Why the move to ESPN?
Windhorst: They approached me a few months ago and it really took awhile for them to figure out what the vision of this thing was going to be. I really didn’t know if I wanted to go. Regardless of what people think, it wasn’t a snap decision. It wasn’t like it’s easy to leave your home and it’s not like we’re going to be welcomed with open arms in Miami. There’s a lot of acrimony that surrounds that beat right now, a lot of negativity. It wasn’t an easy decision. It took ESPN making a historical commitment from a national outlet to a team to do this. They’re really doing something here they’ve never done before, and I believe the interest in that team is going to be higher than the interest in any NBA team in history. Whether they end up holding that interest for more than a couple years is yet to be determined.
It had to be a really attractive offer to leave. I told the people at the Plain Dealer this, that there’s probably no other newspaper job in the country I would leave for. I was that happy in Cleveland. I got great support there, so it had to be a really special opportunity. I had other offers come up that I bypassed, and it really took being part of something special to leave. But it’s also something I stewed over.
Are you worried at all about Heat overload on that Heat page with ESPN’s blitz of coverage?
Windhorst: It definitely has to be dealt with. For as much difficulty as there is, you can’t deny the interest, even at the PD. Stories about LeBron James get huge amounts of traffic on the website. Commenters say, “Why are you running these stories?” and the comments are negative in general, but the hit numbers show people do care. And nationally, the hit numbers at ESPN and the viewer ratings convinced them people really do care. We’re going to take criticism for the level of coverage, and whether or not we make anybody happy or not, we’re responding to the desire in the market. We’ll see if it works. We think it will. We think the interest will meet the demand.
People in Cleveland seem to really love your work and are taking this a little personally.
Windhorst: It was a really hard decision. My preference would have been to continue to cover the Cavs like the last two years with LeBron on it. Last year I tried to report as down the middle as I could. I tried to report as many facts as I could. There were so many others offering their opinions on the situation. I personally wish the facts were that he resigned. I think there’s a collection of great people at the Cavs organization who have taken opportunities outside the organization once LeBron moved on. I think everyone should realize how special the situation was over the last few years. I’m not moving on because I don’t think the Cavs will be an interesting story. I’m moving on because I think there’s a story that supersedes them. I can’t envision a job I would have taken besides this one. You have to be careful making absolute statements, but I’ve interviewed with the New York Times, I’ve interviewed at Yahoo! and other internet sites, but I really can’t say for sure I would have taken any other job offered to me besides the offer to join ESPN.
I’m really appreciative of the people that enjoyed my work and I know this upsets a lot of them. But I have a lot of family in South Florida and I’ve had real estate in South Florida for the last four years. It’s a business decision as well as a personal one. It’s not just to follow LeBron. I know people won’t believe that, but I’m covering the Heat. Obviously LeBron’s a huge factor in that, but it’s not like I’m just going to some city I don’t have ties to.
What do you think it’s going to be like December 2?
Windhorst: I really hope that the Cavs let the fans have their say and don’t edge them along. The team doesn’t need to have the reputation of being vindictive; they need to move on. I hope the fans do it and get over it, because if you do something to give the city a black eye, you’re only hurting yourself in the long run — making yourself look bad and swinging national sympathy LeBron. Maybe they don’t care about that. Let them know what you think. You don’t have to be respectful, but you have to keep in mind what your reputation is. The Cavs are going to have decades more of playing basketball here, and you have to keep that in mind. I hope the fans voice their displeasure, but I hope it doesn’t turn into something of a black mark for the city.
This article appears in Sep 29 – Oct 5, 2010.
Who cares about reputation lebron left his home team you decided to do the same and now its because you have ties to south beach dude give it a break
It’s great to see another hard-working St. Vincent-St. Mary grad receive the credit that is his due. We’ll miss his stories in NE Ohio, but wish him well in Miamil
It’s great to see another hard-working St. Vincent-St. Mary grad receive the credit that is his due. We’ll miss his stories in NE Ohio, but wish him well in Miami.
Lebron can tell us how Wade tastes and Windhorst can tell us how Lebron tastes
Its a great big male love fest down in Miami.
Notice how Windhorst never really criticized the Quitter? We now know that it was because he was planning to go down to Miami to kiss some more [expletive].
I will say this. Windhorst was a good reporter here, and he will have his work cut out for him joining a media outlet with zero journalistic integrity.
Sorry Ohio but Miami (South Beach) is the place to be! It’s new center of the basketball world.
Windy you will be missed. I just wish you didn’t follow the traitor down to Miami
It’s a shame that you feel you need to continue to ride LeBron’s coattails. You got the PD gig primarily because of your coverage of LeBron; gained notoriety because of the LeBron saga; co-wrote a book about LeBron; now you follow LeBron to Miami. You’d think that you’d be ready to move on yourself.
Another loser riding the gravy train
Sorry Brian, you have been snowed like most of the people surrounding this person.
Your opinions and supposed facts are now suspect and I see you solely doing this to further your career vs telling us the truth.
Sorry dude, u supported the losing team here.
nice SPIN Brian! Do you remember your tweet just before the “Chosen One” decided to take his talents and all the little pee-ons like yourself down to South Beach? You said something like “This is not the person I know.. LeBron has changed”
And like a good little wife, you have become willing to “change” with your man. The only faithful comment you have made here is that it’s a business decision on your part… What you’re missing is that in the game of LIFE, integrity is big business. Now GET TA STEPPIN!
Is it hard to ask questions with your mouth so full?
Windy – we loved your writing here and wish you well. I was in total agreement with you when you said it was Lebron’s right to leave, but you didn’t agree with the way he did it (my sentiments exactly, even as a lifelong cleveland sports fanatic). You are taking your talents to South Beach, and if I have the opportunity to find another good job in about 3 years, I will probably be relocating myself after spending about 90% of my life in NE Ohio.
I have bookmarked your web page and will be reading it frequently. I loved watching Lebron here for 7 years and I hope to continue to follow his career thru some games on espn and tnt, and also thru your column.
This guy has to be the biggest fraud in journalism history. A superstar falls into his lap and then he goes to ESPN. No Lebron James, no ESPN job. That simple. But this guy tries to act like he was some kind of journalism superstar who had to fend off multiple offers for his talents.
Good riddance. Just like Lebron, he took the money and ran. Cleveland will be better without reporters like him. Give me young, hungry and in it for the truth – not someone who wants to be part of LeBron’s entourage.
Goodbye and Good Riddance-
You get sick, miss a ton of work and the Akron Beacon-Journal stuck with you. Then you dump them for the Plain Dealer. Now you bolt the PD and head to the Land of the Newlywed and Nearly Dead………………….enjoy the hurricane season !!!!
I don’t know whether to congratulate you or laugh at you. I guess congratulations afterall…can see you’re not letting go of LBJ’s teet until it’s dry.
I find it interesting that you’ve basically done 1 thing in your professional career, report about Lebron when you both happened to have gone to the same private high school that he is devoutly loyal to.
It’s also interesting and ironic that you turned down all those great jobs, similar to your boy LBJ. You would have received much more career respect had you went to the NY Times (or somewhere similar) to write for a couple of years and establish yourself as a writer independently of LBJ. Just like LBJ would’ve received more respect establishing himself as an NBA champion outside of partnering with Dwayne Wade. I guess it makes sense that you’re down there with him.
Good luck…don’t let the door hit ya