Departure of rational thought seems to follow LeBron James: Bud Shaw's Sports Spin

Jesse Jackson and Dan Gilbert have managed to get more mileage than they should have out of LeBron James' departure.

View full sizeMichael Dwyer / Associated PressJesse Jackson isn't exactly speaking up for the "little guy" when he defends LeBron James.

Thank you, sir, may I have another humiliating million-dollar contract?

People have different ways of pronouncing words.

You say "tomato." I say "tomahto." Jesse Jackson says "predicament." I say "bonanza."

That's the word Jackson used in a recent radio interview in which he once again showed why putting a microphone in front of his face is the most worthless exercise in American media.

Predicament.

"Didn't you read Bill Rhoden's book 'Forty Million Dollar Slaves?' " Jackson said. "I'm sure you did. The point is that people, whatever price they may be, who can be bought, sold or leased are in that predicament. . . .

"[Players] play hurt, they play injured and they are, in fact, owned by a contract. . . . Don't focus on the analogy, focus on [Cavs owner Dan Gilbert] saying 'We've covered for you [LeBron James] and five specific games you quit.' That's a very heavy allegation and it's illegal, as well as illicit."

It's difficult not to focus on the analogy to slavery since Jackson keeps mentioning it every time he makes the case about how Gilbert did James wrong.

Owned? By a multiyear million-dollar contract? You mean the kind that makes it possible for James to house hunt for a $49 million, 20,000 square-foot mansion in Coral Gables?

How demeaning.

Just so no one else is thusly put upon, I volunteer to throw myself on that grenade.

Where do I sign up?

By the way, synonyms for "predicament" include "plight," "difficulty," "jam." Antonyms are "ease" and "comfort."

I think I speak for everyone worried about keeping a job they'll probably need until they're 80 or 85 when I say it's about time somebody spoke up for the little guy.

Blue-collar special

The Cavs haven't signed any free agents. Was it something Dan Gilbert said?

Just to make one point clear, I'm not taking Gilbert's side in how he dealt with James' departure.

People are treating him like a folk hero. Why, I'm not exactly sure.

View full sizeMarvin Fong / PDCavaliers owner Dan Gilbert didn't exactly take the high road in regard to LeBron James.

Because he matched the passion and vitriol found on any stool at the neighborhood bar the night James shamelessly dissed his hometown fans?

Because he made a personal guarantee he can't keep?

Because he acted like a cross between Lewis Black and a gypsy fortune teller, suggesting that James would carry the Cleveland Curse with him to his death bed?

The standards for hero status in any town should be higher than that. Only in Cleveland do people making $25,000 a year offer to pay the rich man's $100,000 fine simply because he put on a blue collar for a few minutes.

Gilbert found a unique way to slam James' professionalism. By being even more unprofessional than James.

That said, even Jesse Jackson should have seen Gilbert's statement for what it was. Gilbert simply came off like a school kid talking bad about his ex-girlfriend.

And now we'll see who lines up to date him next.

Spinoffs

Overheard: Shin-Soo Choo DH'ed and wore No. 23 for the Akron Aeros on Monday on "Ship Out LeBron James" night, prompting a young fan to refer to him "the Choo-sen One."

In the latest Harris Poll of most popular American athletes, Kobe Bryant caught up to Tiger Woods. . . . Like that's a good thing?

View full sizeAPGreg LeMond must really dislike Lance Armstrong, judging by who he's teaming up with now.

Shocking, I know, but the Minnesota Vikings aren't giving Brett Favre any hard and fast deadline to decide if he'll return to the team for next season. Unofficially, Favre has until the first third-down conversion in the season opener.

LeBron James is coming out with a children's furniture line, meaning now kids can lie in their beds at night concocting plans to run away from home.

Other than South Florida, no matter where I lived, pulling for Miami and its team-stacking superstars would be like rooting for BP, Wall Street banks and Mel Gibson combined.

St. Louis Cardinals third baseman David Freese, on the disabled list with a right foot injury, dropped a weight on his left big toe and fractured it. I'll save you the "You said it" e-mail by saying, "How long before the Indians trade for David Freese?"

Three-time Tour de France winner Greg LeMond will testify in an investigation of possible fraud and doping charges against Lance Armstrong and his associates. LeMond predicts the evidence against Armstrong will be "overwhelming." That puts LeMond on the same side of the issue as Floyd Landis. Here's how bad it's going for Armstrong: Just three years ago, Landis' manager tried to keep LeMond from testifying against Landis by threatening to reveal that LeMond was sexually molested as a child.

Ah, mom, apple pie, and cycling.

You said it

(The Greatly Expanded "Did-I-Miss-Anything-While-I-Was-On-Vacation" Edition)

"Dear Bud: My worry with your alarming absence during LeDefection was that The Miami Herald got you in a deal that paid you the max and left a lot of cap room for the PD sports section." -- Michael S.

Many people -- and by that I mean one other person -- shared your concern. But Bud Shaw had to do what made Bud Shaw happy. And that involved two weeks of sitting in Bud Shaw's underwear eating Doritos' Late Night All Nighter Cheeseburger chips.

"Bud: Is there any truth to the rumor that the reason you haven't been seen since "The Decision" is you also were taking your talents to South Beach?" -- Angelo

I will clear this up once and for all. As I told Jim Gray, the truth is, after two weeks of self-indulgence, I am taking my expanding talents to the South Beach Diet.

"Bud: Was Mike Redmond hurried out of town?" -- Mike G

Not for lack of effort, the veteran catcher left town the way he ran the bases. With his hazard lights flashing.

"How do you see Cavs fans reacting when LeBron and 'Z' are introduced when the Heat play in Cleveland next season?" -- Tom H

You mean on Garlic Necklace and Wooden Stake Night?

"Bud: LeBron's first game back at The Q, will he play, not travel with the team because of personal reasons, or not play because of the now infamous 'elbow strain?' -- Bob

I suspect in keeping with the way he left town, he will take all shots underhanded.

"Dear Mr. Shaw: After watching 'The Decision,' I can't decide . . . is LeBron more humble or more loyal?" -- Jim O

That's only been asked of two people. And no one could decide about Mother Teresa either.

"Bud: In retrospect, was it a mistake for Dan Gilbert to ask Mel Gibson to help with his letter to Cavs fans? -- Jim

First-time "You said it" winners receive a T-shirt from the mental-floss collection.

"Bud: Can David Stern at least throw Cleveland a bone and force Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh to change their jersey numbers to "6," too, so that when they line up on the court with LeBron, the world will see them for who they are?" -- Mark N

Repeat winners get a copy of "Dante's Inferno."

"Bud: Is it true that LeBron will be appearing on Charlie Daniels' next TV ad, playing second fiddle?" -- Vince

Or a copy of "Robin: My Life With Batman."

"Bud: Can I trademark 'The Three MiamEgos'?" -- Pat

Or a "Miami Vice" DVD collection.

To reach Bud Shaw: bshaw@plaind.com, 216-999-5639