Editor: In response to Marvin Zahniser’s defense of LeBron James (Mailbox, last Sunday), I think a few things need to be cleared up concerning why he is so hated.
Marvin stated James did “his very best.†That obviously does not include the two postseasons when James blatantly quit when things started to go bad.
Further, he did nothing to sell or recruit on behalf of his team for years while under contract, telling more than one free agent that he couldn’t guarantee he would stay even if they signed on to join him. James did more recruiting for the Heat within the first two weeks of his signing with it than he did in his entire career with the Cavs.
It is obvious that James never had any intention of remaining with the Cavs, and instead of letting the Cavs trade him for something of value, he strung them along (as well as the Knicks, Bulls, Nets and Clippers) to stroke his massive ego and remain in the limelight for months.
But the biggest reason I dislike James is that he has to piggyback another superstar to get a ring. That would be like Michael Jordan leaving the Bulls to sign with Utah to play with Karl Malone, or Larry Bird leaving the Celtics to team up with Patrick Ewing.
The best player on Earth has a chance to lead his hometown team to the highest level, and he chooses to turn his back on it? Baffling. And people like Mr. Zahniser don’t understand why fans are upset? More baffling. I think all basketball fans, not just Cavs fans, should root against the Heat for those reasons.
â€" Jason Blum, Dublin
Jason: The whole LeBron-to-South Beach deal leaves a lot of us with a funky aftertaste, but it’s also probably true that not everyone out there has such refined palates. Your Jordan and Bird arguments are interesting but backward, as they both had their titles. James did what Malone and Ewing didn’t by bailing in his prime in search of a title. For better or worse, Malone and Ewing stuck with their teams until the twilight of their career.
Editor: You wrote that LeBron James’ name “is no better than Art Modell’s†in Cleveland.
James is a selfish, back-stabbing traitor to his home state, disappointing Buckeyes everywhere. He is a disgusting, spoiled brat, a disgraceful weasel, an overpaid piece of pond scum and poor excuse of a person. He’s a squalid sample of sea sewage, muck and reeking disease from the depths of a diaper pail.
But compared to Art Modell, LeBron James is a saint.
â€" Bob Stevenson, Columbus
Bob: OK, but how do you really feel? Actually, your LeBron description brings to mind the wonderful old cartoon song You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch.
Ray: I know space and staff are limited and someone has to decide what information to put in the paper. I have lived here for three years and am working on becoming an Ohio sports fan. Though a lifetime Mississippi State fan, I am becoming an Ohio State fan, though I still root for the Bulldogs.
I have a request. Can The Dispatch include more information about college baseball, especially during conference tournaments and NCAA playoffs? (Tuesday) I scanned the paper for results of conference tournaments and a list of locations for NCAA regionals and found nothing. The more I have to go online to get information, the more I will depend on online reporting. I like getting information from the newspaper.
By the way, I attended most of the Big Ten baseball tournament because The Dispatch sent me an email with information about the games. I enjoyed the experience; I watched seven games in three days. I became a Buckeye baseball fan and look forward to next year. More info will produce more fans, a k a more attendance at games.
â€" Ken Watkins, Westerville
Ken: As you noted in a subsequent email, we were able to run NCAA regional pairings as the week continued. But I will say that college baseball doesn’t do much to move the excitement needle, at least here in these Northern climes. We cover Ohio State, sure, but otherwise it’s a pretty tough sell, and I’d say the attendance at the Big Ten tournament reflected that ambivalence.
Editor: Did you fire Bob Hunter and not mention it at all in your paper?
â€" Terry Fleming, Columbus
Terry: Now, that wouldn’t be cool. As I’m sure you’ve noticed, he’s back from his Alaskan cruise.
Write me at 34 S. 3rd St., Columbus, 43215, or e-mail sports@dispatch.com. Please include your hometown and telephone number.
Ray Stein is sports editor of The Dispatch.
rstein@dispatch.com
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