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So we will see the Heat in the Finals. Maybe they will beat San Antonio. Maybe they will lose to Oklahoma City. Whatever. No. Big. Deal. (crickets) Okay, Im trying to be all nonchalant but this is actually VERY PERSONAL. I am holding back years of torment and contempt. Bile in my throat. Bags under my eyes. Ancient pain in my heart. In 2010, I learned to hate LeBron James. I had not hated anyone in sports so much, ever. Not Harold Ballard, not Michael Vick, not Vince Carter. On July 7, 2010, I considered LeBron James to be an excellent player, living up to the incalculable hype, even if I didnt care for his chronic uncalled traveling violations or his cloying media personality. By July 8, I wanted him dead (figuratively, obviously). That was the night of Mr. Jamess infamous "Decision" to leave Cleveland, when he would gather his many talents and massive entourage, and partner with Dwayne Wade, Chris Bosh and Pat Riley in South Beach, a notoriously undeserving sports town full of ray-soaked, disinterested seat-fillers. Courtesy: CelebBuzz Let me be clear. I was not a Cleveland Cavaliers fan and had, in fact, driven quickly most times I passed through Ohio. I was, and still am, a staunch Baltimore Ravens supporter, about as natural an enemy to a Cleveland sports fan as there is. But on that Thursday night, I drank from a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame collectors tumbler. On that night, I became an ardent fan of something I to this day refer to as “Team 29”. That is, any team playing LeBron. I had been a basketball nomad ever since the previous low point of my fandom: February 24, 1994, the day my beloved Atlanta Hawks traded my childhood wallpaper, Dominique Wilkins, to the Los Angeles Clippers. I still shudder at the memory. When the Toronto Basketball Club chose to name itself the "Raptors" instead of a self-respecting choice like "Towers" or "Huskies", I could never entirely settle in with my newly formed local. But, on that fateful day in 2010, I was granted asylum. I finally had a home. Team 29. Whoever was playing LeBron. My animosity burrowed deep. In a hushed tone, I admit to making the 500-kilometre December journey to wintery Northern Ohio - on my own - to assist the locals in ushering in Jamess return to Cleveland. You may revisit my chronicle of that journey here and my subsequent delirious celebration later that season when Team 29, AKA the Dallas Mavericks, triumphed over Miami in the Finals. The day after LeBrons defeat, a sigh of aching relief passed through my lips. A burden lifted. I had not noticed, but my loathing had become an appendage. I dragged it around like a boil on my cheek. Suddenly, it was lanced. Even though it meant losing part of my identity, I simply didnt have the hate in me anymore. LeBron was too talented for me to despise. I dragged around some residue resentment the next year, but I was going through the motions. I didnt want to be on the wrong side of history as the greatest player since Jordan did the requisite great things. But even as I reconciled my feelings for LeBron, I felt a familiar twinge, something which made me continue rooting against him. And, as Ive certainly foreshadowed, it was relatively easy to pinpoint what it was. I cant stand the Miami Heat. I harbour an endless depth of loathing towards LeBrons brethren in South Beach, particularly the ever-whining Dwyane Wade, who was gifted the 2006 Finals by the most biased refereeing this side of of an Ante Sapina soccer match. Ive had it with the cluster of Ray Allen-come-lately veterans looking for a coattail ring in the Florida sun. Ive seen too many of Pat Rileys Armani suits. You may enjoy luxuriating on South Beach, but attend a game in south Florida and tell me those spoiled, limp crowds deserve their seven major championships. But whats to be done? It would be great if the Raptors met the Heat in the second round. It would be great to see Jonas and Amir get their licks in against the histrionic Chris Bosh, a guy I rank after Paul Millsap in talent, but will somehow wind up a first-ballot Hall of Famer. It would be an epic demonstration of cosmic fairness for the die-hard, through thick-and-thin faithful of Toronto to triumph over the second quarter arriving, third quarter leaving falling ass-backwards into success Miami fans. But wishing wont manifest destiny. The East is in stone. Predetermined like a game officiated by Tim Donaghy. Miami is heading to the Finals. So I recognize what must be done. Im keeping my eye on the prize this year. I know the focus of my venom, and I welcome you to join my Team 29 bandwagon. I dont care if LeBron ever wins another ring, I just dont want anyone else in Miami to get one. Gallays Poll #7 Who do you want to win the 2014 NBA Finals? (A) The Miami Heat, because I have no conscience. I also hate puppies and hugs.(B) Team 29, because I am a good and decent person. NHL Jerseys China . Now he has a complete game. Scherzer tossed a three-hitter in his 179th career start for his first complete game and Victor Martinez hit his 16th homer to lead the Detroit Tigers a 4-0 win over the Chicago White Sox. Wholesale NHL Jerseys . The 2010 batting champ showed what he can do when hes mostly healthy. Gonzalez homered, doubled and singled in his return to the lineup, and the Colorado Rockies snapped a five-game losing streak with a 13-4 victory over the Chicago Cubs on Wednesday night. https://www.chinanhljerseys.us/.Y. -- First, Ryan Miller. Wholesale NHL Jerseys China . JOHNS, N. NHL Jerseys Outlet . The same cant be said of last Saturdays 2-2 draw at Olympic Stadium against a very weakened New York Red Bulls side and one which had three stalwarts in Henry, Cahill and Olave back home in Harrison, NJ.WENGEN, Switzerland - Felix Neureuther took advantage of a rare mistake by Marcel Hirscher of Austria to win a World Cup slalom on Saturday and retake the discipline standings lead from his great rival.Neureuther seized his chance after Hirscher, the world champion from Austria, skied out of a slalom event for the first time in three seasons.Germanys Neureuther rose from fifth after the first run by racing down a tricky slope in steadily falling snow to beat Stefano Gross of Italy by 0.20 seconds.Its a special moment for me, said Neureuther, who also won this race two years ago. This classic hill is amazing.Olympic bronze medallist Henrik Kristoffersen of Norway was third, trailing 0.44 behind Neureuthers combined time of 1 minute, 46.93 seconds.In the finish area, Neureuther was greeted by Kristoffersen kneeling to bow in a show of respect before the two racers hugged.Felixs second run was unbelievable, Kristoffersen said. Its cool to see someone ski that fast. It makes me go on a higher level, too.Hirscher went out early in the morning run and last failed to reach a slalom finish line in March 2012 at Schladming, Austria. The three-time defending overall World Cup champion missed the chance to extend his big lead in those standings over Kjetil Jansrud of Norway, who does not race slalom.Neureuther earned 100 pooints for his 11th career World Cup win, his second this season, and leads Hirscher by 44 in the slalom standings.dddddddddddd He also climbed to third overall.Neureuther has had top-3 finishes in five of six slaloms this season in another duel with Hirscher, who clinched the crystal globe trophy on the final day of last season.The 30-year-old Germans only blip was failing to finish last Sunday at nearby Adelboden where Gross got his first career win.Hirschers consistent run of slalom results ended when he straddled a gate.I would rather be fast and go out than be in the fifth or sixth position with a big gap between the leader and yourself, said Hirscher. It sucks that I struggled but it was definitely not easy.First-run leader Mattias Hargin of Sweden finished sixth, 0.96 behind Neureuther.Both American racers who qualified for a second run dropped in the rankings.David Chodounsky went from 13th to finish 18th, trailing by 2.79. Ted Ligety fell to 27th from 24th, and was 3.65 behind his good friend Neureuther.Im just upset with myself, said Chodounsky, from Crested Butte, Colorado. I didnt quite let it go as much as I could have. That was just on me.The race was switched from its usual Sunday slot, allowing the classic Lauberhorn downhill to be pushed back a day when better weather is forecast. ' ' '