Courtesy ESPN

LeBron James shocked many basketball fans with “Decision,” the infamous broadcast announcement of his plans to join Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade on Miami Heat. While some Miami fans may be elated about getting the Cavs superstar, there are many others who are outraged by the way he went about it.

Since publicly humiliating the Cavs and his hometown fans, LeBron has experienced nothing short of a backlash. Here’s a recap of just some of the reactions that have made the news:

• Gilbert posts a scathing letter on Cavs website and is slapped with $100,000 fine
• Public rallies around Gilbert, offers to pay fine
• Former King James fans burn, donate, throw out 23 jerseys
• LeBron gets booed at NBA player Carmelo Anthony’s wedding
• Nike/LeBron 10-story “Witness” billboard is torn down
• The Great Lakes Brewing Co. releases “Quitness,” a bitter ale inspired by the player’s decision
• Michigan man blames his DUI on James

“It’s not about him leaving,” Gilbert told ESPN. “It’s the disrespect. It’s time for people to hold these athletes accountable for their actions. Is this the way you raise your children?”

But the way adults are reacting towards his transfer to Miami is shocking. Adults are always telling teens that we need to act mature in order to be treated as an adult. But maybe some of the idiotic things we do come from what we watch adults do. We aren’t all “born to be wild.” Some of our best and worst qualities come from the very people who raised us.

As I read Gilbert’s shockingly immature letter and saw the fans’ childish reactions, I found myself echoing his sentiment, asking of him and the rest of basketball’s fans: Is this the way you were raised?

Two wrongs don’t make a right. What LeBron did was stupid. Gilbert’s reaction was equally dumb. And fans rallying around Gilbert’s mistake doesn’t fix anything.  The more people react to the LeBron debacle, the more they condone and perpetuate bad behavior.

Is this how we want to raise our children? What do you think?

— Havilah Driver | VOX Staff

 Courtesy ESPN

Tiger Woods may have walked away from his Thanksgiving weekend car crash with a few scrapes and bruises, but the tabloids have cut much deeper.

TMZ reported that Woods’ injuries weren’t from the wreck, but from his wife, former Swedish model Elin Nordegren. A source told TMZ Nordegren scratched Woods face and chased his car down with a golf club after arguing with him about an affair. FOX News reports at least 10 women claim to have had affairs with Woods over the course of his five-year marriage.

“The stories in particular that physical violence played any role in the car accident were utterly false and malicious,” Woods said in statement on his official Web site. “Elin has always done more to support our family and shown more grace than anyone could possibly expect.”

Local police told PEOPLE.com Nordergen actually used golf clubs to break Woods free from the wrecked car.

The couple is apparently fighting for their marriage, hiding out in their mansion and undergoing several “intense marriage counseling” sessions a day according to The Chicago Sun-Times, but it may not be enough.

 The DailyBeast.com reports that Woods is also negotiating to basically triple the amount of his prenup if his wife stays with him for two more years. The 2004 prenup was originally for $20 million. The new prenup would be worth $55 million with an additional $5 million payoff up front.

Without going into details, Woods stated on his Web site: “I have let my family down and I regret those transgressions with all of my heart. I have not been true to my values and the behavior my family deserves. I am not without faults and I am far short of perfect. I am dealing with my behavior and personal failings behind closed doors with my family. Those feelings should be shared by us alone.”

I think Tiger Woods absolutely deserves his privacy.

He’s apologized to his supporters and stated, “I will strive to be a better person and the husband and father that my family deserves.”

While many would claim that Woods had a family man image, he didn’t. His campaigns and endorsement deals (many of which have now, unfortunately, been pulled) were always about high performance and being the best you can be. Though some would argue that being the best doesn’t mean cheating, everyone has their faults. Tiger Woods is an athlete and public figure, but at the end of it all, he’s human, and private matters aren’t owed to the public to be played out in front of the media. 

— By Kelcie Willis | VOX Staff