With the NBA Finals wrapped up, the Cleveland Cavaliers came home with a ring. I have decided that talking about Cleveland sports is incredibly relevant. Cleveland is notorious for a couple things: having a polluted lake, being a NYC stunt double for movies, and having consistently bad sport teams. One might assume that being in the middle of a drought would make a sports fan devastated, but here in Cleveland, the fans thrive on anything they can get their hands on. So without further ado, here is why Cleveland sport fans are the best in the country.
1. They are the most optimistic group of people
With every bad thing that happens in a single season, a Cleveland fan has the mentality that the next season is when it will all turn around. And someday, it will (and it did).
2. When a CLE team is doing well, you can't help but take notice
We love our teams win or lose, but when they are winning, the entire city parties.
3. City spirit is never lacking
Restaurants have the game on and memorabilia on the walls. Half of the population don their favorite team's colors on game day and they even choose to continue to wear their colors after a devastating loss.
4. We can have a player that isn't the best morally and we will still support them because they play for Cleveland.
I'm looking at you, Johnny Manziel.
5. We are extremely passionate.
When LeBron announced that he would be taking his talents to South Beach, there were riots. People burning jerseys in the streets and tearing apart Witness posters. And when we won the NBA Championship, some people tried to steal a firetruck.
6. We are fiercely protective of our teams.
It's kind of like a sibling relationship. We can talk badly about our teams, but you, sir, can not. Don't even think of it.
7. No matter how many times we threaten to stop supporting our teams, we always come back for more.
After a particularly devastating loss, hundreds of people throw their jerseys and vow to never root for a Cleveland team ever again. But come next game, they are decked out in their team colors just waiting for redemption, that only some times come.
8. We are "Cleveland Against the World."
If you aren't from Cleveland, most likely, you aren't going to root for them. Just looking at the odds for the Finals, you can see it. So many people don't think much of a Cleveland team because of the "curse," but we are still a force to be reckoned with.
9. A 52-year championship drought is enough to drive anyone crazy.
I dare any other city to have a drought like this and not become increasingly more desperate. When the Lake Erie Monsters won the Calder Cup, it was amazing, but it sparked the debate on whether or not it counted against the curse. We will take anything we can get right now.
10. If you meet a Cleveland fan outside of Cleveland, there is an instant camaraderie.
The only other person that knows exactly what a Cleveland fan has gone through is another Cleveland fan.
11. No matter what happens in a season, we will always love our teams.
Now, I am happy to add this last point.
12. We finally won a championship! The drought is over!
June 19, 2016 is the day that our 52-year drought is over. With the final score of 93-89, the Cleveland Cavaliers have out-scored a team that was compared to Michael Jordan's Bulls team to bring a championship home to Cleveland. The city erupted into celebration and people were crying and hugging. LeBron James was finally able to bring the championship to "the land" that he's been promising since his return from Miami. Now rest easy Cleveland and let's go Tribe.
