Jackson Free Press

LeBron James, Dwayne Wade, and Chris Bosh have decided to bring together their talents in Miami. The city of Cleveland, including Cavs owner Dan Gilbert, is heartbroken. Gilbert fired off such personal invective that I doubt LeBron James will ever consider returning to the Cavs, when his Heat contract expires.

The biggest disappointment for me is that it's Miami. If you believe in fairness in these things, that city just doesn't deserve it. Miami's a notoriously bad sports town. Even when the Marlins were winning World Series, they could hardly sell out. When the University of Miami's football team or the Miami Dolphins drop in the win column, so does the interest of their fans.

It's a city that, for better or worse, will ignore you unless you win big. And, if you win big, they ignore you anyway.

The enthusiasm of Cleveland fans has been disproportionate to the success of its franchises. Their title hopes in the 1990s were squashed by Michael Jordan's Bulls teams. The Cleveland Indians held the MLB sellout record, at 455 games, between 2001, the end of the streak, and 2008, when Boston surpassed them. The Indians have three AL Penants, since winning their last World Series in 1948. When the Cavaliers won the lottery seven years ago, and the Akron-based "chosen one" was available, divine providence seemed to have rewarded their enduring faith.

Unfortunately, fairness has nothing to do with it. Miami freed up the cap space, and Dwayne Wade went out and convinced his Olympic teammates to join him in South Beach. What might define Wade's career is his willingness to "kiss the ring" of the ringless king. James made a spectacle of his decision, making his decision to abandon Cleveland all the more embarrassing and emphatic. Clearly, James's ego far outweighs his production to this point, and the chemistry in Miami will depend on whether Bosh and Wade, and the entire Heats organization, are able to placate him.

Previous Comments

ID

158570

Comment

I can't wait until the Heat playes the Cavs in Cleveland. LeBron better fake an illness or an injury because he's going to get a homecoming that itsn't all that welcoming.

Author

golden eagle

Date

2010-07-12T11:40:38-06:00

ID

158718

Comment

I agree with Michael Jordan and Charles Barkley that you don't leave your team to join up with other great players if you really consider yourself the best, you let others come to play with you. Lebron should have been trying to figure out how to beat Wade, Bosh, Bryant et al, not joining up with them. To be the best, you have to beat the best - not join them. Lebron is a cissy-boy and I hope Miami never wins a championship with him there.

Author

Walt

Date

2010-07-19T17:23:19-06:00

ID

158723

Comment

By the way, I was in the Big Apple or Big Onion as I prefer to call it when Lebron decided to go to Miami instead of staying in Cleveland or going to New York. I admit I wanted him to go to the New York Knicks which hasn't had a decent tram since the days of Patrick Ewings. I still hate the City of New York. I just can't stand all those people, skyscrapers, concrete and everythang. I can't understand why any right thinking Mississippian would leave all we have here in Mississippi for that. Why leave things like the woods, dirt roads, old trucks, snuff dippers, 'bacco chewing, the southern drawl, football, virtuous and un-spoiled women, et al, for New York. I'm never going back again. I simply can't like the place.

Author

Walt

Date

2010-07-19T17:45:30-06:00