#6's Return?

[caf]

Have you checked the poll lately?

60% of the Cavaliers fans who responded are now willing to take the "Black Model" back.

How can you knowingly reference a poll you already admitted was cooked? How can you discredit something and then reference it when it fits your argument? How many of those 60% voted for 'Yes' and how many of those voted for 'If it means winning a championship'?

Unfortunately you cooked the poll by titling the first option "Yes, if it means winning a Championship"

Where's the options "Yes, even if we don't win a Championship"? lol

 

[Jon]

I don't see how that's even remotely the same thing. LeBron played in Cleveland for seven years. He was from the Cleveland area. We were the only team that he had played for prior to The Decision, and thus we were the only team that stood to truly lose if he left. We were also the only fan base that would have been flat out devastated if he announced his decision to leave on national television, thus giving the city another terrible sports moment that we already had more than our fair share of.

Actually, if you care to be accurate ... Cleveland's was the only fan base that was going to be devastated no matter how LeBron left.

I honestly don't understand how anyone from Cleveland can not get that it was The Decision itself that inspired the real hatred for LeBron.

Why from reading RCF, naturally. I saw it brewing long before he announced the show. Every time there was even a hint that James was going to leave us or had somehow betrayed us, there was an immediate and visceral action to hate and reject him. A complete and total defense mechanism response. Very predictable human behavior - sadly.

 

[Jon]

How can you knowingly reference a poll you already admitted was cooked? How can you discredit something and then reference it when it fits your argument? How many of those 60% voted for 'Yes' and how many of those voted for 'If it means winning a championship'?

Seriously? Did you even think for 2 seconds before firing this back?

If there fans are willing to sell their soul and make a deal with the "devil" in order to win a championship, I'm notching that one in my column.

 

[Jon]

Take it up with Jim Rome if you disagree.

You know what? I think Jim Rome is annoying idiot. And guess what? When I hear his show on WKNR, I change the channel. So, no, I won't be wasting my time taking anything up with him.

Hey, if you're good with LeBron embarrassing himself on national TV, I'm good with it too. It hurt him a lot more than it hurt the Cavaliers or the city of Cleveland. Actually, it was the best thing that could have happened for the city from a PR standpoint because it instantly shifted the narrative from "LOL CLEVELAND CAN'T KEEP A GUY WHO GREW UP 45 MINUTES FROM DOWNTOWN LOL" to "THAT SELFISH BASTARD BACKSTABBED HIS HOMETOWN ON NATIONAL TV!!!"

I'm not good with it. I just don't care. People make fools of themselves every day in a myriad of ways.

You did make an astute point here. Things could have gone down differently, and it could have turned in to yet another "Cleveland joke".

 

[caf]

Seriously? Did you even think for 2 seconds before firing this back?

If there fans are willing to sell their soul and make a deal with the "devil" in order to win a championship, I'm notching that one in my column.

I admit. I didn't read the rest of your post after you referenced the poll. We are in agreement on the main issue.

However, I still don't think you should reference a biased poll... which leads to the question 'Is there an unbaised poll'?

 

[Jon]

I admit. I didn't read the rest of your post after you referenced the poll. We are in agreement on the main issue.

However, I still don't think you should reference a biased poll... which leads to the question 'Is there an unbaised poll'?

I think it's possible, but I may be showing my own bias there.

For the most part I hate the sorts of polls everyone tries to shove down our throats these days: rate your car, rate your service, rate your purchase, rate your government, etc, etc. My answer too often doesn't fit one of the options.

But even a poorly worded poll can say something, just not necessarily what was intended.

 

[caf]

You did make an astute point here. Things could have gone down differently, and it could have turned in to yet another "Cleveland joke".

I don't think it could have gone down differently. LeBron thought people wanted him to be selfish and selfserving. He thought people wanted to see a group of super friends in the NBA. He thought people wanted to see the best play with the best.

And why wouldn't he? Everyone that surrounded him pandered to his every wish, need and opinion for fear that he would turn them away if they didn't. Every reporter on ESPN sung his praises a la Screamin A Smith. There was only one way for this to turn out because that was who LeBron was. That is who (up until that moment) he was raised to be. No one taught him differently, and he didn't think people wanted him to act any differently.

But to think LeBron is the same person he was is foolish. The amount I have changed as a person due to life experiences in the past few years is staggering.. fortunately for me, no one else gives a shit how I act. Unfortunately for LeBron... his decision (regardless of if he held the TV show) was in open view of the public.

I really don't see how people can compare LeBron and Modell. LeBron was a child doing what he thought people wanted. Modell was a greedy buisness man who wanted a quick pay day.

 

[InBoobieWeTrust]

So, just like I said ... it was going to be all cool as long as he said "Cleveland". Any other answer == H A T E.

Jon, you're fighting a losing battle here. The fact of the matter remains that, after the Decision was over, LeBron got a ton of hate from not just Cleveland, but from pretty much the entire nation, even those who had no horse in the race. Why did these newfound people all of a sudden hate him? Because of how conceited, fake, and self-serving the program was. There's a reason LeBron has had to go on a mission to repair his image ever since that day.

Shrugging off all of the hate he got from the show and saying the show is "just an excuse" does not accurately reflect anything that actually happened after he said where he was taking his talents.

 

[Rainman]

Wrong article

 

[MattyFos.]

Uh, my wounds are healed. I wouldn't necessarily need an apology from Lebron for him to come back. But I think the majority of the fan base would. Cleveland fans are harsh and kind of pety. But I've moved on. He made the right decision for his career but I still think he made the wrong decision for his legacy. Robert Horry has like 85 rings, but Karl Malone has a legacy. I also think he made the best decision for the Cavs moving forward. I'm sure we could have won a championship with Lebron eventually. But our team is one set up for 10 years of great basketball because we have a chance to draft and develop instead of reload every off-season with old, over paid ring chasers.

 

[Surge]

I don't need anything but a championship, and any player that gets me that is cool in my book.

He acted like an ass when he left, but he was leaving regardless of how he did it. I won't pine over him to get him back, but won't tell him to fuck off if he wants to come back.

GET ME A CHAMPIONSHIP CLEVELAND.

 

[Jon]

Whitlock and Rome are not people I respect, but I was curious what Windy wrote after "The Decision". Now we can go all conspiracy theorist on this and claim that he was planning to follow James all along, or that he's just trying to be unbiased, but he's pretty matter of fact about the show, and even throws in a comment at the end saying how bad James felt breaking his promise to bring the city a championship, and how awful he felt.

If anyone else cares to see how this reads 2+ years later:

http://www.cleveland.com/cavs/index....onfirms_h.html

Pluto was more critical, but basically claims James must have been clueless.

http://www.cleveland.com/pluto/blog/...es_inflic.html

While Bill Livingston goes whole hog and puts James in the "Modell hall of shame":

http://www.cleveland.com/livingston/...easons_it.html

Livingston's article is much broader than just the show, though.

These were all published on July 8.

 

[Jon]

Jon, you're fighting a losing battle here. The fact of the matter remains that, after the Decision was over, LeBron got a ton of hate from not just Cleveland, but from pretty much the entire nation, even those who had no horse in the race. Why did these newfound people all of a sudden hate him? Because of how conceited, fake, and self-serving the program was. There's a reason LeBron has had to go on a mission to repair his image ever since that day.

Shrugging off all of the hate he got from the show and saying the show is "just an excuse" does not accurately reflect anything that actually happened after he said where he was taking his talents.

Two word answer time: media circus

The only thing fans will jump on board faster on than a player being built up is one being torn down.

Of course Miami fans didn't jump aboard the bandwagon...

There is a morality/ethical component at play here, but it's overwhelmed by the number of fans who are just being fans.

And let's face another fact, because we can still see it going on 2 years later:

There were Cleveland fans who supported James. There were Cleveland fans who objected to how he was treated after the Decision. There were Cleveland fans who fully supported his right to leave. And yes, there were fan who didn't give two shits about his program.

Heck, there was even a beloved local beat writer who followed him to Miami so he could continue to cover him and accepted an "in" from the "Evil Empire" that hosted and sponsored "The Decision".

But those fans don't get a voice because they know it will just get them a share of the hate being spewed at James. You see? Most people do avoid things that cause them pain.

See the game within the game...

 

[col63onel]

You know what? I'd be perfectly fine with Jason Whitlock thinking I'm being "insanely dishonest".

Here's some more of what Jason said in that article:



Have you checked the poll lately?

60% of the Cavaliers fans who responded are now willing to take the "Black Model" back. Only 13.8% said no way. Only 18% would hold out for an apology. No doubt some of you guys are in that 18% or 13.8%, and you can keep flaming me if it makes you feel better, but I'd suggest you wake up and smell the coffee.

The majority of fans don't take moral stands about their sports figures. They only care about winning. The ironic thing is I *am* one of those fans who would take a moral stand ... that is if James actually did something reprehensible. His only crime is not realizing (like I've said before) that there's no nice way to tell 6 cities "screw you". I have no doubt his donation to the Boys club was meant to cover the stench ... but you know what? Who gives a fuck about the motivation? The money is going to do some good, and the program itself did no actual harm.

Fans who want him back think he basically guarantees a title. If Modell coming back would've guaranteed a title, 60% or more would've accepted him.

Still doesn't change the fact that the Decision was the biggest sports PR blunder of all time. It boggles my mind how you can claim to be a Cavs fan, quite honestly.

 

[Jon]

I don't think it could have gone down differently. LeBron thought people wanted him to be selfish and selfserving. He thought people wanted to see a group of super friends in the NBA. He thought people wanted to see the best play with the best.

I can guarantee you it would have gone down differently if James had chosen to join the Knicks. OMG.

ESPN would have come down from Bristol to attend his introduction to the city like he was being crowned.