One on One with MattyFos

Who doesn’t prefer vacation over work? That could be the Cavs selling point. You get an extra month of vacation and you get a week off before the season ends because we will have locked down the number one seed for the playoffs. -MattyFos

Every once in a while we get to know our commenters a little better. Today we hand the reigns over to MattyFos.

1. Favorite sport to watch in person

It’s kind of a tossup. I love the casual environment at the ball park. Going to watch any baseball game in person with my dad and older brother has always been enjoyable. It’s a slower pace game so there’s a lot of downtime to talk about the players and just spend time with family and friends.

I also enjoy Browns football in person. You tailgate a couple of hours prior to the game, which is always fun. Then you get into the game and you can just feel the passion for Browns football. The women, children and obviously the men live and die on what’s going to take place over the next three hours. It’s a great atmosphere.

2. Favorite sport to watch on tv

Professional football. I see football as a chess match between head coaches. I like seeing the plays progress and watching the individual battles, especially on the outside. You can’t get the type of birds eye view of a football game in person, unless you’re in the upper deck around the 50 yard line.

3. Sports or hobbies you play

I don’t play any sports. I was the play-by-play commentator for my high school. I called every game we televised. My hobbies are going to WFNY and taking part in banter with devoted Cleveland fans. I also enjoy reading. A book series recommendation for anybody who is a fan of fantasy fiction…. The Sword of Truth series by Terry Goodkind.

4. Married? Kids?

Not married, no kids. But I will tell a little family history. My third cousin is the great second baseman Bobby Grich. He played for the California Angels and the Baltimore Orioles for 17 seasons. Some of the older WFNY patrons will recognize the name. He was one of the first hitting/fielding combination second baseman in MLB history. He is notoriously known for punching an opposing player in the face after the player tried breaking up a double play by cleating Grich.

5. Favorite Cleveland sports memory

This is a tough one. In my lifetime there haven’t been any championships for the three major teams. But I would have to say the Indians run through the 1990′s was a fun time to be a kid. Another memory that will always be with me is when the Browns clinched the playoff birth in 2002. I was at my dad’s in Michigan and we were watching the game using rabbit ears getting the feed from Toledo. The Browns stuffed the Atlanta Falcons on the goal line to win the game. Then lost in a shootout with the Pittsburgh Steelers in the wild card round of the playoffs.

The Cavaliers 2007 Eastern Conference playoff run was enjoyable too.

6. Most heartbreaking loss

This has to be game 7 of the 1997 World Series. I can still see the ball squeaking past Tony Fernandez at second base.

7. Which team do you most want a title for (Browns, Tribe, Cavs)

Browns. As fun as 1995, 1997 and 2007 were; nothing would compare to the Browns winning the Super Bowl. I think Cleveland would benefit more from either the Indians or the Cavs because games would be played in Cleveland. But North East Ohio (excluding the Steeler carpet baggers) would erupt if the Browns can bring home a trophy.

8. Your dream piece of Cleveland sports memorabilia

Some piece of baseball memorabilia (bat, ball, jersey, hat) signed by the greats of the 1990′s Cleveland Indians. The historical and emotional value that would hold is unheralded.

Kenny Lofton, Carlos Baerga, Sandy and Robbie Alomar, Manny Ramirez, David Justice, Jim Thome, ‘Home Run Hittin’ Mark Whitten, Charles Nagy, Chad Ogea, Jose Mesa, Albert Belle, Omar Vizquel, Eddie Murray. There’s so many more that slip my mind right now. But having something like that would be invaluable to me.

My prized piece of memorabilia, I actually have, is my game used baseball signed by Manager Mike Hargrove. I almost got a baseball bat from Richie Sexton at an Indians/Tigers game, but some guy pried it from my hands.. I was a teenager. What a tool.

9. Favorite place to watch a game

If not in person, I like watching games in a sports restaurant. Sit down, have some wings or a good cheeseburger, drink some beverages. I try to do that for as many major sporting events that I can.

10. Any superstitions?

None really. The Browns jerseys I do have are now irrelevant. Donte Stallworth (WHAT?) and Kellen Winslow (I miss him). So, just before the Browns/Steelers 12/10/2009 game I bought a Browns polo. It’s kind of like the shirts the coaches wear. I had long hair and a beard in December, so I thought I looked like Rob Ryan.

The point of this story, the Browns coaches polo is now undefeated (4-0) so I will wear that for every game this next season.

11. What would be your entrance music?

I’m pretty self-centered, so I had to choose more than one. This is the order of my at bats. “For Whom the Bell Tolls” is my clutch moment song, 9th inning or later, bases loaded, or tie game. Recycle the songs for at bats 4+

1st at bat- Kanye West “Stronger”… Kanye is my dude

2nd at bat- Diddy “Hello Good Morning”… (I got addicted to “Hello good Morning” after hearing it at least 100 times during the NFL draft)

3rd at bat- 30 Seconds to Mars “This is War”

Clutch at bat- Metallica “For Whom the Bell Tolls”

Why Cleveland teams?

I LOVE THE ABUSE. Actually, I was born and raised in Canton. My dad is a die hard Browns fan. He used to throw ice balls at John Elway and Franco Harris. I have inherited the Cleveland Fandom. My mom went into labor during a Browns game and my dad didn’t want to accompany her to the hospital (to watch the remainder of the game) in any other state that’s called negligence. In Ohio, that’s called fandom. lol.

I would also like to apologize, I was born about a month before “The Drive” and I consider myself as the Browns Curse.

I would like to thank WFNY for this opportunity. This was fun. I hope this helps the WFNY universe understand the phenomenon who is MattyFos AKA Matt Foster. I write a Cleveland Sports blog. The website is www.mattyfos.blogspot.com obviously my work isn’t as polished or as professional as this website we all love. But, I like it, check it out at your own peril. A motto I have decided to live my life by because of my Cleveland sports teams…

It’s not the destination, it’s the journey…. Who cares about championships.. Who’s pitching for the Tribe tonight? Who wants to talk LBJ free agency? NFL Draft anybody?

Thank you MattyFos for reading and participating in the community here at WFNY!