The King is Trying to Fend Off A Mutiny

Lebron James is at it again. This time in an interview that will be part of an upcoming GQ magazine article. As most people probably know at this point, James states in the interview that growing up he hated Cleveland because Clevelanders looked down on Akron, and still hates people in Cleveland. He also at one point says that he would not rule out playing for Cleveland again in the future. All of this is tied together but what I consider to be a fleeting attempt to try and heal wounds in his hometown of Akron so he doesn't feel like an exile there.

As someone who was born and raised in Cleveland, let me tell you something LeBron - people in Cleveland don't care that you're from Akron. We never did. We never looked down on Akron. Who is Cleveland to look down on anyone (unless it's Detroit)? And for that matter, why do you even care what Cleveland fans think of you? I know some in the national media (I'm talking about Colin Cowherd) are quick to dismiss Cleveland fans as inbred hillbillies who have nothing better to do than chew tobacco and collect unemployment, and attribute their mass hatred of Lebron James strictly on these alleged aforementioned characteristics, but nothing could be further from the truth. Cleveland fans get slapped in the face, spit on, and kicked in every possible manner when it comes to their sports teams, and really most other aspects of life. Cleveland has never been a sexy city, and it's economic problems are well known nationwide. That said, Cleveland still has it's pride. We don't need or want LeBron James telling us he'd play for us again or using another media outlet as a way to justify his actions. While ESPN may not say anything bad about you LeBron, rest assured, the rest of the country can't stand you, your arrogance, and an article in GQ magazine isn't going to change that. I can't speak for natives of Akron, but I can speak for a large part of the state of Ohio: You aren't welcome here. We respect your right to leave (again, contrary to what Colin Cowherd says we do), but we don't respect your choice to make a spectacle out of your free agency and to spit in Cleveland and the state of Ohio's face on national TV.

All that said, why do you care what the people in Akron think about you LeBron? And for saying you hate Cleveland and Clevelanders, why would you even suggest that you might one day return to play in Cleveland? Do you feel so unloved and unsure of yourself that you need to try and mend fences with a place that was essentially your home because if people here legitimately hate you, you can't handle it? All of this makes perfect sense when you look at your on the court performance in the playoffs this year. You couldn't handle the pressure of being asked to lead a team to an NBA title. So you folded under the pressure and quit. Like a spoiled little kid. Now you're feeling the pressure, and probably some guilt, from your decision. You're so arrogant that you probably didn't expect the backlash that you received from how you handled your free agency. Sure ESPN does what you want, but they don't have any integrity, so does that really count? Now you're opening up the papers all over the country and see that people don't have the same opinion of you that they did 3 months ago. They want you to fail. And you can't handle that pressure, or that criticism, because you don't have the heart, the guts, or the courage to man up and be a leader. Well LeBron, don't worry. You won't have to man up and lead. You've got ESPN in your back pocket to paint a rosy picture of how great you are, and every night you can pass the ball to Dwayne Wade to take the final shot, all so you don't have to.

So enjoy playing second fiddle. Enjoy being Scottie Pippen. But please, spare us the pity party and stop trying to paint yourself as some sort of victim that was tortured by the city of Cleveland. We're far better than you, and you aren't worth our time.