I really feel for Cleveland- which is something I never thought possible after the whole Izzo courtship. But in going through the Izzo ordeal it helped me feel what life could possibly be like without our beloved coach- and it sucked a whole hell of a lot. The future looked bright, as long as Izzo stayed. Without him…everything would feel dark. Hope just wouldn't seem possible. I’m imagining the entire city of Cleveland today is feeling covered by a blanket of despair, loss, and hopelessness. And, sadly, it was LeBron that brought that blanket and tucked them all in with it last night.
I know there’s a lot of backlash about LeBron’s special last night (how it’s not good for sports, journalism), but how does a decent human being go through with something like that? Obviously LeBron was going to hurt three cities last night. Only one of them was going to get him, so there was going to be more disappointment than excitement going around. But being a Cleveland native, he had to have understood what he meant to Cleveland, right? I mean, New York and Chicago, in a day, or a week, they’ll have moved on. But Cleveland? That city’s sports fan base is absolutely destroyed. LeBron used a charity as a front (wow, what a great guy) to announce to Cleveland that he doesn’t want to win with them. He broke up with Cleveland in the most publicly humiliating way possible- on television, with a smile, for a prettier girl.
I should hate Cleveland. The Izzo wooing is fresh in my mind. The Cavaliers taking out our Pistons en-route to the NBA Finals- oh I remember. And yes, all the way back to the late-90s when the Indians took out my beloved Orioles in the ALCS. You deserve a giant fuck-you from me.
But I’ll save it for the next time you do something to make me hate you. I cannot believe the number of people that say that Cleveland should just “get over” LeBron, that LeBron made the Cavs into something great, that he gave seven years to Cleveland that they should all be grateful for. What? Think about what that area has for a second. A football team in the Cleveland Browns that has had two of the most historic playoff collapses, was moved from the city, and has been Lions-like since returning. A baseball team that once played in a stadium dubbed “Mistake by the Lake”, that is watching its best homegrown talent (CC Sabathia, Cliff Lee, Brandon Phillips, Manny Ramirez, Jim Thome, Victor Martinez, to name a few) play for other teams, that had its hearts ripped out in the 97’ World Series, and hasn’t won anything in over 60 years. A basketball team, whose franchise highlight reel before LeBron James came consisted of Jordan’s shot over Ehlo on a continuous loop, was best known for having that super tall white guy Shawn Bradley on it. Can you imagine if Detroit had the same type of futility? We have a blessed sports city in Detroit, and an overall blessed sports state.
The one thing Cleveland did have was LeBron. And he’s gone, without seemingly caring a bit about the fans and public of Cleveland. And people think they’re going to get over it quickly? Cleveland has nothing. Nothing. Absolutely nothing. Not even hope. Think about that.
I think that’s why Dan Gilbert came out with the letter he did. He is both angry and bitter at James, but more than anything he sounds frustrated. It seems as if Gilbert did everything in his power- from new facilities, allowing James’ entourage on the team plane, allowing James a personal masseuse, to hiring one of his friends- to accommodate and please James. It all wasn’t enough. He gave everything and was scorned. This, in a way, makes his letter almost like the voice of Cleveland. He gets what James meant, but like all the fans, he understands what the city and team gave. And he vented, on behalf of all of Cleveland.
Let the dark years of Cleveland sports begin (continue?). Not only is there no team close to a championship, there’s not even a team close to the playoffs. In fact, there’s probably not a team that will be close to .500 in the next few years. It’s sad, and I feel for you, Cleveland. I would be depressed, too.
~Mikey D
PS~ There was one line from Dan Gilbert’s letter that caught my eye. In it, Gilbert referred to James’ TV special and decision as a “shameful display of selfishness and betrayal by one of our very own”. Isn’t it ironic that Spartan fans felt the same about Gilbert just a few short weeks ago?
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3 comments:
Yes, I feel bad for any city that hasn't felt success in any sport for such a long time. And that was a pretty shitty way to announce his decision to the teams involved. Towards the end of the broadcast, they said he had another announcement. I was shocked that the announcement consisted of "we're donating the proceeds from all of the advertising to the B&GC..." and that was it. HE isn't going to donate ANYTHING (at this time)?? We already knew that they were doing that - they said that the day before.
I think I strongly disagree with you on Gilbert's response. I think he was completely out of line and unprofessional. If I'm an NBA FA, I am thinking twice about going to an organization that would bury their star player so publicly. That announcement should have reassured fans that they are still committed to fielding a championship team and that they all need to move on from this. He went too far.
If anything it showed that Gilbert cares too much, which isn't a bad thing. From all indications it sounds like Gilbert was dicked over by LeBron. I mean LeBron didn't even return a single phone call or text from the Cavs since the day the season ended. Seriously? The guy who's paid your salary for the last seven years you can't call back?
He felt he was wronged during the situation. The whole city did. Gilbert spoke out, and really he's the only one whose voice matters in that town. I'm glad he did, because otherwise Cleveland would have been forgotten about 20 mins after LeBron's announcement.
If I'm an NBA FA, I see an owner who is loyal to his city, his team, and his players. I would respect that. Gilbert is someone I would play for in a heartbeat because I know he'd have my back.
I'm pretty confident that are some things that have not come out publicly about LeBron and Gilbert that might have also triggered Gilbert's reaction. There's seems to be much more to their relationship and the story than we know.
Everything will be alright in the end
If it's not alright,
Then it's not the end.
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