Booing LeBron is All Fair

The Cleveland Indians traded away Buddy Bell to the Texas Rangers in 1978.  During a game in 1979 when the Rangers were in town, I remember chanting with my friends Chris and Ron how we despised Buddy Bell.  I seem to recall the word "hate" in that chant. 

We 12-year-olds were pretty rough on old Buddy, especially considering he was traded.  It wasn't his choice to leave.  In hindsight, it wasn't really fair for us to boo Buddy like that.

It's a safer bet than the sun rising in the morning that tonight's Cavs vs. Heat game in Cleveland's Quicken Loans Arena will have words worse than "hate" spewed forth though.  It's an even safer bet there will be more than just three kids booing LeBron James for his "decision" to leave Cleveland after last season for South Beach.

Technically, LeBron was traded to the Heat too.  Look it up if you don't believe me.  It was a technicality that the Cavs, to gain some draft picks, chose to actually trade him before he exercised his free agent rights to depart. 

It's a technicality though.  This is nothing like Buddy Bell. 

Booing LeBron is all fair.