The Real Reason Cleveland Won The Championship
Post by Chris Bahns
Still wondering how the Cavaliers won the 2016 NBA Finals? Many sports analysts and commentators have had their own explanations, but let me tell you what really happened....
It was Game 3 of the 2016 NBA Finals. The Cleveland Cavaliers were down 2 games after getting dominated by the Golden State Warriors and had to win this first game at home. I was watching on the edge of my couch (and pacing/jumping around the room) in Columbus, Ohio. I soon realized that my wife was just as into the game as I was. At a few points she was about to breakout in hives, which she's never done before. I loved it. Her level of interest in the game was even higher than normal. Did I say I loved it? I thought to myself while we were yelling at the TV, 'Wow, it's not just her crush on Kevin Love. She's really into this.' [Kevin Love was out of the game recovering from a concussion]. After a statement-making performance by LeBron James and the Cavaliers, they did what they needed to do - they won Game 3 to bring the best of a 7-game series to 1-2, and they showed they weren't done.
She did good.
After the game, my wife stands in front of me and lets me know she got us 2 tickets to Game 4 in Cleveland. I about did a backflip. I was shocked... My wife then tells me that's why she was so into the game - she didn't want the Cavs to go down 0-3 in the series and be one loss away from elimination. She didn't want to spend the money she did on a game where the Warriors might win it again on Cleveland's court. She was right, that would have been tough, but I still would have wanted to go.
She's never surprised me like this before, but hot damn she did good. She panned the Internet to find a good deal on tickets - seriously, she was bidding on tickets. She made plans for our kids to stay with Nana. She even got approval from my boss for me to take that Friday off. Awesome, pure awesome!
Even a fan like me can find a way to the big game.
So Friday couldn't come soon enough. I wanted to get up to Cleveland as soon as we could. We finally did. Checked into the Marriott Residence Inn across from The Q arena and hit East 4th Street for some drinks and food.
We then made our way to the game. Game 4 of the NBA Finals... That's right, the NBA Finals. I never thought I would ever have the opportunity to go to an NBA Finals game. It was a dream come true and then I realized that anyone could go to a big event like this if they really wanted it bad enough. For my wife and me, we needed to sacrifice some other things financially and my wife had to spend hours/days searching for the right tickets, but it was possible. It's not just an event rich people or people with certain connections go to, which is what I thought growing up. Even a fan like me can find a way to the big game. If there's something you want to do, do it! [Article: Just Do It]
Yes, I know you still want to know the real reason Cleveland won the championship. I'm getting there.
While I loved being a part of the energy, the excitement, the passion, the brotherhood, the atmosphere of an NBA Finals game at The Q, the Cavaliers lost Game 4. Walking out of Quicken Loans Arena that Friday night was not a good feeling, but there was still a spark in the air. Being down 1-3 in a best of 7 series is tough - especially when the series was now going back to the Warriors home court.
I took a picture as my wife yells back "What are you doing?"
The next morning, I wanted to walk around The Q and take some pictures. As my wife and I were walking around The Q in an extremely quiet downtown, I noticed something on the sidewalk. I stopped while my wife kept walking because she was tired of stopping every 10 feet for me to take pictures. I looked down and it was a heads-up penny sitting right outside The Q. I got the chills. Before touching it, I took a picture as my wife yells back "What are you doing?". I knew right there that this series wasn't over. This was a sign. Sure, when you find a penny, it has a 50% chance of being heads-up, but what are the odds of a penny being right outside The Q? Okay, you're thinking pretty high since people walk around there all the time. So I ask, what are the odds of finding a penny instead of a dollar bill, a nickel, a dime, a quarter? Yes, 1 in 5. But here's the thing, I never found another coin on our entire walk around The Q and even downtown. This penny was there to tell me this wasn't over.
As we walked by the crew breaking down all the outside stages, signs, etc., I told one worker to pack lightly because it's all going to be needed when Game 6 comes back to Cleveland. He laughed and admired my positive thinking. Well, the Cavs then went on a historic run to win the next 3 games (two of which were on the road) and win a championship for 'The Land'.
My trip to Cleveland was for a reason - a reminder to still believe. A reminder to not only believe in the outcome of a game, but in a dream.
The Cleveland Cavaliers won the 2016 NBA Finals because they believed, because the city believed, because the fans believed, and it was one lucky penny that reminded me so.
It's not called 'Believeland' for nothing.
The power of belief is strong.
Find your lucky penny and believe.
Never stop believing in something, in others, in you, or in your dreams. Dreams can come true for a city, for a team, and for you - you just can't stop believing.
Thank you, lucky penny. I believe.
- Chris
