By: Stephen Patterson
LeBron James, who left the Cleveland Cavaliers earlier this summer to join the Miami Heat, took out a full page ad in the Akron Beacon Journal thanking the people of Akron for their love and support, but made no mention of the city he played for his first seven seasons in the NBA. While some people are saying he is being obnoxious, I can't disagree with his choice after how the city has treated him since his decision.
Fans in the Cleveland area have been a little more than upset since LeBron went on ESPN to announce his decision in an hour-long special. Within minutes of the decision, people were out in the streets of Cleveland burning jerseys, posters, shirts, and anything else they could find with the image of their former hero.Out of everyone in Cleveland, Cavs owner Dan Gilbert may have been the most upset, as he sent a letter to media and fans trashing LeBron James within hours of the decision being announced. Gilbert's decision was one of the poorest I have ever seen from an NBA owner, and the only thing he accomplished by writing it was scaring away future free agents from signing with his team. Afterall, who wants to give everything they have in them only to be called a quitter for their efforts when they move on?
Regardless of whether his decision angered you or not, people should respect the fact that he did what he felt was best for him and his family. Sure, Cleveland tried to bring in pieces around James, but none of those additions even compare with the opportunity to play with Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade in Miami with a franchise that has shown it can win titles. The man gave up some of the best years of his career for Cleveland, and they couldn't have cared less once he moved on.
In the ad, James thanked the city of Akron and said it would always be home to him. The ad featured pictures of James attending community events. He is scheduled to appear at his annual bike-a-thon in Akron this Saturday and still plans to attend. LeBron has always made sure to point out that Akron was his home, not the city of Cleveland. I can't say I blame him for not thanking Cleveland. Afterall, they didn't exactly send him "Thank You" cards when he made his choice to leave.
