Charles Barkley Calling Out LeBron James????—Pot...Meet Kettle

Charles Barkley didn't much care for LeBron James "Decision" to join Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh in Miami to form, what some people feel, could be the most talented trio in the NBA next season. Barkley also didn't like James' one-hour ESPN special to announce his decision to the world (join the club). Barkley feels the special was a "punk" move on James' part and doesn't agree with his choice to leave Cleveland in favor of Miami.

Everyone knows that LeBron is probably on a lot of hate lists right now. No one likes what he did or how he did it—he's being criticized from all angles by people who are well-respected in the NBA community. James has already voiced his displeasure of the vitriol, and has made it a point to let people know that he's taking "mental notes" of everybody who has had something negative to say.

Well, while I found that last point (posted via Twitter) to be immature and unnecessary, I can definitely understand the place it's coming from. I mean, seriously,  aside from the ridiculously over-the-top television special, what has LeBron done wrong?

He left Cleveland...okay, sucks to be a Cleveland fan, but he had the right to leave Cleveland. Should he have said he was doing so sooner than he did? Yes, but that doesn't change the fact that he had the right to leave. He wasn't obligated to remain there just so he could say he stuck it out.

It would have been nice for him to say that he helped lead his team to a title, but was he supposed to just stay there so he could, maybe, say that—someday? I don't care what Charles Barkley or Michael Jordan have to say about their wanting the glory of saying "I won this", the end game is a championship—every player wants a ring.

An NBA legend can have all that stats and accolades he wants but, in the end, they all want a ring. Their career is empty without it—just ask Allen Iverson...hell, ask Charles Barkley.

That's why Gary Payton and Karl Malone signed with the Lakers in 2003.

Payton could have remained in Seattle to give it one more try but he didn't. He wanted a ring. Karl Malone was still putting up nice numbers in Utah in 2002, and might have continued to languish there in pursuit of his first title, but he accepted the Lakers overtures and decided to go where his chances of a championship were most favorable.

I don't recall anyone skewering either of them for leaving their respective teams.
Was that because LeBron didn't put in enough time in Cleveland? I mean, he was there for seven seasons, was he supposed to stay for seven more before he bolted—wait until he's near the end of his career before he goes to a hot team to chase a ring?

Please. 

Charles, of all people, should understand the mentality of a man looking for a good situation. As I recall, he made a big stink in Philadelphia once he realized they weren't headed in a championship direction—he wanted out. He wanted to go somewhere that he could be a perennial playoff staple and contend for a title.

Remember that, Charles? You actually likened Philly to...what was the word..."purgatory"? Yeah, that was it—purgatory.

Why didn't you stay in purgatory, Charles? Why didn't you stick it out there and lead your franchise to a title? Hmmmm?  Not only that, what do you call that forced trade to Houston in 1996? Didn't you go there for your one last shot at a title? Didn't you join Hakeem Olajuwon and Clyde Drexler's team—relinquishing your mantle as "the man"?

Did that make you a "punk"?...just a question.

Listen, I do not condone the actions of LeBron James. I think he did a silly thing turning a simple matter of changing locations into a major press extravaganza. He alienated a lot of people by doing the special and he showed a total lack of respect to his fans and the Cleveland Cavaliers organization.

That said, he still had the right to leave. His reasons may not satisfy his NBA peers or the lot of us who think that his move was classless, but it was still his decision to make. So, Charles Barkley needs to sit down, shut-up, and look at himself before he starts calling LeBron to the carpet because, on the real, he sounds a bit like a hypocrite.

Pot...meet Kettle—indeed.

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• Charles Barkley: LeBron James A 'Punk' (huffingtonpost.com)

Dwyane Wade's (Heat)ed Comments Spark Major Controversy

Late Sunday evening, Fanhouse Senior NBA Writer, Tim Potvak, published a story on the Miami Heat's Dwyane Wade.  In the story, which can be found here, Wade discusses the massive expectations being placed on his team now that both Chris Bosh and LeBron James have joined him in South Beach.

The story itself was nothing extraordinary except for this quote, which appeared near the end of the article, If we lose a couple in a row this season, it will be like the World Trade Center is coming down again."

Stop. Rewind. What?

Did he seriously just compare losing basketball games to the tragedy of 9/11? Tell me he didn't just do that because if he did, he just became one of the biggest douchebags of the year—hell, the decade!

Well, alas, Fanhouse came clean and alerted the disturbed public—which included this author—that the goof was not Wade's but their own and attributed the misquote of Wade to a "transcription error" by their editorial staff.

Phew, tragedy averted, right?...well, not exactly. The clarified quote is a touch less inflammatory but still leaves a somewhat bitter taste in your mouth:

"...there's going to be times when we lose 2-3 games in a row, and it seems like the world has crashed down. You all are going to make it seem like the World Trade is coming down again, but it's not going to be nothing but a couple basketball games."

Uh-huh.

See, here's the problem, I get what Wade was trying to say but it's still utterly insensitive to reference 9/11 when discussing something as unimportant as a "couple basketball games." 9/11 was one of the greatest tragedies to have ever taken place on American soil and there are plenty who live with the reality of those losses on a daily basis.

It's not a trivial reference to make and when it is made, there should be a lot more respect and sensitvity given to its importance.

I think the spectacle and the glamour of being a part of one of the most anticipated lineups of the 2010 NBA season has made Mr. Wade forget that he is just a basketball player, and the Miami Heat are just a basketball team.

They are no more important than the L.A. Lakers or the Boston Celtics—just prettier on paper.

It's impossible to know how much of a hit Wade's public persona will take as a result of this misguided statement but, one thing is certain, that match-up with the New York Knicks certainly got a little more interesting.

Former Orlando Magic Star, Penny Hardaway, Has Hoop Dreams

Anfernee "Penny" Hardaway wants to join the Miami Heat trio of Chris Bosh, Dwyane Wade, and LeBron James this coming season. He hopes that by doing so, he will finally receive the final piece to his career puzzle—an NBA Title.

Well, isn't that special?

Hardaway is 38-years old (39 on Sunday), hasn't played professional ball in over three-years—more than that if you factor in the time he lost to injury during his final year of play (2007)—and his most recent experience putting the ball through a hoop comes via pick-up games 4-5 times a week.

Excuse me while I go laugh in the corner.
 
Ever since (LeBron) James and (Chris) Bosh decided to join forces with Wade in Miami, everyone wants a piece of their potential success.

I understand that the Heat are looking for roster-fillers to compliment their bench, but it's not like they are looking for NBA retreads to do it.

By his own admission, Hardaway has stated that "mentally I was retired and physically I was retired. I was playing recreational ball,"...uh huh, and that has prepared you for the gruel of an 82-game regular season how?

Granted, he wouldn't play significant minutes, but, he was hardly impressive in his last significant year of play. As a member of the Phoenix Suns in 2001, he played 80 games. He averaged 12.0 points and 3.8 assists.

That was nine years ago.

Every year after that saw repeated injuries and poor play and by the time he reached Miami in 2007, he was absolutely useless. He has nothing to offer the Heat this time around either and I have little doubt that they are well-aware of that fact.

Hardaway may feel like  he "...could really be good in that (Miami Heat)system," but the truth is he's done. He's been done since 2003 when it became clear that he couldn't nail a jump shot with a sledgehammer

Just be like Charles (Barkley), Penny, and accept the things you cannot change. Your playing days are over, you didn't win a championship, that sucks but it is what it is—just deal.

Then again, maybe I'm being too hard on Penny. After all, he did give me years of great entertainment with this:



...NOT!

Stay retired, Penny. No need in messing up a good thing. After all, the "veteran experience" you could offer Mario Chalmers is hardly worth leaving the confines of your cushy online gig—trust me.

Am I being too harsh? Probably, but, come on man—get real—those pennies you drop aren't from heaven anymore, Anfernee— just your pocket.