Cleveland/Akron Ohio - Go get your "free" pizza from Papa Johns

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http://www.ohio.com/news/18570744.html

Swipe at LeBron gets fans 23-cent pizzas
By Beacon Journal staff report

Published on Monday, May 05, 2008

Papa John's is sorry that it called LeBron James a crybaby.

The pizza company handed out T-shirts to Washington Wizards fans on Friday that carried the Papa John's logo, the word ''Crybaby'' and the number 23.

James wears No. 23 and the shirts stemmed from James complaining about hard fouls during the series. Wizards center Brendan Haywood called him a crybaby.

Faced with a backlash from fervent Cavs fans who started talking about a boycott for dissing their star, Papa John's offered up an apology Sunday.

''The decision to do this was made by a local Washington, D.C., Papa John's operator without approval of Papa John's corporate,'' the company said in a statement. ''Nonetheless, we believe this was in poor taste and sincerely apologize to Cavalier fans and LeBron James.''

To make up for the faux pas, the pizza chain also is offering a large, one-topping carry-out pizza for 23 cents per household at Akron- and Cleveland-area stores Thursday. The company also will donate $10,000 to the Cavaliers Youth Fund.

''We wish the Cavs and LeBron the best of luck throughout the playoffs,'' the company said.

Papa John's is sorry that it called LeBron James a crybaby.

The pizza company handed out T-shirts to Washington Wizards fans on Friday that carried the Papa John's logo, the word ''Crybaby'' and the number 23.

James wears No. 23 and the shirts stemmed from James complaining about hard fouls during the series. Wizards center Brendan Haywood called him a crybaby.

Faced with a backlash from fervent Cavs fans who started talking about a boycott for dissing their star, Papa John's offered up an apology Sunday.

''The decision to do this was made by a local Washington, D.C., Papa John's operator without approval of Papa John's corporate,'' the company said in a statement. ''Nonetheless, we believe this was in poor taste and sincerely apologize to Cavalier fans and LeBron James.''

To make up for the faux pas, the pizza chain also is offering a large, one-topping carry-out pizza for 23 cents per household at Akron- and Cleveland-area stores Thursday. The company also will donate $10,000 to the Cavaliers Youth Fund.

''We wish the Cavs and LeBron the best of luck throughout the playoffs,'' the company said.

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