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I have been trying and trying to figure out how to deal with the whole Cleveland Cavaliers NBA series disappointment.  It has taken me a while to figure it out.  Through much thought, I have come up with the answer to why the city of Cleveland can not win a championship.  There is a curse in Cleveland. Other sports cities have or have had curses. Why not Cleveland?  It is the only way to explain it.

 Most of us have heard of the curse that was in Boston.  The Boston Red Soxs sold the Big Bambino to the rival New York Yankees in December of 1919.  This curse of eighty-six years was finally broken in 2004 against the St. Louis Cardinals.  If you are a Chicago Cubs fan, you probably don’t care for goats, especially the smell of them.  A man named William owned a saloon and had a goat.  During the World Series against the Detroit Tigers in 1945 some fans that were sitting close to William complained about the awful smell of goat.  William was asked to leave Wrigley Field that day.  Fans in Chicago feel that he put a curse on Chicago because they have not won a World Series since then, yet alone been to one.  So it is only fair that Cleveland has a curse also.  However, it does not affect just one of Cleveland’s teams, it affects all of them.

First of all, let’s look at the Browns.  The only thing the Browns know about a Super Bowl is that it is not a large chili at their favorite restaurant.  They have never won a Super Bowl because you have to get there in order to win one.  They have come close before.  All Brown’s fans can remember “The Drive”.  In 1986 Cleveland had control for most of the game.  Then Denver came fighting back at the end to keep the Browns out of the big game.  With a little over five minutes left in the game a quarterback by the name of John Elway drove his team ninety-eight yards to tie the game with a little over thirty seconds remaining.  The Broncos won the game in overtime. In the following year the Browns had yet another chance. This time it was the Browns who had to catch up.  They were down near the goal line and you guessed it, “The Fumble” occurred.  Earnest Byner, the star running back that helped them get back into the game, fumbled it on the Denver three yard line to cost another trip to the Super Bowl.  Earnest really “dropped the ball”.  That has been the closest the Browns have come to the Super Bowl. “The Cleveland Curse” lives.

The Cleveland Indians may be the team that caused the curse for the city in the first place.  In 1960 the Indians traded their great hitter, Rocky Colavito, to the “team up north”.  The day he was traded to the Tigers might have been the start of a few shots at the World Series. In 1995, the Tribe went 100-44 to earn their first division title in history.  They went to the World Series and faced the Atlanta Braves where they lost in six games. In 1997 the Tribe would get yet another shot. In game seven against the National League Champions, they were just two measly outs away in extra innings. However, in the eleventh inning, Edgar Renteria of the Florida Marlins drove in the game winning run leaving Cleveland “one run short of a championship”.

The Cleveland Cavs have been the closest to a championship lately.  Michael Jordan kept them from it in the 90’s and last year the San Antonio Spurs swept them 4-0.  This year, well we all know what happened. Orlando put it to them. They shot a ridiculous percentage from the three point line.  The Cavs could not score enough points or stop the “Magic” of the up and coming star, Dwight Howard. “The Cleveland Curse” strikes once again.

So, as you can see, there is no reason to be to upset, or irate. It is not the Browns’ fault and you can’t blame it on the Indians.  The Cavs can still hold their heads up high. It is the fault of the “The Cleveland Curse” that is hovering over Cleveland like a bad thunderstorm that just won’t move out of town. If you could help me spread the word, it would be greatly appreciated. When some one says something to you about the Browns not going to the Super Bowl or the Tribe losing the World Series or even about the Cavs coming up short, just say “they can’t help it, it’s The Cleveland Curse”.  I don’t care which one of the teams in the wonderful city of Cleveland breaks the curse. It just needs to happen, and needs to happen soon. If all good things have to come to an end, doesn’t that also mean that all bad things must come to an end also? It’s not your fault Cleveland; it’s not your fault!

Tags: cleveland browns, cleveland cavaliers, cleveland indians