raisen
NBA Starter
- Joined
- Dec 27, 2006
- Messages
- 638
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Your apology rings hollow, LeBron
May 12, 2011
LeBron James can apologize all he wants, but he can forget about receiving clemency from Cavaliers fans.
That's not me talking, either. That's the reaction from Clevelanders to James finally saying he was sorry for The Decision show last July.
James was speaking Wednesday, after Miami eliminated Boston in the second round of the Eastern Conference playoffs. It was LeBron's first victory over the Celtics in the postseason -- and he treated it as if he had just won The Masters after picking up a set of golf clubs for the first time.
He let out a primal scream. He kneeled on the court and prayed. He might have gotten a tear in his eye. If there's one thing LeBron has always understood, it's that the national media will bow down before him, so long as he continues to provide the required drama and showmanship.
Meanwhile, every time James and the Heat advance, Cavs fans face a decision of their own: Count to 10 and ignore the rest of the playoffs, or go ahead and kick in their television sets.
Whether outsiders understand that is truly irrelevant.
Interestingly, what Cleveland fans really want is for all of this to just go away. They want to forget LeBron was ever part of their team. They want to cover their ears and chant la, la, la every time James acts like his "supporting cast" with the Cavs wasn't good enough.
They want to scream, "Dude, you won more than 60 regular-season games in back-to-back seasons! You went to the Finals in 2007! What MORE do you want?"
Mostly, they wish James would just shut up.
Seriously, though. Why apologize now? Why bother bringing up the Cavs at all — as James did when he said, "As much as I loved my teammates in Cleveland, I knew (beating Boston) wasn't something I could do by myself."
Yeah. We know it, too.
Of course, the only thing worse than LeBron's take on all this are the opinions of so many national analysts. In their fawning over James, those blowhards seem to have overlooked several important theories:
1. Basketball man Danny Ainge destroyed any opportunity the Celtics had to win a title by trading center Kendrick Perkins to Oklahoma City in the middle of the season.
2. Celtics point guard Rajon Rondo was playing with a busted elbow.
3. LeBron's Cavs also would have dismantled this year's older, extremely banged-up and Perkins-free version of the Celtics. And they probably could have done it even if LeBron had to shoot a free throw with his weak hand again.
But it's hard to grasp such notions in today's world of drive-by journalism, where you report on so much that you're really not tuned into anything.
One headline proclaimed: "Win over Boston justifies LeBron's move to Miami."
Another pronounced: "The Decision worked out for LeBron."
Yet another exclaimed: "LeBron made right call in leaving Cleveland."
Most just indicated that James said he was sorry and, therefore, Cavs fans can finally move on. One particularly irrational article even encouraged Cavs fans to start supporting him again.
Needless to say, not one national story mentioned that the entire reason Cleveland is back in the NBA spotlight is because James felt the need to say something about it. No one had to ask -- LeBron was just going to offer an apology and expect it to be enough.
It never will be. Not in Cleveland.
Instead, Cavs fans will always look at James' choice to team up with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh as a sissy move. They will always view it as one of their own running away from home, taking the easy way out.
Then again, they could probably live with (and even forgive) all that.
But when it comes to LeBron's nationally televised kick in Cleveland's crotch, forget it. Saying you're sorry just ain't gonna cut it.
http://www.foxsportsohio.com/05/12/...ing_cavaliers.html?blockID=521705&feedID=3724
May 12, 2011
LeBron James can apologize all he wants, but he can forget about receiving clemency from Cavaliers fans.
That's not me talking, either. That's the reaction from Clevelanders to James finally saying he was sorry for The Decision show last July.
James was speaking Wednesday, after Miami eliminated Boston in the second round of the Eastern Conference playoffs. It was LeBron's first victory over the Celtics in the postseason -- and he treated it as if he had just won The Masters after picking up a set of golf clubs for the first time.
He let out a primal scream. He kneeled on the court and prayed. He might have gotten a tear in his eye. If there's one thing LeBron has always understood, it's that the national media will bow down before him, so long as he continues to provide the required drama and showmanship.
Meanwhile, every time James and the Heat advance, Cavs fans face a decision of their own: Count to 10 and ignore the rest of the playoffs, or go ahead and kick in their television sets.
Whether outsiders understand that is truly irrelevant.
Interestingly, what Cleveland fans really want is for all of this to just go away. They want to forget LeBron was ever part of their team. They want to cover their ears and chant la, la, la every time James acts like his "supporting cast" with the Cavs wasn't good enough.
They want to scream, "Dude, you won more than 60 regular-season games in back-to-back seasons! You went to the Finals in 2007! What MORE do you want?"
Mostly, they wish James would just shut up.
Seriously, though. Why apologize now? Why bother bringing up the Cavs at all — as James did when he said, "As much as I loved my teammates in Cleveland, I knew (beating Boston) wasn't something I could do by myself."
Yeah. We know it, too.
Of course, the only thing worse than LeBron's take on all this are the opinions of so many national analysts. In their fawning over James, those blowhards seem to have overlooked several important theories:
1. Basketball man Danny Ainge destroyed any opportunity the Celtics had to win a title by trading center Kendrick Perkins to Oklahoma City in the middle of the season.
2. Celtics point guard Rajon Rondo was playing with a busted elbow.
3. LeBron's Cavs also would have dismantled this year's older, extremely banged-up and Perkins-free version of the Celtics. And they probably could have done it even if LeBron had to shoot a free throw with his weak hand again.
But it's hard to grasp such notions in today's world of drive-by journalism, where you report on so much that you're really not tuned into anything.
One headline proclaimed: "Win over Boston justifies LeBron's move to Miami."
Another pronounced: "The Decision worked out for LeBron."
Yet another exclaimed: "LeBron made right call in leaving Cleveland."
Most just indicated that James said he was sorry and, therefore, Cavs fans can finally move on. One particularly irrational article even encouraged Cavs fans to start supporting him again.
Needless to say, not one national story mentioned that the entire reason Cleveland is back in the NBA spotlight is because James felt the need to say something about it. No one had to ask -- LeBron was just going to offer an apology and expect it to be enough.
It never will be. Not in Cleveland.
Instead, Cavs fans will always look at James' choice to team up with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh as a sissy move. They will always view it as one of their own running away from home, taking the easy way out.
Then again, they could probably live with (and even forgive) all that.
But when it comes to LeBron's nationally televised kick in Cleveland's crotch, forget it. Saying you're sorry just ain't gonna cut it.
http://www.foxsportsohio.com/05/12/...ing_cavaliers.html?blockID=521705&feedID=3724
