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. Air Max Baratas Outlet . Wayne and Cindy Tuck of Ilderton, Ont., closed out round-robin play earlier in the day with a 7-3 win over Finland but needed a win over Austria to reach the final eight. Nike Air Max Baratas . MLB.com reported that the Dodgers locked the left-hander in for one year at $10 million with up to $4 million in incentives. http://www.airmaxespana.es/ . They were right in that they responded to coach Randy Carlyles goaltending switch to erase a two-goal deficit. Air Max Baratas España . The Toronto Argonauts running back hurt his left ankle during the teams practice Friday afternoon at Rogers Centre. Air Max Online Baratas . Louis, MO (SportsNetwork.ARLINGTON, Texas -- Mitch Moreland tried to play through pain in his left ankle because Prince Fielder and about a dozen other Texas teammates had been sidelined by a dizzying array of injuries. Fielders replacement at first base just couldnt do it anymore. Moreland will miss about three months for surgery on an ankle thats been bothering him all season. The timing could mean that hes finished for the year, just as Fielder is after neck surgery late last month. "I felt like I was obligated to the team to go out there and give it what I had," Moreland said Sunday. "I felt like I did that for the most part until it came to a point where I cant do it." The 28-year-old Moreland had two injections to ease the pain, and he said the most recent shot lasted about five days. He finally went to manager Ron Washington to say the pain was just too strong. "Its to the point where Im hurting the team, hurting myself trying to go out there and make something happen," said Moreland, who knew surgery was coming but wanted to wait until the off-season. "Its hurting pretty bad." The Rangers, who didnt plan an immediate roster move Sunday, lead the majors in both disabled list uses with 18 and current players on the DL at 12. Moreland will become the 13th once they decide what to do about first base. Utilityman Donnie Murphy started Sunday against Cleveland. "Its hard to put your finger on it," general manager Jon Daniels saaid.dddddddddddd "Its been a little bit everything -- ankles, backs, necks, elbows, legs, shin bones. We havent been able to connect the dots." Fielder, acquired in an off-season trade that sent popular second baseman Ian Kinsler to Detroit, was supposed to restore some power to an offence that dipped significantly in 2013. But Fielder hit just three home runs in 150 at-bats before acknowledging that he was dealing with neck pain that even went back to last season. He had surgery to fuse two disks in his neck. Moreland had a career-high 23 homers last year while hitting just .232. But he has gone deep just twice in 167 at-bats this year and is hitting .246. "Hes done everything he could have done," Daniels said. "Hes fought through it, but its become apparent its limiting him." Catcher Chris Gimenez, who has given the Rangers a surprising boost with his bat, has limited experience at first base in the majors and could be an option when the Rangers make a move, likely later Sunday or Monday. Another possibility is Jim Adduci, who played first early in the season but has been out since April with a broken finger on his left hand. He was close to returning when he injured the same finger during a minor league rehab assignment Saturday. "Were just going to have to go with what weve got," Washington said. "Im just trying to make the guys I do have believe they can and just go to war. Thats it." ' ' '