Sam Calvert
I wasn’t going to post about this. I didn’t want to give it any more publicity than it already has — which is over-the-top. But I can’t resist. Something needs to be said about the LeBron James move to the Miami Heat.
Or, actually, something really needs to be said about Dan Gilbert. After the free agency world tour James took during the offseason, concluding with the circus that was “The Decision” TV special, the Cleveland Cavaliers owner made a fool of himself and received the wrath of NBA Commissioner David Stern.
Gilbert sent a letter out to his fans criticizing James’ decision and branding him a traitor to the city of Cleveland, also James’ hometown. He also made this bold proclamation: “I personally guarantee that the Cleveland Cavaliers will win an NBA Championship before the self-titled ‘King’ wins one.”
It’s a statement that seems almost humorous when you compare the talent on the two teams.
But what’s more interesting to me is the aftermath of the letter.
First, and foremost, Stern fined the owner $100,000 for his comments. This seems a little ridiculous. Gilbert’s net worth is $1.1 billion. In comparison, $100,000 isn’t going to make that much difference, and his comments most likely earned him much more credibility with his fans. It takes away any thought that Gilbert traded James away under the table and shows Cleveland fans that he really cares about his team.
The fans hate James now, anyway (see: lighting James’ jersey on fire), so Gilbert’s comments earn him more respect with the city. If Gilbert had the chance to do it all again, he might have done it in a classier manner, but the comments would have probably still come out.
Second, however, is more outrageous. The Rev. Jesse Jackson was quoted as saying, “His feelings of betrayal personify a slave master mentality. He sees LeBron as a runaway slave.”
This is excessive. I’m sorry, but to make this about slavery and racism is too much. True, Gilbert is white and James is black, but that doesn’t mean Gilbert sees James as a slave. It’s putting too much connotation on a situation that I’m going to go out on a limb and say Jackson doesn’t know a whole lot about aside from the media show that we all see.
But wait, the situation gets even better.
What some people don’t realize is that Gilbert is also the owner of Fathead, maker of the life-size decals of athletes that people can stick on their walls. Well, after James made the move to Miami, Gilbert changed the cost of a James Fathead from $99.99 to $17.41.
Not a big deal. Obviously the Cleveland James decals are going to be on sale because James is no longer a Cavalier. But take a closer look at the number 17.41.
It may not be obvious at first, but under further examination, one can find that 1741 was the birth year of Benedict Arnold, one of the most notorious traitors in American History. Think Gilbert was trying to make a point
But in the end, it’s all just a circus, a sideshow to the NBA. It’s something that keeps our attention tuned to the league in the off-season. And in the end, the Cavaliers didn’t come out empty-handed.
Cleveland got two first-round draft picks sometime between 2013 and 2017. They also received two 2012 second-round picks from New Orleans and Oklahoma City and the right to swap first-round picks with the Heat that year. If they can’t seem to find some talent from that, then there’s no hope for them.
Because after all, every King has to come from somewhere.