Another open letter to Cavaliers fans

In the wake of LeBron James' decision to play ball in Miami next year, Cleveland Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert launched into a vitriolic rage. Only, he did it in an open letter to Cavaliers fans . . . and everyone else in the world.

It is arguably the best use of the written word in years. It is also arguably the best case study of sober drunk-dialing gone awry.

You have to admire Gilbert's work here, regardless of whether or not you agree. It was the equivalent of Darth Vader choking out one of his subordinates from across the room.

Clevelanders predictably went wild last night in the streets, burning LeBron James jerseys. But that's not enough of a statement, not in our current state of pop culture. Turn on CNN International or Al-Jazeera or CNN proper, count to 15 and you'll see wild protest in the streets.

No, Cleveland, you need something bigger than that. So, we present "Another open letter to Cavaliers Fans."

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Dear Cleveland, All Of Northeast Ohio and Cleveland Cavaliers Supporters Wherever You May Be Tonight,

If you really want to express your dismay over LeBron James playing out the length of his contracts with the team, do not burn his jerseys in the streets. You spent your hard-earned Midwestern money on them.

Rather, hold on to those jerseys. Save them for Miami's first trip to Cleveland and The Q. Come to the arena, bring your signs, your jerseys and your anger, but do not go in. Take a stand, fans.

Express your disgust by not going into the arena to watch the game. That will send more of a message than any soundbyte of some fan crying and screaming and mocking LeBron on TV can ever do.

Show the guts you think your "former hero" lacked. Will you really be satisfied by sitting in your seat several hundred feet away from the court and cursing? Think LeBron can hear you? I personally guarantee that he'll hear an empty arena. So will the rest of America.

Cleveland, you already own "The Shot," "The Fumble," "The Drive " and now "The Decision." None of them are admirable monikers. But if you add "The Boycott" to that list, Cleveland becomes a big-market team for a night.

Mark La Monica
Blogger
Pet Rock