Before everyone threw a fit over where you would
play basketball, I was a man from Western Oregon. I liked you as a player. I
mean what wasn’t to like? 16 points in 2 minutes is still the best thing on YouTube.
After you announced you were taking your talents
to South Beach, the sports world exploded. I felt an instant urge to defend
your decision. People were SO mad about something that just wasn’t that big of
a deal. Then that press conference after. I always said it takes 8 years to win
8 rings, so just wait and see.
Right away it
felt like you and I against the world. I have never defended someone I didn’t know
from so much merciless and outrageous hatred in all my life. I knew you were so
much more than a TV show (that generated 2 million dollars for the Boys n Girls
Club). You didn’t train dogs to murder each other, or cheat on your wife, or
kill a kid driving drunk. You just got a new job, a better job, in a WAY better
city. Who doesn’t want that for themselves? After Dallas I listed to that terrible joke about getting
75 cents change on the dollar because of no 4th quarter. And when
you said tomorrow everyone gets to go back to their shitty lives, and you get
to keep being LeBron James, I said, “He is right though. His tomorrow will be
pretty rad.” I bought by LeBron jersey the next day.
And then, a year later in 2012, we did it. Remember how
happy we were on this day?
Yeah that was pretty great. Just a short year later we were there again.
Sure I was downstairs for Ray Ray’s big shot because I was throwing a fit,
but I still saw it on the downstairs TV.. LIVE. So I still saw it. I didn’t leave
early.. I just got a little bit closer to the exit.
We did it. Again. 2 time World champions of the world!
We did it. Again. 2 time World champions of the world!
Remember how happy we were? Man I have loved this team so hard. Money Maker Mike, Ray Ray, Birdman, CB, Rio, Battier, UD, ICE COLE.. SPO. All of you. I felt so invested. And I loved it. I loved it all.
But now you're going home- To family. Home to where
they love you. The whole world is happy with you once again.
You don’t need me anymore. I went home once and to be honest it’s been pretty good. I’ve been to 31 straight home Duck games (remember I was like 40 yards from you for the USC game you came to. I yelled to you but you acted like you couldn’t hear me. Probably couldn’t), and 2 BCS bowls including the Natty since I moved home. I couldn’t have done that from Denver or Portland.
It’s been a great ride and I wouldn’t change a
thing. I think now it’s time we went our separate ways. We learned a lot from each other, and I will always hold a
special place in my heart for you. I will root you on from afar. I just
cant get this close again, and I don't think you need me that close anymore.
Good luck, friend. PS
I promise I will never pay for Gatorade again after that Finals game 1 debacle. I havent for 5 weeks, and I wont for 50 more years. Not now, not never.
Andrew Clayton
