The Browns Will Win If…
December 31, 2009Clevelander Wins 2009 World Championship of Fantasy Football
December 31, 2009
We have arrived! WFNY has been counting down the top 10 moments/stories of 2009. What better way to cap off the year than to revisit the #1 moment. To review:
#10 Tribe comes back from 10-0 vs. Rays
#9 Cleveland State’s run to the NCAA Tournament and their upset over fourth seeded Wake Forest
#7 After seven years as manager of the Indians, Eric Wedge was let go
#5 Shaquille O’Neal is brought over from Phoenix to help “win a ring for the King.”
#4 Cleveland Cavaliers win 66 games, finish with best record in the NBA.
#3 The Indians fire sale includes ace Cliff Lee and All Star Victor Martinez
#2 The Browns move quickly and hire Eric Mangini as their new head coach
And this brings us to the top moment/story of 2009. I’m sure you all have figured it out by now. Not only was it the greatest moment of the year, but it was perhaps the greatest shot in Cavaliers history.
#1 Lebron’s buzzer-beater stuns Orlando to even the Eastern Conference Finals at one game a piece.
Lets reset the scene. The Cavaliers, a 66 win buzzsaw during the regular season headed to the Eastern Conference Finals on cruise control after sweeps of Detroit and Atlanta. There they would meet the Orlando Magic, who stunned the defending champion Boston Celtics in seven games. The Wine and Gold had the home court advantage in the series and had been next to unbeatle at The Q. Despite that, the Magic came into Cleveland and shocked the Cavaliers to take Game One 107-106. This was a contest in which Lebron James scored 49 points and the Cavs led by as many as 16.
A Rashard Lewis three off of a pick and roll (which the Cavaliers never solved all series) gave the Magic a one point lead with 14 seconds left. The Cavs had one last shot to win it, but Mo Williams jumper hit the back iron as time expired. Down 0-1 and facing the fact that they had lost the home court advantage, Mike Brown’s club came out smokin’ for game two. They jumped all over the Magic early and led by as many as 23 points. This one seemed like a laugher, but the Magic went to work in the second half. Things came to a grinding halt for the Cavs offensively and the Magic comeback seemed complete as Hedo Turkoglu (who the Cavaliers could never solve all series) hit a 12-footer in the lane over Delonte West to put the Magic up 95-93 with one second left.
This was the Cavs season. Did they have one miracle left in them? The Q sat ins tunned silence. And then, this happened:
Quite simply, this was the greatest shot in Cavaliers history. It was perhaps the greatest single play in Cleveland sports history. The momentum of the series seemed to be re-seized by the Cavs. Little did we know this was nothing more than a stay of execution. Unfortunately for me, I was watching at home instead of being there live. Instead, I attended the Game One loss. However, our own Rick was there. He is here to share some of his thoughts with you about being in the arena that night.
I had the fortune of covering that game from the press section. For the playoffs they set us up above the first section of seats, under the basket. Somewhere in the orange part of section 100 here. Anyway, the game itself was unbelievably stressful, as there was a sense of deja-vu running through the crowd when the Cavs built the early lead, and then saw things come unravelled. Hedo’s shot was like a bullet that pierced through a speaker disabling it. It got that quiet in the building. I leaned back in my chair and began to come to grips with the fact that the Cavs weren’t going to win this series. Down 0-2 and headed to Orlando? Was Barkley right about us?
Many in press row began to gather their things, stuffing laptops in leather cases and gathering notebooks and stat sheets. I couldn’t move. I just stared down at the Cavs’ sideline. I remember being surprised to see Mo Williams as the trigger man for the final play. I thought he needed to be on the floor as a shooting option. Obviously LeBron was going to be option #1, but if he couldn’t get open in good position to shoot we would need Mo wouldn’t we? And there was no time for a catch and pass back to the in-bounder.
The play started and I saw LeBron dash away and then towards the ball. Mo’s pass came, and it looked like LeBron would get a shot off. The ball absolutely hung in the air for an eternity.
The roar that erupted when the ball went through was unlike anything I’ve heard at a sporting event. It was more like something you hear at the Cleveland Air Show. It was near deafening. It was the single most exciting sports experience of my lifetime. The only thing that comes close was Kenny Lofton’s steal of home in the ’95 ALCS. But I was watching that on a huge screen at the Nautica stage, not the Jake.
25 Comments
That still gives me the chills.
Whenever I see that YouTube “NBA Amazing” video with the piano song in the background I feel weepy. I hope we can win it this year.
I have watched it a million times, but here I am at work, youtube blocked, and wishing I could watch it yet again.
That picture is my desktop background. I, too, was there. Words do not describe the magnitude of the emotional swing that arena experienced between the clock reading 1.0 and 0.0. Amazing.
I had just moved to New Orleans and didn’t know too many people so I was watching this in my apartment. I spent the entire game pacing and cursing and trying not to make too much noise as it was a weekday night.
When LeBron hit that shot I jumped two feet in the air and went running around my small apartment bumping off things and yelling. Sorry neighbors.
I was so wired from the game it took me three hours to fall asleep. 🙂
I am proud to say I was there, sitting just above the Cub Cadet sign you see in the top center of the pic above. I had flown in that afternoon, started pregaming about 1pm, and headed for downtown about 4. There was an air of excitement, though you could sense the underlying fear of “are we going to go down 0-2 AT HOME?! Is our best title hope slipping away?” as we bar-hopped then headed to the Q.
The place really was electric, until the lead started to slip. It was like watching one of those movies where you know exactly what’s coming but the characters don’t, and you want to yell, “Stop! Don’t do it!” as they are about to make a wrong choice. I’ll be honest: I thought we had zero chance once Hedo hit that shot. Rick, your description of how the place got so quiet so suddenly is absolutely perfect–I hadn’t felt the air sucked out of a room like that since my aunt’s living room during “The Drive”. Fortunately, unlike that moment, this Cleveland team had a response. As LBJ released, my immediate thought was “off left” (from my perspective behind the basket). Safe to say I have never been happier to be wrong in my life. The roar in the building was simply deafening, and the next 5 minutes were a blur of twirling towels, high-fives/hugs with strangers, and the sound of a guy a couple rowns back shouting “oh my god, oh my god” over and over again.
The image that sticks with me to this day was the scene filing out of the Q and in the streets. I have never in my life seen Cleveland fans so happy and energized. Walking to the bars was like having several thousand best friends, as every person you passed was smiling at you and shouting and laughing…..all I could think was, “This is what this city and these fans deserve….I can’t wait until we win a title”. Now obviously that didn’t happen, and some people have said since then that this shot means less because of that. But those people weren’t there in the arena and in the streets, seeing first hand the sheer joy that resulted. I imagine winning it all to be like that, only it will last longer, and I can’t wait for that.
An truly incredible moment that I thought would irreversibly alter Cleveland sports forever. I wish I had been right.
Like many, I wish I could have been there. However, the experience I shared with so many at a bar in Columbus was like Major League with the hugging and the high-fiving and screaming and what-not. I agree, even though the series ended badly, that was the greatest Cleveland sports moment of my life!!!
Despite all of that, I should add that I’m still overcome by emotion every time I watch that video.
Mo’s reaction to the play may be the best part as he just falls the ground.
And for that play, Sasha Pavolvic will forever be a part of Cleveland Sports history.
I was at that game, watching from the last row at the top of loudville. I remember seeing LeBron elevate and release. I literally held my breath. As the ball went in and the buzzer sounded I stood their in, no pun intended, shock and awe! I vividly remember seeing the entire arena explode with emotion. It took me a good 5 seconds to come out of shock and start celebrating. I will always remember and get chills about that shot, if only we could have won it all last year that would have been my greatest game I ever attended.
The steal of home was in Seattle.
Hey hey, I was also at game 1. Mo William’s halfcourt shot – Dho breaking the entire net was good enough.
The Sasha interview was great after that shot. “I don’t even know what’s going on right now”. Haha, perfect!
That is the most amazing shot I’ve seen as a cleveland sports fan. it still give me chills to this day. The emotion swing that happened was crazy.
Wow, a prayer to keep from being swept at home to open the series after working so hard all season to get Home Court advantage? The they only win one more all season and LeBron refuses to shake hands with the Magic after the last game?
I am surprised the top 10 did not include the awesome kick off coverage the Browns had right before the Drive…
i was in the bathroom praying at my freinds apartment.
no seriously, i was. I was watching the game with a couple neutrals/one magic fan and i thought they were messing with me when they started screaming that he made it, i ran out pissed b/c i really didnt believe we made it until i watched the replay.
then i freaked out
Still nearly brings tears to my eyes.
i still and forever will remember exactly where i was when this took place – i was at a friends house, and i literally hurdled my girlfriend, ran into another room, realized nobody was in there, turned around and ran back in to the room everyone was in and just layed down on the ground with my hands in the air like i had just hit the shot. i found a way to turn the joe tait soundclip of the shot into my ringtone, which i kept for months. i still get chills every time i see it
This’ll always be a special memory for me because I watched the game with my best friend the night before he got married. We were in his apartment watching the game and just freaked out when Lebron made the shot. I told my friend Lebron just gave him a wedding present.
Also, this moment can’t be mentioned without noting the best moment in Cleveland local news history: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yGG3HICQEi8
Cavs win!
I was at home for that game. Wife was asleep on the couch, three year old and literally brand newborn son were asleep down the hall. I was fighting all night the urge to scream obscenities at the TV and had been quietly pacing in front of the TV until Hedo’s shot fell. I was stunned into silence. I thought that was the end. I had skipped right past denial and into anger as I again bit my tongue.
Then when LeBron made that shot, I nearly collapsed. I was standing there in front of the TV, gritting my teeth, punching the air like a maniac, and then silently screaming. When I was done, I sank into the couch, exhausted, and stared at the post game coverage forever. I was paralyzed.
I didn’t think anything short of a title could top LeBron’s destruction of the Pistons two seasons prior, but I was wrong.
Great Post!! I agree with most of these although Mike Holmgren could have made the list. And the lose of Dick Jacobs was a big story to.
Like the site though! Rich @ http://www.coachincleveland.com
so awesome. awesome. i was in a bar on the beach in Mal Pais, Costa Rica, drinking Imperial and watching this game with 2 stray cats, my wife, and a bunch of locals. SOOOOO AWESOME!!
however, the greatest play in Cleveland sports history happened in 1954, and it wasn’t made by our guys. I think we can all say we’ve seen Willie Mays’ make that catch.
I love reading the comments on this page. I was lucky enough to be at this game and the Browns Steelers game. This game I was sitting in a suite, and just sitting staring into space wondering why I got my hopes up once again. I remember I took a picture of the scoreboard when the cavs were up 23 (Their largest of the night) so I wouldnt forget what that moment felt like. I think part of me wanted the picture to just stay the truth. When hedo hit that shot, I was cooked. Done. Nothing left. I stood reluctantly for the last second, but I really didnt have hope. Then it went in and the next 4 hours were some of the happiest of my life. I convened with the four of my best friends who were there (one who was with me) and we just watched sportscenter all night. Unbelievable.
There are so many GREAT moments in Cleveland Sports, for us NOT to have one some sort of Championship(s) in our generation. Lebron stepping up and leading the Cavs to victory over Detroit, Cavs going to the Finals, CC and Cliff Lee being back-to-back Cy Young Winners, Lebron being named MVP and accepting the Honor at St. Vincent-St.Mary, Glenville High School being the first Cleveland Public School to go to the State Championship, Tribe going to two World Series, etc, etc, and so on and so forth….