WHAT SHOULD I DO?
(Or, a quickie I wrote sitting @ McDonald's)
Been arguing for over 36 hours with a colleague regarding LeBron James. For the record, I think King James is very talented, a little spoiled, slightly selfish, but a gentleman otherwise. Furthermore, the way he left Cleveland pisses me off. It was almost like having a spouse telling you on national television, "We're getting a divorce." Not a good deal at all. The fans pay to see LeBron and others play. Fans support the team when things get rough. They make the stadium or arena loud when things look bad and the team is trying to rally to pull within single digits. Fans are the "6th Man." They are a member of the family, for crying out loud. Fans deserve respect. Now, how I feel about the money-grubbing asshole owners is a whole OTHER blog...
My colleague contends vehemently that LeBron "did what was right for him," and that he should "not pay attention to the fans because they are not the ones who have to put in all the work." And it is true that fans will turn on you in a heartbeat. Added to that, I would never advise someone to stay in a situation that is hurting them emotionally, physically, financially or anything of the like. But at the very least, at the end of last season, LJ should have made a statement to the fans and said the following, "I may be leaving you. It would hurt me as much as it would hurt you if I do. I LOVE YOU, but this is what's best for me. Please know that you have been wonderful; better to me than I have been to myself. Its not you, but it's me..." And so on, and so forth. Sure, fans still would have been pissed off, but right now they are beyond pisstivity. They would have to orbit the Earth 20 times to get to the point where pisstivity is in sight (for real, for real...). With my suggested statement, a precursor, if you will, to do damage control, time would have eventually healed that wound. But because LeBron ripped the fans' hearts out, threw it on the ground, stomped on it, and spit on it on national television, he and Cleveland will probably never "kiss and make up." EVER.
So, to the fans, I say, "Move on." Treat LeBron like that man who dumped you even though he knows without a shadow of a doubt that you were the best thing that ever happened to him: lose his number and if he calls you, don't answer the damn phone! When LeBron showed up at Cleveland's stadium last night, all he shoulda heard was crickets. The (ex-)fans should have stayed home to show him that they don't give two shits about him. But by buying tickets, selling the stadium out, booing all night, and holding up signs dissing him, they showed just how crazy with hurt they are. And anyway, I thought the City of Cleveland was in such dire straits...? Somebody got money for some NBA tickets, though...
But I digress.
The fans are truly behaving like the deranged ex-lover who goes around slashing tires, pouring sugar in gas tanks, and making the other person miserable--that is, until somebody breaks out a restraining order. Bottom Line to the fans: support the team you have left with all y
our might. Make the current Cavaliers feel as if they are the only team in the world and you love them will all your heart. Be there for the losses, the wins, the ups, downs, injuries, etc. Act like LeBron never existed.
Now, if, if, I say again, "if" LeBron ever decides he "needs to talk...," the city and the fans should be dignified, classy, and the bigger person--make his ass get on his hands and knees and beg!
Axe.
(Or, a quickie I wrote sitting @ McDonald's)
Been arguing for over 36 hours with a colleague regarding LeBron James. For the record, I think King James is very talented, a little spoiled, slightly selfish, but a gentleman otherwise. Furthermore, the way he left Cleveland pisses me off. It was almost like having a spouse telling you on national television, "We're getting a divorce." Not a good deal at all. The fans pay to see LeBron and others play. Fans support the team when things get rough. They make the stadium or arena loud when things look bad and the team is trying to rally to pull within single digits. Fans are the "6th Man." They are a member of the family, for crying out loud. Fans deserve respect. Now, how I feel about the money-grubbing asshole owners is a whole OTHER blog...
My colleague contends vehemently that LeBron "did what was right for him," and that he should "not pay attention to the fans because they are not the ones who have to put in all the work." And it is true that fans will turn on you in a heartbeat. Added to that, I would never advise someone to stay in a situation that is hurting them emotionally, physically, financially or anything of the like. But at the very least, at the end of last season, LJ should have made a statement to the fans and said the following, "I may be leaving you. It would hurt me as much as it would hurt you if I do. I LOVE YOU, but this is what's best for me. Please know that you have been wonderful; better to me than I have been to myself. Its not you, but it's me..." And so on, and so forth. Sure, fans still would have been pissed off, but right now they are beyond pisstivity. They would have to orbit the Earth 20 times to get to the point where pisstivity is in sight (for real, for real...). With my suggested statement, a precursor, if you will, to do damage control, time would have eventually healed that wound. But because LeBron ripped the fans' hearts out, threw it on the ground, stomped on it, and spit on it on national television, he and Cleveland will probably never "kiss and make up." EVER.
So, to the fans, I say, "Move on." Treat LeBron like that man who dumped you even though he knows without a shadow of a doubt that you were the best thing that ever happened to him: lose his number and if he calls you, don't answer the damn phone! When LeBron showed up at Cleveland's stadium last night, all he shoulda heard was crickets. The (ex-)fans should have stayed home to show him that they don't give two shits about him. But by buying tickets, selling the stadium out, booing all night, and holding up signs dissing him, they showed just how crazy with hurt they are. And anyway, I thought the City of Cleveland was in such dire straits...? Somebody got money for some NBA tickets, though...
But I digress.
The fans are truly behaving like the deranged ex-lover who goes around slashing tires, pouring sugar in gas tanks, and making the other person miserable--that is, until somebody breaks out a restraining order. Bottom Line to the fans: support the team you have left with all y
our might. Make the current Cavaliers feel as if they are the only team in the world and you love them will all your heart. Be there for the losses, the wins, the ups, downs, injuries, etc. Act like LeBron never existed.Now, if, if, I say again, "if" LeBron ever decides he "needs to talk...," the city and the fans should be dignified, classy, and the bigger person--make his ass get on his hands and knees and beg!
Axe.
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