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In 2003, many moviegoers were perplexed by the infamous “architect,” scene in the much-anticipated sequel to The Matrix. To this day, many people still do not fully understand just what in the wide, wide, world of sports that guy was talking about. Well, there is now a perfect analogy to convey the Architect’s message . . . the NBA.
The NBA has become the first version of the Matrix the Architect considered a colossal failure. To refresh your memory, the reason the very first version of the Matrix failed was due to its flaw of perfection. Humans could not accept a “perfect world,” scenario and the program crashed. Over the last few years, the NBA through salary caps, good public relations, better sportsmanship, and rookie orientation, has now become that rejected version of the Matrix. And LeNeo just crashed the entire system with his “Decision,” last night.
If our flaw as humans could be labeled like a computer virus, it would be called, “the good old days” bug. Just what are “the good old days?” Well, the first requirement you would think of is that they be old. But in today’s Twitterverse, even something as recent as a pair of Iverson Nikes can get the “vintage,” label slapped on them. The other requirement would be a time and feeling that is different than what we are use to in present day. Notice that “different,” has nothing to do with “better,” or even “good.” It seems that a major glitch in the human condition is to long for times that have passed us by, no matter they be deemed good or bad. For example . . .
“Remember the ‘good old days,’ when the NBA was a competitive and exciting league? Did Michael Jordan leave the Bulls after repeatedly getting knocked out of the playoffs by the ‘Bad Boy,’ Pistons? No, he stayed and made the players around him better. Did the Knicks obtain Karl Malone and Reggie Miller so they could be better equipped to take out the Bulls? No, they just kept trying to fit different puzzle pieces around Ewing until they completed their masters course in futility. After the 1992 Olympics, did Barkley and Ewing decide to buddy up and join Drexler in Portland so they could win a title? No, they all retired without a single ring on their fingers. If I may be permitted a Dana Carvey quote, ‘And that’s the way it was, and we liked it!’
Where’s the intensity? Where’s the hate? The 90’s Knicks didn’t have any friends around the league. Hell, they barley even liked each other. When Shaq left Orlando for L.A., you didn’t see Olajuwon or Robinson stand up for him and say, “aw come on Orlando, don’t be like that, don’t burn his jersey.” I’m not even sure Olajuwon could speak English. Nobody cared! The NBA wasn’t a multi-billion dollar Boys and Girls Club, where friends got together in the off-season and planned their futures and aspiring dreams together while trading unicorn stickers. For God’s sake, Latrell Spreewell tried to physically strangle his own coach. Now that’s the good old days!”
But they weren’t were they? The 90’s, which are now being revered by Generation X as a “bronze age,” were intensely criticized for the stubborn defense and low scoring. With Jordan as the only true jewel, even his championships were degraded because he never beat the best Bird and Magic teams. After Jordan, the NBA turned into a league of overpaid thugs who got into all kinds of trouble off the court and could care less about winning on it. Memories are like Teflon, the grime and dirt just seem to wash away very easily.
That brings me to Mr. LeBron James. How in the universe can we now criticize him for going to Miami? Criticism for the way he did it, on national television to a city that has taken 10 too many punches to the jaw, is probably well deserved. But it seems that has become secondary to this “easy way out,” scenario. Haven’t we wished for this as sports fans our whole lives? Athletes who put winning above all, even money. It seems that the old saying, “be careful what you wish for,” is true, because now that we actually have those kinds of athletes, we can’t barbeque them fast enough.
James, Bosh and Wade left hefty sums of money on the table for one reason . . . to win. When they say, “it’s not about the money,” they actually mean it. Isn’t this what we wanted? Oh, that’s right. They didn’t do it the way we would have done it. Well what way is that exactly? It appears to be anything that is contrary to what’s actually happening. We have no one to blame but ourselves for this Voltron team in Miami. We wanted unselfish players, we desired athletes with nothing but winning in their frontal lobes, we pleaded for the motto of Gordon Gekko to take a back seat to the motto of Norman Dale.
Well sports fans, this is what it looks like. So sit back, relax and wait for your kids to someday tell your grandchildren about a time when players did whatever it took to put together a championship team. You know, “the good old days.”
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19 comments:
No need for me to debate or argue...all I got to say is..
GO MIAMI!!!!!
So very well put Koke. Better even than any jerk off sportswriter on espn could write it.
The hate will be coming from pure bitterness at this point.
This wasnt a ticket ploy , or a cop out. It was simply three good friends who happen to be three of the better players in the league taking a bit less money for the betterment of doing what we all love to do, and that is win.
I agree the way this was handled was very divaesque , but Lebron and Bosh are 25 yr old dudes with loads of egos and a chance to make history in there minds.
These guys arent criminals , relax and stop the hating.
If you were a fan of any team you wouldnt turn this down , be realistic.
Kudos to the greatest Heat player of all time in Dwyane Wade for being Riley's recruitment man, and for allowing to share the spotlight with two huge names in the city of Miami.
A GREAT DAY TO BE A HEAT FAN!
MARK IT DOWN KEITH!
GO HEAT!!!!!!!!
Thanks Juan, that's a very nice compliment.
Gee, the love fest is getting nausiating, perhaps the LeBoshade way of life is rubbing off on everyone.
I just heard that LeBron and Wade are going to take less money and give Bosh the max because they know they can make much more off the court.
What's next? Maybe at the end of Die Hard 5, John McClain should say "Kumbaya Motherfuckers!"
Even though my Knicks lost the LeBron lottery, I have found this to be a very positive catalyst for my love of basketball. I am now "ALL IN," and back into the game that was my #1 sport back in the 90's. I'm actually excited to watch the Knicks this year. We finally have a power big man who can score again and we just traded for a very talented young player in Anthony Randolph. Perhaps we even get Melo half way through this season or next year.
But I think the most fuel for my viewership this season will be my unwaiverable hatred for Riley and the Miami Heat. I didn't think I could hate them any more than I did, but then I found a hidden doorway to basement full of despise that I didn't even know existed.
The rivalry is back! And I didn't realize how much I missed it.
I think it is great that "we" got Lebron, don't get me wrong, but this whole "they left money on the table for this" rhetoric is ridiculous.
For one thing, Ohio and New York both have state income taxes. New York's is 9% for their top tax bracket and Ohio's is 6%. Florida does not have a state income tax, so actually, they probably will make more money and if they don't, it will be very close.
The other thing is that the way the max contracts work, the per year salaries are the same. The only difference is that you can go an extra year at the same raise rate to retain your own players. How is that so much better? Now, both Lebron and Wade will become unrestricted free agents in 5 years and both will only be in their low 30's. I smell another max deal in the works.
All this sacrificing talk is bullshit. What would be a true sacrifice for winning would be if they only took 1 million each so the team could get Carmelo, Paul, Howard, ect and make a true dynasty. Getting paid 15 million instead of 16 is not a sacrifice
I think you're forgetting about the 30 million Cleveland could have given LeBron if he stayed Regs. And if Bosh's deal is not a sign and trade, then he's leaving the same money on the table.
Isn't that correct?
It is 30 million, but over 6 years, instead of 5. Now Wade and James are free to sign another massive contract after 5 years instead of 6. The way the contracts work is that you start out at (I believe) 16 million this year and for the first 5 years, the contracts are identical with the same raises. The difference is that players staying at home can get that 6th year at 30 million. The tradeoff is that Lebron and Wade can sign a new max deal 1 year earlier.
Seriously, why don't the three of them get it over with and have a circle jerk at practice!. I just heard the deal is off! Queen James didn't pass her physical. They found something wrong with his testicles............HE DOESN'T HAVE ANY!!!
As a yankee fan I can't say anything disparaging about what the heat did without laughing out loud. But Lebron can be called a pussy for basically throwing in the towel early in his career and giving up on the fact that he can do it as the leader and star of a team. Puts an asterisk next to any championship he wins with the heat. Puts him way down in any discussion about where he ranks all time when its all said and done. If he wanted to separate himself from being compared to Jordan he definetly did it with this move.
But the one thing he can be called out for is how he went about it. TOTALLY CLASSLESS!!! The whole thing was a big "FUCK YOU" to the Cavs fans, the ownership, the city of Cleveland, and a little to Wade and Bosh.
The money is still guaranteed though regs. No matter what Bosh and James would have made 30 mill guaranteed if they stayed with there team.
The luxury tax is a big saving Ive been saying for a long time and most people laughed it off and just said , nah never gonna happen stop dreaming.
All these players if they make there living in Miami will save about 4 mill each over the span of that contract , but 4 mill aint no 30 mill !
Plus the economic issues are already forcing the nba to lower cap so there is no guarantee the money will be close to what it is now.
Hence , Rashard Lewis is gonna make more loot salry wise than any of the 3 live crew! Now that is a joke.
AHHH , the praises you would be singing if your Knicks landed him Goatcheese! A far different tune would be sung.
WE GOT THE FERRARI'S LINED UP BABY , GOOD LUCK WITH YOUR STUDABAKER , I MEAN STOUDEMIRE.
I can't wait until we're the 8 seed and knock your #1 seed asses out of the playoffs in the first round . . . AGAIN!!!
My point is that Wade and James will be free agents after 5 years and will, I would assume, command another large contract. So even if they "only" make 20 million per year after their contracts expire, the money they save in state income tax would make up the difference.
But Regs all contracts expire that is not a valid point. The money left on the table for their current contract is left no matter what the next contract is. Plus what they save in tax is not even close to the amount they make by staying with their teams.
I agree with Broko aka Goat.
Not enough time for me to write my displeasure over this whole issue. I have a lot of time invested ranting on facebook. I know Juan saw it & commented.
PS. LeBron is the biggest egotistical douchebag in the history of sports.
Your right I would be praising Lebron if he signed with the knicks cause he would be doing the opposite of everything I pointed out in my post. But he didn't go to NY cause he obviously couldn't handle the pressure and doesnt think he's good enough. I don't get why he was so prized anyway? He's not only no where near the best player ever, he's not the best player in the league right now and arguably not even the best player on his own team! I'd still favor the lAKERS over the HEAT.
Lebron doesn't have the killer instict. Unlike Kobe and Wade. He would have never won a championship by himself. That is why he went to Miami.
Regs, right on! Those fuckers are going to be fine. So one of their kids doesn't get a Maybach for their 18 birthday.
Great article Koko...very profound and yes much better written than any other sportswriters.
Also, Congrats to our Legion of Heat fans on the dojo and all over.
What Lebron did in and of itself wasn't that horrendou....it is a free world and he can follow his dreams....but the way he did it was.
He had to have had some idea the impact this was going to have on the city of Cleveland and all his loyal fans back in his native Ohio.
But, to droll on in that shameful TV special and pretend he didn't make up his mind until 12 hours before?????
Really???? You just made the biggest decision in professional sports and you hadn't made up your mind yet? Why would he treat the fans like we are ALL idiots?
I mean kudos to Lebron for actually making the NBA regular season interesting as he turns into the first NBA villian hated everywhere except where he plays? It does make for great TV.
And we can stop talking about the sacrifice he made for the money????
When you get into that type of money....you simply can't spend $170 million plus in a lifetime even if he develops a crack addiction like LT. A few extra million here or there have no impact whatsoever on their lives.
Also, what was up with the BS of sheltering his shameless TV show by raising money for the Youth of Greenwich CT.????? Greenwich CT. is THE Richest Subarb in North America????????? What a douche????
The kids in the background looked like puppets.
I think Greenwich, CT is the home of the WWE.
I'm not saying these guys are saints for leaving money on the table. Just that they did put winning a ring before the money. Which is something fans have moaned about forever. Throughout the years I've heard, "Why not take a few less million to play on a good team?" Well, even though it now looks like LeBron is getting a sign and trade, it doesn't change the fact that all 3 guys were willing to take less to play together on a team ready to win now.
That was the point, not how much they left or that they made some big financial sacrifice, just that they actually put winning first. Something fans have always wanted, but of course they only want it for their own individual teams.
We are going to have to wait for one game ... LA vs Miami. And if Miami still loses then all this typing is for nothing. I am going to sit back relax with my cold beer and see if Kobe can still do 180 spin jump fade away shots 6 feet from the 3 point line with the Heat in his face. If Kobe can still makes those shots I think it is going to still be tough for the Heat to win.
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