Dan Gilbert Responds To Jesse Jackson

The guy lost any legacy or relevance he ever had in about 1970. After that he’s just been a sad joke.

I think I’m too young, because as far as I know he’s always been a race baiting douchebag.

And now I know why no one will ever understand what it means to be a Cleveland fan since you obviously speak for the masses. Thanks buddy!

What a boring and tired explanation. First, yes, we all know someone might respond. In fact, when I first heard Gilbert had issued a statement, I was almost certain someone would outlandishly accuse him of some sort of racial impropriety. But Gilbert’s letter was probably what the vast majority of Cleveland fans were thinking themselves.

Second, yes, we all understand the business aspect of it, that LeBron was a free agent and free to leave. This has to be about the laziest explanation of all. No one was under any suspicions otherwise that this was free agent summer; doesn’t mean we aren’t going to be royally pissed off about what transpired.

it’s easy to see how someone could interpret it that way.

No its not. Jesse Jackson is just practicing his classic “race baiting”

Slavery: a system in which people are the property of others. Slaves can be held against their will from the time of their capture, purchase or birth, and deprived of the right to leave, to refuse to work, or to demand wages

not at all what lebron is though.

The man served out his contract and when he decided to leave Gilbert exploded in a childish fit of rage instead of playing it diplomatic like a man in a position of power should.

the thing is though, that this is only one side of the story. imagine if you are a boss (or executive) and you have a star worker and he has a contract for a certain amount of years. he always talks to you and people outside the company that he wants to bring this company to the top, make it a fortune 500 company…make the company huge. He is helping you on the way there, but he demands a lot. He demands private jets, more vacation time, and jobs for all of his friends. He keeps talking about the company in long term senses and what he wants to do and talks about his loyalty there, but only commits on paper to short term agreements. You bring in the best and the brightest you can find from top schools to surround him and do everything in your power to make the company great around him. He then has an opporunity to meet with other companies. He assures you of his loyalty. He then goes to the media with his decision. you try to contact him time and time again during the whole process because as a business, you need a backup plan in case he leaves. you even go out and change the COO of the company to fit his needs. he doesn’t return your calls and then on national TV spites you, decides to leave, and goes back on everything he said…as the exective, you would be pissed, right?

This is pretty much the situation lebron got himself into. He talked all the time, every time he got in front of the media about how he wanted to make cleveland a winner and wanted to stay here and build a team. However, when push came to shove, he really didn’t. He never returned gilbert’s calls and in hindsight it almost seems like it was in part to spite his former team. Other teams truly were more prepared to have a backup plan. The knicks had signed amare…But he was truly handcuffing the Cavs in free agency. gilbert was harsh and maybe too emotional but the facts are there and much of what he said was deserved.

gilbert should have been the better man but sometimes its hard to be the better person when the other person is being so childish…they often can drag you down.