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You've at least experienced a modern-era winner in all of the 49ers teams in the 80s/90s.
We've won nothing, nada, zip, zilcho, bupkis, DONUT HOLE in ANY sport since 1964.
See, this is what other cities don't seem to understand about being a long-suffering Cleveland SPORTS fan. Examples:
BOSTON. Call me nuts, but I highly doubt I'm gonna feel sorry for fans that had to suffer through an 86-year WS drought when you have the 2004 and 2007 WS wins, the 3 recent New England SUPER BOWL wins (complete with the Browns old coach, no less) and several Celtic championships scattered over decades, including one last year, not to mention a Celtic team loaded with all-stars, KG's injury notwithstanding.
Nueva York? Fuggedaboudit. 28 WS championships between the Yanks and the Mets, five Super Bowl wins by the Giants and Jets, five Stanley Cups between the Islanders and the Rangers and the biggest payroll in all of sports doesn't allow you to have any grumblings about how sorry the Knicks are.
America's favorite "wait 'til next year" gang, the Cubs, are STILL in Chicago. Please. Your city has SIX NBA titles, a 1985 SB win and a 2005 White Sox WS win.
The list goes on.
LA? Dodgers, Lakers and Raiders all have at least 2 titles in their sports since 1980 (the Lakers have EIGHT). Count nearby adopted Anaheim, and the total title count rises two more (Ducks & Angels). They'll likely beat the Tragic since they, unlike the Fanny Derry-run Cavs, know that you need athletic bigs that at least can PLAY with the Dwights and Shaqs of the world so your backcourt and forwards can take away their other weapon in the form of three-point rainfalls. A "finesse" big like Z simply isn't going to cut it, as the Tony Parkers and Hedo Turkeyglues of the world just blow right past Il-madator.
DC? Three Redskins Super Bowl wins. Nope.
Detroit? Red Wings, Pistons and Tigers all have multiple titles since the 80s, so you get no support group pass, Lions fans.
Pittsburgh? Six Steelers SB wins, Pirates winning the WS in 1979 and two Stanley Cups by the Penguins. No heartbreak allowed. SORRAH!
The entire state of Texas has so many damned titles to choose from: Houston Rockets, Dallas Cowboys, San Antonio Spurs, UT's 2006 NCAA title, etc.
Even the Florida Marlins, established in 1993, has two World series wins in their young age. One of them over Cleveland, which they had no business losing and still stabs our hearts to this day.
A mid-market team like Kansas City won a WS in 1985.
Even the former three sport teams closest to us in misery are no longer on the books. The Phillies won the WS last year, effectively stopping their champion-less season streak at 100 (while Cleveland's still going strong at around 130). Seattle is no longer a three-sport city, yet their last title came in 1979.
When Cleveland loses, it's almost always in the most heartbreaking fashion possible. Our pitching sucks. Our defensive coordinator has no plan. We can't stop the superstar. We have a superstar but no offensive plan. There's eternally one missing piece to the puzzle. Our bats take a vacation. We lack killer instinct. We play not to lose instead of playing to win. We can't FINISH THE DAMNED JOB AGAINST A JOURNEYMAN RUNT LIKE CRAIG COUNSELL, JOSE MESA!!!!
Being a fan in the most snake-bitten city in all of sports means never having to feel sorry for other people's supposed "futility".
Somehow, I'm just thinking it simply isn't meant to BE with this city. Always the bridesmaids, never the bride.
Cleveland is #1 in sports futility. At least give us that.
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