LeBron James took to Twitter to respond to a Cincinnati area bar that refuses to show NBA games until he is “expelled” from the league.
“Aww Damn,” James tweeted Saturday. “I was headed there to watch our game tonight and have a drink! Welp.”
The sarcasm from the Lakers forward comes days after a Facebook post from the owner of Linnie’s Pub in Delhi Township went viral when the owner told patrons to not come to their establishment to watch games.
“If anyone wants to watch an NBA game, don’t come to Linnie’s Pub. We will not air them until Lebron James has been expelled from the NBA.”
The refusal to air games is in response to James’ comments on social media regarding the police shooting that took place in Columbus, Ohio. James had tweeted “YOU’RE NEXT #ACCOUNTABILITY” with an hourglass emoji on Wednesday, accompanied by a photo of a police officer, who was later identified as the officer who fired shots that killed 16-year-old Ma’Khia Bryant.
James later removed the post, tweeting the following:
“ANGER (doesn’t do) any of us any good and that includes myself! Gathering all the facts and educating does though!” James tweeted. “My anger still is here for what happened that lil girl. My sympathy for her family and may justice prevail!
“I’m so damn tired of seeing Black people killed by police. I took the tweet down because its being used to create more hate -This isn’t about one officer. it’s about the entire system and they always use our words to create more racism. I am so desperate for more ACCOUNTABILITY.”
Linneman, who announced the no NBA games in the Facebook post, said he is tired of all athletes’ statements.
“They just need to play the game and that’s it,” said Linneman. “Their opinion doesn’t really matter. They’re using their position to push their opinions, and that’s just not right.”
Linneman said if a high-ranking government official of the likes of former President Donald Trump or President Joe Biden had made similar statements there would be calls for “impeachment.”
Contributing: Chris Mayhew, Cincinnati Enquirer
Contact Analis Bailey at [email protected] or on Twitter @analisbailey.
