NBA 2010-11
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- OSFA0
Yes and no. You have to think and know what to say, if not, you're just piling up more enemies and we all saw what all those enemies/pressure can do to you in crucial times. There's no excuse for his performance, he sucked and avoided responsibility instead of carrying 'his' team to the Championship.
Look at how many shots he avoided and passed the ball to guys like Chalmers, etc. instead... it felt like he was thinking 'fuck this, I got too much pressure on me and I'm not gonna be the one that screws up' so instead, he disappeared.
- Possibly. No way to know what happened in the Finals that was so different from the rest of the playoffs.CygnusZero4
- OSFA0
Dick Vitale said it well....
- Dodecahedron0
When people say pro sports are 'rigged' its not always about actually rigging it with money or threats from the mafia, its not about bribing refs though this does happen. Its about weighting the games, its about slanting the factors into certain team's direction. There is a certain amount of collusion that happens with the players especially the top ones and the people behind the scenes from managers to the sponsors people.
Its not always about winning they want certain teams to win at certain times so they'll take a loss understanding what the purpose is. Its not about winning its about image and marketing.
The Heat purposely took a second seat this time around because it was their first playoffs as a super team... it creates the James is a failure story for the media and gives the underdogs a bunch of the limelight. Dirk and Kidd now go out in their later years with a Championship. James and the Heat have lots of time as a team now but they need to have a story beyond being stacked... now after being losers they win several times in the next few years, just watch, and viola everyone likes them and they are a dynasty.
The league and the marketers are creating an image and a story to sell. If they just let whatever teams win fair and square it would never be consistent or they'd only get the same teams winning constantly... and they wouldn't be able to capitalise on letting the most marketable story making teams win. Everyone wins.
- A few people here said, the Heat just gave up, intentionally! They actually let Dallas win this year.Dodecahedron
- This happened with LA before and after Shaq. Shaq won with the Heat then LA etc.Dodecahedron
- Then in the meantime the Celtics were allowed to win because Celtics are very marketable and likeable.Dodecahedron
- They have like long term plans for this shit. Iw illing to bet Chicago will be in the finals next year against the Heat because of ObamaDodecahedron
- ...because of Obama. Thats why Chicago won the Stanly Cup last year, because of Obama.Dodecahedron
- Vancouver this year for the Olympics and because its a rich marketable city,Dodecahedron
- You sir, are an idiot.sigg
- sry heat can't play chicago in the finals but the bulls will still do wellDodecahedron
- they are sharing the gravy.Dodecahedron
- Dode, don't forget your tin hat.CanHasQBN
- I only need to be reminded of my daily dose of reality.Dodecahedron
- literally the dumbest shit I've ever read.ThePublics
- like to hear some defense and counter argument. Please convince me they only play to win.Dodecahedron
- SUP NUMBERS GUYdMullins
- counter argument? that's like asking people to prove god doesn't exist.eficks
- then just convince me that winning is all that matter in pro sports.Dodecahedron
- Dodecahedron0
Everyone knows pro boxing is rigged but a great example is Mike Tyson's last fight. He obviously took a dive, he just fell over, then announced his retirement and said "I only fight for the money"... like duh he is admitting it. If he wanted to win it would have been a brutal slug fest and likely would have hurt himself and the opponent.
- SUP NUMBERS GUYdMullins
- numbers guy doesn't stroke me as someone into pro sportsDodecahedron
- CanHasQBN0
^ Of course Tyson was only fighting for money in his last fight. I think that's pretty obvious to everyone. He was old, slow, and not really intent on becoming the Heavyweight Champ again. Nobody honestly expected him to win or put up much of a fight. Contrast that with Lebron and Dwane, who are young and still have the drive to win. To say that they purposely lost is a huge stretch.
- Precisely because they are young they know they have a lot of seasons to be the winner. They let the older players have a championship.Dodecahedron
- ...a championship. Its sharing the gravy and perpetuating their image for the media.Dodecahedron
- very huge stretch. do you also think tyson lost buster douglas on purpose??SteveJobs
- Dodecahedron0
yes actually I think he lost to Douglas on purpose. Its all about timing, he had beaten everyone and nobody could really take him out. Nobody would have noticed if he won again, nobody would have cared who Buster Douglas was. Instead he lost, made that fight in Japan infamous, made Douglas's entire career, then took it back. He really lose anything, everyone won again by him 'losing'. What would have been gained if he just beat up another no name?
Its like why rappers dis other rappers on stage only to make the other rapper they just dissed 50 times more famous. You don't really like this person then bury them and forget they exist... like if you really want to win you don't give up in the last quarter. But its good business, good publicity. Same in the NBA and boxing.
- somebody call him dodecadipshit again, please.johnny_wobble
- CygnusZero40
I think James' situation is unique. He came into the league with more expectations than anyone in history. Jordan never had to deal with this shit. He was a nobody when he got in the league, so all he had to do was just play really great, and he did.
James was a star from day one with millions of eyes on him and the weight of the world on his shoulders. I can't really think of 1 athlete that had more hype behind him. Maybe he's showing now that it's just too much, so he tried a different approach, be a lot more passive in the Finals, but it didnt work. I dont expect he'll make that same mistake again when he gets back.
- Man, everybody knew who MJ was - however the social media infusion in daily life was not there...adumbratesly
- CanHasQBN0
Getting to the Finals is no guarantee, even for the best players. Lebron may never get there again. Anything can happen in this sport. Wade could tear his ACL tomorrow and it would just be Lebron to carry the team.
Once these players get THAT far into their careers... the pinnacle of basketball... their childhood dream come true... the NBA Finals... they WANT to win it. There's a lot of pride on the line and you can't take that opportunity for granted because it may never come again. These players are already too massively wealthy to even care about possibly getting some extra money into losing the trophy on purpose.
I think you're reading too much into it. The better team one and some people choke under extreme pressure. It's happened many times in sports. Not everything is a conspiracy.
Are you going to tell me that Lebron's loss in the '07 Finals vs the Lakers was fixed as well? If so... shouldn't this year's Finals have been his time for redemption? Or does that come even later in the script?
- dMullins0
^ +1
Maybe we should shelve this discussion for about 10-13 years.
- ThePublics0
Dode -
The problem with your theory, as with all sweeping conspiracy theories, is that it depends on a very large number of people staying quiet. Given that a tell-all book, and the publicity generated therein, on how professional sports is rigged would create far more profit than most pro athletes make, how could those in control possibly keep everyone quiet?
- yyyyyyyyyepSteveJobs
- its a form of indirect collusion NOT conspiracy. there is no sweeping theory here just critical thoughtDodecahedron
- CygnusZero40
Cant believe there's people that think the NBA is fixed.
- I can't either. Pack of re-re's.dMullins
- its not fixed they just arn't always playing to win. they have different interests than pure competition.Dodecahedron
- SteveJobs0
@CygnusZero
i don't buy that argument. they are different, sure, but not for those reasons. mj's fame didn't come at the end of his career, it came early on. the be like mike campaign, the nike endorsements.. all that was pretty early on and he didn't fold under the pressure. he just kept getting better and better.admittedly, the era had a lot to do with mj's greatness. his style and the product endorsements were unprecedented for a single athlete. sure, given the internet, constant media coverage, twitter and all that, james has a different kind of pressure, so it's hard to compare the two. but i don't see jordan carrying himself the way james has through this whole dynasty thing, as well as the loss in the finals. James has good ball skills, but he's not a born leader like jordan was. maybe in a few years we can compare the two, but not right now. there's simply no comparison.
- Jordan didnt win anything until he was 27. James is 26. I dont get why people think this loss is the end of him.CygnusZero4
- rings aren't the only sign of greatness.SteveJobs
- people always say that, but karl malone will never be in the same league just because of rings.dMullins
- let's be honest too, karl marone is LBJ's twin.dMullins
- malone*dMullins
- CygnusZero40
They were saying on ESPN that James is only able to shoot long range, and get into the paint. He doesn't have a great mid range game. Well like every single player including Jordan he goes through cold streaks where he loses his feel for the long ball. It hit him at the wrong time. Could have been the unusual pressure on him.
Good teams like the Mavs see when he's lost his long shot and they crowd the paint, which basically forces him into facilitation mode. He needs to develop that mid range shot more.
- he has no heart and the basketball gods hate him. That's it, that's all.ThePublics
- totally agree with that assessment Cygnus.dMullins
- bron can't just give up and say, "well im the best i will ever be"dMullins
- Dodecahedron0
If it were only about winning it would be ten times more competitive and nobody would have a garuntee return on their investment. Throw tens of millions of dollars at an all star why? Only to have him fizzle away in some ultra competitive league in 3 years? They want a story and image to sell and losing is apart of that so long as winning is what balances it off.
These guys play for dollars and publicity. If it was purely about winning and only the best teams won it would be a blood sport and would barely resemble the games we see every night on primetime, it wouldn't even be marketable. Its not a war its sports entertainment .
- marychain0
Dodecahedron...please.....this is ridiculous
if you're just trolling....good luck...if not, you need the short bus....seriously
- Dodecahedron0
what is ridiculous that pro sports is not just about winning? OMG shocker its about money and marketing.
- Why can't it be about all three?CanHasQBN
- Every athlete wants to win...
Marketers want to make money...
there is no conspiracymarychain - no there isn't i don't know why you think I a claiming conspiracy. I'm claiming they are allowing for certain teams to win at opportune timesDodecahedron
- to win at opportune times not directly fixing anything. Its good business actually.Dodecahedron
- ....that's a conspiracy dude.
Do you know what a conspiracy is?marychain - yes its doing some back room shinanigans... they just playing with each others interests in mindDodecahedron
- no conspiring to rig the out comesDodecahedron
- CanHasQBN0
It's not a blood sport because of the rules in place that purposely deter a player from shoving another player to the ground in order to steal the ball.
If players didn't want to win, they WOULD turn it into a blood sport... resulting in fouls AND more points for the OTHER team. Conclusion: Your logic is completely backwards.
And don't say this sport isn't competitive. I doubt you've ever played ball past Junior High. It's so easy to criticize their effort while sitting on your sofa, when you really have no idea how hard it is to play at that elite level.
- Dode- Do you not notice the drastic increase in effort of play during the regular season VS play during the playoffs?CanHasQBN
- Dodecahedron0
not literally a blood sport... figuratively... as in extremely more competitive than it is. It would be like watching a mountain climber, he is not trying to entertain anyone just not fall to his death.
- marychain0
If you think there was any conscious decision to throw the game or series so Dallas could win...THAT is ridiculous
it....didn't....happen
Better team won....that's all
- hard to imagine plain as day when you think about itDodecahedron
- CanHasQBN0
That's the thing... it IS extremely more competitive than it seems. You just don't notice this this because you probably have never played basketball and can't pick up on the nuances of the game. Those players on your TV make it look easy. It's not.