Prince James Plays the Race Card

Prince James is just not very smart!



LeBron James, manager: Race a factor

HURLBURT FIELD, Fla. -- LeBron James and his manager say they believe race played a factor in how the two-time reigning NBA MVP's decision to join the Miami Heat was covered this summer.
Neither James nor his manager, Maverick Carter, cited specifics when talking to CNN for a story that aired Wednesday night.
James did not want to spend much time on the subject after Thursday's Heat practice.
"I think people are looking too far into it," James said. "But at the same time, sometimes it does play a part in it. I've said what I had to say, and I'll continue to move on."
In the interview, CNN correspondent Soledad O'Brien asked about "The Decision," the one-hour special on ESPN in which James announced that he would play for the Heat, and some of the negative headlines it generated.
"It's just about control and not doing it the way it's always been done or not looking the way that it always looks," Carter said.
O'Brien asked if race played a role.
"I think so at times," James said. "It's always, you know, a race factor."
Said Carter: "It definitely played a role in some of the stuff coming out of the media, things that were written for sure."
James turned down a chance to stay with the Cleveland Cavaliers and ultimately decided to join the Heat in the oft-criticized televised special that raised $3 million for the Boys & Girls Clubs of America.
It's not the first time race has been a discussion point in the aftermath of "The Decision."
After James made his announcement July 8, Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert responded that same evening by releasing a fiery letter to fans of his team, saying James was being "narcissistic" and "cowardly." That prompted Rev. Jesse Jackson to enter the fray, saying the Cavs owner saw James as a "runaway slave."
An e-mail to Carter's representative requesting further comment was not immediately answered.
"I don't walk in LeBron's shoes," Heat coach Eric soon to be ex-Coach.




LeBron James says race played role in backlash to his decision
This article came from msnbc.com. What a dip. He just keeps digging deeper and deeper and has no clue.
Did race play a role in the backlash -- both in the media and in the general public -- to LeBron James' decision to take his talents to South Beach?
LeBron James and his business partner and close friend Maverick Carter both said yes in an interview on CNN Wednesday night (hat tip to Jason Lloyd of the Beacon Journal, and we should note race was a very small part of this interview, discussed and everyone moved on).
"I think so at times. It's always a race factor," LeBron said as part of a segment that focused largely on Carter.
"It definitely played a role in some of the stuff coming out of the media, things that were written," Carter said.
A lot of the backlash seemed to be focused less on the choice itself -- outside of Cleveland, anyway -- and more on what came off as an egotistical way to do it. But both Carter and James said that "The Decision" -- the hour-long show on ESPN announcing his move to Miami -- may have had something to do with that.
"The execution could've been a little better and I take some of blame for that," Carter said.
But James noted that the event raised $3 million for the Boys & Girls Club and any "heat" he took was worth it.
There certainly has been a lot of LeBron hate. The numbers back up what James and Carter have said about race.
Among blacks, LeBron's positive Q rating among dropped from 52 percent in January to 39 -- however his negative Q rating barely changed, going from 14 percent to 15. Blacks seemed to change what they thought of him, but to a more neutral stance.
Among non-blacks, LeBron's negative Q rating went from 24 percent to 44 after the decision.
Why different races reacted to the situation in very different ways would make an interesting study in race relations in America.

Here are some of the responses to this article that I think are perfect. Read em and enjoy.

Lebron who??
Let me get this straight- he's pissed off a lot of people, both black and white around the US, not just in NE Ohio, and NOW he wants to play the race card????? Will he never learn to just keep his mouth shut and play basketball? And the 3 million bucks to the Boys and Girls Club- he could have easily paid that money himself and done without that joke of a TV show.

1 - Wed Sep 29,2010 11:01 PM ET Reply jeffk
What a piece of crap.

I just lost whatever respect I had left for this guy

2 - Wed Sep 29,2010 11:05 PM ET Reply jeffk
What a piece of crap.

I just lost whatever respect I had left for this guy

3 - Wed Sep 29,2010 11:08 PM ET Reply Jesse Jackson
Thatta boy - pull out the race card when you think it's advantageous to you! Race had nothing to do with the backlash. The backlash was because LeBron and his little buddies acted liked total idiots throughout the entire FA period. Is LeBron really that insulated from reality that he doesn't understand he's a pompous, self-absorbed, arrogant douche?

4 - Wed Sep 29,2010 11:09 PM ET Reply Lebron who? replied to comment from Jesse Jackson
I like your post better than mine. Well said !!!

5 - Wed Sep 29,2010 11:17 PM ET Reply Lebron who? replied to comment from Jesse Jackson
I like your post better than mine. Well said !!!

6 - Wed Sep 29,2010 11:20 PM ET Reply Lebron who? replied to comment from Jesse Jackson
I like your post better than mine. Well said!!

7 - Wed Sep 29,2010 11:22 PM ET Reply Reverend Al
Well, if he's claiming that "arrogant, over-rated, self-absorbed schmucks" now constitute a race, then I have to agree with him.

Otherwise... not so much.

8 - Wed Sep 29,2010 11:24 PM ET Reply Spencer
OK, now I'm offended. As a black man in America, I've seen racism (or as this "A" hole put it:"[How]race played a role") in a lot of things. This is NOT one of them! I repeat, THIS IS NOT ONE OF THEM! Infact, a lot of things that are deemed racist or racially biased actually are not. Most of us sane people, of any race, call it like we see it - STUPID, ARROGANT, Self-absorbed, narcisistic, and the list goes on. Mr. James, you may NOT play the race card here and I hope there is "backlash" for you doing so. You reap what you sow! And to think, I felt sorry for your dumb black ass! Pshhhh!