Mystery Disease Kills Thousands
Ron Paul, Rick Santorum Suggest Foul Play From Romney Campaign
When Tom Izzo publicly announced his decision to stay at Michigan State, the NBA buzz around both the coach and the Cavaliers died. But as is often the case with these cloak-and-dagger stories, the details coming out afterward are often more interesting than anything that happened over the course of the narrative crescendo.Yahoo!'s Dan Wetzel paraphrases Izzo as saying post-announcement that while the Spartan coach did speak to members of LeBron James' inner circle during the course of negotiations, Izzo never got King James himself on the phone ... despite trying to do so.
That shows exactly how close to the vest LeBron is playing this free agency opportunity. You have one of the greatest coaches in this era of college basketball, a man your incumbent team's owner has practically begged for, trying to get you on the phone. And you don't take it, because you don't want to get involved in the team's increasingly embarrassing coaching search, or because you don't want to face questions about your future, or because you're too busy.
It makes perfect sense. LeBron has basically become a politician, and politicians try to distance themselves from disasters, unless they can solve them. The only way LeBron could have solved Situation Izzo was by committing to the Cavs for the future, and, well, as all politicians learn, you can't make promises you won't fulfill.
But, as with almost everything else these days, this still makes LeBron look bad, especially to a certain population set which worships college coaches like Izzo. I see the word "punk" being used, as well as "self-centered" and "spoiled brat." None of that is fair -- everything about LeBron's free agency has been calculated (and practically focus-group tested). Why should he spoil that to chat with a college coach he may never play for? But the optics of this continue the slide of LeBron's reputation.
Message To Young Conservatives: Pursue Journalism
House GOP Offers Deal In Big Fight
Gay Marriage Vote Puts Heat On Christie
New Poll: Rick Santorum, Mitt Romney Tied Nationally
Debt Ceiling Showdown 2: Coming This Fall, In Time For The Election, Only Worse
Afghanistan Base Named 'Aryan' Raises Objections From Soldiers
Paul Ryan, Jeff Sessions Warn Obama's Budget Could Make The U.S. Like Greece
Bomb Attacks Target Israeli Diplomats In India, Georgia
Updates On Whitney Houston's Autopsy
It's Only Getting Worse: Economists' Latest Dire Prediction
Obama Sending Ambitious Plan To Congress
WATCH: Anderson Cooper's Hilarious Adventures With Adele
DNC Pushed To Incorporate Marriage Equality Into Party Platform
Huff TV: WATCH: Arianna Weighs In On Tony Bennett's Call To Legalize Drugs
Adele Wins Album Of The Year
In One U.S. City, Budget Cuts Leave Homeless Without Bathrooms, Water Overnight
Some AT&T Users' Download Speeds Could Slow By 99 Percent
WATCH: Bill Maher Rips GOP Concept Of 'Elites'
WATCH: 25 Million Tons Of Japan Tsunami Debris Headed Directly Our Way
Race Is On To Find Life Under Antarctic Ice Sheet
Violent Protests Highlight Greece's Difficulty In Sticking To Bailout Deal
Quake Rocks Costa Rica
