Cliff Lee did the same thing as Lebron James! (Where's the outratge)

[Burgold]

I do think Lebron stabbed his team in the back by demanding those trades and then half-hearting it through the playoffs while not telling anyone in Cleveland that he had his bags packed and there probably wasn't anything they could do to keep him. He left them in the lurch.

Leaving was fine. Playing them for suckers and forcing trades that will hamstring this team for the next few years was cruel. The "Decision" was rubbing salt in the wound.

[da#1skinsfan]

Cliff Lee didnt just go to a random team in a hot city, he played for the Phillies before and his family loved the area.

Cliff Lee wasnt born in Texas, raised in Texas, starred in Texas, drafted by Texas, and promised Texas he would bring them a ring.

Cliff Lee didnt have a one hour special on ESPN where he announced, to a room full of Rangers fans or Yankees fans, that he was going to play for the Phillies.

See Lebron for all the above. Race card....I didnt read through the thread but Im hoping this is a joke.

[alexey]

LeBron is a little spoiled *****... and who the **** is Cliff Lee?

[Duckus]

Sweet Jesus almighty, this is going to get fun.

Non-racial Cliff Lee v Lebron thoughts **WARNING - RATIONAL DISCUSSION AHEAD**:

When Cliff Lee decided to go to the Phillies a pieces of me said "I wonder if the Lebron - Miami thing had an influence on it?"

I say that because, if he went to the Yankees, he joins the "Evil Empire." He immediately is hated by 90% of the country. Everyone would say he went for the money. He had no heart. He killed the smaller market team in Dallas. If you are not a Yankee fan . . . you HATE the Yankees and everything about him the moment he signs.

I do wonder if he saw the hate (deserved or not) of Lebron and the Miami team and wanted no part of that for himself or his family. He did not want to be the next Lebron.

It might not be fair, but by picking the Phillies he looks like a hero. Takes less money, joins an old team and turns down the "Evil Empire."

I wonder if the backlash of Lebron had an influence on his decision.

[PeterMP]

I think there are two huge differences:

1. Baseball teams require more good players to win. Lee is a pitcher that is going to play at most about 1/4 of the games his team plays. He has no control over what happens the other times. Basketball teams can improve (or decline) wildly based on the presence of one player.

2. Lee had been in Philly and presumably like it there. He knows most of the players, the coaches, and even probably general staff people. If LeBron had some sort of back ground with the Heat coach, it would have been a different story.

[Die Hard]

Are we truly going to compare the top free agent prospect in a given free agency period (ie. Cliff Lee) to Lebron James?

Was there any national backlash towards Chris Bosh when he left Toronto for Miami? Or Carlos Boozer?

Or what about when C.C. Sabathia left the Brewers to come to America's most-hated baseball franchise the NY Yankees? Was there national backlash then too? Or did it completely slip my radar?

What about Carl Crawford leaving Tampa Bay for the Red Sox and $142 million? Public backlash?

I'm pretty sure they are all black male athletes right?

[MattFancy]

Die Hard wins the thread!

The reason Cliff Lee isn't getting any flack for going to the Phillies is because baseball isn't an individual sport like basketball. Cliff Lee doesn't even play everyday, he'll pitcher every 5 days or so. So his impact isn't even that big on the Phillies' team as a whole. Yes he'll make a difference, but not as big of a difference as LeBron. Cliff Lee also didn't hold a 1-hour TV special to say he's "taking his talents to the mean streets of Philly".

And it has nothing to do with LeBron being black. Like Die Hard said, no one complained about CC, Crawford, Haynesworth, Bosh, Amare, etc. So don't try to bring race into this.

[TD_washingtonredskins]

This thread is dumb.

For starters, neither Cliff Lee, Lebron James, or Brett Favre did anything wrong. They are allowed to play for whatever team they want to. What they've done, to an extent, is tarnish their legacy, but that's their choice to make. Lee did so much less than the other two for a number of reasons. He played in Cleveland for several years (coincidence there) and then went to Philly. From there, he went to Seattle before finally going to Texas for 10 decisions at the age of 31. He then signed back with a team he had already played with. I don't see the harm.

Lebron James tarnished his legacy by leaving his hometown team to go to Miami. Again, I don't believe he did anything wrong, but I understand why his legacy won't ever be the same. The same with Favre. If Brett Favre would have retired as a Packer after losing the 2007 NFCCG, he'd be beloved everywhere and considered a saint in Wisconsin. Now, he's an NFL orphan because Green Bay fans won't ever love him as much as they once did and he didn't go to Minnesota and win them a title, so his two years will be a blip on the radar compared to two decades of hating him. And, don't be fooled, most casual NFL fans now dislike Favre for all of this.

So, playing the race card is ignorant...Cliff Lee did what he did. James and Favre are comparable and both are suffering (public opinion wise) for their decisions.

[aREDSKIN]

2 things we can count on the sun will rise and the stupidity of some ES posters.

[SKOALSKIN]

Ok, I understand that Cliff Lee left the historically lowly Rangers, so he can re-join the MLB juggernaut known as the Philidelphia Phillies. He thought it was best to go there so he could form the BIG-3, I mean( the BIG-4).

However, I saw none of the American public go stark raving mad like they did with Lebron. The only difference I see in both defections is simple, one is Black, and one is White. Please tell me where I'm going wrong here?

Moron post of the year. Lebron is from Akron and played 6 years for the Cavs. Throughout that time frame he promised a championship for Cleveland and the organization made every move possible to try and entise him to stay. He then broke off communication and played Le Bachelor with 5 teams. After that he did a one hour special called the decision with Douchey Jim Gray where he broke the hearts of every clevelander and left.

Cliff Lee was born in Arkansass. He was TRADED from Cleveland to Philly (where he loved it). He was then TRADED to Seattle and ultimatley TRADED to the rangers and played 4 months for them. The Yankees came in with the largest offer (which he rejected), the Rangers were approached by Lee and they rejected him, and he went back to Philly because he enjoyed his time there.

You my friend are the racist for pulling the black card on a selfish punk like Lebron and trying to pull some bull**** comparison. Maybe you should read more before you start posting crap like this.

[lovetoaster]

2 things we can count on the sun will rise and the stupidity of some ES posters.

True. I just feel fortunate that I can now carry on with my day having read the dumbest stance on an issue that I will hear all day. Got that one out of the way early.

[panel]

Never charged, and it never went to trial. There's a big difference when a trial happens. Accused vs charged.

Kobe did not go to trial either, so I would say that is an example of a double standard. Look at how many people booed and hated Kobe when that happened. He lost endorsement contracts, and his jersey sold less. Big Ben does it twice, and it is like it never happened, entire stadiums did not boo Ben for his deeds, he didn't loose endorsement deals.

Maybe the reason for the double standard isn't black/white, but it is hard to say that there was not one in this case, and if the double standard was not black/white, what was it?

[Chachie]

The difference here is Cliff Lee didn't have a special on ESPN to tell the world about his decision.

Or a Nike commercial afterwards to taunt Cleveland.

[Lombardi's_kid_brother]

Wait a minute.

This is MY job.

[Dallascrushers]

Is this Jemele Hill from ESPN, who started this thread?

[sjinhan]

completely different scenarios and history as well...

LJ born and raised in Ohio. Plays in Cleveland as a professional. The beloved son of the Ohio. Makes bunch of promises about how its his dream to bring the NBA title to Cleveland. The owner, fans, and the city in general complies with everything that LJ wants to do. Many in Ohio including the team believes that LJ will remain loyal to the team, city, state, and fans. However it turns out that (at least the perception) LJ has been planning for his exit from Cleveland for a while AND decides to do it on national TV.

Cliff Lee on the other hand according the Wiki

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cliff_Lee

"Lee was drafted by the Florida Marlins with the 12th pick of the 8th round of the 1997 Major League Baseball Draft out of Benton High School in his hometown of Benton, Arkansas, but instead chose to attend Meridian Community College in Mississippi. Later, Lee was drafted by the Baltimore Orioles in the 20th round of the 1998 amateur draft, but did not sign, opting to attend the University of Arkansas.

In the 2000 amateur draft, he was chosen in the 4th round by the Montreal Expos and signed in July of that year. During 2002, Lee played for Double-A Harrisburg, and compiled a 7–2 record with a 3.23 ERA in Eastern League play by mid-summer.

In June 2002, the Expos traded him with Brandon Phillips, Lee Stevens, and Grady Sizemore to the Cleveland Indians in exchange for Bartolo Colón and Tim Drew.[2]

Following the trade, Lee pitched three games with the Akron Aeros before he was promoted to the Buffalo Bisons, the Triple A affiliate within the Cleveland farm system. He compiled a 3–2 record with the Bisons before being called-up to the Indians during September of that season. Lee made his major league debut in a start against the Minnesota Twins on September 15, 2002, giving up a lone run in 5.1 innings, resulting in a loss due to lack of run support.[3] He pitched once more that season, giving up one run in five innings against the Kansas City Royals, resulting in a no decision for Lee but a loss for the team.[4]

Lee won at least 14 games in each of his first 3 full seasons and tossed more than 200 innings in both 2005 and 2006. In 2005, he finished the season with an 18–5 record and a 3.79 ERA, earning him 4th place in the AL Cy Young Award voting that year.[5] In 2006, the Indians rewarded him with a midseason, 3-year, $14 million contract extension through the 2009 season.[6]"

So he was bouncing around even before he made it to the big leagues. After he signs the contract with the Indian, the Indians trade Cliff Lee to Philly in which in turn trades him to the Mariners. Doesnt end there because Mariners trade him to the Rangers. Cliff Lee was involved in 3 trades within a 2 year span that netted the team he was leaving bunch of prospects. Cliff Lee finally becomes a free agent and there was no question that money was going to play a factor and none of the teams or their fan base felt that Lee was "loyal" to their team. Cliff Lee decides to sign with the Phillys. So from the start of 2009 season to now. He has changed teams 4 times.

OK NOW! Parsec2010. How is this same as "The Decision" by Lebron James?

I will try to an attention whore like LJ and bump my own post...

After actually looking at the FACTS, I dont know how Parsec2010 or anyone that supports this opinion can continue to argue this.

[Forehead]

Why has no one posted that .gif of the kid yelling that's racist? Or if we really wanted to stir the pot, the version of it that has a few additions to it.

[S.T.real,lights,out]

IMO people dont give a crap about baseball anymore. Im sure if u went on the street and asked 100 people who Cliff Lee was half of them wouldn't have a clue ask them who LeBron is and prob a diff story. JMO tho.

[TD_washingtonredskins]

Wait a minute.

This is MY job.

[Mr. Sinister]

Why has no one posted that .gif of the kid yelling that's racist? .

In before one of LKB's patented drivebys

[pjfootballer]

And I'll add, Lee did not leave his "hometown" team.

[panel]

2) Roger Clemens & Barry Bonds. Another stomach wrenching double standard, I mean, Clemens had Republican lawmakers go on the record and state they didn't believe his trainer, even though the trainer still had a bloody syringe that contained Rogers D.N.A.

There is defiantly a double standard here. There is no doubt that Bonds is more hated then Clemens, but that should not be the case. There is no real evidence that Bonds has used steroids. He has never tested positive, and no one claims to have administered steroids, or to have seen him use steroids. The only thing people have on Bonds is that he said that he used creams that he got from his trainer who said they were flaxseed oil and a rubbing balm for arthritis. That leaked statement from a supposedly privete trial for BALCO.

Clemens on the other hand has had Jose Conseco, Jason Grimsley, and Andy Pettitte that all say that he uses. His trainer says that he uses, that he helped, and proved it with DNA. He was named 82 times in the Mitchell report. Yet, even with all that, there are still more people that doubt that Clemens used, than those that doubt that Bonds used.

Maybe the double standard is not because of black/white, but there is real evidence against Clemens, there is hear say and rumor around Bonds, but from what I have seen, the general perception is Bonds is 100% guilty (and a bad person for cheating and breaking a record), Clemens is probably guilty, but he might not be.

[@DCGoldPants]

I feel dumber for reading the OP.

James handled his situation so poorly. I have a feeling Lee let the Rangers know before we all found out.

[Rocky21]

Ok, I understand that Cliff Lee left the historically lowly Rangers, so he can re-join the MLB juggernaut known as the Philidelphia Phillies. He thought it was best to go there so he could form the BIG-3, I mean( the BIG-4).

However, I saw none of the American public go stark raving mad like they did with Lebron. The only difference I see in both defections is simple, one is Black, and one is White. Please tell me where I'm going wrong here?

If you have to ask then you wouldn't understand the answer.

[Mooney]

it's snowing like crazy here in southwest Ohio.....and all the snow is white.

damn racism.