We Will Be Witnesses

December 2nd, 2010. The goods and evils of free agency and anti-trust will come together for one event in Cleveland, Ohio: Lebron James' return to the basketball court he called home for seven seasons for the first time since his scripted, less than noble live announcement on ESPN he would play for a team other than the Cavaliers.

If you are a regular reader of CB4, then you know I wrote about Lebron and The Cavaliers before. Feel free to check out my earlier posts for some background...

If there is laughter in Toronto about Miami's newest bench warmer, then there will be unrestrained furor in Cleveland for Miami's newest star player. Even with Bosh and Lebron respectively, the Heat are anything but on fire, and the fact Miami is less than stellar adds to the palpable fear and spectacle surrounding this game. Nevertheless, it begs the question of how long is too long to hold a grudge?

The boos Browns fans give the Baltimore Ravens are just as loud for the Pittsburgh Steelers, Arizona Cardinals, and any other NFL team that comes to town. When asked on a local telecast about where Lebron's exit ranks in Cleveland sports history, a fan paused and answered "right up there" with the departure of the old Browns franchise to Baltimore. As time passed, fans linked the new Browns with the old Browns in the name and the colours. Players are unknown until they show talent, and then they are no longer trusted (ie. Lebron James, Braylon Edwards, Josh Cribbs (?)). Should we assume that fans trust the franchise more than the players who play on the team? I hope not (ie. Baltimore Colts to Indianapolis, Winnipeg Jets to Phoenix, Los Angeles Rams to St. Louis).

I suppose there is a balance between favouring player and team, in particular in the current information age of WikiLeaks and thousands of blogs and credible "sources". Amidst all the fear and trembling, I would hope someone in Cleveland on Thursday, December 2nd, will find "decorum" or use discretion that night.

What Should I Do?

What should I do? The NBA season is already underway, but that is nothing compared to an eventful offseason involving Lebron James, the Cleveland Cavaliers, and his new employers the Miami Heat. There was significant backlash in the wake of Lebron's televised announcement, after months of denial and assurances Cleveland was his team.

You don't need links to find news media on the Cleveland backlash towards Lebron; they are all over websites like Google, YouTube, and Facebook, and on various blogs all over the world. Instead I posted a couple of videos: One by Lebron James in the wake of the departure, and the response (I found both on Youtube).

Now, what should I do? This is an open question to you, my readers. Everyone says I should be angry, indifferent, or happy, but what should I do? Write off the sport? Write off Lebron? Write off Cleveland?!

I know what it is like, Cleveland (See "I Miss Him. Every Game."). I know how you feel, but what should I do way out here in Toronto? Chris Bosh went to Miami, too, but I don't care enough to be as upset because he wasn't Lebron, and he wasn't Vince Carter. So, what should I do? Should I boo? Should I give a standing ovation? Should I go back to playing NHL 11?

Tell me; I want to know. What should I do?