You may have heard the Cleveland Cavaliers won last night, breaking a 52 year championship drought in all four of the classic major American sports. This is good for them, and I am happy for Cleveland fans, including resident beat reporter and Ohio native Jeanna Thomas. However, this win sort of raises an uncomfortable question about title droughts and major cities.
Not too long ago, the New York Times put together a list on the most miserable sports towns in America, with an emphasis on a lack of titles. Cleveland was the obvious #1, but Atlanta was right behind them, with the 1995 Atlanta Braves World Series win going down as the last Atlanta title. There were, uh, not many before that one, either.
There's also Minnesota, which is home to the oft-cursed Vikings, oft-lousy Twins, and some very bad basketball (and I dunno about hockey, I guess!), and Buffalo, where the Bills had the most nightmarish four year stretch in the history of any sport ever. But you can make the case that Atlanta at least belongs in the conversation at the top, and that is an awful thought.
We will hope fervently that Dan Quinn has these Falcons on the right track, and that Atlanta's own championship drought will end soon enough. Lord knows I don't want to see Atlanta on a list like this any longer.