Cleveland or Miami? Lebron has got to know!

[Tim Leahy]

Ok which area has the better golf courses, Cleveland or Miami? 
Lebron can afford a private but how about public and private lists.

[jonathan_becker]

Tim,

After tonight, Art Modell might be a welcome man in Cleveland again.

[PCCraig]

It will probably be Miami tonight for Lebron. Which is scary on many levels.

If he cares about winning rings he'll pick Chicago.

If he is a decent person he'll stay in Cleveland for another 2/3 years...but I find that very unlikely.

[JLahrman]

I don't think he needs to stay in Cleveland to be a decent person...Cleveland has had seven years to win a championship with him and it hasn't happened.  How much you want to put that on LeBron and how much you want to put that on the Cavs' front office, coaching staff, etc. is up for debate.  Now they've made a coaching change, who knows how that factors in.

LeBron to this point has been free from any controversy - never putting himself in bad situations, generally a good natured friendly guy, comfortable in front of a camera, etc.  This despite having a spotlight thrust on him when he was 16 years old.  But this one-hour special tonight smacks of a ridiculous sense of self importance.  But if it's the worst headline he ever creates, I suppose things could be worse for him.

I had always planned to have a television special called "The Decision" on the day that I finally join a private club.  My show was only going to be a half hour though.  I don't really appreciate LeBron Inc. stealing my idea.

[Tim Leahy]

It will probably be Miami tonight for Lebron. Which is scary on many levels.

If he cares about winning rings he'll pick Chicago.

If he is a decent person he'll stay in Cleveland for another 2/3 years...but I find that very unlikely.

If he cares about rings he'll join Kobe with the Lakers, because that is the only way he will get one for the next three years or so.
But, really, how about the golf courses in Cleveland and Miami? Anyone?

[Tim Martin]

What happened to the Knicks? As a long time fan I vaguely remember a championship back in 73.

[Tom_Doak]

Cleveland has the better golf courses, unless by "Miami" you include all the way up to Jupiter Hills and Seminole.

The best courses in each city are both by William Flynn, so we'll call that a tie.  I'd take Canterbury over Doral.  And there are a lot of other courses in Cleveland that are reasonably interesting.

Does LeBron play golf?

[Pete Lavallee]

Obviously Jermaine O'Neal is a Donald Ross fan because he just signed with the Celtics. Perhaps he'll hold up in the last 3 minutes of the 7th game in the Championship series.   It has been reinforced the past few years that you need 3 elite players to grab the crown; who would blame the King for bailing on a team that has been completely unable to suround him with sufficient talent?

[jonathan_becker]

Tom,

Way to give Country due props!!  It's simply outstanding.

Lebron does not currently play golf....and after seeing him swing a baseball bat it's not a pretty sight.

[Richard Choi]

I don't if you could ever go wrong by just following the money trail.

Everyone who has signed so far have selected the team that was willing to pay the most. I don't know why that would change with Lebron...

[PCCraig]

Everyone who has signed so far have selected the team that was willing to pay the most. I don't know why that would change with Lebron...

Wade and Bosh are willing to take less (I believe $15MM each) if James joins them in Miami, where he would make $15MM as well.

I don't care what anyone says...Lebron couldn't hold Jordan's jock strap.

[Richard Choi]

Bosh is going to Miami on a sign-and-trade deal. If he wanted to take less, he would have gone as a free agent (which would leave Miami with better roster). It is all about the Benjamins...

[Jud_T]

If he doesn't got to Chicago or New York he can forget about taking a run at the "Greatest Ever" title.  Either all the rumors are an elaborate smoke-screen or he'd rather hang with his buddies in South Beach than do what's best for him and the game.

[Mac Plumart]

You heard it hear first...

Lebron to New York.  However, there is a sticking point...in the contract he wants memberships to NGLA, Shinnecock, and Sebonack and the Dolan family is balking a little bit at the initiation fee for Sebonack.  If this falls through, he heads to Miami.  Although Canterbury makes Cleveland appealing.

[Greg Tallman]

Let's see... earn more money than you could ever wish to spend while living in your hometown which you profess to love or move on for purposes of money and fame.

Why does Gordon gecko come to mind at this moment?

So Tiger turns into Wilt Chambelien and LeBron becomes like a piect of Sotheby's art... Great times these are, great times.

[Chris DeNigris]

It's the NBA...who really cares?? Only a handful of replies so evidently not too many here.

If he goes to Miami the whole process is a joke. Why not just get Howard and CPaul to join them and they won't even have to vote for the East All-Star team. Too bad for the league, not that it had a lot going for it anyway.

Surprised that with the size of their egos that Lebron and DWade would willingly "share" the title they're bound to win. Could one of them actually won it without the other? They may never find out.

[Dan Herrmann]

Milwaukee, baby.   I hear James has a hankering to play Erin Hills.

[Mac Plumart]

Well, it looks like the Sebonack initiation fee was a deal killer.

[John_Conley]

What will be interesting is to see who the minimum wage guys are now.

It'll be really funny if they never win a title with the heat.

One possibility is actually Shaq back to Miami.  He doesn't need the money and they could definitely use him for 14 minutes a night, skipping the back-to-backs.

[Phil McDade]

Well, I'm pretty sure the most pissed-off guy in the Cleveland-Akron area is my best buddy from high school who still lives in the area. His son was set to play on a youth basketball team that he helps coach that, by all indications, LeBron's kid was going to join (my friend's kid and LeBron's kid go to the same elementary school).

Not sure, as a lifer Cleveland sports fan, which was the more depressing day -- the day of Ernest Byner's fumble, Jose Mesa's blown save, Modell's sell-out to Baltimore, or today. As the great team of Difford and Tilbrook once wrote -- Another nail in my heart.

[John_Conley]

As the great team of Difford and Tilbrook once wrote -- Another nail in my heart.

I'm traveling so I saved it to my DVR.  They were on Regis & Kelly today to promote a summer tour.  Not coming where I live, but hopefully you can catch Squeeze.  Love 'em.

[Ben Sims]

This is even blasphemy to think about.  But I'm cheering for anyone in the western conference over this clown show.  Or maybe the Hawks can take 'em.  Crazier things have happened.

What a joke this whole process was.

[Phil McDade]

As the great team of Difford and Tilbrook once wrote -- Another nail in my heart.

I'm traveling so I saved it to my DVR.  They were on Regis & Kelly today to promote a summer tour.  Not coming where I live, but hopefully you can catch Squeeze.  Love 'em.

Coming to Madison this summer, about a 5-minute drive from where I live. Saw them about 10 years ago here, too -- a great, great show.

[Link Walsh]

Say what you will about Lebron's decision.  But take a look at the open letter that the owner of the Cavaliers just posted to the team's website.  You want to come down on guys burning Lebron's jersey in the streets, but this is the example that the team's owner holds up?  What the heck?

http://www.nba.com/cavaliers/news/gilbert_letter_100708.html

[Greg Tallman]

Say what you will about Lebron's decision.  But take a look at the open letter that the owner of the Cavaliers just posted to the team's website.  You want to come down on guys burning Lebron's jersey in the streets, but this is the example that the team's owner holds up?  What the heck?

http://www.nba.com/cavaliers/news/gilbert_letter_100708.html

Wow, That is quite the letter.

While I still feel all of this is very selfish and greedy I must admit I am interested to see these guys take the court together. That said I would also love to see the Cavs win a title before Miami with these guys, the silly letter not withstanding.

Hey, at least my boy DaSean Butler will get more open looks than any rookie in the league!