Zydrunas Ilgauskas, LeBron James Miscalculate, Misfire With Clunky Ads

There’s such a thing as having a finger on the pulse of a city, and such a thing as just showing it the finger.

Zydrunas Ilgauskas and LeBron James of the Miami Heat demonstrated the difference, wittingly or unwittingly, with a pair of advertisements that appeared in Northeast Ohio newspapers this week.

In Sunday’s Cleveland Plain Dealer, an ad from Ilgauskas offered a statement to Cleveland fans, acknowledging his fondness for the city and what it has meant to him during his career.

At first, the ad came across as a sincere attempt to connect with the loyal fans who stood by him over his 14 years in the NBA.

Then he ended it by trying to explain why he chose to no longer stand by them, and instead join LeBron James in bolting for Miami.

Oops.

Look, it was nice of him to say goodbye. It was fine to thank the fans (which he never really did, directly), and to say he loves Cleveland, which people believe is true.

But to remind them about how he rubbed salt in the city’s wounds by leaving for South Beach was just plain dumb. After all, that’s the part of his decision that made his fans in Ohio uncomfortable.

Trust me when I say that while the prevailing mood in Northeast Ohio is to wish Ilgauskas well, fans here don’t want him to even sniff a championship in Miami.

That’s why the ad was ultimately so unsatisfying.

“I felt I owed it to myself and my family to chase my dream of winning an NBA championship,” he wrote. “I hope you understand.”

No, Zydrunas, fans in Northeast Ohio don’t understand, not really.

What about their dream of winning an NBA championship? You know, the dream you and LeBron James were supposed to fulfill?

Speaking of James, the ink had barely dried on Ilgauskas’ ad when a copycat one of his own popped up in the Akron Beacon Journal.

Sandwiched between photos from James’ past charity events in Akron was his message, addressed to his “family, friends and fans in Akron.”

After talking about growing up there, he wrote, “Akron is my home, and the central focus of my life.”

After winning an NBA championship for another city’s fans, that is.

“You can be sure that I will continue to do everything I can for this city….”

Except, of course, win a title for the tens of thousands of Cavaliers fans who live there and were counting on him to do so.

Then again, he wasn’t really writing the ad for them.

After all, it’s not addressed to Cavaliers fans. It’s addressed to his fans.

And so it goes, in LeBron James’ new world.

Me. My family. My dreams. My fans.

My talents, which I’m taking to South Beach.

As so many members of the local and national media pointed out Tuesday, James’ ad was conspicuous in that it was in the Akron paper, addressed only to Akron.

There was no acknowledgement of Cleveland, or anybody else in Northeast Ohio, for that matter. Just Akron.

It was reminiscent of when there was a celebration in his honor at the University of Akron’s football stadium several weeks ago. James made a surprise appearance, and reiterated his love…for Akron.

He made no mention of Cleveland. There was no acknowledgement of the people there who cheered for him and supported him and waited for him to deliver a championship.

Message received, sir. Loud and clear.

Now he’s gone. So is Ilgauskas.

The fans of Northeast Ohio? They’re left with a couple of newspaper ads to remember them by.

It would have been more satisfying if the two of them had given Cleveland the championship it had so desperately hoped for.

They didn’t, however.

Try as you might, gentlemen, no amount of words can make up for that now.