Cleveland Sports...the other Politics

Well I wouldn't be a very good Clevelander if I didn't start talking about Cleveland sports. Cleveland is known around the globe for its sports and its fan base. And if there is any topic that is more discussed and hotly debated in Cleveland than politics, it is its sports teams. From the Cleveland Browns (with the - "this will be our year" motto each summer), to the Cleveland Indians (with the - "its the bullpen" motto), to King James and the Cavaliers (with the "One Goal" motto).

There are varying statistics but according to the Cleveland Browns Official site (http://www.clevelandbrowns.com/fans/backers/) the Cleveland Browns Backers have over 300 official chapters with over 89,746 members world wide and the Phoenix, AZ club has over 1400 members alone. There is even a club in Australia with 26 official members!

While I was on vacation in Florida two years ago, my son was wearing a browns hat, we were stopped by a "Browns Backer" from LA. The man had never lived in Cleveland, yet was a card carrying "Browns Backer" and for at least one game a season flew to Cleveland to watch a live game!

Now some would ask, is it because they feel sorry for us? (see the browns stats for the last 10 years to understand what I am saying) Or is it because they see Cleveland as the hard working, underdog who will overcome all obstacles to succeed? I like to think its the latter. Cleveland is the come back town, its the town that doesn't give up, its the town that bands together in the -30 wind chill to watch a team that probably won't....but could! For those of you that are Browns fans you have certainly had your trials over the past few years. We had great hopes last season with the signing of Brady Quinn. Bringing new energy to the "could" mentality of Cleveland. But much like our politics, the Cleveland Browns seem to lack decisive leadership that sets a clear vision for the future. Instead most of the 2008 season was spent discussing if we should use the quarterback that brought so much spirit and hope back to the city.

In contrast, the Cleveland Cavaliers not only have the team members, they have the leadership, the vision and are on the road to their destination. They don't question their role, their direction or their next steps. They EXECUTE. And to watch them play they do it with conviction, determination and spirit.

There is a lot to learn from the experience in Cleveland with its major sports teams and this year with the Cleveland Cavalers there is no better example.

What are the lessons? How do they apply to politics?

• One person cannot do everything, it is a TEAM effort. (Lebron James may be the greatest player ever, but with the last two seasons as proof, the team needed some more depth. Even with Lebron's Herculean efforts scoring 48 pts in a game they could not secure the finals. This year with the addition of key players in key positions that all is about to change. And this leads to the next two points.)


• To be successful you need to have a vision, a plan to get there and communicate that plan so that it is clear to everyone. (I mentioned earlier, the team has a motto, "One Goal", win the Finals, and that is exactly what they are about to do. The vision was set at the beginning of the season with some very decisive trades, the plan was defined on how to leverage those team members and their skills and it was communicated, not just to the team, but to the city...the fans...everyone, where they were headed. I remember hearing Lebron speak before the first game and saying the goal is to win the finals. It was clear!)


• Decisive Leadership is Key (For the Cavs this comes from the front office in defining trades, from Mike Brown in setting the plan for the team on the floor and to players like Lebron in making it all happen. Leadership is not just for the guy at the top, the CEO, the Mayor, the owner. Leadership is needed throughout the organization, at every level.

So do Cleveland's politicians work as a team?

Do they set a vision for the city? Do they define the plan to achieve the vision? Do they communicate, communicate, communicate it to the people in the government? to the people in the city? to the people in the state?

Do Cleveland politicians exhibit decisive leadership skills?

Keep following my blog and we will explore this further. Until then I would like to say go Cavs! This is Cleveland's year to win the NBA Finals and take the championship. And as a Clevelander I have to say I am extremely proud to say they are my team, not just because of the things I listed above, but because they play hard, they have fun and they show what being a TRUE Clevelander is really about. Thank you Lebron, Mo, Z, Delante, Varejao and the rest for being that role model we all need.