You know, I don't understand the hate for Lebron. He gave us 7 great years; he was singlehandedly the difference between the best and the worst record in the league. And don't give me that "quitting" talk, he had a triple-double vs Boston. How many other players would get called quitters for posting a triple double.
The fact of the matter is, Gilbert did not want to pay to get better players to surround Lebron with. We could have gotten A'mare, instead we got JJ Hickson. Seriously? Gilbert's interested in making money first, winning second. He knows the best way to do this is to have one superstar player surrounded with a bunch of scrubs. Same as happened with Barkley. Except Lebron was smart and left. If I was in his situation, I would have left too. And no one tell me they would have stayed in his situation; you ALL know that you would have left too.
Fact of the matter is, Gilbert failed to do anything for Lebron while he was here, and so Lebron, as a free agent, who is perfectly entitled to leave, left. If Lebron popped out his knee and could never have played again, do you think the Cavs organization would have signed him to a new contract? Do you think they would have shown him ANY loyalty? Of course not. Its all about money. He, like so many other players, would be out on the streets the next day. "Sorry, but see ya later." So from where does this obligation for Lebron to stay come from? It has to be a 2-way street.
Somehow, people have been brainwashed into always agreeing with the organization over the players. The billionaires over the millionaires. The Cavs organization over Lebron. The owners over the NFLPA. The NBA owners over the NBAPA. When teams become loyal to their players, then players will be loyal to their teams. But since teams feel no obligation to their players, and trade or release them at a whim, players have no obligation to their team after their contract is over.
Sure, root for your team. Root for your players. But taunt and "hate" a player that gave you 7 years of his life for leaving? I heard you guys call him a quitter after the Celtics game, and then I knew he was leaving. Respect the player, not the jersey.
/rant