LeBron James and His Twitter Promise

The King just doesn't know how to stay silent.

In an ill-fated publicity move, LeBron James logged onto Twitter Tuesday night and tweeted this little piece of superstar wisdom:

"Don't think for one min that I haven't been taking mental notes of everyone taking shots at me this summer. And I mean everyone!" @KingJames.

I can't imagine why anybody would be publicly attacking the player who left his hometown and a franchise desperate for glory to go play with his buddies in Miami. It's not like he had a TV special where he could announce his decision and crush the souls of an entire city.

Oh wait.

Whether justified or not (a lot of it is), LeBron has received more than his share of criticism this summer. He's been called everything from a coward to an egotistical jerk to just plain stupid.

Perhaps nobody is angrier at James than Cavs owner Dan Gilbert, who wrote a strongly worded letter attacking LeBron and anointing a curse upon his career.

OK, so Gilbert is a little crazy.

But LeBron's recent tweet is not the message he needs to be sending out right now. People are still testy about his decision, and declaring a vendetta on his detractors is not going to win him any friends.

LeBron James is as conscious about his public image as any professional athlete today, and perhaps ever.

He wants to be loved, he wants to hear fans chant his name, and he wants to see opponents tremble at the thought of having to face him. He wants global fame, and he'll stop at nothing to get it.

That's what makes the tweet all the more curious.

What is he going to do? Is he going to average a triple-double and win every game? Is he going to win a title? Is he going to win multiple titles? He's expected to do all these things anyway.

It makes no sense for him to put his feelings in writing. Contrary to popular belief, that's not where Twitter's utility lies. If he wants to prove something to the world then he has to do it on the court.

Not on social media.