Matt Bellamy expected he would be verbally harassed a little when he showed up to the Indians game Wednesday wearing a LeBron James No. 6 Heat jersey. What he didn’t expect were the objects and beer thrown in his direction.
The taunts got so bad, Bellamy and his girlfriend were eventually escorted out of Progressive Field by police, making him Cleveland’s newest overnight celebrity. Along with local media outlets, Bellamy did interviews Thursday with CNN and ESPN radio.
Bellamy, the 29-year-0ld Sandusky resident, says the police told him he was being ejected for his own safety. But then he says police pulled him into a small glass room outside of Progressive Field and shouted obscenities at him and his girlfriend, asking her why she would come to the game with this “stupid (expletive) idiot wearing this (expletive) jersey?”
Police did not immediately return an after-hours call from the Beacon seeking comment.
Bellamy, 29, said he walked to his seats in the bleachers in the second inning, and while he heard a few boos, everything seemed fine. But after his picture was shown on the Jumbotron during the sixth inning, the entire stadium began booing him. That’s when the harassment, he says, intensified.
Fans began throwing countless beers at him and making lewd sexual comments toward his girlfriend, he said. Bellamy, who was wearing an Ohio State hat at the game and considers himself an avid fan of all Cleveland sports teams, contacted an attorney on Thursday to see if there was a potential lawsuit.
“I’ve been nationally humiliated and nobody, the cops, nobody was doing anything,” he said. “I was minding my own business. I’m an Indians fan. I was there to watch the Indians. I love the Browns and the Cavs. I’m an Ohio fan. I love them all to death. But every time we get a talent, we can’t hold onto him. LeBron was born and raised here and I still love him.”
Bellamy said the white James jersey is ruined, but he has the red and black jerseys, too.
“You can boo me all you want, that’s cool. I expected that,” Bellamy said. “You don’t need to throw beer or food. The cops don’t need to call me names. I respect everybody. You don’t have to like me, but you shouldn’t hate me because I’ve done nothing to you.”
{ 52 comments }
What a moron. He’s not Cavs or Cleveland fan. He’s a moron. Every real Cleveland fans feels like their hearts have been ripped out all over again, the exact feeling when the Browns left. I don’t know of a single Browns fan who wears Ravens stuff. It might not be my legal right to throw beer at you, but at the Indians game I would have last night.
What an idiot. Cleveland fans are fanatics about sports. We have passion, and we are resilient. The one thing you don’t do is wear a Leblow jersey to a Cleveland Sporting event. Try wearing that jersey to a packed Browns game…. You just got lucky.
By the way, I would not have let the news publish your name… prepare for some hate mail… Not from me, like I said Cleveland fans are Fanatics.
I think it shows that Cleveland USED TO have great and classy fans. Now they are just a bunch of thugs. I understand the boos…but to throw beers and crap at him shows why cleveland is such a loser town. Good luck Lebron!
He’s so full of crap. In other interviews, he talks about how he’s originally from Florida and would move back there the first chance he gets. He knew full well what he was doing when he wore that jersey, and now he’s whining about the consequences and blaming others for his “national humiliation”? Nice try, son. You made your bed, now you lie in it. I usually have sympathy for people on the receiving end of poor fan treatment, but I can’t imagine this guy wore the jersey for any other reason than to make people mad and get a reaction. You got your reaction, son. Live with it.
Cleveland fanatic fans are the idiots. This guy is right behind. He is going to contact an attorney for a potential lawsuit. Just another taker like the rest.
You have to expect that if you wear a Heat #6 jersey that you are going to catch some grief from people. I know he is from Akron, and gives back to the community still but you can really root for someone who goes on national tv and says with a smile that he is leaving his hometown team. I am a diehard cavs, browns, and tribe fan but individuals that disrespect the city I call home doesn’t fly with me. This kid deserves what he had coming for him.
If LeBron was my son, I’d tell him to chase his dream. He gave Cleveland/Akron seven (7) good years. He is continuing to do good things for the area. Let this young man live his life. He’s not perfect, but who is? I’m amazed at the immature attitudes of so many people, young and old. I am praying for that “aha” moment when people realize LeBron is human and deserves to live his life as he sees fit.
1ST OF ALL THIS MAN CAN WEAR WHATEVER HE WANTS ^^^^^ YOU PEOPLE NEED TO QUIT BEING SUCH BIG ASS BABIES AND REALIZE LEBRON HAS A LIFE OF HIS OWN. HE GAVE THE CAVS 7 GREAT YEARS IT WAS TIME FOR A CHANGE IN HIS EYES. ARE YOU PAYING HIM?! DIDN’T THINK SO ARE YOU COACHING HIM? DIDN’T THINK SO. DAMN GROW UP!!!! YOU CAN’T PLAY BOTH SIDES OF THE FENCE ITS EITHER YOU’RE A TRUE “CAVS” FAN OR “LEBRON” FAN. IF YOU’RE A BRON FAN YOU WILL FOLLOW HIM & QUIT CRYING LIKE LIL’ BOYS. YOUR WHINING JUST PROVES THAT THE CITY OF CLEVELAND FEELS THAT W/O LEBRON THEY ARE NOTHING, & WILL NEVER SUCCEED! SHEESH GET A GRIP, YOU CAN’T LIVE W/O HIM? THE CAVS WILL SUCK ASS W/O HIM? IS THAT WHATS WRONG?, SOME OF YOU ARE SO EMOTIONALLY CAUGHT UP IN THIS GROWN MAN’S POSITION YOU’RE MISSING THE BIG PICTURE. SMH I’M WITH “A LOVING MOTHER”, MOS’ DEFINITELY WAITING ON THE “AHA” MOMENT FOR YOU CRY BABIES! MOVING ON UUUGH!
AKRONITE, when you asked if we are paying him. Well last time I checked ticket sales and purchases in the arena pay for the player’s salaries, so in a way, yes we pay him. As for questioning whether we’re Lebron or Cavs fans, I think that all these people that are angry at Lebron are Cavs fans and the one’s that are not are Lebron fans. Yes it was great when Lebron was with the Cavs but to go on national tv and disrespect the town that raised you and supported you through all these year, thats not right. As a Cleveland fan I will never again cheer for Lebron for the simple fact that the man has no respect for others while lying to the Northeast Ohio about how he wasn’t gonna stop until he brought a championship to Cleveland. He is a man afraid of a challange so he decided to take the easy way out and have the ring handed to him instead of earning it.
See here is the thing, we GET it that Lebron GAVE us seven years of his life and as he put it in one of his final pressers in the playoffs he “spoiled us with his play” and we understand he did have the right to leave. We get that. I’m sure alot us fanatic Cleveland sport fans would have been fine if he just had a normal press conference, thanked the city and said it was time to move, sure we would have been upset but we would have moved on. But he went on national television and embarrased us yet again, named the event and added to another chapter to our sport failures. We our a very proud city, we have some of the best fans in all of sports. And this stupid kid claims to be a Cleveland fan and shows up to an Indians game wearing a Lebron Heat jersey? Give me a break. Imagine what would have happened to him in Philly if they would have been spited by their supposed biggest “sports hero” and some idiot shows wearing his jersey. He might not be around to give interviews for awhile. I mean they did boo Santa Claus and they ran the guy that took them to a Super Bowl out of Town!!
He waw not raised in cleveland, he was raised in “AKRON”. Can’t you find a clevelander to win for cleveland? He’s not the first or last that will leave a team in cleveland. As for the ones burning jersey’s and other ridiculous things, you already paid for them so burn your money if you like. I wonder how many of you, that would get a better opportunity than the job you have now would stay? I doubt it. And let’s not leave out the people who think they should have a say in what you buy or where to wear it, just ridiculous. No wonder you can’t keep a good player there in any of you sports.
Hey Akronite,
Turn off your freaking CAPS LOCK key. Thanks.
I too am a fan of LeBron James forever, no matter where he goes.!!!!!!!!!!!
I understand being able to wear whatever you want, as all Americans should. However, I saw the tape of this d-bag and he was flaunting it. He turned around to the crowd behind him and shook his jersey. That is taunting…. and he got every bit of what he deserved.
People need to get over telling people to get over Lebron. Realize I’m living a life of my own and if I want to hate someone for something that they did, I can. LET ME LIVE MY LIFE. If any loved athlete left Cleveland in the way Lebron did we would hate them too. Lebron knew what he was doing, knew how people would feel and react, knew how it would effect the economy and did it anyways. On national TV. On a Thursday. So that everyone he grew up around could be filmed crying in bars on national TV. How about you live your life and “get over” people that dont want to like Lebron.
Next, if this guy is really a Cleveland sports fan, he should of expected worse than what he got. And he wouldnt have been “nationally embarassed” if he didnt do interviews and give out his name. No one would have known who he was if he just took his drunk girlfriend home and shut his mouth.
Are you Cleveland fans for real, 1. LeBron is from Akron, Duh
2. You win lottery, you staying in Cleveland? No
3. Die Hard Cavs fan? No
4. Did you forget there are other players on team. Yes
5. America the Land of the free or did you think you were in Afghanistan? Duh
6. Miss treat, selfish, disloyal rednecks, Hell yes!!!! Shame on you for taking away thetrue meaning of sportsmanship, competition.
These are so fun!!!
1. So am I
2. Yes I am. Have traveled a bit and would definitely travel a lot more, but Akron is home.
3. Yup
4. Nope. Not just a fan of a player but of the whole team.
5. What? Is this a real Cleveland fan question? And no I haven’t been deployed to Afghanistan yet.
6.Who is Miss Treat? Disloyal? No I root for the hometown team(Not that it’s bad to root for who you like). Competition: Definition – if you can win in your own hometown go to your buddies team and try. Hell he has a ring right? Sportsmanship: Definition – walk off the court when you lose without shaking hands. Following the King’s example I think I got the definitions right.
Ok #6 should say can’t win
An people wonder why I am from Akron and am a Die Hard Steeler fan!!!!
I’ll give them 6 rings, oops I mean 6 reasons!!!!!!
Victoria, your point number 6 completely describes Lebron in a nutshell. Especially the taking away the competition part by attempting to put together a dream team so he thinks there will be no competition.
Steelers do have a great tradition. I love the rivalry, well at least when it comes back. Just to put it out there, Browns do have 8 championships of their own. 4 AFL and 4 NFL. Just too bad it wasn’t called the superbowl back then.
LeBron left Cleveland?!?!?
What a surprise that he contacted a lawyer to see if he can make some cash out of it, probably his plan from the get go. I wonder if he does sue will he get a jury by his peers, haha..that be funny….Get run out of a ballgame, sue over it and then get run out of the courtroom….
victoria, you need to learn what the true meaning of competition is before you tell others off for supposedly taking away its meaning. Watch the Boston series, heck just listen to the commentator, the national commentators and it is clear as day that Lebron did not compete in that series by and large.
This guy is lucky he was in Cleveland, a passionate, but really pretty tame sports town. Try pulling something like this in a place like Philadelphia, Chicago or New York and he would most likely, and literally, die. Beaten to a pulp at best.
What a tool.
:0/
What this guy did was dangerous for him and his girlfriend. They weren’t walking through a shopping mall, they were at a Tribe game and like most professional sports games there was a lot of beer involved. My thoughts is he was shooting for national publicity. It would have been easy to have left Progressive Field and sliped into anonymity. He wasnt charged but he obviously sought out the media.
The story of the cops, in my opinion, doesnt wash out either. They were trying to difuse a dangerous situation. Why then would they take the time to berate him in private instead of just getting him out of the stadium?
As long as it doesnt have vulgar language your right to wear a printed shirt is Constitutionally protected under the Right to Free Speech. HOWEVER, that doesn’t make the wearing of the clothing prudent. I certainly wouldn’t wear a KKK robe into a black neighborhood or a Nazi
T-shirt into a synagogue. The guy is lucky that he and his girlfriend didn’t get a beat down at Progressive Field from some half drunken fans.
That WOULD have been a tragedy both for them and for the good fans of NE Ohio.
One more question? Given all of this, does anyone here think that this Lebron James Bike-A-Thon is a good idea next Saturday? It could turn into a PR nightmare for Akron. You want national news, but not BAD national news. Why not just send up the bikes and then Lebron stay away from a volatile situation? In my opinion I can’t see LeBron feeling the love in NE Ohio for a long time.
The people defending James keep missing the point. Let me make it clear to you since its apparent some of you still don’t get it.
Lebron James had every right to pursue any job he wanted, just as you and I have that right. No one is denying that. The anger the fans feel relates to the circus he put the region and the fan base through over the course of several months that culminated in the staged ESPN special in which he effectively mooned his fans, team and region on national TV. It was humiliating to a region that has known little else than job losses and bad news. For those that wish to continue heaping praise on the “seven good years he gave us”, bear in mind that those 7 years made him a millionaire. He enjoyed the adoration of everyone in NE Ohio. Maybe he got something out of the deal too. The anger demonstrated by so many fans shows that some people still feel a sense of community here and despite all of the negatives, are proud of where they live. They justifiably feel James made a fool of them and disrespected them.
@ ed, who created this ‘king’ james, the media and all the sycophants who buy into all the fanatic adulation of sports figures. No doubt that guy is a real tool, seeking an attorney to see if he can sue.
LAST TIME I CHECKED BRON DOESN’T OWE ANYBODY ANYTHING SO BEAT IT!!!! STOP CRYING, SO WHAT HE LEFT THE CAVS TO PLAY FOR THE HEAT BLAH BLAH SO SICK OF HEARING IT……HE WAS THE BEST PLAYER FOR CLEVELAND & HE WILL CONTINUE TO BE THE BOMB! DUUUUHHH!!!! ALL THESE CRY BABIES OUT HERE EMOTIONALLY DISTURBED SHOULD SEEK COUNSELING STOP BEING A BUNCH OF P*S%Y!…………….@ ED NO THANKS! @ VICTORIA RIGHT!!!! HE’S CLEARLY FROM AKRON, THEY JUST DON’T GET IT………………..
AKRONITE…look to the left of the a key, it is the caps lock key, unlock it…no one is crying we dont like him, we have not respect for him and we think he is a classless ego maniacal bum. emotionally distrubed, please..everyone deserves to be treated fairly and in a respectful manner, lebron did not treat cavs fans, the city of cleveland in a fair and respectful manner.
@LeShame,
Nice try, but I think your fighting a losing battle. Remember, don’t argue with crazy people. From a distance, people can not tell you apart.
;0)
@ LESHAME STFU……ARE YOU SLOW?! STUPID?! OR RETARDED!? I CLEARLY SAID NO THANKS TO REMOVING THE CAPS LOCK…..SMDH IT DOESN’T TAKE A ROCKET SCIENTIST TO KNOW THAT; CTFU
THE CITY OF CLEVELAND THIS, THE CITY OF CLEVELAND THAT…. OH!?, I UNDERSTAND IT’S HARD TO BREAK AWAY FROM SOMEONE WHO PUT YOUR CITY ON THE MAP! JUST BE THANKFUL THAT HE DID…..MOVING ON—-> MORE POWER TO YOU & EVERYONE ELSE IN THE CITY OF CLEVELAND. IT’S HEAT TIME BABY!!!!
All of you need to quit crying about Lebron and HIS DECISION. With this failing economy and job losses, etc. I would think you all would spend your time commenting or rallying together for a cause that truly effects your life. LEBRON’S DECISION about his career does not effect your life except for entertainment purposes only. I wish the public would get this excited about the things that truly effect us and our children’s well-being. What about improving our education system in Ohio for our children!!!!! What about building out State’s economy.
Let’s start commenting on some of these POLITICIANS who make the DECISIONS we need to be worried about.
Stay CLASSY Cleveland.. Stay Classy…. how pathetic
Bergermeister, u are right, but sometimes I just cant help myself.
akronite,Cleveland was on the map before lebron and it is on the map after, same goes for akron. it just goes to show how egotistical lebron is the things he is the one who put cleveland or even akron on a map. You say us folks who don;t like lebron are ‘emotionally disturbed’ yet you come here and yell at everyone, if i went around and was yelling at people all day long i think everyone would look at me and think i had some emotional problems.
lebron fan, why are you wasting your time commenting or reading about lebron, shouldn’t you be commenting and reading about politicians? no one is here crying over lebron.
Being a church going, conservative male. Why would you wear that jersey to a Cleveland Indians game ? Stupid is as stupid does. When you do something stupid, expect stupid results. I wouldnt had thrown a drink or anything at the guy. But, in the old ballpark, he would have gotten beaten up.
Another thing. You LJ supporters are crazy. Yes he has every right to leave. What gets me fired up is the total lack of class he showed leaving. He left like a punk/thug. I expected a little more from LJ than that. The way he left is what made me upset with him. If he would have been a man and said he was leaving. I would have respected him for that. But he left like a thief in the night.
BOLSL @ LESHAME, WELL ACT LIKE IT!!!! & NOOOO THEY WEREN’T ON THE MAP AS FAR AS BASKETBALL DDDUUUHHHHH; IF SO IT WOULDN’T B SUCH A HUUUUGGGGEEEE ISSUE ABOUT HIM LEAVING. SPEAKS FOR ITSELF; POINT, BLANK, PERIOD……..
what an idiot. he got exactly what he deserved. if i were there, i would have beat the sh!t out of him. no joke. i’ve done it before and i would have done it again….then I would’ve f*cked his girlfriend while he watched. stupid piece of sh!t.
and jay – your last sentence describes you to a T. You belong behind bars with the rest of society’s scum.
The guy should be smacked just for acting like a wigger.
racist!!!
And they say that SOCCER fans are crazy!
Agreed. Cleveland fans are making themselves look like a bunch of inbred hicks, plain and simple. Most soccer fans know it’s a game, and players leave teams. Here is a video to compare…fans paying respect to Raul Gonzalez for his time with Real Madrid (*no burned jerseys, no booing, no idiocracy moments):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zZd4zRshhuk
You lost Lebron, whatever. Grow up.
The law is the law and no amount of idiot sports fanatics can change that. The guy can flaunt whatever he wants and no one had the right to assault him with objects or engage in the illegal bahavior of menacing him and his girlfriend. The police especially had no business hurling insults at this guy and his girlfriend. It amazes me how many stupid people in this country do not underestand our constitution and form of democracy. You all act like a bumch of low I.Q. cavemen. And this will always be why Cleveland/Akron will never get anywhere. You people are the authors of your own demise.
Just some idiot looking for 15 minutes of “fame.” Too bad the networks play into this kind of garbage and he got it.
Dan – Yes, of course the law is the law and no one would have the right to assault him, engage in illegal behavior, etc… Virtually all citizens and fans in Cle/Akron would agree with you on that. However, there will always be a few idiot fans who would do these things and they should be prosecuted. But, what you appear to not comprehend is that these fringe idiot fans exist in NY, Chicago, LA, Miami, Philly and every other sports town. You indicated “You all act like…low IQ cavemen”. To paint all of the Cle/Akron area in this way and to say “this will always be why Cleveland/Akron will never get anywhere” is ridiculous on its face. Your final comment was quite ironic “You people are the authors of your own demise”. That perfectly explains your own loss of credibility when you tried to paint an entire region in the way you did.
Everyone here needs to calm down. I’ll be upfront, I’m a Cleveland(is that how you spell it? I couldn’t find it on the post-Lebron maps) fan and OSU fan. I’m a hometown guy.
As for Lebron leaving, I hate it. I hate it because I’m a Cleveland Cavaliers fan. He has the right to play for who he wants. He can join his buddies who also happen to be great players. He’s a grown man and he has a right to make his own decisions. And as he has the right to make his own decision, everyone here has the right to make their own. Hate him, dislike him, burn his jersey(you bought it do what you want with it), love him, buy a Lebron Heat jersey(again your money), whatever, do what you like. Just don’t get all shitty when someone dumps on Lebron or defends him. Just rebut with your own thoughts and try to make your comment worth reading. Or not, it’s your prerogative I guess.
But to me his announcement was distasteful, then again I’m a Cavs fan. Of course I’m upset because Cleveland’s best player just left, but I’ll still cheer for the Cavs. It would have been nice to know earlier in the free agency process though so we could have made a run at some other free agents. Not that any of them would’ve signed because we have some curse, but a shot at any would have been nice.
As for Lebron saying he’s a sports historian, I wonder what history will say if he wins more rings than Jordan. I’m not saying it will be good or bad, just wondering. I know it’s a different era but I hope this trend doesn’t catch on. It’s kind of weak to watch superstars band together to win a championship. Through trades and drafts is one thing, but to sign together through free agency is kind of weak. What happen to competition? What happened to being a man and leading your own team? If those 3 go on to win 7 or more championships, Dwayne Wade will probably go down as the greatest(assuming any of the 3 are put above Jordan, which I doubt). DWade will always have one more ring than the other two. And check out Sports Illustrated, funny who’s in front and who’s in back.
As for the whole 7 years he gave to Cleveland and we should be greatful and blah blah blah. Stop it, as someone said earlier, he got paid a lot of money to work his but off to make Cleveland good. It’s his job. It was nice to have a good team in Cleveland again, but don’t act like he delivered a championship. The Cavs fell short the last 7 years with Lebron and he quit last year. And yes he did, he quit.
So let’s go Cleveland!!! So tired of looking for next year, but I will continue to do so because that’s what a true sports fan does!
Unbelievable
I’ve always been a fan of players/ teams rather than franchises. I used to love the Cavs because of the group of players that formed the team and because the fans seemed very classy. Cleveland now to me is worthless because of how they’ve reacted. I’ve seen comments on the Cav’s forums saying “hey, when the Cavs play the Heat, let’s buy tickets and then no one show up to the game, that’ll show LeBron how much we care about him.” THE ENTIRE FORUM AGREED WITH THE KID. Your hatred for Lebron is overshadowing your love for the Cavs, if you even like the Cavs at all now. Pathetic really, I am going to root for the Heat every step of the way. They are a great bunch of guys who are really good friends and want to win. They don’t see it as Lebron backing up Wade or Wade backing up Lebron, they are seeing it as a TEAM that can compete for years to come.
P.S I love how Big Z leaves for the Heat and no one says a thing
Im a true Lebron fan, always have & always will b. And 2 all u motherf***ing haters, just get over it, wats done is done. LETS GO HEAT!!!!!!
Look, 2 all u cavs fans, da guy doesn’t wanna end up like Karl Malone or Charlest Barkley, so he made a decision dat would be best 4 him.
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