Together: A Totally Unbiased NBA Finals Preview

A little bit of a crash course in being a Cleveland sports fan above. I remember Game 7 of the 1997 World Series, watching it at home with my parents, being crushed that my team didn’t win a game they should have. Little did I know, that was only a tip of the proverbial iceberg in becoming a Cleveland sports fan.

2002, when the Browns blew a big lead in the playoffs against the Steelers.

The 2007 playoff series against the Red Sox, where the Indians put on one of the biggest choke jobs in MLB history.

The Decision.

All these events, along with the many before, shape and mold who we are as sports fans today. We’re no stranger to being considered down-and-out before anything even starts. We’re Cleveland, the city that hasn’t won a major sports championship since 1964, the city that had been to 2 world series in 3 years and came so close to winning we could taste it. Nope! Losers. The Mistake on the Lake.

This year may be no different. This year, might be just another one of those years where we simply couldn’t put it together at the end. Only time will tell that, and that’s why they play the games they do starting on Thursday at 9pm in Oakland.

But, in the “All In” sentiment, there is no turning back. There is no more “this is a process, we need to be patient.” The time is now. This is our chance to remove ourselves from the half-century of inept owners, GM’s, and coaches. 4 wins, and not only the Cavaliers, but Cleveland as a city, will be champions. 4 more wins.

And it all starts with Lebron.

Steph Curry is a superstar. The baby-faced assassin with the adorable daughter and cold-blooded jumper. Klay Thompson, Andrew Bogut, Draymond Green, and the rest of the Warriors will be the Cavs greatest test. Just like everyone else on the roster, though, this will be Lebron’s as well. We can talk about how Kyrie’s health will be a defining factor, Kevin’s injury being a difference maker, everything. We can talk about rookie head coaches, chemistry, and every factor that could possibly go into a Cavs defeat. All valid concerns, but what the analysts and talking heads of sports media seem to forget is this: Betting against Lebron James in the NBA finals is a very risky wager.

When he went to Miami 4 years ago, the team was in place with several superstars and formidable role players who got them to the Finals. Although they lost, they still won 2 of the next 3, and etched their place in NBA history. Lebron coming home was a popular yet controversial decision that painted Cleveland fans as hypocritical and fairweather because of the jersey burning, the hateful words, the booing, etc. etc.

Where are those people now?

This is our time.

 

 

I Was Wrong

 

I’ve been away from this for a while now. Mostly because this is a hobby and I have arguably the worst case of attention deficit disorder on the planet, but also because I found a lot more pleasure out of being a fan rather than some glorified internet commenter with a clearinghouse for hot takes. I’ll be the first to admit that 99% of what I had to say in previous posts on this site was bullshit/sarcasm and that kind of runs stale.

In the time I haven’t posted on this site, J.R. Smith and Iman Shumpert turned into irreplaceable pieces to this Cavaliers playoff run. I was (very) wrong about them. 

Remember Game 1 of the regular season? Guess we all got that one wrong too. 

Matthew Dellavedova? Who? That guy who was backing up Jarrett Jack, and Seth Curry was signed last year in order to add depth because of his play? Whoops. Look at him now.

Tristan Thompson is playing like a max-contract player. What?!

Timofey Mozgov, arguably one of the most important pieces of the puzzle — the rim protector we needed. Timofey Mozgov. This guy?

This band of misfits who have become Eastern Conference Champions are the same team that, in January, were 19-20 on the verge of a city-wide panic attack and just about half the league had a better record than the Lebron-Kyrie-KLove ran Cleveland Cavaliers.

Then Griff and the front office made the move to get Iman and JR. Then Timo came. All of a sudden, this motley crew of misfits was starting to form. By March 16, that sub-.500 Cavs team was 43-25. 24-5 in their previous 29 games. That’s the team Lebron said would take time to form, and all we had to do was trust him and our coaching staff to put it together. They did.

The Eastern Conference playoffs came and went, and unfortunately so did Kevin Love. That did nothing to stop this team. Not to say Kevin being out is a substantial injury, but let’s face it: these EC playoff series may have been the weakest ever, and they may have swept through the first 12 games of the playoffs had Kevin been around. The Bulls series was far and beyond the Eastern Conference finals and this series against the Hawks was merely a warm-up for the finals. We knew this going in. Didn’t stop or let up, which makes me think this team stands a chance against a western conference foe. We may find out tonight who that will be, but whoever it is, this team will be ready.

So I’m done making predictions about how roster moves or defensive formations or substitutions will work out. It’s all part of the plan. We just need to sit back and enjoy the ride, because worrying about what might happen takes away from the excitement of what’s going to happen. This is peak Cleveland. The national media and twitter hardos can say whatever the hell they want about this great city and potentially historic basketball team. Doesn’t change a single thing that Cleveland fans deserve this and our wait just might be over pretty soon.

Kyrie Is From Another Planet, Cavs Win 8th Straight, Fun Times In Cleveland Again!

55 points on 17-34 shooting, 11-19 from 3PT, 10-10 free throws, 5 assists, 4 rebounds, get buckets! The game too easy!

Kyrie showed last night why there is indeed a “Big 3” in Cleveland. I don’t think anyone has flown more under the radar this year than Kyrie. Kid blew up last night. That was the best Cavs win of the year. No Lebron, at home, against a western conference playoff team. GRANTED, the bench scored 11 points and Kevin Love (relax, he’s just in a slump) had a -5 +/- . Not great efficiency and you can’t expect that every single night from Kyrie, but damnit was he near-perfect last night.

You can’t look at the stats from this win though. Yes, it was a historic night for Kyrie breaking records and winning games with cold-blooded shots over one of the premier defenders in the NBA. But the videos from Tristan and JR Smith showing the locker room going crazy was what sealed it for me as their best win of the year. David Blatt with an ear to ear grin. Lebron, Kevin Love, JR, Mozgov, everyone getting in on pelting Kyrie with water and whatever they were throwing on him. Wins like that make a team better, and the Cavs are infinitely better after last night.

Lebron was right, these things take time. Lebron round 2 has proven to be a very wise one, with a little less than half the season still to go. Let’s face it folks, this Cavs team is night and day compared to the one that lost to the (god damn mother fucking) Knicks on opening night. Bet that won’t happen again. They were built for June and are in the very early stages of hitting their second-half, late-season stride that they will carry them into the playoffs. Once they’re there, look out. Just need to keep everyone healthy, Lebron needs to play like 5 minutes of the All-Star game, and let Kyrie do his thing. I’m not worried about Kevin Love either. Let him get back to the West coast during the All-Star break, kick it with his family, let him relax. I be willing to bet he comes back to CLE a new man and ready to do gangbusters on the 2nd half of the season.

“What these young bloods have to understand…is that this game has always been, and will always be…about buckets.”

BREAKING: Puppies Predict Oregon Will Win National Championship

Welp, I thought my Buckeyes stood a chance. Better luck next year after these panel of experts predicted that the Ducks will take home the first ever College Playoff National Championship trophy. Happy Thursday.

Dion for Shumpert and JR Smith…Eh.

 

I must admit, as a past flat-top aficionado, Shumpert’s got some A+ stuff.

In all seriousness though, I think Lebron (and other leaders: K-Love, Kyrie, etc.) said it was time for Dion to go. But it wasn’t just a personality “rid the cancer from the locker room” move, either. You account for Dion most likely demanding big money next off-season and likely getting it from a team in need of a scorer. Look for OKC to dump him after this season. Another surprising stat that people will overlook as they continue to freak out about every move the Cavs make: Dion had the worst +/- out of anyone on the Cavs team…by 15 points. We’re talking AJ Price, Brendan Haywood, James Jones…all better in that department. That’s a huge blow to the team, and likely the reason they’re barely treading water right now in a miserable eastern conference. When Lebron went down along with Kyrie and Kevin having issues, I think it was a wake-up call that they needed depth, and fast. JR Smith adds some savvy scoring off the bench, while Shumpert adds some defensive depth at the guard position, where the Cavs have been laughably lacking all season. Just a matter of time to see how they all pan out, with Smith’s attitude and Shumpert being injured seemingly often. We’ll see, I guess.

I guess the chemistry was just never there:

RIP Stuart Scott

We are heartbroken to report that Stuart Scott has died after a long fight with cancer. He was 49. pic.twitter.com/aI0TGwFqGU

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) January 4, 2015

Out of everyone at ESPN, Stuart Scott was the most memorable since the very beginning of my love for sports. “Boo yah!” “Cool as the other side of the pillow,” among many other catchphrases that woke me up while eating my cereal before school, or put me to sleep at night. Stuart Scott was one of those people who had an undying love for sports who wanted to share that love and give everyone an opportunity to feel that way about games. Now, my parents are huge Cleveland fans, and I can thank them for my “Cleveland fan syndrome,” but outside of that? This guy right here. He made simple sports highlights exciting. He made a kid like me understand the games, understand the importance of certain plays and made me someone who can sit down and watch a random football game when the Browns or Buckeyes aren’t in it. Hell, he’s probably the reason I love watching soccer now too. Not because of his coverage of it, but the way he instilled this love for sports in all of us in our formidable years that made ESPN the juggernaut that it is today, and true sports fans out of all of us. There won’t be another who could fill those kicks, and I don’t think I would want there to be. Stu Scott was one of a kind, and it’s a real kick in the balls that cancer took him from his girls and family at such an early age.

He told us that even if you die, that’s not “losing” to cancer. That it’s about how you live, and living that life with purpose is how you beat cancer. Stu didn’t just beat cancer. He demolished it.

Rest in peace, Stuart Scott.

 

A Cleveland Christmas Tale

‘Twas the night before Christmas,
And all through ‘The Land,’
Not a creature was stirring,
Not even this man

 

 

 

 

 

 

The LBJ 12’s were hung by the chimney with care,
In hopes that Ray Allen will soon would be there.
The children were nestled, all snug in their beds

 

 

 

 

 

 

While visions of trophies danced in their heads

 

 

 

 

 

As I drew my head and was turning around,
Down the chimney St. Nicholas came with a bound.
He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot,
And his clothes we all covered in ashes and soot.
A wink of his eye, and a twist of his head,
Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread.
He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,
And filled the LBJ’s then turned with a jerk.
He sprang to his K900, to his team gave a whistle,

 

 

 

And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.
But I heard him exclaim, as he drove out of sight,
‘Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!’
I awoke the next morning, none to my surprise,
A room full of a presents of each and every size.
The joy in my face, as I ran down the stairs,
Much like Rick Ross and his love affair with pears.

 

 

 

 

 

I reached for the box with my name on the top,
“A ‘Brohio’ shirt? Floor seats for the Cavs?” I excitedly thought,
But when I opened it up, I was very shocked to find,
A Connor Shaw jersey, I about lost my mind.
The package came with tissues to dry my dreadful tears,
And a note signed from Santa saying, “Maybe next year!”

—–

Have a Merry Christmas, you savages. Pumped to get away from work for a few days, spend some time with family and drink until the pain of debt and holiday gifts goes away. It’s the mooooost wonderful tiiiiiiime of the yeeeeeear!

 

 

 

¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Not too much else to say about it.

Go Cavs!

Kenny Rogers ‘Jackass’ Bringing You Into Wednesday

Better than Knoxville and the boys. “I’m Kennnyyyyy Rogersssss”

Today Is The 13th Anniversary Of ‘Bottlegate’

(Source – CLEVELAND, Ohio — It was an innocent, brisk December afternoon. The Cleveland Browns needed a victory against the Jacksonville Jaguars to preserve their playoff hopes.

It was Dec. 16, 2001, Week 14 of the NFL season. The Browns entered at 6-6, likely in need of four straight wins to crash the postseason party. The Butch Davis era was well under way and, finally, the team flashed potential. The Jaguars arrived at the shores of Lake Erie with a 4-8 mark.

Tom Coughlin’s squad carried a 9-0 lead into halftime. Cornerback Anthony Henry returned an interception 97 yards for a touchdown late in the third quarter — the Browns established a franchise record with 33 picks in 2001 — to narrow Cleveland’s deficit. Mike Hollis converted a 37-yard field goal with 3:02 remaining to provide the Jaguars with a 15-10 lead.

What happened over the final minutes of the game lives on in infamy in Cleveland sports lore and in the annals of the NFL)

Ahhh my favorite memory as an 11 year old kid at a Browns game with my dad. Nothing was better than being there in the flesh to see the rains of Castemere Bud Light bottles flying over our heads. That game was important to me as a young Browns fan because I got to experience what it tastes like to be a real Browns fan. To know that you stand no chance at winning anything but to defend your team to the T with “BULL-SHIT” chants and throwing every bottle and piece of trash you see at the Zebras when you’ve been wronged. Hell yeah. I love this shit. I love when people talk about it. “Oh, the acts of savagery the Browns fans showed that day, deplorable” like we aren’t the most blindly passionate fanbase in all of sports (maybe next to the Raiders) but yeah. Puts everything into perspective. Makes games like last Sunday’s pants-shitting a little bit easier to take. Expecting the worst, hoping for the best. The life of a Cleveland Browns fan.

 

Oh the names…Butchy Boy, Tim Couch, Dennis Northcutt, Jamir Miller…goosebump city!