Oh...and I loved Dan Gilberts tweet :clap: :clap:

 

Congrats to Mark C. & entire Mavs org. Mavs NEVER stopped & now entire franchise gets rings. Old Lesson for all: There are NO SHORTCUTS. NONE.

 

@cavsdan

One of the best articles I've read on the issue.  Reminds me of Believeland a bit. 

 

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slug=dw-wetzel_cleveland_laughs_at_lebron_james_061211

 

 

"There are happy families and neighborhoods and the American Dream in full view. There are plenty of people who don’t have any personal problems who are quite content to keep their talents in Cleveland, a place they love just the way it is.

 

“We get a bad rep,” said Pawel Wencel, who happily moved back from Washington, D.C., and watched the game at Flannery’s. “It’s not New York. It’s not L.A. And we don’t want it to be.”

 

Why New York or L.A. can never seem to get that is anyone’s guess."

Amen Pawel!

Best Lebron jokes I've found so far:

 

- Today is officially "LeBron James Day".....everyone gets to leave work 12 minutes early.

 

- I asked Lebron for change for a dollar and he only gave me back 75 cents. He said he never has the fourth quarter.

 

- Why didn’t LeBron James go to college? Because he knew he wouldn't show up for finals.

 

- DID YOU HEAR ABOUT THE NEW PHONE LEBRON JAMES IS RELEASING? IT ONLY VIBRATES BECAUSE IT HAS NO RING!!!

 

- Maybe LeBron should try hockey. The NHL only has three periods.

 

WHOA...check this misprint out:

 

http://blogs.miaminewtimes.com/riptide/2011/06/miami_herald_runs_macys_ad_con.php

No words:  http://governor.ohio.gov/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=lveQuvgwy7Q%3D&tabid=74

No words:  http://governor.ohio.gov/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=lveQuvgwy7Q%3D&tabid=74

 

Whoa...this is not a joke.  It's a ".gov" website.  Is he looking for Cleveland votes? LOL

 

WHOA...check this misprint out:

 

http://blogs.miaminewtimes.com/riptide/2011/06/miami_herald_runs_macys_ad_con.php

 

They were going to ship the misprinted Heat championship tshirts to less fortunate kids, but they may pose a choking hazard. 

This is tooooo funny!

 

Can this get any worse for LeBron, the Heat and the city an Miami?  I sure as hell hope so!  >:D

 

thank goodness for LeBron and Co. losing, it's taken the Indians slump out of the minds of the folks here in the office.

OMG, the ad and the resolution are high-larious.

WHOA...check this misprint out:

 

http://blogs.miaminewtimes.com/riptide/2011/06/miami_herald_runs_macys_ad_con.php

 

 

That ranks right up there with "Dewey defeats Truman" headline of the conservative Chicago Tribune before all of the votes were counted in the 1948 presidential election. In reality, the Democrat Truman defeated Republican Dewey.

 

 

 

 

They were going to ship the misprinted Heat championship tshirts to less fortunate kids, but they may pose a choking hazard. 

 

That's too funny!

 

The other joke I've heard: What do Saturn and Lebron James have in common? NOTHING. Saturn has rings!

Add that stupid resolution to the long list of things that Kasich should not have done.

I think this is Kasich's most brilliant move.  By declaring the Mavs "Honorary Ohio Citizens" for a day, I believe that they owe a substantial tax liability.

 

Lebron James on seeing Dwyane Wade naked

Talks over, owners tell players lockout coming at midnight

 

Talks on a new collective bargaining agreement between the NBA and its players broke off on Thursday afternoon, and players leaving the midtown Manhattan hotel where the two sides met told reporters that the owners said that they will lock out the players when the current agreement expires at midnight. The lockout would effectively shutter the league and could end up jeopardizing parts or all of the 2011-12 season.

 

 

http://www.nba.com/2011/news/06/30/lockout/index.html?ls=iref:nbahpt1

 

Now I have to layoff people.  Ugh. :cry:

Yeah, sadly the effects of this go way beyond the owners and players.

 

I just hope that when the dust settles, big changes have been made and the game is more fair for franchises in ALL markets.

Well, now its official.  NBA commissioner David Stern canceled the first two weeks of the season yesterday after owners and players were unable to reach a new labor deal and end the lockout.  The cancellation includes all games scheduled Nov. 1-14.

 

NBA: Stern cancels start of season; talks on hold

If the season starts before Christmas I will be shocked.

If the season starts before Christmas I will be shocked.

 

Its a logistical and financial nightmare.  This *)(&)^*(&%^*^% (*&(* has got my pressure up!  I really want to say F--- the NBA!

this happens at the worst possible time, given the increase in the NBA's popularity

If the season starts before Christmas I will be shocked.

 

I hope it goes past Christmas...of 2012.

I cannot resist...

 

Want your fix of basketball?  Go see a Cleveland State Vikings game!

www.csuvikings.com

I am definitely buying CSU tickets this year. I went to four games last year and loved it. F the NBA!!!

I wish they still had Norris Cole.  I wish even more that he was not on the Heat roster.

I feel sorry for all of the people who don't have a seat at the bargaining table, but rely on NBA games.  The vendors, the ticket brokers, the pubs and eateries in the arena districts, the guy with the saxophone outside the Q.

So I have to ask, if Lebron wins a ring in a strife-shortened season, is it still legit? 

I feel sorry for all of the people who don't have a seat at the bargaining table, but rely on NBA games.  The vendors, the ticket brokers, the pubs and eateries in the arena districts, the guy with the saxophone outside the Q.

 

I agree with this 100%.  These are really the only people I feel sorry for.  The owners and players can go fly a kite.

I hate everything that's happening with the lockout.  Nobody is likable or sympathetic. I agree with Hts, it's definitely going to hurt the working man the most.  Big surprise.  However, I hate to say it, but I'll be first in line to buy Cavs tickets when they come back.  I just like NBA basketball a lot.  College basketball just looks kinda sh!tty when you're used to watching the pros.

However, I hate to say it, but I'll be first in line to buy Cavs tickets when they come back.

 

There won't be a line.

This lockout is really going to hurt Lebron and his popularity as a celebrity and basketball palyer.  Last year he catches flack for the whole ESPN Decision, then loses in the playoffs by slightly choking (that is open to debate however), now doesn't play this year.  I gaurantee you, Lebron will be doing everything humanly possiblt to stay on TV this year during basketball season whether it's commercials, SnL, Controversial tweets etc.  He will totally try to stay in the spotlight. 

^ Did you hear about his Twitter "discussion" about playing in the NFL?  With John Clayton and Pete Carroll?

^ Did you hear about his Twitter "discussion" about playing in the NFL?  With John Clayton and Pete Carroll?

 

No, that's a good one though! 

 

That's just the begining of a long winter hearing things from Lebron, and seeing him all over TV.  It will be intresting to see how he portrays himself though.  My guess is more like Michael Jordan as a nice down to earth guy.  Less of the goofy comedic commercials, and more of the wholesome stuff. 

Can you blame him?  His appeal as a sponsor took a Kobe esque hit with "the Decision".... and then plummetted even further with him folding like a lawn chair in the Finals

Can you blame him?  His appeal as a sponsor took a Kobe esque hit with "the Decision".... and then plummetted even further with him folding like a lawn chair in the Finals

No, I don't blame him, but it is just a crazy turn in his career.  he goes from being one of the nations leading athletes behind Jeter, Woods, and Kobe, to one o fthe nations "more" hated athletes, to not even playing this year.  I'm jsut saying he needs to, and will make every effort to remain in the spotlight for the next 6 months.

Can you blame him?  His appeal as a sponsor took a Kobe esque hit with "the Decision".... and then plummetted even further with him folding like a lawn chair in the Finals

No, I don't blame him, but it is just a crazy turn in his career.  he goes from being one of the nations leading athletes behind Jeter, Woods, and Kobe, to one o fthe nations "more" hated athletes, to not even playing this year.  I'm jsut saying he needs to, and will make every effort to remain in the spotlight for the next 6 months.

who cares?  LeBron needs to CTFU and keep his visibility to a min.

I love Steve!

 

 

I generally agree with what he's saying (and always amusing to watch) however, what's his role in LBJ's "self crowning"?  The media is who anointed him - how did he get "The Choosen One" assigned to him?  Oh, that's right - the cover of SI his Jr year at SVSM.  So what are they expecting?  Goes both ways.

 

Annoys me to defend LeBron, but the environment he was brought up in kind of shaped him to be what he is today.

Things ain't looking too good. 

 

From SBNation:

 

NBA Lockout: NBPA Rejects League's Offer, Announces It Will File For Decertification

 

NBA Lockout: David Stern Issues Statement, Says 2011-12 Season 'Is In Jeopardy'

That would mean that contracts become void.

That would mean that contracts become void.

 

Nah, just means they're potentially voidable.

Correct... except the 'potentially' part.  They are voidable because each NBA contract is contingent on the existence of the NBPA.

 

I also don't think that 'decertify' is the right word for what the players are doing.

That's what I'd think normally but NBA contracts are guaranteed against player incompetence, laziness, etc.  So I've figured that they would have language that prevents contracts from turning into toilet paper in the event of this sort of thing.  But I've never seen an NBA contract nor read any NBA/NBAPA agreement so maybe they really are playing with fire.

 

Edit: In any event the owners aren't going to let the contracts be voided because they don't want to be the next Dan Gilbert and lose tens of millions of dollars in franchise value when the deck chairs would get rearranged.

I also don't think that 'decertify' is the right word for what the players are doing.

 

What word would you use?  Because I'm having a hard time understanding any of this or how it helps their situation to dissolve like that.

Games now officially cancelled up to December 15.

 

 

^^^I'm not 100% certain of the strategy either. From what I've read, it appears that by decertifying / dissolving, whatever you want to call it, they have the ability to sue the NBA under federal antitrust laws and petition the courts to force the NBA to allow games to begin. Not sure the legal side of how that happens, but that's the goal.

 

What I'm confused about is that in the letter Hunter & Fisher sent out to the players explaining their actions, they claim that 'Individual teams are free to negotiate with free agents for your services'. Does that mean that the existing contracts are null? Because that is exactly what Stern and the NBA are looking to have the NY District court agree with. Everyone is a free agents and existing contracts are no longer enforceable. It would seem that this move, and the language in that letter, would play right into Stern's hands on this issue, despite all of the 'experts' claiming otherwise.

It's beginning to look alot like Christmas (games for the NBA)

 

ESPN: Tentative NBA labor deal reached

i wanted to see this thing go the whole year :(

I fell asleep on the sofa watching ESPN last night, and had dreams of the NBA lockout ending. I woke at 6 a.m. to the reports of the lockout ending. It's funny how we can still hear things and have them become part of our dreams even though we are sound asleep!

 

I am glad its over. Lots of businesses near the arenas and people working inside the arenas depend on the games continuing. It would have been a long cold winter for restaurants and bars around The Q in Cleveland if this had continued for too much longer.