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Not sure why he thought this would go over well with ESPN but two days isn't a huge deal.

(http://www.trbimg.com/img-53e3ece3/turbine/sfl-dan-le-batard-suspended-lebron-billboard-2-001/580/580x326)

att Wilhalme
L.A. Times
9:02 a.m. EDT, August 8, 2014

Don't troll LeBron James in Cleveland with billboards if you work for ESPN.

Dan Le Batard, a Miami Herald columnist and ESPN television and radio host, was suspended for two days after the “world-wide leader” learned he funded a billboard in the city saying “You’re welcome LeBron. Love Miami.”

“Dan Le Batard will be off the air for two days, returning Monday,” ESPN announced in a statement Thursday, according to USA Today. “His recent stunt does not reflect ESPN’s standards and brand. Additionally, we were not made aware of his plans in advance.”

James left Cleveland following the 2009-10 season, announcing that he would be joining the Miami Heat to pursue his first NBA title with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh in a heavily criticized TV special called “The Decision.”

James won back-to-back titles in Miami as the Heat made the NBA Finals each of his four years in South Beach.


He became a free agent again following last season’s defeat in the finals to the San Antonio Spurs and quietly, by comparison, announced his decision to return home to Cleveland to win a title for his hometown team.

Yeah I don't get it.  ESPN commentators say much worse every day on air.  Pretty soon the janitor is going to be doing Sports Center because everyone else has been suspended.

I thought the billboard idea was incredibly funny.

No idea why he's suspended over this.

This is ludicrous......it was funny and caused absolutely no harm to anyone.

No shock the network that slurps on LeBron's sack 24/365 would suspend one of their own for not doing the same!!!

Yeah.  Dumb.  ESPN looks stupid, not really because of the suspension, but because they claim they didn't know.  Yet, LeBatard talked about it for 2 weeks on their syndicated radio show.

They probably could've just done nothing and nobody would've cared and they made it a bigger deal.  I don't think it's malicious.  Just funny and goofing on his own fanbase while trolling Cleveland (and they have Lebron, so who cares).  But now, everyone is comparing how swift and immediate this was compared to when hosts say terrible things on air and no action is taken quickly.

Oh well....LeBatard got his way -- made a name for himself, got a bunch of press for the billboard, and got suspended over 2 days where there are no important sports events.

yeah .. lebatard came away way ahead here.

he got free publicity .. he got a 4 day weekend... he got people talking ... and now he's got stuff to talk about on monday when he comes back .. all for the price of 2 days of pay ..

The billboard is pure gold.  Normally i don't like LeBatard, but this was funny.

ESPN needs to get off LeBron's jock and, oh i don't know, report on SPORTS maybe?

Not that I necessarily disagree, but a bunch of Heat fans saying that this was hilarious and no big deal is maybe not the best barometer of the situation.

Maybe it's just me, but I think this ad is making fun of HEAT fans just as much as Cleveland fans or Lebron. 

Not a Heat fan......still isn't a big deal!!!!!

Because if ESPN pisses off Lebron....then at halftime, post games, and for just basic interviews Lebron will blacklist ESPN and never give them any access. He will never speak to them again for anything. ESPN can't risk having the most popular athlete in the world ignore them. So ESPN can't have one of their employees out there trolling Lebron and trying to piss him off.

Celtics fan here.  :P

That's what I see too. It may not be a big deal to most people but they (ESPN) always kiss the arse to whomever they need.  Just look at how they treat the NFL with kid gloves. This was their attempt to appease Labron. 

Michael Jordan hasn't spoke to Sports Illustrated in about 20 years. He holds a grudge for a story they did on him being a bad baseball player. ESPN can't risk that type of relationship with Lebron.

If they didn't have LeBron to talk about, they may as well go out of business and shut the lights.  There would be nothing else to fill the airtime with.

I guess there's always Tiger Woods and Johnny Manziel...

That's apples & oranges.  The NBA makes money from ESPN for television rights.  If Lebron said he wasn't going to do game interviews with ESPN then the NBA would step in and tell him he has to.  Just like in baseball when some players said they wouldn't be interviewed by Jim Gray because he harassed Pete Rose with gambling questions the one time they let Pete attend a game to be honored.  MLB stepped in and made the players do the interviews.  Whereas, the NBA doesn't need Sports Illustrated, heck does anyone even read Sports Illustrated anymore??  The last time I looked at a copy of the magazine it was filled with pictures and ads, I think its produced for illiterates.

ha ha you funny if you think the NBA tells Lebron what to do. It's Lebron telling the NBA what he is willing to do

20 years ago pre everyone having the internet they did! Sports Illustrated was the weekly bible of sports

You do realize the NBA stepped in and fined the Spurs because they rested their starters against the Heat at the end of a grueling road trip.  The NBA has overstepped its bounds many times and I'm sure they can and will tell Lebron what to do.



Agreed.  My pops always kept his subscription to SI active and I read it constantly.  My mom had a serious problem with us fawning over the swimsuit issue.

Most popular athlete in the word? I think not. There are other athletes who rival Lebron.