Thank you, Cleveland Cavaliers. Your talented team has caused, for the second year in a row, a unifying movement that has swept through not only the Cleveland area, but also the entire country reaching Cavs fans everywhere. There is nothing like seeing the people of Cleveland bond over the excitement that is the possibility of a championship in Cleveland. From those attending the games, going to the watch parties, and watching the games religiously on television, we fans are dedicated and thankful for your playoff performance. The stigma of the "always losing” and "dysfunctional" Cleveland sports teams seems to disappear when you take the court. You have caused an amazing Cleveland pride that accompanies your incredible playing.
There is something incredible that happens when we get to watch you play, and that is we as Cleveland fans finally have an amazing team to dedicate ourselves to. It was an unfamiliar feeling for us as the 2015-2016 NBA season commenced. Due to your spectacular performance during the previous season, we now believed (and assumed) that you would make it far in this year’s playoffs. That is something that we are not used to believing in as Cleveland sports fans, but you have changed that. So thank you for introducing to us the confidence that we once lacked.
The "togetherness" that we are currently experiencing is not only due to your excellent playoff showing, but also due to the fact that you treat each other like family. Whether we are watching your personalized handshakes, liking your “family photos” on Instagram, or observing your fabulous team chemistry on and off the court, Cavalier fans are following your lead. It never ceases to amaze me when I watch as the camera pan over the fans in the Q and those watching you in the streets of Cleveland, that you guys have an excellent and dedicated fan base. And during the games, it is impossible to not see your familial bond.
Whether it be watching your enthusiastic reactions as another teammate scores, your no-look alley-oops, or your “inability” to stand after a fall without the help of a fellow Cavalier to pull you up, it is always reassuring to us that you consider each other family. Thank you for caring for each other so much, as I believe that it is an essential part of team chemistry that is necessary for victory. There is something amazing about seeing your favorite team truly exhibit a brotherly bond. And trust me, we are so grateful to finally see this, and we are coming together to cheer you guys on as best as we can. There is also an excitement that is pulsing through Cleveland on game days and rest days during the playoffs, something that we have only you to thank for.
Win or lose, you guys will always be remembered as the Cleveland Cavaliers generation that brought out the best in Cleveland sports fans. We cannot thank you enough for trying to bring a championship home for us. In my humble opinion, I firmly believe that we will be celebrating a Cleveland championship this summer, whether you face the Warriors or the Thunder in the finals. Thank you, Cavs, you have truly caused a movement of pride and enthusiasm that has covered Cleveland with gratitude. Thank you for finally being the team that has unleashed the excitement that I knew was hiding deep inside the discouraged Cleveland sports fans for years. Coming from the Cleveland area and seeing how disheartened our sports fans have been in the past, I cannot tell you how grateful we are for your hard work and dedication to this city. You have given us something to believe in. So go get those Ws boys! (Even if you don’t, we will still love you.)
