AKRON, Ohio – With both New York and Chicago unleashing bodacious multimillion-dollar campaigns to lure LeBron James to their respective NBA teams, the region where LBJ became a national star decided to finally fight back with a little campaign of its own.
More than 4,000 residents from the Akron and Cleveland areas ventured onto the University of Akron’s InfoCision football stadium for a three-hour “LeBron James Appreciation Day” rally and celebration. Even Jim Tressel, an Ohio native and the head coach of the beloved Ohio State Buckeyes football squad, made the 2 ½-hour trek from the Columbus campus to join in the support.
And just when most of them had taken to the exits or were already gone, the object of their obsessive affection strolled his 6-foot-9, 250-pound frame lazily into the stadium. With a bevy of security officers orbiting around the statuesque James, he strode onto the playing field to accept a hometown hero award, according to the Akron Beacon Journal.
“Akron is my home,” he said after the screaming and cheering subsided. “It’s my life. Everything I do is for this city. I love every last one of you.”
And with that, James was gone as quickly as he had appeared, ostensibly back to the colossal mansion he lives in a short distance from the stadium.
No one outside of James’ inner circle knew if he would appear at the rally in his honor, as he spurned several attempts to reach him. And now, no one knows if he will stay or bail for more attractive offers. Free agency in the NBA begins July 1.
This writer has personally ventured to New York and Chicago, the nation’s No. 1 and No. 3 media markets, and saw up-close portions of the expensive campaigns set to entice LeBron to leave. Therefore, Carl Albright, the president and CEO of InfoCision Stadium, said it “would speak volumes” if the two hometown cities — Akron and Cleveland, which are 45-minutes apart from one another — did nothing to at least try to show appreciation to James and try to pull at his heart strings.
The festivities began at 10 a.m. and the rally took place at noon Saturday, with local personalities, politicians and athletes appearing and speaking. In the end, LeBron still gave no indication of his impending decision.
–terry shropshire
