Sports: LeBron James criticizes NFL ownership "they got that slave mentality", commends Adam Silver

[playahaitian]

LeBron James criticizes NFL ownership, commends Adam Silver
11:58 PM ET

Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James was critical of NFL owners during the latest episode of HBO's "The Shop" on Friday night, saying they have a "slave mentality."

"In the NFL they got a bunch of old white men owning teams and they got that slave mentality," James said during the episode. "And it's like, 'This is my team. You do what the f--- I tell y'all to do. Or we get rid of y'all.'

"The players are who make the ship go. We make it go. Every Sunday, without Todd Gurley and without Odell Beckham Jr., without those players, those guys, there is no football. And it's the same in the NBA."

Gurley, the Los Angeles Rams' star running back, was a guest on Friday night's episode, which several times compared professional basketball with professional football.

"The difference between the NBA and the NFL, the NBA is what we believe he [a player] can be. The potential," James said. "In the NFL, it's like what can you do for me this Sunday, or this Monday or this Thursday, and if you ain't it, we moving on."

Added Gurley: "That what I say: Your best ability is availability. ... It's really week by week. It ain't no year by year."

"The Shop" is a 30-minute show set in a barbershop where athletes and celebrities have conversations about life and sports. James was talking with his business partner Maverick Carter, Gurley and actor/rapper Ice Cube when he made the comments.

"I'm so appreciative in our league of our commissioner," James said, referencing Adam Silver. "He doesn't mind us having ... a real feeling and to be able to express that. It doesn't even matter if Adam agrees with what we are saying, he at least wants to hear us out. As long as we are doing it in a very educational, nonviolent way, then he's absolutely OK with it."

James and Carter are executive producers of "The Shop," which debuted this year.

http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/...ngeles-lakers-says-nfl-owners-slave-mentality

 

[playahaitian]

​

 

[ansatsusha_gouki]

​

I cant stand that fat fucker...

 

[playahaitian]

I cant stand that fat fucker...

should tithe lebron 10% of his income for LIFE

 

[KingTaharqa]

Props to Bron for speaking the real. I will only add NBA owners have a slave mentality as well, theyre just not as overt and the game doesnt pander to white rednecks and MAGA like the NFL so their approach differs.

Its impressive when the game's best player doesnt hold his tongue and addresses shit other players or legends wouldnt dare.

 

[Duece]

"The players are who make the ship go. We make it go. Every Sunday, without Todd Gurley and without Odell Beckham Jr., without those players, those guys, there is no football. And it's the same in the NBA."

I disagree with this, while Gurley and Beckham are game changers, NFL teams are prepared to make adjustments if one goes down or (given the #metoo era) get's suspended or released, in football there is typically somebody ready to step up, a potential HOF player could be riding the pine somewhere in the NFL, not so much in the NBA.

If Alvin Kamara goes down, Saints adjust their strategy and could still make a run

If Anthony Davis get's traded, Pelicans head to the lottery and start giving away free tickets at fast food restaurants.

 

[easy_b]

I disagree with this, while Gurley and Beckham are game changers, NFL teams are prepared to make adjustments if one goes down or (given the #metoo era) get's suspended or released, in football there is typically somebody ready to step up, a potential HOF player could be riding the pine somewhere in the NFL, not so much in the NBA.

If Alvin Kamara goes down, Saints adjust their strategy and could still make a run

If Anthony Davis get's traded, Pelicans head to the lottery and start giving away free tickets at fast food restaurants.

All you can eat crawfish

 

[Duece]

All you can eat crawfish

Even that wouldn't bring people in.

 

[KingTaharqa]

Even that wouldn't bring people in.

I was in NO in early September, saw a million Saints jerseys, even ones from players from years ago like Joe Horn and Reggie Bush. That Saints logo is in every corner shop, hood store, bumper stickers, restaurants, shit is everywhere! But you dont see alot of Pelicans stuff or people in Pelicans gear. Louisiana just isnt a bball area its football country, and even if he didnt leave and stays til he retires, Anthony Davis cant and wont change that.

 

[Duece]

I was in NO in early September, saw a million Saints jerseys, even ones from players from years ago like Joe Horn and Reggie Bush. That Saints logo is in every corner shop, hood store, bumper stickers, restaurants, shit is everywhere! But you dont see alot of Pelicans stuff or people in Pelicans gear. Louisiana just isnt a bball area its football country, and even if he didnt leave and stays til he retires, Anthony Davis cant and wont change that.

While I agree that Louisiana (and damn near all of the south) is football country, you have to admit that the way the NBA is set up does not allow for basketball to grow in these markets.

Jeff Van Gundy criticized the attendance of NBA teams in the south but who is going to support, watch and spend money on a team if you know your team is not and never will be shit. Your phrase about Anthony Davis not changing anything is mostly rooted in your wanting him to come to LA but realistically his inability to make basketball more popular down here is not on us, it's on the NBA.

 

[KingTaharqa]

While I agree that Louisiana (and damn near all of the south) is football country, you have to admit that the way the NBA is set up does not allow for basketball to grow in these markets.

Jeff Van Gundy criticized the attendance of NBA teams in the south but who is going to support, watch and spend money on a team if you know your team is not and never will be shit. Your phrase about Anthony Davis not changing anything is mostly rooted in your wanting him to come to LA but realistically his inability to make basketball more popular down here is not on us, it's on the NBA.

It has nothing to do with me wanting him to come to LA. Davis has been there 6-7 years and the atmosphere is as I described. He hasnt changed shit. Pelicans get 1/8th the love the Saints and Tigers do. When he retires, then what? Short of him winning a chip, which you admit it unlikely, mofos in your city dont care about bball. Wasnt HOFer Pete Maravich there once? And the team he was on moved to Utah of all places? This isnt new. Certain markets bball just isnt gonna thrive for a variety of reasons. Its why NO didnt have a team for years until the owner from my city caught a rape case and moved his team there. Remember? If your culture is predicated on one player (who isnt winning by the way) you really dont have one. Cleveland is proof of that.

Teams in the South suck because most of the South is more football based and those franchises typically have shitty front offices that suck at creating and maintaining culture. We can go down each teams history and see a slew of talented players either traded away, missed on draft days, lowballed in FA, bad contracts to bums, etc. As for fan support, in the South when theres more than 1 show in town the NBA team suffers most, especially when they aint winning.

 

[Entrepronegro]

Props to Bron for speaking the real. I will only add NBA owners have a slave mentality as well, theyre just not as overt and the game doesnt pander to white rednecks and MAGA like the NFL so their approach differs.

Its impressive when the game's best player doesnt hold his tongue and addresses shit other players or legends wouldnt dare.

LeBron got treated like a slave by his former owner Dan Gilbert.

Dan Gilbert shitted on him in 2010 with that letter he wrote.

LeBron came back to the team owned by Dan Gilbert who treated him like a slave and help win his team a ring and make him even more richer during that time he returned back to Cleveland.

I'm sure Dan Gilbert is still laughing to himself about that whole ordeal.

 

[KingTaharqa]

LeBron got treated like a slave by his former owner Dan Gilbert.

Dan Gilbert shitted on him in 2010 with that letter he wrote.

LeBron came back to the team owned by Dan Gilbert who treated him like a slave and help win his team a ring and make him even more richer during that time he returned back to Cleveland.

I'm sure Dan Gilbert is still laughing to himself about that whole ordeal.

Yea thats an obvious example. Keep in mind LeBron is from Ohio and wanted to win a title for his homestate which is why he went back. Had it not been for that he wouldntve went back and when he did he had more control over the franchise than any NBA player before. He made his slavemaster overpay JR Smith and Tristan.

 

[Entrepronegro]

While I agree that Louisiana (and damn near all of the south) is football country, you have to admit that the way the NBA is set up does not allow for basketball to grow in these markets.

Jeff Van Gundy criticized the attendance of NBA teams in the south but who is going to support, watch and spend money on a team if you know your team is not and never will be shit. Your phrase about Anthony Davis not changing anything is mostly rooted in your wanting him to come to LA but realistically his inability to make basketball more popular down here is not on us, it's on the NBA.

I got a feeling the Pelicans will leave New Orleans sooner than later. New Orleans is a Saints town and will always be a Saints town.

 

[TeEdIzZeL]

Heres the thing, the face of the BEST players in the NBA are ALL black I.E. Jordan, Bron, Kobe, Wilt, Russel, etc.....great white players I.E. Bird, West, etc. are too far and in between to carry this league. So as much as NBA owners would love to tell their players to "toe the line"...they know they cant because unlike NFL players, NBA players can actually STRIKE a few games and hurt the owners pockets. These niccas got 82 games a season. If they strike for 10-20 games then fuck it...still got 72-62 other games to play.

Now the NFL only has 17 weeks and their STAR players who get the biggest contracts and have the longest tenures in the league (quarterbacks) are damn near ALL white. They dont need Antonio Browns or Beckhams or Gurleys or Elliots because they feel their great white hype QBs can make anyone better. They feel thats who they come to see. Perfect example is the NY Giants. Have probably the best WR/RB combo in the league but their QB is trash so no one really talks about them this year (unless is something negative like an Odell comment on coaching, etc). They'll continue to talk about Brady, about Rogers, about Brees, about retired players like Manning and Montana, etc.

It isn't until the NFL's QB are 75%+ black that these owners will start to shut tha fuck up. Love what Mahomes is doin, Hopefully Lamar can keep it going, got Wilson in Seattle, Dak is Dallas, Cam in Carolina but outside of them (maybe i forgot a few) then NFL will never change because black QB's have a SHORT ass chain. You fuck up a couple weeks in a row then you out of there for a white QB who is now on his 7th team and had 5 different tries at being a starter but yet cats like Bridgewater, RG3, Kap, etc. have to ride the bench and probably wont get another shot as starter.

So again, until the stars on the NFL are black, owners aren't trippin. They feel anyone is replaceable

 

[Entrepronegro]

Yea thats an obvious example. Keep in mind LeBron is from Ohio and wanted to win a title for his homestate which is why he went back. Had it not been for that he wouldntve went back and when he did he had more control over the franchise than any NBA player before. He made his slavemaster overpay JR Smith and Tristan.

It's so many other players in the NBA right now that are getting paid what Tristan is getting and some that are getting paid more than him but Tristan produces more than them. Tristan will be getting the same contract if not even more if he was playing on another team. JR Smith hit alot of big shots and earned his contract. He had a big inpact on the Cavs winning the title in 2016 being a clutch shooter.

 

[Duece]

It has nothing to do with me wanting him to come to LA. Davis has been there 6-7 years and the atmosphere is as I described. He hasnt changed shit. Pelicans get 1/8th the love the Saints and Tigers do. When he retires, then what? Short of him winning a chip, which you admit it unlikely, mofos in your city dont care about bball. Wasnt HOFer Pete Maravich there once? And the team he was on moved to Utah of all places? This isnt new. Certain markets bball just isnt gonna thrive for a variety of reasons. Its why NO didnt have a team for years until the owner from my city caught a rape case and moved his team there. Remember? If your culture is predicated one player (who isnt winning) you really dont have one.

Teams in the South suck because most of the South is more football based and those franchises typically have shitty front offices that suck at creating and maintaining culture. We can go down each teams history and see a slew of talented players either traded away, missed on draft days, etc. As for fan support, when theres more than 1 show in town the NBA team suffers most, especially when they aint winning.

You keep pushing the point that people don't care about basketball down here, I agree with that but the NBA is basically set up where small market teams are functional equivalent of Formula One backmarkers. Anthony Davis with the Pelicans is essentially Charles Leclerc with Sauber. Small market GMs were just grumbling about tampering yesterday and the small market vs big market issue is going to come up again at some point. Effective front offices won't change that.

With all that in mind, how can a culture grow? You tell people in New Orleans to support the Pelicans and then they turn on ESPN and SAS is basically screaming into the camera that AD should basically force his way to the Lakers now and ESPN is pushing this storyline so hard that it's almost comical. Stephen A. Smith is essentially cutting wrestling promos at this point and even the casuals can see that ESPN and ABC want the Lakers with more star power and winning because it's better for ratings.

I got a feeling the Pelicans will leave New Orleans sooner than later. New Orleans is a Saints town and will always be a Saints town.

The Pelicans' lease with the state is up in 2024, the next 6 years are going to be interesting.
Secondly, New Orleans is changing, gentrification, demographic shifts are all taking place. Although I'm not sure if these "new" New Orleanians are taking to basketball as much as football.. Many of them quickly fall in love with the Saints

 

[Entrepronegro]

The Pelicans' lease with the state is up in 2024, the next 6 years are going to be interesting.
Secondly, New Orleans is changing, gentrification, demographic shifts are all taking place. Although I'm not sure if these "new" New Orleanians are taking to basketball as much as football.. Many of them quickly fall in love with the Saints

Yeah last time I was in New Orleans visiting family in 2017 everybody was talking about the Saints, even my elderly relatives there. Not one time did I hear anybody mention the Pelicans or were wearing any Pelicans apparel, but a bunch of them had on Drew Brees jerseys though.

I think the Saints became even more popular in New Orleans after Katrina cause the team brought alot of Nola people together and was a bright spot for them after having to deal with that disaster.

 

[Mr. Met]

Like the NBA owners don’t have the same mentality.

 

[SpiritualPorn]

Heres the thing, the face of the BEST players in the NBA are ALL black I.E. Jordan, Bron, Kobe, Wilt, Russel, etc.....great white players I.E. Bird, West, etc. are too far and in between to carry this league. So as much as NBA owners would love to tell their players to "toe the line"...they know they cant because unlike NFL players, NBA players can actually STRIKE a few games and hurt the owners pockets. These niccas got 82 games a season. If they strike for 10-20 games then fuck it...still got 72-62 other games to play.

Now the NFL only has 17 weeks and their STAR players who get the biggest contracts and have the longest tenures in the league (quarterbacks) are damn near ALL white. They dont need Antonio Browns or Beckhams or Gurleys or Elliots because they feel their great white hype QBs can make anyone better. They feel thats who they come to see. Perfect example is the NY Giants. Have probably the best WR/RB combo in the league but their QB is trash so no one really talks about them this year (unless is something negative like an Odell comment on coaching, etc). They'll continue to talk about Brady, about Rogers, about Brees, about retired players like Manning and Montana, etc.

It isn't until the NFL's QB are 75%+ black that these owners will start to shut tha fuck up. Love what Mahomes is doin, Hopefully Lamar can keep it going, got Wilson in Seattle, Dak is Dallas, Cam in Carolina but outside of them (maybe i forgot a few) then NFL will never change because black QB's have a SHORT ass chain. You fuck up a couple weeks in a row then you out of there for a white QB who is now on his 7th team and had 5 different tries at being a starter but yet cats like Bridgewater, RG3, Kap, etc. have to ride the bench and probably wont get another shot as starter.

So again, until the stars on the NFL are black, owners aren't trippin. They feel anyone is replaceable

Excellent points

Thank you

 

[mit_man]

I disagree with this, while Gurley and Beckham are game changers, NFL teams are prepared to make adjustments if one goes down or (given the #metoo era) get's suspended or released, in football there is typically somebody ready to step up, a potential HOF player could be riding the pine somewhere in the NFL, not so much in the NBA.

If Alvin Kamara goes down, Saints adjust their strategy and could still make a run

If Anthony Davis get's traded, Pelicans head to the lottery and start giving away free tickets at fast food restaurants.

You obviously missed the whole context of what he was saying .

 

[mit_man]

Like the NBA owners don’t have the same mentality.

Ummmm duh... you simpletons can’t see that James was pimping the commissioner? He praises him for supposedly being supportive of issues. Now when the players decide to express themselves in a more aggressive manner in the future, the commissioner will be hesitant to take any action since he was already praised for being a philanthropist of sorts.... chess, not checkers

 

[doggish_098]

We talking about the same man who went back and played for Dan Gilbert right????? Oh ok just making sure

 

[doggish_098]

Ummmm duh... you simpletons can’t see that James was pimping the commissioner? He praises him for supposedly being supportive of issues. Now when the players decide to express themselves in a more aggressive manner in the future, the commissioner will be hesitant to take any action since he was already praised for being a philanthropist of sorts.... chess, not checkers

What do you mean express themselves in a more aggressive manner do you remember after the nfl’s anthem shit the nba sent all their players memos reminding them don’t even think about this shit

 

[gene cisco]

Like the NBA owners don’t have the same mentality.

Yeah, but they can't pull the same shit because NBA sells superstars; NFL sells teams.

 

[doggish_098]

Somebody needs to let Lebron know Adam doesn’t care as long as what they are doing doesn’t go too far over the line.

 

[doggish_098]

Yeah, but they can't pull the same shit because NBA sells superstars; NFL sells teams.

Ummmm that’s because the nba a single player can go out dominate and a shitty team can and will win i football a qb can throw for 400 yard and 3 tugs and still come up short. Football takes more of a combined team effort than basketball does or maybe I will say football is more team oriented compared to the new nba.

 

[mit_man]

What do you mean express themselves in a more aggressive manner do you remember after the nfl’s anthem shit the nba sent all their players memos reminding them don’t even think about this shit

The NFL frowns upon all forms of expression. NBA players have demonstrated without any issues from the teams or commissioner. James made a point to note that, this way, if they choose to demonstrate later on when some next shenanigan happens, Silver likely won’t get involved.

Look, I said what I said, I’m not debating you niggas.

 

[Duece]

You obviously missed the whole context of what he was saying .

No I didn't, I just didn't agree with that part

Now if you disagree with me, explain your points

 

[shaddyvillethug]

New Orleans to his soul

 

[Duece]

New Orleans to his soul

Do you ever have anything constructive to say?

Or do you just anonymity of the internet to talk shit because you know there are no consequences?

 

[shaddyvillethug]

Do you ever have anything constructive to say?

Or do you just anonymity of the internet to talk shit because you know there are no consequences?

I know when u snitched u was gone for 5 years

 

[Mo-Better]

Props to Bron for speaking the real. I will only add NBA owners have a slave mentality as well, theyre just not as overt and the game doesnt pander to white rednecks and MAGA like the NFL so their approach differs.

Its impressive when the game's best player doesnt hold his tongue and addresses shit other players or legends wouldnt dare.

It is and this is where LeBron's star outshines Jordan's. Jordan never expresses his feelings or involves himself into the politics of the game and never into matters of everyday life. Jordan implemented the GNP (Good Nigga Policy) and to this day he still ignores those who worshiped him.

Add to that LeBron share's his wealth. He's shown how much he's appreciates his fans. The only person ignoring more black people than Jordan is Trump and I can't understand why. Jordan's fans rush to buy his grossly overpriced sneakers, uniforms but they never seem to get any feedback from Jordan. His fans deserve better.

 

[TeEdIzZeL]

Excellent points

Thank you

Appreciate it famo. Just keepin it 100. Perfect example(s) are Ray Rice (who at the time was a top 5 RB) and Kareem Hunt. Rice out the league (rightfully so...that nicca put HANDS on ol girl) and hopefully someone will pick up Kareem in the future but then you have people like Ben Rothlesburger (or however you spell that nicca name) who never skipped a beat after a potential rape case. But at the time he was a top white NFL qb...they cant afford to spoil that vision so they didnt make a big deal out of it. Let that same scenario happen to a Saquan Barkely (best rookie RB), Odell, Jalen Ramsey (Best young CB in the league), etc....these niccas would ridicule and drag their names through the mud until someone is booted from the league.

 

[playahaitian]

Yeah, but they can't pull the same shit because NBA sells superstars; NFL sells teams.

facts