Pistons fans are very lucky for a lot of reasons. First and foremost this organization has put out a terrific product for many years. The Palace is a fun place to be and fans are treated to a good time, a winner, and in my opinion, the best sports experience in town. Sure, there is not a quote-unquote “superstar” on this team and yes, there are some serious snoozer games during the regular season, but this franchise has given its fans a ton to cheer and brag about. Now this weekend, many of you will be heading down the turnpike to Cleveland to see Games 3 and 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals. I have one request to quote the R&B singer Monica: Don’t take it personal.

If you have not made the road trip to Quicken Loans Arena or to any sporting venue in Cleveland before, then you may hear some things from the fans that will surprise you. See, I grew up there. Born and raised in Pepper Pike, Ohio, a suburb on the east side of Cleveland. I am a Cleveland fan, especially my beloved Indians. As a Clevelander I want to warn some of you that you may hear some language that will appall you and you may encounter some fans that have some anger issues. See, we have not won a championship since 1964. Cleveland is cursed. Fans there are bitter, frustrated, bitter, waiting for the other shoe to drop, and oh yeah, bitter. Don’t get me wrong, the city is great and the fans are very supportive of their teams, especially the Browns. But, Clevelanders should be jealous of Detroit fans. Look at the numbers. Look at the recent championships. All these people want is a title and they want some satisfaction, because HOW the teams in Cleveland have lost out on championships is even more depressing. You have seen the list on ESPN: The Shot, The Drive, The Fumble, Jose Mesa. It goes on and on. It really isn’t fair.

I guess my point is to have fun but have some sympathy. Is that possible, though, in this rivalry that is brewing between the Pistons and the Cavs? Maybe not, but I just want to send out the warning to my fellow Detroiters. Last year many of you called the post-game show (248-848-1130 by the way) and shared with me your horror stories of being on the road at the Pistons/Cavs series and some of the things that you heard. This time around, just be prepared. I think deep down most of the Cavs fans realize that their team is just not as good as the Pistons, but, hey, they are fans! They want wins! You can’t blame them for that at all; C-town has a bit of a chip on its shoulder. There are a lot of similarities between Clevelanders and Detroiters actually. The only difference is my brother Todd and I have seen zero championships in our lifetime. I am 34, he is 31 and since I moved to Southeast Michigan in 1996 the Pistons won it all, the Red Wings won three Cups, Michigan football took home a national title, MSU hoops cut down the nets and even the WNBA Shock won two championships. Be thankful for what you have seen and file that in your brain when you walk into the “Q” on Sunday or Tuesday. I’ll see you there.