Cavs Writer Greg Swartz Introduces Himself

Ok, so right off the bat I’ll admit the title picture of this article can be misleading. I am, nor have I ever been Kevin Love, but have been told I look like him, even while attending Cavs games at Quicken Loans Arena.

Despite what my wife or mother may say, Kevin is much better looking. About eight inches taller, as well. But that’s neither here nor there.

For those checking in at King James Gospel, I’d like to introduce myself. My name is Greg Swartz, and I’m a Cavs writer. I originally started at a little site called Bleacher Report in 2010, and to this day am the only employee B/R has dedicated to the wine and gold.

Along the way I’ve written for the University of Akron’s (or Ohio Polytechnic Some Expensive Important Sounding Name’s) student newspaper, The Buchtelite. From there I moved to Examiner.com covering the Cleveland Browns, the Yahoo! Sports Contributor Network as an NBA writer and even spent some time with Hoops Habit here on FanSided.

Like many reading this post, I’m a Cavs fan. As a journalist and someone who gets paid to write about the team, I have no shame in admitting that, either.

I grew up in Northeast Ohio cheering for the Cavaliers, Indians and Browns. I was thrilled when Shawn Kemp came to town and was convinced Darius Miles was a franchise centerpiece.

While attending the University of Akron I got to be around LeBron James and his summer basketball camps. It wasn’t uncommon to pass James, Shaquille O’Neal, Chris Paul, Derrick Rose or Mo Williams on your way to class. If a white Bentley was parked outside of the James A. Rhodes arena, you knew who was on campus.

Attending Cavaliers’ playoffs games was one the biggest highlights of my time in college, and also nearly bankrupted me (who knew postseason tickets were expensive?).

Up until James’ decision on July 8, 2010, I had never written an article about the Cavs, and was nothing but a fan. After watching James make his announcement that awful evening, however, something clicked.

I wanted to do more than post some whiny woe-is-us status on social media. I didn’t want to get drunk and forget the whole thing ever happened. I certainly didn’t burn any jerseys, either.

Instead, a new interest in the Cavaliers was born. It was easy to follow the team and be a fan with regular playoff trips. What about now, with a team whose future seemed to revolve around J.J. Hickson and Christian Eyenga? Now, fanhood would surely be tested.

In a weird way, the rebuilding process led myself and many others to appreciate the team more. It certainly weeded out any and all bandwagon fans as well. I got strangely excited about watching the NBA Draft Combine, and phrases like net rating, PER, catch-and-shoot and opponent field goal percentage soon began painting a better picture than simply points, rebounds and assists.

Think of it as buying low on Cavaliers’ stock. As of now, I have no plans to sell high.

Over 600 articles later, I feel like I’m starting to get an understanding of this team. That’s the great thing about sports, and life, however. There’s always more to learn.

Last season was my first as a credentialed media member. Attending games as “work” instead of a fan is definitely a thrill, and needs some getting used to.

There’s no cheering, no asking players for autographs and no paying for a ticket (a fair trade off). Being inside the locker room certainly gives one a different perspective on a team so commonly watched from a distance.

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I’ve had the opportunity to talk beards with Love, discuss J.R. Smith‘s preference to start, shake hands with Giannis Antetokounmpo (seriously, look at these), interpret a conversation between an Asian reporter and heavily-accented Timofey Mozgov, get denied an interview by Chris Paul and even make Kendrick Perkins smile.

My goal here at KJG is to bring a fresh outlook on the Cavaliers and add to an already excellent staff.

Much like last season, 2015-16 will once again promise plenty of excitement and memorable storylines.

Thanks for welcoming me on as we enjoy this team together. Oh, and Tristan Thompson, sign your damn contract already.

Greg Swartz covers the Cleveland Cavaliers for King James Gospel and Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter: @CavsGregBR.

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