Lebron has words for Coach Vogel

[slamtheking]

Frank Vogel said after last night's game, "They're the next team that's in our way and that's how we're approaching it.''

Reporter to LeBron: “Vogel kept saying last night that you guys are just another team.''

LeBron: “We're not just another team. I don't understand what he's saying. But we're not just another team. It's not true.''

Another reporter asks what he said.

LeBron: “He said we're just another team in their way. We're not just another team. We're a great team. We're very confident. We'll be ready for them. But if we're just another team, you really don't prepare for just another team. We're not just another team. You got to be prepared for us.''

A third reporter: “Did your ears perk up when your heard that [from Vogel].''

LeBron: “Absolutely. I'll be ready.'

bad reporting and just egging Lebron on.  Lebron probably didn't have to take the bait, but this is almost entirely on the reporters trying to create a story and not much else.

which is what pretty much all reporters do nowadays.  if no story exists, make one happen

[CelticG1]

Frank Vogel said after last night's game, "They're the next team that's in our way and that's how we're approaching it.''

Reporter to LeBron: “Vogel kept saying last night that you guys are just another team.''

LeBron: “We're not just another team. I don't understand what he's saying. But we're not just another team. It's not true.''

Another reporter asks what he said.

LeBron: “He said we're just another team in their way. We're not just another team. We're a great team. We're very confident. We'll be ready for them. But if we're just another team, you really don't prepare for just another team. We're not just another team. You got to be prepared for us.''

A third reporter: “Did your ears perk up when your heard that [from Vogel].''

LeBron: “Absolutely. I'll be ready.'

bad reporting and just egging Lebron on.  Lebron probably didn't have to take the bait, but this is almost entirely on the reporters trying to create a story and not much else.

Yeah I mean reporters do this constantly throughout the season.

Lebron certainly fell for that bait pretty easily though.

Its about as standard a comment from vogel as can be. We don't care who we are playing, they are just another team, we think we can beat anyone, etc etc. No matter how you slice it or how a reporter states it, its about as generic a comment as there can be

[indeedproceed]

That's hilarious. Its like telephone mixed with a 4th grade afterschool fight where the two kids don't actually want to fight, their friends just want to see a show.

[SHAQATTACK]

mental giant ...  for sure

[Moranis]

"Sorry sports world, the words 'just another team' never came out of my mouth. Great respect for LBJ and the champs. Looking forward to [a] great series,"

[Yoki_IsTheName]

This is all media blowing it out of proportions to me, and LeBron taking that media bait.

I see nothing wrong with Frank Vogel's statement, in fact it's true. LeBron kind of felt "disrespected" I guess because "they're the Champions" he felt he had to say something, looked bad in the process.

[SparzWizard]

Since the Knicks didn't make it, I don't need to root for the Heat. That being said, Pacers...thrash these Miami cHeats! Make it personal!

[Yogi]

Lebron is a 100% right.  The Heat are not just another team.  They have guys with whistles. 

[timobusa]

I enjoyed this insight into Lebron's mindset:

...you really don’t prepare for just another team.

Maybe that's why, to date, Lebron only has one championship.  Too little preparation, too much taking teams for granted.

I can't imagine Larry Bird, Michael Jordan, or Bill Russell saying it's okay to not prepare for a playoff opponent under any circumstances.

Ha yeah its pretty sad.

He's someone that doesn't seem to think before he speaks.

To his credit, he didn't go to college.

HAHAHAHAHAHA

Stupid Lebron.

[aporel#18]

Lebron is a 100% right.  The Heat are not just another team.  They have guys with whistles.

TP for truth.

Btw, LeBron is not arrogant, he's just an idiot. He really believes the rest of the world has to bow down, and if any team talks about beating the Heat, he feels disrespected.

He said he could hit 50-40-90 season 'if he wanted to' and at first I thought it was a fake headline, but here's the  (link). He's a skilled player, a physical monster, but he's an annoying moron.

[action781]

Even some of the NBA's most lamest interviewees like Kobe or Pop would have made some lame, typical acknowledgement that "is what a team is supposed to say" and "this is going to be a tough series" yada yada yada if they were put into that kind of situation

[sed522002]

Even some of the NBA's most lamest interviewees like Kobe or Pop would have made some lame, typical acknowledgement that "is what a team is supposed to say" and "this is going to be a tough series" yada yada yada if they were put into that kind of situation

Right, it's like Lebron, do you have to be baited for EVERY question the media presents you? You don't have to constantly defend how great you and your are.

[Boris Badenov]

Even some of the NBA's most lamest interviewees like Kobe or Pop would have made some lame, typical acknowledgement that "is what a team is supposed to say" and "this is going to be a tough series" yada yada yada if they were put into that kind of situation

Right, it's like Lebron, do you have to be baited for EVERY question the media presents you? You don't have to constantly defend how great you and your are.

I was trying to think about what seems to make this different from, for example, how Jordan and Bird handled this stuff. They were constantly dealing with real and imagined slights, and using them as motivation, etc. and a lot of it was totally blown out of proportion.

But I think your last sentence gets at the issue. Jordan and Bird would respond, or you'd at least hear that they were p***ed, and their responses were arrogant in many cases, but they also had absolutely zero self-doubt. They would tend to say less and then go and hang 45 points on the other team.

But with Lebron, I sense this undercurrent of defensiveness, like "no, guys, I really am good, why doesn't everyone think I'm awesome?!?!"

I guess it has more of a flavor of caring what other people think, as opposed to just having that supreme self-confidence. I guess I prefer the latter.

[sed522002]

Even some of the NBA's most lamest interviewees like Kobe or Pop would have made some lame, typical acknowledgement that "is what a team is supposed to say" and "this is going to be a tough series" yada yada yada if they were put into that kind of situation

Right, it's like Lebron, do you have to be baited for EVERY question the media presents you? You don't have to constantly defend how great you and your are.

I was trying to think about what seems to make this different from, for example, how Jordan and Bird handled this stuff. They were constantly dealing with real and imagined slights, and using them as motivation, etc. and a lot of it was totally blown out of proportion.

But I think your last sentence gets at the issue. Jordan and Bird would respond, or you'd at least hear that they were p***ed, and their responses were arrogant in many cases, but they also had absolutely zero self-doubt. They would tend to say less and then go and hang 45 points on the other team.

But with Lebron, I sense this undercurrent of defensiveness, like "no, guys, I really am good, why doesn't everyone think I'm awesome?!?!"

I guess it has more of a flavor of caring what other people think, as opposed to just having that supreme self-confidence. I guess I prefer the latter.

Right, like when he had to defend why he should have won DPOY and how he guards everyone...etc. When you play great, it doesn't have to be explained in words because everyone sees it. Everyone in the world knows what Lebron and Co. are capable of.

[bobbyv]

Lebron definitely overreacted. It was a standard response.