https://www.theringer.com/nba-draft/2024/3/6/24091399/bronny-james-usc-nba-draft

They may not have come to see Bronny per se, but there was an aura surrounding that game, created by the "LeBron effect". I was there. There were casual fans that rarely attend Cal Basketball games.

Anybody that doesn't believe me, try this: Look up the attendance figures for when we have hosted U$C and (F)UCLA, going back 50+ years. Then try and explain it.

I still have no clue why that game sold out and UCLA did not when UCLA was on the weekend and 20% or so of the crowd were there fans.

bearsandgiants said:

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There was a lot of hype, internally, for the Bears heading into that game, and I know that was part of it. I don't think "Bronny" had much to do with it. Sadly, I do think a lot of young people were willing to walk all the way down there to see a washed up future hall of famer sit on a bench and watch his son play basketball. That's embarrassing, tbh. But the food and free tickets are hands down the biggest reason for the sell out, and they should do this every game until we can sell out without them.

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At one of the games at Haas recently, they ran a timeout video with the players in which they posed the question, "Who is the GOAT, Michael, or LeBron?" I was like, "Easy, Michael Jordan #1." Well, just about every one of the Cal players said LeBron. I think that is called "recency bias", but it gives you an idea...

I'm pretty sure Furd sold out their game vs $C too. Don't think they've sold out any other games.

philbert said:

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I'm pretty sure Furd sold out their game vs $C too. Don't think they've sold out any other games.

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What a coincidence!

01Bear said:

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bearsandgiants said:

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Sadly, I do think a lot of young people were willing to walk all the way down there to see a washed up future hall of famer sit on a bench and watch his son play basketball.

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I'm a fierce LeBron critic, but even I recognize he's not washed up. The dude's still playing at a very high level at age 39. Sure, he's not as dominant physically as he was 10-15 years ago. Yes, he takes many plays off and he's coasting through most of the regular season. But he's still putting up impressive numbers and performances pretty often for a NBA player, let alone someone in his 21st season in the league. I mean, the guy is averaging 25.2 points, 7.9 assists and 7.1 rebounds per game! If that's "washed up," then all but a handful of the players in the NBA are washed up.

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Without trying to hijack the thread, in what ways are you a fierce critic of LeBron? Seems to me he's been a great, great player, great team player and also a great role model and ambassador of the game. I suppose he could be criticized for two things:

- jumping from team to team
- exercising his power over coaches and teammates

But it seems like, when you are GOAT #1 or GOAT #2, you have earned the right. Full disclosure: My wife's family is from Akron, OH, where he is mostly still worshipped.

It was an underwhelming sellout. Tons of open seats.

Johnfox said:

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It was an underwhelming sellout. Tons of open seats.

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Furd season ticket holders masquerading as empty seats? Say it ain't so.....

Like it or not, the difference in the attendance between the two socal teams reflects the fact that in today's world sports is hyped more as entertainment than actual sports. The idea that USC draws a bigger crowd on a weeknight, with maybe the main reason being that Lebron's son is playing and that Lebron might attend the game is kind of sad. Especially considering the fact that there is a reasonable degree of doubt of whether Bronny will actually be an NBA player. The issue is magnified by the fact that the Bay Area is really more of a pro sports area than a college sports area. Being an oldtimer I find it disturbing, but I realize that this is the way things are today and if I want to continue to be a fan I simply have to accept it.

Big C said:

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01Bear said:

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bearsandgiants said:

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Sadly, I do think a lot of young people were willing to walk all the way down there to see a washed up future hall of famer sit on a bench and watch his son play basketball.

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I'm a fierce LeBron critic, but even I recognize he's not washed up. The dude's still playing at a very high level at age 39. Sure, he's not as dominant physically as he was 10-15 years ago. Yes, he takes many plays off and he's coasting through most of the regular season. But he's still putting up impressive numbers and performances pretty often for a NBA player, let alone someone in his 21st season in the league. I mean, the guy is averaging 25.2 points, 7.9 assists and 7.1 rebounds per game! If that's "washed up," then all but a handful of the players in the NBA are washed up.

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Without trying to hijack the thread, in what ways are you a fierce critic of LeBron? Seems to me he's been a great, great player, great team player and also a great role model and ambassador of the game. I suppose he could be criticized for two things:

- jumping from team to team
- exercising his power over coaches and teammates

But it seems like, when you are GOAT #1 or GOAT #2, you have earned the right. Full disclosure: My wife's family is from Akron, OH, where he is mostly still worshipped.

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Lebron's a stat stuffer and self-promoter extraordinaire, but he's not a winner. He lacks the killer instinct to be a winner. He lacks the focus and drive, not to mention leadership to be a winner. Winners make the players around them better, Lebron's regularly made all-star players worse (see, Chris Bosh, Kevin Love, Anthony Davis, Russell Westbrook).

Lebron's played twice as long as Magic and has one fewer ring. He's played one more year than Kobe, and is still one ring short of the latter. Lebron had freakishly athletic and powerful body at 18, but like Wilt Chamberlain, he never managed to parlay that into much beyond compiling astronomical individual stats. Though, to be fair, unlike Wilt, LeBron did win four championships, though the first two as a Dwayne Wade's sidekick.

LeBron showing up at one of Bronny's away games on the night before his own game further evidences that he's not fully committed to winning and leading his team to winning championships. Kobe would never spend the night before a game on the road watching a college game. Instead, he'd be sticking to his relentlessly grueling workout and practice regimen.

Speaking of Kobe, he had the balls to confront Shaq (at a time when Shaq was considered by most to be the better player) for not being dedicated to winning (including by showing up to preseason workouts out of shape and getting foot surgery during the season instead of the off-season). Kobe was willing to fight the much larger Shaq over the latter's lack of discipline because he was that dedicated to winning.

At best, Lebron plays passive-aggressive games when his teammates aren't as dedicated to winning. (Then again, LeBron's not really dedicated to it, either.) He'll make snide passive aggressive remarks about teammates and coaches in the media when he's upset. But LeBron's not willing to fight anyone about it. Heck, Larry Bird got in fights with teammates for not practicing hard enough. Even Steve Kerr got in a fight with MJ when MJ wasn't working hard enough in practice. LeBron just pouts, sulks, and then makes comments on social media or to the media.

There's more to say, but those are the main arguments to my criticism of LeBron.