What if your least favorite player signs with your favorite team (LeBron to L.A.?)

[MadGoat]

I have never been a LeBron fan. I'll give him credit for what he has accomplished in his career, but he's just not someone I enjoy watching.

I was never a Michael Jordan fan either. I didn't like him at UNC and really didn't like him after the Bulls beat the Lakers for their championship. There's something about disliking a player and seeing them accomplish big things that further cements that dislike. I wasn't a Shaq or Dwight Howard fan, but I didn't necessarily dislike them that much either. Also, neither had accomplished so much before coming to L.A.

I never had to worry about Jordan joining the Lakers, but here we are at the point where LeBron joining them is probably even likely at this point. I don't watch nearly as much NBA as I used to, but this would probably test my ability to root for team over player more than ever before. The closest I can think of would be Ndamukong Suh signing with the Rams, but I didn't start disliking him until the stomping incidents began. I actually wanted him to be a Ram before they set their sights on Bradford.

Who knows, maybe this is all for naught and James joins the list of NBA stars that have spurned the Lakers in recent years. Then I'll have a real reason not to like the guy! Which of course makes no sense.

 

[fearsomefour]

I'm a Laker fan.
Fine if he goes there.
But God is he a douche.
Always had been, likely always will be.
His "decision cave".
Douche Fing bag.

 

[Selassie I]

This Magic Fan hates him too... but please GOD... let him sign with Orlando.

 

[MadGoat]

I'm a Laker fan.
Fine if he goes there.
But God is he a douche.
Always had been, likely always will be.
His "decision cave".
Douche Fing bag.

I actually know someone who worked with him at Nike. She said he wasn't a bad guy, but described him as an oblivious man-child. I'm sure there's plenty like him in all professional sports, but I think his life in the spotlight, surrounded by handlers since high school, probably made those qualities even more pronounced in him.

 

[fearsomefour]

I actually know someone who worked with him at Nike. She said he wasn't a bad guy, but described him as an oblivious man-child. I'm sure there's plenty like him in all professional sports, but I think his life in the spotlight, surrounded by handlers since high school, probably made those qualities even more pronounced in him.

No doubt you are right.
He's had his ass kissed since he was 10 years old. Would be hard for anyone to avoid ending up like that.
Had a friend that trained Richie Incognito for a couple of off seasons. He said he was a great guy, friendly and always laughing.
People are multi faceted.

 

[dieterbrock]

LeBron is an idiot and I have no respect for anyone who chooses to root for him because he signed with their team.
Hang on,
What? Really?
He is signing with the Celtics?
Let me order my LeBron fathead!! He's the greatest ever!!!
Haha
I love the Celtics and hate the Lakers, but I know that the NBA is better when the Lakers are good.
I'm impressed that LBJ would choose LA over an Eastern division team. He's choosing to go up against Golden State just to get to the Finals.
As a Laker fan, you've got every right to root for him

 

[FaulkSF]

I'm in the same boat with most of you. Huge Laker fan, don't want LeBron anywhere near LA. Would hate to see him don the forum blue and gold. This'll be as bad as the Nash signing.

Lakers better off going after CP3 and Kawhi or Cousins. I personally think LeBron stays in the East so he won't ruin his streak of final appearances.

 

[dieterbrock]

Well if LBJ is coming to LALA land, he won’t be bringing Paul George or Cp3 with him...

 

[Dieter the Brock]

Fuck OFF

LEBRON LAKERS
YES

 

[LesBaker]

It's hard to believe that people dislike James. I'm from CLE (though have been a Lakers fan because of the Rams affiliation) and up until his decision to go to MIA nobody in town disliked him because he is actually a pretty down to Earth type. He's wealthy and world famous but still goes home and rides bikes for his charity that provides a lot for kids in the community he grew up in and plays with kids on schoolyard basketball courts.

I think the impression that people have is from the media/interviews and that's only a sliver of a glimpse because he is a fairly private guy.

All that said..........

I question his decision to go to LA because even with him I don't think he's going to get them past HOU or GS. They will need to add more to that roster. Yeah there is always a punchers chance with him on the floor but versus the Rockets and Warriors that chance is a lot slimmer with the Lakers roster. It's probably worse than the Cavs were last year.

The Lakers won 35 games last year which is proof that they have little on the roster. If the goal is to get back into the playoffs then this will accomplish that but if that is the goal then I question what Magic is doing. Is he waiting until next year to add the other piece or pieces?

I hope Magic has something else up his sleeve. If he does we may see a few more years of one of the greatest rivalries in American sports.........perhaps only the Yankees v Red Sox is as historical.

I think he will finish his career back home by the way.

 

[fearsomefour]

So there's this then.
Never liked Labron.
Didn't like Shaq before or after LA either.
We shall see.

 

[fearsomefour]

I want Labron to moonlight with the Rams.
Red zone fades and a kick blocker.
That's it.
How unstoppable would he be on a fade?

 

[Boston Ram]

LeBron is an idiot and I have no respect for anyone who chooses to root for him because he signed with their team.
Hang on,
What? Really?
He is signing with the Celtics?
Let me order my LeBron fathead!! He's the greatest ever!!!
Haha
I love the Celtics and hate the Lakers, but I know that the NBA is better when the Lakers are good.
I'm impressed that LBJ would choose LA over an Eastern division team. He's choosing to go up against Golden State just to get to the Finals.
As a Laker fan, you've got every right to root for him

I am happy he is a Laker. Now there is a chance we can see Lakers/Celtics in the Championship again. That being said, Im not so sure I would want him as a Celtic. Love the talent but having to listen to him in post game interviews about how awesome he is would make that team less likeable. I think he would wear on me and make me less interested in the team, good or not.

Its happening with me now and the Red Sox. You know I love the Sox, but David Price, Mookie Betts and top players complaining about how Boston is such a hard place to play makes me hate them sometimes. Shoot, I even cheered when Price got lit up last night.....such a douch waffle

 

[LesBaker]

I want Labron to moonlight with the Rams.
Red zone fades and a kick blocker.
That's it.
How unstoppable would he be on a fade?

He was first team all state as a Sophmore wideout in HS.

He could probably score 30 plus TD's a year. I have seen him get eye level to the rim a handful of times, and get very close to that routinely. The rim is 10' 2", the crossbar on the goalpost is 10' even. That would put his hands about 3 feet above the crossbar LOL. Any time a team got anywhere within 30 yards of the end zone he could bring in a pass for a TD that would be impossible for anyone else but him to go up and get.

IMO he would have been as good at football as he is at basketball and would have broken records in the NFL too. For fun, and without any training he supposedly ran a 40 back in 2013 and did it in 4.6 seconds..........at 6' 8" and 260ish pounds. If you've seen his chasedown blocks you might think he is a little faster than that. How do you defend a WR like that?

He has been clocked running over 20 MPH. Remember TGurley was clocked at 21.23 at his fastest last year.

Athletes like James don't come around very often at all, so it's always fun to see them play and enjoy what they do. Unless they are on the 49ers.

Enjoy the vid, it's a fun 8 minutes if you can spare it:

 

[norcalramfan]

Lived it for years with Kobe. It would be worth while if he puts the brakes on the Warriors run which is getting really old.

 

[FrantikRam]

People have all different types of reasons to like or dislike an athlete.

I have a pretty big issue with divorce and cheating on a spouse - I know a ton of people have gone through it so it's more relatable but for me personally, it's always bugged me.

So IMO LeBron is a far better human being than Tim Duncan or Kobe Bryant - his two main contemporaries and ironically the fans of those guys/teams seem to be some of his biggest detractors.


Anyways, I am and always have been a Cavs fan - basketball was my favorite sport growing up and I like Mark Price. I live in Columbus but was in High School at the same time as LeBron - so was very aware of him from the start.

I watch the Rams, Cavs, Indians and Ohio State football with regularity. Cavs and Indians games I miss several because they're on every day. In exchange for just having a season like last year where the Rams make the playoffs and lose I would take the Cavs/Indians/Buckeyes winning a combined zero games.

I think I've missed maybe one or two Rams games in the past 15 years - both times because I was attending an NFL game - just to give an idea of how much more passionate I am about the NFL than other sports.

So obviously it was a dark time for us all for the Rams between 2005-2010 (well really 2016) - during this time LeBron had the Cavs as a good team consistently contending, although usually falling short. Then in 2010 LeBron ripped my heart out. I was still a much bigger Rams fan than Cavs fan, but having that secondary team that has some success was a nice crutch for me, and I loved LeBron.

I still watched the Cavs and grew to love Kyrie despite the Cavs being bad - then LeBron came back. I still don't like that he left and I don't like how he left - but in hindsight I realize he needed to. The Cavs were historically bad at putting together a supporting cast for an all time great player. Not really another example of a player that caliber playing with the cast that he did.

Then he won the title for the Cavs and I don't begrudge him leaving. It sucks for me because there's only three teams I didn't want to see him go to: Golden State (obviously), Boston and Lakers. I think he's the best that ever played and I will be a fan of his going forward, but the only way I'll root for the Lakers as a team is if they play the Warriors.



Anyways....I don't understand how people dislike the guy. He does great things for communities, is a great family man and he's a really funny guy. He gets short with reporters at times but all players do that.

He does come off as insecure sometimes but you have to have some perspective - Akron is not a great place to be as a kid. His dad wasn't in the picture at all. Obviously he's going to have some issues, but for me he's the most likeable athlete and genuinely seems like a great human being - the people that dislike him in my experience generally do because they are a fan of a different all time great player (Kobe/MJ) who they don't want to see LeBron "pass" in an all time sense.

 

[dieterbrock]

Anyways, I am and always have been a Cavs fan - basketball was my favorite sport growing up and I like Mark Price. I live in Columbus but was in High School at the same time as LeBron - so was very aware of him from the start.

Always liked Price back to Georgia Tech days with Dalrymple and Salley. That Cavs team was fun to root for too with Harper and Ehlo. Was World B Free on those teams?

 

[FrantikRam]

Always liked Price back to Georgia Tech days with Dalrymple and Salley. That Cavs team was fun to root for too with Harper and Ehlo. Was World B Free on those teams?

Looks like Price's first year was after Free's last year with the Cavs. Close though.

 

[LesBaker]

I like Mark Price

He's one of those people that if you don't like them, it's you not them.

He's not just likable he's actually an all around top flight human being.

That Cavs team was fun to root for too with Harper and Ehlo. Was World B Free on those teams?

As @FrantikRam mentioned it was close.

Harper, according to a couple of people in CLE in the sports world though it was just a small rumor back then, was traded to the then dogshit Clippers because the owner at the time Gordon Gund didn't like him. He was an emerging star. He ended up with 5 rings, so all is well in his world. Had he stayed with the Cavs I think they may have gotten to the finals once at least. He was an excellent player and with the guys the Cavs had then it would have been something fun.

Remember Mel Turpin? AKA Dinner Bell Mel.........local sports guys used to have fun with him because he was listed at about 50 pounds lighter than he was. It would be like me saying I'm 120.

Little known facts.........the decision to draft LeBron James was directed by Gund. And three of the top 5 selections that year ended up teaming up in MIA when LeBron and Bosh joined forces with Wade.

 

[rdlkgliders]

I always adopt our new players in time. Sehorn for one wasn't a favorite of mine but he became a Ram and I backed him......Both games LOL