Futility: The Curse of the Cleveland Sports Fan
The good people of Cleveland must endure a lot these days—struggling economy, collapsing infrastructure, the weather. And much like the weather, always hanging over the city like a never-ending blanket of gray clouds are our beloved sports teams. After the Cavaliers brutal playoff exits were followed by LeBron James’ national-TV departure (and eventual championship), a Cleveland fan must sit back and wonder "are we cursed?" The best chance at a title in a long while decided to “take his talents to South Beach,” instead of bring a title to his so-called hometown.
A Clevelander would call this normal.
Cleveland fans are well into their 49th year without a major sport championship.
Not just baseball, Cub fans, but any of the four major sports.Cubs fans are called
"long-suffering." Red Sox fanswere often referred to as "suffering." But in those
cities there were championships-a-plenty in other sports.
But not in Cleveland.
In fact, if you consider that Cleveland fields teams in three of the four major team sports, since the Browns won the NFL championship in 1964 Cleveland teams have played 133 seasons without a championship. Of citiesfielding professionalteams in at least three of the four leagues, only Atlanta can come close toCleveland's mark of futility. In 145 seasons Atlanta teams combine for only one championship. However, this one win was the Braves' 1995 win over who? The ClevelandIndians.
TheRed Sox may have gone nearly a century without winning a ring, but in the time since a Cleveland team last hoisted a championship banner Boston teams have won 18 championships! At an average rate of one per 9.7 years! Clevelanders would love to suffer so! Since 1964, no metropolitan area fielding a professional sports team is crowned as often as teams from Boston.
Chicago?Home to the lovable loser Cubs? Ten championships have found their way to the Windy City since 1964.
To add insult, Cleveland's geographical and emotional rival, Pittsburgh, hoisted a Stanley Cup and Super Bowl in 2009. The steel city has hauled in 11 titles since Cleveland last won one.
To add further insult to injury, Cleveland has had a pair of football teams leave, only to later win championships—the St. Louis Rams (via L.A.) and the Baltimore Ravens.
65 professional sports franchises have come into existence since the last Cleveland championship. 24 of those teams have won 49 championships in their respective sports.
InCleveland, it's notenough that we lose. We like to go out in memorable fashion! Throughout this championship drought, we've fielded some great teams. Almost great. We've gotten so used to being almost great that we refer to the 1995 to 2002 era of Indians Baseball "the era of Champions" despite the fact that we never actually won. No inCleveland, it's not losing, but how painfully close we come before bowing out.TheDrive. The Fumble. The Shot. Red Right 88. They all seemed to be headed to a championship. And blew it.