2010 LeBron James Sweepstakes

[Gothamite]

Leading Miami to 2 more titles and 4 more Finals appearances would help his legacy more than winning one in Cleveland.

To the NBA in general, sure. To the sports press, certainly.

But not necessarily to LeBron himself. That's clear from his piece in Sports Illustrated.

I 100% disagree. If LeBron would have maybe won 5-7 Championships in Miami, then I would say that overshadows 1 in Cleveland. But the story line is just too much to ignore. The local kid, prodigy, drafted by his hometown/area team. Brings the team from cellar dweller to Championship contender every year. A City who has longing for a title since 1964, etc. etc. etc. Him returning just adds another layer to it. Again, had Miami been 4 for 4 in the Finals, that may be different.

For you guys maybe but for me not really. It may be a bit of a cute story that LeBron won a title for Cleveland but in my eyes it is going to take more than 1 title to overshadow that Miami run.

That's cool. Everyone's entitled to their own opinion.

But LeBron's opinion mattered more than anyone else's. And he made it clear what it meant to him.

[crashcarson15]

Think I've mentioned it here but the dude who leads a Cleveland sports team to the first title will be regarded as a god for eternity.

I mean, Kenny Lofton and Omar Vizquel are major prophets in the "religion" of Cleveland sports and they didn't bring a championship.

If/when it happens, I'm going to bawl my eyes out.

[FiddySicks]

I think it would be hilarious if Jonny Football led the Browns to a Super Bowl win before Lebron won a championship with the Cavs.

[crashcarson15]

I think it would be hilarious if Jonny Football led the Browns to a Super Bowl win before Lebron won a championship with the Cavs.

This is what Cleveland wants, though. Almost certainly. All things considered, the city only really cares about the Cavs when they've got a chance to win a title. Same with the Indians.

Doesn't matter how good or bad the Browns are (almost always bad), they're loved.

[Lee Noire]

Think I've mentioned it here but the dude who leads a Cleveland sports team to the first title will be regarded as a god for eternity.

I mean, Kenny Lofton and Omar Vizquel are major prophets in the "religion" of Cleveland sports and they didn't bring a championship.

If/when it happens, I'm going to bawl my eyes out.

If LeBron does win one for Cleveland (there you go McCall. That's for you buddy. Lol) does that get the Jordan legacy folks off his back? It'd only his third ring, but that one in Cleveland has to be worth like 4 right?

[The_Admiral]

See, I think LeBron and his handlers have abandoned trying to be the next Jordan. They know that ship sailed; Jordan never went down in the Finals (and I'll be generous and throw out the one-man '07 Cavs). So instead of being the next Jordan, they're going to make him the first LeBron: the guy who heroically returned home not to win but for the sake of coming home. I don't know how many championships it would be equivalent to and I don't care because it doesn't matter. The race is run. Jordan won.

[CS85]

See, I think LeBron and his handlers have abandoned trying to be the next Jordan. They know that ship sailed; Jordan never went down in the Finals (and I'll be generous and throw out the one-man '07 Cavs). So instead of being the next Jordan, they're going to make him the first LeBron: the guy who heroically returned home not to win but for the sake of coming home. I don't know how many championships it would be equivalent to and I don't care because it doesn't matter. The race is run. Jordan won.

Jordan would've hired a hitman break LeBron's knees if he ever approached 6 rings. Jordan was never going to lose.

[Nyk33]

Think I've mentioned it here but the dude who leads a Cleveland sports team to the first title will be regarded as a god for eternity.

I mean, Kenny Lofton and Omar Vizquel are major prophets in the "religion" of Cleveland sports and they didn't bring a championship.

If/when it happens, I'm going to bawl my eyes out.

If LeBron does win one for Cleveland (there you go McCall. That's for you buddy. Lol) does that get the Jordan legacy folks off his back? It'd only his third ring, but that one in Cleveland has to be worth like 4 right?

[Gothamite]

Oh don't tell me the Doctor doesn't understand a little extra hyperbole.

[BBTV]

If he really wanted to "save" Cleveland, he'd learn how to throw a spiral and lead the Browns to the SB before switching over to basketball mode just in time for the Cavs playoff run.

Now that's a way to separate yourself from Jordan and Kobe!

[Nyk33]

If he really wanted to "save" Cleveland, he'd learn how to throw a spiral and lead the Browns to the SB before switching over to basketball mode just in time for the Cavs playoff run.

Now that's a way to separate yourself from Jordan and Kobe!

He would have Jordan beat at the multi-sport thing if he could pull that off.

Oh don't tell me the Doctor doesn't understand a little extra hyperbole.

[TheOldRoman]

If he really wanted to "save" Cleveland, he'd learn how to throw a spiral and lead the Browns to the SB before switching over to basketball mode just in time for the Cavs playoff run.

Now that's a way to separate yourself from Jordan and Kobe!

This bring to mind how annoying the media's LeBJ gets at times. We know he's an incredible athlete, but I just roll my eyes when ESPN comes out with their annual we don't really have anything to write about thing saying Lebron is so gifted that he could easily play in the NFL. "Why, just look at other former basketball players such as Gates and Graham who are excelling. Besides, Lebron was a star TE in high school, and could have played in college if he wanted. Nobody could match is size and speed on in the NFL."

Nobody may have ever had Lebron's unique talents, but it's absolutely imbecilic to claim that someone who hasn't stepped on a football field in 14 years could play in the NFL. Each year there are incredibly talented "can't miss" college kids who end up doing jack squat in the NFL. There's no telling if James would be able to cut it at the NFL level. It's just so dumb.

And even dumber is them claiming that he could also star at hockey. The fundamental aspect of hockey is being able to skate, and there are athletic guys who just aren't very good skaters. He may be great at hockey after years of play, but he also might be terrible. It's like the media gets so tired of swallowing Lebron that they make hypothetical phalluses to blow.

[BBTV]

Didn't Rocket Ismail try hockey after screwing the Cowboys* and signing with the CFL?

*in the end it didn't screw the Cowboys, but that's how it appeared at the time.

[The_Admiral]

This bring to mind how annoying the media's LeBJ gets at times. We know he's an incredible athlete, but I just roll my eyes when ESPN comes out with their annual we don't really have anything to write about thing saying Lebron is so gifted that he could easily play in the NFL. "Why, just look at other former basketball players such as Gates and Graham who are excelling. Besides, Lebron was a star TE in high school, and could have played in college if he wanted. Nobody could match is size and speed on in the NFL."

Nobody may have ever had Lebron's unique talents, but it's absolutely imbecilic to claim that someone who hasn't stepped on a football field in 14 years could play in the NFL. Each year there are incredibly talented "can't miss" college kids who end up doing jack squat in the NFL. There's no telling if James would be able to cut it at the NFL level. It's just so dumb.

What If a Baseball Player Were as Dominant as LeBron? But remember, Deadspin hates the way ESPN covers sports!

[Gothamite]

True, but you have to remember that Deadspin is more a loose collective of writers than a traditional magazine. It's not surprising that there's some disconnect between the official position and what individual writers promote.

[The_Admiral]

No, they have a managing editor (Will Leitch begat A.J. Daulerio begat Tommy Craggs) who steers the content and voice of the site. It's not goddamn Bleacher Report. Compare the sleaze-heavy Deadspin of a few years ago with the current iteration that's most concerned with social justice and flyover-state-shaming. The hypothetical apogee of 2014 Deadspin would be "If LeBron Were Gay, Could He Change The Name Of The Redskins?" and then a bunch of people's twitter profiles.

[infrared41]

Just thought I'd throw this in... It's been almost a week now since LBJ "came home." In that time, of all the people I've run across over the past 6 days here in Northern Ohio, exactly two of them have brought up Lebron James - and those two do a sports show at my station. It's interesting to me how the reality seems to be a lot different from the perception. To the rest of the world, it probably looks like Nothern Ohio is on day 6 of a Mardi Gras level bender celebrating the return of our "prodigal son." Winding my way through the area, I can tell you that is simply not the case.

My point, I suppose, is that despite how it may look through the lens of various media and social media outlets, Lebron coming back to the Cavs has barely moved the "every day life" needle here. Don't let 20 or 30 goofballs trying to get camera time trick you into thinking our entire population is running amok in the streets. Sure, we're all more interested in the Cavs now and people think it's nice that he came back, but that's about it.

Just the observations of someone who's "walking among them" here.

[DustDevil61]

Just thought I'd throw this in... It's been almost a week now since LBJ "came home." In that time, of all the people I've run across in the past 6 days here in Northern Ohio, exactly two of them have brought up Lebron James - and those two do a sports show at my station. It's interesting to me how the reality seems to be a lot different from the perception. To the rest of the world, it probably looks like Nothern Ohio is on day 6 of a Mardi Gras level bender celebrating the return of our "prodigal son." Winding my way through the area, I can tell you that is simply not the case.

My point, I suppose, is that despite how it may look through the lens of various media and social media outlets, Lebron coming back to the Cavs has barely moved the "every day life" needle here. Don't let 20 or 30 goofballs trying to get camera time trick you into thinking our entire population is running amok in the streets. Sure, we're all more interested in the Cavs now and people think it's nice that he came back, but that's about it.

Just the observations of someone who's "walking among them" here.

I wonder if part of it is that LeBron's contract is only for 2 years, with an opt-out after 1, or that this Cavs team, as currently constructed, is not ready to win a championship now. Of course, the short contract may also play into the upcoming CBA negotiations, but how does anyone know for sure?

In other words, it's nice and all that LeBron has come home, but the more pertinent question is how long he stays in Cleveland.

[alxy8s]

My point, I suppose, is that despite how it may look through the lens of various media and social media outlets, Lebron coming back to the Cavs has barely moved the "every day life" needle here. Don't let 20 or 30 goofballs trying to get camera time trick you into thinking our entire population is running amok in the streets. Sure, we're all more interested in the Cavs now and people think it's nice that he came back, but that's about it.

Just the observations of someone who's "walking among them" here.

I can't wait for all the Ohioans yearning for the area's first championship in 50 years (it's odd that everyone ignores Ohio State in that calculation) to find out what difference a title makes in "every day life," whether it be LeBron's, Johnny's, or the Indians' doing. Hint: none.

I wonder if part of it is that LeBron's contract is only for 2 years, with an opt-out after 1, or that this Cavs team, as currently constructed, is not ready to win a championship now. Of course, the short contract may also play into the upcoming CBA negotiations, but how does anyone know for sure?

In other words, it's nice and all that LeBron has come home, but the more pertinent question is how long he stays in Cleveland.

Yeah, I'll bet Cleveland fans' emotions are based in rationality. The prodigal son narrative was being told before the terms of the deal were known. Not that fans have much of a role in creating a narrative.

EDIT: The Cavaliers are now willing to trade Andrew Wiggins in exchange for Kevin Love. So that should happen.

[JayMac]

I would say the cliché "the rich get richer" but it is the Cavs that we are talking about.