As gratifying as they come

In an 82-game season, a game or two hardly ever mean much, especially when your team is a team that is expected to be a cellar dweller for the season. However, over a 24-hour span, I don't think two meaningless regular season games have ever meant more for a city than the Boston/Miami game last night, and the Boston/Cleveland game from tonight did for Cleveland, Ohio.

Last night, the 'greatest team in NBA history' managed to play like trash and lose their season opener against Boston. Now, if you ask any Cleveland fan, they'll all tell you they enjoyed watching LeBron play like crap as his Heat managed to start off 0-1. That brings us to tonight, where Boston was facing our beloved Cleveland Cavaliers in the Cavs season opener. Now, coming into the game, we all knew our odds were very slim at even staying in the game, let alone winning. Midway through the 3rd quarter, the Cavs were down 11, and we all kind of expected the team to lay down and just take the loss. Then, something happened. All the players realized that that's what everyone expected. They wanted to prove everyone wrong. They wanted to show how much heart they have. They wanted to do the unthinkable and beat the Boston Celtics a night after Boston beat the crap out of LeBron's Heat.

And that's exactly what they did. They realized that without LeBron, they can actually PLAY in the 4th quarter of a big game. They don't have to just stand around and watch #23 jack up shots anymore. They went out there, hustled on every play, and ran an offense towards the end of a close game--something Clevelanders haven't seen in the past seven years. And look what happened. The Cavs went out and won the game by 8. The same exact differential that Boston beat LeBron's Heat by the night before.

Turns out there is life after LeBron. Turns out Cleveland Basketball isn't dead. Turns out pulling the knife out of our backs might not be as painful as we all thought. Turns out getting over LeBron might be easier than we all thought.

And that, my friends, is why two meaningless regular season games are as gratifying as they come.

It's been a minute...

Or two. Let's see...since the last time I blogged it up, LeBron James took his talents to South Beach, the Indians finished up a 90+ loss season, and the Browns have played like the Browns over the first two months of the season. In other words...

Typical Cleveland sports shit.

Well, I refuse to blog about that bastard LeBron, and there's nothing left to talk about with regards to the Indians, so let's get on with the show. The Cleveland Football Browns.

2-5. Have played well enough to be 5-2. Just beat the living daylights out of the defending Super Bowl Champion New Orleans Saints IN Nawlins. Colt McCoy has played well enough to have Browns fans actually feeling like we might have finally found a QB for the long haul. Peyton Hillis is the baddest white running back in the history of white running backs (sorry John Riggins). The defense has been playing decent (for the most part).

Dare I say things are looking.................up for the Cleveland Browns?

Last season, we were lucky to score a few points and not get blown out by halftime. This year, we've held a lead in all 7 games, and have had a 4th quarter lead in 5 of them. If that's not improvement, I don't know what is. The defense has been playing with a lot more swagger thanks to rookie DB's Joe Haden and TJ Ward. Add in how well Colt McCoy has played thus far (in minimal appearances, albeit), and once again it looks like The Sammich Man Mike Holmgren had a phenominal draft.

The schedule is brutal, so you can't expect much more than probably 5-6 wins this year (as usual), but the team is vastly improved over previous years. And even though the end record might not look much different, the team appears headed in the right direction. Add in another solid draft next year (and hopefully drafting a stud WR), and we could be contending in a few years. Yes, that seems far fetched, but the team is showing signs of life.

On a final note, the Cleveland Cavaliers open the season on Wednesday (or Thursday...don't really know/care) against the Boston Retirement Center. If we lose by less than 20 that would be a victory. Hopefully Dan Gilbert realizes we need to rebuild this team as quickly as possible, trades away any older talent we have (Antawn Jamison/Mo Williams/Anthony Parker/Jamario Moon/etc.) and really goes into rebuild mode. Playing for the 8th seed in the East and the 15th pick in the draft isn't gonna get this team where everyone wants it to be. As crazy as it might sound, the quicker we start to rebuild, the quicker we can all finally get over the dagger that punk LePrince inserted into our collective hearts.

Here's hoping for a 16-66 season.

Keep the faith, Cleveland.