The first time I became aware of who Anderson Varejao was, I was really young and my dad walked into my room to say goodnight to me after going to a Cavs game. He was wearing a "Beat Detroit" shirt and this really strange wig. I asked what the heck he was wearing on his head, and he said, "it's a wild thing wig!"
If you're not from Cleveland you literally have no idea what I'm talking about. (Actually, I'm wondering why you clicked on this article, but I'm still happy you're reading it.) But recently, after 12 years of wearing a Cavs jersey, Anderson Varejao left the city of Cleveland for sunny San Francisco. When my dad sent me a text saying "Varejao got traded :(" I frantically checked every ESPN update involving the Cavs, praying one of my favorite players for the last decade would not be leaving his team.
Varejao has been on of my favorite players for a very long time. Although he's not a player that's often in the spotlight like LeBron, he's been one of Cleveland's most loyal players throughout the years and has represented Cleveland very well. Playing in 591 games wearing the number 17 jersey, he was essential to our team and was always a consistent player. Even though he was out during the Cavaliers run in the finals this past year, he was still instrumental in getting our team there and still gave his team his undying support.
Cleveland sports have definitely gone through some rough patches. From LeBron's brief vacation to South Beach, to a lot of controversy surrounding "Johnny Football," Cleveland fans have been through many ups and downs. However, it's moments like reading a thank you note from a player you've looked up to for 12 years, thanking the city that grew to be his home, that makes being a Cleveland sports fan worth it.
So from myself, and every Cavs fan out there:
Dear Anderson Varejao,
Thank you so much for wearing a Cavs jersey so proudly for the last 12 years. It couldn't have been easy being 21 and moving to a completely new and unfamiliar place. When you heard you were coming to a city in Ohio, I'm not sure what you thought but it could've been along the lines of, "Well, that's no New York or LA," but you proudly called it home regardless. Thank you for giving our team so much of your career. So many hours practiced, games played, and time spent, all for your team and your fans. Thank you for letting us have wigs that resemble your incredible hair to wear in the crowd on game days. Thank you for always representing the team on the front of your jersey well, being a professional athlete. We see that it's so easy to be involved in scandal and deceit. You've always held yourself to a higher standard and being someone I would be proud to have my brother look up to. Thank you for being someone that is a great representation of teamwork, leadership and sportsmanship. Thank you for putting your heart into every single minute you were on the court. Although we are so sad to see you go, we are so happy to see you making strides in your career. We are so happy that you'll be in a city and on a team where you'll be appreciated like you were here. You'll always have a home here in Cleveland and at least to me, you'll always be a Cleveland Cavalier. We wish you all the luck in your future and we can't wait to see what great things you accomplish.
Sincerely,
A Dedicated Fan
