On this Thanksgiving, I am really thankful to you - the readers: Terry Pluto
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- This year, more than ever, I want to thank our readers.
In the past, I have written that without you (the readers) there is no me -- or at least, no me in the paper and on cleveland.com. But with all the changes in the newspaper business in terms of home delivery and the emphasis on more stories online -- I am more grateful than ever to be able to write about Cleveland-area sports.
And extremely thankful that you have stayed with us.
Sometimes, I receive emails where people write that they "feel sorry" for me. That's because most of the stories about most of the teams would be best written by Edgar Allan Poe or Stephen King. In the end, something bad usually happens.
Real bad. And in a real bad way. But I love it, anyway. Not all the losing, but the writing -- for you.
A few days ago, I was talking to someone about my father. He worked at the old Fisher-Fazio Foods warehouse. I also worked there for parts of four years when I was going to school. Now that was a demanding job. Not so much what I did, working in the receiving office.
But the guys who unloaded the railroad cars on the night shift …
Or the guys who filled the grocery store orders and loaded the trucks during the day ...
Or the guys who drove the trucks, the forklifts and other equipment ...
That was real work.
When I was young, my mother worked at old Parmatown Lanes. I'd help her clean the rental bowling shoes (and some had a very distinct odor). Real work there, too.
Writing about sports? I have friends who are in sales and are paid by commission -- seems very scary to me. I know people who spend 10 hours a day in front of a computer screen, doing jobs that I can't begin to comprehend.
I have a lot of friends in law enforcement, which alternates between utter boredom to moments of absolute terror. Or people who work in the health-care field, which can be so rewarding and frustrating -- nearly at the same time.
The point is, I know I've won one of life's lotteries when it comes to my job. And I know that without readers who care about our too-often miserable teams, I'm looking for work.
The newspaper and website exist because you still want to read what we have to say -- even if it's mostly to complain about it.
I wish I didn't have to keep counting the number of starting Browns quarterbacks since Bernie Kosar was cut in 1993 -- the answer is 24. Or have to deal with the endless speculation about the return of LeBron James -- he's probably not coming back. Or try to figure out how the Indians can consistently win in a sport that consistently favors larger market franchises.
But I also know that sports is not real life. It's a diversion from real life.
My wife and I are engaged in some long-term, home health care of her 93-year-old mother. Many of my friends are in the same situation with older family members. The other night, it was a relief to turn on the Cavs' game at New Orleans -- even as they blew a 12-point lead in the fourth quarter.
Another friend took tremendous delight in the Indians' strong finish this season as she dealt with her father's Alzheimer's condition.
And yes, once in a while, the teams do surprise us -- in a good way. Just as the Tribe did this season. And yes, I'm thankful for that.
But I am far more thankful to you for being there, win or lose.
In the past, I have written that without you (the readers) there is no me -- or at least, no me in the paper and on cleveland.com. But with all the changes in the newspaper business in terms of home delivery and the emphasis on more stories online -- I am more grateful than ever to be able to write about Cleveland-area sports.
And extremely thankful that you have stayed with us.
Sometimes, I receive emails where people write that they "feel sorry" for me. That's because most of the stories about most of the teams would be best written by Edgar Allan Poe or Stephen King. In the end, something bad usually happens.
Real bad. And in a real bad way. But I love it, anyway. Not all the losing, but the writing -- for you.
A few days ago, I was talking to someone about my father. He worked at the old Fisher-Fazio Foods warehouse. I also worked there for parts of four years when I was going to school. Now that was a demanding job. Not so much what I did, working in the receiving office.
But the guys who unloaded the railroad cars on the night shift …
Or the guys who filled the grocery store orders and loaded the trucks during the day ...
Or the guys who drove the trucks, the forklifts and other equipment ...
That was real work.
When I was young, my mother worked at old Parmatown Lanes. I'd help her clean the rental bowling shoes (and some had a very distinct odor). Real work there, too.
Writing about sports? I have friends who are in sales and are paid by commission -- seems very scary to me. I know people who spend 10 hours a day in front of a computer screen, doing jobs that I can't begin to comprehend.
I have a lot of friends in law enforcement, which alternates between utter boredom to moments of absolute terror. Or people who work in the health-care field, which can be so rewarding and frustrating -- nearly at the same time.
The point is, I know I've won one of life's lotteries when it comes to my job. And I know that without readers who care about our too-often miserable teams, I'm looking for work.
The newspaper and website exist because you still want to read what we have to say -- even if it's mostly to complain about it.
I wish I didn't have to keep counting the number of starting Browns quarterbacks since Bernie Kosar was cut in 1993 -- the answer is 24. Or have to deal with the endless speculation about the return of LeBron James -- he's probably not coming back. Or try to figure out how the Indians can consistently win in a sport that consistently favors larger market franchises.
But I also know that sports is not real life. It's a diversion from real life.
My wife and I are engaged in some long-term, home health care of her 93-year-old mother. Many of my friends are in the same situation with older family members. The other night, it was a relief to turn on the Cavs' game at New Orleans -- even as they blew a 12-point lead in the fourth quarter.
Another friend took tremendous delight in the Indians' strong finish this season as she dealt with her father's Alzheimer's condition.
And yes, once in a while, the teams do surprise us -- in a good way. Just as the Tribe did this season. And yes, I'm thankful for that.
But I am far more thankful to you for being there, win or lose.
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