LeBron 'Dunk-Gate' being blown out of proportion
by John Bena (aka CavsBlogger) on Jul 9, 2009 10:52 AM CDT
in Fear My Opinion
212 comments
Being the fan of an ultra-mega-super-star athlete on your favorite team can be hard at times. Every little thing, every comment, every action, gets scrutinized. Need proof? How about 'Dunk-Gate'.
I'm sure you have heard by now that LeBron James was "dunked on" by Jordan Crawford of Xavier University during his skills competition at the University of Akron. The pick-up game, which occurred in the evening after a day of drills, was being ILLEGALLY RECORDED by a couple of videographers trying to make a name for themselves.
When noticed, Nike confiscated the tapes, based on the rules violation, not the dunk!
"Nike has been operating basketball camps for the benefit of young athletes for decades and has long-standing policies as to what events are open and closed to media coverage. Unfortunately, for the first time in four years, two journalists did not respect our no videotaping policy at an after-hours pickup game following the LeBron James Skills Academy," said Nike spokesman Derek Kent on Wednesday.
Of course, the cameramen had another tale to tell.
Ryan Miller, who videotaped the dunk and had his tape confiscated, detailed the events to CBSSports.com.
"[Nike Basketball Senior Director Lynn Merritt] just said, 'We have to take your tape,'" Miller said. "They took it from other guys, too."
Miller, who is a freelancer, was at the camp in part for ESPNU. He also was getting material for Syracuse.com. Miller, who attended Syracuse, had been part of ESPNU's Campus Connection program, which uses college students to report on various sports events at their campuses. The tape that was confiscated belonged to Miller and not ESPN and he is not an ESPN employee.
Miller said he had been filming all day and only had his tapes confiscated after Crawford's dunk over James.
"LeBron called Lynn over and told him something," Miller told CBSSports.com. "That's how I knew his name was Lynn. LeBron said, 'Hey, Lynn. Come here.'"
Minutes later, Miller said Merritt demanded his tape.
"There's nothing I can think of besides LeBron just not wanting it online," Miller told CBSSports.com. "It's a good story to tell people, I guess. But then again, I'm kind of pissed. I lost my tape."
Of course, ESPN defending one of its own.
Listen, if LeBron James is that concerned about his image, then shame on him. However, if what Nike says is true, if there are rules about when and where video can be taken during the camp, and Miller broke the rules, than he's wrong, case closed.
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If it's an "after hours" pickup game
then it’s not a Nike event at the Nike camp.
not that I really care… I’ve seen LeBron get dunked on plenty.
by Boney on Jul 9, 2009 10:55 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs
That's the point...
Whatever the reason, the fact that James was posterized is no big deal…
FTS
SBNation's Cleveland Cavaliers Blogger
by John Bena (aka CavsBlogger) on Jul 9, 2009 11:05 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
The fact that he is trying to hide it is though.
by lrh86 on Jul 9, 2009 11:05 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
He wasn’t. Get a life. This is another made-up story by ESPN.
by Buckeye Brad on Jul 9, 2009 11:10 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
it's a made up story?
if the Nike officials acknowledge they took the tape, the filmers acknowledge the tape was removed, etc how can it be made up?
by Boney on Jul 9, 2009 11:20 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
You’re missing my point. I’m not saying the facts were made up. I’m saying this isn’t a “story” in the first place, but ESPN makes a big story out of it. Like everything else they do (A-Rod, Manny, etc.).
by Buckeye Brad on Jul 9, 2009 11:23 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
It is most certainly a "story"
It’s just a story you don’t happen to like as it sullies the reputation of your hero.
Hey, I hate when ESPN reports on negative stories involving the Trail Blazers but it is what it is. They are a news organization and they are going to report on whatever sells and in this case, the story is going to sell because LeBron is the face of the NBA.
by lrh86 on Jul 9, 2009 11:33 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
to call ESPN a news organization is an insult to news organizations. ESPN has turned into TMZ – Sports Edition.
by DontCallMeJoey on Jul 9, 2009 11:39 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Hate to say it but TMZ is pretty credible
they broke the news of Michael Jacksons death and uncovered some bank that was having lavish party’s while taking money from the taxpayers in the form of a bailout
by UnleashTheMamba on Jul 9, 2009 2:25 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Hate to say it but TMZ is pretty credible
i weep for our future as a people…
by DontCallMeJoey on Jul 9, 2009 3:02 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Dude, HE’S NOT MY HERO. I’m not a 12-year old kid, which is what you’re acting like. I can crticize LeBron and other Cavs players when it’s justified, but this is a ridiculous story. As I said before, nobody with half a brain cares.
Why do I have to keep repeating this to you over and over again? We try to have intelligent conversations about basketball here and you’re probably not used to that. I’m getting very frustrated that I have to keep telling you the same thing. We’re not blind followers of LeBron. He’s not my hero; no athlete is. I’m 29, I stopped having athletes as heroes a long time ago.
By the way, ESPN is most definitely NOT a news organization. They sensationalize everything to make a big “story” out of crap like this so they can talk about it all day on their 25 shows with people yelling at the camera. That’s not news.
by Buckeye Brad on Jul 9, 2009 11:44 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
i bet bo woulda dunked on lebron … and tackled him … and hit a home run off of him … bo was the best
by jsneides on Jul 9, 2009 12:52 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
That cartoon with him, MJ, and the Great One was pretty badass.
by rufio on Jul 10, 2009 4:16 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Buckeye Brad acting like a 12 year old girl
I’ve been following this story since it’s inception and not really big on message board posts. As a die hard Cavs and Bron Bron fan i’m a little disgusted how this kid Brad is acting. He is finger pointing and whining about people making comments about something that happens on a REGULAR basis in Basketball, even JORDAN got dunked on several times. So stop making Cavs Nation look like spoiled brats by getting so upset about people having fun with this, it’s a SPORT for crying out loud!
You are the one acting like a child, then you go as far to say to the one guy about how he got banned from another board as if any of that is relevant to Lebron getting dunked on! Let the haters have their fun, it’s just a dunk. I apologize for all my fellow Cavs fans taking this too serious, and I actually agree with some of them and i’m a bit disappointed if Bron really put the Kabash on the tape, I would like to think he is more mature than that.
by IhatebiasedFans on Jul 10, 2009 8:23 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Brad actually made the same exact point that you did, which is that getting dunked on happens all the time.
by Roger Dorn on Jul 10, 2009 8:24 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
as far as i know...
gary parrish broke the story, and he writes for cbssportsline.com. espn has nothing to do with this. the egotistical lebron james has everything to do with it. sorry brad.
by SFBE.NF on Jul 9, 2009 12:01 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
You obviously have not read the main entry:
my bold:
Miller, who is a freelancer, was at the camp in part for ESPNU. He also was getting material for Syracuse.com. Miller, who attended Syracuse, had been part of ESPNU’s Campus Connection program, which uses college students to report on various sports events at their campuses. The tape that was confiscated belonged to Miller and not ESPN and he is not an ESPN employee.
Contractually, he is not an ESPN employee, but his past work for them is reason enough to tout the story.
You are reading my signature.
by rolub on Jul 9, 2009 12:08 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
But ESPN did not break the story
Nor are they “touting it” any more than CBS Sports, Fox Sports, Yahoo! Sports, or SlamOnline.
"This is not a game for boys. This is a game for men." - Phil Jackson
by Gils_Keloids on Jul 9, 2009 12:42 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Actually ESPN was one of the last news sources to actually report on it on their site.
They had it classified under “Insider” for most of the day. I think ESPN was actually trying not to make it a big story
by UnleashTheMamba on Jul 9, 2009 2:28 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
yes, it is!
This was a Nike sponsored camp: no filming after hours, no journalists at the player’s hotel, etc.
BTW, how many tapes of pickup games with pros and college/high school players are out there. I believe Nike’s policy was in effect and the videographers violated it.
by kptb on Jul 9, 2009 11:23 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
And if you believe this...
I’ve got a nice chunk of ocean front property in Arizona you might be interested in.
by lrh86 on Jul 9, 2009 11:05 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs
You still have given no reason why LeBron would care...
Courtney Lee dunked on him in the playoffs….So?
FTS
SBNation's Cleveland Cavaliers Blogger
by John Bena (aka CavsBlogger) on Jul 9, 2009 11:05 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
He knows he can't control the tapes there though...
Also C-Lee is an NBA player. Don’t know if that matters or not… It just seems like a bush league move though. Just give the man props and go dunk on him, don’t try to destroy evidence that it happened. Basically he is making this a bigger deal by trying to hide it.
by lrh86 on Jul 9, 2009 11:10 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Dude, does it really give you that much pleasure to come here and bash LeBron? You don’t have anything better to do except let everybody know how much you hate him?
I see that you’ve been banned at other SBNation blogs and now I know why.
by Buckeye Brad on Jul 9, 2009 11:22 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
One. I have been banned from one blog. The Dream Shake. The reason being is they figure that they have the right to attack others characters while they themselves should remain immune of all criticism.
I think it is funny how much Cleveland fans are willing to blindly believe whatever LeBron and his PR staff want to tell you. Heck I am a giant fan of Brandon Roy (bordering on man-crush) and if he was to pull some of the crap that LeBron has even I would have to criticise him.
by lrh86 on Jul 9, 2009 11:27 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Brandon Roy?
Who’s he? Was’nt he the goalie for the Avalanche?
So I told her," I'll be nicer if you try to be smarter!'..That was a mistake.
by Juannieboy on Jul 9, 2009 11:30 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Once again, nobody with half a brain cares about this story. It’s not a big deal. So LeBron got dunked on, so what? And Nike took away the tapes — who cares?!?!
It has NOTHING to do with LeBron. If this happened to Kobe or Wade or anybody else I still wouldn’t care. I’m not just defending LeBron because I’m a Cavs fan, I’m saying it’s not a big story. Don’t you get that?
As I said before, we can criticize the Cavs and their players when they deserve it. We don’t blindly follow the team. But we don’t make a big deal out of these non-stories that ESPN talks about all day and immature fans get all excited about. We try to have intelligent conversations here.
by Buckeye Brad on Jul 9, 2009 11:36 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
‘Any comments that personally attack any other member will be deleted and the member warned.’
just sayin, you consistently walk a fine line in your comments bud. play nice, nobody called you a 12 year old boy.
Maybe, just once, someone will call me "sir" without adding, "you're making a scene.
by HireMattMillen on Jul 9, 2009 12:37 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
If someone acts like a 12-year-old boy in their posts then I’m going to call them on it. We try to have intelligent basketball conversations on this site and it’s my job to keep it that way. If someone cares about this story then they should go talk on the ESPN.com message boards or other places where people care. I’m tired of people coming here only to bash LeBron and ignoring anything we say in reply to them.
by Buckeye Brad on Jul 9, 2009 1:03 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
at a certain point, you have to be mean to repeat trolls. this guy, and guys like, him are here all the time saying the same uninformed, ridiculous stuff. attempts to engage and/or refute them prove futile, and the regulars and mods here are unfortunately forced to resort to rudeness. otherwise, our site suffers.
by the way, calling someone a 12 year old boy registers a 0.0 on the “personal attacks” meter.
by DontCallMeJoey on Jul 9, 2009 1:20 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
did you read my post? I never said he called anyone a 12 year old boy actually.
It’s referencing what he said…“Dude, HE’S NOT MY HERO. I’m not a 12-year old kid, which is what you’re acting like.”
Hes been very condescending to others in each of his posts and I just pointed that out Joey.
Maybe, just once, someone will call me "sir" without adding, "you're making a scene.
by HireMattMillen on Jul 9, 2009 2:06 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
You wouldn’t really expect these guys to follow their own rules would you?
Anytime that LeBron gets brought into the negative spotlight they freak out and go nuts trying to defend him. That includes attacking the personal character of anyone who disagrees with them.
I’ve got a thick skin though so it don’t really bother me.
by lrh86 on Jul 9, 2009 2:20 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
I only defend people against idiotic, contrived controversies created by the media. If Kobe or any other athlete was in the same spot I’d defend them too.
And we welcome any intelligent, rational arguments by opposing fans, and have had many of those with other posters. But we don’t like trolls who visit our site ONLY to attack LeBron, and there are many of them.
by Buckeye Brad on Jul 9, 2009 2:28 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
I’ve got a thick skin though so it don’t really bother me.
…which is why you are still here posting?
by rufio on Jul 10, 2009 4:21 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
nobody with half a brain...
that’s a Cavaliers fan cares. Try looking around. It is a big deal.
It’s not really this particular instance that is being made into a big deal. It’s Lebron’s actions since getting bounced from the playoffs. He’s made one poor decision after another.
"The problem actually is that PER is a extra-long, double high wagon load of horse crap." - timbo (7/3/09)
by tandur on Jul 9, 2009 1:12 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
this is just beyond preposterous. absolutely, irretrievably off-base. you continue to embarass yourself. well done.
by DontCallMeJoey on Jul 9, 2009 1:14 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Do you really care about this? I am curious
by Roger Dorn on Jul 9, 2009 1:14 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
about him getting dunked on?
no. Everyone get’s dunked on.
And if the reality is that Lebron was simply holding up a camp rule that no video may be taken (which I believe it is), and doesn’t care about getting dunked on, I also don’t care about that.
What is disturbing is the negative perception that has coming from this innocuous event, and Lebron’s lack of a response. His lack of a response is, while not as great, almost as poor as his attempt to explain away his poor actions after the Orlando series.
This adds up with him calling Trevor Ariza (or a source close to Trevor) a liar. I understand his position, because he wants the Cavs on the edge, to keep them engaged in free agency and the trading market. But regardless of his true intent, calling a player or a source a liar on what is bound to be a true statement once again hurts your personal image.
Regardless of all of this, it does not change what Lebron James is, and thats one of the greatest physical talents the NBA has seen since Michael Jordan. When he goes out on the court, none of this matters.
"The problem actually is that PER is a extra-long, double high wagon load of horse crap." - timbo (7/3/09)
by tandur on Jul 9, 2009 1:54 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
This adds up with him calling Trevor Ariza (or a source close to Trevor) a liar.
link?
You are reading my signature.
by rolub on Jul 9, 2009 2:04 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
LeBron James did not tell Trevor Ariza he will stay in Cleveland past 2010, according to sources close to the Cavaliers’ superstar — contradicting what a person close to Ariza said Monday night.
Still haven’t read where Lebron specifically calls Ariza, or the source close to Ariza, a liar. But this is typical of the extra-long, double high wagon load of horse crap that tandur has been purporting as fact here on this forum.
You are reading my signature.
by rolub on Jul 9, 2009 2:28 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Lack of response?!? Response to what? Honestly, what did LeBron have to respond to? Did you want him to call a press conference to announce that a kid from Xavier dunked on him? I really don’t know what you mean. This is not a story, he has nothing to talk about.
by Buckeye Brad on Jul 9, 2009 2:11 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
I hope there is a spoof commercial featuring LeBron soon.
Maybe the little kid with asthma he puppet baby sits can dunk on him.
by rufio on Jul 10, 2009 4:23 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
He’s made one poor decision after another.
Really? Please tell us all these poor decisions he’s been making.
By the way, I love when Lakers fans come here and pretend to be unbiased. Really funny.
by Buckeye Brad on Jul 9, 2009 1:23 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
ok
a) Walked off the court in the Orlando series, refusing to acknowledge the hard work his opponents had put in to defeat the best team in the Eastern Conference.
b) Brushed off the “unsportsmanlike” behavior questions from the media, claiming that he had done nothing wrong. He also states that he “doesn’t like to lose,” implying that because he’s a sore loser, he should not be espected to show respect to his teammates.
c) At the start of the 2009 Free Agency period, Lebron attempts to woo several free agents to Cleveland, but is unsuccessful. No harm here, this is expected from every team’s franchise player. However, his pitches often come up against a impasse when free agents inquire on his long term plans with the Cavaliers. Knowing that many will not sign if he is not going to be there beyond this season, he does what most would do; he says “Of course. I’ll be there.” When this hits the media, he quickly denies it, not wanting to lose any leverage he holds over the Cavaliers franchise.
(On a side note, is it really that hard to sign a contract with your team, yet still exert influence on them on who they bring in? Showing a long term commitment will also encourage free agents to sign, rather than a promise).
d) Lebron is involved in a minor dispute over a harmless basketball event where he gets dunked on, continues to play on for 2 more hours, but at some point during the event, has Nike employees confiscate tapes from two men videotaping the pickup game. While the videotaping was prohibited (not illegal. No “laws” were broken. Only a camp rule.), what has drawn controversy is that Lebron requested the tapes get pulled (shouldn’t Nike have done so w/o Lebron’s request?), and that he has not responded, even in a written statement, on his position.
"The problem actually is that PER is a extra-long, double high wagon load of horse crap." - timbo (7/3/09)
by tandur on Jul 9, 2009 2:09 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
refusing to acknowledge the hard work his opponents had put in to defeat the best team in the Eastern Conference.
That’s bull****. I saw many Arizona Cardinal players walk off the field after the Super Bowl without shaking hands. Does that mean they refused to acknowledge the hard work done by the Steelers?
he should not be espected to show respect to his teammates.
How has he not shown respect to his teammates? Everyone acknowledges that LeBron is a great teammate, even Bill Simmons has called him the best teammates as a superstar since Magic Johnson. So how has he not shown respect to his teammates?
When this hits the media, he quickly denies it, not wanting to lose any leverage he holds over the Cavaliers franchise.
The exact same thing ANY potential free agent would have done. But because it’s LeBron that means everyone makes a big deal out of it.
but at some point during the event, has Nike employees confiscate tapes from two men videotaping the pickup game
Where is the proof that LeBron did this? And why did he have to respond about his “position”? Position on what??
We all know you’re a Lakers fan. Why do you come here to bash LeBron about everything? Nobody here would go to a Lakers site and bash Kobe if that happened with him (maybe some Cavs fans would, but nobody from this site). And the best part is that you pretend that you’re being “impartial” while all of us Cavs fans are the biased ones. Hilarious.
by Buckeye Brad on Jul 9, 2009 2:23 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Where is the proof that LeBron did this? And why did he have to respond about his "position"? Position on what??
here ya go:
“LeBron called Lynn over and told him something,” Miller told CBSSports.com. “That’s how I knew his name was Lynn. LeBron said, ‘Hey, Lynn. Come here.’”
Minutes later, Miller said Merritt demanded his tape.
"The problem actually is that PER is a extra-long, double high wagon load of horse crap." - timbo (7/3/09)
by tandur on Jul 9, 2009 3:58 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
you are really bad at this:
first, even if we were to accept that “hand-shake gate” is a really a “poor decision” (which i think few here do), a) and b) are the same event. you, in your weak attempt to paint several bad choices made by LeBron, have separated them for your own ends. pathetic.
second, as brad points out, your mention of the teammates thing is completely spurious, and undermines your entire point in b).
third, this was one exciting movie that you saw:
However, his pitches often come up against a impasse when free agents inquire on his long term plans with the Cavaliers. Knowing that many will not sign if he is not going to be there beyond this season, he does what most would do; he says "Of course. I’ll be there." When this hits the media, he quickly denies it, not wanting to lose any leverage he holds over the Cavaliers franchise.
this is made up. plainly. “many will not sign”…“his pitches come up against a[n] impasse”??? you’re joking, right? you literally know zero about the inner workings of the cavs’ free agent activity. plus, anthony parker signed in cleveland. AV, a cavalier with an actual view into what’s going on w/ the cavs, re-signed (allegedly for less money than he could have gotten elsewhere). so, we’re supposed to believe you?
fourth, it would behoove you to have an understanding of the rules before you make statements involving the rules:
is it really that hard to sign a contract with your team…Showing a long term commitment will also encourage free agents to sign
the cavs are EXPLICITLY, not allowed, by the NBA, to offer LeBron a contract extension until july 18. so, is it hard to sign a contract? i would say, “yes”, considering it is against the rules to do so.
lastly, what you infer here is preposterous
continues to play on for 2 more hours, but at some point during the event,
the video guy himself said he only got 4 minutes of tape. you make it sound as though LeBron waited for 2 hours (how do you even know he played for 2 more hours?) and then had the tape confiscated. just a pathetic, untrue accusation.
anything else?
by DontCallMeJoey on Jul 9, 2009 3:42 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Thanks for adding some actual facts to the discussion — although that only works when you’re arguing with reasonable people.
by Buckeye Brad on Jul 9, 2009 3:55 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
they played for 2 more hours after the dunk
and it has been said that Lebron made no deal about the dunk on him, nor ever said anything to Crawford during the 2 hours after the dunk.
that was the point I was making.
honestly, I don’t think Lebron wanted the tape removed because it showed him getting dunked on. Most people believe that, I do not.
What the main issue is amongst many however is that, despite how blown out of proportion this has become, you would expect Lebron to come out an say something to make it blow over. And it’d be pretty simple. Laugh about it, say that he had the videotapes removed because the camp rules state the could not videotape, and voila, end of story.
It’s his silence that truly bugs alot of people, because it implies guilt.
"The problem actually is that PER is a extra-long, double high wagon load of horse crap." - timbo (7/3/09)
by tandur on Jul 9, 2009 4:02 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Guilt of what? The man did nothing wrong. Why on God’s green Earth should we expect the man to comment on something that isn’t a story?
Ride on ye fearsome Horsemen of the Basketball Apocalypse. We got this.
by Turkmenbashi on Jul 9, 2009 4:12 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
guilt
as in that he really did have the tapes taken because of the dunk, and not because of team rules, which is what most people are implying.
It’s preposterous, but better to just squash the noise, rather than continue to let it gain traction.
"The problem actually is that PER is a extra-long, double high wagon load of horse crap." - timbo (7/3/09)
by tandur on Jul 9, 2009 4:25 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
The only “noise” is from LeBron bashers on internet forums, and anything he says won’t change their minds anyways. Real fans don’t care about this at all. Just because you are making a big deal about it doesn’t mean that most people care about it.
by Buckeye Brad on Jul 9, 2009 4:30 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
ESPN, FOXsports, CBS Sports, Yahoo Sports
are all of these guys “LeBron Bashers”?
according to the poll on ESPN 49 out of 50 states think this is a story
I think you can guess which state didn’t
by UnleashTheMamba on Jul 9, 2009 7:12 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Yes
Baseball is God's sport! All Truth Goes Through Three Stages 1.It is ridiculed 2.It is violently opposed 3.Finally, it is accepted as self-evident. kinesiologist
by E5 on Jul 9, 2009 7:14 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
That's ridiculous
So who isn’t considered a LeBron basher? I think i mentioned every major media news outlet.
The cleveland Plains dealer, is that the only one that isn’t a Lebron Basher? The BBC maybe?
haha you guys are too much
by UnleashTheMamba on Jul 10, 2009 2:00 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
I am pretty sure all of those sites profit from blowing things out of proportion and turning things into hot topics.
by rufio on Jul 10, 2009 4:26 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
OK, so in my understanding, Nike isn’t really a basketball team, and they don’t have “team rules”. Also, Nike took the tapes, not LeBron.
by rufio on Jul 10, 2009 4:27 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
So if he did shake hands you’d be here talking about his lack of killer instinct, right?
by rufio on Jul 10, 2009 4:24 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
why do people “care”?
Because it’s the NFL, NBA, and NHL offseasons, and MLB is nearing the midway point of a 162-game season.
You know what else is currently making frontpage ESPN headlines? an MLS rift and something about the LPGA commissioner.
they need “stories”.
You are reading my signature.
by rolub on Jul 9, 2009 1:48 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Lebron's post Game 6 actions
have looked rather bad. He is looking like a poor sport and spoiled brat. I wouldn’t doubt that players around the league are really starting to hate Lebron and his whole better then thou image he is exuding.
Baseball is God's sport! All Truth Goes Through Three Stages 1.It is ridiculed 2.It is violently opposed 3.Finally, it is accepted as self-evident. kinesiologist
by E5 on Jul 9, 2009 6:54 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
i really dont understand people hating on LeBron for that … ive played sports all my life … and it sucks to lose when you make it that far .. especially when you were expecting to go further. i feel like anyone who hates on him has never played a sport in their life or is the nicest person ever and has no competition running through their blood. there were many times i didnt shake hands with people cause i was so mad … so im not blaming LeBron for doing that in the heat of the moment. i would have to say any person that has competed in any sport has felt like that or has done the exact same thing … just my opinion
by jsneides on Jul 9, 2009 6:57 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
I agree
but I am not sure his other issues are helping.
Baseball is God's sport! All Truth Goes Through Three Stages 1.It is ridiculed 2.It is violently opposed 3.Finally, it is accepted as self-evident. kinesiologist
by E5 on Jul 9, 2009 7:05 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
its funny cause im the same age as lebron and if half the shit i did was in the news id have to move to a different country and change my name haha … o well live and learn … i think hes a smart guy and will learn from his mistakes and it will make him a better person/athlete in the future. or he will buy a gun and shoot himself in the leg … one of the two haha
by jsneides on Jul 9, 2009 7:08 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
My Boss was cleaning he gun
and shoot himself in the leg. Pretty funny stuff since is a jerk/d*c) head and is suppose to be a gun expert. About Lebron. I have no doubt he will learn from his mistakes and become a better player and person. He is just acting very poorly right now. 2010 losing to a far inferior team in the playoffs after 66 regular season wins will do that to almost anyone.
Baseball is God's sport! All Truth Goes Through Three Stages 1.It is ridiculed 2.It is violently opposed 3.Finally, it is accepted as self-evident. kinesiologist
by E5 on Jul 9, 2009 7:13 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
well as the saying goes … guns dont kill people … people kill people. or as my favorite person in the world jesse ventura would say … there are no accidents with guns .. just people who dont know how to use them. hes a funny guy. fortunately ive always been on shitty teams so when we lost against an amazing team … we didnt feel so bad haha just happy we stayed in it … but its def a demoralizing feeling when you lose and you thought you should have won … well im looking forward to next year … cause as a cleveland fan thats really all i have … unless the browns somehow manage to be better than everyone thinks they are.
by jsneides on Jul 9, 2009 7:55 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
I don't think people are hating on him
I think they just look down on it.
Just becasue you’re a winner doesn’t mean you can’t make the effort to even acknowledge a good battle acknowledge the other teams win
Also I don’t think it would have been such a big deal if LeBron hadn’t made the comments trying to justify it after the fact
by UnleashTheMamba on Jul 9, 2009 7:15 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
yea i agree justifying the acts didnt help. shoulda just hey i did what i did and thats it … but like i said before as a fellow 24 yr old … with reporters prying for an answer i prolly woulda sounded like a dumbass too haha. im not saying it was right or wrong because i really dont think of it as those terms in sports but im just saying i understand.
by jsneides on Jul 9, 2009 7:57 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Just stop already
Once again, you obviously have no brain, as YOU DEEPLY CARE about this story, you have several posts about this story and you portray yourself to be highly irritated hence why people keep responding. Grow up Buckeye Brad, seriously.
I’ll pray for you.
by IhatebiasedFans on Jul 10, 2009 8:25 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
pull some of the crap that LeBron has
honestly, this completely discredits you. what “crap” has LeBron pulled? i’m sure you’ll cite the handshake/media (non) controversy…and then…uhh…this? gimme something else, please, b/c you’re reaching at this point.
listen, you choose to believe the cameraman, and that’s fine. but i just see very little motive for why LeBron would do away with this tape. why would he care if he got dunked on? what effect would that have on him? if you can provide me with a legit motive, i may be willing to listen to you.
but you are the audience ESPN is catering to. the folks who are willing to believe any controversial story about a big star. there are probably a lot of cleveland fans who are like that, but don’t believe this about LeBron — until presented with some compelling evidence, i’m not sure why you would expect cleveland fans to decry LeBron for this alleged incident.
by DontCallMeJoey on Jul 9, 2009 11:45 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Who’s blindly believing whatever Lebron says?!? Besides, what difference does it make to you? You just had to come ‘inform’ us? OK, well, you did, then. Point taken. Now STFU.
by johnnyphoenix on Jul 9, 2009 12:38 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
It’s not that we don’t beleive it. ITS THAT WE DONT CARE
by Roger Dorn on Jul 9, 2009 12:45 PM CDT up reply actions 2 recs
I am familiar with Dream shake and they do have a quick trigger
The folks over there can be pretty abrasive and use alot of ad-hominem attacks against other teams/players. Fans from other teams must use restraint not to sink to the level of their bad apples. Most of those guys are passionate and knowledgable but they do let things slide with their own fans as opposed to vistiors
by UnleashTheMamba on Jul 9, 2009 2:31 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Who cares if LeBron gets dunked on anyways? So what. Is that really worth all of this coverage?
This is what ESPN and the sports media does. They build these athletes up just so they can tear them down. Look at all the A-Rod and Manny coverage this year. It’s so ridiculous.
The worst part is that too many fans love all this stuff. That’s why the media does this. Too many fans are so immature that they love coming to this website and other Cavs sites posting about LeBron getting dunked on just to “prove” that he’s not really that great. It’s the same as all the crap we had to hear after he didn’t shake hands. Fans of other teams are just looking for ways to tear down LeBron because they’re jealous. It’s so sad.
by Buckeye Brad on Jul 9, 2009 11:09 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs
hey brad…apropos of absolutely nothing (i just had nowhere else to put this), as a fellow joe pos fan i thought you’d appreciate what i consider to be the single best line in sports reporting in 2009:
I suspect Federer plays such beautiful tennis that it’s probably good to make out to … though I’ll admit I’ve never tried it.
amazing
by DontCallMeJoey on Jul 9, 2009 7:47 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Haha that’s awesome. How can you not love Joe Poz?
by Buckeye Brad on Jul 9, 2009 8:21 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
again
You care what ESPN says and does, you are watch ESPN all the time like the rest of us, and don’t even think about lying and say you don’t, any real sports fans watch ESPN like their lives depended on it, because in this cold world, that’s one of the constants we depend on to keep us informed. Funny how people will bash other fans, the media, the camera man, and anything else than can attempt to discredit for something so meaningless as Lebron getting dunked on. The kid that dunked on him isn’t exactly a wheelchair ball player or something! HE’S A DIVISION 1 ATHELETE! Get over it!
by IhatebiasedFans on Jul 10, 2009 8:29 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Basically, if you hate Lebron, this gives you something to throw onto the fire. It’s funny that all of a sudden, a recent college grad who is unemployed….. er, a “freelance photographer”, is the one who has nothing to gain and is to be believed above all. There is absolutely no proof that Lebron has tried to hide this. A brief, unheard conversation between he and the Nike exec, as relayed by Miller, is being touted as truth because it makes for a juicier story.
If you’re a Cavs/Lebron fan, it’s another dig that you have to put up with during a slow period in sports news until football begins.
If you’re neutral, you realize it’s a non-story.
You are reading my signature.
by rolub on Jul 9, 2009 11:10 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs
The fact that there is no video tapes of this is pretty damning evidence that they tried to hide it. Don’t tell me that the videographers were allowed to sit there and record the pickup game the whole time when they have this supposed rule about videotaping.
by lrh86 on Jul 9, 2009 11:13 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Miller admitted in his interview with Syracuse.com that he had no more than 4 minutes of videotape. To think that they were sitting there videotaping for hours and were told to give up the tape seconds after the dunk is what makes this a story.
And I mean a “story”, as opposed to a report.
You are reading my signature.
by rolub on Jul 9, 2009 11:18 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
No, the fact that there is no video tape is clear evidence that there wasn’t supposed to be videotaping in the first place. This guy is the only one with a videotape because he wasn’t suppose to be doing it.
by Buckeye Brad on Jul 9, 2009 11:20 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
not allowed to video tape a pick up game?
It wasn’t a Nike sponsored pick up game. It was an after hours pickup game which means that Nike doesn’t have free reign to throw their weight around like they did…
by Boney on Jul 9, 2009 11:23 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
you know this? for certain? b/c it sounds like you’re making things up.
even if it were a pickup game, if it happened at the site of the camp, under the supervision of the camp organizers, it’s a camp event. camp rules apply.
but your history of disrespect for LeBron and the cavs is well documented, so i’d expect nothing less.
by DontCallMeJoey on Jul 9, 2009 11:50 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Wow
Anyone here willing to bet that if those some camera guys had footage of Bron dunking on Kobe that Brad here would be loving it and have double the amount of posts on this board than he does now?
by IhatebiasedFans on Jul 10, 2009 8:31 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Dude, did you just sign up for an account to come here and harass me?
As I’ve said many, many, many times, if this happened to Kobe or Wade or KG or any other NBA player I still wouldn’t care in the least bit. I’m not “defending” LeBron because I’m a Cavs fan, I just don’t think this is a big story at all and I hate all these LeBron-haters coming here to bash LeBron about this.
by Buckeye Brad on Jul 10, 2009 9:06 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
if you’re really excited to see LeBron get dunked on, i’m happy to provide you with the following link:
http://youbeenblinded.com/video-lebron-james-gets-dunked-on-compilation/3796
it’s happened before, it’ll happen again, no one actually cares about this.
by DontCallMeJoey on Jul 9, 2009 12:25 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
My God!
Skip Bayless is the BIGGEST TOOL I have ever seen. His comments are the pig slop of all sporting commentary.
So I told her," I'll be nicer if you try to be smarter!'..That was a mistake.
by Juannieboy on Jul 9, 2009 11:11 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Haha, that’s nothing new. I cannot believe people waste their time watching him all afternoon. I hate ESPN for the dumbing down of American sports fans. This “story” is the prime example.
by Buckeye Brad on Jul 9, 2009 11:18 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
If you really think about the prohibition on taping at these things...
isn’t it to protect the players and the sponsors from “infringment” on their likenesses and trademarks? I could see why LeBron would say something to a Nike official as he had a good motive to protect himself from unauthorized use of his likeness. Same reason you are not allowed to film an NBA game.
On the other hand, I think we all understand the motives of the four letter network, other media and the haters.
So I told her," I'll be nicer if you try to be smarter!'..That was a mistake.
by Juannieboy on Jul 9, 2009 1:23 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
I also wonder if there could be instances where NCAA violations could occur due to video which would probably not look good for the camp.
I am reading “Meat Market” right now about Ole Miss football recruiting and the rules about when they are and are not allowed to videotape players are pretty confusing and random.
by rufio on Jul 10, 2009 4:35 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
I’m under the impression that all NCAA rules are pretty confusing and random.
by Buckeye Brad on Jul 10, 2009 9:07 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
wow LeBrons human … I thought I would never see the day …
by jsneides on Jul 9, 2009 11:26 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Who cares...
I agree its not a big deal, but Lebron himself made it a story. If he just left it alone and didn’t say anything, then it just would have been another dunk. Its just dumb of him to be stuck up and think nobody gets dunked on. I hope the tape comes out anyway. Irh86, by the way I have to agree with him, nobody takes criticism of either their fav, player or team anymore, trust me i went through many a tuff day with Melo when he slapped and ran, but i didn’t try and defend him, hes not my dad or my family. So just man up and take what criticism you have coming. MAN UP
Melooooooo
by Mr.Clutch15 on Jul 9, 2009 11:52 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Lebron himself made it a story. If he just left it alone and didn’t say anything,
He hasn’t said one word about this.
At all.
So I’m not sure how he made it a story.
You are reading my signature.
by rolub on Jul 9, 2009 11:54 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
If he just left it alone and didn’t say anything
well, he hasn’t said anything. sooo…you have no point?
by DontCallMeJoey on Jul 9, 2009 11:55 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Ok, well…your point in coming here to share with us? We’re perfectly aware of what supposedly happened. Thanks for sharing though, really.
by johnnyphoenix on Jul 9, 2009 12:44 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
hahaha,
say, steal tapes, talk to his agent, same difference, my apologies for miss writing
Melooooooo
by Mr.Clutch15 on Jul 9, 2009 12:13 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
so if there was a no video tapping rule he basically was tattling … so now hes just a tattle tell … which in 3rd grade was fun to criticize
by jsneides on Jul 9, 2009 12:27 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
It’s very unclutch of you to not use the reply button
by Roger Dorn on Jul 9, 2009 12:47 PM CDT up reply actions 1 recs
+1 for use of creative “unclutch”
Maybe, just once, someone will call me "sir" without adding, "you're making a scene.
by HireMattMillen on Jul 9, 2009 12:54 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Nike said taking the tapes had nothing to do with the dunk and more to do with a violation of the media procedures of the event. The James Skills Academy brings together the top high school and college players in the country and is open to the media. After those sessions, however, there are often pickup games that James and several of his Cavs teammates take part in. The media is permitted to watch but not permitted to do interviews or film.
“Nike has been operating basketball camps for the benefit of young athletes for decades and has longstanding policies in place regarding what events are open and closed to media coverage,” Nike spokesman KeJuan Wilkins said.
“Unfortunately, for the first time in four years, two journalists did not respect our ‘no videotaping’ policy at an after-hours pick-up game Monday evening following the LeBron James Skills Academy.”
http://www.cleveland.com/cavs/index.ssf/2009/07/nike_officials_claim_media_rul.html
There now all of you can shut up
by jsneides on Jul 9, 2009 12:31 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
I heard there were weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, too.
"This is not a game for boys. This is a game for men." - Phil Jackson
by Gils_Keloids on Jul 9, 2009 12:46 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Yes. Very classy. Let’s compare this to a war
by Roger Dorn on Jul 9, 2009 12:48 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Let's compare cover ups to cover ups
"This is not a game for boys. This is a game for men." - Phil Jackson
by Gils_Keloids on Jul 9, 2009 12:54 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
I heard a dog ate Billy's homework
How dare I compare this to a child’s education. So classless.
"This is not a game for boys. This is a game for men." - Phil Jackson
by Gils_Keloids on Jul 9, 2009 12:57 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
I don’t find jokes about war funny. But your attempt to coverup the fact that you made a stupid war analogy is akin to Lebron covering up a college athlete dunking on him
by Roger Dorn on Jul 9, 2009 1:05 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
not just funny
Hilarious, thats what that joke was +1 because I as well have no class.
Melooooooo
by Mr.Clutch15 on Jul 9, 2009 1:51 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
How classy to compare my war analogy cover up to Lebron's dunk-on cover up
"This is not a game for boys. This is a game for men." - Phil Jackson
by Gils_Keloids on Jul 9, 2009 1:54 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Depends on what you mean by a joke
Let me explain: If you believe everything that you read, you are gullible.
This person, jsneides, was saying that because Nike explained the issue and it was reported as such, everyone should “shut up”.
I can make many comparisons to lame explanations relating to many other topics (cover up of marital infidelity, cover up of murders, cover up of non-existence of weapons, cover up of lack of homework, etc).
An analogy does not require that the topic be exactly the same amount of importance or even exactly the same, or else it wouldn’t be an analogy.
"This is not a game for boys. This is a game for men." - Phil Jackson
by Gils_Keloids on Jul 9, 2009 2:00 PM CDT up reply actions 1 recs
But we don’t tolerate even the slightest bit of political talk on this blog, for obvious reasons, so I suggest in the future you keep your analogies away from politics. This is a sports blog and politics doesn’t belong here.
by Buckeye Brad on Jul 9, 2009 2:06 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
you have a point…i guess there are no laws against analogies that suck.
by DontCallMeJoey on Jul 9, 2009 3:44 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
I can't believe you dissed my analogy!
"This is not a game for boys. This is a game for men." - Phil Jackson
by Gils_Keloids on Jul 9, 2009 3:58 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Rolub and Brad are right, it's not a basketball, it's a human interest story
Because people feel that it gives them a glimpse into Lebron’s psyche and mental state (however weak the evidence may be).
This is what some people love about sports. It’s fun to talk about the players as if they’re characters in your favorite soap opera. It’s not “immature”, it’s entertainment. It can’t always be X’s and O’s, as much as I love the technical aspect of the game.
People have done much more psycho-analyzing with much less (a simple facial gesture by Kobe, or reaction from his teammates).
If I were a Lebron, I’d just ignore it as part of the cost of being a superstar. Every little thing you say or do is going to be picked apart and used as metaphor for whatever someone believes about you (insecure, egotistical). You’re not gonna win that game. The only way to win is to win on the court (and even then, you still don’t win in the psychological argument, see Simmons, Bill) .
"This is not a game for boys. This is a game for men." - Phil Jackson
by Gils_Keloids on Jul 9, 2009 12:55 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
*not a basketball story
"This is not a game for boys. This is a game for men." - Phil Jackson
by Gils_Keloids on Jul 9, 2009 12:57 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Sigh...
I guess us Cavs fans are going to have to grow thicker skins. These trollers are an irritating hoard, though.
So I told her," I'll be nicer if you try to be smarter!'..That was a mistake.
by Juannieboy on Jul 9, 2009 1:02 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Welcome to relevance, Cavs fans
Be happy that you have to deal with the haters and the trollers.
Do you think Memphis has “mad-haters” saying stuff about O.J. Mayo and Marc Gasol? Memphis WISHES they were in the headlines. Be careful what you wish for. This could all be gone next year.
by UnleashTheMamba on Jul 9, 2009 2:37 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Rolub and Brad are right, it’s not abasketball, it’s a human intereststory
fixed
by DontCallMeJoey on Jul 9, 2009 1:13 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
It's not a story?
Hmm let me reflect on that comment.
Nope, it’s still a story, unless this whole post is in my imagination.
Whether it should be one or not is a whole ’nother issue.
"This is not a game for boys. This is a game for men." - Phil Jackson
by Gils_Keloids on Jul 9, 2009 2:02 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Slow couple of news days. Didn’t Michael Jackson die or something?
Ride on ye fearsome Horsemen of the Basketball Apocalypse. We got this.
by Turkmenbashi on Jul 9, 2009 1:25 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Dont about that Mr. Turk...
Andy signed a big deal and Parker is now a Cav. Thats why I logged on and ran into this sh…sh… stuff.
So I told her," I'll be nicer if you try to be smarter!'..That was a mistake.
by Juannieboy on Jul 9, 2009 1:34 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
This is all part of Lebron's exit strategy
Can’t blame the man for trying to do the best to preserve his image before he leaves Cleveland for a bigger media market.
by Coop21 on Jul 9, 2009 2:58 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
i have to imagine that there are a lot of dumb comments made on a daily basis on the SBN platform…but i challenge anyone to come up with one dumber than this for today.
by DontCallMeJoey on Jul 9, 2009 3:28 PM CDT up reply actions 2 recs
He could have only topped it by calling him Labron.
You are reading my signature.
by rolub on Jul 9, 2009 3:30 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Blown out of Proportion... yes.... by Nike
Here’s a copy of the actual Media Policy from Nike:
http://inside.nikebasketball.com/eliteyouthmedia/nike_eyb_media_2009.pdf
The only thing I saw in there about photographers is saying that they’re only allowed in the designated areas. You as the CavsBlogger are protecting your guy, Nike is protecting theirs, and ESPN is protecting their ESPNU guy- so you can’t criticize ESPN for backing the “journalist”. All I know about LeBron is his last two PR events are:
1) Not shaking hands with the Magic at the end of their series and not talking to the media afterwards
2) Dunk-Gate
I can give him the pass for #1 because the emotions running high/low after the loss- but he’s been silent about Dunk-Gate. Whether LeBron actually asked Nike to take the tape is not known, but he has to take the power away from the PR guys and come out and say something about it. If he came out and laughed it off, showed some humility, and gave this college player some credit it would squash the whole ordeal. Come out and be a man, realize you’re arguably the best player on the planet, and give the COLLEGE KID some credit. We are all witnesses right?
Oh BTW- next year is your blog going to be NetsBlogger, or KnicksBlogger?
by manilaxtract on Jul 9, 2009 3:12 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
All I know about LeBron is his last two PR events are:
1) Not shaking hands with the Magic at the end of their series and not talking to the media afterwards
2) Dunk-Gate
really? those are his last two PR events? LeBron James, the most marketed team sports athlete on the planet, has had only 2 PR events in the last 6 weeks? if this is all you know about LeBron, then you know nothing about LeBron, in which case you should go ahead and run along.
Oh BTW- next year is your blog going to be NetsBlogger, or KnicksBlogger?
i thought i’d seen the dumbest comment of the day a little higher up, but this makes me think twice.
by DontCallMeJoey on Jul 9, 2009 3:32 PM CDT up reply actions 1 recs
I really can’t believe some people have nothing better to do with their life than go to a Cavs blog to let everyone know that LeBron is guarenteed to leave Cleveland next year. I mean, besides that fact that they have no idea what they’re talking about, do they really think we haven’t heard the “LeBron is going to New York next year” line a thousand times already? Do they really think they’re adding something original to our site?
by Buckeye Brad on Jul 9, 2009 3:50 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Pittsburgh fans asking how many Super Bowls we’ve won even think the Lebron-to-NY talk is getting old.
You are reading my signature.
by rolub on Jul 9, 2009 3:51 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
most marketed sports athlete?
I doubt that. I’m sure several international soccer stars might argue that. And let’s not also forget about Tiger Woods.
"The problem actually is that PER is a extra-long, double high wagon load of horse crap." - timbo (7/3/09)
by tandur on Jul 9, 2009 4:04 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
most marketed TEAM sports athlete. TEAM. i specified team exactly b/c tiger (and probably mickelson) is far and away number 1. please read what you comment on before you comment.
LeBron is the 3rd highest paid athlete in america, number 1 in team sports, and he is the 4th highest paid athlete on the planet, with david beckham sliding ahead of him when you go to the rest of the world.
unfortunately, the international list doesn’t break out salary/endorsements, so i guess there’s an argument for beckham. i feel comfortable, though, saying it’s LeBron b/c of: a. his relationship with nike, the most active sports marketing company in the world, and b. his status in china, where basketball is gaining steam at breakneck rates.
i’ll admit, you are persistent…
by DontCallMeJoey on Jul 9, 2009 4:58 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
You could also argue that golf is not really a sport but a popular game
by Roger Dorn on Jul 9, 2009 5:31 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
i firmly maintain that golf is a sport.
by DontCallMeJoey on Jul 9, 2009 5:44 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Yeah, how bout the debut of his documentary in Silver Spring, MD and his meeting with Obama?
Ride on ye fearsome Horsemen of the Basketball Apocalypse. We got this.
by Turkmenbashi on Jul 9, 2009 4:14 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
I guess this isn’t a PR event because it doesn’t fit in with the smear campaign.
You are reading my signature.
by rolub on Jul 9, 2009 3:47 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Woah, don’t tell tandur about that, it will ruin his image about LeBron. Or maybe he will find a way to spin his charity event as a “poor decision”.
by Buckeye Brad on Jul 9, 2009 3:52 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
every athlete makes mistakes
these are Lebron’s first mistakes. If you argue that, then you are blinded by local homerism.
The easiest way to shrug off personal attacks, innuendo, or beliefs about your sports star is to ignore them. Your two day obsession with this topic shows your inability to do so. You fuel the fire by arguing against.
I never said Lebron has a poor image. Find where I did. What I have said is these events have been a string of poor decisions by Lebron. And like I just said above, every athlete makes mistakes. Magic was a man-whore. Jordan gambled.
"The problem actually is that PER is a extra-long, double high wagon load of horse crap." - timbo (7/3/09)
by tandur on Jul 9, 2009 4:08 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
My obsession?!?!? Are you kidding me?? You and irh86 are the ones who keep talking about it on here. I’m telling you it’s not a big deal and nobody but some people on internet forums care about this at all. So how am I the one who’s obssessed about the story?
I said many times if this happened to Kobe or Wade or ‘Melo or anyone else then I wouldn’t care either. I’m not "blinded by local homerism." Please read what I write so I don’t have to keep repeating it. This is getting really, really old.
by Buckeye Brad on Jul 9, 2009 4:36 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Here is a link to how many people think this is a big deal or not
I think you may be surprised at how many states in the union disagree with you
I think you make a good point about Wade and Melo, but Kobe is such a polarizing figure that I think there would be an even bigger reaction than the one that LeBron had
by UnleashTheMamba on Jul 9, 2009 7:20 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
there should ahve been a link in that last post....hmmm
maybe thsi time it’ll work
http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/fp/flashPollResultsState?sportIndex=nba&pollId=74321
by UnleashTheMamba on Jul 9, 2009 7:21 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Mississippi really hates Lebron
Baseball is God's sport! All Truth Goes Through Three Stages 1.It is ridiculed 2.It is violently opposed 3.Finally, it is accepted as self-evident. kinesiologist
by E5 on Jul 9, 2009 7:22 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
id have to say though … the question says do you want to see the tape … not do you think lebron is being a cry baby by not letting the tape get out. i would say everyone in this forum would want to see the tape … i love seeing people get posterized … especially superstars.
by jsneides on Jul 9, 2009 8:00 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Good point
I wasn’t criticizing LeBron on aything I was just disagreeing with this statement.
“You and irh86 are the ones who keep talking about it on here. I’m telling you it’s not a big deal and nobody but some people on internet forums care about this at all.
I’m just sayingit IS kind of a big deal if so many people want to see it “very much”
I really don’t know how things went down or who is actually telling the truth so i’ll give LeBron the benefit of the doubt
by UnleashTheMamba on Jul 9, 2009 9:08 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Do I need to remind you how many people in the nation are idiots, especially when it comes to sports? The care about this because ESPN force-feeds them all these sensationalized stories about A-Rod, Manny, LeBron, Kobe, etc., so they think that’s part of being a sports fan.
Rational, intelligent sports fans don’t care about this stuff. Do you realize how many sports fans hate ESPN and all the sports media who play up stories like this? So I don’t care about some dumb ESPN poll.
by Buckeye Brad on Jul 9, 2009 8:24 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
your preaching to the choir
I dislike most of the media who jumps on the sexiest headline and then asks questions to fit the agenda for their article. ESPN should change it’s name to BSPN in my opinion. There are too many blowhards who want to sensationalize everything and play “gotcha” with players quotes.
I just disagree with your thinking that this is just some sort of fringe story that no actual sport fan really cares about.
real fans pay particular attention to almost every story, especially in slow news times for the NBA like the one we are currently in.
I thinki if it was handled differently then this would have been a non-story, but because of all the secrecy and opposing stories and no actual clarifacation from the actual players involved, then more question will be asked by the fans and the national media will take advantage of the fans curiosity and run with the story and make it into something it’s not
by UnleashTheMamba on Jul 9, 2009 9:16 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
That is your opinion
Just because you don’t care about a topic doesn’t mean it isn’t important. Your comments about who does and doesn’t care are just your point of view with no concrete evidence. It is only meaningless when it has to do with a negative comment(s) about Lebron. I haven’t read everyone’s post on this topic but I would like to hear a Cav’s fan finally say, “Yes! he has made some mistakes” Why is that so hard to admit and why do any Cavs fans take it so hard when Lebron is being smeared? Every player is a public figure and the most popular ones are watched even closer. Why not just own up to it as a fan instead of getting so hurt. Did everyone expect him to have clean image forever?
by PURPLE AND GOLD FOR LIFE on Jul 9, 2009 9:17 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Hey
I have said Lebron has made some mistakes. I have and will always criticize players if they are out of line, regardless of who they play for. No one is above the board. I don’t drink the kool aid and pretend things are great when they are not.
I don’t know about this video but if Lebron had it removed because he didn’t want his image hurt then he is wrong. If like it has been reported that it was illegal taping then sure it is fine to take the tape. Lebron is certainly not perfect but he is no Kobe.
I also agree just because some people don’t find a subject interesting they shouldn’t be telling others that it isn’t. I honestly want to know more about this situation and don’t feel we should bury it because we are homers.
Baseball is God's sport! All Truth Goes Through Three Stages 1.It is ridiculed 2.It is violently opposed 3.Finally, it is accepted as self-evident. kinesiologist
by E5 on Jul 9, 2009 9:27 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
E5
He definitely is no Kobe. Besides Laker fans are so used to hearing crap about him and now everyone is jumping back on the bandwagon. Either way as a fan you learn to ignore those comments. Don’t get me wrong I read everything written about Kobe but I take it with a grain of salt. I think that is something that Lebron fans are just now adjusting to. Trust me Kobe’s name has been drugged through the mud and here we are 4 banners later…who the F cares.
by PURPLE AND GOLD FOR LIFE on Jul 9, 2009 9:48 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Hey, seems like Lebron needs a little reality check—in several areas. It happens when you jump into the nba right out of high school, and become the best player in the NBA by 24. He’ll learn. He seems to do that very quickly.
Besides, I’d much rather have the ‘ego’ problems than ones of ‘work ethic’ or ‘behavior’ ones. His commitment to working hard, unselfishness, and studying the game are unparalleled …so I’ll put up with the little ego trips every once in a while.
by johnnyphoenix on Jul 9, 2009 11:31 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
yeah right kid
Do I need to remind you how many posts you have on this topic while at the same time trying to convince everyone including yourself that you don’t really care about it?
Seriously Brad, instead of making a constant fool of yourself, do something more productive, such as KICK ROCKS!
by IhatebiasedFans on Jul 10, 2009 8:34 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
A lot of people went and saw Transformers 2 and thought it was a good movie, that doesn’t make them right.
by Roger Dorn on Jul 10, 2009 8:27 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
these are Lebron’s first mistakes.
2 MISTAKES IN 24 YEARS!!! SOUND THE ALARMS!!!
by rufio on Jul 10, 2009 4:43 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
I always thought mistakes included doing drugs, drunk driving, taking steroids, cheating on your wife and getting shot.
I guess now mistakes include getting dunked on and not shaking hands.
by Roger Dorn on Jul 10, 2009 8:29 AM CDT up reply actions 2 recs
NEW SUBJECT...
Anyone got an update on Channing Frye to Cleveland and how do u all feel about him coming here and do you think he should start?
by siejecy on Jul 9, 2009 4:38 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
im with you … i think a nice write up about the guys who are close to be signed … parker and frye … would be nice … i have no idea anything about them except for what i read on rumor sites and i respect the diligent effort in the write up that some people on this site do. i would do it but i have no idea where to begin haha
by jsneides on Jul 9, 2009 6:54 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
for the record, i’m done with this topic. the trolling is about to make my head explode. i would encourage the credible posters on here to follow me out the door.
by DontCallMeJoey on Jul 9, 2009 5:00 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
I’m with you, Joey. But can you believe that someone actually accused me of being obsessed with this story?!? I get so tired of people ignoring everything we say and just making up things to post.
I think we need to make a post called “LeBron Haters Post Here” and put it on the front page so all the trolls who want to complain about LeBron have a place to post comments. That way they can stay away from the intelligent discussions we try to have about actual basketball stories.
by Buckeye Brad on Jul 9, 2009 8:31 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Slow down that train, I’m hopping on.
You are reading my signature.
by rolub on Jul 9, 2009 8:38 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
I love Lebron
but if he really wanted this tape taken then he is a BIG BABY grow up. If it is true that it was illegally taped then shame on the tapers. Over all big DEAL. Grow up Lebron, grow up losers that hate on Lebron.
Baseball is God's sport! All Truth Goes Through Three Stages 1.It is ridiculed 2.It is violently opposed 3.Finally, it is accepted as self-evident. kinesiologist
by E5 on Jul 9, 2009 6:51 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
This thing has been overblown
I don’t know whether the story is true or not, but this has gone a bit out of proportion. I have seen many popular athletes have ego problems, so Lebron being egoistic wouldn’t surprise me (Nothing compared to A-Rod anyway). However, if it’s true that they weren’t supposed to be filming in there, then Nike has a reason to confiscate the film.
Anyway, back to Raptorland…
by Frag on Jul 9, 2009 8:30 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Thank you for your rational, intelligent opinion.
by Buckeye Brad on Jul 9, 2009 8:33 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
This Even is not being blow out of proportion.
You cannot soak up all the love that Lebron gets from the media and then all of a sudden when the topic doesn’t agree with your stomach go run and complain. It is convenient to say this is being blown out of proportion. This deserves the same attention that is given to Lebron when he does something positive. He needs to man up.
So, here is my main question. If it was so illegal to video tape these events why in the hell allow them to video tape the games in the first place? Why weren’t camera’s and tapes confiscated at the entrance? Besides this isn’t like Lebron asked for these tapes to be taken away. Nike has the right to protect their client’s image after all that is his business. What I don’t agree with is that Cavs fans seem to act like this is meaningless. It isn’t. It might be to you if you are a Cavs fan but the world of basketball does not revolve around Cleveland.
by PURPLE AND GOLD FOR LIFE on Jul 9, 2009 10:07 PM CDT reply actions 1 recs
+1
great post
"The problem actually is that PER is a extra-long, double high wagon load of horse crap." - timbo (7/3/09)
by tandur on Jul 9, 2009 11:06 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Wow, Lakers fans agreeing with each other. SHOCKING!!!!
by Buckeye Brad on Jul 10, 2009 9:12 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
The game was meaningless
and so is the issue. No filming after the scheduled events means exactly that.
by kptb on Jul 9, 2009 11:26 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
I'm sorry butt
154 comments later on a Cavs blog does not make this topic meaningless.
by PURPLE AND GOLD FOR LIFE on Jul 10, 2009 12:56 AM CDT up reply actions 1 recs
EXACTLY
Everyone somehow doesn’t even consider the blatant logic that if it was really ILLEGAL as Nike Execs state, the cameramen would not have been INVITED and allowed to bring guess what………………..their VIDEO CAMERAS in the first place. Oh let me guess, either no one noticed several people were taping the game or they did but were under the impression the cameramen would only get certain footage on tape including positive things Bron does and NOT him getting dunked on?
Some of you homers make the entire fanbase look bad!
by IhatebiasedFans on Jul 10, 2009 9:04 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
One more time really slowly. We aren’t homers, we just don’t care. One bit.
by Roger Dorn on Jul 10, 2009 9:11 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
For someone who claims to hate biased fans, he should really look in the mirror.
by Buckeye Brad on Jul 10, 2009 9:13 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Awwwwwww
You really have an IQ lower than dirt.
I am a die hard CAVS FAN!
I am also a grown up who can shake off a little thing like my favorite player getting dunked on, so what it happens. But you come here and say things that do nothing but display your bitterness and pure anger over something so trivial.
But please explain yourself on why I should look in the mirror? I would love to see if you even have half the intelligence to talk your way out of this one, because you make no sense whatsoever with your comment as I show no bias whatsoever. I staked my claim to my team, and am more than willing to take the situation for what it is, our boy got dunked on by a finely tuned athelete, big deal!
But I won’t throw a hissy fit like you and your little buddies on this blog.
by IhatebiasedFans on Jul 10, 2009 9:29 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Really
what don’t I get? How you were going to follow the other biased fan out of this blog because you couldn’t take how Bron haters were hurting your feelings? You should really seek help, or hang out with some mature adults who can teach you how to act like a grown man in society.
by IhatebiasedFans on Jul 10, 2009 9:31 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Wow, you’re really letting those personal insults fly, aren’t you?
Let me tell you something, since you’re obviously new here and don’t know any better. Saying I “can’t take it on this blog” is very funny because I’ve been a member of this blog since it first opened last year and have posted here all season long. All these guys here (most of them Lakers fans) making a big deal about this story don’t really participate in this story, they just come over any time there is a chance to bash LeBron. Me, Roger, Joey, Turk, rolub, and others here are the real Cavs fans and members of this blog who are here all the time talking about all Cavs stories. So we’ll continue to be here long after this story has died and all these LeBron bashers have gone. So if you want to stick around, I suggest you change your tone and stop insulting everyone, and learn who the real members of this blog are that will be here all the time. Or, if you came by just to bash me and make a big scene, then good-bye.
by Buckeye Brad on Jul 10, 2009 9:38 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
rigggggggggght
One more time even slower………………….yet you keep responding in a topic strictly about Lebron getting dunked on and claiming nobody cares although there are a ton of posts on it.
But yeah, great job of making yourself look foolish.
by IhatebiasedFans on Jul 10, 2009 9:25 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Really slow.
I didn’t say no one cares, I said we don’t care.
I will use the Transformers analagy again. It is breaking box office records, the general public may find it interesting, but it is a horrible movie.
by Roger Dorn on Jul 10, 2009 9:35 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Too Fast for me big guy
LOL
First you did in fact allude that no one cares so you are a liar.
Second you just confirmed how dimwitted you are by now saying just you and Buckeye don’t care, failing to realize that YOU AND BUCKEYE are the main biased homer fans commenting back and forth, thereby confirming you DO CARE!
There is no way that you and buckeye are actual grown men, God help us all if you are!
by IhatebiasedFans on Jul 10, 2009 9:40 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
I do care that you are being annoying and making a big deal out of nothing.
I don’t care about this Lebron story. Big difference.
by Roger Dorn on Jul 10, 2009 9:46 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
good for you
The truth hurts you too I see! LOL
I do NOT care how annoyed you are, the big deal is a big deal because you respond to as many posts you can regarding this NON big deal. The very fact you still can’t seem to grasp that is mind boggling that someone can be that ……………………let’s just say for lack of a better word, uninformed.
by IhatebiasedFans on Jul 10, 2009 10:24 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Just becase we’re commenting in this post doesn’t mean we care about this story. I comment in almost every post on this blog (unlike all the trolls here). I’m trying to keep this blog free from idiots and trolls, which is why I’m here trying to let all the LeBron bashers who came here know that this isn’t the kind of discussions we want to have on this blog.
If you look around at other posts on this blog you would see good, intelligent basketball discussions. If you’re really a Cavs fan, I hope you stick around but change your attitude. You can’t be hurling insults at everyone like you are now and need to act more mature. If you want to keep acting like this, I suggest you go to cleveland.com and post there.
by Buckeye Brad on Jul 10, 2009 9:48 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
I don't think so
You can’t have it both ways, if you don’t care you don’t post in this topic period. By your own logic you are basically a troll (for this particular topic that is)
I’m not interested in your past posts or future posts, I happened to see this blog, so I joined and commented. I do not like when fans of my favorite team make us all look bad with childish behavior. So fyi I will NOT change my tone and i’m not going anywhere, the thought that you seem to be under the impression that you can tell me or anyone else to do anything is laughable at best.
by IhatebiasedFans on Jul 10, 2009 10:18 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Childish behavior would be the hurling of insults which is all you have done.
by Roger Dorn on Jul 10, 2009 10:41 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Hypocrite
You claim to keep this blog free from the very things you are, anyone who read your posts can see you troll and I would rather not refer to you as an idiot because I don’t know you in real life, but you used that term so there you go.
One thing YOU and your little support group of 3 or 4 people who share the same brain as you need to realize is I will NEVER think like you, nor will the mass of Cavs fan you so grossly misrepresent, see I like many Cavs fans are actual Adults first, then Cavs fans second.
Hopefully one day you will look at your attitude and change your tone, or continue to live your miserable life as a Blog Nazi!
by IhatebiasedFans on Jul 10, 2009 10:23 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
The best way to show people you don't care is to not to respond
to things you don’t care about. By commenting on this subject you just show that you do indeed care about this subject.
Baseball is God's sport! All Truth Goes Through Three Stages 1.It is ridiculed 2.It is violently opposed 3.Finally, it is accepted as self-evident. kinesiologist
by E5 on Jul 10, 2009 10:29 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
How
is that bad logic. If you don’t respond then you must not care enough to comment on it. If you comment on it then you must care enough to say something about it.
Baseball is God's sport! All Truth Goes Through Three Stages 1.It is ridiculed 2.It is violently opposed 3.Finally, it is accepted as self-evident. kinesiologist
by E5 on Jul 10, 2009 11:32 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
It does not show that I care about the Lebron James dunked on story, it only shows that I care about engaging in the banter in this thread.
by Roger Dorn on Jul 10, 2009 12:51 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
You cannot soak up all the love that Lebron gets from the media and then all of a sudden when the topic doesn’t agree with your stomach go run and complain
I don’t really “soak up” all the love that LeBron gets from the media. How exactly do you know that I, and other posters here, do? So what you’re saying doesn’t apply to me and a lot of other Cavs fans here.
This comment just shows that you guys are missing our point entirely and have not listened to anything we’ve written here. You assume that we all watch ESPN 24/7 and get all excited about every "big story’ they have and talk about it for days, but we don’t. What me — and Joey and Roger and other Cavs fans here — are saying is that we (and many other sports fans) don’t care about a great deal of the “big stories” of the day/hour/minute on ESPN. We like watching the games and discussing what happened in them, and discussing trades, free agent signings, and other real news, but we just ignore crazy made-up stories like this one. It does matter if they happen to a Cavs player or not, we just don’t care. If Kobe didn’t shake hands after a playoff loss or got dunked on in a pickup game, we wouldn’t care at all. Those aren’t real stories. And just because people on ESPN and other sports media think it’s a “big story”, and fans with no life get on message boards and yell at each other about it all day, doesn’t mean we care.
So don’t come here and tell us that we’re “blinded by homerism” because we’re saying this isn’t a big story. Don’t tell me we can’t crticize LeBron (or other Cavs players) when it’s called for, because we can. Don’t tell me if this happened to Kobe or another player we’d all be talking about this story, because we wouldn’t. Don’t come here to this site only to bash LeBron, like many of you did after he didn’t shake hands, and expect us to take you seriously. If you want to come to this site to discuss basketball we’d love to have you, but please don’t come here every time there is some convoluted “controversy” about LeBron to tell us how we should act and how “biased” we are because we’re not bashing him with you. We’re just not those types of sports fans.
by Buckeye Brad on Jul 10, 2009 9:30 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Get a grip
without having to write a novel as you just did to justify your silly posts allow me to answer what you can’t seem to comprehend little fella……………………..This is what you said “How exactly do you know that I, and other posters here, do?”
I’ll tell you how he knows and anyone with common sense knows……………………..YOU KEEP COMMENTING IN THIS THREAD! Then you lose more credibility by constantly bashing people who aren’t Cavs fans or people who disagree with you!
C A N Y O U U N D E R S T A N D T H A T C O N C E P T?
by IhatebiasedFans on Jul 10, 2009 9:35 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Why don't you just take your ball and go home?
It appear YOU are the one that has lost his grip.
So I told her," I'll be nicer if you try to be smarter!'..That was a mistake.
by Juannieboy on Jul 10, 2009 9:38 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
juannieboy
Thanks for such a thought provoking post………….really I mean that.
by IhatebiasedFans on Jul 10, 2009 10:19 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
I understand the concept, but commenting in a thread doesn’t really provide proof for any of your arguments. Logic Fail.
by Roger Dorn on Jul 10, 2009 9:39 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Pardon
You clearly do not understand the concept, but thanks for at least trying.
by IhatebiasedFans on Jul 10, 2009 10:19 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Really guys, quit feeding them. This is getting feeding Gremlins after midnight out of control.
by DisplacedBuckeye on Jul 10, 2009 10:28 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Sad this subject NO ONE cares about is blowing up like this.
My idea. Say your peace leave it at that and move on. Everyone.
Baseball is God's sport! All Truth Goes Through Three Stages 1.It is ridiculed 2.It is violently opposed 3.Finally, it is accepted as self-evident. kinesiologist
by E5 on Jul 10, 2009 10:30 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs
I actually am enjoying the interaction though, I apologize if the troll feeding has gotten on the nerves of anyone else.
by Roger Dorn on Jul 10, 2009 10:42 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Yeah.
This topic had 17 replies/comments over at TCF compared to over 200 here…they don’t get nearly the number of trollers that Sportsnation does. This blog is still great but this “Cavs story” veered out of control, crashed and burned.
So I told her," I'll be nicer if you try to be smarter!'..That was a mistake.
by Juannieboy on Jul 10, 2009 10:56 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
>120 posts and 20 image replies omitted. Click Reply to view.
This has become a troll thread. Wow…
by Frag on Jul 10, 2009 12:45 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Comments for this post are now closed. Everyone has had their say and this has evolved in to nothing but personal attacks by trolls. If anyone visiting our blog would like to talk about real basketball news then we have plenty of posts in which to do that. Otherwise, we are done discussing this topic.
by Buckeye Brad on Jul 10, 2009 2:53 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Comments For This Post Are Closed
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