It's been nearly a week since "The Decision" broadcast on TSPN - The Stalking Programming Network - and we know this:
A) Fans tend to be dingbats.
People celebrating in the streets of Miami like coke was just legalized? Or - OK , that was a cheap shot - like models became approachable and remotely intelligent? Or - OK, that was a deserved shot - something actually happened? And people in Northeast Ohio crying?
B) LeBron isn't quite who we thought he was. Turns out he's pretty much like every other stereotypical pro athlete. Now, he's very easy to root against, and now, it's easy to pull for failure for Miami rather than just a lack of success, and there's a difference.
C) ESPN remains embarrassing and often laughable.
LeBron and Co. were the program directors for an hour. Who did what interview when, sponsorship, location. And an hour of Stuart Scott. Ouch.
What a bunch of sellouts.
But we knew that. ESPN has been closer to the Cartoon Network or TFI - TV for Idiots, The Reality Channel - for awhile.
D) Miami is a more desperate city than we thought. Not so glamorous after all.
And the "press conference"/pep rally/infomercial the next day in uniform was somewhat distasteful and a little arrogant as well as silly, making Miami all that more unlikable and almost sad.
E) Dan Gilbert is equally passionate and immature, and not surrounded by either good advisors or advisors he listens to.
The Cavs owner could have been equally as strong in expressing his distaste for the situation without resorting to sounding like a 12-year-old. If LeBron was such a jerk, why was Gilbert surprised?
Gilbert deserved the $100,000 fine for being juvenile and thus making LeBron look better than he should have. He lost points in making his points.
F) Cleveland became the No. 2 or 3 favorite team of NBA fans throughout the country, and Miami will set the record for road sellouts as fans show up to boo The Trio.
Speaking of which, Larry, Curly and Moe comprised a trio, too.
G) This was nowhere near as earth-shaking in the sports world or in NBA history as too many nincomtwits tried to make it, and time will bear that out.
And for all the talk about team, did any of the big three mention any teammates along the way?
H) There will be LBJ's camp, Wade's camp, and those in the middle tired of both sides and the inevitable posturing. For all the hype of superstars, the fifth starter and the bench are as important.
All that said, do not use ink in putting the Heat in the NBA finals or fit them for any rings.
Of course they've talked about stuff, about leadership, about taking over, about letting somebody else take over. And as is usually the case, talk is forgotten on the court.
There is substantially more ego involved in the NBA than the Olympics. To compare how things went in the short term in the Olympics to the NBA and four or five years is absurd. The Olympics is about pride and the NBA about ego. That's why these guys could only handle the Olympics and pride every four years.
This isn't playground ball. Egos are a-plenty.
Chris Bosh - who is not part of, as Wade said, "arguably the best trio to ever play the game of basketball" - will have to pass it out to James or Wade, and don't think every decision won't be scrutinized. And let's watch the reactions of late-game plays in the final month of the season, not the first, when everybody's on their best manners.
ESPN asked a panel how many NBA titles Miami will win in the next four years. The answers: 2, 2, 3.5, 3, 3, 1 or 2 and 2. Wishing and predicting don't make it so, and as I've been saying about whatever team in whatever league, other folks aren't stopping or giving up.
Conversely, to blame James for a lack of a trophy in Cleveland is typical idiotic analysis. For all the genuflecting about Michael Jordan, most people can name about a half-dozen or more players who were huge on a regular basis during the Bulls' run, including Scottie Pippen, Steve Kerr, Bill Cartwright, Horace Grant, John Paxson, Will Perdue (for God's sake), B.J. Armstrong, etc.
Cleveland wasn't as complete, nor as well-coached, as Chicago. And Miami has a guy that almost nobody's heard of as head coach, not that it means he can't coach, but very few on any level have this full a plate of talent and potential trouble.
Winning and losing aren't automatic, no matter what TV twits and blathering bloggers say.
Ask LeBron.
LOUGHDMOUTHINGS
Having grown up an hour from Baltimore and as an Orioles fan - sad, now, I know - it was imperative to hate the Yankees.
Then, as an adult, it was easy because it was all about money and arrogance and Steinbrenner.
Eventually, it was pretty much discovered that George Steinbrenner was schizophrenic: a knee-jerk boss who was one of the first nationally renown micromismanagers and often idiotic, and an extraordinarily generous and observant person away from baseball.
As much as he spent on the Yankees, I'm guessing he gave away that much in scholarships, donations, making up for being a jerk, and just because when it came down to it, he cared.
Just as you can like somebody who doesn't do a good job, somebody can be an jackass on the clock and quality off the clock.
Watching the testimonial makes you wish you'd known the George who lived in Tampa while never coming across the George who ruled in New York. ...
Good get for Mercer and its new radio agreement with Clear Channel.
Broadcasts move to the stronger FM signal from Fox Sports 1670 AM, and will involve women's basketball, baseball and softball.
Still plennnnty of work to do at Mercer to get things respectable across the board, but a more broad radio gig is a quality step. ...
The chant in NBA arenas has changed from "Beat LA" to "Beat the Heat." ...
Yankees fans have lost legendary public address announcer Bob Sheppard and Steinbrenner within two days of each other. Wow. ...
FYI: Miami head coach Erik Spoelstra had never been in that position on any level until he was appointed in April, 2008, as Pat Riley's latest successor. ...
Lead paragraph on ESPN.com: "Terrell Owens says he's concerned teams are swayed by the perception that he's a troublemaker and that's why none have signed the free-agent receiver."
The word "duh" comes to mind. His ridiculousness remains astounding. Somewhere, Donovan McNabb and Tony Romo fell outta their chairs.
A player can be a good player but not a winner. Hello, TO. ...
Tiger continues to be the gift that keeps on giving, as per Mike Bianchi of the Orlando Sentinel:
“Tiger Woods’ ex-coach Hank Haney tells Golf Digest that Tiger didn't return his emails. Hey, Hank, you should've tried sexting him and then I bet he would have replied immediately.”
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