The 2010 off season featured LeBron James, new free agent. This also marked the lowest moment in sports reporting history when ESPN who had christened King James as the “Chosen One” allowed James to sit down and be featured in an hour long segment of national programming entitled “The Decision”. The Cavs, Heat, and ESPN knew what James’ decision would really be before he went on-air. So, knowing James was going to be leaving the city he swore to bring a championship to and where millions of people held on to the hope he might return, ESPN decides to help James publicly humiliate the city of Cleveland and to do so on national television. Personally since that time I have stopped watching ESPN altogether. Its shameless hype and fervent insinuation that James would be literally walking on water is an embarrassment not only to sports writers, the James family, ESPN as an organization, America’s interest in pop culture, but also to the people of Cleveland who were made out to look like naive simpletons.
I want to know who approved such decadence. Who is in charge of the Board of Televised Debauchery at ESPN? Who at ESPN when asked if LeBron could take a full hour of television to do what all other pro athletes do in less than five minute in private said “sure that would be a great idea. Let’s disgrace the entire city of Cleveland, Cavs fans, and Ohio natives in one full hour of family programming”?
I suppose ESPN had nothing to lose. In their eyes, the Browns, Indians, and Cavs were constant let downs and poor markets that never produce championships but they just didn’t have the guts to admit it. I can’t recall too many Browns football highlights that ESPN ever showed or any post season excitement if the Indians made the playoffs. The only things ESPN ever banked on for Ohio were Ohio State football games and who the state of Ohio would vote for in a primary that they would later use that as a tie-in to sports.
My all time favorite video on YouTube to this very day is the Cleveland response to LeBron’s self absorbed Nike commercial. The line of “maybe I should just disappear” which is followed with a barb about his performance in the series with Boston was priceless. Nevertheless, as long as ESPN, Nike, and other companies do business with LeBron we can all look forward to some self righteous teachings from King James and even though LeBron and I both have the same number of championship rings I expect even more haughty and self-satisfied advertisements featuring the “King” in the future.
I’m not a Cleveland native or even an Ohio native for that matter, but what James did and what ESPN allowed to happen to Cleveland was of total disrepute. I hope every pro sports team in Cleveland brings home a championship soon. They didn’t deserve this kind of attention or treatment.
LeBron James is the worst thing to happen to sports and because of “the Decision” who can take ESPN seriously anymore? ESPN needs to pack it up and close down and the only thing James should be “King” of is a burger chain store.