I’m an avid Cavs fan who grew up in Beachwood, a suburb of Cleveland. I moved to Scottsdale in 2002 and have attended every Cavs/Suns game since. I didn’t even have a ticket to this game until 2 hours prior when I stumbled upon a ticket directly behind the Cavs bench for $300, and I couldn’t pass up the opportunity.
Hearing about the discord between coach David Blatt and LeBron James for the past week, I noticed some interesting interactions on the sidelines between the two. I took these videos during timeouts.
It sure looks to me like James is not paying attention to Blatt and is clearly disengaged. During some of the huddles he is staring into the distance, is 10 feet removed from the rest of the team, and even walks away from Blatt to the other side of the court, nowhere near his teammates.
There was little to no interaction between LBJ and Blatt. With a few minutes to go in the fourth quarter, the Cavs made a miraculous comeback to tie it up from trailing by as many as 18, and while Blatt was drawing up a play, LBJ cut him off and took over the huddle. I don’t have an agenda here. I’m simply reporting what I saw. You be the judge.
Point in Game: 7:53 AZ time, early second quarter, Cavs were down by 8.
LBJ as far away from huddle as possible, almost under the basket.
Early 2nd quarter (7:37pm), James was pissed Cavs were getting smoked.
LBJ starts off paying attention then starts talking to J.R. Smith 20 seconds in, then gets up and walks away from teammates without putting hand in the huddle.
Point in Game: 8pm AZ time, towards end of second quarter:
LBJ not even paying attention to or looking at Blatt during timeout – looking away at other side of floor and at 22 secs the guy in the courtside seat next to him, then ties shoes and gets up.
Point in Game: 8:42pm, mid 3rd quarter when getting blown out (down 18) and he had just been sent to the bench and didn’t want to go out, he was at the end of the bench not talking to anyone.
LBJ looking in on floor huddle behind Blatt, then walks away at 25 seconds to other side then completely leaves huddle at 37 seconds.
Point in Game: This is toward the end of the game when Cleveland just got back in it and tied it up. LeBron was animated when coming into the huddle saying to his teammates we can (explexitive) win this game. Was the first time I saw him all game talking to teammates and having any excitement level in the huddle or leadership, showing any signs of leadership. This seems to happen only when he gets hot and is leading the charge.
LBJ takes over as Coach during a TO, only David Blatt didn’t know ahead of time.
Send your comments to Bruce Twersky on Twitter. He is @collegediscards.
I didn’t see or hear any of the stuff on the videos that I read about in the article. This is just made up stuff via people that aren’t happy unless they have something to hate.
This is terrible!!!!!!!
What a total waist of time and totally corrupt journalism.
He’s not in the game in most of your videos. I don’t see the problem with him tying his sneakers while on the bench either. Just because he’s not all in the huddle and excited doesn’t mean he’s not paying attention. They were getting blown out. When they came back he let his teammates know they could win the game. Don’t really see a big problem in any of these videos
1st of all these videos look like they were recorded with a flip phone. Get an upgrade… 2nd Lebron is in his warm ups in most of them. Why does he have to watch Blatt draw plays when he’s not even in the game. I feel the whole lebron vs Blatt drama is just to give u guys something to write about. Everyone knew Blatt would be the one to blame if they struggled the day that lebron announced he was coming home. I’m not hating on the report because it got me suckered into reading but u could’ve got the same videos during the regular season last year when he was on the heat.
This site has major problems on portait aspect on iphone. Force quits on twitter as well.
What could the Cavs get for KLove before the trade deadline? Who would be their best trade partner at this point? Will Calipari take the job when it is offered to him again this summer? These are just some of the questions I’d like to see speculated on…
Are you sure that Delonte West wasn’t in the house and LBJ was making sure his mom wasn’t tempted again?
What in the…?!?
Pro tip Rolando: if you’re starting a letter off with “I’m not a stalker or obsessed fan,” you’re probably both.
Mr. Sheridan, you may want to make note of Rolando’s IP address…you know, just in case.
Seems a little overblown. A couple of the timeouts, he isn’t in the game. If he isn’t involved in the game, the 5 that are need to listen intently. Not then bench.
I saw Harden do the same thing in Houston w/ McHale.
Rolando, you need to chillax broham!
Everyone needs to CALM DOWN AND RELAX
I totally agree Brohammer
Cavs Suck. Blatt is a fraud. Tribe HARD!
TRIBE MAX OUT
TO: LEBRON RAYMONE JAMES – A HEARTFELT LETTER FROM THE MAN WHO CHRISTENED YOU THE NEXT “DR J” AND PREDICTED YOU WOULD BE AN NBA STAR.
My name is Rolando Pharr. I am not a stalker or obsessed fan. I just have a very true story that I MUST share with you.
I’ve tried numerous ways of contacting you since 2007. On February 14, 2010 I sent a condensed email to Cleveland Scene magazine which they posted under the title “The Secret of LeBron’s Greatness Landed In my Inbox.” I was hoping that would get your attention. I guess it didn’t.
In November 2012, local TV station 19 Action News covered part of this story. They reached out to your mom but never got a response. I’ve decided to reach out to you again through this letter.
Between January and May of 1985 our lives crossed paths. The story I have to share with you took place during that time. Some people will find it VERY hard to believe. Others will say they knew there was something “Special” about you. Either way, it’s a part of my destiny to tell you this story.
Your mom is a big part of the story. She was there as it unfolded and she will determine its outcome.
Will you and your mom PLEASE watch a Youtube video called “LeBron’s Cosmic Connection”. It was my first attempt at a Youtube video. The picture is dark and grainy and you have to cut up the volume but the message hits home. Your mom will recognize me. I considered her a friend. The video will definitely jog her memory.
“LeBron’s Cosmic Connection” is the untold true story of your connection to Global Icon, Muhammad Ali and NBA icon, Julius “Dr J” Erving. It details how I was carried around on the shoulders of Muhammad Ali when I was 3 years old and how Ali influenced my childhood. It describes how “Dr J” was my idol as a teen and young adult. How I was a member of the best basketball team in Akron called “Free Afrika”. It tells how your mom helped me a few hours a week at the Bottom Half Clothing store inside Rolling Acres Mall and how I sometimes watched you while she ran store errands.
It also tells the amazing story of how me and five of my “Free Afrika” team mates participated in Christening you to be the next “Dr J”. It’s true. When you were 3 months old, in the middle of The Bottom Half Clothing store, I raised your carry seat in the air three separate times and said “I Christen thee the next Dr J” each time. The second time I raised you above my head my team mates toasted you “To the next Dr J”. When your mom returned from running errands I told her about your Christenings and suggested we do it again. For the third time, with your mom to my immediate right, I raised you in the air and boldly said “I Christen thee the next Dr J”. When I handed you back to your mom she was visibly shaking. That’s why I’m 100% certain she will remember your “Dr J” Christening.
Did your “Dr J” Christening come true? No human can definitively say that it did or didn’t. Three facts that can’t be argued. When your Christening took place “Dr J” was still the face of the NBA, it’s most popular player and it’s most marketed player. You are currently all three of those things.
Watch all 4 of my Youtube videos. You may find some of my comments about your Cosmic Connection to Muhammad Ali very interesting. I personally believe you were given your Erving-esque basketball skills as a platform to make social change. Much in the way that Ali used his boxing platform. I read a couple of articles recently where people are starting to call you the Muhammad Ali of this generation. I made that statement on one of my videos a couple of years ago.
There’s more to the story. After you were Christened for the third time my team mates left the store. Your mom and I sat down and had lunch. You were in your carry seat facing us. I made three bold predictions to your mom. I told her that you would be an NBA star. That you would play for the Cleveland Cavaliers and that you would be a high flying player like “Dr J”. We then made a handshake agreement (twice). When you became an NBA star as I predicted, she would see to it that each one of the six men who participated in your “Dr J” Christening would be made a millionaire.
Ask your mom about your “Dr J” Christening and her millionaires Promise. It’s ironic that the Family Foundation you and your mom created adopted an “I Promise” campaign. Maybe it’s not irony. Perhaps the Universe is testing you. You ask your Foundation kids to make and keep their Promises. Will you and your mom lead by example and honor the 6 million dollar handshake Promise she made when you were 3 months old?
I have several sworn affidavits from eyewitnesses, and have plenty of concrete evidence to support all but one of my statements. Only two people on the planet can verify that a 6 million dollar handshake agreement took place. Me and your mom. To support my statements on that issue, I signed a sworn affidavit and have taken and passed multiple Polygraph Examinations. Two of those Polygraph results can be viewed @ rolanfarr on Twitter.
The six men who Christened you have made our own Promises. When your mom honors her Promise, we will donate $120 thousand dollars to Ebony Nettles Bey’s Cancer fund. We will help several area non-profit organizations and have plans to partner with an Akron group to start a scholarship program. Thats just for starters.
I saw a picture of you and your mom in 2002 and realized that the basketball prodigy from Akron was little Raymone, the baby that I Christened the next “Dr J” and made all the predictions for. You’ve worked extremely hard to become the best basketball player on the planet but give the Universe some credit for the incredible gifts you were given. 6ft 8 inches, 250+ pounds, near world class speed, an eidetic memory, a 40+ inch vertical leap, a 7ft + wingspan, above average sized hands and a high basketball I.Q. Why were you GIVEN these gifts?….I’m sure that answer will be revealed to you eventually. Just remember, you were raised in the air and Christened to be the next “Dr J” by Akron’s best basketball team and by a man that was touched by Muhammad Ali’s greatness. You were predicted to be an NBA star, play for the Cavs and be a high flying player like “Dr J”. Please Respect the Divine Powers of the Universe and its endless possibilities.
So there you have it. The untold true story that I HAD to share with you. I am predicting that your mom will keep her Promise and you will embrace your Cosmic Connection. Whether this prediction comes true is entirely on you two. Please reach out to Muhammad Ali while you can. I know you’ve met him before but spend some quality time with him. It will change your life. Your NBA season is well underway and we do not want to be a distraction. You’ve got a Championship to win.
There’s a list of coincidences/facts surrounding your Cosmic Connection that will make you go Hmmm. I’ll share those with you.
For seven years I’ve been hated on, blocked, talked about and ignored but not once has anybody bothered to get an actual response from your mother. Your brand will not suffer from the truth being told. I Promise you that. A timely response to this letter will be greatly appreciated. Follow me on Twitter if you choose to embrace us. Everything else can be handled privately.
Welcome home….and Congratulations on the birth of your baby girl.
Warmest Regards,
Rolando Pharr
P.S….Do The Right Thing
PEACE