LeBron James: The Golden Boy No More
2010-07-08I got most of what I wanted to say about LeBron’s departure out of the way last night (I assumed he was leaving), so I don’t think I need to say all that much more here.
That said, here’s my post-decision LeBron piece for Pro Basketball Talk, which does cover some new ground about LeBron’s future.
Here’s the link: http://probasketballtalk.nbcsports.com/2010/07/lebron-james-the-golden-boy-no-more.php
Let me know what you guys think. I’ve gotta get to packing, because tomorrow morning I go to Vegas to cover the Summer League. It should be fun, so try and sleep well. This blog isn’t going anywhere, and I promise we’re going to continue having fun talking Cavs and talking basketball. Until tomorrow, everyone.
Funny how so many people are so angry that a selfish loser jerk voluntarily just left your town. Jealousy … how you rear your ugly head. If’s he’s such a HORRIBLE person who you want to “go tonya harding on” shouldn’t you all be REJOICING that now he’s gone holding you guys hostage? Talk about Hypocrisy. When owners shamelessly put a washed up old player out to pasture its “a business”, but when a player does the same, oh no! he overstepped his BOUNDS! HOW DARE HE! BURN THAT TRAITOR!! Please, it cuts both ways, Lebrons just the first athlete… Read more »
Someone needs to go Tonya Harding on him. Maybe that’ll humble him a little and show there is much more to human interaction and common decency than just focusing on yourself and your wh*re momma. The funny thing is, 4 weeks ago, I wouldn’t have blamed the guy for leaving or wanting to leave. I didn’t believe the press that he all he is is just an egotistical d*ck. But the way he turned this into a circus, what he did to Cleveland and the fans, was wrong in so many ways. Who acts this way? Justice never comes around… Read more »
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dpmAY059TTY
And on a side note, I’ve seen multiple Philly fans, Dallas fans, New York fans, fans from everywhere post here in the last 24 hours.
Still don’t think I’ve seen a Heat fan. Have fun in that empty arena LeBron. 2 months in, and the people on South beach won’t care anymore.
Nothing cracks me up more than LeBron apologists. It’s always the same line of “HE GAVE SEVEN YEARS OF HIS LIFE…BLOOD, SWEAT, TEARS blah blah blah.” Folks. He plays basketball. He got paid tens of millions of dollars TO PLAY BASKETBALL. Stop with this narrative about sacrificing and playing for “us.” Bullshit and you know it. He plays for himself. Only people who worship the ground he walks on believe otherwise. And just gtfo if yo uaren’t a Cleveland fan btw. Go start your own LeBron blog and leave us real fans alone. Still can’t get over Philadelphia fans who… Read more »
What all you “LeBron Fans” posting on here don’t realize is that its the means we’re pissed about, not the ends. He could have left for Miami a hundred different ways without shitting on his Cleveland fans the way he did and I would have been happy for him. Congressman James showed absolutely no grace, no hint of empathy, no awareness of anyone but himself throughout this entire process. No, he doesn’t owe Clevelanders anything, but the man is a public figure. He’s played in front of packed arenas for 7 years. He’s had unconditional loyalty from an entire city… Read more »
To each his own ….
Jon-You’re right. The mere presence of sports teams is a blessing. There’s no anguish or heartbreak at all when you have 3 (three!) sports teams. Thanks for providing some perspective. The next time we miss a championship because of a Drive, or a Mesa, I’ll just think, “man, how lucky am I to have two other professional sports teams to break my heart? I feel bad for all those people who don’t have a chance to see their hopes and dreams dashed.”
So, Patricia, Cleveland fans should ‘be ashamed of themselves’ for showing anger over the best player on their team bolting for greener pastures? So because he’s from Ohio, I should want him to be happy and do what’s best for him, regardless of the impact that has on others? So I should be happy for an Ohioan who wants to rob someone at gunpoint to satisfy a drug habit? He’s just doing what he thinks is best for him! And please. He’s given us seven years of his life. Like we took it from him or something. It wasn’t a… Read more »
Cleveland has 3 professional sports teams. You’re lucky. My entire home state has zero. LeBron doesn’t owe you anything. Stop crying.
I understand why! First when the owners locked out the players who got blamed! The player when ownership tells them not to come to work. Second, remember what happened to Shaq, Pippen and the Bulls. Owners throw players away daily but if it happens from the players point of view they’re cowards or betrayed the organization. It’s a business and that knife cuts both ways but the fallout only goes one way. The players are a one stop catch all. Jerry Buss took no heat for trading Shaq but should have. Kobe would not have 5 titles without Shaq! The… Read more »
thanks for sharing. twat.
Dear Dan, I meant to write you sooner but I just been busy You said your girlfriend’s pregnant now, how far along is she? Look, I’m really flattered you would call your daughter that and here’s an autograph for your brother, I wrote it on the Starter cap I’m sorry I didn’t see you at the show, I musta missed you Don’t think I did that shit intentionally just to diss you But what’s this shit you said about you like to cut your wrists too? I say that shit just clowning dog, c’mon – how fucked up is you?… Read more »
I want the Cleveland Cavaliers owner and all the fans who are carrying this hatred for Lebron to know that it will all blowup in their faces. The hatred that you wish on others, will come upon you. This man is a native Ohioan. How can you not want the best for him? How can you not want him to be happy? He has given you 7 long years of his, HIS life making you happy playing basketball to the best of his ability and this is the thanks he get? You all should be ashamed of yourselves. You don’t… Read more »
I gave up on LeBron when he was asked about his legacy in the wake of game 5 of the Celtics series, and he laughed it off. That was when I finally saw what an egomaniac he was. I think he honestly believes that whatever he wants, he’ll get. And because he’s blessed with a freak body type, and a fair amount of natural skill, and has worked (fairly) hard, to a certain extent that’s true. On the basketball court, he gets almost everything he wants. But off the court, he has no such power. Sure, millions upon millions of… Read more »
Dear Slim, you still ain’t called or wrote, I hope you have a chance I ain’t mad – I just think it’s FUCKED UP you don’t answer fans If you didn’t wanna talk to me outside your concert you didn’t have to, but you coulda signed an autograph for Matthew That’s my little brother man, he’s only six years old We waited in the blistering cold for you, four hours and you just said, “No.” That’s pretty shitty man – you’re like his fucking idol He wants to be just like you man, he likes you more than I do… Read more »
Rich,
Could you imagine Bosh and Veteran/D-Leaguer X trying to score on a frontline of Howard and Varejao? That would be awesome. In 24 hours I became Dwight Howard’s biggest fan. I don’t see how that Heat team can find a center on the budget market that can deal with him.
Scott, Exactly. Rather than thanking the fans for their support, loyalty (he probably wanted to avoid that word), etc, the emphasis seemed to be on what he’s done for us or given us over the last 7 years. That’s like your hot girlfriend breaking up with you for a 6’6 corporate lawyer and saying, “Hey, at least you got to have sex with me for the last 7 years. You should be grateful.” I’m actually looking forward to Bill Simmons’ inevitable The Decision Diary or something. I think he’ll tear him in ways Cleveland fans or Gilbert never could given… Read more »
Everyone who keeps talking about how LeBron didn’t have enough talent on this team, fine. For the sake of the arguement, I’ll give that to you. Let’s say it was time for LeBron to leave to win a title. The problem here is that he all but admitted to the world that he isn’t good enough to lead a team and instead has to be option B. That’s the real crime in this. He is totally selling his talents short in order to hop onto the back of a wagon to win a ring…at the age of 25???!?? Chasing rings… Read more »
Dear Slim, I wrote but you still ain’t callin I left my cell, my pager, and my home phone at the bottom I sent two letters back in autumn, you must not-a got him There probably was a problem at the post office or something Sometimes I scribble addresses too sloppy when I jot him but anyways; fuck it, what’s been up? Man how’s your daughter? My girlfriend’s pregnant too, I’m bout to be a father If I have a daughter, guess what I’ma call her? I’ma name her Bonnie I read about your Uncle Ronnie too I’m sorry I… Read more »
@ben tej
I agree. I’ve been through everything available twice now, and absent from anything James said last night was anything approaching a thanks to the Cleveland fans who had supported him. He mentions that it’s hard to leave, but follows that up by qualifying that it’s difficult because of all the labor and ‘blood, sweat and tears’ that he’d put into the team. I’ve yet to see a real evaluation of that ‘hour’ of television – of course I don’t expect to see one from ESPN.
LeBron can be accused of acting like a vain prima donna with the ESPN special and all that, but it’s not his fault if the team around him wasn’t good enough. His job is to play basketball. It’s the job of the GM and the owner’s wallet to get the players. If Danny Ferry did a poor job because he was trying to appease LeBron, that’s Danny Ferry’s fault.
I love how ESPN types are forgiving James’ actions based on some hollow words in his interview last night. You’re grateful to the Cavaliers organization? So that’s why you held them hostage the last two months pretending you weren’t going to leave? We should trust the words over the actions? These people are crazy.
I am a huge knicks fan from NY and i want to say Lebron got me soo pissed not only he’s not goin to NY but he aint staying in Cleveland…I hope he loves his life in Miami b/c 1 of the “3” will get hurt..hopefully lebron shatters a leg.. then there will be no championship in Miami…Miami Heat will be one of the most hated teams…and from a NY point of View I sure hope Lebron would get screwed making his decision to go to south beach…bad decision Lebron, bad decision!!
Lebron will not ever “WIN” a championship ring……. HE BOUGHT ONE with this move. Lebron might as well have gone to a pawn shop and bought one that way. Any ring he gets from this move will be no diffrent. He paid to be part of someother guys team so he could be all but guarented a ring. Cleveland also paid for this childmans ring. Scads of minimun wage workers jobs were used to bu Lebron any future ring. Families, fans and this town were used as his sacrifice to buy Lebron a ring. Because he lacked the Michel Jorden… Read more »
I posted this on the last thread, but its probably dead so I’ll re-do it here.
LeBron is no longer King James, and even Queen James, as an insult, is above him. Both of these titles suggest nobility, which LeBron has finally proven he does not have to any degree.
From now on, he is Congressmen James. That associates him with the right kind of low-lives.
Guys, the thing has been a sham for years. He was asked the question of whether or not they’ve been planning this, AND HE TOTALLY IGNORED IT. COuldn’t bring himself to answer and own up to what was obvious. Anyway, we need to trade our best players to contenders not named the Heat. My second favorite team for the next few years is going to be anyone playing the Heat in the playoffs. Ship Mo Williams to the Lakers. Ship Varejao to the Celtics. Ship Jamison to wherever. Do everything we can to make sure that joke does not win… Read more »
It’s impossible to be a verb, Eric.
To those saying Cavs’ management didn’t do enough to support Lebron — he was openly in favor of the big moves they made, at the time. And his caginess about his intentions — going back to before he signed his extension in 2005 — meant they could never build for the long-term, it was always about whatever short-term move would put them over the top and make Lebron happy. Yet in the end, he’d already made up his mind to leave in 2010 and never clued them in on it. Why shouldn’t Gilbert feel “betrayed?”
@Rob: Rich’s point, I think, is that if the Cavs had won a title, there’s simply no way Lebron could leave a DEFENDING CHAMPION to sign with another team for less money. That would be ridiculous. I’m not gonna say he intentionally tanked the Celtics series; but I do think knowing he planned to leave after the season made it easier for him to quit on his team when things got tough. And having watched every playoff game he’s ever played, I’m 100% convinced he quit.
(Okay, I’m trying again to post)
@Drew: I can accept him leaving. What I don’t respect is the classless way Lebron milked the opportunity for every ounce of self-promotion he could muster, over the past 3 years — that’s when he started openly hinting about wanting to play in NY (which we now know was just a tease). The ESPN special was obnoxious, but it goes back much further that.
Matt says Lebron, the 2 time MVP hasn’t been dominate.
I still do not see how they win. where is the bench
To anyone saying this hasn’t been in the works for a while, please read Bill Simmon’s article on ESPN.com. Here’s a link. http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=simmons/100708
Now that he mentions it, I do remember this rumor of a pact, and blow it off because it could never happen, should never happen, and because “LBJ would never do that to us”. Well, I was wrong. And yes Rich, they have been planning it since the Olympics. LeBron even mentioned that the three of them structured their contracts like this, to be able to bolt and sign together wherever they could.
The way he did this was wrong. I do not mind him leaving but he could have worked out a sign and trade with another team. There is nothing that says Cleveland had to sign him at max money. He could have signed lower and gave cleaveland the chance to work out a deal that would have brought back talent. The Timberwolves are dieing to trade Al Jefferson and Miami had to trade beasley. In the end Miami just gave away Beasley for nothing and Cleveland gets robbed
@Matt
And please, explain this to me: “Lebron had a much better chance to win rings in Cleveland”
As far as I can see, Cavs are at a deadend with regards to team improvement. Heat have a chance to do something special, and while it’s not a sure thing, it’s still a damn better chance than what he would’ve gotten in Cleveland.
@Matt
Really, you managed to notice MONEY with all the things I mentioned he gave up. Did you see I put there: Individual greatness. I also put there hometown love, as well as glory. It’s funny, everyone thinks basketball is a team sport, yet everyone is chastising him for doing the ultimate team move. Everyone’s saying, he’s hurting his legacy. Maybe it’s not about that for him. Maybe it’s about the team.
Lem, are you an idiot? He gave up money…..he is worth hundreds of millions of dollars, do you honestly think he gives two shits about 30 mil? After the non-existent FL income tax, that figure is way less. Wow….he is going to a team with the main player who helped win a title 4 years ago only. That isn’t saying much. Lebron had a much better chance to win rings in Cleveland……not Miami. I’m sorry, I don’t think think they are going to be that good. All three will need to play 44 minutes a night…..and by the time the… Read more »
Well, maybe after winning some in Miami he’ll come back at age 31
And how is Lebron the new Shaq? Shaq was dominant on 3 championship times last time I checked….Lebron hasn’t been dominant on any teams. It’s not like he is in his 2nd year……he has been here for 7 years now. He is halfway through his prime (might have 7 years left at this level)…..and has nothing to show for it.
Why is everyone comparing LeBron to Jordan? Didn’t he just do the ULTIMATE sacrifice: He gave up individual greatness, he gave up money, he gave up the glory of winning in Cleveland or New York, he gave up his hometown, just for the opportunity to win multiple titles. So maybe he ain’t MJ. But last time I checked, the pinnacle of NBA success is the number of rings you win… LeBron gave himself the chance to do just that. Everything else: LeBron quitting the ORL series, quitting the BOS series, the ‘pact’, is all speculation and cannot be proven. But… Read more »
Rich, good point in your first post, last paragraph. That’s why Kobe has 5 rings (and probably 6, 7, 8 rather soon). Lebron has 0. That’s why I don’t ever want to hear again how “let’s compare Kobe and Lebron.” There is no comparison, bottom fucking line. There NEVER has been. You are comparing a Mamba to a harmless grass snake……a stuffed animal snake. Lebron can’t hold Kobe’s jock. Period. End of story. You guys were die hard fans and fought for him because he was a local boy…..but those who know basketball knew this was never even a serious… Read more »
My tea’s gone cold I’m wondering why I got out of bed at all
Morning rainclouds fill my window, but I can’t see at all
And even if I could it would all be grey, but your picture on my wall…
It reminds me that it’s not so bad, not so bad…
Wow. Don’t even compare what LeBron did last night to Kobe complaining back in 2007. The Cavs did everything they could to “appease” LeBron. Most of the guys they picked up were approved by him anyways! Based on his words and actions: personally talking about Cleveland’s sports history and how he wanted to change it, and continually pushing the Cavs to pick up guys to help him win (an in the process, putting the Cavs in a tough financial situation should he decide to leave); this is totally different than Kobe’s B&Ming back in 2007. Effing Chris Mihm, Smush Parker,… Read more »
most cleveland fans are upset with the decision, which is understandable. but lebron didn’t say or do anything that should ruin his reputation, so the hateful words need to stop. he came off as very respectable on the ESPN special, and that’s probably because i have no team bias with his decision (i’m from L.A.). you swear that he “gave up” during the playoffs, and that his supporting cast wasn’t bad. but if that was the case, his supporting cast should have stepped up and took over (look at the lakers cast during the finals, kobe was m.i.a. in games… Read more »
No, Rich is right. This thing has been in the works for years. -They signed all these contracts to opt out at the same time. -This was reported by Bill Simmons first, then others hinted at it, but there was a pact made by Bosh, Bron, and Wade (along with CP3) that the three players would find a way to play on the same team. -Pat Riley starts selling off any and all players, wasting two years of Wade’s prime. At the time, we all thought it was stupid. Now? Now, it seems like Riley knew what was up. -Right… Read more »
i agree with the notion that lebron was going to leave this whole time. plan all along was sign the short extension with the opt-out and get paid some, then try to play with wade/bosh. i don’t think he threw the game.
i also think he was injured, much has been written about why he sat out the last week of the season when NO TEAM ever does that. they may sit a player for a game or cut down minutes but not dressing for a week is something that is just not done unless they were hiding an injury.
All I know is being a Bengal fan from Cincinnait and going to a Bengal/Browns game in Cleveland and getting dog buscuits thrown at me the whole time while security guys act like they don’t see this going on means one thing. Karma. Go Heat!
LeBron’s supporting casting is also better in Cleveland than those Miami goons. Bosh is horribly overrated who is outclassed by Varejao in almost every category except scoring. And Mo Williams, Shaq, Jamison, Anthony Parker, Jamario Moon and Delonte West are a whole lot better when combined than Wade and Chalmers. It was Lebrons attitude that caused them to lose, not the supporting cast he blamed. Lebron is a horrendous leader and a ballhog. Look at the 2008 Olympics. King Douche declared himself the leader of the team, when what every player talked about the whole time was how hard Kobe… Read more »
I haven’t posted in forever because the loss to the Celtics really hurt. I can’t even wear my Cavs hat. I feel terrible for Cleveland and guys who I’ve come to like on the Cavs. But my god Rich. Conspiracy theory? That’s one of the dumbest things I’ve read. Remember that quote that leaked, I believe in a story that had LeBron leaned towards Miami: Re-signing with the Cavs and being “31 years old, bad knees, and no title.” I believe LeBron looked at the roster, the above-average but retread coach and a rookie GM who’s never made a basketball… Read more »
Also, my problem is much more with the decision than with the process. Yes, the special was annoying and callous. But the media has been leading up to this for two years. It was always going to be a giant and painful spectacle no matter how LeBron handled it.
As a huge Lakers fan, I used to go on this site all the time to get me fired up because the columns were biased and I left my share of anti-Lebron and site flaming comments but Cavs fans don’t deserve that douche.
LeBron is a disloyal, backstabbing, egomaniac, quitting, born loser who deserves a career ending injury.
Same goes along with Bosh and Wade, they’re all tremendous cowards
How is running Shaq out of town because of your ego, and then threatining to leave if they don’t get other players the tough way? It’s no different
Excellent piece, John. I don’t know if I can really be mad at LeBron. I can see and understand the logic behind his decision. But I am incredibly disappointed, and emotionally gutted. Mostly by the revelation that he is no different from most everything else in this world: egoistic, unloving, unloyal, soulless. In many ways he took the conventional path, the one he was molded to take. Why couldn’t he have been just a little different? Why should it be less impressive, less revered, less profitable, to simply keep striving on behalf of the community that has embraced you –… Read more »
What would him not coming back next season have anything to do with that playoff game? Why would he not want to get his hometown a championship before he left? It doesn’t add up. I think he was injured.
Hey. Orlando Magic fan here.
Lebron is the new Shaq. He’s chasing dreams. Don’t miss Lebron. His focus is on himself even if his words say they are on basketball. Lebron’s only hurting himself. He’ll be successful but you didn’t just see Lebron leave Cleveland, you probably just saw any resemblance of a Jordan worthy career leave also.
hey John. I wrote a reaction piece that touched on a lot of the same things yours did, particularly the public’s reception of this new narrative James has undertaken, and its historical impact. A link if you’re interested:
http://weaponsgradeennui.wordpress.com/2010/07/09/suzerain/
I’ve enjoyed your sane, balanced writing during this circus. I doubt whoever writes the Heat blog (they do have a guy that handles that, right) will bring your insight.
I am a die-hard Lakers fan and a former LeBron fan up until his mistake earlier tonight.
I feel for you Cleveland fans – that was just plain dirty. Here is to you building a team to sweep Miami out of the playoffs every year from here on out until LBJ retires. Cheers.
Here’s the difference Dave (admittedly, I’ve killed Kobe for running Shaq out of town, I still will), LeBron took the EASY route. Kobe, by running Shaq out and the nstaying on a crappy team, which was his own doing, did it the HARD way.
I think they both made massive mistakes, but I can at least respect Kobe for having the nuts to do it the tough way.
I tried to go to bed 3 hours ago. Of course I can’t sleep, and I am instead compulsively checking espn, si, nba, and cavs: the blog. I literally have no idea what to do with my life right now.
Rich, I get your point about how great it is that Kobe wants to beat the best, but I disagree. First of all, when Kobe wanted Shaq off the team so he could be the alpha dog and win on his own, everybody bashed him for being selfish. Now that LeBron may be abdicating his alpha dog stature so he can win, everybody is bashing him. Clearly those were different situations, but it is still true that in one case a player was despised for wanting to win individually but in another case a player is despised for wanting to… Read more »
Rich: Not ready to buy in to the conspiracy theory completely, but from his attitude tonight, I don’t doubt that he was thinking of getting out after this season.
JR, I’m not so sure this Wade thing wasn’t totally set-up. All of it.
BTW, in case no one has figured it out yet (the LeBron fan boys), HE SET THIS SHIT UP. It’s now coming out that this has been in the works for YEARS. Think about that, and then go look back at the Celtics series again. Really look long and hard. I said it here after game 2 that something wasn’t right. We saw it in game 5 come to it’s fruition. It was his out. An early exit from the playoffs was his way out of Cleveland. If he wins a title, he can’t leave. I know most people will… Read more »
Bingo. Great point by Rich in last paragraph. Also, don’t spew out s*** about “not a betrayal”. Who was the guy who cited all of Cleveland’s sports history disasters saying he would be the one to change all that?
Dan, that’s all fine. But do you do it to your hometown in this way, when your hometown is as emotionally invested in you as NE Ohio was in LeBron? he had no class, no consideration, no nothing. He had an hour to make his case and he came off like a prick. The Cavs management did everything they could do. Miami refused to commit to Wade and it paid off. Gilbert’s response may be a little immature but I understand it completely. Hopefully he can find players with more character.
Omfg, if I have to read another person excusing LeBron I’m gonna throw up. Are you people blinde. Do you not see this shit was set up for years? There was no putting a good team around LeBron because he didn’t want one. HE ALWAYS WANTED OUT. He literally quit, at home, game 5, of the biggest game of his life (yea, that’s right, it was). The year i nwhich the cavs had the most overall talent and depth, and when EVERYONE was picking them to win (so funny how people knock the rsoter now, but back when the playoffs… Read more »
Not a fan of this piece. Seriously, what if Lebron had been drafted by a different team? Would he somehow be obligated to return to Cleveland to seek out a title “for his home?” What about Paul Pierce? Is he a lesser player for beating the Lakers in the 2008 finals when he is from LA in the first place? When Lebron was drafted, he signed a contract. Later, he signed an extension. The contract was not to play for Cleveland for the entirety of his career, nor was it to somehow obliterate the other talented teams in the East/West… Read more »
John you are a great writer. No matter what happens this year I’m glad you’ll be following it and discussing it with us. Nice article.
Great post-decision piece. It’ll be tough but the city of Cleveland will rebound.