‘Believeland’ film examines Cleveland’s deep sports passion

‘Believeland’ film examines Cleveland’s deep sports passion

[...] true to the passion of a proud city whose long-suffering fans haven’t celebrated a major professional championship since 1964, the director of an ESPN “30 for 30” documentary chronicling Cleveland’s half-century of sports misery has undying hope a title will come.

Billman’s film, a sports-themed love letter to Cleveland’s fans and teams, fulfills a decade-long dream for the director, who didn’t realize until he was working as a production assistant at ESPN after college that Cleveland’s national reputation was as a laughingstock.

The city’s sports futility, with moments tagged by outsiders with nicknames like “the Drive,” “the Fumble” and “the Shot,” have been a convenient narrative whenever a Cleveland team falls short of a title.

[...] as a die-hard Browns, Indians and Cavaliers fan, Billman believes it’s deeper than wins and losses.

[...] I think Cleveland and its athletes and coaches and managers have a very unique relationship.

Billman interviewed a number of Cleveland sports stars, including former Browns running back Earnest Byner, whose fumble at the 3-yard line in the final minutes of the 1987 AFC Championship Game cost Cleveland a possible Super Bowl trip.