Friday, February 19, 2010

Cleveland...Miserable?

Some of you may have read the article.  One of McBone's followers actually posted the link in a comment for the last post on the Antawn Jamison trade.  The piece was some type of idiotic study on the so called most miserable cities in America to reside. Forbes is the latest culprit but there are many other so called "Pro America" publications that publish this trash every year.

Well Forbes, let me start by just saying this.  You can take that study and shove it up your ass.  Go to hell, and FUCK OFF!

I've had enough.  Why do we feel the necessity to do a study and publish something about the worst places to live?  Forbes, can I ask you this...Did the person that published that piece ever live in Cleveland?  I would be willing to bet one million McBoners (The official currency of McBone) that they've never spent more than one week in this city.  Regardless, it is beyond my intelligence why it would ever be necessary to publish such negative garbage.  What good does it do anyone?  Tell me how you think it makes the people feel that were born in those cities?  That work 12 hours a day to raise their families in those cities and pay for their mortgages?  Give me 10 minutes in a room with no windows or cameras with the person that endorses these publications.  Do we not have enough negativity?  Do the people in these cities not already know what the problems of their hometowns are?  Hey Clevelanders!  Did you guys know that we get a lot of snow in the winter?  Did you know that our sports teams haven't won a title in six decades?  Hmmmmmm.....BREAKING NEWS FORBES YOU ASSHOLES!

I've just had enough of the Cleveland bashing.  I really have.  The #4 most miserable city to live in?  Come here for one week and I'll show you how miserable it is.  Nothing good happening in Cleveland?  Ok you know what's coming now:

1) Cleveland Cavaliers - Best basketball team on the planet.  Best ownership in sports.  Best player in the world.  I know it is painful for all you Cleveland haters out there, BUT LEBRON IS GOING FUCKING NOWHERE. 
2)  World Class Restaurants - Lola, Lolita, Osteria, Slyman's Deli, Farenheit, Lago, Sokolowski's, Johnny's Downtown, and many many more.  Cleveland's cuisine is second to maybe only New York and Chicago.  MAYBE.  Any meal, type of food or atmosphere you desire and I'll find you a restaurant in that genre that will blow your mind.
3) Is Cleveland Growing?  Is there anything exciting happening?
-Billion dollar casino will be up and running by 2013.
-Flats East Bank project breaks ground this spring.  New 18-story office building (Ernst & Young), River front park/boardwalk, beach, restaurants, hotel and more.
-400 jobs coming to National City Building this spring.  Rosetta Inc. moving offices there.
-$400 million high speed passenger rail coming to Cleveland to connect the four major cities in Ohio.
-Cleveland State University is up 18% in enrollment and at an alltime high for total enrollment.  40% of the incoming freshman class will be living on campus downtown Cleveland.  Also and alltime high. Three new buildings under construction including educational and dormitory buildings.  Cleveland State is a huge part of the revitalization of downtown Cleveland.
-Lake Erie Monsters -  New professional hockey league team owned and operated by Dan Gilbert.  Drew 18,626 fans on January 22nd.  5th highest attended game in American Hockey League history (74 years).  7th in the league in total attendance. 
-Tremont and Ohio City - Young professionals flock to these areas.  Eclectic and fresh. Great looking women, great food, great atmosphere, unique places to live, small boutiques and art galleries.  Just awesome.
-Affordable.  For someone 21-40 years old.  No city has more to offer with a lower cost of living.  Beautiful new condo's, townhomes and apartments opening every year.  Want proof - I live in a 3,000 sq ft. home.  I pay $1,000 a month.  I live two minutes from Quicken Loans Arena.   My kitchen is bigger than most apartments in New York, Chicago, San Francisco, etc.  I have a yard, I cook-out, I even had a fox in my yard this fall.  Again I live 1 minute from downtown!
4) WEST SIDE MARKET - Celebrating a 100 years of publicly owned excellence.  One of the largest outdoor markets in the world.  Have you seen all the latest studies on the destruction of processed and super market foods?  Well live in Cleveland and you don't have to worry.  You have a fresh supply of locally and organic grown foods that are less expensive, more nutritional and unbelievably more flavorful than your regular old grocery store slop. This place is amazing. 
5) Bored?
-How about a world-class art museum that was already one of the best in the world and now has almost completed a billion dollar restoration. 
-Rock N Roll Hall of Fame
-Five professional sports teams (Cavaliers, Monsters, Browns, Indians, Gladiators)
-Theatre
-Like water?  Lake Erie might be close by.
6) The people.  People of Cleveland work hard, they are passionate and they are genuine.  Come here and you'll see.  Go to a Browns game.   You'll see.  I guess the people of a city don't contribute to it's "ranking" among best cities to live.

I don't need to go on, but I could.  For days and days. Did the article piss me off, yes.  Did I react emotionally, yes, but not without reason.  Most of the time I don't give a damn about what people say.  I've heard criticism of Cleveland as long as I can remember.  But sometimes you just can't hold the emotions in any longer.  This city has so much to offer now and what is even more exciting is the untapped potential that is just beginning to be developed.  Great things are happening but even greater are coming.  Congrats to those who will be along for the ride. Maybe we can make Forbes top ten list for best cities to live in 2015.  But then again, who the fuck cares.  Cleveland Rocks!

jab

14 comments:

SeMm said...

As I may be moving to Cleveland in a short period of time, keep it up.

BillBow Baggins said...

An impassioned post by the co-author if this blog. I love it.

Shaft--awesome. My brother can tell you where all the good stuff is. Um, but so can your wife, I guess.

nwb

Darin's girl said...

Well put McBone, well put. We love to rank things in this country.

You should find yourself the 30 Rock I heart Cleveland episode from first seasons and snuggle in for the night.

Feel free to let me know if you want to share this perspective or others on my new site - ThisGeneration.net...launching next month.

Kid Shay said...

Visiting Cleveland was like going to Oz the four years of my undergrad education. Miserable city? Never.

C.J. said...

DAMN! Makes me forget that you can't take the Cleveland out of a Clevelander...

Should I pack up my things now in the 2nd city and catch Cleveland on the upswing or have I already missed out? The best thing about Cleveland that's not on this list is that it's 4 hrs closer to Athens than Chicago!

C.J. said...

I agree, Cleveland is under-appreciated. I've always had a good time there. $1,000/mo for a 3,000 sq home in the city? Get out! Makes me want to go on a home buying spree... LOVE Cleveland's lakefront-- everything's right there. I do disagree on one thing though... hate to say it but Kobe and D. Wade are far better than 'Bron. Just ask any last second shot.

Props on the article, Jeff! One day, I actually hope to meet the man behind the legend.

BillBow Baggins said...

- thanks for comments. The upswing is just in the beginning stages. The landscape of downtown Cleveland will look completely different by 2013. More opportunity in Cleveland than there has been 40 years.

Darin's Girl. I will certainly check out any TV show that potrays Cleveland as the Midwest gem that it is.

CJ - McBone has plans to hold a McBone friends, family and followers reunion at some point in the future. Hopefully we can meet then.

I choose not to get my blood boiling this early on a Sunday in response to your Wade/Bryant comment, but I'll be sure to point back to it in June after the NBA finals.

Go Cavs
JB

BillBow Baggins said...

Just ask any NBA GM who they would take. Here's what the order would be:

1) Bron
2) Kobe
3) Wade

nwb

Jessica I. said...

Jeff, love the post. The Forbes list really honked my horn, too. You may enjoy this article:

http://www.brewedfreshdaily.com/2010/deciphering-another-nonsense-forbes-list

BillBow Baggins said...

I think we have a potential enemy of the month in Forbes.

nwb

Sarah said...

Amen. Great post. All the reasons we'll move back eventually.

Anonymous said...

Cleveland fucking sucks. I moved here for a year to do my medical internship and I hate it. I can't wait till I move out this June. FUCK CLEVELAND!!!! A Miserable ass city.... You want fun and your from the Midwest.. go to Chicago, Detroit or Pittsburgh!!!!

BillBow Baggins said...

Hey Anonymous,

Please learn to distinguish "your," which is a possessive pronoun, and "you're," which is a contraction of you and are. McBone does not tolerate bad grammar from would-be doctors.

As for your comment, Cleveland does not want you, need you or care about you.

Thanks for stopping by!

nwb

Anonymous said...

I moved to Cleveland 4 years ago and it has been the worst experience of my life. There are many things about the area I absolutely love. The metroparks are awesome. There is lots to do if you get out there and find it. Wonderful food (except no real barbeque - Hot Sauce Williams is not real bar-b-que!) Beautiful drives to take into different counties, Lake Erie is great, go to Sports and Concerts venues, Playhouse Square is a gem, lots of colleges, pleasant weather in my opiion except for a few months of the year - BUT - BUT the real worst part of it all is it's inhabitants. What happened to midwestern hospitality? Where are the smiles? No one says hello or even waves-just gawks at you. I am white but I will say that the only people who have smiled or talked to me have been in the African American Community and again I am very white! One things I get a lot is - Oh did you go to Catholic School??..uh no I didn't go to St Igs. What am I Holden Caulfield over here? So Clevelanders start smiling, be helpful, invite a stranger to dinner - be kind - perhaps your ranking will change! Hardest city in America to make a friend -I've been around more kind folks in New York for crying out loud!