A plea for Sanity

After this weekend's horrifically disappointing loss I was sitting in LaGuardia watching all of these New Yorkers pass me, I couldn't help but wonder if these people were passing judgment. "How can you root for a city that has a losing tradition like Cleveland? A sports town that isn't likely to win in your child's lifetime, let alone yours."  And the truth is sports can make you hurt unlike anything in the world. For the people that reach the level of fanaticism that I consider myself residing, there is no relief from the heartache. I have written in the past about the chasm separating me from many others due to travel, sports is the same thing. There are only a handful of people I know personally that share the same level of devotion to sports that I have.

I purchased an expensive piece of hardware before departing fir Korea solely so I would be able to stay up on all my home teams.While in Romania I spent Countless nights watching those same teams at 2 and 3 in the morning. I have, at most, missed 10 Cavalier games in the last two years. So, I am a rare breed when it comes to watching my teams and it may be difficult for others to relate.

Let me break it down. Think of the worst imaginable breakup you have ever been through. Now multiply that one hundred fold and you will begin to understand. I love my American sports teams like Europeans love their soccer. So, when I say it's like a broken heart that's exactly what I mean. You read everything in the off season to prepare you for all the good that is going to come from the regular season and the playoffs and in the end, only one team acquires the ultimate goal. Leaving all others wanting. So, when the Cavs had championship aspirations this year, I bought into it. They had the best player on the planet and a supporting cast that could play every conceivable style of play. Now here is where the hurt comes in, it has been over 50 years since a Cleveland team has won a recognized championship. So the worst breakup of your life, that happens all year long every year so that you are never able to get over the other person. 

My dad has never seen a proper Cleveland championship and has passed this legacy on to me. I can think of nothing more depressing, not dealing with physical suffering or death, than being a Cleveland sports fan. And unfortunately, in a couple weeks, it could get worse. Much much much worse.

Just as people love hating New York for their arrogance, people around the country hate Cleveland for the sense of superiority that they get by trashing the "Mistake by the Lake". With the possible departure of LeBron to some "greener" pasture, those same people would just continue to get louder. What has been completely unacceptable has been the Cleveland fans calling for the best basketball player on the planet, to actually leave the city he has given his heart and soul to, over the last seven years. While there are circumstances we don't understand, this is not like the Sabathia or Edwards situations. LeBron is very much so interested in remaining in Cleveland. He also has preformed at the highest level under the brightest lights. Let's all take a few minutes to collect our thoughts and think about this logically. Instead of taking out the disappointment we are feeling on the team's superstar, let's acknowledge that it's the nature of being a Cleveland fan that has some going off half cocked making these ridiculous demands.