It was a cold night, and I was packed into a small gym to watch my high school team in a pre-season scrimmage, and it was standing room only. Looking back, I probably did not realize the magnitude of what I was watching, but I would liken it to someone in the early ‘80’s in North Carolina who watched a skinny kid named Michael play in high school. The difference here is LeBron James was destined for the NBA, and being talked about as a freshman, while Michael Jordan was apparently being cut from his high school team.
I am a fan of all Cleveland sports, and thought that the Cavs were FOR SURE going to win at least one championship with him on our team, especially after making it to the NBA Finals in 2007. I also played the optimist in July 2010 thinking that he’d stay. And here we are, half-way through year #2 of the Miami Vice project, and there are whispers he wants back. Ugh.
Yesterday on ESPN, Brian Windhorst, who coincidentally, followed LeBron in high school and at Cleveland, and bolted to ESPN to write for the “Heat Index” in a much less publicized “decision,” wrote that LeBron might want to come back to Cleveland, and would not “rule out” the possibility. Huh???? Outside of the obvious of what he did to a yearning fan base, there is a laundry list of reasons why this is just another twist in the craziness that is the “chosen one.”
1. (Completely disregarding the shots that went back and forth between James and Cavs owner Dan Gilbert) Gilbert cannot comment on any rumors or things that James has said because it would result in a fine per the NBA’s rules about commenting on players under contract. Which leads to what seems like the obvious question: Why is James allowed to talk about this? He’s in year two of a deal which he cannot “opt” out of for another 2 seasons, so why can say things like this? Doesn’t make a lot of sense if you ask me.
2. Clearly his words carry very little, as many Clevelanders remember his guarantee that he brings a championship to the city of Cleveland before he leaves. Um, see, what ha ha happened was…
3. To me, this just seems like a ploy by James to garner some sympathy by fans. What it really seems like is just another way to drag a tortured fan base, tarred and feathered, through Public Square. I mean, let’s say he and Gilbert settled their differences and he came back, what does that make the fans look like if we embrace him again? Hypocrites? Fair weather? He’s just trying to play the fans and a city so he comes out looking like “not such a bad guy after all.”
4. Any Cleveland fan who says, “We don’t need him/we don’t want him/we’re better off without him” is lying. It is night and day the difference he made on the team and the city. And just because he left, doesn’t mean he still isn’t one of the top three players in the NBA.
5. What are you thinking if you are in the front office for Miami right now? It has been documented that James and team president Pat Reilly do not necessarily see “eye to eye” on everything. But hearing your star, prized free agent, comment about the possibility of leaving only two years after signing him has to be a little disconcerting.
6. As much as I would like to see him running the court in Cleveland (I still have my jersey, never burnt it, and never hated him for leaving, he was a free agent, but just could have handled it A LOT better) there is small part of me deep down who wouldn’t mind if Dan Gilbert stuck to his guns, and refused to talk to the diva. What is the worst that could happen? The King’s Curse? Add it to the long list of sports icons that torment the city.
James said if he returns he hopes the fans would embrace him again. For me, there are some stipulations that would have to happen in order for me to embrace him. First, is a public heart-felt apology. No big ESPN production, but either a local news outlet, or full page add in the Plain Dealer apologizing for the way it was handled, and that we deserved better. Something that doesn’t sound scripted, but words that are yours that you truly mean. Second, don’t come back if you win a championship in Miami. I don’t want you to come back and be like “look I won there, now I can win here.” We want you to win here, but we also want you to win here first. Third, if you come back, it better be for good, and you better openly state that you want to retire here.
It is just a bit funny, however, that James’ comments about returning back to the Cavs some day, come the eve before the Heat and James play in Cleveland. As if it were some sort of plea to soften the boos which will most certainly rain down. The notion of him playing with our young talent is entertaining to think about, but at the end there is that sour taste, and this city cannot bare something like that again
