[UAZip0510]

LINK

A few excerpts:

He trained with his first coach at St. Vincent--St. Mary High, Keith Dambrot, who had barely worked with him since he was a rookie. "A lot of people are intimidated by LeBron, but he wants the truth," says Dambrot, now the coach at Akron. "He's not too big to take criticism. I told him, 'You have to do more things you don't want to do. You have to do more offensive and defensive rebounding, moving without the ball, all the basics that made you great going back to the beginning.'"

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When the Heat has won 101--98, James finds Jay-Z's nephew in the courtside seats and slips his headband around the boy's neck. He removes his Nikes and hands those over as well. He tells the Heat's TV announcers he never thought he would hear MVP chants in an opposing arena again. Still, he will receive a text from Dambrot saying he needs to grab more rebounds.

[Blue & Gold]

Literally, UA doesn't have enough $$$ to buy that kind of publicity. Simply extraordinary.

[skip-zip]

Literally, UA doesn't have enough $$$ to buy that kind of publicity. Simply extraordinary.

I had the same thought.

[UAZip0510]

I still think Dambrot has coached LeBron the best out of anyone he's ever had. He didn't improve under under Joyce, walked all over Mike Brown, and would be doing the same to Spolstra in Miami if Wade allowed him to.

[LZip]

Literally, UA doesn't have enough $$$ to buy that kind of publicity. Simply extraordinary.

I'll care about this "invaluable" publicity when it actual benefits the University in some way.

[Z.I.P.]

I've said it before, if KD leaves UA, and it won't be soon, eventually Bron could be his ticket to a coaching spot in The League (assistant, I mean).

[skip-zip]

I'll care about this "invaluable" publicity when it actual benefits the University in some way.

Show us that it's NOT benefitting us. Tell me, what are the chances that Keith and UA are even relevant to even be mentioned in a publication like SI at this time of the year, if it is not for the connection to Bron?

Publicity is publicity. You could spend millions buying advertising about the U of A, and still not get a single person to notice as much as a simple tweet from maybe the biggest athlete/celebrity on the planet.

He is, by far, our biggest asset to gaining any national publicity. AND it's free. That's the point.

[Captain Kangaroo]

He is, by far, our biggest asset to gaining any national publicity. AND it's free. That's the point.

While the LeBron connection is nice, and I'm sure it has opened doors for KD, winning in the NCAA Tournament would net bigger basketball publicity.

[Roo]

Show us that it's NOT benefitting us. Tell me, what are the chances that Keith and UA are even relevant to even be mentioned in a publication like SI at this time of the year, if it is not for the connection to Bron?

Publicity is publicity. You could spend millions buying advertising about the U of A, and still not get a single person to notice as much as a simple tweet from maybe the biggest athlete/celebrity on the planet.

He is, by far, our biggest asset to gaining any national publicity. AND it's free. That's the point.

Show what it has done. We haven't gotten any huge sponsors, commits, or TV time for the Zips basketball program even though we wear Lebron's shoes, he has his AAU tourney here, and he talks about us on twitter all the time. We haven't gotten a boost in attendance. Akron and Northeast Ohio players still don't look at Akron as a place to play and would rather go to low level BCS schools like Penn St, Northwestern, Minnesota just to name a few.

This does nothing for the school or the basketball program.

[Captain Kangaroo]

Show what it has done. We haven't gotten any huge sponsors, commits, or TV time for the Zips basketball program even though we wear Lebron's shoes, he has his AAU tourney here, and he talks about us on twitter all the time. We haven't gotten a boost in attendance. Akron and Northeast Ohio players still don't look at Akron as a place to play and would rather go to low level BCS schools like Penn St, Northwestern, Minnesota just to name a few.

This does nothing for the school or the basketball program.

Zips players are familiar with LeBron. They've played basketball with him. They have a relationship with him. Facilitating a relationship with the greatest basketball player on the planet is a nice perk, and benefits Zips recruiting.

Everyone wishes LeBron would do more visible for UA...like toss-in a few mil for an arena...but it doesn't seem like he's in a hurry to do it.

But having a relationship with the guy helps Dambrot contact recruits that otherwise wouldn't consider UA. Maybe it isn't their 1st or even 2nd reason for considering UA (if a kid chooses his college solely because he got a phone call from LeBron, he has issues), but it's an edge that no other mid-major has.

[LZip]

Zips players are familiar with LeBron. They've played basketball with him. They have a relationship with him. Facilitating a relationship with the greatest basketball player on the planet is a nice perk, and benefits Zips recruiting.

Everyone wishes LeBron would do more visible for UA...like toss-in a few mil for an arena...but it doesn't seem like he's in a hurry to do it.

But having a relationship with the guy helps Dambrot contact recruits that otherwise wouldn't consider UA. Maybe it isn't their 1st or even 2nd reason for considering UA (if a kid chooses his college solely because he got a phone call from LeBron, he has issues), but it's an edge that no other mid-major has.

link to a recruit who has chose to play for UA because Lebron shows up here a few times a year?

[skip-zip]

Zips players are familiar with LeBron. They've played basketball with him. They have a relationship with him. Facilitating a relationship with the greatest basketball player on the planet is a nice perk, and benefits Zips recruiting.

Everyone wishes LeBron would do more visible for UA...like toss-in a few mil for an arena...but it doesn't seem like he's in a hurry to do it.

But having a relationship with the guy helps Dambrot contact recruits that otherwise wouldn't consider UA. Maybe it isn't their 1st or even 2nd reason for considering UA (if a kid chooses his college solely because he got a phone call from LeBron, he has issues), but it's an edge that no other mid-major has.

Bingo.

[Zips Win!]

I'll care about this "invaluable" publicity when it actual benefits the University in some way.

I'm in LZip's corner on this one...We do get free shoes however...

[Dave in Green]

Free publicity may or may not produce measurable results.

No publicity is guaranteed to produce no results.

Take your pick.

[Captain Kangaroo]

link to a recruit who has chose to play for UA because Lebron shows up here a few times a year?

Andy Katz saved me some typing