Pled guilty of beating his wife in Phoenix in 2001. http://www.thesmokinggun.com/mugshots/celebrity/sports/jason-kidd ...and everybody wants this guy to get a ring while hating LeBron James. Go figgure!
The national media also fawns over the guy who was on trial for sodomizing a hotel desk clerk. But LBJ is the villain because he was interviewed on a slightly tacky tv special.
Kobe bought his wife a consolation prize (new diamond ring).... to borrow a Chick Hearn-ism... no harm, no foul...
He also didn't guarantee to beat his wife not once, not twice, not three times, not four, not five, not six, not seven.....
Here's the thing: that was for 'us' in South Florida. Not the nation. It was a pep rally. The nation made it theirs. And LeBron didn't guarantee either. But why waste a good hate opportunity? Rick Reilly holds Jason Kidd up in his "Dallas deserves it more" column, alluding that he's nicer than anybody on the Heat. He's certainly highly respected around the league. But he's also yet another NBA player who ran around on his wife Tiger Woods style.
I don't disagree - and I hate Ben Roethlisberger more than almost any athlete I can think of. But I think the major difference is that LeBron did something WITHIN THE SPORT. I'm not going to argue whether he actually did anything wrong - some say yes, some say no - that is a completely different argument. But people are fans of the NBA, so if they perceive his actions as doing something that hurts the integrity of that game, they are going to react with more emotion than something happening in someone's private life. For instance, Bill Bellichick cheated on his wife. He also filmed the St. Louis Ram practices - I can guarantee every person here hates him for filming a practice more than cheating on his wife. Also - wait three years and everyone will love LeBron again. The Kidd thing was 10 years ago - so comparing that to something that happened 10 months ago isn't exactly fair. (I'm not going to argue whether what LeBron did was right or wrong. I understand he was free to leave and all that. This is a completely different discussion.)
Wow, you guys are digging DEEP for that. Not that any of you can see beyond the Heat colored glasses, but Kidd WAS MURDERED in the press for this. Absolutely destroyed. And obviously, he is still paying the price for it to this day. Kobe is probably villified by the media more than any other basketball player. Since his game resembles Jordan's so much, he has always been cut down. Much more so than LeBron's one season of people burying him. You guys have very little perspective on LeBron and where the hate is coming from. It goes WAY beyond "The Decision." And I luahg at the deadspin article that Desides references as clearly, that part of the book is to help try to prop up LeBron's image. Absolutely no way that LeBron wasn't involved with that thing. I'm not saying that ESPN and everyone else involved didn't have their part in it, but LeBron bears some blame for that too. I am sort of stunned about this thread to be honest. Wow.
Ok, so what did LeBron do besides the "Decision" that justifies the level of criticism and yes, hate, that has been thrown his way for nealry one year? I'll even give Cleveland a bit of a pass for their childish hissy fit in July. But even now, they aren't over it. It's sad and pathetic, I'm sorry.
I will agree that when I saw this thread title I was like "again?!" Then I see the article is from 2001....and I shook my head.
I've seen very little coming from Cleveland - while LeBron is still taking shots at his former teammates in press conferences and getting in Twitter arguments with Boobie Gibson for calling himself the "King of Cleveland". So before you tell Cleveland to get over it, tell LeBron.
I could write an entire dissertation on why people dislike LeBron on a much deeper level. In fact, I just might for my website. Once I do, I will link.
You haven't? Ever hear of Cavs for Mavs? And Boobie Gibson is the guy taking everything LBJ says personally? Ever hear of Scott Raab, Cleveland based writer whose upcoming book is literally called The Whore of Akron?
Of course in an entire city there are going to be some whiners - but it isnt some overwhelming whining being done constantly. The Cavs4Mavs thing has 4k followers - not exactly taking over the city. And LeBron is the one that took issue with Boobie saying he was the King of Cleveland and Tweeted a bunch of whiny crap. Boobie's recent response was from LeBron saying that his former teammates died in the moment. You really expect a pro athlete to not respond to being called out like that? When Ginny trned down the race vs Chris Johnson did you say he was the bigger man? I doubt it. As for the writer - he is taking a controversial point and using it to write a book - i'm sure he's the first one to ever do that.
The funny part is, if everything was exactly equal, but LeBron had chosen say...New York instead of Miami. The Heat fans would be the first ones to pile on LeBron. It's homeristic at this point to defend a guy that people just don't like.
LeBron just makes bad choices, the "decision" was so poorly thought out, everyone basically universally panned it, even himself so I don't know what to say about why he did it. I have to admit I don't root for LeBron, I don't hate him but he does make it hard to like him outside of his home team area. Jordan was so universally liked, Lebron just doesn't have the same charisma or the same media savvy. Jordan had the entire media eating out of the palm of his hand, then again the way Lebron left Cleveland just hasn't endeared him to anyone outside of Miami and he probably won't ever be universally loved or even liked. I find the Miami team fun to watch and I have been very interested in the NBA playoffs this year, and my team isn't even in it so there is something to be said about that but Lebron just isn't a player I root for or like, I don't think its irrational to not like Lebron, he has been very unlikeable outside of Miami the last year.
I guess if you beat your wife 10 years ago, all is forgotten. Eff that. Jason Kidd is a bad person. Period. It makes no sense why the media is making him out to be this great guy who everybody is rooting for. Shake your head all you want. People hat LeBron cause they are JEALOUS he didn't go to their team -and- they don't want to see a young, black, rich guy control his destiny. They hide behind the whole "we didn't mind him leaving Cleveland, but we didn't like the "Decision" TV show". Screw you! A TV show?!?!? Really!???!!? There's more to it than that. And if you're gonna accuse me of playing the race card, I don't care. Its true. A young, rich, black man is breaking the unwritten rules of sports and EVERYONE FREAKED THE EFF OUT!!!!
The race card thing might be the most ridiculous arguement ever, Jordan, Magic, Shaq, Money Mayweather, Jeter, Tiger, Kobe, Ocho, etc just some of the many black guys who have control their own destiny before LBJ.....this isnt some new genre LBJ is breaking into.... What are these devious unwritten keep the balck man down rules you speak of?? unbelieveable.....the last thing you EVER EVER hear negativity about Bron is that he is a black man.....you sound like Jesse Jackson, or Al Sharpton.....which btw isnt a good thing...
I honestly don't see how race has anything to do with people's feelings towards Lebron and the decision, everyone including himself, has said it was a bad move. Lebron just isn't popular in the same way a lot of charismatic generational athletes were like Ali, Jordan, etc, he really just makes bad decisions and frankly lets people make a fool of him with things like the decision. I don't think he's a bad guy but he just isn't likable off the court like a lot of guys like Jordan, Shaq, Barkley, he seems to get criticized by everyone including ex players and current players so it isn't just some white fans, I think thats out of line.