FanPost

2010 Free Agency Class Allows Fans a Chance to Dream

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Cleveland really isn't all that bad a place to live. See? Photo via flickr.com .


Free agency isn’t supposed to be like this. Any reasonable sports fan understands that their favorite sports teams will probably never reach the heights of lore & legend achieved by the 1927 New York Yankees or the 1972 Miami Dolphins. This is especially true for Cleveland fans, who have witnessed the 1955 Browns, the 1995 Indians, and the 09-10 Cavaliers, all-time great squads tarnished by sudden roster shake-ups or unimaginable championship collapses. Yet somehow, usually reasonable fans are becoming continually more open to the reality of star studded, video game like basketball squads. The period of free agency dubbed the ‘Season of LeBron’ should more appropriately be named the ‘Season of Dreams’.

So what is it that allows grown men to visualize squads that could rival the 1992 US Olympic ‘Dream Team’? The greatest class of free agents ever assembled, for one. LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh and a host of other accomplished players hitting the free agent market is enough to make fans of any team with adequate cap space or trading assets drool. Not surprisingly, this is exactly what appears to be happening all across the United States. Celebrities and common men alike unite for the cause of bringing a star studded free agent to their home city. People have written songs, thrown parades, signed cars, raised billboards, and even grown beards in support of their favorite athlete. Talk of future Hall of Fame coaches allows for thoughts of superior teams lead by superior coaching talent, allowing for the Coach K-s, Tom Izzo-s, Doc Rivers-s, and Phil Jackson-s of the world to become as famous and sought after as the players themselves.

Yet what would be considered insanely high optimism any other year actually has a slight chance of coming to fruition. With a new CBA looming after free agency ends, one would think it is possible that an NBA star would be willing to take a slight pay cut to join a championship caliber team while he can still get a 7 year guaranteed contract. With some creative wheeling and dealing between rival GMs and a willingness to collectively dominate from the players themselves, the potential exists for a collaboration of LeBron, Wade, and/or Bosh on the same squad.

With the hopes and expectations of so many fans on the line, it is hard to believe that all the major pieces of the free agent class will likely be signed by this time next month. Dreams will have been dashed, franchises will be in ruins, and title hopes for all but a select few will have vanished. The landscape of the basketball world will likely be shaken to its core, delivering varying magnitudes of pleasure and despair to those involved. But right now, for just a little longer, we can dream like kids again. We can remember how we used to feel growing up, imagining how All-Star rosters would fare against the defending world champs. As Cleveland fans, we can actually see a light at the end of our championshipless tunnel.

We’re at the point of no return. Let it all go, Cleveland. Reach for the light!

This is a Fan-Created Comment on FearTheSword.com. The opinion here is not necessarily shared by the editorial staff at FearTheSword