BeemerBoy Posted July 9, 2010 Share Posted July 9, 2010 I have no clue about the NHL so i won't comment but Dale Sr died in the 3 and Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier and impacted the whole sport. I think that's pretty much the key here. The Heat retiring the #23 was pretty much in appreciation of what he did for the sport, and to sort of try and urge the rest of the league to do so as well. What did MJ do for the Heat? Probably put some more butts in the seat when the Bulls came to town, that's about it. Well, technically speaking, he did help arrange an added preseason game vs. the Heat following Hurricane Andrew in August '92, with all proceeds going to the Hurricane Relief Fund. And what Matt said. If you are that tempted to retire a #, atleast do it for Alonzo Mourning who is probably the best player they ever had anyway. On March 30, 2009, Alonzo Mourning became the first player in Miami Heat history to have his number retired. I'm not sure Alonzo is the best player they ever had, but he's the best person they've ever had play for them. Absolutely NO question about that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcjaco Posted July 9, 2010 Share Posted July 9, 2010 ^ I was thinking Glen Rice. Or Tim Hardaway. The Heat before Wade were built around alot of perennial All Stars, but not a big name one. Depth wins Championships. Not three superstars. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emiroo Posted July 9, 2010 Share Posted July 9, 2010 While I disagree (and got pretty disgusted) with all the pomp & circumstance, attention whoring and general jerking around surrounding "the decision", I gotta say LeBron made the right call here. Obviously, he's not after $$$. He wants the championship. Who can blame him? I understand Cleveland's disappointment but do they really have the right complain? At least they got to have him in the first place and honestly, he stayed much longer than I thought he would. It's a sad day for Cavs fan, but you can't tell me you wouldn't do the same thing in his shoes. When your big angle to pitch to your prospect is "It's your hometown", you're already in trouble. It kept them in the hunt, but ultimately, LeBron wants to be part of a championship dynasty, not just a hometown hero. I would too. In the end, I'm hoping that Wade & James will become one of those "Power Couples" who makes the NBA truly exciting to watch again. Back like the glory days of Jordan & Pippen, Magic & Kareem, Bird & Parrish, etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bolliger&Mabillard Posted July 9, 2010 Author Share Posted July 9, 2010 ^On the contrary, If I were James I would've stayed put. If I wanted to solidify my place in basketball legacy, the best way to do it is by staying with one team. LeBrom had a chance to not only be a great player, but could have been the best Cavelier, which along with the level in which he impacted the game would have been an excellent compliment to his record. Now, I don't really think he's going to be looked at as highly from here on out not matter how well he plays. Aside from the argument I'm sure people will make that "you couldn't win without Wade and Bosh", LeBron is always going to be the guy who "walked out on his team". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emiroo Posted July 9, 2010 Share Posted July 9, 2010 ^ Your point 100% valid, but only time will tell if it is correct. I had those exact feelings/thoughts when Shaq left the Magic back in the day, but saw it was for the best later on down the road. Granted, LeBron is on a higher level than Shaq was when he moved but the situation is very similar. Do you want to be the best player ever to have played for [team] and never won a championship or do you want to be a 3 time NBA Champion? He'll always be regarded as one of the best, he might as well have the rings too. Hypotheticals: Would people be in the same uproar if he defected from the Clippers? What if he had done all of this behind the scenes without the spectacle? And just to note: He's only 25. Right or wrong, let's give him a break. How many mistakes/gaffes did you make when you were 25? And I bet you didn't have cameras in your face or hundreds of millions of dollars riding on you and pressure from dozens of multinational corporations on your shoulders... It's done. Let's move on. If you really want to talk about a team that got screwed, let's talk about the Washington Generals Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
808Freq Posted July 9, 2010 Share Posted July 9, 2010 How come everything I hear is about how there is no way 3 guys can win? "They won't have anyone else on their roster"??? They just signed Mike Miller. Using some imagination 1 - Lebron/Chalmers/Anthony Johnson 2 - Wade/Raja Bell/Eddie House/Qrich 3 - Miller/Michael Finley/Roger Mason Jr 4 - Bosh/Kurt Thomas/Haslem(They could resign him for around 3-4 mill a year) 5 - Pittman/Big Z/Brad Miller That, my friends, is an instant championship team. And with the exception of Raja Bell, and Haslem, it's entirely possible. If you thought vets wanted to play for Boston after the first 'big 3' union, wait until this one. They will be lining up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bolliger&Mabillard Posted July 9, 2010 Author Share Posted July 9, 2010 How many mistakes/gaffes did you make when you were 25? I'm 23, so 0. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MagicMountainMan Posted July 9, 2010 Share Posted July 9, 2010 Most of my family is from Cleveland or lives there now and they are just devastated that LeBron left. Granted I'm not from Cleveland and I'm a die hard Laker fan but still, watching that prime time "decision" last night was hard. I personally think that he could not have handled it any worse and now half of the country and all of Ohio hates him. I have personally lost all respect that I once had for him because of the way he took a fat dump on Cleveland. And the Jordan comparisons end now, LeBron will never be as good as Jordan, especially when he will be deferring to two other superstars in Miami. I'm not really sure how many ri_ngs they will win either, if any. Next year the Lakers are winning for sure (Phil wins championships in threes ) and the Thunder will only be getting better, as will Orlando, Chicago, and possibly New York. LeBron isn't going to be the "best" player in the NBA for long either, Durant is the future, and a future that I look forward to. KD is a true class act that loves his team and even though I love my Lakers, if that day does come when LA stops winning championships I will be rooting for OKC and Durant to show up the new "big three". From the Bill Simmons column: "Closest example to what LeBron did with Cleveland: Instead of proposing to your girlfriend, dumping her on the Jumbotron. At the Super Bowl." Yeah I guess I kinda vented right there but I just can't believe that professional sports are turning for the worse... It is a sad day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BeemerBoy Posted July 10, 2010 Share Posted July 10, 2010 And the Jordan comparisons end now, LeBron will never be as good as Jordan, especially when he will be deferring to two other superstars in Miami. Bosh is a "superstar" now? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MagicMountainMan Posted July 10, 2010 Share Posted July 10, 2010 IMO the only reason hasn't been such a household name as LeBron, Kobe, Melo, Wade, and the rest is because he's not in the right market. I don't care how big Toronto is, it's not a basketball town. Now that Bosh is going to Miami he'll have a LOT more exposure and will probably be considered a superstar and one of the best power forwards in the game. I'll put it this way, if you're paying a guy a max contract and he's not a superstar then you're getting ripped off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
raptor6 Posted July 10, 2010 Share Posted July 10, 2010 No offense to member from Miami, but the city is one of the worst sports towns in the United States. They are full of front runners. I would never thought to see the day where I would say that I want Kobe to beat LeBron in the NBA Finals. "The Decision" fiasco happened 24 hours ago and I still feel like that I got punched in the gut. I literally almost cried. LeBron might be worse than Art Modell, and Cleveland is a huge football town. Thank you for stabbing Cleveland in the back on national television. And Dan Gilbert's letter might be one of the greatest letters ever written (from a Cleveland perspective). Can't wait to see the reaction my hometown gives him when he comes back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MagicMountainMan Posted July 10, 2010 Share Posted July 10, 2010 ^I think they are going to have to ban the sale of beer at the Q when he comes back or it might get dog pound ugly... I really hope for the sake of Cleveland that the fans don't do something really dumb when he comes back for those games. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
raptor6 Posted July 10, 2010 Share Posted July 10, 2010 ^I think they are going to have to ban the sale of beer at the Q when he comes back or it might get dog pound ugly... I really hope for the sake of Cleveland that the fans don't do something really dumb when he comes back for those games. The best action to take might be having a city wide boycott. Have the entire arena empty for the game. He might then realize what he did to Cleveland, but the immature punk will never think of anyone but himself and his "loyal" friends. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jew Posted July 10, 2010 Share Posted July 10, 2010 (edited) If you thought vets wanted to play for Boston after the first 'big 3' union, wait until this one. They will be lining up. I wouldn't be so sure about that. First off all, that's really going to be dependent upon just how much of a pay cut all three are willing to take. Second, and probably more importantly, the Heat are not the only contender out there. And I am hesitant to use the term contender at this point, because we have no idea what the rest of their roster is going to look like. There are other contenders with proven cores already in place that can make a pretty convincing pitch to those veterans too... More importantly, who the hell plays center? In case no one has noticed, explosive wing players or not, NBA titles have been won in the paint. It's not a coincidence Kobe had Shaq/Pau, Wade had Shaq, the Spurs their twin towers, the Celtics in 2008 with their physical play in the paint...Chris Bosh doesn't solve that problem. And it's a huge one (no pun intended). Edited July 10, 2010 by Jew Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hotlanta Posted July 10, 2010 Share Posted July 10, 2010 IMO the only reason hasn't been such a household name as LeBron, Kobe, Melo, Wade, and the rest is because he's not in the right market. I don't care how big Toronto is, it's not a basketball town. Now that Bosh is going to Miami he'll have a LOT more exposure and will probably be considered a superstar and one of the best power forwards in the game. I'll put it this way, if you're paying a guy a max contract and he's not a superstar then you're getting ripped off. If Chris Bosh was a superstar the Raptors should have atleast been a 8 seed everyear. I think in his tenure they made the playoffs 2 times. In the NBA, with one "superstar" a blind bat can make the playoffs. Nobody rewards mediocrity like the NBA & the NHL. Wade saying this is the best trio in the HISTORY of basketball? I surely want to buy some of what he is smoking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hotlanta Posted July 10, 2010 Share Posted July 10, 2010 To those who says Vets will be lining up to play for the egotistical three, remember that we could have a lockout after next season. For some of the old guys this will be the last time they might draw a NBA paycheck. Most are not going to leave guaranteed dollars to shine the shoes for James and Wade. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Philrad71 Posted July 10, 2010 Share Posted July 10, 2010 ^I think they are going to have to ban the sale of beer at the Q when he comes back or it might get dog pound ugly... I really hope for the sake of Cleveland that the fans don't do something really dumb when he comes back for those games. Shouldn't be more than the usual showering of boo's every time he touches the ball. That is of course, as long as the people serving water and beer bottles remember to take off the plastic caps!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
raptor6 Posted July 10, 2010 Share Posted July 10, 2010 ^I think they are going to have to ban the sale of beer at the Q when he comes back or it might get dog pound ugly... I really hope for the sake of Cleveland that the fans don't do something really dumb when he comes back for those games. Shouldn't be more than the usual showering of boo's every time he touches the ball. That is of course, as long as the people serving water and beer bottles remember to take off the plastic caps!! Unfortunately, then now sell beer in plastic cups. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MagicMountainMan Posted July 10, 2010 Share Posted July 10, 2010 If Chris Bosh was a superstar the Raptors should have atleast been a 8 seed everyear. I think in his tenure they made the playoffs 2 times. In the NBA, with one "superstar" a blind bat can make the playoffs. Nobody rewards mediocrity like the NBA & the NHL. Have you forgot when KG was on a terrible TWolves team and they didn't make the playoffs for a few years? What about the year Kobe missed the playoffs? Just because you're a superstar doesn't guarantee that you'll make the playoffs. Bosh has had a terrible team around him throughout most of his time in Toronto. But to each his own. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hotlanta Posted July 11, 2010 Share Posted July 11, 2010 If Chris Bosh was a superstar the Raptors should have atleast been a 8 seed everyear. I think in his tenure they made the playoffs 2 times. In the NBA, with one "superstar" a blind bat can make the playoffs. Nobody rewards mediocrity like the NBA & the NHL. Have you forgot when KG was on a terrible TWolves team and they didn't make the playoffs for a few years? What about the year Kobe missed the playoffs? Just because you're a superstar doesn't guarantee that you'll make the playoffs. Bosh has had a terrible team around him throughout most of his time in Toronto. But to each his own. Are you seriously comparing KG & Kobe with Chris Bosh? Like you said to each his own. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jew Posted July 11, 2010 Share Posted July 11, 2010 Chris Bosh never did anything in Toronto because he's not a defensive/post up player. He's an extremely skilled PF, which most definitely creates matchup problems for opposing teams...but everyone overlooks the fact that the other team can answer that by posting him up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
808Freq Posted July 11, 2010 Share Posted July 11, 2010 No offense to member from Miami, but the city is one of the worst sports towns in the United States. They are full of front runners. Haha. We arn't bad sports fans in South Florida. We just can't be bothered to make it to games on time.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mechanic Posted July 11, 2010 Share Posted July 11, 2010 Forget LeBron, D Wade, and C Bosh, I have an issue of much greater concern. I have recently discovered that I am the ONLY Lakers fan in a veritable sea of misguided and disillusioned Sacramento Kings fans at my new job. I guess having Arco Arena within sight is part of the issue, but man, this is going to be a rough adjustment. You should have seen how incensed some of them became when after they had mentioned the Lakers-Kings rivalry I suggested that they check the definition of the word rivalry, at which time they would realize that none exists. I'm afraid I'm going to enter a higher tax bracket with all the money I'm going to win in "friendly" wagers with coworkers. It's good to be the King, isn't it Kobe? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
808Freq Posted July 11, 2010 Share Posted July 11, 2010 Are you seriously comparing KG & Kobe with Chris Bosh? Like you said to each his own. He was making the accurate point that great/superstar players miss playoffs from time to time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Josh Linn Posted July 12, 2010 Share Posted July 12, 2010 ^ I was thinking Glen Rice. Or Tim Hardaway. The Heat before Wade were built around alot of perennial All Stars, but not a big name one. Depth wins Championships. Not three superstars. You could make an argument that Alonzo Mourning was a big name guy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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