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Let’s talk hobbies. What we enjoy outside of “real life” that keeps you energized for what really counts.
I love blogging. I love finding bargains. I love collecting miles and elite status on the dirt cheap. I love traveling. I love good kosher restaurants. I love sports.
And as a 5th generation Clevelander on both sides, pro sports is a tough thing to love. No city in America has undergone more sports torture than Cleveland. We’re said to have a sports curse. There’s The Shot, The Drive, The Fumble, The Decision, The Move, Game 7, The Catch, we have names for all the ways that our 3 allegedly pro sports teams have let us down spectacularly. My wife even got me this coloring book on Father’s Day a few years ago.
Continued after the jump:
As a kid I didn’t know better than to let myself get emotionally invested in Cleveland sports. My maternal grandfather took me to lots of games and I was hooked. I should have realized something was amiss in that none of his kids were old enough to remember a Cleveland championship and had to rely on his stories. I was 12 when the Indians led the Marlins going into the bottom of the 9th of the 7th game of the ’97 world series. I screamed at the TV when Hargrove put in Mesa and I cried when they blew it.
After that point I still loved going to games, but never let myself get too far into it. Not that I stopped having sports experiences, just see the related links at the top of this post.
But last night’s Cavs game might have brought me right back into that danger zone. I’ve never seen so much energy at a game before. The Q was on fire like never before.
My parents hate going to sports games, but I went with Mimi and my mother’s 2 brothers and sister to the game. Our voices are gone, and our feet hurt from standing for the entire game, but we’re all still grinning from ear to ear. We’ll be talking about this one forever.
The fans willed the players to win and they fed off of it. When Curry was ejected and the whole arena broke out into a raucous “Na-na-na-na, Na-na-na-na, Hey hey, Goodbye” there was clearly magic that was palpable.
This video doesn’t do it justice:
Walking out of the arena afterward and out into the streets, the city was erupting in cheers and high-fives. Everyone was the best of friends on this night. It’s hard to describe just how exuberant the scene was. Videos do it no justice.
The Lets Go Cavs chants after the game spilled out into the streets:
High fives went all around, people of all colors hugging random strangers and loving the moment. There were even high-five gauntlets on some downtown streets. Cars were honking, drivers high-fiving the traffic policemen as they drove by.
It felt like a championship had been won. And for one night for Cleveland sports fans, it felt like it wouldn’t matter.
But it does. The “curse” talk won’t end until the trophy is taken home and the victory parade goes down Cleveland streets for the first time in 52 years. Yes I know, I’m setting myself up for another fall.
But thanks to some United saver awards I plan on flying to be at game 7 to see it firsthand. Knowing Cleveland sports, it might very well be once in a lifetime after all. Now I just need to figure out how to use miles for some tickets to the game 😀
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81 Comments On "Can The Cavs End Cleveland’s Curse?"
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sponsored ad? american express is a partner here too?
Does the 5 point deal on the NBA Compass card now extend through Sunday?
How do you use miles to get tickets to a game 7??
I hope not.
Go Worriers.
Wait until Cavs lose game 7. Then all the Cleveland fans will go back to hating on Lebron. No other city hates their superstar as much as Cleveland
More posts like #this… Enjoy game 7! Knicks fan rooting for the cavs.
@chaim greenberg:
lol, no.
@Shmual:
No.
@Eitan:
It’s a joke. I wish.
@McCoy:
Worriers? Well they should be worrying!
@Mikel T.:
It’s a complicated relationship.
He’s born in NEO, promised a parade, sold CLE out on live TV.
He knows that full redemption will require a parade.
@Redbull3:
Here’s hoping!
Only thing missing is a hurry!!!!
Go the King 🙂
Can Cavs Cease Clevelands Curse
Currys wife said the obvious, the nba called those fouls for money! Google it
@NBA Cheats:
Good thing Kevin Love isn’t married or else she also would have made a fool of herself after the 3 quick fouls on him that sidelined him for the 1st half.
Refs gave a short leash last night, them’s the breaks.
GSW fans should be thankful Green wasn’t suspended last series, or else we’d be celebrating a parade after taking care of OKC right now.
sports & food ….2 conversations that will never die !!
Go GSW! Stop Lebron!
@Go curry:
I don’t even have to geocheck IP to know that you’re from SoFlo and are still sore that he only won you 2 rings before he went back to his hometown.
I hate these conversations only because it gets my hopes up more and dont want to jinx anything but I must admit being at the game last night was amazing and electrifying last night at the Q and I dont recall seeing the city so jubilant.
@Go curry:
Yup go Curry go….Seems like the more Curry tried last night the more frustrated and sloppy he played so lets see how this plays out:)
Two terrible calls on last two curry fouls… Replays on tv over and over showed clean touches and strips … The one on Kyrie was totally clean and made Kyrie look silly… But you gotta play up to the hometown crowd… Bad officiating
@Aaron:
The scene last night was just breathtaking.
@Aaron:
Exactly.
@J:
And there were bad calls against Love and other Cavs players earlier in the game. That’s how human refereeing works.
Funny how GSW says that CLE is whiny.
Jose Mesa warming up…
dan i havent seen a non-deal post like this from you in months– this must be areal passion lol
Labron is the best ever since Jordan, and maybe better than Jordan. I saw both. I would give Labron a drop of an edge overall. I would take Jordan if I needed to hit a shot.
That being said I HATE him. VERY big bal gayva! Rooting hard for GSW.
Love is terrible. Knicks are my team and are and will always be terrible. maybe they’ll go get Love 🙁
NBA called terrible calls in game 5&6 and gave us game 7 Sun night. Thanks. I don’t mind. I’m very excited!!!
Thanks DAN for Everything, I’ve made & saved a lot of money because of you!!! I owe you big time.
Someone told me that a big Cleveland Rav cursed Cleveland sports teams that they would never win??? Is this true??? I hope not for Dan
I feel bad for you C-Town people. I really do. This is gonna hurt so much more than had GSW won in 5. How many teams have lost after leading 3 – 1. How many teams have won game 7 on the road in the finals. Combine both + the usually bad officiating to a visiting team = curse continues. 🙁
I’m a raptors fan and watched that series … Lebron flipped around like a fish for 6 games 🙂
@Eddie:
Every sports star these days has a big ego. They say Muhammad Ali started that trend and we’ll probably never see truly humble stars anymore.
Terrible calls go both ways, but only the losing team remembers them.
@Ben P:
It was worth it for the state of bliss #TheLand was in last night.
@J:
Wah, wah, wah. Better luck next time 😀
If you need someone to keep you company on your trip gimme a shout 🙂
@Eddie: Because Curry is sooooo humble walking back up the court even before his shot goes in.
Better title would be “Can Lebron James” break the Caveliers curse? ”
I am rooting for Golden State but at this point it’s hard to predict a winner….
shocked how there hasnt been a comment saying that this is Goyish 🙂
@Nba fan:
Then why didn’t he win last year. He needs Kyrie like Jordan needed Pippen.
@yehuda:
I figured most comments would be, they’re probably coming soon.
Anyone want to buy tickets to game 7
You had a good view of the humongotron from your seat. Did you get a nosebleed, or did you not look down at the court :)? Were you higher or lower than AJK when he did the ice bucket challenge?
@Bob:
Um, me.
@EJB:
It’s louder upstairs, more fun that way 😉
But at least I showed up. And you call yourself a fan…
@Dan
Tim Duncan is one of the last humble athletes out there.
Over the last 2 years Curry never played well in the Finals,he can’t defend Kyrie Irving so fouls and cries. with 5 fouls, there’s no excuse to try to steal the ball in the backcourt like that, whether it was a good call or not. Cry Cry Cry…
GO CAVS!!!
@J:
Yup, that’s the reason they lost. Not because they went down 31-11 in the first quarter.
Going to game 7? Going to cost big $$$. Unless you’re hoping a follower offers you some free tix lol
@Dan, thanks for posting that “Manny being Manny” post – as a Red Sox fan, I remember being down 3-1 in that Indians series…and then winning the next 3 and sweeping the Rockies in the WS 🙂
Dan, I am rooting for you! I hope you are not disappointed on Sunday night, but more so, I’m glad you can have the experience. Awesome game last night!!
And for someone as good as Lebron – why should he be humble? He is THAT good – and THAT talented – if humility isn’t one of his strong points – who cares ?
Good luck, Enjoy and Enjoy!
@Yiriel:
Sigh. I was at those games.
I didn’t have the heart to link to this one:
http://www.dansdeals.com/archives/2686
@Been There:
Thanks!
I just miss the stars of yesteryear. Guys like Bob Feller. Down to earth people.
If Moses could be humble, surely sports players can be as well. Everyone is given a talent, it’s not something we deserve, so why let it get to your head?
But being humble is just not part of the culture anymore.
Nobody plays defense anymore. All the players are a bunch of whiners. The NBA is pretty boring compared to what it used to be in the 90s. I’m glad this series added a bit of excitement to make it watchable. I would actually have a soft spot for CLE if not for Lebron who is a joke despite his numbers. But I guess he’s good for the economy since all the Cavs fans who prayed for his demise and burnt his jersey ran out and bought a new one the second he announced his return. I do like Kyrie though. Despite all that I hope Lebron loses. Oh yeah, and this is goyish bittul Torah. 😉
First off, the NBA is the most fixed sport out there. The NBA suspended green so the series could continue, no way they letting it end at 5 games; no chance! It was the easiest wager ever. Last night, most of calls against GS were ridiculous. Almost all plays in the nba have some contact and technically can be called a foul, but obviously you have to let them play and pick and choose what deserves to be called. Well, the NBA was at it again, already decided before game time that Clev. was winning this. First off, GS offense is all about setting a pick or a screen, passing to the open guy and swish a 3 pointer. Every offensive play, and I truly mean every play, Cleveland was holding the jerseys of the Warriors and it slowed them down from getting open..The refs have not called this even once… Currys last 2 fouls were BS! I mean, cmon…even most clevelanders who arent drinking the kool-aid could see that. Cleveland had more energy last night, but it should go both ways in terms of foul calling. Every little nick nack foul is against GS. Nothing was called on Clev. It will be interesting to see if the home court advantage will eliminate those bs calls and let the players decide who wins the game..if the refs and the commissioner don’t decide the game,i think the better team, GS wins..
@coralsnake:
So you miss Jordan I take it?
@Josh:
Actually the NBA had GSW picked to win before the game: https://twitter.com/clevepride140/status/743264506051198977
😉
What do you say about the 3 quick fouls on Love?
@Dan…way to Jynx it man! WHY???
@Dan: It’s also not part of the Sheva Mitzvos Bnei Noach to be humble just moral.. Fact is sports players aren’t chosen by character traits… but talent. So at least he does that well. And if you think about it, needing to display your talent in public, is the antithesis of humility. It ain’t gonna happen. I’ll take a win against the Warriors however I get it, and look aside how it’s gotten.
(And likely it is precisely because of his humility, that Moses didn’t play sports.. with his height, can you imagine 🙂 ?)
GO Cavs GO!
Why don’t you stay home and just go to the watch party at the Q? Will be a better atmosphere for a Cavs fan without having to shell out the money.
Dan I hope you are not setting yourself up for disappointment.
Enjoy
“What do you say about the 3 quick fouls on Love?”
Pains me but I would say “Thank you Lil Kev for giving us a chance to win last night by taking yourself out of the game:)”
@Josh: @Dan I didn’t know Curry’s wife is a dansdeals follower 🙂
@Dan:
Exactly, Love hurts Cleveland on the court.He cant defend, he has no confidence in his shot. They are better without him. But those were fouls
@Superstitions are real:
Nah, your comment just did it!
@Anonymous:
Oh, I’ll take it any way it comes, trust me.
@Geshmak25:
Could be another 52 years before we win again. Gotta do the real deal.
I’ll be home to celebrate with the fans if we win at the parade.
@DanR:
Oh I probably am.
C’est la vie. Especially in CLE.
@Aaron:
Lol
@abraham:
@Anonymous:
😀 😀 😀
Oakland fans just can’t handle that they lost because they couldn’t hit the hoop for long stretches of time. Blame game is fun.
Hey Dan ABC/ESPN rooting hard for Cleveland cuz if they lose they gotta go back and edit that new 30 for 30 believeland thing they did, so u know they pulling for u guys ðŸ˜
@dan go check ip lmao. Does anyone on here not spoof their ip before commenting. I’m sure most ppl use a proxy! It’s 2016!
@Mezonos3:
Lol
@Go check ip:
Um 99.9% of people don’t, that’s who.
And it was indeed from SoFlo.
NBA IS RIGGED! Warriors down 8 and curry gets all ball and the steal and the layup would’ve made it 6 and warriors would’ve won that game no doubt about it! Instead refs call a foul for #5, and then Lebron flops like the baby he is and curry gets called for #6! All they wanted was a game 7, but it doesn’t matter now, because the warriors will win by 23 points in the final and curry will score 47 points! (And by the way I am from Houston, TX, not CA.. And I love CLE)
@abraham:
LOL
As a Mets fan I can’t quite match you for no championships in my lifetime (the ’86 team was my first baseball love and what kept me coming back through years of sub-.500 seasons), but it is also pretty when you have to watch the team across town win over and over again, so I can definitely feel some of your pain. As for your plan to use miles to get to game 7, I can definitely relate. Last October I woke up the morning after Game 3 of the NLCS and decided, spur of the moment, to buy a ticket to the game in Chicago and use miles to fly there. After a quick bite to eat at Milt’s, I went off to the game and saw my Mets win the National League title in a year when everyone thought they might finish 3rd or 4th in their own division.
It was the second best last-minute use of miles I’ve ever had (being able to fly to Israel to be with my family for my cousin’s funeral was my most important use, even though I couldn’t call that my “favorite”). I have to say that this “hobby” of ours may seem silly to many people, but I’m so happy that it allows us to do things that bring joy to ourselves (and sometimes to do things that help bring comfort to others).
@Dan:
I’ve probably gone to more games than you this year, including in the playoffs. And we’re tied for the finals. It’s crazy that I’m even considering going for the finals given the earliest I can land in SFO is 14 minutes before the game.
Dan, be careful where u go if you plan to go anywhere near where game 7 is happening, but the best part of town…
Go Warriors! And we need more instant replays on the questionable calls, test refs’ annually to ensure they have his vision, fast reflexes and are of sound mind. They are making done really bad calls all throughout the playoffs (at least the ones I watched) and it’s leaked into the Finals.
I once heard something about guys in Telz who missed second seder many many years ago to see a game. When the Rosh Yeshiva found out he cursed the team that they would never win again. I don’t remember which team so he could have been talking about the Superbowl, world series, the finals etc…Or was it Chicago Cubs? I think the legend is about Cleveland. Anyone heard of something like this?
@Rabbi’s curse: פתי ×™×מין לכל דבר
Let’s just hope that the euphoria you guys are in won’t stick the players in game 7 or otherwise it will be embarrassing. CLE did a great job the past 2 games, but no one will remember a thing if they won’t do the job Sunday. When Lebron got pissed he crashed the warriors, when Curry is, he can do the same Sunday…
I personally think it will be a close game, Golden States will win from a crazy 3 by Thompson or Curry. The other scenario I see, is Cavs utilizing Thompson the way they did last night in Bogut’s absence, keep Love on the bench for as much as possible, and give themselves a chance.
@wishful thinking: It is not embarrassing. It is called living in and enjoying the moment.
@Been There:
I was not referring to the celebration. I was referring to the consequence of living in euphoria of winning game 6 forgetting there’s game 7. “embarrassing = losing badly in game 7 because of it”
Hey Dan,
Give credit where it is due – the UFC Heavyweight champ brought Cleveland a trophy (belt) just a few weeks ago. It meets all the criteria you are looking for (5th largest pro sport in the US) – go Cavs, but realize they didn’t break the curse. Give your neighbor Stipe Miocic some props and get to know him!
warriors have it in the bag
@jak: don’t be too sure…momentum is huge at this point, and Cavs def have that going for them.
lebron must ask mechila
the story goes that that there was a levaya in cle many years ago and the rav asked where is everybody? when informed that a cle team was in the post season and everybody is busy watching the game, the rav responded by saying this city will never win a championship.(i work in a retail estableshment and i heard this story from a very erlich elderly litvish customer who was present at the time.)
This is going around:
Yom Torah Uteffilah Bizchus Hacavs will iyh take place at Heights Jewish Center
8:30 – Shachris with shofar blowing and recitation of ledovid Hashem Ori
10:00 – Divrei Hisorerus from special guest speaker Omar Vizquel
10:35 – busses leave to kever of Reb E M Bloch
12:00 – buses return to Cleveland ( stopping at Aurora Outlets)
1:00- lavish buffet at Kosher Resteraunt ( if still opened)
2:00 – Jay Shotennstein rededicates Talmud as the Lebron Edition of the Talmud
3:00 – 6:00: Yom Kippur Kotton led by a tape of Reb M.Z. Z’tl (please remember to wear teffilin)
6:00- 7:00 Gala BBQ sponsored by Klien family
7:00- 8:00 : hachonos including singing Reb Shloimz Mussar Niggun
8:00-10:30 Game
From 10:30 and on Elchonon as well as Project Chai will have trained mental health professionals standing by to answer calls and talk people off the ledge.
Answer: YES
!×©×”×—×™×™× ×• ×•×§×™×™×ž× ×• ×•×”×’×™×¢× ×• לזמן ×”×–×”!
Mazal tov! Hope you post an awesome TR on DDMS
hey dan please blog about your amazing experience asap
thank you and enjoy this one because its once in a yovel shonim!
Mazel Tov Dan
The CAVS win!!!!
Congrats!!!
Good for you dan, clivland deserve a win.
Congratulations Cavs! Thinking of you, Dan!
Mazal tov.
Now if only the browns would find a quarterback :).
Congrats Dan! Glad the 2007 Indians and the 2016 Warriors now have something in common 🙂
mazal tov
We would love an updated post please
how was it ?