It was bad news for Cleveland Cavaliers fans but hardly shocking. LeBron James implied at the launch of his new shoe the Air Max LeBron VII that he plans to test the free agent waters next season. He stated:

"I signed a contract in 2006 with an option. It would make no sense for me to sign that contract if I didn't keep my options open. I'll let you fill in the blanks."

Nike Inc. and Cleveland Cavaliers' star LeBron James are once again working on creating a new shoe - the Nike Air Max LeBron VII. On August 7th at 12:00pm, an event will be held in Akron, OH to discuss their latest collaboration.

The event will be held in Akron at the Community Center, where LeBron played basketball during his childhood. Hosting the event will be Kenan Thompson, a comedian. Nike designer Jason Petrie will also be on hand to discuss the Nike Air Max LeBron VII.

The Nike Air Max LeBron VII, which is likely to become available in a variety of colors and editions, will be unveiled at the event. Unlike previous Nike LeBron shoes, which were from the Nike Zoom family, the new shoes will come with a full Max Air cushioning system. The LeBron Zoom line appears to have now been retired.

LeBron James had a few things to say to reporters at National Association of Black Journalists convention. Plain Dealer reporter Branson Wright was able to get the scoop from the Cleveland Cavaliers superstar. Here is what he had to say on a few hot topics:

When asked about Shaquille O'Neal, King James stated:

"Wow," adding. "Anytime you can get a guy like that. . . . I was asked by [management], 'Would you like him to be a part of this team?' and I said, 'Of course.' I've never had a low-post presence since I've been in the league. I love it."

About not shaking hands after the Orlando Magic series:

"I wouldn't have done it the same," James said. "I would have [talked with] the media. Looking back on it, without you guys, there's no LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Tiger Woods or no Peyton Manning without the media."

"Shaking hands is not a big deal to me," continuing. "It's not being a sore loser; it's moving on."

"I could see why people were talking about [walking off] because your job [the media] starts when mine ends," he added. "But as far as the dunk or whatever car I'm driving, some things you shouldn't comment on and some things you should."

It has been suggested by some that no matter how rough things got around Cleveland, the city could always adopt the motto of “At least we’re not Detroit”. While that adage still rings true on many fronts, the world of Cleveland sports has a long way to go before they can embrace that mentality.

Let’s start with the most comparable sport, football. The Detroit fans, fed up with years of losing and ineptitude, have abandoned the team in recent years. This abandonment has been seen in the form of the “Millen man march” which came as a plea from the fans to fire long-time GM Matt Millen. The fans even stopped buying tickets last season, which left the beautiful Ford Field looking quite empty at times. The fans stood up and let the Ford family know they were sick and tired of losing. The owners responded by overhauling the entire organization by bringing in a new head coach, GM, logo, and face of the franchise in Matthew Stafford. Browns fans have responded with years of losing and ineptitude by selling out every game. While owner Randy Lerner has more goodwill with the fans thanks to his quick reactions to fire losing coaches and general managers, the fans still have not recognized the flawed structure of the organization and continue to embrace the Browns like they are perennial winners. The Browns may have overhauled their organization as well, but those changes have not garnered the positive reviews and feelings, both locally and nationally, that the Lions have. Detroit 1. Cleveland 0.

On the college football front, Ohio State clearly has the edge on the University of Michigan in pretty much every facet imaginable. The problem here is Ann Arbor is a short 45 minute drive from Detroit (making it easier for Detroit residents to embrace), while Columbus is much further away as it straddles the redneck border of Southern Ohio. To make matters worse, Cleveland area Ohio State fans can only enjoy Buckeye football so much knowing they have to share it equally with Cincinnati, which is basically a part of Kentucky more than it is Ohio for all intents and purposes. Detroit 2. Cleveland 0.

The NBA schedules are out, and all eyes will be on the Cleveland Cavaliers once again this year. Joining LeBron James this year is Shaquille O'Neal who will help to kick off the NBA's opening night on October 27 against the Boston Celtics at home.

Other highlights of this season include a Christmas Day visit to Los Angeles, where the Cavs will go up against the Lakers. Ths is one of the league's marquee matchups of he year, and will feature James and O'Neal against Kobe Bryant.

Below is the full schedule for the 2009-2010 season. Keep in mind, this year, all tickets for the Quicken Loans Arena will be electronic and all tickets will be sold through Veritix (more info here).

October

Tue 27 vs Boston 7:30pm
Wed 28 @ Toronto 7:00pm
Fri 30 @ Minnesota 8:00pm
Sat 31 vs Charlotte 7:30pm

November

Tue 03 vs Washington 7:00pm
Thu 05 vs Chicago 8:00pm
Fri 06 @ New York 8:00pm
Wed 11 @ Orlando 8:00pm
Thu 12 @ Miami 8:00pm
Sat 14 vs Utah 7:30pm
Tue 17 vs Golden State 7:00pm
Wed 18 @ Washington 7:00pm
Fri 20 @ Indiana 7:00pm
Sat 21 vs Philadelphia 7:30pm

In Cleveland, sometimes the fans just don’t know when to say no. With the Browns, ten seasons of mostly underachieving football since the 1999 return has been met largely with no less enthusiasm in the fan base. Coming off one of their most disappointing campaigns yet, the Browns opened training camp last weekend and were greeted by a fan who was so excited he decided to camp out in anticipation. When the gates opened the next morning, many more people poured through to take in the first official practice of the 2009 edition of the Cleveland Browns. While there were not any knuckleheads chanting “Super Bowl” on the first day of camp this year, the hope and enthusiasm for the Browns was still quite palpable amongst the fans.

But Cleveland Cavaliers GM Won't Talk Status or Specifics

The Associated Press is reporting that Danny Ferry has talked to LeBron James' agent Leon Rose about a contract extension. He wouldn't elaborate further when discussed the specifics of the talks. The speculation is that the Cavs have offered the cornerstone of the Cavs franchise another 3 years on his contract which is set to expire at the end of the season. The report states:

Intentionally vague during an important negotiation, Cleveland Cavaliers general manager Danny Ferry said Monday that the club has had ongoing talks with LeBron James' agent about a contract extension for the NBA's reigning MVP.

The Cleveland Cavaliers made another play in free agency today by offering Miami Heat swingman Jamario Moon a deal with the team. The Heat will have one week to match the Cavs two year deal.

Joe Gabriele of NBA.com writes:

Moon is considered a “late bloomer” in NBA circles. Though he’s already 29 years old, he’ll just be coming into his third season in the league. Moon – who started 60 games for the Raptors and Heat last year – has taken the circuitous route to Cleveland. And while Parker’s detour took him to the most successful situation outside of the Association, Moon toiled with teams ranging from the Harlem Globetrotters to the Gary Steelheads of the CBA.

Reaching out to the 6-8 forward is GM Danny Ferry’s first foray into restricted free agency. The Heat – who acquired Moon in a trade with Toronto that also brought Jermaine O’Neal to South Beach – have one week to match the Cavaliers’ offer.

Beginning October 1, 2009, Veritix will become the exclusive ticket service provider for both primary and secondary market ticket sales for Quicken Loans Arena, the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Lake Erie Monsters. The Cavs first implemented Veritix's patented Flash Seats technology for season ticket holders in 2006, and will now utilize the technology for all arena events, including concerts, special events, family shows, and more.

According to the Cavs, the benefits of this new technology include:

* Convenience of entering The Q with the swipe of a credit card or driver’s license
* Eliminates worry of lost, stolen or counterfeit tickets
* Tickets can be purchased digitally, so no need to print at home or stand in line for will call
* Ability to transfer or sell single or season tickets instantly in the only authenticated, team-guaranteed online secondary marketplace
* 24 hour support system

Some of the biggest sports legends in history will be on hand for the 30th National Sports Collectors Show at the IX Center later this month. The show runs from July 29th-August 2nd this year and features the likes of Bob Feller, Jim Brown, Troy Aikman, Bo Jackson, and Joe Montana who will be participating in autograph signings.

Below you will find all the information on the event including schedule of events and hours of operation.

Show Hours

Wednesday, July 29: 5pm to 9pm
Thursday, July 30 through Saturday, August 1: 10am to 6pm
Sunday, August 2: 10am to 5pm

Admission

Single-day admission tickets are $15 if purchased in advance. Week-long VIP passes are available, starting at $119

Tickets can be purchased by following this link.