LeBust James: A Terrible Role Model
Associated Press: LeBron James' 35,440-square-foot house under construction Bath Township is shaping up as a castle fit for a king -- with a theater, bowling alley, casino and barber shop. Good for him I suppose, but a bit odd. Is he aware that he is not actually a King? Either way, maybe everyone with that much money would do something like that, so no big deal.
The same week of this national headline, there was also a spat with New York Knick Stephon Marbury. Before a game with the Knicks, Lebust took a shot at Marbury's shoes, saying he couldn't endorse such a cheap shoe. Marbury responded, "I'd rather own than be owned."
See, Marbury started his own shoe company of affordable shoes - the shoes are only $15. Marbury's goal is to give younger, under-privileged kids a chance at a "cool" and affordable shoe. Marbury explained, "once parents and their kids begin to see that other pro athletes are getting down with this, then it just makes a world of difference." All-Star Ben Wallace has also signed on with Marbury. Wallace and Marbury remember struggling financially to ever be able to get the newer shoes - the requisite embarrassment of a young kid followed, I presume.
Meanwhile, LeBust thinks it is better that he is involved in pressuring parents to buy $200 shoes. King Layup explained, "me being with Nike, we hold our standards high." Your high standards? Nike uses the same damn labor and comes up with a similar product. They just jack up prices to cover their insane marketing costs and to bring in greater profit per shoe .
So listen up young parents: LeBust insists you buy outrageously expensive shoes, or your kids will be losers. Forget the electric bill. Forget taking a day off of work. Get LeBust's shoes! Next step to success: get a 35,000 square foot home.
The same week of this national headline, there was also a spat with New York Knick Stephon Marbury. Before a game with the Knicks, Lebust took a shot at Marbury's shoes, saying he couldn't endorse such a cheap shoe. Marbury responded, "I'd rather own than be owned."
See, Marbury started his own shoe company of affordable shoes - the shoes are only $15. Marbury's goal is to give younger, under-privileged kids a chance at a "cool" and affordable shoe. Marbury explained, "once parents and their kids begin to see that other pro athletes are getting down with this, then it just makes a world of difference." All-Star Ben Wallace has also signed on with Marbury. Wallace and Marbury remember struggling financially to ever be able to get the newer shoes - the requisite embarrassment of a young kid followed, I presume.Meanwhile, LeBust thinks it is better that he is involved in pressuring parents to buy $200 shoes. King Layup explained, "me being with Nike, we hold our standards high." Your high standards? Nike uses the same damn labor and comes up with a similar product. They just jack up prices to cover their insane marketing costs and to bring in greater profit per shoe .
So listen up young parents: LeBust insists you buy outrageously expensive shoes, or your kids will be losers. Forget the electric bill. Forget taking a day off of work. Get LeBust's shoes! Next step to success: get a 35,000 square foot home.
By Chuck - 3/30/2007
22 Comments:
And yes, I know that almost all young athletes act with a degree of irresponsibilty. I also have heard about (and complemented) many of his deeds in Akron/New Orleans/etc. But this story just annoyed the hell out of me. Especially when a guy like Marbury has a notoriously bad reputation, while LeBust has some glowing rep.
Unless having multiple children out of wedlock in your early 20's, and not being an actual champion are important values, LeBust James is your guy.
Finally, I am sure most readers think I am an idiot on this LeBust stuff. Fine. We can just agree to root for a big Buckeye win tomorrow.
Chuck, I was lucky to have a pair of Red Ball Jets when I was a kid & dont quite understand why everyone falls for this "I must have" attitude that only enriches the rich.
Kids, take it from Petey, dont fall for this solicitous bullshit. Save your money abd wear your shoes until they wear out
I heard first hand about the rapacious "House" that Lebron is building in Bath.
More power to guys like Marbury who wish to give something back.
Garbage
When you guys start wearing $25 suits and $15 shoes to work, I'll listen to the rest of the rant.
Petey, when I was a kid, my mother couldn't afford Red Ball Jets so she took red nail polish and painted on the red balls on the back of the shoes. Bless her heart for trying but that just made it worse. That was over 45 years ago. Not that much has changed.
I didn't know that you all were Buddhists here-believing that all life is suffering and all suffering comes from desire.
menck, we were so poor, living in NY, we had to eat the lint out of our navels.
aLL i AM SAYING IS that the consumer gluttony that exists today, is a manufactured & detracting nuisance. Look at all the commercials for dope on the nightly news. Drugs for twitching legs or limp wangnoodles or cholestral are aimed at you and me and our generation just as the keep up with the Joneses shoe ads are a aimed at the kids.
Its all just a hollow sham
But- have to admit that if some ultra rich BB players wish to do something charitable - THATS COMMENDABLE
I do have this "thing" against spoiled rick punks.
I guess one could say that I am well off now, but I still do wear my shoes until they wear out and still have my favorite shirt from the 60's...and do all the charity work I can.
OSU - destroy those spoiled Georgetown punks
Oh yeah...? We were only allowed to eat lint on Christmas and Easter.
He is also building a statue of himslef out front of the house-a bust of lebust if you will. I am surprised you didn't mention that after getting beaten by the KNicks lelame took the team to a strip club to celebrate a loss to one of the worst teams in basketball. He will never win, and he will never get it. I don't care about his house, its his money, let him spend it in his way. His charitable acts are a fraction of his salary and are only done for tax deduction purposes and self promotion. Just like most athletes, veyr few will come out and take a stand. I like the Etan Thomases and The Schillings of the world at least they have the balls and brains to form an opinion not fed thru the marketing machine. Mencken does have a point though, I wear $80 shoes with my suit, but they last me a few years and are actally sold to people who can reasonably afford them. As opposed to the Lebust Nike model which is out of date annually and marketed to people who a $200 investment in shoes is silly. Although this same need to appear fashionable and spend ludicrous amounts of money on accesories is far more pronounced in females-see purses Loius Vuitton and Coach & Jewelry-expensive
Chuck -
Pretty bad statement by LeBron - as Starbury pointed out, he is basically owned by Nike, so I am not shocked by his statement. As much as I hate Marbury as a basketbal player, I really respect what he has been doing with his shoe deal - it is a really admirable thing to try and provide affordable shoe options for kids. Really a poor choice on LeBron's part going after him on this.
On LeBron's house complete with a casino, how long do you think it will be before the news paper headlines read ”Streaky Shooter D. Jones into Casino LeBron for $3.2 Mil”
The logical question is who's making these shoes for $15.00. They're made in China so you have to wonder what kind of conditions these shoes are made under.
Perhaps we can end all this rancor.
If we can convince LeBron to buy not only the carbon credits necessary for him to become carbon neutral but to buy millons of them and give them away I would think everybody would be happy.
P.S.--how much violence will be the product of having to have those $200 shoes? Probably more than we imagine.
So Mencken have you bypassed the desire mode and gone directly to suffering? You certianly don't reside in nirvana.
Mencken,
That was a touching story. Sounds like one hell of a mother.
I think we need a charity fred vs mencken steel cage match. That is the oonly answer to this never ending grudge match between Fred "killer" and Mencken "the Mauler"
longfellow: funny stuff.
for years, Nike has been making their shoes under dubious circumstances, including likely slave-labor.
so wherever marbury's shoe comes from, it is no worse than Nike.
In defense of LeBust, I heard Mike Wilbon insist LeBust was just joking around. But he had not basis for that belief - sounded like hope.
Wilbon has a habit of being an apologist to big time stars, it is the main hole on his game, look at how he is now with OJ mayo, after mayo called him out, even TK punked wilbon out on this.
Two go in... one comes out.
I challenge Fred to a Spelling Bee.
Chuck, why do you feel it is necessary to judge people so often. All he did is take money from a shoe company, what happens after that isn't his responsiblity. Blaming him for "pressuring" parents to buy shoes??? He isn't holding a blow torch to anybody's face or anything.
If you want to congratulate Marbury, fine, he deserves it. But the rest of your post is a holier-than-thou rant, and it makes you sound like an ass.
The chief source is better than this.
I agree Jeff. It reminds me of the time Jim Rome repeatedly called QB Jim Everett, "Chris" until Everett
came across the table at him. Rome made his bones doing that, but really it was just a cheap shot to drive some controversy. That said, at least Rome said it to
Everett's face.
This is tough to comment on.
I see both guys points.
On LeBron's hand, he's the hottest thing in sports probably since Michael Jordon. He has a right to make his money. I wouldn't normally be able to afford the luxury of giving my child $200 shoes, but I would if I could. My parents didn't make a lot of money when I was growing up, but when they wanted to reward me for hard work or impressive grades, I was given the nice shoes or the nice clothes.
I understand Marbury's approach as well. I commend him for offering a product that can be respected by lower class communities whom can't afford the luxury of Nikes or Reeboks. I hope Marbury's three to end that game makes kids buy his product.
But either way you look at it. They're both making money off unfortunate and fortunate people. Each pair of shoes puts money in their pockets.
Doesn't matter whom is owned and whom owns, they both are in it for the green.
Chuck
Check out this link.
http://lebron.msn.com/default.aspx?section=icon&contenttype=article&contentid=wish>1=9269
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