I'm about to lose it. I care too much about Cleveland sports. If the Cavs indeed fall apart and fail to reach the playoffs, I might just take a mental health hiatus from being a full-time fan for a while.
Usually, you have to crawl before you can walk. But Cleveland sports are regressing. We talk all the time about our championship drought, now entering its 42nd year. But what about our playoff drought?
Three teams in this town, and the last playoff game in which a Cleveland team participated was Jan. 5, 2003, when the Browns lost to the Steelers in a wild card game.
Today is March 1, 2006. That's 1,151 days since a Cleveland team last even played in a playoff game. Not won a playoff game. Not won a playoff series. Played in a single playoff game. More than three years. Even by Cleveland standards, that's pretty bad.
By my count, the last time the Browns, Indians and Cavaliers all failed to make the playoffs for three entire years was from 1982-84. It was actually four years, going from the Browns in 1981 to the Cavs in 1985.
If the Cavs bomb, that leaves the Indians, who are always fighting an uphill battle against the big-payroll boys, and nobody seems to think the Tribe got any better this winter with the resources they had. Most seem to think they just took a giant hopscotch jump back to the 75-80 win range.
If that's true, that leaves the 2006 Browns. Playoffs? Not bleemin' likely.
Which brings us back to the 2006-07 Cavs. And it starts all over again.
You see why I might need a break from this whole Cleveland sports thing if the Cavs collapse? I'm only 26. I can't age this fast. I'm not joking.
2 comments:
By my count the next worse streak is San Francisco (Giants, 49ers, Warriors). Giants were in the Aught Three WS.
Let the non-lake effect of NW Ohio comfort you. There will be no collapse. Cavs make the playoffs. So do the Clippers. (Shudders)
What bothers me more than anything is the Cavs' ability to play to the level of their opponents. That's fine when they beat teams like Phoenix and Detroit. But there's no excuse for losing, at home, to the Kings. Listening to the game last night, I just shook my head, because I couldn't figure out why they weren't playing better.
If the Cavs miss the playoffs this year, then there is no hope for the team in its current state. LeBron has to taste it this year.
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