- Shandel Richardson of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel: "Heat forward LeBron James downplayed a report that suggested the team may have violated the NBA tampering rules during his free agency. A report by Yahoo! Sports said the Cleveland Cavs have hired an investigation firm to look into the suspicions. The story reported Cavs owner Dan Gilbert has poured in 'hundreds of thousands of dollars' into the inquiry. James before Wednesday's game against the Detroit Pistons said he has nothing to hide. 'I'm here, I'm a Miami Heat player representing this franchise,' James said. 'That's out of my league. I don't have anything to do with that. We've followed the process as every other free agent and this organization did also.' The Miami Heat refused to comment."
- Mary Schmitt Boyer of The Plain Dealer: "Today's the day, Cleveland. It's the day we have been waiting for since July 8, when LeBron James snubbed us on national television and announced he was taking his talents to South Beach. With James and his Miami teammates/co-conspirators Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade set to make their first appearance against the Cavaliers since then, tonight has the potential to be New Year's Eve, the Super Bowl and the apocalypse all rolled into one. With all due respect to that infamous commercial, now it's our turn to ask: What should we do? James' return is problematic on so many levels, not the least of which is that both teams need a victory. But after the disgraceful ending to last season and the indignity of his departure, adding to the ignominy of Cleveland's sports history, we're left wondering exactly how to react upon his return. Uncontrolled fury? That's what everyone expects. That's why The Q will be packed with media from around the world."
- Bud Shaw of The Plain Dealer: "Introducing, the Owner Who Should Be Heard From. Dan Gilbert spoke for Cavaliers fans in the hours after 'The Decision.' He should speak to them tonight at The Q.
He inflamed passions then. He can help push those passions in the right direction tonight. He doesn't have to appear at center court, though that wouldn't hurt. A scoreboard video message would work just as well. I know. I know. Nobody wants to be told how to act. You don't need a lecture on staying classy. Gotcha. Good. So don't take it personally. The crazy-eyed guy behind you might, though. Gilbert doesn't have to deliver a sermon or emcee the video tribute (kiddingly, right?) suggested by that ol' bridge-building mediator, Albert Belle. Just set a tone." - Marla Ridenour of the Akron Beacon-Journal: "Those who hate James have every right to scream, boo, bring signs and chant at him during the game. But another incident like 'Bottlegate' and the Indians’ 10 cent beer night would only further erode the reputation of Cleveland fans that took a hit earlier this year when an 8-year-old wearing a Jets jersey was tackled by a drunken fan in the municipal parking lot. Hopefully fans will voice their displeasure with class."
- Israel Gutierrez of The Miami Herald: "This city no longer bows to one man. Instead, driving into this blue-collar metropolis, you see a billboard for the basketball team that simply reads 'CLEVELAND' -- with the new team slogan 'One For All' in small print underneath. It's a simple ad with an obvious target. The building on the corner of Ontario and Prospect streets that once hung a giant mural of LeBron James and the word 'Witness,' now features an ad from Sherwin Williams, a Cleveland-based company, with a picture of the Cleveland skyline that reads 'Our Home Since 1866. Our Pride Forever.' This isn't a one-man city any longer. In fact, Cleveland has become unified in its dislike of one man."
- Linda Robertson of The Miami Herald: "LeBron James and Zydrunas Ilgauskas joked in a subdued locker room before Wednesday night’s game about their Thursday homecoming in Cleveland. It was gallows humor. 'As soon as we land we’ll feel the hate,' Ilgauskas said, smiling. 'That’s right,' James said. The two players wore Heat uniforms during Miami’s 97-72 erasure of the Detroit Pistons. But they spent seven years together as Cleveland Cavaliers. On Thursday, they will return to their old arena for the first time since they signed with the Heat in July. The forecast for the trip was posted on the whiteboard: 20s, snow. Left unwritten: With blasts of white hot anger. 'I’m looking for my hats,' Ilgauskas said. 'I didn’t even bring my hats down here,' James said, making it sound like once he took his talents to South Beach, he forgot about winters on Lake Erie."
- Jason Lloyd of the Akron Beacon-Journal: "Lost in the furor over James' return is the fact former Cav Zydrunas Ilgauskas is also coming back to Quicken Loans Arena for the first time in a visitor's uniform. The Cavs' all-time leader in games played said earlier this week he has no choice but to support his current team, meaning he won't really acknowledge any warm or fuzzy gestures the crowd bestows on him. Cavs center Anderson Varejao might give him an equally warm reception. Ilgauskas was Varejao's best friend on the team. The two grew incredibly close as Ilgauskas helped Varejao learn the language and adapt to American culture. 'We'll see what I can do against him,' Varejao said. 'I talk to him a lot about what's going on with him and me. Things like that as a friend.' "
- Dave Hyde of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel: "Let's take a tour of the king's lost kingdom. Let's drive down the highway a politician once proposed naming for him. Let's stop at the city that once considered putting, 'Home of LeBron James,' on its border signs. Let's drive to the third home on the right in this big-yarded neighborhood. Here's the 35,000-square-foot palace LeBron built with a theater, bowling alley and barbershop. It's 25 miles south of Cleveland, in Bath, Ohio, a suburb of his beloved Akron. The gate is closed. The guardhouse is manned. A neighbor, walking her dog on Idlebrook Road and not wanting to give her name as snow falls Wednesday morning, says, 'You don't get fans driving by and gawking all the time like when he lived here.' She chuckles. 'That's one good thing to come of his leaving. But down here, in Akron, people don't hate him. It's up there' -- she points north, to Cleveland -- 'that people tend to hate what he did more.' "
- Jodie Valade of The Plain Dealer: "Because there is not already enough emotion surrounding Miami's first trip to Cleveland this season, because there is not already enough riding on whether the Cavaliers can triumph over LeBron James and claim a victory for the city and the fans and all that is good and right in the world, Mo Williams figured he would add a little extra incentive for his teammates, too. 'This game is not just for us,' the Cavaliers point guard said. 'It's for 20,000 fans and for the millions watching and pulling for us. We've got people that ain't even Cavs fans pulling for us. We've got a lot behind us.' Head coach Byron Scott tried to shrug nonchalantly after Wednesday's practice and say that tonight's Heat game is nothing more than another contest, but players admitted that Dec. 2 has been circled on the schedule since it first was released. The Player Who Left is returning. Finally. (And no, we're not talking about Zydrunas Ilgauskas.) This is bigger than a regular-season game, bigger than a playoff game, even. 'It's epic,' Williams admitted. 'It's more than a game. It's gonna be big. The whole world is watching.' "
- Bill Lubinger of The Plain Dealer: "The run-up to the LeBron James decision whipped up a media feeding frenzy that one communications professor described at the time as a 'speculative orgy.' Coverage evolved into a 24-hour circus of rumor-chasing and rocket launchlike countdowns to the big moment. And the drama was largely self-induced, because James was evasive, invited suitors to come dazzle him one by one and then revealed his choice in a staged national televised 'interview.' So the media -- and Cavs fans -- had James' return to Cleveland circled in red on the calendar since the NBA schedule was announced. The event will be documented by another media crush. ... Media requests for game credentials, usually 50 to 60, counting reporters, photographers and videographers, had surpassed 100 before Thanksgiving. And that doesn't count the crew of about 60 for TNT's national broadcast of the game. The Cavs have room for 24 photographers -- 12 beneath each basket -- and arena seats for about 130 reporters. The rest will have to settle for a spillover media room in the bowels of the Q. Credentialed media for the game includes CNN, Sports Illustrated, the Wall Street Journal, National Public Radio and, of course, ESPN, which spun the James announcement this summer into the dramatic reveal of a reality show. CNN and ESPN intend to broadcast live from the Q before and after the game."
- Ronald Tillery of The Commercial-Appeal: "The Grizzlies will take today off to rest and recuperate. But that doesn't mean they'll get away from basketball completely. Several players said they'll be planted in front of a television tonight when LeBron James makes his return to Cleveland for the first time since joining the Miami Heat. 'Oh yeah,' forward Zach Randolph said. 'I'm definitely going to watch that. It's going to be interesting with uniformed police and undercover guys there. That's why I'm going to watch. You don't know what to expect.' ... 'I'll watch the first five minutes to see what they do,' forward Rudy Gay said. 'This is really unusual. People forget it's all about basketball. ... It was a high-profile offseason as far as free agency. It's going to be the same way when Chris Bosh goes back to Toronto.' ... 'The world saw him leave so I think the world is going to want to see the return,' guard O.J. Mayo said. 'The return of the King, right?' "
- Jerry Zgoda of the Star Tribune: "Count Jonny Flynn among those watching LeBron James' return to Cleveland on Thursday. 'I think everybody's going to be tuned in,' said Flynn, represented by James' management team. 'I don't think it'll get that crazy. The fans in Cleveland deep down inside still love him for the seven years that he gave him.' "
TRUEHOOP CONTRIBUTORS
Henry AbbottTrueHoop ESPN Archive |
J.A. AdandeTrueHoop ESPN Archive |
Kevin ArnovitzTrueHoop ESPN Archive |
Chris BroussardTrueHoop ESPN Archive |
Chad FordTrueHoop ESPN Archive |
Israel GutierrezTrueHoop ESPN Archive |
John HollingerTrueHoop ESPN Archive |
Beckley MasonTrueHoop ESPN Archive |
Marc SteinTrueHoop ESPN Archive |
HoopIdeaTrueHoop @HoopIdea |
You must be signed in to post a comment