June 20, 2013

Walking Out On Cavaliers A Bad Idea

August 3, 2010 by 90 Comments

I realize this may be a little premature, but this is something that’s been brought up a lot on Twitter lately, and with the leaked info of the NBA schedule, it seems appropriate to talk about it now.

As we now know, LeBron James will make his first return to Cleveland to play the Cavaliers on December 2, 2010. What remains to be seen is how Cavs fans will and should react to seeing their former King play against them.

We know there will be plenty of yelling, lots of jeers, a bunch of booing and probably more than a fair share of rude obscenities being sent LeBron’s way. Some fans, though, have wondered if a more organized effort was appropriate here. 

Some have suggested the Cavaliers should hold a “Z Appreciation Night” to stop the game and make LeBron sit there and watch as fans show their true appreciation for a true sports hero. I’ll admit, that’s not a bad idea, and I have to believe it would irk LeBron and make him a little uncomfortable.

The idea that has been the most prevalent, though, has been the walk out idea. There are several variations of the same theme, but the main idea is that Cavs fans should show up for the game, cheer for the Cavs in the pregame and boo LeBron when team lineups are announced. Then, at some pre-determined time in the game, all the fans are supposed to get up and walk out as some kind of misguided show of solidarity to show LeBron that he’s not even worth it, or something like that.

I cannot stress enough what an awful idea this is. What is the point in walking out on the Cavaliers? No matter what your intent might be, that’s what the result would be. The fans would be turning their back on the players on the Cavaliers who are still here. The ones who will still be fighting for us fans this season.

None of the Heat fans in attendance (and there will be Heat fans….or at least LeBron fans who took their allegiances to South Beach with LeBron’s talents) will walk out, and it would thus leave Miami with a home crowd advantage. LeBron would probably love nothing more than for all the Cleveland fans to walk out and thus leave him alone.

No matter what way you look at it, this walkout idea is one of the single worst ideas I have ever heard. I implore Cavs fans to not be suckered in by cheap ploys and/or gimmicks. The best way to “get back” at LeBron is to show up and cheer our hearts and scream our lungs out for the Cleveland Cavaliers. Boo LeBron whenever he touches the ball, come up with funny/unique/creative chants to use during time outs. Yell at LeBron when he’s on the bench to distract him. Above all else, though, help support the Cavaliers on the court and see if we can’t will them to a victory. Because in the end, the single biggest way to hurt LeBron now is to beat him and to beat the Miami Heat. It may be a long shot, but it’s better to show passion and loyalty to the actual Cavalier players no matter what the outcome of the game is. That’s true loyalty, and that’s what being a fan should be all about.

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  • http://www.moonbattery.com modell2hell

    @4 – Yes, the silent treatment is the best. The silent stare of contempt.

  • WayneEmbrysKids

    I would suggest the following editorial change to the end of the last paragraph:

    “It’s better to show passion and loyalty to the actual Cavalier players no matter what the outcome of the game is. That’s true loyalty, and that’s what being a fan should be all about.”

    I seriously doubt that the Heat would be more than a 10 point favorite for the game in Cleveland and thus the Cavs would not be a “long shot”. Other than that, I agree with everything you said in this.

  • architrance

    Its tough to find the single best way to dishonor him…

    Hopefully Gilbert has a trick or two up his sleeve. He could coordinate some sort of mass protest/response against LeOOSER.

  • Tim

    @BuckeyeDawg- powdered sugar would be pretty funny too, but they’d have to tell the other players for it to work.

  • cle

    hope his kids need d-cell batteries

    cuz thats what im bringin to the cavs heat game

  • Dave

    No one seems to recall that he is “scheduled” to be at his bike-a-thon in Akron this weekend. This would be a great time to purge all of that venom and get it out of our system and get behind the team on the front of the jersey.

  • Bob

    I will be at every one of those games and plan on being loud as hell! Chants, screaming, booing…..all aimed at the entire Heat squad, especially lequit….of course I will cheer for the Cavs as well!

  • jvt

    He won’t even be in Cleveland for this game. The Heat and his entourage and going to claim that it’s not safe for him to play.

  • http://www.adapterdesign.com/ Adapter Design

    I agree. A walk out would be more detrimental to the Cavs than to Lebron.

    I’d say when he’s announced, go silent and turn your back to the court, the way he went silent and ‘turned his back’ on Cleveland fans.

  • Rico Despeedstra

    I would yell, “Scotty Pippen” every time he touched the ball but what did Pippen do to deserve that…

  • SxDx

    Every fan in attendance should get this free complimentary poster to celebrate LeBrons return.

    http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_2RTL1smXKAQ/S_Af79cVwpI/AAAAAAAACHA/PvbBGxnwDCY/s1600/Delonte-West-Photoshops-4.jpg

    Or…they could just pass out “heads on sticks” of Delonte West, like they do on PTI. Imagine everyone in the crowd waving Delonte’s head at LeBron everytime he shoots free throws.

  • http://www.adapterdesign.com/ Adapter Design

    Whoops, just saw that MP34 had the same idea.

  • Dirtywax

    I honestly can’t see Stern wanting him to play in this game. He doesn’t want The Malice at The Place Part II.

  • GDGW

    Is there really “sneezing powder” or was that only in cartoons?

    Loving the Delonte mask idea! The only problem I have with a Z appreciation night or whatever is having it look like we’re just using him to dis LeRat.

    I’m sure we can come up with something great between now and December that doesn’t involve throwing anything onto the court. That would only serve to make US look bad.

  • deebo

    The silence is deafening!!!!!

  • saggy

    let’s just grow up and get on with our lives. screw #6. let him know you hate him at the game.

    incidentally, i was watching the last browns game at old cleveland stadium and i realized how freaking neanderthal we were as fans. wow! but in some ways, i really long for those days where we cared so much we were willing to be complete idiots in support of our beloved Brownies.

    even the police officers didn’t care. I wouldn’t mind if there was some sort of bottlegate scene at the cavs/heat game. i’m such a jerk.

  • SDA

    Im all for silence.

  • Andy

    I really like this website, but enough about lebron already. He left, time to move on. Maybe i’m not as big a fan as the people here but I don’t understand how anyone could be so attached to an athlete you don’t even know.

  • bobby

    These are all ridiculous ideas. The Cavs should do nothing to recognize Lebron even if its in a bad way. The Fans should do nothing to recognize Lebron. Everyone needs to move past Lebron. Its gonna be hard with the MMS shoving it down as “LeBron Returns” but it would be terrific if local media and papers just dropped it. Dont mention him. Dont make it a point that you arent mentioning him like getting quiet. Hes just a another d-bag player now.

    This goes past just LBJ… Cleveland and the Cavs organization need to show other players that this is a good organization and we can move past this situation. Right now players have said they dont want to come and play for Cleveland after “the decision.” This is an unprecedented event that has yet to happen, until this year, to *any* organization in *any* sport. We need to be a strong united group and prevail. We need to move on, and the only way to do it is not bring any significance to this player.

  • Quitness

    One of two things should happen…..which nieither will bc trying to organize anything this large is nearly impossible……but you should walk out when Heat are introduced (very hard) or better yet…..just be completely silent when LeBron is introduced….and have crickets play over the PA….so it is like no one knows who he is.

  • soccer

    How about vuvuzela day on Dec. 2?

  • jeff247

    Move the game to Akron, and let him see that most people here outside of the projects and city council are CAVS fans. Idiots in the council think he did so much for the community (hell he doesn’t even pay property taxes here, let alone donate a dime). Guy made $40 million a year and doesn’t even buy any of the 400 bikes himself (Statefarm, MSN, and other LRMR customers buy them). He uses this like he used the Boys and Girls Club to make himself look good.

  • D-Train

    i have no problem with people not showing up, and having an empty arena on TNT.

    i think the players will understand that for 1 night, the cleveland fans were gonna make a statement.

    especially if cavs fans support the team the other 82 (don’t need a no-show on both nights just 1)

  • D-Train

    er 41, sorry i’ve been drinking

  • Ike

    I won’t be able to make the game, but I just hope someone manages to pour a beer on him. That’s really all I need.

  • mgbode

    @soccer – forgot about the vuvuzela suggestion. brilliant on many levels.

    1. deafening outdoors means ridiculous indoors (even the cheap versions that would be given away to fans)

    2. earplugs given away with the vuvuzelas and the Cavs players/coaches with them as well. make it a surprise and magically the Heat players/coaches are in for a world of hurt.

    3. drowns out stupid fans saying stupid things about delonte

    4. noone wants ‘that’ type of attention. not even leBron.

  • 5haun

    I think Dan Gilbert needs to find a knife company to sponsor fake knife handles that people can wear on their backs. Imagine when #6 is introduced and 20,000+ turn around showing him that they were stabbed in the back.

  • http://domainofthedisturbing.wordpress.com Daryl Brownell

    @#77: Now THAT would truly be a sight to behold. LOL.

  • Karsten

    @77 That was what I was thinking too, from wherever I heard it first, that’s been my favorite idea. If they can provide the knife handles and tape or whatever (better yet, just leave them pre-set on the seats for everyone like playoff shirts), I’d love it. I also love the idea of absolute silence when he’s mentioned. And hopefully 3 or 4 dudes with booming voices hollering out a choice few words above the silence.

  • alltuckeredout

    It was mentioned before and I’ll say it again here. The best reception for LeBron is no reception. Let’s be as cold to him as he was to us. Don’t acknowledge him. Pay no attention to him. Don’t give him the attention he wants. And cheer on the Cavs.

  • Eric

    Here’s an Idea for what you can do on Dec. 2nd, GET LIVES AND GROW UP!

  • dr. cleveland

    NOBODY WILL CARE ABOUT THESE GAMES. THE BROWNS WILL EITHER BE ON THEIR WAY TO THE SUPER BOWL OR HAVE JUST WON IT WHEN THESE GAMES COME AROUND.

  • swig

    @Dr.Cleveland,

    / nods head
    // takes another sip

  • emjay

    Silence is golden. And way classier than throwing stuff, chanting obscenities, etc.

  • jbreg

    At Miami (OH) (’03 Grad) they used to pass out newspapers during the hockey games, and the whole student section would “pretend” to read the paper while the visiting team was introduced. Would be interesting to see 20,000 fans at the Q do the same during the Heat intro’s or anytime Lebron was at the line.

  • jbreg

    At Miami (OH) (’07 Grad) they used to pass out newspapers during the hockey games, and the whole student section would “pretend” to read the paper while the visiting team was introduced. Would be interesting to see 20,000 fans at the Q do the same during the Heat intro’s or anytime Lebron was at the line.

  • http://www.zfcomics.com dgriff13

    1. anything excessive or planned on a large scale will just feed his ego.

    2. silence or no reaction at all is a nice idea, but will not work on a grand scale. people will still boo, yell and display scathing signs… then it’ll just be a weird mixture.

    3. CLE fans will be mocked by the media either way. If we react negatively, we’re whiny jilted fans and LeBron was smart to leave us neanderthals behind… and, if we just ignore LeBron, —what kind of sports fans are we to not even boo him? We didn’t deserve to have him in the first place if we don’t even care!

    4. all this will not matter anyway. He will not even show up. Either benched or sitting at home in Miami for safety reasons.

    all this rage and nowhere to dump it.

  • http://www.zfcomics.com dgriff13

    I do like the knife-in-the-back idea however. Silence, and everyone turns their back on him, as he did to us. Nothing violent, no obscenities, the media cannot really complain. However, it would still fuel his ego. A big, planned, staged event just for him! What an icon he has become, that leaving one team could cause something like this!

    Still, if we HAVE to do something, this is my favorite idea. And I could see Dan Gilbert backing it, paying for Tshirts with foam knives sewn into the backs. And, of course, taking on another fine from Stern for it.

  • Edward H.

    The best comment, to me, was @28, who suggested giving the business to DWade as the opposing team’s superstar, and mostly ignoring LeBron. Would be a huge hit to “His High Ego”, that we don’t even care enough to boo him personally.
    The complete silent treatment just seems odd to me, and too much invective could be, as many have pointed out, counter-productive.
    On the other hand, the “soccer fan” in me is trying to think of a dozen different “creative insulting chants” to “hurl” at him. ;)

  • http://stylefyles.tumblr.com mary r.

    When LBJ was a Cav I used to LOVE when opponents heckled him. That’s because I knew he played his best when being harassed by other players/fans/etc.

    IMO, silent treatment is the best. Either he gets it, or he doesn’t. I could care less. But at least we won’t fuel his fire. To me, the worst result in the world would be post game news reports showing a front-row fan heckling LBJ, fueling his fire and having him break 50 at the Q.

    However, if I were there, I’m not sure I could do it….the silent treatment would take a lot of self control, and it’s extremely unlikely a gym full of spectators can demonstrate that much restraint.

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