WAS LEBRON WRONG?

Sportsmanship is a part of the game too… Even after getting your ass whooped you still gotta realize that once the final bell/whistle/horn sounds its over and it was just a game. That’s the first lesson you learn playing T-ball or Pee-wee ball… no matter what you gotta have good sportsmanship.

In the Pro level there is no reason for that kind of conduct because hell you are getting paid to play… Why can you be civil when you play for free or even when you have to pay fees to play… but when you get paid millions to play you can’t be civil anymore? I say suck it up and cry about it when you get home… or at the very least in the locker room…

I think people fail to realize sometimes that celebrities and pro athletes are human. Like you said the media was making this whole Kobe vs. Lebron match before the Eastern Conf. finals could even come half way close to being finished so I know he felt alot of pressure. I for one used to be pissed off when me and my team would loose a game, especially when we weren’t playing as a team and at our best potential. I didn’t want to talk to anybody after some games, everybody knew they had to give me atleast 15 minutes for me to catch my barrings. I think the media should lay off of him a little bit b/c had he had stopped and done a little post game talking they probably would have been reporting that he wasn’t happy; of course he wouldn’t be happy.

I think it showed poor sportsmanship. That is something that is taught from Tee ball on up. Whether you win or lose, you form that single file line and congratulate the other team on a good game. I think it sends the wrong message to the youth. They think, “well If my idol Lebron doesn’t do it, then why should I?” The thing is though, he’s not the only one. Just the most recent & biggest name. In basketball & football I’ve noticed this trend. They speak to the ones they know and dip. They still do the lines in hockey & soccer though, but the other sports not as much. They don’t even do the fundamental things learned in the beginning, like backpedaling for example.
I just think his action, and his comments afterward about being a winner and thinking congratulating someone that beat him as stupid shows a character flaw that he has. We all have them though.
I really hope this brings the bigger issue of the lost art of sportsmanship to light… check out my post about it over at http://mysincerethoughts.com.
Peace
Sincere

I’m not a Lebron fan but I will say this… this man has shown sportsmanship his whole career and lets not forget that he lost to the Spurs in the finals and told them congrats (he was much closer to his championship then now) . Now the problem that I have is how come when Kobe did not shake the hands of the Rockets when they lost against them or when the Nuggets would win games in the series and Kobe and the Lakers would walk off… that was the custom of every team in the playoffs after a loss in the series. Now my friends and I have this conversation, when is it time to congratulate and show sportsmanship? After every game or at the end of the series, the thing that most people do not understand is sportsmanship is suppose to take place after every competitive game and during but it doesn’t and athletes understand that. Another point to look at is Lebron sent the man a email after he calmed down and told him congrats and good luck. The media didn’t want to comment to much about that… JD lets say you did wrong to a family and the media was there when it took place, now you got your people to find out who the family was and you got in contact with them and apologized for your mishap. Now you do not owe the media the apology but they would ridicule you even though you made the apology because that is there job, to get people to read the papers or visit there website etc… sorry for the long post but I can go on and on. The point is to get off of this young man and move on.

THIS SHOWED ME THAT HE ISN’T READY TO TAKE OVER THE LEAGUE. B/C A TRUE COMPETITOR WILL CONGRATULATE THE WINNING TEAM, AND GO RIGHT GYM AND IMPROVE THEIR GAME. I UNDERSTAND IT WAS HARD PILLOW TO TAKE, BUT ALL OF THE GREATEST BALL PLAYERS FACED DEFEAT BEFORE. ITS JUST A LEARNING PROCESS FOR LEBRON. FINALLY HIS TEAMMATES LOOKS UP TO HIM ITS NOT A GOOD LOOKING WALKING OUT LIKE THAT.

Honestly when you have a man that plays an entire team by himself, he has the right to walk off the floor. No one would be saying a thing if this was some dude that rode the bench just walking off. He was pissed and rightfully so. He contacted Dwight Howard the next day and said whatever he needed to say. Since he is not being fined by the league for not talking to the media or not shaking hands apparently its not that big of a deal. Think about it people how often do you want to talk to some one or shake hands when you are really pissed. There is nothing written any that these things have to be done after a game. In baseball if someone hit a walk off anything the other team does not stay around to shake hands, hell at the end of the game the baseball teams high 5 themselves. So I think people are blowing it out of proportion and need to just let it go. Lebron James is a human being just like everyone else on this site. He is not exempt from being normal.

I think lebron was wrong for not shaking the otha teams hand.. Last year in the finals wen celtics took it to the lakers, kobe was pissed n prob cried bout it but he still owned up n congratulated the celtics. I think these commercials got lebron for as young as he is all too excited and he was prob thinkin he “got the game in the bag.” Like sumone said on a comment that its disrespectful for ppl ta compare lebron to kobe. Cuz lebron aint on his level yet. Just like ppl say kobe aint mj, lebron aint kobe! Til bron starts winnin the rings or makin playoffs after playoffs like inty wuld say “that aint it.”

IM SELFISH LIKE NIKE AND VITAMINWATER TOOO! I WANTED A CAVS-LAKERS FINAL.(i was rooting 4 d cavs btw)

BUT YEA LEBRON WAS DEAD WRONG…AND THEN THE NEXT DAY HE TRIED TO DEFEND IT. What i dont understand is that he kept saying he was a WINNER and he is COMPETATIVE. what have u won again besides a gold medal(and im not dismissing that). he showed me how immature he is and how much growing mentally and character wise he still has to go.

his rationale makes no sense. why wouldnt u show respect to the magic, it was a good series…even if you dont, he should have had RESPECT for himself, the fans and the game. he showed no leadership.

accept the a** whooping like a MAN and shake your opponents hand (u dont have 2 wish them the good luck or anything) address the media afterwards, and move on and grow from it.

…and him not going 2 college is no excuse…my niece and nephew learned how 2 be a good sport playing T-BALL!!!

FIRST OFF LETS GET IT CORRECT WHEN YOUR PLAYING A 7 GAME SERIES AND YOU WIN A GAME IN THE SERIES YOU DONT GO OVER AND CONGRATULATE THE OTHER TEAM ON A WELL PLAYED GAME, YOU CONGRATULATE THEM WHEN THE SERIES IS OVER, NOW THAT WE GOT THAT OUT THE WAY..REWIND BACK 2-3 YEARS AGO WHEN THE DALLAS MAVERICKS WENT 67-15 AND DIRK ALSO WON MVP AND THEY LOST IN THE FIRST ROUND AND YOU DIDNT SEE DIRK GO STORMING OFF THE COURT STRAIGHT TO THE BUS, HE WALKED OVER AND SHOOK BARONS HAND ON PLAYING BETTER THAN THEY DID. MAN UP! WHEN MY BOYS GOT OUR ASSES BEAT BY 39 IN GAME 6 LAST YEAR YOU SAW ANGER AND TEARS IN KOBES EYES AS HE SHOOK THEY’RE HANDS, AND HE CAME TO THE NEWS CONFERENCE AND SAID WHAT HE HAD TO SAY AND LEFT. REMEMBER NOBODY SAID HE HAD TO ANSWER QUESTIONS. HE COULDVE GAVE A COUPLE POUNDS WALKED OFF THE COURT, WENT TO THE PRESS CONFERENCE SAID A COUPLE WORDS AND LEFT. HE DIDNT HAVE TO ANSWER QUESTIONS…I AGREE WITH EVERYBODY ELSE THATS POOR SPORTSMANSHIP…..AND HIS IMMATURITY SHOWED EASILY….I LIKE LEBRON AND AS MUCH AS I HATE TO ADMIT IT BCUZ ME & MY FAM ARE DIE HARD LAKER FANS HE HAS THE POTENTIAL TO BE GREATER THAN KOBE AND THATS OK……LOSING COMES WITH THE TERRITORY……..JD IF YOU LOSE A GRAMMY TO JIGGA ARE YOU GONNA NOT CONGRATULATE HIM BCUZ “YOUR A WINNER” AND “YOU HATE LOSING” EVEN THO HE’S A GREAT FRIEND OF YOURS? NO!! BRON BRON STILL LEARNING TO B A MAN HES ONLY 23 SHIT THATS ONLY A YEAR OLDER THAN BOW WOW………HEADED BACK TO CUPCAKING WITH THE MR….

Is everybody on this board serious (aside from one or two) You’re really going to jump all over Lebron for leaving the court after his team lost. He was frustrated and upset with himself and his team. If a person is that upset and frustrated, there is no telling what he would have said if he had to face the media and their barrage of questions. Didn’t you hear the saying, “If you can’t say anything nice, don’t say anything at all”. That is was Lebron was doing. I would have left as well. After that type of loss, I’m out.

I don’t want to hear ANY of that crap about sportsmanship. Did any of Knicks, Pacers, Celtics, Pistons, Suns, Jazz, Cavs and the Rest of the NBA teams he made history against shake Jordan’s hand right after he destroyed them. Brian Russell shake Jordan’s hand after he pushed off to win another championship. Did any of the Knicks, shake Reggie Miller’s hand after he scored like 9 points in like 30 seconds to beat the Knicks. Sportsmanship is a great ideal to live up to, but I’m not going to criticize Lebron for this.

And stop with all the “He’s a role model” and “He has to be an example” garbage. He’s not some perfect being to put up on a pedestal. He’s a talented young man with feelings and flaws who has done great things since joining the NBA. IF this is considered a bad thing he’s done, all the help and hope he’s given to the city of Cleveland, State of Ohio, and NBA FAR out weights him leaving the court upset over a loss.

I don’t understand what everybody expected him to do aside from leaving the court. It’s not like he threw a tantrum and hit a fan or anything. He didn’t want to talk to the Media….big deal, who cares. The media didn’t get a chance to drill him for 45 minutes about stuff he probably didn’t even want to talk about. The Media won’t have the latest quote moments after his team lost, boo freaking hooo.

Bottom Line, if anyone have a problem with what he did, you are entitled to your own opinion. To me this is the epitome of a non issue. He get’s a pass, move on.

i believe he was very wrong being great isnt all about winning sometimes it about standing tall when you do lose.

JD, he was wrong, you learn as a young kid how to conduct yourself after a win or loss…. Anybody who played sports as a kid knows you have to give congrats to the winning team, I don’t think we should make a major issue out of it, but I think as he gets older he will understand that no matter what happens he gets paid a lot of money to be a professional.

Lebron is hands down the best overall player in the league… BUT… Kobe will one leg him always b-cuz he’s strategically better…he’s a quicker thinker & like someone previously stated … Kobe stay hungry… he’s never satisfied & that’s what puts him a notch above… that being said I think that Lebron thought he had it in the bag… b-cuz the media gassing his sorry team up & as amazing as Lebron is he cant keep carrying a team…
PERIOD…
I think he was embarrassed & it showed how young he is….
It’s okay… it’ll come with growth… he aint the greatest…yet….
(Even Jordan had a garbage team @ one point…but he stayed focused & hungry)
That’s what seperate the Boyz from the Men!

With all that said …HE was wrong, but so what! Magics still beat’em & im pretty sure they slept good, shaking his hand or not…

Sorry Next time Bron-Bron…

Give Labron a break! This guy has been the prefect gentleman on and off the court. He has given it his all everyday for this team since he came into the league. Hell, Labron is the team. Emotionally he wasn’t ready to talk to the media. Now the people that they should want to talk with is those other teammates that didn’t provide enough help to win the series.

first, if you have to ask the question, the answer is typically yes. lol. so, was he wrong? yes. or better yet, did he exercise poor judgement? the answer is still yes, no matter how you look at it. could he have handled it differently? of course. we can all relate to that where we should have handled a situation differently.

lebron is human, no one has forgotten that. as humans we make mistakes. who you are and what you do are not synonmous. lebron has an undeniable talent and innate ability and at the end of the day, no one can take that away from him. lebron is not the first nor will he be the last to leave a game frustrated as hell. however, as a public figure people will always ask annoying questions and have certain expectations. jd you know that firsthand due to your significant other. you want to tell people stop asking but you come to expect it and provide some type of answer, redirect them to the issue at hand and keep it moving. no one was asking him to do cartwheels and back flips but to just do the obligatory aspects of his job and go home to his family and those who love and support him.

lebron may be 24 but he has been in the league for what 6 years? he is a professional basketball player. key word being professional. there are many days in my professional capacity that i would like to hang up on people that call yelling and cursing to complain about staff. do, i just hang up? no, i listen and deescalate the situation. the local print and tv media has vilified the agency where i work. do i send letters to the editor and call the tv stations telling them how wrong they are? no, i encourage and support my staff.

if lebron bought into the media hype, shame on him and he should learn a valuable lesson for the future. let’s not forget lebron is also a business man. you have to always handle your business no matter what and when you don’t someone should call you on it. how else will you learn? i hope he has people in his life that will tell him what he needs to hear not what they think he wants to hear. he was wrong point blank.

we all have choices to make and there are negative or positive consequences as a result of our actions. when you know better, you do better. actions speaks louder than words and lebron’s actions were not indicative of being a “winner” that day.

i am confident that lebron will move onward and updward and hopefully learn from this experience.

the next headline featuring someone else is on the way.

“Embrace the fact that somehow, concerning something, you’re probably mistaken. And in your mistakes, find the wisdom that will take your performance to an even higher level.” — Ralph Marston

am from akron,ohio don’t care at all 4 the cavs i sum what known lebron dude ain’t real & was very wrong he didn’t do that when they got they ass beat by the spur so show sum respect they play better n all six games dude didn’t show respect when he was playin thoughs other & was showboatin around like he was the shit & orlando showed respect to yall when they got n yalls ass so do the same micheal never did that which show that he ain’t the best player n the game cause even the very best show respect kobe did it lebron needs 2 grow the f*ck up & stop bein a baby but i guess thats what happen when millions of people plus damn ner all of ohio & nba is kissing ur ass

I think what Lebron did was just poor sportsmanship and he should have used better judgement,because had the shoe been on the other foot and he won and it was the Magics who were going home he would have shaken their hands and talked to the media. and for all the people thats saying his teamates suck and their the reason why the Cavs lost are crazy,Lebron didnt get the best record in he NBA by himself it took a team effort and they lost as a team.I think the Cavs played good but just was out played and the better team won, you cant separate Lebron from his team and put the blame on them he had a lot to do with it too.

He could have done better, and sorry but sportsmanship is a part of the NBA, you live to fight another day. His BS excuse that he is a winner means nothing, I don’t remember him winning any rings the last two seasons. It was a bad move, and it did display a young man that has grown as a player, but is not ready to take the lead in the NBA. Right now he needs a stronger cast of teammates right now, because just like jordan was stingy with the ball, it took the team to win the rings, after the rings came, MJ just made his legacy grow. Lebron needs a little more time to grow. All he had to do is shake hands and close out a game, for how much money he makes, shut the fuck up and do your job. i know millions of people wish the most they had to be forced to do was shake hands and make nice, you got it good Lebron..get over yourself.

While I can agree that leaving without speaking to the press and congratulating the winning team was very un-sportsman like. I’m sorry, but he’s human like everyone else and he played his heart out and his TEAM, let him down. Sometimes in those situations, you simply don’t feel like talking and smiling and putting up a front. Period. It’s easy for us to sit back and say ‘oh he should’ve done this or done that’ yet NONE OF US. Are or were in that situation, yeah it sounds good on paper. Sometimes it’s easier said than done. So while I’m not condoning what LJ did. I’m not going to condemn him either…..It is what it is. He put everything he had out there and it didn’t measure up, and he’s one man, at times during the series, to me it looked more like Lebron Vs Orlando Magic, instead of the Cavs vs Magic…..So before we sit back and judge let’s stop and try to put ourselves in his shoes.

I respect Lebron and his game but in that instance it was a straight up “bitchass” move. I give him all the credit in the world as arguably the best player in the league and the fact that besides this slip up he’s had absolutely no trouble on/off the court but come on no way anybody can defend a) storming off the court and b) going underground and ducking the media.

I don’t know how tight him and Dwight Howard became after ballin’ this summer in the Olympics but damn he could’ve at least holla’d at him on court after the game or shook hands with at least the Orlando coaching staff then bounced. He’s young and of course he’ll learn but a wrong move is still a wrong move and he gotta take the heat for it all summer and more until next year.

I feel that congradulating the magics and doing a press conference would have been the right thing to do, but i understand where he was coming from. He was highly devastated from the loss they took and it was overwhelming for him. Sometimes when your emotions get caught up, you react off of instinct instead of making decisions first, and i think that was what LeBron did. I’m a huge LeBron James fan myself, and it killed me to see them lose, but i understand why he reacted the way he did. He was in the heat of the moment, and thats what happens when you are really into the game like that. I think mostly anybody who was in his situation would have done the same thing.

it was wrong 4 bron leaving and not congratulating the magic n there win, i mean as a youth basketball player your coaches teach and preach sportsmanship so its not like u need to go to college to learn sportsmanship.. im sure someone convinced him to do the interview, i mean how r u gonna leave moe to answer post game questions he didn’t do much!

JD you my dude but it’s no excuse for that behavior. Grant it dude is a beast but the league has created a monster. Everyone is a competitor and the image he portrays, he should know better then anyone to behave like that. They tried to give it to him and he took that pressure on his shoulders instead of getting his team involved as he did during the season and operation fell through! Now he has that burden for 82 more games. It isn’t going to get any easier!

Man Yeah Lebron was Wrong..When MJ could get to the NBA finals he always thanked the team that beat him, Im from Ohio and i dont think that was humble, Win or lose did you see the commercial he did with Yao, Kobe, CP3 & them Kids talking about sportsmanship, He was out there shaking hands and when he was sweeping people, Its got to be the same both ways, look at the Mavs and Nuggets series, All them Hard Fouls and Techs and what happened they all shook each others hands..so when Shard Lewis went to shake LBJ’s hand after he won the game with the game winner, he said what nothing..come on man even the Celts and Hawks shook hands..no excuses..The Nuggets got beat the same way Cavs got beat and its no problems, they shook hands and kept it moving. Very disappointed in the L-Train…Talk about getting beat..when KOBE AND SHAQ LOST TO THE PISTONS THEY SHOOK HANDS..

Hey JD and my oceans fam… i agree with you jd because if i would of been lebron i would of walked off the court immediately after the game… to face a loss like that has to be emotional and im sure he needed more than just a moment to himself to get it together… those two teams have played each other enough times to remember the congratulations… its crazy how they pumped up this rivalry with Kink James and Kobe, so its like he failed on a bigger scale… lebron knows he is a beast and it is only a matter of time before he gets the rings that he deserves…i just hope that he doesnt get traded to the knicks because the Cavs are only a shot away from being in the finals they should keep the team together… But in the mean time how about them LAKERS

I REALLY DO NOT FEEL IT WAS THAT BIG OF A DEAL… YEAH I THINK HE SHOULD HAVE STAYED OUT THERE AND SHOOK HANDS AND SHIT… BUT I CAN UNDERSTAND HOW HE FELT… HE WAS MAD THAT HE LOST… AND HE PROBLITY DID NOT FEEL LIKE BEIN’ BOTHERED AT THAT MOMENT… I WITH YOU ON THIS ONE JD… HE IS YOUNG AND HE DID NOT PLAY COLLEGE BALL…

Poor Sportsmanship, we understand the intensity and all that, but why is he above showing respect. Bitch move IMO.

That was a straight up fag move and Lebron knows it. You the so called “face” of the league but you don’t even have the decency to congratulate another team after they just got in yo ass.
It was truly a classless act. I just mufuckas would hop off his jock long enough to see it. And JD he didn’t get caught up. He showed up every game but the last one. His teammates hung him out to dry.

Listen, I feel he was caught up in all of it. It was an emotional ride, from the beginning to the end. All the hype. The pressure. Hell, I think I would have had to sit my behind down and process it all for myself after the game if I was him. He had come so close to a championship once again and EXPECTATIONS were extremely HIGH!!! Being a professional athlete comes with its share of S$%&. I have seen it first hand. I know people are saying but that’s what he gets paid for. Well, so does everyone else. Money doesn’t teach you how to deal with your emotions in the moment. The money is only paying for the great talent, service and entertainment that he offers. It doesn’t teach you how to handle yourself when you get hit with a blow to the gut. We all know how it is when you have people who you don’t want to disappoint, you don’t want to disappoint yourself and maybe it all happen for the best. He was probably so pissed off that he didn’t know what to say and walking off the court was the best thing for everyone. I am sure if he would have had a hour to himself to get his mind right and everyone was still there he may have come back out and paid his respect. Besides, did we ever think that he could have called players on the phone after the game and showed love. JD, I do agree with you on this one, as time goes on, he will develop and gain more wisdom of how to respond to life’s experiences. He is still a class act, hands down. He has accomplished more (in a short period of time) then 99 percent of the world and he shows NO signs of stopping. He will soon learn that at this level (NBA) it is just work and this week was just a very bad week at the office. It’s all GOOD!!!! See you next year LeBron. You still are KING.

I think that as ‘fans’ or people on the ‘other’ side of the TV we put too much responsibility on the players to be good role models to the kids without realizing that they’re (the players) growing and learning life lessons on their own also. It starts in the home. I feel like it’s a parents job to say:

“Hey, Lebrons not a happy man right now, he doesn’t feel good about what happened so he’d like to be left alone.”

If the parents want their kids to understand that that’s not how to handle the situation then they’ll say “this is what you should do if it happens to you” if not, then leave it be, But Lebron is human, and honestly my mother taught me that “If you don’t have anything nice to say then keep your mouth closed” That may have been how he felt at the time. I’d have to say that I’d rather see him frustrated and let him go clear his head, maybe catch up with us later, than hand out fake dap/words to satisfy us and the media in the name of “sportmanship” because at the end of the day he’s a human being, and you feel like that sometimes. He’s young, he’ll learn from the experience, I personally am not going to crucify him for it.

Dead wrong. I feel what you sayin about him not goin to college, but at the end of the day he is a professional. Part of being professional is showing sportsmanship and you don’t have to go to college to learn that. I even these little 17 year olds playin high school basketball know how to congratulate each other after a long, hard season.

Definately UN-SPORTSMAN like! Point blank period. No matter how hard the series and how hard the lost you still have to show that respect. It wasnt like it was a last second shot and it went wild on the court. They got beat really good so the last few mintues gave him time to gather himself and fo congradulate his homeboy Dwight. I got what he said when his excuse was after someone beats your ass you dont want to tell them good job yet this isnt the streets and even in BOXING, they congradulate. For those of us who have actually played sports its not just a game, its sometimes our life yet and still if the better team won then be a man and give them their props like all the other players did on your team and be mad at your damn team mates b/c you did average bout 45ppg during the series! I mean thats who you need to be pissed at LeBron! The only people on his team that showed up with him consistantly was Varejo and Delonte! I love you Lebron your like the real deal to a generation that cant really relate to Kobe that good, so dont make us look like they think we are…a bunch of rude, unappreciative, spoiled brats! GO CAVS 2010! ( and invest in some damn big man and a lights out shooter!)

P.S. Yea I’m a chick that knows about sports! I need to be in that Ocean’s baaaaby! Forget all these cunt chicks! Get a B-Girl JD!

LB is lucky Kobe already been there and done that…he has someone to learn from…

Kobe Bryant Interview on Losing NBA Finals
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uIUbU-xnMsg

Kobe Bryant After Losing The NBA Finals To The Celtics
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LlnA551iPcA

No Lebron was not wrong..
we don’t know what went on behind closed doors….I felt if he stayed, the media would have been all up in his face and Dwight Howard 15 mins of fame would have gone to Lebron….

Plus, we don’t know what Lebron after all the hype was over…he could have gone to Dwight and give him high fives…

I would have walked off too..to collect myself and my thoughts..I think if he had spoke to the press he would have went off..

It’s not that serious..I don’t think right now Dwight Howard is thinking about Lebron James…

As sumone stated if you have to ask usually the answer is yes. Making excuses about his lack of college ball and the league showing lebron vs. kobe commercial is just that excuses. Noone had excuses when he was the savior of the league 6 years ago or when he won MVP. Noone had excuses then so lets not make any now. He has been in the league 6 years college or not I think thats more than enough time to figure out how to be professional and show sportsmanship. For non athletes commenting on this blog, you shake hands typically after an NBA series is over. The perfect way to describe this can be taken from a scripture. TO WHOM MUCH IS GIVEN MUCH IS REQUIRED. He has been blessed with being the face of a professional franchise and unfortunately that means learning how to be a MAN. I love lebron but I was disappointed by his actions.

Come on JD. Do you really have to ask that question. On the flipside, he shouldn’t want to shake the hands of losers. After the Cavs ran through the first and second rounds, dancing and disrespecting their opponents as usual, it was all fun and games. He was smiling it up. Even that first game against Orlando when they were up 16, the team was dancing. It wasn’t all fun and games when they lost. That’s why you saw them celebrating they way they did in game 2. He must of known they had their hands full. I mean if it was DWade on the other end would he not have congratulated him? To be the MVP (in my opinion Wade is) and walk off salty like that AND put your headphones off is a bit divaish. Dwight Howard said being too prideful in basketball is not good. He still isn’t humbled and maybe he needs a mentor.

he was wrong for not shaking his hands and def. wrong for leaving his teammates out there to answer to the media, he claims to be a team player but he didnt show it, you have to put ur frustration in the bag and man up and shake hands and walk away. i believe lebron is gettin caught up in the hype and he will soon be cursed because if he doesnt ever win a ring he will be known as one of the most overhyped players ever not to win a ring. nike and espn need to stop all the kobe and lebron commercials and all of the jordan comparisons need to stop as well, he has not even won a ring yet and who knows when and where that will happen. if anything people need to talk about kobe more because he knows how to put a team on his shoulders and close out a series and answer this question…everyone was talking about lebrons big shot in game 2 of the eastern finals, but tell me this does that shot mean anything now?

I don’t think he was wrong. He had his heart into the game and he wanted to win, so of course he was upset. People are making too much out of it, just to have controversy and have something to talk about. At the end of the day he is still King James and he still the best player in the league.

I think it was unsportmans like for him to walk off the court. But 2 not tlk to the press I think that was his call. I think he got caught up in the hype 2. Lebron is a great player. They will defintely be back next yr. congrads to the MAgic. i personally like when the underdogs or the teams u never think will make it to the finals do make. never underestimate people drive.

He was wrong for walking off. I feel as though the Magic were disrespected from the jump in a way. At the end of game 3 when Cleveland lost the game after Lebron attempted to throw up another miracle three-pointer as in game 2. The cameras were so focused on Lebron and his exhaustion and leg cramping, that had you just turned the channel you would have assumed Cleveland won. Come on, give the camera time to the team that actually won. And the worst part is, the Magic won at home and still couldn’t get the camera time. Then jump forward to game six and they do it again, this time Lebron walks off and is nowhere to be found. So, they say in the control room, we can’t find the King, so lets go to our next best option, The Conference Champs….lol. Then I hear that he won’t be fined for blowing off the media. Now had Dwight or anybody else had done this, they would have surely been fined. All I ask is that we keep it consistent on and off the court. Now I’m sure all the “Kings” horses will jump on Kobe’s bandwagon. Go Magic!!

Im not go lie Im not a Lebron James fan so take this how you want. I feel it was wrong and as a leader of his team and the MVP of the league you have certain responsibilities that you have to uphold. Like Jalen Rose said if Lebron James won the series he would’ve shook hands and been at the podium so he should have done the same thing in a loss. You also said he didn’t go to college that’s no excuse you learn sportsmanship way back in grade school or park district so to me him not going to college doesn’t matter in terms of how to lose graciously. The main problem is that he is looked at as a role model by young children so now they are going to think if they lose and get mad they can just walk off the court and not congratulate the better team that night. Yes the league did pump up the Kobe vs. Lebron thing but its up to him to maintain a level head and get the job done to make that happen. So even if he was caught up in the hype you cant expect the NBA finals to be guaranteed. I understand the hurt and frustration but he aint the first person that lost after giving so much and wont be the last. David Aldrige wrote a great article in response to Lebron’s actions Here it is: http://cache.nba.com/2009/news/features/david_aldridge/05/31/aldridge.james/index.html

Look he didn’t do it move on Damn. This Guy never gets in any trouble and is the Face of the League.. Look people on a daily basic don’t give credit to people who deserve it in everyday life.. So what. How many time in your life has some one whipped your ass or crushed your dream and you thanked them…. Huh I would say none..

Check this out. What he id was OK with me homey. The league and Nike was pumping up the match up wit him and Kobe so much that i would be hella disappointed and upset too. I wouldn’t of shook hands wit them niggas either. I hate situations when you have to be fake and he would of had to be real fake to congratulate them boys. Those would of been fake ass daps and hugs so i understand where LBJ is coming from. What’s up with this talk about fining Lebron because of that?? That’s non sense!! If a man don’t want to shake another man’s hand then so be it…..he’s a grown ass man that can do what the hell he want. His season was over once that buzzer went off so he ain’t have to do shit!!!

everyone is trying to compare lebron to mike and need to stop. how long was jordan in the league before he won a championship? why is it that people expect this young man to be a super hero, he’s 24 and he’s human…i not in his head but from what i saw he wasn’t mad at orlando for winning. i think he was mad at he’s team for losing, for not stepping up and playing like the team he thought he had. this young man busted his butt on the court…hell look at the stats. but the sidelines professionals can’t see that can’t see the passion that’s in this young man for the game of basketball….in my opinion he is a leader, he is a captain…come cleveland et him some help

I luv bron bron man him and kobe r my niggaz,and I get like that to when I loose but u gotta shake hands especially when u had a usa teamate u don’t show him no luv come now bron he did the same thing last year in game 7 in boston

JD, please don’t make any excuses 4 ur boy.
When he manned up against the Spurs and shook hands after they lost he didn’t have any college experience then either, so what makes now so different that he doesn’t have to act right?????????? & Now makes him look even worse than if he would have done it then because he has 6 years in the league & that’s plenty of time to learn how to not appear to be a sore loser.
Yeah the league hyped up that damn Kobe-vs-Lebron shit, & it probably got to his head but the thing is……… Lebron knew that all season they were having trouble beating the Magic, so why he gotta act like they stole something from him when they won. I believe that the whole Cavs team started feelin themselves a lil too much after sweeping everybody else. At the end of the day it ain’t that deep, & if I was him I probably would have skipped the press conference after too, but he should have been man enough to give the Magic their props mad or not.

DAWG U GOTTA UNDERSTAND THIS MAN SAID THE MISSION WILL NOT BE COMPLETE, HE WILL NOT BE COMPLETE IF HE DIDN’T BRING IN A CHAMPIONSHIP. FUCK ALL DA COMMERICALS, MVP, AND OTHER AWARDS, ITS ALL BOUT DAT CHAMPIONSHIP. I MEAN I PLAY BALL TOO AND GO HARD, BUT I PROBABLY WOULD HAVE DID THE SAME THING. CUZ SHIT LIKE DAT HURTS. U DIDN’T HAVE NO DOUBT IN YO MIND DAT U WAS GOIN WIN THE CHAMPIONSHIP AND U DIDN’T. FOR U TO COME UP WIT A LOSE LIKE DAT, AFTER A LAST WIN IN CLEVELAND IS PRETTY DEPRESSING. SO NAW HE WASN’T WRONG, HE WAS EMOTIONAL, AND HE IS HUMAN SO DON’T FAULT HIM FOR DAT.

LEBRON JAMES FAN TIL DA END SIGNING OFF……

We all know that saying “don’t put your wagon before the horses” and that’s exactly what V water and Nike did and LBJ got suckered into it. He’s young, obviously and I was pulling for the underdog Magic just becuz everybody wanted wanted to see Kobe and LBJ, I’m Laker fan for LIFE even tho, they be killing me with dat up and down play shit. OMG, I have never yelled at the flat screen so much in my my before these playoffs. anyway, yes LBJ was dead wrong and JD don’t make excuse for yo boy, that’s some loser shit. When the Piston did it back in 91-92 to the Bulls, they were wrong. What are we teaching the kids when we do stuff like that. now everyone’s going to think it’s ok to act like a lil broad when they lose. it’s not good for basketball on a whole other level. man up you got your ass handed to your becuz in the history of the NBA no one has ever won a chapionship with just one player or 1 super star as you see fit. Never, Bill Russel had Cousy, Wilt had West, Tim had David, MJ had Pippen, Shaq had Kobe, Garrnet had Ray and Paul, The Dream had the Glide and so on. man LBJ yall got exposed in more ways than one, dude opt out of an ext. keep the CAVS Mgt feet to the fire and get you another super star and some good role players dude. I bet the Bronx looking real good now LBJ and the Nets, got exactly what you’ll need. Deven Harris, solid point guard been doing fools for 2 year, Vince will have to get up outta there tho.

I don’t think he was wrong. Maybe he did the right thing by going strait to the locker room, because his emotions would have taken over the interview and that would have been another issue to talk about. The media and fans can make a person in that stature crazy. He could have had the interview and didnt say anything and the media would have said he was arrogant, selfish…etc. He is young, and a damn good b-ball player. Before he became MVP, and got the the championship he was King James, half manhalf amazing, as soon as the got that title that tables turned, he is a show off, he try for too many baskets etc. At the end of the day he is also human and damn he is intitled to mistakes as well. Im pretty sure he thought about what he did once he calmed down but there was no turning back it was done. He knew that the commentators were going to say something, but hell they would have said something if he stayed for the interviews and should full emotions as well. I was for the Cav’s all the was there is always next year. He is a young man, maturing in the game and his time will come. KING JAMES all the way.

Lebron was point blank wrong. All of the players on both teams played their hearts out throughout the series – that’s what they’re being payed to do. In order for someone to win, one has to lose and as a professional Lebron should always keep that at the back of his mind. No one likes to lose but we all do at some point in our lives. It’s up to us to take the loss, deal with it in such a matter that will allow us to move on, learn, grow from it, and come back a better person/player. Walking off the court and not congratulating the Magic was not only immature, it proved that the better team won.

I think it was very unsportsman like for him to walk off the court without acknowledging the Orlando Magic team. One team is going to lose in order for one team to win. He is not the 1st player that doesn’t have a supporting cast. This is a problem for Cleveland’s management and if he was upset, he needs to sit down with the GM and Owner as well as Coach Brown. I don’t agree, but understand why he didn’t participate in the press conference. Having said that, Lebron James is a better sportsman than what he displayed after the game. He has been a class act throughout his career and I think his actions the other night threw a lot of people off.

Lebron was wrong. First, he gets paid to conduct himself in a certain way in addition to following the rules set by the league, even if that wasn’t the way he felt at the time. Alot of people have to put up with far more in the workplace for far less pay and they just have to deal with it. So I have no sympathy for him with that. His explanation of likening getting your ass whooped on the court to getting your ass whooped in the street was wrong as well. Congratulating the Magic would’ve only hurt his pride. Of course you don’t congratulate someone that just whooped your ass in the street because it’s about your survival, this was just a game that he felt entitled to. The Magic worked for that series, nothing was given to them. At the very least they deserved a congrats for whooping his ass while he was at the top of his game and “destined” to be in the finals. And lastly, he set a poor example for children who look up to him, which is the most important thing to me. So many kids today have the attitude that they are owed something just because they are here and we certainly don’t need anyone adding fuel to that fire (But he’s not a role model, right?) I guess he can serve as an example for parents in teaching their children how NOT to conduct yourself.

even in lil league we shake hands even if we dont want to but i can see why he wouldnt want to

yeah i totally think he was in the wrong because when you are in rome you do as the romans. so with that being said as an mvp player who kids look up to you are suppose to set an example by showing leadership no matter if you would have won or lost he was supposed to go over and shake the other teams hand out of respect. its only right.

As a Cavs fan, I’m kinda stuck on which side i should take. First of all, yes it was un- sportsmans on his part, he should have gathered himself together for a minute to at least go and congradulate the magic on their accomplishment. Now that being said I think people are blowing this WAY out of porpotion, I mean the boy was just sent home from going to the finals which was the whole propaganda of the season “ONE GOAL” shirts and signs, and all he did was not congradulate orlando and didn’t talk to the press. It’s not like he went around pushing things over and yelling and throwing objects at orlando fans. And the whole thing about kobe being a “gentlemen” last yr is bull, he’s older, more experienced, and he’s WON a championship b4 and you can’t tell me he’s never acted a little immature after loosing an important game. If ur a cavs fan you kno how much we wanted this and how long we’ve been waiting. I think LeBron’s was just really dissapointed because everyone was building this whole LBJ vs. kobe and now it’s not happening. The stress of everything has gone and been on LeBron to win the citly of cleveland it’s first NBA title, as well as his. Any intelligent person would kno that if it wasn’t for LeBron we would be nowwhere near where we are today. He is the whole franchise. And you can’t saw he didn’t show up for the games, the problems in lay in his teammates not showing up or just watching LeBron during the game. I say give him a break, he’s 24 yearls old who was obviously just heartbroken that he won’t make it to the finals like everyone wanted him to, yes he could have handled it differently but to me it’s not that big of a deal. The only reasons why kobe fans are saying anything is because they’re threatened by LBJ

my mom told me don’t cut off ur nose a off ur face yes lebron is mad but they alway next year this year work on ur skills then next year kill them so them they might get this year next is my time to shine do let this lebron get u down and yeah u lose but u not out u didn’t win the fight but the war is on the way if lose the game and classy with it u is not really to win some time in life u have to lose so when u win it feel good but if never lose how can u complete it when u win yes lebron u are wrong if u talk smack and cant back it up and lose cant take it then bro this season it not for u. u wrong wrong wrong man that wasnt right of and not big of u b-ball is a sport show team work HEAR ME TEAM WORK ur lil ego got in ur way

Maiya2121 I’m not sure which Kobe u talking about because he does congratulate the other teams when they are defeated and he addresses the media. Lebron was wrong and that’s why he’ll be watching the game instead of participating in it

As far as not shaking hands and no cograts goes; yea I think he was wrong. College or not thats something that you learn in little leagues. You congratulate your opponent on their victory because they were simply better than you on that day. Lebron is still VERY talented so he WiLL get there one day. I can say that the media did their dirt also. Hell as far as all the promos and commercials go I thought that it was going to end up Kobe vs Lebron or Lakers vs Cavs…however you want to play it. Especially living in a world ran by the media but hey oh well you win some you lose some but just don’t show it to that extent.

Hes human and we dont do everything right..the shock, the pain of losing was over whelming I’m sure, he was hurt, upset..he acted on impulse..I dont think ppl should be so hard on him about it..

I think Lebron at the very least should have congratulated the Magic players. Was it that hard for him to go give Dwight Howard and a few others a quick handshake and keep it moving? I am indifferent about him talking to the media, because these are the same folks that try to tear you down, after they build you up. Kobe, KG, Dwight Howard, etc did not go to college and I have never seen them act like that after a game. Lebron has really “done no wrong” since entering the league, maybe this little media flap will be a wake up call to him that he is not immune from criticism.

I THINK THEY R BLOWING THE SITUATION OUT OF PROPORTION..call a spade a spade…HE WAS MAD AS HELL and at that moment sportsmanship wasnt on his mind..He’s human stuff happens..He doesnt seem as arrogant as some ballers that go around every day with their head up in the air..PPL DONT NEVER LET SHYT GO..!

i mean that’ s how he felt every one has been upset before so i think people should get over it, it is what it is he’s still learning and growing

they say if you aint got nothin nice to say dont say nothin at all & i think thats what LeBron was doin. if the Cavs came back, beat the Magic & Dwight did the same thing nobody woulda cared … why? because aint nobody in their rite mind expected them to be in the finals & let alone against the Lakers!!! are you serious, lmaoo! Kobe gon whoop they ass lol. be honest ppl, if you take “Dwight & Melo vs. Kobe & LeBron” who is everybody gon pick? thats rite, Kobe & LeBron! i like Melo & Dwight but if the finals turned out to be Magic vs. Nuggets, my ass wouldve watched it for shittt!

Yea LeBron was wrong… firstly, he is the MVP of the league and a role model of the league he needs to learn to be a class act. If anyone disagrees with that they need not compare him the likes of Jordan nor Kobe, these are both players with class. And then he insists on saying that he left a “winner” I don’t know where you get knocked out of the playoffs and still get a championship ring, you don’t even see people flaunting their conference championship rings. Nobody was saying nothing when the Cavs was beatin up on every1 in the REGULAR SEASON and showboatin and clowning during pre-games… they got too cocky, every team needs to find a level ground of humility even in victory, and its now evident that the Cavs, sorry Usher, doesn’t have that leader yet. And the NBA has the right to pimp Lebron and Kobe, its just a sad reality, but its funny tho. I wish not to call Lebron James King James until he gets a ring… And at the end of the day A True Winner wants that Ring…Its not ALL about the Money… Imeen He can go down in history with his name right next to Chucks, A great player, but Without a Ring, Or even like Wilt, He had all the stats and the legendary 100pt game, but Bill Was hangin banners up…. sorry for the lengthy msg…

Yes he was dead wrong for what he had done. I am a big fan of Lebron and I was upset that they lost also, but I use to play sports in junior high and in high school and that was a very poor action of him regardless of how he felt. We lost games and we were upset but it just shows that you have a lil class cause that’s common courtesy. As far as talking to the press, I dont feel like he had to talk to the press but the hand-shaking Yes!

I think he was wrong but I understand his passion and I probably would have done the same thing. I think the problem with most professional sports is that they single out one player. You hear the intros before the game and they say, Lebron James and the Cleveland Cavalier will take on Dwight Howard and the Magic. They do it in Football, Basketball, and Baseball. Those are TEAM sports. They need to be more focused on the TEAM. He had to put his team on his back, they didn’t show up, that’s why they lost. I think he felt like he could do it all but this will be an important lesson that he cant. MJ didn’t do it all alone and no one else has either.

What he did was not good sportmanship but come one!! the man just lost the Eastern Conference Finals!!! what type of attitude did everybody expect him to have? he made a good decision; he might have got on that camera and made a fool of himself. he probably thought to himself i dont need to 2 do this interview right now, let me calm down first…

How can you be a good winner if you can’t be a good loser? Sportsmanship is part of the game. Him going to college has nuthin to do with being a good sportsman. He can’t be mad at the Magic for doing their thing on the court. In my opinion it was disrespectful plain and simple. Fukk the press, them a$$holes won’t do anything but aggravate the situation. But Give Orlando your respect. As a Player and as a Man.

i would rather him walk off the court and go to the locker room and dip out from the media because he’s hurt/mad/pissed/shocked than for him to snuff somebody during the press conference after the game because he was still hurt/mad/pissed/shocked and didn’t have a moment to get his emotions together. he probably wanted to cry and curse but thought about how that would look later on sports center and decided to just keep his mouth shut.

yeah, he’s paid in full but he played each game as if he wasn’t signed to the nba and his next meal depended on it. he displayed the same emotion as anyone else who worked that hard and got so close but couldn’t reach the summit and he displayed the same emotion as anyone who seems to be carrying the entire team let alone the entire state on their back. he’s been carrying that team from day 1 and he’s tired and i don’t blame him. this was a moment he needed to himself and people should respect that, no matter the salary. i’m certain dhoward understood and it was no love lost.

the only thing that bothered me thru out the series is hearing marv albert damn near gizz in his pants everytime lebron made a shot. i thought commentators were supposed to be objective/neutral. or maybe he didn’t gizz because he didn’t “ask for permission while on his hands and knees”. shout out to the s/m freaks who understand the meaning of safe words…hopefully marv got the memo.
ok, i’m done.

You learn sportsmanship in high school not just college. All college does is gives you more fundamentals of the games and helps you with the process of how to foul and things like that. Lebron is a man and he should have acted like one, this was a game with players whop have worked just as hard as he has throughout the year and they deserved him acting like a professional which is what he is paid to be.

He is wrong and ridiculous. My five year old nephew knows better, it is part of being a man to be able to congratulate others even when things don’t work out for you. He was being a hater and it just shows the ugliness of his personality. You can be the greatest player in the world but if your personality and attitude suck than that eventually will overshadow your career. He better switch that shit up quickly because he will be known as the great player with the f*ucked up attitude. You have to humble yourself and not get caught up because pretty soon people will get tired of his arrogant ass, there is a difference between confident or cocky and arrogant and he is disgustingly arrogant. He is a great player but I have never liked his arrogance, I don’t even watch basketball when he is playing and I’m addicted to basketball. He is the only player I feel that way about!

I don’t knock him for what he did. SO WHAT if it was unsportsman like. Back in the day players didn’t always shake hands after a game… Wilt wasn’t all hugs and high fives with Kareem or Willis Reed. OR Bill Russell for that matter. The issue with this WHOLE thing is WAY deeper than Lebron and the NBA its about where society is as a whole. Everything is all goody goody fake emotion “at least we tried hard” and all that NONSENSE. We as humans are NOT perfect we have emotions and often times display those emotions. What makes US, US is our ability to display who we are…other wise we are what we are told to be…nothing more than robots…It gets deeper but I don’t think you all are ready..OH YEAH GOOOOO LAKERS!

JD when are we going to see Lebron on Living the Life now that he has all this time on his hands???

he was wrong and he wasnt wrong at the same time. i mean i would feel the same way if i was doing most of the work. im not sayin his other teammates wasnt helpin but they were not working as hard as he was. The other team knows how he feels and everybody else should too. Not like he disrespected somebody. he just didnt wanna talk to people after they loss. i did the same thing when my team loss i was mad i aint wanna talk to nobody. Because its like the other people dont care when they were not working as hard as you. People need to let it go people saying he was a hater come on Lebron get real. People can be so rude!!!! Jd do you think Lebron is arrogant?

I saw a post where someone said this is the NBA, it’s all about money and winning or something close to that… ok, let’s take a look at that statement and see if it holds any salt.

Tiger Woods… will be the first billion dollar athlete easily… he wants to win just as much, if not more, than any other athlete ever and he puts in the work to achieve his goals… he also has the greatest winning percentage in his sport by far…. show me ONE time where he walked off and didn’t shake someone’s hand because he was pissed he didn’t win!

Sportsmanship is a part of the game… it’s about respect for your fellow man.

It’s not all on LeBron doing it, he is not the first… probably wont be the last. The thing is, he knows the camera is on him at all times so that means he has to “lead” by example even if he doesn’t want to… that comes with the territory!

As far as talking to the press… please, they can kiss where the sun rarely shines! Who gives a flying fak!

LeBron, a winner? When did I miss that? Great competitor? I am in total agreement there. I blame his teammates for the loss but not for his behavior after the loss! Hell, that team sucks! Someone also said Kobe couldn’t play with those Cavs… did you not see the horrific Fakers teams that he had to endure after Shaq? I do not like Kobe (at all) but with that said… he has been through the same as LeBron with arguably far less talent!

If they are going to keep LeBron that organization has to make a serious move! I think LeBron is like Kobe in the aspect of needing ONE more player who is a great player with or w/o him! Kobe/Shaq, Kobe/Gasol! Cavs went for Shaq but failed at it… they need to try again or get someone who shines along those lines! People always say LeBron is no Kobe but look at Kobe after Shaq… still a great player but no one else to help him! LeBron is great but he is in the situation Kobe was a couple seasons ago!

King James only makes himself look like a court jester with shit like that! If it was Kobe, people wouldve had a field day. So yes, LeBron acted like a little girl about this. I mean JD, if you up for a Grammy against Pharrell and he wins, yes you’ll be dissapointed but you not gonna give that man proper respect and congratulate? But anyway, none of this is important. LeBron can pout from home while Kobe gets ring 4!

Mannn, I can understand why he did…he’s human just like any other person. His chance of getting that pretty Golden Trophy was taking away from him, & he was pissed 🙁 It was un-sportsman like but people are looking too much into it. Let it go..give the dude a break.

Why should I believe you? Everything you ever told me was a lie.