rawaction

Man, most people are really stupid. Yeah, you're proving that.

Does it make it less ridiculous given that you are arguing the minority opinion?

Yes, and now he will conceivably have the ball in his hands, score, and be able to distribute LESS than he was before. If he was the best because of that....isn't it conceivable that his reputation of being the best will take a hit because he is doing less of what made him the best in the game? Look at Kobe for an example. LeBron has risen above Kobe as the best in the game. Why? Lebron's numbers aren't so remarkably better. And it obviously ain't team success. Because Kobe's numbers are down across the board the last 2 years because he doesn't have to have the ball, distribute, or score for the Lakers to be the best team in the league anymore because he has help. It may sound irrational, but it's the truth. It's why people didn't dance in the street when Lebron and co. won the gold medal in 2008. It's why Canada would have been a disaster area had they not won Olympic hockey gold this past winter. It's pretty clear that more respect is given to a player/team that wins on a relatively level playing field. Jordan's Bulls created a playing field that was serverely tilted in their favor, but most attribute that to MJ's greatness and competitiveness getting the other 11 players on the Bulls to play to his level. Lebron tipped the scales before games have even been played. There's a clear difference. LeBron going to the Heat shows that he is either unwilling or unable to continue to try and win on a level or self-tilted playing field.

If they were in a 3rd party city, yes...it would be completely different. If he was 30, not 25 and wanted to win it would be completely different. If Wade and Bosh were not top 10 players in the league it would be different. So basically LeBron is a villain for not being arrogant enough to not want all the credit by being the undisputed leader. It's not like him, Wade, and Bosh are going to change what they do on the basketball court just because they are in Miami rather than some other city. It's only who the public gives credit to that will change. So LeBron's legacy is diminished, but do we really want individual players making decisions about what will be best for their legacy? Who cares about individual players? LeBron is obviously not the typical individual player. That's why were aren't talking about why David Lee went to Golden St or that Rudy Gay stayed in Memphis. It's why we wouldn't even be talking about Wade going to wherever if he would have left Miami. LeBron is the only player in the league at this moment who has a potential legacy that is worth even caring about. Who cares how everyone else made their decision? LeBron had every right to make a decision based on his legacy....and chose not to take a chance. Bad analogy, but it's like in Bruce Almighty if Jim Carrey was given the chance to take all of Gods powers and he was like, "Naw, give the power to Evan. I'd rather be God's best friend than the man himself". Sure, the responsibility is tough and scary to have to take on, but you are a punk if you don't take it and have the capability of pulling it off....especially when you are supposed to be the "Chosen One, King James".

If they were in a 3rd party city, yes...it would be completely different. If he was 30, not 25 and wanted to win it would be completely different. If Wade and Bosh were not top 10 players in the league it would be different.

Actually, yes. In my opinion, yes. Call it arbitrary or what you want. But it is what it is. Everything in sports is arbitrary. Jordan was Chi, Bird was Bos, Kobe is LA, DWade was/is Miami, Cleveland was Lebron's city. Point is, LeBron had the potential to go down as the best player who ever lived, presumably taking that arbitrary title from Jordan. If he got the talent to come to Cleveland, then I would give him all the props once he earned them because that would still be "his" team.....because he was the man that was synonymous with basketball in Cleveland. Miami is Wade's team. He carried them to their only championship. It's like ARod and Jeter. The Yankees are Jeter's team because he's won titles as the captain and star of the team. Arod was a far better player when he got there, but is still clearly 2nd fiddle to Jeter when it comes to popularity in NYC....and that shouldn't be the case with the best in the game.

Everyone is compared to Jordan. But it gets magnified in Chicago. Sure Bulls fans would have loved LeBron, but he would have always taken a backseat to Jordan until he won his 7th title in a red and black uniform. No. If it was closer to the Jordan era and the Bulls hadn't sucked so much since he was gone and he was still some kind of presence with the team, OK, fine, but as it stands he's gone and it's been too long since the Bulls were legitimate contenders. Anyone here focusing on comparing him to Jordan moreso than is already done everywhere else is just trying way too damn hard. Well, you say tomato, I say tomato. The Bulls have sucked so much since Jordan has left and have not been legitimate contenders for so long, so I think that means they have nothing to hang onto but the 6 championships, and one or 2 championships would not even be enough for most Bulls fans.

Not even close to the same. For the 110th time, Rose and Noah are developing players. Bosh and Wade are already elite players. Rose will never be as good as Wade is right now (possibly the top G) and Noah will never be as good as Bosh. Nobody would villify LBJ if he went to play with other developing players or even other really good established players. But he went to play with 2 of the top 10 players in the game, and did so as a 2nd fiddle in a market where Wade has already starred.

Everyone is compared to Jordan. But it gets magnified in Chicago. Sure Bulls fans would have loved LeBron, but he would have always taken a backseat to Jordan until he won his 7th title in a red and black uniform. In Cleveland (or any other city for that matter), the comparison can be made with a caveat that LBJ is in a "different situation". That argument can't be made in LBJ is playing in Chicago.

You guys obviously hit the nail on the head. But I don't think Chicago was the perfect situation. Lebron had 3 things to get out of this decision, so we all thought. Fame, Legacy, Championships. He chose to go for just 1 of those things (championships). I think in Chicago, he would have always been compared to Jordan. It would have been very hard for him to create a legacy bigger than Jordan's. Cleveland would hurt his chances to be the biggest star walking the Earth (fame). The perfect place for him was New York. Say all you want about them not being close to a championship, but any team that added LeBron was going to be a contender. Plus, add in his ability to draw in people to want to play with him and the lure of NYC...it would have only been a short matter of time before LBJ was leading the Knicks to championship contention. And believe it or not, whoever leads the Knicks to a title will be hailed as a God in NYC. The Knicks are a storied franchise but what do they have to show for it? No titles since 1972. LeBron could have been the biggest star in the biggest city in the world, created a legacy for a team that while storied doesn't really have that signature player in its franchise history, and he could have won a title for a team that hasn't tasted victory in nearly 40 years. I honestly thought LBJ going to the Knicks was a no-brainer.

I think that would good for the game. Now if the Bulls can trade Deng, Johnson, and Gibson for Kevin Durant and create the league's only Big 4!

I really can't think of one move that ever turned out well for MJ as an owner/GM. He just isn't very good at working the front office in basketball. Concerning Reddick, why sign him when you have a very similar player in Korver? Get Barnes who is a little more athletic and guards the 2's significantly better? I am tired of the Bulls trotting out their 6'3" 2 guards. The Bulls could use two 2Gs, because they don't have anything else on the roster. Redick probably won't be it. I like Brewer over Barnes personally.

He did play first base his junior year at Clemson but he would provide below average offensive production at first. Kinda like the 1B production this year.

I don't think it would be too hard to trade Fukudome. If the object is nowhere for Colvin to play, I would gladly include him in the deal if I can get a pitcher or prospect from TB. Lilly and Colvin for Upton and a P would work for me. Colvin should be happy as I'm sure he'd get plenty of ABs the rest of this year (if he keeps hitting) and would be in the mix to start if they can't re-sign Crawford. Even if they re-sign Crawford, he can still be in the mix w/ Zobrist able to play so many positions and the DH possibilities.

I reallly like that Giants team. Funny that the Giants are boring to watch, but have good announcers, the Rays are a fun team to watch but their announcers are brutal. I liked Brennaman at one point. I thought he was ok with the Cubs and got better w/ the Reds, but he has really gotten progressively worse now. The Boston announcers are big homers who talk funny. And I like Scully also.

already a thread in baseball discussions.

Yeah, he's gone. Yankees making an announcement within the hour.

If it's like other sports, the Blackhawks matched so they have to pay him whatever the Sharks offered him and he is still a Blackhawk.

Unlike Patterson, Upton can take a walk to combat his high K totals. Upton's power is decent too, but he has shown a lot more (24 HRs in 2007, 7 playoff HRs in 2009). Upton's BABIP is a career low .293 this year, which is low for someone with his speed. If he was near his career average, you are looking at an .800+ OPS hitter.

Suns trade for Hedo Turkoglu and Josh Childress. The Suns traded a 2nd rounder for Childress.

Outside of the NY teams, those are some teams with some very strong minor league systems and some young major league talent. I'd love to make a trade with any of those teams.

I think the Cubs could get Upton for Lilly. They were going to give up Upton for Cliff Lee, who is also a half year rental. Lee is better than Lilly, but the Rays were also rumored to be giving up more than just BJ. I think the Rays are definitely interested in trading from their ML roster. Between 2B, SS, CF, and RF they have been playing Brignac, Upton, Zobrist, Rodriguez, Joyce, Kapler, Bartlett, and Joyce. Other than Zobrist they have all been interchangable all putting up sub .730 OPS's. They'd love to trade 2 guys from that group and let the others play everyday in hopes that one or two get hot with consistent PT. Upton is the one that has had the most chance to play everyday and hasn't performed well enough, therefore he is probably most likely to be gone, IMO.

Gorzellany has pitched really well as a Cub. Larry Rothschild may just be a genius between him, Silva, Jason Marquis (at times), Wells, and countless others. It's not Cardinal pixie dust, but Larry has worked wonders with the Cubs pitching staff for years.

Very interesting. He's 27, but I think he can still develop into a pretty good scorer (16-18ppg). He actually averaged 11 ppg as a kid in Atlanta before he went to Europe, so you know he can play a little in the NBA. I think he's going to be very expensive though as he was making good money in Greece.

The Bulls were a playoff team that was 28th in 3pt%. Redick will get all the shots that Hinrich couldn"t knock down. He' s a good fit for a team lacking outside shooting and trying to take a step forward.