Lebron going back to Cleveland

[GatorInKnox]

I've got mixed emotions. I've been a die-hard Heat fan since Alonzo Mourning so I obviously hate to see us lose the best player in the world. On the other hand I might have hated the fake, bandwagon fans even more.

 

[ppinesgator]

I'm just glad that circus is over.

I wish it truly WAS over. Three full times sports radio stations in this market and its all they've talked about for two weeks. Now it will be caller after dumb ass caller with stupidity and hatred to Lebron. Until kickoffs.

 

[gardnerwebbgator]

And Me-bron won't win **** in Cleveland, a nice way to end an overrated career.

 

[GatorInKnox]

I do question the move if he wants to win more championships in the near future. His odds were MUCH better if he played 2 more years with the Heat.

 

[ppinesgator]

I personally think D. Wade is washed up. What I saw in the playoffs was a tired broken down player.

He looked awful. He clearly hasn't taken care of his body

Not sure what makes you think this. He trains extensively off season, always watches his diet, doesn't party, and has never had a substance abuse problem. Attacking the basket for 12 or so years (and in two Olympics) has a downside.

 

[78]

I do question the move if he wants to win more championships in the near future. His odds were MUCH better if he played 2 more years with the Heat.

I'm not so sure LeBron sees it that way. He's at the height of his NBA power both on and off the court. Think about how the impact of his decision affects the entire league. I think he thinks he can win it all in Cleveland with Wiggins and possibly Kevin Love added to the mix. There's no certainty how well it might have played out had he stayed in Miami. Wade's nearing the end and Bosh generally isn't the kind of player who can carry a game. This might have been the shrewdest decision he could have made.

 

[ppinesgator]

I've got mixed emotions. I've been a die-hard Heat fan since Alonzo Mourning so I obviously hate to see us lose the best player in the world. On the other hand I might have hated the fake, bandwagon fans even more.

Right there with you, Knox.

 

[t-gator]

I personally think D. Wade is washed up. What I saw in the playoffs was a tired broken down player.

He looked awful. He clearly hasn't taken care of his body

At 31 he should have been in better shape. He looked awful and out of shape in the finals. His defensive effort played a huge part in the spurs championship. This is coming from someone who has always been a fan of his. If that's all he has left in the tank he needs to retire.

 

[Gator Fever]

I think Cleveland may have been his best choice also with Wade breaking down.

 

[78]

The dominoes are falling now. Melo says he's narrowed it to the Knicks and Bulls and Kevin Love says he's intrigued by the idea of playing with LeBron in Manzielland.

Just go to espn.com if you need attribution. I'm too lazy to post multiple links.

 

[-THE DUDE-]

I've got mixed emotions. I've been a die-hard Heat fan since Alonzo Mourning so I obviously hate to see us lose the best player in the world. On the other hand I might have hated the fake, bandwagon fans even more.

aren't you one of them?

 

[t-gator]

I agree. Cleveland is younger faster and and more athletic. Cleveland is set up to be good for a long time

 

[t-gator]

Maybe your other alias the Douglas can do that for you

 

[Swamp Donkey]

Lebron isn't leaving south beach unless wade and bosh both opt in to the remainder of their contracts. Lebron is opting out in order to get wade and Bosh to Opt out, and then get them to take less money or ship Bosh out and rebuild. Wade isn't leaving Miami.. it just isn't happening but he does need to take less money and opt out in order for another rebuild to begin. If anybody leaves it will be Bosh. Whether he opts in or out the heat will either restructure his contract or ship him off to free up cap space. Wade is a hometown hero in Miami.

I miss this guy.

Just kidding.

 

[oxrageous]

561's opinions on the NBA are never wrong.

 

[rogdochar]

Cleveland for sure. Now, do they have ingredients to build a championship around him ? Do they have the time ?

 

[Swamp Donkey]

561's opinions on the NBA are never wrong.

I wonder if Mebron is still the bestest player in the history of forever.

 

[TheDouglas78]

In less important news Jeremy Lin is a Laker now.

 

[ppinesgator]

[quote name=''78' timestamp='1405098596']First there was The Decision. Now comes The Essay. When should we expect The Movie?

Before anyone ever cared where I would play basketball, I was a kid from Northeast Ohio. It’s where I walked. It’s where I ran. It’s where I cried. It’s where I bled. It holds a special place in my heart. People there have seen me grow up. I sometimes feel like I’m their son. Their passion can be overwhelming. But it drives me. I want to give them hope when I can. I want to inspire them when I can. My relationship with Northeast Ohio is bigger than basketball. I didn’t realize that four years ago. I do now.

Remember when I was sitting up there at the Boys & Girls Club in 2010? I was thinking, This is really tough. I could feel it. I was leaving something I had spent a long time creating. If I had to do it all over again, I’d obviously do things differently, but I’d still have left. Miami, for me, has been almost like college for other kids. These past four years helped raise me into who I am. I became a better player and a better man. I learned from a franchise that had been where I wanted to go. I will always think of Miami as my second home. Without the experiences I had there, I wouldn’t be able to do what I’m doing today.

I went to Miami because of D-Wade and CB. We made sacrifices to keep UD. I loved becoming a big bro to Rio. I believed we could do something magical if we came together. And that’s exactly what we did! The hardest thing to leave is what I built with those guys. I’ve talked to some of them and will talk to others. Nothing will ever change what we accomplished. We are brothers for life. I also want to thank Micky Arison and Pat Riley for giving me an amazing four years.

I’m doing this essay because I want an opportunity to explain myself uninterrupted. I don’t want anyone thinking: He and Erik Spoelstra didn’t get along. … He and Riles didn’t get along. … The Heat couldn’t put the right team together. That’s absolutely not true.

I’m not having a press conference or a party. After this, it’s time to get to work.

When I left Cleveland, I was on a mission. I was seeking championships, and we won two. But Miami already knew that feeling. Our city hasn’t had that feeling in a long, long, long time. My goal is still to win as many titles as possible, no question. But what’s most important for me is bringing one trophy back to Northeast Ohio.

I always believed that I’d return to Cleveland and finish my career there. I just didn’t know when. After the season, free agency wasn’t even a thought. But I have two boys and my wife, Savannah, is pregnant with a girl. I started thinking about what it would be like to raise my family in my hometown. I looked at other teams, but I wasn’t going to leave Miami for anywhere except Cleveland. The more time passed, the more it felt right. This is what makes me happy.

To make the move I needed the support of my wife and my mom, who can be very tough. The letter from Dan Gilbert, the booing of the Cleveland fans, the jerseys being burned -- seeing all that was hard for them. My emotions were more mixed. It was easy to say, “OK, I don’t want to deal with these people ever again.” But then you think about the other side. What if I were a kid who looked up to an athlete, and that athlete made me want to do better in my own life, and then he left? How would I react? I’ve met with Dan, face-to-face, man-to-man. We’ve talked it out. Everybody makes mistakes. I’ve made mistakes as well. Who am I to hold a grudge?

I’m not promising a championship. I know how hard that is to deliver. We’re not ready right now. No way. Of course, I want to win next year, but I’m realistic. It will be a long process, much longer than it was in 2010. My patience will get tested. I know that. I’m going into a situation with a young team and a new coach. I will be the old head. But I get a thrill out of bringing a group together and helping them reach a place they didn’t know they could go. I see myself as a mentor now and I’m excited to lead some of these talented young guys. I think I can help Kyrie Irving become one of the best point guards in our league. I think I can help elevate Tristan Thompson and Dion Waiters. And I can’t wait to reunite withAnderson Varejao, one of my favorite teammates.

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.
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.

http://www.si.com/nba/2014/07/11/leb...land-cavaliers[/quote]That is one hell of a great letter. LeBron has grown and learned so much in the last four years. Best to him and his family.

 

[GatorJ]

561 is The Truth.