My dad has been a Cavs fan, for years, basically since he could watch TV when he was little; he’s been a Cavs fan. So naturally, I grew up a Cavs fan. I’d watch the games with him and all that but it wasn’t until last night that I felt what it truly meant to be a Cavs fan.
The people of Cleveland have waited for this moment for 52 years. They have hoped, cried, cheered, laughed, stressed and blown up with anger for 52 years waiting for this moment. Some with patience, some with nothing even resembling patience, but regardless, they have stayed loyal. I am a Cavs fan but I will never know what it’s like to be that Cavs fan. I’ve only waited 21 years for this. They have waited for 50.
They have waited for their moment. They saw the start of something great when Lebron first came to play with the Cavs. They kept the faith when LeBron left and they were forgiving and patient as they welcomed him back.
They deserved this. The Cavs deserved this. Cleveland deserved this. How loyal of a city does it take to wait for over 50 years?! To keep the faith in #Believeland for that long. Cleveland deserved this. We deserved this. The blood, sweat and tears of over 50 years has finally paid off.
And when it did, Cleveland erupted. The entire city screamed, as a whole, as a unit, as a family, as #Believeland. I don’t know, maybe the whole state of Ohio screamed. That’s what it felt like. It was 52 years of faith and loyalty all rolled into one fantastic moment.
One fantastic, overly deserved moment, one moment of utter togetherness. One moment of screaming, chanting, hugging, dancing, sprinting through the streets of Cleveland beside your friends, and people who you didn’t know in the slightest but in that moment, they were completely your family. Because we did it. Because the Cavs did it. Because Cleveland did it.
Because this wasn’t just about a basketball game. It was about 52 years. 52 years of loyalty, faith, trust, and community. 52 years of sharing in the wins, losses, small victories, big losses all as one big Cleveland family.
And it’s for that reason that, when that buzzer sounded, Cleveland erupted, because they knew. We EARNED this. We may not have the shiniest, prettiest city, but we have our CLE family. We have loyalty and family here. We were truly #ALLIN. And that, is what makes us the best. That is why we EARNED this. That is why we deserved this championship. We are CLE and we will forever be #ALLIN. It’s just who we are.
