What We Know

I'm doing my best to hold full judgement on all things Lebron prior to his announcement tonight, and even though it will probably leak before the 9pm, I'm not going to believe ANYTHING until it comes from his mouth during that show, b/c this thing has been so bizarre that it wouldn't shock me to have him come to the microphone tonight and say he's signing with Olympikos in Greece.  With that said there are a few things that we know for sure going into tonight.

• Lebron QUIT in Game 5 against the Celtics.  Anyone with a pair of eyes above the age of 8 knows this, and anyone who argues differently is on something.  Why?  No one truely knows, there are plenty of theories, but if he leaves, then that game is forever eteched into the legacy of Lebron.  If he stays, I believe he has a chance to wash it away, but leaving makes it stick for life.
• According to an interview on the Dan Patrick show this morning, Jim Grey (the one doing the first interview with Lebron after the decision tonight) proposed the hour long special idea to Maverick Carter after Game 7 of the Finals at a resturant in Los Angeles.  So while ESPN picking up the air time the last day or so is new, the IDEA of a hour long special has been on Lebron's radar for a while.
• Not a single person on the planet believes that this hour of television in any way was meant as a good semaritan act for The Boy's and Girl's Club.  I'll admit it's a very smart PR move by Lebron's people to try and spin it that way but no one is buying it.  And if you are, then I've got a few great investment ideas I'd like to talk to you about.
• The city of Cleveland has had numerous heartbreaking sports events in their history.  If Lebron leaves it will be the second that was pre-meditated.  The first was Modell moving the Browns.  If you're a Cleveland fan you know first hand that you haven't forgiven him for that, so you also know that it will be a cold day in hell that you would ever forgive Lebron.

So does any of this tell us anything?  Sorta....  By that I mean it does give us insight on just how self-centered Lebron James really is, and it's hard to blame him.  Since he was 17 years old he's been told he is the second coming of Jordan and destined to be the best basketball player ever.  I don't think it's surprising that he has this particular character flaw.

Does this change my view of him?  Yes. 
Do I hate him?  Not yet. 

If he decides to stay in Cleveland then I really can't hate him, I'll cheer for him and hope that next season brings the championship that the city and the team's fans have been waiting for.  I'll always have the knowledge in the back of my mind that he truly is a selfish asshole, but if he's playing for my team, that's the kind of thing that gets over looked.  If he leaves?  Then I hope the police officers of Akron and Cleveland are ready, because I believe their legitimately could be riots, and a part of me would want to join in.  Sports can be great, but there are only so many times you can get kicked in the balls before you go crazy and tonight could be Northeastern Ohio's tipping point.

My hope for tonight is that Lebron realizes he could be a hero to New York, Miami or Chicago if he leaves, but if he stays, understands that he could be a legend in Cleveland.  Heroes get remembered, but Legends never die.