The Morning According to Us

LeBron is a flirt, but it isn't costing the Cavs one bit.

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Flirtatious like a fox.

There's two ways you can look at this:

1) LeBron James feels bad about his somewhat public affair with the city of New York, his Billy Joel-esque "New York State of Mind" admissions, those bright red shoes debuted at The Garden, his being forced to combat the rumors and maybe even that Yankees lid. He's making it up to the Cavs.

2) LeBron can be a megastar anywhere, knows it, wants it and needs to feel as though even his flirtations with outside interests could make the media cry "distraction!" He knows, or his circle knows, the way MJ was covered when he snuck off to Atlantic City and the way we wondered if fatherhood would tame the Tiger. He knows the questions add an air of mystery, a hint of speculation—and really, since when did mere speculation act as a retardant to the flames of the truly gifted? This is all a game. He can be happy in Cleveland as long as he can garner New York levels of attention.

The bottom line is the man is the center of a team that's got it going in a way they haven't since he's been around. For instance, as ESPN research notes: The Cavaliers just won their ninth straight game, all by at least 12 points. That breaks an NBA record for consecutive wins, all by at least 12 points. The Cavs' 18-3 record in their best start in franchise history. More, they've won each of their last four games by 20-or-more points. That leaves them one shy of the NBA single-season record for such a streak, five games.

Whatever wounds LeBron has inflicted on the morale of his teammates or Cleveland fans with all this chatter, he has done so amidst an unprecedented run. There's cruel, but there's also calculated. What could you put past someone who's known the game from day one?

Let's give him his due and remember the other lingering nuggets.

1) Maybe it's all Mo Williams. (He's good, and on our fantasy team.)

2) It's gonna' be a trip when LeBron ends up in Utah.

Elsewhere…

Now Brit police will just release your picture if they think you're a Hooligan.

Ouch for racing. Audi and Honda say it's too pricey and dump F-1.

The Aussies are pining for the World Cup.

Pretty impressive to survive an Arctic crash.

Uh oh, Olympians. The IOC starts re-testing suspected samples.

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