The King, The Ego, and the Chance of a Lifetime

As those of you who know me are well aware, I am not a fan of today's NBA. Not because of the outrageous salaries involved, I realize that is part of professional sports in today's world, but rather because of the outrageous egos the NBA has defined itself by. All professional athletes are by nature over confident human beings, yet the NBA institutionalizes the concept of me and demeans the concept of we. That said, I cannot help but take a stake in this horror film that is the Lebron James free agency.

For the sake of getting on with the argument, I will say flat out that I pray Lebron stays in Northeast Ohio. Again, I could care less about the Cavaliers and the NBA, especially during the majority of the NBA season that coincides with the far more intriguing college basketball season (and I could go on and on about how the allure of the NBA has ruined college basketball, but I will save that for another day and another early draft entry announcement). Rather, my interest in Lebron staying is an interest in the future of the Cleveland area, an area that is my family homeland of sorts and one that I have always had a close connection to.

Cleveland needs Lebron to stay. This isnt a case of Jim Thome or Manny Ramirez heading east to seek a larger contract, this a a hometown kid who is threatening to leave for no other reason than his belief that Cleveland's hopes for a title have gone by the wayside. This hometown kid is not leaving for money, not leaving for home, and perhaps not even leaving for a better team (if he goes to New York).

Many talking heads on ESPN have continued to hammer in the assertion that, in the words of Tim Legler, "3 titles in New York are worth 1 in Cleveland". That simple sentence is the basis for this rant of a posting. How can you possibly say that? This is a Lebron James who, although he has chosen to be a fair-weather fan his entire life, replacing the Indians and Browns with membership in the fanhoods of the cowboys and yankees (half of Cleveland didnt know the Cavs existed before Lebron), is well aware of the pessimism that has enveloped a town that has gone title dry for nearly half a century. Combine the thirst for a title with the economic despair facing a city whose reliance on the steel industry has reeked havoc on modern improvement and you have a situation in which Lebron can easily be seen as all that stands between hope for a rebound in Cleveland and permanent relegation to third-class city status. Lebron knows this need Cleveland has for his return and also knows that winning a title in Cleveland is perhaps the single greatest challenge available to today's professional athlete.

How can Legler say that winning a title in a city full of titles would do more for Lebron than bringing the first professional sports title in over 50 years to HIS HOMETOWN!!! We are talking one of the greatest stories in sports history and you think that winning yet another title for the city of New York outweighs that? The Knicks may have struggled the past century (irrationally waiting for this year's free agent market instead of competing like men for titles in the present), but their fans have had the pleasure of titles won by the Yankees and the Giants, a luxury Cleveland fans simply have not had.

Very few professional athletes get the chance to play for their hometown teams, let alone with the star power of a Lebron James. Lebron has become a national icon, grown into one of the premier NBA stars, and nurtured a worldwide brand, all from the comforts of home in Akron. New York and Miami may seem like beacons of hope with their bright lights and bustling streets. But in the end, none of those attractions, none of those promises of fame, fortune, and glory, can compare with the chance to become immortalized in your hometown. Stay in Cleveland and bring home a title, Lebron. Your community needs you know more than ever.