(Chuck, shown many years ago after unsuccessfully lobbying Barry Bonds to stay in Pittsburgh)

While the likes of Michael Bloomberg waste valuable time on an exercise solely designed to boost the value of Cablevision shares, full credit to Chuck D. for taking a less hysterical approach to LeBron James’ free agency.  “If he comes to the black hole of New York,” (presumably Madison Square Garden, as opposed to the Straight Shot’s rehearsal space) the Public Enemy founder warns the Plain-Dealer’s John Soeder, “he’ll never win.”

“It ain’t an easy thing, winning a championship, so … don’t think it’s going to come any easier. What, he’s 25? Come on, now! Who says he has to win a championship?

“I think LeBron James is the best thing to ever happen to basketball. Not because of his game. Because of his attitude. We need more dudes in rap who really care about the history.

“I love LeBron James’ attitude. I love his sense of history. And I love what he means to Ohio and Cleveland. My thing is, just try harder.

“At the end of the day, it’s only going be one champion. Everybody [else] is going to lose, so he shouldn’t be down on himself. Kobe [Bryant] had to get over a hump. The Lakers had to get over a hump, all that you-don’t-have-Shaq stuff. That’s the way it goes.

“When LeBron James is at the hot twilight of his career, like a Kevin Garnett, maybe it’ll be warranted to leave Ohio and Cleveland, because he gave it all he got. But when you start off playing at 18, you can’t say, ‘I gave it all I got.”