Tonight Lebron faced more pressure than any athlete in the history of modern sports

[Solid Snake]

The pressure isn't actually physically there.

It's only there if you think it is, so you don't know how much pressure he was actually under.

But it was a really important game and he played very well!

Oh STFU trying to be esoteric. There was pressure and you ****ing know it. You're just trying to be a contrarian.

[Kblaze8855]

Peyton Manning in his first superbowl taking the field after Hester housed the opening kickoff. which isnt #1 either. just first that came to mind.

[bmulls]

Peyton Manning in his first superbowl taking the field after Hester housed the opening kickoff. which isnt #1 either. just first that came to mind.

Peyton is and always has been ESPN's golden boy. Not even close.

[tmacattack33]

THIS NEEDS TO STOP.

Stop making stupid threads. STOP IT.

I'd say Tiger Woods faced much more pressure than LeBron because it totally broke him. To be alone out there with everyone knowing your personal business.

You could just say, "LeBron had a great game and showed up under immense pressure." But you had to ruin it with your hyperbole.

-Smak

And I can say that Lebron would have been totally broken by a loss to the Celtics tonight and would have locked himself in a room for a week after losing.

And I can say that basketball is life for Delonte West because he's despressed and messed up emotionally off the court and basketball is his outlet, and if he's not performing well on the court it hurts him mentally and is literally like life or death for him.

But that's personal matters. We have no idea what is going on there...so I'm not even going to try to discuss it. We don't know who cares about the game and how much.

What I am measuring here is media scrutiny and pressure in that sense.

[andgar923]

THIS NEEDS TO STOP.

Stop making stupid threads. STOP IT.

I'd say Tiger Woods faced much more pressure than LeBron because it totally broke him. To be alone out there with everyone knowing your personal business.

You could just say, "LeBron had a great game and showed up under immense pressure." But you had to ruin it with your hyperbole.

-Smak

And Bron hasn't?

Sure he doesn't go out there on his own, which makes it even harder. And people don't doubt Tiger's greatness, if he loses they won't write him off his legacy won't be hurt on his performance... PEOPLE KNOW HE CAN DELIVER CAUSE HE HAS. If he loses, it's only HE that he lets down and only HE suffers the consequences... not the case with Bron.

[Kblaze8855]

Peyton is and always has been ESPN's golden boy. Not even close.

Peyton was 08-10 Lebron for like 6 years in a row. Loved then hated on like nobody else in his sport for losing in the playoffs.

[tmacattack33]

Peyton Manning in his first superbowl taking the field after Hester housed the opening kickoff. which isnt #1 either. just first that came to mind.

That is the first thing any one has said in this thread that may even come close.

[dajadeed]

Your first paragraph was a lot about why the pressure is so large to begin with.

I completely disagree with your second paragraph where you say Duncan, Jordan, and Kobe have faced this kind of pressure. That is completely wrong, and can even be proven with this years playoff results. Duncan and Kobe did NOT receive the kind of criticism that Lebron would have received if the Heat were outed by the Celtics tonight. And again, I could probably back that up with actual stats (of the # of headlines or articles of major newspapers saying negative things about them).

Duncan and Kobe hardly got any flack at all for losing. Maybe that is because they have rings already, but again, I don't care WHY their pressure is lower, all I am discussing is the fact that theirs is indeed lower...and it's really not even close.

Duncan and Kobe didn't get that flak because by the time they were Lebron's age they had multiple rings. Kobe dealt with the "He can't win without Shaq" crap for a little bit but he shut that noise up pretty quickly.

MJ went through this. Just because social media wasn't what it is today doesn't mean people didn't think he was just a shotjacking showboat. Part of being great is dealing with pressure. Wanting it. Alot of people think Lebron was scared in clutch situations. That is a charge that has never been brought up against MJ, Kobe, Duncan, etc. Shaq was different because the Lakers took him out alot because of his ft%, leaving Kobe to close games.

Bottom line, each superstar has his own path to travel. The longer Lebron goes without a title, the heavier the burden. If he doesn't win by next season it will slowly turn to pity and disappointment. His fans making his plight into some persecution or something any different than what other superstars have gone through is ridiculous. Get over yourselves.

Dude is a great player who is expected to win but has not so far. People hate him because he has stuck his foot in his mouth several times. If he wins, it will go down. If he doesn't, it will only intensify.

[Sarcastic]

Jesse Owens running at the 1936 Olympics in Berlin in front of Adolf Hitler.

Jackie Robinson's first game for the Brooklyn Dodgers.


Both make the pressure Lebron felt tonight, just seem like bad gas.

[ILLsmak]

And Bron hasn't?

Sure he doesn't go out there on his own, which makes it even harder. And people don't doubt Tiger's greatness, if he loses they won't write him off his legacy won't be hurt on his performance... PEOPLE KNOW HE CAN DELIVER CAUSE HE HAS. If he loses, it's only HE that he lets down and only HE suffers the consequences... not the case with Bron.

Heh, "Legacy" doesn't matter to anyone but yourself and your fans, the ones that still like you.

What happened to Tiger Woods was a media sensation for months. You don't see Nancy Grace having people LeBron knew on.

There was no scene like that car crash or the 911 call.

It's ridiculous to me that you can even compare them to one another. Pressure goes beyond sports. LeBron has made it apparent he cares mostly about his brand and making money.

What you said is exactly why there was more pressure on Tiger. Tiger is going out there with who... his caddy? He steps up to the tee alone. Everyone is thinking "This guy is such a scumbag, he cheated on his wife! I can't wait to see him fail!" And when he fails they make it a news story. It's 2012, when did that shit happen to Tiger... 3 years ago? He still hasn't returned to his level of greatness.

So while LeBron steps out on the court with guys he knows that are ballers, even an all-nba guy like Wade and an all-star in Bosh... as well as a crew of decent role players, Tiger was under a larger microscope.

It's no comparison no matter how much you want to think it is. Tiger Woods was a very pure idol and they tore all of that shit down instantly. His sponsors dropped him, you've got people with pictures of his dick, and women demanding money.

If you think that LeBron, who while he is scrutinized, isn't THAT scrutinized. He always has people defending him. What about Dirk? They shit all over Dirk when he got swept in the first round. Basketball is a team sport, shit happens.

I'm not even saying this was the single biggest game of LeBron's career. They could still lose in 7.

I just don't understand why people have to make everything such a big deal. It's people like you, the sensationalists, that have created the "pressure" you feel is unduly placed on LeBron's shoulders.

-Smak

[TMT]

No offense to the Celtics fans, but it's not like they are playing the best team in the league. They shouldn't be down 3-2 in the first place so it's really not the most pressure any athlete has faced ever. C'mon now.

[dajadeed]

Jesse Owens running at the 1936 Olympics in Berlin in front of Adolf Hitler.

Jackie Robinson's first game for the Brooklyn Dodgers.


Both make the pressure Lebron felt tonight, just seem like bad gas.

Anyone who has ever played in a World Cup final.

Talk about pressure, that is when entire countries grind to a halt. If you have ever been in Europe or South America or somewhere and were lucky enough to witness a World Cup final in one of the countries actually playing in it, it is like nothing you have ever seen.

It is not hyperbole when I say the country grinds to a halt.

[andgar923]

Heh, "Legacy" doesn't matter to anyone but yourself and your fans, the ones that still like you.

What happened to Tiger Woods was a media sensation for months. You don't see Nancy Grace having people LeBron knew on.

There was no scene like that car crash or the 911 call.

It's ridiculous to me that you can even compare them to one another. Pressure goes beyond sports. LeBron has made it apparent he cares mostly about his brand and making money.

What you said is exactly why there was more pressure on Tiger. Tiger is going out there with who... his caddy? He steps up to the tee alone. Everyone is thinking "This guy is such a scumbag, he cheated on his wife! I can't wait to see him fail!" And when he fails they make it a news story. It's 2012, when did that shit happen to Tiger... 3 years ago? He still hasn't returned to his level of greatness.

So while LeBron steps out on the court with guys he knows that are ballers, even an all-nba guy like Wade and an all-star in Bosh... as well as a crew of decent role players, Tiger was under a larger microscope.

It's no comparison no matter how much you want to think it is. Tiger Woods was a very pure idol and they tore all of that shit down instantly. His sponsors dropped him, you've got people with pictures of his dick, and women demanding money.

If you think that LeBron, who while he is scrutinized, isn't THAT scrutinized. He always has people defending him. What about Dirk? They shit all over Dirk when he got swept in the first round. Basketball is a team sport, shit happens.

I'm not even saying this was the single biggest game of LeBron's career. They could still lose in 7.

I just don't understand why people have to make everything such a big deal. It's people like you, the sensationalists, that have created the "pressure" you feel is unduly placed on LeBron's shoulders.

-Smak

[Thethirdguy]

Here's how i feel about Lebron. Im not sure if i hate him more for "the decision" and all the pompous arrogant bs that followed or if i hate him more just for the fact that somebody could make me hate them so much that I'm actually rooting for the Celtics to make it to the finals. Go Celtics! Words i thought I'd never say....
What i will say is that for someone who has as much talent as Lebron it's about ****ing time he came through when it mattered. Just sad that the game that so fat has mattered most was a come from behind game 6 of the semi finals. I think that pretty much sums him up

[JtotheIzzo]

And I am not joking.

Twitter + SportsCenter + ESPN.COM and today's media, along with the fact that Lebron is simply a cartoon like villain in the media today equals pressure that has never been seen before.

No, game 6 of an ECF in a strike shortened season is no where near the stakes to make such an asinine claim.