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How did the city of Cleveland respond to LeBron James’ departure? Let’s just say you didn’t have to worry about any traffic jams on the “high road”. King James’ jerseys were set aflame on the streets, his merchandise was being sold at vicious price reductions, and Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert wore his heart on his sleeve in an anger-filled tirade posted on the Cavaliers’ official website, likening his formerly employed superstar to the traitorous Benedict Arnold, vowing to win a championship before LeBron James and the Miami Heat do. But is Cleveland throwing away just a billboard? Piece by piece this huge banner is being torn down, and a fragment of Cleveland’s relevance is going down with each piece. The cash-flow generated by LeBron James’ brand comes to a halting stop and the ripple effect of his departure will soon be felt by the other sports franchises as well as local businesses.
So what can possibly replace Nike’s 10-story tall billboard in Cleveland? Surely we’ve never seen anything of this magnitude, and with LeBron now joining forces with two bonafide superstars who deserve a spotlight in their own right, would LeBron ever get his own 10-story billboard in Miami? The only other Nike pitchman worthy of such a profuse display of homage is Kobe Bryant, but he knows championship rings relay bigger messages. Continue reading for a look at images and video of Nike’s “Witness” billboard being torn down as well as a humorous video to lighten the mood.
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24 Responses to “Nike x LeBron James “Witness” Billboard Removed”
July 13th, 2010 at 3:08 pm
i dont understand all the backlash. he gave them 10 years of basketball (7 in the league, 3 in school), took them to the playoffs twice, and set tons of records. changed a 20 game a season team into the best regular season record in the east. why you mad? they mad no effort to give him real help and he went where the players are. if he was a regular player theda tried to trade him or released him, and none of this woulda been an issue. he took it into his own hands to make the best situation. cleveland should let it go.
July 13th, 2010 at 3:10 pm
all the cleveland fans are just mad because they know lebron is about to win a championship, but in a different city. be respectful… that man did alot for cleveland. he did all he could for 7 years. it seems to me that all they care about is themselves… not lebron. it was a great decision for lebron because he didn't deserve those kind of fans. it was about lebron, and no one else.
July 13th, 2010 at 3:12 pm
im loving it…what im loving is a man is a man…im not a big fan of lebron,but like lebron..good player…whats killing me the most is that all of you, need to go on jenny jones or something..yall switch like females for real…once loved turned haters, i respect a man or person on a individual…like jay z say blow the whistle..they can say what they say,only rise to the grave when theirs beef…blood sweat and tears, cant take that away…lebron..stay a king,soldier,cheif…dam yall get a life its done…anyway im a celtics fan, ewing,joe dumars,jordan,bird,wilkins,george gervin aka ice man.etc….oh did u hear kobe got traded to Cleveland hahahahahaha
July 13th, 2010 at 3:22 pm
why would you make a banner of him? its not like he was going to stay in cleveland for fuckin ever. pure insanity. ppl are so fuckn angry tho. lol
July 13th, 2010 at 3:42 pm
All those rooms behind the banner are seeing sunlight for the first time in YEARSSS!! haha.. Don't worry Clevelanders, LeBron WILL be back…albeit in a HEAT uniform! Atleast Kid Cudi still gives shout outs to Cleveland. Too bad he left for NYC years ago :-X
July 13th, 2010 at 3:46 pm
Cleveland Fans Make me sick. a whole buch of cry babies^. There is no loyalty in the this league. "ALL THE LEBRON HATERS NEED TO SHUT THE HELL UP… I’M SICK OF IT. SHUT THE HELL UP.THAT MAN DOESN’T OWE ANY BODY ANYTHING. TEAMS AREN’T LOYAL TO ANY PLAYERS.THEY DROP DUDES LIKE BAD HABITS ALL THE TIME.. IT’S A BUSINESS FOLKS. EFF THE CAVS AND EVERYBODY ELSE RIDICULING LEBRON." – AM95 aka LEGEND of BIGFOOT- Thats all that needs to be said!
July 13th, 2010 at 4:00 pm
Fuck all y’all!! I’m from Cleveland, and me personally, I’m not mad that he left. It’s just the way he did it. He had us feeling he would stay. I know for a fact that this city is hell and I want out too but he was what was keeping this city afloat. That guy meant something to this city that people wouldn’t understand. Cleveland sports sucks. I’m only a Cavs fan and he gave us something to be excited about. He had my 70 plus year old grandmother watching basketball and that meant a lot to me. Yea he’s a great player and I hope the best for him but people that aren’t from here wouldn’t realize what he meant to this city. I think he’s self centered and really doesn’t care what be did. But all good things must come
To and end.
July 13th, 2010 at 4:04 pm
leave lebron alone. he is his own man. cleveland needs to just find something else to do. You cant expect a great player to stay in a city that doesnt respect his decesion to leave. smh. cleveland is horrible just for that reason. He never need Yall in the First Place.
July 13th, 2010 at 4:25 pm
he coulda said he was gonna leave, you know gave us some time to try and sign some of the available talent in this years free agency. he didnt want us to be just as good w/o him. he knew where he was going since frikkin the usa won gold. he coulda gave us a heads up from the get go. like his playoff performance wasnt clear enough. i just hope that rich nigga is happy in mia.
July 13th, 2010 at 4:36 pm
And he deserves those bandwagoning Miami fans?
July 13th, 2010 at 4:49 pm
he left cleveland in a bad way?, i mean yeah he shouldn't have had an hour long special, but if u think about it leaving the nest is hard thing to do, and honestly he was on the brink to stay in cleveland until that whole bosh and wade came down to miami. But its already done and cleveland shouldn't be hating, especially that whole dan gilbert bullshit, they ain't gonna win shit, gilbert be talkn all this smack and he don't even play ball. All in all Lebron did lots and the organization did screw lebron james by giving him dumb players that don't have championship potential
July 13th, 2010 at 5:13 pm
i didnt think the man needed a protector i hope hes payin u good all the money he got LOL LOL LOL queer haha new niggaz on his dick
July 13th, 2010 at 5:44 pm
I'm not a LBJ fan personally. Don't get me wrong the young man is quite talented and skilled in the arena of basketball but so are a lot of other players including those that don't make the NBA. That being said I can't say that I'm upset or even remotely concerned about him leaving. That's his prerogative. I do feel bad for the city of Cleavland and the fans though. The way he made such a spectacle of the entire situation was immature. He should have handled it in a more respectful manner. I mean it's your hometown. But it is what it is.
July 13th, 2010 at 5:48 pm
lol… all these cleveland people saying he couldve given us a warning so we could have bought up people in the free agency window. U know what miami did. the pretty much got rid of their entire squad to free up money without knowing wether bosh or lebron would come… thats what we call being assertive or taking the lead while cleveland just sat there and watched, hell even the knicks sign amare to lure lebron there while cleveland just sat and waited… i think lebron was stared of waiting and wanted a team that would hlp him take the lead towards the championship
July 13th, 2010 at 6:25 pm
Ya they will eventually get over it, you make a great point; he pratically gave everything to his city and never once complained about it or demanded a trade when they kept losing. Its sad, you know, because people have already forgotten that he made his decision live on television for charity. What a shame that good people are hated so much. SMH
July 13th, 2010 at 10:06 pm
another reason why cleveland DEFINITELY SUCKS!
July 13th, 2010 at 10:12 pm
PEOPLE FROM CLEAVELAND NEED TO PUT THEIR HOPES ON JESUS.
GOD CONTROLS THE ECONOMY.
ITS SAD PEOPLE LOOKING AT LEBRON FOR HOPE….REPENT AND LOOK FOR JESUS.
JESUS IS THE WAY, THE TRUTH AND THE LIFE. JESUS IS THE REAL KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.
July 13th, 2010 at 10:37 pm
i expect miami to at least win 3 rings if not this proves that a 3 man squad is a failure nuf said and this lebron sh*t needs to end no one cares about his ass anyway kobe all day
July 13th, 2010 at 10:42 pm
fuck lebron, fuck cleavland. the heat still not gon win a ring next year……..KOBE GETTIN NUMBER 6 AND AFTER BEATING THIS HEAT TEAM, LEBRON WILL NEVER BE KING….HOW CAN U BE A KING WITH NO CROWN
July 13th, 2010 at 10:51 pm
True to that my man – I couldn't have said it any better – such blasphamy…."King James"….hilarious!!!! Jesus is King!!! Tells you alot about our society – people are always making idols out of flesh and blood. 5 years from now it would be another person set up as an idol on people's altar of abomination….but ah well, thats people.
July 14th, 2010 at 2:17 pm
the backlash is simple. You have a one hour show about where you are going to.
I will say it again:
You have a one hour show and tour about the "decision".
Most people just make a decision and go. No hoopla or nothing. to top it off, he has a party in Miami. You don't leave your hometown lie that. maybe someplace else, but not your hometown.
July 14th, 2010 at 3:09 pm
That mural spoke for itself! For 7 years, "WE ALL WITNESSED" Lebron carrying the Cavs and the city of Cleveland on his shoulders! People are looking at "The Decision" as something that Lebron hyped up by himself! The city of Cleveland needs to give some of that blame with ESPN! I really don't blame him for leaving! One player can't take a whole team to the championship! Jordan didn't do it alone, he had Pippen, Grant, Longley, and Rodman to name a few to help get his rings! Kobe had Shaq, Fisher, Horry, Fox, and the player that saved them from elimination last season and got traded the following season, Trevor Areza!
July 14th, 2010 at 6:48 pm
CLEVELAND ASIDE FROM KID CUDI. LEBRON PUT YOU GUYS ON THE MAP. Hopefully when he goes back, he lights that city up. Fuck You Cleveland, you didnt deserve shit. Yeah and as for L.A. EVERY LAKER FAN PRAYED LEBRON WOULD STAY IN CLEVELAND. He beat you with a SORRY ASS TEAM LAST YEAR. Imagine how much HE'LL WIN BY THIS YEAR? 60? 70? Hell MAYBE EVEN 80?
July 29th, 2010 at 6:30 am
Why wouldn't he leave? Cleveland is a crap city.