The Mearablog

(Courtesy of Andrew Webber/Presswire)

Wow, am I a copycat. There must be a million articles and blog posts on “What LeBron should do now.” Millions of fans wanting to make the decision for LeBron as if he has no say in the matter. But really the question begs; does he stay or does he go? I say James stays and here are the top 23 reasons LeBron James (#23) stays in Cleveland in the latest edition of the 2-3 Zone.

1. Money

Let’s be honest, it’s all about the money. No matter how much cap space the Nets or Knicks may clear out, Cleveland can still offer LeBron James the maximum amount of money and the longest possible contract. The Cavaliers can offer James a 6-year/$133 Million contract, that’s $31 million dollars more than any other team is able to offer regardless of cap space. LeBron is a hip-hop fan, listen to Puff Daddy; it’s all about the Benjamins.

2. Winning an NBA Championship in Cleveland

Everyone can go to a winning franchise and win a championship; only the elites give their hometown franchise their first championship. SEE: Michael Jordan for more info.

3. Loyalty to Cleveland

Cleveland has given everything to LeBron. Unbridled support, a “Witness” billboard, defensive excuse-making arguments after the Cavs loose in the playoffs every year, Shaq, Mo Williams, Antawn Jamieson, and any player you want in free agency this summer. The people of Ohio deserve a player, a savior they can call their own. LeBron, your people need you.

4. A bad farewell to Cleveland

LeBron can say whatever he wants, but the whole world knows he threw in the towel for the final two games of the playoff series against Boston. The two-time MVP went a combined 11 for 35, averaging only 21.5 points per game in those two losses to the Celtics. LeBron is this how you want to go out? “The King” would be leaving Quicken Loans Arena after a 32-point loss against a hated rival with fans booing him. Something tells me LeBron should want to make up for this.

5. MVPs keep coming in when you are in Cleveland

LeBron, as a Cavalier you have won back-to-back Most Valuable Player Awards the last two seasons. Only 10 players in NBA history have been named the Most Valuable Player two seasons in a row and only three (Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain and Larry Bird) have won it three times in a row. James would be almost guaranteed another MVP if he returned to the Cavs next season. MVPs are good for building a great legacy. Stay in Cleveland LeBron and you will build a great legacy.

6. The Cavs have been successful

Contrary to popular belief, the Cleveland Cavaliers have been successful the last few seasons. They have compiled over 60 wins the last two seasons, more then any team in the NBA, and they have been improving every season since LeBron arrived in C-town.

7. LeBron doesn’t really want to leave

There is no hotter topic in sports right now then speculating where LeBron James might end up. However not many folks have paid much attention to what James has actually said about remaining in Cleveland in the past. In previous years LeBron has made statements such as,

“I love you Cleveland,” and “I love Ohio and I’m not going anywhere.”

LeBron has also made more specific comments as recently as May about his loyalty to his home state after receiving his second-straight MVP award.

"I love Akron to death,'' he said. "Since I was a little kid, I always said I was going to find a way to put this city on the map. And I'm going to continue to do that.''

8. Cleveland needs a Championship

“The shot”, “The drive”, “The fumble”, game 7 of the 1997 World Series, every possible tragic story in every professional sport has kept Cleveland from a championship. It has been 54 years since the Browns took home Cleveland’s last championship. LeBron knows this and lets face it, the Indians or Browns aren’t going to get Cleveland out of this slump anytime soon.

(Courtesy of stvm.com)

9. LeBron is a hometown kid in Cleveland

LeBron was born and raised in Akron. Akron is 39 miles from Cleveland. New York is 438 miles away from Akron and Newark New Jersey is 429 miles away from Akron. 438/29 miles! Man that’s a long drive!

10. The NBA wants LeBron to stay in Cleveland

Think about it. 100,000 big ones fined against Mark Cuban for making this statement when interviewed by CNNMoney.com?

"Come July 1st, yeah, of course, anybody would be interested in LeBron James, And if he leaves via free agency, then it's going to be tough. If he does like I'm guessing, hoping he will, which is say, 'I'm not going to leave the Cavs high and dry,' if he decides to leave -- there's still a better chance he stays -- then he'll try to force a sign-and-trade and that gives us a chance."

That’s a heavy fine for such a reasonable statement. Stern must want to keep this reasoning from public view. What’s that you say? Stern wants LeBron to stay in Cleveland?

“I hate to take the other side because the way I grew up, I was trained to fight against it.” Stern said, “Hopefully, he’ll stay. That’s the way the system’s designed.”

But wait he is just saying that right? I mean the collective bargaining agreement…

“The collective bargaining agreement, for which I can take credit or substantial blame,” Stern said to CantonRep.com, is designed to “encourage teams to keep their own players.” Stern made sure it allowed for teams to “pay more and pay it for longer” to its own free agents. “And in my view, that’s the way it should be.”

Hmmm. That little trickster!

11. New York marketing myth

LeBron’s sponsors: Nike, State Farm Insurance, McDonalds, Bubblicious Bubble Gum, Coca-Cola, Sprite, Vitaminwater, Juice Batteries, Cannondale Bicycle Company, Cub Cadet, MSN, and Upper Deck. How many more would the man be able to obtain in New York? How can LeBron be any more well marketed then he is right now? He is the face of the NBA; anymore marketing and he will become God.

12. “The Shot”

I mentioned “The Shot” earlier. “The Shot” refers to Michael Jordan’s memorable shot at the buzzer of game five in the first round of the 1989 Eastern Conference Playoffs. It absolutely devastated the Cavaliers and made Craig Ehlo to Cleveland what Bill Buckner is to the New York Mets and Steve Bartman is to the Chicago Cubs. What could be worse then not only leaving Cleveland, but leaving Cleveland to go to the team that stuck the dagger in your city; a city that is still trying to pull the dagger out.

13. Bulls/Jordan legacy

Along with “The Shot” is another problem with LeBron going to the Chicago Bulls; Michael Jordan. Air Mike may have hurt Cleveland in the past but if LeBron goes to Chicago, he will have to live up to Jordan’s legacy. If you think the comparisons between Jordan and James are too overwhelming now, get ready to hear about it every time LeBron steps onto the court.

14. Loyalty to friends/business partners

With the fact that the Cavaliers are LeBron’s hometown team comes the fact that LeBron’s childhood friends are still close to him. So close that he has made them his business partners. In 2006, James helped create a new business model for athlete representation. He fired his agent, started his own management firm and created his own revenue-sharing endorsement pacts. With LeBron as CEO, his friends are part of this management team and even if he didn’t care about hometown fans, he does care about his friends.

15. Cavs chemistry

Cleveland’s team chemistry is good. In fact, the Cavalier’s chemistry was named by many NBA analysts as the best in the NBA. Know how to not mess up that chemistry? Stay in Cleveland!

16. Cost of living in New York

According to SWZ.com, the average cost of living in New York is 74.3 percent more than living in Cleveland. That billion dollars seems so much less now doesn’t it?

17. We are all witnesses

What kind of city builds an enormous mural for their town’s biggest athlete? Cleveland does. But what’s bigger then the gesture is the possible future for the famous billboard. What is Cleveland going to do with a “Witness” mural if James leaves Cleveland? If LeBron moved to New York the mural would be lost amongst Times Square and how will people be able to enjoy it with all the clutter?

(Courtesy of James Devaney/WireImage)

18. New York is bad

2007-2008: 23-59

2008-2009: 32-50

2009-2010: 29-53

Wow, when you put it this way no wonder LeBron wants to go there.

19. New Jersey is bad

2007-2008: 34-48

2008-2009: 34-48

2009-2010: 12-70 (worst in NBA)

Jay-Z must really be “God MC” to hide all of this.

20. Jay-Z

Leaving Cleveland would be the ultimate sell-out move. Jay-Z is one of the biggest sell-out hip-hop artists. Jay-Z + LeBron = Ultimate biggest sell-out. LeBron you don’t want to be an ultimate biggest sell-out do you?

21. Mother and girlfriend

Now you’re probably wondering how I could put such people as LeBron’s girlfriend and even his own mother all the way down here at number 21. For that answer, ask Delonte West. But the fact is LeBron’s mother and girlfriend both live in Cleveland. Gloria James has a special seat in The Q when she goes to watch her boy play. With LeBron gone, that seat isn’t so special anymore.

22. Athlete testimony

People want LeBron to stay in Cleveland.

Cleveland Browns KR/PR Josh Cribbs -- “He's the king here. LeBron James is king, being in this city and growing up in the Cleveland area. If he goes anywhere else, he'll just be a phenomenal, extraordinary athlete. But he will not be the king in any other city but Cleveland."

New York Giants DE Osi Umenyiora -- "I know New York would love to have him and I'm sure Knicks fans hope he comes. Personally, I think he should stay in Cleveland. They need him and he's a Cleveland guy.”

New York Knicks SG Larry Hughes -- "He's got a good opportunity to win there. And I know a lot of people talk about him playing in a big market, but he just wants to win a ring. It's not about playing in a big market."

Former New York Knicks G Stephon Marbury -- "LeBron isn't coming to a rebuilding team. Why would he come to a rebuilding team? It makes no sense. Is this franchise built to win a championship or to make money?"

If you don’t take it from me then take it from them. LeBron should stay in Cleveland.

23. Shaq tri-championship

Okay this is stretching it but I really need to fill this list. Anyway lets take a timeout and not think about LeBron for a minute. If LeBron left Cleveland there would be no way Shaq would be able to win another championship. Shaq has played at least a full season with each of the NBA’s top three players. He won three with Kobe in Los Angeles, he won one with Dwayne Wade in Miami and now he needs one with LeBron in Cleveland. Shaq needs a ring with LeBron or the “Shaqtus” will go and arrest him. It only makes sense.

(Courtesy of Benoit Photo)

The 136th edition of the Kentucky Derby will commence this Saturday and Lookin At Lucky got rather unlucky by drawing the rail for the race for the roses. Another potential problem for the Derby favorite might be the recent history of the race. Since 2000, only four horses who were considered favorites in the Derby have actually won the event and two of those went on to win the Preakness as well (Smarty Jones 2004 and Big Brown 2008).

But perhaps this year will be different. Lookin At Lucky is a 3-1 favorite and with early favorite Eskendereya out with a leg injury, the chances only get better for the 3-year-old colt.

Other contenders for this weekend include Sidney's Candy who draws 5-1 odds and Devil May Care who is looking at 10-1 odds.

(Drew Hallowell/Getty)
Will Desormeaux win his fourth Kentucky Derby?

Overall the Derby favorite has won the race for the roses 52 times and interestingly the last Triple Crown winner, Affirmed, was not the Derby favorite.

Mearablog Money Pick: Something about this Derby tells me none of the top three have a good chance. The top two contenders drew rails and Devil May Care just doesn't seem a real strong third choice. So who am I picking? Paddy O'Prado. That's right, 20-1 odd Paddy O'Prado. Now you may be thinking, "Paul you are crazy." But I say no one is crazy who bets on Kent Desormeaux. Don't forget, Desormeaux is coming off his first Belmont win when he rode Summer Bird to victory and while Paddy O'Prado is not quite the horse Summer Bird is, I think this time is as good as any for Desormeaux to win the Derby, something he has already done three times.

So whether you have big money on the line this weekend or you are just a casual observer looking to watch "The most exciting two minutes in sports," make sure you tune into what should be a wide open race and one that will not lack excitement.