Despicable Me: The Story That Just Wont Die | Thebigtip

I know writing this will lead to some backlash but, I do not perceive a player leaving and an angry owner and/or fans to be a race issue.

It’s a story that just won’t go away.

Maybe it’s the fact that its summer and there is not much to talk about. Maybe it’s the fact that ESPN is doing everything in their power to defend it.

There is no question that since LeBron James decided to commit career suicide, airing his decision on national television, that the story has continued to grow. In fact, things have gotten uglier since the announcement was made.

One would think that the sports world would move on with the Major League Baseball All-Star break, or be focussed on the World Cup final.

But noooooooo!

This story has become the basketball equivalent to will Brett Favre return. This story even has its own Rachel Nichols sighting.

Nichols is normally reserved for sitting on Favre’s lawn in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, but she has joined the cluster of a mess. Her softball interview with El Tri (my name for Heat’s unholy trio) has aired on Sportscenter.

If this story could not get any worse now Jessie Jackson has gotten into the act and played the race card on Dan Gilbert’s open letter to Cleveland Cavaliers fans. Really, this is the issue for Jackson to come out of his hole to rail against?

"He speaks as the owner of LeBron and not the owner of the Cleveland Cavaliers," the reverend said in a release from his Chicago-based civil rights group, the Rainbow PUSH Coalition. "His feelings of betrayal personify a slave master mentality. He sees LeBron as a runaway slave. This is an owner employee relationship - between business partners - and LeBron honored his contract."

Once again millionaire sports stars are made out to be slaves. If these guys are slaves then sign me up for the job, I would love to make millions and declare harsh treatment.

It is Jackson’s contention that Gilbert’s letter put LeBron in harm’s way. The problem is he never says what that harm is.

Gilbert never told fans to attack LeBron or his family. Gilbert never asked fans to break laws and assault James.

All the sudden Jessie Jackson makes this a race issue and ESPN and especially Michael Wilbon of Pardon the Interruption (PTI) gets on board. Wilbon on PTI said he thought this as soon as he saw the letter but the next day on his show he never mentioned it. 

In fact, no one on ESPN mentioned race and LeBron James until Jessie Jackson did on Sunday. How do I know this? I watched ESPN and read ESPN.com since 'The Decision', wondering how they would react to being such a part  of LeBron's on-air his divorce to his home state.

One thing is for sure, Gilbert could have done better than the letter he released. It read like the ranting’s of a scorned lover after an ugly break up. Gilbert looked even more like start wife with his opinion that LeBron quit in the playoffs.

Cleveland has to feel like the wife who works to put their husband though medical or law school only to have them leave once they start making good money. James built his brand with the Cavaliers, while winning two MVP awards and one finals appearance. Then the first chance has to start over with a new, younger, sexier woman he bolts to Miami.

Not that there were lean years for LeBron once he turned pro but no matter what LeBron did he was protected from major criticism in his home state. No one wants to dump on the local kid who does well.