Editors note:  This guest post was written by Rob Mixer, an Ohio University journalism student.  Rob is an assistant sports-editor for The Post, an Athens newspaper.  This article originally appeared in The Post on Wednesday, June 2nd.  Rob muses on the ESPN LeBron media frenzy. 

ESPN is at it again. Yesterday, we cut into regularly-scheduled programming on the family of networks that is expanding like Kate Gosselin's womb to alert the nation of the breaking news. And in typical flavor-of-the-month fashion, ESPN has latched onto its latest victim: LeBron James.

The impending free agent filmed an interview with veteran journalist Larry King yesterday and the two discussed a variety of topics, but the only one worth noting is James' status come July 1.

On the newly-found "LeBron" tab on the famous Bottom Line, viewers found out that James told King that the Cleveland Cavaliers, with whom James has spent his entire professional career, have "an edge" to sign him once the insanity begins.

This was portrayed as top-of-the-line breaking news that the world should be privileged to discover. The quote was played four times in five minutes on the Bottom Line and it took over ESPNNews.

Congratulations to ESPN for winning the Captain Obvious Chapeau. Wait... LeBron said the Cavaliers have an "edge" ... you mean like, he prefers to stay in Cleveland before committing to New Jersey for six years? No.Way.

Let us completely ignore the fact that James can make the most money over the longest term by re-signing in Cleveland, and one of the teams reportedly interested in his services (Knicks, Nets, and Bulls), the Cavaliers are by and large the most prepared team when it comes to competing for championships.

But clearly that doesn't matter. LeBron told King that the Cavaliers have the edge, and the sporting world is supposed to collectively gasp. Now, everyone act surprised. There we go.

What is increasingly flummoxing to me is how the nation's sports fans are conned into thinking that ESPN does a bevy of actual reporting. You mean to tell me that Ed Werder spends every waking moment around the Cowboys facility, and calls his "sources" repeatedly until they threaten to cut him off? Please. 

Or that the numerous check-ins from Rachel Nichols at the NBA finals aren't just rehashed versions of what most people read in the morning's newspaper or online?

But that is the disturbing trend: ESPN is becoming less of the worldwide leader in sports, and more of the worldwide leader in "no $#!%." What is James supposed to say?

He isn't showing his hand, he's just stating the obvious. Would a poker player with pocket aces doubt for a second that he doesn't have the best hand at the table? Of course not.

James prefers to stay in Cleveland for at least one reason: money. He says that the fans and the city have given him a lot over the last seven years, and that's also true. Without the hundred of consecutive sellouts at Quicken Loans Arena, James' celebrity is not as large. And without thousands of his jerseys splayed across the world, would he be the star he is now?

James' situation is unique because of his stature in sport, but leave it to ESPN to make a mountain out of a molehill when given the opportunity. Besides, it gets awfully lonely around those parts when Brett Favre isn't saying anything.

Written by: Rob Mixer. Check out The Post's website and blog:  The Post Blog