Bron Bron going Euro?...Damn you Beckham

LeBron James is Ohio born and bred, a true american hero. A basketball progidy from the get-go he lived out every kids' dream going straight to the big show, and brought his team to the NBA Championship series. Not to mention the ridiculous amount of endorsements that he's gotten along the way. He's been raking in those greenbacks since he got his high school diploma, and created quite a following of die hard fans...witnesses if you will. He's comfortable in his little Ohio home, and who wouldn't if they lived in the 4real neighborhood. But just like in the Cold War, Russia is taking a shot at our happiness and way of life. Our american-made Bron Bron has been in talks with CSKA, Russia's basketball team as well as the Greek Olympiacos. Since when did Europe start making real bids on American sports stars?

For years, Europe was the place to go for the "Stars Who Never Quite Made it". No offense to any of our fine products still fighting for the cause over there, but if you weren't drafted...in any sport...you were pretty much exported like t-shirts for the losing Super Bowl team-gone from the country before anyone could remember your name. And then came, the era of David Beckham and the L.A. Galaxy. Now don't get me wrong, NBA Europe has some players who would've been average in the U.S. but left for stardom in a lesser market, but seeing as how Becks is one of the premier soccer players of the world, the last place anyone ever thought he would go would be, the U.S. to play soccer. That's like a normal person playing hide and seek with blind kids. Becks says he came to support and expand the sport which he's loved so much. Unfortunately, the U.S. pretty much could careless about soccer, and the fact that Becks has played less than half a season here due to injury, the only people who've gotten their money's worth are the paparazzi. $250 million dollars well spent.

So let's fast forward to King James. Sitting on top of the U.S. throne, Bron Bron is looking at bigger and newer things. And by things I mean paychecks. But how the hell can these sub-par European teams even think about paying this Akron-Superstar? Let's face facts, the U.S. Dollar sucks compared to the Euro. Point Europe. Each country pretty much has one team, therefore more financial backing. Point Europe. Each ball club has no salary cap. Flawless victory Europe. Basically, LeBron is asking for around $50 mil a year, and the Russians are actually gonna pay it. I thought they didn't believe in Capitalism? Where is this money coming from? Now don't get me wrong, but European basketball is not really the most profitable sport, running right along side NFL Europe, and the steady European FROLF league. So is this gonna be a new line added to their taxes? Kinda like FICA, but instead it states "WITNESS tax"?

On the other hand Bron Bron could essentially become a global superstar by dominating the pre-pubescent Euro leagues. Maybe it's an Ego thing, I mean his greatest opponent would be the might Josh Childress, the Stanford Slayer. For some reason I don't feel that's a fair match up. The only thing Childress could beat Bron Bron in is a Luda- look a like contest. If Luda had downs.

Don't leave the country LeBron. Ohio couldn't take that hit. So Cleveland, pony up some cash, do something, he's starting to sway to their fashions....
More after the jump...

NBA: European Expansion

Sports Illustrated is reporting that David Stern is planning to expand the NBA into Europe. This idea surfaced for the first time back in 2003 when Stern stated that it would happen within the next ten years. It is five years later, and apparently he is planning on keeping his word. With a pending announcement on the exact plan to franchise into the European market it looks likely that up to five teams will make up a European Division. This will not be a separate entity like NFL Europe, these teams will compete against the existing franchising in a full 82 game season in search of a Championship. I’m hoping that Stern has thought this out to every single angle, because it’s going to completely change the game. Off the top of my head I came up with a number or reasons why I wouldn’t want this to become a reality:

• Travel Distances which then effect the following
• Jet Lag = Fatigue
• Extends the Schedule to Accommodate Travel Time
• Long Road Trips. Do they come over for weeks at a time, or do my Cavs have to take a European Vacation to hit series with the clubs. Also, with only five teams there are teams going to get shafted on the number of games they must play overseas versus teams that don’t have to spend much time over there.
• Money
• Obviously it will always be the main motivation for a move like this in terms of the business aspects.
• The Euro versus The American Dollar
• Are European Owners going to have to throw insane amounts of cash at players to get them to play for those teams? If so, then what will that do to the sport in terms of contract sizes and the salary cap?
• TV Coverage
• Time Differences. Think about how annoying it will be to watch your team, having to stay up too late or get up too early.

I think that there is a number of variables to consider, and I will be waiting for them to unveil the plan to tackle such an expansion. Granted it’s not as bad as when there were NBA Asia rumors, but it is still going to be problematic to the sport.

4Real Out….
More after the jump...