Today's Poll REALLY disturbs me.

FlashTheKilla · Post #1 » by **FlashTheKilla** » Mon Aug 25, 2008 2:57 am

The poll on the home page of Real GM, in case anyone didn't see, asked:

Who was the leader of Team USA during the Olympic run?

Current Results:

Kobe 62% LeBron 38%.

ARE YOU KIDDING ME???

First of all the lack of Wade in the options makes the poll itself completely illegitimate. Why does he get no credit at all? I really just can't fathom how the media NEVER mentions Wade aside from every-time they mention the statistics of the game, in which case they HAVE to mention his name because his stat-line was consistently one of the best on the team, AND he played less minutes. By far the most efficient player on the team.

Second of all, LEBRON WAS THE LEADER OF THIS TEAM. Yes, Kobe had a great game against Spain. Unfortunately, most basketball fans watching only this ONE gold medal game, and thus assumed that Kobe was the best player throughout the Olympic run. The question asks, who was the leader DURING the Olympic run. Who had the most consistently spectacular games, who was the most vocal on the court, who even proclaimed himself the leader of the team. No, not Kobe. LEBRON.

It seems Kobe fans out there read the poll question as "Who was the best player in the Gold Medal game against Spain?" And of course, they jumped on it. (In any case, Kobe = Wade in the gold medal game.)

The ignorance of some basketball fans just really, really bothers me. Can someone explain this to me? Maybe I'm missing something.

/rant.

Manocad · Post #2 » by **Manocad** » Mon Aug 25, 2008 3:01 am

You're REALLY disturbed by this?

Bummer. REALLY.

HouMac · Post #3 » by **HouMac** » Mon Aug 25, 2008 3:04 am

The worst thing has been watching LeBron finish 3rd in practically every "best player on Team USA" or "MVP of Team USA" poll today. It's so obvious that majority of these voters didn't watch a single game aside from the Final...and are simply voting based on what they saw in that 1 game. I can understand Wade winning the poll, but there's absolutely NO WAY Kobe should be ahead of LeBron.

dreamcloud · Post #4 » by **dreamcloud** » Mon Aug 25, 2008 3:05 am

Well from this we can at least decide how much of RealGM is clueless and the percentage that is intelligent (or at least, has common sense). Hopefully it will go down, for the sake of RealGM's rep.

FlashTheKilla · Post #5 » by **FlashTheKilla** » Mon Aug 25, 2008 3:06 am

Manocad wrote:You're REALLY disturbed by this?

Bummer. REALLY.

I am. The poll is just wrong.

Post #6 » by **Flash3** » Mon Aug 25, 2008 3:08 am

Surprised there was even a single player mentioned. -- There should've been only 1 option, Team USA.

This was a total team effort, from the beginning of the tournament all the way to the end.

Last night's game was a prime example. -- We possibly don't come out with gold had it not been for Wade carrying OUR team in that 1st half with 21 points. And, we probably aren't leaving China with Gold had it not been for Kobe hitting those HUGE shots towards the end.

From 1-12, this was a total TEAM effort.

Don Draper · Post #7 » by **Don Draper** » Mon Aug 25, 2008 3:09 am

It's called homerism.

dreamcloud · Post #8 » by **dreamcloud** » Mon Aug 25, 2008 3:15 am

Apparently it's been changed from "leader" to "MVP" now? Either way, LeBron has definitely been the most consistent guy through the entire Olympics, leading everybody, along with spectacular plays.

FlashTheKilla · Post #9 » by **FlashTheKilla** » Mon Aug 25, 2008 3:17 am

Flash3 wrote:Surprised there was even a single player mentioned. -- There should've been only 1 option, Team USA.

This was a total team effort, from the beginning of the tournament all the way to the end.

Last night's game was a prime example. -- We possibly don't come out with gold had it not been for Wade carrying OUR team in that 1st half with 21 points. And, we probably aren't leaving China with Gold had it not been for Kobe hitting those HUGE shots towards the end.

From 1-12, this was a total TEAM effort.

I wish that was the only option, really. The gold medal was a TEAM effort, 100% of the way. I completely agree.

What I'm saying, really, is if people are gonna start dishing out credit to individuals in the first place, give it where its due. Please. Don't blow the accomplishments of your favorite player out of proportion. For example, I'm a huge Wade fan, I'd love to seehim get more credit, but I'm not about to say that I thought he was the leader of this team. LeBron obviously was. And I'm not about to say that Wade was the best defender. Kobe obviously was. If the question was who was the best player, I would probably vote for Wade, because in my biased homer opinion, I believe he was.

It was a team effort through and through, but credit shouldn't be given to the wrong individuals. Saying Kobe was the leader of Team USA throughout the whole run is like saying that Dwight Howard was our best dribble penetrator.

FlashTheKilla · Post #10 » by **FlashTheKilla** » Mon Aug 25, 2008 3:18 am

dreamcloud wrote::lol: Apparently it's been changed from "leader" to "MVP" now? Either way, LeBron has definitely been the most consistent guy through the entire Olympics, leading everybody, along with spectacular plays.

I swear I read it as "leader" like 10 minutes ago. In any case, MVP = leader 99 times out of 100.

Iggyemu · Post #11 » by **Iggyemu** » Mon Aug 25, 2008 3:31 am

LeBron showed he could do it all in these Olympics. Definitely gonna view him differently. He isn't a man defender but dam he is probably a top 3 weak side defender. Terrific rebounder and just all around pest on the defensive end. Pity he can't do those things in Cleveland...he might collapse from exhaustion.

Best player on the team was definitely LeBron. Its just that D-Wade and Kobe did what IMO they were brought on to do. Finish teams off. For all of LeBron's greatness...he still hasn't won a title. So IMO he doesn't 'sense it' so to speak. When its within reach players like Kobe and Wade know what to do to get it. And they went for the kill. That was difference in this year's team. Or at least one of them.

Blame Rasho · Post #12 » by **Blame Rasho** » Mon Aug 25, 2008 3:34 am

Do you feel like crying?

Jeez... I can't believe someone got so out of shape over some meaningless poll.

FlashTheKilla · Post #13 » by **FlashTheKilla** » Mon Aug 25, 2008 3:36 am

Iggyemu wrote:LeBron showed he could do it all in these Olympics. Definitely gonna view him differently. He isn't a man defender but dam he is probably a top 3 weak side defender. Terrific rebounder and just all around pest on the defensive end. Pity he can't do those things in Cleveland...he might collapse from exhaustion.

Best player on the team was definitely LeBron. Its just that D-Wade and Kobe did what IMO they were brought on to do. Finish teams off. For all of LeBron's greatness...he still hasn't won a title. So IMO he doesn't 'sense it' so to speak. When its within reach players like Kobe and Wade know what to do to get it. And they went for the kill. That was difference in this year's team. Or at least one of them.

Agreed. Trio of Kobe, Wade, LeBron is utterly unstoppable.

CoolD · Post #14 » by **CoolD** » Mon Aug 25, 2008 3:37 am

I think being part of Nike has everything to do with it. In Wade's case, not being part of it.

Like watching some coverage of the Olympic games, they mentioned LeBron, Kobe and Melo as the it players of team USA. Oddly enough, they have all huge contracts with Nike. Go figure. Who has put the most money on promoting team USA. Nike. So its all about money.

FlashTheKilla · Post #15 » by **FlashTheKilla** » Mon Aug 25, 2008 3:38 am

Blame Rasho wrote:Do you feel like crying?

Jeez... I can't believe someone got so out of shape over some meaningless poll.

No need to be an ass about it. It's a stupid poll, yes, but it represents a much bigger idea, IMO. Some people are just ignorant, and it bothers me. Ignorance and bias are two of the biggest downfalls of human society in general.

Blame Rasho · Post #16 » by **Blame Rasho** » Mon Aug 25, 2008 3:44 am

Flashx3x wrote:
Blame Rasho wrote:Do you feel like crying?

Jeez... I can't believe someone got so out of shape over some meaningless poll.

No need to be an ass about it. It's a stupid poll, yes, but it represents a much bigger idea, IMO. Some people are just ignorant, and it bothers me. Ignorance and bias are two of the biggest downfalls of human society in general.

And being oversensitive only makes it worse for the people involved...

You actually think that one poll on realgm.com is an accurate microcosm of the games?

FlashTheKilla · Post #17 » by **FlashTheKilla** » Mon Aug 25, 2008 3:49 am

Blame Rasho wrote:
Flashx3x wrote:
Blame Rasho wrote:Do you feel like crying?

Jeez... I can't believe someone got so out of shape over some meaningless poll.

No need to be an ass about it. It's a stupid poll, yes, but it represents a much bigger idea, IMO. Some people are just ignorant, and it bothers me. Ignorance and bias are two of the biggest downfalls of human society in general.

And being oversensitive only makes it worse for the people involved...

You actually think that one poll on realgm.com is an accurate microcosm of the games?

Am I being oversensitive, really? I mean, bias such as this happens every day. If something wrong happens to you every day don't you get a little miffed? I guess this has just been accumulating over these games for me.

And no, obviously it's not accurate at all. But 62%! Really? If it was like, 51% Kobe, 49% LeBron, I wouldn't be nearly as annoyed. I don't know the demographics of this site, but unless the majority of posters here are from LA, there's something wrong there.

bhorn2 · Post #18 » by **bhorn2** » Mon Aug 25, 2008 3:50 am

lerbon was the hands-down leader of team usa

as for the "mvp" i think lebron and wade share that title. i agree that kobe played well in the fourth quarter but he also made some errors that should never have been made. the most obvious to me happened with about 5 mins left in the game. matched up against r. fernandez, kobe gambled in an attempt to steal the ball and instead gave rudy a wide open lane to the hoop that ended with a monster dunk over dwight howard. up by only seven points at that time it was a horrible defensive play. then fifteen seconds later, kobe pulled up and bricked a three that was taken from at least two steps beyond the line. it was one of a few ill-advised shots kobe took and did nothing to help their offense as they attempted to figure out spains zone. these mistakes solidified to me that kobe was neither the leader or mvp of team usa.

dreamcloud · Post #19 » by **dreamcloud** » Mon Aug 25, 2008 3:51 am

Flashx3x wrote:
dreamcloud wrote::lol: Apparently it's been changed from "leader" to "MVP" now? Either way, LeBron has definitely been the most consistent guy through the entire Olympics, leading everybody, along with spectacular plays.

I swear I read it as "leader" like 10 minutes ago. In any case, MVP = leader 99 times out of 100.

Makes it even worse that Wade isn't on there if it's MVP now

Speedlot · Post #20 » by **Speedlot** » Mon Aug 25, 2008 4:02 am

Too bad Wade and Lebron....
They're not clutch.

LOL.. does that FACT bother you. USA was cruising. Yes cruising the whole olympics except the last 10 mins.

"PRESSURE" did not exist until the final 10 minutes. And guess who stepped up... from utter mediocrity paul pierce'ish to rip ur heart out MJish. Then again MJ wasn't ever clutch in the Olympics. Do we need a new category? Who else was clutch in A gold medal Olympic game?