NBA FINALS 2014 thread

[Danimal]

the actual letter is pretty impressive: http://www.si.com/nba/2014/07/11/lebron ... -cavaliers

Just a touch embarrassing for ESPN -- one of the NBA's broadcast partners -- that its ass got scooped by SI on the biggest basketball story of the year.

Which IMO was intentional. So many proclaimed experts on there with their "unnamed sources" if I were him I would be sick of their crap., I mean this is the network who interviewed Ta'o on his fake dead girlfriend without doing any fact checking. ESPN is a joke and "unnamed sources" is code for "s*** we just made up"

[pk500]

If memory serves correctly, ESPN also was the vehicle through which LeBron announced "The Decision." I'm sure he and his new agent were trying to distance themselves from that debacle in every possible way, even if LeBron was more than complicit in that show three years ago.

[dbdynsty25]

the actual letter is pretty impressive: http://www.si.com/nba/2014/07/11/lebron ... -cavaliers

Just a touch embarrassing for ESPN -- one of the NBA's broadcast partners -- that its ass got scooped by SI on the biggest basketball story of the year.

Seems like SI is getting most of the big stories. Jason Collins coming out being the other most recent.

[pk500]

the actual letter is pretty impressive: http://www.si.com/nba/2014/07/11/lebron ... -cavaliers

Just a touch embarrassing for ESPN -- one of the NBA's broadcast partners -- that its ass got scooped by SI on the biggest basketball story of the year.

Seems like SI is getting most of the big stories. Jason Collins coming out being the other most recent.

ESPN likes to talk a big game with its news division. But its news division exists first to promote its broadcast properties and TV personalities. SI doesn't have TV networks to support, so it can focus more on reporting and journalism.

That said, ESPN is every bit as good -- if not better -- than SI these days on long-form narrative features with the Grantland lineup and writers such as the brilliant Wright Thompson.

[MizzouRah]

Wow.. I never thought he would go back to Cleveland.. but I'm happy for him and Cleveland.

[bulls23]

Wow.. I never thought he would go back to Cleveland.. but I'm happy for him and Cleveland.

I'm surprised also, but the writing on the wall was when Cleveland made that trade a few days ago to clear cap space.

That said, ESPN is every bit as good -- if not better -- than SI these days on long-form narrative features with the Grantland lineup and writers such as the brilliant Wright Thompson.

Disagree, SI got a lot better by shipping that windbag Rick Reilly to ESPN.

[pk500]

Disagree, SI got a lot better by shipping that windbag Rick Reilly to ESPN.

I don't even count Reilly. He's irrelevant at ESPN. Simmons and the Grantland crew have made him invisible.

Reilly is the most overrated sports writer in America, by a landslide.

[Inuyasha]

http://www.sportsgrid.com/nba/shots-fir ... sards-b-s/

[wco81]

ESPN has been over covering it the past few weeks but they helped Lebron achieve the media status he has today in the first place, broadcasting his high school games and airing Cavaliers games instead of more glamor teams of the time.

Ultimately the NBA and Lebron's sponsors love the media attention.

Nike will no doubt feature commercials about The Return™.