I can admit when I'm wrong

Growing up in Northwest Ohio I was raised by parents who weren't huge basketball fans and as such despite playing hoops growing up never really developed a love for a pro basketball team, the nearest of which would be 2.5 hours to Indianapolis or 3 hours east to Cleveland.

Michael Jordan games were always something I will remember. Watching those Bulls teams win all those games and MJ himself put up memory after memory game after game is a  thing I will never forget, but I wouldn't call myself necessarily a Bulls fan.

As I got older there was one basketball team I'd root for without fail but it was a college team (and I still do to this day without fail), the University of North Carolina Tarheels. Whether it's Matty D and 3 straight losing seasons after Dean Smith handed him the reigns or watching them lose the National Title Game this past season watching from the stands in Chapel Hill I will always be a Tarheel supporter.

Now another thing bout growing up, we tended to make fun of Cleveland for all of the losing and the suffering because we always saw them get so close but never achieve that ultimate prize.

When I was in my early twenties I met the most amazing person to ever come through my life who just happened to be from right outside of Cleveland and began to change my perspective on "The Land".

In visiting her and being around Northeast Ohio I began to take a liking to it (a notion that my good buddy Peachy wouldn't let me forget for some time given the jokes we had always made about the river catching fire and etc.....you know these jokes already I'm not repeating them here).

While I am and will always be a Dallas Cowboys fan (something I got from my Dad and proudly own to this day, again good or bad), I have lessened hating on the Browns. I'm not sure if it's because of the great times Steph, my brother and some of our friends have had at their games when we've gotten tickets from some terrific season ticket holders or just because I finally see just how strong and passionate their fanbase is year in year out....probably a bit of both.

Some of the most fun times sports wise I've had in the land have been at games downtown. Hell as I write this I was just there on Fathers Day and saw the Tribe win with a 10th inning walkoff single.

Before I get to the real meat of why I was wrong let me throw this one in: 3 years ago I made a decision to leave my "home team" as the play by play broadcaster of the Lima Warriors, a team that had done a lot for me in my development as a broadcaster and join the Northeast Ohio Predators.

I was a little bit nervous about leaving and venturing into something new, James Keck, DC Marbury and company had faith in me and have been a godsend in the ascension of my career.....again another opportunity provided by believing in something from NEO.

Ah the Cleveland Cavaliers, my main point of writing this blog.

For years you have been the savior of peoples sanity and their greatest torment.

I myself have long had a strong dislike for the Cavs mainly centered on Lebron James and his excuse the pun cavalier attitude about things at time......the decision most at the forefront.

When he came back this past year he said "Nothing in Northeast Ohio is given, I'm coming home." Strong words for a kid who has always prided himself in being from Akron and just "having to" play in Cleveland I thought.

Not saying I am jumping on the Cavs bandwagon after they ended the 52 year drought or anything like that, but I am saying that I have a new respect for Lebron and the Cavs and the City of Cleveland after today and will enjoy when they're on and here's why:

1. Today was one of the greatest things I've ever watched on television, the parade for the Cavs with anywhere from 800,000 to 1.3 million people who are all there to show their love for the city and the achievement of something that has NEVER happened in most of their lives.

2. Lebron gave one of the best speeches I've heard an athlete give. Despite the fact some will not like the usage of the language, I thought it was perfect for him BECAUSE it showed despite it all he's still a human being who was overcome with emotion and didn't worry about where he was when he was speaking from his heart.

The speeches from his teammates and their honesty and love for one another is something that will stick with me forever and I will root for those guys because they don't just do it for the money, they do it for eachother and the name on the front of their jersey, not the back....that is true inspiration.

3. Cleveland's radio play by play guy John Michael has always been an inspiration to me in my career as I try and get up that ladder. He's not just a wordsmith but he's a master of emotions, I dare you to listen to his call from game 7 and say otherwise. For a guy who was a lawyer not that long ago and is THAT good at what he does I am truly grateful to get to listen to him and I told people LAST YEAR during the finals that HE is the reason I would consider being a Cavs fan just so I could listen to him every game of the year, he's that good.


Finally as I wrap this up the final reason I was wrong for wanting to see Golden State win the title just to irritate my friends: Sunday night we watched the game with some of the best people I know and EASILY the biggest ALL IN fans I know, and getting to see them celebrate was worth the "shame" of having to admit I was wrong about not rooting FOR them to succeed.


Thank you for reading this, I love Northeast Ohio and consider Cleveland kind of like a second home as much as I am there during the year, I hope only good things for #TheLand from here on out.

First Stipe, then Lake Erie, now the Cavs.....I wonder what's next? (I hope its an NEO Predators title just fyi)


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