Lebron being a Jerk

[incoherent]

Would it kill filthy rich, entitled feeling superstars to be a bit more polite to the people around them who take care of and clean up after them? No.

It's pretty simple, really, you have a combination of the following: Kids growing up in the hood, usually in single parent households with little or no structure in their life, and who are raised with a complete lack of manners, self-control, class, and respect for others.  Who then grow up into spoiled, rich athletes with entourages, errand boys, and an overwhelming sense of entitlement.  Not surprising to see self-absorbed behavior.  Creating pseudo-sociopaths, actually.

Which makes that Leon Powe story all the more admirable.  Given how he grew up, for him to turn out the way he did is a borderline miracle.

You actually almost make a somewhat valid point but then completely tare it apart by talking about Powe who grew up in those very circumstances but became the exact opposite of what you talking about.

What's your message again?

[Drucci]

I'm sorry but this isn't the "typical NBA player behaviour regarding ball boys". Yes, every NBA players throws his articles on the floor without handling it to the boy, but here, the boy clearly gives a hand to LeBron so he can pick up his stuff and LeBron (who clearly sees the boy) chooses to throw it to the floor... and he does it on purpose 3 times in a row!

This behaviour is way different than the usual "NBA player" behaviour in that situation, because it's one thing to throw your stuff on the floor when there is no ball boy to pick it up directly, but it's a whole other thing to purposedly throw the stuff away from the ball boy who is waiting to take it, and 3 times in a row. Classless.

And KG would have handed his clothes to a Cavs ball boy?  Highly doubt it

I'm glad to know that you doubt it, but as a matter of fact we never saw KG despise a ball boy so I'm not sure what your point is, actually (you could say the same thing for every other player in the NBA, yet the only one who has been caught in this act is LeBron).

I dunno about that dru, is the practice of dropping all your clothes on the ground and not even looking at the person paid to pick up after you disrespectful? I think it certainly could be seen as so.

I just fail to see what the difference is between lebron's behavior and the rest of the leagues.

I'm more in moiso's camp. this behavior annoys me, but only because it's disrespectful for ANYONE to do, and the entire NBA does it and doesn't seem to care how rude it is. Lebron doing it is no different from any of the other players league wide.

 It wouldn't kill the players to hand there shirt and warmup pants to the ballboy's, instead of just dropping them on the ground as is league practice, would it?

I agree with you, we could consider that the practice of dropping all your clothes on the ground and not even looking at the person paid to pick up after you is disrespectful, and it probably is in a way. And every NBA player does it, even the true "role models" (Ray, Grant Hill...).

But, and maybe I'm biased because I don't like LeBron, I just see a big difference between this "common" practice and LeBron's behaviour in that particular video.

Usually when players drop off their clothes, the ball boy is not giving them his hand to get the clothes, or he isn't as close as the ball boy was with LeBron in this case. And it's obvious in the video that LeBron clearly sees the boy is offering his hand 3 times, and 3 times he looks at him and drops the clothes in an opposite direction on purpose!

I mean, how is that not disrespectful? It goes way beyond the common practice of NBA players because they usually are not in that particular situation, so close to the boy and with him offering his hand.

[guachi]

wooooww! I was surprised by how rude Lebron is, but even more surprise at how most of the people in this thread dont see a problem with it. One thing is to throw your things in the floor and another is to purpossely throw them to   humiliate the clothe guy The nba should look into this and punish this behaviour. The bananas and orange is also really wrong. What because you play basketball it means you can behave like a monkey??.
 I felt so angry with that video that i had the fantasy of being there and punching Cabron james in the face, but i even felt worst when i read some people in this forum saying its ok this kind of behaviour, wowww really? , Really??. if so I wish you lebron defenders will reincarnate in a water boy..

[pumpfake]

i'll add another

wow

to that.

[fairweatherfan]

i'll add another

wow

to that.

Seconded.  Don't even want to get into this, but man:

What because you play basketball it means you can behave like a monkey??.

There's got to be a better way of saying this.

[Rondo_is_better]

I'm sorry but this isn't the "typical NBA player behaviour regarding ball boys". Yes, every NBA players throws his articles on the floor without handling it to the boy, but here, the boy clearly gives a hand to LeBron so he can pick up his stuff and LeBron (who clearly sees the boy) chooses to throw it to the floor... and he does it on purpose 3 times in a row!

This behaviour is way different than the usual "NBA player" behaviour in that situation, because it's one thing to throw your stuff on the floor when there is no ball boy to pick it up directly, but it's a whole other thing to purposedly throw the stuff away from the ball boy who is waiting to take it, and 3 times in a row. Classless.

exactly. LeClassless took a somewhat conventional practice to a new level of rudeness.

[guachi]

There's got to be a better way of saying this.


maybe yes, but what i meant is that monkeys live their bananas and oranges all over the place... not human citizens. My point is they should get fined.

[CDawg834]

Would it kill filthy rich, entitled feeling superstars to be a bit more polite to the people around them who take care of and clean up after them? No.

It's pretty simple, really, you have a combination of the following: Kids growing up in the hood, usually in single parent households with little or no structure in their life, and who are raised with a complete lack of manners, self-control, class, and respect for others.  Who then grow up into spoiled, rich athletes with entourages, errand boys, and an overwhelming sense of entitlement.  Not surprising to see self-absorbed behavior.  Creating pseudo-sociopaths, actually.

Which makes that Leon Powe story all the more admirable.  Given how he grew up, for him to turn out the way he did is a borderline miracle.

You are really going to stereotype all children who are raised in poor, inner-city neighberhoods like that? With such broad, boorish, cliche rhetoric?

Not at all.  Simply saying a portion of these guys are behind the 8-ball from the day they are born.  Some of them are mentally strong enough (or have the proper guidance in their life) to overcome it, and some don't....and I don't think there's anything boorish about pointing out that it's a problem.  I'm only saying that many of these guys are disadvantaged from the get go, and it's not a shock when they turn out the way they do.  You're right that it's probably not the forum for it, and not really sure where my rant came from, but I don't feel that anything I said was inaccurate.  It doesn't apply to everyone, but it is an issue.

[WeMadeIt17]

He really is. I came home after work last night telling my older brother who loves Lebron how much of a jerk he really is. So were going through the argument and I am saying how he is a pre-madona on and on and on. And then he shoots his free throw left handed that was the big thing. Even my brother said that was a little bit of a D*** thing to do. So I am glad we got the Cavs and I hope we crush them!

[ChainSmokingLikeDino]

Would it kill filthy rich, entitled feeling superstars to be a bit more polite to the people around them who take care of and clean up after them? No.

It's pretty simple, really, you have a combination of the following: Kids growing up in the hood, usually in single parent households with little or no structure in their life, and who are raised with a complete lack of manners, self-control, class, and respect for others.  Who then grow up into spoiled, rich athletes with entourages, errand boys, and an overwhelming sense of entitlement.  Not surprising to see self-absorbed behavior.  Creating pseudo-sociopaths, actually.

Which makes that Leon Powe story all the more admirable.  Given how he grew up, for him to turn out the way he did is a borderline miracle.

You are really going to stereotype all children who are raised in poor, inner-city neighberhoods like that? With such broad, boorish, cliche rhetoric?

Not at all.  Simply saying a portion of these guys are behind the 8-ball from the day they are born.  Some of them are mentally strong enough (or have the proper guidance in their life) to overcome it, and some don't....and I don't think there's anything boorish about pointing out that it's a problem.  I'm only saying that many of these guys are disadvantaged from the get go, and it's not a shock when they turn out the way they do.  You're right that it's probably not the forum for it, and not really sure where my rant came from, but I don't feel that anything I said was inaccurate.  It doesn't apply to everyone, but it is an issue.

Well, to point out the problems stemming from certain socioeconomic conditions is not a problem. To say that these conditions routinely or across the board and "are raised with a complete lack of manners, self-control, class, and respect for others...Creating pseudo-sociopaths, actually..." is stereotyping of the worst kind and painting with the broadest brush imaginable. It is boorish to use these cliches to indict wholesale what are all distinct individuals in said language. To imply that "these guys" have no self-control or class...If you see no problem with that, well, I don't quite know how much clearer it seems to me.

[CDawg834]

Would it kill filthy rich, entitled feeling superstars to be a bit more polite to the people around them who take care of and clean up after them? No.

It's pretty simple, really, you have a combination of the following: Kids growing up in the hood, usually in single parent households with little or no structure in their life, and who are raised with a complete lack of manners, self-control, class, and respect for others.  Who then grow up into spoiled, rich athletes with entourages, errand boys, and an overwhelming sense of entitlement.  Not surprising to see self-absorbed behavior.  Creating pseudo-sociopaths, actually.

Which makes that Leon Powe story all the more admirable.  Given how he grew up, for him to turn out the way he did is a borderline miracle.

You are really going to stereotype all children who are raised in poor, inner-city neighberhoods like that? With such broad, boorish, cliche rhetoric?

Not at all.  Simply saying a portion of these guys are behind the 8-ball from the day they are born.  Some of them are mentally strong enough (or have the proper guidance in their life) to overcome it, and some don't....and I don't think there's anything boorish about pointing out that it's a problem.  I'm only saying that many of these guys are disadvantaged from the get go, and it's not a shock when they turn out the way they do.  You're right that it's probably not the forum for it, and not really sure where my rant came from, but I don't feel that anything I said was inaccurate.  It doesn't apply to everyone, but it is an issue.

Well, to point out the problems stemming from certain socioeconomic conditions is not a problem. To say that these conditions routinely or across the board and "are raised with a complete lack of manners, self-control, class, and respect for others...Creating pseudo-sociopaths, actually..." is stereotyping of the worst kind and painting with the broadest brush imaginable. It is boorish to use these cliches to indict wholesale what are all distinct individuals in said language. To imply that "these guys" have no self-control or class...If you see no problem with that, well, I don't quite know how much clearer it seems to me.

I'll agree that in the interest of brevity, my point was a bit more summarized and to the point than it needed to be, and came across as all-or-nothing and a bit stereotypical.  I believe it is a real problem, but I don't believe that all athletes that come from bad environments turn out this way.  My intent wasn't to "indict wholesale" as you put it, but to respond to Nick's point about entitled athletes that were never taught the decency to at least be courteous to others.

My point was specific to the "entitled jerk athlete," not everyone who grew up in a bad environment.  Sorry for the confusion, and sorry for offending you.

It just seems that we are seeing more and more of people treating others like they're nothing.  That's true in all walks of life, but as this forum is more basketball-specific, I stuck with that.  Hope this clears things up.