Cleveland Spirit

So today was a complicated day for Cleveland sports. Cleveland's nationally recognized (and even sometimes marketed) championship drought is something that residents and fans take very seriously. With Lebron returning home, and everything else going on in Cleveland this summer, it seems as if Cleveland has begun to turn a new leaf.

About 6 weeks ago, I actually made the news after attending the detonation of the old interstate bridge downtown at 6 in the morning. I recognized the detonation as the final symbol of change from the Old Cleveland the the New Cleveland. The spirit in Cleveland this summer has been the greatest in years. From being chosen to host the RNC next year to drafting Johnny Manziel, to the renovation ideas for Public Square, to the new look of Playhouse Square, Cleveland has gained momentum over the past few months.

This morning, the Cavs acquired Kevin Love, an elite power forward who could give us the edge to bring this city the championship it had been waiting for. Speaking of championships, the Cleveland Gladiators hosted the ArenaBowl XXVII tonight in an attempt to bring the city a quasi-championship to create what could be the spark that starts the wildfire of Cleveland championships. But in typical fashion,Cleveland  lost. I attended the game, and it was an embarassing loss to say the least (72-32). However, my spirit is not deterred at all.

I'm not an old Clevelander. I don't claim to have been through the struggle. But having been born in 1994, I've seen a lot more disappointment than fans in most cities. I've seen (in person) the Cavs lose two home NBA Finals games to the Spurs. I've seen the Tribe give up a 3-1 series lead to the Red Sox in a AL championship game that nearly surely would have yeilded the MLB champion. I've watched the Browns be the first team in like a decade to not make the playoffs after winning 10 regular season games. I've watched the Cavs lose two years in a row in the playoffs due to bad matchups when they should've won. I've watched LeBron leave the city, I've watched (in person) LeBron's first game in Cleveland as a member of the Heat. I've watched the Indians practically be a farm team for teams in bigger markets than our own. And now I've seen the Gladiators lose in a blowout Championship game. But nothing has changed. Being able to experience a drought like Cleveland has really teaches appreciation. No city deserves it more than this one. I'm proud to be a Clevelander, and I can't wait until June 2015, when the Cleveland Cavaliers win the NBA Finals.