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Epic LeBron Trolling Gets ESPN Host Suspended

by Abby Johnston

Remember when we were all gushing over how sweet it is that LeBron James is returning to his home team in Cleveland? Well, the warm fuzzies are over, and ESPN host Dan Le Batard wants some solace for Miami fans. But when Le Batard took his LeBron trolling to a Cleveland billboard, ESPN suspended him for two days, further proving that LeBron James is an untouchable god of basketball.

The saga began when Dan Le Batard tried to take out a full-page ad in Cleveland's Plain Dealer. It prominently featured the two championship rings won during James' time with the Heat, with a short, simple message under the bling-tastic rings.

You're welcome, LeBron.Sincerely,Miami Heat Fans

This was an attempt to rally up Miami's fans, who are pretty sad that LeBron hasn't personally thanked them for all that they have done for him. More pertinently, it was a great media troll led by Le Batard's radio show to drum up hype.

But The Plain Dealer didn't bite. Turning down the revenue you could gain from a full-page ad is a pretty solid stand with your convictions in today's print-media landscape. I'm sure there were many tears shed in the office that night, then collected and reused later for drinking water.

Then Le Batard turned to people with absolutely no loyalty to anyone: billboards. Le Batard took out a billboard in Akron, Ohio, that was still pretty funny.

Yes, that is Comic Sans that you see, and no, they aren't completely ignorant of how absolutely terrible it is. It is a reference to the biggest cry-baby letter ever to be written that Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert wrote when James left Cleveland for Miami. It was certainly a fiery letter, but written in Comic Sans. How can anything be taken seriously when composed in Comic Sans?

Anyway, ESPN slapped Le Batard with a two-day suspension from his Miami-based radio show, "The Dan Le Batard Show." The network said that they were not informed that Le Batard planned on taking out the ad, and were sure to emphasize that it was not part of their brand AT ALL. Seriously, we luuuuuuhv LeBron. Please don't punish us, King James!