In the middle of Tower City at the peak of lunchtime, kids from elementary to high school showed off their moves with spins and kicks. Boys and girls rocking out to the Footloose soundtrack song “Holding Out For a Hero” draw a better crowd than a video of Tim Misny and Gov. Strickland singing to the tune of “We Are the World.” And they might have a better chance at winning over LeBron.
The 200-plus kids are from the Akron and Cleveland Boys and Girls Clubs — organizations LeBron is involved with. Their surprise dance event, a take-off on the phenomenon of “flash mobs,” was organized by Fans For LeBron, a committee of Greater Clevelanders who think the town’s best chance of convincing the Cavs star to re-sign is to support his favorite causes. Their “More Than A Player” billboards and website aim to convince James’ fans to come out for his King For Kids Bike-a-thon August 7 in downtown Akron.
The kids woke up early this morning to learn the choreography from Tracey and Jonathan Webb of Shaker Dance Academy.
“LeBron is a nice person, and I love him to death,” says 16-year-old dancer Phylecia Nixon, who says she watches him play all the time.
Are we coddling LeBron James, trying too hard to get him to re-sign with the Cavs? Jim Rome thinks so. The radio host says the city's embarrassed itself with the new "Please Stay, LeBron" video -- and ruined our chance to keep the NBA MVP.
Look, Cleveland; I’m not here to pile on. I’m on your side. I want the guy to be there. ... But dropping some crazy, cheesy, embarrassing video with a few politicians, a weatherman and a Real Worlder begging him to stay is going to push him over the edge. And if he hadn’t decided already, he has now; he’s gone.
LeBron is like the hottest girl in the school; if you’re to have any shot, you have to step to her with confidence and swagger and own it. You roll up on her like that, all beaten down, and begging and she will crush you.
Lebron's biographer, Buzz Bissinger, says LeBron is "too loved," "too coddled," and "too easily forgiven" in Cleveland. In an op-ed in today's New York Times, he argues that LeBron needs to leave for New York to grow. He points to the debacle that was Game 5 against the Celtics:
In missing 11 of the 14 shots he took, he simply looked as if he had given up, astounding not only for James but for any professional athlete competing at the level of the playoffs. It was inexcusable, whatever the circumstance.
In a place like New York, the tabloids would have screamed “LeBomb James!” In Cleveland, there were a few boos, but they amounted to nothing compared to the desperation of the fans to keep him for next season and beyond. In such an atmosphere, human nature inevitably takes over: you stop constantly pushing yourself because there is no real incentive...
No one in Cleveland talks like this. We assume LeBron wants a championship as badly as the city does, and we figure that's motivation enough. Does LeBron need someone to challenge him? A tougher coach? An entire city?
Or an owner? I wonder what Dan Gilbert will say to LeBron as free-agent negotiations near: Only what LeBron wants to hear, or some version of his challenge to the team after Game 5?
Our entire franchise has done everything in its power to put all of our players and its coaching staff in the best possible position to execute when it counts. And to deliver to the highly supportive fans of Cleveland a proud, intense, impassioned all-out drive to achieve a championship. The last two home playoff losses and the manner in which we lost these games does not come close to being anywhere near the high expectations all of us have of our organization. Our fans and supporters deserve more.
