Podcap: New York 106, Cleveland 86 (Or, Realist vs Romantic)

Did you know that Tom Pestak lobbied the editing staff to be voted “most realistic” in his eighth grade yearbook? I needed that pragmatism after the Cavs put up a particularly demoralizing effort against the Knicks, Monday. Sexland combined to dribble logo off the ball and chuck their way to a 10-40 game with six turnovers and seven assists, while Kevin Love and Cedi Osman combined to go 1-11 inside the arc and 8-16 from three. The Cavs shot 34% from the field while the Knicks had six guys in double figures and shot 48%. Only Tristan Thompson and his 22 rebounds shined as the Cavs were booed multiple times on their home court and generally ran around like chickens with their heads cut off.

After a 50-49 Cavalier first half, the game was punctuated by a 30-14 third quarter, and the softest flagrant foul in NBA history on Kevin Love, while the officials ignored Cavalier players being smacked in the face, and the game went downhill from there.

Yeah, John Beilein didn’t acquit himself well in these last three games, but it’s not as if the Cavs were trying to win this one. I mean they didn’t even re-sign a guy who’d scored double 21 points and grabbed 16 rebounds in 45 minutes over the last couple games in Alphonso McKinnie. McKinnie was off the squad for this one, as the Cavs dressed 10 guys and only G-Leaguer Matt Mooney’s three minutes of garbage time gave us anything to look forward to.

Tom talked me off a blogging ledge as we briefly touched on the game and then spent a good 90 minutes talking about everything. Why do we do these things we do, like write, blog, play music, perform standup comedy, or podcast about Cavs games? What is the point? We Dad-bitched about how much it work it is to have a full time job, kids, and to do something you love, and if it’s worth it. Tom Pestak’s grounded nature came in handy as we went over the NBA, the Cavs, personal finance, bitcoin, having a five year plan, realism versus romanticism, and why we see ourselves in professional sportsmen. We went over officiating, the existential crisis caused by instant replay, why NBA coverage denigrates its own game, how (not) to withdraw large amounts of cash from the bank, the CoCoMelon basketball song, and so much more.

Ultimately, I felt lucky to have what I do and that the problems of two dorks from Ohio are pretty mundane. This Cavs org clearly wanted to drop a game to the Knicks for lottery standings and if the Cavs players aren’t gonna get worked up about it, then I shouldn’t either. Also, if you’re passionate about something do it. Our conversation reminded me of something I wrote a long time ago. Here’s to all you creators and romantics out there.

Ultimately, one has to find the will to write, paint, sculpt, act, brew, decorate cakes, interpretively dance, re-enact the civil war, etc. with the assumption that few may ever know of one’s endeavors save a close circle of friends. So why do we do it? We do it because we love, and because an attempt to discern and order our universe is a true and noble thing, and a true thing might well be worth its insignificance.

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