Before I get to LeBron it was interesting watching the National News Shows Sunday. Once again, it was like there were no economic or health care problems in this country. Everything was focused on the civil war in the Ukraine, and the conflict between Israel and Palestine.
Whoever shot down the civilian airplane needs to be executed on the spot. That is some cold-hearted stuff shooting down a civilian plane with innocent people who weren’t Russian or Ukrainians. Most of the western media believe Russia was behind it or at least supplied the weapon that did it. However, with all the propaganda on both sides, and realizing the fact that neither side are saints, it could have very easily been the Ukrainians who shot the plane down with a missile they captured from the Russians to place blame on the Russian. But that’s the problem, when the super powers start giving weapons of mass destruction to these small want-to-be powers they lose control. Instead of focusing all their attention on Russia, more attention should be focused on the people who did this and the punishment should be deadly. I don’t think either side would support the shooting down of a civilian plane; this was the act of a small group of sick radicals who are trying to escalate the war.
The world is once again asking for negotiations between Israel and Palestine after the latest conflict. There will never be peace between these two neighboring countries until someone is able to sit down with them and negotiate a peace in which both sides give, and receive. Right now it has been once sided. What the media should be doing is expressing what Israel wants, and what Palestine wants. Right now all the western media is giving us is that Israel was attacked for no reason by the thugs in Palestine. I would just like to hear both sides of the dispute for a change.
There was a lot of media coverage of LeBron James possibly leaving the Miami Heat, and returning to the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Well he did. He went back to Cleveland, and it was a great choice by him.
But it’s obvious he thought it through, and researched the team before making his decision. He’s not going back to the old Cavaliers. He’s going to a team with four very bright young stars around 23 years old and may be able to trade one of those young stars for a young superstar in Kevin Love.
If they can trade first round overall pick Andrew Wiggins for Love, who averaged 26.1 points and 12.5 rebounds for the Minnesota Timberwolves last season, he’s only 23, and wants to get out of Minnesota in the worst way. Plus LeBron is lobbying for him.
Now imagine a lineup of Kyrie Irving at point guard, 20.8 points and 6.1 assist; and Don Waiters, 15.9 points, at off guard; Anderson Vareyao and Thristan Thompson sharing center, with James, 27.4 points, 7.1 rebounds, 4.8 assist; and Love holding down the forward positions, or Wiggins if the trade doesn’t happen. Oh, by the way Thompson averaged 9.7 rebounds.
Plus James is trying to get the Cavs to sign veteran Ray Allen to come off the bench to join Mike Miller, Anthony Bennett and Thompson giving them one of the best benches in the NBA.
This team is loaded with talent.
So ladies and gentlemen don’t be surprised if you see a Cleveland vs. San Antonio Spurs NBA championship battle in 2015. And I’m not even a LeBron fan.
Why you ask? Because I’m getting sick and tired of people calling him the greatest player who ever lived. These people obviously haven’t seen or read about Elgin Baylor, Oscar Robertson, Wilt Chamberlain, Bill Russell, Julius Erving or Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. And I’m not even mentioning modern day players like Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, Larry Bird or Kobe Bryant. LeBron better than Wilt? That’s a joke. But in todays’ game, he’s the best, especially if Kobe doesn’t return.
And where is the NBA getting these coaches? All the Black players who have played the game, and become assistant coaches are begging for jobs but the NBA is hiring White coaches such as David Blatt in Cleveland, and Erik Spoelstra in Miami, who have no playing experience. Both were described as men with “One of the best basketball minds in the world.” I guess Mark Jackson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Brian Shaw, Michael Cooper, just to name a few don’t know basketball.
LeBron James and these super youngsters on the Cavaliers will win championships and Blatt, like Spoelstra in Miami will go into the record books as a great coach. But how many titles would the Heat have won without LeBron?
There’s only a hand full of Black coaches in the NBA, even though they make up 90 percent of the players. And even fewer get a chance to coach a team with a Super Star. At least Donald Sterling hired Blacks in key positions, such as head coach as well as the front office. Doc Rivers is the current head coach and head of basketball operation. Elgin Baylor was head of basketball operations for years. How many others can say this?
Just asking?
(Ulish Carter is the managing editor of the New Pittsburgh Courier.)
