According to those who follow the Long Count calendar observed by Mayan cultures, the world is coming to an end on December 21, 2012.
According to those who follow Cleveland Cavaliers basketball, LeBron James is skipping town on July 1, 2010.
You tell me who's more scared.
Everyone loves a good old-fashioned insane frenzied panic, but in Cleveland, the fear is starting to look more rational by the day. The most recent buzz on LeBron's future is that he "wants to keep his options open", meaning that he's unlikely to accept the Cavs' offer of a contract extension to keep him in town past the summer of 2010. If he hits the open market next summer, he can become the most sought-after free agent in the history of American sport, and it's hard to turn that down.
No matter how much you love your hometown.
LeBron James is the native son of northeastern Ohio. He was born and raised in Akron, and he's the most decorated athlete in Cleveland history. The city loves him, and while he's not always the most faithful member of the Cleveland family, he loves the city too. It's a good fit.
Love or money. This is the NBA's version of yin and yang — staying in Cleveland represents staying true to the city that's given him everything since the day he was born, and leaving represents succumbing to the demons of greed and egomania that have preyed on far too many past NBA stars. Not an easy decision.
And it's probably not one LeBron has made yet.
When news broke a few days ago that LeBron wasn't particularly interested in a long-term extension, that signaled doomsday for many in Cleveland. Fans wept. The local media immediately got desperate, essentially getting down on their knees and begging King James to stay. It's a natural reaction — as a sports town, Cleveland knows that LeBron James is their everything.
But for LeBron, there's a big difference between "keeping your options open" and fleeing town altogether. This latest news doesn't mean he's leaving — it means he's not saying anything, either way.
We've all been treating this LeBron saga like a cheap mystery novel. The ending's been written from the start, there are plot twists at every turn, and we all just can't wait to see how it turns out.
But that's not how it works. This is real life, and this is the biggest decision that LeBron James, a human being with a life, a career and a family, will ever make. He's keeping his options open because he'd be insane not to.
A lot can happen in the next year. The Cavs, who have already picked up Shaquille O'Neal and Jamario Moon and are now locking down Leon Powe, could win a championship. That would prove to LeBron that staying in town and winning is what's most important.
Any one of a number of teams — the Nets, Knicks or Bulls to name just a small handful — could do some maneuvering behind the scenes to set themselves up for a monster contract offer.
An already-contending team — the Suns, Spurs or Blazers for example — could step in and enter the LeBron sweepstakes. We've yet to see the results of surrounding LBJ with other superstars — there are a few teams who could make that prospect interesting.
A lot could happen, and LeBron has a year to make up his mind not only based on the timeline of the past, but also depending on what happens in the future. It's going to be a fun year, and LeBron's future will continue to be one of the biggest storylines in sports between now and next July.
LeBron's options are open, and we're all better off that way. If his mind were already made up, what would be the fun in that?
