Re: Lebron just lost major points in my book (and got owned).
this is kinda dumb...
If Marbury could trade his $15 sneakers for his own $100 million dollar Nike contract he would do it in a heartbeat...
If Nike owns Lebron then we are all owned...
I guess the real question is if Lebron said that with a straight face or a smile...and either way I still don't like the guy
Assuming Lebron said this....
The funny thing is Lebron's shoe is probably of the same quailty that Marbury's. Just marked up 100%.
Re: Assuming Lebron said this....
[QUOTE=aj242]The funny thing is Lebron's shoe is probably of the same quailty that Marbury's. Just marked up 100%.[/QUOTE]
no they are higher quality...no question...just not $135 higher in quality.
Re: Lebron just lost major points in my book (and got owned).
[QUOTE=SomeBunghole]Why would Lebron be loyal to Nike though? It's just business. If his career suddenly declined steeply, they'd dump him before he knew what was happening.
That's what bothers me about these comments. He goes a little too far in "defending" Nike. I don't expect him to criticize his sponsor, but I also don't expect him to praise them.[/QUOTE]
He's loyal to Nike because they're paying him a hundred million dollars. I'm completely against the child labor an slave wages Nike has and probably still does hand out in Asia to make their shoes cheaply but if they offered me a hundred mil, I'd have a hard time saying "no"...and if you accept that cash you're going to defend their interests, period. That's a ridiculous amount of money. I wouldn't betray my mother over it, but I have a few cousins I'd consider stabbing for a hundred million...just joking. Maybe. But I'd certainly be willing to talk trash about other shoe companies for it. Heck, for 50 bucks I'd call AI's "Question" cow manure. Anyhow, Nike can't dump James unless he gets himself arrested for something severe. And he'd probably have to get convicted before they moved against his contract, as they stuck with Kobe Bryant throughout his rape trial. That money is guaranteed and definitely buys some loyalty. A hundred million? Praise is the least he can do.
Re: Lebron just lost major points in my book (and got owned).
[QUOTE=L.Kizzle]Exacly, I doubt Penny Hardaway is praising NIKE right now.[/QUOTE]
Hardaway got all of his guaranteed money, they just didn't renew him when injuries took away his game. That's to be expected.
Re: Lebron just lost major points in my book (and got owned).
Bron wasn't defending Nike, he was purely bashing Marbury's shoes.
Re: Lebron just lost major points in my book (and got owned).
[QUOTE=Real Men Wear Green]He's loyal to Nike because they're paying him a hundred million dollars. I'm completely against the child labor an slave wages Nike has and probably still does hand out in Asia to make their shoes cheaply but if they offered me a hundred mil, I'd have a hard time saying "no"...and if you accept that cash you're going to defend their interests, period. That's a ridiculous amount of money. I wouldn't betray my mother over it, but I have a few cousins I'd consider stabbing for a hundred million...just joking. Maybe. But I'd certainly be willing to talk trash about other shoe companies for it. Heck, for 50 bucks I'd call AI's "Question" cow manure. Anyhow, Nike can't dump James unless he gets himself arrested for something severe. And he'd probably have to get convicted before they moved against his contract, as they stuck with Kobe Bryant throughout his rape trial. That money is guaranteed and definitely buys some loyalty. A hundred million? Praise is the least he can do.[/QUOTE]
I wasn't suggesting Nike would try and get out of their contract, I was saying that when his contract expired, they'd kick him like a stray dog. Loyalty implies relationship beyond business, that's what I'm getting at. Lebron shouldn't care the slightest about Nike. His money is guaranteed, who cares if the shoes are selling or not?
I don't know, it just bothers me that he speaks so highly of a company that is hell-bent on exploiting him in every way possible. I guess a 100 million can buy you a lot of dignity.
Re: Lebron just lost major points in my book (and got owned).
Nike's generally cost about 20$ to produce, with the exception of a shoe like the Air Force 1 which only cost 5$ (it's obviously a very simple shoe) and the foamposite molds actually cost 1000s to make, but you only have to make one per size so I don't know how you'd factor that into cost.
And Nike is still selling Penny Hardaway shoes to this day, in fact they're among the most popular Nike's. I'm not sure whether or not he still gets paid for it, but it's not like how Adidas still sells Kobe's but just renamed them and calls them "Crazy 8s" and "Crazy 1s." Hell, NBA players still wear both.
Re: Assuming Lebron said this....
[QUOTE=-primetime-]no they are higher quality...no question...just not $135 higher in quality.[/QUOTE]
No question? Yes, one: proof it to me. Whe are they higher in quality?
Re: Lebron just lost major points in my book (and got owned).
Re: Lebron just lost major points in my book (and got owned).
Not a great comment by Lebron at all, Starbury is right and is doing the right thing, making show affordable for Kids who cant afford Lebrons dumb shoes, yes I see his point and all but come on no need to diss what Starbury is trying to do. He has a good reason and its very classy and respectful for him to do what he is doing. IMO for Lebron to say "We set our standards high". Thats like saying F poor people we just want to please the wealthy and we dont care if the poor cant buy it. But take for what its worth.
Re: Lebron just lost major points in my book (and got owned).
[url]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Starbury[/url]
[I]On March 23, 2007, Starbury was featured in a segment on the ABC show 20/20 (edition entitled "Enough!"), hosted by John Stossel. The segment dealt with the high price of sneakers and the role of Starbury and Marbury as an alternative. During the show, Marbury stated "If you take my shoe and you take a $150 shoe, cut it down in half, and it do the same exact thing.". The host Stossel puts Marbury's statement to the test and a pair of Starbury One's are brought to[B] Professor Howard Davis, Shoe Design department professor at Parsons The New School for Design.[/B] Davis proceeds to cut apart the Starbury One's and a pair of "$100 plus Air Jordan's" and states [B]"They're constructed the same way".[/B] Stossel then mentions[B] "others in the business" came to the same conclusion.[/B][/I]
Re: Lebron just lost major points in my book (and got owned).
Bad comment on Bron's part. But that doesnt make me a fan of Starbury tho. I'm not anti-Starbury, just neutral and this affected that status none. But you gotta applaud Starbury for what he has tried to do. Be nice if others joined in and made a statement.
Re: Lebron just lost major points in my book (and got owned).
so what does "constructed in the same way mean?" That's a really vague, and probably intentionally so, statement.
Re: Lebron just lost major points in my book (and got owned).
[QUOTE=SomeBunghole]I wasn't suggesting Nike would try and get out of their contract, I was saying that when his contract expired, they'd kick him like a stray dog. Loyalty implies relationship beyond business, that's what I'm getting at. Lebron shouldn't care the slightest about Nike. His money is guaranteed, who cares if the shoes are selling or not?
I don't know, it just bothers me that he speaks so highly of a company that is hell-bent on exploiting him in every way possible. I guess a 100 million can buy you a lot of dignity.[/QUOTE]
It's not like Nike is making James stand naked in chains on the slave block. His "dignity" isn't being majorly infringed upon in any way. And you're wondering why he cares whether or not the shoes sell? Nothing personal, but that's downright stupid. If his shoes don't sell then Nike won't be handing him the 150 million or whatever contract he asks for when his deal is next up for renewal. You don't take a hundred mil and then turn around and show apathy towards a company if you want them or anyone else watching to continue to give you contracts. Now if I was James I might have said something like, "he's entitled to try and start his business, but I'm sure that Nike makes the best sneakers in the world" instead of attacking Marbury's shoe, but he sent a message to Nike and other potential sponsors that when you sign LeBron James you get someone 100% committed to your company, and fir James, that's smart business.