Cleveland enjoying the spotlight

cleveland» The grueling four-month championship drought could soon be over.

Cleveland, yes, Cleveland, a city kicked around for years and where sports heartbreak was engrained in the collective DNA of generations of fans and misery was a fumble or John Elway touchdown pass away, is on deck for another title celebration.

This year, everyone else is playing for second place. It’s Cleveland’s turn in the spotlight.

The empty cups and bottles had barely been cleaned up from the summer-long party after LeBron James and the Cavaliers stormed back to win the win the NBA Finals when along came these improbable Indians, a team that has defied the odds all season and advanced to the World Series for the first time since 1997.

And in a perfect sports storm almost unimaginable to the most optimistic fan, the Cavs will receive their diamondstudded rings Tuesday night at Quicken Loans Arena and become the first Cleveland team since 1964 to hoist a world championship banner as the Indians throw out the first pitch in Game 1 next door at Progressive Field.

“Is there any better way?” asked James, the star whose return home in 2014 triggered a wave of hope across Northeast Ohio. “I don’t know, having an ice cream truck outside both arenas at the same time as well. It’s great. We get to host the World Series and we get our rings on the same night — at the same time.

“If we had a retractable roof, it would be probably the loudest (sound) we ever heard, so it’s pretty special,” he said.

Cleveland is undergoing a 21st century renaissance that intensified when the Cavs stopped the city’s dry spell without a major pro sports championship at 52 years.

Now the city’s abuzz about the Indians, who haven’t won a World Series since 1948.

On Thursday, the final World Series tickets sold out in 15 minutes and fans endured long lines to buy merchandise commemorating the AL pennant.

By winning it all, the Cavs inspired confidence in fans who grew to expect the worst in big moments. They’d been tortured by Elway beating the Browns in AFC championship games, Michael Jordan knocking down a game-winning shot to sink the Cavs and the Indians losing Game 7 to Florida in 1997.

But James and his teammates, who have rallied behind the Indians at playoff games this October, gave fans the belief anything is possible.