Image Credit: Sara De Boer/Retna LtdImagine you’re a Cleveland sports fan. Your teams, the football Browns, baseball Indians and basketball Cavaliers are notorious losers. So much so that the city hasn’t boasted a champion in 46 years. But you’ve had LeBron James, the two-time reigning NBA MVP, who was raised in nearby Akron and is a beacon of hope for the future. With him in a Cavaliers uniform, Cleveland is a perennial championship contender. Without him, the Cavs become basketball purgatory, an outpost for has-beens and never-will-be’s.
After seven seasons with the Cavaliers, James is currently a free-agent, able to sign with any team in the league. For the last week, billionaire owners have humbly payed homage to King James at his court in Cleveland in an attempt to recruit the 25-year-old star to their teams. ESPN and James’ representatives have agreed to a one-hour TV special on Thursday night that will culminate in James’ breathlessly anticipated decision.
So I have to ask, C-Towners: Will you be watching tomorrow night when James saves or submarines your sports dreams? Are you confident enough to wear your vintage James high-school jersey to the local pub, poised to celebrate that hometown loyalty reigned supreme, or does the thought of seeing James smile while he dons a Miami Heat hat (or Chicago Bulls or New York Knicks chapeau) have the potential to be as scarring as the Zapruder film? At about 9:59 PM tomorrow night, the streets of Cleveland will resemble Times Square on V-J Day…or, Cormac McCarthy’s The Road. There’s no third option. Either way, I hope the cameras are rolling at the moment of truth.
I know that raging egomania comes with the territory with top flight athletes, but this is an all-time high (low?). Brett Favre is sitting at his home cursing himself for not coming up with this idea.
dont worry, espn wont leave him out. he’ll have a special. so will phil mickelson.
Why Phil Mickelson?
You had me until the Phil Mickelson comment…is this Tiger?
I know this article doesn’t state it, but all proceeds from the broadcast go to Boys & Girls Clubs of America, with sponsors also making donations. So even if he announces he’s leaving, he’s still contributing to the community like he’s done in many, many ways.
Thanks HG, I’m shocked this article didn’t mention that at all, that’s a major part of the story. Michael Jordan would have done the same thing in this day and age, but he wouldn’t have given it to charity.
It’s great that the proceeds are going to charity but c’mon. That’s only to save face. Lebron wants to glory…and ESPN and the media and America is giving it to him. Enjoy.
Give me a break. This has nothing to do with the charity and you know it. There’s nothing that you can say about this crap to make it sound like anything but the world’s biggest and longest ego trip. I’ve been a Cleveland sports fan for 32 years. I’ve been consistently crushed and disappointed, year after year. This is the first time, however, that I’ve been embarrassed.
Say what you want about Cleveland, but it’s a scrappy blue-collar town with a lot of heart and perseverance. Lebron will NEVER be a Clevelander, whether he stays or goes.
I don’t see what Michael Jackson has to do with the Boys and Girls Clubs of America. That is just sick
Attention Everyone:
EW has banned me from commenting on their side just because I keep typing the phrase “ain’t got no pancake mix!”. EW is run by Nazis. Why can’t I have the write to type what I want. The phrase “ain’t go no pancake mix!” is not hurting anyone. People on your ‘precious’ comment section write the most moronic and idiotic things I have ever read! Yet you choose to block me because of the phrase “ain’t go no pancake mix!”
Everyone, if you think what happened to me is unfair then please type the phrase “EW ain’t got no pancake mix!”
This is outrageou EW! Outrageous, preposterous, and absurd!
I think it’s absolutely outrageous, preposterous and absurd…that they waited so long to ban you.
you sir are an idiot…
of all the things that are going on in the world you choose to pitch a fit over this?
go choke on pancake mix…
Maybe they blocked you b/c you lack a grasp of basic grammar?
LEBRON TO THE KNICKS!
efff you cleavland!
As a C-towner, I will just be glad it’s over so we can find out what’s going on with the rest of the world.
To be quite honest, I was a happy Cleveland sports fan when the Browns kept Josh Cribbs.
I like Joshua Cribbs a lot, but that is sad on so many levels.
Ceballos, why is that sad? Cribbs is the best thing to happen to the Browns in YEARS. I was a happy Browns fan too when they renegotiated his deal.
On one level, it’s sad that Browns fans are SO pumped up and relieved about the fact that they resigned their kick returner, who also plays a little wide receiver and runs the wildcat occasionally. (No matter how good he is, he’s still just the kick returner.)
On another level, it’s depressing that your best player is the kick returner.
On yet another level, it’s downright gloomy that Danielle basically said “I’m cool whether LeBron stays or goes – the Browns locked their kick returner down!”
As a Cleveland sports fan, I don’t have a good feeling about this, I don’t know if I will even be able to watch.
Ugh same here….if he leaves, I’ll be pretty bummed out.
I live in Cleveland, and I was at the home games when we played – and lost – to Celtics. LeBron QUIT, he checked out. He lost my loyalty right then. I don’t care where he plays next year.
I am waiting to see online…I can’t watch!
This is certainly a lot of hype for a guy who’s never won an NBA Finals game in seven seasons and whose team was just eliminated from the playoffs in the second round!
If I’m in Cleveland, I say “Good riddance!”
(Signed,
A Knicks fan)
I understand that he’s good but this guy is so full of himself that I actually feel sorry for Cleveland fans. I’m sure once he stop thinking about fame and start sticking with the team he’ll win something. “A great player makes everyone around him better”
What, he’s so full of himself *not* like Mike? I was just talking to some regular folks about him a couple of weeks ago. They met him last year in connection with the documentary about him and his friends. Their impression of him was that he was gracious and very nice.
Your friend? You mean cousin’s husband’s friend’s friend’s brother’s wife’s ex fiance’s brother’s friend? If he was a gracious player, he would stay loyal to Cleveland like they are with him. He’s still young, he can still wait and help re build a championship team like Jordan did with the Bull’s and Kobe with the Lakers, granted, Kobe wanted out but bottom line, he stayed with them and won championship with them. If all he’s thinking about is winning, then Miami with Dwayne would have been a no brainer..If he wants it all, fame, money, and be the only star in the team, then he will go with some other team..Guess we’ll find out on Thursday what his real agenda is.
I’ll probably watch the last 5 minutes, just to see what LeBron’s decision is. But whether he stays or goes, my life won’t be affected in any way that truly matters. I’ll be sad if he leaves Cleveland, but we’re so used to disappointment in this city, that it will be a temporary (at least for me) sadness, and then life goes on.
He has to stay in Cleveland…otherwise, LBJ going on national TV to break up with us…it’s like if a husband went on TV to tell his wife that he is getting divorced…it’s just too cruel.
I kind of doubt he’s going on national primetime TV to announce he’s staying in Cleveland. I never thought he was going to the Knicks but this special is making me think he is.
Me too Buffy. Knicks made absolutely no sense whatsoever, but reports have been saying they’re not as out of it as people think. With Amare, and the possibility of a sign and trade of Lee for Parker; they’re not THAT far behind the Bulls in terms of talent. He’s either going to NY or staying in Cleveland.
LEBRON TO THE KNICKS!
this would so make my life. my family had been a die hard knicks fan for as long as i can remember…and if lebron comes then that would AMAZING
efff you cleavland
LeBron James! The (Akron) beacon (Journal) of hope for Cleveland, a seemingly desolute city. amirite, Chris Bosh? For the past few months I feel like I’ve been making a case for Cleveland (on this blog, too) and why it’s a pretty OK city, nee, it’s a great city.
Of course it doesn’t have the Kardashians (only sometimes) like Miami, and it isn’t the (sometimes) home of Julianna and Bill Rancic like Chicago, and certainly Jay-Z isn’t going to gift Beyonce a townhouse in Cleveland, but the Cleve is the quintessential blue collar city with quite a lot to offer. Anyway, what I’m saying is, I’ll wait with bated breath for LeBron James’ decision. (For the record, I hope he stays.) This city can stand alone without him, but why would we want to?
I’m right next door to IMG where all the recruiting visits were taking place and to be honest, I’m over the whole thing. He stays, great. He leaves, whatever.
We’ve got a good coach, we’ve got a decent team, and we have an owner who will go out and build this team up again. (Can’t really say that about the baseball team here
I beg to differ, however, with the Mr. Labreque. There have been some great players in this organizations history – they just weren’t hyped to the upteenth degree. Back in the 90s we had just as good of a pick n roll combo as Utah in Price and Daughtery – but we are in the same division as the Bulls and no one was paying attention to any other team than them.
How right you are, Elizabeth!! We were royally robbed in the 90s due to Jordan. At any rate, I will be glad when all this fuss is over. I’m still waiting for an explanation from “king” James for his disappearance in Games 5 and 6 of the Boston series. I say, let James go. He’ll realize his mistake when his next team does not bend over backwards to kiss his butt like Cleveland does.
Amen, Fan of #25! Well said.
This info comes from a very close close source. Tomorrow Thursday LeBron will announce his retirement and go into the movie business. He already has to movie deals lined up estimated worth at $100 million for both deals. He is fed up with the NBA. No championship, oh well!
lol!
Lets be honest. The Cavs have had the opportunity to put the talent around LeBron for the past several years necessary to win a title, and instead have saved money getting the bargain priced free agents and crossing their fingers; hoping that James will carry the team to the finals on his back. He should leave, as Cleveland has blown the best opportunity to win a championship since the Major League movies…
Where was he versus the Celtics in the playoffs this year?
I should have read farther–you said what I just wrote to your earlier post. In the Wilkens era, the entire team combined would not commit as many turnovers as James did by himself. Inexcusable!
I keep hearing that complaint but for the last couple of seasons Cleveland has been at the top of the regular season rankings. No one wins as many games as they have with no supporting cast.
Thanks for that. So sick of that excuse. The owners have brought in the talent needed. The players have choked. It’s no different than the two Denver playoff losses or the two world series losses. There’s an ebb and flow to the talent on mid-small market teams. We’re never going to see the success of the Yankees or the Lakers. The Indians, Browns and Cavs have all had their share of opportunities to bring championships home, but they did not.
LBJ leave cleveland! he has no heart! where was he when we needed him the most?
I also wonder: what happens to that big mural of his across from Quicken Loans Arena come the announcement? They better have some of Cleveland’s finest down there around 9:00 just incase some one gets pyromania and sets the Sherwin Williams building on fire along with it!
That’s hilarious and totally true!
“what happens to that big mural of his across from Quicken Loans Arena come the announcement?”
You replace it with a mural of Zydrunas Ilgauskas…duh!
Wow, the ego of this guy! I like my sports stars humble and hard-working, thank you very much.
So when’s the last time you had one?