Cavs Owner Dan Gilbert's Open Letter to the Fans

[ralaw]

Gilbert is an idiot. Its one thing to be upset, but to personally attack and hope for curses on LBJ and the Miami organization is foolish. I'm sure butt hurt Cavs fans and people who generally didn't like LBJ before this will love it, but its pretty ridiculous. With this decision Gilbert is more hurt over his franchise’s worth declining than anything else. Not that top FA would want to play with the Cavs (they didn’t when LBJ was there), but Gilbert better stop crying before he alienates his organization from the rest of the league. NBA players understand what LBJ did and respect it, so killing your franchise’s greatest player isn’t going to help your cause around the league.

 

[bucky]

NBA players understand what LBJ did and respect it, so killing your franchise’s greatest player isn’t going to help your cause around the league.

It was diva-ish. No need to make a Brett Favre Media circus, national TV show, out of it. Just do a normal press conference and be done with it.

NBA Players understand? Yes, they understand he played out his contract and wanted to sign somewhere else (Miami), I understand that too. NBA players also understand the diva behavior because, lets face it, so many are.

 

[OnlyOneBeerLeft]

Loyalty? What the fuck is that? It's sports. People change teams ALL the time. At least LeBron tried to stay and play it out for a while, look at Kobe who was on TV saying how much he wanted to leave the Lakers and bashing them, where was all the hate for Kobe then?

Lebron didn't rip the heart out of shit in Cleveland. He made the best business decision and didn't owe that city shit, just because the city hasn't won a championship in... (god who knows when) so fucking long doesn't make it so that he is any more obligated to stay and stick it out when they bring in c list NBA players as a supporting cast.

This letter is a childish outburst, if I were Lebron I'd be laughing my ass off right now as this grown man who is trying to build a team takes shots at him. You think any other superstar or player wants to come play for an ignorant hot headed owner who is going to attack you when your contract runs up and you dare to test free agency? Get fucking real people.

 

[ralaw]

It was diva-ish. No need to make a Brett Favre Media circus, national TV show, out of it. Just do a normal press conference and be done with it.

Why do that when you can have your own special that millions of people watched? These past 4 years LBJ was never treated as a typical FA, so why box him into a simple statement or press conference? It was diva-ish, no doubt, but he's King James!! A lot of kids also benefited from it.

 

[Fox1994]

Why do that when you can have your own special that millions of people watched? These past 4 years LBJ was never treated as a typical FA, so why box him into a simple statement or press conference? It was diva-ish, no doubt, but he's King James!! A lot of kids also benefited from it.

Eh. That's the only reason it's okay for him to have done what he did. I mean, that shit was ridiculous. lol.

But, I only watched the first two minutes. I was waiting to see who was gonna get him. What happened over the next 58?

 

[bucky]

Why do that when you can have your own special that millions of people watched?

Because it shows a little bit of humility and respect to your former team, organization, and fans. Instead, he went all out in the "it's all about me" direction. Just to a normal press conference, spend a couple seconds saying nice things about your former team and fans, and announce a decision.

 

[ralaw]

Because it shows a little bit of humility and respect to your former team, organization, and fans.

LBJ doesn't owe that to the Cavs. Ideally he probably should have let the Cavs know before the show, but he didn't nor did he have to. From a PR standpoint I don't think this thing was handled well, because regardless of his intentions he or someone on his "team" had to know it wouldn't come off well.

Instead, he went all out in the "it's all about me" direction. Just to a normal press conference,

I'd say the media played into the its all about LBJ mentality as well. I actually enjoyed the show, because people are talking about basketball in July and for me that is a good thing.

spend a couple seconds saying nice things about your former team and fans, and announce a decision.

He did do that though.

 

[Argath]

Nobody took my deloz bait

 

[bucky]

LBJ doesn't owe that to the Cavs.

I think everyone owes everybody a certain amount of respect and sensitivity. I guess we will disagree, because I say he does owe that minimal amount of respect and decency to his former team and fans.

I'd say the media played into the its all about LBJ mentality as well. I actually enjoyed the show, because people are talking about basketball in July and for me that is a good thing.

Of course the media played into it. The media plays into it when Brett Favre tweets them with stuff, then everyone blames the media for reporting what he tweets. The media plays into anything and everything. Doesn't mean that BF has to instigate it, or LBJ has to play into it as well.


AND....It's feels so good to have discussions with you again ralaw.

 

[ralaw]

I think everyone owes everybody a certain amount of respect and sensitivity. I guess we will disagree, because I say he does owe that minimal amount of respect and decency to his former team and fans.

I don't think he owed it to them, but I do feel as if he should have just out of decency. LBJ gave this organization and community a lot and both benefited greatly from his presence. They paid him well and he played great basketball for 7 years. He brought this team from mediocrity to relevance and he should be thanked for that and he should thank them for supporting him those 7 years, but beyond that no one owes anyone anything.

 

[Senser81]

I think the whole LeBron thing is much ado about nothing, but I enjoyed the spectacle. Dan Gilbert did LeBron a huge favor, because he now makes LeBron a somewhat sympathetic figure.

People are thinking way too deeply about LeBron's intentions regarding the announcement. And if it weren't for LeBron James, no one would know who the frick Dan Gilbert is.

 

[Carlos]

The first sign of Lebron's decline would have been the first step in Gilbert shopping him. Loyalty in sports during this day and age...lol.

 

[bucky]

Loyalty in sports during this day and age...lol.

That's whats wrong with sports today.....

Back in the good old days, we had to walk through 6 feet of snow for over 10 miles, up a steep hill, both ways, just to get to school. Yeah, things just aren't the same anymore.

 

[JeremyHight]

Gilbert has no one to blame but himself. He had a coach who anyone with a mind could tell was way over his head and making piss poor decisions in terms of substitutions, play calling, and timeouts. He had a GM who consistently made bad trades and gave out big deals that hindered the team's efforts to win a championship. THAT IS ON THE OWNER.

 

[G-men]

this just shows how classless Dan Gilbert is. he sucked LeBron's dick for the past seven years and now the second LeBron leaves, he throws a fit. if he thought LeBron quit in the 09 playoffs, why did he wait until now to say it? all hes doing is trying to make LeBron look bad after kissing his ass his whole time in Cleveland. LeBron owes Gilbert and this team nothing, he made them into one of the top teams in the league, single handedly took them to the finals in 07, and boosted the economy in that city. but of course its his fault for not winning, and not like the team around him completely folded in the playoffs.

 

[mgoblue2290]

How are you a Lions, Tigers, and Cle fan?

LOL its a joke. I became a Cavs fan the moment LeBron James left. Lots of people were hopping off the bandwagon but I jumped on. You can't deny a back court of Mo Williams and Delonte West.

 

[IamMedellin]

 

[Sportsbuck]

Cleveland, New York, Chicago and Miami were about equal in the amount they were willing to drop on him. It was up to him where he thought he could best win a Championship. Obviously he thought Miami.

Cleveland was the only team that could give him an extra year and $30 million extra on his deal.

Shit, look at KG. 12 years spent on a mediocre Timberwolves squad, he goes to Boston to form a trio and wins a championship right off the bat.

This situation is not even comparable to KG. It's not like KG was born and raised in the shadow of Minneapolis, then promptly came in and led the team to new heights and made them a championship contender that led the league in wins twice and single handidly carried them to the NBA finals. No, Garnett played on a mediocre team that made it out the first round once in the 12 years he played there.

(IMO) Lebron was going down the same road, 7 years with no championship and you are arguably the best player in the league?

Jordan was 27 when he won his first title. The two years before he made it to the ECF and ran into a Pistons roadblock. Did he jump ship to Boston to team up with Larry Bird? No. He stuck it out and swept the Pistons the next year. He wants a ring. We all get that. He'll probably get his ring, but he can kiss any chance of being one of the GOAT goodbye.

Shit will blow over, you don't hear Minnesota fans still bitching about KG

Because Minnesota losing KG isn't even in the same stratosphere as Cleveland losing Lebron. And KG didn't go out on national television and stick the dagger in the hearts of Twolves fans. And KG didn't refuse to return phone calls or texts from the Twolves brass in the weeks leading up to it. I could go on, but you get the point.

If he had just announced it like a normal free agent I wouldn't be mad, but to go through this whole charade and all the BS surrounding it has really shown the world Lebron's true colors.

 

[Sportsbuck]

but of course its his fault for not winning, and not like the team around him completely folded in the playoffs.

The team folded around him? BULLSHIT. This team followed Lebron, you think they all just decided to quit on their own? Game 5 was an absolute embarrassment, there's a reason that series is known as "The Forfeit" now in Cleveland lore.

 

[MrBill]

Of course the media played into it. The media plays into it when Brett Favre tweets them with stuff, then everyone blames the media for reporting what he tweets. The media plays into anything and everything. Doesn't mean that BF has to instigate it, or LBJ has to play into it as well.

Favre has been gone for 2 years bucky. Let it go :smug: