James Blair has been healed by LeBron James' return to Cleveland. (USATSI)
The Cavaliers have had a little bit of a security issue the last few years, especially when LeBron James has come to town. People have run (or drunkenly walked) onto the court. Back in March, 2013, a kid named James Blair ran on the floor wearing a t-shirt on which he had written "WE MISS YOU, 2014 COME BACK" on it.
The Cavaliers naturally banned the guy from all future Cavs games, because that's an extremely dangerous stunt for both the players and the fans and you don't want to encourage that kind of behavior. And the Cavs have stuck to it. James Blair was banned for life. And for life, I mean a year until LeBron re-signed in Cleveland.
Guess I waited long enough and everyone keeps asking so.. YES my ban is lifted and I cant wait to enjoy the games at the Q with everyone!
— James Blair (@jamesblair06) September 19, 2014A Cavs official confirmed with Cleveland blog Fear The Sword that the ban has been lifted.
Cavs communication staff confirms to Fear the Sword that James Blair is allowed to attend Cavs games. Reporting by @cwmwrites
— FearTheSword (@FearTheSword) September 22, 2014Back in July, the Cavs confirmed to ABC News 5in Cleveland that they had reached out to Blair to talk to him about being allowed back in. And it turns out that after the event, James even reached out to the young man
Blair made a poor choice to go on to the court when LeBron James was back in town. While a youngster, it is still a poor decision that could put the players and other fans at risk. Thankfully neither Blair nor any of the players on the court took matters into their own hands or did something else foolish.
Blair was rightfully banned from The Q for life. That is the team's policy and it is a good one.
With that action Blair set a terrible example for the children in our community, was a national bad example of what Cleveland fans are and placed the Cavs organization in a negative light. Blair does not represent Cleveland Cavaliers fans.
Since that event Blair has been followed by many people, including at one time LeBron himself. He and LeBron may even communicate. But let us be very clear: James Blair had nothing, zero, zip, zilch, nadda to do with James returning to Cleveland. He received his 15 minutes of fame by breaking the rules of The Q. He deserves nothing more.
via Dears Cavs: Disappointed in James Blair Returning to the Q.
Now, that's harsh, don't you think? I mean, it was an isolated incident by the young man. It's not like he flew to Miami in 2013 to attend the partying of James and his crew after they won the title just to be closer to the man in what amounts to a very creepy stalking incident that all of a sudden James is totally cool with, right?
Sigh. From an ESPN 2013 feature:
He has gone from a LeBron fan to the LeBron fan, reconciling Cleveland's pain of 2010 with the hope for 2014. And with that title of James' biggest fan comes responsibilities. Like being in Miami for Games 6 and 7 of last season's NBA Finals.
Again, friends and family shake their heads when they hear him plotting … well, even Blair admits he doesn't know what might happen once he gets down there. Nobody wants to pony up a few thousand dollars to accompany Blair on yet another LeBron chase. Besides, family members wonder, Blair's luck has to run out sometime, right?
When he finds no takers in Cleveland, he floats his plan on Twitter, and Kenford Abrams, a 34-year-old New Yorker who has become captivated by Blair's saga, wants in. "We were so into this mission and going down there and seeing LeBron celebrating in the championship," Abrams says.
After the Heat win Game 7, Blair and Abrams go to the team's championship party the next day. They drink $13 beers all night until finally a commotion draws their attention to an elevated VIP area. There, LeBron, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh and Drake are celebrating. Blair, one floor below the Heat stars, wiggles his way closer.
Blair looks up at the DJ booth and spots Steph Floss, the Cavs DJ, whom Blair has -- of course -- befriended on Twitter and partied with in Cleveland. Apparently, Floss has been flown to Miami for the party.
What ridiculous luck.
The next few moments will come together like a perfect pick-and-roll. Floss directs LeBron's gaze to the dance floor, where Blair is waving. LeBron smiles and salutes Blair. For the first time, they share a private moment. (LeBron will later recall that night and tell Sports Illustrated, "Yeah, that's James Blair, he's my guy.")
Blair smiles back, and those Coronas taste just a little bit better the rest of the night. "After the incident in Cleveland, a bunch of people -- haters and the naysayers that just always want to talk crap -- were like, 'Oh, he'll never even remember who you were after that,'" Blair says with a grin. "So the fact that he still remembered my face and knew who I was and could point me out was like, 'Wow, he knows who I am now.'"
via Ohio native James Blair proves he is LeBron James' biggest fan - ESPN The Magazine - ESPN.
The Cavaliers undoubtedly interviewed Blair and will have an eye on him, security wise, when he's at the Q. And with LeBron back in town, there are no reasons for stunts from Blair so it's probably not a big deal, especially since James himself is apparently cool with the guy.
Side note: Big fan of the homophobic slurs, that guy.
But it's still a sign of how far the Cavs are going to play up the redemption angle. Even those who went a little crazy when LeBron left town are being brought back into the flock. All is forgiven, within and without.
Now if they can just do a little better job of keeping random people off the court...
Basketball Hot News
Mavericks sign Doron Lamb
For a team with a full roster, the Mavericks sure are landing some intriguing training-camp talent.
Dallas has 15 players with guaranteed contracts and is still pulling in players looking to break onto an NBA regular-season roster. While paying minimal or no guarantees, the Mavericks have landed:
- Charlie Villanueva
- Ivan Johnson
- Victor Liz
- Eric Griffin
Add one more to the list.
Mavericks release:
The Dallas Mavericks announced today that they have signed free agent guard Doron Lamb.
Tim MacMahon of ESPN Dallas:
The Bucks drafted Lamb No. 42 in in 2012 out of Kentucky, and in two seasons between Milwaukee and Orlando, he’s made 39 percent of his 3-pointers.
Lamb, like Dallas’ other minimally/non-guaranteed players, is a longshot to make the roster. Most likely, the Mavericks will waive him before the season and assign him to their D-League affiliate, the Texas Legends.
At that point, any NBA team could sign him or Lamb could go overseas, but if Dallas keeps him close and develops him, he could join the parent club at some point.
Yes, his only top-level skill is spot-up shooting. But on a team with Dirk Nowitzki, Chandler Parsons, Monta Ellis and Tyson Chandler, that skill has value.
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