Additional LeBron thoughts

I very much appreciated Bill (sorry, "William J") Simmons' column about LeBron and found three mails especially interesting:

City: Long Beach
Name: Tom
Big freakin deal, Cleveland. Signed, Seattle.

Go fuck yourself, Tom. Signed, Cleveland.
We lost our NFL team for three years, Tom, in case you missed it. Cry me a river. And we didn't lose the Seattle SuperSonics, we lost the Cleveland Browns, a far more storied franchise. Also, you can't live in the LBC and sign things "Seattle." I want to meet this guy and tell him what a loser he is.

City: Cleveland
Name: Kyle
"The Decision" confirmed what I have feared for two months now: that LeBron knew he was going to be leaving after this season, so he had to start justifying it early.

I recognized his strategy, because I've done the exact same thing prior to breaking up with a girlfriend. Breakups suck, so why not try to make it a little less painful? Stop doing the little things, start making up excuses for not spending time with her, stop communicating as much ... essentially, do things that she will resent so that by the time you break up with her, she's mad at you and almost welcomes the breakup because of all the crap that you just put her through. LeBron did the same thing -- stop trying in the playoffs, refuse to be a part of planning for the future, stop talking with the organization other than the pre-ordained free-agency meeting, and then top it off with a ridiculous TV "special" to drive home the point that he's even more narcissistic than Lex Luger.

Agreed on all points.


City: Richfield, Minn.
Name: Aaron
If I'm Cavs owner Dan Gilbert I immediately look at the schedule for when the Heat come to town the first time. I then arrange a ceremony where they retire jersey #23. Even have LeBron help raise it into the rafters. Do it up right and honor the accomplishments. I'd have an emotional speech put together honoring all the ups and downs that they've seen; bring up all the heartbreaks and near misses in the playoffs and regular season.

The name on the back of the jersey? Jordan.

You know, it gets harder and harder every day to label something as the stupidest thing I've ever read, but Aaron from Richfield, MN, you might just have earned it. Do you really think it's a good idea to retire the jersey of the franchise's all-time archnemesis just to, I don't know, get back at some guy that left? That doesn't punish LeBron; it punishes Cavs fans. I would never, ever attend another Cavaliers game if they retired Jordan's number. There is nothing good or funny about this idea. Aaron, what are you thinking?