I generally ignore anything Jackson has to say.

I think Gilbert did speak of James like a slave, but I don't think race played any part.

 

Nope, Gilbert sounded like exactly what he is, a Wealthy Idiot who cannot accept a prized employee left his business.

"If" Gilbert had not offered James 130 million dollars, Jackson would have a point.

 

If slavery pays millions of dollars, and comes with fame, fortune, and all the women you can handle, then sign me up.

 

Everything is about race with this guy.

 

This may be the first time I agree with Jesse Jackson..

Gilbert sounded like a slave master who just found out his most skilled cotton picker escaped from the plantation.. I'm neither black nor someone that falls for race baiting, but I immediately thought of that when I read the statement... It is even sadder when you add the fact that LeBron is a 25 year old KID.

Add the virtorol of the Cleveland fans.. They love cheering the black superstar, but the moment he bolts he is a traitor and doesn't have a father figure to guide him.. I've seen people go so far as to make personal threats... Did the city of Cleveland think they "own" him or something?

 

Well, tbh I found Gilbert's comment's BORDERING on what Jackson was speaking of, and pro sports of all industries is one of the few that grants Employers "rights" to a person who is a player.

However, Jacksons' point is superficial at best, it struck me that Gilbert was more than likely intoxicated and venting and thusly the Comic Sans font on his email.

And I do think it should be pointed out, this is Jackson's bidness, he has a finger in the air to detect even the slightest favourable breeze, once detected, he has no problem taking it back 150 yrs to try and score cheapy points.

 

Padre- If you of all people think that Jackson was BORDERING on having a valid point, I'll have to assume that you agree with me on this... :pointlol:

 

Ah, WTH..+1..:D

If anything it reminds of:

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=arUqoKjU3D4"]YouTube- Human League - "Don't You Want Me"[/ame]

"I knew I'd find a much better place, even with or without you".

:lol:

I honestly do not believe this was about race, it was about perceived loyalty and relationship, imho it would have made no difference if James was a white dude, Gilbert's reaction would have been the same.

 

Would like to see Gilbert, and Jesse Jackson in a death match.....win win situation.....

 

This is a ridiculous statement by Jackson but what do you expect?

Yet more glaring proof of "minority equality groups" and leaders like Jackson that have a sole goal of keeping racial animoscity as the #1 focus of their followers.

The Cleaveland owner acted like a jilted lover not a slave owner.
Sad it always has to come back to this discussion when a black person is in the middle of a controversy.

 

he doesnt have any other scripts. the whole world to jackson is evil white people exploiting black people. the real shame is that any news agency would give him the time of day

 

It was the reaction of a man who had bent over backwards - giving jobs to all of Bron's friends, paying him millions of dollars and giving him free reign over his private jet etc - and now Bron refused to return any of his calls since the season ended.

I think you could make a fairly strong argument that LeBron also quit trying in the playoffs, which is literally the worst thing an athlete / employee can possibly do within his contract.

So Gilbert had an emotional reaction; it wasn't exactly PC but it wasn't racist.

And I'm sure a lot of it was calculated because it was exactly what the fans here were feeling and he rallied this city around the organization.

Also - Dan Gilbert is Jewish. Not like he comes from some long-history of slave owning Americans or hasn't had his own prejudice against his religion in the last 100 years.

(LeBron has also been quoted as saying, "I'm not going to go ring-chasing. I want to stay with the Cavs and build a champion." So forgive the guy for taking LeBron at his word.)

 

The Slave comment was over the top. No question. Once we get past that though there is something to what was said. I have been following sports for a very long time as have most of you. In that time I have never seen an owner of a team lash out at a free agent for leaving that way that he did. Yes Lebron was born in Cleavland and then drafted by Cleavland but lets face it he doesn't owe the Cav's anything. He fulfilled his contract and in doing so was voted league MVP twice and earned a slew of other awards.

If he ended up being a bust or not working out how much "Loyalty" would the Cav's owner have shown him? Answer is simple and its None, Nada, Zilch. I'm also a firm believer that had we not been able to surround Wade with some much needed talent he would have singed with the bulls. So the owner of the Cav's needs shoulder some of the blame for LJ leaving.

I understand his frustration because I would have been heart broken had we lost wade. But his comments and how he handled the situation is pathetic. This is a sport and entertainment to us but for those that actually play the game its also a business and a career. They are employees and should be treated as such.

 

Besdies an incredibily vain special to announce where he was going, I think this is the only thing he did wrong....he should have called his first employer and said he was moving on....I mean if your home meant that much to you, would you??

 

Remember also that by not committing early in the process (this had obviously been decided before that Thursday) he completely screwed the Cavs' chances of trying to make trades / signings to help the team.

So, yes, he was free to go wherever he wanted, but he screwed the team repeatedly throughout the process.

And like I said - I honestly believe he threw the Boston series. I know someone will come back and throw stats in my face, but if you watched that series, he wasn't trying to win.

 

So if you worked hard on the biggest project your company has ever had - then quit a day before it was supposed to go live without any notice, you would expect your boss to give you a good reference?

 

Wasnt there a report of an injury though?? I remember him taking free throws opposite handed no? Do you think it was an injury or he just quit, surely there had to be some lingering affects I would think....

 

Jesse Jackson is nothing but a Racist himself. It has nothing to do with Race and nothing to do with slavery NOTHING. He is making Gilbert look like a racist which he is not. If LeBron was white Gilbert would have said the same thing, and Jackson would be quite. But since LeBron is black, Jackson things he has the right to say something. Hey Jesse, stop worrying about what Gilbert and start worrying about Mel. I'm sick of him.

 

He was hurt but it was a fairly mysterious injury - and he would play great one night then suddenly play horrible the next.

Watching almost every Cavs game - he wasn't the same player that series. He was making a crazy amount of turnovers and making bad bball plays he never would normally (dribbling out the first 20 seconds of the clock then passing to Varajao for a baseline jumper, etc).

If you watch the games, he also spent a ton of time standing around. The supporting cast took all the blame, but when LeBron is on the court he always demanded the offense run through him - suddenly in the 2nd round of the playoffs he decided to stand in the corner and make our guys play 4 on 5 with their entire offensive scheme standing in one spot.

I know everyone will call me a conspiracy theorist but I think he knew he was leaving and that if he won a championship he would get BLASTED for leaving a winning team.

 

Quick question for everyone coming down so hard on Gilbert -

How is what LeBron did any different than what Saban or Ricky Williams did? Remember how we all felt then? Remember what we said/say about those guys?

 

Disagree, the Cavs have been poorly run for years, that has come home to roost.

What? When Bosh declined to sign and trade with the Cavs, the writing was on the wall.

If you were an NBA FA, would the Cavs suddenly become attractive to you?

Oh, no, with that awesome supporting cast of Shaq, Williams, and fan love, surely they could have overcome the Celts even without James...

All of which, does deflect from the point of the thread, which if Jackson is ignored, as he should be, centers around Gilbert felt entitled to have LJ's services, and how dare he leave!?!?!?

Gilbert met LJ when he was 20yrs old, I can get why he was disappointed that such a relationship was cast aside..

 

No, If I worked hard on my company's biggest project and they neglected my plea for help or if I had a chance to do something I had dreamed about I would expect my Boss to understand.

 

You disagree that by waiting that long to make a decision and not informing the organization until that night of his choice, that he didn't hurt our ability to acquire talent?

And people love to rip the Cavs but Bron signing a 3 yr deal is what forced them to make bad deals. He also requested we trade for Shaq - and that we sign Parker and Moon instead of save the money and be able to sign a Max FA this offseason.

So, yes, I believe that Bron screwed the organization.

 

Well if you can't see the difference between what LJ did and Saban let me make it clear. He fulfilled his contract.

 

See my response above this. Bron wanted Shaq. He wanted us to sign role players instead of save money for a major FA. This whole thing about putting talent around him is because he dictated which moves we could and couldn't make.

 

this is what happens when people who have been irrelevant for a long period of time, try to be relevant...

 

Exactly, Gilbert has every right to be pissed off. He is losing so much money. Granted Ricky and Saban were both under contract when they left, but LeBron basically ditched Cleveland without even letting them know before the press conference. Have respect and at least return the owners call. If this situation was reverse a lot of people would think differently. Lets say we had a LeBron type player on the Dolphins, lets Call him Dan Marino. Marino was the best QB in the NFL and his contract was up. He decided to wait to give his decision and then go on national TV and say he is going to the Bears, everyone here would be PISSED. but since it favors them, (Miami Heat) everyone is happy. Like i said, if it was reversed, everyone would be pissed

 

And since he fulfilled his contract (worth millions of dollars, building an entire $40 million practice facility closer to LeBron's home because he didn't want to make the drive, letting his friends have free reign) he didn't owe the owner a phone call?

 

Wow...imagine how Jackson would have reacted if LeBron came to play in Himeytown?

 

Pretty much. Gilbert never took LeBron not resigning after both the GM and Coach had been fired as a "no". Why should he? He is entitled to #6's life-rights after all.

Knowing now, how Gilbert is, I don't think he deserved the closure either way. Talk about an entitled grade-A arsehole.

 

Listen bro I sympathize with you. I truly and honestly do. I would have been extremely upset had Wade signed with the Bulls. As I fan I would have spoken my mind on the boards and let the world know I was upset.

I'm not an owner though. I am not held to a higher standard and I am not talking about an Employee. Dan Gilbert was. I have worked for some very big company's on some very big contracts. Had an ex employer written a letter with the language that Dan did about me and made it public I would look heavily into a slander lawsuit.

He went way over board in expressing his displeasure. That's not JMO either. I wouldn't be surprised if he didn't receive a fine from the league for what he did as well.

 

If you are going by Jackson logic, every owner in the world are racist slave owners. Not just sports but in general. Jackson thinks every white man is racist. He needs to get back to reality.

 

Let's be honest for a moment: LeBron could have emailed, called, texted, mailed a handwritten letter on $100 stationary, left a voicemail, sent a telegram, faxed, and overnighted notices through both FedEx and UPS, and it wouldn't have made an iota of difference.

You would still be pissed. The sports media would still be outraged. Cleveland would still feel betrayed (ironically, since the entire point of the TV special was to leave out in the open rather than pull an Art Modell.) New York would still be foaming at the mouth and expunging hot dog-flavored spittle.

But I know the wailing and the gnashing of teeth won't stop and people will reach for any excuse, grasp at any straw, to continue complaining.

And the new Heat welcomes it.

P.S. Jesse Jackson is a headline-grabbing race hustler whose opinion should be ignored with the same fervor due the voicemails of a suddenly-pregnant ex-girlfriend.

 

Bron didn't like Mike Brown - that is why he was fired. Bron specifically told management he wanted a coach that had played before and that he liked Byron Scott.

Alright I'm going to bow out of the conversation. As a Cavs fan I realize I'm going to have a negative opinion and the Heat fans are all going to have positive.

 

I just think its funny to see everyone supporting what LeBron did but when Jason Taylor left, who was also a free agent, he got ripped apart, probably by the same people who supported LeBron, its not because he left, its because how he left. Like i said before, if roles were reversed everyone's opinion would change.