‘Believeland’ focused too much on heartache and not enough on fans’ hope

4:01 PM ET

Anyone who wants to relive the pain and agony of all the worst moments in recent Cleveland sports history should by all means watch “Believeland.”

But folks who want to gain new insight into the character of a city and its ability to fight through disappointment, to understand the psyche of a city, they’d best head to the library.

“Believeland,” which debuted Saturday on ESPN as part of the “30 for 30” series, does capture the tough moments in Cleveland sports. But for insight and nuance, well … keep looking. Except for a brief montage of Clevelanders saying “next year” after the Cavs lost in the NBA Finals last year, there was little discussion of why Cleveland fans keep coming back after so much disappointment.

Maybe people in Detroit or Dubuque or Dallas who haven’t lived the disappointment might appreciate the insights and tales in the film. There are many, and they are good. Most moving, of course, was when Earnest Byner looked in the camera and said “I’m sorry for letting you down” as he discussed “The Fumble.” Former coach Marty Schottenheimer speaking through tears about Byner’s character was equally as touching.

But Cleveland knows all that. Cleveland lived it. Cleveland knows that what Mike Hargrove said about getting over losing the World Series in extra innings of Game 7 — “Just as soon as it happens, I’ll let you know” — is absolutely true.

Fans get it. Because when …

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