From A long time Cavs Board memeber...

[kenneth9265]

I have been on this board for a very long time. I was a Cavs fan before Lebron (I was a big time Wagner fan)and I will continue to be a Cavs fan now. I am not from Cleveland or even from the state of Ohio....

I don't like the way Lebron left Cleveland or how he presented the "Decision" He should of got with Gilbert a long time ago and told him that he was not happy or believed that Cavs was getting it done for his long term goals as Baskeball player.

Now can I blame him for leaving...? No. Cleveland was never a hotspot to attract NBA superstars or ever all start talented player. The taxes are too high and the winters are too cold. Most All star quality players perfer tax-friendly, warm-weather enviroments that witll suited for them and thier family...That is just the way the NBA game is played as far as choosing teams... The only way teams like Cleveland, Toronto and Minnesota to get All-Star talent was to either get them from Draft or find a team that willing to get rid of cap space for overpaid players that didn't fit thier team's system or goals...

So what I am saying is Lebron probally saw that the likely hood of getting his "Pippen was never going to happen...

I was hopping and praying for Lebron to stay in Cleveland and bring Championship to Cleveland to help that city though the hard and tough times that it is going through. If Lebron brought a championship to Cleveland, He was have became Legendary before his time as a NBA player was done.

It was not right for him to do the city of cleveland the way it was done? The city deserve better than that......

[kenneth9265]

But in saying all of that, I ask all of you Cavaliers fans this...Do Lebron deserves all of this hate that is coming from his so call fans? Was was some of you fans before Lebron came to Cleveland? Lebron devoted 7 excellent yrs to Cavs basketball. brought the franchise back for dark dephts of worst basketball the NBA ever ever seen for lenght of time.

Lebron brought Jobs, opportunity and hope for the whole 7 yrs that he been in cleveland. He give millions to charity and neighborhoold throughout Cleveland. He brought out side the state money and to the state and put Cleveland back in the national spotlight.

I know I was get a lot flack about this post but I truely believe Lebron deserve to his free agency, even if it means leaving cleveland. Yes he mad very very bad decision that effected the whole state of ohio and all cleveland fans on how he left. But don't you think for all that he had done the the 7 yrs that with the Cavs he earn that choice to leave?

As far as Dan Gilbet, He was in the wrong for what he wrote...Owners trade and let go of player all the time on a spur of a moment. A player could be playing for contending team on one game night in a big market club then the next night, he could be traded to small market with bottom of celler team looking as the lottery the next game night....Shame on you Gilbert.....

Not trying to make excuse for Lebron lack of good judgement in listening to espn and so call inner circle for very bad dicision, Lebron is grown man and should of know better. But at same time, Cavs fans shouldn't let one bad dicision 7 yrs of best NBA basketball this man brought to Cleveland....

[kenneth9265]

I would love to seen Cavs to move on and stick it all of nay-sayers and show them why we can called the Cavaliers and not Lebron and Co... Put all of this in past and enjoy memeries of good time with with Lebron and start looking for new and better day ahead. We still have very good squad that should make the playoffs and contend for a championship.

[Del Sol]

First, I respect the time, effort, and heart you put in your post.

That said, people in Cleveland don't owe Lebron anything. The dude was drafted and paid millions of dollars to play basketball for the Cleveland Cavaliers. He did that, and not all that much else. He has said on more than one occasion that the city's economic woes were not his problem and he didn't concern himself with matters like that.

Beyond actual threats or insults to his family members, Lebron pretty much deserves anything he gets from Cavs fans. From day one- even though they might not want to admit it- they have rabidly defended him from outside criticism, and he returned this with a relatively little amount of affection or consideration for Cavs fans. Consider the numerous flippant but telling comments he's made about the fans over the years, and his immature attitude that's shown itself several times- taunting people with his Yankees cap at a Cleveland Indians game, for example. Yet, really, the obvious thing that really hurt Cavs fans was holding a 1 hour, vapid television show that embarrassed Cleveland on national TV. A television show that never had to happen in the first place, with little to no thanks or appreciation for the city or his fans.

People in other cities might be able to remember the "good times", but Cleveland's different. Especially here and now, considering the nightmarish way this all ended. I think we'd rather not even talk about Lebron anymore. He's clearly not concerned with what the fans think. We're ready to move on and hope that this team gets rebuilt, the right way.

[Nirvana]

At the end of the day, we're a fanbase who loves building up the misery. We do this because one day we are going to get that elusive championship and unleash decades of pent up sorrow, anger, and frustration in the greatest outpouring of happiness, ecstasy, and unbridled joy the state has seen in its history. Those people who break the curse and deliver that championship will be remembered and revered by Ohioans forever. If you don't want to be a part of achieving that sort of immortality, then you can go play somewhere else... we're used to waiting.

[kenneth9265]

I do believe that Lebron, Bosh and Wade had this all planned out since the Summer games. but as far as doing the ESPN Speical, how much was it the inner circle ideal then Lebron's???? Lebron didn't look happy and confortable throught out the whole he was doing the show.

Will he continue owning the House he had in Ohio was have anyone heard of him selling it? I heard is about to by a $50 million mansion that was once own by Coach Rilley...

[Manny Phresh]

One of my good college buddies and fellow Clevelander decided to write a blog entry about what LBJ's decision showed him in his opinion. I tend to agree with alot of the points. But here it goes.

My first NBA experience was a home game January 7th, 2002 against the Portland Trailblazers; I remember it like it was yesterday. I remember the excitement, the huge stadium, all the loud noises, the best ice cream I had ever had, and Joe Tait describing what he had just seen as the worst game he had ever called in his 20 years as the voice of the Cavaliers. That was the start of my love for the Cavs and it would only get better and better, or so I thought
It was a little more than a week ago Lebron decided to join the Miami Heat, what an a**hole. Well with that off my chest I feel a lot better, but that’s how I feel. That’s how we all feel. And when I say “we” I don’t mean Clevelanders or Ohioans, I mean real true Cavalier fans. The Cavs fans that watch every game. The Cavs fans that pool their money so they get season tickets in the nose bleeds. The fans that know who DeSagana Diop is, who Dajuan Wagner is, who Mark Price is, who World B. Free is, and understands how far we have come. The “fans” you saw in the lower bowl at playoff games in suits and ties could care less about the Cavs now. This is for the real Cavs fans and what I’ve learned in the past weeks about who Lebron James really is and how blinded we were by our love for him. We gave him everything and he waved good bye. Looking back at everything here is what I learned from Lebron and his 7 years with my team The Cleveland Cavaliers.
1. The 89’-90’ Cavs were better – For anyone who really knows anything about the Cavs knows the 89’-90’ Cavs were damn good. Probably one of the most underrated teams of all-time, the 89’-90’ Cavaliers won 57 games only to be topped in the Central by the greatest player and team in basketball history, Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls. They had the second best record in the NBA, 3 All-stars, the purest shooter in NBA history Mark Price, the most feared shot blocker in the game Larry Nance, Brad Daugherty, Ron Harper, John “Hot Rod” Williams, and Craig Ehlo. All much better than any player on the Cavs past teams, not named Lebron. If Jordan had missed “The Shot” the Cavs probably would have won everything that year and probably done it more than once in the following years, but then it wouldn’t have been Cleveland sports and Jordan wouldn’t be Jordan.
2. Lebron is not Jordan – And not just Jordan he’s not Bird, not Magic, not Russell, not Kareem, not Dr. J, not Wilt, not Duncan, not Kobe, not any of the greats. Lebron did something that none of the greats ever did, quit.
3. Lebron James quit – to quit (v.) – stopping trying, struggling, or the like; accepting or acknowledging defeat. For the people that watched Lebron for 7 years, for the ones that saw the handful of times where Lebron pushed himself past what was physically possible and into the realm of true and utter greatness, knows that Lebron quit. Boston could not stop Lebron, no one can stop Lebron. Lebron has the greatest physical tools we have ever seen in an athlete, ever. There is neither a man alive nor a group of five men that could stop a fully motivated and driven Lebron James. Yeah Lebron got his numbers and took what Boston gave to him, but that’s not what champions do. They control games, seize moments, not only demand the greatest of themselves, but of their teammates. Lebron did none of that, he has never done that. That’s why he is ringless.
4. Lebron never cared about Cleveland – What I was most surprised and hurt by Lebron decision was his utter disregard for Cavalier fans. I had already accepted the fact that Lebron would probably leave after watching his performance during the playoffs, but I thought we had a chance since he was from here and he had seen how much he meant to us. But in reality he didn’t care, not at all. The NBA is a business and that’s what it is to Lebron and many other players too. And his feelings towards the fans aren’t the same as the feelings we have towards him, but to find that Lebron has no connection to us other than a paycheck is infuriating. I told myself all day, “No way he drags us up in front of the entire national to completely humiliate us, he can’t be that heartless.” And it wouldn’t have been that bad if he would have made the decision about who to play for that day and was really torn over his decision. But the more I watch the aftermath of his decision the less I believe that this was a last minute, knee jerk decision. The more I watch Lebron pull out all the stops to bring players to the Heat, the more I watch of his interviews, the more I see him eating up all of this love and attention, the more I realize…
5. Lebron threw it all away – Lebron had a legitimate shot at being the greatest player in the history of the NBA. Now he has a chance to become Scottie Pippen. Don’t get me wrong Scottie Pippen is a great player, but because he was Jordan’s lackey he has never entered into the conversation as the greatest player ever. He’ll be Wade’s sidekick. He won’t have the same pressure as in Cleveland.
He won’t need to score 30 a night.
He won’t need to take the last shot.
He can let the game come to him.
He can be the floor general.
He can watch as Wade takes the last shot.
He can watch as Wade lifts Finals MVPs.
He can watch as people describe the 2010’s Heat as Wade’s team.
He can watch as he goes down as the greatest support player.
He can look back and see the grass really wasn’t greener on the other side.
6. Nothing is guaranteed – No matter how good the Heat think they are are not going to win 98 games in a row. Teams will not just bow to their awesomeness and not try to beat them. They will get everyone’s best shot. Lebron thinks playing with Wade and Bosh will makes things easier, he’s dead wrong. Everyone with study every procession, every dribble, every shot, and they will find a weakness. They will lose and everyone one will ask, why? They will be challenged and when the chips are down we will see how good of friends they are when people point fingers. Because…
7. Chris Bosh is the most overrated player in the NBA – I weigh more than Chris Bosh. Big men win championships. If you can’t get someone to bang down low you are lost. The last 11 NBA champions have had a significantly skilled big man. And Bosh as an undersized big man who has to go against the likes of Dwight Howard, Andrew Bynum, Garnett/Perkins, and Stoudemire how is he going to beat them on the boards? He could barley even average 10 in Toronto where he had to fight tall thin white Europeans for rebounds. They also don’t have a point guard. Or a real center, Z doesn’t count. Or a bench. And their coach is watching his back and doesn’t want to do anything wrong, cause Pat Riley is breathing down his back. Oh yeah this going to be an easy walk to the Championship.
8. Lebron needs to win at least 3 rings in Miami – He needs three at least. If they win nothing Lebron goes down as the Dan Marino of basketball. One and two are expected, if you can’t win more than 2 championships in 6 years with those three guys then there is something wrong with them.
9. None would have been fine in Cleveland – If Lebron stayed never won he would still be a God among men. If he would have won one he would become immortal. If he would have won multiple carrying the team like he did he would have been arguably the greatest player ever. And a legend in the eyes of Clevelanders. He would have done more than just win in Cleveland, he would have saved sports in Cleveland. He would have given a city a second wind, a reason to smile, a reason to hope, a reason to believe not only in this city, but themselves. He only saw a business. A cut and dry system based on results. He should have listened to the man that brought Wade, Lebron, and Bosh together
“A champion needs a motivation above and beyond winning” –Pat Riley
Through all is speeches that he understood us, he knew that we need and deserved a champion, and how he was going to bring it to us.
And we believed him.
We believed he cared.
Thought he understand what it was to be a Clevelander.
What it was like to get dirt kicked in your face.
That was our mistake. To think a boy like him who was given everything, could ever understand what it is like to get your heart stomped on countless times.
10. In the end – Lebron James playing for the Cavaliers isn’t going to bring jobs back to this steel town, it isn’t going to clean up the corruption throughout the state government, and it isn’t going to rescue a dying town. This is all about Lebron. We all watched as Lebron choose the easy way out. Avoid the pressure, ridicule, and failure. That’s what I really think shocked people the most. We all viewed Lebron as a confident and powerful man, a leader of our world. Though when he was faced with adversity he ran, when was faced with failure he didn’t spit in its face and fight back, he ran. We all watched as he ran. We saw Lebron for what he truly was, not a man but a boy.

[FUEGO]

That's true about it being bad that he came on National tv with the Decision. Anyone who's ever been around any entertainers or know anything about that field know managers and agents make decisions like to have that. ESPN and his management got together and decided to do that. They went to him and basically told him what he needed to do cause it's a business. As much as they work for him we all know that most things are decided by the management and agents. As far as what someone posted about the fans not owing Lebron anything, that's true and he doesn't owe them anything either. He gave 7 yrs and his contract was up.

[rjgraca]

Those Miami Band wagon fans are funny too in stating the obvious about Lebron being a douche and trying to spin it like it was something noble he did for staying 7 years (doing his legal obligation under his contract) before stabbing his fans in the Back on National T.V. Lebron is NO longer anything special in Akron Ohio either, because everyone sees him for what he is which is a front runner and a hypocrite about loyalty.

Jordan questions LeBron's move to Miami

"There's no way, with hindsight, I would've ever called up Larry, called up Magic and said, 'Hey, look, let's get together and play on one team. But that's ... things are different. I can't say that's a bad thing. It's an opportunity these kids have today. In all honesty, I was trying to beat those guys."

http://msn.foxsports.com/nba/story/mich ... ami-071910

Q&A: Super teams aren't super for NBA

Despite the NBA’s official claim to the contrary (issued because they could do nothing to rectify the situation) LeBron, D-Wade and Chris Bosh definitely colluded to join forces.

As a longtime Cleveland resident (53 years) I am interested in your thoughts about LeBron's legacy with the Cavs. I never thought that Michael Jordan's cast of teammates (exception — Scottie Pippen) were world beaters. Michael made the likes of Will Perdue, B.J. Armstong, Scott Williams — heck, even Steve Kerr — into world champion teammates. I have to think that Jordan could have willed the current cast of Cavaliers to a championship by the sheer force of his leadership and play alone. Your thoughts? — Steven Pap, Cleveland

MJ certainly wouldn’t have dilly-dallied through Games 5 and 6 of the Boston series as LeBron did. Instead, Jordan would have played with fire in his eyes. As I wrote at the time, James played as though his bags were already packed. What was most telling about LBJ’s shameful performance was how he reacted when his last game with Cleveland was terminated: smiling and buoyant as he glad-handed the victorious Celtics.

http://msn.foxsports.com/nba/story/Miam ... or-the-NBA

[Del Sol]

As far as what someone posted about the fans not owing Lebron anything, that's true and he doesn't owe them anything either. He gave 7 yrs and his contract was up.

I agree. I just think it was an unnecessary, dick move on his part to air it on national TV and then expect/demand zero criticism. But it's over.

Hey, I'm ready to move on in terms of the "what ifs" and "should have beens". Lebron didn't get it done, and neither did the team/Cavaliers organization. Honestly, it will be kind of "fun" watching the bad guys in Miami and seeing what happens. To me it's always more fun in sports when there's a villain/potentially dominate team like that.

[shazam]

Cavs fans owe this man nothing. He was never loyal to the organization or the fans. This dude has done more recruiting to get players to come the Heat in the last 3 weeks then he did in Cleveland for 7 years. The only problem I see is that we all did not see it sooner, there obviousily was a buzz around players he was not planning on staying since no one would commit here because they saw him not committing. We could have traded his butt to minnesota or somewhere for 3 years, and got some good lotttery picks or a young player like Love, or someone. Ohh well hindsight is 20/20

[Maternal]

The anger is legit. The cavs situation cannot be compared to the raptors or Wolves. To begin with neither toronto or Minnoesota rely on their bball with a star to generate income for their city. Both have other ways to generate income. The cavs value went down by over 100 million within 24 hours when James left. That says alot. To add insult a ohio native went on national TV to shame the organization and state.

I'm sorry but if Nash,Jamal Magloire,Joel Anthony,etc Canadian players would probably not leave the raptors, let alone shame the city/franchise on national tv. I'm not saying they're as good as James obviously. As a sports fan, I love almost all sports, but I refuse to take sports that seriously. Life goes on, although many cavs fans have been all over his nuts, they need to remember he's not God. LIFE GOES ON.

I'm not a WWF fan and I have staged entertainment. At first I thought it was just hate, but after Bosh slipping up and saying we planned this for months during the press conference, Pat riley taking his house off the market once James signed, James buying his house, and James buying a 50 million dollar house wihin less than 2 weeks in Miami (who does that) one really has to wonder. The FBI should investigate the NBA. We have a right to know if the league is staged or not.

[Ziggie97]

Coming from a heat fan since 88 all the way back to the rory sparrow, rony siekley, glen rice, and sherman dougles days, I feel a tremendous amount of remorse for any cavs fan. I know 99 % of cavs fans want to see the heat fail, and I would too If i was them.

I personally hope they come out of this better as unlikely as it seems.

I could just as easily be in the same position as any cavs fan if Lebron stayed and wade ended up going to Chicago. We would be an expansion team again and I would blame alot of it in wade.

It still woudnt be as bad as what you guys are going through. Wade isn't a hometown guy and at least he brought us 1 championship.

I hope you guys climb that faster fast. Good luck Cleveland.