Why LeBron should just let his game speak for him

CLEVELAND - On Jan. 24, the seeds of nothing more than a publicity stunt were sewn with a sole purpose of softening LeBron's image from that of something akin to a villain, and back to something seen as a good guy.

The Cavs played the Heat that day, and out of nowhere rumors from Lebron's camp first leaked of Lebron supposedly expressing an unhappiness with Pat Riley and how the Miami Heat organization is run. Also, because of this, he would consider his free agent options in a few years and that the team he would most be interested in...would be the Cleveland Cavaliers. Then, even if almost wholly unsubstantiated, this rumor of course still made news enough to have a national run of it that only picked up steam when the two clubs played again in Miami a second time but ten days ago. And now it has all come home to Cleveland a month after it began, and with no coincidence, it arrives here exactly in time for Lebron's return home to Northeast Ohio in a Heat uniform to play in his only scheduled visit here this year during the regular season.

Now of course Lebron was asked these questions yesterday of possibly coming back to Cleveland by the media, but only because the media had been set up to not have a choice in the matter. And if you still aren't certain if this was nothing more than a ploy to land Lebron in the good graces with fans again, ask yourself this. Did Lebron in the midst of what he and the Heat hopes is a championship run this season (and next year, and the year after that), have to answer anything on this topic if he didn't want to? That answer would be no, he didn't. And had the story not been a plant in the first place, he most likely wouldn't have. Nope, the only conclusion one can surmise here is that he only answered these questions because the whole thing was a publicity sham set in place to simply get you to not "boo" as much. To get a world of basketball fans outside of Miami to not "boo" as much. And ultimately, to make it so he's a more viable commodity to his sponsors once again because it has to be hard to sell products when most everyone is booing the person who's endorsing them.

Hey Lebron, just so you know, all hard feeling aside, it was never your words that upset your fans, it was your actions.

And with the actions of this thinly veiled attempt to win fans back to your side know it should only anger those of us in Cleveland more to see how you're now but toying with our emotions. The same emotions that were left shattered seemingly without any regard or respect as a result of "The Decision". And worse yet, it appears you're doing this now, at least in part, to also satiate your own emotions of no longer wanting to play the part of the villain that you alone cast yourself as. A motivation of being the good guy again that you repeatedly made clear at the beginning of the year.

This recent ploy won't likely further anger Cleveland fans however; and it's healthy that it doesn't. But you shouldn't PR stunt Cleveland for this gain, and more voices in sports and their fans should call you out for this glaring mistake you've made. And be certain that saying these things now is without question a mistake. Even if only because you're under contract in Miami for at least two more full seasons. A place you of free will, and agency, chose to be.

So how about this, Lebron, how about you just keep quiet and play only the game of basketball for the first time in a long time. Try to make this your goal like other champions have and improve your focus and your game, instead of but trying to improve your image. You might recall that many with hardware in their possession have already taught you this lesson by example, guys named Duncan, Ginóbili, Parker, Allen, Pierce, Garnett, Kidd and Dirk. Even Kobe gave you a few lessons on the subject even though you haven't yet lost a title to him.

But no, so far it appears you're deciding to play the role of A-Rod and focusing on your image's damage control over that of playing the part of your proclaimed role model in Michael Jordan. And it's yet another mistake that you seem all too capable of whenever you talk without any action to back it up. So how about for now you stop these media games and just play the game you say you love. In fact, play letting only your game and your devotion to it be what speaks for you. And as you do, remember, you play for the Miami Heat these days, and no one in Cleveland ever did anything to force you in making that decision.

Go Cavs.

-Mike James

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