LeBron James giveth, and LeBron James taketh away.
He gave seven years of superstar service to the Cleveland Cavaliers after delivering prodigious high school highlights just 40 miles down the road. Last month he took his talents away, packing up his seat-filling star power and sending it to Miami.
As you might imagine, Cleveland wasn’t too happy with the decision. Fans burned his jersey in the streets. Cavaliers’ owner Dan Gilbert called LeBron’s move a “shameful display of selfishness and betrayal.”
Today (Saturday), the 25-year-old Akron native will give a little more to the area that made him. This morning, hundreds, maybe thousands of bikers will pedal through downtown Akron in support of the Akron Urban League and the Akron Area YMCA, if not in support of LeBron.
Last year, the eight-mile bikeathon brought out 3,500 attendees and raised $50,000 for the Akron Urban league.
This year, things are a little different. The eight-mile ride is now just a one-mile ride. City officials say they can’t justify spending $25,000 to shut down and secure all of South Main Street due to decreased interest in the event.
After signing a $110 million contract with the Miami Heat, it’s unclear why LeBron didn’t pitch in himself to buy the kids a little room to cruise.
Deputy Mayor David Lieberth tells Fox 8 News it’s not the course that matters, but the event itself and what comes out of it. “He will be with the children,” Lieberth says of LeBron, who has promised to show his face at the event. “And he will present these 350 bicycles. There’s 400 total.”
After today, LeBron’s bikeathons will have given away more than 2,000 bicycles to Akron youth since 2005.
Akron isn’t unappreciative. On Monday, July 26 Akron City Council passed a resolution thanking the star for his accomplishments and contributions to the community. “No matter what his decision was, he’s still from Akron, Ohio. He’s a hometown person who we need to support.”
Forty miles to the north, LeBron isn’t thought of so kindly. Let’s hope LeBron wears a helmet today. Maybe a tomato shield, too.
Photo by katesheets via Flickr.