Why I am a fan of Cleveland Sports?

[Irish Insanity]

First part is debatable. Kobe was the baddest man in the land for 5 years, 5 titles, and won 2 with less help than LeBron just did. Andrew Bynum is a 20 some year old DJ, and Kyrie >> Pau. Kobe did 2 with less let's see how many LeBron gets with a cakewalk to the finals.

The first part is far from debatable. It isn't even close. The cakewalk LBJ has thru the playoffs is no different than the teams Kobe was playing in the finals.

 

[gkIrish]

Brian Windhorst's wife is my friend. I see pictures of him on Facebook doing normal things and I always chuckle.

 

[BobbyMac]

1) He is a different player than what MJ was. He is more Magic than MJ in his approach to the game

2) MJ had the best coach in modern basketball. Look what he did in LA. Clearly Jackson was aided by the talent he had the luxury of coaching, but 3 3-peats is unmatched in modern basketball.

3) MJ also had the luxury of having Pippen (and others), who is both one of the most underrrated players and greatest players of the last 30 years. What he did with the Bulls inbetween the three peats was incredible. When LBJ has been paired with someone in the same ballpark as, but clearly not as good as Pippen, he has won 3 titles in 5 years.

I am not a JBJ apologist, but I don't think the "dominance" you speak of, or lack there of, is as telling as what you portray it to be. In that comparison, circumstance and environment greatly benefits MJ.

One cannot compare LBJ to MJ, Bird or Magic without acknowledging that the those guys played against each other...on teams stacked with HOF'ers AND the Pistons. If any of those four core teams were in the league today, they would win 4 straight.

I'm a Chicago guy, loved the Bulls going back to Sloan & Van Lier but favorite player was Bird and I think Kareem is the greatest of all time followed by MJ. I call it like i see it. It pains me to say that LBJ is "better" than Bird but he has had the better career and this season/title cements it.

 

[greyhammer90]

You should read up on the stories (sometimes told by Kobe) about how Jordan would approach a game and decide whether or not he was going to take it easy on you or not. That's "dominance." Understanding that you can embarrass anyone on the court at any given time. LBJ has shown flashes of dominance. Take these last three games for example. But Jordan did that continuously throughout his entire career.

Not engaging in the central issue of the debate but just to chime in here: It's not like that trait is exclusive to Jordan. Every top-20 player in the NBA has those stories. Like the night Larry Byrd decided he was going to break the Garden's scoring record before the game because someone in the Knick's ticket office screwed up where his family was supposed to sit. Or the night Chris Bosh's wife (while he was with the Raptors) trash talked Lebron and Lebron decided to "turn it on" and started draining shots all while yelling at her during the game "It's your fault that this is happening." Or the night that Kobe missed 3 FTs in a row and got angry and decided to score thirty in a half. All the great players pick and choose when they want to embarrass you.

 

[koonja]

The first part is far from debatable. It isn't even close. The cakewalk LBJ has thru the playoffs is no different than the teams Kobe was playing in the finals.

Saying 'LBJ is a better all timer than Kobe and it's not even close' is without doubt the dumbest sports statement I've seen on here.

And I've had some doozies.

 

[Booslum31]

Heard today that at the age of 31 James has the same amount of rings and one more MVP than MJ had at the same age. Still believe MJ and Kareem were the two greatest of all time. Often wonder how long James' body will hold up.

 

[Irish Insanity]

Saying 'LBJ is a better all timer than Kobe and it's not even close' is without doubt the dumbest sports statement I've seen on here.

And I've had some doozies.

Just gotta take off those homer glasses. Your vision will be 20/20

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G920A using Tapatalk

 

[Irish Insanity]

Heard today that at the age of 31 James has the same amount of rings and one more MVP than MJ had at the same age. Still believe MJ and Kareem were the two greatest of all time. Often wonder how long James' body will hold up.

It would be phenomenal to witness if he could make a run like MJ did, but I doubt it will happen.

 

[IrishSteelhead]

Brian Windhorst's wife is my friend. I see pictures of him on Facebook doing normal things and I always chuckle.

"Normal things" for Brian Windhorst:

-wearing a game used Lebron jock on his head as he sleeps with an apnea mask turned up to 11

-getting drunk and drawing every one of Lebron's tattoos on his body with a Sharpie

-driving a Kia with a vanity plate that reads "WITNESS" to the McDonalds drive thru for third lunch

And in the near future:

-Wearing Lebron's skin as a mask while listening to Roy Orbison's "In Dreams"

 

[koonja]

Just gotta take off those homer glasses. Your vision will be 20/20

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G920A using Tapatalk

No, you should receive a temp ban for such a ridiculous claim.

 

[pumpdog20]

Heard today that at the age of 31 James has the same amount of rings and one more MVP than MJ had at the same age. Still believe MJ and Kareem were the two greatest of all time. Often wonder how long James' body will hold up.

LBJ also has 4 additional years of playing at this point than MJ did.

 

[IrishSteelhead]

I would personally put LBJ and Kobe in the same top tier cluster right now, with LBJ pushing ahead in the future.

 

[greyhammer90]

"Normal things" for Brian Windhorst:

-wearing a game used Lebron jock on his head as he sleeps with an apnea mask turned up to 11

-getting drunk and drawing every one of Lebron's tattoos on his body with a Sharpie

-driving a Kia with a vanity plate that reads "WITNESS" to the McDonalds drive thru for third lunch

And in the near future:

-Wearing Lebron's skin as a mask while listening to Roy Orbison's "In Dreams"

That escalated quickly

 

[BobbyMac]

Saying 'LBJ is a better all timer than Kobe and it's not even close' is without doubt the dumbest sports statement I've seen on here.

And I've had some doozies.

While I do not condone the use of dumbest when talking to our fellow IE people*... I agree with you. Kobe and LBJ have had very similar careers. LBJ's advantage is he doesn't play the same position as MJ, Kobe will never be on anybody's All-Time Starting 5. LBJ will make some people's ATS-5 as they chose LBJ over Bird prime for prime.










*IE PC disclaimer

.

 

[BobbyMac]

"Normal things" for Brian Windhorst:

-wearing a game used Lebron jock on his head as he sleeps with an apnea mask turned up to 11

-getting drunk and drawing every one of Lebron's tattoos on his body with a Sharpie

-driving a Kia with a vanity plate that reads "WITNESS" to the McDonalds drive thru for third lunch

And in the near future:

-Wearing Lebron's skin as a mask while listening to Roy Orbison's "In Dreams"

POTY nominee. Bravo!


.

 

[GATTACA!]

Just gotta take off those homer glasses. Your vision will be 20/20

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I agree 100% with you.

If Lebron played with prime Shaq they may have never lost a game.

 

[BleedBlueGold]

Not engaging in the central issue of the debate but just to chime in here: It's not like that trait is exclusive to Jordan. Every top-20 player in the NBA has those stories. Like the night Larry Byrd decided he was going to break the Garden's scoring record before the game because someone in the Knick's ticket office screwed up where his family was supposed to sit. Or the night Chris Bosh's wife (while he was with the Raptors) trash talked Lebron and Lebron decided to "turn it on" and started draining shots all while yelling at her during the game "It's your fault that this is happening." Or the night that Kobe missed 3 FTs in a row and got angry and decided to score thirty in a half. All the great players pick and choose when they want to embarrass you.

I agree with you. Growing up a MJ and Bulls fan, I just heard these stories time and time again. I know it's not exclusive to Jordan, but when you couple it with his endless list of accolades, it just further supports my opinion that Jordan truly dominated the game.

What's crazy to me, as someone has already pointed out, is that LBJ is only 31. If he can keep a core together that can continue to get deep into the playoffs year after year, he's good for another ring or two. Maybe even more. He's already been to 7 Finals, three of which were with the freaking Cavs.

 

[irishroo]

Saying 'LBJ is a better all timer than Kobe and it's not even close' is without doubt the dumbest sports statement I've seen on here.

And I've had some doozies.

Kobe's not even the best player of his generation, let alone of any generation.

 

[BobbyMac]

Kobe's not even the best player of his generation, let alone of any generation.

What's his generation? Who was better than him in his generation?

 

[irishroo]

What's his generation? Who was better than him in his generation?

Duncan

 

[BobbyMac]

Duncan

Ok. Opinions are always welcomed here. Good choice, you won't have to share your beer with many folks in the Tim Duncan camp.

 

[ACamp1900]

Ok. Opinions are always welcomed here. Good choice, you won't have to share your beer with many folks in the Tim Duncan camp.

Darko Milicic,.... and all the booze I want.

 

[Irish Insanity]

Kobe's not even the best player of his generation, let alone of any generation.

Exactly

Duncan

Ding

Darko Milicic,.... and all the booze I want.

As a Pistons fan, I'm weeping.

Koon, of the last 10 finals it's 6-4 for the west. It's not like it's total domination. The Lakers run with the Spurs as bookends from 99-03 was the only dominating west run. That was prior to LBJ. Just like the East dominating 89-93. Which was before Kobe.

 

[NDgradstudent]

I don't honestly care very much about whether LeBron is the "best ever," etc. In 100 years everyone who ever saw these guys plays will be dead and in 1,000 years nobody will know what the NBA was or care who was the best player in it.

I care about winning titles for Cleveland, and not so much for me -I'm pretty young- but for someone like my uncle, who is 50 and has lived in Cleveland his whole life and has never seen a Cleveland team win a title. There are no such 50 year olds in any other city with three major pro teams.

Anyway, we may need to make another coaching change. Blatt was at least able to win a couple games.

Oh yeah, and one other thing: the Tribe is in first in the Central!

I explained earlier in this thread why the MJ/LBJ debate is not very important to me. I'd but MJ ahead, but whatever. LBJ brought a title to Cleveland, finally, and that means a lot to me and to people like my uncle, who at 50 had never seen a title.

This sounds corny, but it is true: thanks for keeping the promise.

I guess we don't need to make a coaching change now? And the Tribe is still (barely) ahead in the Central!

 

[irishroo]

Ok. Opinions are always welcomed here. Good choice, you won't have to share your beer with many folks in the Tim Duncan camp.

You're very seriously underestimating how good Tim Duncan is. He's the best PF to ever live, 5x champ, 3x Finals MVP, 2x NBA MVP, 15x All Star, and one of the best defenders in basketball history. His career compares very favorably to Kobe's, the main difference being that Duncan didn't ride the most dominant physically dominant player of the last 30 year's coat tails to 3 of his titles.

 

[Irish Insanity]

Unfortunately for Duncan, he (and the Spurs) aren't flashy enough.

 

[Luckylucci]

I know we have quite the Cleveland following here so I just wanted to share a congratulations on the victory and if there is a city that is deserving of some great W's, Cleveland is near the top.

 

[Booslum31]

LBJ also has 4 additional years of playing at this point than MJ did.

You are right...didn't think of that.

 

[gkIrish]

I know we have quite the Cleveland following here so I just wanted to share a congratulations on the victory and if there is a city that is deserving of some great W's, Cleveland is near the top.

What makes a city "deserving" ?

This doesn't apply to people on IE but I have many friends that are from Ohio/Cleveland and they are some of the most ignorant and annoying sports fans I have ever met. 90% of Cavs fans are also Ohio St. fans. We shit on Ohio St. fans on this site but all of a sudden those same people are deserving of a championship because it's the Cavs and not Ohio St.? Not IMO.

 

[Booslum31]

What makes a city "deserving" ?

This doesn't apply to people on IE but I have many friends that are from Ohio/Cleveland and they are some of the most ignorant and annoying sporss fans I have ever met. 90% of Cavs fans are also Ohio St. fans. We shit on Ohio St. fans on this site but all of a sudden those same people are deserving of a championship because it's the Cavs and not Ohio St.? Not IMO.

I'm a CAVs fan and an ND fan. I tend to agree with you that in many cases the OSU fan also likes the CAVs and it can be disappointing to cheer alongside some of them. It's a broad stroke to paint them all as ignorant...but I know what you mean.