Cleveland State: Vikings Lose To Butler but Give Cleveland Much Reason For Hope

It’s been a depressing winter for Cleveland sports fans.

Is that a gross understatement?

Unfortunately, yes.

Sure, the Cleveland Browns looked rather promising in October and November, during which the team defeated the New Orleans Saints and New England Patriots and took the New York Jets to the final seconds of overtime. However, the Browns’ fortunes took a turn for the worse towards the end of the season. The team lost four straight games, leading to the ousting of coach Eric Mangini and a complete overhaul of the team’s offensive and defensive systems.

Instead of being contenders for the NBA championship, the Cleveland Cavaliers are contending for one of the longest losing streaks in NBA history and possibly the worst record in NBA history as well. At this point in the season, it is possible that the victory over the Boston Celtics on opening night may well be the highlight of the season. Injuries to the team’s stars and inexperience have helped make this season as bad as predicted. Many of us have realized that the rebuilding era will be long and arduous.

As far as the Cleveland Indians are concerned, it is safe to say that no news is definitely not good news. After posting another losing season in 2010, the team failed to sign any impact free agents in the off-season. The biggest news was that beloved former player and manager Mike Hargrove has returned to the team in an advisory capacity.

In the midst of all this frustration, what’s a diehard Cleveland sports fan to do?

I’d suggest heading on over to the corner of East 18^th and Carnegie to watch the Cleveland State Vikings. If the Vikings’ legendary run during the Horizon League Tournament in 2009 and subsequent upset of fourth-seeded Wake Forest in the NCAA Tournament didn’t make you a fan, I can assure you that their play this year definitely will!

So far, Cleveland State has had a season to remember. Led by senior Norris Cole, the favorite for the Horizon League Player of the Year Award, the Vikings have posted a 21-4 record and have received votes in the national Top 25 polls. Coach Gary Waters has helped the team develop a gritty, hard-nosed mentality in which every player on the floor fights hard for every loose ball and plays intense defense on every possession. While this style of basketball may not be pretty to watch, it is the style that often leads to shocking upsets during the NCAA Tournament.

Today, in front of the first-ever sellout crowd at the Wolstein Center for a Cleveland State basketball game, the Vikings played a spirited contest against a dangerous Butler team that returns many players from the team that took the Duke Blue Devils to the final seconds in the national championship game last season. Although the Vikings fought hard, a combination of foul trouble, questionable calls and lights-out shooting by Butler all combined to result in the Vikings’ fourth defeat of the season.

While the outcome of the game was disappointing, the 8,400+ fans who packed the Wolstein Center had a great time. The arena was loud from start to finish and the student section was as active and engaged as any student section at a big ACC school. I attended some games last season, and the change in the atmosphere between last season and this season is remarkable.

On the court, the Vikings kept the game close for the first half and much of the second half until Butler made a run late in the second half to pull away. Although the sellout crowd would have preferred a victory, many fans left confident in the fact that the team is still a strong contender to win the Horizon League’s automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.

Fans should also be confident because the future looks very bright for the Vikings. Cole is the only player on the roster who is graduating. D’Aundray Brown, who played a huge role in the Vikings’ NCAA Tournament run in 2009 and has missed this year to injury, will return next season and provide veteran leadership. Mainstays Trevon Harmon, Aaron Pogue, Jeremy Montgomery, Charlie Woods, and Tim Kamczyc will all return next season. Coach Waters and his staff are deeply committed to the team and the Vikings appear to be poised for continued success in the future.

The weather outside may be frightful, but the basketball inside the Wolstein Center is delightful. The Vikings have three more regular season home games before beginning the Horizon League Tournament and the beginnings of what will hopefully be a victorious run towards success in the NCAA Tournament. Clevelanders who are looking for a ray of sunshine and a bit of hope amidst the darkness and gloom should come on down and check out the best team in town. I’ll see you there!