If you thought the widespread hate for LeBron James was just germane to the basketball world, guess again. It has apparently seeped into other sports as well, namely baseball. A few nights ago at Progressive Field in Cleveland, the hometown Indians were hosting the New York Yankees. There were more fans at this game than usual because many were on hand in attempt to witness Alex Rodriguez hit his 600th career homerun. Low and behold, one of those fans had on a LeBron James jersey. A Miami Heat LeBron James jersey. Honestly. I can’t make this stuff up. And to make the scene even more surreal, sprinkled among the crowd were a few fans sporting Chicago Cubs hats, as if the spectacle needed any more layers of incongruity.
I’m not sure what this guy was thinking wearing that jersey in Cleveland, and at a sporting event. I’m not going to say he’s crazy. I’ll give him the benefit of the doubt and just assume that he doesn’t own a television and isn’t sure what is going on. Hey, this is a tough economy. That has to be it.
Each time Rodriguez came to bat, people would race to the left field bleachers to try to catch his potentially historic homerun ball. This gentleman was sitting somewhere in that vicinity, meaning he was in the most densely populated part of the park. When the Cleveland faithful (who actually cried when LeBron announced that he was “taking his talents to South Beach”, as if they were at a Michael Jackson concert or something) saw this guy in that jersey, it was on. During the sixth inning, hundreds of fans chanted obscenities and were pointing at this guy in hopes that others would see him, join in and fuel their fire.
Apparently fearing for the safety of this man (or probably out of an act of sheer disbelief), security escorted this man and his female companion out of the ballpark. As he was leaving, rabid Cleveland fans followed him to continue to verbal onslaught. Allegedly, these fans threw things at them as they were leaving for good measure. It’s only right, because reports say that he was purposely holding up his jersey to the crowd, in a taunting manner, as he was leaving.
I was not at this game, nor am I from Cleveland or have a vested interest in LeBron’s departure from the city, but I can certainly understand where they’re coming from. That had to have been the least thought out thing I can remember in a long time. This guy obviously woke up that morning and said, “I feel like pissing a lot of people off today.” That’s the only logical conclusion I can come to. I know he doesn’t own a TV, but you at least would’ve thought he read a paper or something. But, he definitely achieved his objective. He received the reaction he was seeking because there’s no way he thought that would be accepted.
It’s almost reminiscent of when LeBron himself attended a Tribe game in Cleveland and wore a Yankee hat…in a game against the Yankees. Cleveland was up in arms then too, but LeBron didn’t really understand what the big deal was. They didn’t really taunt LeBron and they definitely didn’t throw anything at him, but it rubbed people the wrong way. At first I didn’t make that much of it either because the Yankee hat has largely become a fashion statement. But then James said, in his defense, that he’s actually a Yankee fan. Fair game then, I guess.
If this no-name guy was vilified for being in Cleveland with a LeBron Heat jersey on, can you imagine the first time LeBron returns to Cleveland wearing a LeBron Heat jersey? Guaranteed to be ugly.
If you’re looking for your everyday, predictable basketball talk, then go somewhere else, because Kevin Burke of The Kevin Burke Project brings provocative, thought provoking content about basketball as only he can. Kevin also hosts The Hoop Doctors weekly podcast show, which you can subscribe too for free on iTunes.
