Getting some McLovin' from MSNBC!

Someone just sent me a link to a story from the beginning of the summer from another fellow Clevelander - "Open Mike" at msnbc.com - about yours truly.

It seems it references myself, and an article I wrote for Blogcritics.org (an ONLINE MAGAZINE) entitled: "The 'Curse' of Cleveland Sports (And Other Tales of 'Whoa!')"

Wow, I'm actually rather stunned (believe it or not) - and very flatterred by this shout-out from Mike and the spotlight he lovingly shines on Cleveland, Ohio.

And, just like the Cleveland Indians, it comes (rather timely) at a moment after a night of sulking in my frosty Belgian beer - alongside the plasma big screen featuring a frazzled Fausto Carmona.

Look, Cleveland, there are many a day when I don't feel like getting out of bed here in the Rock n' Roll city, either. There are no jobs here. The city is crumbling. The leaders and mass media are "apathetic" with a (what-do-we-do-NOW?) "Gee whiz shrug" - to say the least. And the citizens of C-Town are leaving faster than you can say: "Charlie Frye or Derek Anderson-?" (MY vote: Charlie Weis)

Needless to say, there are many days here in Cleveland I don't feel like "a sexy hamburger."

But like the mid-market Tribe, sometimes you have to play your strengths - because, hey, that's all we've got in terms of talent and "resources." Sometimes you have to pull yourselves up by the bootstraps and face off against a "goliath" like the New York Yankees (even if they are bigger, stronger, richer, faster) - because, quite frankly, nobody else will do it for you.

The majority of the national media (like ESPN) is sitting and waiting to kick Cleveland to the curb - and cheer on their beloved New York behemoths (Yankees, Jets, Mets or otherwise).

Yeah, sure, I could go and sulk in the clubhouse like the Cleveland Indians (I have on many occassions, in fact). I could go cry in my beer because I'm not writing for The Simpsons ...or winning an Emmy for Lost ...or starring on Saturday Night Live ...or even (at worst) writing a "pet advice column" for Cat Fancy magazine and co-hosting "Bowling for Dollars" (im my spare time).

I could be doing all those things and more - but I'm not. And, guess what-? Just like the "beleagured" Cleveland Indians ...I have no one to blame but myself. Period. End of story-?

So, sure, maybe the Tribe will never beat the Tigers or Yankees (or win a World Series) - and maybe I'll never win a "Pulitzer Surprise" for writing about "inviting my cleaning lady out to lunch" or some such nonsense. But so what-? You have to at least TRY.

A very wise "Jedi Master" from "...a galaxy far, far, away" (Channel 73 on Time-Warner cable, me thinks) once told us: "If you don't promote yourself, nobody else is going to do it for you."

And even that jackass from Match.com, Dr. Phil, has been known to say: "Hey, it's OKAY to be braggin' on yourself once in a while..."

Not a problem from this meager outpost, Phil! Regardless, the Cleveland Indians have a chance to win their division ...they have a chance to get to the playoffs (this year) ...and they have a chance to represent their hometown and WIN the World Series for their half-crazed mass of adoring fans.

Or they can just "sit home and sulk." But I'm not going out like that - and neither should the entire staff of the Cleveland Indians. Anything else is just "an Atomic Wedgie" waiting to happen...

And, hey - Thanks for the "pep talk," Mike! I feel "Superbad" now (Yes, in that classic, ironic, and GOOD ...Cleveland kind of way).