Written by Dave Kolonich

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For those of you scoring at home - or in South Beach - you already know that I don't stray far from my beloved Browns on the pages of Cleveland Reboot.  In fact a "final" Lebron post is a bit of a misnomer, as I think I've maybe written three over the past few years.  However, much like how LeBron took to national television to write off Northeast Ohio, I figure today would be the appropriate time to do the same to the long annointed King.

And then we'll get back to the things that really matter in Cleveland - like football and actual teams.

So, without further adieu, here is my goodbye to LeBron James, who admittedly never played a huge role in my life of sports random.

1.  I grew up on the Lenny Wilkins' coached Cavalier teams of the 1980's and 1990's.  Watching a team featuring the likes of Mark Price, Brad Daughtery, Larry Nance, Hot Rod Williams, Mike Sanders, Craig Ehlo and a few seasons of Ron Harper was my introduction into the world of basketball.  The precison in which these Cavalier teams played more than made up for the fact that they lacked the essential toughness and superstars needed to beat Michael Jordan's Bulls.

However, these teams were exclusively Cleveland's.  There were no alterior, global designs of brand marketing found among the core of the team - and while there were certainly no championships; there was never the type of dread associated with pinning the hopes of an entire franchise on one player.  No fans were ever held hostage by Price or Daughtery and the most controversial event to come from the era was bringing in Gerald Wilkins as a "Jordan stopper" or Hot Rod leaving town to "become a Heat."

Although it's easy to forget today, those Cavaliers were a team - one that focused on the game of basketball.

2.  Speaking of LeBron - I always held a shred of regret thinking that he would bring the first championship of the modern era to Cleveland.  Because he was simply the only option for the Cavaliers - and easily bigger than the entire team and franchise, I never associated a potential NBA title as anything more than a title for LeBron.  Both here in Cleveland and around the country and world, I can't envision anyone seriously and honestly viewing such an event as anything different.

3.  Speaking of which, I know we're starved for a title and in many ways, a Ricky Davis-led title team would have sufficed for many - but I still feel that any future championship coming to the city will mean so much more if delivered by an actual team - rather than an individual.

In many ways, any future championships won by LeBron in Miami will be cheapened simply based on this idea.  Considering that LeBron is essentially "joining" a championship team, rather than creating one himself will not only be a burden on his overall NBA legacy, but also stain his character.

Much like the Yankees buying a World Series ring, what value can you really place on a future LeBron title?  Or, even three or four?

4.  Besides any global marketing avenues found in Miami that allegedly could not be had in Cleveland or elsewhere, LeBron's decision at face value speaks to the idea that he cannot win by himself.  In a league made famous by such alpha dogs as Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant, LeBron has essentially relegated himself to a second-tier status of superstars. 

Sure, he'll win some titles - but in a sense, "he" won't be winning any titles.

Perhaps we all should have known something was up during the Boston playoff series.  LeBron's emotional meltdown - or sheer lack of any emotion at all - probably was the clearest signal that continuing to pin our hopes on a LeBron title was a foolish endeavor. 

While there is certainly a lot of hurt found around the city today, in time - the rational question to be asked is this:  would anyone really want to go through six more years of constant teasing - six more years of a superstar who never really had the heart of a winner to begin with?

5.  Of course, the narrative that will be told is that Cleveland is a barren wasteland of post-industrial America - a place where people flee at the first opportunity.  That's great - if it helps people write a story, so be it.

However, the thing that troubles me is the idea that has been repeated for years that LeBron "gets it."  He "gets" the struggles of Cleveland - he "gets" that he is - or was - in a position to finally bring an end to years of heartbreak. 

Ten minutes into his ESPN special, how many of you still thought this?

What exactly did he "get?"

Although I will defend Cleveland until my bitter end, LeBron's departure has to serve as a wake-up call for those who continually try to color other people's thoughts and emotions with their own sentiments.  Just because we as fans "get it" does mean that our favorite athletes share our feelings. 

What LeBron eventually "got" is the idea that he found himself in a time and place that no one in the history of professional sports had ever found himself in.  In his rear-view mirror is of course the city of Cleveland, along with the twin realization that he is no longer a basketball player, but a marketing machine - which is quite convenient, considering his final Cavalier game - one in which he was clearly overmatched in an elite playoff setting.

6.  And now he's gone - which means what, exactly?

Certainly, without LeBron, the Cavaliers go from an NBA title contender to the nether regions of the league, somewhere between a lottery team and last place playoff hopeful.

However, is all hope lost?

I wouldn't think the situation is as dire as some will write and scream volumes about in the coming days.

First, the Cavaliers have one of the best owners in the league, a veteran coach and a still solid roster.  Granted, this won't be enough to keep attendance and fan interest at LeBron era levels, but it's not like Cleveland is losing an actual team.

They are simply losing a player.

And no matter what, we still have our teams.