The Ohio Division of Wildlife and Akron-based FirstEnergy have no intention of stripping the name "LaBron" for the male peregrine falcon chick that was banded Tuesday.

FirstEnergy spokesman Mark Durbin said this morning that LaBron (the falcon) will retain its name in spite of the outrage and uproar of his namesake's departure from Cleveland to Miami in a media circus and hype that consumed Northeast Ohio for weeks.

LaBron (the falcon) was tagged with two numbered bands on Tuesday when the Wildlife Division brought him and three siblings down from FirstEnergy's Eastlake coal-fired power plant. All of the birds were named, banded, had blood drawn for DNA use and then returned to their nesting box located high on the utility's imposing smoke stack.

Alas, however, LaBron (the falcon) will also likely skip town once he grows feathers and is taught to hunt.

Still, LaBron (the falcon) probably won't go as far as Miami like the other LaBron will do. In fact, LaBron (the falcon) may find a mate and take up residence locally, pleasing birding fans and in sharp contrast to that OTHER LaBron.

- Jeffrey L. Frischkorn
JFrischkorn@News-Herald.com