Yes, I heard. LeBron James is coming to Cleveland. Like everyone 4 years ago I had some thoughts on LeBron leaving. You can see it here.
Today just after 12 noon, Twitter, Facebook, and my email started to blow up.
I saw a lot of folks who were happy that LeBron was coming home. Those folks, 4 years ago, also called him every name in the book. Some call that hypocrisy. I call it something more.
Forgiveness.
Hear me out.
Since Cleveland got its heart torn out Clevelanders took a look around and saw something more than 1 player leaving. I saw them take a look around and enjoy some of the best things Cleveland had to offer. We weren't in the nation's spotlight anymore. We thought the world was going to end, and when it didn't we brushed the dust off and started to build something more. The fans that filled stadiums and arenas around Cleveland were real fans. They weren't only real fans of the sports teams, real fans of the restaurants, real fans of the bars, casino, I could go on for days. They were real fans of Cleveland.
What I saw from the national media, mainly a 4 lettered network that starts with an 'E' and ends with an 'N'. I saw them replay over and over the heartbreak of Red Right 88, The Fumble, The Drive, The 9th Inning, and then The Decision. Every single heartbreaking moment played out in a loop. Every time Cleveland would be on the brink of winning a game, the hosts would say something like, "Cleveland has had so much crap slung its way, *play all the heart breaking moments* let's hope this isn't one of those things."
ESPN couldn't fathom why anyone would want to be in Cleveland. People from outside Cleveland couldn't understand why anyone would want to go to Cleveland. I think at one time, we all thought the same thing.
Then in that last 4 years, we started to get national press. Not headline news, but small REAL articles about the culture of Cleveland. The New York Times, The Huffington Post, and the Wall Street Journal. They've all talked about the cool things happening in Cleveland. None of it was centered around a sports figure or sports arena. It centered around art, food, our great natural resources.
I think what is really helping Cleveland is its realization that it didn't need LeBron James to be awesome. We needed each other. We liked that we had this oasis in the Midwest all to ourselves. Not being in the national spotlight made us look at ourselves in the mirror and say, we are better. We are way better than a guy who decided to leave.
Then in that last 4 years, we started to get national press. Not headline news, but small REAL articles about the culture of Cleveland. The New York Times, The Huffington Post, and the Wall Street Journal. They've all talked about the cool things happening in Cleveland. None of it was centered around a sports figure or sports arena. It centered around art, food, our great natural resources.
I think what is really helping Cleveland is its realization that it didn't need LeBron James to be awesome. We needed each other. We liked that we had this oasis in the Midwest all to ourselves. Not being in the national spotlight made us look at ourselves in the mirror and say, we are better. We are way better than a guy who decided to leave.
Audrey asked me, "Why does it matter so much that LeBron is back in Cleveland."
I tried to answer this question as easily as I could.
To the national media (read: ESPN) we are relevant again. We are a contender again. We are something that can be built up, and if they win it's a big story. If they lose they have just another moment in their slideshow of misery.
We, as a group of people in Cleveland, all forgave LeBron. He told us he forgave us by his actions to come back. He made a BIG commitment to this city. Sounds like bygones are bygones.
But what I told Audrey was this. Cleveland is excited because for years we have been hearing that we are this mistake on a lake, he didn't WANT us; no one wanted us. We are somehow less than other cities for one reason or another. We have been told that no one in their right mind would CHOOSE to come back. The national media said that LeBron left, among one reason or another, to chase the lights of a big city, a big market, or something bigger than what he had at home. How great of a place could it be if a guy born and bred there even left?
Well he came back. The big lights aren't everything. This is the biggest star in the world who is from Akron/Cleveland/Bath/Northeast Ohio yelling loudly and proudly that he is coming home, to where he WANTS to be. He chose. We didn't choose him this time. We didn't draft him and force the issue. He chose. Just like you and I chose. Just like Johnny Manziel chose when he sent a text message to the Cleveland Browns saying, "Come get me."
You know who else chose?
The RNC chose to come.
The Gay Games chose to come.
Progressive Insurance chose to come.
American Greetings chose to come.
Sherwin-Williams chose.
Michael Symon chose.
Sawyer chose.
Reggie Langhorne chose to come back.
Bernie Kosar is still here.
Hanford Dixon is still here.
My older brother left, he came back.
I left, and came back.
My mom left and came back.
My little brother, he left; he might come back....for some games.
As I said in 2010. Cleveland is more than 1 player on 1 team. Over these past 4 years it feels as though we believe it now; but having someone else say, yup, Cleveland is the place to be, makes all of us say;Yes. Yes it is.
I said we deserved better. In the last 4 years, we GOT better. We ARE better.
We are ready to believe our own hype. We are ready to be winners.
Winning is a habit. Being a champion is a mindset.
I tried to answer this question as easily as I could.
To the national media (read: ESPN) we are relevant again. We are a contender again. We are something that can be built up, and if they win it's a big story. If they lose they have just another moment in their slideshow of misery.
We, as a group of people in Cleveland, all forgave LeBron. He told us he forgave us by his actions to come back. He made a BIG commitment to this city. Sounds like bygones are bygones.
But what I told Audrey was this. Cleveland is excited because for years we have been hearing that we are this mistake on a lake, he didn't WANT us; no one wanted us. We are somehow less than other cities for one reason or another. We have been told that no one in their right mind would CHOOSE to come back. The national media said that LeBron left, among one reason or another, to chase the lights of a big city, a big market, or something bigger than what he had at home. How great of a place could it be if a guy born and bred there even left?
Well he came back. The big lights aren't everything. This is the biggest star in the world who is from Akron/Cleveland/Bath/Northeast Ohio yelling loudly and proudly that he is coming home, to where he WANTS to be. He chose. We didn't choose him this time. We didn't draft him and force the issue. He chose. Just like you and I chose. Just like Johnny Manziel chose when he sent a text message to the Cleveland Browns saying, "Come get me."
You know who else chose?
The RNC chose to come.
The Gay Games chose to come.
Progressive Insurance chose to come.
American Greetings chose to come.
Sherwin-Williams chose.
Michael Symon chose.
Sawyer chose.
Reggie Langhorne chose to come back.
Bernie Kosar is still here.
Hanford Dixon is still here.
My older brother left, he came back.
I left, and came back.
My mom left and came back.
My little brother, he left; he might come back....for some games.
As I said in 2010. Cleveland is more than 1 player on 1 team. Over these past 4 years it feels as though we believe it now; but having someone else say, yup, Cleveland is the place to be, makes all of us say;Yes. Yes it is.
I said we deserved better. In the last 4 years, we GOT better. We ARE better.
We are ready to believe our own hype. We are ready to be winners.
Winning is a habit. Being a champion is a mindset.
