Before going on, I have something to confess. It's tough to admit, and I know my mama and my sister will be ashamed of me, but I'm just not a LeBron hater. Don't get me wrong here, there are things about him that I don't like, sure. Is he confident to the point of arrogant? Yep. Does that somehow mean he's not the most dominant player in the league today? Nope. Maybe a healthy Kobe Bryant could make his case, and Kevin Durant certainly can state his case, provided, ya know, he ever deliver in the post season. And of course, I'd obviously take a complete team like the Spurs over a team that is James and a bench full of scrubs. But if everyone were honest, James is obviously the most dominant player in the NBA.
Sure, James got his rings by colluding to be part of a super team with other team-carrying stars like Bosh and Wade, but there's no mistaking it: James was the guy. He was the leader of that time, no matter how much people might like Wade over James. Bosh stepped up in the post season each year, but by the end, he was a shell of himself. As badly outmatched as the Heat were in the Finals against San Antonio, they were only there because of James. He carried that team. And why is James singled out for going to a team with more talent? What great team didn't have a multitude of incredible talent? Certainly not the Bulls, nor the Lakers, nor the Celtics. Also, how come Shaq never got hate for going to a team with a true number one?
Fact is, LeBron was unjustly criticized for his actual decision, almost in lieu of legitimate criticism of The Decision program. Of course, James rightfully deserves any and all criticism for his handling of announcing the decision. It was completely unprofessional and immature. However, one can't use that as justification for Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert. James was what? 25-ish years old? When it comes to athletes, we tend to expect a lot out of them behavior-wise. It's very easy to forget that sports is really a young person's industry, where the cream of the crop are in their early to mid twenties. And while they're often far more mature and professional than many, they're still basically kids. James brought criticism upon himself for the way he announced his decision, and sure it says something about his arrogance that he conducted it that way, but it's also important to keep in perspective that he was a young man who had an entire city's sports dreams thrown on him fresh out of high school. And he nearly delivered entirely by himself.
But Gilbert's reaction? He wrote a scathing letter and posted it online for the world to see. And the crazy thing is, he only just took it down the other day when he thought he could possibly woo James back to his team! If you haven't read it and you think he should go back to Cleveland, you really should check it out.
"As you now know, our former hero, who grew up in the very region he deserted this evening, is no longer a Cleveland Cavalier."
So he's already acknowledging James as a thing of the past, but also, this is more than criticism of The Decision, but an unreasonable attack on his actual decision itself. James did not desert Cleveland any more than Julius Peppers deserted North Carolina to play for the Chicago Bears. The fact is, James is not required to stay in Cleveland his entire career. Yes, the idea of the hometown hero staying put for a career and possibly bringing glory to his homeland is a compelling one, but athletes aren't slaves or indentured servants. They are and should be allowed to seek new experiences and opportunities and environments. James obviously felt Cleveland wasn't the right environment (frankly, rightfully so). He is under no obligation to spend his entire life in Cleveland. This is a completely unfair attack on James's decision to leave Ohio.
"This was announced with a several day, narcissistic, self-promotional culminating with a national TV special of 'his' decision..."
At this point, his legitimate, reasonable, and understandable criticism of James's announcement turns into a personal attack on his character. Did James really behave in a more narcissistic manner than Dan Gilbert did with his letter? And really, is there anything more narcissistic than owning a professional sports team in one of America's big three sports? Gilbert has been nothing but narcissistic as an owner. Just look at his role in the last NBA lock out! The thing is, his unmerited personal attack undermines his legitimate criticism.
"...the ownership team and the rest of the hard-working, loyal, and driven staff here at your hometown Cavaliers have not betrayed you, nor NEVER will betray you."
I understand emotions were at a high, but how can anyone possibly defend this kind of attack primarily because a player leaves your team? And speaking of betrayal, why should Cavs fans have any more faith in Gilbert? Gilbert rode James's coat tails for seven years before James finally had enough of a mediocre team built around him while the owner asks him to carry them. Gilbert is every bit as responsible for James's leaving as James himself. Perhaps if Gilbert actually did something to really build a team, rather than just throwing random dudes on the court and expecting too much of his star... And I don't care how much you hate LeBron James, no one can ever say he's not hard-working. It's understandable that Cavs fans would feel emotional in the aftermath of James's departure, but c'mon. He gave you seven years where, frankly, your team overachieved solely because of him. Why is that being completely and utterly ignored here?
"You simply don't deserve this kind of cowardly betrayal."
They also don't deserve Dan Gilbert as their owner. Also, this is sports. What exactly was cowardly about his decision to leave? What? It's his fault that Pat Riley had built a better team than Gilbert and company? Grow up.
He then goes on to guarantee a title. It's safe to assume that he meant for Cleveland and not LeBron, but well, we know how it went. James went on to appear in four straight championships while Cleveland has gone right back to being totally forgettable.
Basic point here is, Dan Gilbert was almost 50 years old and was the head of a major company. He is the top of the chain. James erred with his TV special, but this behavior from the owner is completely unacceptable. Given that Gilbert has also fought against player-rights in the bargaining agreement discussions, I've got to say, why would anyone want to play for a guy like that? Gilbert isn't overtly racist like Clippers owner Donald Sterling, but there is something to be said about an owner who views his players as "his property" and that they owe it to him to stay put. If Gilbert wanted James to stay, he should have spent those seven years he already had doing more to build a championship-caliber squad. He didn't. James left because of it.
Even more were the hordes of angry fans who threw all of their LeBron gear onto pyres. I don't want to make too much of an association with race here, but I can't help but notice that more often than not, these events wind up being angry white people burning the jerseys of black players. (Not suggesting black people don't participate in this as well, but, well, I've watched a lot of those videos and there is a pretty clear common denominator.) It's not even to say that they never burn the jerseys of white players as well. (See Matt Schaub jerseys being burned to a crisp during his tumultuous season.)
However, given, ya know, social history of this nation, the fact that so many people are burning jerseys of their former favorite athletes - an industry predominantly made up of black and other minority players - is almost harrowing to watch. I understand that presumably, most fans don't mean anything by it. They're just upset that their favorite athlete on their team left. It's even worse when they go to a rival team. But it's hard to remove the racial connections from it. It's such a drastic overreaction and burning anything - a jersey, a flag, a cross - is such a powerful and hateful symbol.
When you look back at the owner's response to James's departure, and when you look at the fans' reaction, why would James want to go back there? The people of Cleveland almost literally burnt that bridge, and certainly their owner should not be rewarded for his even more narcissistic and immature behavior. I'm sorry, but suddenly pandering to James because you realize he may consider returning to your team if you offer a sweet enough deal shows just how entitled Gilbert feels. He clearly feels that as long as he puts enough money on the table or offers to give James whatever he wants, James should come back.
And if James decides to either stay in Miami or head somewhere else? What will Gilbert's reaction be? I shutter to imagine. I just hope that his next hate letter isn't written in Comic Sans.
All this comes down to the simple fact that no matter what contract an athlete signs, s/he is not actually property. These athletes don't "belong" to anyone. Maybe the rights to speak with them about contract negotiations do, but the player his or herself do not. Dan Gilbert obviously does not think this is the case. His attempts to lure James back to Cleveland are shallow and callous.
But no matter how big a hater you may be of LeBron James, certainly everyone can agree that if LeBron is expected to have some archaic sense of honor, then surely Gilbert should be expected to as well, yes?
As for going to the team that gives him the most likely shot at winning titles: what exactly is wrong with that? Here in New England, it's funny hearing Celtics fans bash James for doing that while Patriots fans are stoked to have Darrelle Revis, who clearly chose New England because they are perennial Super Bowl favorites. And frankly, what truly great team didn't have multiple top-tier talent? Are we supposed to think less of Randy Moss for coming to New England in 2007? Or what about Jarome Iginla coming to the Bruins in 2013 (of which his contract stated the Flames could not trade him without his permission, and he gave them a list of four teams he would be willing to be traded too - all teams having won the Stanley Cup in the past four years). So why all the hate for James?
I suspect it's that we culturally have gravitated towards "hatin'" as a community activity. The "cool kids" don't like the popular things. At the end of the day, LeBron James is indisputably one of the greatest pure talents the NBA has ever seen. I'm not saying he's the best ever, but he's among the best. It's a little sad to see that so many people would rather tear down greatness than soak it up and enjoy it.
James has made mistakes, to be sure. But he's done far less than Dan Gilbert and Cleveland fans have. He shouldn't reward them. If this is ultimately about "responsibility," then Gilbert and Cavs fans should have to accept responsibility for their actions.
He shouldn't stay in Miami, but he sure as hell should not return to the land that did everything they could to burn that bridge ten-fold.
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