LeBron James explained more about his feelings for Akron and Cleveland to GQ Magazine while he was deciding which team to play for.
James said, "It's not far, but it is far. And Clevelanders because they were the bigger-city kids when we were growing up, looked down on us. So we didn't actually like Cleveland. We hated Cleveland growing up. There's a lot of people in Cleveland we still hate to this day."
Anyone from a city whose identity is constantly linked to another city may relate.
Cleveland and Akron are roughly forty miles apart. I'm originally from Baltimore and Washington D.C. is about forty miles away from where I grew up. When the Baltimore Bullets left to become the Capital Bullets and then the Washington Bullets, it left a hole in Bmore. Washington was the perpetrator. There began my disdain for D.C.
When the Colts left Baltimore for Indianapolis in the '80s, all the sporting goods stores started selling Redskins merchandise, like they would automatically become our favorite team. Wrong assumption. The Redskins had been our most hated team due to regional proximity to the Colts. Why would we automatically start cheering for them? While they did slip to second most hated behind the Indianapolis Colts, the Redskins are still highly hatable for many Baltimoreans like me.
As an adult, Washington continues to be a source of annoyance. I might meet someone in N.Y. who asks where I'm from and I'll say "Baltimore," and they'll say "Oh right I love the Washington area."
Or later they'll partially forget and say "You're from D.C. right?"
No, no no.
I'm from Baltimore. Orioles. Ravens. The harbor. Original Colts. Fort McHenry.
So for maybe the first time ever, I fully relate to LeBron as he joins Joakim Noah in asking, "What's so good about Cleveland?" I've been to Akron and I've been to Cleveland and the truth is that Akron wins. Better restaurants and better vibe.
Akron ain't Cleveland, Baltimore ain't Washington and Tacoma ain't Seattle.
Underdog city citizens unite!
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