Being in Cleveland last week for the King City Classic camp for high school prospects gave me a front-row seat for LeBron James’ decision to leave the Cavaliers for the Miami Heat.
Staying with friends in James’ hometown of Akron provided a double-barrel view of northeast Ohio’s grief.
It was wall-to-wall anxiety and then anger upon arriving on Wednesday and leaving on Saturday. Cavalier owner Dan Gilbert’s public criticism of James’ “cowardly betrayal” could have served as a description of many fans who vented on television and radio.
James’ jerseys were burned in Cleveland AND Akron.
On the night of what ESPN called “The Decision,” one Cleveland newscast abandoned any pretense of objectivity and ripped James repeatedly. The sports anchor read angry e-mails from viewers.
A radio host called James an egomaniac and a bad tipper (supposedly leaving $60 on a $2,000 bill, the host said).
After the tumultuous Kentucky season of 2009-10, the LeBron-a-thon seemed a fitting way to usher in some vacation time. I’ll be back on Aug. 2.
1 comment so far ↓
here’s hoping they keep you in the rafters @ the UK games
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