Who is to blame for the waiting game? While We’re Waiting
July 11, 2014Indians 9, Yankees 3: Two games in one, Perez has the most fun
July 11, 2014
I know everyone’s fatigued, but until this is settled, we’ll continue to try and cover it as it happens. LeBron James is supposedly hung up on Dan Gilbert’s letter according to Chris Broussard of ESPN.
BREAKING: @Chris_Broussard reports that LeBron still hung up on Gilbert letter @ESPNSteinLine on set for reaction NOW http://t.co/g60Zslb2ha
— Golic and Wingo (@GolicAndWingo) July 11, 2014
While I get why LeBron James might have been hung up on the letter, it makes no sense to me that this is the sticking point at this stage of the game. That letter has been out there for over four years now. It’s not something that was unleashed on LeBron James even in the last few months. If that was going to be a sticking point, how on earth have we gotten this far down the road?
But there is some hope via local media. The BSK Kendall Lewis has sources too and has been reporting consistently (almost begrudgingly at times) for the last couple weeks.
I'm told he isn't wavering…he's coming, but it's not been stated how this situation (the letter) will be resolved.
— Kendall Lewis (@TheBSKsays) July 11, 2014
MORE: I'm also told LBJ isn't concerned about playing for DG. I hear he doesn't care.
— Kendall Lewis (@TheBSKsays) July 11, 2014
The BSK has been very up front about how seriously he takes reporting on this story and how much he thought about the info he heard before he decided to open his mouth. So, take that for what it’s worth. Seems like we’re still stuck in a bad game of telephone where everyone around LeBron is more resolute than James himself. Of course, that’s also pretty reasonable considering that James is the one who has private conversations with Dwyane Wade, for example.
Waiting…
46 Comments
It’s absurd that LBJ is supposedly hung up on The Letter four years later and that’s why he suddenly can’t pull the trigger after supposedly having worked it out. If that were somehow actually true, I would imagine the Cavs/Dan would just say “Wait, really? Forget it. We’ll move on. We don’t need to deal with another few years of a petulant teenager. We thought you’d grown up.”
Far more likely that media is scrambling for an angle to explain flying with Wade, that’s all. This is ridiculous.
Note: That’s not to say he’s coming to CLE. He could be legitimately undecided. But it’s not because of a letter.
You know if this comes down to LBJ forcing Dan Gilbert to apologize, and Dan Gilbert *does* apologize (publicly) and LBJ immediately says “thank you. with that said, I’m returning to the Miami Heat.” I’ll stand and applaud the best troll job of 2014 so far.
No one knows anything tangible and fans are demanding updates so the media “reports” rampant speculation. I’m really getting sick of this whole debacle.
Has Broussard specifically said that his source is in LBJs camp? If the reports about MIAs/Riley’s entire pitch centering on the Cav’s front office shortcomings, why not put this report out there and let the Nat’l media dump on Cleveland for another day or so?
I don’t even know why. Maybe I just stopped caring. SOMEBODY MAKE IT END!!!
This is what happens when there’s too much air time to fill and not enough news to fill it. Sports talkers gotta talk about something. Might as well dredge this up, despite its irrelevance.
Don’t worry about it. Keep calm. Carry on.
It seems like this renewed focus on the letter has either been crafted/sourced by Riley to further his argument or by ESPN to try to create more drama. This can’t possibly be a real issue this late in the game.
I think Pat Riley must have gone through the letter word by word with LBJ. It explains why it is only an issue now, 4 years later, and why the meeting only lasted an hour. It’s not a very long letter.
/reported
Well, personally I’m glad. This is concrete evidence that silly season has officially peaked. Something real must be coming out soon. Right?
“Not controlling the situation/flow of information” is not “controlling the situation/flow of information.
Sam Amico reported that the Cavs are completely unaware of an issue with the letter. So that basically kills Broussard’s source’s fabrication. You don’t get close to signing with the Cavs, as Woj reported today, and then decide you are going to get pissy about the Gilbert letter and not let the Cavs know about it. That makes no sense at all.
Makes no sense. If Dan Gilbert cares at least marginally about the bottom line (e.g. $$$$….which I think is a fairly reasonable assumption), he stands to make a lot more of it if LeBron comes back to town. If he has somewhat of a heart (maybe/maybe not/who knows?), than I can’t imagine him at least talking in private with LeBron, letting bygones be bygones, and some form of a public reconciliation. Both parties are presumably smart enough for the letter to be a minor detail, not a deal breaker.
That being said:
1. I still think it fitting that the Browns be the team to return a championship to Cleveland, but I definitely wouldn’t turn away a Cavs win.
2. If he does come back to the Cavs, how nervous will you be that LeBron will have a career changing/ending injury before the Cavs win it all? (I wouldn’t wish a career ending injury him regardless of where he plays next year, but it would seem to fit the narrative of Cleveland sports.)
ESPN is pulling out all the stops in order to try to influence this.
You know, the whole Worldwide Leader, and stuff… đ
Peaked? Perish the thought.
We still have JFF’s first training camp looming. đ
Nike bought a bunch of advertisement space on Cleveland area billboards just recently…wouldn’t doubt it they’re the driving force in postponing the most ridiculous sports news coverage report since the last most ridiculous sports news coverage report 4 years ago…
That, I can take because it would involve ACTUAL FOOTBALL. Practice, granted, but still football. Not “OMG JFF is on a swan” or him partying with Bieber. People are worked into a lather over everything except actual sports action. It’s like offseason sports have evolved into the new soap opera.
But, but what happens when JFF misses his first practice because of a hangover, errrrr, a cold. lol
:O
That’s kind of interesting. Nike is LeBron’s real boss…
It’s absurd that the hang up for someone not wanting to work for a company is that his old boss insulted him as he went for greener pastures? Huh? That makes all the sense in the world.
And I’d love to see Gilbert call someone a petulant teenager. He would deservingly get laughed out of the building if he ever did that. And I’d buy a bunch of popcorn if the Cavs tell Lebron to move on. Gilbert would easily slide ahead of Stepian into the #2 spot for most hated owner ever in this town.
If I’m Lebron, I’m not letting Gilbert say “let bygones be bygones and we’ll have a minor reconciliation”. I’m demanding him on his knees in public square begging for my forgiveness. Gilbert has to do all the groveling here, and he should have a lot of it to do still.
this is nonsense. originated out of espn. if it were an issue at all, why even negotiate with him
This is a real thing that teams/companies/players do all the time. Arsenal recently switched uniform companies from Nike to Puma and delayed the announcement of the signing of Alexis Sanchez until the new Puma uniforms were officially unveiled.
This whole thing is silly. It seems like a dispute among 7 year olds. I would assume that both men communicated to each other that their respective actions were inappropriate. Gilbert’s was imply an angry, emotional outburst. All the pundits (Adande) criticizing him still, must have forgotten that they may have acted emotionally at some point in their adult lives. No one was physically harmed, and if we can’t forgive another a verbal slight, then we are more immature than the person who committed the act.
So does Lebron try to usurp the media storm around the World Cup by making his announcement in Brazil just before game time?
You a gooner Vespo? Go gunners!!
I am, and super excited about the Sanchez signing! Also pretty bummed I won’t make it to NYC for the exhibition game there.
It’d be like the old Chappelle sketch where he convinces his old HS girlfriend to divorce her husband, and then ditches her all over again.
Well, and since Houston needs to decide on Parsons, they’re going to need him to put up or shut up pretty darn quickly.
http://www.si.com/nba/2014/07/11/lebron-james-cleveland-cavaliers
Well, I’ll be.
AMEN the people who are Cavaliers fans are making themselves look pitiful. Twitter is a mess and it’s reminded me why I never followed it.
Yes but it’s also quite obvious from your anti-Gilbert comments all of the time that you don’t like him. I’m certainly not a fan of Gilbert’s but I at least realize my feelings aren’t necessarily those of LBJ’s and vice versa.
Pat Riley all but called him a coward if he didn’t come back in his press conference what about that?
Just got this alert. YES!!!!!!!!!
I realize my feelings aren’t those of Lebron’s eithers, and I’d appreciate you not speaking for my feelings.
Challenging Lebron to step up for the Heat is a lot different than what Gilbert’s insults.
Who needs Twitter and a million news outlets when Steve is on the job?
Sports Illustrated? Really? Great for them.
Bonus points for double sticking-it to ESPN and Miami.
Might as well read the next round of tea leaves while we’re at it.
Irving, Waiters, Thompson, Varejao mentioned. Wiggins and Bennett are not. Still need some extra salary to match Love’s contract.
Wow. I was wrong on this one. Thought maybe he’d come back at the end of his career but not this soon.
WOW.
I cannot believe it. Johnny Football first, now the Return of the King … someone pinch us!
SI.COM: THE KING IS COMIN’ HOME!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k-ImCpNqbJw
http://www.si.com/nba/2014/07/11/lebron-james-cleveland-cavaliers
Um, those are not equal. Johnny “the past up on” Football. Gimme a break.
I would never speak for you I responded to “If I was LeBron” thankfully you are not!
Have a nice day!
Of course they are not equal … not sure why people read these things into comments … what I was trying to convey in a moment of irrational giddiness, was there was this unbelievable euphoria people felt when the Browns drafted Manziel … and then this happens, this crazy Prodigal Son story of one of the greatest basketball players ever, who backstabbed this city, it is on an order way over and above that Manziel feeling, and yet that was a pinch me giddiness I know I felt in that moment (for a backup quarterback no less!) … now this … it goes against the very grain of everything we believed was possible for us as Cleveland fans.
Yes, yes, yes, yes, YES. I feel you bro. Great day:)
It crushed me when they let Van Persie leave but Ozil and Sanchez make me think they can make a play for the championship….especially now that Suarez is going to Barcelona from Liverpool.
Agreed, I think things are looking good. Thoughts on not taking Cesc back though? I hope that doesn’t come back to bite us.