you forget that dan gilbert is the owner? i actually think it hurts lebron's case if he wins another ring in miami. he'll be known as the 'one who got away'. i just can't see it. maybe there will be a crossroads later and gilbert will memorialize his cavs days and forget the whole 'decision'. given his attitude now, no way....
for some reason this reminded me of oj simpson. usc removed all reference to him in the sports hall...and this was after he was found innocent of murder. public perception is a strong enough force.
Assuming Cleveland gets over the painful part, they will retire it because he holds all their records, got a couple MVPs, and led them to the Finals. But if the fans for some reason never get over it, even after LeBron's career is over, then there is no need because retirement ceremonies are as much for the fans as they are for the player.
Assuming Cleveland gets over the painful part, they will retire it because he holds all their records, got a couple MVPs, and led them to the Finals. But if the fans for some reason never get over it, even after LeBron's career is over, then there is no need because retirement ceremonies are as much for the fans as they are for the player.
Not sure why the fans have to "get over" disliking a guy. You either like someone or you don't. Things like ceremonies and the retirement of numbers really are more for the fans than the player. It is the community's way of showing a player appreciation.
I see absolutely no way that this happens for James in Cleveland. It ended on just about the worst possible terms that any player/fan/organization relationship could. Why even go back there? It is a subject that Cleveland has tried really hard to put behind it. That is where it needs to stay.
There is a far better chance that Orlando retires Shaq's number and even that may be a long shot. He is undoubtedly the best player to ever wear a Magic uniform, he led them to a Finals, etc. There was no celebration for him in Orlando upon his retirement.
Last edited by RedBlackAttack : 07-29-2012 at 04:51 AM.
Not sure why the fans have to "get over" disliking a guy. You either like someone or you don't. Things like ceremonies and the retirement of numbers really are more for the fans than the player. It is the community's way of showing a player appreciation.
I see absolutely no way that this happens for James in Cleveland. It ended on just about the worst possible terms that any player/fan/organization relationship could. Why even go back there? It is a subject that Cleveland has tried really hard to put behind it. That is where it needs to stay.
There is a far better chance that Orlando retires Shaq's number and even that may be a long shot. He is undoubtedly the best player to ever wear a Magic uniform, he led them to a Finals, etc. There was no celebration for him in Orlando upon his retirement.
I don't think their fans have to get over it. I'm just saying that there have been other players who have left on bad terms (not usually this bad) and time heeled things enough to acknowledge the accomplishments despite the shortcomings. And LeBron on the Cavs did so much more than Shaq on the Magic IMO (2 MVPs plus 1 Finals plus countless team records over 7 years > 1 Finals in 4 years). But if Cleveland fans never get over it and never retire LeBron's number, that is no sweat off my back.
I don't think their fans have to get over it. I'm just saying that there have been other players who have left on bad terms (not usually this bad) and time heeled things enough to acknowledge the accomplishments despite the shortcomings. And LeBron on the Cavs did so much more than Shaq on the Magic IMO (2 MVPs plus 1 Finals plus countless team records over 7 years > 1 Finals in 4 years). But if Cleveland fans never get over it and never retire LeBron's number, that is no sweat off my back.
"Getting over it" =/= Indifference
To me, Cavs fans would almost have to become indifferent about James in order to invite him back for a celebration of his career. I believe fans are truly "over it" when they stop dwelling on the whole thing and are fully invested on what the franchise is currently doing.
In fact, I think inviting James back here for something like that would be a sign that they are still too caught up in what he is doing. He can have his 6 retired in Miami. That is where he chose to spend his prime.
To me, Cavs fans would almost have to become indifferent about James in order to invite him back for a celebration of his career. I believe fans are truly "over it" when they stop dwelling on the whole thing and are fully invested on what the franchise is currently doing.
In fact, I think inviting James back here for something like that would be a sign that they are still too caught up in what he is doing. He can have his 6 retired in Miami. That is where he chose to spend his prime.
If LeBron moves back to Cleveland after retiring, or just continues to play a role in community events, there may be enough people who care to push for it. They'll hate him as long as he is an active player not in Cleveland, but he could slowly transition to a community activist after retirement. He still does plenty in Akron. 2 MVPs is pretty tough to overlook for a franchise when considering jersey retirements. They'll at some point retire a jersey and some fans will question "We are retiring this guys number, but we still can't retire LeBron's?" Of course, there will never be a consensus, but I could see enough of a push in the distant future. I personally have no investment in it though, and dislike LeBron, so I have no problem if LeBron never gets a ceremony in Cleveland.
My bet is when his career is winding down and he's won his titles in Miami, he will sign a 1-2 year deal with Cleveland to bring things full circle.
LOL why the hell would Cleveland want a declining LeBron after he finished his legacy on another team?
Nobody in Cleveland should or does want him back. He did them dirty by making a joke of how he left the city. If he didn't have a special and a party, Cleveland wouldn't have reason to stay bitter for long.
Lettuce be cereal...LeBron brought this on himself.
LOL why the hell would Cleveland want a declining LeBron after he finished his legacy on another team?
Nobody in Cleveland should or does want him back. He did them dirty by making a joke of how he left the city. If he didn't have a special and a party, Cleveland wouldn't have reason to stay bitter for long.
Lettuce be cereal...LeBron brought this on himself.
Why wouldn't they want him back if he was still a useful player? Even in his late 30s, his passing ability and size will make him at least as effective as a Grant Hill is today and then some.
Orlando would've taken Shaq in the last two years of his career I'm fairly certain. In 8-10 years that TV special will be ancient history, it's already feels like ages ago.
Last edited by Soundwave : 07-29-2012 at 06:25 AM.
Anyway, as to OP's question it won't happen at this time and would be weird if it did.
Ultimately you would suspect they might otherwise they would have to ignore one of only two periods of sustained success in franchise history (and this was the greater one, as much as I like the Daugherty, Price, Nance team). It would require Brad Gilbert to either sell the franchise or get over himself though.
my bet is that dan gilbert is praying that kyrie irving has a freakin awesome career and takes a few of lebrons records - personal and team records - and gives him a legit reason to retire kyrie's jersey before retiring lebrons
Jersey? Hah... they should have a statue of him there, they just had a top 12 (with GOAT potential) player of all time there for 7 years one-man-armying them to franchise records over and over.... I can guarantee you the Cavs will NEVER again have anything near the player Lebron was or anything near a player being able to bring such immediate team impact success no matter what garbage he had around him (Finals/ECF/#1 seed etc.)... unless they luckily enough somewhere far in the future one time recieve an extremly well rounded/deep team that can overachieve at least once...
That franchise didnt have what it took to keep and keep happy a "GOAT potential" type of player, he was patient for 7 years, enough was enough....
Re: Will the Cavs retire LeBron's #23 jersey?
