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July 6, 2010
Boy, that Cleveland Cavaliers’ majority owner sure sounds like a sore loser, huh? Well if you can call LeBron’s spectacular media-hyped move to Miami losing, Dan Gilbert certainly did not waste any time in letting his feelings known.
Just a few minutes after LeBron made his decision public, Gilbert called his move narcissistic and cowardly in his open letter to the Cavaliers fans. Gilbert wrote of his utter disappointment and referred to LeBron’s announcement as “unlike anything ever “witnessed” in the history of sports and probably the history of entertainment.” I don’t blame the guy. The whole LeBron thing did turn into a media spectacle.
This basketball team, the town and the fans turned LeBron into LeBron,the high school kid who went straight to pro basketball. Never mind that he didn’t win any championships, he is (now was) The King!
It was just seven years ago when the media made a big stink when he first started or he might still even be in high school, and got a Hummer as a gift. I guess it didn’t matter back then. It was a welcome-to-Clevelandwhere-you-would-be-king gift. But like the Hummer, the welcome didn’t last long.
I told my husband and my youngest daughter, both basketball fanatics,that it must be a real slow news day for ESPN to carry the live prime time telecast dubbed The Decision. In that case, it must have been a slow news day for quite some time. That’s all these media folks have been talking about for days. Speculation after speculation, they churned that rumor machine nonstop. Geez, the oil spill didn’t get that much publicity in one day, much more in days leading up to judgment day Thursday. And did you guys watch his announcement? It was scripted like a Broadway musical. The ESPN folks orchestrated that whole thing like a
stomach-turning soap opera episode. The lead-up questions were great, the build up to the most important question of the night was akin to the most dramatic twist and turn and then voila, part of Will Smith’s song cranked up…
“Party in the city where the heat is on All night, on the beach till the break of dawn Welcome to Miami
Bienvenidos a Miami Bouncin’ in the club where the heat is on All night, on the beach till the break of dawn
I’m goin to Miami Welcome to Miami…” Yeah, LeBron, welcome to Miami and stick it to the Cavs! No wonder
Gilbert is mad. He is so mad that in his open letter he tells the fans that the Cavs will win an NBA championship way before LeBron will win one in Miami. Huh? It took LeBron’s departure from Cleveland for the ownership team to realize that they need to do something about it? I guess losing out is such a hard pill to swallow that you’ve got to blame somebody. And I thought playing for the big guys meant loyalty was not part of the deal.
In defense of LeBron’s decision, sports reporters said that this move took so much out of him, and parroting what LeBron said, they seem to agree with him that it’s not about the money. Really? God only knows how the wheeling and dealing sounded like behind closed door. But even with all the hoopla that accompanied him, I don’t think Miami will have any problems coughing up the cash to pay their now formidable trio even with the salary cap. The big guys always know what to do. These are exciting times for basketball. Whether you consider it a spectacle or good for the game, it was interesting to watch both camps – Miami and Cleveland – react to the news. The burning of LeBron’s jersey was over the top I think but emotions ran high the night of his announcement. If Gilbert’s letter would serve as the measuring stick, I could only hope for LeBron’s sake that he’d be ready for his first game back in Cleveland. Oy, I am sure he wishes that
day would never come. Gilbert’s simmering letter says it all. Parting is really a sweet sorrow.
He even wrote that LeBron would be taking the “curse” with him down south and not until he does right by Cleveland and Ohio, LeBron will own the dreaded spell and bad karma. These are some heavy words from a disheartened franchise, owners, fans and city. Well maybe this is what Cleveland needs – a harsh wake-up
call! LeBron’s departure has prompted Gilbert to write a promise, one that will ultimately deliver a championship to a city that needed to fill a huge void.
As Gilbert wrote, sleep well Cleveland. Tomorrow is a new and brighter day. Life goes on and LeBron’s story picks up in Miami. Remember Cleveland there are more distractions in Miami. An NBA championship is
never guaranteed regardless of the hype. In the meantime, Cavs fans maintain that stiff upper lip. Just as they say about baseball, the same goes for basketball…there’s no crying in basketball! Wish him well and call it a day. You’ll always have next season to get even.