LeBron claims Gilbert never cared about him

Yes, really.

But perhaps his sharpest words were reserved for Gilbert, the owner who lashed out at him shortly after James announced that he would be joining the Heat.

“I don’t think he ever cared about LeBron,” James is quoted as saying. “My mother always told me: ‘You will see the light of people when they hit adversity. You’ll get a good sense of their character.’ Me and my family have seen the character of that man.”

It's funny LeBron would choose those words, because they actually fit him to a tee. Sure, Gilbert never cared about him. That's why the Cavs made trade after trade, paid him millions of dollars, employed members of his entourage and basically tried whatever they could to keep him. LeBron's character was on display for all the world to see with The Decision and it wasn't a pretty sight. Talking about himself in the third person doesn't help either.

In the GQ article, James took exception to the “quitter” tag.

“Every night on the court I give my all, and if I’m not giving 100 percent, I criticize myself,” James said.

Weird, because he certainly didn't seem to be giving 100% in Games 5 and 6 of the Celtics series. He certainly wasn't owning up to it or being too self-critical either.

James said he wouldn’t change any part of “The Decision,” the made-for-TV event in Greenwich, Conn. where he announced his playing plans to an audience of about 10 million viewers. The hourlong show made $2.5 million for Boys & Girls Clubs. “When I found out I had an opportunity to do that for those kids, it was a no-brainer,” James said.

Says it all right there. Sure, the charitable donation was nice, but it seems he just can't see why people would dare to criticise the whole affair.

I think what it all comes down to is that LeBron is terrible at damage control and desperately needs better people around him, people with more PR savvy and less spineless yes-men. That's never going to happen though. I'm reminded of the whole "I don't shake hands, I'm a winner" nonsense, which was the most ridiculous rationale when a perfectly acceptable thing to say would've been something along the lines of "It wasn't the best decision I ever made but after the loss I was angry/upset, I just wanted to get out of there".

I do like LeBron, I like watching him play and he's unquestionably a phenomenal talent. But I don't like the way he's been conducting himself in recent years and the narcissism is reaching a level where it's really off-putting. Considering how Gilbert went after him it's only natural for him to want to respond and address those accusations (and believe me, I'm not trying to make Gilbert out to be an innocent party here), but once again he handled it poorly. He needs better advice on how to carry himself but it's never going to come or it's just going to be ignored.

James explained he’s always had an uneasy relationship with Cleveland because he’s from Akron, a half-hour away. “It’s not far, but it is far,” James said. “And Clevelanders, because they were the bigger-city kids when we were growing up, looked down on us. … So we didn’t actually like Cleveland. We hated Cleveland growing up. There’s a lot of people in Cleveland we still hate to this day.”

Ok. LeBron's clutching straws now.


The only way I can explain LeBron and Gilbert's view of each other is "it takes one to know one".

Well put.

Since when was living half an hour away from your job "far"? I'd say that's just about standard where I work.

I do my best to try and give LBJ the benefit of the doubt, but far out the dude frustrates me.

Well. For sure, he doesn't really explain that well how Gilbert never cared about him. But it sure is interesting how he is talking down on Clevelanders.

James said he wouldn’t change any part of “The Decision,” the made-for-TV event in Greenwich, Conn. where he announced his playing plans to an audience of about 10 million viewers. The hourlong show made $2.5 million for Boys & Girls Clubs. “When I found out I had an opportunity to do that for those kids, it was a no-brainer,” James said.

I never knew about this. Nice gesture from what really generally was a punk move.

I read somewhere that most of the funds raised by The Decision went to the Greenwich chapter? of the the Boys & Girls Clubs. I'm under the impression that kids in that chapter are from relatively well-off families.

LeBron probably wanted a babysitter/parent figure in Gilbert because his mom was too busy being screwed by West.

What is it with LeBron and him talking about himself in the third person?

Lamrock reckons LeBron see himself as, not a businessman, but a business, man. If he could, Lamrock reckons he would change his name to LeBron™.
™

Leave Lebanon alone. Lebanon is Lebanon.

As for the topic, Gilbert never did care about him. He's not a caring owner like say Mark Cuban

What is it with LeBron and him talking about himself in the third person?

LeBron do what LeBron do.

Seriously, fuck him. I actually hope he does DIAF. He's a tremendous, tremendous basketball player and asshole.

Kind of reminds me of this:

Selma: Surly, can't you do something.
Surly: Ey, Surly only looks out for one guy -- Surly.
Selma: Hm, sorry, Surly.
Surly: Shut up!

What's with this caring shit? Who expects their boss to care about them? All they have to do is pay you.

LeBron's really going down in my eyes.

No matter how much LeBron speaks in the third person, he's still no Karl Malone.

What's with this caring shit? Who expects their boss to care about them? All they have to do is pay you.

It's his unusual form of damage control/standing up for himself when someone dares to not fawn over him, much like the "I'm a winner" diatribe.

Have I mentioned he's a little bitch?

Is that a compliment? You like it when I call you that.

LeBron is right.

LeBron is right.

How so?

Why are you encouraging him?

Because the general sections are trial by fire. Get forged, or get fried.

Too bad what was forged is a nitwit. Can we melt him back or something?

LeBron is right.

How so?

Sir, Dan Gilbert forgot to respect LeBron's decision.

That's not what he said. He said Gilbert never cared about him which is a ridiculous claim given how the franchise was at his mercy, made trade after trade and brought in players via free agency to try and surround him with talent (not necessarily good acquisitions all of the time, but they tried nevertheless) and even employed his pals in an effort to curry his favour. To say they never cared about him when they pandered to him the way they did is...well, bratty. And despite the "He's only 25" rhetoric, he's old enough to know better and act accordingly. Again, he's terrible when it comes to PR and damage control and in desperate need of better advice. It's not going to come though.