After 52 years without a single championship, Jim Brown is ready to celebrate with the Cavaliers in their championship parade in Cleveland on Wednesday.
However, Brown doesn't think the festivities should stop there. The legendary Browns running back said LeBron James should be honored with his own statue — as Brown himself will be this fall.
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“[Cavaliers owner Dan] Gilbert is going to give him a statue. He’d better give him a statue,” Brown told the Akron Beacon Journal. “That young man put out so much blood, sweat and tears it’s unbelievable. He gave up his life. He could’ve had a heart attack he was playing so hard. So they’d better give him a statue. That’s the least they could do.
“[He’s] a young man who has taken responsibility on every level — community, family, team, organization, city — and he’s done it with grace. He’s carried himself well. He has bitten the bullet many times, and it’s paid off for him. His legacy is set, and I’m so happy for him.”
Brown, 80, was a pivotal member of the Cleveland team that upset the Baltimore Colts for the 1964 NFL Championship. Since then, Brown has watched Cleveland endure a lengthy drought without a major title.
Brown and his wife will be at the parade to cheer on James and the rest of the Cavaliers for bringing a championship home.
“LeBron has given me a lot of respect, and it hasn’t gone by my ears and eyes," Brown said. "This young man has recognized me as a part of that family, and I’m so happy to go back and show my respect and to enjoy this and show how much we appreciate it and to wave to those fans.”