LeBron Ad Makes No Mention Of Cleveland
by John Bena (aka CavsBlogger) on Aug 3, 2010 5:22 AM CDT
in Cleveland Cavaliers in the News
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PrintI have often told friends, and various media outlets around the country, that Akron and Cleveland, while separated by 30+ miles, are not the same. Many people who grew up in Akron do not look favorable upon Cleveland, for whatever reason. It was a secret fear of mine that when push came to shove, Cleveland was never considered 'home' by LeBron James, before or during his playing career.
Perhaps that is the reason James made no mention of City of Cleveland or the fans that supported him the past 7 years in the full-page ad he took out in the Akron Beacon Journal.
The text of the ad is below:
To My Family, Friends and Fans in Akron:
"For all my life, I have lived in Akron -- and for that, I am truly a lucky man.
"It was here where I first learned how to play basketball, and where I met the people who would become my lifelong friends and mentors. Their guidance, encouragement and support will always be with me.
"Akron is my home, and the central focus of my life. It's where I started, and it's where I will always come back to. You can be sure that I will continue to do everything I can for this city, which is so important to my family and me.
Thank you for your love and support. You mean everything to me."
Ironically, the ad comes out just 5 days before LeBron's Annual Bike-a-thon, though the event has been scaled down this year, and two days after Zydrunas Ilgauskas placed his own ad thanking the fans of Cleveland.
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*Out of Towner's ignorant question*
Is this letter viewed as a shot to Clevelanders?
Why do you think someone would just thank a city and not the entire state?
And people from Akron don’t like people from Cleveland?
This letter is very clearly a shot at Clevelanders, in that it expresses that LBJ views Akron as home and Cleveland as someplace convenient where he played basketball.
"If Brown is the answer, then you’re asking the wrong question." - Ryan
What I’m genuinely curious about, is what has happened to cause this guy’s obvious hate towards Cleveland?
by kennesawmountainwahoo on Aug 3, 2010 10:23 AM CDT up reply actions
Obviously, he feels like he ‘spoiled’ us these past 7 years, we were lucky to have him, and we weren’t, appropriately, ‘grateful’ enough in not ‘thanking’ him for spitting in our faces on national TV and screwing our team over for the foreseeable future I guess…
by johnnyphoenix on Aug 4, 2010 1:16 AM CDT up reply actions
its pretty clear. even if you go back, he was making comments that in hindsight look kinda snide, basically subtly saying his teammates were lucky to have him.
I teach good life choices. That’s why I almost didn’t graduate High School.
I appreciate Male Beauty
Intensive Purposes? I could care less...
That TV BS is one thing, throwing playoff games is another. I’m much more pissed off about the laying down than I am about the rest. And the Stern testicle shrinkage. Integrity matters.
by kennesawmountainwahoo on Aug 4, 2010 5:19 PM CDT up reply actions
The fact that he makes a specific distinction in his opening makes it abundantly clear that it was meant more for the people it wasn’t addressed to than the ones it was.
by johnnyphoenix on Aug 4, 2010 1:13 AM CDT up reply actions
The central focus of LeBron James’ life is LeBron James.
This ad is remarkably tone-deaf from a public relations standpoint. It’s almost like his marketing advisors are 25-year-old kids.
"If Brown is the answer, then you’re asking the wrong question." - Ryan
by woodsmeister on Aug 3, 2010 8:05 AM CDT reply actions 6 recs
Who the hell is advising LeBron James? It’s just one PR train wreck after another.
Denver: 32-32 until we're not.
Agreed
Such poor taste to send out a letter this late AND mention only his one hometown. It is w/o a shot back at Cleveland for everything they said/did after the “Decision”.
Need a fantasy fix? Come visit http://www.fantasycafe.com/ for all your basketball, baseball and football needs!
I agree...
His PR ppl suck for real…he would have been better to just say “Ohio” instead of Akron…
Maverick Carter
Carter is a 28 year old former high school teammate of Lebron who has no college education and only 2 years of experience working for Nike before becoming CEO of LRMR. Basically Lebron was an idiot and put some moron with absolutely no credentials in charge of his life and it has showed.
Well its nice to know me busting my ass in school is worth it
When guys like Maverick Carter who probably hasn’t even taken the SAT is living the glamorous lifestyle. Life is really fair.
Born purple and gold. Live purple and gold. Die purple and gold.
SMH
….thats crazy! do u know what carter did at Nike?
In two years? Probably got coffee for people. And from the looks of how he is running LeBron’s life and career, he was probably shitty at that too.
by jsneides on Aug 3, 2010 5:31 PM CDT up reply actions 1 recs
maverick carter is the real villain of the whole lebron scandal
that dude is a straight up scum bag.
Edit
He has no college degree* and I tried looking up what he did at Nike but i can’t find anything, obviously nothing of note being so young and not being there long.
Shaq headed to Boston
Cavs not involved in the deal. Sixth NBA team for the Big Aristotle.
I hope so!
He deserves to go out on top
"I’m tired of hearing about money, money, money, money, money. I just want to play the game, drink Pepsi, wear Reebok." ~Shaq
by Max_in_Missouri on Aug 3, 2010 4:04 PM CDT up reply actions
how hard is it
to just say “thank you cleveland”. Its unbelievable. Its almost as if he holds a grudge against the cavs for having drafted him.
To be honest, a ‘thank you’ letter to cleveland would have been far more insulting than this, actually, after all that has been said and done.
by johnnyphoenix on Aug 4, 2010 1:21 AM CDT up reply actions
Funny translation of this on clevelandhope.com
“To My Family, Friends and Fans in Akron (all two of you):
For all my life, I have lived in Akron, and for that I am truly a lucky man (Thank God your city didn’t have a hometown hero that I could have been compared to or I would’ve choked much earlier in my career than this year’s Eastern Conference Semifinals.)
It was here where I first learned how to play basketball, and where I met the people who would become my lifelong friends and mentors (It’s ok that they destroyed my brand because of “The Decision”. Even though I’m not respected by anyone in the professional basketball community, I still have my highschool teammates, right? Man, highschool was great. I could actually win championships back then. The media loved me, basketball enthusiasts loved me, those were the days.) Their guidance, encouragement and support will always be with me (and will also haunt my career because of the fact I broke this city’s hearts on national TV).
Akron is my home (was, anyway), and the central focus of my life (other than myself of course. You don’t see anyone else with a limestone sculpture of themselves in their front yard do you?) It’s where I started, and it’s where I will always come back to (when I have to play the Cavs, but that’s it. And hey, can you guys not throw bottles at me? Please? I’ve seen that Brown’s game footage.)
You can be sure that I will continue to do everything I can for this city, (Cleveland on the other hand, well I quit on them a while ago. I’ll probably still do my bike-a-thon here, and I am honestly pleading with you guys, please don’t throw stuff at me. I know how you Ohio fans are, you guys take everything seriously, especially sports. You took it way more seriously than I did while I was there!) which is so important to my family and me (was important to me. I might not have time for you guys while I party in Miami and Vegas! If any ESPN writers are reading this letter, be sure not to publish articles about me partying or I’ll have them pulled again. Haha I have way too much power over you guys.) Thank you for your love and support. You mean everything to me (be sure to tune into my public apology to the city of Akron. My “mentors” are calling it “The Pity”. Cleveland, you guys had this coming to you. Peace!)."
by emily522 on Aug 4, 2010 10:19 AM CDT reply actions 1 recs
What amazes me...
Did all you of just realize this now? What’s been going on the past seve years? Where have all you haters been? As soon as he decides to leave the Cavs in a humiliating way everyone decides to come out and start bashing him?
Are you guys honestly admitting this is the first event that has caused you to question Lebron’s ego? If not, where have all the crybabies been all these years?
I had lingering doubts about his ego, but I convinced myself that he was just a leader and his standoffish attitude and self praising remarks were part of that.
I don’t think anyone here was completely blind and ignorant. It was more about us turning a blind eye and convincing ourselves that what we saw was wrong.
I teach good life choices. That’s why I almost didn’t graduate High School.
I appreciate Male Beauty
Intensive Purposes? I could care less...
To put it plainly. He is one of the best in the game. He helped our team win and we were grateful enough to look past and even defend some of his antics. I’m pretty sure what we did as fans is human nature. After all, you don’t hate the hot girl that is dating you. You only hate her after she rips your heart out and leaves you for your friend. Even if she was a total bitch when she was with you.
As a Knicks fan I would assume you would know best how easy it is for people to turn on a player. Unless somehow New York fans have changed in the last 5 minutes. And enough with the crybabies. Seriously? All sports fans are crybabies. I would say New York fans rank pretty high on that list.
by jsneides on Aug 4, 2010 12:55 PM CDT up reply actions 1 recs
After all, you don’t hate the hot girl that is dating you. You only hate her after she rips your heart out and leaves you for your friend. Even if she was a total bitch when she was with you.
exactly…you put up with it or pretend it isn’t there, but it all comes out once she leaves you.
I teach good life choices. That’s why I almost didn’t graduate High School.
I appreciate Male Beauty
Intensive Purposes? I could care less...
I really enjoy reading this site
I do not post often, in fact this might be my 4th post on this site. I have been reading this blog for over a year now and have really enjoyed it. I was not a huge basketball fan growing up, as a result I did not have a lot of knowledge once I started watching basketball (which was 3 years ago, when I was stuck in a hotel with broadcast television and that was it… I got hooked). Reading comments and posts and digesting as much as possible I feel like I’ve gotten a much better understanding for the game, thanks to the incite provided here. I now consider myself a fan of basketball as a whole and a Cavs fan. Which is why I want to throw this up:
http://www.fearthesword.com/2010/7/12/1565557/a-time-to-move-forward-for#storyjump
I have a lot of respect for the information you guys have helped me acquire, and I would really hate to see this place turn into the equivalent of a youtube video comments section.
I don’t like the guy either, but can we let it go… maybe it seems ridiculous for me to ask this having not suffered through years of torment as a fan. I am excited about the future.
I was born and raised in Akron, lived half my life there. LeBron’s thanks and love mean nothing to me. Akron kids root for the Cavs, and Akron kids who know who their daddy is root for the Indians. This shitbag can go fuck himself.
by Jay on Aug 4, 2010 8:37 PM CDT reply actions 9 recs
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