Last night though I was definitely interested in the story of LeBron's great return to Cleveland... the city he so unceremoniously broke up with on national television out of nowhere over the summer. A week before this game, there were already reports coming out of extra security and police being called in for this one game. I knew it was going to be nuts. And I knew I had to tune in.
I know this has all been covered back when "The Choice" or "The Decision" or whatever the hour long special ESPN made about whether or not King James would be going to Miami was called came out. Was this the right move? And I give a resounding no to that. LeBron is very good at basketball, but this still does not warrant an all-out lovefest about yourself before you crush the hopes and dreams of millions of your fellow Ohioans... Ohians... Ohians?
The problem does not lie in the fact that he chose to leave the Cavs for what is just now starting to look like greener pastures. He was a free agent. He saw the chance for a championship and better pieces all around him and he took it. Let's not pretend that this is the first time in the history of sports that someone has done this to a team they were on. Chris Bosh just did it too. How about when Garnett left Minnesota for Boston? Fill in any other names you can think of. I also guarantee that he won't be the last.
For the fans last night, this was now their chance to say back to LeBron "Oh yeah? Well screw you too" because let's face it - that's pretty much what he said to them when he chose to air that TV special. LBJ went to work, dropping 38 on the Cavs in the rout, but did that stop the fans from voicing their concerns at any point during the night? Nope. I just don't think that for the fans it was about who would win or lose this game. I, for one, did not think Cleveland would get the win. This was about them telling him this is where you grew up, where you played high school ball, where you played professionally and where you were absolutely worshipped. And that's the thanks we get? You did us wrong man and now you're going to hear about it - over and over and over again. Because they will never stop booing and waving signs and coming up with ways to antagonize him on the court at every chance they get.
Let's say he had gone the traditional route of a press release and press conference announcing his move. Sure the fans would still have been worked up about him leaving but that's a lot less of a blow than that TV show.
I still can't really speak as an expert in this area though considering I've never had anything like this happen to me. So I thought, what if it did happen to me? How would I feel? So then I remembered about that time Kobe straight out said he wanted to be traded and that's pretty much as close as you can get to the LeBron debacle.
I remember thinking to myself "What? No. Kobe... leaving? He couldn't. He wouldn't! He IS Laker basketball. Would he? Is this real?" I kind of felt like this - like I was very out of touch with reality. The idea was absolutely just too big for me to even fathom. Life without Kobe? Impossible. I told people there was no way it was happening, but there was still always a nagging feeling in the pit of my stomach yelling "But what if he does?"
What would LA do? Ha probably riot. How would fans react when he came back with Random Team X to face the Lake Show? Boo? Cheer? Riot again? I honestly do not have an answer to these questions. I still cannot imagine Kobe playing in any other uniform except the purple and gold.
But it happened to Cleveland.
I do know one actual diehard Cleveland fan and so one day I hope to ask him all about his thoughts and feelings on this whole situation and ultimately answer the one question on everyone's mind: is it the fact that he left? Or the fact that he did so in such an egotistical way? I really think it's the second one. And I hope Cleveland fans keep on booing LBJ every time he comes through Quicken Loans Arena. Make those signs, get as loud as you can, know that LeBron will always respond by dropping 40 on you, but never stop showing him that he's no longer boys with Ohio.
Will this create a rivalry between the Cavs and the Heat? I wouldn't go that far. There has to be some level of excitement basketball-wise in order for that to happen I think. The Cavs aren't that good right now so maybe in time, but for now it's The People vs. LeBron James. And you can bet that the people will not let this go lightly.
I still can't really speak as an expert in this area though considering I've never had anything like this happen to me. So I thought, what if it did happen to me? How would I feel? So then I remembered about that time Kobe straight out said he wanted to be traded and that's pretty much as close as you can get to the LeBron debacle.
I remember thinking to myself "What? No. Kobe... leaving? He couldn't. He wouldn't! He IS Laker basketball. Would he? Is this real?" I kind of felt like this - like I was very out of touch with reality. The idea was absolutely just too big for me to even fathom. Life without Kobe? Impossible. I told people there was no way it was happening, but there was still always a nagging feeling in the pit of my stomach yelling "But what if he does?"
What would LA do? Ha probably riot. How would fans react when he came back with Random Team X to face the Lake Show? Boo? Cheer? Riot again? I honestly do not have an answer to these questions. I still cannot imagine Kobe playing in any other uniform except the purple and gold.
But it happened to Cleveland.
I do know one actual diehard Cleveland fan and so one day I hope to ask him all about his thoughts and feelings on this whole situation and ultimately answer the one question on everyone's mind: is it the fact that he left? Or the fact that he did so in such an egotistical way? I really think it's the second one. And I hope Cleveland fans keep on booing LBJ every time he comes through Quicken Loans Arena. Make those signs, get as loud as you can, know that LeBron will always respond by dropping 40 on you, but never stop showing him that he's no longer boys with Ohio.
Will this create a rivalry between the Cavs and the Heat? I wouldn't go that far. There has to be some level of excitement basketball-wise in order for that to happen I think. The Cavs aren't that good right now so maybe in time, but for now it's The People vs. LeBron James. And you can bet that the people will not let this go lightly.
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