I was thinking that this blog could use some variety. In other words, my feelings on the professional teams in Cleveland may come across as biased to my readers. So, I said, “self, we need to spice things up a little by inviting others to express themselves concerning Cleveland major sports franchises to incorporate impartial attitudes.” For the duration of this post, I’ll share the interactions that I had with Ruck, my podcast partner, and my lovely wife, Brittaniee, regarding topics that appear to stick out more than others. The subjects included the biggest disappointment from the Indians/Guardians, their feelings after losing to Boston in 2009, and especially LeBron’s next move, finally, how bad was former Browns quarterback Jhonny Manziel.
Before I could finish my question, my wife said the name of arguably the most polarizing figure in Indians history: Albert Belle! My question was about a disappointing moment from the history of the Indians/Guardians, and her response was Albert Belle leaving Cleveland. Brittaniee said, “Letting Albert go, was the worst move they [Indians/front office] ever did.” She then said, “He was the best player on the team, and he left because he did not get along with the fans.” Ruck’s interpretation of the same question was unexpected. He mentioned how 2016 was a magical season. Ruck names the pitchers as the best he, “had ever seen.” He finished with, “although they did not win the World Series, I was proud of that team.”
By this time, I noticed that they were going to answer my questions however they liked, so I decided to just say a phrase and see how it would turn out. My wife and I have a running joke, and to others it may seem odd. However, when an awkward situation happens, and there are no words to describe the discomfort, we say “How about those Browns, Jhonny Manziel.” Everyone can agree that Manziel was an awful player, and this obvious statement will reenergize the original convo like placing a defibrillator on a dying man’s chest. So when I asked her, “How bad was Johnny Manziel,” she went on to mention the plethora of ways in which he was the “worst pick ever.” Ruck on the other hand, spoke from personal interactions with the former first round pick. “I work at the casino, and I can’t tell you how many hours that dude [Manziel] would gamble during the week,” said Ruck. Basically, Ruck believes that Manziel should have spent more time practicing and preparing for football games instead of spending wads of cash playing roulette.
My last question was about events that took place nearly 15 years ago. I asked about their thoughts on LeBron taking his Cavs jersey off after a heartbreaking loss to Boston in 2009. On one hand Ruck was brutally honest when he stated, “I was hoping he would stay, but deep down I knew he was gone.” But Brittaniee, on the other hand, spoke from a place of understanding when she said, ‘LeBron looked exhausted during that game; he gave all he could.” By extension, she encouraged Bron to leave for greener pastures since the front office never gave him the right pieces to win. I suppose both Brittaniee and Ruck felt a change was needed in the Cavs organization.
Looking back, this was unfamiliar territory for me as a blogger. I did not know what to expect when interviewing two totally different personalities. They made interesting arguments about our beloved teams. Although I disagree about the reasons LeBron bolted for Miami, I still say their reactions were typical for native Clevelanders.
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