I can not unshred my jersey, nor can I afford to have season tickets again (Had them before him and for a couple of years while he was on the team). But I'm glad he gets it and is back for the right reasons.
I cried, and my wife finally understood why he was so important to us as a person than a basketball player, when I read these parts of his essay:
"The letter from Dan Gilbert, the booing of the Cleveland fans, the jerseys being burned -- seeing all that was hard for them [his family]. My emotions were more mixed. It was easy to say, “OK, I don’t want to deal with these people ever again.” But then you think about the other side. What if I were a kid who looked up to an athlete, and that athlete made me want to do better in my own life, and then he left? How would I react? I’ve met with Dan, face-to-face, man-to-man. We’ve talked it out. Everybody makes mistakes. I’ve made mistakes as well. Who am I to hold a grudge?"
"But this is not about the roster or the organization. I feel my calling here goes above basketball. I have a responsibility to lead, in more ways than one, and I take that very seriously. My presence can make a difference in Miami, but I think it can mean more where I’m from. I want kids in Northeast Ohio, like the hundreds of Akron third-graders I sponsor through my foundation, to realize that there’s no better place to grow up. Maybe some of them will come home after college and start a family or open a business. That would make me smile. Our community, which has struggled so much, needs all the talent it can get.
In Northeast Ohio, nothing is given. Everything is earned. You work for what you have.
I’m ready to accept the challenge. I’m coming home."
I know some people don't understand how sports can be so important to some. To me it's about community. We all cheered when our schools won stuff and felt part of the win even if we were not on the football, chess, debate or basketball team. Why don't people understand pro sports is the same but on a national level. The teams represent the people, and for once we had one of our own represent us... and now he is back. Back for all the right reasons. Back because it's home and we are a strong community. If you are not from the Midwest (all states included) you may not understand the family, community, and loyalty we have towards our home towns and states.
So Dave, I am happy he is back but I am more happy for his reasons and his words... a championship would be cool too.
