Loyalty, Anyone?

Yeah, LeBron, get out of Cleveland – so you can win now. Go join Derrick and Joakim in Chicago. Get your buddies Dwyane and Bosh to come on over, too. And while you’re at it, see if you can grab Chamberlain and Russell and Baylor and Erving. Why even give any other team a chance to win? You know, make it kind of like one of those high school pick-up games where all the super-jocks band together against all the losers. Come on, it’ll be fun!

God forbid you stay in the state where you became the hero you are today. God forbid you try to build a winner – like the Twins, with Mauer and Morneau and company. God forbid you become synonymous with your city: Cal Ripken=Baltimore. Derek Jeter=New York. LeBron James=Cleveland.

Terrific idea, but that’s my son Robby for you. I’ll hand it to him – he knows more about sports than anyone who has ever walked the face of this earth. But the way he thinks, and the way he roots for his teams . . . it makes me nuts!

Take fantasy. He’s great at fantasy. Fantasy baseball, fantasy football, fantasy basketball – he cleans up in every league he joins. But he cares way more about his fantasy teams than he does about the teams he allegedly roots for!!

At Mets opening day at Shea a few years ago (it’s a family tradition to never miss our team’s home opener), Cole Hamels of the Phils was facing Jose Reyes, supposedly Robby’s favorite player on the planet – and I saw him pump his fist and say “Yes!” when Hamels struck Jose out! He sold Reyes out for a few measly fantasy points!

He’ll deny it up and down, but I swear it’s true . . .

- Hank Herman

LeBron: Get Out While You Can

The Lake Show took down the Celtics in 7. John Wall headlined a fairly boring draft class. So that’s it, right? No more NBA until November? Not so fast. The long-awaited July 1, 2010 is approaching, the beginning of the most star-studded free agency period in league history.

While stars such as Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh, Amar’e Stoudemire, and Joe Johnson will potentially be looking for new homes this summer, the most heralded prize in 2010 free agency is The King, LeBron James.

Teams have gone to all costs to entice LeBron. The Knicks have dumped nearly every player on the team in order to clear the cap space for The King and whoever he wants to be his teammates.

The Cavs held a LeBron Appreciation Day to show how much support he has from his home state.

There’s been a lot of talk about Cleveland not having won a sports championship since 1964, and how LeBron “owes” it to the city to stay there and win one for them.

I don’t buy into that for a second. LeBron’s been there for seven years, and never once have they surrounded him with the talent necessary to bring home a title. Cleveland has been lucky to have him for this long. He doesn’t owe Cleveland anything, and personally, I think he should get out as soon as he can.

LeBron could go to the Bulls and join forces with Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah. Maybe even bring Chris Bosh along for the ride. Or he could head out to Miami with D-Wade to form the best 1-2 punch in sports. Or, he could stay in Cleveland, with the same worthless supporting cast that lets him down year after year.

Enough of the “Stay On One Team” talk. Enough of the “LeBron owes it to Cleveland” talk. If LeBron ever wants to be in the same conversation as Jordan, he should just go where he can win.

Doing it in Chicago wouldn’t hurt, either.

-Robby