Author Topic: LeBron James calls out Rob Manfred about Astros’ sign-stealing scandal  (Read 12675 times)

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Offline Tr1boy

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https://www.latimes.com/sports/lakers/story/2020-02-18/lakers-lebron-james-weighs-in-on-the-astros-sign-stealing-scandal


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Listen I know I don’t play baseball but I am in Sports and I know if someone cheated me out of winning the title and I found out about it I would be F*^king irate! I mean like uncontrollable about what I would/could do! Listen here baseball commissioner listen to your players speaking today about how disgusted, mad, hurt, broken, etc etc about this. Literally the ball(⚾️) is in your court(or should I say field) and you need to fix this for the sake of Sports! #JustMyThoughtsComingFromASportsJunkieRegardlessMyOwnSportIPlay


I don't understand why he is getting involved...

The whole sidetrack comment regarding China (because it hurt his brand) and now this...

When he says to Manfred, listen to your players... what is he hoping that the outcome is?  fine all the Astros players involved?

Re: LeBron James calls out Rob Manfred about Astros’ sign-stealing scandal
« Reply #1 on: February 19, 2020, 11:54:34 AM »

Offline Amonkey

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https://www.latimes.com/sports/lakers/story/2020-02-18/lakers-lebron-james-weighs-in-on-the-astros-sign-stealing-scandal


LeBron James Twitter
@KingJames
Listen I know I don’t play baseball but I am in Sports and I know if someone cheated me out of winning the title and I found out about it I would be F*^king irate! I mean like uncontrollable about what I would/could do! Listen here baseball commissioner listen to your players speaking today about how disgusted, mad, hurt, broken, etc etc about this. Literally the ball(⚾️) is in your court(or should I say field) and you need to fix this for the sake of Sports! #JustMyThoughtsComingFromASportsJunkieRegardlessMyOwnSportIPlay


I don't understand why he is getting involved...

The whole sidetrack comment regarding China (because it hurt his brand) and now this...

When he says to Manfred, listen to your players... what is he hoping that the outcome is?  fine all the Astros players involved?

Baseball is in a tough spot. I read somewhere that the reason the players weren't punished is so they could talk with impunity. If they wanted to get the bottom of the scandal, that may have been the only way to get the information they needed. Therefore, it's hard to punish them now.

Also, I understand that the league doesn't want to take the drastic step of taking championships away. That can set a precedent that for anything violation (steroid, weird rule, bad call) can be challenged to take championships away.

Maybe officially placing an asterisk on their championship can be the middle ground? I don't know. It's a tough one.
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Re: LeBron James calls out Rob Manfred about Astros’ sign-stealing scandal
« Reply #2 on: February 19, 2020, 11:56:13 AM »

Online Donoghus

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Manfred makes Goodell look competent.


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Re: LeBron James calls out Rob Manfred about Astros’ sign-stealing scandal
« Reply #3 on: February 19, 2020, 12:02:41 PM »

Offline Fafnir

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Wait you mean the report crafted in conjunction with the team they were "punishing" that blamed 2 guys they intended to fire as scape goats, and two other guys who had left didn't settle the issue?

Also its hilarious how much the Astros were shocked that their "no regrets losers" apology tour didn't go over well with other baseball players.

Re: LeBron James calls out Rob Manfred about Astros’ sign-stealing scandal
« Reply #4 on: February 19, 2020, 12:03:44 PM »

Offline fairweatherfan

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When he says to Manfred, listen to your players... what is he hoping that the outcome is?  fine all the Astros players involved?

Strip the title. Awarding it to the other team is incredibly hollow and unsatisfying so just strip it and vacate the year.

It's obvious why they'd really, really rather not do that though.

Personally I think creative cheating is a rich vein of baseball history and the formal punishment should reflect that. The informal punishment will include the other proud baseball traditions of "blacklisting" and "guys who are god-level good at throwing baseballs hard whipping them directly at your head and torso."
« Last Edit: February 19, 2020, 12:14:08 PM by fairweatherfan »

Re: LeBron James calls out Rob Manfred about Astros’ sign-stealing scandal
« Reply #5 on: February 19, 2020, 12:33:22 PM »

Offline celticsclay

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Is this Lebron trying to go for some low-hanging fruit after his disastrous china comments?

Re: LeBron James calls out Rob Manfred about Astros’ sign-stealing scandal
« Reply #6 on: February 19, 2020, 12:34:18 PM »

Online bdm860

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This could go down as one of those hilarious tweets if it ever comes out that LeBron was doping.


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Re: LeBron James calls out Rob Manfred about Astros’ sign-stealing scandal
« Reply #7 on: February 19, 2020, 12:34:43 PM »

Offline Fafnir

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Is this Lebron trying to go for some low-hanging fruit after his disastrous china comments?
Nah remember he's a big Yankees fan.

The same Yankees who had a player who have a player who lost a MVP race to an Astro and lost to them in the post season on the now famous Altuve hit.

Re: LeBron James calls out Rob Manfred about Astros’ sign-stealing scandal
« Reply #8 on: February 19, 2020, 12:37:29 PM »

Offline kraidstar

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Yeah, I'm sure LeBron is REALLY concerned with cheating and corruption.

After all, he was the one leading the charge to clean up the NBA's officiating after the Donaghy scandal. And there's no way he would ever do any PED's, either. Or abuse the rules on the court, knowing he'll never get called for fouls or travels.

Truly a righteous and non-hypocritical figure, that LeBron.


Re: LeBron James calls out Rob Manfred about Astros’ sign-stealing scandal
« Reply #9 on: February 19, 2020, 12:38:23 PM »

Online Donoghus

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Is this Lebron trying to go for some low-hanging fruit after his disastrous china comments?

Nah, I think he's just opining as a sports fan here. 

Although, never say never with him & PR.


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Re: LeBron James calls out Rob Manfred about Astros’ sign-stealing scandal
« Reply #10 on: February 19, 2020, 12:41:06 PM »

Offline kraidstar

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Is this Lebron trying to go for some low-hanging fruit after his disastrous china comments?
Nah remember he's a big Yankees fan.

The same Yankees who had a player who have a player who lost a MVP race to an Astro and lost to them in the post season on the now famous Altuve hit.

The same Yankees who employed Carlos Beltran for 3 years.

They do seem to have an intimate knowledge of how other teams are cheating. And they love to rat, going all the way back to the Blue Jays 20 years ago. I'm sure they're clean themselves, though.

Re: LeBron James calls out Rob Manfred about Astros’ sign-stealing scandal
« Reply #11 on: February 19, 2020, 12:46:45 PM »

Offline johnnygreen

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Rob Manfred doesn’t need to do anything further. The Astros title doesn’t need an asterisk either. In the eyes of the public, the damage has already been done to the Astros themselves. For a comparison, does anyone think of Bonds as having the single season home run record? If not him, do you think of McGuire, the previous record holder? Or do you still think of Roger Maris as being the true single season record holder? I don’t need an asterisk to tell me it’s Maris.

I find it laughable that other MLB players are complaining about this after the fact. There is no way in all of creation, that opposing players and coaches didn’t catch on to what the Astros were doing, when they played them. How come no one said anything before the former Astros whistleblower? Did no one file a report with MLB demanding an investigation before this former Astros whistleblower? If the Astros were banging on garbage cans, how could the umpires (besides players and coaches) not pick up on it?

What the Astros players did was clearly wrong. I also think taking performance enhancers was wrong too, but apparently the players felt differently since the only effect on them was basically increased salaries.

Re: LeBron James calls out Rob Manfred about Astros’ sign-stealing scandal
« Reply #12 on: February 19, 2020, 12:48:50 PM »

Offline johnnygreen

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Yeah, I'm sure LeBron is REALLY concerned with cheating and corruption.

After all, he was the one leading the charge to clean up the NBA's officiating after the Donaghy scandal. And there's no way he would ever do any PED's, either. Or abuse the rules on the court, knowing he'll never get called for fouls or travels.

Truly a righteous and non-hypocritical figure, that LeBron.

Not getting called for fouls or travels has to do with the league and the referees. I can't see how someone can blame Lebron for that.

Re: LeBron James calls out Rob Manfred about Astros’ sign-stealing scandal
« Reply #13 on: February 19, 2020, 12:52:26 PM »

Offline W8ting2McHale

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Is this Lebron trying to go for some low-hanging fruit after his disastrous china comments?

I agree with Lebron to a degree, that not enough was done and that Manfred should listen to the players, but it’s done. He can’t really say “And another thing!” like my dad would handing out orders.

I think there is quite a bit of hypocrisy going around too, both from Lebron and MLB players. There is some degree of cheating going on constantly. The Astros stepped over line, but pine tar, corked bats, sharpened cleats, spit balls...the list goes on and on.

If I was Manfred I would reply with a no comment tweet of Lebron taking one of his patented “4-step-no-dribble” drives into the paint, with a forearm to his opponent’s chest that ends up as and-one call in Lebron’s favor.

Re: LeBron James calls out Rob Manfred about Astros’ sign-stealing scandal
« Reply #14 on: February 19, 2020, 01:56:26 PM »

Offline rocknrollforyoursoul

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https://www.latimes.com/sports/lakers/story/2020-02-18/lakers-lebron-james-weighs-in-on-the-astros-sign-stealing-scandal


LeBron James Twitter
@KingJames
Listen I know I don’t play baseball but I am in Sports and I know if someone cheated me out of winning the title and I found out about it I would be F*^king irate! I mean like uncontrollable about what I would/could do! Listen here baseball commissioner listen to your players speaking today about how disgusted, mad, hurt, broken, etc etc about this. Literally the ball(⚾️) is in your court(or should I say field) and you need to fix this for the sake of Sports! #JustMyThoughtsComingFromASportsJunkieRegardlessMyOwnSportIPlay


I don't understand why he is getting involved...

The whole sidetrack comment regarding China (because it hurt his brand) and now this...

When he says to Manfred, listen to your players... what is he hoping that the outcome is?  fine all the Astros players involved?

Baseball is in a tough spot. I read somewhere that the reason the players weren't punished is so they could talk with impunity. If they wanted to get the bottom of the scandal, that may have been the only way to get the information they needed. Therefore, it's hard to punish them now.

Also, I understand that the league doesn't want to take the drastic step of taking championships away. That can set a precedent that for anything violation (steroid, weird rule, bad call) can be challenged to take championships away.

Maybe officially placing an asterisk on their championship can be the middle ground? I don't know. It's a tough one.

I think Manfred should've began the investigation by telling the Astros players, "There's gonna be some sort of player punishment, because you did a bad thing, but this is your chance to come clean; be honest with me about what happened, and I might go a bit easier on you. But if I find out later that you lied or didn't tell me everything, I'll suspend you for a year. Or maybe two."

The union might not've been a huge fan of that approach, but I also don't think they'd be keen on vigorously defending obvious cheaters, especially when so many other players have come out so strongly against the Astros players.
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