Expectations are a heck of a thing. Go to a movie you think will be great, and you are more likely to be disappointed. If you didn’t know much about that movie or weren’t expecting much, you were more likely to enjoy it.
As a sports fan first and a writer second, I’ve always struggled with the stages of competitiveness for teams. While everyone will say that winning a championship is the most important thing (it is), the process, not the outcome, can be daunting. The LeBron James-led Cleveland Cavaliers were exhausting, at times, as a fan (and I used to cover the team as well) because it was championship or bust.
The Cleveland Browns have not been anywhere near those expectations since The Return in 1999, but have given fans glimpses of hope, the excitement of seeing the possibilities of a rebuild coming together, and a lot of heartache. Expectations, as seen by FanDuel’s win total line, are very low going into this season.
The Cleveland Guardians play in a league that seems to be the most random and variable once the postseason starts. A pitcher gets hot, a bullpen controls a game, or a couple of hitters just can’t miss, leading to a World Series title. Of the three major sports, MLB is also the one without any kind of salary cap, which keeps the Guardos competing less than a third of the payroll of the top of baseball.
This iteration of the Cavaliers surprised many this season with the top seed in the Eastern Conference, but then fell to the Indiana Pacers in the second round. A talented and deep team that may not be constructed perfectly (the lack of wing players with size, specifically) is very limited by the NBA’s salary cap rules. More than likely, the same group that overachieved in the regular season only to disappoint in the postseason will return in 2025-26.
Given the chance to root for three teams in the three major sports, Cleveland fans are one of few to get to watch their teams go through all the different stages of competitiveness. Given my struggles, at times, to enjoy the process, I wanted to come to all of you and see what you thought. Of note, I am not asking about outcomes but the process of being in the season, as we are with the Guardos right now.
Which stage of competitiveness is the sweet spot for you? You can find a few options in our poll but the Cavs give us some perfect examples:
Championship or bust stage - LeBron’s second stint
Hopeful of taking the next step up in postseason stage - This year’s regular season
Excited about making the playoffs stage - 2021 Cavs with Garland, Mobley, Allen, Markkanen, Sexton, Okoro, Love, Rubio, Osman, etc
Young, rebuilding with lots of upside stage - Back when Kyrie Irving, Dion Waiters and Tristan Thompson were on rookie deals (2011-2013)
You can vote in the poll below, but we really want to hear from you in our comment section below . If you’ve never signed up for an account,today is the perfect day to do so before coming back here to comment.
Poll
Sweet spot for Cleveland sports fans
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Championship or bust stage
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Hopeful of taking the next step up in postseason stage
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Excited about making the playoffs stage
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Young, rebuilding with lots of upside stage
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0 votes total Vote Now