2007: “Believeland” and the Parallels between Sports and Life

The year 2007 has been a great year for Cleveland sports. Regardless of whether or not the Browns make the playoffs today, all three teams of the ‘Big Three’—Cavaliers, Indians, and Browns—have put together winning seasons. One thing that has always fascinated me about sports is seeing parallels between sports and life, and as fans of these Cleveland teams we can definitely carry their winning attitudes into our own lives (whether on or off the field/court) as we turn the calendar to 2008.

In Cleveland sports, we have seen our shares of mishaps and disappointments, including times when players or team officials themselves surrendered too early and never gave winning a chance. As fans, most of us at one point or another have written off certain players, coaches, teams, etc. because we did not believe that they could win, whether the reason was internal to the team or external.

Regardless, we have come to expect little out of our teams yet still endlessly criticize them when they make mistakes. Yes, it is good to criticize players and teams when we expect better or know that they are better than they are showing, but it is unfair when we criticize only out of doubt and lack of faith. Over the years, Cleveland teams’ and fans’ own doubts and lack of faith have stood in the way of potential success.

The recently-winning Cavaliers, Indians, and Browns have come from different circumstances. In my eyes, the Cavaliers were a year ahead of schedule. When opportunity came their way, they seized it. While this season might not look so good right now, the Cavaliers’ success during the Mike Brown era mirrors that of a commercial they aired back when Brown took over as Head Coach. In the commercial, the team walked into an elevator. Once the whole team was in the elevator, LeBron James asked Coach Brown, “Where to, Coach?” Coach Brown responded, “Up.” The elevator had only 3 buttons. On the first floor were the Playoffs (2005-’06). On the second floor were the Finals (2006-’07). On the third floor was the Championship trophy (2007-’08?). Brown pressed the button to go to the top floor. Such a commercial may have come across as overconfidence or wishful thinking, but as the Cavaliers have shown over the past couple years, being open to success has led them to success.

On the other hand, both the Indians and Browns supposedly were behind schedule. General Manager Mark Shapiro had a good idea what the team’s rebuilding plan had entailed, so he boldly said about 5 years ago that the team would compete for the league title in 2005 or 2006. Sure enough, when 2005 came around, the team was within days of making the playoffs. They had prepared well for the chance to win but found that inexperience caught them off-guard at the end of a successful season. The team learned more in 2006 and converted the disappointments of ’05 and ’06 into a trip to the postseason. While the Indians also did not win the league crown, they managed to push their way deep into the playoffs. Their belief that they could get far helped them get there.

Similarly, the Browns found themselves in the playoff hunt 5 years ago. They made it, but with the passing of Owner Al Lerner, the team’s financial situation was in limbo. The Quarterback situation, albeit a controversy, did not look so bad—they had a rising star in Tim Couch as the starter and a guy that both knew and was well-suited for the offense in Kelly Holcomb as the backup. The team also had some depth at Center, where the starter was veteran Dave Wohlabaugh, his backup was future Pro Bowl alternate Shaun O’Hara, and the third-stringer was future Bills starter Melvin Fowler. However, the decision was made to reshape the roster due to the financial issues, and by 2005, a new regime was in power.

The Browns were more like the Cavaliers than the Indians in changing team officials during the rebuilding process. Thus, what could have been success by 2005 turned into a situation of ‘wait and see.’ The team put together a solid 6-10 record in the first season with Phil Savage and Romeo Crennel in charge, and when the Browns announced the signings of established players such as local talents LeCharles Bentley, Joe Jurevicius, and Dave Zastudil, the thought began to seep into some of our minds that the Browns were destined for the playoffs in 2006. However, like the Indians, the Browns saw the season escape them early last season, only to rebound in exciting fashion in 2007. This was in part because of lofty expectations of various team members, including Braylon Edwards and Kellen Winslow. Edwards loudly predicted a 10-6 season while Winslow quietly said 11-5. Today, Cleveland sports fanatics throughout the country and beyond anxiously await the outcome of a Titans-Colts game that will determine if the Browns can make this calendar year a full year of playoffs for Cleveland sports. Regardless, much like the Cavaliers and Indians, the Browns believed that they could get this far, and in turn, they have.

In relating these recent Cleveland sports happenings to life, we can definitely learn from our sports teams. Sometimes in life, things come our way earlier than expected; at other times, things come later. Sometimes it takes an old friend like Outfielder Kenny Lofton to help us get to where we want to go. Other times, our confidence, much like the confidence of team leaders, must be exhibited not just in ourselves but also in the people around us, as the switch at Quarterback from Charlie Frye to Derek Anderson has shown. That is, we cannot reach all of our successes by ourselves nor can we expect to bring everything that our friends, family, co-workers, or other peers want through our personal efforts alone. And, there are also times when the answers are right in front of us or around us, as hopefully Mike Brown can get through to the Cavaliers again like he did last season. As the new year makes its way into our lives, we should all take a cue from the 2007 successes of the Cavaliers, Indians, and Browns and remember the following as we look and strive ahead: Believe, be prepared, and give ourselves the chance to succeed—and be happy.