Let’s Argue: Who Is The Tribe’s Center Fielder?
January 31, 2017NFL Draft: Walter Football mocks Watson at No. 52 to Browns
January 31, 2017Happy Tuesday, WFNY!
Another day, another frustrating loss for the Cleveland Cavaliers against a mediocre team, and another touch of drama and angst. Such is life these days with the Cavaliers. On Christmas Day the Cavaliers were on top of the world. They had just beaten their rivals (yes, rivals) the Golden State Warriors to move to 23-6 on the season and everything seemed perfectly set up for a nice, breezy ride to the NBA Finals for the ultimate grudge match against the Warriors.
Unfortunately, this season has pretty much been all downhill after Christmas. They would lose the next night against the Detroit Pistons, kicking off a stretch of the season in which they would go 9-9 leading up to today. The Cavs are 4-7 in their last 11 games. Things are not exactly fun right now for the Cavaliers. But hey, the good news is that itβs only January and none of this matters, right? Playoffs are the only thing that matters and nobody wants to talk about regular season basketball unless things are going great. And how are things going right now, Pete Campell?
If only there was something else we could talk about, some other kind of drama to keep us entertained. Hmmm, letβs see, give me a second to scan the internet. Anyone say anything interesting last night? Scanningβ¦..scanningβ¦β¦.scanningβ¦β¦.sca- OH MY GOD!
Last night LeBron James absolutely went in on Charles Barkley in a major way. Throughout LeBronβs career, Barkley has been pretty critical. First it was that LeBron wasnβt doing enough to lead his teams to Championships, then he criticized LeBron for leaving Cleveland1, then he criticized LeBron for not winning enough Championships, then he said LeBron could never be in the list of top five players of all time, and now heβs been criticizing LeBronβs comments last week about the Cavs franchise.
After LeBron questioned whether the franchise was satisfied with their one Championship and if the front office was really doing enough to put the team in position to win, Barkley took exception to the comments, saying:
“Inappropriate, whiny, all of the above. The Cleveland Cavaliers, they have given him everything he wanted. They have the highest payroll in NBA history. He wanted JR Smith last summer, they paid him. He wanted Shumpert last summer. They brought in Kyle Korver. He’s the best player in the world. Does he want all of the good players? He don’t want to compete? He is an amazing player. They’re the defending champs.”
Initially, LeBron brushed off Barkleyβs comments like he always does. Thatβs just Charles being Charles, was the sentiment expressed. After dropping an incredibly frustrating game in Dallas on Monday night, LeBron finally had enough. Speaking to ESPNβs Dave McMenamin, LeBron decided to stick up for himself and his career.
“He’s a hater,” James told ESPN of Barkley following the Cleveland Cavaliers’ 104-97 loss to the Dallas Mavericks on Monday. “What makes what he says credible? Because he’s on TV?”
[…]
“I’m not going to let him disrespect my legacy like that,” James told ESPN. “I’m not the one who threw somebody through a window. I never spit on a kid. I never had unpaid debt in Las Vegas. I never said, ‘I’m not a role model.’ I never showed up to All-Star Weekend on Sunday because I was in Vegas all weekend partying.
“All I’ve done for my entire career is represent the NBA the right way. Fourteen years, never got in trouble. Respected the game. Print that.”
James, whose friendships with Dwyane Wade, Chris Paul and Carmelo Anthony have also been called into question, recalled watching a 1993 NBA Finals game between Jordan’s Chicago Bulls and Barkley’s Phoenix Suns and being surprised what he saw on his screen.
“Go watch the ’93 Finals when John Paxson hit the shot,” James said. “Barkley and Jordan were laughing and joking with each other during one of the games while somebody’s shooting a free throw. In the Finals. But, oh, nobody were friends back then.”
LeBron didnβt limit his ire to just Barkley, though. He also decided to throw a little shade in Phil Jacksonβs direction as well.
“I went to see Melo at the Garden two years ago when we were in New York,” James said. “They played Portland. I went up to a suite at halftime, and Phil Jackson didn’t say one word to me.”
This fall, Jackson brought up James unprompted in an interview with ESPN’s Jackie MacMullan and described James and his close circle of business associates — Rich Paul, Maverick Carter and Randy Mims — as his “posse.”
“I’m here to win ballgames and take care of my teammates and take care of my, what’s that word, oh, my ‘posse,'” James said, animatedly.
And then back to Barkley:
James also spoke up about the perception he and his inner circle face as young, successful black businessmen, believing that identity being so rare in the power structure of professional sports makes him and his partners targets.
“I collect one paycheck from this,” James said of his role with the Cavs. “There’s the owner, Griff’s [David Griffin] the GM, I’m the player. Screw Charles Barkley.”
Wow. Thereβs an awful lot to take in here and itβs tough to know where to begin. First of all, itβs worth pointing out that Barkleyβs comments were strictly about basketball and LeBronβs rebuttal went a little more personal diving into off-court taboos. What Barkley said wasnβt exactly incorrect. The Cavaliers have indeed done almost everything LeBron has asked for2 and Dan Gilbert has paid a hefty price to put this team together.
But having said all of that, my gut reaction was βGood for you, LeBron.β When LeBron left Cleveland, it was a bitter, bitter pain. It hurt more than any other sports loss in my life. I was angry just like everyone else associated with the Cavaliers. It sucked. I said and wrote things at that time that I now look back on and donβt exactly feel great about. And not just because LeBron came back to Cleveland. I made my peace with it long before there were even rumors of LeBronβs interest in someday coming home. Iβm not proud of the things I said about LeBron because in every way LeBron has been more or less the ideal professional athlete to root for.
We demand so much from our heroes today. Maybe weβve always demanded a lot, but with social mediaβs role in sports and in our daily lives, criticism is everywhere. Iβve long said that LeBron James is easily the most over-scrutinized athlete of my lifetime. The spotlight has been squarely on LeBron since his sophomore year in high school and outside of one poor decision to publicize his departure from Cleveland in an ESPN special TV show, he has exceeded every expectation while always putting forth the image of a great teammate, a great father, a great husband, and a great example for kids from all walks of life.
I donβt know LeBron and I doubt anyone reading this does either. So maybe itβs all just an image. Weβve been let down by beloved athletes before. But there has been no indication whatsoever that LeBron is anything other than what we see. It would have been so incredibly easy for LeBron to lose his way at any step on his path to where he is today. He could have been swallowed up by the basketball hype machine, he could have given in to the temptations that life as a superstar NBA player provides. LeBron is by no means perfect, none of us are. But at some point, I can honestly say I understand LeBronβs frustration. When will enough be enough?
Itβs worth pointing something out here. Charles Barkley is my favorite basketball player of all time. Growing up, I collected all of Barkleyβs cards. I read his books. I watched him play every time he was on TV. I loved his personality, I loved his way of playing, I loved everything about him. To this day I put Barkley on my short list of personal sports heroes. So Iβm not here to just blast Barkley for his comments.
I think much of what Barkley said was perfectly fair. As a basketball analyst asked his opinion on it, Barkley obliged. But when he starts questioning LeBronβs desire to compete, he starts to go a little too far. Barkley is so quick to judge todayβs players, even when they are doing some of the same things he did.
When Barkley judges the friendships of todayβs players, LeBron rightly points out that itβs not like Barkley wasnβt friendly with his competition. Michael Jordan and Charles Barkleyβs friendship when they were playing was legendary. They were great friends who loved to gamble and hang out. No, they didnβt team up, but you think if the Bulls had a chance at some point to get Barkley that Charles wouldnβt have jumped at the opportunity? Please.
Remember, it was Barkley who once threatened to retire if the Phoenix Suns didnβt trade him to a contender. It was Barkley alone who orchestrated his move to Houston to team up with Hakeem Olajuwon and Clyde Drexler to try to win a title with the Rockets, the very team that stunned the Suns in the playoffs in 1994 to end Barkleyβs best shot at a Championship after Michael Jordanβs original retirement. What, Charles didnβt want to compete in Phoenix?
LeBron wants to compete. He just realizes that the Cavaliers might need more ammunition than they currently have if theyβre going to beat the Warriors. When Dan Gilbert reportedly promised LeBron he would spend whatever it took to win, nobody could see the Warriors coming. Steph Curry and Klay Thompson were nice players, Draymond Green seemed to be an up and coming good player. Harrison Barnes was an intriguing young player and they had some decent vets who had been around like Andre Iguodala, Leandro Barbosa, and Andrew Bogut. But nobody had them as Championship contenders. Nobody saw Steph Curry coming as a two-time MVP.
The Cavaliers made their moves to acquire Kevin Love and bring LeBron home to play with Kyrie Irving. Everyone figured that would be enough. Suddenly, the Warriors turn into a juggernaut and their stars are all signed to extremely team-friendly contracts. This allowed them to go out and sign Kevin Durant as a free agent. Quite frankly, itβs not fair, but thatβs life. The Warriors got unbelievably lucky in many ways, although you certainly have to credit them for putting together a team with so many interchangeable parts who all fit into the fluid, team-oriented, pass-heavy style that they play. The Cavaliers fired their bullets to put together the Big Three. Now they donβt have much left to offer other teams to acquire real impact-making players. They donβt have the cap space to sign anyone like Kevin Durant. This is the team the Cavaliers more or less have, and it seems LeBron is a little frustrated by this.
LeBron is facing his own mortality as a player. Time is ticking. And the Cavaliers are sputtering. And with all of this swirling around, LeBron has people like Phil Jackson and Charles Barkley, major names in his sport, picking at him and publicly criticizing him. I get it. I get where LeBron was coming from and Iβm happy to see him stand his ground and stick up for himself.
In many ways, I think both LeBron and Charles are right. I think Charles is right in that some of LeBronβs criticisms of the team are a little off. I think LeBron is right in that heβs not doing anything different in his career that hasnβt been done for the last 20-30 years. This is the order of life. We always criticize the generation that follows us. I remember Michael Jordan being picked apart as a player by the generation that came before him. Now those players are highly critical of todayβs players. Thereβs a decent chance before long weβll see todayβs players point out the differences and deficiencies in the generations to come.
Thereβs still time for LeBron and the Cavaliers, though. They might shake things up with a major trade at some point. The Warriors might have their own issues arise whether it be chemistry, injuries, or anything else. But even if LeBron never wins another title, does that really mean his career will be anything but an incredible success story? How much is enough to satisfy everyone? Itβs really a shame that we canβt all just agree to enjoy LeBronβs remaining years for what they are and to just sit back and take it all in. Have fun watching this once in a lifetime player and donβt take him for granted and donβt waste time wanting him to be anything heβs not. Trust me, when heβs gone, weβre all going to miss having him part of this sport and weβre all going to wish we could go back and watch it all over again.
- We all applauded Barkley for that criticism [↩]
- Other than get a backup PG and use the open roster spot this year. This is something that seems to irk LeBron in a major way, although itβs not entirely clear why. Itβs not like a backup PG from the D-League would solve the teamβs current issues. But thatβs something for another time. [↩]
26 Comments
They’re both right, no?
I appreciate the distraction, so I applaud Lebron for saying it even though I agree he needn’t go to some of the off-court things in that diatribe. But, unless he wrote the speech beforehand, sometimes these things just happen.
Barkley makes solid points too, but he’s seems to enjoy picking at LeBron.
Didn’t shaq just rip barkely recently too? Seems like sir charles is having a rough week.
I would laugh so hard if Barkley would respond to LeBron’s quotes with:
“I’m an easy target; if someone wants to get a point across — just throw Barkley’s name in there. You could be watching cartoons with your kids and you don’t like it, you
say, ‘Blame it on Barkley.’ If you go to the grocery store and they don’t
have the milk that you like, you just say, ‘It’s Barkley’s fault.'”
I had completely forgotten LeBron said that! Good recall!
LeBron has had some doozies. He could then respond back to Barkley:
ο»Ώ βAll the people that were rooting on me to fail, at the end of the day, they
have to wake up tomorrow and have the same life that they had before
they woke up today. They have the same personal problems they had today.
Iβm going to continue to live the way I want to live and continue to do
the things that I want to do with me and my family and be happy with
that. They can get a few days or a few months or whatever the case may
be on being happy about not only myself, but the Cleveland Cavaliers not
accomplishing their goal. But they have to get back to the real world at
some point.β
Am very much enjoying the outspoken Lebron – he is like a tenured professor who knows he’s protected and can speak truth to the power structure.
Even so, the All-Star break can’t get here fast enough for the team. Will be good for everyone to clear their heads and get out of the rut their in individually and collectively.
I watched the Barkley piece w closed captioning, and it’s great. His mumbles translate ridiculously: They are the defedant chance! He has got calc you lore and tie me urban.
Also, Barkley is a loveable turd. He was trolling before there were the skip baylisses of the world. He’s no more or less worse than any of the rest of the media turds…really surprised (and amused) LeBron tossed old Chuck through the window.
Lebron is a moody, irascible, fiercely-intelligent guy – sort of a classic Greek hero.
Maybe we could sign him up for Corey Kluber boot-camp in the offseason?
https://tribevibemlb.files.wordpress.com/2014/11/kluber_wins1.gif
Think that each person needs to lean in on their strengths in order to reach the peak of their abilities. With LeBron, this frustration that pours out is probably helping him focus as the season goes on. With Kluber, his ability to block everything out except the next pitch while competing is what helps him. Each person is different.
https://media.giphy.com/media/qVyrWRVaFoP7O/giphy.gif
I’m just grateful that Lebron’s outspokenness has given us something to discuss this winter besides the Browns
This could be a very entertaining feud.
Yes, besides the Browns. That is what it is a distraction from π π π
LeBron James is not here for the bullshit.
Agreed on all points.
Also, they need to get Kevin Love healthy and full strength again. I know he doesn’t want to miss the All-Star Game, but screw it, just sit him now and don’t let him come back until after the break.
The Bad Lip Reading folks need to step up.
Yep. I get why some people are taking exception to LeBron going personal with his comments, but I think it’s just one of those things where LeBron has had enough of people questioning him and his game. And I think his arguments about Barkley’s troubles are to illustrate the point that LeBron has worked hard to set an example and that’s part of being a professional athlete. Right or wrong, I get where both of them are coming from.
How sad is it that I’d rather talk politics than the Browns these days? The ultimate nadir
I don’t think Lebron was right. Barkley’s comments weren’t made in a vacuum. He’ s an analyst who is paid for his professional and personal opinions because he’s one of the best voices on the NBA whether you agree with him or not. Lebron made public complaints and Charles commented on it. Lebron can be upset with his take or his criticism but he cannot air out his private vices, debts, or flaws because of it. It was petty and low and people will judge it as such.
Nothing LeBron said was private. Everything is public record about Barkley and has been reported in the past.
Whether or not Charles Barkley’s monetary debts or personal vices have been publicly reported on before does not make them any less of a private matter between him and those concerned. They are certainly none of my business, or yours, or Lebron’s.
If you are a public figure who is telling someone how they should behave and what they should say, then having your publicly reported history of how you acted and behaved is valid fodder.
I agree that the forced trade to the Rockets is more pertinent to this particular argument than some of the notes LeBron made. However, again, it is not as if LeBron prepared for a debate here.
Charles is telling him how to behave and what to say or not say pertaining to basketball. Which is his job. He is not commenting on any of Lebron’s personal flaws or vices that I am sure exist as they do for everyone. Lebron can bring up Charles’s behavior on the court (laughing with Jordan in the finals) or his career choices (joining the Rockets with Hakeem). He cannot bring up Charles’s gambling problems or debts. That is irrelevant to the conversation and extremely petty.
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