NBA Thread

[alfred russel]

The Lebron said to the Gilbert, 'Owner, I have sinned against Cleveland and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called a Cav.'

Tough time imagining a scenario where LeBron is no longer worthy to be called a Cav. 

[FunkMonk]

And the legions of "lifelong" Miami Heat fans suddenly disappear into the ether...

As quickly as they leave a game being played in the finals of the NBA championships....

The Spurs beat the Heat so hard they destroyed it as a franchise. 

[crazy canuck]

And the legions of "lifelong" Miami Heat fans suddenly disappear into the ether...

As quickly as they leave a game being played in the finals of the NBA championships....

The Spurs beat the Heat so hard they destroyed it as a franchise. 

[The Minsky Moment]

Rony Seikaly must still be available for recall.

[Barrister]

Lebron going back to Cleveland?

Man, I did not see that one coming.

[Eddie Teach]

Lebron going back to Cleveland?

Man, I did not see that one coming.

It was inevitable, much like Sav going back to Detroit. 

[jimmy olsen]

Kevin Love says he's willing to sign long term with the Cavs, but so far they haven't offered enough for the Timberwolves. If this deal manages to get done then the Cavs are a lock for the title game given how weak the East is.

[Savonarola]

Lebron going back to Cleveland?

Man, I did not see that one coming.

It was inevitable, much like Sav going back to Detroit. 

[CountDeMoney]

Lebron James is headed back to Cleveland.

The Lebron said to the Gilbert, 'Owner, I have sinned against Cleveland and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called a Cav.'

But the Gilbert said to his servants, 'Quick! Bring the best Cav Uni and put it on him. Put a Kyrie Irving on his team and lay a max contract at his feet. Bring my open letter to Lebron and burn it. Let's have a feast and celebrate. For this Lebron of mine was dead to me and is alive again; he was lost and is found.' So they began to celebrate.

Ha.

clear heels abandonment issues + beaten wife syndrome + Kermit the Frog's "The Rainbow Connection" = Cleveland sports fans

[sbr]

I know following the Ray Rice Saga has beena full time job for American sports fans, but has anyone been following the Hawks' shenanigans down in the ATL?

First over the summer Hawks GM Danny Ferry was in a conference call with all of the members of the ownership group and other big wigs talking about how they were going to approach free agents. This is what minority owner J Michael Gearon Jr says when Ferry discussed Luol Deng (allegedly reading from a scouting report put together by someone else):

During the call, which we recorded so that notes could be made for our partners unable to participate live, our GM Danny Ferry discussed player personnel issues at some length. With respect to one potential free agent, a highly-regarded African American player and humanitarian, Ferry talked about the player's good points, and then on to describe his negatives, stating that "he has a little African in him. Not in a bad way, but he's like a guy who would have a nice store out front but sell you counterfeit stuff out the back." Ferry completed the racial slur by describing the player (and impliedly, all persons of African decent) as a two-faced liar and cheat.

Apparently Ferry was previously disciplined for this and the Hawks won't be punishing him further. 

Apparently this Gearon guy hated Danny Ferry and co-owner Bruce Levenson for pushing him to the side in some sort of power struggle, so he started some sort of internal investigation where they found an email Levenson wrote in 2012 where he is lamenting the lack of white fans:

Levenson noted that when he looked around Philips Arena, he saw that the crowd is "70 percent black," "the cheerleaders are black," and the "music is hip hop." He also added, as if to assure his fellow execs that he'd thought about this issue comprehensively, "I have even bitched that the kiss cam is too black." In the final analysis, Levenson speculated that the team's ticket sales were lagging not because the Hawks haven't had a star player since Dominique Wilkins, but due to the fact that "the black crowd scared away the whites and there are simply not enough affluent black fans to build a significant season ticket base."

Levenson announced on Sunday that he is selling his stake in the team.

[Valmy]

What is up with all the racists in the NBA?

[jimmy olsen]

What is up with all the racists in the NBA?

Team owners are almost all old, rich and white. The demographics skew that way. The NBA, given their hiring practices, seem the least racist of the major sports though.

[Admiral Yi]

That sounds more like bizniz than racism to me.

[derspiess]

That sounds more like bizniz than racism to me.

My black co-workers agree on that, actually.  They think the Levonson email wasn't particularly racist given the context and are getting tired with everyone manufacturing racist issues out of nothing.  "People are just too damn sensitive these days".

[garbon]

That sounds more like bizniz than racism to me.

My black co-workers agree on that, actually.  They think the Levonson email wasn't particularly racist given the context and are getting tired with everyone manufacturing racist issues out of nothing.  "People are just too damn sensitive these days".

I'm glad you can provide us with a direct connection to how black people feel.