LeBron James says Dan Gilbert’s critical letter gives him ‘a lot of motivation’

In an interview with GQ magazine, LeBron James said the highly critical letter written by Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert the night James announced his decision to sign with the Heat will give him “a lot of motivation” when Miami plays Cleveland.

Of Gilbert, James said: “I don’t think he ever cared about LeBron. My mother always told me: You will see the light of people when they hit adversity. You’ll get a good sense of their character. Me and my family have seen the character of that man.”

James also told the magazine that growing up in Akron, about 40 miles outside of Cleveland, he and his friends didn’t like people from the bigger city.

“It’s not far, but it is far,” James said of Cleveland. “And Clevelanders, because they were the bigger-city kids when we were growing up, looked down on us. … So we didn’t actually like Cleveland. We hated Cleveland growing up. There’s a lot of people in Cleveland we still hate to this day.”

Regarding the roundly panned “The Decision” on ESPN, James said he would not have changed the approach he took to the format for his announcement.

“Nothing at all,” he said.

James said he is fully at peace to be heading to South Florida. He said those close to him can see that.

“They’re happy to see me happy,” he said. “That’s what they can see in my face. They say: ‘It’s been a while since we’ve seen you look like that.’ ”

He took particular umbrage to those who questioned a focus other than toward the sport.

“People questioning how much I love the game,” he said, “that’s never been something I haven’t cherished. Every night on the court I give my all, and if I’m not giving 100 percent, I criticize myself.”

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The New York Knicks remain very interested in Carmelo Anthony, and confidants of the three-time all-star say the feeling is mutual. But despite recent reports about Anthony’s uncertain future with the Denver Nuggets, a trade involving Anthony isn’t imminent, NBA sources told Newsday.

SOCCER

Striker Nicolas Anelka has been banned for 18 games by the French team after the players’ World Cup revolt, the French Football Federation said. World Cup captain Patrice Evra was banned for five games for leading a boycott of a training session in South Africa in June in support of Anelka, who was banished from the squad for insulting coach Raymond Domenech. Franck Ribery got a three-match ban and Jeremy Toulalan a one-match suspension.

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Bob Bradley’s future with the United States men’s national soccer team could soon be finalized with discussions between the head coach and U.S. Soccer president Sunil Gulati set to begin early next week, according to a team source. Bradley’s position has been unclear ever since the U.S. was knocked out of the World Cup and his current contract will expire in December.

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The Atlanta Beat fired head coach Gareth OSullivan and assistant coach Robbie Nicholson. James Galanis will serve as the interim coach for the expansion team, whose 4-10-5 record is last in the seven-team league with five games remaining.

ETC.

Scientists have reportedly found evidence that connects repeated blows to the head from playing sports to Lou Gehrig’s disease, according to a study published Tuesday.

The results, in the Journal of Neuropathology and Experimental Neurology, provide new evidence about the risks of repetitive head injury. There has been controversy about whether head injuries actually cause disease in the long run. While Gehrig is not specifically addressed in the study, the Yankee legend suffered several concussions during his baseball career and was also a football player at Columbia University, the New York Times notes.

The authors acknowledge that their findings may show that the player may not have had Lou Gehrig’s disease after all.

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France’s Gael Monfils and Gilles Simon suffered early exits from the Cincinnati Masters on Tuesday. American James Blake, a former world number four, crashed out of the tournament in just 45 minutes but his compatriot Mardy Fish battled into the second round. Fish produced a spirited display to defeat Simon 7-6 7-5 and set up a match with Spanish eighth-seed Fernando Verdasco.

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NASCAR officials are considering a possible Chase playoff format for the Nationwide Series next season that would exclude Sprint Cup competitors, sources told ESPN.com Tuesday.

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LPGA Commissioner Mike Whan believes the tour will increase its schedule from the 25 events slated for 2010, which is down nine from 2008 and includes only 14 domestic events.”I feel confident in telling you that well play more in 2011 than in 2010,” Whan told The Oregonian. “How much more, I couldnt tell you because theres still so much work in process. But I feel good about whats going on for the future.”