Abandonment and Perseverance in Cleveland

Basketball star LeBron James was the king of Cleveland. Then he left town -- a move that says a lot about the city's past and its future.

1 minute read

December 3, 2010, 6:00 AM PST

By Nate Berg


ESPN has this long, detailed article on James' move out of the city looking at the importance of history, perseverance and city pride.

"I'm here to see what Cleveland actually thinks about LeBron James and his departure. To hang around town the week before the first Cavs game in late-October, talking, eavesdropping, leaning into bars, eating heaping corned beef sandwiches at Slyman's. To be around Clevelanders then come out with a story.

I arrive heavy on questions, light on answers. What is real and what is convenient Rust Belt narrative? What can a looped clip of a burning jersey really tell us about a complex city? What is the future of this place? What is the past? How are they related? What does it mean to be a sports fan here, and how is that different from other cities? What does any of this have to do with LeBron James?"

Wednesday, December 1, 2010 in ESPN

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