Posts Tagged ‘Kobe Bryant’

Laker Dysfunction and #MeToo

Thursday, May 30th, 2019

by Gus Griffin

gus

 

 

 

 

LOS ANGELES, CA - DECEMBER 18: (L-R) Magic Johnson, Rob Pelinka and Jeanie Buss attend Kobe Bryant's jersey retirement ceremony during a game between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Golden State Warriors at Staples Center on December 18, 2017 in Los Angeles, California.  (Photo by Allen Berezovsky/Getty Images)

LOS ANGELES, CA – DECEMBER 18: (L-R) Magic Johnson, Rob Pelinka and Jeanie Buss attend Kobe Bryant’s jersey retirement ceremony during a game between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Golden State Warriors at Staples Center on December 18, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Allen Berezovsky/Getty Images)

When my Lakers signed LeBron James last year, no one was happier about the occurrence than yours truly. I was straight up “Peacocking” the purple and gold! I even wrote a piece for War Room Sports on the subject:

PE

 

 

 

 

10 Reasons Why LeBron and the Lakers Make Sense

I was never under any illusions that they were ready to challenge the mighty Warriors, however, I at least expected respectability and it looked promising early.

Today it looks anything but promising.

My Lakers look like the New York Knicks west. In fact, over the past 6 years the two franchises have lost the exact same number of games.

So why was I so wrong?

I have concluded that the basic answer to this is that I assumed that my Lakers had a minimal level of organizational competence. It is clear now that this does not exist. Oh how I long for the days of the great Jerry West at the helm or even the Mitch Kupchak era.

In addition, let us be clear: the organization did not pick LeBron. LeBron picked the organization. So I am not sure if it deserves any credit for that either.

Meanwhile, the missteps are too many to list, but let us just list a few:

 

  • After missing the playoffs a grand total of only 5 times in its illustrious history, my Lakers have now missed 6 straight years;
  • Failure to replace Magic Johnson’s position, which either validates the dysfunction or proves it was little more than ceremonial public relations to begin with;
  • Offering NBA title-winning coach Tyronn Lue an embarrassing 3-year deal and dictating to him whom he should have on his staff, when 5 years, and allowing a coach to hire his own staff is the accepted professional way of doing business; and
  • The Anthony Davis trade debacle.

 

All of this has happened under the ownership of Jeanie Buss.

This is where the #MeToo angle comes in and it is delicate.

At least one commentator implied that she is not capable of running the team because she is female.

That is just garden-variety sexism. Unfortunately, there are, and perhaps always will be people who will exploit any available platform to make an “I told you so” pronouncement about the capacity of women to manage, especially in venues that have been dominated by men.

After ferreting out this mindset and candidly assessing her stewardship of the team, there is only one conclusion: YOU ARE WHAT YOUR RECORD SAYS YOU ARE!  In the 6 seasons since the death of the late Dr. Jerry Buss, her father, the team is 163-329.  That is terrible for a man, a woman, or a mongoose. I get the sense that in the current climate, there is some hesitancy on the part of male commentators to call Buss out for this record.

In fairness to her, she allowed her brother to run the team for a few of these years, and to her credit, admits she should have let him go long ago. Firing your brother cannot be easy for anyone. In addition, she inherited the team from one of the greatest owners in the history of sports.  That’s not an easy act to follow. Most who are given the keys to the castle know little about how the castle actually is run. They simply do not come up through the ranks, which is how they might learn.

With that said, we should not feel sorry for Jeanie Buss. The #MeToo movement is long overdue for women having to deal with sexual advances and even worse on the job. The overwhelming number of these women are working class, poor, immigrant, and/or of color. Jeanie Buss is none of those things and thus her performance, as Lakers owner, does not warrant the protection of the movement. If Magic and general manager Rob Pelinka are fair game for the current sorry state of my Lakers, so too is Jeanie Buss.

 

Gus Griffin, for War Room Sports

10 Reasons Why LeBron and the Lakers Make Sense

Tuesday, July 10th, 2018

by Gus Griffin

gus

 

 

 

 

PE

Now that the “wow” and dust has settled, let’s look at last week’s biggest sports story: my Lakers’ signing of LeBron James.

There are legitimate basketball-based reasons for the Lakers to have not signed “The King”, such as, why hamstring your roster and salary cap with any one player when he won’t be enough to win the title?; or 2) Why increase the temptation to give up young, promising talent for another piece, such as Kawhi Leonard, when even if at his best, still likely will not be enough to beat the “Beast by the Bay?”; or 3) Previous Laker teams that acquired superstars were better than this group and thus the acquisition got them closer to a title.

Those, among others, are perfectly rational reasons.

But I have been a card-carrying member of Laker Nation since 1972 and rational thinking has no place in this column.

So, I give you the 10 reasons why LeBron and the Lakers make sense:

REASON 10: “The Apostle.” Pau Gasol

Does anyone believe my Lakers make it to 3 straight Finals from 2008-10 and win two titles without the acquisition of Gasol from Memphis? While he is not in the class of the next three I’ll name, he may be the most underappreciated Laker of any of the title teams.

REASON 9: Wilt Chamberlain

Getting Chamberlain before the 1969 season kept an aging team (Both West and Baylor were 10 years into the league) as a powerhouse without a rebuilding period. My Lakers made the Finals in 69, 70, 72, and 73, winning it all in 1972 with what was then a single-season record of 69-13, that also included a 33-game winning streak over the 71 and 72 seasons.

REASON 8: “Shaq”

He was acquired via free agency from the Magic. Once Kobe matured, Shaq led my Lakers to the NBA’s last 3-peat, 2000-02. He was Finals MVP all three times.

REASON 7: Kareem the Supreme

Already a proven winner, leading the Bucks to the 1971 title and reaching the Finals again in 1974, the case can be made that Jabbar’s acquisition was the most beneficial of any superstar in integrated sports history.  He was the leading scorer on 3 of the 5 title teams of the 80s.

REASON 6: Putting down the Daddyball factor

I, for one, never understood why so many overreacted to LaVar Ball’s fine-line walk between buffoonery and marketing brilliance. Regardless, LeBron’s presence alone will push this issue to where it always belonged, which is the back page of the tabloid section. The other benefit is that it takes any undue pressure off Lonzo and allows him to develop with less of the scrutiny of those who wanted him to fail, to clam up pop.

REASON 5: Attractive to free agents again

Other than Kyrie Irving, who has had a big problem playing with LeBron, this move makes the Lakers an attractive destination for free agents again….maybe even for a discount.

REASON 4: Reclaiming L.A.

You know your team has sunk to an all-time low when folks would rather see the Clippers. Those days are over!

REASON 3: The Warriors can’t keep everyone

Klay Thompson comes up for free agency soon.  Boogie Cousins returning to form is far from a sure thing, given the history of Achilles injuries (I for one believe our own Black Mamba might still be playing were it not for this injury so late in his career).

REASON 2: The Herm Edwards factor

“YOU PLAY…TO WIN….THE GAME!”  How can getting the best player in the league via free agency undermine that goal? No, it does not put us on par with that Beast By the Bay. Some of you state this as if you are announcing a cure for cancer. But it does make you a better team.

And the number 1 reason LeBron and the Lakers make sense is…………….

…….drumroll……

WE ARE THE LOS ANGELES LAKERS AND YOU ARE NOT!

This would be highly questionable for any other franchise.

We are not any other franchise.

We are the mighty Los Angeles Lakers, draped in the majestic purple and gold, which is to say WE ARE SPORTS ROYALTY, and that is why we are suited for a King.  Feel fortunate that we even condescend to speak to mere mortal fans such as those of the Kings or Wizards. No other organization in sports history has proven to be better equipped to accommodate a superstar than the Lakers.

So ,Laker haters prepare to resume your hate because weather you like it or not, we matter once again!

 

Gus Griffin, for War Room Sports

Who Has the Most to Lose in the NBA Finals?

Thursday, May 31st, 2018

by Gus Griffin

gus

 

 

 

 

Photo courtesy of USA Today

Photo courtesy of USA Today

It is hard to find storylines for an NBA finals matchup in its fourth consecutive edition. With that said, I think the discussion about whom has the most on the line or to lose is worthy.

Many will say LeBron James has the most on the line. This makes sense for those obsessed with the comparison to Michael Jordan. I am not among those. It is not that I do not believe it is a valid discussion, even if I am not quite ready to put him over Michael Jordan. My issue is that it is largely a disingenuous straw man debate used as a platform for those who just do not like LeBron. I say this because their bar for even considering him with Jordan is seven NBA titles…….or 4 more for teams LeBron is on….which they know will not happen. They then follow up with “if we should credit him for taking a bad team a long way, we should be able to criticize him for losing in the NBA finals 5 times”. That is like crediting a weight-lifter for bench-pressing 400 lbs., but then knocking him for not being able to lift 500 lbs.

The basic reason that LeBron does not have the most on the line or to lose is because it is really beyond reason to expect him to play significantly better than he already has. That will not matter one bit to a certain faction of fans out there. For them, even if LeBron James walked on water, they would complain that his feet got wet. Nothing he nor his team does will change their minds. Donald Trump will welcome immigrants before they cede him his proper due, even if that is short of Jordan. Simply put, if the Gospel of King James has not converted them by now, without adding asterisks or “if” caveats, it never will. We should let them go and cease trying to have reasonable discussions with them.

This brings us to the place of the Golden State Warriors among the all-time greatest teams. Because of this quest, the Warriors have the most to lose. Think about it this way: the Warriors have four all-stars. Does anyone believe that Klay Thompson and Draymond Green are going to take less money to stay? Draymond’s skill set would require two to three players to replace. Thompson has a case for being their best big-game postseason guard. It is not that they have not already accomplished great things. Winning two titles in 3 years is indeed great and yes, but for a suspension, there is a good chance they would be looking at a 4th straight this year.

If “ifs” and “buts” were candy and nuts, we would all have a merry day.

We do not assign all-time great team designations based on endless selective “if” hypotheticals. If Paul does not get hurt, are the Warriors even in this final? You are what your record says you are and that can be completely assigned to teams as opposed to one player.

The fact is the Warriors’ window for joining the likes of the Celtics of the 60s, Lakers of the 80s and Shaq/Kobe era, Pistons of Isiah, and of course, the Bulls with Jordan, is likely closing. What do all those teams have in common? They all repeated as champions. Though I expect the Warriors to accomplish that feat within a week or two, it should not be taken for granted. Those of us that remember the 1983 76ers, who had just acquired the great Moses Malone to join Julius Erving, and then loss only 1 playoff game on the way to sweeping my Lakers for the title, expected that to be the first of several.

It was the last of one.

The same was the case for the 1985 Bears and the 1986 Mets. I would include the 1985 Hoyas of Georgetown, but at least it took a perfect game from Villanova (they shot about 75% for the game and still could only win by 2) to deny them their place. Far less have derailed many teams aspiring to all-time greatness status.

Therefore, that is what is on the line for the Warriors….all time greatness. LeBron will be viewed as LeBron will be viewed.

 

Gus Griffin, for War Room Sports

Kobe Goes Out on an Epic 60-Point Performance

Thursday, April 14th, 2016

KB

Kobe Bryant ends his historic 20-year NBA career by willing his old NBA body to a 60-point performance while simultaneously willing his young Lakers team to a 101-96 victory over the Utah Jazz.  It was a final game performance for the ages.  #MambaOut

Get your Kobe Bryant gear HERE, by clicking the link below:

Kobe Bryant Retirement Gear

WHAT HAPPENED IN DC LAST NIGHT?

Thursday, December 3rd, 2015

by Gus Griffin

gus

 

 

 

KB

No matter how many armchair coaches and talking heads try to give you a basketball-based explanation, resist.  It was not about the X’s and O’s of basketball, it was about understanding the psychology of teams in the moment.  On Tuesday the maddening Wizards went into Cleveland and beat LeBron and the defending conference champs.  It was their first home loss of the year.  On that same night my Lakers were beaten soundly by one of the worst teams in NBA history, giving those Sixers their first win of the year.  So all logic tells you that those same Wizards should have little trouble with my Lakers, right?  Vegas saw it that way, installing the Wizards as 10 point favorites.  Wrong!  This game was not only a classic letdown spot for the Wizards, it was a letdown spot on steroids.  It was neither some brilliant tactical adjustment made by Byron Scott, nor some great coaching blunder by Randy Whitman.

The script was a familiar one: Act 1: Kobe gets the ball; Act 2: everyone in the whole arena knows that he is going to shoot; Act 3: he single-handedly stops any semblance of functional half-court offense by dribbling and head faking with a defender on his back as if he were in the post, though he is now usually 25 feet from basket; Act 4: he shoots; Act 5: and this was the only outcome of all the acts that differed dramatically from previous scripts: THE SHOTS WENT IN.  It was the old Kobe, pun intended, not the Grey Mamba, to the tune of 31 points to include two huge shots inside the last 2 minutes.  Sure it took him 24 shots to make 10, but that’s not different from the Kobe that will be a first ballot HOF’er.  Unfortunately for the Lakers, he cannot sustain such efforts.  Last night’s Kobe was the norm for so many years, or at least 7-8 of every 10 games.  They will be lucky to see him once every 12-15 games.  I am fully prepared for my Lakers to return to being what we are: some shit!  But hey, as a lifelong diehard fan of the mighty purple and gold, in a game that may as well have been in the Great Western Forum, it was nice to reminisce of the glory days.

 

Gus Griffin, for War Room Sports

Melanin Mount Rushmore

Thursday, February 12th, 2015

by OGICIC

MMR

I’ll be honest, I’ve never participated in the “Kobe v. LeBron” or “Kobe v. MJ” debates and I’ve refrained for a simple reason. None of the aforementioned names come anywhere close to being the “greatest” in basketball. I love Floyd Mayweather and he has a success story which is filled with hard work and dedication, yet in still he can never be the “greatest”. I just watched the Super Bowl and was rooting for the Patriots, though after the victory I refused to engage in the “is Tom Brady the greatest?” discussion. Why? Because the greatest is named Jim Brown! The greatest in basketball are named Bill Russell & Kareem Abdul-Jabbar! The greatest boxer is named Muhammad Ali!

How do I define greatness, or the “greatest”? I define it by one’s performance on and off the field. To be the “greatest” means that you persevered through far more than anyone else, emerged victorious and uncompromised. How can Michael Jordan, or LeBron James, or Kobe Bryant be the “greatest”? I’ve never heard of MJ speaking up for the inner city youth that die for his shoes, much less the Chinese youth that make them. I appreciate LeBron’s speaking up on issues and his philanthropic efforts, but how does any of that exist without Bill Russell and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar? If we are to talk hardware, Bill Russell won 11 NBA championships and did so as both a player and coach in one of the most racially hostile cities in America (Boston). Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (aka Mr. Never White America’s Negro) won 6 NBA championships. If we are to talk about more than championships, Bill and Kareem have been avid advocates and spokespersons for Melanin/Hebrew/African-American people! They stood with boxing’s “greatest” Muhammad Ali, as he took on the racist and biased institution.

Jim Brown? Well he only won 1 NFL Championship, yet his fight of racism and injustice, his youth work and his constant advocacy have more diamonds in them than any ring!!!!

Thats how I define greatness……so sorry….MJ never has a chance, Kobe not even close, LeBron (I guess we can wait and see) can be 3rd at best! Brady, no way, Montana, never heard of him. Marshawn………heeeeyyyyy……..ask Jim about that one!

Zachariah Ysaye Oluwa Bankole “OGICIC”, for War Room Sports

Who is Running the Lakers?

Wednesday, December 18th, 2013

by Brandon McConnell

Brandon Mac Blog

 

 

 

 

 

Lakers Logo

 

Through the years we have watched the Lakers win NBA Championships led by different Hall of Fame players from Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to Kobe Bryant.  One common denominator in each of the past ten Lakers championships was late owner Dr. Jerry Buss.  He turned the Lakers into the New York Yankees of basketball.

Since the Great Dr. Jerry Buss passed, we have seen some very questionable moves by the Lakers organization.  The first move would be putting all their balls in one hoop by bringing in Dwight Howard with no long-term deal and not trading him at the trade deadline when all of America knew he was not signing back with the Lakers.  Second questionable move was signing a 38-year old point guard with health issues when you know the NBA is full of top-notch point guards that will run circles around Nash.  Next, you sign a coach that has not proven anything but he can create a team that can average over 100 points, which would be good if they didn’t give up 100+ points per game.  Finally you sign a 35 year-old shooting guard at 48.5 million dollars, who is coming off an Achilles injury, without seeing if he will ever be healthy again.

So I analyzed the Lakers today and asked myself this question; “How is Mitch Kupchak going to turn this one around?”   The Lakers have a plan to clear the cap for summer of 2014 in the chance of getting multiple free agents to bring them back into a championship contender.  Part of this plan was totally blown when they signed Kobe Bryant.  There was no negotiation done when signing him; they just gave him the money.  Kobe is just like anyone else in the world, he is “not turning nothing down but his collars”.    So 48.5 million dollars for the next two years is already taken off the cap, leaving room to pay only one more max player.  While researching the list of available free agent players for 2014 that are considered max deal players, these are my top 5.

LeBron James:  He is not coming to LA to help Kobe Bryant win a 6th ring.  LeBron is legacy chasing.  It probably already pisses him off that D-Wade keeps getting one more than him, but no one thinks Wade is an all-time great.

Dwayne Wade:  He is the mayor of Miami.  He is not leaving Miami, ever!  Plus you don’t need D-Wade if you already have Kobe.  Both are playing on their last leg, literally.

Chris Bosh: He could probably help the Lakers but they would need the old Toronto, dread-wearing Bosh who averaged 24 points and 11 rebounds per game.  But why leave Miami when you’re winning championships and getting undeserved max money.

Dirk Nowitzki:  He is not going anywhere.  He enjoys being Mark Cuban’s #1 prostitute.  Loyal to a fault.  I call it the Kevin Garnett Minnesota syndrome.

Carmelo Anthony:  The most likely out of the bunch to leave and come to LA.  NY sucks and will continue to suck as long as they are paying Stoudemire.

There were rumors at the beginning of the season that LeBron wanted to play with Carmelo in the future.  If this rumor were to be true,  the Lakers had the money to pay both of them and put the correct pieces around them in order to contend.  By signing Kobe Bryant, who looks like he will never be himself again, they eliminated all chances of that happening in LA.  It just doesn’t make sense to give him that amount of money without knowing he will be 100% healthy.

So the sell for Mitch will be, getting an all-star to want to come in and play with Kobe, not knowing if he will even last the next two years.  So good luck Lakers fans, of which I am one.  There is no Pau Gasol to steal from any franchises.   But we do have one thing working for us; THE BEST BENCH IN THE NBA BABY!  Only because we have the worst starting five in the NBA.

Best Current Laker
"Swaggy P"

“Swaggy P”

Brandon McConnell of Respect Da Game, for War Room Sports

How LeBron James Stacks Up to the Greats (Part 2)

Monday, June 3rd, 2013

by Chris Price

 

Dream Matchup

(Editor’s note – If you haven’t read part one of this series, please read it HERE prior to reading this article)

 

So here is the other side of the story.  Ongoing discussion about LeBron James’ place in history has lead me to explore the other side of the argument.  Bear with me as I take a look at three of the biggest arguments for LeBron James being the best to ever do it.

 

#1 – Today’s NBA is the best that it’s ever been, and LeBron James stands head and shoulders above the rest of the players in this generation.
I’ll concede the second part of this argument without hesitation.  At this point, LeBron James has established himself as being CLEARLY better than the rest the guys in his generation; guys that include Chris Paul, Carmelo Anthony, Dwight Howard, Dwyane Wade, and even the slightly younger guys like Kevin Durant, Derrick Rose, and Russell Westbrook.  I think most basketball fans would agree.  Let’s explore the second part of the assertion though.

The argument for today’s NBA being better than past decades stems from the growth of AAU basketball, advancements in training and nutrition, a global talent pool, and the notion that a lot more of our talented U.S. athletes are choosing to play basketball.

Well, after just a little bit of pondering, I’m gonna call the “era argument” a wash. Since 1988 the NBA has added 6 more expansion teams.  That’s 90 roster spots.  At the start of the 2012-2013 NBA season, there were 84 international players on rosters.  No less jobs for American players.  And let’s look at those American players. We are seeing some phenomenal athletes, but how many great basketball players are we seeing?  With less time today learning the game on the college level than players 20-30 years ago, are our top basketball prospects really becoming great basketball players?  In many cases, yes. “One and done” guys like Durant, Love, and Kyrie are excellent, but lets look at some of our top big men.  Would Dwight Howard, arguably today’s best center, be as standout a center 20 years ago playing in an era of great centers?  Would Blake Griffin, a 2nd Team All NBA performer this season, be able to do what he does against more skilled, more PHYSICAL power forwards from the 1980s, under rules that allowed more physicality?  That’s something to think about.  I feel pretty confident in saying that LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Chris Paul, Russell Westbrook, and Tony Parker would have been great playing in any era, but I also feel confident that what Michael Jordan and Karl Malone showed us a decade ago as 40-year olds was indicative of great command of the game.  If you’re gonna give Shaq and Kobe credit for their 3-peat at the turn of the century, you gotta give Mike and Karl credit for having legitimate All-Star seasons at the same time, all while playing at or around 40 years of age.  Now I truly respect the great players of today, but nothing I see or have seen is telling me that guys of yesteryear didn’t have serious game.  Let’s call it a wash on the era argument, and therefore taking nothing from and adding nothing to LeBron James’ accomplishments in today’s NBA.

 

#2 – Don’t Compare Careers; Compare Peaks!
Now this is something pretty interesting that I’ve heard.  It’s actually intriguing to me. Instead of trying to compare LeBron James’ career to the lofty standards of efficient legendary careers like….
Michael Jordan: 6 championships in 13 Chicago seasons, 6/6 in NBA Finals, 6 NBA Finals MVPs
Magic Johnson: 5 championships in 13 seasons, 5/9 in NBA Finals, 3 NBA Finals MVPs

…compare their peaks instead.  (By the way, Larry Bird won 3 championships in 13 seasons, and went 3/5 in NBA Finals.  LeBron might be knocking on that door here soon)

So the argument is this: Is LeBron today better than Mike as his best?  Is LeBron today better than Magic at his best?  Is he better than Larry at his best?  Some LeBron supporters will say that he can do what those guys can do but he’s bigger. I would disagree.  I would say each of those guys did something better than LeBron.  But I DO notice that LeBron may be the second best in a lot of categories compared to these guys.

Out of MJ, Magic, Larry, and LeBron, here’s who has the edge in each category by the stats and by the eye test.

Scoring: Michael

Passing: Magic

Rebounding: Larry

Defense: LeBron or Michael

Offensive Efficiency: Magic/Michael (LeBron?)

LeBron may be the second best scorer of the group.  He is certainly second by career and peak scoring average.  LeBron may be the second best passer of the group.  He has the edge in assist average as well over Mike and Larry.  Larry is clearly the best rebounder of the group, and Magic actually may be second.  But LeBron has an argument for that too. On defense, we know Michael at one point was as good as they come on the perimeter. However LeBron has been noted as a more versatile defender because of his size.  I’m not here to debate whether he is or isn’t a better defender than Michael, but either way he’s up there as one of the best defenders we have seen that didn’t play the center position. He’s either first or second in defense out of the group of 4.  And finally, LeBron posted an incredible 56.5% FG percentage this year; something only Magic has matched in his career. Magic owns the higher peak assist to turnover ratio, and Michael owns the higher career Player Efficiency Rating (PER).  Michael actually owns the highest PER in NBA history.  But you know who is number 2 all time in PER? LeBron.

A lot of pundits will credit the older guys with high intangibles; leadership, competitiveness, toughness, basketball IQ, “clutch” factor, etc.  As somebody who doesn’t consider himself a “Witness”, but rather just a basketball fan, I can acknowledge that LeBron is truly putting it all together and most, if not all, of his mental/emotional hang-ups are in the past.  He’s improving in every significant intangible category in my eyes and in the eyes of many.

So maybe a guy who isn’t known for one specific skill but who can do everything very well has a good peak argument.  If nothing else Lebron’s attributes and statistical achievements (as well as the fact that he is now a champion) leave the door open for debate for those who want to go there.

 

#3 – There has been no other player like LeBron James in history.  His combination of talent, size, athleticism, and skill has never been seen before.
Now this one is one I’ve heard a lot.  You probably have too.  Is it true?  Well, yes…it is true.  But isn’t that true for all the GOAT candidates?

Kareem was a 7’2″ player with an unstoppable shot, the skyhook.  Had we seen something like the skyhook before, and have we since?

Wilt Chamberlain, Shaq, Magic, Duncan, Olajuwon, Robertson are all pretty unique players to me.  You can say that LeBron is bigger than all of the perimeter guys, and more athletic, but is he truly a bigger version?  Meaning, the same skills but just bigger, stronger, quicker, etc?  I say nah.  He’s not gonna have the footwork or smooth post game of MJ or Kobe, or the quick change of direction of…you know what, it doesn’t even matter.  If LeBron can continue to do LeBron and continue to create his own lane, he won’t have to worry about comparisons with anyone.

Peep this.  The cool thing about LeBron coming into the league at 18, and being the exact opposite of an injury-prone player, and being very-very good, is that he has a chance to break a looooot of records.  He already has 4 MVPs at age 28. Kareem has the record with 6 MVPs.  Can he snag 2 or 3 or more MVPs in his career?  He has a good shot at it.  LeBron also has just over 21,000 points for his career.  Kareem has that record also at  38, 387.  If LeBron keeps up his current rate of 27.6 PPG and stays healthy, he can catch Kareem at age 36.  And even if he doesn’t do that he can catch Jordan’s career number at age 33, at his current pace.  Pretty wild.

Now granted, when a lot of people think about Magic, Michael or Larry, they might be thinking about championships or the special way they played the game.  The big shots. The big games.  Some people don’t think LeBron will ever match what those guys brought to the table.  Even if that is your stance, what if you are looking at a guy who has a chance to rewrite greatness in terms of records upon records, plus high-level defense, plus mind-blowing stats, plus a few rings…

With all of the things LeBron has already accomplished in his short career, and all the potential of what is to come, at the end of the day when you sit back and look at the body of work, could it be enough?

 

Chris Price, for War Room Sports

The 8 Famous Mommies In Sports

Monday, May 13th, 2013

by LeRoy McConnell III

 

 

 

 

allenandAnneIverson35

courtesy of hitemwheretheyaint.com

Happy Mother’s Day to all the mommies all over the world.  Moms are famous for several reasons: For their nurturing, being a tad bit on the crazy side, and well, you know…“MILF”.  I wanted to take the opportunity of the occasion to shed light on The 8 Famous Mommies In Sports.

 

8. Wilma McNabb: Mother of former NFL QB Donovan McNabb

mcnabb-mom

courtesy of nextimpulsesports

Wilma McNabb is better known as America’s Favorite Sports Mom.  She became famous in her own right thanks to the Chunky Soup commercials, where she fed her son and teammates.  She put an end to the fake mom on the commercial as it only made sense for her to play the role of Donovan’s mom, since in fact she is his real mom!

 

7. Gloria James: Mother of NBA Superstar LeBron James

Gloria James, the proud mother of LeBron; you’re talking about someone who hit the lottery!  I don’t know who really is the parent here, her or LeBron.  It’s amazing that LeBron turned out to be spectacular on and off the court, because the antics his mother puts him through are disturbing.  Slapping a hotel valet attendant while intoxicated, mouthing off with Boston Celtics’ Paul Pierce after he fouled James hard during LeBron’s Cleveland days, and of course the rumors of her and Delonte West!

 

6. Sonya Curry:  Golden State Warrior’s Superstar Steph & former Duke standout Seth Curry

The MILF; the most talked about mom in college basketball.  I sure hope she starts showing up to some of these NBA games now, since both of her kids are done with the NCAA.  There have been countless times that she is compared to the beautiful actress, Thandie Newton.  Sonya, also was an athlete.  She was a volleyball player at Virginia Tech, same place where she met her husband, former NBA player Dell Curry.

 

5. Ann Iverson: Mother of former 76ers great Allen Iverson

If you were an Allen Iverson fan, then you knew his mother quite well.  She was trying to be just as hip as her trendsetting son.  Then again, she was just a baby herself as the mom and son duo are only fifteen years apart.  When the initials A.I. came about, one would wonder who you were talking about, Allen or Ann!  Ann Iverson has to be at the top of the list of moms who defends their son whether he is right or wrong.  Sometimes it’s better if mom just stays out of it.

 

4. April Justin: Mother of Alabama recruit Landon Collins

Who says that mothers always know best?  Well Ms. Justin will tell you she does.  Her son, Landon Collins, one of the most coveted high school seniors in the country, chose to play football at Alabama next season.  No-brainer right…playing for Nick Saban and the national champions, Alabama Crimson Tide?  Only problem was mommy didn’t approve.  Let’s see how she felt about his decision and what she wants him to do.

 

3. Pamela Bryant:  Mother of 5-time L.A. Lakers Champ Kobe Bryant

0503-kobe-pam-bryant-tmz-getty-3

courtesy of tmz

No child should ever think about putting his or her hands on their mom.  Especially her neck, and NO Kobe did no such thing, but he was probably thinking it.  I suppose that Mother’s Day wasn’t celebrated on Kobe’s end as he is engaged in an ugly lawsuit over his childhood memorabilia.  I guess since Kobe won’t front mommy with more money for a new home, Pamela Bryant is taking matters into her own hands by selling items of her beloved son, all the way back from his high school days.  I have to say, MY LAMB!

2. Pamela McGee:  Mother of Denver Nuggets Javale McGee

pam mcgee

courtesy of NBA Mistress

Pamela was the first WNBA player to have a child play in the NBA.  Pam is the overprotective mom who manages Javale’s career.  Lord knows what she may be doing to Javale’s social life when it comes to women!  Fortunately we may soon see a reality show called Millionaire Mama’s Boy, starring Javale and Pam, which will be airing on Oprah’s network real soon.

1. Janet Hill:  Mother of L.A. Clippers’ Grant Hill

janet

courtesy of www.diversity.duke.edu

The Hill family were compared to the Cosby show (Heathcliff & Claire) because it was rare to see an African-American couple, both having professional careers.  She married Yale graduate and former Dallas Cowboys running back, Calvin Hill.  Mrs. Hill raised one of the most elegant, respectable gentleman that the NBA has ever had in Grant Hill.  Oh by the way Janet Hill will always be linked with Hilary Clinton because they were roommates in college.

 

Happy Mother’s Day!

 

LeRoy McConnell II of “A Fan’s Point of View”, for War Room Sports

 

 

Understanding “Overrated”

Friday, April 26th, 2013

by Cory Jefferies

 

If some of the greatest players in the history of North American sports can be overrated from the narratives told about them and the social statuses given to them to describe their level of greatness, surely it isn’t too hard to figure out how or why a great player can be overrated DESPITE the player’s GREATNESS.  “Overrated” doesn’t automatically run mutually exclusive to extremely horrible, over-hyped players.  I think 99% of fans miss this point.  Well, maybe more like 87-90%.

Let me point out 3 types of overrated players:
#1. You can be HORRIBLE & OVERRATED (see JaMarcus Russell’s draft day position).  See Tim Tebow, Mark Sanchez, Ryan Leaf, and Kwame Brown’s draft position, plus their actual production.
#2. You can be AVERAGE & OVERRATED.  For example, see discussions on whether or not guys like Derek Fisher or Robert Horry are Hall of Famers.
#3. You can be GREAT/ELITE and STILL BE OVERRATED.  See Steve Nash winning two consecutive MVP awards.  See Derrick Rose’s MVP season where he averaged 23 ppg & 8 apg but was outplayed in every sense by LeBron James.  See Michael Vick’s best season in Philly and Donovan McNabb’s career in Philly as well (DESPITE his otherwise nice playoff resume).  Just because you are elite doesn’t exempt you from being overrated.  If people say that Kobe Bryant is better than Michael Jordan, even though Kobe’s surely one of THE greatest players ever, he’s simply overrated.
My point: Whether you are awful, marginal, above average, mediocre, good, or very good, the narrative people have for you can make you overrated.
Cory Jefferies for War Room Sports