Today, give thanks to the 2001 Arizona Diamondbacks
Jun 20, 2016, 8:40 AM | Updated: Jun 21, 2016, 8:46 am
It’s been said that every day you should take a moment to appreciate the good things in your life.
If that’s the case, at some point today you should give thanks for the 2001 Arizona Diamondbacks. Because without them, we’d be Cleveland. Or at least, we’d be what Cleveland was.
Parched Cleveland sports fans were finally able to drink from a championship trophy last night with the Cavaliers stunning Game 7 victory over Golden State. And while there is no evidence to back this up I suspect that those rooting for LeBron and the Cavs were also rooting for a city that has known nothing but heartache; whose failures actually have nicknames (“The Fumble”, “The Drive”, “The Shot”, etc).
Maybe that’s the only reason you were rooting for him.
Anyway, all I could think about in the aftermath of Sunday’s game was how that could have been us. Phoenix could be the lovable losers with no titles and a trophy case full of almost.
Yes, there’s sweet relief when it’s over. But Tom Petty was right, the waiting is the hardest part. Can you imagine having to wait that long for a title?
Fortunately we don’t have to. We got ours and maybe with a little luck, on or around February 5, 2017 in Houston, we’ll get another.
So today raise your coffee mug, your bottle of water or that cold one when you’re done working for the day and toast Jerry, Gonzo, R.J., Schill, Gracie, B.B. and the boys.
Without them we’d be the city with decades of professional sports and nothing to show for it. And nobody wants to be that.
