Sports 'N Stuff: Don't Cry Cleveland ... You Got What You Deserved

By Brian FlaggiBerkshires Columnist
09:11AM / Sunday, July 11, 2010Print Story | Email Story

So it's a done deal. LeBron has taken his show to South Beach and is now a member of the Miami Heat. Why it took a one-hour ESPN special to announce the move I don’t understand. What I do understand is WHY King James made the move.

If you recall, LeBron came into the NBA straight from high school and was arguably the most sought after NBA recruit ever. Even his senior-year high school games were broadcast on ESPN. He and his talents were exploited before he ever became an NBA player. Cleveland selected him with the first pick in the NBA draft in 2003 and he was destined to be their savior. Yes ... King James would put the Cavs on the map and make them an elite NBA team.

Now I'm not sure if Cavs owner Dan Gilbert just doesn't pay attention to history or if he just thought he could rewrite it but championship teams have NEVER consisted of one great player. That has been proven time and time again. Larry Bird didn't win without McHale and Parrish and Dennis Johnson, not to mention the rest of those great Celtic teams, including the current team that needed the big three of Garnett, Pierce and Allen. Magic Johnson and the Lake Show didn't win in their heyday without Kareem and James Worthy and Kobe couldn't bring it home in the modern era without Shaq (yes, I said Shaq) or Pau Gasol and Derick Fisher. Even the Great MJ couldn't bring a championship to Chicago without the likes of Scottie Pippen and Dennis Rodman.

Since joining the NBA in 2003, the Cavs have given LeBron almost no support. Their roster has consisted of names like Zydrunas Ilgauskas, who in his best year averaged 17 points per game and, at 7-foot-3, NEVER averaged more than 9.3 rebounds per game. Add names like Damon Jones, Devin Brown and Billy Thomas and you have to wonder what the heck this owner was thinking. Oh yeah, he did have an AGED Shaquille O'Neal in 2009 in a last-ditch effort to save face but O'Neal got a thumb injury and the hope was dashed.

Quite simply, Gilbert put all his eggs in one basket and put all the pressure on one guy to win a ring. It wasn't done and it can't be done. So stop your crying and whining in Cleveland. If you wanted a championship you should have done the right things and got more players to help him.

LeBron is not to blame here. He gave the Cavs his best and they gave him NOTHING in return. Now he is with D-Wade and Chris Bosh in Miami. We can't predict what will happen but, unlike in Cleveland, he now has PLAYERS around him who can make good things happen, and they should rival the best teams in the NBA for a championship.

Brian Flagg was co-host of "The Sports Page" on local public access stations for nearly five years. The North Adams resident has been coaching girls' basketball for 20 years and serves on the board of directors for the Whitney Basketball League. He writes occasional columns on sports for iBerkshires.

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Your Comments

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Pistons, Blazers won without a super star. Cavs had a S&T for Bosh that the Raps wanted to take there is your number 2. If you have been with a team for this long yes leave but do it with a bit of class and respect for that organisation. No the Cavs did not deserve this neither did the Knicks Bulls and the other teams that Lequitter duped. Pick up your game.
from: indomitable	on: 07-11-2010 10:24AM I Agree (5) - I Disagree (2)

Thank you - Brian. I've been waiting for some "words of wisdom" on all this. Cleveland had seven years to do something - they didn't provide Lebron with a team - so the man made a decision. I think Cleveland's behavior - esp. from the Cav's owner - has been disgraceful - the city seems to have a collective low self-esteem - putting all their hopes and dreams on one man.
from: pj303	on: 07-11-2010 12:42PM I Agree (4) - I Disagree (7)

This is a ridiculous article. Antawan jamison? all star. Mo williams? all star. Anderson Varejao? All defensive team. Lebron had plenty of help. Lebron just gave up in big games. If you watched them against the celtics last year, when the series became 2-2 lebron stopped trying. He can only win easy he has no toughness or will to win. He is the most talented player ever, but talent isnt everything. If he wins in miami it will be because wade wills them to the championship with maybe lebron distracting the defense a little. This is coming from a timberwolves fan by the way, no bias at all here. Essentially, lebron gave up because he needs to join a team where he isn't the best player to win a championship. The guy is a failure, and shouldn't even be considered a franchise player at this point.
from: you obviously don't watch basketball	on: 07-11-2010 02:31PM I Agree (8) - I Disagree (1)

To follow up: The Knicks also won a championship without the kind of star power that you mentioned. I do think that Dan Gilbert have a point in his open-letter to the fans. It's just that he was driven by his emotions so the letter ended up the way it did. He called LeBron a coward because he did not step up to the challenge of winning a Championship being him as "the man". He did not even payed tribute to Cleveland and the fans out there in his f***ing ESPN special. No I am not from Cleveland, I'm not even a US citizen, But I am a great fan of basketball. A huge fan of LeBron, because I believe he can be the next Jordan. It's just to bad, he can't raise up to the challenge. He gave up. Jordan waited for exactly 7 years to get a title. He was patient, he set himself a goal and he did not give up until he reach it. And Oh, I also agree with Dan Gilbert that LeBron gave up some games in the playoffs. I just can't see a single bit of the LeBron that killed the pistons back in 2007 (and the cavs were a weaker team back then), or the LeBron that almost eliminated the Celtics back in 08. NOT A SINGLE BIT. He's not the same, I don't know what's wrong but as soon as the playoff started I knew something's different. And his decision to join the Heat is really disappointing, He is afraid of challenges. He wants the easy way out. He could've gone to Chicago, it's not as star-studded as Miami but he is the Icon, the Man, the Star of that team. And he can show the world that a Bosh-WAde tandem can't beat a team he runs. Oh well. Goodbye Legacy. LeBron made a model competitor out of Kobe. I was a Kobe hater before, but after this I realized he is really the cream of the crop, he is the one we should imitate.
from: FromLebronToKobeFan	on: 07-11-2010 04:27PM I Agree (4) - I Disagree (0)

Dalton Day Returns This Saturday

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff
01:56PM / Wednesday, June 10, 2026

DALTON, Mass. — The town's popular Dalton Day festival is returning this weekend after a year's hiatus.

The event will kick off this Saturday at 11 a.m. and runs until 4 p.m. in the field in front of the Senior Center.

The community celebration was established in 2023 by the Cultural Council in an effort to increase resident participation at town meetings while also showcasing the area's welcoming, diverse, artistic and sporty atmosphere. In 2024, the event brought together 300 residents.

"The primary mission of Dalton Day is to foster a strong sense of community, build civic pride, and bring residents together through a shared celebration of local culture, music, and food," said Jeannie Ingram, Select Board member and cultural council chair, and Lori Venezia, executive assistant to the town manager.

The event provides an accessible and free platform for "civic education, community bonding, and supporting local businesses, artisans, makers, and culture more broadly," they said.

The festival strengthens the fabric of the town both civically and economically by connecting grassroots organizations with residents, fostering a shared sense of belonging, and providing free, family-friendly entertainment.

It also serves as an opportunity for community members to meet with local officials and a couple of state officials. State Sen. Paul Mark and state Rep. Leigh Davis will be coming from Beacon Hill to speak at the event.

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