Cleveland Browns Week 12 Winners and Losers
December 1, 2015Joey Bosa named Big Ten Defensive Lineman of the Year — again
December 1, 2015Any thoughts below are not meant to divert anyone from their own. The thoughts are my own as are the reasons, opinion, and the path traveled to reach them. These words are not meant to pass judgement on others nor raise myself to any moral or principled high ground. Instead, they are meant as a mere explanation why I only feel apathy towards perhaps the most dominant Cleveland sports team of my lifetime. After spending my life as a Cleveland Cavaliers fanatic, I confess to no longer caring about the wins and losses of the lone professional basketball team in the state of Ohio.
Where I was, where I am
My childhood self would be disgusted by my present state. The Wayne Embry era Cavs in those beautiful blue and orange uniforms introduced me to NBA basketball. Whether cheering “The Price is Right” on made three pointers from Mark Price, being amazed by the athleticism of Larry Nance, the artistry of footwork in the paint by Brad Daugherty, or rooting on the lesser heralded Hot Rod Williams and John Battle, the enthusiasm towards those teams was always high. Transitioning towards the tortoise-paced Fratello teams might have been difficult, but Terrell Brandon, Shawn Kemp, and Tyrone Hill were there to ensure a measure of hope never left those black and electric blue uniformed teams. Of course, LeBron James added a few heaping measures of hope onto the franchise. And, despite some flubs around building around him, the team was a defensive monster with enough offense to compete with anyone. Well, anyone other than the well-oiled Greg Popovich San Antonio Spurs in 2007. Despite the setbacks in the subsequent years, the team felt good enough to break through. One draft pick, one trade, or one PED suspension1 away from winning the NBA Finals.
Even after James left in 2010, I found reasons to watch the team through their struggles. Kyrie Irving might have only played 11 games at Duke, but he fascinated me and somehow my favorite team was fortunate enough to acquire him. Tristan Thompson was intriguing and there was a real curiosity into whether Dion Waiters or Anthony Bennett could learn to hone their obvious skills to overcome their obvious deficiencies. Through these dark years, I was still watching about 60 regular games each season, which included almost all of the games until the training staff would shut down Irving and Indians games took the majority of my interest.
But, last year, I found myself cutting down to around 20 games – including the playoffs. This season? I might have watched 20 minutes thus far and only due to nationally broadcast games while I was somewhere out to dinner. I do read the Behind the Box Score posts and any other Cavs feature here at WFNY, but that is the extent of how I am currently following the team. So, how did I get here?
Was about LeBron, not about LeBron
Purposefully or not, LeBron James provided the perfect foil upon his departure. The Decision was part ego-maniacal, part dumping on his hometown. Well, James also attempted to break apart from his hometown narrative as he decried LeBron fans would still root him on. He announced he grew up in Akron and Akronites hated Cleveland anyway. He was taking mental notes, he was counting the titles he would win in Miami before a game was played, and he was telling everyone they would have to get back to their own lives while he still got to be LeBron James. ESPN lapped it up as LRMR could not have scripted LeBron into a more perfect wrestling-style heel if they had mapped it all out.2
During this time, I didn’t burn any jerseys or give away my Cavs gear to the homeless in Miami (the best of the anti-LeBron gestures). I was upset and disappointed, but not angry.3 I was ready to move on and build a team from the ground up to compete against an eventually aging LeBron. I sure didn’t think the Cavs would get there before the Miami Heat as a certain someone penned in Comic Sans, but I still believed we could once again compete. Eventually. Then again, I tend to be hopelessly optimistic. Competing in the NBA with a self-built team seems a fool’s errand unless there is an obvious market deficiency exploited (the Spurs with foreign-born players for example). Purely through the draft, no team had a better run of success than Oklahoma City between 2007-2009 with Sam Presti (Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, Serge Ibaka, and James Harden) and even they have yet to hoist a banner in the Chesapeake Energy Arena.
At the same time, a funny thing happened during LeBron’s stint in Miami. He grew up. While LeBron had been the perfect depiction of the self-obsessed out-of-touch professional athlete, his saving grace was he had never had done anything horribly wrong off the court. Then, LeBron either decided he didn’t want to be seen as the bad guy anymore or he matured. He allowed people to see his gregarious side again. He married the mother of his children (sure, out of order, but he made good where many do not). He either did more community work or was smarter about making it more public. His last year in Miami and years since back in Cleveland have been a different LeBron than the previous iteration.
Using his own example from The Letter in which he announced his return, he had gone away to college, made numerous mistakes, found himself along with professional success, and returned a better man, player, and leader for it. I am glad for him.4
Indians fandom affects my NBA rooting interest
I have spent my life rooting for the Cleveland Indians, but also against the New York Yankees, then the Boston Red Sox, and now the Los Angeles Dodgers. Cheering against teams being rewarded for merely tilting the scales of talent in their favor by bullying the rest of the profession with their economic might. In the NBA, similar tacts went about through uneven trades. The Los Angeles Lakers won a title when Pau Gasol forced the hand of the Memphis Grizzlies. The Boston Celtics won their title on the backs of Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen strong-arming their teams to join forces with Paul Pierce. The era of the instant oatmeal5 super-team. Philosophically, I cheered against each of these teams and barely watched the Lakers versus Celtics NBA Finals in 2008 or 2010.
So, when LeBron came back, immediately forcing the hand of the Kevin Love trade (mid-market team dealing their superstar for an unproven but potentially talented player) and welcoming in all the Bron-buddies (Miller, Jones, Marion, etc.) to form a Cleveland instant oatmeal super-team, it did not sit well with me. Sure, even instant oatmeal needs to be heated and mixed, so there were inevitable initial struggles, but it was obvious those struggles would be temporary. I felt it would be hypocritical to ignore, so I initially detached myself from the team.
Perhaps I am merely too stubborn
The biggest test towards one’s stubbornness is to see how one feels about a player once hated after he joins your team. In the movie Major League II, Harry Doyle noted slugger Jack Parkman went from making the Cleveland women go wild with his plate shimmy to wanting to puke once he traded his Indians uniform for that of the Chicago White Sox. In the real Major League Baseball, David Justice went from ending the World Series hopes of the Indians to being on the team (along with Marquis Grissom). Most fans accepted their new found slugger with open arms. I was uneasy for his entire tenure. I would not root against him, but could not pull myself towards rooting for him either. Honestly, it was a relief when he was moved to the New York Yankees so that he was once again part of the opposition.
My feelings about the Cavs are similar to those old Justice ones. I certainly cannot root against a team from Cleveland, nor do I harbor any ill will towards LeBron James or any other member of the team. I definitely would love to see the city shake the cursed moniker that adorns itself on any sporting montage of Cleveland. However, I also do not believe I would be able to directly celebrate any championship won. It is an odd place in which to reside, yet it is the place I find myself.
I miss the NBA
Not only has my apathy been towards the Cavaliers, but it has, by extension, gone to the rest of the NBA as well. Given the limited bandwidth in my life, it is more difficult to rationalize spending time watching the NBA when there is not a team I can actively root towards. As mentioned, I would never root against the Cavs, so it would be folly to root for any contending team as they would ultimately need to play the Cavs with a championship on the line. And, cheering for a struggling team is less meaningful without a built in ensemble of like-minded fans in which to commiserate. So, for now, I have abandoned the NBA along with the fun discussions and debates we have held over the years on the comment pages of WFNY.
A way back?
If apathy is a strange place to be about a team I have spent my life cheering, then writing a lengthy post about being apathetic is even stranger. I am not sure if there is a way back towards Cavs fandom for me. I certainly hope there is. For awhile, I thought the J.R. Smith and Iman Shumpert trade last season might have done the trick to win me back. I had always appreciated both players and felt they were under-rated by the vast majority of NBA fans. So, I watched as the trades (and a bowling trip) kick-started the Cavs season into domination mode. It just felt – empty.
So, cheer for the Cavs, and I will cheer for the city of Cleveland. I just don’t know if and when I’ll be cheering along for the Cavs.
- Don’t forget those 2009 Orlando Magic were cheating and the NBA decided to announce it just after they eliminated the Cavs. [↩]
- Conspiracy theory alert!!! Did they? [↩]
- Seriously, take a look at my comments from July 13, 2010 to sum up my feelings. “i still enjoy the time we had lebron and you won’t find me on here demonizing him.” [↩]
- Yes, he still has character flaws, but don’t we all. [↩]
- another LeBron term, yes [↩]
27 Comments
Kind of similar to my own experience, I really got into the cavs after Lebron left, and since he came back and we traded away alot if young prospects they haven’t felt as fun.
Its been worse this year, part of it for me I think is being spoiled by Kyrie’s insane handles…
Go Cavs regardless!
Wow, didn’t realize you had wandered that far away from the Cavs. It seems like it wasn’t long ago that you were watching not just the Cavs, but the entire league with an eagle eye. I wonder if you haven’t been warped by the years of losing for all Cleveland sports teams… that maybe you have forgotten how to cheer for a winning team. Personally, I find this current Cavs team to be a ton of fun to watch. I love the characters on the team almost as much as watching the beauty of the game itself. I love Austin Carr and Fred McLeod going completely corny on you at any given moment. I love how much they love to watch a game together. I love getting every other team’s best shot. I love the resurgence of Mo Williams and hearing the Godfather theme every time he knocks down a three (complete with his signature salute). I love the anticipation of a thunderous LeBron James dunk… that moment where he spies an open lane from the 3-point line and it’s too late for the other team to do anything but duck and cover. I love that they are finally letting Kevin Love be himself! He’s inside, he’s outside, he’s all over the boards, and he’s a huge part of the offense.
I love all of these things… here’s hoping that someday soon you will learn to love them again!
This article was written by the same guy who once told me it wasn’t about the finish but the journey. Of course that was the Indians so I guess that’s different. Perspective is a funny thing. One day someone should write something on subjectivity vs objectivity and all of it’s permutations.
lol welcome
Exactly. It is about the journey and part of me feels the Cavs are cheating with a shortcut to just get to the destination.
Yeah, I miss our debates on everything NBA. The last major one we had was last year when you won the Atlanta over Toronto debate from the preseason.
KLove feels like a shortcut, as did the LeBron buds last year. Then the buds didn’t add anything. They bring in in Mosgov, JR, Shump, but that’s not a cheat code, they were deemed as flawed. Then TT and Delly step up in the playoffs.
To me that is a journey. What if they had somehow traded for Mosgov/JR/Shump last year, then LeBron came back? Would that still feel like a shortcut?
Shortcut? For a city that has the Indians I welcome Dan Gilbert and his deep pockets. It’s simply one other way to construct a team in order to win a title. The Cavs tried your way. The Indians way. The drafting was horrible. The Browns are showing just how painful it can be. 17 years +. So give me a shortcut all day everyday if it means I don’t have to watch, listen and read the same old stuff. I realize as a writer it doesn’t give you the material you need but oh well.
They traded for Love how is that a shortcut? Instead we should have to watch, hope and wait for Andrew Wiggins to maybe be LBJ light. That’s just ridiculous. Btw how well is Minnesota doing this season?
I love the Cavs don’t really care who is in the uniform and what names are on the back of them. I loved Luke Witte, Double D Dwight Davis, Johnie Johnson , Chones, Phegley, Bratz and yes even Richard Washington. As a Cleveland i was glad to see us gang up on the world beat them over the head. Just add water. It was first ever as a Cleveland fan i got instant oatmeal and quite frankly. I LOVED IT. FEED ME MORE!!!!!!
Yeah, KLove is the shortcut. Considered top10 player in the NBA when we snagged him.
And, believe me, I fully understand everything all are saying about why they (and perhaps I should) root for the Cavs. Wish I was there. I just am not.
And, the Finals team is the prototypical team of my dreams. I mean Game-2 Delly? Wowzers. Yet, still couldn’t fully invest. It’s a me thing. I get that much.
OIC syndrome + PTSD = mgbode!
I’ll gladly take the Cavs over whatever it is they are playing over at First Energy Stadium.
Ben Paquette and John Bagley oh and of course World B. Free. That’s how far back I go. Nothing wrong with the current Cavs just as long as they wear those Hardwood Classic uniforms.
They went to the Finals with LeBron and role players though.
They went with a team which didn’t end up much better then the one LBJ had verse the Spurs. And they took the unbeatable Warriors to 6 games too. I just want everyone back for Cavs. Lets see what happens. Until then Warriors can stay undefeated.
So Bode I guess my question is are you currently in a state of apathy with the Cavs or the entire NBA?
started with the Cavs but bled through to the entire NBA now.
Okay that I can make sense of because of the structure needed to win a title in the NBA.
But as far as thinking the Cavs as an organization haven’t had a “journey” to their hopeful ring is an interesting one for sure.
Have you had a chance to check out Lee’s recent LeBron article on SI?
Based on that article it would seem to me James is laser focused in on ensuring that the team wasn’t just slapped together and handed a championship.
all his stuff is must-read, but it is a bit of positive spin to say adding LeBron/Love to a team with Irving isn’t “instant oatmeal” to me 🙂
still, I do hope I find my way back to the Cavs at some point.
Oh yeah, forgot about that one. I was really high on Atlanta… loved how their pieces seemed to fit together. So much is also dependent on injury luck though. Toronto got bit last year.
Atlanta needs a center that’s their problem.
Looked for your sports apathy post, but came up empty. I did think of it while writing this one.
Geeze are you clueless, Bode:
“The Decision was part ego-maniacal, part dumping on his hometown.”
1. The Decision raised $6,000,000.00 for Boys and Girls Clubs; you have a problem with that?
2. LeBron’s “hometown” is Akron. I’m from Akron, and believe me, we’ve always thought Cleveland sucked. Virtually nobody in Akron was pissed off when LeBron moved to Miami. He didn’t sell his properties in Akron he’s paid a boatload of property tax in Summit County, as well as supporting numerous charities in Akron, including guaranteeing college for at-risk students: http://ftw.usatoday.com/2015/08/lebron-james-promises-full-scholarships-to-ua-for-kids-who-finish-i-promise-program
I harbor no ill will towards LeBron nor is he the reason I am apathetic now (at least not directly).
But, to your points:
(1) LeBron himself has pointed to The Decision being a mistake. It is great he raised some money for B&GC with it, but there were other avenues.
(2) Plenty from the Akron area were upset (and note, I wasn’t angry when he left), but I do believe he realized the country views NEO as one whole entity. There might be little islands and pockets, but the further you remove yourself from an area, the closer knit it all becomes. LeBron indicated it in his wording with The Letter.
To your points:
1. Admitting you made a mistake is not necessarily admitting being an ego maniac, an intentionally and emotionally charged term.
2. The Letter was an exquisitely crafted PR document.