Can we talk LeBron?

[Deleted]

I am impressed that LeBron is coming home!

His announcement / story was well written, and I think he acknowledged the debacle that was "The Decision," and really liked his comparison of college for most kids to his experience in Miami.

He went, got his rings, and is coming back to the place that he so clearly loves and wants to improve, which is very cool. I think he is a savvy businessman and a great role model in sports.

4 years ago, I listened in to the decision on radio (driving home from work) and remembered thinking that he was totally tone deaf to how furious he was going to make his hometown....but it is clear all is forgiven now! Story on ABC this morning was talking about his impact on the Cleveland "LeBronomy" (Economy....get it.)

Overall, classy move, LeBron.

[Deleted]

Here's the article if you haven't read it:

www.si.com/nba/2014/07/11/lebron-james-cleveland-cavaliers

[AAM2012]

Jul 12, 2014 6:15:55 GMT -5 @shoegal said:

I am impressed that LeBron is coming home!

His announcement / story was well written, and I think he acknowledged the debacle that was "The Decision," and really liked his comparison of college for most kids to his experience in Miami.

He went, got his rings, and is coming back to the place that he so clearly loves and wants to improve, which is very cool. I think he is a savvy businessman and a great role model in sports.

4 years ago, I listened in to the decision on radio (driving home from work) and remembered thinking that he was totally tone deaf to how furious he was going to make his hometown....but it is clear all is forgiven now! Story on ABC this morning was talking about his impact on the Cleveland "LeBronomy" (Economy....get it.)

Overall, classy move, LeBron.

I agree with this. Although, I never understood the backlash when he left but I probably never will since I'm not a big fan of any particular team. I read his announcement and was really surprised to see how well written it was. Seems like a good guy and hopefully Cleveland will appreciate that.

[mcfelix]

DH and I were talking about it last night and agree with you. I do think he realized his Heat announcement was obnoxious and he did it much better this time. Good for him and Cleveland!

[lurknomore]

AAM2012

I think a lot of the backlash wasn't that he was leaving but the way that he did it. No one here expected he would go. He was born and raised here and I think many, my DH included, expected he would bring a championship home. I think people were blind to the fact he never could have done that without the experience he had to get elsewhere-a point he touched on in his letter. His announcement was embarrarassing because it was so hyped. I don't think anyone around here really considered he would leave home. And as angry as people were, it was quickly forgotten the last week. DH was GLUED to the tv and internet all week. He's taking care of the baby for the rest of the summer so he almost literally didn't leave the house waiting for the announcement. I dragged him to the playground yesterday with the girls for an hour. Checked GNCN while we were there and saw it on ML. He wasn't pleased with me! Word spread quickly and even the camp kids who were there were so excited. I'm so happy he's coming back to Cleveland, mostly because he brings something so positive to a city that many people who aren't from here think is just shit. I told DH id even sit through a game this season!!!

[asoctoberfalls]

I agree with lurknomore. It wasn't the fact that he left that made people so angry, it was how he left. Zydrunas Ilgauskas, who was drafted by the Cavs in the 90's and was beloved in the city, left to join the Heat with LeBron. He experienced nothing but love from the people of Cleveland because he was classy with how he handled the whole thing. (Incidentally, Z came back and now works for the Cavs in a business capacity).

I didn't even want LeBron back, but after reading his announcement and his explanation, I'm excited about his future in Cleveland.

[shortstax]

Cleveland has been making strides on revitalization efforts, and anything that can give that town something to cheer about or be a source of hope is fantastic! Reading LeBron' s essay actually made me tear up because I related to a lot of it. I'd love to move "home" but the lack of opportunity there isn't what I want for my family.

I love that he was all "there will be no press conference or party this time."

[gt7301b]

Call me a pessimist, but I think Labron is coming home to get more rings. The Miami crew is getting old and he sees that he can build a new dynasty in Cleveland w/ him, 3 out of the last 4 #1 draft picks, and possibly Kevin Love.

[Deleted]

Jul 12, 2014 8:10:20 GMT -5 shortstax said:

Cleveland has been making strides on revitalization efforts, and anything that can give that town something to cheer about or be a source of hope is fantastic! Reading LeBron' s essay actually made me tear up because I related to a lot of it. I'd love to move "home" but the lack of opportunity there isn't what I want for my family.

I love that he was all "there will be no press conference or party this time."

Yup, this.  Well said shortstax.  How he feels about Cleveland is how I feel about Detroit.  Sometimes, I feel like a sham for staying here in DC area, but I hope one day to have a much bigger impact on the D and its revitalization efforts.

[mskitkat]

Jul 12, 2014 8:10:20 GMT -5 shortstax said:

Cleveland has been making strides on revitalization efforts, and anything that can give that town something to cheer about or be a source of hope is fantastic! Reading LeBron' s essay actually made me tear up because I related to a lot of it. I'd love to move "home" but the lack of opportunity there isn't what I want for my family.

I love that he was all "there will be no press conference or party this time."

I feel the same way about Cleveland. It has a lot of job opportunities for my career, but almost none for my DH. It's sad. I really hope I can return one day.

I like the way LeBron went about it this time. His essay was very well thought out. I just wish he wasn't making grand promises about finishing his career in Cleveland.

[cransplash]

I'm originally from Cleveland and we had season tickets to the CAVS (back in the day of Mark Price, Brad Daugherty), and I am so excited for LB to come home. This will be a great thing for the city.

And I also thought his article was humble and well written.

Go CAVS!

[SJ]

My DH is thrilled. He is originally from Ohio and a lifelong Cavs fan. He claims it was one of the best days of his life and is already harassing me about tickets both here and there.

I agree that he wants more rings- he said so in the piece- but I do think this was handled in a classy way especially after the debacle last time.

[gt7301b]

Jul 12, 2014 10:38:21 GMT -5 @songforyou said:

Jul 12, 2014 8:49:09 GMT -5 gt7301b said:

Call me a pessimist, but I think Labron is coming home to get more rings. The Miami crew is getting old and he sees that he can build a new dynasty in Cleveland w/ him, 3 out of the last 4 #1 draft picks, and possibly Kevin Love.

I think it has much more to do with family than career, actually.  From what I understand, his wife really wants to be back home.  They'd moved part of their support system to Miami and the Heat wives are a pretty close-knit group, but Savannah (and his mother, but I think that was less important) still missed Ohio. I just don't understand the surprise, because there was a rumor weeks ago that their boys had already been enrolled in a Cleveland private school for the fall.  No way that she and the 3 kids were going to be in Ohio while he played in Miami.

I'll also add that I think that while maybe LeBron didn't leave the best way the last time, the response--from both the fans and the owner--was horrible.  I'd be reluctant to go back after being treated that way if I were him...although I am glad he doesn't seem to be.

Well sure, he wants to come home.  But it makes it a lot easier when coming home means you have a better chance to win.  If it didn't look like he could win a championship in Cleveland it sure would be a more difficult decision.

[marissap]

Jul 12, 2014 8:49:38 GMT -5 @shoegal said:

Jul 12, 2014 8:10:20 GMT -5 shortstax said:

Cleveland has been making strides on revitalization efforts, and anything that can give that town something to cheer about or be a source of hope is fantastic! Reading LeBron' s essay actually made me tear up because I related to a lot of it. I'd love to move "home" but the lack of opportunity there isn't what I want for my family.

I love that he was all "there will be no press conference or party this time."

Yup, this.  Well said shortstax.  How he feels about Cleveland is how I feel about Detroit.  Sometimes, I feel like a sham for staying here in DC area, but I hope one day to have a much bigger impact on the D and its revitalization efforts.

No offense but this is sort of a cop out! I work in downtown Detroit and it has never been more revitalized. Restaurants are full, parks are packed, there's a parking ahortage because of so many people working in the city. Most suburbs have never been more vibrant either. We looked for houses for two years because we were outbid on everything. We bought our old house and the market peak in 2006 and still sold it this year for more than we bought it for. Things are coming back but many people refuse to think of Detroit as anything other than a bankrupt, auto dependent city with no future. This city craves educated people with Midwestern values. People just don't give it a fair shake because of the press. The nyt article today about Detroit was great if you haven't read it!!

Again I meant no offense by any of this because I know you used to live here but it always makes me mad when people assume there are no opportunities here without being in the thick of it and seeing it up close and personal.

[Deleted]

marissap, I def did not mean to inadvertently knock the D!

There is some amazing stuff happening in Michigan and the city, absolutely. And, a ton of our family members are still doing incredibly well in Metro Detroit.

However, last time I was home, my Dad and I hung out in Detroit on Saturday, then left the city via Grand River. There are just miles upon miles of blight. It is incredibly eye opening that there is still so much work to be done.

A friend of the family who has never left Michigan is taking her first out of state trip ever (she is v.young, and grew up pretty sheltered.). Anyway, she was asking my mom if Chicago (where she is going) is like Detroit....we have a ways to go before that is a fair comparison.

I am so proud of what Dan Gilbert is doing, and love the cool entrepreneurs like the dude who started the Detroit Bus Co. I wish I was brave enough to toss in my current career and do something downtown.

Sorry for the huge reply!

[looksgood]

My DH is from Cleveland and a lot of his friends from home are kicking themselves that they burnt their original Lebron jerseys in protest years ago.

[WOT?*]

I'm not from Cleveland but I lived there for 12 years and it will always hold a place in my heart as my second hometown (Seattle being my first even though I didn't live here until my 20s. That goes to show how much I dislike Central California, huh?) I was thrilled with the decision for him to go back home (especially since Seattle no longer has a team). He had a lot of growing up to do, and sometimes you need to leave in order to know how much you need to be home. He wanted his rings as a kid and now he wants a legacy as an adult. He's already been involved, even as a member of the Heat, with the community in Akron, with the Boys & Girls Clubs especially (and he has a freaking huge house to come back to as well) so even though he was no longer here he was still leaving an impact. The way he left was immature and showboating, but he was a kid. He's done a lot of growing up in the past few years. And if in the process of coming back, he gets another ring or two in the efforts to rebuild the Cavs, that's all the better. Cleveland needs good things to happen.

[thejen626]

Jul 12, 2014 18:36:50 GMT -5 looksgood said:

My DH is from Cleveland and a lot of his friends from home are kicking themselves that they burnt their original Lebron jerseys in protest years ago.

They should be kicking themselves! I have no patience for fair weather fans.

I don't know if I could go back to Cleveland after the horrible things the fans and owner said. They were terrible to him.

[asoctoberfalls]

Jul 12, 2014 23:11:04 GMT -5 thejen626 said:

Jul 12, 2014 18:36:50 GMT -5 looksgood said:

My DH is from Cleveland and a lot of his friends from home are kicking themselves that they burnt their original Lebron jerseys in protest years ago.

They should be kicking themselves! I have no patience for fair weather fans.

I don't know if I could go back to Cleveland after the horrible things the fans and owner said. They were terrible to him.

Cleveland fans are the last fans in the world you could call fair weather. If you show loyalty and respect to us, we will love you for life (Exhibit A: Bernie Kosar). If LeBron had kept it classy and shown respect to the fans and the city as he left, our response would have been totally different. See my earlier comment about Zydrunas Ilgauskas. When he came to town as a member of the Heat, he was cheered. If I recall correctly, he got a standing ovation.

Dan Gilbert's reaction was a bit over the top, but LeBron deserved the fans' reaction. Really, the reaction was mild.  It was mostly, "We will boo you and rejoice when you lose."  That's not that bad... nothing like the death threats Art Modell used to receive.  (Art Modell is still public enemy #1 in Cleveland, and probably always will be.  We're a football town through and through). 

I REGRET NOTHING!!11!

[FloFTW]

LeBron and I were in high school at the same time and I actually met him at parties a few times. I have friends that see him regularly at his favorite places in Akron. My sister's boyfriend worked at his kids' birthday parties. Cleveland/Akron has a "small town" feel like that...where you can easily start to feel like you "know" the athletes, politicians, local celebs, etc. And...Cleveland has not won any championship for 50 years. After the way he announced in 2010...the fan's reaction was pretty tame. (See above reference to Art Modell). I totally think LeBron "gets" that now.

I am surprised that he forgave Dan Gilbert. That letter was terrible. But like Gilbert has said - the letter bit him in the ass so hard. Maybe LeBron has seen the past 4 years as the punishment for that letter.

We love Cleveland. Because of that small town feel with big city resources, we have opportunities we wouldn't have elsewhere. It's beautiful. The people are hilarious yet tough yet so friendly. It does have this feeling of Home that is hard to explain. I know people feel the same way about Detroit and Pittsburgh and Buffalo and wherever.

My career is going to take off soon because LeBron is back downtown. I'm excited.

[bronxgirl]

Jul 12, 2014 23:11:04 GMT -5 thejen626 said:

Jul 12, 2014 18:36:50 GMT -5 looksgood said:

My DH is from Cleveland and a lot of his friends from home are kicking themselves that they burnt their original Lebron jerseys in protest years ago.

They should be kicking themselves! I have no patience for fair weather fans.

I don't know if I could go back to Cleveland after the horrible things the fans and owner said. They were terrible to him.

He was hardly an innocent victim.  If someone posted on here that they were planning on quitting their job in the way LeBron left the Cavs they would be flamed to high heaven.  Being a fair weather fan means not rooting for someone when they are losing which has nothing to do with the LeBron situation.

[dexteroni]

*whispers* I don't really care about basketball. I do live in Cleveland, though, and I'm happy that it will bring some income and visibility back to the city. Fun fact, I was on a boat in Chicago when the news broke.

FloFTW, how is your career tied to this? Do you work in sports in some capacity Or downtown development? Are you the Tower City sax man's agent? Because I mean, this is going to be his time.

[FloFTW]

Jul 13, 2014 21:35:51 GMT -5 dexteroni said:

*whispers* I don't really care about basketball. I do live in Cleveland, though, and I'm happy that it will bring some income and visibility back to the city. Fun fact, I was on a boat in Chicago when the news broke.

FloFTW, how is your career tied to this? Do you work in sports in some capacity Or downtown development? Are you the Tower City sax man's agent? Because I mean, this is going to be his time.

I work for a developer. ?