Before the Midwest jumps all over me let’s remember something.
Lebron James spent 7 years in his hometown giving it every chance to win an NBA Championship. He spent more time than he was contractually obligated too when he was drafted 1st overall in the 2003 NBA draft.
By all accounts Lebron James certainly gave Cleveland it’s chance and the ownership teams did their best to put the proper players around James in the process. While many in Cleveland are going about their business post-James there are many, many others who are furious with Lebron for “abandoning” them.
But let’s think about this logically.
You are Lebron James. The ESPN and National Media proclaimed “Chosen One”. Most people won’t feel that kind of pressure in their entire lifetime. From the moment Cleveland discovered how great he was in High School to the moment they won the 2003 NBA Draft lottery James became their basketball savior.
That’s a lot of pressure for anyone...let alone an 18-year-old hometown kid. Every single moment he stepped on a basketball court he must have felt an intense need to satisfy every long suffering Cleveland sports fan.
That’s the thing about Cleveland for James...because he was a hometown guy he wasn’t just holding the hearts and minds of Cleveland basketball fans he was holding up Indians and Browns fans.
He was trying to bring home that elusive professional sports championship the city has coveted for so long. He couldn’t help but fail in the process. I choose to believe that James instead of quitting in the playoffs as Cavs owner Dan Gilbert put it, was most likely simply tired of holding an entire city on his shoulders.
So he chose to leave Cleveland. Tired of being the only one who make things different in a city it’s easy to see why James bolted for the warmer weather of South Beach in Miami. It was something he had to do for himself.
In Miami Dwayne Wade is the leader. Chris Bosh is the original free-agent and Lebron James is the prize at the end of the rainbow. A free-agent that no one in the city expected to sign after Bosh and Wade had become Miami Heat for the next 5 years.
James is joining a franchise that while being overjoyed that James is here was already setting up to be a major player in the race for the NBA championship by re-signing Wade and bringing in Bosh from Toronto.
When times get tough next season and they certainly will at some point. Maybe when the Heat lose 2 or 3 games in a row it won’t be simply James that the media is riding to find out why it’s happening.
Unlike Cleveland where James had only himself to rely on, it will be Bosh and Wade who are expected to shoulder the blame in difficult situations. It was apparent in what’s being dubbed the “Rock Star” press conference that James while appearing somewhat nervous had relief in his eyes.
That relief may simply be his ability to focus on winning a championship without having to worry about the pressure. He’s got 2 other guys to do that.
By all accounts Lebron James certainly gave Cleveland it’s chance and the ownership teams did their best to put the proper players around James in the process. While many in Cleveland are going about their business post-James there are many, many others who are furious with Lebron for “abandoning” them.
But let’s think about this logically.
You are Lebron James. The ESPN and National Media proclaimed “Chosen One”. Most people won’t feel that kind of pressure in their entire lifetime. From the moment Cleveland discovered how great he was in High School to the moment they won the 2003 NBA Draft lottery James became their basketball savior.
That’s a lot of pressure for anyone...let alone an 18-year-old hometown kid. Every single moment he stepped on a basketball court he must have felt an intense need to satisfy every long suffering Cleveland sports fan.
That’s the thing about Cleveland for James...because he was a hometown guy he wasn’t just holding the hearts and minds of Cleveland basketball fans he was holding up Indians and Browns fans.
He was trying to bring home that elusive professional sports championship the city has coveted for so long. He couldn’t help but fail in the process. I choose to believe that James instead of quitting in the playoffs as Cavs owner Dan Gilbert put it, was most likely simply tired of holding an entire city on his shoulders.
So he chose to leave Cleveland. Tired of being the only one who make things different in a city it’s easy to see why James bolted for the warmer weather of South Beach in Miami. It was something he had to do for himself.
In Miami Dwayne Wade is the leader. Chris Bosh is the original free-agent and Lebron James is the prize at the end of the rainbow. A free-agent that no one in the city expected to sign after Bosh and Wade had become Miami Heat for the next 5 years.
James is joining a franchise that while being overjoyed that James is here was already setting up to be a major player in the race for the NBA championship by re-signing Wade and bringing in Bosh from Toronto.
When times get tough next season and they certainly will at some point. Maybe when the Heat lose 2 or 3 games in a row it won’t be simply James that the media is riding to find out why it’s happening.
Unlike Cleveland where James had only himself to rely on, it will be Bosh and Wade who are expected to shoulder the blame in difficult situations. It was apparent in what’s being dubbed the “Rock Star” press conference that James while appearing somewhat nervous had relief in his eyes.
That relief may simply be his ability to focus on winning a championship without having to worry about the pressure. He’s got 2 other guys to do that.
