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Cleveland Cavs Championship More Important Than Browns, Indians?

By Nick Dudukovich

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If you’re reading this, you’re checking out the inaugural edition of the Factory of Sadness mailbag. In this edition, I’m taking question about a Cavs championship being ranked against a Browns and/or Indians title, Andrew Wiggins, and the Tribe’s problem at shortstop. Have a question, Tweet us @FansidedFOS, or find us on Facebook.

If the Cavs, not the Browns or Indians, win the 1st Title in 51 years, how will the city celebrate differently? Jared Mueller, Dayton, Ohio

An intriguing question, because I interpret the question this way: Is a Cavs championship as important as a Browns or Indians championship?

For a city that hasn’t won squat in 51 years, it’s ludicrous to even debate the matter, right? Well, to some–and more people than you might think–the Browns or  Indians winning a title would be a much bigger deal. The franchises have been around longer. Baseball is the national past time and football is the country’s most popular sport. Basketball has a large audience, but it doesn’t command the eyes that baseball and football do.

If the Cavs win, there would be a parade, and there would be no dearth of people going nuts, flooding to the downtown area. My fellow Clevelanders have needed fewer reasons to party–but something about the championship would feel different.

Maybe it’s because our regional rivals don’t have NBA teams. Isn’t one of the best parts of being a sports fan is having the ability to revel in your team’s success, while sticking it to your rivals? A Cavs title would make it hard to talk junk to our friends and co-workers from Cincinnati and Pittsburgh. Their cities don’t have NBA teams, but have enjoyed more recent success from their sports teams than we’ve witnessed on the north shore. Unless they’ve adopted the Cavs as their regional team, it’s far less likely people there give a hoot about pro basketball, or Cleveland, for that matter.

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Regardless, a title is a title, and if the Cavs win we’ll all buy a t-shirt. But if it were the Browns or Indians, we’d all buy 10.

LeBron James got to the NBA Finals without Kevin Love. Don’t you wish we still had that Andrew Wiggins kid? Cal Berkow–Avon, Ohio

I’d be lying if I said I didn’t think about it. In theory, Wiggins would be contributing to this team while proving defense on the perimeter. He’d be ready to enter superstardom just as LeBron was playing in the final years of his prime…but you can’t think of it that way. If Wiggins was here, would David Griffin had made the deal that brought Iman Shumpert and J.R. Smith over? Those guys were vital to the Cavs post December and playoff run.

You also have to consider the situation Wiggins was in this season. He was playing on bad Timberwolves team where he had every opportunity to be the man. He averaged 16.9 points, 2.1 assists and 4.9 rebounds per game. Minnesota had nobody.

If Love signs here for five years, the deal will have been worth it. Big guys who stretch the floor don’t grow on trees. His value will one day be valued in Cleveland. Just wait and see.

How much longer will Jose Ramirez be at short? Stu Sebold–Fairview Park, Ohio

It’s like the Indians want to promote Francisco Lindor, but he’s not making it easy on the front office. Lindor is slashing .265/.341/.383 at Class AAA Columbus. It’s not awful, but not great, either. Still, you’d think his glove would be upgrade over Ramirez, who has eight errors in 45 games. Ramirez had four, I repeat, FOUR, in 56 games last year. But Lindor is also struggling with the glove, and has eight errors in 50 games.

You have to figure something has to give at short. Mike Aviles is stretched thin handling third base for a disappointing Lonnie Chisenhall. Perhaps Zach Walters gets a shot..but the point is a change does need to come at short.

Next: 3 Reasons The Cavs Can Win Without Kyrie Irving

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