Woke up this morning, wandered out to the front room, made coffee, had a cigarette, then watered the garden, since in this incessant heat and humidity it's hard for my wife to do so, and I don't have the heart to hurt her by making her stand out there, sweating and struggling with the six buckets of water it takes to do the job. We live in a high-rise and there is no question of running a hose out there, so it is lug, and then lug, and lug some more.
I finish the job, grab that first freshly-brewed cup, and then sit down and open up FTS and also SBN-Cleveland, to see what sort of surprises you will assault our nerves with today. And what did my wondering eyes see?
Another rumor, another "report", another source, whatever you want to call it or claim it to be, this one saying that you are inclined to announce that you are joining the Miami Heat.
Okay, so, if this is the case, are you telling me that the satisfaction of winning a championship - assuming that you do, for after all, one never knows when a star might get an elbow to the head, as Chris Bosh did at the end of the season against the Cavaliers, and miss significant time, or get a sore elbow that would cause a star to have to shoot free-throws left-handed, or cause that star to tank it in the most important game of the year - are you telling me that winning a championship would feel as sweet knowing that you had to join a ready-made all-star team to do so? Would accepting a Finals trophy really feel that sweet when you had to share the laurels with a player more popular than you will ever be in your new city? Because Miami has won championships, not only in basketball but in baseball and football, and your riding to the rescue like a King disguised as a knight surely would cause some joy in south Florida, but it would nowhere approach the joy you have already caused in Cleveland, and compared to how Cleveland would react to a championship, Miami would be a hollow imitation, since they are "spoiled" by their local teams' successes in the near-past.
Now I am not sitting here saying that you should stay in Cleveland for life. Sports are not wired the way they used to be, and mercenaries abound up and down the spectrum of team sports. Wouldn't it be kinda cool if you did stay in Cleveland though, and were forever remembered, even if you never grabbed a ring, as a loyal man who had the best interests of your hometown and its region firmly in mind throughout your career, and then who stood his ground against disloyalty and set a true example of what being loyal is all about?
Back to my wife. We have had our share of quarrels in the past, and I am sure that we will quarrel again. Point being, that the disappointment you may have felt with Cleveland fans over their reaction to your play against Boston should be tempered by this - hurt feelings that lead to misunderstandings and the occasional quarrel do not happen between people who do not care about each other. So if Cleveland fans were a bit harsh and maybe blasted you a little bit too much after the Celtics' series, it is because they care, not only for their teams, but the players on those teams of whom they expect much, and of whom they expect some comfort when times are hard, and not being told that they are "spoiled". There have been nine Presidents since the last time Cleveland won anything. Hurt feelings when we lose and it looks like the effort was not there? Sure. Spoiled? Nope. And a few words more about the pain you obviously played through against Boston would have made everyone understand. There is no shame in admitting the occasional weakness, it just makes you human.
Anyhow, I carry that water on hot, sultry mornings because I would never hurt my wife or ask her to accept something more than she is capable of enduring.
Now how about you not hurt us? How about you don't add a crushing weight to a city and to a region which has always been there to carry your water for you, even if we have quarreled now and then?