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The best of times; the worst of times on the same Cleveland street. A sports tale

Tale of 3 brothers who live on the same street
Posted at 6:26 PM, Oct 31, 2016
and last updated 2016-10-31 18:36:05-04

Usually, when my family gets together for a holiday gathering, there may be about 20 of us all chowing down on what the family chefs have put on the dinner table.  Just about the time, the dessert comes out, one of the extended family has a tale of woe and announces the kind of help he or she needs.

So it is with a member of the Cleveland sports family.  The Cleveland Browns team is languishing at the bottom of the standings, still looking for a win.  The north end of East 9th Street, where Cleveland Browns First Energy Stadium is located, there is a sadness hanging over the place.  However, a few blocks away, the other sports brothers in the Cleveland family -- the Indians and the Cavaliers -- are basking in the light of winning.   The Cavs are NBA champs and the Indians have won the American League pennant and are pushing hard to win the World Series.

The Cleveland Monsters in the AHL have won the hockey league's Caulder Cup. 

Three of the sports brothers of Cleveland have put it together and won.  But what about the Browns -- that distant brother who sits at the table chomping on the family food, but who feels left out of the celebrations.  What do we do with him to help him?

"You gotta have patience and you gotta have faith," said Rufus Sims as he walked a stretch of East 9th Street sidewalk separating Gateway Plaza -- home of the Indians and Cavaliers -- and Cleveland Browns Stadium.  "The Browns will turn this thing around," predicted Sims who identified himself as a fan of all Cleveland sports.

In may ways, the Cleveland sports family is sitting around the same table at dinner.  The conversation, of course, turns to sports and recent trophy wins.  Those who have won display their championship or playoffs rings, flashing diamonds and gold across the table.  But the Browns have little to show and they bury their heads in their apple pie, eating quietly, and only listening to the accolades heaped on others at the table.

I believe we have to bring them into the conversation and tell them we still love them, no matter their record.  that's what we do for brothers or other family members who have fallen on hard times.  Do that and there begins a growing resolve in the chest of the brother.  He will dig deep into himself to find a winning way.  We don't need to kick a brother when he's down.  He's been kicked down enough.