recruiting, and he has DWade as an example for what to do. I highly doubt anyone in our organization had the sack to tell Lebron what to do. Gilbert and his folks seemed in the end to be more about doing whatever Lebron said, and less about doing what was best for the team and Lebron.

 

[InBoobieWeTrust]

I imagine a key difference might be that Pat Riley is making Lebron do the recruiting, and he has DWade as an example for what to do. I highly doubt anyone in our organization had the sack to tell Lebron what to do. Gilbert and his folks seemed in the end to be more about doing whatever Lebron said, and less about doing what was best for the team and Lebron.

Pat Riley(and Mickey Arison) is going to be just as much of a "yes-man" to LeBron and his posse as Gilbert were. That's just the nature of what LeBron demands in who he plays for. That's just the kind of douche he is.

 

[Joe Henderson]

Windhorst is treading on dangerous waters. His readers want to know what has been going on behind closed doors for the past seven years. His peers are breaking the superficial stories of which he knows depths of information. At the same time, his meal ticket to becoming the youngest beat writer and national NBA commentator is the subject of the stories. In many ways, Windy's ticket to remaining a national figurehead in the NBA remains LBJ.

I wouldn't want to be in his shoes right now.

Well, if he is serious about being a journalist, and i believe he is, there's only one way to go for him. He can't compromise his integrity for the sake of any "meal ticket." I understand the concept of building trust with your sources and compromising at times for the sake of access, but there comes a breaking point when you gotta decide if you're gonna be a journalist or a lackey.

I wouldn't worry about Windhorst. He established himself as someone who has the ability to break stories, has good contacts and a firm grasp on the issues at hand. James helped him gain notoriety and prove himself. Other subjects will come along and he should be able to use those skills no matter what.

 

[Chris]

In his comments in ESPN's "Sunday Conversation" last weekend, James blamed Cavs owner Dan Gilbert for not considering the long term.

Sunday Conversation where James fired back? I must have missed this..

 

[KilgoreTrout]

Why would a very respected sports writer write about some really bad dirt he has on the (at the time)heart and soul of Cleveland basketball at a time when Lebron was still here and we were thought of to have had a huge edge on the rest of his other possible suitors? Windy would of been committing career suicide if he had done it at that time.

We should have traded LeBron years ago. The fans had a right to know what was going on. There would have been no hard feelings if we had known the truth. We were never going to win with LeTurd, because he wasn't committed to winning.

 

[QuadrupleDouble]

Windy isn't going to blow his wad and waste all the years of dirt piled up in his closet right now.

He's going to write a book to cash in on Lebron's dirt now and that will do more for him than one column full of bad PR for LRMR.

I'd still like to know about the 07 all star break and I had no idea about the Olympics. I thought he was the model citizen and he became a better leader out of the process. At least that's what everyone was saying at the time.

you also don't give the guy with the biggest attitude problem a Captain's hat and have him play more minutes than anyone.

 

[futuristxen]

Pat Riley(and Mickey Arison) is going to be just as much of a "yes-man" to LeBron and his posse as Gilbert were. That's just the nature of what LeBron demands in who he plays for. That's just the kind of douche he is.

I dunno. Pat Riley already talked Lebron into leaving. Whenever he wants Lebron's attention he just has to flash the rings. Plus he's got the added heft of Wade backing him, and the pressure Lebron has put on himself to win.

I think Pat Riley has an opportunity to exert control on Lebron like hasn't been exerted in his career, and Lebron will be better for it.

It's not like Riley hasn't handled egos before. I mean the man coached Magic Johnson for petesakes, who was as much a primadonna as Lebron.