Kobe: 'Pistons Disappeared Forever'
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Today's return of LeBron James to the city of Cleveland is a sad, telling reminder of the fact that some of us simply takes sports too seriously. Some Cavs fans (led by their owner, Dan Gilbert) are behaving as if LeBron is the man who came in to their house on Christmas and took all the gifts from under the tree. They've created T-shirts and websites dedicated to their hatred of LeBron and seem determined to make his life miserable.
Much of the animosity stems from James' well-publicized departure to play for the Miami Heat. Some fans took issue with LeBron's televised show, called "The Decision," during which James announced that he'd be playing in South Beach. To hell with the kids in the Boys & Girls Foundation who received the proceeds from the show. All media angles were determined to turn LeBron into an arrogant stereotype of an athlete who only thinks about himself.
A quick note to Cavs fans: LeBron is not your perpetual employee. He is not your slave, your pet or your long-lost baby's mama. He is simply the man who gave several years to a city that was, quite frankly, not ideal for someone with his talents (yes, the rest of the country was jealous of Cleveland for landing LeBron James).
Cleveland is a great city with loyal fans, but LeBron was pressured in to trying to bring a title to a place that didn't have the market capacity to finance an NBA championship. It was LeBron's lack of selfishness and sincere loyalty, which led to him playing his heart out in a city that everyone told him to leave long ago. It is also his character which led to him being so openly hurt by the Cavs fans' reaction. To be sure, Michael Jordan wouldn't have given a ratt's butt about what the fans thought of his departure - that's what an arrogant, selfish athlete does.
Another piece of evidence to show that LeBron is not the demon some are making him out to be are his genuine responses to questions about his return to Cleveland. When asked how he feels about the situation, LeBron doesn't pretend to be a rock. He doesn't act like it's just another game. He says that it's going to be difficult and that it's painful to return to the place where his old allies now sincerely hate him. He's being real with the fans and real with the world, an uncommon trait among superstars.
Of course, the Cavs fans aren't going to let this one go. They've decided that LeBron James is the player they love to hate. An entire industry is being built around the idea of attacking LeBron and rattling his psyche. Perhaps it's because they know LeBron's a good guy that some fans are extra quick to admonish him.
If James had simply been a selfish SOB and left Cleveland years ago, the most abusive Cavs fans wouldn't even waste their time on such childish and ridiculous attacks. Perhaps more sensible fans should simply push to have LeBron's number placed in the rafters to celebrate the amazing years he gave to the city. Most great loves eventually come to an end, and how we respond to the end of that relationship says a great deal about our personal integrity.
Dr. Boyce Watkins is the founder of the Your Black World Coalition and a Scholarship in Action Resident of the Institute for Black Public Policy. To have Dr. Boyce commentary delivered to your email, please click here. 
Comments: (5)
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By: MigThor on 12/03/2010 8:15AM
To Dr. Watkins who says, "A quick note to Cavs fans: LeBron is not your perpetual employee..." If you lived in this part of Ohio, you'd see that these are die hard racists. The only thing most of the Whites in this area see positive about Black folks beyond "letting the Blacks be their sports heroes for the high school, college (Maurice Clarrett), and pro teams," is the fact that its okay for Blacks to do jobs Whites don't want. And besides that, Blacks are supposed to take the crap from them that they wouldn't take from Blacks. So when a Black man makes a lot of money from his talents, he's supposed to show gratitude to the White man for "letting" him make that money. Thus, yes, many of these Cavs fans thought LeBron was a perpetual employee that they owned.
When comparing Jordan to James, you forget that Jordan brought some titles to Chicago. James was called The King mainly because he was expected to lead his troops to one of many championships. Yet, I see what you mean by character. And I also see why Charles Woodson and Scott May, two players from my area, did not give back to the community like most athletes such as Orlando Pace did. This is what you get from people who would have treated you shabbily, had you not been the great athletes that you are. So you give something to the community or you don't, if you anger them, then this is how people in this area react.
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By: Frank Talk on 12/06/2010 9:26AM
You all know whites can't help it. Since LeBron and his generations helped make this illegitimate state, called the U.S., a formidable force, the master and slave mentality has existed. LeBron is seen as nothing more than a prized "Buck" to Dan Gilbert, and Cleveland fans; whites nationally.
Until these Black Athletes get like the ones of old, and quit letting their Willie Lynch trained mothers make them clam, punkishly humble, servile, emasculated, the Gilberts, white Sportswriters and non-Blacks period, will continue to test their manhood and resolve.
Gilbert is getting his, though. Look how terrible the cavaliers looked in the game. They are smut, wimps, saps, buttercups without Lebron. Gilbert lied about their being better without him. He's just a mad, ex, wannabe "massa."
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