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| The morning after: Miami knows it's better to have LeBron-ed and lost | |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| The Miami Heat and the city’s heartbroken fans were on Saturday facing up to the | The Miami Heat and the city’s heartbroken fans were on Saturday facing up to the |
| reality of life without LeBron James, but a nation expecting a | reality of life without LeBron James, but a nation expecting a |
| repeat of the jersey burning and fuming allegations of betrayal that | repeat of the jersey burning and fuming allegations of betrayal that |
| accompanied his last “decision” have been left wanting. | accompanied his last “decision” have been left wanting. |
| Miami fans are understandably disconsolate, mourning the departure of sporting royalty, but they have so far largely refrained from behaving like scorned lovers. Contrarily, it appears it is better to have LeBron-ed and lost than to have never LeBron-ed at all. | Miami fans are understandably disconsolate, mourning the departure of sporting royalty, but they have so far largely refrained from behaving like scorned lovers. Contrarily, it appears it is better to have LeBron-ed and lost than to have never LeBron-ed at all. |
| James, the NBA's biggest star, shocked Miami | James, the NBA's biggest star, shocked Miami |
| by announcing his decision to return to his hometown Cleveland Cavaliers on | by announcing his decision to return to his hometown Cleveland Cavaliers on |
| Friday, thus ending a run of four straight NBA finals and two championships in | Friday, thus ending a run of four straight NBA finals and two championships in |
| South Beach. | South Beach. |
| However, while there is sorrow in the city | However, while there is sorrow in the city |
| that opened its arms to James in 2010, the overriding emotion is gratitude. | that opened its arms to James in 2010, the overriding emotion is gratitude. |
| There is a realisation from the Heat organisation and the people of the city that Miami was | There is a realisation from the Heat organisation and the people of the city that Miami was |
| privileged to witness an athlete as rare as James in his prime. | privileged to witness an athlete as rare as James in his prime. |
| “Thanks for the memories,” read the caption | “Thanks for the memories,” read the caption |
| on a photo plastered across the Heat’s online channels on Friday, as #ThankYouLeBron | on a photo plastered across the Heat’s online channels on Friday, as #ThankYouLeBron |
| topped the city’s trending topics on Twitter. | topped the city’s trending topics on Twitter. |
| Where in 2010 the Cavaliers owner, Dan Gilbert, famously labelled James's “decision” to leave a “cowardly betrayal”, in a scathing | Where in 2010 the Cavaliers owner, Dan Gilbert, famously labelled James's “decision” to leave a “cowardly betrayal”, in a scathing |
| letter that was only removed from his team’s website last week, there was a decidedly | letter that was only removed from his team’s website last week, there was a decidedly |
| different tone in Miami, a call to “keep it classy”. | different tone in Miami, a call to “keep it classy”. |
| “While I am disappointed by LeBron's | “While I am disappointed by LeBron's |
| decision to leave Miami, no one can fault another person for wanting to return | decision to leave Miami, no one can fault another person for wanting to return |
| home,” wrote president Pat Riley in a statement. | home,” wrote president Pat Riley in a statement. |
| “The last four years have been an | “The last four years have been an |
| incredible run for south Florida, Heat fans, our organisation – and for all of | incredible run for south Florida, Heat fans, our organisation – and for all of |
| the players who were a part of it. LeBron is a fantastic leader, athlete, | the players who were a part of it. LeBron is a fantastic leader, athlete, |
| teammate and person, and we are all sorry to see him go.” | teammate and person, and we are all sorry to see him go.” |
| There is also a real comfort for Heat fans in the | There is also a real comfort for Heat fans in the |
| knowledge that James’ decision was made with the heart, not the head. After a | knowledge that James’ decision was made with the heart, not the head. After a |
| requited, mutually beneficial four years, he just wanted to go home. As Riley | requited, mutually beneficial four years, he just wanted to go home. As Riley |
| said, it’s difficult to fault that. | said, it’s difficult to fault that. |
| Indeed, if any region in the US would | Indeed, if any region in the US would |
| understand the pull of one’s native land, it would be south Florida. The roots of its transplanted populations are almost entirely elsewhere, be it Central and | understand the pull of one’s native land, it would be south Florida. The roots of its transplanted populations are almost entirely elsewhere, be it Central and |
| South America, or the cooler regions of the US to which LeBron has returned. This | South America, or the cooler regions of the US to which LeBron has returned. This |
| is a community that makes no apologies for celebrating the notion of “home”. South | is a community that makes no apologies for celebrating the notion of “home”. South |
| Florida has felt like a mini-Brazil during the World Cup, as each section of | Florida has felt like a mini-Brazil during the World Cup, as each section of |
| the community hosted huge parties to watch their nation’s games. | the community hosted huge parties to watch their nation’s games. |
| Unlike the jilted Cleveland natives of | Unlike the jilted Cleveland natives of |
| 2010, few south Floridians will be burning James’ jerseys. They're more likely | 2010, few south Floridians will be burning James’ jerseys. They're more likely |
| to be framing them. | to be framing them. |
| Before the LeBron era, the last Miami | Before the LeBron era, the last Miami |
| team to win back-to-back championships was Don Shula's Dolphins of 1972 and | team to win back-to-back championships was Don Shula's Dolphins of 1972 and |
| 1973. This area knows it is unlikely to see the likes of LeBron again anytime | 1973. This area knows it is unlikely to see the likes of LeBron again anytime |
| soon. Few will. | soon. Few will. |
| Even the great quarterback Dan Marino, Miami's most | Even the great quarterback Dan Marino, Miami's most |
| fabled sports icon, failed to bring home a championship. King James brought two and | fabled sports icon, failed to bring home a championship. King James brought two and |
| will be revered for years. Someday his No6 jersey will likely hang alongside | will be revered for years. Someday his No6 jersey will likely hang alongside |
| Marino's retired No13 in the Heat’s American Airlines Arena. | Marino's retired No13 in the Heat’s American Airlines Arena. |
| There is no sympathy across the nation for | There is no sympathy across the nation for |
| the much-maligned Heat fans, who hold a place in the national consciousness akin | the much-maligned Heat fans, who hold a place in the national consciousness akin |
| to the New York Yankees or the Dallas Cowboys, but no one in south Florida is | to the New York Yankees or the Dallas Cowboys, but no one in south Florida is |
| asking for a shoulder to cry on either. | asking for a shoulder to cry on either. |
| The fans didn’t help themselves at times by | The fans didn’t help themselves at times by |
| leaving early and turning up late, even booing the team in a 2014 finals blowout by the | leaving early and turning up late, even booing the team in a 2014 finals blowout by the |
| San Antonio Spurs, but the allegations of bandwagon-jumping, accompanied by assertions that they weren’t deserving of a talent like LeBron, always felt a little | San Antonio Spurs, but the allegations of bandwagon-jumping, accompanied by assertions that they weren’t deserving of a talent like LeBron, always felt a little |
| excessive and envious. | excessive and envious. |
| The city’s ego – a common question posed | The city’s ego – a common question posed |
| on Friday was 'he’s leaving Miami for Cleveland? ' – and its economy will undoubtedly take a knock without LeBron, but | on Friday was 'he’s leaving Miami for Cleveland? ' – and its economy will undoubtedly take a knock without LeBron, but |
| all is not lost. | all is not lost. |
| Chris Bosh, who was expected to hightail it to the | Chris Bosh, who was expected to hightail it to the |
| Houston Rockets should James leave, has instead committed a five-year, $118m max contract. Despite | Houston Rockets should James leave, has instead committed a five-year, $118m max contract. Despite |
| rumours of interest from his hometown Chicago Bulls, Heat lifer Dwyane Wade is also | rumours of interest from his hometown Chicago Bulls, Heat lifer Dwyane Wade is also |
| finalising a return to South Beach. | finalising a return to South Beach. |
| The Big Three is arguably not even a Big Two | The Big Three is arguably not even a Big Two |
| without its centrepiece, but with unexpected salary cap space, Miami are | without its centrepiece, but with unexpected salary cap space, Miami are |
| reportedly among the frontrunners to snap up either of its top free-agent | reportedly among the frontrunners to snap up either of its top free-agent |
| targets, Britain's Luol Deng and Trevor Ariza, last employed by the Washington Wizards. That and the retention of Wade and Bosh may be enough to bat away fears of irrelevancy and spawn optimism for | targets, Britain's Luol Deng and Trevor Ariza, last employed by the Washington Wizards. That and the retention of Wade and Bosh may be enough to bat away fears of irrelevancy and spawn optimism for |
| competitiveness in a weak Eastern Conference. | competitiveness in a weak Eastern Conference. |
| Riley’s pledge that the organisation would emerge from what owner Micky Arison called the “shock and | Riley’s pledge that the organisation would emerge from what owner Micky Arison called the “shock and |
| disappointment”, to build another championship-winning team, will also comfort | disappointment”, to build another championship-winning team, will also comfort |
| the city. | the city. |
| “Over the last 19 years, since Micky and | “Over the last 19 years, since Micky and |
| I teamed together,” Riley wrote, “the Miami Heat has always been a championship | I teamed together,” Riley wrote, “the Miami Heat has always been a championship |
| organisation; we've won multiple championships and competed for many others. | organisation; we've won multiple championships and competed for many others. |
| Micky, Erik [head coach Spoelstra] and I remain committed to doing whatever it | Micky, Erik [head coach Spoelstra] and I remain committed to doing whatever it |
| takes to win and compete for championships for many years to come. We've proven | takes to win and compete for championships for many years to come. We've proven |
| that we can do it and we'll do it again.” | that we can do it and we'll do it again.” |
| While a couple of years on the fringes | While a couple of years on the fringes |
| may beckon, the prospect of a strong 2016-17 free agent class including the | may beckon, the prospect of a strong 2016-17 free agent class including the |
| title-less league MVP Kevin Durant and Chicago’s brilliant and combative center Joakim Noah, among others, offers hope for the future in a King-less republic. | title-less league MVP Kevin Durant and Chicago’s brilliant and combative center Joakim Noah, among others, offers hope for the future in a King-less republic. |
| The LeBron experiment, after all, has proved the Heat organisation can deliver for players | The LeBron experiment, after all, has proved the Heat organisation can deliver for players |
| seeking to adorn their fingers with championship rings. | seeking to adorn their fingers with championship rings. |
| While the Heat could possibly be back | While the Heat could possibly be back |
| in the title picture sooner than many expect, one thing is clear – it’ll never | in the title picture sooner than many expect, one thing is clear – it’ll never |
| be the same without No6. | be the same without No6. |