Hail to The King
Jul 19, 2010
If you’re a sports fan in South Florida, you probably think LeBron James and the Miami Heat are the best things since sliced bread. If you’re a sports fan anywhere else, you probably hate them just about as much as non-New Yorkers hate the Yankees. LeBron’s recent decision to leave his hometown team, the Cleveland Cavaliers, has resulted in bitter backlash against perhaps the biggest name in the NBA. After the announcement was made, Cavs fans set fire to LeBron’s jersey and threw rocks at his ten-story billboard…and it’s only gotten worse from there. This is a drastic change in public opinion. Since entering the NBA as the No. 1 draft pick in 2003, LeBron has consistently been widely admired not only for his athletic abilities and accomplishments, but also for his character and the manner in which he conducts himself. If you know anything about the NBA, this certainly can’t be said for a lot of the other players in the league.
Since I am a sports fan in South Florida, I am happy to see LeBron join the Miami Heat. But as much as I would love to see Lebron, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh bring a NBA championship back to Miami, I have other reasons for supporting LeBron and his decision to leave Cleveland. Why? Because it was a carefully calculated business decision. Nothing more. Nothing less. According to LeBron, the Heat made him an offer he couldn’t refuse, saying he believed leaving the Cavs was the only way he could fulfill his dream of winning a championship. He actually walked away from $30 million by NOT signing with the Cavs. How can you fault him for that?!
Many people – Cleveland residents, Cavs fans and Cavs owner Dan Gilbert in particular – are making it personal and accusing LeBron of deserting them. (Gilbert was actually fined $100,000 by NBA Commissioner David Stern for the rude and inappropriate comments he made about LeBron in an open letter on the team’s website.) Overnight, it seems that the Miami Heat has become the most hated team in the league thanks to LeBron. That’s ludicrous. Why on earth would LeBron choose to leave his hometown team if not for sound business reasons? Wouldn’t it have been easier (and perhaps more lucrative and personally fulfilling) for him to stay put in Cleveland? In LeBron’s own words, “At the end of the day, I feel awful. I feel even worse that I wasn’t able to bring an NBA championship to [Cleveland.] I never wanted to leave Cleveland. My heart will always be around that area.” Doesn’t sound like a guy who’s trying to be an inconsiderate jerk to me – quite the opposite in fact.
Do I agree with LeBron’s decision to announce his decision in an hour-long national ESPN special? (He actually used the program to raise money for the woefully underfunded Boys and Girls Clubs of America.) Perhaps in hindsight that wasn’t the right move. It did come off as a bit insensitive and self-serving, especially considering how devastating the announcement was to the Cavs and the city of Cleveland. But does that mean it was the wrong decision? Absolutely not. LeBron put in seven years with the Cavs. He brought innumerable dollars and joy to the city itself during that time. How can you have anything but the upmost respect and admiration for someone like that, both from a professional AND personal standpoint??
So, welcome to Miami, LeBron. I’m looking forward to seeing great things from you in the future, not the least of which is a championship. Just remember that the reason the Yankees are so hated is because they are the undisputed leaders of MLB and have been for years. Apply the same logic to your arrival in Miami, and it suddenly doesn’t seem like such a bad thing.
LINKS:
NBCSports.com – Superstar trio: LeBron joining Wade, Bosh
ESPN.com – LeBron leaves Cavs with limited options
I agree that LeBron has every right to choose where he wants to play . He gave Cleveland
six years and no doubt brought in many dollars for the team. Championship or no championship. The announcement special on the other hand was dumb. He should have just announced where he was going to play like many of the other great players who switched teams recently. LeBron isn’t a god, he is just a basketball player. Granted better than many but I personally thought he could have been a little more humble. I think that lack of humility and the air of self importance did more to fuel the hatred than anything.
I do wish the Heat luck, and hope they win with the new team. Just a thought that a Championship isn’t won by any one (or three) players but a whole team who refuses to be beaten. Emotion is the most important member of any winning team.
Very well article I agree totally!!! Fellow South Floridian really apperciate the article
It is a business.
And you can’t blame Cleveland fans for taking it personal. They really don’t have that much to cheer for. No NHL team, no MLS team, no MLB team and the Browns on the NFL are not particularly that great. The Cavs were their jewel and LeBron was their diamond.
Goodluck to the Heats. Last time they embarrassed Dallas in 2006 by beating them 4 straight games after 2 wins by the Mavs.
But in all honesty who wouldn’t want to play for a NBA team in the south. Nothing beats warm weather, especially near water.
Beyond the fact that it was a great business move, Lebron’s move to Miami ultimately proved that Lebron is a failed leader…point blank.
He had 7 years to get a championship and prove that he was the NBA’s MVP…yet he failed.
Instead of sticking it out in Cleveland or moving onto a team where he could prove his leadership and MVP status, he made the decision to sign with a team that has a proven leader in Wade and pretty much relinquish command as commandant on the court. It was obvious Lebron and his team mates quit on the court this past playoffs. He showed his true character on the court, where it really matters.
Simply put, Lebron moving to South Beach is the ultimate bitch move.
Miami will win a championship or three…and i’ll be there cheering them on, but my respect for Mr. James has gone out the window.
JZ,
Probably too late to the party to comment on King James playing for the Miami Heat, but I (like many other Heat fans) have my own take on it and some parts reside well with yours, while other parts I can’t help but disagree with.
For the record, I respect your views and opinions but as mentioend before there are some parts I totally disagree with. Two mainly, the first being the “admirable” thing he did by walking away from a cool $30 dollars presented to him as a attempt to not have him go to the Miami Heat (which I agree, was the best choice for him). That money is nothing he actually lost since his sponsers (cough, Nike) will quickly make up for anything he lost in no time. Plus, the fact that by joining the Miami Heat, Lebron James won’t lose any money due to taxes unlike practically every other NBA team out there. So while some may say he walked away from 30 million, I’m more likely to believe he knew he’d get that 30 million back and then some.
Ok, now the second one I am more peeved at he fact Lebron James and his PR team (who are just close HS friends of his if I recall correctly) decided that a single decesion which required a mere 15 seconds to tell took over an hour. However, the fact that it was done solely to benefit the Boys and Girls Club, I’m more in favor of this being a plus rather then a minus, but I just hope other sports superstars don’t take advantage of this unless they devote a large sum of $$$ to benefit a noteworthy organization. Yes, I’m talking to you T.O.
Reason why is because i think a large fact of as to why NBA fans, athletes, legends, and the mail man are so upset with Lebron James is because of the fact that based on the location, time slot, and approach he used to announce his decesion, it all lead to a wrongful assumption he would stay, and who could blame him. If Dwyane Wade did the same stint at the American Airlines Arena, a place so personal to him and his fans, only to announce he would move to Chicago to play for the Bulls, there would be riots all around.
So good intentions for the charity (wish more stars did this, Farve could have raised a fortune by this method) but bad setup of dropping the announcement.
Ok, now with that out of the way let me just say that I, like many other Heat fans, am excited to see the dream team come to South Florida. Look, Lebron James tried with the Cavs and it didn’t work. As you perfectly said yourself JZ, the Heat made him an offer he couldn’t refuse and that was to win a championship (or two, three, etc.) and go down in the book of Legends along side of Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, and more. Oh and speaking of those legends, the one’s whom side with the Cavs and claim Lebron James made a bad decesion, it’s really unfair to say that considering oh…I dunno, YOU ALREADY HAVE A RING!
Lebron feels bad, believe me…you can tell in every statement he has released since following his decesion but the guy is entitled to a championship ring and this is the best way he can do so with the Miami Heat. Because when all is said and done he isn’t going to be remembered for that $30 million he made when he retires and takes a page from Jordan to endorse men’s underwear, but instead for the championship ring(s) he earned with a solid team beside him.
So in the end, yes…I am finally done with my post, I’m happy with Lebron’s choice but feel certain things could have been done better. Oh, and for those who claim to never like Lebron James again and think it’s cool to turn your back on a guy who’s out to chase a dream. Remember how when Kobe first started and he was hated (to some people still is), but after time and some championship rings people began to sing a different tune. Expect the same.
- 1oddgent