I only have one friend in Cleveland: Pastor Alistair Begg of Parkside Church, one of the greatest expository preachers in America. I am not sure that Begg, being from Scotland, even understands or appreciates the game of basketball (although I suspect he does now). But I am not aware of any old friends or relatives there.
So why root for the Cleveland Cavaliers in the NBA Finals? Pure and simple: LeBron James's decision to move back to his home state, after having bolted to Miami, was a class act, unprecedented in this age of athletic prima donnas and megalomaniacs. He had been reviled and ridiculed when he took his great gifts to South Beach. And his good reputation took a big hit. Fans were so upset they set his jersey on fire. So when he announced his return to Cleveland two years ago it was all very counterintuitive: He was not moving on to a big media market like New York or Los Angeles but back to Cleveland. Good for the people of Cleveland. Good for LeBron.
When the Cavs went down three games to one against a very good, record-breaking Golden State Warrior team, my hopes and optimism for the city and fans of Cleveland were deflated. It would be nearly impossible to break their 52-year drought of bringing a championship to the city.
But I do remember saying to a colleague (and devout Warrior fan), don't bet against LeBron James when his back is against the wall. Fans and critics have been saying he had "lost a step," his "best days were in the rearview mirror," he had "no killer instinct anymore," and his drive and leadership were always overrated.
Well. In the next two games James scored 41 points in each game, first in Oakland and then back home in Cleveland. He, of course, had able assistance from his teammates—especially Kyrie Irving and Tristan Thompson—in tying the series at three apiece.
But game seven was back on the west coast, and who would seriously bet on the Cavs against the greatest regular-season winning team ever in NBA history? At home? Not me.
As the whole world knows now, the improbable happened. The fans in Oracle Arena were stunned when James made an incredible block on an Andre Iguodala lay-up and then when Irving made a three point shot with less than a minute to go to essentially seal the game. Their 93-89 victory was the first time in NBA history a team had come back from a 3-1 deficit to win an NBA championship.
When the game ended, after hugging several teammates, James fell to the floor on his knees and wept. No doubt they were tears of joy, raw emotion, and relief. He had kept his promise to the good people of Cleveland (and probably made a fan out of Alistair Begg).
At a time when our national politics can be depressing beyond relief, who cannot appreciate this story of an improbable comeback and LeBron's loyalty to his home state fans? Winning—when it emerges from the gritty work of blood, sweat and yes, even tears—is a true victory that we can all celebrate.
Michael Cromartie is vice president of the Ethics and Public Policy Center in Washington, D.C.