Lebron James: Court Jester......

After watching the public relations disaster, known as Lebron James, all I can say is: the only thing missing from this man's entourage is a barking dog and a few more stagehands. Despite prior attempts to come across as a "man of the people", Lebron James, with ample help from ESPN, now embodies everything that is wrong with professional sports. Leaving the Cleveland Cavaliers is not an effront to NBA fans but the manner in which this whole process was conducted lacked class.

Billion Dollar Brand. Throughout this whole circus several things became apparent. Lebron James (again with the help of ESPN, his handlers, etc.) was hellbent on making this summer all about him and increasing his worldwide celebrity. While one can certainly fathom the importance of the business decision, the pre-packaged, mass produced "Lebron watch", far eclipsed anything the sports world has ever seen. At times throughout this prolonged ordeal, this appeared to resemble a social media experiment gone wrong. While other NBA stars around him were reserved and humble (specifically Kevin Durant), Lebron's media frenzy was about as subtle as a street hooker at a wedding.

After weeks of keeping people on the edge of their seats, rumors started flying as to where Lebron was seen and who he was with. Again, Lebron said nothing he just pulled the strings like a puppetmaster and allowed this nonsense to unfold at a fever pitch. The media acted accordingly and sports fans couldn't get enough of the rumors that were swirling. Unfortunately for team Lebron, the mixed signals that were sent out led many fans and teams to believe that they were, for a lack of a better term, being "jerked around". As a result, by the time the decision was announced after 9:20 pm est, most people already knew Lebron was headed to Miami.

Boat Shoes. What was more ridiculous- Lebron's goofy boat shoes or the fact that ESPN was broadcasting from a Boys and Girls Club in Greenwich, Conn.? Seriously, the Boys and Girls Club is a Fantastic organization and for Lebron's fervent support, I commend him. However, Greenwich is hardly synonomous with underpriveleged youth. Could not ESPN and Team Lebron have picked a different venue closer to ESPN corporate headquarters in Bristol? Furthermore, Knick fans felt slighted by the fact that Lebron chose a venue so close to their practice facility to announce he is going to play for a division rival.

Poorly Handled. Whatever lipstick Lebron and Company choose to put on this pig, it will fall short. While I believe his decision to join a "dream team" during his prime years is puzzling, in relation to greats such as : jordan, Kobe, Duncan, etc., it certainly is his right. However, what does this say about Lebron? Does Lebron want a championship by any means necessary even if it means being Dwayne Wade's sidekick? While he may be the bigger marketing machine, this city and team is Dwayne Wade's. Again, going to the Heat is no crime, however the manner in which this process unfolded leaves many, including myself, with a bad taste in our mouth.

When Michael Jordan announced his return to the NBA he did so with a brief statement. Other megastars handled their negotiations in a more discreet fashion. Lebron made his bed and now must deal with the consequences. While ratings were through the roof, this process resembled a reality show, where the main draw basically said "I will do anything for publicity and my end game involves prostituting my brand for every last dollar". Ask yourself this: what other star athlete would have conducted a similar process? Could you really see Kobe Bryant, Derek Jeter, Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, (not to mention former NBA greats), going through with this over the top ESPN special? PT Barnum said it best "there's a sucker born every minute". During this drawn out process the fans were left feeling like PT Barnums stagehands.