Although he is in South Africa, watching the 2010 FIFA World Cup, comedian Drew Carey has been thinking about the Buckeye State.
He is one of Cleveland's favorite sons, after all, and late last night, sports fans in The Forest City had a small crisis on their hands: LeBron James, formerly one of Cleveland's favorite sons, said he plans to sign with the Miami Heat.
"When it comes down to it, LeBron is making the best decision for LeBron and nobody else," Carey told NPR's Robert Siegel. "And that's what everybody does."
The host of The Price Is Right saw telltale signs James would defect.
"I knew it looked bad when he was going to have an hour-long special to announce [his decision]," Carey said. "Let's say you have a fight with your wife. If you make up with her, you just walk up to her and kiss her. An hour-long thing? That means he's breaking up."
Born and raised outside of Cleveland, near Parma, Ohio, Carey still keeps a house in Cuyahoga County.
As part-owner of the Seattle Sounders, a Major League Soccer team, he's learned a thing or two about professional sports. After the 1995 NFL season, when Art Modell moved the Cleveland Browns to Baltimore, Carey realized something important.
"That was my big lessons in sports," he said. "I used to cry when the Browns lost a big game. Honestly, I'd be brought to tears."
And after the Browns left, I was like, OK, if it's all business, it's all business, and I never hung my happiness on any team or athlete or anything. And if you're upset and burning your jersey, and you think your world is ending because LeBron left Cleveland, well shame on you for making that your road to happiness anyway. It shouldn't hinge on some guy playing basketball.
So, who's to blame?
How about the Cavaliers management? They had years to build a championship team, Carey said.
And what pearls of wisdom does he have for those dejected, down-and-out Cavs fans?
Buck up.
"If you're not happy with the Cavaliers without LeBron, then find something else to do when the Cavs are playing," he said. "There's plenty to do out there. And there's plenty to do in Cleveland."
One guy doesn't make a city. It's still a good place to be, still a good place to go.
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