Say goodbye to LeBron, Cleveland
Braylon Edwards speaketh the truth:
“LeBron (James) isn’t a Cleveland guy. LeBron only plays for the Cavaliers, and who knows if he even likes the Cavaliers? He doesn’t like the Indians. He doesn’t like the Browns.”
The Browns receiver made his comments after LeBron James hung out on the Dallas sidelines during pregame warmups prior to the Cowboys/Browns game Sunday afternoon, hugging Terrell Owens and Adam “Don’t Call Me Pacman” Jones, chatting with owner Jerry Jones, and wearing a Yankees cap.
Of course, it was a Yankees cap that first had people questioning LeBron’s loyalty to his hometown. As a (tortured) Cleveland fan, I was pretty fired up when LeBron wore a Yankees hat to Jacobs Field for the Indians’ opening playoff game against the Yanks last year:
Cleveland is most definitely a football city, but LeBron is without question the face of Cleveland sports right now. That doesn’t mean that he has to root for every Cleveland sports franchise, but he crossed the line when he wore a Yankees hat to the game last night. That’d be like David Ortiz donning a Peyton Manning jersey during a Colts/Pats game in New England or, even worse, Tom Brady wearing a Yankees hat to a Sox/Yankees game at Fenway. You just don’t do it.
At the time, what irked me most wasn’t that LeBron wore the hat to the game, but that he taunted the fans — who are, of course, his fans during basketball season — by holding the hat above his head and egging on the crowd. It was an immature and classless move, and at the time I said that it spoke very poorly of his so-called loyalties to his hometown.
And now this.
As I mentioned previously, athletes are fans too, and they can root for whomever they want. I’m not ragging on LeBron for being a Cowboys fan or a Yankees fan or even a Bulls fan, all of whom he rooted for as a kid growing up in Akron. I do think it’s fair to call him a frontrunner, since all three of those teams were winning titles back then, but that’s not the point.
In fact, LeBron choosing to publicize his allegiances in front of Cleveland fans and, in the Indians/Yankees case, even taunting the fans in the process, isn’t even the point anymore. The point now, as Braylon Edwards pointed out, is simple: LeBron James isn’t a Cleveland guy. And that’s very bad news for the Cavaliers and their fans.
LeBron can opt out of his contract after the 2009-10 season, at which point the Cavaliers will be able to offer the star forward more money than any other team in the league. That may sound like a big advantage for the Cavs, and maybe it will prove to be. But working against Cleveland is the fact that LeBron’s contract with Nike will reportedly pay him more if he moves to a larger market like New York or LA. Maybe that’s just a rumor, because I haven’t found any concrete numbers on this, but it’s a widely reported rumor that LeBron has never bothered to shoot down. Add on top of that the fact that LeBron would make even more money in endorsements playing in a big city while also inflating his already enormous worldwide popularity, and however many more millions the Cavaliers can offer LeBron will look like chump change in the final equation.
And then, of course, there’s LeBron’s buddy Jay-Z, who just happens to be part owner of the New Jersey Nets. The Nets just happened to shed a bunch of salary by trading Richard Jefferson this offseason. They also just happen to be planning to move to Brooklyn and open a brand new arena in 2010. And Brooklyn just happens to be LeBron’s “favorite borough” in his favorite city of New York.
Throughout all of this city-wide “will he stay or will he go?” fretting, the one ace the fans thought they had up their sleeve was the fact that LeBron was a hometown guy who actually wanted to stay in Cleveland. Well, I’m not buying it, and neither is Braylon Edwards:
“He’s a guy from Akron who likes everybody but his hometown. I don’t know how that’s possible, but it is what it is, and he is who he is. You know, it’s LeBron.”
Preach on, Braylon.
Posted in: NBA, NFL, Rumors & Gossip
Tags: Braylon Edwards criticizes LeBron James, Braylon Edwards LeBron James, Braylon Edwards rips Lebron James, LeBron James, LeBron James Cavaliers, LeBron James Cavs, LeBron James Cleveland Cavaliers, LeBron James Cowboys, LeBron James Dallas Cowboys, LeBron James free agency, LeBron James going to Brooklyn, Lebron James going to New York, LeBron James hates Cleveland, LeBron James immature, LeBron James Jerry Jones, LeBron James leave Cleveland, LeBron James New York Yankees, LeBron James Pacman Jones, LeBron James Terrell Owens, LeBron James Yankees hat
As a Cleveland sports fan it really does make you cringe! LeBron is a marketing machine and this again puts him in the headlines. We want to see him in the headlines winning the NBA championship for the Cavs!!!
He can do or wear whatever he wants to – but it just isn’t using good judgement to iritate the fans you get support from everynight in the NBA ….. straighten up Dawg.
I don’t see LeBron winning a title in Cleveland. He’ll be a member of the Brooklyn Nets in 2010.
Hey LeBron,
We have a nice Blue & Orange #23 uniform waiting for you in the MSG lockeroom. See you in 2010.
Welcome to Brooklyn, LeBron!
I have to say that as a Cleveland sports fan, I do take it as a personal offense to see LeBoob (as he’s been labeled by local radio personality Mike Trivisonno) wearing another teams colors. Haven’t we suffered enough here as Cleveland sports fans? Which brings me to another point that I’m ashamed to admit. Here in Cleveland we’ve grown up with and learned to accept almost a defeatist attitude in regards to our sports teams and to a certain extent, our overall perception of ourselves in relation to the rest of the world. LeBron, in his lifelong support of the New York Yankees, Dallas Cowboys, and Chicago Bulls, has chosen teams that at one point – if not the majority of their time – have exhibited successful dynasties on the playing field. While yes, you could say that he’s simply choosing the easy picks, you also have to admit that he’s chosen to surround himself with proven examples of success. It hearkens back to the old adage of “surround yourself with successful people and you yourself will become a success”. Throughout the majority of his life, LeBron has had the personal expectations and the skills to be the best, whether on the hardwood basketball courts or the hard-nosed business rooms. In effect, he has avoided the old, musty, losing attitude which so many Clevelanders begrudgingly accept. Thus, I can see why he has chosen to support our enemies of the playing field, but that doesn’t mean that I don’t want to rip off that Yankess cap and ram it down his throat. Of course, being from Cleveland, I might miss his mouth; or it might rain; or he might knock it out of my hands; or somebody else might beat me to it. I guess I should wait ’til next year…
The writer of this article is an Politically Correct Idiot. How can someone be classless for being fan of a sport? He has a right to be a fan of any team that he choses.
You have athletes getting in trouble with drugs, cursing on television, getting arrested- CONSTANTLY. And you call LeBron classless because he is a fan of a team other than those which are in Ohio??? It’s sports, people, not religion.
LeBron is only obligated to bust his ass on the court for the team he plays for, and he does that EVERY SEASON for Cleveland. He is never in the news causing ruckus or making a scene about leaving Cleveland. So do yourself a favor and play the “CLASSLESS CARD” against someone else.
“an Politically Correct Idiot”
I love it.
Zelion, I went out of my way to say that LeBron can root for whomever he wants. I also said that I wasn’t ragging on him for being a fan of the Yankees, Cowboys or Bulls. However, I thought it was classless of him to taunt Cleveland fans with his Yankees hat during the Tribe’s playoff game last year, because those are the same fans that pay his salary and root for him during basketball season.
You’re absolutely right, LeBron has never caused news off the court (his mom has, but that’s of course a different story) and for that, we’re all grateful. But class comes in many different shapes and forms, and teasing your fan base on a national stage (the game was on Fox) shows a lack of respect for the people who support you on the basketball court. You may disagree, but that’s an immature, classless move in my opinion.
You are right, class comes in many forms. Or is it, class is identified in many forms? Obviously, in this case, the latter. LeBron James is not signed to a “CLEVELAND CITY SPORTS.” And to insinuate that LeBron is morally obligated to support Cleveland, or OHIO sports abroad is laughable.
What’s immature is to hint as though their “fandom” and overall team spirit weighs in the balance and LeBron’s jovial teasing will be the dumbbell that plunges their hopes and dreams of a successful football season, along with the upcoming basketball season into or faster towards the already obvious failure it’s sure to mature into.
Cleveland Cavs signed LeBron to millions of dollars for BASKETBALL, in return, he plays BASKETBALL to his utmost ability- giving the fans who PAY to see him play BASKETBALL their money’s worth. FAIR EXCHANGE.
Tom Brady often sports New York Yankees ball cap and roots for the Yanks as well and not once has he been labeled “CLASSLESS.” With that point, I am not branding Tom Brady (God rest his ACL & MCL lol) as the Messiah for all things classy, but with the example, it is clear the manner in which class is identified is often a loose term from person to person and you column is a perfect example of my point.
“LeBron James is not signed to a ‘CLEVELAND CITY SPORTS.’ And to insinuate that LeBron is morally obligated to support Cleveland, or OHIO sports abroad is laughable.”
Again, that’s not what I’m saying. To quote my post:
“…athletes are fans too, and they can root for whomever they want. I’m not ragging on LeBron for being a Cowboys fan or a Yankees fan or even a Bulls fan, all of whom he rooted for as a kid growing up in Akron.”
That was my stance in my original post after the Indians/Yankees playoff game last year, and that’s my stance today. Would I love it if he were a fan of all the Cleveland teams? Absolutely. Does it bother me that he’s not? In the sense that it shows he’s not loyal to the city and therefore even less likely to stay when his contract runs out, sure it does. But I’m not going to climb up onto my soapbox and call him a traitor for being a Yankees fan or a Cowboys fan.
But we’ll have to agree to disagree on whether or not what LeBron did at the Tribe game last year was a classless move. As a high-profile, mega-superstar athlete, LeBron represents the city of Cleveland, whether he wants to or not. That association is strengthened by the fact that he grew up in Akron, which is also the reason so many Cleveland fans relate to him on some level: he’s one of us.
Only he’s not, and he went out of his way last October to flaunt the fact that he’s not one of us by taunting HIS fans with his hat.
In the grand scheme of things, none of this means squat. With everything that’s going on in the world today, who the hell cares, right? But on a sports level, it does matter and people do care. Your Brady example is an interesting one, considering a photo of him wearing the Yankees hat in question was splashed on the front page of the Boston Herald last May with a headline that read “Tom, Say It Ain’t So!” And that was just when Brady was walking down the street wearing a Yankees lid. Imagine how Boston fans would’ve reacted if he showed up to Fenway in the middle of a Sox/Yanks series (even worse, in the playoffs) sporting a Yankees hat.
By the way, understand that I’m saying what he did at the Tribe game last year was classless. I’m calling his actions classless, but I don’t necessarily think LeBron is a classless guy. Good people can do bad things, and intelligent people make lots of stupid mistakes. By most accounts, LeBron is a good guy who does a lot of great work in the community. I just think he showed his immaturity, poor judgment and a lack of understanding last October.
For proof, I’ll point to the fact that his latest “incident” happened during pregame warmups. Granted, he was still caught on tape and it still became a bigger story than he probably intended, but he seems to now understand that he should treat his fans with a little more respect, even in the offseason.
I appreciate your point of view and the manner in which you present and debate your point. You actually debate with class. I attempted to bait you buy calling you an “idiot” but you replied with dignity.
You’re a great columnist and I look forward to reading more of your articles. Have a blessed weekend.
Sai-en Gant aka Sai Zelion
“I attempted to bait you by calling you an ‘idiot’…”
haha.
If you were so concerned about debating with class, why wouldn’t you just debate with class from the start? What’s the point of “baiting” someone? Doesn’t that just lower the level of discourse on the internets?
“Doesn’t that just lower the level of discourse on the internets?”
Absolutely it does brother. For quite sometime, I have read articles from columnists who are so far in left field they wouldn’t be able to find their way back to commonsenseville they were directly beamed in by Scotty himself.
Before I actually decide to truly dive into a dialogue with a columnist, I love to measure his/her integrity and motives. And to put it simply, the fashion in which you replied to my aggressive statements shows your integrity and selflessness. I have read all of your articles and it’s apparent you have no hidden agenda outside of truth and commonsense. Sadly, that’s a rare find in today’s sports reporting world.
Don’t change JP. Keep it clear, and keep real.
-Sai
Oh, I see how it is — I’m the one who’s “dignified” and “respectful” but JP gets the credit? What a crock!
Hahaha. I chimed in after the conversation was over because I think your approach to this particular discussion was lame. Jamey’s post was not out of “left field.” His comments were measured and thoughtful, and they weren’t inflammatory at all, so I believe your decision to start off a debate by calling him an “idiot” was completely inappropriate. (Not to mention, as you fully admitted, it lowers the level of discourse on the internet.) But hey, it doesn’t matter if it makes any sense to me since it’s your call how you want to act towards other people online.
Jamey is the one that deserves your praise for being patient with you.
Hey, I just hope LBJ proves me wrong.
The fact that LeBron received so much flack for wearing a NY hat at a playoff game AGAINST the Yankees in the Indians STADIUM, (taunting the fans as well) and THEN showing up at a Browns game wearing a Yankees hat again and so very obviously cheering on the other team (Dallas), really shows how much he doesn’t care about his fans and very poor judgement. What a slap in the face to those of us who pay good, hard earned money to pay for Cavs tickets and LeBron James merchandise!
I love it! Why would you like the Browns? They are horrible.
Who Cares, Lebron is nothing more than another spoiled rich jock. If he left who would miss him? I think you over the top sports nuts need to get a life, or a hobby or something. Living your life through a sports team is nuts. I am a fan of the Browns and Idians and will never root for the Cavs until cry baby Lebron is gone. He is a jerk, treats peaple bad (ask anyone who see’s him in Motrose area eating). Good Bye Lebron, don’t let the door hit ya where the good guy split ya.
If the great city of “Cleve-Land” would bring in somebody Lebron maybe he would show yall some luv. Yet every year, its the same story. Lebron, point-guard/center/running-back,continues lead his JV/Geek-squad teammates deep into the playoffs. He could just act like the great “Kobe” bryant and the start crying the in the media. Instead, he has too much Class. I can’t wait see a 1st class player like Lebron get finally get with a 1st class organization. Maybe even Brookland(which is not exactly 1st class but you get it). Like my man Jay-Z said, “I’m not a businessman, I’m a Business, man. So let me handle my business damn!” Who could dislike Cleveland? lol
personally LeBron could leave and i could care less. Everyone says how amazing he is and he has how many titles. Yeah thats right, none. He thinks nothing of cleveland and all i have to say is. Bye and don’t come back.
yeah but braylon went to michigan
hmm i love the rumor but what they fail to tell ya is that james is part owner in the cavs
The Author of this article is A Big Classless Idiot!
Bullshit!
i dont agree with you pat…if u r a fan of LeBron dont say that you asshole…instead supprot him whatever teams he wants! dammit!
All we Cleveland fans hear is LeBron will play here or there. How New York will open their wallets. It will take a lot more than money. New York has a rotten basketball team. Why would LeBron want to go back to a rebuilding team? I could see him want to go to LA, but that is about it. Also, we are in financial straits in this country. Obama is spending like a drunken sailor and the economy will be worse next year. There may not be enough money for anyone to get LeBron.
i dont understand why people are all on lebrons back…okay, he’s a yankee/cowboy fan. whatever with that. the man has brought something to cleveland that they havent seen since who, john brown…i mean seriously. its a hat or who he decides to chill with on the sidelines…why do people never say anything about his conversations with jay-z in jersey, or with spike at msg. mr. carter has some ownership with the nets and we all know spike is a die-hard knicks fan. whos to say lebron doesnt have a few indians fitteds at his house. i mean he made his little commercial in which he played for the browns…what does he have to do run half naked in the snow with “i love cleveland” painted on his chest…
and to pat…lebron doesnt have a ring because he hasnt had the pieces around him to get one…unlike the mvp award, a ring is a team effort…point blank, end of story…