"The Decision"

When I woke up this morning, I wondered if it had all been a dream. A quick check of almost any internet site confirmed otherwise- Lebron James really had left the Cleveland Cavaliers. And he had done it in an hour long ESPN special that he produced.


It's not that I wanted it to be a dream, I guess. I'm not a Lebron fan, I'm not a Cav's fan. I just thought it couldn't have been real.  As I laid there in bed this morning, imagining that it was a dream was easier than trying to convince myself it was real.  While the night's sleep has added some perspective, it certainly hasn't made the decision and especially "The Decision" seem any less surreal.


"The Decision" was one of the most ill conceived ideas in sports history. It was corny, over the top, ridiculous, staged, contrived and ultimately sickening. At times it didn't even seem real. It felt like a parody. It was laugh out loud funny, while trying hard to be serious and impressive. The opening of the show featured a long and cringe worthy montage of highlights with self-important narration. Yes, we already knew this was "the most anticipated free agent of all time", we knew that this was an important decision- ESPN has been pushing it down our throats for days, weeks, even years.




If "The Decision" had been conceived and created by ESPN, it would be easier to understand. It was probably too much hype and spectacle for a player who really hasn't won anything yet, but ESPN have been doing this to us for years. Lebron has been hugely hyped as "The King", "The Chosen One" and a superstar since he was a high school junior.  The media labels him the best player in the league seemingly every regular season, only to remember "that Kobe guy" late in the playoffs when he's winning titles as Lebron sits at home with the rest of us.  One more media tribute to Lebron wouldn't have been too shocking.


But this was not the media's idea. This was not ESPN's idea. "The Decision" was Lebron's alone. It was Lebron and his handlers who created this whole spectacle, who pitched the idea to ESPN. It was Lebron who paid Jim Gray to provide the questioning, not ESPN. It was Lebron who seemingly set up all the details and signed off on the script. This was not another example of the media kissing Lebron's butt, this was the self-proclaimed King's tribute to himself.


And that makes it all the more troubling. I think we learned more about Lebron from that one hour special than we have in his entire career so far. Having the nerve to even think of creating such a production revealed Lebron to be a man with an incredibly inflated ego, a man completely out of touch with reality, a man far too comfortable being constantly celebrated by the media and the "friends" he surrounds himself with. Maybe his self-proclaimed royal nickname, lack of on-court sportsmanship, and the giant "Chosen One" tattoo across his back should have tipped us off sooner.


Because of "The Decision", Lebron has become one of the most hated people in Cleveland and one of the biggest sports villains of our era.  It was clear that he realized this during the show- something finally clicked with him.  He looked sick, grief-stricken and extremely stressed out.  He was clearly not enjoying himself at all, and at several times stumbled with his words, often looking close to tears.  When he finally announced that he was "bringing his talents to South Beach" the assembled audience was notably and poignantly silent.  There was no massive applause or cheers on this night.


This could have been a happy moment for Lebron.  This should have been celebrated as an exciting development by the media.  Lebron was going to Miami to play with Chris Bosh and Dywane Wade!  A super team was being assembled before our very eyes!  How good can they be?! ...  Of course, nobody in the media took that angle.  No neutral fans seemed to see it that way either.  Rather, because of the way he announced his decision, the focus was on his betrayal of Cleveland, not the exciting basketball implications.  Instead of being happy with his choice, being able to revel in the excitement of a new team, it was clear the Lebron realized something was wrong.  In a rare moment of clarity, "The King" finally sensed the backlash.  


And that backlash was instant and deserved. It began when the the show- "The Decision" was first announced, and exploded when he revealed he was leaving Cleveland.  Rumors had been swirling all day that Miami would be his pick, but it was almost unbelievable.  Surely "the sources" weren't correct.  Surely Lebron really wouldn't have created an hour long show to humiliate and betray his hometown.  He must have more perspective than that, right?  Apparently not.

Owner Dan Gilbert wrote a fiery and emotional "open letter" to Cav's fans later that evening, blasting the "cowardly self-proclaimed king".  I’ve wavered back and forth multiple times on whether it was indeed a “cowardly” decision or not. On the one hand, Lebron left Cleveland at the time they needed him most. It was going to be hard to win a title there- harder than it will be in Miami- so he left for greener pastures. On the other hand, he made a decision that he truly felt (rightly or wrongly) would bring him closer to a title. He took less money, he risked his legacy and the reactions of Cleveland fans, to get closer to that ring.  Some might even see it as a brave move.  And perhaps it was.  But it was the way Lebron made and announced that decision that led to everything blowing up in his face.


Had he met with Gilbert face to face, had he given him a chance, had he told him man-to-man that he was leaving, and explained why he was doing so, it would have been different.  There would have been feelings of resentment, sadness, maybe even anger.  But there would have been no fiery letters, no enormous backlash.  That would have been the truly brave move, and the smart one.  Instead, he left Gilbert and the Cavs (as well as all the fans) completely in the dark. At Jim Gray’s questioning during the interview, Lebron revealed that he hadn’t even spoken to Gilbert in over a week. When Gray asked Lebron whether the team he was about to announce knew, Lebron replied yes- they had just been informed a moment ago. Left unsaid was that the other teams had just found out too. One of Lebron’s handlers reportedly called or texted Gilbert during the beginning of “The Decision”.   Lebron didn't  have the guts to speak to his former boss himself. We can only assume the other four rejected teams didn’t even have the courtesy of a phone call. They likely found out the decision at the same time as the rest of us.


If televising "The Decision" was his only mistake, Lebron could have probably been forgiven. It's not his fault alone that he's disconnected with reality. It's not his fault alone he has such an inflated sense of self. Much of the blame needs to placed upon the 'yes men' surrounding him, the media, and our culture in general. Lebron never had a real father figure in his life. He has been a celebrity since his preteen days because of his unique combination of size, athleticism and basketball talent. He didn't go to college. He has never surrounded himself with people able to tell him no, or people that would stick up to him. And how would he know any better? He's been "the best" and "the greatest" for as long as he can remember.


Lebron's actual decision isn't what's causing all of the backlash either. While disappointing to many, it was perfectly within his rights to leave his hometown team. He has played hard for Cleveland for seven seasons. He's increased the value of the franchise by hundreds of millions of dollars. He did his best to bring a championship to Cleveland, even while the organization failed to surround him with a decent team, or even one other great player. A player should not be required to play their entire career for one team, even if they are from the area, and that area happens to be a long suffering sports city.

Of course, it would have been nice to see Lebron re-sign with the Cavs.  As sports fans, we love to see players play their entire career in one city- especially if it's their hometown.  I think staying in Cleveland would have been the best move for his legacy. Getting one championship for Cleveland would have meant more than even a handful of trophies in Miami ever will.


Or, if he is really commited to winning, as he says he is, a better move would have been to Chicago or the Clippers (really) both of which have solid cores of young players. If his main goal is to establish himself as a global superstar and play on the biggest stage, New York, or even Prokhorov's Nets would have been the best bet. The Miami choice actually makes the least sense of any of the six teams that pursued him.  But that's my opinion, and it's neither here nor there.  It was his choice and he had the right to make it. If Lebron truly felt it was the best move for him, his family, his career and legacy, we should respect that. But I can not, and will not, respect the way in which he announced it.


As poor of an idea as "The Decision" was, I think the secrecy shrouding Lebron's choice in the past few weeks was just as bad. It was totally unnecessary, and built up drama and suspense to a level that was only appropriate if he was indeed coming back to Cleveland.  Even then, it was unfair to hopeful fans in Chicago and New York. It was selfish, immature and incredibly badly judged.  He led multiple teams on, giving their organizations and fans hope that he was seriously considering their offers.  Most GM's have said they believe he was only truly considering one or two cities all along.  Many players, media and insiders have speculated that he made his decision long ago, and the entire process was all for dramatic effect.  If that's really true, it's the biggest indictment of Lebron from this entire process.


He was going to let down his city no matter how he left- it was never going to be easy. But it certainly could  have done in a better way.  He should have come out much earlier and announced the decision before the media hoopla grew to a fever pitch.  He should have been trying to attract as little attention and media as possible.


Did he really think the fans would enjoy that extra drama?  Did he think the suspense of "The Decision" would be fun for the people that have supported him his whole life?  Did he think it was fair to make the incredibly loyal Clevelanders suffer, worry and pray for weeks, just to pimp himself out for a bit more media coverage?  If the drama truly was manufactured, then Lebron is not only egotistical and badly advised, but also cruel and heartless. Why give his fans hope, send mixed messages, create a program to remind them of how great he is, all in the buildup to completley blindsiding them on prime time TV?

Lebron made many mistakes in the handling of his free agency, some bigger than others, and all with lasting consequences.  He  should never have left Cleveland.  He should not have been so secretive to build up drama and suspense only to reveal a heartbreaking choice for his biggest fans.  He should have realized how egotistic "The Decision" made him look.  He certainly should have foreseen that using "The Decision" as a way to leave the Cavs would make him look mindbogglingly, indescribably, unbelievably stupid and heartless.


I think Lebron will eventually come to regret his decision to leave Cleveland.  I know he'll regret the way he handled and announced that decision.