Stop With The Cleveland Jokes!

Sports in Cleveland have really hit the skids. This is a town that has an avid fan base but rewards those loyal fans with lousy teams. The Cleveland Cavaliers continue to be our only hope to a major sports title but can they grab the brass ring this year and keep Lebron James? With the season just under way, it looks doubtful.

Then there is the Cleveland Browns football team. How did things get so out of control? The owner is absentee and clueless about the sport, there is no general manager at this time, the head coach has failed to impress anyone in Cleveland or anywhere else for that matter and he has alienated the players and the fans. What would Cleveland football be without a raging quarterback controversy? The fact is that Brady Quinn is a controversy all by himself; from his initial holdout, to his alleged "gay-bashing" in Columbus, to his poor play as a starter, to his cheap shot on national television. This team is in such disarray they make the Cleveland Indians look like a well-oiled machine.

What about the Cleveland Indians?

Maybe things aren't so bad. Yeah, OK, I said it. Is it wishful thinking? To some degree, yes. They sure aren't the New York Yankees but they are not the Washington Nationals either...uh, except we got their manager.

It is true, I did not want Manny Acta to manager this team but he is the manager at least for now so he deserves a chance. His coaching hires have not been all that impressive until he secured Sandy Alomar Jr. as the first base/catching coach. Sandy had many a big game for the Indians through the '90s. From Rookie of the Year, through All-Star MVP at the corner of 9th St. and Ontario, to helping to guide the team to two appearances in the World Series in 1995 and 1997 while winning the American League Central title five years.

So there is some good news in Cleveland.

Welcome back Sandy!

Run Sandy, Run!

Now, if we can get Randy Learner to sell the Browns to someone or some group that will bring respectability back to the area of the country just north of the cradle of football, life will become liveable without that annoying twitch we get when someone mentions "Football".

And, if Dan Gilbert will let Lebron James sign on as a part owner of the Cavaliers, the greatest player ever in the game without a championship can at least stay right here until we match him up with a Scottie Pippen-like player. Sorry, Shaq ain't it!

And, if the Dolans and Mark Shapiro would go get lost in a rain forest somewhere for the next 12 months, maybe, just maybe the Indians could keep a contending team together past June and shock the sporting world once again!

Keep your head up!