If there's one thing Cleveland fans can take away from this season, it's that they're not alone in their abhorrence of LeBron James and the Miami Heat.
Hardly.
In fact, James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh have been booed, and loudly, in nearly every opposing arena. What's more surprising than that is the Heat, specifically James, honestly had a hard time understanding why.
But now, like most everyone else, the Heat's stars have accepted it. Or at least, that is what they say. (Then again, they are crying after games, so maybe it bugs them more than they're willing to admit.)
What seems more believable these days is Cleveland fans have accepted James isn't one of them -- and maybe never really was. Only now, it doesn't really hurt.
That seems to be the sentiment, anyway, as James and the Heat make their second and final appearance of the season in Quicken Loans Arena on Tuesday (7 p.m., FOX Sports Ohio).
In the nearly four months since the Heat's previous appearance, Cavaliers fans have spent most of their time evaluating their own franchise, figuring out ways to improve through the draft and who they might sign in free agency. Like Cavs owner Dan Gilbert, it's pretty doggone clear fans want their team to be great again, and in the worst possible way.
No doubt, some of that has to do with the way James left, his self-promoting Decision show making him look like a heartless backstabber who aimed to doom the franchise. That's not to say James is evil -- he just comes across that way to most folks in these parts.
But again, if there is one thing we can say with a fair amount of certainty, it's Cavs fans are focused mostly on the Cavs. Other than that, they just root for James and the Heat to lose, which really doesn't make them much different than anyone else.
Mostly, Cavs fans just don't care about LeBron anymore.
They are too busy praising general manager Chris Grant for obtaining a second lottery pick in the Baron Davis trade, or wondering if undrafted rookie forward Samardo Samuels is the next Carlos Boozer (in a good way), or watching the NCAA tournament and envisioning its biggest stars in Wine and Gold.
It's almost as if someone asked Cavs fans when LeBron and the Heat would be back, and the fans responded, "Who knows, who cares and how long before we get to use our $14.5 million trade exception?"
It's a healthy outlook for a city that's used to being over-analyzed and criticized -- and almost entirely because its sports teams consistently fall short. It is also Cleveland fans' way of saying LeBron might have broken their hearts, but hey, they are so over it.
Even LeBron has to know that much.
"Can't get no worse than it was Dec. 2," is what he told reporters about Tuesday's return. "I know that for a fact."
Back in December, fans organized chants, cussed him out the entire game and waited for someone from the home team to send him to floor with a hard foul. We all know how it ended and how the season has played out since, and there is no need to relive it all here.
The Cavs are almost an entirely different team since then -- with Anderson Varejao and Antawn Jamison injured, and Mo Williams having been traded. They have a new outlook, new goals and a new plan.
"I don't think it's going to be a zoo like it was last time," Cavs coach Byron Scott said. "It might be two notches below what it was. It's still going to be a very intense-type game. I think fans remember what happened last time we played here and so do we."
This time, Cavs fans are more likely to just stand and cheer for their own team. They have gotten used to doing that and only that since Dec. 2.
And when they see James and the Heat? Well, Cavs fans are more likely to simply throw their hands in the air. Then they'll wave 'em like they just don't care.
Follow Sam Amico on Twitter @SamAmicoFSO
