You can't spell Hate without H-e-a-t.
The Miami "Heat" and LeBron James won the National Basketball Association championship, the de facto world championship, last night. I own a distinction I bet is uncommon. I am a long-time supporter of the two most hated teams in professional sports, the "Heat" (since 1988) and Manchester City Football Club (since 2002). I am a hate magnet. One day several years ago a friend said to me with an impish grin "There he is, the most hated man in the office" (I am no longer employed there). I was surprised. I was surprised because although I covet my enemies--and my friends, my friends too--I don't like to be hated. Nobody does. I saw a bumper sticker about a year ago, "Don't Hate the Heat." That made me sad. Hatred is so extreme. Can't we all just not get along? Can't we save such an extreme negative emotion for Nazis or Muslims? Do we have to waste it on sports? Often (not always) here's an irrationality to the violence implicit in hatred, a frothing-at-the-mouth, out of control, pure Id-ness, speaking of which:
Dear Cleveland, All Of Northeast Ohio and Cleveland Cavaliers Supporters Wherever You May Be Tonight;
As you now know, our former hero, who grew up in the very region that he deserted this evening, is no longer a Cleveland Cavalier.
This was announced with a several day, narcissistic, self-promotional build-up culminating with a national TV special of his "decision" unlike anything ever "witnessed" in the history of sports and probably the history of entertainment.
Clearly, this is bitterly disappointing to all of us.
The good news is that the ownership team and the rest of the hard-working, loyal, and driven staff over here at your hometown Cavaliers have not betrayed you nor NEVER will betray you.
There is so much more to tell you about the events of the recent past and our more than exciting future. Over the next several days and weeks, we will be communicating much of that to you.
You simply don't deserve this kind of cowardly betrayal.
You have given so much and deserve so much more.
In the meantime, I want to make one statement to you tonight:
"I PERSONALLY GUARANTEE THAT THE CLEVELAND CAVALIERS WILL WIN AN NBA CHAMPIONSHIP BEFORE THE SELF-TITLED FORMER 'KING' WINS ONE"
You can take it to the bank.
If you thought we were motivated before tonight to bring the hardware to Cleveland, I can tell you that this shameful display of selfishness and betrayal by one of our very own has shifted our "motivation" to previously unknown and previously never experienced levels.
Some people think they should go to heaven but NOT have to die to get there.
Sorry, but that's simply not how it works.
This shocking act of disloyalty from our home grown "chosen one" sends the exact opposite lesson of what we would want our children to learn. And "who" we would want them to grow-up to become.
But the good news is that this heartless and callous action can only serve as the antidote to the so-called "curse" on Cleveland, Ohio.
The self-declared former "King" will be taking the "curse" with him down south. And until he does "right" by Cleveland and Ohio, James (and the town where he plays) will unfortunately own this dreaded spell and bad karma.
Just watch.
Sleep well, Cleveland.
Tomorrow is a new and much brighter day....
I PROMISE you that our energy, focus, capital, knowledge and experience will be directed at one thing and one thing only:
DELIVERING YOU the championship you have long deserved and is long overdue....
Dan
Leaves you kind of breathless, don't it?
That was the letter that Dan Gilbert, owner of the Cleveland "Cadavers," wrote two years ago to supporters after LeBron James announced that he was leaving the "Mistake by the Lake" and going to Miami to play for the "Heat"...My God, I nominate Dan Gilbert's letter as the most stupendous document in sports history ("Stupendous documents in sports history" being a modestly-populated category, Gilbert might win this.). To think Gilbert wrote this. Writing slows you down, it's a buffer between thought and expression, a medium in two senses. If Gilbert had expressed these sentiments orally, hearers would say, "It's just talk, ignore him." But the guy actually wrote it out. This is Dan Gilbert Plugged.
LeBron James doesn't like to be hated either. Even on this little blog I see it. Many, many times, the keywords that land people here have been "lebron james devil," "lebron james devil worship," and variants. As I write this "lebron james soul devil" is a keyword that got one person here.
LeBron James did nothing illegal in leaving Cleveland; LeBron James did nothing immoral; he did nothing mercenary--he would have gotten more money if he had stayed with Cleveland. He had stayed with Cleveland for seven years! He left to play for Miami because they could, like, win, which they, like, just did, which is, like, the object of the game of basketball. See, Dan? Dan doesn't see. He is so blinded by his hatred, irrationality with violence implicit: "Some people think they should go to heaven but NOT have to die to get there."
Despite LeBron James having done nothing illegal, immoral, mercenary, or un-sporting, there is explicit Old Testament, Judgment Day, fire-and-brimstone, vengeance in Gilbert's letter. There's heaven and dying to get there; curses, spells, doing "right;" and four times, "betrayal:" Judas Iscariot to Jesus; four times this son of Judas uses that word that has been fuel for so much antisemitism in history; there's betrayal's synonym "disloyalty," "King," "chosen one," "our very own"--all very Old Testament, very Jewish, ways of viewing the world. Even "bank," "you can take it to the bank." Gilbert's letter so perpetuates anti-Jewish sentiments as to become anti-Jewish itself.
And, as with much irrational expression, it is just factually wrong:
"I PERSONALLY GUARANTEE THAT THE CLEVELAND CAVALIERS WILL WIN AN NBA CHAMPIONSHIP BEFORE THE SELF-TITLED FORMER 'KING' WINS ONE"
"the town where he plays will unfortunately own this dreaded spell and bad karma."
Today, the beautiful, exciting, wonderful town of Miami is under the ecstatic spell of its adopted King, its Chosen One. The Miami "Heat" and LeBron James are champions and Dan Gilbert is writing Cleveland fans for suggestions on who to choose in the draft lottery.
