Weekly Cup Of Joe: LeBron James Edition

I prefer to think of this as more of a tribute to Fire Joe Morgan than a blatant ripoff. But who are we really kidding here?

Joe was off on Tuesday or thought today was Tuesday, an easy enough mistake to make with the holiday weekend thing. So he did his Joe Chat over at the Four Letter today. Last week's Cup of Joe came with a disclaimer and so does this one. Last week I went a little nerdy with all of the UZR/150 and Gold Glove voting. This week, we're talking LeBron mania! So if you're already sick of all the Lebron talk you might want to come back in a little while but come on, you want to know Joe's take on the situation. Let's grab that nugget of wisdom...

Rob (NY)

Hey joe lets get a LeBron prediction from a fellow beloved ohio ballplayer

Joe Morgan (11:27 AM)

First of all, I am a HUGE NBA fan. But I will say this: I am personally turned off by all of this. In my opinion, if LeBron goes and plays in Miami and Wade and Bosh, then he's throwing his teammates in Cleveland under the bus as if it were their fault that they didn't win in the NBA last year. I've always talked with Bill Russell, the greatest champion in team sports, and he always said it was his duty to make his teammates better. If LeBron goes to Miami, he's saying it wasn't his fault, it was someone else's. I would not want to have that opinion of LeBron.

Joe Morgan (11:28 AM)

If Kobe, LeBron, Wade, Bosh and Dwight Howard all went together, they'd probably win a championship. So, if you can orchestrate who you can play with at the right time, anybody can win a championship.

Okay, this LeBron stuff is suffocating, so I'm sorry for piling on. On the other hand, his hour long announcement special tomorrow night is must see TV. What is he going to do for an hour to announce what will literally take less than 10 seconds to say? Personally, I'm hoping for ventriloquism with the Nike puppet. Or magic. The Penn and Teller kind, not the Laker kind.

On to Joe's point. Isn't the point of sports to win or impress women? LeBron's best chance to win multiple titles is to have other great talent around him. He makes his teammates better. You're a fool if you don't believe that. Without Lebron, a Delonte West led Cavs team wins, what, 12 games? I think their free agent summit was genius. If the Heat can find a way to give all these guys max deals (oh yeah, pro athletes also like the proverbial fat cash), then good for them. Doubt it happens, though.

And this stuff happens in baseball too. Why do you think players have no-trade clauses? Players want to play with other good players so they can win. Nobody wants to be a Royal. Except for maybe Wilson Betemit.

Bonus Poor Grammar Question:

Ryan (PA)

Am I the only person who would prefer players from their team not make the All-Star game? I would rather have them have a couple days rest, especially the pitchers from the team I route for.

Oh, Ryan. Route? That one stung my brain.

The Lake Erie LeBrons

Minor league baseball is just plain fun. Thirsty Thursdays, Keg Stand Sundays, Fall Down Drunk Fridays. It's generally a good excuse to stop drinking and get out of the tub to go drinking. They also come up with some of the wackiest promotions this side of Bill Veeck*. The Lake Erie Crushers are doing their part to keep basketball's Stephen Strasburg equivalent, LeBron James, in town during the "Keep LBJ in the C-L-E Night" promotion next week...

The Crushers will wear Cavaliers-themed jerseys June 30 and each player will wear No. 6 to honor James' switch from No. 23. The team is renaming its park LeBron James Field at All Pro Freight Stadium for the game. Anyone named LeBron gets free tickets.

But there's more! The Crushers are prepared to offer LeBron a league maximum contract worth $1600 per week. The contract also comes with a host family like in the movie Sugar. They'll teach him English and cook him breakfast.

Wait. Anyone named LeBron gets in for free? That's just fantastic. The ghost of Bill Veeck has to be behind this. Are there going to be midgets too?

*Crucial Bill Veeck quotes.

"What can I do, I asked myself, that is so spectacular that no one will be able to say he had seen it before? The answer was perfectly obvious. I would send a midget up to bat."

"There are only two seasons - winter and Baseball."

"I try not to kid myself. You know, I don't mind romancing someone else, but to fool yourself is pretty devastating and dangerous."

When I start the Off Base book club, Veeck - As In Wreck might be the first one up.