DWade

[Gato78]

So I am at a family wedding in Chicago this past weekend. I was inundated with DWade crap by the Bulls fans--as was Mrs. Gato. "He is a flopper" "DWade is a complainer" "DWade is a drama queen". It went on and on and on. Finally, Mrs. Gato got a little pissed off and started railing on Derrick Rose for having someone else take his ACT. I could not believe some of the crap I was hearing--about a home town guy. Bulls fans apparently are hurt that DWade spurned them when he was a FA and they won't let it go. DWade has complained about some calls but anyone watching the playoffs knows that the refs have let a lot go in the playoffs and D is not getting the calls he got in the past. In any event, the Bulls fans are not living in the real world with some of the anti-Dwade stuff.

BTW, I heard a lot of anti-Tiger stuff too. Revere Jordan but Tiger is an ahole? What's the difference?

[TheSultan]

It's like the Crean stuff on the Scoop board. Jilted lover syndrome.

[IrwinFletcher]

Sports talk in Chicago has really turned on him. Not just the flopping, but the constant whining and behaviour on the court. Also being part of the Heat dance party before the big 3 even played a game has tainted his image a bit here.

[Goose85]

Chicago fans in general are all that way. A real complaining fan group I have found, even when they win. Unfortunately in this years playoffs D-Wade has been doing a lot of complaining and whining to the refs so he is bringing some of that on himself.

Funny about anti-Tiger / love Jordan. Jordan was doing what Tiger was doing for many a year, and unlike Tiger, I don't think Jordan's escapades were as well kept a secret. Add in that Jordan was also gambling and 'decided' to take a 2 year NBA sabbatical from basketball to spend more time with his family traveling the minor league baseball circuit. If you don't like Tiger, then your feelings should be the same toward Jordan and you should just become a Tim Duncan fan.

[TheSultan]

Well, the whole Tiger v. Michael thing is probably all about perspective. Golfers aren't supposed to cheat on their gorgeous Swedish wives. And basketball players are supposed to cheat on their spouses after popping out a couple kids.

[ydouask23]

Where do I begin? First maybe with a shout out to Gato who I like and respect, (especially when we were both yelling at Jim Bur two years ago and he responded to us) but just disagree with on a lot of things here and others that have been said.
Some background here- 07 MU grad and avid White Sox fan. I live in Chicago and am a Bulls Season ticket holder. I married a Packers season ticket holder- as you can see between attending MU and going to Packers games, I do have some perspective on all this- take it or leave it.

1.DWade has become a flawed NBA superstar. We all have flaws, I get that. But guys like Kevin Durant, Tim Duncan, and Dirk Nov seem to keep their noses out of the headlines a little more than others. Wade complains on every call, moreso than almost any player in the NBA. He had a sloppy divorce. He was rumored to be performing sexual acts in front of his children with another woman. He played the Bulls and other teams in the offseason making them think he was interested. He wanted to get paid for the Olympics. He was a part of the self fulfilling Big 3 party. He isnt the player he was 5 years ago. We've all heard these things.
Ok. Some of that is probably a stretch. But where there is smoke there is fire. Its not all true, and its probably not all false. From my perspective, I love Wade for what he did for MU, but I would rather hang my hat on a more clean cut NBA guy like Novak, Wes, Jimmy, Lazar etc.

2. Milwaukee fans have an inferiority complex. Chicago fans are arrogant and pompus. I believe both can be true, but you cannot make blanket claims that cover everyone under one statement. Chicago fans are passionate and the media here exposes almost everything in the lives of our athletes. Therefore, we can turn on people quickly, or accept people for who they are as long as they are winning. Chicago fans can be ignorant. Most Cubs fans couldnt tell you what place their team is, or what the score was at the game they were at. Most Sox fans could tell you everything about their team, and yet still only 25K of us show up every night to watch a 1st place team. I dont get it. But what I really don't get is why Milwaukee fans really care? Its sort of like when my high school team plays Proviso East. We get really pumped up for the game becaues its "Proviso"-- the mystique of Doc Rivers, and Mike Finley, and Shannon Brown, but Im pretty sure Proviso doesnt care when we waltz into their gym. Thats how I would explain the inferiority complex of Milwaukee fans, and the arrogance of Chicago fans.

3. Jordan owned this city, and Im fine with that. While he was playing, he paid off enough of his inner circle, including many prominant members of the media to keep their mouths shut about gambing and womanizing. No one knew about it. No one. He could even drive on the shoulder if I-90 during rush hour and when the cops pulled him over they would let him go every time.
He was respectfull to the media. He was respectful to fans and the public. And they guy won like no one else will ever win again. He gave this city so many great memories and my childhood was partly defined by the Bulls winning at this time every year. It was a blast. I am willing to forgive what the guy has become- a womanizing, gambling, crooked, businessman who is running an NBA franchise into the ground.....
Sort of like, I am guessing, a lot of you are willing to forgive Wade for some of his personal and basketball shortcomings for what he did for our school, fair enough?

[IWB]

He was rumored to be performing sexual acts in front of his children with another woman.

The same woman that started those rumors also said he gave her an STD. Both were proven to be false and that type of lying/attacking is a part of what led to him winning the custody battle.

[Gato78]

ydouask23: I agree I have DWade colored glasses on at times. I agree that Wade can complain about calls at times. I agree that he has been demonstrative at times but really, there are a lot of NBA guys who complain about calls. What we have seen time and again this series is that the officials have been missing calls and have been pretty inconsistent--van Gundy has said so. I am telling you, the hatred in Chicago toward DWade was somewhat shocking. I have 7 brothers-in-law (one sister-in-law who is on the Mrs. Gato level of sports knowledge too) and numerous nephews who are sports addicts. Split among Sox and Cubs but passionate about their team. It was clear to me that they were listening to sports talk radio and that DWade was getting ripped locally. I was surprised--shocked really-at the level of hatred. I do not think it was warranted by any stretch.

BTW DWade was a 100% gentleman in his divorce never saying a bad word about his ex-wife in public. She lost custody of the kids because of her issues (which I understand were substantial). She lied about DWade giving her an STD and accused DWade of getting it on with Gabrielle Union in front of the boys also proven to be false. D's ex was so crazy she went through 3 different lawyers--this despite a really good pay day for the lawyers. No one will ever know why but it has to be pretty bad to turn down a $400/hr client with no payment issues. If the demonstrably false divorce stuff is circulating in the media, that is a problem because D acted very honorably throughout--kept his mouth shut and got the kids after a major batlle. The result speaks volumes about DWade's conduct.

[Goose85]

Ydouask - classic analysis of Cub and Sox fans and right on as far as all of the Cubs / Sox fans I know (I worked in Illinois 11 years).

[Gato78]

I was in the bleachers at a Cubs game maybe 15 years ago. Cubs pitcher had a no-no into the 9th inning. I alerted our group, no one was aware. Blew the no-no right after that. That would not happen at a Sox game.

[warriorfan4life]

Also a Chicagoan and huge sports fan, but no issues with D-Wade as I am much more passionate about Bears, Blackhawks, and White Sox (in that order nowadays). Rooting hard for the Heat, as along with D Wade I feel that LeBron has taken a bad rap for one awful marketing/PR decision (made by people who have no business controlling a superstar's career). Obviously Bulls fans have taken the free agency spurn hard (though I never seriously thought that D Wade was coming. Had much more hope for LeBron), but the Heat are the best thing to happen to the NBA since the Jordan Bulls.

[mufan2003]

It amazes me that Chicago fans reference D Wade visiting Chicago during free agency and "spurning them" as reasons for their hate of him. Life in general, hasn't everybody interviewed somewhere knowing they really have no interest in beng there. Why is it that the rest of the world can go have 5-10 interviews before choosing where to work (maybe not in this economy right now) yet NBA players cannot enjoy the unrestricted free agent process and visit multiple teams and hear what they have to offer. Most all NBA players look forward to enjoying the "free agent process" and while they may have a strong leaning towards a specific team would like to "see what is out there" and go through the process. Wade did that, and even if deep down he always felt he would be back in Miami, there is nothing wrong with hearing what other teams have to offer.

As far as the accusations of Wade "whining" too much. EVERY NBA player whines, even assistant coaches on the bench throw up their arms, squirm, on almost every foul call against them. However, when you have the ball as much as D Wade does throughout a game, you tend to see Wade's reactions more than say a guy like derrick Fisher who does not have his hands on the ball as often as a Wade or James. I think attempts to label Wade as a "whiner" or a bad guy is not really working. All of the NBA analysts have immense respect for Wade as a player and person. Other than jilted Chicago fans, LeBron is still the hated one nationally, not Wade. Personally, I think LeBron has turned into a pretty good guy. I think Miami has grown up a lot since they came together in the summer of 2010, slowly they have dropped all the posturing and are really grinding out wins and acting like mature, professional athletes.

[ydouask23]

....but the Heat are the best thing to happen to the NBA since the Jordan Bulls.......

I had to think long and hard about that statement. I kinda like it. But at the same time, Jeremy Lin, the Summer of Free Agency, and Lob City have made some nice headlines too. Overall, I think the NBA is back. Not Jordan years back, but certainly better than it has been in the last 10 years.

[pbiflyer]

The same woman that started those rumors also said he gave her an STD. Both were proven to be false and that type of lying/attacking is a part of what led to him winning the custody battle.

Not only win the custody battle, but was given custody of the kids by a female judge who is active in women's rights.

[warriorfan4life]

This is the first non-Bulls finals series I have followed closely since the Jordan Years. Now, the All-American boy Durant, who chose to stay long term with the small market Thunder, provides the perfect foil to the Heatles. I like the NHL game more, but this year the NBA playoffs have been much more compelling and this could be the start of a new peak era.

[TheSultan]

....but the Heat are the best thing to happen to the NBA since the Jordan Bulls.......

I had to think long and hard about that statement. I kinda like it. But at the same time, Jeremy Lin, the Summer of Free Agency, and Lob City have made some nice headlines too. Overall, I think the NBA is back. Not Jordan years back, but certainly better than it has been in the last 10 years.


What do you mean by "back?" In terms of popularity? The ratings are big, but they will never get Jordan-era big because of the way television is fragmented. In terms of the quality of play on the court, this might be the best finals I have seen when it comes to the level of athleticism on the court. There is nothing really old school about these finals. I really hope it goes 7 games because the first three have been fun to watch.

[IrwinFletcher]

I was in the bleachers at a Cubs game maybe 15 years ago. Cubs pitcher had a no-no into the 9th inning. I alerted our group, no one was aware. Blew the no-no right after that. That would not happen at a Sox game.

Thats right. Cubs fans are idiots and Sox fans are the most knowledgable. Sheesh.

Should I consider all Sox fans to be the like the Legue's, the Father and Son tandem that beat up Royals 1B coach Gamboa? No. that would be ridiculous.

Because many people love to come and watch Cubs games in the bleachers and drink beer, that is not the typical Cub fan. Those are customers. I think Cub fans are extremely knowledgable about the game and very passionate. I just get sick of Sox fans painting us as Gato has done....

[Gato78]

My late father was a Cubs fan and quite knowledgable. Of course I was feeding a stereotype--and there is some evidence that supports the stereotype. As for Sox fans, when the Sox play in Milwaukee there are/were more arrests than at any other time. Evidence supports your theory as well.

[TheSultan]

Not only win the custody battle, but was given custody of the kids by a female judge who is active in women's rights.

And now his ex has been arrested for attempted child abduction...

http://deadspin.com/5919701/dwyane-wades-ex+wife-charged-with-attempted-child-abduction-while-chris-boshs-ex-is-applying-for-food-stamps

[IWB]

So Bosh's ex is getting $31k per year, and she has applied for food stamps? Not that $31 is enough to raise kids on, but its not food stamp worthy, is it?

[Gato78]

Applying and receiving are two different things. Isn't a Motion to Modify Support right around the corner? Amazing the stuff people publish.


So Bosh's ex is getting $31k per year, and she has applied for food stamps? Not that $31 is enough to raise kids on, but its not food stamp worthy, is it?

[ydouask23]

I thought it was very interesting that the NBA chose Bosh and Wade to do their fathers day promos. Wade is a single father and divorced. Bosh had his child out of wedlock and they made it sound like his kid that was born a month ago was his first when he already has a 3 year old in the back pocket. Were those two stories the best "Father" stories they could come up with for the NBA finals ad? Sadly, they probably were.

[ydouask23]

And now his ex has been arrested for attempted child abduction...

http://deadspin.com/5919701/dwyane-wades-ex+wife-charged-with-attempted-child-abduction-while-chris-boshs-ex-is-applying-for-food-stamps

Yes, deadspin. Not exactly the best source you are citing.

[MUfan12]

Yes, deadspin. Not exactly the best source you are citing.

How's ESPN for you? Or do you need a court document? http://espn.go.com/nba/playoffs/2012/story/_/id/8072993/2012-nba-finals-miami-heat-dwyane-wade-asks-judge-suspend-ex-wife-right-visitation-children

[TheSultan]

Yes, deadspin. Not exactly the best source you are citing.

Why not? They are pretty much spot on with this kind of stuff.

[Markedman]

Another view.....http://www.cbssports.com/nba/story/19391096/custody-saga-sheds-new-light-on-wade-as-father-role-model

[IWB]

Doyle's story is a good one, love the fact that the guy goes to hospitals etc without telling anyone.

[Gato78]

Wade and Bosh are role models because the rest of the NBA is "Shawn Kemped". I have heard stories from people who are associated with the League about "the NBA lifestyle". In essence there are hundreds of Tiger Woods stories in the NBA, whether married or not. Look at some of the League icons: Wilt, Magic, Michael.... Larry Bird has an entirely estranged family. Kobe is getting divorced after playing it pretty fast and loose and having bought his way out of rape charges. Women throw themselves at these guys and the players usually oblige. I think it is interesting that Wade seems to have settled down with Gabrielle Union who is, by all accounts, pretty level headed. She is 9 or 10 years older than DWade and is pretty mature--and really good looking.