Simmons Article: LeBron has one less fanboy now.

[Greenbean]

LeBron's recent shennanigans have soured Bill Simmons, one of his biggest fans, on him.

It's actually a really funny article. One of his readers even predicted this one hour special thing back in November. Crazy!

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=simmons/100708

[jdpapa3]

I was just thinking about it and Lebron will get hammered by people no matter what decision he makes. I would feel bad for him if he didn't have 90 million + waiting for him. Lebron is wired just like Magic: to be a media hound.

Chicago: trying to go after Jordan's legacy
NYK: trying to be a global star
Cleveland: he dragged us through this whole shenanigan process just to stay with the same team
Miami: ring chasing...couldn't get it done alone

[Greenbean]

I was just thinking about it and Lebron will get hammered by people no matter what decision he makes. I would feel bad for him if he didn't have 90 million + waiting for him. Lebron is wired just like Magic: to be a media hound.

Chicago: trying to go after Jordan's legacy
NYK: trying to be a global star
Cleveland: he dragged us through this whole shenanigan process just to stay with the same team
Miami: ring chasing...couldn't get it done alone

This is true...for me and most people here it is not actually the decision itself that is rediculous, it is how he is going about it.

Enough is enough. He's putting himself on a pedestal by having this presser and waiting this long. He is a narcissist, or at least this is what he has become.

[Evantime34]

This is the best article Simmons has written in a long time.

[Rondo2287]

This is the best article Simmons has written in a long time.

TP, I have been thinking the exact same thing.

[guava_wrench]

I was just thinking about it and Lebron will get hammered by people no matter what decision he makes. I would feel bad for him if he didn't have 90 million + waiting for him. Lebron is wired just like Magic: to be a media hound.

Chicago: trying to go after Jordan's legacy
NYK: trying to be a global star
Cleveland: he dragged us through this whole shenanigan process just to stay with the same team
Miami: ring chasing...couldn't get it done alone

This is true...for me and most people here it is not actually the decision itself that is rediculous, it is how he is going about it.

Enough is enough. He's putting himself on a pedestal by having this presser and waiting this long. He is a narcissist, or at least this is what he has become.

Regarding "waiting this long", that is your interpretation. It isn't clear that as of last night he had made up his mind yet.

He wouldn't be the first free agent to have a hard time deciding.

Regarding the program being put on, it is a bit annoying, but he isn't the one who put himself on that pedestal. The public and the press are the ones by focusing on his free agency for the past few years. He should get whatever mileage he can out of it. If you don't want to watch his program, don't watch. I won't.

Add to that the fact that this is the first day you can actually sign with a team as a FA, and the "waiting this long" sounds a bit silly. This is his life, not yours.

[ACF]

Did you guys get the "6 for 24" thing? Very cool.

[Greenbean]

I was just thinking about it and Lebron will get hammered by people no matter what decision he makes. I would feel bad for him if he didn't have 90 million + waiting for him. Lebron is wired just like Magic: to be a media hound.

Chicago: trying to go after Jordan's legacy
NYK: trying to be a global star
Cleveland: he dragged us through this whole shenanigan process just to stay with the same team
Miami: ring chasing...couldn't get it done alone

This is true...for me and most people here it is not actually the decision itself that is rediculous, it is how he is going about it.

Enough is enough. He's putting himself on a pedestal by having this presser and waiting this long. He is a narcissist, or at least this is what he has become.

Regarding "waiting this long", that is your interpretation. It isn't clear that as of last night he had made up his mind yet.

He wouldn't be the first free agent to have a hard time deciding.

Regarding the program being put on, it is a bit annoying, but he isn't the one who put himself on that pedestal. The public and the press are the ones by focusing on his free agency for the past few years. He should get whatever mileage he can out of it. If you don't want to watch his program, don't watch. I won't.

Add to that the fact that this is the first day you can actually sign with a team as a FA, and the "waiting this long" sounds a bit silly. This is his life, not yours.

If he had made up his mind last night, than come out and say it....last night!

I know where I'm going but I'm not telling you until I have a national audience in a prime time TV slot. Give me a break. This guy has turned me from a HUGE fan of his, to a complete hater. Every move he makes me nauseous.

Edit: To add to this, you say it is silly that I am calling him out for making us wait. EVERY big name free agent is signed now. Every. Single. One. We all knew that LeBron would be the first to be signed and then a domino effect would take place. WRONG! He is the last. So it is not silly at all. It is completely logical. He knows where he is going and most likely has known for a while.

He chose to wait until every guy was signed to make his announcement and has managed to draw even more attention to himwself by parlaying the announcment into a freaking TV special. I am steaming just writing this so I'll stop.

There is no defending this so please dont even try.

[Truth Hurts]

Regarding the program being put on, it is a bit annoying, but he isn't the one who put himself on that pedestal. 

WRONG! Lebron's "team" approached ESPN about the special. It was all their idea. They have done everything in their power to put Lebron up on that pedestal. Word has it, Lebron's people were the source of the leak about Bosh and Wade so that he could have the stage all to himself tonight. Make no mistake, Lebron is as full of himself as any athlete that ever walked this Earth. Imagine if he ever won anything?

[hpantazo]

LeBron's recent shennanigans have soured Bill Simmons, one of his biggest fans, on him.

It's actually a really funny article. One of his readers even predicted this one hour special thing back in November. Crazy!

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=simmons/100708

I think he's right. Having a one hour special to tell the world that you chose to leave your hometown team in your prime would be one of the cruelest things in modern sports history, but I expect it from him at this point.

[Eddie20]

He nailed this point...

Let's say LeBron signs with Miami. Can you even make the Finals with LeBron, Bosh, Wade and nine minimum-salary guys? Because that might be next year's team … and if that's what happens, the answer is "no effing way." You don't win titles just because of your top three. That belittles the meaning of guys like Derek Fisher, Robert Horry, Steve Kerr, John Paxson, Brian Shaw … you could go on for hours naming role players who swung a title. The 2008 Celts lucked out by getting James Posey, Eddie House and P.J. Brown for practically nothing; Miami wouldn't have that luxury this summer, not with so many role players jockeying for contracts one year before the possible lockout. Nobody is taking less money to showcase themselves for a summer that might not happen. Even if Miami could spin Michael Beasley for a fourth guy (say, Trevor Ariza), that's still not enough. They'd need one more rebounder, point guard, a 3-point shooter and a center. Good luck.

[Greenbean]

He nailed this point...

Let's say LeBron signs with Miami. Can you even make the Finals with LeBron, Bosh, Wade and nine minimum-salary guys? Because that might be next year's team … and if that's what happens, the answer is "no effing way." You don't win titles just because of your top three. That belittles the meaning of guys like Derek Fisher, Robert Horry, Steve Kerr, John Paxson, Brian Shaw … you could go on for hours naming role players who swung a title. The 2008 Celts lucked out by getting James Posey, Eddie House and P.J. Brown for practically nothing; Miami wouldn't have that luxury this summer, not with so many role players jockeying for contracts one year before the possible lockout. Nobody is taking less money to showcase themselves for a summer that might not happen. Even if Miami could spin Michael Beasley for a fourth guy (say, Trevor Ariza), that's still not enough. They'd need one more rebounder, point guard, a 3-point shooter and a center. Good luck.

I agree except for the fact a team with those guys can win in the regular season. They can even be fairly doninant in the regular season. They will NOT win a title though unless some quality role players sign for the vet min.

[Eddie20]

He nailed this point...

Let's say LeBron signs with Miami. Can you even make the Finals with LeBron, Bosh, Wade and nine minimum-salary guys? Because that might be next year's team … and if that's what happens, the answer is "no effing way." You don't win titles just because of your top three. That belittles the meaning of guys like Derek Fisher, Robert Horry, Steve Kerr, John Paxson, Brian Shaw … you could go on for hours naming role players who swung a title. The 2008 Celts lucked out by getting James Posey, Eddie House and P.J. Brown for practically nothing; Miami wouldn't have that luxury this summer, not with so many role players jockeying for contracts one year before the possible lockout. Nobody is taking less money to showcase themselves for a summer that might not happen. Even if Miami could spin Michael Beasley for a fourth guy (say, Trevor Ariza), that's still not enough. They'd need one more rebounder, point guard, a 3-point shooter and a center. Good luck.

I agree except for the fact a team with those guys can win in the regular season. They can even be fairly doninant in the regular season. They will NOT win a title though unless some quality role players sign for the vet min.

They can have success IF they remain healthy. And that's not easy to do when you combine Wade's (77 games missed in the last 5 yrs) and Bosh's (57 games missed in the last 5 yrs) injury history, the amount of minutes the 3 would have to play, and the way teams will be gunning for them.

[fairweatherfan]

Good article.  The only way this TV thing isn't a complete travesty is if he stays with Cleveland.  Otherwise it's a horrible thing to do to the place he grew up, and he's gonna go from the most beloved athlete in Ohio to the most hated in about 5 seconds. 

Even if he stays it's still a pretty ridiculously egotistical thing to do.  But my suspicion is he wants to introduce the new Big 3 in Miami.  And everyone will once again start sleeping on the one that's actually won something.

[Mizzy21390]

This is the best article Simmons has written in a long time.

Agreed. TP