OK, I gotta say it; I’m officially sick and tired of the Sturm und Drang over LeBron James. Like a few million other Americans with too much time on their hands, I watched the Miami Heat beat the Cleveland Cavaliers108-80. Frankly, the game was nowhere near as competitive as the score might indicate. Normally, I wouldn’t watch Miami and Cleveland competing in anything, especially an NBA game. This time around, being that it was James’ first game in Cleveland against his former team, I watched it with the same anticipation with which one might eagerly await an impending train wreck. The game wasn’t the thing…it was really only the body count that anyone cared about.
I’m no fan of Cleveland to begin with, but the immaturity and the rage that Cavaliers fans brought to the game was epic…and rather disturbing. For a city concerned with its image, Clevelanders have certainly outdone themselves in the childish tantrum department. If I had a nickel for every time I saw “Traitor”, “Lyin’ King”, or similar iterations on signs and shirts, I could retire a wealthy man. Passion is one thing; immature whining is just tiresome.
C’mon, people; don’tchathink it’s about time you lost the infantile rage? Lebron James made a business decision, the same as any other athlete. Y’all are free to your opinions, of course, but what part of “LeBron James made a BUSINESS decision” do you not understand?? James owed the city of Cleveland nothing…and let’s face it; how many of us wouldn’t have made the same choice he did? Cleveland…or Miami? South Beach…or the Flats? Hmm…let me think about that for a nanosecond….
Yes, Cavaliers fans booed lustily every time James touched the ball, made a basket, or cracked a smile. Get over yourselves, willya? I’m not saying you don’t have reason to be disappointed…but what gives you the right to think for a minute that LeBron James owed you anything? Professional athletes make these decisions when they’re free agents. They weigh offers from teams, determine which opportunity is best for them, and decide accordingly. Athletes, due to the nature of their business, have short careers, so they want to maximize their earning potential while they can. James only did what innumerable professional athletes have done and will continue to do. There’s nothing unusual or different about his decision…except for the hoopla, the ridiculous expectations of Clevelanders, and the media hype.
I’m tired of people tossing around the term “traitor” when discussing James…as if he had some sort of responsibility to make those unfortunate enough to live in Cleveland feel better about themselves. I understand the passion felt by fans, but in no way does, or should, that translate to a requirement, whether real or implied, that James “owed” it to Cleveland to stay put. Like any competitive athlete, James wants to win championships. If Clevelanders are honest with themselves, they’d admit that the odds of their Cavaliers winning an NBA Championship are comparable to the odds that Osama bin-Laden develops a hankering for bacon.
It’s bad enough that y’all live in Cleveland. Perhaps if y’all could find a way to channel all that misplaced and misguided childish outrage, y’all could do something really positive. Of course, that would take actual effort; hating the “traitor” LeBron James is easy…and it feels good, right? Perhaps when all y’all stop feeling sorry for yourselves, you can get on with the business of making Cleveland a better place to be. Or not.
As for LeBron James, his 38 points (even more impressive considering he sat out the fourth quarter) proved the theory that living well really IS the best revenge. It seemed as if James was the only one who wasn’t running off at the mouth…and in the end he had the last laugh.
Ah…ain’t Schadenfreude a grand and wondrous thing??
