In 2016, the world witnessed memorable championship runs that were very rare in sports. The Cleveland Cavaliers brought the first professional championship to Cleveland since the 1960s. The Chicago Cubs making their first World Series since the 1940s and winning their first World Series since 1908. The Denver Broncos defeated the 15-1 Panthers in Super Bowl 50 in Peyton Manning’s last game. But, which championship run was more historic? Greater?
The Cavaliers bringing a championship to Cleveland is the greater and more historic because of the history of Cleveland and the history of the Cavaliers over the past 10 years.
The city of Cleveland hasn’t had a professional win since the Browns won it all in the 1960s. There have been so many heart-breaking moments to the city of Cleveland after this victory. “The Drive,” that eliminated the Browns in the late 80s, “The Shot” that eliminated the Cavaliers in 1989, the Indians blowing a 9th inning lead in Game 7 of the World Series and losing it, losing Ohio native LeBron James in 2010, and losing their first two appearances in the NBA Finals due to lack of talent around James. Things just never went in favor of any of Cleveland’s professional sports teams.
However, when the 2016 Cavaliers team looked like they were on the brink of heartbreak for the second consecutive year, they came back and made history. They came back from a 3-1 deficit and beat the 73-9 Golden State Warriors in one of the all-time game 7’s to finally end the long championship drought in Cleveland.
Every other city has won some sort of professional championship within the last couple of decades. Cleveland hasn’t had any of that. Every Cleveland sports fan dealt with devastating blows and disasters for 50 years. And for the Cavaliers to finally do it by coming back from the brink of heartbreak again and beating one of the all-time great teams makes that greater and more historic championship run.
