Is the Season Here Yet?

It is March 24, 2013. I woke up to a text alert at 8 A.M. this morning about a winter weather advisory. The Indians begin their season in 9 days, and all of Ohio is under a winter weather advisory. Opening day is in two weeks, and we are expecting six inches of snow. The sad part is, the six inches is expected here, and not in Cleveland, off the lake. This brought back memories of the 2007 “Snowpening Day”.

But then I became excited. This is a unique area. You can count the number of cities that have fans that would be okay with a snow storm crashing their Opening Day parade on one hand. It comes with being a Cleveland fan I suppose. You really can expect anything. Only in Cleveland could you have a lake effect snow storm on Opening Day, and have your old manager that led your 90’s teams make the umpires call the game in the top of the 5^th, one out away from a complete game. And only in Cleveland, could you have Paul Byrd, pitching in the last games of his career, take a perfect game into the 5^th.

This is a city where every fan in the stadium throws their beer bottles at the referees. It is a city where entire teams move overnight. This is a place where jersey burnings are expected, and where “There’s always next year” is trademarked. And yet, with all of that being said, it is viewed as normal.

The beginning of the season cannot come soon enough, and with that comes Opening Day. I will continue the streak of attending every Opening Day since 2002 with my father. Rain, sleet, or yes, even snow, we will be there. It is only fitting that this happens in Cleveland.