We had a 5.4 Earthquake here in SoCal, and I asked "How does the Earthquake affect LeBron's decision"
Speaking of ego run amok...
Listen, I’ve been on record (in the non-blogsphere world) saying over and over again that LeBron is staying in Cleveland. Even though it’s starting to look very much like I was wrong on this one, I’m going to stick with my prediction to the bitter end. Why? Because I cannot believe that this multi-millionaire Athlete, who can live anywhere in the world, and chooses to live in Akron, Ohio (because clearly he loves it), is going to give that up...and take less money in the process.
If Art Modell had to leave Cleveland for his own safety, do you really think that Bitter Cleveland fan is going to let LeBron off the hook? At least Modell was a New York native. Prince James doesn’t have that excuse. Cleveland fans have been through tough times, and are even tougher people, and they’ll hold onto a grudge until hell won’t have it no more.
But since I’m not from Cleveland, I just root for the team, I’d like to think I have a little perspective on LeBron James. I like the guy, but I don't love him like Ohio fan does. I think he is vastly overrated. I think he's a smart kid, but not a very bright one (and there is a difference). I think he truly believes that if he bolts to Miami, he’ll be forgiven by the people of Ohio.
Never in a million years.
Only a individual with his titanic ego would buy himself an hour of national (basic cable) television time, to tell the people of Ohio to @#$% off, and somehow expect them to be grateful for it. (I heard Stephen A. Ego---errr, I mean Stephen A. Smith on the Jim Rome show this morning saying that LeBron has nothing to apologize for. I think he’s living in the same bubble as LeBron and his crew).
There will be no gratitude, no thanks and no fond memories from the fans of the Cleveland Cavaliers. All they can do is pick themselves up, dust themselves off, draft well, let Byron Scott coach ‘em up, and win despite that preening @#$%.
No other act in this world will turn me into a Laker fan faster than LeBron bolting for Miami. But hey, that’s where we are.
UPDATE: 11:20am Pacific: Bill Simmons has a lot more. Read it, I'm sold.
I can't wait to watch for the same reasons I couldn't turn away from O.J.'s Bronco chase or the Artest melee: it's Car Wreck Television. If LeBron picks anyone other than the Cavaliers, it will be the cruelest television moment since David Chase ended "The Sopranos" by making everyone think they lost power. Cleveland fans will never forgive LeBron, nor should they. He knows better than anyone what kind of sports anguish they have suffered over the years. Losing LeBron on a contrived one-hour show would be worse than Byner's fumble, Jose Mesa, the Game 5 meltdown against Boston, The Drive, The Shot and everything else. At least those stomach-punch moments weren't preordained, unless you believe God hates Cleveland (entirely possible, by the way). This stomach-punch moment? Calculated. By a local kid they loved, defended and revered.
It would be unforgivable. Repeat: unforgivable. I don't have a dog in this race -- as a Celtics fan, I wanted to see him go anywhere but Chicago -- but LeBron doing this show after what happened in the 2010 playoffs actually turned me against him. No small feat. I was one of his biggest defenders. Not anymore.
