Sure we're a music blog, but today is LeBron's day and the rest of us are just waiting until 9 PM EDT. Though I generally concur with Brian's comments earlier and am well aware of the absurdity of this entire situation, I still can't pull myself away from hysteria. Collectively, we all have a vested interest in the outcome of tonight's shenanigans: three of us currently reside in Cleveland, I am a New Yorker via Chicago currently living in Brooklyn, and all four of us (I assume) hate Miami.
Say what you will about the Summer of LeBron, but at this point it's beyond anyone's control. The economy is still failing, there is more oil than water in the Gulf, the sun is melting most of the east coast, and all anyone can talk about is which professional basketball organization will be granted the honor of paying a 25-year-old egomaniac upwards of $120 million to play a game. Luckily this will all be over soon, but in the meantime I have compiled a playlist (with commentary) featuring all of the teams and cities involved in this spectacle. So at least we have something to listen to as we sit on the edges of our collective seats for the next nine hours…
Cleveland Cavaliers – Staying in Cleveland is the only option if LeBron wants to avoid being a complete villain. The problem is he would be coming back to the same team (minus Shaq) that hasn't been able to get it done the last three seasons. Clearly he wants to stay, as evidenced by his lobbying for Bosh, but if winning is the goal it will be hard for him to return. Signing on for another five to six years would require a leap of faith in the Cavs' ability to improve their roster in the very near future, but a big part of me wants to see it happen.
All-Time Quarterback – Cleveland
New Jersey (Brooklyn) Nets – Though I would love to see him stay in Cleveland, If LeBron is going to leave I would prefer to see him in a Nets uniform. I can't really back that up from a basketball perspective, and I highly doubt it will happen, but I am walking distance from the new arena being built for them in Brooklyn. It's unlikely that he would want to go to a rebuilding team, but the possibility of single-handedly putting sports back on the map in Brooklyn (and hanging with Jay-Z) could be appealing.
Marvin Gaye vs. Jay-Z + Lil' Wayne – Hello, Brooklyn
Miami Heat – As of press time, most experts are considering Miami the favorite. I happen to think that no matter how many rings James wins in South Beach, doing it on a glorified all-star team would tarnish his legacy. If we have learned anything about LeBron over the last month, it should be that he is far too selfish to share the spotlight with Wade and Bosh. For that reason alone, I think James in a Heat jersey is almost as ridiculous as this song.
New York Knicks – The Knicks are definitely still in the thick of things, despite having the weakest roster of the five teams in contention. If New York lands LeBron it will be based solely on the potential for off-court dollars and the allure of playing in the spotlight. They could be a contender a year or so down the road, especially if they land Carmelo Anthony or another big name next summer, but basing a decision on that could be a risky endeavor.
Chicago Bulls – At this point Chicago seems like a long shot, though it's likely that they would provide The King with his best shot at winning a title now and over the next few years. The shadow of Jordan could be plus or a minus depending on how you look at it, but the Bulls would be a legit title contender immediately and (maybe more importantly) James would be the unquestioned star on the team.
Sufjan Stevens vs. Yeah Yeah Yeahs – Maps to Chicago
I am omitting Los Angeles from the list because the Clippers have absolutely no shot. I'd feel sorry for our Los Angeleno readers, but they already have Kobe and I'm pretty sure most of them aren't even aware that the Clippers play in the same town. As a consolation prize, I'm going to throw some Tupac at you anyway.
Tupac Shakur – To Live And Die In L.A.
Feel free to get at us in the comments section you have any thoughts, rants, or rumors to share.
