I can’t escape the topic here or on the radio or online or in conversation. Might as well address it. Against all better judgment and virtually everything I stand for, I’m watching “The Decision” tonight.

I’ve thought about and wrestled with it and while I absolutely disagree with, dislike and disown the concept and everyone behind it, I feel like it’s a seminal moment in sports. I’m not sure if it’s at the White Ford Bronco level, but 16 years from now, it might be. This is precedent-setting. Quite likely, nothing will be the same after he makes his decision tonight. No matter who he picks, the game changes. The way decision are made and news is announced could very well conceptually change from this night forward. And that worries and nauseates me.

You could argue in no other sport would the idea of a one-hour special devoted to something like this get off the ground, let alone get a primetime, Thursday night spot on ESPN. The NFL is marketed better, but nowhere is individualized marketing — ie, self-promotion — refined to the level at which you’ll find it in the NBA. So for that, I’d argue no other person in another sport could do this. Tiger? Perhaps, but I wonder if he can make a decision, within the confines of golf, that would rival this circus. Maybe retirement, though given his past eight-plus months, I doubt we’d be as riveted.

That said, it’s happening and it becomes a goal, of sorts, for the next selfish superstar who wants to be Next. I’m ceratin someone — players, agents, TV executives — will be watching and taking notes and tomorrow begin on a path toward a similar stage. I may vomit right now, if for no other reason than the guy involved is a guy we really do like. Or did like. That’s up in the air right now.

Seriously, national television? Wasn’t the seven weeks — or is that two full seasons? — of attention enough?

I find this genuinely offensive on several levels, beginning with the obvious collusion between actors and producers that really brings objectivity into question. It’s the very sort of thing I’d never watch on principle alone … but for some stupid reason I’ll watch. I’d like to say I’ll watch until the announcement is made — and that’s supposed to happen in the first 10 or so minutes — but I’ll probably watch even longer because I imagine this will be utterly unwatchable and so obviously slanted toward self-serving that I really do wonder how it can be pulled off with a straight face, let alone any humility.

It’s the sort of thing that turns a good guy into a bad guy, no matter what team he selects, though some selections will make him a super villain. I mentioned precedent-setting before with regard to introducing a wave of this sort of nonsense, but what about the inherent hatred that can be generated here. It’s borderline historic if he doesn’t stay. I promise you that. You’re talking about a city that’s pretty good with grudges.

I’m a Cleveland guy who happens to claim the Knicks as my favorite team. Truth be told, I don’t really even like the NBA. I’m not rooting for one team to get the guy tonight. I’m rooting for that damn city. I care deeply about what’ll happen if the Indians are terrible as the Browns rebuild and the best thing to happen to sports in that city in roughly 50 years goes Günter Parche on national television.