Also... I've never seen so many bandwagoners in one fan base. It's really disgusting to me. As a sports fan... I see it two ways... you usually either LOVE your home teams or you love the teams that were winning when you were a little kid. And I can accept both of those reasons for having favorite teams, but when there's so many Miami jerseys and shirts around northeast Ohio... clearly there's a shit ton of antagonistic assholes. That's the thing about Ohio. There are two kinds of fans... those who love the home teams and those who HATE everything Ohio and antagonize to no end. I don't get how someone who's born and raised in Ohio can hate on Ohio teams so much AND take offense to being called a front runner. Isn't hating a team because they don't have championships the same as loving a team because they do? It's still being a front runner in my opinion.
I really agree with you there. I'm a born and raised Miami fan, of the Hurricanes first, The Dolphins second, and the Heat third. I can give a shit about the Florida Panthers (Ice Hockey team in Florida wtf) and I hate the Marlins (they have fucked with my football too much, and the stadium was the last straw) but holy shit, I see why you guys were so pissed off. I would be pissed if we lost Wade, but it would drive me nuts if we lost Wade and half of Miami started sporting his Chicago jersey. That is douchebaggery. I wouldn't care so much about Chicago fans gloating, but if half of our own city abandoned the team because it had to start over I would be pretty pissed too.
I also hate all these Miami Hurricanes fans from New York and shit with no affiliation to the city of Miami or it's University. Just a bunch of (now old) wanna be thugs who followed a winner. They drive me crazy on Hurricanes boards, because they didn't go to UM (which is ok on its own, I didn't go to UM, I might, but it is fucking expensive) or come from the city (which is OK if you went to the University) and they sit there laughing in the face of diehard fans of other Miami sports teams like the Dolphins (who have been struggling lately) and The Heat (who had a bad Finals). I know to expect mostly apes at homer boards, but I'm still compelled to go there. It's like getting blown by $5 dollar crackwhores though, I feel sick after I do it.
As to "The Decision," I see where you are coming from a little better now. However, LeBron did want to get it over with in the first 10 minutes and ESPN and the interviewer did push it longer. Could he have phrased it better? Fuck yeah. People who tout South Beach as Miami know nothing about Miami. I fucking hate South Beach. Only athletes on tourist trips and super rich tourists and super rich Miami natives who have somehow not been exposed to just how grimy this city is, and how lovely it is for all the grime, like to go to South Beach regularly. The Grove or Downtown area is where it is at at night.
Also If you haven't been down NW 36th street or NW 2nd ave or NW 54st or at the very least a little bit of Perrine (basically at least one of our ghettos, not limiting true Miamians to just these areas), then you don't know Miami for what it really is.
Still, no apologies for the party Wade, Bosh, and LeBron had though. It was for locals. ESPN decided to broadcast it nationwide because they wanted to push the anti-LeBron til he wins a championship agenda (watch what happens when he does) in order to grab emotions and ratings. I watched it on local TV. I was surprised the next day to find out that it was nation wide. We had every right to celebrate the greatest Free-Agent haul of all time. I'm just sad that they didn't win in their first year, but no way it doesn't come around in the second. Realistically, making (and losing) the Finals in your first year as a team really isn't an embarrassment at all. The media just propped this team up to be something it wasn't ready to be yet.
Ahhh, still coping though. I have no NFL to look forward to this year, and my Canes are rebuilding. Fucking sucks.