A Letter From Cavaliers Owner Dan Gilbert


Originally Published: July 9, 2010

Time for Cavs owner to act his age
If Dan Gilbert felt this way about LeBron, why exactly did he want him back?

By Chris Broussard
ESPN The Magazine

I'm beginning to wonder if Dan Gilbert's real name is Benjamin Button. You know, the character from the smash hit movie, "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button,'' who looks old when he's young and young when he's old.

How else to explain a 48-year-old man -- an intelligent, accomplished, incredibly wealthy 48-year-old man -- sounding off like an acne-riddled 13-year-old who'd just been jilted by his first love?

LeBron James has been roundly criticized for the stunning way he handled his departure from the Cleveland Cavaliers on Thursday, and rightly so. James should have informed the team of his decision to leave in person and as soon as he could, thus giving it the chance to formulate a practical Plan B rather than having to react to such devastating news on the fly.

He dumped them -- and northeast Ohio -- on national TV, making the ending unnecessarily dramatic and harsh.

.....

But to do that publicly? Uhh, two words:

Grow up.

But the childishness didn't stop there. On Friday, Gilbert, the owner of Fathead, dropped the price of James fatheads from $99.99 to $17.41. Benedict Arnold was born in 1741.

With the way this is going, I'm expecting Gilbert to tape "Kick Me'' signs to the seats on the visitors bench when Miami visits The Q next season. That'll be a good one!

.....
 
NBA needs a little more hate-arade
Fox Sports - Mitch Lawrence

Updated Jul 9, 2010 10:15 PM ET

Look who’s back in the NBA. Our dear, old friend, hate.

If you heard Cleveland owner Dan Gilbert wig out over LeBron James’ defection to the Miami Heat, you know that hate is alive and well.

To be honest, it’s good to see. It’s good to see Cavs fans burning James’ jersey after he stuck it to his hometown team and quit on the Cavaliers one more time, just for good measure. It’s good to see Gilbert post a 400-word diatribe on his team’s Web site, where he laid out James as if he were Kevin McHale putting the clothesline to Kurt Rambis.

Gilbert called it an act of “cowardly betrayal.’’

We agree, because after all the Cavs did for James in his seven-plus seasons, King Bailout didn’t even have the decency to tell Gilbert face-to-face that he was leaving town. After he kept Gilbert in the dark during free agency, he owed him that much. But LeBron wimped out, just as he did against Boston. He had one of his cronies call Gilbert with the worst news to hit Cleveland since Art Modell took the Browns to Baltimore.

.....

Can you feel the hate? The world is a much more interesting place when people are at each other’s throats and don’t hide their true emotions. Sort of like the NBA back in the '80s, when Boston and L.A. used to meet in the Finals. Or when the Knicks and Heat or Knicks and Bulls played in the '90s.

But lately, the NBA has the scene of one, big sickening love-fest, starting with the players. Everybody’s buddies. The top guys even get to play together on Team USA, fostering the dangerous alliances we see today.

.....
 



number1 said:
I think it was the fact that Lebron had the whole 1-hour long "Decision" announcement show that he approached ESPN about. That $500,000 that the University of Phoenix donated was something that Lebron could have easily done without the TV cameras present. I think had the owner written without the character assault on James, he would have came out of the deal looking clean as a whistle instead of bitter.
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I heard that Jim Gray (who I detest every since he dogged out Dennis Rodman) approached LeBron about doing the "The Decision" live. Remember, that the other two thirds of the trio chronicled thier "Decision" and the process in the form of a documentary.
 
PVSAX99 said:
What I am not understanding though...

If Lebron is such a "quitter", and if all these claims that Gilbert is making against James are such a big deal, why did he try so hard to bring James back to the organization?

Talk about your hypocrite.

"THE CAVS WILL WIN A CHAMPIONSHIP BEFORE LEBRON (NOT THE HEAT...BUT LEBRON) DOES". Gilbert may have just killed any hope of them winning...especially if he put it on Lebron's shoulders, ALONE, to stop them...
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$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
 
kendrick said:


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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.

http://www.nba.com/cavaliers/news/gilbert_letter_100708.html
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Well.
Lebron could have done this better. No need to tell your hometown BBall team to go F themselves on national TV without even the thought of calling and telling them "It's time for me to move on". Dude made all these people wait a week just to say he going to the Miami heat. Ain't like the money was going to change either way.
 
Cleveland fans offer to help Gilbert pay fine

His emotional, controversial letter criticizing LeBron James for leaving to join Miami spawned an outpouring of fan support for Gilbert. A team spokesman said the team has received thousands of e-mails and phone calls, including some from fans offering to help Gilbert pay a $100,000 NBA-imposed fine.
 
bluedog said:
Cleveland fans offer to help Gilbert pay fine

His emotional, controversial letter criticizing LeBron James for leaving to join Miami spawned an outpouring of fan support for Gilbert. A team spokesman said the team has received thousands of e-mails and phone calls, including some from fans offering to help Gilbert pay a $100,000 NBA-imposed fine.
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The Cleveland fans are so gullible. But it aint LBJ that got over on them. It's Dan Gilbert. He is playing on their emotions so he can continue to sell out the Q arena with no Lebron with this whole tirade. The Cleveland fans are too emotional and stupid to see this. He don't give a fugg about their feelings. He just wants to continue making mad loot off their backs. :lol: They are about to fall for the okie doke. Oh well. No wonder Southern Ohio and the folks in Columbus shake their head at the Cleveland folks. :shame:

Oh well. The more he talks and more the Cleveland fans cry. The less I feel sorry for them. I know these folks in Minnesota don't feel sorry for their arses. LOL
 
JR said:
The Cleveland fans are so gullible. But it aint LBJ that got over on them. It's Dan Gilbert. He is playing on their emotions so he can continue to sell out the Q arena with no Lebron with this whole tirade. The Cleveland fans are too emotional and stupid to see this. He don't give a fugg about their feelings. He just wants to continue making mad loot off their backs. :lol: They are about to fall for the okie doke. Oh well. No wonder Southern Ohio and the folks in Columbus shake their head at the Cleveland folks. :shame:

Oh well. The more he talks and more the Cleveland fans cry. The less I feel sorry for them. I know these folks in Minnesota don't feel sorry for their arses. LOL
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Sad ain't it. They ain't use to shat. :shame:
 
Ain't no way in hell I'd offer my money to pay his fine. He damn sho won't give you two pennies to pay yours.
 
LeBron James is a ''genius" and the victim of a ''high-tech lynching,'' and Dan Gilbert is an ''ungrateful ... idiot.''
<!--dropend-->
That's how ex-Bull Chet Walker, an NBA pioneer who made free agency possible, reads this summer's biggest free-agent deal.

'James is a genius for what he engineered with Wade and Bosh,'' Walker said. ''For the first time in league history, players themselves, not an owner or general manager, put together a championship team.''

'Gilbert's an idiot, and you can quote me,'' Walker said. ''I'm retired, 70 years old and can't nobody bother me for speaking my mind. :lol:

In the 1970s, Walker teamed with Oscar Robertson and others to sue the NBA for merging with the ABA and limiting players' options in getting the best contracts from the highest bidder. Though the lawsuit was unsuccessful, the litigation helped make free agency possible.

'Gilbert ought to be grateful, if anything, because for seven years LeBron was the team's cash cow. He made a lot of money for the team and for the city. I can see how Gilbert can be hurt and disappointed. But I don't like the way he and so many other people in the media and elsewhere are ripping LeBron. This kid is the victim of a high-tech lynching.

http://www.suntimes.com/sports/basketball/bulls/2488068,CST-SPT-lacy12.article
 
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