Has Hue Jackson caught Cavs fever?
The Browns coach delivered a quick response to that query Thursday before hitting the Westwood Country Club course for the 17th annual Cleveland Browns Foundation golf tournament.
"Yes I am," Jackson said. "I'm all in."
The Cavs take on the Warriors in Game 1 of the NBA Finals tonight at 9 p.m. They'll be back in Cleveland on Wednesday and Friday of next week for Games 3 and 4.
Jackson, who grew up watching the Lakers in his native Los Angeles, will have his eyes on all of them.
"I hope for our city that the Cavs can go and get this done," Jackson said. "I think they're well-deserving, I think they work extremely hard, I think they're well-coached. I think they have some tremendous players led by LeBron (James) and Kyrie (Irving), impressed by those guys. It is going to be what it is but at the end of the day, those guys will get it done.
"Tough series, but they'll get it done."
Since he arrived in Cleveland in July, Jackson has received a crash course in the city's sports history. He recently watched the ESPN 30 for 30 documentary "Believeland" and understands why the city is "starving for a champion."
"I think it would be tremendous. I think it would give our city a lot of confidence," Jackson said. "I think we would walk around very proudly and feel good about what we're doing because this city is about hard work. It's about putting your head down and working hard and showing up every day to get done what you need to get done. That's what that basketball team truly represents. They're doing a tremendous job."
Jackson was at The Q for the Cavs' very first game of the 2016 NBA playoffs and hyped up the crowd at Game 2 of the Eastern Conference semifinals. Pro Bowlers Joe Haden and Joe Thomas have been regular fixtures at the games for years and a number of others from the organization have cheered on James, Irving, Kevin Love and the rest of the Cavs.
There are lessons to be gleaned from the Cavs' back-to-back Finals appearances, Jackson said.
"There'd be nothing better to call them world champs and high five those guys," Jackson said. "We're chasing the same thing. At the end of the day, that's what we're after as well. It's fun to watch a group of men bond and watching two young men come off some real hard injuries and overcome them and get back to the Finals again. That's amazing.
"That's a lot of work and there's a lot of lessons in there for us to see."
