PubDate: 07-09-2010
Page: 1 C
Edition: 1 Replate:
User: tpost
Color:C K Y M
SPORTS Inside
FRIDAY JULY 9, 2010
Online
Going low
CLASSIFIED ADS
MORE BOB HUNTER
Goydos shoots 59 in PGA Tour event C6
See Pages C7-12
C
Dispatch.com/hunter
“One thing I didn’t want to do was make an emotional decision. I WANTED TO DO WHAT WAS BEST FOR LEBRON JAMES and what LeBron James is going to do to make him happy.” LEBRON JAMES
HEAT IS ON
NBA’s power base shifts south to Miami and its three stars By Ira Winderman SOUTH FLORIDA SUN SENTINEL
MARK DUNCAN
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Greg Haylett, left, and Garrett Welch react after watching LeBron James announce he will play for the Miami Heat on television at a bar in downtown Cleveland. While South Florida celebrated there was a much different mood in Northern Ohio.
For Cavaliers, it’s now Plan B
Televised decision tears down every ounce of James’ goodwill
THE PLAIN DEALER
PHILLIES 4
ASSOCIATED PRESS
In this image from video, LeBron James speaks about his decision to play next season with the Miami Heat, during an interview on ESPN. consecutive playoff appearance. While there is still a chance that the Cavs could do a signand-trade with the Heat for James to get back future draft picks, it is unlikely they would take part in helping James go to another team. It is a virtual certainty that Cleveland would not get any
See HEAT Page C2
COMMENTARY
By Brian Windhorst CLEVELAND — LeBron James is no longer a Cavalier, but there will still be 82 NBA games played next season. Like many of their fans, the Cleveland Cavs were in a state of shock last night after James announced he was going to sign with the Miami Heat. As recently as last weekend, team officials felt positive that James would re-sign and they could make some adjustments and contend for a championship again next season. But even though it is a massive blow, losing a two-time league MVP in his prime, the team did prepare for this contingency. Owner Dan Gilbert is likely to continue his willingness to spend on payroll and keep the team competitive. No one will pick the Cavs to contend for the title with Antawn Jamison, Mo Williams, Anderson Varejao and J.J. Hickson. But with some additions, the team does feel it can compete for a sixth
Pat Riley had to make up ground coming down the homestretch, but the Miami Heat president has secured his triple crown. LeBron James is coming to South Florida, to join Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh on a team that is poised to jump from NBA also-ran to immediate championship contender. “It’s a new challenge for myself,” James said. “I don’t have any doubts at all.” In front of the national glare of ESPN’s cameras, James completed last night what Wade and Bosh started Wednesday, a three-pronged partnership of All-Stars and Olympic teammates that could rival anything since the league offered Magic, Kareem and Worthy with the Lakers, and Bird, McHale and Parish with the Celtics. “This league, you become a superstar individually, but you become a champion as a team, and I understand that,” James said. The commitment of Wade, James and Bosh was so strong that all agreed to commit to the shared experience without being assured that they would receive their maximum allowable starting salary of $16.6 million for the 2010-11 season. “The numbers are not finalized,” James said. “All three of us are going to take less money, because we all wanted to play alongside each other and we feel we can be great
players in return, which means it faces the reality of losing James for nothing. The other reality is that the majority of the available top free agents have come to terms with other teams while the Cavs See CAVS Page C2
Seven years ago, when every Clevelander with the courage to call himself a Cavaliers fan dreamed of getting LeBron James in the NBA draft, the team had a draft lottery party in a restaurant called Champps. Champps. Get it? And just like last night, the Cleveland crowd was watching the momentous moment on TV. That was a BOB desperate team HUNTER and desperate city back then. Seven years later, it’s remarkable how so much and so little has changed. The Cavaliers’ chances of getting the No. 1 pick of the draft that night, which they had to have to get the Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary star, was 22.5 percent. A long-shot chance for unlucky Cleveland. It had the potential to be like a holi-
day party where the Grinch announced the end of Christmas. Yet the Cavs finally got the pick after a tense, team-by-team countdown from No. 13, and the fairy tale came true. The place exploded, and the deafening roar lasted almost four minutes. Former Cavs guard Austin Carr broke down and cried on stage. Former Cavs great Larry Nance grinned so hard, his jaw nearly broke. The team was saved. A championship-starved city had hope. A local kid was going to make Cleveland the city of champions. In some ways, it was never better than that night. James made the Cavs better — they got into the draft lottery that year with a 17-65 record — got them two years with the best regular-season record and one losing trip to NBA Finals. But last night he announced that he is leaving for the greener grass of south Florida with no championships on his resumé. And even See HUNTER Page C2
REDS 3 12 INNINGS
Schneider’s homer sinks Reds FROM WIRE REPORTS
PHILADELPHIA — Brian Schneider hit a game-ending homer in the 12th inning, giving the Philadelphia Phillies a 4-3 victory over the National League Central-leading Cincinnati Reds last night in Citizens Bank Park. Shane Victorino also had a solo homer for the struggling Phillies, who had lost seven of 10. They overcame another blown save by Brad Lidge to win this one. Joey Votto hit his league-leading 22nd homer, hours after the Reds
first baseman was named to the NL All-Star team. The Reds had won a franchisebest nine straight extra-inning road games dating to June 2009. Schneider connected off Jordan Smith (2-2) with one out, hitting a drive to right. Nelson Figueroa (2-1) pitched two perfect innings to earn the win. There were two outs in the ninth when the Reds tied it at 3 on pinchhitter Miguel Cairo’s RBI double off Lidge. Votto singled to start the inning, and Scott Rolen walked. After Jay Bruce grounded into a double play, Cairo hit a liner to left-center.
Reds’ Votto, Yankees’ Swisher voted by fans to final spots for All-Star Game C4 A sellout crowd frustrated with the Phillies’ recent struggles booed loudly while Lidge punched his glove. He has three blown saves in his past five appearances. The Phillies went ahead 3-2 in the eighth on Jimmy Rollins’ sacrifice fly. Wilson Valdez hit a triple to start the inning against Nick Masset and See REDS Page C4
07-09-2010
MATT SLOCUM ASSOCIATED PRESS
Joey Votto of the Reds homers off Phillies pitcher Kyle Kendrick in the first inning. It was his league-leading 22nd home run of the season.
PAGE C1