"Bleh, if I hear or see another thing about LeBron James, I'm goign to puke!"
Well get the bucket ready, because here are the multiple angles you should be paying attention to.
Friday afternoon, the big announcement came. We all saw it, heard it, heard about it, heard rumors of how it all went down, and eventually read his letter (if you didn't you absolutely should, right HERE).
Everyone immediately took to Facebook and Twitter to celebrate and post how awesome the news was! I was at work with my friends and we all said "Downtown is going nuts! Happy hour is going to be crazy!"
Why? Because it IS that awesome. Its actually underrated.
Then as the day rolled along, the haters came out... bleh. I saw posts that read "People are dying in Africa and everyone is giving a crap about a basketball player! Get a life!" and "Who cares? He
just dribbles a ball! He doesn't save lives!"
You sad little haters are so wrapped up in depressing lives, you cant see the greatness in this, so I have some questions for you.
A) Are you a fan of area businesses increasing revenue?
B) Are you a fan of seeing local servers and parking attendants making more money?
C) Are you a fan of seeing people wanting to move their business downtown again?
D) Do you have any clue how much money playoff basketball or a championship contending team will do for the downtown economy?
E) Do you know how many more jobs this creates?
F) Are you a fan of seeing people happy?
G) Are you a fan of greatness?
For me personally, WINTER SUCKS IN NE OHIO!!!! BAD.
Why? Because our teams suck! Flat out. I can deal with the snow, I can deal with crappy roads, but knowing your team loses way more games than it wins just sucks. When the Browns suck on Sunday, Monday sucks... and Tuesday. And then you look ahead to Sunday and get depressed because you know, theyre probably going to suck again! And then you're stuck with 17 weeks of mostly bad football.
Will Johnny Manziel be the answer? You tell me. Are you banking on a party kid who's more concerned with hitting the clubs than the weight room? This kids partying like hes already made it, won the Super Bowl 6x and retired into the Hall of Fame. So no, until he starts lighting it up on Sundays, I dont want to see him anymore unless its on the football field.
But now... We have LeBron back... our guy. Read that letter, he brought all the giddy feelings right back and I am so looking forward to that first tip of the season! How can people post their nasty BS hater crap when so many people are happy to watch sports again? This NE Ohio and like it or not, this area is passionate about their sports, its in our identity. We wear brown and orange, we wear Indians gear and we love the Cavs AND THEYRE ABOUT TO BE GREAT AGAIN!
My first few points above were all based on money and business... think about that. When the Spurs whopped the Cavs a few years ago in the Finals, the TV commentator said something like "Every home game brings in an extra $500,000 per game." Are you freaking kidding me? That changes lives. That changes business. Thats incredible and should absolutely be celebrated. Imagine being such an awesome employee that when you go to work, your company improves AND every company near you... you cannot relate.
When in the history of this city, has a great player chosen to come here? Never happened. Ever. And we have the best in the game, possibly the best ever before he's done and even further... maybe the best athlete to ever play any sport. Who's better? I'd love to argue that. In basketball, its LeBron and MJ, done. Save the Magic, Larry, Kobe nonsense. LeBron smashes all them left handed. And people argue that Michael might be trhe best athelte ever along with Muhammad Ali and Jim Brown, so if Michael is that conversation, LeBron must be. And if LeBron passes Michael, LeBron must pass Ali and Brown... and why not? AND HE'S HERE! He's wearing a Cavs uniform! As usual, he wont be recognized for his greatness until after he retires, when he leaves a crater of greatness behind.
This guy left, regretted how he left, regretted why he left, and came back with a letter than gave me freaking goosebumps.
He wrote - But this is not about the roster or the organization. I feel my calling here goes above basketball. I have a responsibility to lead, in more ways than one, and I take that very seriously. My presence can make a difference in Miami, but I think it can mean more where I’m from. I want kids in Northeast Ohio, like the hundreds of Akron third-graders I sponsor through my foundation, to realize that there’s no better place to grow up. Maybe some of them will come home after college and start a family or open a business. That would make me smile. Our community, which has struggled so much, needs all the talent it can get.
How can you hate that? "Bleh, hes not a role model... hes done" this and this and that other rumor. Shut up. Are you a role model? No ones looking for him to solve world problems, he inspires greatness, he inspires kids to dream and do more and play hard and work. He brings hope of a better image of our beaten down city. National media still rips the city and LeBron can change that. Why? How? Pay attention to the downtown economy.
He goes on - In Northeast Ohio, nothing is given. Everything is earned. You work for what you have. I’m ready to accept the challenge. I’m coming home.
WHAT?!?! I'm going to buy my jersey, t-shit and Cavs pajamas right now!
