by Conor Levis
LeBron James is not going to Miami. I'm not buying it. I know this, because I have a theory. Whats the worst possible scenario for the LeBron TV special? Answer- ESPN wastes an entire hour on a special, after all the hype this summer, just to have LeBron stay with the Cavs. Solution? Create a rumor going into tonight that Lebron is going to join Wade and Bosh in Miami, convince everybody its true, that way the Cleveland announcement (the most boring scenario) has a new excitement and shock to it. That way, the summer long hype and 1 hour special werent seemingly for nothing. Otherwise, why would ESPN leak the information that LeBron is leaning towards Heat and spoil the announcement when they have a freaking 1 hour special on the way? It doesn't make sense.
I do know one thing that makes sense though, LeBron can't leave Cleveland. Even if he wanted to, he can't. LeBron grew up there. He's lived there his whole life. He even lives there in the offseason. He knows the city's history and all of the failure that comes with it. He's lived through it. If he leaves, he doesn't just devastate an entire city's fan base, he devastates an entire state. The people of Ohio will turn on him faster than NBC turned on Conan. The person that once adored him will loathe him. He will replace Art Modell as public enemy number one. He would effectively murder professional sports in Cleveland. He knows this, and that's why he won't do it. He would never be able to show his face in Ohio again. He loves his home too much to put himself in that situation.
If Cleveland is the decision, it won't just be Cavs fans that are winners, but all of us. Because 'The Chosen One' as so many like to call him was meant to stay there. He was meant to lead his hometown team to a title, not jump ship and take the easy route. He's one of the greatest players we've ever seen, and as a basketball fan, I don't want to see his legacy tarnished. He means to much to the game of basketball. That's why tonight is going to be so special. Tonight, the landscape of the NBA is about to change. I can't wait.
