A 2014 “The Decision” Retrospective

Four years later, I’m stateside for LeBron’s latest announcement.

He’ll dominate the news cycle for the weekend. There’s a reason he announced it at 12 PM Eastern Time on a Friday. What are people going to talk about? The WNBA? AFL? The World Cup Final? Nope. It’s LeBron’s Weekend. Again.

But I don’t forget where we’ve been. And neither should you. For your reading pleasure, we’ve collected our articles surrounding LeBron’s 2010 Decision. Enjoy, reflect, comment.

Goodbye

Dear Paints in the Point readers,

We haven’t published any new posts in quite some time now. You probably know what this means.

Paints in the Point Podcast: Season 2 Episode 8

The Champ, The Custodian, and The Franchise discuss girls who have gotten pregnant or fat since high school, the NBA preseason, Gilbert Arenas’ faked injury, USC’s alleged NCAA infractions, summer basketball games, their fantasy football league, and Catland. The Freelancer guest stars during Wildcard Time, and two new segments premiere: Champ’s Impression Time and Custodian Interview Time.

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Season Preview: 2010-2011 NBA Season

 

Mr. James has been studying all summer to prepare for the new NBA season, but has anything really changed?

 

In preparation for the start of the NBA season tonight, why not read some of our season previews from last year?

Nothing much has changed, right? Right?

Even if there have been things that have changed over the summer, most of the information is still good— I’m not changing anything in my Clippers or Lakers preview (or for the Lakers, maybe I’ll just add this on). 

Paints in the Point Podcast: Season 2 Episode 7

The Champ, The Custodian, and The Franchise discuss the NBA Preseason, and going to a Wizards game. “True or False” makes its glorious return, and The Franchise introduces a new segment (replete with a new theme song) called “Buy or Sell.” As always, the episode concludes with Wildcard Time.

Paints in the Point Podcast 02.07

Paints in the Point Podcast: Season 2 Episode 6

In an echoey (and short) edition of the Paints in the Point Podcast, The Champ, The Custodian, and The Franchise discuss the depth of the Lakers, Ben Folds’ new album, and The Freelancer guest stars in Wildcard Time.

Paints in the Point Podcast 02.06

Paints in the Point Podcast: Season 2 Episode 5

The Champ, The Custodian, and The Franchise discuss potential destinations for Carmelo Anthony, the furniture at the University of Akron, elaborate pranks, and the song “Magic Chair” by Del Suggs.

Paints in the Point Podcast 02.05

Paints in the Point Podcast: Season 2 Episode 4

The Champ, The Custodian, The Franchise, and special guest star Anderson Varejao discuss week one of the NFL, amateur magic, and Batman villains.

Paints in the Point Podcast 02.04

Paints in the Point Podcast: Season 2 Episode 3

The Champ, The Custodian, and The Franchise talk about the start of the NFL season, LeBron James sightings at the University of Akron, and college football. An early Wild Card Time gets derailed by the newest segment of the Paints in the Point Podcast, the “Upper Decker Hour.”

Paints in the Point Podcast 02.03

 

Paints in the Point Podcast: Season 2 Episode 2

The Champ, The Custodian, and the Franchise talk basketball. New segments abound: Champ Time, Custodian Time, Franchise Time, and True or False. Wild Card Time features questions from The Freelancer.

Paints in the Point Podcast 02.02

Paints in the Point Podcast: Season 2 Premiere

The Champ, The Custodian, and the The Franchise are back to talk basketball.

Paints in the Point Podcast 02.01

LeBron James “The Decision” Bingo

LeBron glares knowingly into your soul

LEBRON TV SPECIAL BINGO!

Instructions: Print out the LeBron James “The Decision” Bingo Card (PDF). Select any nine of the following events that you believe might happen, and arrange them in any way you want on the card. Play against friends watching with you, or against others on our Facebook Fan Page. Cross out the appropriate box in the grid whenever any of the actions on the card take place. When you get three in a row (vertically, horizontally, or diagonally), shout “BINGO” and let us know that you’ve won on our Facebook Fan Page or tweet us @paintsdudes.

• You can tell which eye is Stuart Scott’s glass one

Looking Forward to “The Decision”

This guy (and his smug mug) will get his own TV special about his future team, tonight (July 8) at 9 PM Eastern Time.

Who would have thought that LeBron might end up looking like a good guy after he announces his new team? Announced earlier today, LeBron will have a one-hour primetime ESPN special dedicated to… him. So, who are the winners and losers of this decision?

I Told You So

Derek Fisher keeps his wife in check: "get under that rope!" (Image courtesy: Wally Skalij / L.A. Times)

I told you so. You don’t remember? From my season preview of the Los Angeles Lakers that Paints in the Point did before the beginning of the season:

This past season, the Lakers won its fifteenth NBA title, defeating the Orlando Magic in five games. Will the Lakers successfully defend their championship this season? Many experts seem to think so, and I’m inclined to agree. The Lakers have only gotten better, and will advance to the Finals, unless something terrible happens, like a meteor colliding with the Staples Center or something like that.

A meteor didn’t collide with the Staples Center this year (though it might have caused less damage than the riots that ensued in Los Angeles after the Lakers won — read on), and subsequently, the Lakers won another title, their sixteenth.

I reiterated my thoughts that the Lakers would win the NBA Finals in Paints in the Point’s “Season Preview” of the Final Standings, not only picking the Lakers to win, but the only Paints Dude to also to have their opponent correct, the Boston Celtics. (Sidebar: A future post will summarize the predictions we made at the beginning of the season, as well as declare one Paints Dude the best for this season.)

This is not to say that I enjoy the Lakers winning the title. I don’t. I hate the Lakers (as does any person who is remotely sane).

Visit Miami-Wade County July 1-7

Miami-Wade County (highlighted)

Hey Paints in the Point readers. I know it has been a long time since we last talked. I’m currently in South Africa volunteering for the FIFA World Cup (where no one cares about the NBA Finals, nor is it broadcast on TV, especially with the World Cup action — or lack thereof), but that doesn’t mean I’m not trying to keep up with sporting news from the States.

In a fairly desperate attempt to keep 2010 free agent Dwyne Wade in Miami, Miami-Dade County Commissioners voted unanimously to rename the county to “Miami-Wade County” for the first week of the NBA free agency period.