I’ll admit that before today, I knew next to nothing about Chris Bosh. All these years, I made zero effort to familiarize myself with his NBA career and background.

Thanks to Stefan Bondy of the NEW YORK DAILY NEWS, I now know all I need to know about him.

Bosh was in New York this week to promote one of his few sponsors, the Milk Board, when he told Bondy that he intentionally misled fans and the media about his intentions before he signed with the Miami Heat.

He also likened “playing with people’s emotions“ to “entertainment.” Read more…

Jeff Van Gundy to Barry Jackson of the MIAMI HERALD on the Miami Heat this season:

The Heat not only will be great, but historically great. So predicts the co-lead NBA analyst for ABC/ESPN.

They will break the single-season win record [of 72].

I think they have a legit shot at the Lakers’ 33-game [winning] streak [in 1971-72], as well. And only the Lakers have even a remote shot at beating them in a playoff series. They will never lose two games in a row this year.

They have put together a much better roster than anybody could ever have expected. There is now no good way to defend them. They are unguardable. They are indefensible. They are just too good and have added so much shooting and are so versatile that they will score at will.

Steve Kerr of the ‘95-96 Bulls that went 72-10 commented on Van Gundy’s predictions: Read more…

Stuart Scott recently conducted a chat on ESPN.com in which he discussed his feelings about LeBron James and the role ESPN played in the NBA player’s move from Cleveland to Miami.

I excerpted a selection of Scott’s comments from the chat and responded to his remarks in bold.

Scott: As a free agent LBJ owed Cleveland nothing. That’s not disrespect, it’s just his right based on rules and bylaws established before he set foot in the NBA. Narcissistic? Star athlete has big decision, ubiquitous sports network is there to cover it.

Me: ESPN didn’t cover it, ESPN created it. Without ESPN, “The Decision” wouldn’t have existed.

From what we now know, the prospect of such an ESPN-enabled production may have been the main reason why James dragged out his choice for so long - causing such acute consternation to the people of Cleveland.

Scott: That’s what we do. … I am proud of the dozens of people who worked on that show. And for all the criticism it received, a 7.6 cable rating is ginormous. Read more…

I’ve got another pathetic tale involving LeBron James in Vegas last weekend to tell you about - though this time it won’t be spiked by the site hosting it.

(Bird blurred in video)

Cleveland’s FOX 8 reports today that LeBron James flipped off an Akron man ran into the NBA player at a Vegas nightclub last weekend.

Last weekend, DJ Fig, from Mix 94.1 in Akron, was at the Palazzo Hotel in Las Vegas. Early Monday morning, he spotted LBJ and his entourage partying at a nightclub.

As he took out his camera to snap a picture, the deejay said LeBron gave him the finger.

“I said ‘Hey, Akron still loves you man,’ and he gave the bird as you see in the picture,” said DJ Fig.

Apparently DJ Fig is a glutton for punishment, as that wasn’t the end of his requests of James that night. Read more…

Apparently in an effort to contribute his fair share to the Florida tax base, which includes no state income tax, LeBron James reportedly has “started the paperwork” to buy a home in Miami for $50 million.

(When new, conspicuous wealth attacks)

The Coral Gables home is south of downtown Miami and been on the market for over a year. In June 2009, the CORAL GABLES GAZETTE reported that annual property taxes alone for the home “are estimated at roughly $1 million and utilities will set you back another $150,000 annually.”

That doesn’t factor in a housekeeping staff, landscaping and other steep costs associated with running such an enormous estate.

Just the kind of thing a 25-year-old bachelor who just ‘took his talents to South Beach’ would want, right? Read more…

Since LeBron James and Chris Bosh joined Dwyane Wade with the Miami Heat on July 9, there’s been a low rumble suggesting that Wade, as a Miami Heat employee, may have been tampering when he talked to James in past weeks (and years) about joining the Heat.

Unless it can be materially proven that Wade was acting at the behest of Heat management, this particular player-to-player tampering charge is unfounded.

But thanks to an interview with Wade on the Dan Patrick Show on July 10, 2009, if there was any doubt that Wade and James previously talked seriously about the possibility of joining forces with the Heat, there isn’t now.

Here’s some excerpts and audio of the interview between Patrick and Wade: Read more…

Jorge Sedano of the MIAMI HERALD and 790 The Ticket has a photo of Derek Fisher meeting with Pat Riley and team owner Mickey Arison of the Miami Heat today in Miami.

The photo was taken in the lobby of the Mandarin Oriental hotel.

Sedano also has audio of Fisher and Riley at the hotel refusing comment about their meeting today (mp3): Read more…

Jorge Sedano of the MIAMI HERALD and 790 The Ticket tips us off to some exclusive trade analysis from Michael Beasley’s father, Michael Beasley, Sr.:

(Beasley vs. West)

What on earth does Delonte West have to do with his son being traded to Minnesota?
Read more…

Suddenly the star reporter of the LeBron James saga is New York Knicks beat writer Alan Hahn of NEWSDAY, who by all accounts is a quality journalist.

Hahn in the past 18 hours has broken the main media’s two most-cited LeBron James developments:

1) James is holding his “Decision” show in Greenwich.
2) James is going to Miami.

Previous to those scoops, Hahn hadn’t been at the forefront of the reporting of the much-followed story.

Though what makes Hahn’s late-in-the-game scoopage so interesting isn’t what he’s reporting, but who his boss is. Read more…

Jorge Sedano of the MIAMI HERALD reports today that, according to a source, LeBron James has spoken to Boston Celtics free agent Ray Allen in a bid to land the shooting guard for the Miami Heat in the event James, Raptors forward Chris Bosh and Miami Heat free agent Dwyane Wade agree to join the Heat together.

Though Sedano, who is also morning drive host for 790 The Ticket in Miami, added that Allen hasn’t ruled out a return to the Celtics - on one condition. Read more…