CLEVELAND: Indians manager Terry Francona wasn’t born and raised in Cleveland, but he knows.
We all know.
We all know what a championship would mean to the area that seemingly isn’t allowed to celebrate a pro sports title. We know what it would mean to so many tortured sports fans in Cleveland, in Akron, in Youngstown, in Green, in Canton.
We know what it would mean to be able to watch the clock tick down as the Cavaliers become world champs and this area’s sports fans get the chance, for the first time in 52 years, to heal the heartbreak. We know what it would mean to the blue-collar, hard-working Ohioans to celebrate like those in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago and Florida have done so many times while looking down on the “fly-over” states.
Right or wrong, to a lot of people in Northeast Ohio, it would mean the world to be world champs.
Athletes from the city’s other sports teams often get swept up in the hype of a title run, and that includes the Indians, who were well represented in the Cavaliers’ Game 6 victory Thursday night.
“I don’t want to sit here and act like I grew up here because I didn’t, but I’ve been here long enough to care and I was really happy for the city,” Francona said of the Cavs forcing a Game 7. “That atmosphere, for it to be a national audience and to let people see how Cleveland people act and from the best of my knowledge — I live downtown — everybody behaved. So that’s good. I was really happy.”
Jason Kipnis sat near the Golden State Warriors bench and, like Francona, has gone to numerous Cavs games this season.
“It was electric,” he said. “The fans were standing almost the entire game. I thought the Cavs built off the energy. It was easy to see.”
Kipnis was also on camera pointing to the bench when Warriors forward Draymond Green exited the game.
“Sure was, I was directing him to where he could sit,” Kipnis said.
Former Indians pitcher Bruce Chen attended the game as well. He donned his LeBron James jersey until a fan on Twitter instructed him to put on the black T-shirt that was passed out to everyone in attendance.
“That’s how passionate people here are. It was great,” Chen said. “The atmosphere was crazy. Cleveland definitely has great fans. It was unbelievable. It’s the Finals. The Cavs had their backs against the wall and they came out to support them.
“Everyone is pulling for the Cavs. If they’re able to win and then the Indians are able to make it to the playoffs and make a run to the World Series, that would mean a lot to this city.”
Breaking the drought
Many Cleveland athletes have said in the past they’d love to be the ones to break the title drought. In the least, they’re all aware of the Cleveland fan conundrum.
“Every team, we would love to be the first ones,” Kipnis said. “I think every team wants to be the first one to bring a championship here. That being said, this city deserves one. I don’t think they’ll mind having two parades.”
The Cleveland sports community is a tight-knit group. Watching sports together brings people together.
On a game-winning shot or a walk-off home run, perhaps the best aspect is watching the crowd, everybody raising both arms, cheering, hugging strangers and sharing a joyous moment together. That is the real value in sports. It’s also brought other Cleveland athletes into the fold as Cavs fans, cheering to support the same fans they play in front of every game.
Sunday night, the Cavaliers can bring that moment to Northeast Ohio fans.
There has been so much heartache in the past 52 years, so much disappointment.
Francona knows. Kipnis knows. Chen knows. The Indians’ clubhouse knows.
We all know what it would mean.
Ryan Lewis can be reached at rlewis@thebeaconjournal.com. Read the Indians blog at www.ohio.com/indians. Follow him on Twitter at www.twitter.com/RyanLewisABJ and on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/RyanLewisABJ.