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Ode To the King: A Long Overdue Apology To LeBron James

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Ode To the King: A Long Overdue Apology To LeBron James
Marc Serota/Getty Images
Lebron James during his introductory press conferrence.

A few months back, I published an article bashing All-Star NBA player LeBron James for his decision to leave the Cleveland Cavaliers and join Miami Heat.

Looking back, I greatly regret writing that article, and have since deleted it.

After all, what right have we to tell you which team you can or can't sign to? If we can choose to kill a baby just because we don't want to deal with raising it, then for God's sake, you should be able to choose to sign with whatever team  you want without an entire country crying about it!

You asked for years to get some sort of supporting cast in Cleveland, and the best thing they could possibly give you was Shaq, a washed-up 37-year-old center who couldn't cover someone if he had a remote bomb strapped to his chest.

For years you had to deal with the playoff heartbreaks.Was it your fault? Did you choke under the pressure? Absolutely not—you were fantastic, but what could you do when you were on a team like the Cavaliers?

Like Archie Manning on the Saints, you are a fantastic player who has been plagued with a hopelessly terrible team. What could you do? Spend the next 15-20 years with absolutely nothing to symbolize it with except a useless retired number? Who would want that?

And another thing. What right have the fans to ridicule you, BURN your jerseys after seven years of fantastic service.



What right have they to make these childish derogatory T-Shirts:

"Couldn't do it on your own?"

Name one player who could.

"Judas betrayed one, you betrayed us all."

You're comparing someone who chose to sign with  new basketball team to someone who caused a completely innocent man to be scourged, stabbed, and nailed to a wooden cross? Pathetic. IT'S JUST A SPORT, FOR CHRIST'S SAKE. GET OVER YOURSELF!

Players aren't slaves for life. They can leave if they want. Think of it this way: If you were one of the best business persons working for a company that got absolutely nowhere, and being surrounded by idiots, wouldn't you want to quit and sign with an already established company with a better work force?

And once you left the company, would you want that company, and every company around it, insulting you and making t-shirts about it? Didn't think so.

This is a message for not only LeBron, but everyone reading this: give him some respect. He is truly the greatest player in the league, and he should not be ridiculed just for joining a new team.

In conclusion, I am sorry LeBron. Please forgive the Cleveland community, for they will some day grow up, the bandwagoners will leave, and you will re-earn the loyal LeBron fans you've grown to love.



Dmitri Duggan.

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