5 Favorite Sports Stories: The Zydrunas Ilgauskas Saga

With all the negative sports stories coming from Cleveland this year, I thought I’d run down my five favorite Cleveland sports stories of 2010. They may not be the ‘top stories’ from the year, but they are the ones that resonate with me the most. Each day this week you can read my take and chime in with your own memory of the events. Today we come with #3:

The Zydrunas Ilgauskas Saga.

Once again, I remind you that these are MY favorite sports stories from this past year.

The Zydrunas story really began during the fall of 2009. Zydrunas gave up his starting job with the Cavs to newly signed Shaquille O’Neal. Ever the team player, Big Z tried his best to embrace a role off the bench, even though his style of play does not favor that kind of role. Ilguaskas has always been a rhythm player, and he struggled to find his offense coming off the bench. But he did not complain.

Then came the night that Zydrunas had been looking forward to. The night he was to break the Cavalier record for games played. It was a testament to his work ethic and never say die attitude, especially given the injuries that plagued him early in his career. But Mike Brown neglected to put him in the game. For the first time that season. For Zydrunas, who had a crowd of family and friends in attendance- it was an insult. But the next game, when Zydrunas entered the game, the fans let him know how much they appreciated him.

And that is what I loved about this story. Zydrunas gets it. He understands the kind of fans that call Cleveland has. He did not want to be traded. He wanted to win a title here. Then he wanted to retire here. He calls Cleveland home. His wife and adopted boys call Cleveland home. And he knows how much winning means to the city.

I was standing in the hall with some of the local media members a few days before Zydrunas was dealt. There was a somber mood among them surrounding Ilgauskas. They asked the questions that had to be asked, and Z answered honestly. After he walked to the locker room, Tim Withers turned to Fred McLeod and said “Talk about class.” To which McLeod said “He’s the best.” And I promise you they meant it.

The story ends with Zydrunas returning the same night as LeBron did. I don’t begrudge Ilgauskas for following James. He has such little time left to play. And he absolutely would not fit the system that Byron Scott is trying to implement.

Unlike James, Zydrunas was met with roars of applause. Once again, his story was secondary though. Just like many view his career in Cleveland because he played alongside James. But not me. Zydrunas is all class. And I am thankful for the chance to meet him and watch him play for all these years.