Dan Gilbert letter to fans...
- Thread starter BigDan
- Start date
and this is classy? Cleveland Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert says LeBron James quit during playoffs - ESPN
seriously. LeBron put in hard work for Cleveland. He left after his contract was up. It would be no different than any of us taking a new job.
Screw Dan Gilbert. After all this, the little doubt I had for LeBron leaving is completely alleviated. The Cavs fans don't deserve this, but the organization certainly does.
By not winning in Cleveland he gave up the chance to be the best to ever play. There will always be question marks now.
He could of given up some money in Cleveland so they could afford to buy some better players to put around him. Cleveland has made him rich enough that he can now afford to give up some money. Big deal.
Agree with the first part. I hope he does well, but there will always be questions now.
As far as your second point, disagree. every team has money tied up. The problem is that Cleveland had big money tied up in Mo Williams and Antawn Jamison, who aren't worth that much. Bosh and Wade are. So even if Lebron gave up a couple million/year for Cleveland, it wouldn't amount to as much as it did in Miami.
You don't get it, do you? He was NEVER going to win in Cleveland!!! Not only did the owner kept surrounding LeBron with worthless pieces, he thought those pieces were going to be the answer. Not only that, but no other relevant star WANTED to go to Cleveland. Bosh could have played with LeBron in Cleveland. Amare could have played with LeBron in Cleveland. Hell - DWade could have played with LeBron in Cleveland. Nobody else wanted to go there. After this rambling diatribe by this madman, I have to believe that Cleveland the city itself may not be the only reason, but I wouldn't want to play for an owner that unreasonable either.
Cyclonepride
Thought Police
Poorly thought out, bitter, immature and completely lacking class.
Sure, it sucks, but this guy has to show class and leadership. He did neither here. He issued a statement that I would expect to see on a message board, not from the owner of a franchise.
Sure, it sucks, but this guy has to show class and leadership. He did neither here. He issued a statement that I would expect to see on a message board, not from the owner of a franchise.
Bingo. I really don't get the LeBron hate from the media right now - he took less money to go to a franchise that knows how to put a team together and win championships. This would be considered admirable with almost any other athlete.
Yeah, his handling of the situation came across as self serving to me. Perhaps if Lebron could hit an outside shot with regularity, they would have won. As the media said last night, with Wade and Lebron you have two very similar players, and unless Miami adds a couple 3 shooters, and a good post, they will be seeing a lot of zone defense. Frankly, I don't think Wade and LeBron are complimentary players. I also think LeBron needs to go back to school and take English again. I wanted to smack him every time he said myself instead of me, and organization with a long I, and many other grammer errors. Its like he wanted to sound edjucated, but came across as pompous.
4 million is a big difference to me! I'll take that money anyday of the week!!!!!!!!!
CycloneErik
Well-Known Member
Realistically, LeBron didn't take less money. He has one less year on a contract, but he's going to get paid by somebody for that year anyway. His career isn't ending with this contract by any means.
I think it's not real accurate on his part to say he took less money. He definitely took a greater chance to win, and there's nothing wrong with that.
I think it's not real accurate on his part to say he took less money. He definitely took a greater chance to win, and there's nothing wrong with that.
I can only assume that letter is one of two things:
1) Red meat for the ultra-irritated faithful Cavalier fans to endear the owner to them in hopes that they will continue to show up to games, buy jerseys, etc.
or
2) The rantings of a lunatic owner that is not as professional as one would expect from a man in such a position. Someone who let his emotions trump doing the right thing.
I would hope it is the former but it seems likely that it is the latter. The bottom line is that the NBA is a players league and I fail to see how this letter is going to help them get the requisite players to accomplish his goal of winning an NBA Championship before LeBron.
I would love to see the odds in Vegas on Cleveland v. LeBron winning a championship first.
1) Red meat for the ultra-irritated faithful Cavalier fans to endear the owner to them in hopes that they will continue to show up to games, buy jerseys, etc.
or
2) The rantings of a lunatic owner that is not as professional as one would expect from a man in such a position. Someone who let his emotions trump doing the right thing.
I would hope it is the former but it seems likely that it is the latter. The bottom line is that the NBA is a players league and I fail to see how this letter is going to help them get the requisite players to accomplish his goal of winning an NBA Championship before LeBron.
I would love to see the odds in Vegas on Cleveland v. LeBron winning a championship first.
couldn't have said it better myself. Dan Gilbert needs a lot of luck to get other FAs to play in Cleveland when he sounds like an 8 year old that is throwing a tantrum because he didn't get what he wanted for christmas this year.
actually, I think the letter is insanely stupid, but I do actually think it's somewhat refreshing he got his real feelings out there. Dumb as all hell business-wise though.
This is much like the JP transfer letter. Might be true, might be refreshing to speak your true thoughts, but in the end, better left unsaid.
Sounds like payback for the way Lebron made his decision...the Cavs owner found out Lebron's decision with all of us. Even so, that is pretty sad but at least the guy is honest.
CycloneErik
Well-Known Member
Would have been better to go the Lincoln route, write the letter and say, "That's off my chest," then rip it up and throw it away. The letter doesn't look like a good idea to me at all. Especially in the context of a professional who fulfilled his contract and chose to move on to a professionally better situation.
Agreed. No matter what you think of the letter personally, it's a dumb move professionally.
