You really don't realize that a large part of the complaints isn't that he left the team, but how?
this is a classic strawman complaint
LBJ was able to generate $millions for the Boys and Girls Club of America, only because of his cleverness
all the ad proceeds from the exclusive ESPN hour went to that organization
and people are complaining about it? would they rather the networks be the ones who profit from the announcement media instead?
this was going to be a huge sports story, and the media/sports figure played it to his advantage. he controlled how the announcement was conducted and he controlled how the ad proceeds would be distributed
smart fellow
A team that has repeatedly tried to accomodate LeBron from reportedly consulting him regarding player personel decisions, choice of coaches, etc.
and notice how classless that same team was when he left
The fact he let them know a week into free agency, after most of the major ones have been picked, that he wasn't resigning with a phone call minutes before announcing it to a national TV audiance?
i do also notice that the team gambled that it would prevail, despite being unable to sign him for a larger amount than any other team
in addition to being classless, management was clueless
The notion that he left his hometown team with an inability to go out and potentially get a even decent replacement by his indecisiveness, and rubbed salt in their wounds of him leaving by making it an enormous TV spectacle.
James did not prevent them from going into the free agency market for additional players. the team made that decision itself
That people see Kevin Durant reup quietly in an off year on Twitter, Amare give a relatively simple 5 minute press conference, and Wade and Bosh simply take a few days and decide in a standard way....but LeBron must have an hour long special after all the major people have signed so all the attention can be on him because he's oh so special and important and everyone must watch the King.
and none of them has the star power LBJ possesses. he is without question the best thing to happen to the NBA since Jordan. why should he be obligated to make a low profile decision? his paycheck is going to be tiny compared to the endorsement money he generates. that major endorsement money does not go to the low profile players
Really, outside of Cleveland...which you know, I can't blame them...whose mad at LeBron for going to a team of his choosing? Most people I've heard upset with LeBron is how he was amazingly dickish with his former team, acted a diva on the level of Brett Favre, and essentially looked like a giant egomaniac.
i see no instance in which James was 'dickish' with cleveland
don't understand the comparison between favre and LBJ, other than each decided leaving their previous team was in their own best interest. what is wrong with that?
In cleveland, yeah they're mad he left. And again, I say I can't blame them really. You have essentially a hometown guy in a city whose notoriously a loser who essentially seemed to give promise to FINALLY breaking that bad streak and doing it with "one of their own".
and he tried to turn around that team, but was never able to win it all. so, what's the problem? if he was so good to have done it with a weak supporting team then why didn't it happen? and if he is not that good to win it all by himself, and no one is, then why knock him alone because his team never prevailed at the end? if he was such bad news while there, why so much drama now that he has left?
The Cleveland market has embraced him, from the giant "witness" banner to the sell outs after sell outs for the team. To that market it was more than simply basketball. I don't think that's right, and I don't think he's wrong for not staying, but those people I can at least not fault for being made he left.
why do you believe the cleveland fans are entitled to be angry at LBJ because he left after you also stated that James was not wrong for leaving cleveland? that contradiction makes no sense
But again, outside of cleveland, I don't know many that actually feel that way.
fans of the game are interested. that was proven by the ESPN broadcast. cleveland is disappointed while miami is elated. but in the end, it was LeBron's choice to make and he made it. and he also made a few million dollars for the Boys and Girls Club charity ... and he compelled the media to frame the announcement in the way that he wanted
don't see why anyone would have a problem with anything that he did ... actually believe he deserves kudos, especially for making this thing work for charity
on the other hand, the way the cleveland ownership acted in the immediate aftermath, can anyone blame James for no longer wanting to be associated with such a classless organization?