ESPN FIRST TAKE (1-31-2017) LEBRON JAMES RIPS CHARLES BARKLEY'S DUBIOUS ...

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That was Charles Barkley last week on LeBron James now LeBron decided he'd had enough with the Barclay jabs over the years telling our Dave McMenamin this behavior what makes what he says credible because he's on TV I'm not gonna let him disrespect my legacy like that I'm not the one who threw somebody for a window.

I never spit on a kid I never had unpaid debt in las vegas i never said quote I'm not a role model I never showed up the all-star weekend on Sunday because I was in Vegas all weekend partying all I've done for my entire career is represent the NBA the right way 14 years never got in trouble respected the game friends that I collect one paycheck from it there's the owner grip the GM I'm the player screw Charles Barkley cocaine back to the desk so obviously we brought not holding back there what's your reaction i think i just think its weak i think LeBrons reaction is weak arm you know it's interesting no matter how much you compliments LeBron no matter how much you recognize the obvious state of fact in the world at LeBron James is the greatest basketball player on the face of the planet.

He somehow finds a way to be beneath that state you know any time I've ever criticize the broad it's only bum the high perch that I place him on if it is grammar on Instagram which I got criticism for his language from a his language from a victory podium or in this moment right here it's only because he is so great that when he falls short of being great.

He's wide open to criticism let me tell you why this is so we first of all charges right from start to finish and i think almost everyone acknowledges the trolls his words on their face or correct and they weren't an attack on LeBron don't want to be a very deep level always got the highest payroll NBA they're playing the most luxury tax and a lot of the brunch name still wants more and more and more Charles is basically just being honest and what is LeBrons response what is respond it's an ad hominem attack the weakest form of attack you with anything today as I've had conversations with you today max but had come visit you Stephen eh it's this have the guts have the wherewithal have the spine to stand up have a position independence of who you are don't go after Charles Barkley based upon totally unrelated incident it's called ad hominem and think about an ad hominem attack attacking a person like Charles is totally off base on the argument hand show you don't have a leg to stand on.

I guess someone doesn't have a rebuttal to Charles's that given you everything they want.

If you want i guess one doesn't have rebuttal to Charles you're being whining I guess he has no rebuttal on the substance instead he's resorted to the tried-and-true clarion call that's happening right now about my Twitter clarion call of morons and more than that weak people who cannot form an idea that that that can withstand the slightest bit of a bottle captain as a person attacked for something unrelated the job line just like every other internet role in this that's great Mac I'm i said it when we discuss this in the last hours yes it was an ad hominem attack on Charles Barkley if you know he murdered the messenger.

I didn't like the method show is so we went after the messenger but i do think there's an added element here guys wear when there's something about the theater of sports especially when you're the greatest in the world that we believe one of the reasons were interested in it i believe is that we think it reveals character in the moment of truth and so when you go after someone for their lack of competitiveness as you see it or their inability to come through in a big moment not that that's what sparked we were doing here to LeBron but he was kind of going after his spirit of competition I can understand why someone would take that personally and then go after the critic rather than the criticism but of course it is weak to go criticism and and it's a less than optimal response for LeBron that said I also think the big big story here the takeaway here is LeBron class back and his kind of assertion of dominance whether or not it's it's ethically upright or morally upright his kind of assertion of his own dominance we saw in the finals last year the way he block steph curry shot and screen bottom and yet he's becoming something of a psychological bully.

Which actually on the basketball court I think helps him i think it makes him a better player.

What does but it is an ad hominem attack clearly let me let me let me chime in here it will look let me explain to you arm your right but what you're saying lebron is a bit too sensitive I do believe however in this particular instance when you parse the words that Barkley you saying quote unquote he was pissed off because LeBron James doesn't want to compete that with a bit excessive for a guy that's been a six consecutive NBA finals and it's 13 NBA championships especially coming from individual and Charles Barkley who was a friend who I love dearly but pushed his way out of Philadelphia he didn't want to be there any longer ended up and seen a quick and then and then went to Houston even though he was older by then and he was on the downside of his career he tried to move himself it's a different situation more beneficial for him so it does come across as a bit hypocritical pendant say that and the words that he used definitely are invited a response from LeBron i believe that was wrong went too far will in what he said about broccoli because it wasn't about basketball it was about barclay the man and he attacked him in a way that was excessive and was beyond the pale and as far as I'm concerned both we wanted to retaliate.

It's perfectly within his right to do so but to really piggyback off of what she said and a touch of what both of your points off let's keep in mind that LeBron James has been ultra sensitive now he takes more criticism the most in fairness to him but he was a bit sensitive when he played like garbage in the fourth quarter of four consecutive NBA Finals games against the dallas mavericks he took heat from that he still has never gotten over that still holds that two people are getting 2 against people to this very day also i would like to say that love LeBron assists and invited some of the criticism because he always takes the high road.

It's very rare if ever that he responds and so he gives the impression if you're botley that you can.

Come at him so it was really nice even though we disagree with how far he went it was really nice to see the broad step up man up and take a public stand as opposed to coming across there i say as a bit too phony a talk in a bit to PC because he's so interested in his brand that he doesn't want to take on critics who criticize him when he is one than qualified and more than competent enough to respond to those criticisms and we have all night and really him step up and do it and we love Barkley Barclays amazing because he give you the straight dope as i mentioned in the previous hour whether or not you think he's a dope for some of the things that he gives you the straight dope you know he's not going to hold back he's not gonna bite his tongue is not going to come to kind of social and political pressure about what he should say and the bronze not going to like it all the time you did chuck away four consecutive fourth-quarter he was the choker then it was a historic joke he also came up huge in these last final and turned around his legacy in that respect those things are all true you just you can't Barkley should react you know on the evidence whatever back will tell me in that one really quick thing well I well real quick but LeBron James in his 14th season Barkley joined the rockets with Olajuwon Drexler is 13 you know the kind of exactly older but younger than being about that Max is that the choice that LeBron made with ultimately the week toy we can all understand how he gets there max I know you get stuff on a daily basis attacks you as a person i do I can promise you and Stephen I imagine you get more than any of us combined but you make a choice constantly how are you going to engage with this or not engage with it and if it is as you said Stephen a that Barkley overstepped his bounds that that that the argument was easy for LeBron to debate he should have just taken on those American if it's an easy one to win you don't have to attach the person but apparently LeBron didn't think you could only are there no we're going right by the way this right away that will you will make the right going clearly went too far no doubt you can make the right choice on your timeline for 5 10 straight years and not respond to any of the morons and then one day one of the moron said something stupid and you write more.

On and then you're in the wrong right there a million i'm doing that max I'm about to do it a hundred times a minute I walk off this i'm going to like already in place right time to have fun with old part you know herm edwards has done that click send like this with the next that you know you know I respect you right.

Seriously yes of course we disagree with you we did through each other a lot and see when I just goes without saying but I think you're incredibly smart guy who is often wrong.





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