Growing up as a Cleveland sports fan hasn’t always been the most enjoyable experience. Watching your favorite teams lose for most of your life is brutal, plain and simple.
I remember watching the Cavaliers lose the NBA Finals in 2007, the Eastern Conference Finals in 2009 and the devastating loss to the Celtics in 2010, leading to the infamous “Decision” by Lebron James in the summer of 2010.
I lived through brief success of the Indians during their glory years in the 1990s to their struggle during the early 2000 era.
Through all of this, the Cleveland Browns have always struggled, never restoring hope to this hurting sports city that wanted nothing more than a winner. Many refer to this bad luck as the “Cleveland Curse” or the “Mistake on the Lake,” supported by the long championship drought hovering like a rain cloud over the city.
Well, Cleveland, I think our time has come. The rain cloud is gone and the sun is shining. Over the past five years, Cleveland has taken a turn in the right direction.
The city has built a strong foundation on the ideals of hard work, loyalty and unity. Restaurants have opened, buildings have been renovated and Cleveland finally has an image that stands out. This reinvention of my hometown has been backed by something Cleveland has been longing for throughout the years: successful sports organizations.
This trend started with arguably the biggest homecoming ever, seeing James return to the Wine and Gold in 2014. He changed the mentality of Cleveland, teaching the people of the city to embrace the idea of “Believeland.” He had one goal that gave Cleveland fans something they haven’t had in many years: hope.
As you all know, James made good on his promise and the rest is history. This process fed the inertia that started the ball rolling at a fast speed. In 2016, the Cleveland Monsters won a Calder Cup and hometown fighter Stipe Miocic brought home a UFC Heavyweight Championship. Although those were fantastic accomplishments, one of the most surprising and exciting topics of 2016 was the Indians’ success. This team turned heads and made its way to the World Series, losing in seven games to the Chicago Cubs. It was a tough loss, but it highlighted something that Clevelanders know well: resilience.
The Tribe is back in 2017 and hungrier than ever. After an offseason of positional improvements and training, the Indians got off to a slow start. Although the team wasn’t performing particularly well, I did believe the team would turn it around, and they sure did.
The Indians not only started winning, but they started winning in a BIG way. Beginning with a victory on Aug. 24, the Indians went on to win 22 games in a row, breaking the American League win streak record. During this time, they clinched a postseason spot and then went on to secure the Central Division title.
Now their goal is the World Series, and the entire city of Cleveland is backing them. We knew our time would come, and it’s finally here. Through the good times and bad, we showed unity. Let’s show the world that Cleveland is a City of Champions yet again.