NBA superstar LeBron James set a precedent by holding a one-hour special on ESPN just to announce the team he would play for in 2010-11. But it only took James 10 seconds for him to change the course of the NBA and the future of two cities.
James decided to team up with NBA All-Stars Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade to form a super team that could challenge Kobe and the L.A. Lakers.
But the decision left the entire state of Ohio distraught and the Cleveland Cavaliers owner, Dan Gilbert, voiced his opinion by writing a scathing letter in which he called LeBron a coward and suggested that he quit during playoffs.
“The self-declared former ‘King’ will be taking the “curse” with him down south. And until he does “right” by Cleveland and Ohio, James (and the town where he plays) will unfortunately own this dreaded spell and bad karma,” said Gilbert
The entire fiasco came off as one of the most pretentious moments in sports history. It had the tasteless feel of a reality show, but the entire nation watched mostly to find out who would be the biggest loser. –amir shaw
LeBron’s One Hour Diva Moment Backfires – Showmanship can be entertaining and inspiring when done the right way. Muhammad Ali’s overt confidence and Deion Sanders’ spirited end zone dances are examples of how showmanship can work in sports. LeBron James one-hour special proves that he craves attention as much as he needs oxygen.
LeBron James = Scottie Pippen – By signing with the Miami Heat, LeBron James ensures that he will be a glorified Scottie Pippen if he wins a championship with the Heat. The Heat belongs to Dwyane Wade and he will be the leader of that franchise until he retires. Dade County has been called Wade County since Wade was drafted by the Team in 2003. James is now a co-star and will have to defer to Wade on the court.
NBA is the New WWF – In the last 30 years, only eight franchises have won an NBA title. Each year, there are only four teams who have a legitimate shot at winning the title and the rest of the league teams are mere bottom feeders. Although the new super team in Miami will be fun to watch, the power remains in the hands of only a few organizations. The NBA season will never end with a Cinderella on top.
Dan Gilbert Views LeBron as his Property – Dan Gilbert’s emotional rant shows how most NBA owners view players — as million dollar slaves. His reaction to LeBron James’ decision suggests that he viewed James as his property. And James leaving was like a slave running away from the plantation.
Dan Gilbert Didn’t Care About LeBron as a Person –
Gilbert seemed to be more than willing to kiss LeBron James’ rear end prior to his announcement. He put up billboards, sung a ‘We Are the World’-type song and spent thousands in advertisements to entice James to stay. But he showed the world that he cared very little about James as a person. James likely picked up on Gilbert’s false vibe before making his decision and that could have been the deal breaker.
Dan Gilbert will Never Sign another NBA Superstar– Whenever an owner humiliates a superstar to that degree, other players will take notice. Who wants to play for an owner whose that erratic and volatile? The Cleveland Cavs will — again — become one of the worse franchises in the NBA within the next two years.
