The Cleveland Curse
It's kinda funny, the first couple minutes of this YouTube video. You see all the ghosts from Cleveland sports past, all the famous losses that have become our legend -- The Catch, The Drive, The Shot, etc. You know, our mythology.
But the thing is, it just won't end. And about three minutes in something grabs your heart and just squeezes hard. Maybe it's the picture of Art Modell. Maybe it's Big Dawg leaving an empty Browns stadium -- the end of innocence in Cleveland sports. Maybe it's the picture of Ray Lewis holding up the newspaper that says "Ravens win Super Bowl", since they are the REAL Browns, and you know that Art got over once and for all and there's nothing you can do about it.
By the fourth minute you're shaking and ready to punch the computer screen. That's when our players all leave, like they're deserting a sinking ship. Then we're reminded of last year's Indians abrupt choke. And there's not even an Indians game to go lose yourself in, because even though they just beat John Lackey, who had thrown 30+ scoreless innings before the Tribe got to him, it means about as much as a free haircut does to a bald man. Still 10 games under, still 20 games out, still waiting for the Browns to start training camp with the quarterback situation ranked worst in the league and a team expected to finish last.
God hates Cleveland sports so much that even 18-year-olds in Ashtabula know everything there is to know about heartbreak, despite not being around most of this sadness. That's who made this montage. God hates Cleveland sports so much that He's made sure you can go to YouTube, search "Cleveland", and be reminded of His hatred by people who were in middle school when Art Modell moved the Browns. God hates Cleveland sports so much that in this lost Indians summer, with nothing but unispired baseball to watch, we can't even escape into our glorious past and remember the good times.
But the thing is, it just won't end. And about three minutes in something grabs your heart and just squeezes hard. Maybe it's the picture of Art Modell. Maybe it's Big Dawg leaving an empty Browns stadium -- the end of innocence in Cleveland sports. Maybe it's the picture of Ray Lewis holding up the newspaper that says "Ravens win Super Bowl", since they are the REAL Browns, and you know that Art got over once and for all and there's nothing you can do about it.
By the fourth minute you're shaking and ready to punch the computer screen. That's when our players all leave, like they're deserting a sinking ship. Then we're reminded of last year's Indians abrupt choke. And there's not even an Indians game to go lose yourself in, because even though they just beat John Lackey, who had thrown 30+ scoreless innings before the Tribe got to him, it means about as much as a free haircut does to a bald man. Still 10 games under, still 20 games out, still waiting for the Browns to start training camp with the quarterback situation ranked worst in the league and a team expected to finish last.
God hates Cleveland sports so much that even 18-year-olds in Ashtabula know everything there is to know about heartbreak, despite not being around most of this sadness. That's who made this montage. God hates Cleveland sports so much that He's made sure you can go to YouTube, search "Cleveland", and be reminded of His hatred by people who were in middle school when Art Modell moved the Browns. God hates Cleveland sports so much that in this lost Indians summer, with nothing but unispired baseball to watch, we can't even escape into our glorious past and remember the good times.
9 comments:
I'm the one who made this video. I didn't live through most of this, but my dad and grandfather have. I consider myself a die hard Cleveland Sports fan. Hopefully someday soon we'll break this curse.
nice blog and even more painful video.
just seeing all those "the.." names that have defined our city for the last..I lost count..
anyway, My name is Jon and host http://tribefanatic.blogspot.com
take care.
F this video and the sad sack mentality that produced it.
GO RAVENS!
Where can I find that picture of Big Dawg leaving Municipal Stadium?
Yah, I saw it all. But the real reason, I thought everyone knew, is the curse of Rocky Colovito. He was back in town last week, just in time to see our all-pro center, our offensive line anchor, go down with a knee. So it continues.
I'm impressed with your site, very nice graphics!
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Years later, LeBron crushes the city once more.
Only pain and suffering goes Cleveland's way..
I really liked your article.
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