I really cant believe it actually happened! The self proclaimed "KING" has chosen to leave Cleveland and take his talents to Miami. As the huge billboard comes down from the Cleveland skyline, I have so many questions, so many thoughts.
The NBA has changed so much since Jordan left in 1998. As a good friend of mine said to me recently, "It's just Entertainment". That is what you have to take it for, Its a business as LeBron put it. I was one of many people who thought he was going to stay and bring a championship to Cleveland. But as the days drew closer to "The Decision" it became clear that he was leaving and their was nothing anyone could do to stop him. At this point I don't think anyone can tell LeBron what to do. Look what the media has created in this individual. Since high school their has been so much pressure on him to be great, to win and much more. They wanted him to win so bad maybe he had no choice but join the Miami Heat and make everyone happy. You how they say "you never know what you have until it's gone" well I miss the 90's. As do the 90's people miss the 80's and so on and so on. When you would never hear Magic or Bird say "I'm taking my talents to LA/BOS because it gives me the best chance to win". You think Jordan would've taken his talents to BOS/DET or LA because it gave him the best chance to win? He gave himself and his team the best chance to win.
So many times over the course of LeBron's career I have continued to see that he was really just an extreme Scottie Pippen. I know I may get killed for this but let me explain. Scottie was great (Top 50 all-time), but he was also a true great "sidekick" also. Too many times we heard of headaches, no title in 1994-95 season or any other season without Jordan. Maybe LeBron has now found his Jordan in Wade after not wanting to be Jordan in any of the other 5 teams that traveled to Cleveland asking him to bring his talents to their city. So much has been given to him so early that he's allowed to make comments such as "Maybe I spoil some people with my play". Are you kidding me? How do you spoil people when your great because of the work you put into your craft? Your "talents" are the reason why the NBA will continue to make money when you are gone. Their will always be another kid striving to be better then the past because he wants to make his own mark. Your not spoiling anyone, Its Entertainment! The days where you earned respect because your a winner are long gone. Now everything is based off of potential. Players in the past left their blood sweat and tears on the floor just to be able to earn off the court money and exposure. Now they give you praise before you even step on the court.
With a twist to this matter I must say that on a business side I understand why this happened and that times are changing. With everything needed so fast why should we be surprised that he chose Miami. Between the Internet, video games and YouTube kids wants things faster and easier. No one wants to wait! When is the last time you wrote a letter, handwritten? So do I believe that we have now lost countless wars between James, Wade and Bosh? Yes. But I also understand that they may not want that fight. Maybe they are going to the easy way out. So be it, at the end of the day you have to go out there and play for it. No one will give you anything easy. Now have they made it easier on themselves? Hell yeah, no doubt. The days where you wanted to be the MAN to lead your team and city to a championship has been traded for "I wanted to play with the guys that I respect their games the most". Jordan respected a few players games, during the "Summer", but once that season started I'm over here and you over there. That is something I do notice about Kobe, he understands that respect for the game and has that will to win, easy or difficult.
I raised the point of understanding LeBron but one I didn't understand was that Dan Gilbert aftermath. He wore his true feelings on his sleeve. Some of which I did agree with about James, who often did look like he gave up at certain times. With all that said that outlandish email was not professional at all. Time and time again we see these owners trade players left and right. Sometimes you get a few angry ones but not often are their words seen everywhere. His response to LeBron leaving was just a true sense of how sometimes these "Owners" of teams look at players like slaves. Maybe he was upset that LeBron took his talents to go pick cotton (play basketball, calm down) in South Beach without him knowing until 9:03pm. I do commend them on that! Getting together, in their prime and seem to have the NBA held hostage for the next few years taking rings left and right. I'm really nervous of them going on a run where it almost seems like Miami will win it every year. Takes the fun out of the NBA!
With Cleveland still in disorder and Miami higher then ever, in so many ways. We now are subject to this bomb squad. Days of true playoff basketball rivalries may be over. Now the start of people teaming up and going on a run will be the new day in age. I wonder what Bird, Magic, Jordan and Russell think of all this? I wonder how many the Heat will win? Will LeBron rings be looked down upon by Kobe? What happens if he would've brought a championship to Cleveland? Maybe it's too many questions and not enough answers. Maybe this is why our youth have a poor work ethic. You don't have to go get a book for nothing now, just search for it on Google.
I wish the KING the best of luck but I do believe their will be too many "what ifs" in his career because he thinks he's going for the sure shot. Somewhere the greats are laughing at this, but we will see who gets the last laugh.
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Don't be mad if you see me in Miami cheering for them, It's gonna look like NBA JAM!
But we still #TEAMMELO over here all day everyday!
