LeBron tries to copy Big Z with letter to Akron, but not Cleveland

Oski2005 · 08-03-2010, 12:07 PM

When Big Z decided to leave Cleveland, he took out an ad in the Cleveland paper to thank the city and team for the time he spent there. Seeing the goodwill it engendered caused LeBron and his retarded high school friends/business partners/etc to try the same thing and of course nobody fell for it:

Quote:

LeBron James thanks Akron in ad

LeBron James has taken out a full-page ad in his hometown paper in which he thanks the people of Akron for supporting him -- and doesn't mention the city where he played basketball the last seven years.

The ad, appearing in the Akron Beacon Journal, includes photos of James taking part in community events in Akron, including an annual downtown bike-a-thon he sponsors. That event is scheduled for Saturday, and James plans to appear.

James left the Cleveland Cavaliers for the Miami Heat as a free agent last month, joining Olympic teammates Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh.

The move set off a storm of negative reaction from Cavaliers fans and team owner Dan Gilbert.

Two days ago, former Cavaliers center Zydrunas Ilgauskas -- who signed with the Heat July 17 -- took out a full-page ad in The (Cleveland) Plain Dealer, thanking fans for their support. Ilgauskas, like James, had played his entire career in Cleveland before signing with Miami.

In James' ad, he thanks Akron residents for their love and support. He calls the city his home and the "central focus" of his life and says he will always come back.

"It was here where I first learned how to play basketball, and where I met the people who would become my lifelong friends and mentors. Their guidance, encouragement and support will always be with me," reads James' ad in the Beacon Journal.

"Akron is my home, and the central focus of my life. It's where I started, and it's where I will always come back to. You can be sure that I will continue to do everything I can for this city, which is so important to my family and me. Thank you for your love and support. You mean everything to me."

t_mac1 · 08-03-2010, 12:21 PM

throughout his stay in cleveland, he mostly repped akron before cleveland. and he grew up there.

and yet we are criticizing this too. lol

Steve_Francis_rules · 08-03-2010, 12:23 PM

We get it. Lebron is the devil. Everything he does is bad. Just last night he went and set fire to an orphanage in Cleveland. And so on...

EffTheJazz!!! · 08-03-2010, 12:27 PM

Damn, some nerve this guy has to go BACK to Akron (sorry I have to give him some props) and hold this bike a thon.. brave, but he better wear a flame suit, or they're gonna find his burned ass in the Ohio river.

RedRedemption · 08-03-2010, 01:36 PM

People in Cleveland might hate him...

But Akron is a small town where he has close-friends and all... They might not like his decision but unlike the thugs and retards in Cleveland... they will respect it.

Shaud · 08-03-2010, 02:00 PM

At this point is writing a letter to Cleveland going to make those fans feel any better?

I doubt it.

emjohn · 08-03-2010, 02:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shaud

At this point is writing a letter to Cleveland going to make those fans feel any better?

I doubt it.

True, but overtly snubbing Cleveland in a letter like this only makes things worse. I can't believe he was petty enough to do this. Again, I hope Cleveland gives him pure hell when he returns to that arena.

Shaud · 08-03-2010, 02:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by emjohn

True, but overtly snubbing Cleveland in a letter like this only makes things worse. I can't believe he was petty enough to do this. Again, I hope Cleveland gives him pure hell when he returns to that arena.

I agree with that you on that. He needs a better PR team.

Shaud · 08-03-2010, 02:13 PM

Did LeBron mention the Cleveland fans in his one hour decision thing? I can't remember.

If he did then he doesn't really need to write them a letter.

glimmertwins · 08-03-2010, 02:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shaud

I agree with that you on that. He needs a better PR team.

...no joke. It's a shame Big Z has smarter guys working on his PR squad than King James...of course the joke there is Big Z's note was surely being genuine and Lebron's note was just a petty response to save face in light of Big Z's humility. He had his time to make amends and he made it clear he didn't want to have anything to do with Cleveland or Akron.

It's just a shame it took a foreigner to show Lebron what it means to thank those who made him feel that Cleveland was his home for so many years.

glimmertwins · 08-03-2010, 02:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shaud

Did LeBron mention the Cleveland fans in his one hour decision thing? I can't remember.

If he did then he doesn't really need to write them a letter.

Not really. He just said the Cleveland fans watched him turn from an 18yr old boy to a 25 yr old man and now he has to move on and that his heart will always be "around Cleveland"...which is to say not "in Cleveland".

sew · 08-03-2010, 03:40 PM

hhaha.

I cannot wait till Dec. 2

redwhiteone · 08-04-2010, 01:07 AM

Good for you LeBron...good for you

spysta · 08-04-2010, 02:46 PM

I must say, I saw it coming, Lebron always reps AKRON and he isnt from cleveland and i guess he doesnt care about cleveland, he lives in Akron so it only make sense that he will try to save face there. Isnt he there now? I keep reading stories about him working out at his high school.

ROCKETS-WARRIOR · 08-04-2010, 10:17 PM

He followed his teammate Big Z and put this AD in the newspaper to thank his hometown fans. I think it just made more people angry in Cleveland because he chose to ignore all the Cleveland fans outside of Akron. Nice Job Lebron. I can't wait to see how the fans will greet you when you visit cleveland during the season.

Oski2005 · 08-04-2010, 11:00 PM

He should have "repped" Akron in a way that wasn't blatantly copying a classy and smart move by Big Z. It would have seemed more genuine.

ParaSolid · 08-04-2010, 11:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by t_mac1

throughout his stay in cleveland, he mostly repped akron before cleveland. and he grew up there.

and yet we are criticizing this too. lol

So he takes out a full page ad in a Cleveland newspaper and conveniently forgets to thank the city that literally treated him like royalty? Classy.

Invisible Fan · 08-04-2010, 11:08 PM

Lebron's mom needs to sleep with an etiquette coach in order to teach that punk a lesson!

roslolian · 08-06-2010, 12:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by emjohn

True, but overtly snubbing Cleveland in a letter like this only makes things worse. I can't believe he was petty enough to do this. Again, I hope Cleveland gives him pure hell when he returns to that arena.

LOL they treated him like God when he was there then called him all sorts of names and burned his jersey when he left. LBJ fired the first shot but the city retaliated just as brutally, so its not like the city was the only one who got hurt. IMHO LBJ didn't mean to rake the city through the coals like that, he was too self-centered just didn't think the people would be hurt with his "decision" special. IMHO there was no intention to diss the city in general, and he probably resented it big time when the city turned on him.

Cleveland may indeed give him pure hell however I find it ironic that even when he left LBJ is still the one who defines that city.