LeBron James: Is It Too Late for an Apology From the King?
LeBron James will make his first on-court appearance at Quicken Loans Arena tomorrow night since the end of last season, but this time, he will wearing a Miami Heat jersey.
The Cleveland Cavaliers have beefed up arena security and have urged fans to be on their best behavior.
But this is Cleveland.
And he is LeBron James.
Many Cavs fans are still hurt, and we can't exactly expect them to play nice.
Some feel that an apology from LeBron James before tomorrow's game could help soothe the city of Cleveland, but others feel that it is simply too late for "I'm sorry."
So if James did decide to apologize to the city he betrayed, would it make any difference?
Or would it be just too little, too late?
5. Too Late: He Already Apologized...
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To Akron!
If LeBron had left the "Akron Cavaliers" after promising to bring them a championship, then the full page ad he took out in the Akron Beacon Journal would have been a commendable gesture, but he played for the Cleveland Cavaliers.
We know you're from Akron, but this was just an insult to the city of Cleveland.
5. Not Too Late: Miami Isn't That Great
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The fact that LeBron James' new team isn't having the best season so far has provided some comfort to Cavaliers fans.
Sure, we're still upset that James left us with a mediocre team, but the Heat aren't a whole lot better!
4. Too Late: Nike Commercial
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If LeBron James didn't want to apologize for what he did to Cleveland, that's his choice to make.
But making a commercial for Nike in which he basically tells his "haters" where to shove it probably wasn't the best move.
"What should I do?"
You should keep your mouth shut.
4. Not Too Late: The Cavs Don't Suck!
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Sure, the Cavs were much better when they had LeBron James on their roster.
Nobody will argue with that.
But this team isn't terrible. The Cavs are currently 7-10 and third in their division, and it could be a lot worse.
3. Too Late: Drama With Spoelstra
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You're doing it again, LeBron!
LeBron James is used to being treated like "the Chosen One," but that hasn't been the case in Miami.
If James had moved to Miami and completely checked his attitude, then we might be more willing to accept an apology, but it looks like he is still acting like a spoiled brat.
Erik Spoelstra is a coach. You are a player.
3. Not Too Late: We Forgave Michael Vick
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Sports fans have forgiven athletes for much worse than an hour-long television special. Just look at Michael Vick:
Vick committed an actual crime (an extremely disturbing one at that), but he paid his dues, cleaned up his act and became a better player.
And for the most part, the country has forgiven Vick for his crimes.
So perhaps LeBron James could do some soul-searching, learn from his mistakes and win us over.
2. Too Late: It Wouldn't Be Sincere
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I am still not convinced that LeBron James fully understands why Cavs fans are so upset.
Yes, we wanted him to stay in Cleveland, but it was the way he left that really set us off.
Would there still have been a few jersey-burnings? Sure.
But if he had taken a different approach, we would have understood. He should have told the Cavs he was leaving in a way that didn't involve an hour-long television special.
He should not have pranced around onstage with his new buddies in South Beach while we started putting Mo Williams on Cavaliers calendars.
But LeBron James either doesn't get that or simply doesn't care.
2. Not Too Late: A Little Humility Would Go a Long Way
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Still, some kind of apology would be better than no apology, and if LeBron James can put his ego aside for a second and humble himself in front of basketball fans, he could begin to earn back our respect.
1. Too Late: It's Literally Too Late
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If LeBron James was going to issue an apology, the time to do it would have been months ago.
He could have apologized during his "Decision."
He could have included Cleveland in his letter to Akron.
But he didn't.
1. Not Too Late: He Did a Lot For Cleveland
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Even the most bitter Cavaliers fan will admit that LeBron James did big things for the city of Cleveland, Ohio. He put a struggling sports city on the map, and he brought hope to some of the most loyal fans.
Cleveland gets the short end of the stick time and time again, but LeBron James helped Cavaliers fans feel like winners during his time with the team.
The Verdict: It's Too Late
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An apology from James at this point could win over a few fans, but for the rest of us, it's simply too late.
James has made the city of Cleveland look like a crazy ex-girlfriend, and every move he has made since he left has rubbed salt in the wound.
He has dubbed us "haters," and tomorrow night (apology or not), Cavs fans will give James the same level of respect that he has given them.
They treated him like a god, and he has disappointed them every step of the way.
