True to this blog's name, a look at Boston's last 11 years

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This blog was conceived nearly a dozen years ago as "Cleveland Sports Torture." The idea that God Hates Cleveland certainly isn't new. Shoot, as a wee lad, my friends and I joked about a "Tribe's Alive in '95" slogan in the mid-eighties, as a sarcastic look to future (hopeful) glory. (Nevermind that the Tribe actually did turn out to be alive in 95. And that was nearly twenty years ago. The eighties were a hard time to be a childhood Indians fan.)

Anyway, seeing yet another group of New Englanders delight in a championship just reminds North Coasters of the pain and suffering we have been through since 1964. And sure as can be, some northern Ohioans ahve bailed on our teams, to become Yankees, Tigers, even Steelers fans. But as a wise friend told his children recently...

"The Indians, Browns and Cavs are our teams and we can never bail on them. This is who we are, you were born into it. As you get older, you'll see some kids in your class abandon our teams and latch onto more successful ones from other cities. These classmates are called "front runners." You'll see them with Steeler backpacks, Yankee caps and no. 6 Heat jerseys. They aren't necessarily bad kids, but they lost their way and their parents didn't intervene. You stay true to Cleveland and our teams no matter the cost."

When a team finally parades down Euclid Avenue again, the party will be like no other (and this includes any future Wrigleyville party). But in the meantime, to remind us why this blog exists, a look at Boston's last decade+:

2002: New England Patriots, Super Bowl Champions
2004: New England Patriots, Super Bowl Champions
2004: Boston Red Sox, World Series Champions (note to Red Sox fans: this is when you were officially "Evil Empire 2", not some ragtag group of underdogs)
2005: New England Patriots, Super Bowl Champions
2007: Boston Red Sox, World Series Champions (if Kenny Lofton had been sent home...)
2008: Boston Celtics, NBA Champions
2011: Boston Bruins, Stanley Cup Champions
2013: Boston Red Sox, World Series Champions

And dammit, I'm not even counting the losses in the championship games/series:
2008: New England Patriots, AFC Champions
2010: Boston Celtics, NBA Eastern Conference Champions
2012: New England Patriots, AFC Champions
2013: Boston Bruins, NHL Eastern Conference Champions

Stay true, Cleveland fans. Don't let the close calls and teases grind your hope into dust, making a pain slurry with your tears. Use the pain as fuel, to be expelled during the party. Someday.

This is a picture of Gisele to make you feel better or worse.