The Lebron Safari 2014

[CavsRules]

Yeah, just glad it's not only on my end. Guessing it's a glitch of some sort.

Also, felt the need to let everybody know I successfully purchased the t-shirt at the top of the page. Gonna rep that shit everywhere.

[jay_em]

My favorite quote during that video: "He could have recruited people to Cleveland" - Chris Webber.

That's been said before, but I think it needs to be stamped in everybody's mind. LeBron didn't want to stay in Cleveland regardless about winning or losing.

EDIT: Anybody else see pages 170 and 171? I click them and it brings me right back to page 169.

Problem with that "he could've recruited them to Cleveland" argument is that the Cavs were never in a position to recruit anyone to Cleveland save for that Z,Huges,Marshall,Jones summer and outside of Z we had to overpay each one of them to get them here. The type of players that needed to be recruited to put Cleveland on par with the Celtics, Lakers just weren't available.

And yes that glich is annoying....Edit...although i now can get to pg 170 *shrug*

[Visitor]

We could have shed salary and not worried about winning like Dwyane and the Heat did. This component is what irritated me the most about Lebron's departure, he bitched and whined that he wanted to "win now" and would never have accepted the course Miami took to have that kind of cap space available in Cleveland. The tv show, and everything else that upset everyone else didn't bother me at all, what bothered me is that he went to a team that did something he would have never allowed Cleveland to do.

[Numbers Guy]

LeBron's career as critiqued by PTI through the years:

[Mdog1]

My favorite quote during that video: "He could have recruited people to Cleveland" - Chris Webber.

That's been said before, but I think it needs to be stamped in everybody's mind. LeBron didn't want to stay in Cleveland regardless about winning or losing.

EDIT: Anybody else see pages 170 and 171? I click them and it brings me right back to page 169.

It's not like the Cavs were in a position to get anyone here, except for Amare, but the Suns back out on us. He could have recruited Bosh, and likely he did try to do that, but Bosh likely said F NO, and LeBron didn't want to be stuck on a team that had no real future entering his prime.

With that said IF Bosh said he would have come to Cleveland, and LeBron still took "his talents to South Beach" then it's time for me to start hating him again. I don't see that as likely though.

[sgm405]

It's not like the Cavs were in a position to get anyone here, except for Amare, but the Suns back out on us. He could have recruited Bosh, and likely he did try to do that, but Bosh likely said F NO, and LeBron didn't want to be stuck on a team that had no real future entering his prime.

With that said IF Bosh said he would have come to Cleveland, and LeBron still took "his talents to South Beach" then it's time for me to start hating him again. I don't see that as likely though.

Bosh would have gone wherever LeBron would have gone. Think about it:

Wade: "Hey Chris, come to Miami...you have me, and I have 2-3 great years left. We'll play in front of fans who like our team. You also have Udonis Haslem. And Erik Spolestra is our coach! Championship!"

LeBron: "Hey Chris, come to Cleveland. I know...the weather and nightlife isn't the same as Miami, but listen. We just hired Byron Scott, a guy with Finals experience as both a player and coach. Mike Miller has already said he'd coming aboard. We have an energetic big man who will do your dirty work for you down low. We have four of the top fifteen (and two of the top three) three point shooters in the league to kick out to when you get doubled. The Eastern Conference in ripe for the taking too - Boston's getting old, Howard's going to bolt Orlando, the Knicks are the Knicks, and we can take out the Bulls. And Chris, here's the crazy part...if we win a championship here, we'll be treated like GODS for the rest of our lives. They are desperate to win one and will sell out the Q every night. We're talking jersey retirements, statues, the whole nine yards. Come to Cleveland."

Of course, the three playing in Miami was planned almost a year in advance (at least), which is why Miami cleared the decks to make it happen in Wade's walk year.

LeBron never even made a pitch to Bosh to come to Cleveland. His meetings with GM's were for attention, to build up to "The Decision"...he was going to Miami all along.

[daytripper]

Not to beat a dead horse but I caught a bit of Miami/Brooklyn last night during breaks of the Cavs game (while my kids were running around destroying the house). The Nets were way ahead at one point and during the Heat comeback LeBron made a great hustle play laying himself on the ground chasing after a loose ball. It was the type of play that would've garnered a huge standing O at the Q. The Heat announcers..damn are they obnoxious... made a big deal about the best player in the NBA hustling his ass off but the reaction of the crowd on my tv seemed meh. It just struck me how LeBron, as he was walking out the door, basically said the Cavs fans were 'spoiled' by his play yet the fans in Miami certainly don't fully appreciate his play or their team. It still burns my hide how those 'fans' have been gifted Shaq and LeBron in their primes.

[WeinerSoBig]

It's really unfortunate that the Heat lost 50% of their fan base when Donte Stallworth hit that pedestrian with his car a few years back.

[Mdog1]

Bosh would have gone wherever LeBron would have gone. Think about it:

Wade: "Hey Chris, come to Miami...you have me, and I have 2-3 great years left. We'll play in front of fans who like our team. You also have Udonis Haslem. And Erik Spolestra is our coach! Championship!"

LeBron: "Hey Chris, come to Cleveland. I know...the weather and nightlife isn't the same as Miami, but listen. We just hired Byron Scott, a guy with Finals experience as both a player and coach. Mike Miller has already said he'd coming aboard. We have an energetic big man who will do your dirty work for you down low. We have four of the top fifteen (and two of the top three) three point shooters in the league to kick out to when you get doubled. The Eastern Conference in ripe for the taking too - Boston's getting old, Howard's going to bolt Orlando, the Knicks are the Knicks, and we can take out the Bulls. And Chris, here's the crazy part...if we win a championship here, we'll be treated like GODS for the rest of our lives. They are desperate to win one and will sell out the Q every night. We're talking jersey retirements, statues, the whole nine yards. Come to Cleveland."

Of course, the three playing in Miami was planned almost a year in advance (at least), which is why Miami cleared the decks to make it happen in Wade's walk year.

LeBron never even made a pitch to Bosh to come to Cleveland. His meetings with GM's were for attention, to build up to "The Decision"...he was going to Miami all along.

We don't know if someone else was going to go to Miami too if LeBron passed. What if Amare had gone there isntead of NYK because LeBron didn't want to. We just don't know the conversations that the colluders had, and likely it wasn't just the three of them doing it.

Also maybe Bosh would have went to Chicago instead of Miami if LeBron didn't go to Miami. Again we just don't know the scenarios that were at work. LeBron's decision was obviously made well before July 1 when Amare commited to NY, so the players knew what was going on long before the fans did.

Anyways your scenario just assumes that the Heat don't use their cap space to sign anyone else if they didn't get LeBron, which is a bad assumption. Miller was going with LeBron from all reports, so there's like 20 million in cap space for the Heat to use.

[Numbers Guy]

Bosh would have gone wherever LeBron would have gone. Think about it:

Wade: "Hey Chris, come to Miami...you have me, and I have 2-3 great years left. We'll play in front of fans who like our team. You also have Udonis Haslem. And Erik Spolestra is our coach! Championship!"

LeBron: "Hey Chris, come to Cleveland. I know...the weather and nightlife isn't the same as Miami, but listen. We just hired Byron Scott, a guy with Finals experience as both a player and coach. Mike Miller has already said he'd coming aboard. We have an energetic big man who will do your dirty work for you down low. We have four of the top fifteen (and two of the top three) three point shooters in the league to kick out to when you get doubled. The Eastern Conference in ripe for the taking too - Boston's getting old, Howard's going to bolt Orlando, the Knicks are the Knicks, and we can take out the Bulls. And Chris, here's the crazy part...if we win a championship here, we'll be treated like GODS for the rest of our lives. They are desperate to win one and will sell out the Q every night. We're talking jersey retirements, statues, the whole nine yards. Come to Cleveland."

Of course, the three playing in Miami was planned almost a year in advance (at least), which is why Miami cleared the decks to make it happen in Wade's walk year.

LeBron never even made a pitch to Bosh to come to Cleveland. His meetings with GM's were for attention, to build up to "The Decision"...he was going to Miami all along.

Some nice stories you came up with there and all.. but Bosh didn't want Cleveland. Leading up to the 2010 free agency.. Cleveland had a lot of talks with Toronto on bringing in Bosh and reports came out that Toronto was willing to S&T Bosh to us.. the problem? Bosh was the hold up.

Here's some articles:
http://www.morningjournal.com/articl...307908223.txtm

http://voices.yahoo.com/chris-bosh-t...s-6349344.html

[Tlyons]

Some nice stories you came up with there and all.. but Bosh didn't want Cleveland. Leading up to the 2010 free agency.. Cleveland had a lot of talks with Toronto on bringing in Bosh and reports came out that Toronto was willing to S&T Bosh to us.. the problem? Bosh was the hold up.

Here's some articles:
http://www.morningjournal.com/articl...307908223.txtm

http://voices.yahoo.com/chris-bosh-t...s-6349344.html

I believe sgm was giving a collusion-free example of what Lebron could have done. Why would bosh ok a trade to Cle when he and Lebron were secretly going to Miami the whole time.

[chrisrich91]

Some nice stories you came up with there and all.. but Bosh didn't want Cleveland. Leading up to the 2010 free agency.. Cleveland had a lot of talks with Toronto on bringing in Bosh and reports came out that Toronto was willing to S&T Bosh to us.. the problem? Bosh was the hold up.

Here's some articles:
http://www.morningjournal.com/articl...307908223.txtm

http://voices.yahoo.com/chris-bosh-t...s-6349344.html

Nice try. Bosh was the hold up because he, LeBron, and Wade had colluded their plan long before then. He knew what was coming. If LeBron was committed to Cleveland, Bosh absolutely would have come here in a second. No doubt whatsoever.

Came across this video the other day...for whatever reason it made me feel good to be reminded that LeBron never has, and never will, have this much fun regularly in Miami. Sure, the championship celebration was fun, but everyone including LeBron knows that it wasn't even close to as fun as it would have been in Cleveland. You can bet your ass he remembers how much fun we had here during that era and wishes he could do somethings differently in hindsight..I can take solace in that.

[Homestar]

Of course, the three playing in Miami was planned almost a year in advance (at least), which is why Miami cleared the decks to make it happen in Wade's walk year.

AND, don't forget the most important fact of all – why he quit in the Boston series!

[Jack Brickman]

We don't know if someone else was going to go to Miami too if LeBron passed. What if Amare had gone there isntead of NYK because LeBron didn't want to. We just don't know the conversations that the colluders had, and likely it wasn't just the three of them doing it.

Also maybe Bosh would have went to Chicago instead of Miami if LeBron didn't go to Miami. Again we just don't know the scenarios that were at work. LeBron's decision was obviously made well before July 1 when Amare commited to NY, so the players knew what was going on long before the fans did.

Anyways your scenario just assumes that the Heat don't use their cap space to sign anyone else if they didn't get LeBron, which is a bad assumption. Miller was going with LeBron from all reports, so there's like 20 million in cap space for the Heat to use.

Please. It's obvious these guys planned to go to Miami over three years earlier at the Olympics. Why else would they all conveniently sign contracts with an opt-out after three years, followed even more conveniently by Miami trotting out shit teams during Wade's prime so they could clear the decks for when LeBron and Bosh were free agents?

I'm not typically one for conspiracy theories, but this one is so goddamn obvious I don't even consider it a theory any more.

[jay_em]

Bosh would have gone wherever LeBron would have gone. Think about it:

Wade: "Hey Chris, come to Miami...you have me, and I have 2-3 great years left. We'll play in front of fans who like our team. You also have Udonis Haslem. And Erik Spolestra is our coach! Championship!"

LeBron: "Hey Chris, come to Cleveland. I know...the weather and nightlife isn't the same as Miami, but listen. We just hired Byron Scott, a guy with Finals experience as both a player and coach. Mike Miller has already said he'd coming aboard. We have an energetic big man who will do your dirty work for you down low. We have four of the top fifteen (and two of the top three) three point shooters in the league to kick out to when you get doubled. The Eastern Conference in ripe for the taking too - Boston's getting old, Howard's going to bolt Orlando, the Knicks are the Knicks, and we can take out the Bulls. And Chris, here's the crazy part...if we win a championship here, we'll be treated like GODS for the rest of our lives. They are desperate to win one and will sell out the Q every night. We're talking jersey retirements, statues, the whole nine yards. Come to Cleveland."

Chris: Gee Bron that sounds good and all, but in the NBA that have this thing called the Salary cap and you guys are over that. So which group of those guys are going to Toronto in the S&T to make that happen?

FIFY