This initial response to ESPN’s oddball LeBron James sideshow, following James’ decision to take his talents to South Beach, is fine and well-reasoned and, of course, makes mention of the Cleveland Cavaliers’ owner’s well-publicized missive in which he cursed the basketball player unto the seventh generation. But I prefer this think piece about What It All Means*. I don’t know if I agree with Jason Gay, and I don’t really care to think about whether America’s moving away from celebrating the culture of accumulation, but I know I definitely don’t want to hear any more about ESPN’s decision to hand an hour of primetime over to a 25-year-old and why that means The End of Basketball As We Know It. What I do know is that the latter column includes the following, and it is both true and funny: “When Mr. James wrapped up his game of Yahtzee on ESPN with Jim Gray, the immediate focus was on his choice—the winner and many losers. Cleveland sobbed. Chicago moaned. New Jersey laughed since it’s really Brooklyn’s problem, anyway. New Yorkers shrugged, turned back to What Not to Wear and wondered if it was still possible to order yam fries from that vegetarian place.”

*—Yes, I realize that it’s August.