The Cavaliers went 66-16 this season. That is not a typo. They won 66 times in 82 tries. They were the best team in the entire National Basketball Association. The first round of the playoffs was laughable. The once mighty Detroit Pistons were left to watch in awe as their dynasty window slammed closed. That's what you get for trading a team player in Chauncey Billups for a me-centric Allen Iverson who doesn't enjoy attending practice (Practice? Practice?). The second round of the playoffs was uneventful as the Cavs swept the surprisingly talented Atlanta Hawks. Two rounds, eight games, eight wins. All eights wins were by double digits. King James, it seemed, was on his way to a second chance at an NBA title: a fitting end to his MVP season.
But we all forgot about one key detail: the Cavs are from Cleveland. And Cleveland teams simply don't win. They don't win when they're supposed to be bad, and they don't win when they're supposed to be good. The Cavs should have been swept by the Orlando Magic last night. If LeBron didn't have super-human basketball skills they would have been. Instead its a 3-1 Magic lead. But just as easily as the Cavs could have been swept, they could be up 3-1. Games 1, 2, and 4 all ended with would-be game-winning shots, only one going in.
So it goes. We shouldn't be surprised. Cleveland sports do no have a very kind history. In 1995, the Tribe lost the World Series to the Atlanta Braves. In 1997, the Tribe lost the World Series to the (five-year-old) Florida Marlins after having a lead in game 7. In 1996, Art Modell picked up Cleveland's favorite franchise and took them to Baltimore where they became the Ravens and won a Super Bowl just five years later. The Browns came back and lost their first game to the hated Steelers by a closer-than-it-sounds score of 41-0. All this time the Cavs were a joke.
But then, by the grace of ping-pong balls, we had our savior: LeBron James. 18 years old and fresh out of high school, he was King. Remember when he scored the final 29 points for the Cavs against the Pistons in 2007? That sent the Cavs to their only Finals appearance ever, which they lost in four games to the dynastic Spurs. Later in 2007, the Indians tied for the best record in all of baseball. They beat the hated Yankees in four games in the ALDS (remember the gnats?). They were up three games to one on the almost equally as hated Boston Red Sox. But of course, these Indians were from Cleveland, and they proceeded to lose the next three games as the Red Sox went on to win their second championship in four years.
And then the 2008-2009 basketball season arrived. LeBron and the Cavs were untouchable. And now they face elimination. Let's face it, the Cavs are going to win the next two games to tie the series. And then they will lose. Like all teams from Cleveland, they will lose.
I know what you're saying, "That sports history isn't so bad." Well, that's just Cleveland's sports history since I was born. The entire history goes like this: Indians win a lot in the 1950s, but then lose a lot in the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s. The Browns win a lot including a championship in 1964. 1965 brings Super Bowl 1. The Browns have yet to play in a Super Bowl. They have come close though.
The Drive: AFC Championship game. Browns are winning with two minutes left to play and the Denver Broncos pinned on their own two yardline. John Elway drives 98-yards to win the game.
The Fumble: AFC Championship game. Browns are ready to score the game-winning touchdown with seconds to play. Ernest Byner has a wide-open path to the endzone and inexplicably drops the ball before scoring. It is recoved by ... wait for it ... the Denver Broncos.
Red-Right 88: Playoffs. The Browns are in field goal range. A field goal wins it. All they need is a field goal. But they want to run just one more play: a pass to the endzone. Guess what happens? Correct, it is intercepted. Browns lose. The play they ran was Red-Right 88.
Then of course, Art Modell takes them away.
The Cavs had some great teams in the 1980s. But the Chicago Bulls had this guy named Michael Jordan. Recall The Shot. Michael Jordan hits a last-second game-winner over Craig Ehlo to send the Bulls to the Finals. Michael kept the Cavs out of it a few other times as well.
All in all, the Indians have not won a World Series since 1948, the Browns have not won a championship since 1964 and have never even been to a Super Bowl, and the Cavs have never won an NBA Championship and have appeared in the Finals just once. Cleveland has not won a professional sports championship in 45 years. Poor Cubs fans? Yea, it's been 100 years since a World Series, but come on? What about the 1985 Bears and the Super Bowl Shuffle? What about that guy, Michael Jordan? He only won six NBA Titles. Poor Clippers fans? Well ... their aren't any Clippers fans. But they had the Raiders and the Dodgers. Poor Denver Nuggets fans? Remember the Drive and the Fumble, those were against your Broncos and your precious John Elway. Poor Bills fans? Yea, they lost four straight Super Bowls, but what about this: they played in four straight Super Bowls! Sure their record in those games was 0-4, but you had 4 great football seasons.
Cleveland is head and shoulders above everybody else when it comes to Sports Suffering. LeBron will eventually win a title in his career. Most likely he will win a few. But he's a free agent after next season and has aspirations of being the first billionaire athlete. He's good friends with Jay-Z, part-owner of the Knicks, who are building a brand new stadium in Brooklyn. The Indians have for the most part the same team as 2007, yet they were 81-81 last year and are looking a losing season dead in the face this year. And the Browns ... I'm not even going to talk about the Browns.
So Cleveland fans keep waiting... And I keep waiting ... Waiting until one day we get to pack downtown for that victory parade. I want it to happen so badly that I have a stomachache every day. Well, that might not be because of Cleveland's lack of a championship parade, but it doesn't mean I don't want it!
Until next time, keep waiting. -IW
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And this is why you should root for Texas teams - Longhorn championship, check (been there done that. In person, mind you). And we've also had a relatively decent run in recent March Madness festivities. Oh and the whole College World Series - we do pretty well in that.
ReplyDeleteCowboys, okay, so it's been a "few" years, but there was a mini-dynasty there in the 70's and then 90's. And we have "famous" cheerleaders to boot. Mavs...eh, they might be on the down swing, but we've had major improvement over the first time Jason Kidd was a Mav. And the Rangers...well, let's just say I didn't even know they existed until Nolan Ryan was all famous-like, so we won't count them.
And you know Bill booked flights to Denver during the playoffs because he guaranteed an Indians appearance in the World Series, right?? Jinx, perhaps?! I'm just sayin'...
And another thing..."Waiting for Godot", in real life, is just about the worst two-plus hours of your life. Even when there is the threat of audience participation because the actors are practically sitting on your lap.
ReplyDeleteSo what you're saying is 2007 was Bill's fault? Interesting ... ha.
ReplyDeleteHi IW-
ReplyDeleteI've been visiting and keeping up with the posts. It seems to me, you might be feeling a little better or something?? Whatever it is, it seems your posts are on the more positive note. It’s a lot easier to cope with SBS and our symptoms with loving family members. Who know and understand if we are complaining about something it’s because it’s really bad, not because we are babies wanting sympathy. For all that you go through in a day, everyday… You are out there living and enjoying life. There is a lot of stuff you have to deal with so keeping your life as carefree as possible is what I try to do. I too saw Star Trek with my husband and in-laws, it was great! And I knew very little about the TV series (I didn’t watch.) Now I can’t wait for the next one. Also I think you already know this but I’m from Laguna Beach, CA and we are BIG Laker fans here! Nothing would make us happier to see a Laker vs. Cavaliers final. Kobe vs. LeBron, what would be better? Also on a final note, I’m sorry about your friends. The only thing I can say is now that I’m in my 30’s all of my closest friends are friends that I made after college. Well really since probably turning 21. Just know that all your friends that you make from here on out will only know you this way. They will accept you as you are. Trust me, it seems like you are light years ahead of your friends and fellow classmates, but everyone grows up in their 20’s and you become the person you are going to be, and so with they... You’ll make a whole new set of friends and forget about those who let you down.