You MUST watch Lebron's new Nike commercial...wow

[Dpantherman]

[tarheelblue89]

Awesome

Can't fuggin wait for Tomorrow night.

[rico6]

Nike outdid themselves with this one.

This season is going to be a good one.

[X-Clown]

Great commercial

[Wither]

I don't see why people hate Lebron so much.

[SOJA]

rep to dpantherman I saw this and was like "damn" out loud.......At first I was shocked, but the more I think about it the more I realize wtf who am I to tell him what to do with his life

[HeatCheck]

I don't think people are upset with him going to Miami as much as the way he did it. Did he really need to have an hour long special to decide on a team? That takes 2 seconds to do. I don't hate him per se but I think he isn't that likable. I'm more of a Kobe guy.

[WOOD]

Did you hear him take that shot back a Charles Barkley ...... hahahah great.

[Zaximus]

I didn't agree with his TV special, that's all. But that was a great commercial though, props.

[Jackofalltrades]

Good commercial. Like most I expected him to leave Cleveland and was in favor of it. Also, like most I was sickened by ESPN and LeBron for the disgraceful ego fest that was The Decision.

LeBron is good, but for all the attention and praise he gets I still don't think he's the best the NBA has to offer. Rings will change that, clutch shots in defining moments will change that, not appointing yourself King or going our of your way to tell us how important you are with a two hour special.

[SOJA]

Good commercial. Like most I expected him to leave Cleveland and was in favor of it. Also, like most I was sickened by ESPN and LeBron for the disgraceful ego fest that was The Decision.

LeBron is good, but for all the attention and praise he gets I still don't think he's the best the NBA has to offer. Rings will change that, clutch shots in defining moments will change that, not appointing yourself King or going our of your way to tell us how important you are with a two hour special.

I definitely agree, but from what I've heard it actually wasn't Lebron's decision (no pun intended) to do the Decision. He was advised by his camp that they could put a positive spin on it by having him donate the money raised to the Boys and Girls club, I'm sure ESPN was pushing him to do something big like that to. Unfortunately it backfired horribly, and I am sure he wouldn't go back and do it the same way again.

[Falcons1stPanthers2nd]

He comes off as an arrogant prick is all.

[Vagrant]

Nike is pretty decent at trying to salvage the guys they have under contract in the court of public opinion, much the same way they did with the Earl Woods commercial in the wake of all this negative publicity that Tiger was getting. A hated player is not a marketable player, so Nike does the image building that Lebron himself is too unaware to do. All he can do lately is sound morose and talk about how much hate he's getting and how racially charged it has been. That's not the way to dig out of negative publicity, well earned or otherwise.

I compare his situation with the Julius Peppers situation, almost step for step with the exception that Julius didn't go out and make a 1 hour special about leaving Carolina because it wasn't as big of news. Home town guy that made good on his talent, playing for the only team in the state and the only professional team he has ever known, criticized for not taking his game to the next level at the most important times regardless of how true or untrue that may be, offered an obscene amount of money by said home town team to stay but rejects it for reasons unrelated to money, and joins a team with a more recent track record of sustainable victory. Instead of doing what everybody "expected" him to do, by staying "loyal" to the team that invested so much money and the fans that invested so much "love" for him, he takes his own path and leaves that behind for other motives.

Will you take heat for a move like that? Always. The fans are what elevate the man. They are what makes those games you play important. That repulsive amount of money you make? It wouldn't exist without the fans paying to watch you display your talents. They DO own a piece of you. It has nothing to do with race, gender, or creed. The same way that the owner of Pepsi takes responsibility when contaminated product goes out, the owner of Lebron James Inc., the man himself, must take responsibility for his decisions in the public forum. If a business makes a poor decision in the eyes of the public, regardless if that opinion is true or not, then the owner must answer for that and explain himself and the absolute worst thing one can do in that situation is sit back and be smug about it being "his choice", as if the money stacked itself in his bank account.

Everybody that ever bought a ticket to a Cavaliers game, a cold beer, and a big foam finger owned a piece of Lebron James. They owned a piece of Dan Gilbert. They owned a piece of Delonte West. That's why it means something when you win a championship TOGETHER with the people that have invested personally, emotionally, and financially into your success. You do owe them something if you decide to break that bond with them. You owe them to do it with respect to preserve the good memories that were created in a shared experience. Lebron had some bad advice that told him that you didn't need to do that. That Lebron James Inc. was about the decisions of one man and one man alone. Not the share holders, emotional or otherwise. He spit on that connection he shared with his Cleveland fans by ripping their heart out over the course of an entire season, culminated by the embarrassment that was "The Decision", which was so unprecedentedly bad that it will NEVER happen again.

Lebron James told all those people that cheered for him over the years to get bent when he severed those ties so publicly and brutally.

It would be like inviting her entire family over when you dumped your girlfriend for another woman. Nobody will ever say that it's wrong to break up with somebody, but there are good and bad ways to handle it. Since Lebron picked such a bad way to handle it, it's no shock that his image has not recovered as quickly as he may have anticipated.

[King Taharqa]

I compare his situation with the Julius Peppers situation, almost step for step with the exception that Julius didn't go out and make a 1 hour special about leaving Carolina because it wasn't as big of news. Home town guy that made good on his talent, playing for the only team in the state and the only professional team he has ever known, criticized for not taking his game to the next level at the most important times regardless of how true or untrue that may be, offered an obscene amount of money by said home town team to stay but rejects it for reasons unrelated to money, and joins a team with a more recent track record of sustainable victory. Instead of doing what everybody "expected" him to do, by staying "loyal" to the team that invested so much money and the fans that invested so much "love" for him, he takes his own path and leaves that behind for other motives.

Aside from the hometown comparisons, there is no comparison. LeBron James could retire today and would be a first ballot NBA HOFer. And thats at age 25. "Take his game to the next level?" who else in the NBA is a 27, 7, and 7 guy? You may not like his personality, but lets not act like LeBron James is not the reigning 2 time NBA MVP. And more than likely he will win it again this season, making him the first player since Bird to win it 3 consecutive seasons. Julius Peppers is a 30 year old pro bowl DE. He's a great player that I love, but he hasnt dominated his position or the sport in the manner that LeBron has his, so its apples to oranges.

Will you take heat for a move like that? Always. The fans are what elevate the man.

The fans did not make LeBron. LeBron made the fans. Before LeBron, there were no Cavs fans. Just like now. Their arena was empty, they were irrelevant, and were not winning. The Cleveland Cavaliers (along with the New York Knicks) tanked the 2003 NBA season and threw games, all in an attempt to get LeBron. Let me repeat that again for the selective morality crusaders, the Cleveland Cavaliers, along with their coach Mike Fratello threw basketball games in the 2003 NBA season in attempt to win the lottery to get the #1 pick for LeBron. Why? Because LeBron was already a nationally known superstar with televised high school games on ESPN. He already had been on the cover of SI. He already was 93 mill in with Nike before he ever played his first NBA game. He was already considered along with Jabbar the greatest high school b-ball player of all time. He did not need the Cleveland Cavs, the Cavs needed him. Any team that would've won the lottery that year was taking LeBron, and would've had the same effect that Cleveland had under LeBron.The value of the Cavaliers franchise more than doubled from 2003 to 2010. The Cavs ignorant and racist owner Dan Gilbert, the fans of the Cavs, and the city of Cleveland owe everything to LeBron for the prosperity financial and basketball wise they've enjoyed the past 7 seasons. They can go back to half empty arenas, no primetime coverage, and being an irrelevant shythole now.

They are what makes those games you play important. That repulsive amount of money you make? It wouldn't exist without the fans paying to watch you display your talents. They DO own a piece of you.It has nothing to do with race, gender, or creed.

It has alot to do with race. Because LeBron James is a black athlete making millions of dollars for his craft, rather than working for free as a slave like his ancestors, he should feel compelled and obligated to put his white fans interest above his own first, since he makes alot of money, and they pay money to see him entertain them. None of those fans bought LeBron's first b-ball. How many of them coached him up as a kid and drove him to his AAU games? How many of those fans supported him when he and his family faced hard times growing up? How many helped him with his jumpshot? The answer is NONE. Just a intellectualized way to say "you are my slave". The fact is, LeBron worked 110% on his craft, and maximized his unique talents to provide his family the security and lifestyle they enjoy. Add in the fact his ancestors were not paid anything for their efforts towards building America, you can appreciate why its important for him to be properly compensated for his hard work & labor in present day society. He gets paid to entertain to dominate on the basketball court. Fans get to witness and enjoy it. Its an even exchange, he owes NO ONE.

The same way that the owner of Pepsi takes responsibility when contaminated product goes out, the owner of Lebron James Inc., the man himself, must take responsibility for his decisions in the public forum. If a business makes a poor decision in the eyes of the public, regardless if that opinion is true or not, then the owner must answer for that and explain himself and the absolute worst thing one can do in that situation is sit back and be smug about it being "his choice", as if the money stacked itself in his bank account.

Funny you wont hold any accountability towards the owner of Cleveland Cavaliers Inc. Dan Gilbert for his ignorant racist ass statements that night. He did everything but call LeBron the N-word in his rant. He sounded like an angry white slavemaster from the 1800s with his hateful rhetoric which worked in inciting alot of racial animosity towards LeBron this summer. His fellow owners and David Stern had to fine his dumb ass to cool the heat and for embarrassing them publicly with his immature actions that were beneath that of a professional sports owner. Dan Gilbert set the Cavs back for life with what he did. No black NBA player who's a superstar will play there again after seeing what he did and how the fans will treat you. That hurts that franchise more than anything. Good luck winning an NBA championship without a superstar.

Lebron had some bad advice that told him that you didn't need to do that. That Lebron James Inc. was about the decisions of one man and one man alone. Not the share holders, emotional or otherwise.

And he was right. It was his decision. Just as he said that night, when he got in his 30s and begun to break down and wasnt the same player, the team and fans would've gotten rid of him. The Cavs and their fans showed no loyalty to head coach Mike Brown. Firing him in the middle of a contract and throwing him under the bus when it was convenient. Look at what our team the Panthers did to Hoover. Look what they did to Proehl. Look what the Panthers did to Keyshawn. Showed no loyalty and did not hold up their end of the bargain. Did not honor their contracts. Organizations do it all the time and no one complains. Look at how many fans want us to trade Steve Smith because "he's lost a step and we need to get something for him". As soon as LeBron wasnt the same player and or didnt bring in the money he was bringing in, they would've gotten rid of him. The fans reactions and actions have shown they never really loved LeBron anyway and didnt deserve an athlete of his caliber. He was just a slave to many of them. Miami is a much better situation with much more appreciative fans.

He spit on that connection he shared with his Cleveland fans by ripping their heart out over the course of an entire season,

Let me spell it out for you slowly, F-R-E-E-A-G-E-N-T. And once again, LeBron made the fans. Before he got there, there was none, ask anybody from Cleveland.

culminated by the embarrassment that was "The Decision", which was so unprecedentedly bad that it will NEVER happen again.

LeBron made history. He was a bigger story this offseason than the upcoming NFL season. Had people talking NBA quicker than ever before in history. The first athlete to successfully help build a superteam from scratch. Normally thats what the GM or an exec does. LeBron, Wade, & Bosh did this time, the first "players" to successfully do so. We already see the ripple effect. Melo, CP3, and now even Steve Nash are PUBLICLY using their leverage to force their respective team's management to make personnel moves. Bad GMing is now being held accountable, something the sportsworld desperately needs. Because its been left unchecked for too long. LeBron showed the way, and how to do it on the grand stage for a good cause. He already said, if he could do it again, he'd do it again the same way and wouldnt change a thing.

Lebron James told all those people that cheered for him over the years to get bent when he severed those ties so publicly and brutally.

By saying on The Decision and I quote "I want to thank the fans of Cleveland and my owner Dan Gilbert for all the support they've given me"? And in response they burned his jerseys and showed their true idiot colors. Those fans only justified the move and obviously never truly loved the King. Anybody that ceased being a LeBron fan simply because he switched teams wasnt really a LeBron fan anyway. Who cares how they feel.

It would be like inviting her entire family over when you dumped your girlfriend for another woman. Nobody will ever say that it's wrong to break up with somebody, but there are good and bad ways to handle it. Since Lebron picked such a bad way to handle it, it's no shock that his image has not recovered as quickly as he may have anticipated.

LeBron's image is fine. He's still an international superstar, still Nike's breadwinner right now (ring or not). Having haters is just par for the course when you are as great and talked about as he is. Just because some folks are overly concerned with the ego of the black athlete isnt the end of the world.