Tuesday, June 05, 2007

I will marry the Cavs

Saturday was a great day for the city of Cleveland. Definitely one of the greatest days in our sports history. The Cavs won the Eastern Conference and are heading to the NBA Finals for the first time in team history. My thoughts on this are: Ho. ly. Shit. We went downtown to watch the game. We weren't at the game, we were watching it at a bar. But it was maybe one of the most amazing nights of my life in this city. When we won, I hugged about 25 strangers as if they were family. I screamed till I was hoarse. Then we ran outside, and I hi-fived dozens of strangers, and can I just say that I LOVE hi-fiving strangers? If none of you have seen the footage on the news, thousands and thousands of people flooded the streets after the game and remained there for hours. The best part was that it wasn't violent. There was no rioting. Everyone was just cheering and dancing and hugging. It was absolutely amazing. I've never seen my city so happy.






























While running around the street cheering I literally ran into Keith and Russ. It was fantastic. Russ and Keith, I'm sorry if I was being a total spaz. In addition to being drunk, I was high from the Cavs' win. And also just high. Just kidding.

A few minutes later we were walking across the street. We saw a bus at the stoplight that looked a lot like the kind of bus we took for Becky's bachelorette party when we got into the infamous accident. As we walked closer we realized it was definitely from the same company and that the driver was our driver! We ran up to the side of the bus. Diane was yelling, "Do you remember us?" I was yelling, "Bus accident? Bus accident?" and Steph was yelling, "Akron! Akron!" so if he listened to all three of us, he got the complete picture. He said, "Yeah!" and we said, "We're from the bachelorette party!". Then we all completely freaked out and hi-fived him. He asked us how we were doing and if everyone was okay, and we assured him we were. Then we asked if he was okay and thanked him profusely for everything he did for us. Then, if memory serves, we ran across the street screaming. Seriously, you guys, what are the chances of us seeing that guy again? Awesome!

We then went to a bar on West 6th, and it turns out the Cavs were having their after-game celebration a couple doors down. We saw Damon Jones pull up in his Lamborghini. Then we noticed all the ridiculously expensive cars surrounding us: Bentley, Mercedes Benz, Maybach. It was all insane and out of my price range 17 times over. Then Meg disappeared for a few minutes and came back with a full pizza. I love Meg. She is magical. As we walked to her apartment, we were like the Fellowship of the Pizza, guarding it from all those who wanted to get their hands on it. D actually had to threaten to whack someone with a rolled up poster. It was awesome. Maybe my only regret of the whole evening was not getting to be in the arena when they ejected Rasheed Wallace. My God that was magnificent. Go home you whiny. ass. baby!

LeBron James, you are amazing. You are the reason we are here. Not only did you TEAR UP game 5, but in game 6 you gave the ball to the person who was hot even when that wasn't you. I've said it once, and I'll say it forever: you are one of the classiest players in the NBA. 22 going on 35, I swear. While the whole city of Cleveland was screaming "Detroit sucks!" all night long you had nothing but wonderful things to say about them and you endlessly thanked your teammates and your coach and then you said, "We still have a job to do." I don't know any 22 year olds who are that mature.

Boobie Gibson, you've got to be kidding me. Where did you come from? You're amazing! It's too bad you don't know how to throw three-pointers, though. The day after the game, Sudha said he's going to name his kid Boobie.

Rest of the team, I love all of you, but if I write a message to each one of you we'll be here all day.

Spurs, we're coming for you.

6 comments:

Skeezix said...

The large contingent of Clevelanders in Athens were all glued to the TV screen in everybar I went into. There was much cheering but very little actual bar talking going on, it was like everyone was holding their breath waiting for the win.

Who the fuck nicknames their kid 'boobie'? It'd be like having a little girl and calling her 'Schlong'.

CruiserMel said...

I'm so excited for you Clevelanders! Best of luck. I'll be perched in front of the tube for every game. And I don't even have a dog in this hunt.

russ said...

I don't think I hugged anyone stranger than Steph.

Anonymous said...

Russ! I was totally going to invite you on the Next Choose Your Own Adventure Cleveland Day now that we are real life friends, well not as close real life friends as I now am with moustachioed police officer I almost made out with seconds after seeing you, but still real-life friends! But Russ, you are ruining things for yourself with comments like that! -Steph

Anonymous said...

Go Cavs! (from Chicago) I was out jogging when the Cavs clinched it, and passed by a bar that erupted as the game ended... no tears for Detroit here in the Windy City!

Normally I'd route for Duncan and the Spurs as I don't much care for most of the NBA (Bulls included). Tim Duncan is like the Western Conference version of LeBron, as far as being a decent, well-spoken basketball player... RARE! But they've won it before, and how can you not route for LeBron? So I say again: GO CAVS!

Oh, and enjoy the victory party(ing). Similar night here when the Cubs clinched the NL Central in '03, then beat the Braves in the divisional series. Can't even imagine what would have happened if they won it all. Who'd have thought you can have so much fun high-fiving hundreds of random strangers!?!

russ said...

Just funnin'.