Talk about a plot twist for NBA fans, and role reversal for former LeBron lovers and haters alike.
In the wake of James' homecoming to the Cleveland Cavaliers, I didn't know what to think. Do I root for the very person I have been swearing at continuously over the last four years? It seems like the ultimate flip flop on my end. Yet the only reason I wrote him off in 2010 was because he left Cleveland and took the easy way out. Now here's why I was wrong and it is officially a good thing to root for LeBron James.
Number one; What did LeBron do to you?
I remember being offended when I watched The Decision in 2010. When LeBron talked about himself in the third person, when he showed no evidence of remorse and when he "took his talents" to South Beach. I remember him mocking the Cavs on Twitter when they lost by 50 to the Lakers, and his postgame 2011 Finals interview when he said something along the lines of "People might be glad that I failed, but at the end of the day they have to go back to their same lives and the personal problems that they had today." Then I remembered it's none of my business. I'm a kid from Cranston, Rhode Island. He didn't do anything to me. My cousin is moving to California to start a new job, and she doesn't have any haters. I'm even a Cavs fan. Nothing LeBron James does should concern me on any level. Millions of people leave their hometown for jobs around the world, but when LeBron James does it, he becomes Basketball Satin. Don't get me wrong he handled it horribly, but he was 25 years old. He was a kid and it was four years ago. Unless you're a Cavs fan or he personally insulted at any point, get over it. 2010 is ancient history.
Two: I like to think he should have stayed in 2010, but that offer was almost impossible for LeBron to turn down.
You are LeBron James. It is 2010. Every big market team is after you. Cleveland's second best player is Mo Williams. Perennial all star Chris Bosh has just joined your best friend, perennial all star Dwyane Wade in beautiful South Beach on the Miami Heat. They're willing to pay you 19 million dollars a year to play basketball on a beach with your best friend an another all star. you are 25 years old, and South beach is South Beach. Uh.. Hello? I'd be a garbage man in South Beach if I could. Florida is the best. Have you ever seen a sad person in Florida? It has Disney, home of Mickey Mouse, where dreams are made. The bottom line is LeBron James made a move that 99.99999999999999 percent of people would have made. It's just everything surrounding it that we don't like about him.
Three: Most importantly, he manned up.
How easy would it have been to stay in Miami?
He went to the finals four straight years . No one would blame him for staying there, and no one would blame him for not going home. Some people who hated him for leaving Cleveland now hate him for leaving Miami. Why? "Cleveland has a better team" Are you serious? the team that's had three #1 picks in four years? the lost cause led by the people who selected Anthony Bennett and Dion Waiters? That fired Mike Brown after one year? The team that lost 26 straight after he left? LeBron said in his letter, "I've made mistakes... I'm ready to accept the challenge. I'm coming home." That's all he needed to say to get my support back. This is not 2010 all over again. There is no easy way out this time. If he wins a championship for Cleveland, it is worth more than 6+ in Miami. I never wanted to hate LeBron James, just like he never wanted to leave Cleveland. It just happened that way and it's over. He is the NBA's Prodigal Son. I still want my Spurs to repeat this year, I will be cheering just as loud if the Jim O'Brien trophy finds its way to Cleveland. Sorry I gotta go, the bandwagon is waiting outside.
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