Michael Jordan.
11-24-2013, 10:08 PM
Even during Miami’s incredible comeback over the Cavs during their 27-game winning streak last season, there was still a fan rushing the court with a t-shirt that read “We want LeBron 2014.” The moment convinced 24-year-old James Raggi to show LeBron James a lot of Ohioans want him back.
The fan who rushed the court on that insane night in Cleveland, James Blair, has joined James Raggi’s group “Come Home LeBron.” They’ve got a website, a Twitter account, and an Instagram page, but there are bigger events planned this season, starting this Wednesday during Miami’s first trip to Cleveland this season:
Before the Cavs host the Heat, Raggi, Blair and supporters will pass out 2,000 bright green T-shirts at three tables outside the Q from 5:30 to 7:15 p.m. Those who take a picture wearing the shirt and tweet @ComeHomeLebron will be eligible to win 2014-15 Cavs season tickets.
But that’s just the start of their campaign, aimed at getting James to leave Miami for the Cavs in free agency in July. On Monday, a Come Home LeBron billboard will go up near James’ alma mater, St. Vincent-St. Mary High School, for four or eight weeks. Another is slated for Interstate 71 at Pearl Road at the end of December for one week; it will return in mid-February and remain until the end of March.
The Cavs and two-time NBA champion Heat meet for three games this season, the last at the Q on March 18, when Raggi and his crew hope to distribute 10,000 T-shirts. Some will be passed out Dec. 14 at the opening of the renovated St. V-M gymnasium, funded by a $1 million donation from James.
“A lot of our focus is on the younger audience,” Raggi said. “We want the kids to have the same experience we did in high school, not only expecting to win, but expecting the Cavs to contend for a championship.”
The one problem standing in the way of Raggi’s group: the Cavs are pretty terrible this year, losing four of their first 10 games. Even with Andrew Bynum seeing time, and Anderson Varejao‘s continued health, they’re not very good. Only Milwaukee and Utah sport a worse offensive efficiency, and they’re 20th in defensive efficiency. They rank in the bottom 5 for effective field goal percentage, true shooting percentage, and NBA.com’s player impact estimates. They are really bad, and that’s after splurging a bit this summer in free agency (we’re looking at you Jarrett Jack).
Perhaps the most ludicrous piece of information to come out of this drive to bring LeBron James back to Cleveland is that court-storming sensation James Blair got to attend game 6 and 7 of the NBA Finals this year, and was partying with the HEAT after they won their title:
Blair has more than 7,400 Twitter followers, which still include King James. Blair was featured in the LeBron issue of ESPN The Magazine. He attended Games 6 and 7 of the NBA Finals and the Heat’s victory party, where James spotted him on the dance floor below and saluted. In an interview with Sports Illustrated about that night, James said, “Yeah, that’s James Blair, he’s my guy.”
http://i.imgur.com/1jdATCw.png
The fan who rushed the court on that insane night in Cleveland, James Blair, has joined James Raggi’s group “Come Home LeBron.” They’ve got a website, a Twitter account, and an Instagram page, but there are bigger events planned this season, starting this Wednesday during Miami’s first trip to Cleveland this season:
Before the Cavs host the Heat, Raggi, Blair and supporters will pass out 2,000 bright green T-shirts at three tables outside the Q from 5:30 to 7:15 p.m. Those who take a picture wearing the shirt and tweet @ComeHomeLebron will be eligible to win 2014-15 Cavs season tickets.
But that’s just the start of their campaign, aimed at getting James to leave Miami for the Cavs in free agency in July. On Monday, a Come Home LeBron billboard will go up near James’ alma mater, St. Vincent-St. Mary High School, for four or eight weeks. Another is slated for Interstate 71 at Pearl Road at the end of December for one week; it will return in mid-February and remain until the end of March.
The Cavs and two-time NBA champion Heat meet for three games this season, the last at the Q on March 18, when Raggi and his crew hope to distribute 10,000 T-shirts. Some will be passed out Dec. 14 at the opening of the renovated St. V-M gymnasium, funded by a $1 million donation from James.
“A lot of our focus is on the younger audience,” Raggi said. “We want the kids to have the same experience we did in high school, not only expecting to win, but expecting the Cavs to contend for a championship.”
The one problem standing in the way of Raggi’s group: the Cavs are pretty terrible this year, losing four of their first 10 games. Even with Andrew Bynum seeing time, and Anderson Varejao‘s continued health, they’re not very good. Only Milwaukee and Utah sport a worse offensive efficiency, and they’re 20th in defensive efficiency. They rank in the bottom 5 for effective field goal percentage, true shooting percentage, and NBA.com’s player impact estimates. They are really bad, and that’s after splurging a bit this summer in free agency (we’re looking at you Jarrett Jack).
Perhaps the most ludicrous piece of information to come out of this drive to bring LeBron James back to Cleveland is that court-storming sensation James Blair got to attend game 6 and 7 of the NBA Finals this year, and was partying with the HEAT after they won their title:
Blair has more than 7,400 Twitter followers, which still include King James. Blair was featured in the LeBron issue of ESPN The Magazine. He attended Games 6 and 7 of the NBA Finals and the Heat’s victory party, where James spotted him on the dance floor below and saluted. In an interview with Sports Illustrated about that night, James said, “Yeah, that’s James Blair, he’s my guy.”
http://i.imgur.com/1jdATCw.png