A Textual Look at "The Decision"

Unless you've been living under a rock for the past week, you know that LeBron James will announce his new team in a primetime ESPN special tonight. While sitting at work, Big Shot Bob and I started exchanging texts about what the announcement means for LeBron's legacy, his image, the type of player he is, the Heat's chances next season, etc. I'll let the texts explain themselves.

Owen (9:18 am): ESPN reporting that sources (who are mentioned 8 times) say that LeBron is leaning toward Miami. Funny thing is, no one has any idea who these sources are. I hate ESPN.
Robert (9:19 am): Haha, I saw that this morning and knew you'd say something.
Robert (10:11 am): Simmons has a LeBron column up. I assume it's gonna be gold.
Owen (10:11 am): It is. I'm just about done reading it. I agree with a lot of what he says.
-Point of information: Bill Simmons predicts that LeBron will go to the Heat in the column.-
Robert (10:41 am): I just want Chicago so badly. Can we have a do over on this? This is what happens when you have guys that never graduated from college deciding these things. I'm depressed and have a tiny amount of hope left in me, and I think it's small enough not to hurt. But when LeBron officially causes me to miss out on a once-in-a-generational team, I know it's going to crush me.
Owen (10:49 am): I honestly don't care where he goes. I just want it to be over. You can sleep soundly tonight knowing that he will never approach Jordan. I want to see him get there too, but he's proven time and again he's not about winning. He's all about his image and about goofing off. The NBA is just a big game to him.
Robert (10:50 am): I don't know if I'll ever be able to root for him again. When he picks someone other than the Bulls, consider me securely seated on the Kevin Durant bandwagon.
Owen (10:52 am): Oh I'm already there. And somehow, through all of this, I'm a much bigger Kobe fan. He never would have done this.
Robert (10:53 am): Kobe still sucks.
Owen (10:53 am): You can't deny that he gets it and LeBron doesn't, though.
Robert (10:54 am): No, but I still despise him. Is he a better player? Maybe. Is he easy to hate? Definitely.
Owen (10:57 am): Well sure he's easy to hate. Definitely. But in 15 years I will say that, with the exception of MJ, Kobe was the best player I ever saw.
Robert (10:59): I want to be able to say Durant, and it's not over yet on the other guys. Kobe's been in the league, what, 15 years? There's time for others to emerge.
Owen (11:00 am): Well sure, I'm just guessing. What I'm saying is that, based on what I've seen, LeBron won't come close to Kobe or Michael.
Robert (11:01 am): No, he won't. He doesn't have the mentality.
Owen (11:05 am): I bet when he retires, he'll have won 5 MVP's and a max of 1 title. Sad. Of course, if he chooses Chicago tonight, then you can erase our last 10 texts.
Robert (11:05 am): But he won't because he sucks.
Owen (11:07 am): I agree. If you call yourself an NBA fan, you have to want him to go to Chicago and fulfill his potential. If not, you've been fooled by the smoke and mirrors.
Robert (11:12 am): ESPN trying to sell Miami as a super-team is going to be just as miserable as this whole debacle has been. F. If Chris Paul goes, then I'll be interested. As is, they're not going to be that good.
Owen (11:19 am): True. I completely agree with Simmons. You can't build a championship around just 3 guys, even if those 3 are really good. It's going to be the '04 Olympic team all over again. Yeah, they'll win alot of games because of the big 3 but they'll be too selfish to play as a team.
Robert (11:20 am): Well, maybe Derrick Byars and Shan can finally make a team; they need minimum contract guys.
Robert (11:21 am): Hell, maybe AJ has a spot in the league there.
Owen (11:22 am): Yeah, I guess that's the silver lining. But Simmons is right, where are they going to get a PG and a C??
Robert (11:23 am): Trade Beasley or put Bosh at center. Jermaine Beal?
Owen (11:23 am): Mario Moore??
Owen (11:23 am): E Cole??
Robert (11:24 am): I like it. Let's make a running joke on GrizzLife about getting Ross on the Heat as Wade's backup.
Owen (11:31 am): We need video of the intramural dunk to give the story life though. But something I realized: the Heat have a better chance of winning a title if LeBron doesn't go there. Cause they could use his money to sign good role players to complement Wade and Bosh. You can compete for a title with Wade, Bosh, Beasley, Chalmers and some glue guys.
Robert (11:34 am): We've got the dunking highlight tape with Rachel in it, almost works better. I agree, as is they'll sell out all their season tickets and be a top 3 team in the East.
Owen (11:37 am): Agreed. Maybe whatever scrubs they pick up turn out to be OK and they actually advance to the East finals... But I'll be damned if they go further than the Magic, Celtics or Bulls. Their ceiling is the East finals and that's generous.
Robert (11:39 am): Completely agree. If LeBron and scrubs can't beat high school players, there's no way that team can win a championship.
Owen (11:56 am): Well they weren't exactly trying that hard in the camp game. I'm posting this entire conversation on the blog by the way.
Robert (12:24 pm): True. Jordan never would have lost to high schoolers.

LeBron, despite what you just read, I really do want to see you fulfill your potential. I want to "witness" greatness. I want the Jordan or LeBron argument to become a legitimate one. So, please, don't go to Miami to play streetball with Wade and Bosh. That won't do you any good. And don't go to New York just to boost your image; you won't win there either. Go to Chicago, team up with Derrick Rose, Carlos Boozer, Luol Deng and Joakim Noah and win as many championships as you want.

Or you can come to the Griz and play for cheap,
Owen