Cavalier Owner's Open Letter Ripping LJ

Dan Gilbert's open letter to fans: James' decision a 'cowardly betrayal' and owner promises a title before Heat

Published: Thursday, July 08, 2010, 11:34 PM Plain Dealer staff and wire reports



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 homegrown "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 Gilbert
Majority Owner
Cleveland Cavaliers

This guy is disllusional,he should have kept his moth shut,I've never liked him for the way he treated Paul Silas at the end......poor little rich guy doesn't like it when all his money can't fulllfill his hoopsdreams.Players control the game and deservedly so not rich A-Holes with money.I don't really give 2 shits where Lebron went and bad as he may have been,this owner showing his true whining colors is coming off worse IMHO.

This letter was a get out of jail free card for LeBron.
The head of the Cavs PR Dept needs to be fired immediately.
The letter is almost beyond words to comment on it.

tjmakz wrote:This letter was a get out of jail free card for LeBron.
The head of the Cavs PR Dept needs to be fired immediately.
The letter is almost beyond words to comment on it.

glad we agree on something

Totally classless

So, Dan, how do you really feel about this?

you had 7 years to build a team around the top talent,best player in the league......whats the best your management did?one one-time all star in Mo Williams,I woulda left too.He left in the wrong way,but if he wants to play with his buddies in a better situation,you and your management team created the WRONG situation.No Pippen,no McHale/Parish,no Kareem/Worthy,7 years no stud player at any position.....he was overworked and had to do everything every night.

This letter must be a hoax or else it proves either the Cav's owner inherited all his money or is on drugs...or both.

Folks,

First of all Dan Gilbert is a self made $illionaire. Quicken Loans is his company which he started from scratch which is a publicly traded firm.

Second, he has been a majority owner for 5 years not 7.

Third, the guy spent money on bringing a championship to Cleveland. He may not have had in place the best GM or coach to get him a championship. But that's not his fault. That is the fault of the head of basketball operations. If everyone remembers they did get to the finals in 2007 and they lost in the Eastern Finals to Orlando last year. Hey it happens even to the best teams like New york Knick's in the 1990's and the Laker's in the 1960's.

Gilbert cannot lace up sneakers and play for these guys, so what do you want from him. They had teams that he produced that were on the verge of winning it all.

LJ is a one on one player and cannot play team ball, end of debate. He looks lost out there and out of sync when he tries. So if you are putting the blame on Gilbert, put equal blame on James as well. In big games James may throw up stats that may on paper appear great but in reality he did not do the little things that are required to win tight games. James does not make his teammates better, a'la Wilt Chamberlain. That was the difference between him and Russell. James like Wilt, got that big old fat ego to feed!

Fourth, we do not know what went down behind the scenes between James and Gilbert, James and coaching staff, and James and teammates. I can tell you that something was going down with James in the series against the Celtics and I can say that he made it very obvious that he threw a couple of games. Look at his play, look at his body language, look at the number of shots taken, look!

His play in the finals and beyond with his non communication with Cleveland's management lead me to believe that this move has been decided long, long time ago in the Olympic "Lov'in" with Wade and Bosh. Go look at the actions that Miami took to basically slash and burn payroll and players to clear big cap room. Why would a team gut itself to a point that it would have left themselves a third or fourth rate team unless some how they knew that Bosh and James were in the works.

Did James have the right to go else where....Yes! But it was the way he left.......which was classless! Forget Gilbert, it was the factory worker, the little kids buying his crap merchandise that put $illions in his pocket that he owed a better goodbye. But no we had to have a 1 hour sitcom of this Ass talking about where he was going and basically spitting in the eye of Cleveland fans that gave James soooooo much.

You are going to leave, fine release a press statement and let the hurt fade and sometime in a month or so hold a press conference in Miami to explain why he left Cleveland. But no, lets jab Cleveland fans in the eye and while we are at, it let's throw some salt in their eye as well!!!!

LJ, as a fan of basketball, I only wish you the worst of luck in basketball, business, family and life for the rest of your life and may you never satisfy you ultimate ego dream of winning a championship!

Get rid of this BUM!

112288

James left in a dumb overhyped way,never seen anything like it,but I was impressed with his knowledge of history of game when he spoke.I think LBJ can make people better,much better and is a workhorse.He never had the pieces for the ultimate playoff run,just regular season.Even the style of play of his teams last few years was terrible to watch,was 1 on 5 with him doing everything.No superstar can do it on his own,as bad as LBJ's choice for venue of leaving was Gilberts tirade was worse,hes self made so what?Its a players league and all his money can't buy a championship and the team he and his handpicked management team built sucked other than LBJ,who on strictly a basketball level should be given credit for carrying that flawed roster as far as he took it last few years.I actually am on the side of the players in this new era,for years and years were at the mercy of team that drafted you and GM's and owners,now with the cap and rules,if a player is willing to play out his contract and take a chance,now they can dictate where and who they play with.Does anyone think any of these owners would care if they weren't the gifted that they are-no way,so if winning is that important to them,glad they can somewhat have an opportunity to make best of their situation.Lebron deserved in his mind to have that opportunity to play with great players since the Cavs basically couldn't provide him with that.

Cow,

Got to disagree with you. James has not made any of his players better. As for 5 on 1, that's the way Mr Ego wanted it! All the plays were drawn around him and he hurt his teammates by that. It throws their own timing off like Mr selfish himself Kobe Bryant did during several of the finals games which the announcers talked about that very subject I am pointing out now.

Second, Gilbert took over as Managing Owner 5 years ago. It takes several years to assess management and from all indications they were going in the right direction. Hey how many people were throwing Danny and Doc under the bus just a mere 4 years ago, now they look like Einstein's!

Again, not saying he had a right not to go. It was they way he did it and they way Gilbert reacted with so much passion, I believe there was something going down with James and Cleveland. Based on his emotional reaction, I believe Gilbert and the organization were very good to James, perhaps too good. It was the way he left which bothered me. If he felt any compassion for Cleveland he would have done a sign and trade to help the team and its fans get something, and move on with his life. No he just stuck it to the fans and I hope fans stick it to him by not buying his sneakers or clothing.The guys a phony!

112288

112288

Hi,
IMO. Do you know who's yelling 'Catch the thief' the loudest? The thief himself.
Please read Adrian W. article, especially the part about Gilbert.

AK

112288
Well where he was planning on going,I don't see any pieces Cavs would want.I agree he left in a terrible bad way,but Gilberts letter was so bad,he himself just sent his franchise back even further,its a players league more than ever now,what FA will want to go there and lose his street cred and be dissed by the fraternity of players?Cavs made stupid moves overpaying Verajo,acquiring Jamison at 34 with too many more years left.They would have been better off playing JJ Hickson and Verajo those minutes,as Jamison can't defend,was alot that management should have done better.LBJ is a gifted passer,his PG wasn't,with the right pieces he has tools to make others much better.In 07 what other player carries that team to Finals?
cow

LBJ is a great playe,r but he handled his departure without any class. Dan Gilbert we find out is a self-made millionaire, so then to write the letter he did he must be on drugs. NO ONE can guarantee an NBA championship, and to say the Cavs would get one before LBJ is crazy. Yes, he was speaking out of anger and grief. That's his excuse,. Too bad he didn't know the old Chinese proverb: "Never write a letter in anger or make a promise when experiencing too much joy."

Cow,

If Lebron really knew the history of the game, he would not have changed his number from 23 (allegedly trying to retire Michael Jordan's number league-wide) and switching it to number 6.

IF the Heat win the Championship and IF he wins the MVP award, I'd love for Bill Russell to hand The Bill Russell Award to him wearing his old Celtic #6 jersey, or have Dr. J do it for him.

Not gonna happen, of course, but I'd love to see it. It'd serve the Little Prince right.

bob

.

It shows with stark clarity how dead ass broken the whole thing was. epic mackin dysfunction with a 360 view...the only guys who kept their soul were fired or stepped down. An enabling hamster wheel that runs so fast it could power Manhattan.

Both parties can use this experience to learn and grow...if they choose to.

tjmakz wrote:This letter was a get out of jail free card for LeBron.
The head of the Cavs PR Dept needs to be fired immediately.
The letter is almost beyond words to comment on it.

While I agree the letter is childish and petty - I actually think it is a BRILLIANT piece of PR.

Dan Gilbert just shifted the blame away from him and Danny Ferry and their inability to surround Lebron with championship caliber talent - to Lebron being a trader, rallying all of Ohio in a united front against their former king.

Now he can capitalize on this new strategy - of winning it before Miami does - anti James shirts and hats - and help Cleveland to rebound with an us against the world promotional strategy.

Immature and classless move on his part - YES. But it is a brilliant PR and Marketing move. Cavs have nothing else to offer than a "Lebron did us wrong" strategy...and this is only step one.

jeb65 wrote:
It shows with stark clarity how dead ass broken the whole thing was. epic mackin dysfunction with a 360 view...the only guys who kept their soul were fired or stepped down. An enabling hamster wheel that runs so fast it could power Manhattan.

Both parties can use this experience to learn and grow...if they choose to.

jeb,

and the odds of that are...?

stupid as stupid does for a reason.

bob

.

bad odds Bob but I am a big believer in growth and redemption. But what I see tells me that everybody in the equation is looking outside of themselves to BLAME someone and that is a hell of a bad start.

You have a point, Mrkleen. Yesterday, the Boston sports talk shows were talking about the interesting dynamic that is now making Gilbert a fan hero and Lebron the fan villain. One has to believe that Gilbert and/or his advisors realized that some bland, high road statement wouldn't have sufficient impact, leaving fans ambivalent. As gross as his statement was, it probably came very close to identifying perfect with fan opinion.

Ironically, despite his boast about winning a title before the Heat does, that very statement now paves the way for fans to cut him plenty of slack if he fails. He's earned the trust that he will fall all over himself trying to do his level best to bring excellence to Cleveland. The real unknown is how long the fans will be willing to remain under his "spell."

Sam

Pumpsie Green wrote:Totally classless

Exactly.

Cow,

The Cleveland and Miami worked a sign and trade where Cleveland gets 2x first rounders and 2x second rounders. So at least they got something back in return.

112288

Sinus,

Who took the biggest risk. Gilbert by investing $$$$illions to buy a franchise with no financial guarantee especially in a small market city, or James who got a guarantee $$$$$$illion dollar contract and had the team spend millions on promoting his name. Sounds like the thief was King Shame who took all the free advertising an guarantee contract.

112288

112288 and Cow,

I believe that the Heat sent four first-round picks to the combination of the Cavs and the Wolves. If Miami becomes the juggernaut people seem to expect, those picks may not be worth a whole lot. Given the fact that a team can't trade away a first-round pick two years in a row, the Heat could be without a first-round pick every second year until these three guys have retired. They'd better depend on great health among three guys they'll be riding much of the time.

Sam