TBT in Columbus was a great success, but left fans wanting so much more
July 25, 2018Kevin Love’s Hall of Fame credentials: While We’re Waiting…
July 26, 2018It fascinates me greatly how so many of our opinions and passions are built almost entirely on the lens of our perspective. Politics is an obvious place to start but let’s take a benign example. Is accounting a satisfying profession? For one who relishes processing numbers, there is nothing more rewarding than attacking an entangled tax return. He unwinds the twisted ball of yarn, poking and prodding, searching for the elusive loose end. The numbers dance across the monitor, winking, waiting to be set in their proper place. His less enthusiastic and perhaps less gifted colleague, stares at an unforgiving screen, row after row of lifeless statistics plodding along endlessly, turning his brain to mush.
Our reverence, ambivalence, or even hatred of various ideas and figures in sports, often hinges on this concept. Tell me what part of the country you are from and I will tell you if you prefer soccer or college basketball. The order of Browns, Cavs, and Indians on your favorites list, generally comes down to the decade of your birth. Do you like bunting? Actually, that doesn’t fit here. You are flat out mistaken. Anderson Varejao was about grit, hustle, and sheer determination. For Cavs fans that is. The rest of the NBA fanbases viewed him as a dirty thug, who excelled in throwing elbows and baiting officials into unfair whistles. Zaza Pachulia in San Antonio is less popular than Santa Anna. Barry Bonds is the ultimate villain anywhere but in the shadow of the Golden Gate Bridge. The gamut of feelings throughout this country regarding Lebron needs no elaboration.
It’s usually pretty straightforward how this works. Serve a fan base in the sport of your choice, play your heart out, and help them win. You will be admired all across town, despite possible questionable tactics or personal lapses of judgment. There are cities full of people that love some of the most flawed people you will ever meet and worship the ground they tread. If you are a good citizen to boot, you can run for mayor unopposed.
This leads me to the Curious Case of Kevin Love. He left a place where he was a god to play second fiddle to a larger than life returning hero. He went from being the lead singer to a background voice hidden in the wings. He did this for one reason. He did it to win. To win here in Cleveland.
And then the circus began. He was told to get it together and fit in, publicly embarrassed by the very legend who was largely responsible for changing the perception of his game from a vintage Cartier to a knockoff easily obtainable at a random street vendor in Manhattan. He was patronized and mocked. Yet, he never sulked. In a world of outsized egos, he put his to the side. He put his head down and set out to accomplish the goal that had driven him here. He performed with class, grace, and dignity. The fellow gave it his all and produced within the limited opportunities given to him. For someone so often pegged as a defensive liability, he dug deep and offered a stop for the ages that sealed our long-awaited triumph.
He fits all the criteria. Why do we not adore this man? He should be treated like a grizzled war hero, yet is regarded as an insubordinate foot soldier. The party has left town and he stays behind to sweep up the shards of broken champagne bottles and restock the refrigerator. This is greeted by indifference and even anger. I get the idea of bottoming out, tanking if you will. As some members of the WFNY crew can attest, I am a proponent of the concept. It should not, however, get in the way of appreciating the magnitude of his sacrifices, and the gifts he has given our fan base.
Let us embrace him for what he has meant to this city. Root for his success and provide him heated defense from his detractors. He writes no letters and seeks no validation from the national media. He simply rolls up his sleeves and gets to work. For us. Just the same as the day he arrived. Kevin Love is one of us now. Let’s treat him as such.