“I am a Witness”

Nike’s advertising slogan for superstar Lebron James is designed to promote the historical significance of watching his each and every move.  The reality of this practice, however, has hit James this week as his presence on the Dallas Cowboys’ sideline prior to their matchup in Cleveland on Sunday has fans and media complaining once againt that Bron-Bron should embrace the Cleveland area teams or none at all (He’s also a very outspoken Yankees fan).

AP Photo/Mark Duncan

Why is it so important to sports fans that our teams’ players support their local athletic comrades?

As I see it, sports fans place on their local players a greater responsibility than what can be read in a box score.  In the same way that an athletic department represents a university, athletes can be the seen as the biggest ambassadors for a city.  Is Lebron doing this job well?  No.

Is there a childhood exemption regarding Lebron’s teams of choice?  Well, I’m not sure who his father rooted for but James grew up in Akron, Ohio making the Cleveland teams the geographical choice.

The result?  Cleveland fans have all but given up hope that King James will be in a Caviliers jersey after the ‘09-’10 season.  It’s been assumed that he would join his buddy Jay-Z in attempting to rebuild the New Jersey Nets and James’ refusal to support the Indians or Browns confirms his short term mindset regarding his stay in Cleveland.

Drew Carey

It’s got to be upsetting when you have Lebron James as an option but are left with your city’s greatest representative being this guy.