The LeBron Era

[aoxo1]

aoxo it's simply disingenuous to consider any of these examples as a hint more so than any other examples. One could say the fact he showed up is proof he leans toward staying.

The only thing that is certain in all this is IF LeBron knows he is staying then by him waiting and holding the org hostage it is completely undermining any common goal of success they each have.

OK, what other examples lately? Game 5?

[FUDU]

For starters the Larry King interview.

Every single action and word he utters can be put under a microscope and analyzed to suggest he is staying or leaving. To think any one instance of his actions or words implies more than another instance is foolish IMO, that was my point to you.

[papacass]

The vibe I'm starting to get:

There is a growing movement in Cleveland's collective brain stem that wants LeBron to leave. Not logically, not rationally -- not yet, at least. But it's there.

Somewhere in our Freudian-slip level of subconsciousness, we want LBJ to leave so we can turn our full wrath on him for being a total mercenary scumbag. On some level, we want to have a reason to hate him like Modell.

We want LeBron to do something as cold and calculating and self-serving as turn his back on the region that has been his home since birth. We want him to be exposed as a complete attention-whore, moneygrubbing, Ohio-isn't-good-enough-for-me frontrunner. Someone who would bolt for Chicago or New York, who would leave behind the adoration of thousands and a free-spending owner in his home state, just because he has an ego-driven desire to conquer a major metropolis.

And when Bron takes the court at The Q for his first game as a visiting player, the threat of someone jumping out of the stands and shivving Bron Monica Seles style forces the entire CPD to ring the floor. Thunderous booing. Curse-word chants. Maybe some debris thrown on the floor. Maybe a lot of debris thrown on the floor.

We want to not like the guy anymore. And we want, at least on some level, a reason to express our rage and hatred. Cleveland fans hate like few others can. We take pride in it.

[FUDU]

Cass I understand your point, but personally mostly disagree. I think Ctown fan in general feels LeBron knows what he is going to do and just wants him to put an end to this hostage scenario so to speak. IMO people want to be able to move on, yeah some will hate as you say but others will just go about the daily CTown grind of wondering if we'll ever win, anything.

My 2 cents.

[GodHatesClevelandSport]

The Cavs were pretty much an irrelevant franchise before LeBron. They'll return to irrelevance after he leaves, whenever it is. If he leaves now, they'll be irrelevant with a fanbase that knows it will never again have a player of LeBron's stature.

[aoxo1]

I've considered that possibility as well, Cass, especially wrt myself. But I think it's more in the vein of bracing for disaster, which we have grown so adept at, so that when it finally comes we are ready.

[papacass]

I agree that LeBron hate is a defense mechanism. As is the ongoing rationalization that LBJ is already gone because Redz allegedly is trying to become Bron's stepdad.

"Bron is a scumbag quitter. I don't want him back."

"Delonte was freaking Gloria while the entire Cavs organization played their fiddles. I wouldn't blame him if he left."

Defense mechanisms. What we want/need to believe. A spoonful of sugar to help the feelings of abandonment and betrayal go down in the event he does leave.

A less psychotically-devoted fan base would have told the entire concept of professional sports to fuck completely off a long time ago. Does that make us saints for putting up with so much in the name of devotion? Or does it make us idiots for allowing ourselves to be abused like this?

[hermanfontenot]

If he leaves now, they'll be irrelevant with a fanbase that knows it will never again have a player of LeBron's stature.

Shouldn't be too tough to find another player who can't hit a jump shot or play with his back to the basket.

[scott]

The vibe I'm starting to get:

There is a growing movement in Cleveland's collective brain stem that wants LeBron to leave. Not logically, not rationally -- not yet, at least. But it's there.

Not quite it for me. Not to suggest that your take is wrong, but my feeling is more -
If he doesn't want to be here, fuck him. Even if he comes back, and that is looking less likely, I won't look at him the same.

[Madre Hill, Superstar]

You're overthinking it, Cass. What you're seeing is what everyone else with two eyeballs is finally realizing now that the Finals are over. Two straight years of having the MVP and the best record in the NBA and then winding up with watching the fucking Lakers hoisting hardware on national TV.

Promise undelivered.

[papacass]

You're overthinking it, Cass. What you're seeing is what everyone else with two eyeballs is finally realizing now that the Finals are over. Two straight years of having the MVP and the best record in the NBA and then winding up with watching the fucking Lakers hoisting hardware on national TV.

Promise undelivered.

Well, at least we won't make that mistake again. Any "promise" connected to LBJ is out the window now.

[tired]

The vibe I'm starting to get:

There is a growing movement in Cleveland's collective brain stem that wants LeBron to leave. Not logically, not rationally -- not yet, at least. But it's there.

Somewhere in our Freudian-slip level of subconsciousness, we want LBJ to leave so we can turn our full wrath on him for being a total mercenary scumbag. On some level, we want to have a reason to hate him like Modell.

We want LeBron to do something as cold and calculating and self-serving as turn his back on the region that has been his home since birth. We want him to be exposed as a complete attention-whore, moneygrubbing, Ohio-isn't-good-enough-for-me frontrunner. Someone who would bolt for Chicago or New York, who would leave behind the adoration of thousands and a free-spending owner in his home state, just because he has an ego-driven desire to conquer a major metropolis. n Bron takes the court at The Q for his first game as a visiting player, the threat of someone jumping out of the stands and shivving Bron Monica Seles style forces the entire CPD to ring the floor. Thunderous booing. Curse-word chants. Maybe some debris thrown on the floor. Maybe a lot of debris thrown on the floor.

We want to not like the guy anymore. And we want, at least on some level, a reason to express our rage and hatred. Cleveland fans hate like few others can. We take pride in it.

I know how bad I hate BOOZER !!!!!!

[OffBase]

Sorry I am late to this thread. I've been seeing psychologists all day and attending anger management courses.

How about the reception Manny received returning to Boston? Sure, he quit on his team in the regular season, but he delivered two world championships. How could those fans possibly be angry at him?

[SoulDawg74]

Sorry I am late to this thread. I've been seeing psychologists all day and attending anger management courses.

How about the reception Manny received returning to Boston? Sure, he quit on his team in the regular season, but he delivered two world championships. How could those fans possibly be angry at him?

SD:

Manny delivered in the Clutch and helped propel that team thru a door closed to them since the curse of Babe Ruth.

Lebrons promise was , he was going to be the "ONE" to break the jinx .

of The Drive the Fumble and Mesa going gaga.

With his utter collapse in the Clutch , he is now part of our misery and not the cure.


SoulDawg

[motherscratcher]

Sorry I am late to this thread. I've been seeing psychologists all day and attending anger management courses.

How about the reception Manny received returning to Boston? Sure, he quit on his team in the regular season, but he delivered two world championships. How could those fans possibly be angry at him?

You answered it yourself - "he quit on his team..."

Now it's debatable whether he actually quit or not, but that's beside the point. In Boston they BELIEVE that he did. And quitting, more than any other sports sin, is unforgivable to a fan base.

It also doesn't hurt that ESPN (surprisingly) played up this non-story for a week before Manny's return.

[Eckersley]

Not a Cavs fan or a big NBA guy, so I have a non-biased opinion. I just don't see why LeBron would leave Cleveland.

He goes to Chicago & he's never the king. He'd always be 2nd fiddle to Jordan & if he didn't win a few rings, they'd crucify him.

He goes to NY & he's under a spotlight like never before...pressure like never before. He's never the king in NY as long as Jeter is there. I don't see how the Knicks win anything with or without LeBron.

From what I've seen, ownership & Cav's fans have done everything possible to keep LeBron in Cleveland. If he goes, I think he'll regret it. He'll never have it as good as he does now IMO.

Disagree? If so, why?

[FUDU]

Not a Cavs fan or a big NBA guy, so I have a non-biased opinion. I just don't see why LeBron would leave Cleveland.

He goes to Chicago & he's never the king. He'd always be 2nd fiddle to Jordan & if he didn't win a few rings, they'd crucify him.

He goes to NY & he's under a spotlight like never before...pressure like never before. He's never the king in NY as long as Jeter is there. I don't see how the Knicks win anything with or without LeBron.

From what I've seen, ownership & Cav's fans have done everything possible to keep LeBron in Cleveland. If he goes, I think he'll regret it. He'll never have it as good as he does now IMO.

Disagree? If so, why?

Good to hear a POV from a non hoops guy, I think some of us get a bit caught up in our perspectives b/c we are Cav/NBA fans. I personally agree with you that there are too many things that make too much sense to suggest LeBron is anything less than a 50/50 to stay.

I'm just tired of waiting.

[Ziner]

I'm just tired of caring.

had to fix that. I just don't give a shit anymore. Whatever happens happens, I have better things in my life to worry about than what he is going to do. Screw him if he goes, nice to have you if you stay.

[FUDU]

Of course, caring relative to priorities, life etc...

I care in the sense that we have an opportunity to keep something decent rolling and maybe end our non winning ways, but EOD I still have to go to work everyday and pay my own bills. My 401K has no loyalties to LeBron James.

[peeker643]

Not a Cavs fan or a big NBA guy, so I have a non-biased opinion. I just don't see why LeBron would leave Cleveland.

He goes to Chicago & he's never the king. He'd always be 2nd fiddle to Jordan & if he didn't win a few rings, they'd crucify him.

He goes to NY & he's under a spotlight like never before...pressure like never before. He's never the king in NY as long as Jeter is there. I don't see how the Knicks win anything with or without LeBron.

From what I've seen, ownership & Cav's fans have done everything possible to keep LeBron in Cleveland. If he goes, I think he'll regret it. He'll never have it as good as he does now IMO.

Disagree? If so, why?

Add in the fact that he's comfortable here with a media that leaves him alone and his owner has spent to build around him (unsuccessfully thus far) and you can see what the rest of us are hoping for.

Chicago would clearly put the best team around him as it currently stands but there are legit reasons to believe he'll stay.

[scott]

Not a Cavs fan or a big NBA guy, so I have a non-biased opinion. I just don't see why LeBron would leave Cleveland.

He goes to Chicago & he's never the king. He'd always be 2nd fiddle to Jordan & if he didn't win a few rings, they'd crucify him.

He goes to NY & he's under a spotlight like never before...pressure like never before. He's never the king in NY as long as Jeter is there. I don't see how the Knicks win anything with or without LeBron.

From what I've seen, ownership & Cav's fans have done everything possible to keep LeBron in Cleveland. If he goes, I think he'll regret it. He'll never have it as good as he does now IMO.

Disagree? If so, why?

Add in the fact that he's comfortable here with a media that leaves him alone and his owner has spent to build around him (unsuccessfully thus far) and you can see what the rest of us are hoping for.

Chicago would clearly put the best team around him as it currently stands but there are legit reasons to believe he'll stay.

I was thinking all of these things a few weeks ago. The radio silence, especially when Izzo was sitting on the fence makes me think he isn't coming back unless the Cavs can pull something big off.

In other news, recent tweet from Mo Williams - "Pls don't trade me, I'm not ready to go. I'm begging. My work ain't done yet. I'm on both knees....pls. I'm serious"

[Love child of shawn kemp]

I am in the group that thinks LeBrons elbow was hurting much worse than made public. And why in the hell would the team or CAVS come out before the series and admit that LeBron was hurt and couldn't hit a deep J if he wanted to? Hiding injuries of key players happens in all major team sports. Look at Belichick and Mangini, fined by the NFL for inaccurate injury reports. Can somebody post a list of the top 20 free agents and the teams they have agreed to sign or resign with prior to free agency? NO free agent has come out publicly and said they were going to re-up with their team. Yet, LeBron is the only one taking shit daily from ESPN, SI and all the way down to TCF board members. I do hope he comes back but like cass said, if he doesn't, I am going to boo the fuck out of him when he comes back to Cleveland.