I know everyone is done hearing about LeBron and all that jazz. This July marks the three year anniversary of “The Decision” marking when the entire state of Ohio (except maybe Akron) began to hate LBJ. I know I can’t speak for everyone, but I do feel like I am speaking to the majority. I’m over LeBron. As I watched game seven and the Heat celebrated their title, I felt no anger or frustration towards LeBron. It didn’t bother me one bit that he won the title. The next day I realized, I’m over him…I’m over the decision. I never hated him for leaving, I think the way he did it was used as a scapegoat for hate, no matter how it was done people were going to hate him.
So the question I have is after three short years why am I over LeBron, but not the Ravens? I have mentioned before that I was just coming into my fandom as a Browns when they moved. So I was not as emotionally or financially invested in the team as many readers of this column, I did however hate the Ravens and the city of Baltimore for what I refer to as “stealing” my team. So as I sit here and can move past LeBron leaving and winning titles, I can’t do it with the Ravens.
Many factors play into this feeling of hate for the Ravens. I have lived in Baltimore since March of 2006, so “bird land” has been forced down my throat for almost a decade. In that time the Ravens have been a consistent participant in the AFC playoffs and currently sit atop the NFL as reigning champs. While LeBron winning a title doesn’t spark emotion, every great draft pick, trade and FA pick up made by Ozzie Newsome grinds at me. First ballot Hall of Famers like Ogden and Lewis were drafted the year the team left Cleveland. Essentially, they would have been Browns.
It doesn’t help that when the Browns did return, they have been nothing short of a dumpster fire of an organization while the Ravens are a well-oiled top performing machine. I am sure that if I lived in South Florida I may not be over LeBron as quickly. While he wouldn’t be jammed down my throat year round, I would probably here some rumblings around the city about him come mid-June every year.
LeBron took the easy road, he was the best player on the planet, grabbed a couple of other really talented dudes, and won himself a couple titles. He did what he felt he had to do to win. To that point I kind of understood.
There is no way to understand what Modell did to the city of Cleveland. His team didn’t need a fresh start or the stars to align to make it work. They were well on their way to being a perennial winner. His greed and lack of business savvy took over and he was in way over his head. The fact that the Ravens are division rivals obviously plays a big role into the continued hate. To not only see them be successful, but then to be successful head to head makes it even worse.
LeBron left Cleveland to join a different cast of characters to bring home a title. While many believed he could have won one here in Cleveland with the team he had, he never did. So it’s not like him winning those titles means he would have won them here. The Ravens took the entire organization and won. While there were major personnel changes made, some of the key front office decision makers were still in place (and still are today). So it is safe to say and believe that had they never left, the Browns could be a perennial playoff team with a couple Super Bowl’s to their name.
I think that’s why it’s so easy to be over LeBron and not the Ravens. LBJ was a singular figure, who left and won. Had the entire Cavs moved to South Beach and won it would be different. But they didn’t. The entire Browns organization got up and moved and found a lot of success. That’s why it’s so hard to get over. You can honestly feel that had they stayed, the Browns would be in a different position in the current NFL than they are today.
Winning always helps getting over disappointment, anger, hate and jealousy. While I am over LBJ, I am also happy with the current state of the Cavs (yes I am happy with the current state of a 24 win team). So it helps me to deal with LeBron’s success. I so bad want to be happy with the state of the Browns. But no matter how well the off-season translates to the field another ownership change in the near future is a very real possibility. And with that would likely be another front office restart.
If the Browns hit the playoffs every couple years, make a run to the AFC championship once in a while, I wouldn’t be so distraught by the success of the Ravens. Continually being hit with billboards, TV spots and sports radio reminding me of what could have been certainly doesn’t help.
I am really looking forward to the day where I don’t have this sort hate towards the Ravens. It’s jealousy, because they have what should have been mine. I want to hate them like I hate the Steelers, a division rival where there is a mutual respect among the organizations and the fan bases. One day I’ll get there, one day.
It doesn’t help though seeing that Baltimore still isn’t over the Colts leaving…
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