'All In' for the Cavs

By KALEA HALL

khall@vindy.com

BOARDMAN

Missy Lippiatt has been a fan of the Cavaliers her whole life.

That’s why she was at Dick’s Sporting Goods on Thursday afternoon grabbing her family “All In” T-shirts before the fourth game of the NBA

Finals against the Golden State Warriors.

“I have never been alive for a [Cleveland] championship, so the idea it is so close is really exciting,” the Salem resident said.

The Cavs’ loss last night means Lippiatt will have to wait a little longer to see if her team takes the championship for Cleveland, which hasn’t had a title since 1964 when the Browns beat the Baltimore Colts.

The plan for Lippiatt, her family and countless other Cavs fans is to continue to be a part of the craze.

The tipoff for the next game “... cannot come soon enough,” she said.

Pride in the Cavs extends 75 miles down to Youngstown, where stores are stocked and local bars and restaurants are prepared to have a crowd.

With pride comes confidence. And in the Mahoning Valley, fans are confident.

They have watched in awe as the team went from its weak 2013-14 season to now with its native Akron king back to reign. Some credit LeBron James’ nonstop devotion and insane athleticism, while others say it is a team effort with LeBron leading the pack.

“It is definitely LeBron,” said Geno Skelley of Campbell, a 25-year Cavs fan. “It kind of doesn’t feel real.”

Skelley felt confident in his team Thursday. He made a pit stop at Touchdown Gifts in Southern Park Mall for a “This is My City. This is My Team” T-shirt before heading to the game.

“I don’t like wearing the same shirt twice to games,” he said.

James, for many, is a hero to Cleveland, Youngstown, and really, the entire state.

“He is unbelievable,” said Tom Bendetta of Berlin Center, a Cavs fan since the team’s beginning.

Bendetta stopped in at Dick’s on Thursday to check out the Cavs and the Ohio State gear. He left Ohio for some time and then came back to his home state.

“I came back for LeBron and Ohio State,” he said.

Sports stores stock the LeBron merchandise heavily, but some other players have started to rise. Matthew Dellavedova jerseys are selling like hotcakes for Dick’s.

“We are definitely increasing our Cavs gear around the state,” said Ben Shank, community marketing manager for Dick’s.

Dick’s has made it a point to cheer on the team at its local stores by painting “Go Cavs!” on the storefront windows.

“Having the Cavs win would mean a lot for Dick’s,” Shank said. “It is historical for the city of Cleveland and for the area.”

It also would be big for Stephanie Mansour’s Touchdown Gifts store.

“It does bring a lot of excitement,” she said.

T-shirts, jerseys, beach towels, clocks, LeBron figurines, pens and socks are some of the items selling for Mansour. Within less than a half-hour on Thursday, three customers walked into Touchdown Gifts for Cavs merchandise.

Mansour is prepared for this championship. She remembers the Ohio State craze while the team fought to win, and did win, the first College Football Playoff national championship this year.

“I think I am better prepared,” Mansour said.

Over at Magic Tree Pub & Eatery on South Avenue, the chef came up with three dishes for the customers who came in last night, and for the next game nights.

There’s the “#Allin” burger, whose name says it all. The 8-ounce burger is topped with bacon, American cheese, swiss cheese, lettuce, tomato, red onion, coleslaw, sriracha pickles, relish, hard-fried egg, onion ring, barbecue bacon aioli on a cornmeal-dusted Kaiser roll.

The “#Delly Sandwich,” named after Dellavedova, comes with salami, smoked ham, prosciutto, provolone cheese with lettuce, tomato, red onion and Italian dressing on a pretzel bun.

For the LeBron fans they offer the “LeBron Bucket” – 23 wings with the customer’s choice of sauce.

“We don’t really consider ourselves a sports bar, but we gather people here,” said Sandy Reda, co-owner of the Magic Tree. “We have a lot of fun with Ohio athletics.”

Sandy and her husband, Phill, co-own the restaurant and decided Wednesday to come up with some speciality items for the menu. Cavs game nights have brought in 25 percent to 30 percent more sales.