Lebron Just Keeps on Stroking His Ego

[Magnus]

http://www.cnn.com/2010/SPORT/12/24/basketball.nba.lebron.james/index.html?hpt=T2

[TopCat]

I don't think this was really LeBron's idea. People convince him to do this stuff.

[Cujo]

What the hell is "LeBrett James" trying to prove with this? Not that he needs the money. Like "The Decision", perhaps some of his ego-boost is going to charity.

It's like he WANTS people to hate him now. Not tryin' to sound like a Clevelander here, but the guy comes off as a serious douche.

[TFoA]

I don't think this was really LeBron's idea. People convince him to do this stuff.

Pretty much. I'm convinced that this is the work of Maverick Carter & World Wide Wes...but LeBron probably has last say in it.

[mania]

I find this controversy completely :censored:ing ridiculous. Chances are: your favorite athletes parties are also sponsored. It's just usually the solicitations don't leak.

[NJTank]

I say the entire city of Cleveland get together and sing Happy Birthday.

[The_Admiral]

I don't think this was really LeBron's idea. People convince him to do this stuff.

Pretty much. I'm convinced that this is the work of Maverick Carter & World Wide Wes...but LeBron probably has last say in it.

I think World Wide Wes is out of the circle. The biggest star in baskeball is now entirely managed and represented by a handful of tards who grew up down the street from him.

[nash61]

I voted for Crosby.

[illwauk]

I don't think this was really LeBron's idea. People convince him to do this stuff.

Pretty much. I'm convinced that this is the work of Maverick Carter & World Wide Wes...but LeBron probably has last say in it.

This is the sticking point right here. If LeBron didn't want this to happen, it wouldn't.

And yes, I'm well aware that Bron is far from the only athlete who does stuff like this. That doesn't make him or any of these other clowns any less of a spoiled b*tch.

[RyanB06]

I voted for Crosby.

Ovechkin's ego makes Sid's look tame. In fact, "Alexander Ovechkin" translates from Russian to English as "Lebron James". (Or so I've heard.)

[BBTV]

Why must people with money act as if they don't? Sure, it's refreshing when a multi-millionaire (or billionaire) acts like a "regular guy", or lives a humble life, but why does it matter if they take advantage of the resources that they have? We want them to be like us, but no matter how they act, they aren't. Hell - part of what makes these guys great athletes is their egos. At the very least, it boils down to jealousy.

[Sodboy13]

I think there's a distinct difference between "balls-out rich-guy birthday party," which sounds awesome, and "co-opted sponsorship and brand-build opportunity," which is what this is and sounds kinda sad.

I don't know if LeBron's been capable of acting like an actual human since around the age of 16. He's a walking marketing strategy.

[illwauk]

Why must people with money act as if they don't? Sure, it's refreshing when a multi-millionaire (or billionaire) acts like a "regular guy", or lives a humble life, but why does it matter if they take advantage of the resources that they have? We want them to be like us, but no matter how they act, they aren't. Hell - part of what makes these guys great athletes is their egos. At the very least, it boils down to jealousy.

I think even without the reality of the worst economy in seven decades, there's plenty of room to object on moral grounds that have nothing to do with jealousy.

[BBTV]

Why must people with money act as if they don't? Sure, it's refreshing when a multi-millionaire (or billionaire) acts like a "regular guy", or lives a humble life, but why does it matter if they take advantage of the resources that they have? We want them to be like us, but no matter how they act, they aren't. Hell - part of what makes these guys great athletes is their egos. At the very least, it boils down to jealousy.

I think even without the reality of the worst economy in seven decades, there's plenty of room to object on moral grounds that have nothing to do with jealousy.

My "moral grounds", do you mean generally-accepted societal rules for how people "should" act? Could you elaborate?

[IceCap]

Why must people with money act as if they don't? Sure, it's refreshing when a multi-millionaire (or billionaire) acts like a "regular guy", or lives a humble life, but why does it matter if they take advantage of the resources that they have? We want them to be like us, but no matter how they act, they aren't. Hell - part of what makes these guys great athletes is their egos. At the very least, it boils down to jealousy.

I think even without the reality of the worst economy in seven decades, there's plenty of room to object on moral grounds that have nothing to do with jealousy.

My "moral grounds", do you mean generally-accepted societal rules for how people "should" act? Could you elaborate?

I think he means that at a time when most people are struggling to make ends meet it's just insensitive and pompous to flaunt wealth in this manner.

I think there's a distinct difference between "balls-out rich-guy birthday party," which sounds awesome, and "co-opted sponsorship and brand-build opportunity," which is what this is and sounds kinda sad.

This is where I'm at. Rich people throw huge parties all the time. That's fine, it's what they do. This, however, is just a little much.

[BBTV]

Why must people with money act as if they don't? Sure, it's refreshing when a multi-millionaire (or billionaire) acts like a "regular guy", or lives a humble life, but why does it matter if they take advantage of the resources that they have? We want them to be like us, but no matter how they act, they aren't. Hell - part of what makes these guys great athletes is their egos. At the very least, it boils down to jealousy.

I think even without the reality of the worst economy in seven decades, there's plenty of room to object on moral grounds that have nothing to do with jealousy.

My "moral grounds", do you mean generally-accepted societal rules for how people "should" act? Could you elaborate?

I think he means that at a time when most people are struggling to make ends meet it's just insensitive and pompous to flaunt wealth in this manner.

And that's fine, I can understand that. However look at it from the rich guy's perspective - should he be monitoring the economy and the unemployment rate to determine how he should act or what he can do? Like should he open the paper and be like "sweet! Unemployment is down to 6%! I can go buy that yacht and not feel bad!"

Don't get me wrong - I'm not a major proponent of our economic system and don't like the fact that we have a society with such a large gap between the have and have nots, but short of a revolution, this is the world in which we (American's) live, so that being the case, while I think that it would be nice if he showed a little discretion and was sensitive to the world around him, by no means do I feel that he has an obligation to.

[IceCap]

Don't get me wrong - I'm not a major proponent of our economic system and don't like the fact that we have a society with such a large gap between the have and have nots, but short of a revolution, this is the world in which we (American's) live, so that being the case, while I think that it would be nice if he showed a little discretion and was sensitive to the world around him, by no means do I feel that he has an obligation to.

I can agree with that. It's his money, he's certainly free to do what he wants with it. I just think people are pointing out that they too would like to see him show a little discretion.

[illwauk]

Why must people with money act as if they don't? Sure, it's refreshing when a multi-millionaire (or billionaire) acts like a "regular guy", or lives a humble life, but why does it matter if they take advantage of the resources that they have? We want them to be like us, but no matter how they act, they aren't. Hell - part of what makes these guys great athletes is their egos. At the very least, it boils down to jealousy.

I think even without the reality of the worst economy in seven decades, there's plenty of room to object on moral grounds that have nothing to do with jealousy.

My "moral grounds", do you mean generally-accepted societal rules for how people "should" act? Could you elaborate?

I think he means that at a time when most people are struggling to make ends meet it's just insensitive and pompous to flaunt wealth in this manner.

And that's fine, I can understand that. However look at it from the rich guy's perspective - should he be monitoring the economy and the unemployment rate to determine how he should act or what he can do? Like should he open the paper and be like "sweet! Unemployment is down to 6%! I can go buy that yacht and not feel bad!"

Don't get me wrong - I'm not a major proponent of our economic system and don't like the fact that we have a society with such a large gap between the have and have nots, but short of a revolution, this is the world in which we (American's) live, so that being the case, while I think that it would be nice if he showed a little discretion and was sensitive to the world around him, by no means do I feel that he has an obligation to.

It's not like LeBron is a trust fund baby who doesn't know anything different than the lifestyle he's accustom to now, but even if that were the case, I don't think it would be unreasonable to expect him to show a little human empathy and self-awareness. Yes, I get that "that's the way it is," but that still doesn't mean people should have to shrug it off when someone decides to flaunt and revel in excess. I just wish people were as willing to hold people in the corporate world to the same standards that we hold athletes when affixing the label of "spoiled crybaby."

[Gothamite]

I just wish people were as willing to hold people in the corporate world to the same standards that we hold athletes when affixing the label of "spoiled crybaby."

We are.

[Don]

At first I thought the title said "Eggo" and not "Ego" and wondered if LeBron had joined the Maple Leafs.