He's essentially your 'every day' guy who made it big and doesn't act like he's from money....he's still a kid like the rest of us. I think a lot of us identify with him more than other owners, so we like him - and the other owners hate him. I'm not sure if I'd want him owning my favorite team, but he does seem to want to win AND have fun doing it, as opposed to an owner like the Raiders have where he's overmanaging and totally screws everything up.
I was thinking this the other day - Chicago still makes the most sense for me in terms of marketing, supporting cast, etc. But the question in my mind is LB's mindset.....he likes MJ and is trying to build a similar marketing empire...but would he want to be in MJ's shadow every step of the way? If he went to Chicago, he'd never have the chance of creating history like MJ did there, he'd only be trying to repeat it. He'd always have the comparison to MJ in the minds of the fans no matter what he did....and I'm not sure he would ever compare favorably (and would he be comfortable displacing, if it were possible) in the fans hearts? That's probably something he has to answer for himself - follow MJ's steps to the top, or find a place where he can build his own legend (which keeps CLE in the mix, but they still need to bring more to the table).
At times, you can present a decent appreciation for a sport, it's history and players. But you have unabashedly had this hate-on-LeBron thing for a long time. I know you don't think he's earned the hype, we got that, but he's more than a player - he's an icon and a 'more-than-basketball' person, something your beloved Kobe has not been. I'd agree Kobe's a better player, and we know the debates about who is a better 'person', but for what LeBron is trying to do with his image, marketing, etc.....Kobe remains just a player. A damn good one, but just a player nonetheless.
You didn't raise Kobe in this post, you even pointed to Nash and other players who are better at the game - fair enough. But your hating on LeBron has reached a point of pitiful when that's all you've got on him - a less than perfect player (still young enough to prove his playing ability more) but someone who is becoming more than a basketball player. In the big picture of life, you saw guys like Shaq, MJ, and before them Magic and Bird....people that take their image off the court and into other areas (commercials, media, ownership in entities as opposed to flashy cars, women, and-or drugs). And yes, I included Shaq on purpose as he wasn't the best man in the league, even in his prime, but he remained in the discussion....and branched out to music, movies, commercials, etc. Again, to limited success, but he became more than another ball player, he thought beyond the shot clock and tried to become more. Soemthing a lot of people don't do, and not many consider.
LeBron hatin'. ![:\](https://bluelight.org/xf/BL_Images/Orig_Emoji/wrygrin.gif "wry grin :\")
Cut the man some slack - it's not all about his 'skills'. I don't think anyone can argue he's in the top 5-10 players in the league, but if you ask who is the face of basketball, who is bigger than a jersey and box score? You're not going to find too many others in the league that come close to LeBron. How about assessing him on that as well, or are has all the blood left your brain for swelling up that purple and gold hard on you seem to continually stroke?
TLB:
You are proving my overarching point FOR me.
Kobe Bryant is paid ridiculous amounts of money to be the greatest basketball player he can be.
Further, he has the inner drive and focus to be the greatest basketball player of all-time.
Ditto Michael Jordan on both of those counts, back when he amazed us all.
And what a coincidence - Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant are CLEARLY the two greatest players in the NBA in the Modern Era.
Individually, and more importantly, in terms of TEAM accomplishments.
And yes, part of it is because they are both phenomenal physical specimens.
But you know what - Tracy McGrady is an approximately equal physical specimen.
Shaq and LeBron are even MORE impressive physical specimens.
Yet, MJ and Kobe have out-titled Shaq and LeBron (11-4 so far, and 12-4 is right around the corner).
And do you know why?
Because Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant cared more THAN ANYTHING about becoming the greatest basketball player that each of them could be and made that the focus of their life.
Shaq can keep his Z-level movie career.
LeBron can keep wearing Yankee caps, banging chalk, and smiling.
When I watch basketball, I don't give a fuck whether or not the greatest players lead balanced lives.
I want to see the game being played at the highest level at which it's possible to be played.
It's fucking magical.
Thank you, MJ, and thank you, Kobe, for recognizing your respective potentials, and for dedicating your respective lives to becoming THE GREATEST IN THE FUCKING WORLD AT SOMETHING . . .
. . . and even more importantly:
For squeezing every single fucking drop of potential out of yourselves as you possibly could have done.
THAT, TLB, is what I *RESPECT* so much about the two greatest players I've ever seen, Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant.
