highplainsdrifter
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I find Usher's disappearence interesting. Anyone know what's goin on?
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Was Usher ushered out by Cavaliers?
2/3/2006, 7:32 p.m. ET
By TOM WITHERS
The Associated Press
CLEVELAND (AP) — Has Usher been shown the door by the Cleveland Cavaliers? The Grammy-winning R&B artist, who said "I look for Cleveland to be my home away from home" when he became a minority owner last year, has not attended a Cavaliers home game this season.
On top of that, his hit song "Yeah" is no longer blasted inside Quicken Loans Arena, and perhaps more telling, Usher does not appear in the club's media guide along with principal owners Dan Gilbert, Gordon Gund and David Katzman.
It's as if Usher, known for his slick dance moves and smooth persona, has disappeared — at least from the NBA spotlight.
What's more, both the Cavaliers and Usher's camp have little to say on the matter of his absence.
Simone Smalls, Usher's publicist, responded to questions from The Associated Press in an e-mail on Friday.
"Usher is still a minority owner of the Cleveland Cavaliers and remains very active in building the brand," she said.
The Cavaliers did not immediately respond to a request to explain Usher's role with the club.
The scene was far different last March when Usher, whose full name is Usher Raymond IV, became part of a group headed by Gilbert that bought the NBA franchise from Gund for $375 million.
On March 1, 2005, when Gilbert took control of the team and operating rights to the 20,000-seat arena, Usher was introduced at a glitzy news conference attended by star LeBron James.
At the time, Usher pledged his support for the Cavaliers and said he wanted to turn Cleveland into a vibrant city for entertainment. In the first weeks after he became involved with the Cavaliers, he sat in a front-row seat near midcourt during several games.
During one game in March that he came to with mega-hit producer Jermaine Dupri, the 27-year-old Usher, wearing a leather Cavaliers jacket, walked on the floor with a microphone during a timeout and boldly guaranteed a victory over Orlando.
After the Cavaliers beat the Magic that night, Usher mingled with players in Cleveland's locker room and exchanged numbers with James.
During another game, Usher crossed and raised both arms and formed "C's" with his hands, a salute to the Cavaliers he called the "Double C" that was later imitated by some fans.
This season, there have been no signs of Usher at all.
His single "Yeah", which seemed to play without interruption last season, has been noticeably absent from the team's game presentation. And the only place you'll find him on the team's Web site is after doing a search for his biography.
Usher's financial investment in the Cavaliers was never made public. Katzman described Usher's ownership share as "very, very significant" last year.
Usher followed hip-hop artists Nelly (Charlotte) and Jay-Z (New Jersey) in becoming celebrity owners of an NBA team, and now he might the first one out.
The Usher-Cavaliers marriage can help both the franchise and the star said Paul Swangard, director of the University of Oregon's Warsaw Sports Management Center, who noted that the pairing needs to come through with its promises.
"You can sell the sizzle, but if there's no steak then people are going to figure it out after awhile," he said. "If it doesn't happen, then it's totally unauthentic and you run the risk of people saying, 'Can I believe them with anything?'"
*********
Was Usher ushered out by Cavaliers?
2/3/2006, 7:32 p.m. ET
By TOM WITHERS
The Associated Press
CLEVELAND (AP) — Has Usher been shown the door by the Cleveland Cavaliers? The Grammy-winning R&B artist, who said "I look for Cleveland to be my home away from home" when he became a minority owner last year, has not attended a Cavaliers home game this season.
On top of that, his hit song "Yeah" is no longer blasted inside Quicken Loans Arena, and perhaps more telling, Usher does not appear in the club's media guide along with principal owners Dan Gilbert, Gordon Gund and David Katzman.
It's as if Usher, known for his slick dance moves and smooth persona, has disappeared — at least from the NBA spotlight.
What's more, both the Cavaliers and Usher's camp have little to say on the matter of his absence.
Simone Smalls, Usher's publicist, responded to questions from The Associated Press in an e-mail on Friday.
"Usher is still a minority owner of the Cleveland Cavaliers and remains very active in building the brand," she said.
The Cavaliers did not immediately respond to a request to explain Usher's role with the club.
The scene was far different last March when Usher, whose full name is Usher Raymond IV, became part of a group headed by Gilbert that bought the NBA franchise from Gund for $375 million.
On March 1, 2005, when Gilbert took control of the team and operating rights to the 20,000-seat arena, Usher was introduced at a glitzy news conference attended by star LeBron James.
At the time, Usher pledged his support for the Cavaliers and said he wanted to turn Cleveland into a vibrant city for entertainment. In the first weeks after he became involved with the Cavaliers, he sat in a front-row seat near midcourt during several games.
During one game in March that he came to with mega-hit producer Jermaine Dupri, the 27-year-old Usher, wearing a leather Cavaliers jacket, walked on the floor with a microphone during a timeout and boldly guaranteed a victory over Orlando.
After the Cavaliers beat the Magic that night, Usher mingled with players in Cleveland's locker room and exchanged numbers with James.
During another game, Usher crossed and raised both arms and formed "C's" with his hands, a salute to the Cavaliers he called the "Double C" that was later imitated by some fans.
This season, there have been no signs of Usher at all.
His single "Yeah", which seemed to play without interruption last season, has been noticeably absent from the team's game presentation. And the only place you'll find him on the team's Web site is after doing a search for his biography.
Usher's financial investment in the Cavaliers was never made public. Katzman described Usher's ownership share as "very, very significant" last year.
Usher followed hip-hop artists Nelly (Charlotte) and Jay-Z (New Jersey) in becoming celebrity owners of an NBA team, and now he might the first one out.
The Usher-Cavaliers marriage can help both the franchise and the star said Paul Swangard, director of the University of Oregon's Warsaw Sports Management Center, who noted that the pairing needs to come through with its promises.
"You can sell the sizzle, but if there's no steak then people are going to figure it out after awhile," he said. "If it doesn't happen, then it's totally unauthentic and you run the risk of people saying, 'Can I believe them with anything?'"
