Every sports town should take a page out of the Cleveland playbook for who they are at heart – believers.
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As confetti filtered streets are slowly swept and Cuyahoga County restores a sense of normalcy, Cleveland can finally reflect on what it feels like to be NBA Champions.
In Cleveland, no one cares about what you do for a living or where you are from.
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A city famished from a sports title for more than half a century, this tight-nick group of blue collar Americans have cheered together and more commonly failed together, year after year in hopes of witnessing history. Well, they did it. But it’s not simply the act of getting it done; it’s how the group uplifts everyone like brothers and sisters, aunts and uncles, like a family. They do it for the sport, the athletes, and the city they love more than anything.
In Cleveland, no one cares about what you do for a living or where you are from. If you support one of their coveted teams they will welcome you with open arms into this unique bond that seizes to dissipate during any off-season.
In Cleveland, it’s so much bigger than a game: It’s a lifestyle and they’re a community.
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Born and raised in the Cleveland suburb of Cleveland Heights, I’ve come across doctors and lawyers, janitors and mailmen, teachers and store clerks all over couple pints and our hometown team. In Cleveland, it’s so much bigger than a game: It’s a lifestyle and they’re a community.
Clevelanders have a thick skin from years of constant disappointment and grief. The teams never phase them, because it’s likely they’ll return, and the jobs may not come back, yet their resilience promises they will find a way. For some reason this city will not falter until they’ve exhausted all possible resources.
It may not mend financial hardships, alleviate poverty, or expedite gun reform, but its message will continue to move the masses in a way that is hard to explain.
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It’s a remarkable story and feeling to be a native of this land given the increasing of division our society is subjectively faced with. As though greed, politics, and racism have a way of showing up on our door step when we least except it, once, just once will people be able to rejoice for a common purpose? I believe 1.3M fans will say “yes“. Yes, to the idea and reason behind supporting a non-partisan issue everyone can get behind. It may not mend financial hardships, alleviate poverty, or expedite gun reform, but its message will continue to move the masses in a way that is hard to explain.
Every sports town should take a page out of the Cleveland playbook for who they are at heart – believers.
Cleveland is the city, my city, a sports city everyone should aspire to be.
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Photo: Getty Images
Yeah, I was just giving you the shit. I’m happy for Cleveland. As a sports town, they’ve had their share of disappointment, and the fans were a class act, the whole city was.
Sorry man. Cleveland did good, the people showed well. Props to them, but Boston is sports town USA, and with a heart the size of Texas.
Thanks for taking the time to read my article, DJ! Indeed, Boston is an iconic sports town with LOTS of history. I can only hope Cleveland will be able to leverage off of this much-needed title. Cheers!