Mike Bibby at Thundervalley

[VF21]

Unless it wasn't real - and was, in fact, a joke birthday gift...

 

[GoGoGadget]

Here would be the distinction, if there is one -- bling is designed to shove your wealth in somebody else's face on completely useless items. Its like a gold plated yacht. Trashy and arrogant.

The world's nicest home, however, is generally yours alone to enjoy (and friends etc.).

There's just something wince worthy with intentionally walking by a janitor who lives in a rent controlled roach-pinfested studio apartment with his wife and two kids, and who was unable to pay for the treatment his mother needed before she passed last year, with a completely impractical gaudy trinket on your arm that would/could completely change his life if he had it and could sell it, and is worth more than he'll earn in 40 years of degrading backbreaking work.

Oh, don't get me wrong, I agree 100%.

My issue is not necessarily with the points being made, but with the argument itself.

Tell me that spending a tremendous amount of money on a gaudy bracelet is silly/wasteful/boastful/tacky and you'll get no argument from me. I deal with that kind of thing -- albeit on a much smaller level -- every day at work. I can't tell you how many people I've had to evict that had platinum chains and a tricked out Benz in their garage but couldn't manage to pay the rent. The importance that our current society has placed on certain material possessions is disgusting.

However, I can't agree with the argument that a $140M house is somehow of more inherent value than a ton of diamonds. Who determines this value? Who determines what is considered gluttonous excess and what is considered just a "splurge"? I would argue that having a house fitted with new fangled techno dodads that allow each room to automatically adjust to your preferred temperature/musical tastes/whatever is every bit as unnecessary and boastful as a huge bedazzled arm cuff. Only thing stopping someone from waving around such a status symbol is that it's hard to strap an entire estate to your wrist.

In the end, I think I just have a bit of a problem with seeing Bill Gates' name waved around as if he's the latest philanthropic messiah. He's not. He's a billionaire. He lives like a billionaire. He gives a tremendous amount of his time and money to various charities and organizations. As he should. Good for him.

 

[EtherealTML]

I work at thunder valley and I can confirm the Bibby sightings... he has been known to stop by occasionally. Also, every time the pacers come into town, ex-king Scot Pollard almost always stops by the casino without fail either the night before or night after the game. If you see him say hi but don't tell him I sent ya, hehe.

 

[QueensFan]

Unless it wasn't real - and was, in fact, a joke birthday gift...

I think VF knows something that we don't.

 

[Amanjoy]

I saw Mike Bibby at Thundervalley at Sat night. Seemed like a nice guy, he was with his boys, I was suprised that noone was swarming him for autographs. He was right in the middle of the Casino talking to a couple guys.

THe reason I am posting this is because of what he was wearing on his wrist. He had on a braclet that looked more like a arm sheath you would see the scorpion king waering in ancient egyptian times. It was almost the length of his forearm and completley encrusted in diamonds. It looked absolutely ridiculous. My buddy and I were talking about it afterwards, and no matter how much money we had we would never adorn something like that on our bodies.

I don't even know why I am posting this really I just thought it was about the stupidest piece of jewelry I have ever seen.

That's funny. What happened to the WWJD bracelet?

 

[Suckeet]

No, Bill Gates isn't often out in the casinos rockin' the million dollar bling. Instead, he's spending time in his $140,000,000.00 mansion that's been tricked out with the highest of high tech accessories.

I realize that Bill Gates has donated a tremendous amount of his fortune to various charities and foundations, but don't let the bowl cut fool you into thinking that he doesn't enjoy his money.

Relatively speaking, billionaires like Bill Gates and especially Warren Buffet, lead very modest lives in comparison to people like Mike Bibby. They have billions and billions of dollars but you don't see them rolling with a crew and "bling" do you? Look at all the money that Bibby throws away to his buddies that he calls "team dime."

 

[KingCookie]

Ah, who cares? Just because someone's rich doesn't mean they're entitled to do something charitable with their money- otherwise, what would the motivation be to do financially well in this society?

I'm sure Mike donates plenty, and as VF has suggested, maybe it was a joke?

 

[creAtivetfh]

wow this has got to be one of the worst threads i have ever read on a forum before.

 

[VF21]

Then obiously, you haven't been to many forums.

If you're not interested in a particular thread, just move on. There are plenty more to read and comment on.

 

[mikebibby1034]

I saw Mike Bibby at Thundervalley at Sat night. Seemed like a nice guy, he was with his boys, I was suprised that noone was swarming him for autographs. He was right in the middle of the Casino talking to a couple guys.

THe reason I am posting this is because of what he was wearing on his wrist. He had on a braclet that looked more like a arm sheath you would see the scorpion king waering in ancient egyptian times. It was almost the length of his forearm and completley encrusted in diamonds. It looked absolutely ridiculous. My buddy and I were talking about it afterwards, and no matter how much money we had we would never adorn something like that on our bodies.

I don't even know why I am posting this really I just thought it was about the stupidest piece of jewelry I have ever seen.

id have to say this is pretty funny!

 

[bibbinator]

Relatively speaking, billionaires like Bill Gates and especially Warren Buffet, lead very modest lives in comparison to people like Mike Bibby. They have billions and billions of dollars but you don't see them rolling with a crew and "bling" do you? Look at all the money that Bibby throws away to his buddies that he calls "team dime."

Bibby made his fortune young. If I was making ~ 12 million/yr when I was 25 god only knows what sort of foolish crap I would have bought.

 

[VF21]

Relatively speaking, billionaires like Bill Gates and especially Warren Buffet, lead very modest lives in comparison to people like Mike Bibby. They have billions and billions of dollars but you don't see them rolling with a crew and "bling" do you? Look at all the money that Bibby throws away to his buddies that he calls "team dime."

So? It's his money. He pays taxes on it. He has the right to do whatever he chooses with it. It isn't up to "us" to decide what is and isn't an appropriate use of his money.

 

[SacKings384]

Relatively speaking, billionaires like Bill Gates and especially Warren Buffet, lead very modest lives in comparison to people like Mike Bibby. They have billions and billions of dollars but you don't see them rolling with a crew and "bling" do you? Look at all the money that Bibby throws away to his buddies that he calls "team dime."

Bill Gates spent 300 million on a Leonardo Da Vinci book...

 

[KevinMartinsGirl23]

Just a sidenote: I find it funny that during TDOS the hottest thread is entitled: MIKE BIBBY AT THUNDERVALLEY And it's only May...

 

[unartested]

I saw Mike Bibby at Thundervalley at Sat night. Seemed like a nice guy, he was with his boys, I was suprised that noone was swarming him for autographs. He was right in the middle of the Casino talking to a couple guys.

THe reason I am posting this is because of what he was wearing on his wrist. He had on a braclet that looked more like a arm sheath you would see the scorpion king waering in ancient egyptian times. It was almost the length of his forearm and completley encrusted in diamonds. It looked absolutely ridiculous. My buddy and I were talking about it afterwards, and no matter how much money we had we would never adorn something like that on our bodies.

I don't even know why I am posting this really I just thought it was about the stupidest piece of jewelry I have ever seen.

Did you guys get any pictures of him?

 

[unartested]

Maybe he stopped by after working out at the practice faucilty?

 

[QueensFan]

Bill Gates spent 300 million on a Leonardo Da Vinci book...

Incidentally it was $30 mil but whatever. Facts are overrated.

 

[atxrocker]

Just a sidenote: I find it funny that during TDOS the hottest thread is entitled: MIKE BIBBY AT THUNDERVALLEY And it's only May...

agreed

 

[SacKings384]

Incidentally it was $30 mil but whatever. Facts are overrated.

Didn't I put 30? O whoops lol... I guess that one zero typo is a big difference (well not to Bill Gates )

 

[SkinnerBox]

Heady stuff for a basketball forum.

"When I give food to the poor, they call me a saint. When I ask why the poor have no food, they call me a communist" - Dom Helder Camara

Unfortunately the system that allows us to enjoy so much prosperity also allows a guy who throws a ball through a hoop for our entertainment to walk around with giant useless status symbol on his arm (as well as a false sense of entitlement) while the people who did the work to uncover those diamonds have a life expectancy somewhere in the mid 30s. I'm not saying it's time to start the revolution, I don't have a lot of confidence that it can be solved. But you can't really say that is the way it should be.

 

[macadocious]

I find it absolutley hilarious that this has turned into a political and social thread.

I was trying to lighten up the forum with some humor in regards to the Kings and everybody has had to put there "Charity" spin on it.

Bottom line: BIBBY LOOKED RIDICULOUS AND IT WAS FUNNY!

Its no comment on him as a person or player or a philanthropist, etc.

If I had seen anyone wearing that I would have said the same thing, it just happened to be Mike Bibby and if I had known him personally he would have never heard the end of it. We would be 75 years old and I would say "Remeber that friggin bracelet you though was coool back in 2006, man were you an idiot", then I would tell all his grandchildren so they could laught at him too.

 

[Prophetess]

thanks for the laugh today macadocious. I could just picture that, two old men sitting on the porch in rocking chairs one ragging on the other over some stupid thing like that.

 

[moppeh]

It speaks to Mike Bibby's mentality to have such an item. As to what type of mentality it is, well, I'll let you guys figure that out.

 

[Gary]

Yup. That's exactly what I'm saying.

Come on. There's such a thing as social responsibility. Those blessed with the most resources also have the most responsibility to do good. You don't see Bill Gates walking around with diamond grills and jewelry and he's a hell of a lot richer than everyone who wears that crap.

People with money are not responsible to take care of the people without.

 

[QueensFan]

People with money are not responsible to take care of the people without.

You say that as if it's a law of nature. In reality, it's little more than a reflection of your opinion, and therefore your character. I'll leave it at that.

 

[QueensFan]

I find it absolutley hilarious that this has turned into a political and social thread.

Does it hurt you to have a philosophical discussion every once in a while? A forum is by definition "a public meeting place for open discussion" and we are all entitled to state our opinions in a respectful manner. I don't see what's so wrong with an intellectual conversation every once in a while rather than another +1 thread. Not that +1 threads don't have their place, but it's nice to have some variety.