Author Topic: The Lebron flopping thread  (Read 16448 times)

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Re: The Lebron flopping thread
« Reply #30 on: May 29, 2013, 07:51:54 PM »

Offline nickagneta

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Don't know when flopping got so easy to see at the NBA level but it sure does seems to coincide with the internationalization of the players. Most of those players were probably brought up playing and watching soccer.

As an aside, NBA flopping has become almost as comically entertaining as soccer flops. Of course, that's probably because soccer players can fly through the air and only have to worry about landing on soft turf and not a hard wood floor.

LeBron playing and watching soccer?  ??? ???
Internationalization of the players. Meaning when players born outside of America started playing regularly here in the NBA.
Yeah I got that.

I guess LeBron just learned from their ways...?
Well once one player does it, everyone has to do it. Sort of like Michael Jordan's long shorts. ;)

This got me thinking, so I did some serious investigative work on my own.

Casually, you will see discussions of flopping attribute it to the Euros and soccer:

Quote
"The ugly trend of faking physical contact began in soccer...now the NBA will have an opportunity to deter players from trying to simulate violent contact in ways made famous by Vlade Divac, Manu Ginobili and Anderson Varejao."

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2012/writers/ian_thomsen/09/28/nba-flopping-david-stern/

But, a lot of the great floppers predate the Euro invasion. This earlier article points out that Reggie Miller, Laimbeer, Rodman, et al. were flopping at a high level even in the late 1980s.

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=neumann/070607

You can quite clearly see Laimbeer, named in the previous article as the best of all time, executing a very convincing flop at 0:45 of this video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hMiVs2SInCY

And even later in that video someone is holding a sign referring to Laimbeer as "flip-flop," indicating early use of the term.

[Aside: there is an absolutely classic clip of Johnny Most going wild - with no audio, which somehow makes it even better - starting at around 1:40.]

Vlade, who will spring to everyone's mind as the first great Euro flopper, really did not become known for flopping until the 1990s, and was in fact drafted in 1989 so he really could not have predated people like Laimbeer. But he certainly contributed to the refinement of flopping as an art form.

I'd say ultimately that flopping developed like a lot of other things in America - probably from many influences all coming together from different places.
I have actually read that article before and there was definitely flopping before the Euro invasion. Just not nearly as much as in today's game after the Euro invasion.

Thing is fwf is right. Flopping is bad for a myriad of reasons and should have been cut off years ago instead of being allowed to grow like some terrible fungus. I think the officiating in the NBA is terrible but if the players have anyone to fault, in many ways, its themselves for all the flopping and constant complaining about being fouled even when they weren't. Boy who cries wolf and all that.

Re: The Lebron flopping thread
« Reply #31 on: May 29, 2013, 07:58:48 PM »

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Re: The Lebron flopping thread
« Reply #32 on: May 29, 2013, 08:35:46 PM »

Offline nickagneta

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3IK3bvlyzpg .
I loved these 1970's Red Auerbach teaching vids. His ones later on with Larry were awesome too

Re: The Lebron flopping thread
« Reply #33 on: June 02, 2013, 04:39:39 AM »

Offline Frezz

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Re: The Lebron flopping thread
« Reply #34 on: June 02, 2013, 05:22:02 AM »

Offline j804

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LeBron looks like he got hit by one of these:
"7ft PG. Rondo leaves and GUESS WHAT? We got a BIGGER point guard!"-Tommy on Olynyk


Re: The Lebron flopping thread
« Reply #35 on: June 02, 2013, 07:37:33 AM »

Offline Chief

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He's too good to have to play the game this way.
Once you are labeled 'the best' you want to stay up there, and you can't do it by loafing around.
 
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Re: The Lebron flopping thread
« Reply #36 on: June 02, 2013, 08:09:57 AM »

Offline Sievers81

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He's too good to have to play the game this way.

Absolutely 100% agree.

Can't stand the guy and he gets away with travels, leading down the lane with elbows and arms but he is has so much talent that the flopping will start to permanently tarnish his reputation and perhaps legacy.

Re: The Lebron flopping thread
« Reply #37 on: June 02, 2013, 09:54:06 AM »

Offline Celtics4ever

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Why would he not play that way?   Stern's star calls have really helped him.  He would be a fool not to take advantage of it. 

I think his legacy is already tarnished after the "decision".

Re: The Lebron flopping thread
« Reply #38 on: June 02, 2013, 10:24:30 AM »

Offline Chief

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Why would he not play that way?   Stern's star calls have really helped him.  He would be a fool not to take advantage of it. 

I think his legacy is already tarnished after the "decision".

I don't remember Bird, Magic, or Jordan doing that. Did they get some superstar call? Yes. Did they flop or run the length of the court, acting like a fool, when a call went against them? No.
Once you are labeled 'the best' you want to stay up there, and you can't do it by loafing around.
 
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Re: The Lebron flopping thread
« Reply #39 on: June 02, 2013, 10:46:33 AM »

Offline Greenback

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Check out the link below 6 GIFs That Prove LeBron James Is A Flopper

http://www.businessinsider.com/lebron-flop-gifs-2013-5
Everyone wants truth on his side, not everyone wants to be on the side of truth.

Re: The Lebron flopping thread
« Reply #40 on: June 02, 2013, 10:57:47 AM »

Offline Emmette Bryant

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I read this the other day and didn't see it posted.  Hopefully it will add to the discussion.

http://www.grantland.com/blog/the-triangle/post/_/id/63835/flopping-in-the-nba-a-history-of-nonviolence

Re: The Lebron flopping thread
« Reply #41 on: June 02, 2013, 06:51:00 PM »

Offline Bahku

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Please tell me he got fined for this absurdity:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vBgiPM1QwZQ

It really annoys me that a guy with such talent and ability resorts to such childish tactics.

I know every player flops or at least embellishes from time-to-time, but this freak of nature and his counterpart do it all the time!

(That little childish fit he threw was priceless as well ... in the same annoying way).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zsXkFzFXlh4

Almost made up for the flop.

 
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Re: The Lebron flopping thread
« Reply #42 on: June 02, 2013, 06:57:00 PM »

Offline Celtics4ever

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Quote
I don't remember Bird, Magic, or Jordan doing that. Did they get some superstar call? Yes. Did they flop or run the length of the court, acting like a fool, when a call went against them? No.

They are from a generation that is not spoiled like LeBron.   They also had some personal honor and were not as self centered.

Re: The Lebron flopping thread
« Reply #43 on: June 02, 2013, 07:38:33 PM »

Offline Eja117

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Quote
I don't remember Bird, Magic, or Jordan doing that. Did they get some superstar call? Yes. Did they flop or run the length of the court, acting like a fool, when a call went against them? No.

They are from a generation that is not spoiled like LeBron.   They also had some personal honor and were not as self centered.
As much as it pains me to say it I think Bron is probably a better person than all three of those guys....I still strongly dislike him

Re: The Lebron flopping thread
« Reply #44 on: June 02, 2013, 08:34:49 PM »

Offline timobusa

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