When the world stared at LeBron James, during his egotistical one-hour television spectacle, he announced that he’s a redefined superstar in South Beach.
The most anticipated free agent class ended in Cleveland with much devastation and agony, with the city ending up suffering indignities greater than The Shot, The Drive and The Fumble.
Even worst, he left his native town in tears, heightening the dismay and anguish of an angry town mourning this emotional departure. Whether you like it or not, he will join forces with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh to create the a super-team, a Batman/Robin/Superman combo, unlike any other in NBA history. Whether you like it or not, James has moved on with his future.
But ultimately, he disgusted a majority of the nation, seizing power as the biggest free-agent prize for selfishly hijacking television in an ESPN special. Ever since he divorced his fans and region as a hero, a bond became unglued, in a depressing environment thrilled and driven to embrace the former symbol of sporting aspirations in Ohio.
All year, we'll hear that he’s self-absorbed and narcissistic. Sure, he is. All year, we'll hear that he’s a traitor and an egomaniac. He’s not. If you are one of those describing him as a disloyal villain, you are wrongly dumbfounded and emotional how it all ended so agonizingly.
It’s very fascinating how the same advocates who anointed him have turned against him, calling him a villain after he spent seven years uplifting and rejuvenating a disastrous franchise in Cleveland.
Without him, the Cleveland Cavaliers wouldn’t have been recognized as a top-tier franchise in a town devoid of a major title since 1964, incompetent with all the catastrophes and failures that stained a lustful sports town.
Notice he brought prominence installing a sense of humanity at home, as he considerably tried delivering a title to a championship-driven city.
By emerging on the scene as a gifted savior in a place battered with economic troubles and without much happiness, he satisfied the heart and soul of fans with his breathtaking heroics and individual awards.
Without him, revenue wouldn’t have inflated. Without him, Cleveland wouldn’t have ever rocked. It’s nice to acknowledge that he’s responsible for the Cavs recent NBA Finals appearance, but unfortunately fell short of winning a championship. It’s nice to know that he carried the Cavs to the Eastern Conference Finals during a seven year stint, and nonetheless, is criticized for leaving Cleveland.
No, this doesn’t make him a coward. It makes him seem wise, selfless and focused on collecting rings instead of individual accolades. Now, winning a title is possible in South Beach, joining Wade and Bosh in Miami as the scariest, meanest, mightiest, biggest trio of all-time.
This is what happens whenever a player migrates to paradise, finding an estate on the shores of South Beach, not only to universally extend popularity, but win multiple titles.
He couldn’t care less about fame and ego, now a mature paragon concern of persevering triumph without asking for the sizable dollars. It’s amazing how the cynics who worshipped James as “The Chosen One” are instantly skeptical of him winning with the Heat for bailing out on what they believed was unfinished business.
At this point, Cleveland is a town filled with anger and disappointed with his self-empowering television announcement, but even more so, enraged by his next residential spot, and feels betrayed and hoodwinked by his independent decision.
The moods of fans will expose mixed emotions in any city other than Miami, either feeling bitterly abandoned, either dwelling on signs of arrogance and ego, or either having a friendly motive after he chose the Heat.
Either way, that is, there’s a backlash in a depressing setting for which fans will have grudges and collectively insult their former savior, ridiculing him for his surreal transition, one of the toughest choices that suits James in the future.
There are still disheartening fans in aftermath of burning his No. 23 jerseys in the street as way to release anger and jettison his merchandise, furious about his commitment of loyalty and bailing out on his home town crowd, to chase his first championship.
He needed a change of scenery, obviously sacrificing his legacy and ego by dangerously putting his reputation on the line to contend for a championship and place higher expectations in Miami. Why express sinister resentment without thanking him? Why burn his No. 23 jerseys without hanging the attire as memorabilia?
It’s a real shame the entire city has denounced and abnormally dismissed James of winning a championship, all because he was driven and decided to move on. Most of all, this is a free country, which means he never owed Cleveland notice in advance or a hint of his next location, or another seven years of his career in one town.
To put it simply, he owed the city nothing. If he meant that much to a town, they’d have cheered him wherever he landed, regardless of the egotistical mannerisms of his decision. It’s a city that will bitterly despise James every time he emerges from the visitor’s tunnel in Cleveland, instead of welcoming the star forward with a standing ovation.
This is how the population repays James? No gratitude? No warm receptions? No good luck wishes? No credit?
WOW! Whatever the people of Cleveland believe, he’s apparently not concerned with the pursuit of his popularity, and he’s obviously not concerned with elevating his ego, and he’s certainly not leaving his hometown for financial principles, but respectively for potential attainments.
In fairness, he wasn’t about money by accepting $30 million less in Miami, knowing that he could have asked for more and earned a larger amount in Cleveland, but he refused to settle for money. Across the world, he’s scorned for nationally making a public scene and placing a burden on Cleveland.
From the world’s most adorable athlete to the world’s most disliked, he’s blamed for downsizing jobs and deflating the profit in his hometown and turning his back on them.
But he never turned his back on them. Unlike the typical player, he followed his instincts and went on an organization that suited his opportunities of winning.
But there’s nothing more shocking or shameless than Cavs majority owner Dan Gilbert, who angrily ripped the former star, forgetting that he revived a futile organization as the virtuous leader and brought much joy to a murky region.
What a shame it really is hearing an owner unprofessionally and harshly bash his former star. It was an outlandish message rarely seen from an executive who normally handles situations with positive character.
“As you now know, our former hero, who grew up in the very region that he deserted this evening, is no longer a Cleveland Cavalier,” he wrote in a letter. “This was announced with a several-day, narcissistic, self-promotional build-up culminating with a national TV special of his ‘decision’ unlike anything ever ‘witnessed’ in the history of sports probably the history of entertainment. Clearly, this is bitterly disappointing to all of us. The good news is that the ownership team and the rest of the hard-working, loyal, and driven staff over here at your hometown Cavaliers have not betrayed you nor NEVER will betray you.”
He continued…
“I PERSONALLY GUARANTEE THAT THE CLEVELAND CAVALIERS WILL WIN AN NBA CHAMPIONSHIP BEFORE THE SELF-TITLED FORMER ‘KING’ WINS ONE,” Gilbert wrote. “You can take it to the bank.”
Seriously…how does he figure that? There’s a super-team built in Miami, an unprecedented trio in NBA history with the Three Amigos generating a tropical storm in South Beach.
By migrating to Miami, James assembled the most captivating scene all of us have our eyes set on, willing to join Wade and Bosh for the welfare of tasting his first title.
He could win five titles with this supersized unit. It takes reinforcements and reliable tandems or trios to win these days. Never has one superstar done it alone or dominated without contributions. For instance, Kobe Bryant needed Shaquille O’Neal, Tim Duncan needed David Robinson, Magic Johnson needed Kareem Abdul Jabber, Larry Bird needed Robert Parish and Kevin McHale, and the greatest of all-time Michael Jordan needed, ahem, Scottie Pippen and Steve Kerr.
And now, LeBron needs Wade and Bosh.
The Heat fans are pleased to welcome LeBron and are hopeful the lowly franchise will win more than 47 games next season by possibly winning 75 games, shattering the record for the most wins in a season.
If you are wondering how Miami pulled off the most historic trio and landed LeBron, it was the cleverness of Pat Riley, who has assembled productive cores as an executive in the front office. He’s wiser than ever, smarter than ever, and he’s even a smooth persuader of luring superstars to join and establish a cohesive and efficient core.
And LeBron followed the stars to South Beach. It was known as Wade Country, but now it’s known as Three Amigo Country. There’s a party at the beach, as people are enraged and weeping over their loss in Cleveland. Pretty soon, they’ll be somber and stick a pacifier in their mouths, while Miami will cheer loudly and appreciate King James.
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