Fact: Miami sports fans will not set anything on fire when LeBron eventually leaves. They probably will not even notice him leave. Have fun playing in a state where the average age is 87 and most fans still pine for the Brooklyn Dodgers, Bron-Bron.

Love this image of the Miami LeBron Welcoming Committee. Good stuff from Not Zombies.

Photo of the Lebron James Grandmothers Club in Akron, via The New York Times, via The Akron Beacon Journal, via The Associated Press. James announced he was leaving Cleveland for Miami on Thursday night.

Wow. Check out Dan Gilbert’s letter to Cleveland fans.

Dear Cleveland, All Of Northeast Ohio and Cleveland Cavaliers Supporters Wherever You May Be Tonight;

As you now know, our former hero, who grew up in the very region that he deserted this evening, is no longer a Cleveland Cavalier. This was announced with a several day, narcissistic, self-promotional build-up culminating with a national TV special of his “decision” unlike anything ever “witnessed” in the history of sports and probably the history of entertainment.

The good news is that the ownership team and the rest of the hard-working, loyal, and driven staff over here at your hometown Cavaliers have not betrayed you nor NEVER will betray you.

There is so much more to tell you about the events of the recent past and our more than exciting future. Over the next several days and weeks, we will be communicating much of that to you.

You simply don’t deserve this kind of cowardly betrayal.

You have given so much and deserve so much more.

In the meantime, I want to make one statement to you tonight: ”I PERSONALLY GUARANTEE THAT THE CLEVELAND CAVALIERS WILL WIN AN NBA CHAMPIONSHIP BEFORE THE SELF-TITLED FORMER ‘KING’ WINS ONE”

You can take it to the bank.

If you thought we were motivated before tonight to bring the hardware to Cleveland, I can tell you that this shameful display of selfishness and betrayal by one of our very own has shifted our “motivation” to previously unknown and previously never experienced levels.

Some people think they should go to heaven but NOT have to die to get there.

Sorry, but that’s simply not how it works.

This shocking act of disloyalty from our home grown “chosen one” sends the exact opposite lesson of what we would want our children to learn. And “who” we would want them to grow-up to become.

But the good news is that this heartless and callous action can only serve as the antidote to the so-called “curse” on Cleveland, Ohio.

The self-declared former “King” will be taking the “curse” with him down south.

And until he does “right” by Cleveland and Ohio, James (and the town where he plays) will unfortunately own this dreaded spell and bad karma.

Just watch.

Sleep well, Cleveland.

Tomorrow is a new and much brighter day….

I PROMISE you that our energy, focus, capital, knowledge and experience will be directed at one thing and one thing only:

Dan Gilbert

Majority Owner

Cleveland Cavaliers

It’s official. LeBron James is leaving Cleveland for Miami. Many of you have written, and no, I am not actually setting myself on fire right now, as promised on Facebook. I am going to take it out on my P90X workout tonight. (Nice gratuitous reference to my improving physique, by the way.) Honestly, I can’t begrudge LeBron James for leaving Cleveland for Miami. I wanted him to stay, but I left Cleveland, too. (No Jim Gray interview/ESPN circus for me, though.) My only criticism is breaking up with Cleveland on national TV. That was harsh and unnecessary and thoughtless and cruel, charity money be damned. The Plain Dealer’s Terry Pluto nails it in this column here, writing, “Never was basketball more fun for Cavaliers fans than during the James Era. But never could anyone have imagined a worse way for it to end than how James delivered his decision Thursday night.”

LeBron, you gave us some great moments, and for that I am thankful.You also added to Cleveland’s tragic history as a sports town. Red Right 88. The Drive. The Fumble. The Shot. The Move. Jose Mesa. And now … The Decision. You did not leave Cleveland with the class you played with on the court. The look on your face during the ESPN special says you knew this. You degraded your legacy and betrayed your usual classiness in order to enhance your brand. That’s the shame of it all.

Speaking of legacy, do you remember when Michael Jordan teamed up with Charles Barkley and Hakeem Olajuwon to form a super team that would dominate the NBA for a decade?

Me neither.

Photo by http://www.flickr.com/photos/scpr/

LOS ANGELES _ I spent Thursday night in downtown Los Angeles watching the Lakers’ game seven win over the Boston Celtics. It was a memorable night filled with joy, celebration, BBQ mango chicken wings, banana pudding, inept government officials and Boston Celtics haters. This is my report.

- To avoid the worst traffic snarl in LA ever – game 7, E3 and the Los Angeles Film Festival all happened today, in addition to the Mexico World Cup game that had trucks all over the city flying the Mexican flag – I took Los Angeles’s subway for the first time. I went from Hollywood and Vine to Metro Center on the red line. Did you know that you don’t have to purchase tickets to ride Los Angeles’s subway? This might be why it’s hemorrhaging money. I paid $1.25 for a ticket and then walked through an open ticket gate. No person or machine looked at my ticket upon entry or exit. If you need to travel somewhere in Los Angeles for free, take the metro train. It was fast, relatively clean and the transvestite who sat behind us was in good spirits. She wore purple. She was fired up about the Lakers. Like the rest of Los Angeles.

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