#6's Return?

[Frank Reynolds]

Maybe I'm wrong, but I don't think he'd ever say anything against his time in Miami or its fans. I'm not even sure that he'd say he regrets leaving. I mean, the guy will have won at least one ring there, so who can really regret that?

I think it is the way that he left that matters and for which he needs to make amends. If he'd said "sorry, but DW is one of my best friends in the world, and I have a chance to play basketball with him, etc...", and then not done all the other b.s., I think we'd have been disappointed and hurt but not out for his head. For me personally, it was the way he did it that was so horrible. I don't think fans have a right to expect career-long loyalty from a player, but I do think we have the right to better than what he did.

Let's clear a couple things up. LeBron won't formally apologize. He shouldn't need to. He clearly got his ring, so I wouldn't expect "Decision pt 2 the apology" I'm sure he'd apologize again in an interview with Fred McLeod or something small like that, but he shouldn't need to go on television to apologize.

First of all he'd look like a huge bitch. Second of all, who would want to play with fans that were that ridiculous. His decision was clearly a good one, he got what he wanted.



Now I have been one of the biggest pro- LeBron return fans on RCF. Go read all of my essays in the other thread.

I'm seeing some disturbing things that would seriously cause me to pull the plug on this whole idea.


1.) Never again should LeBron James perform LeISO. He needs to learn that in order for him to ascend to the next level he needs to ball OUT of his hands. Just as the post game has evolved his game to another level, moving without the ball and playing with a PG would transform him into a different animal. We don't even know how good he could possibly be.

2.) This is Kyrie Irving and Byron Scott's team. LeBron left, that was his decision to leave the Cleveland Cavaliers franchise, as a result of that, he lost all his power and stature in the Cleveland organization. He hasn't taken all of these losses on the chin the way coach Scott and Kyrie Irving have. If LBJ expects to just come back and have everything be how it was, forget about it. On to my next point.

3.) If James wants to come back so that he can run roughshod over the place again with his retard friends, fuck no. That hood rat Maverick Carter should be denied entrance into the Quicken Loans arena on general principal alone, he's that stupid. No posse, no privileges none of that. He'd be coming back to have the opportunity and privilege to play with a young team with a ton of potential, he'd have the practice facility and the greatest fans in the world.

Out of general principal, if we decide to take him back, Byron Scott better check this mother fucker from the moment he walks back in the door. It would be in James best long term interest to relinquish the ball to Kyrie Irving. They need to seriously be judging James intentions. This is all about winning and competing for a championship with a fantastic facility, front office, young team.... That alone plus the opportunity for James personally to cement his reputation as an absolute legend of this game, one of the most unique situations in all sports history.

If James thinks this is about having what he had, then I absolutely DO NOT want him back. He walked away from all of that, and we took it in the asshole for 3 years. The organization is better off because of it and if they slid back on their principals, I would walk away from the Cavaliers franchise.


Dan will not take this guy back unless all of this is laid out clearly from the second James steps back in a Cleveland office. Dan made that mistake once, and this time it would be all about business. No personal favors, no coddling, no posse. You won't fool Dan twice. If you do, then maybe Dan's not the guy and he should think about buying a football franchise the next time around.


Honesty if James wants to come back you take him. IF he turns out to be that same asshole, at least you have him on your team and you can charge quite literally "a kings ransom" for this mother fucker. You could get ANYONE including Kevin Durant, Derrick Rose or Blake Griffin for LeBron James. Remember that, it's better to have a chip like him on your team than not. You could always get value back for James. That's why this is so intriguing, if the best player on the planet wants to join your team, especially in a decrepit city like Cleveland, you take him I don't care if he raped kids, you could always trade him and get insane value back in return.

 

[AvonCavsFan]

If you think he quit in the Celtics series... then you have to think he quit in the Mavs series the very next year. Why would he quit in the Finals on a super team he formed?

A more logical explanation is that both the Celts and Mavs wanted to shut LeBron down. When they started to succeed, he wasnt mentally strong enough to overcome the slump.

Perhaps if that abortion of the Mavs series never existed, you could probably conclude he mailed it in. However, the very next year he struggled just the same. Don't forget, everyone assumed he quit because he never played that terribly in his pro career. Well the very next year he played that terribly... again. The second time was with his super buddies, and not a team of role playing schmucks he was trying to ditch for better pastures.

This is just my opinion. And without question I could be wrong.

But I think he was mad at Wade/Spoelstra for some reason and was making a point that they couldn't win without him being at his best. The writing was on the wall after the first few games, if Miami won, Wade was going to be finals MVP--and Lebron going to ride his coat tails would have been THE Lebron story.

I think losing that series and then coming back as alpha dog the next season has worked out for him, what do you think?

 

[The Human Q-Tip]

Second of all, who would want to play with fans that were that ridiculous. His decision was clearly a good one, he got what he wanted.

You're deliberately ducking the real issue though. The problem wasn't the decision to enter free agency and go to Miami. It was the Decision, and all the b.s. from the bogus elbow injury and clearly giving up in games that pissed people off. Look, demanding that he stay here throughout his entire career was not reasonable. But demanding that he not deliberately tank during what looked to be a championship run is completely reasonable, and something fans and ownership do have a right to demand.

Even other NBA players called him out on that, and how often does that ever happen? BW has rather strongly suggested that LeBron himself regrets the way he left. Arguing that he didn't do anything wrong kind of puts you on an island that even LBJ doesn't want to visit.

 

[Jon]

Dan will not take this guy back unless all of this is laid out clearly from the second James steps back in a Cleveland office. Dan made that mistake once, and this time it would be all about business. No personal favors, no coddling, no posse. You won't fool Dan twice. If you do, then maybe Dan's not the guy and he should think about buying a football franchise the next time around.

He can lay all that out, but it wouldn't mean anything. James would still be the face of the franchise, and everything would once again revolve around him, what he does, what he says, who he talks to, what cap he wears to an Indians game and now ... what he tweets.

We may all want to maintain team-first attitude, but if you bring James back, everything is going to revolve around him. There's just no way around that.

 

[Jon]

You're deliberately ducking the real issue though. The problem wasn't the decision to enter free agency and go to Miami. It was the Decision, and all the b.s. from the bogus elbow injury and clearly giving up in games that pissed people off. Look, demanding that he stay here throughout his entire career was not reasonable. But demanding that he not deliberately tank during what looked to be a championship run is completely reasonable, and something fans and ownership do have a right to demand.

Even other NBA players called him out on that, and how often does that ever happen? BW has rather strongly suggested that LeBron himself regrets the way he left. Arguing that he didn't do anything wrong kind of puts you on an island that even LBJ doesn't want to visit.

He certainly could and should apologize TO THE FANS for the way he handled leaving Cleveland, but he's not going to apologize for a REAL elbow injury - and I don't see him ever admitting he gave up in that infamous game .vs. the C's. Kyrie could get away with just saying he was disinterested in the Pistons game and won't let it happen again ... and that's more than enough. It wasn't a playoff game. People won't demand details or condemn him for it. He doesn't have to explain it or make it make sense.

As it stands now, it'll just go down in history as an instance when James wasn't ready to handle the pressure. Something he has seemingly mastered.

Why would he mess with that?

 

[atlbraves]

We do have to stop questioning each other's fanhood over this issue.

I agree with this. It's important to keep in mind that LeBron's free agency is at least one year away, and a lot could change by that point. There could be a new trendy team that the media claims he is interested in. The Cavs could take themselves out of the LBJ sweepstakes like the Nets did this summer with Dwight Howard. I think we can all agree that it would be nice to see the team make a nice run next year before any of the summer of '14 craziness is upon us.

 

[3 Ball...GOT IT]

Hot damn, that team is much worse than I remember. I must have had my homer glasses on at the time because I actually argued that we had a good team back then. You put LeBron on our lineup today and we have a much better team. Unreal.

If you add LeBron to our roster now, it'd be better than any other Cavs team he's been on.... by far imo

 

[Scholar]

He certainly could and should apologize TO THE FANS for the way he handled leaving Cleveland, but he's not going to apologize for a REAL elbow injury - and I don't see him ever admitting he gave up in that infamous game .vs. the C's. Kyrie could get away with just saying he was disinterested in the Pistons game and won't let it happen again ... and that's more than enough. It wasn't a playoff game. People won't demand details or condemn him for it. He doesn't have to explain it or make it make sense.

As it stands now, it'll just go down in history as an instance when James wasn't ready to handle the pressure. Something he has seemingly mastered.

Why would he mess with that?

To me, the best way he could apologize, if he actually does intend to come back, is to not make a spectacle of that off season free agent period. At the first opportunity in 2014 after the season ends, to announce his intent on signing with Cleveland and coming back to finish his unfinished business. That would really be it. No six city tour. No decision part deux. Simply by showing with action that it is what he wants to do, and then just do it. That would be a good start.

 

[FiveThous]

I voted yes, but failed to see the option for a lot of posters to vote "Yes I do, but Im going to be a hardass on the message board and pretend I dont want the best player in the world back"

 

[randymoss1881]

Wed. March 20th when the Heat come to town, will be very interesting to see the reception #6 gets.
Of course it can't get as ugly as his first return.

My question is if you go to the game, are you toning it down? And is this what his pr wants?

It will be an utter dissapointment if anyone cheers him at that game treat him like the POS he is if knicks fans can still boo him we should too

 

[The Human Q-Tip]

He certainly could and should apologize TO THE FANS for the way he handled leaving Cleveland, but he's not going to apologize for a REAL elbow injury - and I don't see him ever admitting he gave up in that infamous game .vs. the C's...It wasn't a playoff game. People won't demand details or condemn him for it. He doesn't have to explain it or make it make sense.

I disagree about the elbow, but I agree with your point overall. A generic, more generalized apology/statement of regret would be reasonable, and likely accepted by the vast majority of fans. Plus...the dude is smart. He could craft a statement that made him look like a great, mature team leader, eager to go out and help win a championship for the long-suffering people of his home state, and the crowds would go nuts. Makes sense all around if he actually decides to return some day.

 

[Jon]

I disagree about the elbow, but I agree with your point overall. A generic, more generalized apology/statement of regret would be reasonable, and likely accepted by the vast majority of fans. Plus...the dude is smart. He could craft a statement that made him look like a great, mature team leader, eager to go out and help win a championship for the long-suffering people of his home state, and the crowds would go nuts. Makes sense all around if he actually decides to return some day.

*shrugs* The elbow was a legit issue, diagnosed by Cleveland Clinic's best Surgeons, and confirmed by the coach and GM.

As for the more generic apology, I think he's already admitted regrets about how he handled things, but IMO that misses the point - he's telling that to some reporter.

He should go take the stage in Cleveland or Akron like he's done so many times, and just tell it to the locals directly. No TV. No ESPN. No Jim Nance. No cameras. No friggen circus. I'm not sure where or when would be the right time and place for something like that, but I'm sure his "people" could think of something. While dedicating a new Nike court in the area, at his bike-a-thon, or SVSM home-coming for all I care, but it should be done and said directly to locals.

 

[BigErieCavsFan]

*shrugs* The elbow was a legit issue, diagnosed by Cleveland Clinic's best Surgeons, and confirmed by the coach and GM.

As for the more generic apology, I think he's already admitted regrets about how he handled things, but IMO that misses the point - he's telling that to some reporter.

He should go take the stage in Cleveland or Akron like he's done so many times, and just tell it to the locals directly. No TV. No ESPN. No Jim Nance. No cameras. No friggen circus. I'm not sure where or when would be the right time and place for something like that, but I'm sure his "people" could think of something. While dedicating a new Nike court in the area, at his bike-a-thon, or SVSM home-coming for all I care, but it should be done and said directly to locals.

But it isn't just the "locals" that he duped. It was all cavs fans. He would need to do it in some public atmosphere. Something like the press conference for announcing his return would sufice...

 

[Len]

It will be an utter dissapointment if anyone cheers him at that game treat him like the POS he is if knicks fans can still boo him we should too

Light cheers man. Just plant that seed in his brain. A little cheering here and there will be deep in his brain when he goes to make that decision.

Especially after this All-Star game when it comes down the the final plays and Lebron passes to Kyrie for the game winning drive/3, Errrone is going to go crazy. Speculation is going to go through the fkn roof!


Imagine if Coach Spo never put Lebron on the court with Kyrie cause he didn't want to have any chance to lose him in Free Agency? Like a direct order from Riley. Lol.
(That would be pretty shitty, and I'm sure the NBA has already told Spo to get Lebron and Kyrie out there together)

 

[Jon]

But it isn't just the "locals" that he duped. It was all cavs fans. He would need to do it in some public atmosphere. Something like the press conference for announcing his return would sufice...

Oh, word would get around, fans would discuss it on the boards, someone would end up recording it and putting it on youtube, etc. My point is that it's not the reporters and cameras he should be apologizing to and that's all he'd see at a presser.