Is Cleveland-Washington a rivalry?

[P'Oed]

If it wasn't a rivalry why would you feel the need to ask this question or feel the need to talk about the games at all?

I love how Cavs fans feel that they're so "above" this whole thing and don't care about it. Read some of the stuff they've been writing about last night's game in other threads and tell me that they're not just a little pissed about losing to the Wiz again this year. They've gone as far as blaming the loss on an April Fool's party that Lebron threw in DC the night before.

[HouMac]

It's hard to call it a rivalry when one of the teams doesn't care about the other. Cleveland has owned Washington so bad the last 3 seasons, they just don't take them seriously anymore - as well shown by their 3 meetings this season. Cleveland couldn't have looked more disinterested last night, and the same applies to their other 2 meetings earlier in the season.

[WashWiz54]

Is it a rivalry? Of course! Cleveland has ill feeling towards the Wiz and you bet we have the same feelings towards them. It isn't a Celtics-Lakers rivalry but it is one nonetheless. We (as fans) hate losing to each other and the players certainly don't enjoy it either (as proven by the LBJ quote.)

Just look at what happens when we lose to one another. Right now you have Cleveland fans making excuses about the party the night before, calling the Wiz team classless, and just showing hatred towards the Wizards. If that was a loss to anyone else I'm sure they'd be complaining more about their team then just whining about the Wizards.

Now don't think I'm a complete homer- we're just as guilty when we lose. We use LeBron's travel, our injuries and whatever else. While I think our excuses are a bit more legit , we use them too.

We both hate losing to each other and take the L's to heart. That's a rivalry if you ask me.

[DaRealHibachi]

@ hitachi7 and Brenice...


Truth.com

There was never a playoff series that was easily won or owned by the Cavs...

Series 1, first 4 games 2-2, next 2 games both OT 1 point wins... the infamous travel took place...

Series 2, 4-0... Injuries... AJ tried but didn't have any other guys steppin up...

Series 3 , 4-2... Gimpy Gil came back too early trying too much... Messed us up... Lost fair and square...

lol @ this dude saying Cavs not caring... Too bad, they should have... We had them beat earlier this year, without our best off, player and our best D player... That says enough...

Like I said, Cavs don't own the Wiz... Owning is what Spurs does the Suns the last 5 years... Both healthy teams... Spurs comin out the victor every time...

[InBoobieWeTrust]

Until Washington beats us when it matters most, no, it's not a rivalry. Unoriginal name calling and getting beat three years in a row in the playoffs does not constitute a rivalry.

[Brenice]

Until Washington beats us when it matters most, no, it's not a rivalry. Unoriginal name calling and getting beat three years in a row in the playoffs does not constitute a rivalry.

says the cleveland fan. What does the cleveland team call it?

[TheBigThree]

Even Lebron acknowledged that playing the Wizards isn't just another game, even when there is a gigantic record disparity between the two teams. That should tell you something. Maybe some day we'll see a healthy Wizards squad in the playoffs.

[No Offense]

That Wizards fan is wrong on so many levels.

There was no "infamous travel" in 2006. The only infamous travel was the crab dribble that got called this year. Just because you think there was a travel does not mean it was one. The fact that it wasn't called is enough of an argument to make that it wasn't, whether it looked like he did or didn't.

Second of all, the Suns healthy? Are you forgetting all of their suspensions in that one game because of the flagrant foul that Bob Horry had on Nash?

It's no rival simply because the Cavs OWN the Wizards. Just because the Wizards and their fans want to play with the big boys and they throw punches and slur insults does not mean it is.

If you guys can get healthy and actually compete in a playoff series, then maybe we will talk. But until then, it's no rivalry.

[hitachi7]

@ hitachi7 and Brenice...


Truth.com

There was never a playoff series that was easily won or owned by the Cavs...

Series 1, first 4 games 2-2, next 2 games both OT 1 point wins... the infamous travel took place...

Series 2, 4-0... Injuries... AJ tried but didn't have any other guys steppin up...

Series 3 , 4-2... Gimpy Gil came back too early trying too much... Messed us up... Lost fair and square...

lol @ this dude saying Cavs not caring... Too bad, they should have... We had them beat earlier this year, without our best off, player and our best D player... That says enough...

Like I said, Cavs don't own the Wiz... Owning is what Spurs does the Suns the last 5 years... Both healthy teams... Spurs comin out the victor every time...

Not a bad post til you ruined it with that last line, come on man! Suns were never healthy.

[hitachi7]

That Wizards fan is wrong on so many levels.

There was no "infamous travel" in 2006. The only infamous travel was the crab dribble that got called this year. Just because you think there was a travel does not mean it was one. The fact that it wasn't called is enough of an argument to make that it wasn't, whether it looked like he did or didn't.

Second of all, the Suns healthy? Are you forgetting all of their suspensions in that one game because of the flagrant foul that Bob Horry had on Nash?

It's no rival simply because the Cavs OWN the Wizards. Just because the Wizards and their fans want to play with the big boys and they throw punches and slur insults does not mean it is.

If you guys can get healthy and actually compete in a playoff series, then maybe we will talk. But until then, it's no rivalry.

I think it was game 3 of that 05-06 series when Lebron did 100% travel on the game winning score. I'm not going to argue that any superstar would ever get called for a travel in that spot, but it definitely was a travel.

I can see how it's not a rivalry because Cavs fans don't see it as one, but I don't see how you can argue that if both teams are fully healthy then it has the makings of a great series.

[LyricalRico]

According to Bill Simmons this is whats called a fued, which I agree with.

Who else wants to compromise?

I'll agree that "feud" is probably a better word for this. Don't get me wrong, I'm a Wizards fan and I hate Cleveland, but I also subscribe to the philosophy that "rivalry" implies some level of back-and-forth. Unfortuniately injuries and poor coaching have led to the Cavs winning every playoff series. So I won't call it a "rivalry".

But that's really just semantics. The bottom line is that the fans of each team hate the other team, the players get juiced up for the games, and the media hypes it up anytime these two teams play. Feud, rivalry, whatever you want to call it - there's something there and I think it add a nice extra dimension to being a fan of either team.

[InBoobieWeTrust]

According to Bill Simmons this is whats called a fued, which I agree with.

Who else wants to compromise?

I'll agree that "feud" is probably a better word for this. Don't get me wrong, I'm a Wizards fan and I hate Cleveland, but I also subscribe to the philosophy that "rivalry" implies some level of back-and-forth. Unfortuniately injuries and poor coaching have led to the Cavs winning every playoff series. So I won't call it a "rivalry".

But that's really just semantics. The bottom line is that the fans of each team hate the other team, the players get juiced up for the games, and the media hypes it up anytime these two teams play. Feud, rivalry, whatever you want to call it - there's something there and I think it add a nice extra dimension to being a fan of either team.

That was only true for the Wiz last night, unfortunately.

[Last Guardian]

Some nice excuses in this thread for the Cavs losing to the Wizards. Come on....the Cavs cared and they lost. You are not going to win every game. And some teams, even if they aren't that good, matchup well to other teams.

[InBoobieWeTrust]

Some nice excuses in this thread for the Cavs losing to the Wizards. Come on....the Cavs cared and they lost. You are not going to win every game. And some teams, even if they aren't that good, matchup well to other teams.

No, they didn't care, and it was pretty blatant by their defensive effort, especially in transition defense...when you aren't getting back on defense...it's because your effort is horrible.

[Brenice]

Cleveland, man up. The wiz, with arenas and haywood, are scheduled to play in Cleveland next Wednesday. If Cleveland "wants" to win the game and are so much better than the wiz, they should win by 20. I don't want to see no game going down to the wire and LeBron with the ball in his hands for the final shot. A superior team should not go down to the wire all the time.

We'll see!

[Cavsfan4lyfe]

Nobody is saying the Cavs didn't want to win the game. But to us Cavs fans who have been watching every game it was clear that we didn't give our best effort. Not really saying they didn't try..the focus just wasn't there and they seemed to think they could turn it on anytime they wanted like they have in recent games. There's no way we would have approached the game the same way if it was against LA or Boston.

I don't get why Wiz fans are so upset that Cavs fans don't think it's a rivalry. No offense, but the Cavs have bigger fish to fry right now. Washington has lost every playoff series to us, while we've advanced to have even more heated series against the Pistons and Celtics. We have the #1 team in the league and are achieving some historical regular season accomplishments, while the Wiz have 18 wins and the second worst record in the league. Of course they're not on our radar right now.

[Chuck Everett]

It would be nice if Washington had a rivalry with the rest of the league. Seriously, the Wizards as a group talk so much junk, but they have 18 wins. Who cares if you beat Cleveland in the regular season? How about beating Charlotte, Indiana, Chicago, New York as well? Stay on the court for once and win a first round series. That would be a start.

[flash22]

That Wizards fan is wrong on so many levels.

There was no "infamous travel" in 2006. The only infamous travel was the crab dribble that got called this year. Just because you think there was a travel does not mean it was one. The fact that it wasn't called is enough of an argument to make that it wasn't, whether it looked like he did or didn't.

Second of all, the Suns healthy? Are you forgetting all of their suspensions in that one game because of the flagrant foul that Bob Horry had on Nash?

It's no rival simply because the Cavs OWN the Wizards. Just because the Wizards and their fans want to play with the big boys and they throw punches and slur insults does not mean it is.

If you guys can get healthy and actually compete in a playoff series, then maybe we will talk. But until then, it's no rivalry.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g_mdDBjpNME

seriously you lose all credibility if you don't think that's a travel

[P'Oed]

No offense, but the Cavs have bigger fish to fry right now

apparently the fish fryers became fried fish last night by fish that were smaller than the fish that they were. Fish.

what?

[DaRealHibachi]

Take back my comment about Suns being healthy... Not much research done on my side... My bad...

Anyways, My point still stands; You can't be owning a team you can't beat with ease...