The Ghost of LeBron James Lingers, but the Miami Heat's Loss Helps to Heal the Wounds

I never thought I would root for the Boston Celtics and the Chicago Bulls.

I never thought I would root for a team that broke Cleveland's heart in 1989 with the infamous "shot."

I never thought I would root for a team who knocked my beloved Cavaliers out of contention last year.

But I did. And I will do it again.

It's been a long year for a Cleveland Cavaliers fan, and the results of the NBA Finals offers a level of catharsis for those who (like me) take solace in seeing LeBron James and the Miami Heat fail at every opportunity. 

If not for the hour-long special dedicated to one man's ego, it might be easier to root for the hometown kid in LeBron James. If not for televised celebration of collusion and tampering (before the team had set foot on a basketball court, no less), it might be easier to wish well for the kid who grew up minutes away. 

But all of it happened. All of the pomp and circumstance gave reason for myself and other Cleveland Cavaliers fans to hate (not just dislike) LeBron and the fabricated Miami Heat. 

The Finals gave me reason to cheer for players that define what it means to be a team. It's a mish-mash of veterans, young(er) players and one bonafide superstar in Dirk Nowitzki, a man who in all his years stuck with Dallas. He stuck with them through years of futility and consistent first-round playoff exits. He knew that his hard work and loyalty would pay off. 

And he was right.

Dirk and his ragtag band of Mavericks achieved what eluded them for years and what I hope will elude the Miami Heat (wishful thinking, but that's the curse of being a Cleveland sports fan).

For the past 10 years (including the years before LeBron James), I have watched almost every Cavs game televised or live. I watched every game of the Cavs 26-game losing streak. 

I am a Cleveland fan, and I am proud.

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