The Mistakes By The Lakes

Around here, the hatred for all things Ohio is 100% due to Buckeye football. Not only because of the success tOSU has had against Michigan over the past few years but because of the treatment Yost and I have received during our visits to Columbus.

So it seems odd that with temperatures approaching 80 degrees, my hatred for Ohio, and specifically Cleveland, has surfaced in a cicadian manner.

But unlike the bugs that appear every 17 years, the rivalry between Detroit and Cleveland sports teams has pretty much never existed.

In the NBA, the Cavaliers and Pistons have never met in the league semi-finals until the series that started Monday night. In pro baseball, the Tigers and Indians - who are battling for first in the A.L. Central - haven't both been this good since, well, forever (actually 1950). And the Browns and Lions haven't met in an important game for both teams since the Lions were allegedly talented way back in 1954.

And you know what? After having gone just over six months since my hatred peaked on a disappointing evening in Columbus, I have to say it's kind of fun to hate Ohio again. Like a Christmas in July sale, I know it's not the real thing, but I'm not going to complain about it.