First of all, I didn't call them slaves. I said that writers, and unrealistic fans are acting as if they shouldn't have any type of say in where they play just cause they got drafted by one team. What that article and most unrealistic fans are suggesting is to do away with free agency and contracts just to keep everybody happy. Stop putting words in my mouth and saying that I called them slaves.
And it has nothing to do with the fan bases of whatever small town being a better fan base than down here. It has to do with the majority of the world that watches the sport pays attention to the bigger markets. If Kobe played for the Bucks at the beginning of his career do you honestly think he'd be the best selling jersey around the league? Its marketing. Even when the Lakers were losing all those years Kobe's jersey was still #1 in sales.
I'm not defending anything they do, I just understand it. I'm not unrealistic about it. I wanted him to stay in Cleveland but said I would understand if he left to go to New York. Its more exposure. Did I like his choice in how he let the world know where he was going? Hell no I didn't. As a matter of fact, I was critical openly critical of it the second they announced when it was going to be aired and the fact that it was dubbed "The Decision". Was I happy he said he was coming here, hell yes. How could I not be. But I respect the way he handled his career better than the way Melo has. Atleast James had free agency when he decided to leave the Cavs. Melo acted like a brat during the whole process and was given free agent privledges without being a free agent.
And this just confuses me:
Do you think they should be held to a higher standard or don't you? Should I care what they do off the court in their own personal time or shouldn't I?
Again, I'm not really a fan of the NBA, I like and watch individual players mainly because I used to play. The Heat just so happen to be my favorite team so nothing is blinding me in how I feel about Lebron or any other player
To even post the word "slave" or "slavery" is wrong. Even if certain people don't wnat them to have FA they still aren't slaves.
Lebron had every right to leave Cleveland, that has never been my criticism of him. It was more disappointment that he wasn't up to the challenge in Cleveland. I wanted him to stay and win it in Cleveland and I think he would have won a championship in Cleveland eventually.
Yes, I think if Kobe played for the Bucks he would have been a superstar and lebron is the perfect example playing in Cleveland.
By the time the Lakers were "down"(for them) Kobe had won 3 titles already and established himself as maybe the best in the game.
When you say higher standard I take that to mean they need to do things regular people don't need to like not breaking the law- that isn't my point. Us regular citizens shouldn't drink and drive or cheat on our spouses either. When I say they are different it's b/c they are, they are in the spotlight and one of the biggest reasons they make so much money is b/c they are in the spotlight and fans watch games, attend games, buy merchandise, etc...They do not lead lives like the common man, unless they are totall irresponsible w/ their money they aren't facing the same problems that many people face(not necessarily you or I but the population in general). Their jobs are not normal jobs and therefore cannot be compared to "normal" jobs.
I take nothing personal. I like you jree, I think you are good poster. We are just sharing our opinions.
And back to "what they make" you go. Doesn't matter what they make. What you make is what you make. Who cares.
Again, sounds like nothing but financial envy from you.
I have already acknowledged I would love to make what those guys make as I am sure we all would. This debate has nothing to do w/ that, they do not have normal jobs. It's not even debateable. I am all for these guys making as much money as they can, they deserve every penny they get but they also have a unique skill which allows them to make so much- they are NOT normal, they do not have normal jobs.
