BUZZ: LBJ has Nike snatch vids of dunk? LeBron James | Cavaliers LeBron James may have made a dubious decision by asking Nike representatives to confiscate video tapes of a sensational dunk by Xavier hoopster Jordan Crawford threw down over King James. According to CBS Sports columnist Gary Parrish and echoed by Henry Abbott on his True Hoop blog, Crawford posterized James with a two-hander during a pickup game at the LeBron James Skills Academy. Shortly afterwards, LeBron called over a Nike rep, who proceeded to take the tapes of two cameramen capturing footage of the event before the incident could make the rounds on YouTube.
As Parrish writes, freelance photographer Ryan Miller was approached by Nike Basketball Senior Director Lynn Merritt, who took his tape.
"He just said, 'We have to take your tape,'" Miller said in Parrish's article. "They took it from other guys, too." Seems like LBJ is taking a cue from the KGB.
Joined: Sun Oct 17, 2004 7:36 pm Posts: 3271 Location: Chicago
Quote:
You want to see video of Xavier's Jordan Crawford dunking on LeBron James?
If so, too bad.
Because you're not going to see it.
Thanks to Nike.
Turns out, there were at least two cameras rolling Monday night when Crawford dunked on James during a pick-up game here at the LeBron James Skills Academy. It was a two-handed jam, the kind that would've circulated quickly on YouTube. But Nike officials eliminated that possibility shortly after the dunk happened by allegedly confiscating tapes from various cameramen.
Freelance photographer Ryan Miller was one of the cameramen shooting the game.
He told CBSSports.com that Nike Basketball Senior Director Lynn Merritt took his tape.
"He just said, 'We have to take your tape,'" Miller said. "They took it from other guys, too."
Worth noting is that there is no policy against filming at the LeBron James Skills Academy, and Miller said he had been filming all day without incident. Nobody ever told him to stop. Nobody ever said there was a problem ... until after Crawford dunked on James.
"LeBron called Lynn over and told him something," Miller said. "That's how I knew his name was Lynn. LeBron said, 'Hey, Lynn. Come here.'"
Minutes later, Miller said Merritt demanded his tape.
"There's nothing I can think of besides LeBron just not wanting it online," Miller said. "It's a good story to tell people, I guess. But then again, I'm kind of pissed. I lost my tape."
_________________ strobe lights and blown speakers.
_________________ "Socialism never took root in America because the poor see themselves not as an exploited proletariat but as temporarily embarrassed millionaires." -- John Steinbeck
Now after reading up on this some more and finding out the kid first went to Indiana (barf) and then transferred to shitty Xavier (barf) I completely approve of what Nike did.
_________________ "They got their dirty maize-and-blue hands on it, they screwed it up." --Chris Spielman on Ohio State-Michigan rivalry
"Nike has been operating basketball camps for the benefit of young athletes for decades and has longstanding policies in place regarding what events are open and closed to media coverage," Nike spokesman KeJuan Wilkins said.
"Unfortunately, for the first time in four years, two journalists did not respect our 'no videotaping' policy at an after-hours pick-up game Monday evening following the LeBron James Skills Academy."
According to Nike officials, both journalists understood the mistake and handed over their tapes without making a fuss. Neither cameraman was available for comment Wednesday night.
As for James, there was no shame. He takes pride in getting to know young up-and-coming players and taking them on the floor. James is not in top form. He took a month off following a five-hour surgery to remove a growth from his jaw last month and then spent three weeks taking care of business and getting some vacation time in Washington, New York, the South of France, Los Angeles and Las Vegas.
It was the first significant break James has had from basketball since 2005, after playing for Team USA for each of the last three summers.
He only got back into the gym to do serious workouts on Monday, when the event took place. Often in the pickup game he didn't even run the full length of the floor because he didn't have his wind after taking the time off.
Not that he's taking anything away from Crawford, who apparently threw down an impressive jam.
"Jordan Crawford is a great player, LeBron has been dunked on before, it's no big deal," said a source close to James. "It was a pickup game and it happened in competition."
James doesn't mind getting shown up every now and then either, after all last year he lost two games of HORSE to a warehouse worker in California as part of a promotion for Cub Cadet.
_________________ "They got their dirty maize-and-blue hands on it, they screwed it up." --Chris Spielman on Ohio State-Michigan rivalry
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