Last week, I wrote an article calling out the city of Cleveland for not recognizing that it's hometown hockey team, the Lake Erie Monsters, had captured a championship that had so evaded the city for 52 years. Well, I guess the Cavaliers took it to heart that I may or may not have said that the best team from the Quicken Loans Arena played on ice instead of hardwood...
In what became one of the most memorable nights of my college career, it began as a search downtown for a place to set up shop to watch Game 7 of the NBA Finals between the Golden State Warriors and the Cleveland Cavaliers. What my friend and I hadn't gauged was exactly how many people were going to be downtown for the affair, which was taking place over 2,000 miles away in Oakland, California. We knew this game was important to the city, but it was a gross underestimation. Wading our way through throngs of Cavaliers fans of varying shapes, sizes, and sobriety levels, we struggled to find a place to watch that didn't have a wait list of 80 people. Eventually, we were discouraged and trekked back to University Circle to watch the game at Buffalo Wild Wings, which eventually became flooded with fans as well.
With a plate of wings to eat and a TV in front of me, what would ultimately become the most important night in Cleveland history commenced, and the restaurant went berserk. Several lead changes and sloppy basketball were the tale of the first half, where the Warriors took a seven-point lead into halftime. The second half is when the drama began. More lead changes, turnovers, the whole kit and caboodle, and suddenly the game sat deadlocked at 89 with only seconds remaining.
Kryie Irving dribbles in front of the first unanimous MVP winner, Stephen Curry, pulls up from three and...
Swish.
The room enters a frenzy like no other. Shaking uncontrollably, there were still 10 seconds left, and on a potential monster dunk to put a stamp on the game, LeBron James gets fouled and hits the floor hard, grabbing at his wrist. Silence washed over the restaurant, wondering what had just happened. He gets up, goes to the foul line for his two shots. First shot is a miss, second one is in. 93-89 is the score.
Warriors inbound the ball, Curry pulls up for his famed three-point jumper and...
OFF THE MARK!
This Buffalo Wild Wings was nearing collapse from the hectic celebration from inside. My ears just about gave out from the screams. Final score: Cavaliers 93, Warriors 89. Cleveland has won a major sports championship for the first time since 1964, knocking off the best regular season team in NBA history in a historic, never-been-done-before comeback from a 3-1 series deficit in the NBA Finals. And that will forever be one of the most memorable moments in my college career, maybe even my life.
So, last week was the championship that Cleveland didn't know about.
Well, this week is the championship that EVERYONE knows about.
Hats off to you, Cavaliers, and thank you.
