Scott Raab: Lebron James alienated millions of fans

Author Scott -- has written for GKQ. And are Esquire Magazine as well. And as written a book that we refer to quite often here in the last week and a half or two actually going back before that. -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- I scientific examination of this man's character performance. What what tell what. -- got under your SATA was the decision was -- his failures to deliver to Cleveland was it the way he went to South Beach was that the entire package that is LeBron. -- You know what had -- won -- title and I don't blame him for the fact that they've never got it done during the seventies and he was coaching the team. He wasn't sitting in the GM's -- I believe the right of free agency I would say more than anything else it was effective -- seem to -- so easily and without a second real concern. Broke what what it bit a bit of a coveted. As silly as its we all know it's business but here's a guy who grew up there. Who told the fans that he understood are saying he understood the bunker he understood that history not only does he. Turned to take it down to South Beach but he has that -- debacle. Where for a city that's been going downhill in many ways for half a century he got to do is drag it through the muck again and that starts. Hockey all the stuff about Odeo we -- likely motivated again and I know other people say is delicate bitter ex girlfriend get over it. But it certain -- bought and certainly one of them. This is just stopped with that and legend and legacy it's not just sports it is it has -- spiritual. Element to it and it's still sticks in my coli can only speak for myself that every Cleveland fans. That he did it the way he did. You know what you know what's great about this -- use. Mean you're not trying to be anything you're not that you know it's trendy -- defend LeBron and and we -- we've been time Rick Reilly and Jeff Van Gundy. What did he do wrong he just Rick Rick Reilly said lots of Cleveland has moved to Miami. But but what you're talking about is the raw emotion of a fan and I picturing you watching the decision watching him you know Jim Gray -- minimum brightness fingernails. In the boys' club they're in Greenwich and then running to the keyboard and just happen out this this emotional. Rabbit which somehow evolved into a book is that right. That's pretty much what happened to it but it took me by surprise their ways where I gotta say professionally. If the guy hadn't done what he did the way he did it sitting there with Jim Gray for an hour. Would that would have a book deal I immediately donated millions of fans would know about for Cleveland or connection to the cavaliers but for me. And I -- the one police would die hard of a certain age who remembers the browns winning the championship. And who might not live to see -- Cleveland team with -- and other. For me are the one who had the chance to go to the keyboard. And pour my heart out and and again -- people who go get a life it's just sports sports are huge part of my life my love for those Cleveland teams. It's a huge part of my life and so. It if I need to have a conversation with someone they don't understand what being the. Do you want him to lose or do you want in the role on ankle do you want and does offer it to suffered you want to get a flesh eating disease that. You know I would settle for any of those. Would be happy. -- Ed -- course people are going to Europe Baxter. How could you wish your career ending injury got that up five yard gap with. Eight you know I had the power of Kerry and I could make it happen then there'd be a conversation to have there. Fortunately I don't have such power so what I want that's saying to make myself look like less of about stirred the people who don't understand what standard like. I hope he retires without ever winning an NBA championships offer that. We're talking with Scott -- author of the horror of Akron a a lot of missive to to LeBron James no it at a number of locations in the book. You declare that in your estimation LeBron James is simply the best basketball player you've ever seen but you also brand him as a coward and a fraud. -- flawed personality to be sure Scott. And Dublin who I think is young and talented enough that it's not a matter of objectivity. It's a matter of being a bad sides Oscar Robertson play I think because this young. He got it up gifted enough to overcome whatever seems to be broken it is Edward. In other areas that that the the quantitative analysis kind of dismisses. But what you want to fourth quarter you see who watched ball. Ed and -- drips out of the action as LeBron instead to do. I don't think they're mutually exclusive but I think in terms of pure game that cut the ratings but in terms of the ranging depth -- -- -- on the court. Guys an amazing basketball player but in terms of plotting to follow in the fourth quarter in terms of raising his game at that we saw a little bit against itself. This doubt that these during the quarter I don't know and hope that. I'm a wondering did it cavs owner Dan Gilbert Wright the back flap endorsement for your book or did you just or just an effort to read it enjoy it. I think that's a threat that's a fair question but as would Jordan have not so sure all our communication between dead -- Kind of ended with the publication of the book I don't know wide. Well you you I assume your publisher gave you pretty good advance -- you went down the Miami and all brought. How comfortable was that's and then on press coverage is or go on in the locker room did you get in the in the locker room and go right up to on the sale -- But but -- before the funny thing about his first hear what they -- Nobody was allowed nobody was allowed to interview. The Big Three of -- about don't let these guys -- been covering the team for ten plus years we still forced to sit at these little conference rooms and wait for bosh. Ed Wade and LeBron to come out it was uncomfortable for me because the media relations guy for the -- Doubt he he he was never comfortable with either they wouldn't credential me about it right for Esquire Magazine for fifteen years now. They wouldn't give me the same credentials the -- refused to credentials -- the only team by the way. With the courage. To give me a credential. Boston Celtics. All. So what should do is sit by a ticket. Yeah yeah I paid a paid pretty good money for some of those seats at one point they threatened to bad meat from the arena not because I went up to anyone and called -- horror. But -- simply because they didn't like some of the stuff I was tweeting. Did you ever it's a keyboard types elements that -- gone overboard here I believed about it tone -- down a little. I have. I have since making mistakes I've made my share of mistakes on Twitter it's got -- 64 by the way I just I just beat the throw that out there. But yeah I think there are plenty of people had it on the bogged down. Been around a lot guys that don't realize. You know. Twitters like one of those Glock handguns were the trigger goes up way too easily. At Twitter. -- Scott what are the notable scenes in the book is a late night vision of a fantasy look on and I and I and I -- that -- seems to me that part of this book. Deals with your own self searching for the intricacies of your own soul is that fair to say. I think it's really fair to say I think enough people. You know again they say how -- how could you root for career ending injury you know get a life as. I had to figure out you know much the same way I think maybe both sentences written about -- in the Boston -- I had to plug up trying to figure out how -- -- -- to be this insane how did I get to be -- written securely but mostly to despair. -- -- Don't guys wearing laundry that bit that has publicly about it I have become so twisted -- so yeah part of the book and especially. But hallucination that you're talking about which is based on that. And a -- abroad ate that night. And the pills that I made the mistake beating. My place. And it it got pretty weird separate and weird to -- LeBron ever confront you he'd get an. And the real brawl. -- I I get dropped a copy of the book off it is mansion outside of backward. I inscribed it to look rod did sincere gratitude for making this book possible. I tried to reach out to some of the people would like because the -- chapter a bad shot. -- to try get a sit down that not to confront them physically you're. Well without any real -- Garrity. But put just because I'd like that the guy what he -- the kid growing up now in west decorated war is LeBron Jersey. Lifted -- with the cavaliers. And -- heard you say basically it's just business -- -- what's best for me about family and walk away from northeastern Ohio about those says. Scott society at all in the playoffs you picked the knicks to beat the heat out of work pacers to pick the heat I assume you pick the Celtics to beat the heat -- like the deal is. What ever team LeBron James team is playing -- team for that particular series. Yes but especially not just curried favor here the Celtics. As speed up as they work. They they took that they took that he eighteen to the fourth quarter of game seven. You know held together by spit bubble got it wasn't just an honorable performance. I thought it was a performance for the ages and I think we saw last night against the thunder. That says they eat themselves. Have been added to some degree run into the ground we'll see how they come back obviously are the worst analyst at -- NBA history. Did you think LeBron. Has trouble with the pressure do you think the he's gonna have trouble in the fourth quarter and trouble. Ever winning a title Scott. So far you'll put -- past performance is any indication of future yeah I don't think there's any question you don't have to be a Cleveland fanatic. Concede that he single handedly cost his team the NBA championship last year when he failed in four consecutive fourth quarters against the Dallas Mavericks. I left the ladies stepped up a bit the fourth quarter -- certainly put -- an historic performance. But a couple of them and against Boston is it in the prior series. -- and like I try to retain some measure of credibility by by allowing for the effective that these could easily be 28 years old. At the end of this year he's still yup this is now the added his ninth season in the NBA. And he still has trouble closing games. The Islam -- mother or any of his friends any of his policy the when he called Mensa guys can -- to give any of them confront you. Now my mother was worried about that -- -- civil could break my leg is such that ought to be great for the book. It's all about the looks at what got what -- whose contract runs a Miami comes back the Cleveland then. I you know what debt. That could edit the book says by the way were respectable but nothing no runaway best seller I. But it was a hit and Akron. Oh it's huge that northeastern Ohio that people literally the breakdown it appears just -- anyone stand up for Cleveland. They accept that that -- with gratitude that's -- he's been beat up -- -- where he's been beat up for so alarmed by the media. -- you know. If it plays out that you blacks have come back to Cleveland stranger things have happened in sports. -- Clemens never came back to the Sox obviously. They're there there's certain divorces where nobody is everything back together but ultimately it's business that we all. Does he come back to his -- he still has that big place in Akron and is welcome back there. He has that look like aside. I they had to cut it cut it down you know they don't want to expose of too much. To the possibility of I think. You know some of the patriarchs of the -- eight for lack of a better word. If people get tired to carry that around I don't. -- Davis -- grab the book is called though more of Akron if your LeBron James van -- LeBron James enemy Muster reading. Scott thanks for the time this morning good luck and we'll talk to down the road all right go go go fund go thunder so lenders got rabbit Dennis and Callahan on AT&T outlined AT&T four GL TT. Rick Reilly's big fan but it doesn't -- -- now we could get through a lot sickly when you left the pixie partners. But this sweetheart of a guy I love that that you know. He's not a reporter -- a real me you objective -- yes he just has this rage. Because. The bronze -- them all on the back and by the way that he left Cleveland. He's how he's in -- Carmelo Anthony left Denver this no one in Denver's gonna write about the horrible whatever the lower the Rocky Mountains guys leave this free -- all the time you know but. When he had that show with the boys club when he had made the decisions in -- that dog and pony show Hume Greg. He led everyone in Cleveland and Akron and believe he was technically yeah Gilbert didn't wouldn't do that right and if you were leaving it just wouldn't do that it was too cruel. And then he went there and and just. You know his -- -- well there aren't a bold -- and and and what what did Scott do you went to the keyboard and in and took out his and a. Italy invented. Someone significant. Died yesterday. Yesterday was the anniversary of the OJ Simpson murders -- someone died yesterday and who you know of but might not name. My might not know the -- name I'll give you -- we'll take it as we get back. I can go anywhere. I can do any things I knew everybody and everybody knew me.