The Cleveland Sports Curse

Indulge me in a bit of self-whining, if you please.  There are far more important things to focus on in this world, and in my own life personally.  But I am a sports fan, and have attempted to use sports as a way to bring me joy when the rest of reality is feeling dismal.  Unfortunately, I am a Cleveland sports fan.  And for all of the cliches you may have heard about Cleveland and their dystopian sports teams, let me assure me... it is far worse than you think.

First, let me start by saying this- I love living in Cleveland.  The city has an undeserved reputation, and is a great city to live in.  It has all of the benefits of a large city while still being affordable.  Traffic is nothing compared other cities.  We're within a day's drive to about half the United States.  The weather can be cold, and the East Side gets a lot of snow- but I'll take a Cleveland winter over a St. Louis summer any say of the week.  There's an art deco look about the city that really is amazing to look at.  Cleveland's not "cool" and hasn't been since the 1950's- but I'm not in my 20's; "cool" is overrated.  Cleveland is a great place to live.

Cleveland:  Love the city, hate being a sports fan

But it's hell being a sports fan in this city.

Let me give you a few bullet points about why it sucks to follow Cleveland sports:

• We will start with the Guardians (and by the way, Guardians remain an awesome team name, and much better than Indians).  They have only won two World Series- 1920 and 1948.  That's tied with the Philadelphia Phillies for the fewest World Series among the teams that have been in baseball since the World Series Started.
• They last won the World Series in 1948.  Except the five expansion teams that have never won the World Series, that is the longest drought among the MLB franchises.  The second longest is the Pittsburgh Pirates, who won the World Series in 1979- over thirty years later.
• And, due to the current structure of baseball, where teams can practically spend as much money as they want for their salaries, the teams with the biggest payrolls have the best chance to win.  And the Guardians currently rank 28th in MLB payroll- with no sign of that improving.  The Guardians are a smart team, but I see no hope in them winning a World Series in my lifetime.
• Next, we come to the Cleveland Cavaliers, who have a 15-13 record.  Two games above .500.  That's promising, right?  But then we look further...
• They currently have the highest salary in the NBA, and are above the second apron- which means they cannot make any moves.  This team- the one that is barely above .500- is what they are locked in for the next few years.
• Plus, they have given up their 2027 and 2029 first round draft picks, and have swapped (get the worst version) of the 2026 and 2028 first round draft picks.  
• So this is their team.  And in a year where most of their competition has been decimated by serious injuries, they are playing horribly.  Their best chance to win is right now, and it does not look good.
• But the Guardians and the Cavaliers are awesome compared to the travesty that is the Browns.  
• Pre-1995, the Browns were a good team that seemed curse to be unable to win the big one- sort of like where the Buffalo Bills are now.  Too many tragic games, all with shorthand nicknames:  "The Fumble" , "The Drive", "Red Right 88".  Just a barrage of events with the team coming up short
• Mind you, in the 1950s and 1960s they were great and won several titles- that ended right before the Super Bowl Era started, and most modern fans don't look at those.
• But in 1995, Art Modell moved the team out of Cleveland so they could become the Baltimore Ravens.  Four years later, the NFL gifted Cleveland with a new team.  And that team has been mind-boggingly awful.
• Since 1999, they have averaged 5 wins a year.  Imagine going 5-12 every year for 27 years.  That is what the Browns have gone through.  Now imagine having your fall and winter dominated by this news.  Every.  Single.  Year.  
• There is a meme showing how many QBs the team has gone through since they have returned (and needs to be updated with Sanders):

    

• How bad are the Browns?  Put it this way- The greatest football coach of all time couldn't win with them.
  
  
• At least the Cavaliers have the 2016 NBA Title- the only one that has happened in my lifetime.  If you want to make an argument that LeBron James is the GOAT of basketball, the argument is this:  He won Cleveland a sports title.  That's something no one else can possibly say.

Look- it's sports.  Nothing important.  I know this.  I've given up asking the teams to give me joy.  Just don't give any more misery.  Is that too much to ask?

Thoughts with Whiskey: 2025-12-10

Still drinking Buffalo Trace- just nursing my bourbon as we head into the Holiday Season.

Various thoughts:

NFL- I'm no longer a Cleveland Browns fan, and I doubt I will be again in the future.  However, the city of Cleveland loves the team, so I learn about the ins and outs of the franchise by osmosis.  I'd much rather learn about the Cavaliers or Guardians, but right now the most interesting team is the Browns.

They've hit a particularly nasty catch-22.  They drafted a QB in the fifth round (Shedeur Sanders) who they didn't really want, only all of the QBs ahead of him were either traded or injured.  He's played all right- not great, but the team has a poor offensive line and even worse receivers.  The Browns are currently 5th in the draft and will likely get one of the top two QBs in the draft if things don't change.

So, if they decide that Sanders is good enough to lead them to the playoffs, they can trade down and pick up several picks that can help them.  If they decide Sanders isn't good enough, they can draft one of the top QBs and start over.  Sanders has played just well enough that it's not an easy decision either way.

Regardless, the one thing we know is that whatever decision the Browns make, it will be the wrong one.

MLB- The Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) expires at the end of next season, and people are fearing a lockout between the owners and the players.  I've changed my mine- I no longer think a lockout will happen.  

The system is broken- look at the salary disparity.  It's well over 10-1, even worse when only looking at active players.  The top tier teams outspend the small market teams.  And when a small market team developes a great player, the market forces pushes them to a larger market and larger salary just as they are in their primes.  

The system is broken- but who wants to have a lockout to change it?  Not the large market owners, who get a ton of money from their local sports stations to justify the expense.  Not the small market owners, who get a profit from the luxury tax without having to spend a lot.  Not the players, who earn a fortune in their salaries.  Not MLB, who love 'Great Teams'.

Really, the system only sucks if you're a fan of a small market team, knowing the only way you'll see your homegrown players contend is to leave your team for one of the big markets.  And no one really cares about them...

Merry Christmas, everyone!  We'll wrap up 2025 and make predictions for 2026 soon.

Thoughts with Whiskey: 2025-11-27

Beverage of choice:  Buffalo Trace

Happy Thanksgiving, one and all!  

The traditional Thanksgiving feast

I am currently inside, having a piece of Pumpkin Chiffon Pie.  Tonight I relax, while the snow falls. Tomorrow I wake up and start clearing the driveway.  Here are my current random thoughts...

* Watching Death By Lightning on Netflix.  I read the book that the show was based on (Destiny of the Republic, by Candice Millard.  It's a fascinating story- James A. Garfield may by the greatest "What if?" President in the history of the US.  Just being a great man does not automatically make someone a great President (for example...), but I think Garfield could have been a boon for the country if he had lived.  It's also a period of US history I don't know that much about (after the Civil War, before President Teddy Roosevelt)

* Basketball is underway- and Oklahoma looks damn near unstoppable.  The best record in the NBA, their second-best player hasn't been on the floor yet... and right now, they'd have two of the top 10 NBA draft picks next year.  

* Trying to decide what retrospective I will do next year.  If it's music, I'm thinking Led Zeppelin.  My other thought is to do a TV retrospective on the show Taskmaster, which has become my favorite comedy show

* It is Thanksgiving, and there's a lot I am thankful for.  Friends, family, loved ones.  Thank you, everyone who reads this blog.  There are problems in the world- there are always problems in the world- but the universe is more good than bad, and I thank you all for sharing your time, hearts, and minds with me.

Peace to all of you.

NBA 2025-6 Predictions

Last year, I correctly predicted the Boston Celtics to win the NBA Title.  Let's see how this year goes!

Eastern Conference:

1.       Cleveland

2.       Orlando

3.       New York

4.       Detroit

5.       Atlanta

6.       Milwaukee

7.       Philadelphia

8.       Indiana

9.       Boston

10.     Chicago

11.     Miami

12.     Toronto

13.     Washington

14.     Charlotte

15.     Brooklyn 

Playoffs:

·      (play-ins):   Boston over Chicago; Indiana over Philadelphia; Philadelphia over Boston

·      Cleveland over Philadelphia; Orlando over Indiana; New York over Milwaukee; Detroit over Atlanta

·      Cleveland over Detroit; New York over Orlando

·      Cleveland over New York

Western Conference:

1.       Oklahoma City

2.       Denver

3.       Minnesota

4.       Houston

5.       LA Lakers

6.       Golden State

7.       San Antonio

8.       Dallas

9.       New Orleans

10.     LA Clippers

11.     Portland

12.     Memphis

13.     Sacramento

14.     Phoenix

15.     Utah

Playoffs:

·     (play-ins):  New Orleans over Los Angeles Clippers; San Antonio over Dallas; Dallas over New Orleans

·     Oklahoma City over Dallas; Denver over San Antonio; Minnesota over Golden State; Houston over Los Angeles Lakers

·     Oklahoma City over Houston; Denver over Minnesota  

·     Denver over Oklahoma City

More notes:

·     So many players have been hurt in the East that have taken out some of the top tier teams- Boston, Indiana, Philadelphia.  New York has been healthy, but changed coaches.  Orlando has a ton of talent but still need to prove they can score.  Cleveland won the most games last year, and have been the most consistent.  This is their best chance to make the finals

·     The West is a dogfight.  Houston losing Van Vleet is devastating; he wasn't their best player but he was the key to the team.  OKC has the most talent, and is young enough to actually improve.  But it's tough to win two titles in a row- too many series against top teams.  

·     MVP?  If you can be the MVP while being a Play In Team, I think Victor Wembayana takes it.  Jokic is the best player, but if anyone is close, the voters won't give him another MVP.  So I'll go for a reach and say Paola Banchero shocks everyone.

-     ROY?  Probably Cooper Flagg, assuming he's healthy

-     Lottery?  If Phoenix ends up winning the lottery, their pick goes to either Washington or Memphis.  And I think both of those teams end up in the lottery as well.  I'm picking Washington or Memphis get the #1 pick...

·     Finals?  The West has the most talent.  But they also will batter each other for three rounds.  And matchups matter.  I think Denver, who has the best player in the NBA, takes out OKC.  Denver is a good matchup for OKC (who is a great defensive team, but might not solve Jokic with a better team around him).  But then they face the Cleveland Cavaliers, who I think have an easier time this year.  And Cleveland (who is a great offensive team) can outscore Denver.

        Cleveland in 7.

Pink Floyd Retrospective: Album 15- The Endless River

 

The final studio album of Pink Floyd

Album:  The Endless River

Year Released:    2014

Lineup:

Pink Floyd

• David Gilmour – guitars (all tracks), EBow (1, 3, 10), lead vocals (18), backing vocals (7, 14, 17), keyboards (7, 15, 16), piano (6, 7), EMS VCS 3 (4, 6), bass guitar (2, 4, 7, 17), Hammond organ (18), percussion (8), voice samples (1)
• Nick Mason – drums (2, 4, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 14, 16, 17, 18), percussion (15, 18), rototoms (5), gong (5, 12, 16), voice samples (1)
• Richard Wright – Hammond organ (1, 11, 13, 16), Farfisa organ (4, 6, 14, 16), Royal Albert Hall Organ (12), piano (4, 6, 8, 14, 18), Rhodes piano (9, 18), electric piano (3), keyboards (1, 2, 5, 16, 17), synthesiser (1, 2, 8, 10, 14, 17, 18), voice samples (1, 18)

Additional musicians

• Guy Pratt – bass guitar (9, 14)
• Bob Ezrin – bass guitar (11, 13, 18), additional keyboards (1)
• Andy Jackson – bass guitar (5, 16), effects (15)
• Jon Carin – synthesisers (9, 11, 13), percussion loop (11, 13)
• Damon Iddins – additional keyboards (4, 12)
• Anthony Moore – keyboards (15)
• Gilad Atzmon – tenor saxophone (7), clarinet (7)
• Durga McBroom – backing vocals (14, 17, 18)
• Louise Marshall – backing vocals (18)
• Sarah Brown – backing vocals (18)
• Stephen Hawking – voice sample (14)
• Escala:
  • Chantal Leverton – viola (18)
  • Victoria Lyon – violin (18)
  • Helen Nash – cello (18)
  • Honor Watson – violin (18)

Track Listing:

Side one
No. Title                Length
1 "Things Left Unsaid" 4:26
2 "It's What We Do" 6:17
3 "Ebb and Flow"        1:55
Total length:        12:38

Side two
No. Title                Length
4 "Sum"         4:48
5 "Skins"         2:37
6 "Unsung"         1:07
7 "Anisina"         3:16
Total length:         11:48

Side three
No. Title                 Length
8 "The Lost Art of Conversation"  1:42
9 "On Noodle Street"  1:42
10 "Night Light"         1:42
11 "Allons-y (1)"         1:57
12 "Autumn '68"         1:35
13 "Allons-y (2)"         1:32
14 "Talkin' Hawkin'"         3:29
Total length:         13:39

Side four
No. Title                 Length
15 "Calling"                 3:37
16 "Eyes to Pearls"          1:51
17 "Surfacing"          2:46
18 "Louder than Words"   6:36
Total length:          14:50 

CD length:          53:02

Overall Thoughts:

Keyboardist Richard Wright left the band after "The Wall".  He rejoined David Gilmour and Nick Mason after Roger Waters left Pink Floyd, but was technically not a member of the band for some legal reason that I don't quite understand.  He co-wrote several of the songs on the Division Bell and was part of their tour.  Wright passed from lung cancer in 2008.

Gilmour and Mason, in tribute, took several of the unreleased recordings from "The Division Bell", added and re-recorded some parts, and released it as "The Endless River".

It's an instrumental album- only "Louder than Words" has any vocals.  The music is good (ever since Gilmour settled in as the lead guitarist, Pink Floyd's music has always been outstanding), and it works as ambient background sound.  It many ways, it's a throwback to their earlier work.  There's no 'great' solo here, but an album full of beautful music is a good thing.

This is their last studio album, and the last album of the Pink Floyd Music Retrospective.  Having gone through their catalogue, I would sum up Pink Floyd this way:  early Pink Floyd was pure psychadelic music.  After Syd Barrett left, the band took a few albums to discover itself.  They always had great music.  When Roger Waters was at his best, his lyrics elevated them to one of the greatest music groups ever.  When he left, the rest of the group still put out great music, but couldn't quite hit the highs of their work in the 70s.  But it's still damned good, and worth listening.

Ranking of Pink Floyd Albums (adding as more albums are reviewed):

1. Wish You Were Here
2. Dark Side of the Moon
3. The Wall
4. A Momentary Lapse of Reason
5. The Division Bell
6. Meddle
7. A Saucerful of Secrets
8. Obscured by Clouds
9. Ummagumma
10. The Endless River
11. Animals
12. More
13. Piper at the Gates of Dawn
14. Atom Heart Mother
15. The Final Cut

Top 10 Pink Floyd Songs (changing as more albums are reviewed):

1. "Wish You Were Here", Wish You You Were Here
2. "Comfortably Numb", the Wall
3. "Money", Dark Side of the Moon
4. "On the Turning Away", A Momentary Lapse of Reason
5. "Us and Them", Dark Side of the Moon
6. "Learning to Fly", A Momentary Lapse of Reason
7. "Welcome to the Machine", Wish You Were Here
8. "Time", Dark Side of the Moon
9. "Fearless", Meddle
10. "Shine On You Crazy Diamond (Parts I-V)", Wish You Were Here

Thoughts with Whiskey: 2025-09-27

It's almost October... the year has seemed to both flown by quickly and been a slow, meandering crawl.  I'm drinking Weller's Antique- let's pontificate!

How do they keep winning?

* As I'm typing, the Cleveland Guardians are tied 2-2 to the Rangers.  Assuming they win tonight, I believe they clinch a playoff spot; if they win and the Tigers lose, they win the AL Central.

I admit to being completely wrong about this team.  I thought they were blowing up the team that made the ALCS last year, that they didn't have the offense to be contenders, and that just a little bad luck would cause them to lose 90 games.

They didn't have a little bad luck- they had phenomenal bad luck, as they lost two pitchers for the entire season due to a gambling scandal, one of them (Emmanuel Clase) being their closer.  They still can't hit (they are dead last in the AL in runs per game), at one point they were 15 and a half games behind the Tigers...   and yet, they keep winning.  I am amazed and astounded by this team, and I cannot explain how they keep being successful.

* I've started writing again.  Just flash writing at either the writing club or on the Absolute Write forums.  But it's something.  I don't know if I should try to rewrite my attempted book or try something new, but for now I'm enjoying just writing at the moment.

* The final Pink Floyd music retrospective will be Monday.  It's been a fun exercise, and I've learned a lot about the group.  I suspect I'll pick another artist sometime in 2026, but right at this moment I have no idea who that will be.

* As always, looking for a new computer game.  I'm playing Grimdawn because there's enough variety to keep me interested, but I'd like something new.  My problem is that many 1st person games trigger my vertigo.  And I cannot play evil- which limits replaying some great games like Baldur's Gate 3.  Suggestions are always welcomed.

Stay safe, my friends.  

Pink Floyd Retrospective: Album 14- The Division Bell

 

Richard Wright's final album with the band...

Album:  The Division Bell

Year Released:    1994

Lineup:

Pink Floyd David Gilmour – vocals, guitars, bass, keyboards, programming Nick Mason – drums, percussion Richard Wright – keyboards, vocals Additional musicians Jon Carin – additional keyboards, programming Guy Pratt – bass guitar Gary Wallis – percussion programming and performance Tim Renwick – additional guitars Dick Parry – tenor saxophone Bob Ezrin – percussion, keyboards Sam Brown – backing vocals Durga McBroom – backing vocals Carol Kenyon – backing vocals Jackie Sheridan – backing vocals Rebecca Leigh-White – backing vocals Michael Kamen – orchestral arrangements Edward Shearmur – orchestrations Stephen Hawking – speech synthesis (on Keep Talking)

Track Listing:

No. Title                                                         Length

1. "Cluster One"                                   5:56

2. "What Do You Want From Me"             4:22

3. "Poles Apart"                            7:03

4. "Marooned"                          5:30

5. "A Great Day for Freedom"             4:16

6. "Wearing the Inside Out"                    6:49

7. "Take It Back" 6:12

8. "Coming Back to Life"          6:19

9. "Keep Talking"                          6:11

10. "Lost for Words"                   5:15

11. "High Hopes"                                  8:31

Total length: 66:23

Overall Thoughts:

After "A Momentary Lapse of Reason", Pink Floyd went seven years before recording another album.  It would be the final album for keyboardist Richard Wright, who would pass away in 2008.  The legally no longer a member of the band, he collaborated and even wrote some of the music for their 14th album, "The Divison Bell".

There was an overall theme to "The Division Bell"- communication and talking through problems.  It's a good theme, not one that us usually the centerpiece of a rock album.  "Keep Talking" has Stephen Hawking in the background saying the humanity's ability to talk was a reason mankind was able to be more than animals.  "Lost for Words" is the opposite- how a lack of communication led to anger and bitterness (the song seems to be an ode to their former bandmate Roger Waters).

There's some excellent songs here- "Keep Talking" and "Take It Back" are the highlights, just missing my personal top 10.  Musically, the album is excellent, and the instrumentals are fantastic.  It never quite reaches the heights of their best albums- but "The Division Bell" is a great record.  

Ranking of Pink Floyd Albums (adding as more albums are reviewed):

1. Wish You Were Here
2. Dark Side of the Moon
3. The Wall
4. A Momentary Lapse of Reason
5. The Division Bell
6. Meddle
7. A Saucerful of Secrets
8. Obscured by Clouds
9. Ummagumma
10. Animals
11. More
12. Piper at the Gates of Dawn
13. Atom Heart Mother
14. The Final Cut

Top 10 Pink Floyd Songs (changing as more albums are reviewed):

1. "Wish You Were Here", Wish You You Were Here
2. "Comfortably Numb", the Wall
3. "Money", Dark Side of the Moon
4. "On the Turning Away", A Momentary Lapse of Reason
5. "Us and Them", Dark Side of the Moon
6. "Learning to Fly", A Momentary Lapse of Reason
7. "Welcome to the Machine", Wish You Were Here
8. "Time", Dark Side of the Moon
9. "Fearless", Meddle
10. "Shine On You Crazy Diamond (Parts I-V)", Wish You Were Here