Halftime Hype

"The Road to History starts now!" LeBron James tweeted after arriving in the Sunshine State. Ever since 2008, NBA fans everywhere pondered where James would be after his contract expired. Would he stay with his hometown team, the Cleveland Cavaliers? Or would he explore his options and play outside of Ohio? In the end, his choice to play for the Miami Heat, will forever be remembered as the most publicized free agent spectacle in NBA history.

In reality, the Road to History began weeks ago. In the process of selecting his next destination, James demonstrated his control over the media and impacted the league for years to come. "The Decision" and all the hype surrounding it will not be paralleled for several generations.

When ESPN announced its one hour special, "The Decision," devoted to King James and his big announcement, many questioned the purpose of it. First and foremost, what was the need for an excessive hour long conference? Orlando Magic coach Stan Van Gundy put it best when he said, "It takes 15 seconds to say I’ve decided."

Was it seriously necessary to hear James answer fifteen questions before he dropped the bombshell? The suspense was at an overwhelming pinnacle when millions tuned in at 9 P.M. Eastern Time. The 30 minute delay was extremely frustrating.

Also, there's concern over the ethics. James hand-picked his interviewers, Jim Gray and Mike Wilbon. Did ESPN cross the line by allowing James to have total control? Then again, he utilized his power for a good cause by donating commercial proceeds during the one hour special to charity.

However, by securing the slot on ESPN and having his every demand met, James showed everyone just how much power he has over the media. They are willing to bend over backwards to meet the King's requests. Mr. James, you want one hour of national coverage and the millions of dollars in ad revenue during those sixty minutes? No problem.

The big picture question is: Was it appropriate for James to reveal his decision on national television? After all, this past week, Kevin Durant, a top three or four player in the association, simply disclosed the details of his contract extension via Twitter. No press conference was necessary.

Perhaps the more important issue is whether the medium of his announcement was the proper way to bow out of his native city. The outrage over his decision would have certainly been less if he didn't embarrass the Cleveland Cavaliers organization and fans on national T.V.

In general, outside of ratings, "The Decision" special was not a success. Honestly, James and Gray came out flat. It seemed like James didn't even want to be there, funny since his side arranged for the special. I understand that there's a lot of pressure on the man, but c'mon, the least you can do is smile here and there. What's more, rather than being engulfed in a captivating atmosphere, the interview was conducted in a "libary-like setting," as ESPN Around the Horn panelist Woody Paige described it.

One can't understate the emotions in Cleveland right now. When fans are burning jerseys, that's pretty extreme. What's more, Cavs owner Dan Gilbert really raised eyebrows with his extremely bold open letter to Cavaliers fans. Among Gilbert's comments included references to James as "narcissistic," the King's decision as "cowardly betrayal," asserting that James possesses a curse, and going so far as to say: "I personally guarantee that the Cleveland Cavaliers will win an NBA championship before self-titled former 'king' wins one."



One can understand where Gilbert is coming from, but he clearly chose an ill-advised way to articulate his passion. Psychologically, what Gilbert is doing makes sense. He is identifying a scapegoat in order to tame the disappointment and anger in Cleveland.

In brief, James let his hometown fans down. That's the way they feel in Ohio. The player didn't even bother to notify the Cavaliers of his departure until one of his representatives contacted the organization at approximately 9:01 P.M. ET, minutes before James revealed his decision to the world. The short notice leaves Cleveland without the chance to pursue any other big name free agents, as most have been signed in "preemptive strikes" by teams, as named by ESPN's J.A. Adande.

Regardless, such disparaging remarks about a franchise player will surely make free agents hesitate to play for an owner like Gilbert. Personally, I would be extremely impressed if Gilbert delivers on his promise and the Cavs win a title before James.

Beyond all the hype are the implications on the NBA itself. The Miami Heat are now a super team, the circus act that everyone will want to watch on the road. The expectations are nothing short of a championship, according to the latest Vegas odds, the Heat being the favorite to win it all.

Nevertheless, there are still many other circumstances to think about. As of now, the Heat don't even have an entire starting five under contract. Plus, who's to say that none of the triumvirate will be injury-free? Will issues arise among young, confident players and an equally youthful coach? Or, if Pat Riley decides to sit on the sidelines, will ego issues present themselves? There's the possibility that James, Wade, or Bosh won't see eye to eye with Riley, take it to the media, and Riley refuting with "I've won championships. Where are your rings?" Who knows, maybe the trio will engage in star wars among themselves or argue with the role players. In case anyone forgot, there is only one basketball to go around.



The new Miami Heat should send some goosebumps throughout the Eastern Conference, but not all the Eastern teams need be frightened. The Celtics, a team which has appeared in two out of the last three finals, will have the same nucleus and head coach that got them to within four points of a Game 7 championship victory on the road. The Orlando Magic have a formidable roster, themselves. Amar'e Stoudemire and the Knicks are a team to be reckoned with. When adding Carlos Boozer to a Chicago Bulls squad that already has Derrick Rose, Luol Deng, and Joakim Noah makes for a dangerous combination.

At the end of the day, the Los Angeles Lakers are still the team to beat. As two-time defending champions, the Lakers aren't worried at all about the recent transactions in the East.

Is James' decision to join Wade and Bosh good for the league? At first glance, no. Half the teams in the league will only see the super-team once in their local arena, and with the purchase of hefty ticket charges at that. The balance of power is completely off. The three fan bases of Toronto, Cleveland, and Miami have now been condensed into a smaller knit Heat nation.

Think again, though. From training camp until March, having three superstars on one team doesn't appear to be good for business. Come April, though, when the playoffs begin and tens of millions tune in, that's when the real money is made. If there's another matchup that can remotely compete with a seven game series between the Los Angeles Lakers and Boston Celtics, with loads of hype and profit, it would have to be a Lakers team with Kobe Bryant, Pau Gasol, and Ron Artest versus a Miami Heat squad featuring Lebron James, Chris Bosh, and Dwyane Wade - and the likely possibility of a sideline battle between Phil Jackson and Pat Riley.

Overall, there were many components to "The Decision." LeBron James demonstrated how tight of a grasp he has on the media and how influential his moves are.