LeBron peddles his big news to ESPN, his newest sidekick
This is the strangest lead in the history of journalism. I would just quote from the two paragraphs, but it wouldn’t quite capture the essence. So I present them, as we say on Turner Classic Movies, without interruption.
LeBron James is planning to announce the team with which he will sign during a one-hour special on ESPN Thursday night, ESPN The Magazine’s Chris Broussard has learned through independent sources.
ESPN would only confirm that active discussions for the special are ongoing. But sources tell Broussard that representatives for James contacted the network, proposing that James makes his announcement during a 9 p.m. ET special.
To recap: A reporter for ESPN The Magazine is reporting, through an independent source, that LeBron will break the news the world awaits on ESPN the TV network, but ESPN the corporate entity wouldn’t confirm that such a broadcast is indeed a “go.”
This whole Summer of LeBron thing has had a made-for-ESPN feel to it all along — you’ll recall that ESPN the Web site introduced a “LeBron Tracker” page in May — but a LeBron/ESPN package deal of a culmination would take ye olde cake. It would be a LeBron production pitched to ESPN, with LeBron’s “team” asking, according to Broussard, that “they be allowed to sell sponsorship for the one-hour special, with the proceeds going to the Boys and Girls Clubs of America.”
And then the key nuggets from Broussard’s bizarre report: “[Sources said] ESPN agreed to the proposal but had not been told what James has decided.”
Got that? ESPN the TV network is apparently putting LeBron James on its air without ESPN’s many and distinguished reporters knowing what he’ll say, which is really the only free-agency story worth breaking.
And there, I submit, is the ultimate rebuttal to the widespread assertion that ESPN essentially runs the world. Apparently it doesn’t run LeBron James. Apparently the Worldwide Leader is content to be his silent partner/enabler. And I say: Good grief.
UPDATE: ESPN has just issued a press release confirming that it will air what it has dubbed “The Decision” from 9 to 10 p.m. Thursday. And, in its understated fashion, ESPN will lead into the hour-long special with a THREE-HOUR “SportsCenter.” Following “The Decision” will be a TWO-HOUR “SportsCenter” (with, ESPN allows, occasional highlights from “Baseball Tonight”).
Got that? Six hours of LeBron. Unbelievable.
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197 comments Add your comment
dap01
July 7th, 2010
11:11 am
Half of any ESPN sportcast is self promotion.
I am sick of hearing what the Yankees and Red Sox are doing. I am sick of Soccer, it’s not our fault that ESPN is carrying the world cup. I am sick of interviews of Tiger who is 20 shots off of the lead with no mention of who is actually winning the tourney. ESPN, no one cares.
ESPN and LeBron are similar. Both started out ok but ended up being nothing but self promoting freaks.
PS: Obama is not sports.
The Real JC
July 7th, 2010
11:11 am
@WDE – I would hazard a guess that the people of New York, Chicago, Miami and Cleveland all care what happens Thursday. Yes, he’s a media whore and quite egotistical, but he’s also the face of the league. The $100-something million max contract he’ll get pales in comparison to what the league stands to make off of him if he reaches his potential.
St. Clarkston
July 7th, 2010
11:14 am
“Welcome to SportsCenter. After we talk about the Yankees, Mets, Giants, Jets, Red Sox, Nets, Patriots, Knicks, Celtics, Islanders and Rangers, we might have time to cover the 85% of the country
and after the break, we’ll have an extensive interview with Derek Jeter. “
ACE
July 7th, 2010
11:14 am
How is this for a “Dream Team”? Kobe Bryant, Derek Fisher, Pau Gasol, Andrew Bynum, and Ron Artest. I’ve already got a nickname “2 Time Defending Champs” it has a nice “ring” to it doesn’t it.
Marcus
July 7th, 2010
11:15 am
Is this 1-hour special about all NBA FAs and he pops in with a news conf. (a la Signing Day) or is the 1 hour of LeBron?
schmeckdawg
July 7th, 2010
11:15 am
This ridiculous and getting very old. Since he is milking this for all that it is worth, why doesn’t he just sit down and do like these moronic high school kids do with a bunch of hats in front of him and fake everybody out by trying on the two or three teams’ hats where he is not going before putting on the one where he will go. Get a clue. All of this for maybe 4-5 words. I am going to Miami, I am going to New York, I am going to Chicago, I am staying Cleveland. Good lord!
Casey
July 7th, 2010
11:17 am
If you’re tuned in to watch this ego-centric Lebron show on a summer night, you seriously have no life. Just pop on the net via your phone one minute later and you’ll know where he’s going – if it’s that important to ya.
Herschel Talker
July 7th, 2010
11:17 am
MB:
Along those lines, are you worried that Troy Glaus in July is heading toward being Troy Glaus in April? Maybe it’s the injury, but it’s looking increasingly so.
HT
EZ2NV
July 7th, 2010
11:18 am
Who freakin cares where Lebron James goes! Why is ESPN making a big deal about this anyway. If the NBA was to go broke, you would have a bunch of 7 ft garbage men.
NC Braves Fan
July 7th, 2010
11:21 am
About ESPN – I heard Billy Wagner say that ESPN was openly campaigning for Joey Votto to be the “fan’s choice” for the final NL all-star spot. At first I didn’t believe it and then I saw a little coverage and came to the same conclusion.
Whether Votto is deserving of the slot is not the real issue (he obviously is having an All Star/MVP – type season) … but since when did it become ESPN’s job to tell people how to think and make choices on stuff like this?
It’s issues like that and the “LeBron saga” that make me pretty much skip over ESPN these days.
TM
July 7th, 2010
11:23 am
ESPN has become the complete opposite of what it began back in 1979. It began as they said “to cover all sports and sports news. So sports fans will be able to follow the action…”
Now, it’s all about self promotion, LeBron, self promotion, Favre, self promotion, Tebow, self promotion, Tiger, self promotion. Repeat, rinse and repeat again.
LeBron aint much better either… but both make me want to vomit.
GB
July 7th, 2010
11:24 am
They ought to cal it TWLB NETWORK, AS IN Tiger Woods Lebron James.
Bo
July 7th, 2010
11:24 am
I wonder if he’ll do the three hats on a table routine? Or maybe come out with a Knicks jersey on and then take it off to reveal a Bulls jersey? I thought this guy graduated high school…he has the Hummer to prove it.
Ryder
July 7th, 2010
11:25 am
Bradley, would this have to do with you never appearing on ESPN? Jealousy perhaps. ESPN promotes what the NATION wants to talk about. You all know it’s big news yet you act like it’s overkill. Guess what, that’s how ESPN keeps making their money.
I’m not saying you have to like it, but don’t sit there and act like this is some brand new discovery.
smooth
July 7th, 2010
11:26 am
Whats the latest news on Hawks front, what improvements are they making to catch up
Dr. Kenneth Noisewater
July 7th, 2010
11:26 am
just get this crap over with, so tired of it taking up tv/radio/blogging space.
ReddJonn68
July 7th, 2010
11:27 am
ESPN has been making a non-story a story, for a full 2 weeks. This so called FA frenzy has been like a fireworks show with only firecrackers popping. There’s nothing really there, most of these guys are just gonna sign the max deal & go where they were expected to go. We all knew Amare wanted out of Phoenix, as well as Bosh just wanting a chance to compete in the playoffs. Its quite obvious that Lebron is loyal to the Cavs, due to the fact there was a S&T deal on the table for Bosh. The real story will not start until teams start moving to add the second tier FAs, that are going to make or break their seasons.
thebiz
July 7th, 2010
11:27 am
I agree with Ian Thomson’s conclusion on CNNSI that this means he’s staying put in Ohio. Still gotta wonder mightily just what the heck they will show us for an hour. Kinda reminds me of Al Capone’s Vault.
ASHCAN.
July 7th, 2010
11:27 am
Don’t like it? don’t watch it you can’t stop it so why blog it?
PTC DAWG
July 7th, 2010
11:29 am
Lebron is an ATTENTION WHORE
Curious George
July 7th, 2010
11:29 am
Since ESPN enjoys shoving Obama down our throats so nauseatingly often while they have us tuned in for S-P-O-R-T-S coverage and information, will they be airing live coverage of his eventual impeachment proceedings as well, or will they magically reschedule yet another Yankees-Red Sox broadcast that conveniently ‘pre-empts’ those proceedings?
TM
July 7th, 2010
11:31 am
For those who think this has been going on for the last two weeks or two months…
Try Two years. LeBron started this two years ago and has been manipulating the media ever since.
I agree with those who say “don’t watch it!” don’t watch ESPN.
That’s the only way it will change.
Calling it right
July 7th, 2010
11:34 am
ESPN = The All-Liberal Sports Network
Hey Jim Crow, I see you are still alive and well. Are your still killiing little kids in chruches? This statement you made:
“You can kiss my conservative, black behind ESPN.”
Conservative you may, but black I doubt.
ReddJonn68
July 7th, 2010
11:34 am
Hey what do we expect when a once no nonsense sports network is bought out by Disney !!!!
The Real JC
July 7th, 2010
11:35 am
Ok, there has to be a drinking game involved with this special:
1. If Stuart Scott hosts it, take a shot to start
2. If they mention any teams other than the Cavs, Bulls, Knicks, Nets, Heat or Clippers, drink
3. Every time they show a highlight of Bron dunking in slow motion, take a drink
4. Every time they ask a rhetorical question like “what will LeBron do?” make up a clever answer, then drink.
5. If they mention Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh or Amar’e Stoudamire, drink
6. If they mention Joe Johnson, finish your drink.
7. For every time a LeBron nickname is used (like The L-Train, King James, the Chosen One, etc.), drink for each name. If used in a list, drink multiple times.
8. If it’s the last ten minutes of the program and you still don’t know where LeBron’s going to play, drink
9. Each person playing must guess what team he’ll choose. If you’re wrong, finish your drink.
10. If you still like LeBron James at 10 p.m. Thursday, drink.
Additions/amendments to the rules are welcome!
jack
July 7th, 2010
11:37 am
This is such a joke. I can’t wait until this Lebron nonsense is over with.
How is this going to work?
July 7th, 2010
11:42 am
So if he signs with the Heat, will they fill the rest of the roster with scrubs? Wade, James, Bosh, and the 10 barely NBA caliber scrubs. They’ll have to spend the league minimum on all of the remaining roster spots. You can’t win a championship doing that.
Calling It Correctly
July 7th, 2010
11:42 am
Calling It Right @ 11:34 am -
Wow. What a stereotyper!
Not all of us swallow that grape Kool-Aid that King O is peddling to the masses just because of looks. What an ignorant statement for you to make. You can kiss mine, Uninformed Hater!
James
July 7th, 2010
11:43 am
Mark! I like Lady Gaga too!
It’s nice when men can admit things like that.
I am so sick of the LBJ circus. I’ll give him credit (or rather give his agent credit) for knowing how to get his face EVERYWHERE, though.
James
July 7th, 2010
11:48 am
The Real JC:
Someone all die if that game is attempted.
I’m in.
Add this:
11. If Lebron will make less money than Joe Johnson over the next six years, drink and drive all the way to a city where ownership takes the NBA franchise seriously. When pulled over, tell the police what happened and demand that Joe Johnson pays your bail.
James
July 7th, 2010
11:49 am
Red panties are optional, as always.
Ron Mexico
July 7th, 2010
11:49 am
I only watch ESPN when there is a game that only comes on that network. Besides they only show anything I halfway care about for about 2 minutes of their hourlong sports center crap, and if you miss it and can’t rewind, there is no way I would wait to catch it again. I used to wake up and turn on SC and watch it until I almost remembered every story, now the whole thing bores the crap out of me.
RobertNAtl
July 7th, 2010
11:50 am
Well, here is *another* independent source, Mark; run with it!
“RobertNAtl, a frequent viewer of ESPN, has independently confirmed that LeBron James will be announcing his decision on ESPN in a one-hour special Thursday night. RobertNAtl added that he is planning to prepare popcorn at about 8:45 in anticipation of the big event.”
ELVISINTHEHOUSE.
July 7th, 2010
11:50 am
Mark bradley im baaack!!! if it was someone to your liking like saaay brett farve would you have created such a blog? how about the burger guy in pittsburgh? or even larry bird.The man just want to boost the ratings for espn and he will.The question is will you watch? i would say yes so you can create another hateraid blog.Just say you don’t like the man he wouldn’t care less because he will have 100+million reasons not to.Peace out dude.
Peter Venkman
July 7th, 2010
11:50 am
Maybe he’ll have 5 or so hats on a table in front of him and then he will stand up and rip open his shirt to reveal his choice with the team shirt underneath……
Ron Mexico
July 7th, 2010
11:50 am
And i prefer Ke$ha over Manly Gaga. Her songs are catchy.
ASHCAN.
July 7th, 2010
11:51 am
Lol elvis that was cold.
Bafoons!
July 7th, 2010
11:52 am
Just the fact that that you all are commenting on this story let’s me know that you are ALL interested in what Lebron has to say.
At leats the money is going towards charity……..
Breaking News
July 7th, 2010
11:52 am
LeBron James is going to New York to play with Amar’e Stoudemire. It only seems right Bosh in Miami to play with D-Wade so LeBron in NY to play with Amar’e. “The Knicks Are Back”
ATL STEVE
July 7th, 2010
11:53 am
Please!!!! Let’s not talk about EGOS WHEN BRETT FAVRE T.V IS ABOUT TO KICK OFF REAL SOON! Remember, a helicopter followed him from the airport to the training facility after HIS COACH picked him up! HELLO…talk about a$$kissing!! I’ve said it for years that if Mr. Favre looked like Lebron, a good contingency of people would tell him to sit his a$$ down and shut up! Looks like I was right! Let’s also understand that I too am SICK OF THE LEBRON coverage as well…let’s just scream when FAVRE T.V. kicks into full effect! He’s only taking advantage of this over-hyped media generation that we currently reside in!
Ron Mexico
July 7th, 2010
11:53 am
And as far as Lebron goes, it is gonna be hilarious if he doesn’t at least pick somewhere other than Cleveland, cause who the hell really cares where he picks any unless you live in the city he chooses, and if it ends up being Cleveland, then what an anti-climatic ending. I hope they’ll have that Wah Wah Wah little sound bite to follow the announcement.
blord
July 7th, 2010
11:54 am
I will be holding a 1 hour special tonight @ 6:00pm on the Food Network. During this special I will be revealing which hamburger helper meal I will be having for supper. Will it be the three cheese Lasagna or the Beef Stroganoff? Goo Goo Dolls to preform!
The Real JC
July 7th, 2010
11:55 am
Like it, James. Also, per Venkman’s suggestion, if he puts on a hat of the team he has selected, drink. If he rips off his shirt to reveal the team, finish the bottle.
Ignernt
July 7th, 2010
11:55 am
“ESPN has gotten way too big and powerful. It is a key culprit in the ongoing commercialization of Sport which has not been healthy for the fans or for sports in general.”
I like watching SportsCenter and I’ll listen to Mike & Mike in the Morning on the way to work, but otherwise, ESPN needs to be brought in check. Ever since they turned the NFL Draft into the behemoth that it is (don’t get me wrong, I love the Draft) by turning Mark Sanchez (a mid to late first rounder) into a top five pick, then acting like the Jets (who darn near sold the farm to get him) made teh steal of the draft… gah, it’s frustrating!
Pedro Cerano
July 7th, 2010
12:01 pm
I will one day tell my kids of a day when ESPN about more than JUST Lebron, The Lakers, Yankees, Red Sox, Brett Favre, and Ohio State. They probably won’t believe me.
It has been a slow evolution for ESPN. I loved how 10 – 15 years ago Sportscenter was a lot like the ESPNews broadcasts but with better anchors. But I guess they ran out of ways to keep it interesting..Stuart Scott screaming boo yah wasn’t enough anymore. So they started showing the bottom line on ESPN, and then they started bringing in the analysts to do the gimmicky fact or fiction and coors light cold hard facts, and then they just brought the analysts on for the whole show to where there is no difference between Baseball Tonight and Sportscenter (They both love the Yanks and Sox equally). And now this summer it has hit an all time low. I wish they would just go back to two funny guys giving highlights with the “Did you Know” at the end.
Timmy
July 7th, 2010
12:01 pm
Lebron should reveal his “new” team by way of tattoo…if there’s any room left on that canvas of a body.
richham
July 7th, 2010
12:02 pm
I just don’t get the james lovefest that seems to have taken over. All this for a guy who has never even won an nba title. I’m sorry but he couldn’t carry the jockstrap of some of the nba’s greatest players.
This guy is more of a performer than he is a basketball star. I do hope he has more sense than a lot of celebrities who live off of credit and pay a mortgage every month.
Falcon Josh
July 7th, 2010
12:02 pm
ESPN has become TMZ. That simple
Happy St. Pat's
July 7th, 2010
12:05 pm
Will LeBron be contractually required to make a binding choice? Or after an hour could he say that he really hasn’t decided yet–see you next week! Or like The Bachelorette, he declares a choice, but then later it just doesn’t work out . . . This sounds an awful lot like the return of “Al Capone’s vault.”
We can fill out this hour with predictions from ESPM bball commentators, and then maybe a celebrity ego tug-of-war using computer animation to simulate the titanic forces at work. Or maybe a live “Fatal 4Way” wrestling match featuring the GM’s of the teams in contention. Easily this takes the whole hour.
Paul in RDU
July 7th, 2010
12:10 pm
Mark – As you said some strange goings and we have the left hand of ESPN not knowing what the right hand is doing.
This whole “manufacturing” of news by ESPN (James, Favre, etc) is nothing different than what you see on the “news” or “financial” networks (CNN, Fox, MSNBC, CNBC, FBN, etc). They have to put something on 24/7 and try to get people to watch so they hype non-stories to the heavens.