NBA / Jul 8, 2010 / 11:52 pm

The Craziest Thing You’ll Read All Week (Courtesty Of Dan Gilbert)

Let’s be honest. We all get upset. But this is just a bit over the top. After LeBron James decided to head to Miami, Cavs Majority Owner Dan Gilbert decided to write an “Open Letter to Fans.” This may go down as famous as the Desiderata. Read the letter in its entirety after the jump.

Dear Cleveland, All Of Northeast Ohio and Cleveland Cavaliers Supporters Wherever You May Be Tonight;

As you now know, our former hero, who grew up in the very region that he deserted this evening, is no longer a Cleveland Cavalier.

This was announced with a several day, narcissistic, self-promotional build-up culminating with a national TV special of his “decision” unlike anything ever “witnessed” in the history of sports and probably the history of entertainment.

Clearly, this is bitterly disappointing to all of us.

The good news is that the ownership team and the rest of the hard-working, loyal, and driven staff over here at your hometown Cavaliers have not betrayed you nor NEVER will betray you.

There is so much more to tell you about the events of the recent past and our more than exciting future. Over the next several days and weeks, we will be communicating much of that to you.

You simply don’t deserve this kind of cowardly betrayal.

You have given so much and deserve so much more.

In the meantime, I want to make one statement to you tonight:

“I PERSONALLY GUARANTEE THAT THE CLEVELAND CAVALIERS WILL WIN AN NBA CHAMPIONSHIP BEFORE THE SELF-TITLED FORMER ‘KING’ WINS ONE”

You can take it to the bank.

If you thought we were motivated before tonight to bring the hardware to Cleveland, I can tell you that this shameful display of selfishness and betrayal by one of our very own has shifted our “motivation” to previously unknown and previously never experienced levels.

Some people think they should go to heaven but NOT have to die to get there.

Sorry, but that’s simply not how it works.

This shocking act of disloyalty from our home grown “chosen one” sends the exact opposite lesson of what we would want our children to learn. And “who” we would want them to grow-up to become.

But the good news is that this heartless and callous action can only serve as the antidote to the so-called “curse” on Cleveland, Ohio.

The self-declared former “King” will be taking the “curse” with him down south. And until he does “right” by Cleveland and Ohio, James (and the town where he plays) will unfortunately own this dreaded spell and bad karma.

Just watch.

Sleep well, Cleveland.

Tomorrow is a new and much brighter day….

I PROMISE you that our energy, focus, capital, knowledge and experience will be directed at one thing and one thing only:

DELIVERING YOU the championship you have long deserved and is long overdue….

Dan Gilbert
Majority Owner
Cleveland Cavaliers

Wow.

What do you think?

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  • http://www.nba.com smoove chips

    everybody would agree,he was leaving.its how he left that’s totally fd up.
    can you picture swiss beatz saying this to mashonda
    ‘look hun,id didn’t work out coz we argue all the time.your cooking was horrible ,the sex was mmehh,and you bit my piece everytime you went down’.infront of her mom or siblings.
    the fact that you were leaving was bad enough for her. Your next action would be first aid to all the ninja cuts you’d leave in you’re wake.because the whole time you’d be thinking of alicia keys bomb ass head,after the great meal during which she agrees with everything you say.
    and given cleveland history even more tact was necessary.i totally understand this.

  • http://www.nba.com smoove chips

    @ basketball spew
    on point with hov.he had to leave to go places.agreed.cant hate on that.

    @ dime
    nah the craziest thing I’ll read will be leMoms tell all book..somehow I have a feeling dan’s name comes up in a kinky ass way,which might explain the hour long special for something he coula tweeted lol!

    LAL all day bwoii !!!

  • OneZero

    @Jay

    I still don’t understand why LeBron is being killed by media/fans for leaving Cleveland

    LeBron probably shouldn’t have made that hour long special and probably should have just announced his decision like a normal player, but a player ALWAYS has the right to leave a team; especially one that can’t win a title. Lebron made the best BASKETBALL decision and I must say I respect him for that. It’s finally something that proves that he’s more about winning than money/fame.

    ———-

    thats the reason right there, not probably, but absolutely shouldnt make that one hour announcement. He has the right to ditch Cavs but to do it like this is totally ridiculous.

  • Swedish Mooze

    LeBron showed he’s an egomaniac with this TV show… Dan Gilbert just showed that he has no class.

    Let’s be clear… LeBron has put a TON of money is Gilbert’s pockets for 7 years with full arenas, jersey sales, TV advertising, etc… and this decision affects Gilbert by reducing the value of his franchise as much as 50%… Cleveland fans should run Gilbert out of town for this…

  • Swedish Mooze

    Henry Abbott from TrueHoops summed it up best… “With one stroke of the pen, the jilted Cavaliers’ owner has done James the most extraordinary public relations favor imaginable, by ripping the “villain of the night” trophy right out of James’ hands. ”

    I can’t get over how unbelievably unprofessional and greedy Gilbert’s comments are…

  • LOQUent

    From this moment on Hate/Haters should be substituted with Cleveland/Gilbert because they just hit mutant hate levels there lol.

    I think the Gilbert should be punished by the league for such a childishly unprofessional letter and if a NBA player did that it Stern would have already done something. You can’t expect these young guys to be held to standards that the owners, grown ass men, can’t be held to.

    Personally I’m glad it’s over so I can go back to paying attention to what Joe D. pulls off for my Pistons.

  • schoops

    It’s not that Lebron left, it’s how he left. He could not have been a bigger douche throughout this process. Michael Jordan came back from retirement with a fax that read “I’m back.” Lebron took an hour long special to say he’s going to the best team in the nicest location. Ok you ego driven dick, just say it and get it over with.

    Oh well. I had been a Lebron defender for a long time, not anymore. Bron is just a self centered D-bag like all those other NBA stars you end up disliking (marbury, francise, etc)

  • Zeitgeist

    Memo to Dan Gilbert:
    Two words. Chill. Out.

  • Diggity Dave

    He sounds like a scorned woman.

  • K.I.R

    Gilbert – If you xan build a championship team now why could yuo not fro the lsat 3 seasons- dickhead. just sit back and watch your teams stock plummet like the ass you are. How many plyrs/coaches/gms have owners dumped on a whim but this is a big deal

  • Will

    Anyone who doesn’t understand this reaction has clearly not been a fan of Cleveland sports for long. A lot of these posts sound like the product of the modern Stern-ian NBA: marketing and self-image above all else…not all that surprising really. That being said, Gilbert is throwing around a lot of empty promises.

  • TJ

    I don’t like the letter but it is bullshit that a guy, who was losing tens of millions of dollars a year trying to put the best team around Lebron, didn’t get a call until the show was already on.

  • http://deleted Paul

    One conclusion I have come to from reading the responses: People do not have the necessary reading comprehension skills to fully understand what Dan Gilbert was trying to convey in the letter.

  • TR

    Who cares! It’s just a sport and a business. It’s funny when fans get into such things, it’s not like the Cavs or any other professional sports out there care about the fans. What have they done to make fans lives better. Do they cheer when fans win in their lives? Do the teams help them accomplish their financial/retirement goals? It’s an entertainment business no more no less. Are people so disappointed with their lives that they pretend they are on a sports team just to feel like a winner?

  • Phileus

    All I remember is Cavs fans booing LeBron and the Cavs in the playoffs. At that moment, I thought, “They not only deserve to lose the series, they deserve to lose LeBron.” Nicely done, Cavs fans.

  • Phileus

    … that said, this team will never beat a healthy Lakers team in the Finals.

  • http://deleted dagwaller

    Kinda the way I feel about LeBron, too…but Gilbert’s sadly mistaken if he thinks he’s winning a chip anytime soon. Unless he can sign and trade for Kobe, Dirk, and Dwight.

  • lobohobo

    Rich boy lost his best toy that made him millions. What is so low about this is that he’s trying to Jerry Springer the fans to keep sales revenue up!? LBJ and this dickweed deserved each other while it lasted.

  • big T

    Why is everyone saying Lebron should have called Gilbert to tell him personally. You tell me one time when a GM or owner called a player in advance to tell him he’s been traded or cut. Dan Gilbert is the most childish piece of shit I’ve ever seen. This kid gave up money,ppg amongst other things just so he could WIN. I guest you MF’s want him to be like Charles Barkley, great player with no ring doing Taco Bell commercials. Do your thing King.

  • SadSTORY

    Dan gilbert you are f******* loser ive been a cavs fan for so long you freakin idiot hey lebron did you get my text message your a faggot you gave up on our team he is the greatest player to ever wear a cavalier jersey and you get him no help r u serious? Nd now ur crying Lebron as much as i hate to say this thanks for giving cavalier fans the best 7 years well see in this franchise history hopefully you win your rings in Miami and screw you Dan Gilbert you are a failure!!!!!!!!

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