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lebron: the decision fuck off lebron posted by: horsebeater 11:34 8.31.10 top 20 u.s. media markets: 1 New York 2 Los Angeles 3 Chicago 4 Philadelphia 5 Boston 6 San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose 7 Dallas-Ft. Worth 8 Washington, DC 9 Atlanta 10 Houston 11 Detroit 12 Tampa-St. Petersburg 13 Seattle-Tacoma 14 Phoenix 15 Minneapolis-St. Paul 16 Cleveland-Akron 17 Miami-Ft. Lauderdale 18 Denver 19 Sacramento-Stockton-Modesto 20 Orlando-Daytona Beach dover and new philly posted by: simplicissimus 16:31 8.18.10 ...are both quietly reading science fiction books in a special attic hiding place they created when they were 8. when the dispute is especially turbulent (as has been the case recently) they are in the woods behind the house, laying on their back and silently day-dreaming about the day they turn 16 so they can legally drop out of high school and leave for new york to become a famous chef. in other words: they are a complete non-factor in this particular equation. dover/new philly! dover/new philly! posted by: horsebeater 15:37 8.18.10 for the record posted by: simplicissimus 15:31 8.18.10 canton is the youngest sibling and therefore sides with the biggest, cleveland, in all disputes. brian windhorst's tweet, in response to lebron saying people from akron hate cleveland posted by: horsebeater 11:38 8.18.10 I was born and raised in Akron and went to St. Vincent-St. Mary. Now I live in Cleveland. I don't hate anybody. ok, i'm a jew... posted by: simplicissimus 22:19 8.11.10 and this even freaks me the fuck out. i mean, seriously, wtf? http://www.tmz.com/2010/08/10/lebron-james-orthodox-jew-rabbi-pinto-new-york-business-guidance-spiritual-advisor-kaballah/ (can somebody please embed this as a photo, it really deserves the treatment) you know... posted by: simplicissimus 13:34 7.29.10 it's pretty obvious what's happening - dude is having a mid-life crisis about 20 years early (though given this life, he's probably living double years). for the larger point, glad to see espn showing integrity: http://msn.foxsports.com/nba/story/ESPN-yanks-unflattering-LeBron-James-story-072810?GT1=39002 i doubt i've watched 10 total hours of espn programming (besides actual sporting events) in the last 10 years. not something i plan on changing anytime soon. i love that posted by: simplicissimus 13:10 7.29.10 that's the kind of thing i would have done in my younger days posted by: publius 11:33 7.29.10 but i'm oh-so-much more mature nowadays... New Jersey's take on the incident posted by: horsebeater 10:27 7.29.10 http://www.nj.com/yankees/index.ssf/2010/07/wear_a_new_lebron_james_jersey.html be sure to check out the video posted by: horsebeater 10:23 7.29.10 Outside of the movies, I don't think I've ever seen someone being escorted by police be attacked before. i was at the game last week and couldn't tell what the commotion was posted by: horsebeater 10:14 7.29.10 now that i know, it's awesome http://www.cleveland.com/sports/index.ssf/2010/07/fan_in_lebrons_heat_jersey_tau.html wearing a miami lebron jersey will get you kicked out of most venues in cleveland now. alvin greene for senator (winner of dem primary in South Carolina) posted by: horsebeater 14:49 7.23.10 not really sure where this belongs. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ar09czbfE8o&feature=player_embedded#! the link is to an 80's style rap with lyrics like "he don't show porno to college chicks" and "he loves family and lives with his mom and dad" which morphs strangely into a lebron montage lebron's tweet re steinbrenner posted by: horsebeater 14:04 7.22.10 "R.I.P George Steinbrenner The Great. U will be missed dearly" The Great!?!?! Were you buddies with him Lebron? Go fuck yourself. it's a cleveland thing posted by: publius 14:08 7.16.10 i wouldn't understand wow posted by: horsebeater 14:03 7.16.10 the onion weighs in posted by: simplicissimus 13:12 7.16.10 pretty "blah" for the first 2/3 ... but it then becomes epic: http://www.theonion.com/articles/despite-repeated-attempts-to-tear-it-down-massive,17737/ wrestling analogy posted by: horsebeater 13:24 7.15.10 very very good: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G7xlzLOZH5c dear blank posted by: publius 09:34 7.13.10 Dear People Who Hate World Cup, Please stop acting so put out that you have to hear about soccer every 4 years. It's not like you didn't talk about Lebron 24/7 last week. Sincerely, A soccer fan. http://www.dearblankpleaseblank.com/ yes, it's taibbi... posted by: simplicissimus 12:36 7.11.10 but the beauty of this whole thing is that i'm half expecting walter cronkite to crawl out of his grave and declare on national television: "we are all cleveland cavaliers fans". http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/matt-taibbi/blogs/TaibbiData_May2010/179533/83512 i must say ... posted by: squisshy 18:17 7.9.10 i agree with some of the commentators (is that really a word, by the way? nobody "commentates," only "comments." Shouldn't it be "Commenters"?), and Simpli, who have said it's not so much what LePale said, it's how he said it. i'm all for people working where they want -- god knows i didn't want to stay in florida my whole life -- but really, who orchestrates a 1-hour me-a-thon to say he's ripping the heart out of his hometown team? anyway, on the plus side this gives me a new team to despise. on the negative side it makes me much less interested in the nba as a whole. way too much 'picking sides on the playground' type stuff. for posterity posted by: simplicissimus 12:27 7.9.10 the most incredible thing about this whole thing is how much damage the guy has done to his reputation. i could see going to new york because it's new york. i could see going to new jersey because of jay-z and because it's going to be brooklyn. i could see going to the clippers because it would be the most insanely audacious thing ever. i could see (most of all) going to the bulls because they are a very, very, very good young team where he would fit in pefect. --- but at 25 -- 25! -- to enter into a secret pact to go ring-chasing in south florida? that's for the 35 year olds once-near-greats (malone, barkley, etc.) who deserve it. not for somebody who 8 weeks ago was considered a 50-50 shot to be the G.O.A.T? after pulling one of the most bizarre playoff fizzles in history? and then to think that the best way to do it would be to surround himself with children-props and vitamin water bottles? it's just incredible. art modell posted by: horsebeater 11:01 7.9.10 Now that we have all been witnesses to Art Modell taking his football team to Baltimore and LeBron James taking his basketball to Miami, who will be regarded as the most hated man in Cleveland sports in days, weeks and years to come? Modell isn’t happy about it, but on Thursday afternoon, just five hours before James yanked the Cavaliers’ chain for the final time, Modell said he will always remain the bulls-eye on the fans’ dartboard for moving the former Browns franchise to Maryland in 1996. The new Browns were reborn as an expansion franchise in 1999 and have for the most part have groped blindly season after season ever since. Fans cling to the hope team president Mike Holmgren is changing that. “Do I think LeBron James as he leaves Cleveland will become the most hated man in Cleveland, more hated than Art Modell?” Modell said from his home in Baltimore. “Nonsense. Nonsense. I don’t think there’s any basis for it. “Maybe we can each take 10 foul shots. Whoever comes in second would be the most hated. I’m being sarcastic.” Modell turned 85 on June 23. He and his family never returned to their Waite Hill home after he announced on Nov. 6, 1995, he was moving his team to a brand new stadium in Baltimore because he could not get one in Cleveland after the Indians and Cavs had new homes built for them with government money. Modell knows this from his own experience; James no longer will be The Chosen One in the eyes of most Cavalier fans. “The fans will carry on, but there’s little they can do about it,” Modell said. “It’s his call. He’s a free agent. Too much is being made of it. He’s going on network television at 9 tonight to announce what he’s going to do. Too many dramatics. I resent the whole thing being turned into a three-ring circus. “Anyhow, I wish him well. I wish the team that gets him well. And as long as I do well, I’m fine.” James says Akron will always be his home. Likewise, Modell says his heart will always be in Cleveland, even though he hasn’t stepped foot in northeast Ohio in 14 years. “LeBron James is in a difficult spot,” Modell said. “He’s devoted to a lot of fans there. I wish him luck if he leaves. I wish Cleveland good luck if they lose him. I still love Cleveland. Nobody could ever take that love away from me. Nobody.” i agree.... posted by: publius 10:53 7.9.10 but not for their reasons... went to the colony for the annoucement with 2 friends posted by: horsebeater 10:48 7.9.10 bar was packed. music turned off and TV volume upped for the announcement. and then 90 seconds after the words "south beach" were uttered, after 20 to 30 shouts of "asshole" and "prima donna," the music was promptly cranked back up to 11. josh cribbs posted by: horsebeater 10:27 7.9.10 ps... posted by: simplicissimus 00:59 7.9.10 there is a bright spot: dan gilbert, cavs only, is literally going bitch-kicks right now. wow posted by: simplicissimus 00:50 7.9.10 1. it's already becoming clear that this was in the works for awhile. months or even years. 2. he disappeared in the celtics series. there was no injury. 3. his wilting was because (a) he didn't want to win, because it be much harder to leave a team that just won; or (b) he *had to* win because he knew he was leaving, and the pressure got to him. either way, he's not what anyone thought he was. and even that is acceptable. but to be stupid enough to go to miami (nothing compelling about it from any standpoint except that he's now on a dream team where he'll only get 1/3 of the blame or glory) and star on espn in the most insane hour of television i've ever watched ... and not think both were going to seriously damage his reputation as a player and a person? jesus. the man has instantly traded in the chance to be jordan for the chance to be shaq. it really is incredible, and i'm not sure there's a way -- short of winning 7 titles, and at least 2 without wade -- that this can ever be reversed. sportsguy channeling simpli/wknr posted by: horsebeater 16:10 7.8.10 20. Seven months later, it's happening. I can't wait to watch for the same reasons I couldn't turn away from O.J.'s Bronco chase or the Artest melee: it's Car Wreck Television. If LeBron picks anyone other than the Cavaliers, it will be the cruelest television moment since David Chase ended "The Sopranos" by making everyone think they lost power. Cleveland fans will never forgive LeBron, nor should they. He knows better than anyone what kind of sports anguish they have suffered over the years. Losing LeBron on a contrived one-hour show would be worse than Byner's fumble, Jose Mesa, the Game 5 meltdown against Boston, The Drive, The Shot and everything else. At least those stomach-punch moments weren't preordained, unless you believe God hates Cleveland (entirely possible, by the way). This stomach-punch moment? Calculated. By a local kid they loved, defended and revered. It would be unforgivable. Repeat: unforgivable. I don't have a dog in this race -- as a Celtics fan, I wanted to see him go anywhere but Chicago -- but LeBron doing this show after what happened in the 2010 playoffs actually turned me against him. No small feat. I was one of his biggest defenders. Not anymore. And here's where I really worry, because I don't think LeBron James has anyone in his life with enough juice to hurl his or her body in front of the concept of "I'm going to announce during a one-hour live show that I'm playing somewhere other than Cleveland." It's the best and worst thing about him -- he has remained fiercely loyal to his high school friends, but at the same time, he's surrounded by people his own age who don't stand up to him and don't know any better. Picking anyone other than Cleveland on this show would be the meanest thing any athlete has ever done to a city. But he might. Assuming he's not malicious, and that he's just a self-absorbed kid who apparently lost all perspective, that doesn't make him much different than most child stars who became famous before they could legally drink -- or, for that matter, Tiger Woods. That's just the way this stuff works. Too much, too fast, too soon. You don't lose your way all at once; just a little at a time. Then one day you look up and there's a TMZ photo spread with 15 of your mistresses, or you're agreeing to stab an entire city in the heart on a one-hour television show. (When Kevin Durant announced his own five-year, $86 million extension with an endearingly simple tweet yesterday, we all had the same thought: "Now that's how it's done." Pretty sad that an NBA star stood out for being humble and only caring about basketball.) i am the cult of...i am the cult of.... posted by: publius 11:53 7.8.10 http://gawker.com/5582271/espns-lebron-takeover-the-perfectly-reasonable-explanation rumor is miami posted by: horsebeater 10:23 7.8.10 sportsradio is going crazy with the idea that this was all mapped out a year ago and the whole past week has been an elaborate charade that lebron's guys thought would help his marketing AND would get rid of any chance that there could be tampering charges levied against miami do you like posted by: horsebeater 12:59 7.7.10 joey james or lebron modell better? props withdrawn posted by: simplicissimus 11:59 7.7.10 the hour long television special tomorrow night -- regardless of what he does -- is absurd. all the good will he built up by handling the whole thing correctly is gone. this is 100x worse than random tweets and press comments by the other players. kevin durtant -- who just re-upped with OKC for 5 more years without a word about him looking elsewhere -- shows how it should be done. while i won't say... posted by: publius 10:40 7.6.10 die basketball die (i'm far too ambivalent about it for that) i will say that of all the things i care about...at all...in this universe, where lebron james plays the game doesn't even make the list. like most major sports hoo-has, i'll just be glad when he does decide so i won't to deal with everyone else's second-hand hot-air on the topic note that i am not referring to folks on tentfort...i can and will ignore this thread from here on out...rather i mean the people on the subway, the train, in line to get lunch, at the gym, in the elevator at work, etc. etc. etc....do all of you people really care that much? can you honestly not think of anything else to talk about? good lord... and that is all i have to say about that... i've still got a nagging feeling he's coming to chicago posted by: simplicissimus 09:46 7.6.10 but i will say this: i fucking hated the guy about a month ago. and i'm none too pleased with all of the silliness. but i have to give him props for (a) cancelling the circus-like "world tour" that was scheduled to see him visit city after city; and (b) not saying a word in public. when you compare it to bosh (who has been particularly annoying) and wade (who was held up as the good company man until he all of the sudden may not stay in miami), lebron has handled it perfectly. though like i said, i'd be happier if the "it" never happened in the first place. 50/50 he stays in cleveland, but if he does i think the cavs could shock the world by adding a second piece and coming out ahead. not likely, but possible. i've been lying in wait, ready to pounce if simpli chose to post on this topic posted by: horsebeater 09:45 7.6.10 calling out your own fault was the only proper play. ******* let me just say that the level of 24/7 begging going on in this city is enough to make the most hard-core cavs fan ill. we're the clingiest girlfriend in the world. 25 year old men don't like that. can't let this pass posted by: simplicissimus 13:13 7.4.10 the irony of a guy who left ohio for chicago talking shit about a much more important guy thinking about leaving ohio for chicago (or elsewhere) is not lost on me. however, i can promise you this: if anyone felt like this about me, i'd be living at the corner of East 9th and Carnegie. Schmaltzy and hokey and sentimental at times, it really does sum it up: http://ht.ly/26Rcv He leaves for elsewhere -- entirely his right -- and he's just another star. He forgoes more bright lights, glitz, and excitement than literally anyone else in the world could get at the moment to stay in ohio and win a championship? He's a fucking god.