Cleveland’s Venom Validates James’s Exit
By WILLIAM C. RHODEN
If ever there was a time for LeBron James to leave home, this was it.
The outpouring of venom from the Cavaliers’ owner and the wrath of jersey-burning fans betrayed a festering resentment that makes James’s decision to leave Cleveland for Miami seem prudent.
This was another extraordinary LeBron moment — first the weeklong buildup, then the thousands who gathered here Thursday in front of the Boys & Girls Club to be part of “The Decision.” Finally, James, playing “The Bachelor,” told us Miami was the lucky franchise.
The most extraordinary part of the event was the reaction of the Cleveland owner Dan Gilbert, who responded on the team’s Web site with a venomous, face-saving personal attack that, in its own way, validates James’s decision to leave Cleveland.
In an amazing abdication of leadership — and a remarkable revelation of flawed character — Gilbert made James a sympathetic figure.
Referring to a “shameful display of selfishness and betrayal by one of our very own,” Gilbert called James’s decision process “a several day, narcissistic, self-promotional build-up culminating with the national TV special of his ‘decision’ unlike anything ever ‘witnessed’ in the history of sports and probably the history of entertainment.”
Yet it was Gilbert who created the King James monster; it was Gilbert who nurtured and reinforced James’s prima donna-isms, all of the preening and dancing. Now he acts like a lover scorned and lashes out with gibberish about karma and curses.
Gilbert must think he really owned LeBron James.
Surely, he understands business. You win some, you lose some. With LeBron James, Gilbert won a lot more than he lost. Now, Gilbert has lost a gem in James. And he has lost respect. He has released enough players and let go of enough employees to understand that loyalty, especially in sports, is largely a matter of convenience and timing.
Loyalty is often jettisoned. Look at the hundreds of thousands of Americans who have lost their jobs through layoffs, cutbacks and downsizing.
LeBron got the Cavs before the Cavs could get him.
Will the Heat win a championship? The games still have to be played. This was about power, leverage and options.
James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh built on the Big Three concept engineered by the Boston Celtics three seasons ago when Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett joined Paul Pierce.
What James did throughout the entire process — forcing a parade of billionaire owners to make presentations and brokering a TV special — was an unprecedented act of muscle flexing. This was reminiscent of Muhammad Ali, at least in terms of showmanship. The process was also part Curt Flood, taking the concept of “free” agency to its outermost limit.
Read Full Essay @ The New York Times
By WILLIAM C. RHODEN
If ever there was a time for LeBron James to leave home, this was it.
The outpouring of venom from the Cavaliers’ owner and the wrath of jersey-burning fans betrayed a festering resentment that makes James’s decision to leave Cleveland for Miami seem prudent.
This was another extraordinary LeBron moment — first the weeklong buildup, then the thousands who gathered here Thursday in front of the Boys & Girls Club to be part of “The Decision.” Finally, James, playing “The Bachelor,” told us Miami was the lucky franchise.
The most extraordinary part of the event was the reaction of the Cleveland owner Dan Gilbert, who responded on the team’s Web site with a venomous, face-saving personal attack that, in its own way, validates James’s decision to leave Cleveland.
In an amazing abdication of leadership — and a remarkable revelation of flawed character — Gilbert made James a sympathetic figure.
Referring to a “shameful display of selfishness and betrayal by one of our very own,” Gilbert called James’s decision process “a several day, narcissistic, self-promotional build-up culminating with the national TV special of his ‘decision’ unlike anything ever ‘witnessed’ in the history of sports and probably the history of entertainment.”
Yet it was Gilbert who created the King James monster; it was Gilbert who nurtured and reinforced James’s prima donna-isms, all of the preening and dancing. Now he acts like a lover scorned and lashes out with gibberish about karma and curses.
Gilbert must think he really owned LeBron James.
Surely, he understands business. You win some, you lose some. With LeBron James, Gilbert won a lot more than he lost. Now, Gilbert has lost a gem in James. And he has lost respect. He has released enough players and let go of enough employees to understand that loyalty, especially in sports, is largely a matter of convenience and timing.
Loyalty is often jettisoned. Look at the hundreds of thousands of Americans who have lost their jobs through layoffs, cutbacks and downsizing.
LeBron got the Cavs before the Cavs could get him.
Will the Heat win a championship? The games still have to be played. This was about power, leverage and options.
James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh built on the Big Three concept engineered by the Boston Celtics three seasons ago when Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett joined Paul Pierce.
What James did throughout the entire process — forcing a parade of billionaire owners to make presentations and brokering a TV special — was an unprecedented act of muscle flexing. This was reminiscent of Muhammad Ali, at least in terms of showmanship. The process was also part Curt Flood, taking the concept of “free” agency to its outermost limit.
Read Full Essay @ The New York Times
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