Home is a place you grow up wanting to leave, and grow old wanting to get back to. – John Ed Pearce
This is unfamiliar territory. For basketball. For myself. But most importantly, for LeBron James. Never in the history of sports – or at least what I can remember – has an athlete gone from as loved to as unequivocally despised in the manner Cleveland’s former poster boy is now.
Tonight marks the acknowledgment of the elephant in the room, the one date many circled months ago. Security being beefed to triple-than-normal, the banishment of derogatory LeBron-related paraphernalia in the arena and the overall sense malcontent looming in the air defines this game.
The cheers will now be boos and the applause will now result in some of the most disrespectful remarks LBJ – or anyone for that matter – may ever hear. However, this is something the city of Cleveland needs to get off their collective chests and a rite of passage for James himself. It’s no secret that since roughly his junior year in high school Gloria’s only child has been a candidate for the foremost dissected, applaued and critqued figure in pop culture. So I’ve seen the bandwagon surrounding him reach excessive levels and now find myself being one of the rare “LeBron fans” left in existence. For awhile, I subscribed to the belief Clevelanders were being selfish and that seven years was more than enough of attempting to get a city their first major championship since 1964. He had all the right to leave as a free agent. And to an extent, I still believe such.
Yet, I underestimated the emotional attachment – or obsession, depending how you see it – that city once had with LeBron. Will the franchise or area ever seen an athlete the caliber of the former #23? Probably not. Sports may never see a player of his ilk ever again. But what I did learn is that breakups are never easy, especially in athletics. With all hell set to break loose in a matter of hours, I decided to take a look at this entire spectacle. Residents of “The Land” – including Mick Boogie and Stalley – voiced their opinions and the alleged chant sheet for tonight’s game even surfaced. Yeah, it’s that real.
Where love was lost, hatred was gained. I just hope LeBron is ready to embrace the snake pit he is gearing to enter.
![[avatar]](http://p.uproxxcdn.com/global/images/default-avatar.jpg){kind=avatar}
![[image]](http://cdn.tss.uproxx.com/TSS/wp-content/thumbnails/130/110/2012/02/lebron-james-dunk-475-150x70.jpg)
![[image]](http://cdn.tss.uproxx.com/TSS/wp-content/thumbnails/130/110/2012/02/stalley-midnight-satori-main-150x71.jpg)
I remember saying to my roommates that LeBron fucked up by pissing off the saddest city in terms of sports. Either they would all be on suicide watch, or be ignited with a flame of anger and borderline hatred.
Hell hath no fury compared to depressing ass city scorned.
Neither of those fucks have accomplished in their game or represent to the future what Lebron has and does.
====================
Sorry but I think that’s sort of flawed. Both of those guys have done quite well for themselves, plying their trades successfully.
I think Cavs fans will go hard and rightly so, but buddy’s “decision” is still his to make as a pro athlete. It’s a f’n business just like anything else.
If they can pull off the laughing at Lebron; that will be hilarious.
Clevland has been dropping confetti after wins all season long. If they beat the Heat toight Dan Gilbert will unveil a Tat on his chest that says EFF LeBron in cartoon font.
Someone should throw a panty on the court that has written on them, “Hey Bron Bron, can you give these back to your mom. They are her favorite pair. Love Delonte”
i wonder if his former teammates will show any love.
Quicken Loans CHANT SHEET for Lebron’s return.
http://cavschants.files.wordpress.com/2010/11/cavs-chants-x-laugh-at-lebron-pdf1.pdf
oh nice, already included in the post.
this is better than anything espn has run the past couple of days
good shit
Tins, this is a great piece. Well put-together, man. And co-sign with djdev about it being better than a lot of the glib being thrown up on the major sports outlets recently.
While I imagine that a lot of Clevelanders and fans begrudge him for leaving, I think even more despise the way he did it. That’s an important distinction that a lot of LeBron defenders often fail to acknowledge.
It’s one thing to pack your shit and bounce in a classy manner. It’s a whole other thing to shit on the city and franchise on your way out. Your boy did the latter.
I just hope we don’t see any ugly incidents because I really want to be able to read about and watch actual sports, as opposed to an overplayed Youtube clip for the next few days…
Stalley feel it becasue he’s an actual fan. If you’re not from Cleveland and/or if you wasn’t a Cavs fan before Lebron then most likely you not feeling what’s going on. Mick Boogie is NOT from Cleveland and him and Lebron are boys so of course he’s going to act like it’s all good. I’m not mad at Lebron becasue he left, I’m pissed because he left like a punk and then didn’t have the decency to say thank you to Cleveland for supporting his punk ass.
Hey guys Lebron didn’t only piss off Clevelanders, he pissed off the country.
I beleive that him(Lebron), taking his talent to Miami was a slap in the face to the landscape of sports in America. In American sports, like everyday America, having moral decencies are big, but it seemS more and more Americans are going against the grain of what we have been taught. Yes a man has the right to do what will benefit his family, but I beleive he, like other inspiriational people who came before him, have certain responsbilities to uphold to the people. Some people may argue out of selfishness that Lebron doesn’t owe Cleveland anything, but I beleive he does, and he owes this country as well. For years we Americans watch this young man grow and go from highschool to the NBA, and secreatly we hope that he would bring a championship to Cleveland, some people, although not from Cleveland became Cavaliers fans, little guys from around the country looked up to him, and when he left it was like Marvin, and Malcolm giving up on the Civil Rights. And I know some of you are going to say how can you compare MLK, or any great Civil Rights activist to Lebron, I’m not! But with every gift given he has the obligation to his court to bring them to higher places, and if he fails at reaching that goal, but his people sees that he has fought gallantly for them, then he would surely be hailed as an legendary firgure who is unmeasured in his efforts.
To many times in this day an age we see our people STANDING UP FOR NOTHING, like free Weezy, or free TI, or buy my liqiour. For once I would like to see one our beloved persons stand up not because its trendy, but because it apart of their fabric and they understand that the greats and the gods, and the people are looking to them for guidance and inspiriation.
–FOR ONCE IN MY LIFETIME.
Egregious comparisons..
1. Lebron leaving Cleveland is not like Cudi or Mick Boogie leaving. Neither of those fucks have accomplished in their game or represent to the future what Lebron has and does. Self aggrandizing djs need to learn. (And while we’re at it, stop yelling on mixtapes.)
2. Lebron leaving is not like Martin Luthor or Malcom walking out on the civil rights movement. Sport is not life, although we often confuse it. We will all recover from Lebrons douchebaggery. We would not have as easily recovered from those men WALKING AWAY from civil rights.
Comparing LeBron leaving Cleveland to MLK or Malcolm X walking away from the Civil Rights Movement? Nah man, just nah.
@Ryan & @djdev – Definitely appreciate those words fellas. Just glad it came out alright.
Comparing LeBron leaving Cleveland to MLK or Malcolm X walking away from the Civil Rights Movement?
^^^
Sheesh. Cleveland fans are beyond disgraceful. Letting the whole paint you as a steel mill, homely town where LeBron was the first ray of sunshine and you fall right into it with shit like that.
SHAKING MY MUTHAFUCCIN HEAD.
ESPN can’t bash Lebron on how he left because they were partners in “The Decision” special. And it is the way he went about the free agent process is what he did wrong. Clevland fans are going to take it more to heart because losing him is a major blow to their championship aspirations. Small business people in the Clevland area is going to take it hard cause his leaving will cut into the business they get in the areas near the stadium.
I can understand being a young man and wanting to check out what’s happening outside my front steps. Let’s not forget that the man is only 25..been in Ohio his entire life…literally just in one region of the state…time to go
And get the fuck outta here with this revisionist bullshit!…Akron and the state of Ohio shitted on Bron when he was in High School over some bullshit..he becomes a Cav and he’s the King (of putting money in your pocket and food on the table)..hmm..wonder what happens when he decides to leave? You talk about his mamma.. C’mon, Son!
Low blows from the cake eaters (owners and whack ass suburban fans). I believe that most Cleveland folk know we should be reppin’ our young and talented wherever they reside. But if they’re assholes then let it be known, and Bron’s not an asshole..There’s a big difference between being an asshole, and making asshole decisions. The “Decision”=asshole decision
Boo the man, and move on. Aint nothin’ you can do except support the team you got right now.
oh, and the write up was fresh…
Just sick of all this ESPN revisionist hype..
Support young folks doing positive shit, wherever they live…!
@Tinsely, and forestill.. You guys just read over everything that is usefull and read the part about comparisions to MLK and Malcolm, which I stated its no comparisons. I know the people of Cleveland and America will get over it but I ask you this question, How much impact can a sports star have these days, Micheal Jordan, Tiger Woods, Pac man Jones?
To compliment Tins’ piece–in addition to being another actually decent read on the whole situation–Outside the Lines had an insightful, albeit wordy piece on just exactly why Cleveland was/is pissed off (@whoever blew up my Cudi piece for the incorrect usage of “albeit,” suck it).
Here’s the link: http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/eticket/story?page=101201/Cleveland
If you have the time to kill, it pretty much gets at why the area is still mad. LeBron can do whatever he wants with his career, but don’t expect the people of his former region to appreciate for the exact reasons Thompson gets at in his article.
Good post Tinsley
Honestly I think this whole idiocy about Lebron just goes to show how we put too much importance on stars. And look at me talkin’ w/ my Mark Jackson draft day avy. But seriously we’d be better off if we looked at athletes as just that. Obviously they still have to be accountable for their actions. Lebron’s not off the hook for how he, his people and ESPN made his decision. It was a wack way to leave but it shouldn’t have been such a huge story. And for the record I didn’t watch it b/c I didn’t want to contribute to that circus.
Anyway we’re really praising these dudes like we’ve known them all our lives when we really don’t know them at all. How can you say someone is an automatic role model when all you see is hype all over TV and the internet? My point is this. You can appreciate an athlete’s skills all you want, much like how you’d respect a musician or an actor for whatever skills they have. That’s fine since it’s under a microscope for everyone to see. But the whole idol worship BS that goes on in sports and entertainment in general is way out of hand.
it’s gone be trouble when Lebron throw that powder up
I don’t know… As a person who is COMPLETELY bias, I think this is high-larious. We are in the center of history and I will just prop my sneaks up and be throughly thoroughly entertained.
it’s gone be trouble when Lebron throw that powder up
—–
Oh its gonna be hell indeed
Cell never misses a basketball post. And I respect that.
lookin forward to tonight’s game, much the same way i look forward to a drunk guy stumbling into oncoming traffic–it could get ugly or sadly uneventful.
perhaps cuz i’m older, but i never had a problem with the business aspect of the kid leaving. his contract was up and he really didn’t owe his previous employer anything.
but some notice.
Short of a runaway slave, there are very few folks that can bounce, not tell their employer and not expect some sort of blowback.
As a businessman, Lebron owed the Cavs a simple phone call prior to the interview. As a brand, that interview was straight asisine and ESPN is as culpable as Bron is as is World Wide Willie or whatever weed carrier was advising him.
all that said, i expect the Heat to win by about 20 then lose 5 of their next 10 12.
@ Tins
Salute. Since I handle my own wig affairs, TSS is like my barber shop.
lookin forward to tonight’s game, much the same way i look forward to a drunk guy stumbling into oncoming traffic–it could get ugly or sadly uneventful.
———–
Man just captured the precise truth. Please don’t let it be the latter.
Will the franchise or area ever seen an athlete the caliber of the former #23? Probably not. Sports may never see a player of his ilk ever again.
==========
say what? cleveland might be fucked (goes without saying), but sports has already seen better, and will likely see better again. i’m not saying lebron sucks–he’s a very talented athlete–but deifying his ability just contributed to the ridiculous hype in the first place, which we have seen collapse into a monumental backlash.
this type of meteroic fall in popularity may be unprecedented, but it’s highly debatable whether Bron’s the best in the sport right now, let alone all time.
sorry but I think that’s sort of flawed. Both of those guys have done quite well for themselves, plying their trades successfully.
————————–
really? because mick boogie and cudi together have raised their brand value to about a half billion dollars? who are we kidding?
in my opinion, becoming the top seller of footwear, a top 2? basketball player in the world and one of the most identifiable brands in the world is a kind of outweighs one gold album and a couple hot mixtapes.
just saying…
Most of these Cleveland fans are like the dude who gets dumped by they girl in public but just cant let it go. They are hurt and embarrassed and are trying to save face by being tough about it. But everyone sees through it. Yeah you can talk shit real loud, throw her shit out your house, burn some stuff, even laugh about bad decisions she is currently making. But we all see through that shit. We all know you still hit her phone at weird hours hoping a dude dont pick up and in the back of your mind wishing she hadnt left because now you know you cant take her back even if the situation came up with all the shit that has been done.
Sorry Cleveland fans.
*cancels trip to cleveland*
The “QUITNESS” sign… now THAT is funny
Basically what Pandas said. It is super depressing when people define themselves by something wholly outside of them and absolutely not in their control. IE: sports. Lebron is a grown ass man and while Stalley is 100% correct in saying Lebron is super corny, how are you going to devote your life to another man you probably will never even meet or come within 10 feet of?
this is murder. LeBron needs to calm down a little.
Meanwhile, the player, whose only Cleveland remnants are that of his incinerated and tattered jersey, aims to inform his former stomping grounds that, “Life moves on, and so should you.” Regardless if LeBron ever comes out and says those words, he believes them.
I guess we’ll all know who got the last laugh in a matter of hours.
=======================
i guess we do
I was a witness tonight..
Kurtz – “Oh, the horror! The horror!”
Yeah, me at the bar tonight.
The best signs/shirts of the night were the Quitness sign and the shirt that said “The Lyin’ King”…I literally lol’d at that shit.
But yeah…BronBron killed his city again tonite. When he hit that reverse I said ‘game over’ rite there.
LeBron was reenacting that scene from Irreversible last night
I thinK LBJ just told cavs fan to beat it.