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Don't worry if you can't beat the Heat tonight, Cleveland. The rest of the league can easily handle those clowns for you.
Don't worry if you can't beat the Heat tonight, Cleveland. The rest of the league can easily handle those clowns for you.
Security in Cleveland tonight “not a police state”
Kurt Helin
There is a fair amount of security at every NBA game — men who sit behind the team benches watching the crowd, for example — but it’s not overwhelming. Like every professional sporting event that is not a Raiders game, there is kind of a belief that fans are not there cause harm to players or one another.
That belief may be put to the test tonight in Cleveland when LeBron James and the Miami Heat come to town five month’s after “the decision.” You’d like to think Clevelanders will rise above violence. There have been plenty of appeals — from unlikely sources — for rational behavior.
But Cleveland is where a full-grown Browns fan tackled an 8-year-old in a Jets jersey in the parking lot this season. The combination of high emotions and alcohol can lead to bad decisions (just think back to college). So the Cleveland Plain Dealer asked what additional security there would be.
“We’re not trying to create a police state for this game,” (Cavs spokesman Tad Carper) said. “We’ve gone through a very comprehensive process with the league security folks, the local authorities, the Cleveland Police Department, and we feel like we have a great plan in place to make sure we have a safe, law-abiding environment.”
For obvious reasons, the Cavaliers are not detailing what additional security measures will be taken. There will be more security personnel of all levels on hand, but how many has not been released. We will note the Heat’s team bus has been getting a police escort around town so far and there is additional security at their hotel.
For five years now everyone entering Quicken Loans Arena has had to pass through a metal detector, that will continue tonight. Beer will only be served in plastic cups.
As for the crackdown on signs and shirts — just nothing “obscene or vulgar.”
“There’s stuff that crosses the line and there’s a lot that doesn’t cross the line, and that stuff’s fine,” (Carper) said. “Bring the emotion, bring the passion, bring the energy and, maybe most importantly, bring your support for the Cavaliers because we need it, we want it, we’re thankful for it and that’ll really have an impact Thursday night. But don’t do anything to embarrass yourself or embarrass the city and community.”
Wonder if he does the powder thing tonight. I doubt it.
Also, anyone thinking in the back of their head he gets shot or attacked tonight? Only so much security can do against a guy who has courtside seats.
I had to cancel The Office AND 30 Rock on my DVR to record this . Enraged Cleveland fan better make this worth it!
Lie. Never happened.But Cleveland is where a full-grown Browns fan tackled an 8-year-old in a Jets jersey in the parking lot this season.
What an event.
James set for rude return
By Tom Withers
Just when you thought there couldn’t be any more hype surrounding the return of LeBron James to Cleveland on Thursday, President Obama added to the drama with a short, simple, and not-so-sweet description:
“It’s going to be brutal.”
Indeed, basketball fans nationwide have had Thursday circled on their calendars for weeks, as James and the Miami Heat prepared to meet the Cavaliers in Cleveland for the first time since he signed with Miami—and spurned his original team—in July.
But while fans, and journalists, and team owners have certainly pronounced their criticism for James in recent months, his former teammates, on gameday at least, took the road less traveled.
“We’re excited about tonight,” Cavaliers guard Mo Williams said. “That’s all I’ll say. I can’t stress that enough.”
Williams sported a Boston Red Sox jacket following the team’s morning shootaround, maybe an early indication of what James, a die-hard New York Yankees fan, can expect for his first game as a visitor.
“It’s almost like your ex-girlfriend coming to your wedding,” Williams said.
The Heat kept to themselves during the day, but James was part of a business meeting in the lounge of the team hotel in the afternoon. Once the meeting ended, James headed for the elevator and was asked if he was ready for whatever Cleveland fans had in store.
“Yes sir,” he replied. “I will be. I will be.”
Once tight with James, Williams has not spoken to the two-time league MVP in months and wouldn’t directly answer any questions about their fractured relationship.
James’ hyped return has been building, of course, for five months, since the moment he famously sat on a director’s chair at a Boys and Girls Club in Greenwich, Conn., and announced to the world during a one-hour television special that he would be aligning with fellow stars Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh in South Beach.
That was his “Decision,” his moment. On Thursday night, Cavaliers fans finally get theirs.
Security will be unprecedented inside Quicken Loans Arena. There will be uniformed police and undercover officers throughout the building to keep an eye on more than 20,000 fans who will vent, scream and holler at James, the kid from Akron they used to cheer.
The Heat did not hold a morning shootaround, but that’s typical of an NBA team playing on back-to-back nights, in two different cities.
Cavaliers coach Byron Scott knows what it’s like to return to play against a former team. A member of the Lakers’ “Showtime” teams, he experienced suddenly being an outsider in visits to Los Angeles while with Indiana and Vancouver.
“I’ve changed a couple of teams, but I left in pretty good standing,” he said, smiling. “So when I went back, I got some standing ovations. So it’s a little different. I can’t imagine what he’s going through or what he’s thinking. But I’m not trying to get into LeBron’s head.”
Williams said he hopes Cleveland fans don’t get carried away as they express their anger toward James, but he appreciates their passion.
“They’ll be extra hostile, and I understand that, but I think we should keep it safe,” he said. “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me. I think we should try to let those words hurt a little bit, but try to keep the sticks and stones away.”
Williams wasn’t sure how he’ll react when he first sees James face to face on the floor. He’ll probably give him a hug “out of respect for the game.”
Afterward, he and James—Cleveland fans—will again go their separate ways.
“We’ll give our nods and our little salutes and go to the locker room we’re comfortable with,” he said. “He’ll go to the visitors locker room and hopefully the showers are a little bit cold. We’re going to take a warm shower and go home to our beds.”
Is there canabilism in CLE? Scary place. Good thing Lebron is not an 8 year old cause he would really be in trouble.
You misspelled "cannabilism."
You eat people and beat up children.
Just kidding Joe, I know you don't eat people.
Here's to hoping that the Cavs put it all together tonight and take a giant dump on the 3 stooges.
That would be nice. Your going to be able to cut the tension in the air with a knife tonight there at Quicken
I have a feeling Cavs will have a bunch of new fans tonight.
You know that for sure?
Just an assumption about a man. A man who office linebacker's kids. If you ate the kiddos, who would be left to fight after a CLE team loses?
31 teams that kid could bandwagon for, and he chooses the Jets.
Maybe he got some sense knocked into him.
lol@ having to install metal detectors for this game
what a city
Go Cavs. Beat that cry baby.
This is gonna be good
Bosh is ting his pants allready for his Toronto game
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