LeBron went from one of the most well-liked NBA players to the most hated in a matter of days...

[Drunken Irishman]

I respected LeBron - but not after this goddamn show he put Cleveland through. He knew he wasn't returning to the Cavs and instead of manning up and saying he was done, he prolonged the pain. What a total douchebag.

We're all Cavs fans tonight.

[Seneca]

1. Not me

Never will be a Cavs fan, no matter what kind of asshole LeBron is.

They have only themselves to blame for not building a championship team around him. He made a smart move. Although I will gladly concede HOW he handled his move leaves a LOT to be desired.

No sympathy for Cleveland though. Between this and the fiasco that is the Rock and Roll Hall of Lame, I'll let others cry for them.

[Drunken Irishman]

3. It's difficult building a championship team...

They made the moves over the years to get to a championship team, though.

I don't blame him for leaving, though I'd like to see more loyalty in the NBA. I think he's a total douchebag for leaving the way he did.

Had he just owned up to not wanting to play there, it would've sucked for the Cavs. But no one would've cared.

Not many cared when Shaq left Orlando for L.A. and people would've gotten over this.

But Cavs fans do not deserve the shit he put them through.

That's pure shit.

[TZ]

18. The Cavs didn't try to build a championship team?

WTF? They signed an ageing Shaq, traded for Antoine Jamison, fired their coach fired their GM- hired someone they knew Lebron would approve of. What is this shit about Cleveland not trying hard enough? You know why Cleveland didn't win? LeBron. Look at his behavior. The reason why he left is quite simple - South Beach is greater than any Rust Belt City. I realize now he never intended to return to Cleveland. Playing with his buddies just gives him an excuse. He's going to be the Dan Marino of the NBA. Many stats. No championships.

[Dr Morbius]

20. Dan Marino was at least loyal to his fans.

Dan Marino, in fact, is a damn classy guy compared to "King" James.

LeBron didn't just disappoint his fans. He did worse.

He is more likely to win a championship in Miami; Miami now arguably has two of the best five players in the game, and three of the best twenty. I don't think they'll win because I don't think the "three-star formula" works. I don't believe in it. I think a major part of the reason teams with three stars win, like LA and Boston, is because the teams around those three stars are competent and do their jobs. Rajon Rondo isn't one of the big three on the Celtics, but he may be the team's best player. The Lakers have a tremendous group of capable role players; that's a Phil Jackson trademark. Aside from Wade, Bosh, and James, Miami has nothing. They just traded away Michael Beasley! So I don't think Miami is going to win in the playoffs. Atlanta is a better team, because Atlanta has five good starters. And a good sixth man, too.

But apparently Mr. James believes in this formula so I will give him the benefit of the doubt. But the manner of the announcement, an hour-long masturbatory TV special, is a flat-out slap in the face to the Cavs organization and the fans. If I had been his fan, I would not be anymore, because he has made it pretty clear how much the fans mean to him: not a whole hell of a lot. I respect his ability on the court: with a basketball in his hand, LeBron James is a monster. But off the court, I don't think much of the man. And I question his heart, too; I believe he quit in the playoff series against Boston because one of his teammates was having an affair with his mother.

It takes more than ability to win championships. It takes desire. It takes commitment. It takes unselfishness. LeBron James doesn't have what it takes to be a champion. He's a fine basketball player but no leader, and if the Miami Heat look to him for leadership, they won't make it past the first round of the playoffs.

Beware of my Bulls! We have 4/5 of an excellent lineup: give us a two-guard and we can make something happen.

[TZ]

41. I actually think his first sentence put it accurately

Its about South Beach vs. Cleveland...NO comparison. He obviously was lying his ass off about how much he valued his home town.I think this was evident by his visible love for the Yankees when he went to Indians games.
I have way more respect for Kevin Durant staying in Oklahoma City....

[OhioChick]

2. LeBron is an arrogant POS

Talk about dragging this out into an "ESPN Special" and kicking Cleveland in the teeth.
I have absolutely zero respect for that asshole any more.

[KeyWester]

16. LOL

He spent 7 years being loyal to cleavland , and that is now called "kicking them in the teeth"

He has now held a "ESPN special" and he becomes a asshole for it ?

Jeeesh , the over reaction is off the charts.

[NewJeffCT]

24. He also raised millions for charity

with the special.

[OhioChick]

26. LOL

Learn how to spell......it's "CLEVELAND."

[jobycom]

4. Oooo. A celebrity milked a situation to his advantage.

Call the press.

[Drunken Irishman]

5. Too late. He already did.

[jp11]

6. I thought I missed something and he killed someone or something.

[AsahinaKimi]

7. Never... ever.

[Forkboy]

10. Wrong coast.

:)

[AsahinaKimi]

11. But I am on the right Coast for me..

Don't they call it the Left Coast here? Well, like the man said in another posting:

[SoxFan]

29. WWBRD?

LeBron is an egomaniacal asshat. Here is a champion:

[Drunken Irishman]

34. PUKE!

:D

[Orsino]

8. If we could harness our LeBron & Lindsey outrage, we could end the wars.

We could have health care.

[Forkboy]

9. After watching the Cavs completely quit in the playoff game against the Celts I'll never be a Cav.

Tonight or any other night. That was one of the more disgraceful things I've seen in sports in a long time. And I say that as a Celtics fan. You fans deserve better.

I do agree that James is a douche though.

[WinkyDink]

13. The Cavs coach says LBJ is the one who quit in that series.

[Forkboy]

27. It was mainly the one game, and it was the whole team.

Down by 7 with 2 minutes left and they just stopped trying. As the team leader James deserves a healthy share of the blame, but the coach does to. He stood there and watched just like the rest of the team.

[WinkyDink]

37. As a Celtics fan, I loved it, whoever was responsible!

[WinkyDink]

12. AND to the most-hated city and team president (Pat Riley)! He'll be mega-rich, but not loved, as he

would have been in New York.

[CBGLuthier]

14. Millionaire Gland Cases. Fuck em all.

Self-centered self-absorbed assholes who play a fucking game.

[KeyWester]

15. Oh please.

He was in Cleavland for 7 years , being loyal to the team he KNEW WOULDN'T WIN.

And he gets shit on for it ?

Now, it's time to get a fist full of rings, the haters can fuck off.

[OhioChick]

25. "the haters can fuck off?"

Against all DU rules, dude.

[Baclava]

17. I'd say he's lucky to have escaped Cleveland without any lingering staph infections

The Drive
The Fumble
Modell
Lebron

[undeterred]

19. Millions of us don't give a hoot about pro sports.

[SunnySong]

21. It's not even pro sports for gods sake its basketball. Bass fishing tournaments attract more viewers

[WinkyDink]

38. Better take a look at the ratings for the Finals.

[bigwillq]

22. Go Heat!

And GO LEBRON!!! :bounce:

[NewJeffCT]

23. So, the guy took less money and will take fewer shots

and score less points in order to win a championship and he's now hated?

[MilesColtrane]

33. Not less money.

He's taking the same, or more.

No state income tax in Fla.

[NewJeffCT]

36. Cleveland could have paid him an extra $30 million

with the Larry Bird rule.

[Initech]

28. I think ESPN could take the blame for all this.

I'm a die-hard Lakers fan so I'm not defending Lebron at all but ESPN made such a huge fucking spectacle of this thing that it's hard to take them or him seriously.

[fishwax]

30. I thought the season-long speculation was absurd and boring, and the one-hour special was

excessive and indulgent, but I don't blame him for going to Miami.

[Drunken Irishman]

35. I really don't hate him for ditching Cleveland...

I think it sucks for their fans. I'd love for these big stars to be more loyal to the lower markets (I am a Jazz fan and would've been heartbroken if, in the early 90s, Stock and Malone bolted to contend somewhere else). However, I wouldn't HATE LeBron for leaving. I'd surely understand it.

But the way he did it. That just was not cool. He knew he wasn't going back to Cleveland and he strung the fans along. I even hear he didn't tell the GM he was leaving. The GM found out during the special.

So unprofessional.

You know I dislike Kobe, but he'd never make a dick move like this. Neither would Jordan.

[joeybee12]

31. I agree...spoiled little twit...he has made many enemies this week and Miami

certainly won't have any new fans.

[MilesColtrane]

32. King Punk

[LisaM]

39. They fired a good coach because of him

and then he left anyway.

No. Respect.

[SteppingRazor]

40. Speak for yourself.

GO HEAT!!!