I must be in some parallel dimension. Cleveland got the RNC and now Lebron is coming back. Good things usually don't happen to us here. I never hated Lebron for leaving and pulled for him to win his rings. Thank you for coming back.
Good for Cleveland. And kudos to LeBron. Talk about learning from your mistakes. He left Cleveland four years ago in a manner that redefined the word classless (and in the world of pro sports, that's saying something). Today he was the complete opposite. I don't know if he has matured or just become more savvy. But it was refreshing to see regardless.
I thought this was surprising. If the management of the Cavs make right moves, Lebron can win 1 championship there.
What was classless was how the owner handled LeBron leaving 4 years ago... but I agree with everything else you said. To stay in Miami wouldda been "more of the same" with an older group. The "same" being 2 titles in 4 years, which is nice, but I'm not sure that's good enough to beat a very talented group of squads in the West. The Heat had no room to make improvements under the cap, though they did get a super guy in the draft in Napier. As a former Akron boy myself, I'm really rootin' for the Cav's! The area needs a title in some form badly!
Some of us are still here. Anticipation here has been incredible all week. The news has played little else since the RNC cycled out of our attention span. We even forgot about Johnny Football for the time being. Lebron and Dan Gilbert had a meeting Sunday night and patched things up. Neither had shown any class at Lebron's departure. Gilbert is just part of the cost of doing business, far as I'm concerned. I think James means every word of his "essay". He has always returned to Akron, even when he was not welcomed by some of us. And by the way, Brian Williams and others, Lebron is from AKRON, NOT CLEVELAND.
As a Heat fan, I am of course disappointed with Lebron leaving. I was very surprised that he went back to Cleveland with Dan Gilbert as owner. I am not sure that I could forgive my boss and go back and work for him if he vilified me the way Dan Gilbert did to Lebron. I understand that Lebron is an Ohio guy, but it would also be difficult for me to go back and play for the same fans that burned me in effigy and called me LeBum and other hatred because I changed my job in a quest for higher achievement. Ok! That's the end of my Heat fan rant. I thank Lebron for four great years in Miami and wish him well in Cleveland (except against the Heat). It will be interesting to see how he will be treated by Miami fans when he returns. I know that if I am at the game I will give him a nice round of applause at the introductions (if I get there on time Haha!) and then it will be back to cheering for the new version of the Heat. Go Heat!
Classy post! I agree with sports-commentator Colin Cowherd when he says, "love" your family, "like" your teams." Ya gotta keep stuff in perspective... too many people live and die with the score in the Jets game on Sunday and with who's gonna be signed in free-agency and who's gonna go to another team for a better opportunity. I'm not sure LeBron can win more championships in Cleveland than if he stayed in Miami (as we now know, it's hard), but the "potential" of this young team to make something happen with his leadership is there. Ultimately, sports is a business and too many fans turn it into a personal relationship. Now... that doesn't mean I don't yell at the TV or at a game when I'm fortunate enough to attend, but I think those who live and die over it and make it their main purpose in life really are goin' overboard. Athletes have a limited number of years to make their money and establish their legacies.
I dont know how fans can be so accepting of someone who pulled a move like "the decision" to chase rings but to each their own I suppose.
The decision show is what angered most of us, not the fact that James left town for a chance to win a title. Yet immediately after that fiasco came the equally classless dis from Dan Gilbert. That piece of bush league spite was already a kind of validation of Lebron's decision to go. Those who do not live here have no idea of the continuing commitment James has made to the Akron area, especially to kids. If there was penance to do, he has done it. I'm neither a jersey buyer nor a jersey burner, but Lebron squared his account with me and with a lot of other Akron people (I'm talking about people, not basketball fans) a couple years ago. All this '"Forgiveness" hype is just so much bullshit if you paid attention the last 4 years. James' return supersedes basketball. If anybody can't see a basketball player as any more than his number, you won't ever get it. Do I care about the Gay Games? No, nor the Special Olympics, marathons, movie filming in downtown Cleveland, national political conventions, whatever. But I'd rather have a national event in NE Ohio than not have it.
Nutshell right there. They're all sports, games. It's cool to like sports and games, most of us do. Now if you shave into the dog's fur the emblem on the side of some NFL helmet, that's just flat-out psycho.
I think the power of the $$ also made a difference. Easy for "enemies" to become friends once you wave millions in your face IMHO. That also helps to soothe any hurt feelings caused by the way Gilbert handled him leaving, I thought the way Gilbert handled it was classes and thought that James would never return after that. Well, well, guess $40 million+ makes people friends again. But IMHO, I still think they are still a year or more away from being a great team, I still think they need to pick up a better supporting cast, the 1st round pick (Wiggins) probably needs some time to season (easier with LeBron there to take the pressure). I though that one of the reasons why James left was because Gilbert wouldn't spring for a better supporting cast. I also think that was one of the reasons why Miami lost, while they had the big 3 they also needed the cast around them to win. The Spurs had that cast. But that is JMHO. They are now an instant contender at least. The rest of the league is on a downslide IMHO, no real team coming forward, the rest aging so anything is possible next year.
"I think the power of the $$ also made a difference. Easy for 'enemies' to become friends once you wave millions in your face IMHO. That also helps to soothe any hurt feelings caused by the way Gilbert handled him leaving, I thought the way Gilbert handled it was classes and thought that James would never return after that. Well, well, guess $40 million+ makes people friends again." Nonsense. James gets the money wherever he goes. He is returning here for other reasons, and is man enough and focused enough to tolerate Dan Gilbert.