And so it goes....

They say it is better to have loved and lost than to have never loved at all. That person must never have been a Cleveland sports fan.

It is the morning after the Indians' collossal collapse and even though I felt the mojo wane all weekend long, I still thought they would find a way to eek out ONE WIN. I was wrong.

What an amazing defeat this was; to be up 3 games to 1 and lose is unimaginable. It hurts. A lot.

And yet, I look to the calendar to find that pitchers and catchers report to Winter Haven in approximately 15 weeks. And I cannot wait.

So I guess I only have myself to blame, that I keep returning to get my heart broken all over again. I think that is the definition of a fanatic (read:fan) and I am glad to be one.

I am very disappointed in the Indians and some of the decisions that they made during the ALCS. But love also means never having to say you're sorry.

And so it goes.....

MATH IS HARD!!!!!!!!!!

Okay, so wanna know the breakdown of the American League when it comes to wins, losses and the playoff picture?

Be careful what you wish for..........

Here it comes, and make sure you have towels to mop up your head after it explodes. I warned ya.

2 way ties (head to head records in parenthesis)
If Cleveland and LA tie, Cleveland wins (5-5) (second tie-breaker, division winning percentage .666-.596)
If Cleveland and Boston tie, Boston wins (2-5);
If Cleveland and NYY tie; New York wins (0-6);

If Boston and LA tie, Boston wins (6-4);
If Boston and NYY tie, New York wins (8-10);

If NYY and LA tie, LA wins (3-6)


Various 3 way ties
Cleveland, LA, Boston tie, with New York winning the wild card = BOSTON #1, CLEVELAND #2, LOS ANGELES #3, ( NEW YORK #4)
(Since Boston won in head-to-head over both teams, they are the #1 seed – that leaves a two-way tie between Cleveland and LA – which Cleveland wins.)

Cleveland, LA, New York tie, with Boston winning the wild card = NEW YORK #1, CLEVELAND #2, LOS ANGELES #3, ( BOSTON #4)
(Since none of the 3 won head-to-head over both teams, you go to the second tie breaker – which is the highest winning percentage in head-to-head competition. Cleveland against NY and LA combined was .312; New York against Cleveland and LA was .600; LA against Cleveland and NY was .578. So New York takes the top seed. That leaves a two-way tie between Cleveland and LA – which Cleveland wins.)

Cleveland finishes with best record but LA, Boston and New York tie with second best = CLEVELAND #1, LOS ANGELES #2, NEW YORK #3, (BOSTON #4)
(#1 Cleveland, then you must determine the wild card, which would be Boston – based on head-to-head between NY and Boston . That leaves you with a 2-way tie between LA and New York , which LA wins)

LA finishes with the best record but Cleveland, Boston and New York tie with second best = LOS ANGELES #1, NEW YORK #2, CLEVELAND #3, (BOSTON #4)
(#1 LA, then you must determine the wild card, which would be Boston – based on head-to-head between NY and Boston . That leaves you with a 2-way tie between Cleveland and New York , which New York wins)

Boston finishes with best record but Cleveland, LA, and New York tie with second best = BOSTON #1, CLEVELAND #2, LOS ANGELES #3, (NEW YORK #4)
(#1 Boston with New York taking the wild card… that leaves you with a 2-way tie between Cleveland and LA, which Cleveland wins)

New York finishes with best record but Cleveland, LA, and Boston tie with second best = NEW YORK #1, CLEVELAND #2, LOS ANGELES #3, (BOSTON #4)
(#1 New York with Boston taking the wild card… that leaves you with a 2-way tie between Cleveland and LA, which Cleveland wins)



4 way tie
Cleveland, LA , Boston and New York all tie with the same record = NEW YORK #1, CLEVELAND #2, LOS ANGELES #3, ( BOSTON #4)
(It works this way because first you must determine the wild card, which would be Boston – based on head-to-head between NY and Boston . Then you’re left with a 3-way tie between Cleveland , LA and New York … since none of the 3 won head-to-head over both teams, you go to the second tie breaker – which is the highest winning percentage in head-to-head competition. Cleveland against NY and LA combined was .312; New York against Cleveland and LA was .600; LA against Cleveland and NY was .578. So New York takes the top seed. That leaves a two-way tie between Cleveland and LA – which Cleveland wins.)

Got it? Good.

Out of the FRYE-ing Pan.....

A few things have amazed me since the Browns' season opener. Here they are, in no particular order:

- why did this feel a lot like 1999?

- why did it take the Browns' braintrust so long to realize the Charlie Frye would never cut it as a starter in the NFL?

- why don't we appreciate punters more? GET WELL, DAVE ZASTUDIL.

- why did the trading of Charlie Frye get more ink than an Indians win in a pennant race?

- Romeo Crennel has 5 Super Bowl rings. With Bill Belichick. The guy caught filming the other teams? So, RAC had inside info? And he's our head coach? Uh boy......

- It also astonishes me that fans are so quick to criticize the Indians at every turn and reserve such criticism for the Browns. The stadium housing a pitiful team is jammed every home game, and yet the Jake is only 3/4 full.

I'm just sayin'................

Breaking News!

Got your attention, didn't I?

One of my pet peeves about the media (yes, of which I am part I suppose) is that phrase "breakng news." Some outlets have countered the overuse of the phrase by disguising it: "JUST IN," "Developing Story," "News Alert," "Breaking Now'" etc. If you look at it that way, every story that is relatively current has just broken.

Sheesh.

Then, the same people that have worked to sneak that phrase past your brain to get to your emotions, well, they want to make sure you know that it was THEM that broke said story. Media has become, for lack of a better phrase, a pi$$ing contest. Somewhere in there is the news. Can you find it?

Kid of a cerebral "Where's Waldo?"

I think it is a testament to the news days of old when a reporter has a source and uses it to the good of society. How is my life made better by knowing that reporter X got the scoop on Travis Hafner a full two days before the next reporter? And if someone has intimate knowedge or is thisclose to a story, they WILL have a scoop. The question is, does it matter?

Not so much.

The only way it really matters to me is in case of emergency. WHEN will the comet hit and WHERE? How much time do I have to get out of the way of the hurricane? WHICH baby foods are tainted?

See?

Compare that with the stories of sports signings, celebutante arrests, and DC namecalling.

That's NOT breaking news. That's a sign of newsmedia that is broken.

Goodbyes Suck

Family isn't about whose blood you have. It's about who you care about.
Trey Parker and Matt Stone, South Park, Ike's Wee Wee, 1998

That quote is featured prominently in bumper sticker fashion on my friends' Bruce and Sarah Michalski's refrigerator. I have been close to these wonderful people for years, along with their fantastic daughter Kate, mainly thanks to community theater. Bruce used to direct youth productions in which I appeared, the first being as a skunk in "Winnie the Pooh." (insert your joke here)

Theater taught me so much in the way of improvisation, poise and self confidence. But Bruce taught me about humanity. His wife taught me about humor. The two became like older siblings to me, especially when we would all perform together. The last show we all did together was December 2005.

It would be the last.

Bruce died last week at age 50.

I cannot explain the hole I have in my heart for someone who technically isn't my blood family. I only know that I have been blessed to have had these people in my life. Because of these tremendous times, I suppose that is why the pain runs so deep.

When I was hired at WNCX, Bruce was so proud. He and his wife shepherded me through the loss of my last job. They promised me that I would land on my feet and that they would be there for me until I did.

Bruce would always email me, jokingly of course, that we needed to play "more Floyd." I haven't been able to listen to Pink Floyd this week without an ache in the pit of my stomach.

I know Bruce is in a better place, out of pain. Still my friend, I "Wish You Were Here."

Tell your family, blood or not, how much they mean to you. You'll never regret it.

Rise Up? WAKE UP!

I have not wanted to write about the Cavs for awhile. You know my feeling about jinxes. I may not believe in them, yet I attribute our failures in sports to them. Contradictory? Yep. Hypocritical? Mmm hmm.

So it should come as no surprise that, while I didn't think we would take a game in San Antonio, I am having a tough time understanding why Mike Brown couldn't come up with the necessary adjustments to at least be in Game 2 on Sunday. Completely contradictory.

We can believe and hope and pray and shop and shout "RISE UP" at each other on the streets and at TV cameras all we want. Until the Cavs decide to WAKE UP, there's little we as fans can do, and I hate that. And as upset and frustrated as I am with this team, I will believe and hope and pray and shop and shout until the last tick comes off the clock. And I will be in front of the TV tonight as the Cavs try to right the ship and shake the tag they have earned as the worst team to ever make the finals.

The worst?

Come on.

And even if it's true, those national noodleheads aren't allowed to say it.

But we are.

Fool me once.....

Perhaps the President said it best, "...we can't get fooled again." Don't you feel that way as a Cleveland sports fan? You dare to get your hopes up in the infancy of a new season, whether it be baseball, football or basketball, only to have your dreams dashed by injury, inconsistency or freak plays.

What did YOU say when you heard Lacharles Bentley blew out his knee on the first day of training camp last season?

I'll bet it was "Yeah, well, that's Cleveland."

Admit it.

It even trickles down to other things. When it snowed like a mother in April, wiping out the Indians' opening weekend, what did you say?

"Only in Cleveland."

So, here we are in May. One short month later and the sun is shining, literally and figuratively, in Cleveland. The Tribe (as of this moment) is in first place, the Cavs are in the second round of the playoffs, and the Browns just had the draft of a lifetime.

Is Phil Savage right? Is it time to stop feeling sorry for ourselves and believe the past is the past and the future is as bright as it has ever been?

Remember, it looked bright right before:
the Drive
the Fumble
the Shot
Art Model

Damn....fool me once, shame on you....fool me twice, shame on me.

I probably will get fooled again.