A Letter from Home: "Never go on trips with anyone you do not love"

[Last year, when the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Golden State Warriors were in the second of what will be, as of later today, their third annual NBA finals against one another, I was reading a long passage on the Cavs Facebook page from a person I described to my wife as some sort of "mega-fan".  I then glanced at the name attached and realized it was written by my sister.  As we once again face that most Cleveland of circumstances, as the underdogs in a national championship, I've asked my sister to add her occasional wisdom to The Coracle so that we might gauge what it's like to live in a city that will be consumed with nothing but basketball for the next week or so.]
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 A Movable Feast 

Some will see the title of this post and what comes to mind for those who read this occasionally religious weblog are Christian holy days that do not fall on a specific date. Others are reminded of the work by Ernest Hemingway, reminiscing about when he was young, poor writer in Paris in the 1920's.  Lately, when I think of "A Moveable Feast", I think of the brilliant ball play of my Cleveland Cavaliers. (A stretch? Sure, but bear with me).

During this year’s play-offs, anyone hungry for excellent basketball need only look to the Cavaliers when they are playing at their best. Do you desire an appetizer? Witness J.R. Smith knocking down a smooth and easy shot from beyond the three-point line.

Perhaps you'd like a Caesar Salad? There is Tristan Thompson ruling under the basket.

The main course varies from meal to meal. We have LeBron James the beast effortlessly pressing to the basket, or you might prefer LeBron the assister who selflessly continues to pass the ball to his teammates. Maybe you are particularly hungry and want to see the LeBron who passes, makes lay-ups, fades back for a 2 or 3 pointer, and defends with inhuman moves and strength. When he’s on his game, like the sentences of Hemingway, his basketball moves are crisp, concise. and purposeful. 

Care to add a little spice to your meal? There’s Iman Shumpert, who seems to be everywhere at once, superbly defending with a hand in his opponent's face or knocking the ball right out of their hands for a steal.

For a beverage to complement your meal, you may sip on a smooth three-pointer from Kevin Love, or taste his bolder quarterback pass to LeBron from all the way down the court.

As for dessert, what could be more enjoyable than the artistic moves of Kyrie Irving as he displays dribbling skills that leave his opponents in exasperation?

One hopes by the end of these NBA finals, Cleveland fans will be able to push their chairs back from the table, loosen their pants. grab a mint, and smile feeling completely sated, while Warriors fans are doubled over with food poisoning.

"Never go on trips with anyone you do not love," says Hemingway in A Moveable Feast.  From what I have seen of the Cavaliers performing fun, complicated handshakes before the game.  cheering on their teammates arm in arm on the sidelines, fiercely hugging after a win, giving each other credit during interviews. or even singing together on a plane trip home, there is a great amount of affection between these guys. They couldn't be traveling with better companions through this NBA finals journey. I can't wait to see what they serve us, and hope to give them a five-star rating!

Related: Five reasons why Cleveland Cavaliers can repeat as NBA Champions