LeBron James TOO BIG for Traffic

[Patr1ck]

If I am late to my job, I get talked to about it by my superiors and get shit from my coworkers.

Everybody needs to tweet Lebron to put on his makeup faster so Jay-Z can start his show. Jay-Z should also be held accountable by his entire audience with a nice hefty discount from where they bought the tickets and floor seats to a Heat game since they had to wait for Lay-Z. That's his new nickname. Lay-Z.

[SoF'nAwesome]

It has been going on for decades and now everybody gets rebellious? If any policemen are fired upon this incident, it would be unfair. I would say fire all those other policemen for the last 10 years and then fire these one.

[Patr1ck]

Why fire them when you can send them on paid leave?

[NovU]

benji, you are taking it too seriously. It's not really that deep. Not for people to get fired and obviously not worthy of "conspiracy" tag.

Absolutely people should be fired for this. The police are public servants with specific general purpose tasks, these tasks do not include being an escort for the elite and especially do not include shutting down a PUBLIC thoroughfare for the benefit of the elite. This is literally the definition of "misuse of public funds" in most places.

And it's nothing new. This happens all the time, everywhere in the US. Especially, in LA. Seeing a sports athlete do it is a bit new. But if a music artist can have it, then...

Oh, so that makes it okay? Gross violations of the public trust are okay because, hey, it happens all the time! Nothing to see here.

You guys are saying all this just because it's LeBron. If it was Kobe, then everybody would be cool about it.

I'm not cool about it when it's the fucking President, pissants like LeBron getting the treatment is just a further and openly blatant symptom of the disease.

Sadly I don't think this is an argument everybody can buy into without proper political/social awareness. Even then, everyone probably shares different world view which suits to their advantage.

It's just a simple matter of LBJ and Jay-Z to most. Everything else is not relevant.

[shadowgrin]

The cops just escorted him to the concert, that's all. And how long did that escort actually take? At max, 1 hour? That could have been doughnut hour.

I like how you defend what the police officers did for LeBron and yet insult them with a donut reference.

But this sort of "service" is very common among influential people.

Just because it's common doesn't mean it's right or legal.

why are you calling Jay-Z a moron, man? Would you have started the concert if you knew that your best friend benji was on his way to your concert?

I'd be more concerned about the thousands of people who paid good money to watch me perform rather than wait for my best friend to arrive late who surely has free access to the concert anyway and if friend is truly a best friend then he'd understand why I started the concert without him because he's late so I can do my job of performing in front of the thousands of people who paid to watch me.

NBA 2K13 Executive Producer Jay-Z is a moron because he didn't want to start the concert because of a stupid reason.
I can understand if an important part of his performing/technical crew hadn't showed up yet so he can't start the concert but LeBron isn't any of those.
That's why both are morons and anyone who thinks what they did is right or simply disregard it as nothing are also morons.

benji isn't a best friend. He's more of dungeon slave where you can do freaky things to him. Forcefully.

This happens all the time, everywhere in the US. Especially, in LA. Seeing a sports athlete do it is a bit new. But if a music artist can have it, then...

It's not new for an athlete or a team. It happens all the time in the NBA. You can see police escorts with the team bus in some pregame broadcasts especially during the playoffs and Finals. You can even see police officers standing guard around the arena in an NBA game.

Deal is athletes/teams are often escorted to the place of their matches, where said athletes have work to do in front of the thousands who paid money to watch the sporting event. The sooner the event starts and finishes on time the less trouble for the police officers to maintain order and ensure the safety of the people who came to watch and participate in the sporting event.
Same applies for popular entertainers and performers who perform in front of large crowds.
I understand the need for the services of the police to escort the athletes/entertainers before and after a huge event for the reason I mentioned.

BUT it's a different matter when a moron entertainer doesn't want to start the concert just because his friend who isn't performing or not assigned to do anything of vital importance to the concert anyway hasn't arrived yet.
It's also a different matter when a moron athlete abuses the service of the law enforcement during his free time.

You guys are saying all this just because it's LeBron. If it was Kobe, then everybody would be cool about it.

It's just a simple matter of LBJ and Jay-Z to most. Everything else is not relevant.

That's the sad thing about it.
Not to even have a small ounce of awareness and to have it simply dismissed as 'hey the cops are bored doing nothing all day anyway', 'hey no crime happened when they did it', 'everyone does it why can't LeBron and Jay-Z flex their Illuminati muscle', 'they hating because it's LeBron and not Kobe', 'LeBron gave Miami a repeat, he should be treated like a hero', 'LeBron and Jay-Z are cool, they deserve it'.

[SoF'nAwesome]

If everybody was so high on "awareness" about "abusing the service of law", they should have started that protest like forever ago. Right now it's just like "it happened yesterday, It was LeBron. 1 million from the tax payers fund was wasted. Raise awareness, so it never happens again. Fire the frigging cops, send LeBron to jail if possible."

As for Jay-Z, he doesn't do concerts in Miami everyday. When he was in Miami, it would just be rude to start without LeBron. And there is no limited time span for a concert, starting or ending.

Pittsburgh has a law that any celebrity or player can cut in front of people at a line so they won't cause trouble. So it's like a LAW in that place.

You guys are way too deep on this. As if you just had glance at the celebrity culture for the first time in your life. IT'S SO WRONG! And technically it's not a "crime". A crime is where someone is hurt or there is some sort of loss. As I said before, this would all be worth the controversy if someone was actually hurt because of it. Simple story, one friend hired a police escort to go his friends' concert. Cops were away for their duty for 1 hour? Like that doesn't happen everyday. "Just because it's common doesn't mean it's right or legal.", yes. But that's just the way it is.

[NovU]

I would have agreed with you 120% if this was me from year ago. But I'm a 180' changed man, lol. Don't get me wrong, it's not about LBJ or anything basketball. I'm still a huge fan and probably will continue arguing against 'haterz'. But anything like this shouldn't be encouraged at any level. What's going on already is just disgusting enough.

[SoF'nAwesome]

I know what you mean. I'm not encouraging it. It was immature of him to do the whole instagram thing. But that's what's kind of funny about him, he is just a young nigga who is having fun. Not too complicated, no complexity. That's been his whole life, not knowing what to say or saying bizarre things at moments.

But this was certainly not serious enough for guys to say those cops should get fired or this was a serious crime for which people should be punished. It wouldn't have even come to focus if LeBron didn't tweet it. Nobody would ever know anything and everybody would have smiled at those Miami cops when they entered the doughnut shop.

[Sauru]

benji is dead on here, no athlete or movie star or anyone really should get this kind of treatment. so its ok for lebron to get an escort because the cops would not being doing anything anyway? maybe we should have them start giving personal escorts to all the pro athletes since you know they never have work to do. it will be great.

[shadowgrin]

If everybody was so high on "awareness" about "abusing the service of law", they should have started that protest like forever ago. Right now it's just like "it happened yesterday, It was LeBron. 1 million from the tax payers fund was wasted. Raise awareness, so it never happens again. Fire the frigging cops, send LeBron to jail if possible.

It's not new...It happens all the time...

Deal is athletes/teams are often escorted to the place of their matches, where said athletes have work to do in front of the thousands who paid money to watch the sporting event...Same applies for popular entertainers and performers who perform in front of large crowds.
...the need for the services of the police to escort the athletes/entertainers before and after a huge event...

BUT it's a different matter when a moron entertainer doesn't want to start the concert just because his friend who isn't performing or not assigned to do anything of vital importance to the concert anyway hasn't arrived yet.
It's also a different matter when a moron athlete abuses the service of the law enforcement during his free time.

As for Jay-Z, he doesn't do concerts in Miami everyday. When he was in Miami, it would just be rude to start without LeBron. And there is no limited time span for a concert, starting or ending.

So it's not rude to the thousands of people who paid good money to keep them waiting for the start of the performance?

There is a time span for a concert, with some allowance for extension. You get a permit for a big event like that by registering in the city/state and filling out the necessary forms and there the schedule for the event is stated.
There's also the allotted time for the use of the place, which I doubt is a concern for Jay-Z if he incurs additional charges if the concert goes past the schedule.
BUT considering this...

The sooner the event starts and finishes on time the less trouble for the police officers to maintain order and ensure the safety of the people who came to watch and participate in the sporting event.

Pittsburgh has a law that any celebrity or player can cut in front of people at a line so they won't cause trouble. So it's like a LAW in that place.

Cutting in line is different from using a public resource to escort someone because of a whim and inconvenience.

You guys are way too deep on this. As if you just had glance at the celebrity culture for the first time in your life.

We're not deep on it, you're just shallow. As if you have no idea about the boundaries of the privileges that should be given to celebrities or the role of celebrities in society.

IT'S SO WRONG! And technically it's not a "crime". A crime is where someone is hurt or there is some sort of loss. As I said before, this would all be worth the controversy if someone was actually hurt because of it.

Misuse of public funds is against the law so it is a crime if found guilty.

Simple story, one friend hired a police escort to go his friends' concert.

If it's that simple to you then it's just sad.

Cops were away for their duty for 1 hour? Like that doesn't happen everyday.

Cops in uniform are always on duty. If they are on the field they are basically on stand-by until they are needed to uphold and serve the law in the community they serve in.
Escorting an athlete just to go to a concert is not serving and upholding the law.

But that's just the way it is.

It wouldn't have even come to focus if LeBron didn't tweet it. Nobody would ever know anything and everybody would have smiled at those Miami cops when they entered the doughnut shop.

It's called evidence.
It's used in an investigation and the court of law to determine guilt or innocence.
That's why those who break the law make sure none of it is left to be noticed and those who forget to hide it are in jail or hire good lawyers.

[SoF'nAwesome]

As I said before, it's not really "waiting" in a concert. It's not like a presidential speech, which must start at the same exact time. Please remember, I did not create the BOUNDARY of privileges for celebs, that's how it has always been. I don't necessarily agree with all of them, but where there is no harm, I don't see serious words like "society", "guilty" or "crime" coming up. It's nothing that serious. I thought we were talking about cop crimes? Because they were escorting LeBron on duty hour? And if "cops in uniform" are always on duty, then what's the problem with patrolling? They would have stopped if they saw a crime...I will not use that but I'm just saying, there is logic to that as well.

I'm sorry that I can't get rolling with that "awareness". Because I believe it's just the fury of the moment. Everybody is just seizing the moment making one event over-rated with phrases like "breaking the law".

"Evidence"? You should show some real evidence of what actually happened because of the escort.

[Sauru]

that's how it has always been.

these 6 little words speaks volumes. if everyone always thought like that then nothing would ever change. just cause something has always been one way does not make it the correct way.

[SoF'nAwesome]

If this is some sort of awakening of "changes", people are like...so late & so slow.

if everyone always thought like that then nothing would ever change.

Very wise words, I like it. Looks like Sauru has some wisdom in him despite being a Celtics fan...jk

[Jackal]

he is just a young nigga who is having fun. Not too complicated, no complexity. That's been his whole life, not knowing what to say or saying bizarre things at moments.

and you dick ride me for doing the same, goes to show you love him more than me hypocrite

[shadowgrin]

As I said before, it's not really "waiting" in a concert. It's not like a presidential speech, which must start at the same exact time.

It's not about the time, it's the idiotic reason why Jay-Z had to make a police officer his own personal pick-up crew just to fetch his friend LeBron from the traffic jam and the traffic was made worse by what the officer did when he escorted LeBron and cleared the counter-flow path for him.
That's why Jay-Z is a moron.

where there is no harm

There's no harm of wasting taxpayers' money just for law enforcement to be the private nanny escort of the privileged few?
There's no harm in making the traffic to be fucked up more than it is and to the inconvenience of the other citizens by clearing the counter-flow side of the road just to escort and ensure that some athlete who's not doing work gets to a concert on time?

And if "cops in uniform" are always on duty, then what's the problem with patrolling?

The cop escort was off duty, was assigned to a specific area and had no business to be directing or stopping traffic when he decided to escort LeBron just because Jay-Z wants him to. That's why the officer involved is also at fault.

http://www.miamiherald.com/2013/08/19/3 ... ebron.html

The unidentified officer, part of an off-duty team working at Sun Life, could face disciplinary action, officials said.

Even if the escorting officer was on duty and assigned to traffic detail he still did wrong.
http://edition.cnn.com/2013/08/20/us/mi ... es-escort/

"We don't have our units ever go against traffic," he said. "The officer shouldn't have done that.

They would have stopped if they saw a crime...I will not use that but I'm just saying

Well of course, only an idiot will commit a crime with a cop around.
Unless the crime they need to commit is against the cop.

Because I believe it's just the fury of the moment. Everybody is just seizing the moment making one event over-rated with phrases like "breaking the law".

It's not the fury of the moment, it's that LeBron is a moron for showing millions of people of the violation he did.
Just because he's the one that got caught because of his own fault doesn't mean people should take it easy on him.
That's why LeBron is a moron.

"Evidence"? You should show some real evidence of what actually happened because of the escort.

Well here's a statement...

http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nb ... n/2673199/

The Miami-Dade Police Department said in a statement released Monday that James' police escort through traffic for Friday's Justin Timberlake/Jay Z concert violated policy. The escort, near Sun Life Stadium, did not breach safety regulations but should not have been allowed, the department said.

"It has been brought to our attention that a video was posted on the Internet by LeBron James ... where it shows him being escorted onto the property of Sunlife Stadium for a concert on Friday," the statement said. "Upon further investigation, it has been confirmed that the Miami-Dade Police Department did facilitate Mr. James from one intersection to another, in the adjacent area of the stadium. This was not a scheduled escort and although all safety precautions were taken, the department has identified these actions as a violation of departmental policy. The Miami-Dade Police Department will continue to look into the matter."

And here's one of Miami's finest explaining what happened...

http://edition.cnn.com/2013/08/20/us/mi ... es-escort/

Detective Alvaro Zabaleta of Miami-Dade Police described the incident in detail to CNN.

"The stadium got a phone call that LeBron James was stuck in traffic, so the stadium personnel got hold of one of our police supervisors working the event," Zabaleta said. "He (asked) if there is any way we can get him out of traffic and get him to the concert."

Zabaleta said an officer agreed to "take care of it."

"It wasn't hard to spot LeBron," Zabaleta said, "and what the officer did was he told the officers working the traffic detail to stop traffic, hold the traffic and then he chose to go northbound on the southbound lanes. It took him less than a mile. He turned right and went onto the stadium property.

"That's all the officer did, but LeBron went ahead and recorded it and said he was getting a police escort and going against traffic."

The entire escort covered just eight blocks, Zabaleta told CNN. "From one intersection to another," was how he put it. But he also said department policy was violated.

"We don't have our units ever go against traffic," he said. "The officer shouldn't have done that. But he didn't flagrantly say, 'I'm not going to worry about it'. He did stop traffic for eight blocks. And that was the end of it."

So thanks to LeBron a police officer who did him a favor is now in trouble. What a dick.

that's how it has always been.

these 6 little words speaks volumes. if everyone always thought like that then nothing would ever change. just cause something has always been one way does not make it the correct way.

Ditto. Sad and pathetic how some people think that way.

[benji]

they should have started that protest like forever ago

Maybe they did and this is just a perfect example of this kind of abuse and elite worship?

Pittsburgh has a law that any celebrity or player can cut in front of people at a line so they won't cause trouble. So it's like a LAW in that place.

No, it isn't. It's a policy at the Pennsylvania DMV. And it's another perfect example of this entrenched elite privilege.

And technically it's not a "crime".

Well, except for the whole part where "misuse of public funds" is usually a crime.

A crime is where someone is hurt or there is some sort of loss.

All the citizens who were not allowed to use the public thoroughfare during the period of police escort were harmed. They were denied public services for the unnecessary benefit of a private individual.

Simple story, one friend hired a police escort to go his friends' concert.

Let me know when any citizen gets to do this.

But this was certainly not serious enough for guys to say those cops should get fired or this was a serious crime for which people should be punished.

Yes, it was. And yes, they should. Until we begin enforcing laws on the police we aren't going to roll back their militarized double standard and "officer safety" filled culture that gets innocent people killed.

It wouldn't have even come to focus if LeBron didn't tweet it. Nobody would ever know anything and everybody would have smiled at those Miami cops when they entered the doughnut shop.

And that's the worst part.

Everybody is just seizing the moment making one event over-rated with phrases like "breaking the law".

Sad that more people don't think that we shouldn't have a nobility.

[SoF'nAwesome]

This is getting pointless and unnecessarily negative. "Violation" is not evidence of any crime happening. And it was not taxpayers money, it was Jay-Z cash 'cause he hired them cops for his event.

And this is not even what I thought it was. It was the cops who were on duty at the concert, so basically they were doing their jobs and making sure that the concert started and finished as early as possible? "From one intersection to another" "The escort, near Sun Life Stadium, did not breach safety regulations" and that's what being hyped up so much? Traffic jam, ya? For how long?

Maybe they did and this is just a perfect example of this kind of abuse and elite worship?

Like when?

Also, you should have something against the Pennsylvania DMV now as well? Given that the people of that place aren't protesting, I don't think that "awakening" did happen there.

Nobility and how people think are a whole another topic. More serious matters in life that you should actually care about and rise against. I respect benji and grin for being so noble & socially/politically aware but this event is not the place for all that heroism to come out. A basketball player getting escorted by hired police & creating a 10 minute jam is not life-threatening or a tad bit serious. Events like killing innocent people through drones, FBI's war on black people, the Goverment tapping phones are things you should focus this "awakened" energy on. I'm not claiming what LeBron did was total zen, but that particular event is not worth for you to start wearing your underwear on top, but then again I just might be too shallow.

[shadowgrin]

And it was not taxpayers money, it was Jay-Z cash 'cause he hired them cops for his event.

The cop escort was off duty, was assigned to a specific area and had no business to be directing or stopping traffic when he decided to escort LeBron just because Jay-Z wants him to.

Even if the escorting officer was on duty and assigned to traffic detail he still did wrong.
http://edition.cnn.com/2013/08/20/us/miami-lebron-james-escort/

"We don't have our units ever go against traffic," he said. "The officer shouldn't have done that.

so basically they were doing their jobs and making sure that the concert started and finished as early as possible?

idiotic reason why Jay-Z had to make a police officer his own personal pick-up crew

NBA 2K13 Executive Producer Jay-Z is a moron because he didn't want to start the concert because of a stupid reason.
I can understand if an important part of his performing/technical crew hadn't showed up yet so he can't start the concert but LeBron isn't any of those.

The cop escort was off duty, was assigned to a specific area and had no business to be directing or stopping traffic when he decided to escort LeBron just because Jay-Z wants him to.

"From one intersection to another" "The escort, near Sun Life Stadium, did not breach safety regulations" and that's what being hyped up so much? Traffic jam, ya? For how long?

Escorting James on the wrong side of the road is the main violation, but Miami-Dade police said they also were investigating whether other guidelines were violated.

Nobility and how people think are a whole another topic. More serious matters in life that you should actually care about and rise against. I respect benji and grin for being so noble & socially/politically aware but this event is not the place for all that heroism to come out. A basketball player getting escorted by hired police & creating a 10 minute jam is not life-threatening or a tad bit serious. Events like killing innocent people through drones, FBI's war on black people, the Goverment tapping phones are things you should focus this "awakened" energy on. I'm not claiming what LeBron did was total zen, but that particular event is not worth for you to start wearing your underwear on top, but then again I just might be too shallow.

It's not heroism. If a person can't make a reasonable stand and is clueless about the little issues it's more likely the person is also clueless about the big and serious issues.

[benji]

Like when?

Also, you should have something against the Pennsylvania DMV now as well? Given that the people of that place aren't protesting, I don't think that "awakening" did happen there.

Nobility and how people think are a whole another topic. More serious matters in life that you should actually care about and rise against. I respect benji and grin for being so noble & socially/politically aware but this event is not the place for all that heroism to come out. A basketball player getting escorted by hired police & creating a 10 minute jam is not life-threatening or a tad bit serious. Events like killing innocent people through drones, FBI's war on black people, the Goverment tapping phones are things you should focus this "awakened" energy on. I'm not claiming what LeBron did was total zen, but that particular event is not worth for you to start wearing your underwear on top, but then again I just might be too shallow.

Some people aren't single minded in their focus and can damn many wrongs at one time.

If you think there's no thread connecting those other crimes and this crime then I can't help you.

[Patr1ck]

http://www.nba.com/2013/news/08/22/lebr ... l?rss=true

In a statement released Thursday, the department says it has chosen to give the officer "informal counseling" after investigating the escort involving the athlete. The statement says no further action will be taken. It does not identify the officer.

[_Steve_]

Maybe LeBron just needed the extra time to hype his run for NBPA president, he withdraw within shortly before things got serious.
What a bum.

[shadowgrin]

At least someone had the good sense to tell LeBron to withdraw his candidacy.
If LeBron had no trouble using his status for his own gain then he's no different from Billy Hunter who used his status and position to enrich himself and his associates when he was still with the NBPA.

[NovU]

LBJ fondled with idea of becoming NBPA president but I read it didn't really interest him quite awhile ago. It's a bum's accusation if you're claiming it has anything to do with this incident. Now, I personally think CP3 is potentially a better fit as a NBPA leader because I actually think he's smarter.

http://www.nba.com/2013/news/08/22/lebron-officer-escort-disciplined.ap/index.html?rss=true

In a statement released Thursday, the department says it has chosen to give the officer "informal counseling" after investigating the escort involving the athlete. The statement says no further action will be taken. It does not identify the officer.

Sounds just about right, pretty much on par with my expection on cops. "informal counseling" probably involves a tip from superior officer on how not to get caught by keeping escortees off from social network on anything about special treatment.

[shadowgrin]

LBJ fondled with idea of becoming NBPA president but I read it didn't really interest him

Just like his supposed participation in the dunk contest.

It's a bum's accusation if you're claiming it has anything to do with this incident.

Even so, if you were a NBA player do you want the president of your union to be a person who abuses his status or as clueless like LeBron?
That's why it's good he withdrew anyway.

[NovU]

I personally think dunkon should be a contest of superstars regardless the skill level. Nate Robinson, McGee are great dunkers but I'd rather see LBJ and Duncan squaring off. LoL