Blog #8: An Open Letter To the Self-Glossed King

Jeff Schwartz

Blog #8: An Open Letter To the Self-Glossed King

July 9, 2010

Note: All comments in this topic are from me, Jeff Schwartz. I refuse to hide my honest feelings, beliefs, and anger toward someone who would proclaim themselves to be so much of a positive influence on people and stab us in the back. May every word of the song Pray For You be done unto the gutless coward I wrote about in the below writing.

Dear Gloria’s Child,

In life as a Cleveland Sports Fan there have been many wonderful memories. For me, none more valuable than seeing you hug Zydrunas Ilgauskas upon clinching the Eastern Conference Championship in 2007 while sharing a room with my family. There was the 2007 Cleveland Browns entire season, and the 1995-1999 Indians who did things on the field better than you ever did on the court, as a team. When you and “your team” (as you called them multiple times) lost, in embarrassing fashion, we still had your back. We the fans still wore your jersey, wore your t-shirts, and proudly proclaimed to be “witnesses.” It meant so much to us, as people to see one of our own succeed in the manner that you had. You represented all that was right with Ohio and the great cities of Cleveland and Akron. What a wonderful marketing ploy you had to bilk of us, of our hopes, dreams, and self-pride.

Never did I believe until earlier this summer that Dwayne Wade’s bitch would in fact be the self-glossed Chosen One. Your callous, and offensive televised back stabbing on the Evil Sports Programming Network was par for the course with them. You showed exactly what I had suspected, you’ve got no heart, no self-respect, and you don’t appreciate where you came from. “What we do in life echoes in eternity.” Just as the Cleveland Cavaliers video pitch to you had stated, you’ve ruined your reputation in your former home. Your businesses, which have your money invested, will tank, and your family will no longer be welcomed or given the extreme treatment they’ve become used to.

When your mother Gloria James is arrested again for drunk and disorderly conduct and the police find her to be in possession of illegal narcotics there will be no more free passes. When people see the King of AK license plate on your Mercedes, speeding down I-90 there will be no more get out of jail free cards. When you come back to Quicken Loans Arena you will not be greeted with an ovation fit for a self-appointed king.

I once heard you describe yourself as a “true warrior.” At this moment, there could not be a less appropriate self-gloss. A true warrior does not desert the people who sustain him. A true warrior does not leave home, while sacrificing others including his own family to inflate his own self-worth. A true warrior does not abandon those in need of the fulfillment of his promises. A true warrior does not self-anoint nicknames like you did. Nobody that I have spoken to has ever heard of a king who abandoned his kingdom.

When Dan Gilbert wrote that letter blasting you and ripping you down from your self-created perch I was proud. To see someone make it their own mission in life to harm your career made me want to go out and do everything in my power to help Dan Gilbert be able to say mission accomplished. While I don’t consider myself to be a country music fan, the lyrics to the song “Pray For You” by Jaron and the Long Road of Love are very, very appropriate for how Dan Gilbert, myself, and the rest of the true Cleveland and Akron Sports community feels.

“ I haven’t been to church since I don’t remember when
Things were goin’ great ‘til they fell apart again
So I listened to the preacher as he told me what to do
He said you can’t go hatin’ others who have done wrong to you
Sometimes we get angry, but we must not condemn
Let the good Lord do His job and you just pray for them

I pray your brakes go out runnin’ down a hill
I pray a flowerpot falls from a window sill and knocks you in the head like I’d like to
I pray your birthday comes and nobody calls
I pray you’re flyin’ high when your engine stalls
I pray all your dreams never come true
Just know where ever you are honey, I pray for you

I’m really glad I found my way to church
‘Cause I’m already feelin’ better and I thank God for the words
Yeah I’m goin’to take the high road
And do what the preacher told me to do
You keep messin’ up and I’ll keep prayin’ for you
I pray your tire blows out at 110
I pray you pass out drunk with your best friend and wake up with his and her tattoos

I pray your brakes go out runnin’ down a hill
I pray a flowerpot falls from a window sill and knocks you in the head like I’d like to
I pray your birthday comes and nobody calls
I pray you’re flyin’ high when your engine stalls
I pray all your dreams never come true
Just know wherever you are, near or far, in your house or in your car,
wherever you are honey, I pray for you.”

“He is the happiest, be he king or peasant, who finds peace in his home." This will be the last time I type or say the name LeBron James. LeBron, I’m not a religious man nor am I someone who prays often. But the words of that song echo how everyone is feeling right now. You’ve replaced Art Modell as the target of our rage. So in one regard, you have accomplished the impossible. Gloria’s Son, you stole our heart as a high schooler. You nurtured us as a fan-base for seven years. You took our hearts last night, and held them up high as can be for the entire world to see. Then you stabbed us in the heart, in an act of cowardice not seen in sports ever. You’ve become our number one villain. Fortunately that nickname’s taken so you can’t self-gloss that for yourself.

Sincerely,

Jeff Schwartz, Man of the People