Red Right 88

Cleveland sports fan and sports writer

Name:
Location: Cleveland, Ohio, United States

quit my job decided to drive west

Friday, May 22, 2009

what

i have nothing
there is nothing in my history
to prepare me for tonight

my whole life has been about accepting failure


i cannot for the life of me comprehend what happened
my brain cannot process

a mircale happened
and it makes no sense to me

we lost
then we won

what the fuck was that

i huged mancini
then mcnally
then keith

i got nothing
ureal

Wednesday, May 20, 2009

Oh no!

You try to hide your neuroses. You tell yourself that this time it will be different. That the SI cover means nothing. That the rust doesn't matter. You tell yourself that the past is irrelevant. All those little catch phrases of defeat are just empty words. You tell yourself that LeBron and the Cavs are for real. You allow yourself to trust. You replace hope with faith.

And then that happens.

Sure it is only one game. It takes four to win. But the first half went so well. And then the second half was nightmare. The Cavs quit playing defense. The bench was useless. The offense reverted to 2007. It was LeBron and four men watching.

And yet the game was still there to be won in the final seconds. But they lost. LeBron had 49 points and they lost. LeBron's 49 was part of the problem. He did it all himself. The offense was just him at the top of the key. While everyone else just waited. Not good.

The worst case scenario happened. The Cavs lost home court and now that pressure --the pressure of an entire city and its 45 years of built up stress in now directly on the Cavs shoulders.

Is all lost? No. But man has it gotten a lot harder.

Sunday, May 17, 2009

Boston lays down

What a sad way to die. Boston coach Doc Rivers waived the white flag with 2:30 left in the fourth quarter. Most of his players quit much earlier. A Boston apologist might argue they ran out of gas. Their injuries and old legs went as far they could. I think Boston knew they couldn't beat the Cavs, knew they would be embarrassed and when they need to reach deep in this game seven, they quit. All the banners and all the ghosts weren't enough to muster any more fight. They took their title from last year and went home. They lost a game seven at home to an unworthy and flawed Orlando team. They broke down before taking on the team poised to take their crown. Just like a bully.

I wanted Boston. I make no bones about that. I wanted a chance to slap them around. I get that Garnett and Powe being hurt took some of the challenge away. But this team still had all stars in Paul Pierce and Ray Allen. They had pieces. I feel a little cheated.

Orlando may prove worthy. Maybe I am wrong about their coaching. Maybe I am wrong about their style of play. I know Orlando can blow out the Cavs in any one game. And that could very feel happen in game one. The long layoff hurts the Cavs more against Orlando then Boston. The Magic are young and they aren't tired. The long wait could add rust to the Cavs. That rust would have flew right off against Boston. The rivalry would have seen to that. But even if the Magic win game one but I just don't see them draining a high percentage of threes four times in seven games. And that is what it will take for them to beat the Cavs. It is the Eastern Conference finals but maybe LeBron has a letdown because it is not Boston. Maybe he feels cheated too like I do.

Hate makes playoff series more fun. I hate Boston. I hate their players. I hate their fans. How can you hate Orlando?

Guess I will find a way.