I'm sure{if you follow basketball} you've been hearing alot of things about this brother out of high school that is taking the nation by storm with his basketball skills. I hope he can remain kind of humble amist all the attention and hype. His high school games are pay per view events . Even NBA stars like Shaq and Allen Iverson admire his skils. Here's a link to to read about him in case you haven't heard about him. I haven't seen any of his games in their entirety only highlights. But from what I've seen, the brother is nice on that court.


http://espn.go.com/magazi...6next.html

I think the media is really beating him up and the high school athletic association is being a little too heavy-handed with him.
So what...an owner of a sports memorablia store trades him two vintage jerseys for two autographed pics. I don't think that merits suspending him from the rest of his final season with his high school team.

applekisses said:

Agreed. The OSHAA was way too harsh on him without even consulting him beforehand. They could have simply asked him to return the jerseys first and then continued from there, but instead decided to rule him ineligible.
Sounds like a lot of immature adults wielding their power to me.

XNY said:

If the rules are you cannot accept merchandise and he broke them they are absolutely correct so suspend him. Why have rules if you aren't going to enforce them?

We have all heard the news, the daily reports on ESPN and all over the interet. I did catch him when he played Oak Hill Academy at Cleveland State University (my alma mater) on ESPN 2 in December, and later in January over the holiday season, also on ESPN2, against Mater Dei at the Pauly Pavllion (UCLA). Both performances were great, but I had to scratch my head into believing that we are in an age of watching nationally televised high school basketball games (I understand watching our local school on the local cable access stations, but this is a HUGE step in TV broadcasting, but do not include the high school all-star classics [Dapper Dan, McDonalds All-American, etc]).

LeBron is the next big thing and rightly so. Sure, the Ohio High School Athletic Association has never encountered something like this before, and will probably not while those board members are still in office in the OHSAA.

I have read about him in the newspapapers have seen him (on video) on ESPN / local tv stations zooming down the court after stealing the ball, leaping into the air, and throwing down a through-the-legs tomahawk slam dunk against my alma mater, Mentor High School.

For some coverage on LeBron, log onto SportsTalkCLEVELAND, WKNR AM850 for archived audio of some of this season's play-by-play.

For what it's worth, I am interested in LeBron James and I know he will make the jump to the NBA in June. Will the Cavaliers get lucky in getting the first pick in the draft lottery (which should be done away with, imho, and replaced with the normal worst-to-first draft records) then he will be a home-boy product and will, hopefully, carry the Cavaliers back to some sort of greatness.

But since the firing of John Lucas, who be-friended (and was fined and had to sit out two games to start the 2002-03 season for holding a practice with James this summer) James, Cleveland might not be the place James decides to play for. I hope LeBron would reconsider, but if James does not play for the Cavaliers, then look for him in a, gulp, Bulls jersey, or watch a more high-profile team vie for his talents and trade for him right around draft day.

What irkes me is that since LeBron might or might not play for the rest of the season, which is into mid-March in Ohio (playoffs), James will not be able to suit up and play until he is with an NBA team. He cannot compete and show-off his talent for all in any of the high school all-star classics in the spring, which is usually a showcase for high school basketball stars who might enter the NBA draft or will be going to some top Division I school in the country.

And get this -- where does one of the all-star classics take place this spring? Why none other than Cleveland, Ohio. And why will it be in Cleveland? Because of LeBron James, and now he will not be able to play.

I am hoping in the next week the OHSAA will re-instate LeBron for the rest of the season, or this thing will go on and on and on until June (NBA Draft). But LeBron did this to himself and not only LeBron, but his Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary teammates and his fans (all over the country) will feel the sting of the ruling until the summer.

It's too bad we will not see any of him on the court until that time, but we know what he can do and what will be expected when the NBA offseason rolls around.
[This message was edited Wed Feb 5 11:03:27 PST 2003 by a2grafix]

i think he has skills, but i agree that the media is blowing him up before he has a chance to develop into an nba caliber player. because of that i think he's going to be an early draft pick, but it's going to take him along time before he has an understanding of the game.

i think that too many high schoolers are skipping college because they have a jump shot and want the money as opposed to developing their game in college.

i think the high school association has a responsibility to look out for him and make sure he abides by the rules. if he took things under the table, he should be suspended.

i also think college players should get a stipend for travel and living expenses. they are training everyday AND going to class and that makes it hard for them to work.

THIS JUST IN .. from Cleveland.Com ...

High school basketball st...le to play

James must sit out two games, tho.

Wednesday, February 5, 2003

By TOM WITHERS
ASSOCIATED PRESS


AKRON, Ohio (AP) - LeBron James was cleared Wednesday to resume his high school career, but he must sit out at least one more game.

Summit County Judge James R. Williams issued a temporary restraining order that will allow the 18-year-old superstar to get back onto the court, but James must serve a two-game suspension.

James, a 6-foot-8 senior at St. Vincent-St. Mary who is expected to be the No. 1 pick in this year's NBA draft, already missed a game after the Ohio High School Athletic Association on Friday declared him ineligible for accepting free sports jerseys valued at $845 from a store.

In a one-hour hearing, Williams listened to arguments from OHSAA attorney Steven Craig and James' attorney, Fred Nance. The judge met with both sides in his chambers for much of the morning before bringing them into the courtroom.

Williams said that James will suffer "immediate and irreparable injury" unless the temporary restraining order is issued. He did not provide his reasons for overruling the OHSAA.

Williams ordered the school to inform him by noon Thursday which game James would miss. The judge also scheduled a preliminary hearing for Feb. 19, when he will decide whether to grant a permanent injunction or go to trial.

"Neither side is going to be happy," Williams said. "There are a number of issues the court wants to hear."

If Williams grants a permanent order, James would regain his eligibility and the school would regain a victory it had to forfeit as part of the OHSAA ruling.

St. Vincent-St. Mary's has four games left in the regular season, three of them before Feb. 19. The team is next scheduled to play Saturday in Trenton, N.J.

James did not attend Wednesday's hearing.

Muscaro attended the hearing, which attracted a media throng, including seven camera crews set up in the back of the courtroom.

There was no immediate comment from Muscaro or the lawyers, who were summoned into the judge's chambers following the ruling.

James' attorney, Fred Nance, argued in court documents filed Tuesday that the the 6-foot-8 James did nothing wrong when he accepted two "throwback" jerseys from the owner of a Cleveland clothing store.

"All LeBron did was receive a gift from a friend as congratulations for his academic achievements," Nance said. "Had LeBron wished to capitalize on his fame, the recompense could be in the millions of dollars."

James has said he returned the jerseys.

The OHSAA found that the store gave James the Gale Sayers and Wes Unseld jerseys in exchange for posing for pictures to be displayed on its walls.

Muscaro ruled that James broke an amateur bylaw "by capitalizing on athletic fame by receiving money or gifts of monetary value."

Muscaro's decision came four days after the OHSAA cleared James of any wrongdoing for accepting a $50,000 Hummer H2 sport utility vehicle as an 18th birthday gift from his mother.

James attended practice on Tuesday in the school's gym, wearing a gray T-shirt and blue shorts. He warmed up with his teammates and was stretching in the middle of the floor when coach Dru Joyce closed the practice.

Joyce then ordered green cloth banners to be hung over the glass doors, so no one could see inside.

©2003 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

It all started with the hummer again doesn't have a good circle.

I live in the Akron area and I am getting sooo tired of hearing about Lebron every day. If anybody knew the rules it should have been him, especially after the incident with the hummer.
By the way did anyone see that there was a shirt being sold on ebay that read:
"Lebron's mom gave me a Hummer"
Cheap joke, but still funny

lovemachine said:

Because rules were made to better our lives, not to make them worse.
I understand he broke a rule, but he did not commit a felony or crime. He simply accepted a couple jerseys.
By your account, ANYone caught speeding should always get a speeding ticket regardless of an emergency, regardless of the circumstances.
Even moreso, he's not a trouble maker, he doesn't have a history of problems, and the jerseys were a nice gesture--nothing more.

It stinks of jealousy and bitterness on the part of the OSHAA.
And of course, the judge in the case has decided to reinstate Lebron just today. oh well.

rg770 said:

someone say hummer?

a2grafix said:

there are two factors here at play.

One being that LeBron didn't break any rule, because technically he didn't recieve a gift, he sold his services to the store: "LeBron, I'll pay you two jerseys to pose for a picture." "Sure, no problem." The fact that there was a catch to the provision of the jerseys being given to him, that being that he had to perform a service to get them, is proof that they were not gifts, in the getting it for free sense of the word.

This is a simple process of bartering that has been the backbone of our economic system for a few years now, and is no different than a high school basketball player having a job that rewards his services with monetary compensation. Unless the OHSAA has rules restricted student employment, which I have a hard time believing they do, he broke no rule whatsoever.

Secondly, the rule in itself is designed regarding a factor LeBron is not responsible for: Athletic fame. LeBron is responsible for his athletic ability and accomplishments, but his fame is created by the media around him who publicizes his every action. LeBron did not make himself famous, and to restrict a kids actions because adults can't control themselves is asinine.

Everyone is capitalizing on LeBron James, from the entire sports world to his own mother, who is already spending the money he has yet to earn, so why shouldn't he?

a2grafix said:

yes. his unemployed mother. and they live in public housing...

I think it's wrong. If a kid has a chance to get the good things out of life they should let him. They don't stop young actors or singers. What would happen if the kid got hurt before he got to go to the pros. He's PHUCKED! He should have every chance to make a bright future for himself. There are a ton of jealous assholes who want to hold him down.

theC said:

he's got insurance. if he gets hurt, they'll get paid...

LeBron James is a Cool Young Brother who is gonna Be I think a Great Player some day.He ain't done nothing wrong but Be Black.they are looking to pick something on the Cat.it's tacky&they had to nit pick anything to get Him on.I think he will over time get Hip to things&watch His Back more.it got overblown Period but He has to remember than folks are gonna get at Him because He has a Gift.this whole thing got way overblown.His School amking madd Cheese off Him,ESPN,Shoe Places in the Future,etc..the NBA needs Him badly because the Game is Hurting.but He has to be careful for Wolves coming in Sheep CLothing.

theC said:

i'm down with u C, hell let the boy have his fame. at least he's doing somthing possitive, and not out selling drugs.or robbing people. but u know everytime a n...ga get alittle something, THEM FOLKS, alway got somthing to say