YIKES- Dan Gilbert's letter to Cleveland.

[bma725]

The Cavs made a try but when was the last time a team won the NBA championship WITHOUT a Hall of Fame coach?

Doc Rivers says hi.

[mu-rara]

At the end of the day, while entertaining, its a pretty stupid thing to put out.  I agree with what he said about LeBron, but at the end of the day, what in 7 years at Cleveland would convince LeBron that Cleveland had a chance to win anything.  He carried that team for 7 years, and never had a decent coach, gm, or team.  Why would he stay for more years of that.  The whole thing from Gilbert just sounds like sour grapes.

PS. Imagine this letter had been written about Favre(you know it absolutely could), would you reaction be different?  I hate Favre now, had a letter like that come from Ted Thompson or Mike Murphy, I wouldn't dislike Favre nearly as much as I do now.

Favre never quit
Favre won a championship
Favre was at the end of his career

[mu03eng]

I don't entirely disagree with you, but I'd point out that Larry Hughes has not been on the Cavs since the 07-08 season.  The team the Cavs took into the playoffs last year was a much, much better team than they had when they went to the Finals in 2007.  Antawn Jamison, Mo Williams, Shaq, Delonte West, JJ Hickson, etc., were huge upgrades to Larry Hughes, Drew Gooden, Sasha Pavolic, Donyell Marshall, Eric Snow, etc.  That 2007 team really was pretty weak and I am still shocked that they made it to the Finals.  But, LeBron was unquestionably motivated that year and it showed on the court during the playoffs when he carried that team.  Make your own judgments about his motivation in the 2010 playoffs.

I typed faster than I was thinking....I meant Jamison and typed Hughes.  This years team was better than 2007, but it was still ill-formed IMO and had terrible coaching.  I just don't see what the incentive was for LeBron to stay in Cleveland other than sentimentality.  What makes this letter worse is the statement that Cleveland will win a championship before Miami.  I won't argue that Miami will win a championship, but I certainly think they are a heckuva lot more likely to win one than Cleveland.

[mu-rara]

At best it's a sour grapes letter. Gilbert would have been tripping over himself to throw the max contract money in James' bank account had he signed. Calculated gamble on the owner's part to take the low road. Not saying he's wrong, just a risk.
Interesting to note that Gilbert was the other potential buyer of the Brewers when they were sold to Attanasio. His net worth was more than double that of Mark's, but his bid was a few mil. lower. Don't ask me how I know this, just accept that I do. Had he been successful, the Cavs would have had a different owner all these years.

As Chicos noted above, Gilbert is playing to his audience ( Cav Fans ).  In that light, I think it is the right move.

[mu03eng]

Favre never quit
Favre won a championship
Favre was at the end of his career

Its an imperfect analogy, but my point is that LeBron and Favre both pissed off their fan bases, if Thompson had sent out an open letter blasting Favre, the fan base would have been less angry at Favre than they are.  There is no upside to this letter.

[mu03eng]

As Chicos noted above, Gilbert is playing to his audience ( Cav Fans ).  In that light, I think it is the right move.

Its the right move until the 24/7 cycle turns on Gilbert and starts analyizing things.  LeBron looks bad but Gilbert has Cleveland blood on his hands too....the fan base could turn on both of them.  If he had simply said thanks for the time, we'll move on and be even better it would have had way less downside

[ChicosBailBonds]

Its the right move until the 24/7 cycle turns on Gilbert and starts analyizing things.  LeBron looks bad but Gilbert has Cleveland blood on his hands too....the fan base could turn on both of them.  If he had simply said thanks for the time, we'll move on and be even better it would have had way less downside

That's why I think it's just a short term play.  It does well for Gilbert in the near term, but if the Heat go out and win it, or if the Cavs just totally suck, it will come back on Gilbert.  But I'm sure today, Gilbert is a hero to Clevelanders.

[PuertoRicanNightmare]

Good for Gilbert. Lebron is a total woman...going to play with his girlfriends so they can giggle in practice and play grab ass in game huddles. The entire thing is pathetic.

[GoldenWarrior]

As a Cleveland fan... I think its hilarious.  Yes, he went over the top with the "gaurantee" of a championship before Art Modell *cough* *cough* excuse me, I mean LeBron, wins one.  But overall, I love having an owner who is willing to have the brass to come out and say how he feels AND have the bank account to back it up!!  Cleveland owners have historically sucked in terms of willingness to spend, so it's nice that he can and will... sad thing is that you still have to try and convince people to want to head to Cleveland and play there... and if our own hometown "hero" won't, then who will?

[ChicosBailBonds]

sad thing is that you still have to try and convince people to want to head to Cleveland and play there... and if our own hometown "hero" won't, then who will?

That's the deal

[LON]

Lengthy, but a decent read on all this "gnashing of teeth"

http://thebiglead.com/index.php/2010/07/09/james-addiction/

From the post:

If you’re one of the people bitching and moaning about “loyalty”… Just shut up. If Wade had come to Cleveland, no one is crying about his loyalty to Miami. Nobody in Cleveland gave a crap about loyalty when they were trying to steal Tom Izzo from Michigan State where he’s been coaching for nearly 30 years. Its hypocritical and sad. LeBron didn’t embarrass you or your city. You’re doing that yourself. Move on with your lives. You’ve still got the best punt returner in the NFL!


I especially like the Josh Cribbs reference.

[PuertoRicanNightmare]

Lengthy, but a decent read on all this "gnashing of teeth"

http://thebiglead.com/index.php/2010/07/09/james-addiction/

From the post:

If you’re one of the people bitching and moaning about “loyalty”… Just shut up. If Wade had come to Cleveland, no one is crying about his loyalty to Miami. Nobody in Cleveland gave a crap about loyalty when they were trying to steal Tom Izzo from Michigan State where he’s been coaching for nearly 30 years. Its hypocritical and sad. LeBron didn’t embarrass you or your city. You’re doing that yourself. Move on with your lives. You’ve still got the best punt returner in the NFL!


I especially like the Josh Cribbs reference.

Cribbs can't carry Devin Hester's jockstrap, regardless of the Bears ruining him.

[GoldenWarrior]

Cribbs can't carry Devin Hester's jockstrap, regardless of the Bears ruining him.

Disagree, Cribbs is the best in the NFL.

[GoldenWarrior]

From the post:

If you’re one of the people bitching and moaning about “loyalty”… Just shut up. If Wade had come to Cleveland, no one is crying about his loyalty to Miami. Nobody in Cleveland gave a crap about loyalty when they were trying to steal Tom Izzo from Michigan State where he’s been coaching for nearly 30 years. Its hypocritical and sad. LeBron didn’t embarrass you or your city. You’re doing that yourself. Move on with your lives. You’ve still got the best punt returner in the NFL!

I tend to agree, but it's not about loyalty... it's about the dragging it out and promoting this hour long Stuart Scott suck job on LBJ just for him to stab Cleveland through the heart... that's what is not right about this whole thing.  He's free to go wherever, but to do it in that fashion, just skeezy, but that's just me

[ChicosBailBonds]

After Gilbert's trashing of Lebron, will other players want to play in Cleveland for that owner?  That's the other thing to look at.  They may feel that if the owner takes parting shots at Lebron, what is going to stop him from doing this to other players.

[brewcity77]

After Gilbert's trashing of Lebron, will other players want to play in Cleveland for that owner?  That's the other thing to look at.  They may feel that if the owner takes parting shots at Lebron, what is going to stop him from doing this to other players.

And safe to say LBJ will never be back. Not that he would have anyway, but is it unthinkable that ten years down the road LeBron would come back for a retirement swan song with the Cavs? Sure, his prime would be past, but maybe by then a sense of forgotten loyalty would bring him back. He wouldn't be the first sports star to come home at the end of a career.

[PuertoRicanNightmare]

And safe to say LBJ will never be back. Not that he would have anyway, but is it unthinkable that ten years down the road LeBron would come back for a retirement swan song with the Cavs? Sure, his prime would be past, but maybe by then a sense of forgotten loyalty would bring him back. He wouldn't be the first sports star to come home at the end of a career.

Why would the Cavs want LeBron back for a retirement swan song? He just adminstered a giant and rancid face cake on the entire franchise. If the Cavs ever welcome him back, they'll look even sorrier than they do right now.

Any player who hesitates to play for the Cavs because of what the owner (rightfully) said, is part of the follow-me culture that just drew all these little boys to Miami. The Cavs should look for grown men who want to play for them and get paid handsomely in the process.

I BECAME A CAVS FAN TODAY!!

[mstang917]

Dan's taking even farther haha
http://probasketballtalk.nbcsports.com/2010/07/dan-gilbert-marks-down-lebron-to-discount-prices.php

[Brewtown Andy]

In related news, officially, the Cavaliers traded LeBron James to the Heat today.