LeBron gets it

[tower912]

It is probably all over the interwebs....   for those who haven't seen it, last night during the Cavaliers preseason game, Lebron was taking selfies with kids while he wasn't in the game, and he/the Cavaliers invited one little girl to come sit on the bench for a few minutes.   That scores a lot of points with me.   

[StillAWarrior]

I know LeBron rubs a lot of people the wrong way, but I think he's handled it amazingly well in light of fact that he's been a world-wide celebrity since the time he was about 16 -- and a mega-millionaire since about 18.  Living in Cleveland, I've had a front row seat to a lot of it and I've seen a lot of the good stuff that he does in the community.  Sure, he's kind of a DB at times, but he's managed things remarkably well under the circumstances.  I'm not sure I'd have handled it nearly as well if given $100 million or so at 18. 

[wadesworld]

I've been a LeBrick hater since well before I knew this, but we have family friends in Youngstown and one of the girls is married to a chef who is employed by the Cavs.  He said LeBron's PR person is the best PR person in the world.  He said he's nothing like the "good guy" he appears to be to the public.  He has a number of absurd requirements for those who are actually "behind the scenes" that I've shared here enough as it is, so I won't continue to beat that drum.  But I'm not a fan.

[MerrittsMustache]

I've been a LeBrick hater since well before I knew this, but we have family friends in Youngstown and one of the girls is married to a chef who is employed by the Cavs.  He said LeBron's PR person is the best PR person in the world.  He said he's nothing like the "good guy" he appears to be to the public.  He has a number of absurd requirements for those who are actually "behind the scenes" that I've shared here enough as it is, so I won't continue to beat that drum.  But I'm not a fan.

Clearly he didn't employ this world's greatest PR guy before "The Decision."

[JWags85]

Clearly he didn't employ this world's greatest PR guy before "The Decision."

That was a major shift in Lebron's PR game.  Everything since has made him appear super jovial and friends with EVERYONE.  The viral and social media blitz of Lebron went into overdrive after that.

I think he probably employs the same PR team as JJ Watt

[wadesworld]

That was a major shift in Lebron's PR game.  Everything since has made him appear super jovial and friends with EVERYONE.  The viral and social media blitz of Lebron went into overdrive after that.

I think he probably employs the same PR team as JJ Watt

Is there more to JJ Watt that most people don't know?

[JWags85]

Is there more to JJ Watt that most people don't know?

No, but I dont think he has done anything in the last 6-12 months that hasn't been some carefully crafted and obnoxious nod "Oh my gosh, what a great humble and AMAZING guy JJ is!"  From the telling people he worked out in the offseason in a simple cabin (really a lakefront mansion in Pewaukee, but lets not ruin the narrative), to Hard Knocks being an over the top ad for his "work ethic" and grit, to comments like "i dont have time to date cause working out and eating right take all my time" to him popping up on social media every 5 min over the summer for some "unplanned" stunt like tackling a guy on stage at a Zac Brown concert or RANDOMLY getting into a dance contest at a Houston Rockets game.  Dude is an absolute beast, best defensive player in the game, but his supposed likeability is being shoved down our throats, and whenever that happens, I think he's either kind of an pretty boy, or he's just socially awkward or boring on his own, I'd tend to probably think its the latter.

[Cooby Snacks]

A lot of pro athletes are treated as products/brands instead of people. It makes sense--there's plenty of money to be made, and very few would buy anything associated with the true personality of most of these guys. Michael Jordan, for example.

[GGGG]

Why would I care if someone puts on a nice PR persona and a bit of a dick in person anyway.  I don't really care.  I don't deal with them.

I only watch them play a game.

[MerrittsMustache]

No, but I dont think he has done anything in the last 6-12 months that hasn't been some carefully crafted and obnoxious nod "Oh my gosh, what a great humble and AMAZING guy JJ is!"  From the telling people he worked out in the offseason in a simple cabin (really a lakefront mansion in Pewaukee, but lets not ruin the narrative), to Hard Knocks being an over the top ad for his "work ethic" and grit, to comments like "i dont have time to date cause working out and eating right take all my time" to him popping up on social media every 5 min over the summer for some "unplanned" stunt like tackling a guy on stage at a Zac Brown concert or RANDOMLY getting into a dance contest at a Houston Rockets game.  Dude is an absolute beast, best defensive player in the game, but his supposed likeability is being shoved down our throats, and whenever that happens, I think he's either kind of an pretty boy, or he's just socially awkward or boring on his own, I'd tend to probably think its the latter.

J.J. Watt is a PR firm's dream. He's a likable, handsome, articulate, white, arm-tattoo-free, star lineman/"tough guy" and since he's not a QB, it doesn't hurt his "brand" if his team stinks. He's this generation's Howie Long.

[tower912]

I've been a LeBrick hater since well before I knew this, but we have family friends in Youngstown and one of the girls is married to a chef who is employed by the Cavs.  He said LeBron's PR person is the best PR person in the world.  He said he's nothing like the "good guy" he appears to be to the public.  He has a number of absurd requirements for those who are actually "behind the scenes" that I've shared here enough as it is, so I won't continue to beat that drum.  But I'm not a fan.

Then kudos to his PR people convincing him to do these things.