Olympic Gold bigger than NBA Ring? Really?

[CoachCowens]

I guess we just interpret the original statement by Lebron differently. To me , he is saying the gold medal is far and above the NBA Championship. His entitled to that position but I believe that does leave him open to criticism or maybe i should say debate.

so based on this post, correct me if i am wrong, u are saying you value the nba championship more than a gold medal.  thus, because u value the nba championship more and you have a difference of opinion of lebron (who values the medal more), lebron is open for criticism and debate? 

if that interpretation is correct, ur very egocentric and hypocrital with regards to this discussion!

Of course, if you put words in my mouth but I wouldn't compare the 2, let alone say one is far and away better. But lets go along with your hypothetical. If I said something like the Olympics will never compare with the NBA championship, by your standard I couldn't be questioned.

and does calling names ever really help your argument even if you say for this discussion only?

[DannyZ]

I there are several factors that should make the NBA championship more important to a player than the Olympics.

1) The effort required to win an NBA championship is much more that the Olympics.  A full training camp, pre-season, 82 game regular season, and four playoff series is required.  The Olympics is like a summer vacation compared to that.  The NBA is the primary focus of a professional basketball player.  The Olympics are always secondary. 

2) Like it or not, winning a title is the standard by which careers are judged.  Charles Barkley, Patrick Ewing and Karl Malone will always be remembered for not winning a title, despite all being Olympic gold medalists.  If LeBron feels the gold medal is more important right now, I can understand that.  But history will judge his career on whether he wins a title regardless of how he feels.  Does anyone dispute that?

3) A player contributes more value to a championship team compared to the Olympic team.  Restated, each player on the Olympic team plays less of a role in the team's success compared to their professional team.  I argue that you could remove any player from this year's team and the United States still would have (or should have) won.  The same can not be said for the NBA championship.  Remove any of the big 3 and the Celtics don't win a title.  You could even argue that we don't win a title without Rondo, Perk, PJ Brown, and Posey.  If you removed team USA's best player, LeBron James, there are plenty of stars to fill the void and the US would still be the favorites.

[Eja117]

My two reasons why the Olympics would be bigger is that the Olympics is truly a world championship and the NBA isn't.

Also look no further than the Miracle on Ice for how much more meaningful the Olympics is. Just cause our players use the Olympics to sell shoes instead of trying to make a difference the way they could have doesn't mean the Olympics is less important

[dark_lord]

I guess we just interpret the original statement by Lebron differently. To me , he is saying the gold medal is far and above the NBA Championship. His entitled to that position but I believe that does leave him open to criticism or maybe i should say debate.

so based on this post, correct me if i am wrong, u are saying you value the nba championship more than a gold medal.  thus, because u value the nba championship more and you have a difference of opinion of lebron (who values the medal more), lebron is open for criticism and debate? 

if that interpretation is correct, ur very egocentric and hypocrital with regards to this discussion!

Of course, if you put words in my mouth but I wouldn't compare the 2, let alone say one is far and away better. But lets go along with your hypothetical. If I said something like the Olympics will never compare with the NBA championship, by your standard I couldn't be questioned.

and does calling names ever really help your argument even if you say for this discussion only?

first and foremost, i havent called u any names.  ive been a good standing member of this community for a few years and have a positive reputation, even when i disagree with some1 i treat them respectfully.  do not question my integrity please or falsely accuse me of something that goes against the site rules!  this is the second time in this thread u have falsely accused me of something (the first being "knocking" u for talking negatively about lebron, when i have said no such things!

i was getting clarification in my first paragraph, as i am trying to understand ur logic, since we disagree. read the bold for clarification.  again, ur reading what u want to read and interpretting it in a way that is incorrect.

[Neurotic Guy]

Wow, what a thread!  Which is better Vegetables or fruit? Progresso split pea or lentil?  Quien es mas macho, Ricardo Maltaban o Richard Gere?

I can't fathom the excitement of being a young man enjoying 2 weeks in the midst of frenzied excitment with great athletes from all over the world.  Seeing awe-inspiring performances by Phelps and Bolt.  Being around people who are awestruck by the sight of you, and then in the same instant being awe-struck by the sight of them.  What an experience for them.

I don't blame any of them by being carried away by the moment and speaking in grandiose terms about a once in a lifetime experience.  Good for them!

My bet is that if any of them win an NBA title in the near future they will be equally carried away by that moment.  Can't an emotional comment be made without it having to be analyzed and subject to scrutiny?

TP for all that...especially the "Quien es mas macho"  reference.  Lorenzo Llamas es mas macho BTW

I threw in Richard Gere because he is much more macho than me (despite all the dancing) and I couldn't think of the correct person.  However -- your post has jarred my brain and I must disagree with you.  Ricardo Mantalban es mas macho (than) Lorenzo Llamas. However, Fernando Llamas es mas macho than all of them. 

If the above is unintentionally offensive -- please note that I posted in fun (old SNL reference) and will stop it here -- just not sure.

[dark_lord]

Of course, if you put words in my mouth but I wouldn't compare the 2, let alone say one is far and away better. But lets go along with your hypothetical. If I said something like the Olympics will never compare with the NBA championship, by your standard I couldn't be questioned.

im not putting words in your mouth, i am asking u bc ur clarification and support in ur stance of saying it is ok to question, debate, and be skeptical towards lebron based on his opinion, has been weak. 

the way in which ur attempting to support ur argument appears that u have a difference of opinion with lebron and ur in the right and he is in the wrong.

if you did say.....

the Olympics will never compare with the NBA championship

.......i personally wouldnt question you bc it is your opinion.



and for the record, he didnt say the olympics...he said

never would compare to winning a gold medal for my country."

[houlana]

guys, this is a tough question. and it depends what player ur talking about.

if it was a U.S. player, it would be the an NBA championship because it is harder for them to win. and they are always favorite to win the gold medal.

but, if ur talking to Manu, Gasol, Yao, or Dirk. it would be an Olympic gold hands down. they would be the underdogs compared to the U.S. and would put their country on the map for sure, making them legends. there is only one NBA allstar for some of the solid international teams, while the whole U.S. team is made of allstars.

[CoachCowens]

Of course, if you put words in my mouth but I wouldn't compare the 2, let alone say one is far and away better. But lets go along with your hypothetical. If I said something like the Olympics will never compare with the NBA championship, by your standard I couldn't be questioned.

im not putting words in your mouth, i am asking u bc ur clarification and support in ur stance of saying it is ok to question, debate, and be skeptical towards lebron based on his opinion, has been weak. 

the way in which ur attempting to support ur argument appears that u have a difference of opinion with lebron and ur in the right and he is in the wrong.

if you did say.....

the Olympics will never compare with the NBA championship

.......i personally wouldnt question you bc it is your opinion.



and for the record, he didnt say the olympics...he said

never would compare to winning a gold medal for my country."

Is there any other way of winning the Olympics?

[dark_lord]

Of course, if you put words in my mouth but I wouldn't compare the 2, let alone say one is far and away better. But lets go along with your hypothetical. If I said something like the Olympics will never compare with the NBA championship, by your standard I couldn't be questioned.

im not putting words in your mouth, i am asking u bc ur clarification and support in ur stance of saying it is ok to question, debate, and be skeptical towards lebron based on his opinion, has been weak. 

the way in which ur attempting to support ur argument appears that u have a difference of opinion with lebron and ur in the right and he is in the wrong.

if you did say.....

the Olympics will never compare with the NBA championship

.......i personally wouldnt question you bc it is your opinion.



and for the record, he didnt say the olympics...he said

never would compare to winning a gold medal for my country."

Is there any other way of winning the Olympics?

its not simply winning the gold at the olympics...its "winning the gold medal FOR MY COUNTRY".  thats what he said.  have u read the quote from lebron or not?

[CoachCowens]

I guess we just interpret the original statement by Lebron differently. To me , he is saying the gold medal is far and above the NBA Championship. His entitled to that position but I believe that does leave him open to criticism or maybe i should say debate.

so based on this post, correct me if i am wrong, u are saying you value the nba championship more than a gold medal.  thus, because u value the nba championship more and you have a difference of opinion of lebron (who values the medal more), lebron is open for criticism and debate? 

if that interpretation is correct, ur very egocentric and hypocrital with regards to this discussion!

Of course, if you put words in my mouth but I wouldn't compare the 2, let alone say one is far and away better. But lets go along with your hypothetical. If I said something like the Olympics will never compare with the NBA championship, by your standard I couldn't be questioned.

and does calling names ever really help your argument even if you say for this discussion only?

first and foremost, i havent called u any names.  ive been a good standing member of this community for a few years and have a positive reputation, even when i disagree with some1 i treat them respectfully.  do not question my integrity please or falsely accuse me of something that goes against the site rules!  this is the second time in this thread u have falsely accused me of something (the first being "knocking" u for talking negatively about lebron, when i have said no such things!

i was getting clarification in my first paragraph, as i am trying to understand ur logic, since we disagree. read the bold for clarification.  again, ur reading what u want to read and interpretting it in a way that is incorrect.

Speaking of reading into things. I don't think I ever accused u of knocking me. I did say "As far as knocking goes. I believe i was quite mild in any "knocking" of Lebron." in response to your statement of me knocking Lebron.

I'm sorry you feel that your integrity is being questioned. I read your statement as a veiled name calling. If you think this way then you are egocentric. Maybe you were speaking in general but by extension if I fit that mold then I am egocentric.   

 

[CoachCowens]

Of course, if you put words in my mouth but I wouldn't compare the 2, let alone say one is far and away better. But lets go along with your hypothetical. If I said something like the Olympics will never compare with the NBA championship, by your standard I couldn't be questioned.

im not putting words in your mouth, i am asking u bc ur clarification and support in ur stance of saying it is ok to question, debate, and be skeptical towards lebron based on his opinion, has been weak. 

the way in which ur attempting to support ur argument appears that u have a difference of opinion with lebron and ur in the right and he is in the wrong.

if you did say.....

the Olympics will never compare with the NBA championship

.......i personally wouldnt question you bc it is your opinion.



and for the record, he didnt say the olympics...he said

never would compare to winning a gold medal for my country."

Is there any other way of winning the Olympics?

its not simply winning the gold at the olympics...its "winning the gold medal FOR MY COUNTRY".  thats what he said.  have u read the quote from lebron or not?

Actually I quoted it earlier.

I don't have anything against you. I have enjoyed your posts in the past.  so I will remove myself before this gets worse. We don't see eye to eye and that's fine.

[dark_lord]

Actually I quoted it earlier.

I don't have anything against you. I have enjoyed your posts in the past.  so I will remove myself before this gets worse. We don't see eye to eye and that's fine.

its all good...tp for u

[celt4ever]

forget nba ring, forget olympic gold, the world bastekball in 2 years is the real deal