Fear and frenzy in Cleveland: Will LeBron James stay or will he go?

Cleveland area basketball fans, strung along for more than a week since superstar basketball player LeBron James became a free agent, are poised to explode with joy -- or collapse into despair and derision -- in anticipation of the homegrown hero's 9 p.m. announcement on ESPN of whether he'll stay or take his basketball and go to Miami, New York or Chicago.

Cleveland, Ohio -- It feels like mostly fear and loathing are surfacing right now on a cruelly hot Cleveland evening as fans wait for The Decision from The Chosen One.

The (increasingly certain) fear: The Chosen One will choose another team, leaving the Cleveland Cavaliers and probably for Miami.

The loathing: Many fans were tiring of a sports media overkill -- engineered mostly by LeBron himself, who will make his announcement at 9 p.m. tonight on ESPN and probably simultaneously on his twitter account and web site.

But perhaps a fool's hope remains for some.

There is still a minority opinion in this tired town that all of the prognosticators and self-declared experts might be wrong -- that the homegrown superstar will stay at home and not flee to the Miami Heat with co-stars Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh.

Instead, he'll stay and finally bring that elusive championship to our hard-luck region -- and a town that hasn't known a real big-time sports champion in 46 years.

The Chosen One will choose us, right? Just like that ping-pong ball seven years ago in the NBA draft -- when our fortunes turned.

Most gathered at The Harry Buffalo bar and restaurant on on E. 4th Street in downtown Cleveland said they were trying to stay optimistic.

Etched in chalk on the sidewalk out front: "We will always love U LBJ, but we will love you U more if you stay."

Kent State University student Austin Briggs and his brother Harry showed up in Harry's "Witness Mobile," his customized 1987 Cutlass Supreme. The hood is now an oversized petition for LeBron fans to sign.

"I still like to think (LeBron) knows he could have more of an effect in Cleveland than anywhere else," Harry Briggs said.

So what happens to the car after Decision night?

"If he stays, we'll try to get him to sign it," Harry Briggs said. "If he goes,we'll sell it on ebay."

Briggs acknowledged that plan might sound a bit cold and calculating -- a business decision just like LeBron's.

By 8:15 p.m. tonight, it was evident that there might be some concern that angry fans might react badly if LeBron looks to leave: A Tenable Patrol Services car pulled up and parked directly in front of the giant "Witness" banner hanging in downtown Cleveland.

Elsewhere, excitement built at the Winking Lizard in Lakewood when CNN officials moved equipment into the bar at 7:45 p.m. to have a live hookup with Larry King regarding fan reaction to James' announcement.

But pre-game mood to James' press conference was mixed.

Most people tried to be positive including the waiters and waitresses who wore Cavs and/or LeBron James jerseys.

"I think LeBron will stay here, but whether he stays or goes won't affect my life one way or another," said Ernie Hemick of Lakewood.

That reaction was fairly typical.

"I don't blame LeBron if he leaves, but he'll make the season here more interesting if he stays. The crowd here isn't too excited (about what he does) one way or the other," said Stephanie Adamson of Strongsville.

"After all, he does have Akron tattooed to his arm, so I hope he stays."

Bill Winship of Westlake had a more terse response: "You can't print what I think about LeBron James."

But each among the thousands of faithful and fearful fans huddled in the hazy heat at sports bars all over Northeast Ohio had their own opinion of what LeBron would say in the 9 o'clock hour.

"I'm definitely going to watch it,' said Sophia Syed, 23, a student at the University of Akron who was walking downtown in the city which raised The King.

Syed, who said she went to five or six Cavaliers games this past season and watched the team on television every chance she could, also predicted that he would indeed go to Miami.

Nearby, at Canal Park in Akron, public relations workers for the AA Areos baseball team where making plans to cut into action on the field once LeBron's mind was finally made up.

Their plans include two short video presentations for about 3,000 fans on hand for the game -- one for if he stays and one for if he goes.

The stools surrounding the outdoor bars at Panini's Bar and Grill on Coventry were nearly full by 8 p.m. But enthusiasm for the King was wanning.

"Actually, I'm kind of tired of everybody talking about it," said 23-year-old Katie Geesling, of Hudson. "It's good to have team spirit, but just tell us."

She could care less where James goes.

"Obviously it would be nice if he stayed, but he's a good player so he's gotta go where he wants."

Jacqueline Goas, 24, of Beachwood was a hold-out.

"I feel like it's kind of a historic moment. LeBron was big in Cleveland," said Goas, who wore a bright blue Cavs T-shirt.

She uses the past tense to talk about the King but says she thinks he'll stay in Cleveland.

"He likes to be No. 1 with all the hype," she said. "If he goes, he's not gonna be No. 1."

The Lebron mania was a draining day-long event in oppressive 90-degree July heat all over Northeast Ohio.

Cuyahoga County Commissioner Peter Lawson Jones tried to drum up some hometown hype of his own for the board's weekly meeting on Thursday morning: "This kind of drama is similar to what you'll tonight at 9 on ESPN."

It wasn't, but Jones also joked that he'd follow LeBron's one-hour ESPN special with his own announcement.

"I'll be deciding which county I'll be moving to to run for commissioner," he said.

Commissioner Tim Hagan said the LeBron James buildup was overblown: "Of all the problems in this town, we're talking about a guy who plays basketball," he said. "In the end, does it matter that we have basketball or not? Not really."

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Reporters Marc Bona, Rachel Dissell, Stan Donaldson, Pat Galbincea, Laura Johnson, Everdeen Mason and Liz Navratil contributed to this story.