LeBron James Cleveland to Miami

Big changes for two U.S. cities.

LeBron James

(LOS ANGELES) - Good times and bad times in the NBA.

LeBron James' move to Miami signals positive days for fans there, and it means Cleveland is busy painting over a mural of LeBron downtown.

Fans don't know exactly how to react, but they know they are losing a big name.

Maybe Cleveland needs to take a good close look at its own role in all of this; and examine what it did or didn't secure to secure their star, so they can keep their next one in place.

There are rumors, jersey #23 burns in the streets and people are just over the top in their reaction to the inevitable.

Cleveland, Ohio needs to move forward, and not take too much stock in one guy with a basketball; there has to be more to this place, besides the rampant crime that sadly includes too much murder and gang activity.

Let's remember that this is a nation at war, fighting poverty and racism and hunger and our hard days are not necessarily behind us.

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LeBron James Cleveland to Miami

Wow! The fingers are pointing but who is really to blame?
And before starting your list better remove LeBron’s name,
Michael had Scottie Pippen for three & with Horace Grant,
With the final tray “Bad Boy” Dennis Rodman was in camp.

Probably the biggest name not surprisingly is Mike Brown,
He is not the head strategist, who should be leaving town,
Subtract another big name, the Diesel also known as Shaq,
Nor is he the one who put the knife in, MVP James’ back.

Okay, two names are deleted any longer should we tarry?
It is the guy who put the team together, Mr. Danny Ferry,
From last years defeat, needed changes were no mystery,
Why did he wait till mid-season to get a “D” in chemistry?

Don’t harp on LeBron’s elbow or Shaq’s injured thumb,
Saying this caused downward spiral in Boston is dumb,
Not doubles in tennis there’s 11 guys in this team sport,
Where oh where were the rest of the basketball cohorts?

A defeat determines your greatest infrastructure need,
As is the case for several years now we lack the speed,
Offense, defense, transition, side to side, coast to coast,
Saw the roster twice I failed to see #86 Casper the Ghost.

I’m not a basketball aficionado just a residential area fan,
By watching the Browns I know an already defeated plan,
No steel chain can ever be stronger than its weakest link,
Criticizing Mike for not using his bench, what do you think?

Now you see him, now you don’t, will he go or will he stay?
Are they committed to getting players who can actually play?
No need to argue about who didn’t step up to do this or that,
Simply go online or read the Plain Dealer and check the stats.

New York, Miami, Chicago, the sun, the moon or Timbuktu,
He has all summer for deciding the right thing for him to do,
And should LeBron remain in Cleveland, things must change,
Or he’ll garner many accolades but never a championship ring.

Now there is also a vicious rumor about guard DeLonte West,
And yes it is certainly putting LeBron’s reputation to the test,
I will not dignify the rumor by writing in this poem the claim,
But, it’s obvious that this guy was sleeping during the game.

When cracks begin to appear in a solid structure due to neglect,
It’s never the fault of the laborers only the designer & architect,
No matter how many practice sessions or how long you rehearse,
You will only get out what ever you put in, for better or for worse.

June 19,2010 there’s a movement, a rally, to get LeBron to stay,
Ok let’s see, what will happen if after seven years he goes away?
Will laid off firefighters come back or closed stations reviewed?
What about police officers, many lost their jobs, I'm so confused.

There are over 600 teachers losing employment, what about EMS?
16 schools are now closed, more city workers, what’s your guess?
Thousands of students can’t read, write, very few do simple math,
Yet none of that is important as LeBron staying, excuse my laugh.

Last but not least, there is a question nagging fans a tad-bit,
Was the, “King” having elbow problems or did he just quit?
6 of 1, half a dozen of the other, exactly what does it mean?
Nothing, since to win it still takes effort by the entire team.

07/08/2010, LeBron James in free agency picked Miami Heat,
Cleveland Cavalier fans are again tasting the agony of defeat,
Ah wait a minute for this city what has this guy actually done?
The drought’s been since 1964 when any kind of title was won.

If the team had surrounded him with the right supporting cast,
An extension could of been signed, the love affair would last,
Now attention might be focused on the real problems at hand,
Cleveland has serious issues more important than one man.

But, what about the financial impact, here he no longer plays,
Well, although he’s gone billion dollar Cleveland Clinic stays,
People are blaming a fiscal collapse by a huge loss of revenue,
As a hospital bigger than any pays nothing, so what else is new?

It’s now time for Cleveland, Ohio to get their priorities straight,
One guy with a basketball should not, cannot seal the city’s fate,
There’s still car jacking, thefts, gang activity, a high murder rate,
Racism, foreclosures, less bus routes, hey there’s more just wait.

University Hospital pays nothing to the city, what’s the big deal?
Oh, are they exempt because their business is supposedly to heal?
Quit blaming our sports franchises or players with a famous name,
The same chaos now that he’s gone was here long before he came.

Hey!, Do you realize this might close more than half of the bars?
The flip side, think about the less number of towed & stolen cars,
All sports are businesses, certainly his decision was based on that,
By no means did he or the city of Miami stab Cleveland in the back.

Joblessness & homelessness, half the residents without health care,
While those who do have it the rates are so sky high it’s still a scare,
Look in the mirror Cleveland before pointing fingers shifting blame,
Resurrection of “the best location in the nation” is not LeBron James.

Basketball is not real life, it's a past time, just another seasonal game,
However, people are treating this crap like life and death, that's insane,
Life & death's played out for real on the battlefield of Afghanistan & Iraq,
BTW, ever hear of the 13th Amendment? He didn't have to come back.

From Cleveland’s Cuyahoga County to Miami’s County known as Dade,
With fellow superstars Chris Bosh and NBA-Ring holder Dwayne Wade,
In professional hoops it requires not a couple but 3 to get the job done,
Because no where in the history of the game was it accomplished by 1.

Hometown fans crying, jersey #23 burned in the streets, hey let it go,
Old saying albeit incorrect English, “one monkey don’t stop no show,”
It’s his life, he opted out to take a pay cut whatever it is or isn’t worth,
Understand there is still only one King and His Throne is not on Earth.

by Luke Easter

We live in a world of social & economic injustice. The main reason for founding America in the first place was to relieve the oppression of the King of England. Patrick Henry said it best, “give me liberty or give me death.” And yet, all too often death seems to be the only way out. Why is there such a high suicide rate especially among teens, in the land of the free & the home of the brave? What makes headlines? Good news? Ha! More depressing stories than anything else. I feel poetry takes an edge off the hurt of bad news while still delivering it but in a, “glitzy” sort of way. Giving a different perspective. Kind of like slap in the face as opposed to a knife in the back. At least with the slap you’ll live to see another day and you will know whom it’s from. I wasn’t here for the beginning of the world but at 59, I just might be here for the end.

Even though it’s still a knife, rhyme poetry helps to dull the blade. And that’s my job. You can write to Luke Easter at: lyricsfromlucas@aol.com