Believing it before we see it

In the first game of the 1988 World Series, Kirk Gibson limped to the plate in the bottom of the ninth for the Los Angeles Dodgers and hit a game-winning home run off Dennis Eckersley. Announcer Jack Buck famously proclaimed, "I don't believe what I just saw." Too often we haven't been able to believe what we just saw happen to our teams. As in every single year for the past 41.

But by 7 a.m. this morning, the news vans were already lined up along East 4th and Huron, right in front of The Q. More were sure to follow. Front and center, The Plain Dealer asked, "Are you ready to believe?"

And for some reason, we are.

For some reason, despite believing just before Brian Sipe threw the ball into Mike Davis' hands, we are ready to believe.

For some reason, despite believing when John Elway stood under center on his own 2-yard line with less than two minutes to play, we are ready to believe.

For some reason, despite believing when Earnest Byner ran to the 4 and then the 3 and then the 2, we are ready to believe again.

For some reason, despite believing when the Bulls inbounded the ball to Michael Jordan with less than 3 seconds left down by a point, we are ready to believe again.

For some reason, despite believing when Jose Mesa took the mound in the bottom of the ninth of Game 7, we are ready to believe again.

For some reason, despite believing just before Grady Sizemore lost a fly ball in the sun in Kansas City, we are ready to believe again.

For some reason.

But tonight we might finally be able to be happy about what we are about to see. Tonight, even though this is Cleveland, it may very well be the other team moaning, "I don't believe what I just saw."