A Letter From Boston
by Michael Devlin

Former Clevelander Michael Devlin relocated to Boston and is currently adjusting to east coast living, as Director Office of Communications, Carroll School of Management at Boston College. He reminisces about the idiosyncrasies of Cleveland, and makes a valid comparison of the two cities, while reminding Cleveland what we should be focused on.

As a recent transplant from Cleveland to Boston, it’s endlessly illuminating to compare the two cities.

The Red Sox have finally won the World Series. The Patriots are the best football team since Montana’s 49ers, and may be better. The Celtics have more championship banners than Gund Arena has concession stands. Boston’s third-best university receives more undergraduate applicants in one year than Case gets in three. Unlike Dennis Kuchinich, Boston’s presidential candidate made the final cut, and may become the only democratic president from north of the Mason-Dixie line since the last Bostonian to hold the office, the good looking JFK. Clam chowder is better than perogies, the Charles is vastly prettier than the Cuyahoga, and the North End is to Little Italy what a case of fine Barolo is to a glass of cheap Chianti. Boston is world-class. Cleveland is working-class. Cleveland, Boston is your Daddy.

So, why am I yearning to go back?

I’m dying for a Dortmunder Gold. I’m sick of seeing Dunkin’ Donuts on every corner selling nondescript donuts and undrinkable coffee. I miss meeting my buddy Doug at the Bob Feller statue and following the thousands of Janoshaks and Tuckowskis and Gatzkiewiczs into Jacobs Field to watch our ordinary Indians play a nice, meaningless game of baseball. I long for my 20 minute commute to anywhere, 25 during the absurdly early rush hour. My eyes crave being able to see farther than I can hit a seven iron. My dogs have forgotten the joy of walking on a tree lawn. But I haven’t.

Most of all, I miss being the underdog. As Red Sox fans are about to discover, the enduring satisfaction of trying hard is frequently more rewarding that the fleeting thrill of accomplishment. Cleveland is the Avis of cities. Clevelanders try harder. Ed Hundert is trying to make Case into a world-class university. He may not succeed, but the effort will sustain the place for years. There’s a feverish attempt in Cleveland to fill the civic leadership vacuum. Cleveland may never again see a leadership group like Dick Pogue, Ed Brandon, Sam Miller, Mal Mixon, Ed Gillespie and Joe Gorman. But, by God, there’ll be a hundred organizations set up to find ‘em.

Boston is complacent. World Series victories aside, things come easily to Boston. That, in part, is because Boston is what it is. It’s said that New York has the money, Washington has the power and Boston has the brains. And Boston’s just fine with that. The city is what it is. Don’t like it? Leave. The city refuses to try to be something it’s not. Yes, that great abundance of brain power produces different output in different eras. Right now it’s biotechnology. (Sorry, Cleveland, but in the battle for ownership of that industry, you are a Republican Guard rifleman smiling into the camera on the nose of an incoming smart bomb.) Before that it was information technology. And some geek at MIT has already figured out what’s next. He’ll let us know just a little sooner than we’re ready.

No one knows what particular configuration of industry is going to sustain Cleveland in the next 25 years. Odds are it will be some combination of mid-size manufacturing, financial services and healthcare. But one thing’s for sure. These industries can’t do it alone. Cleveland needs smart, ambitious people like the Conways at Great Lakes Brewing to hang around and start their businesses here. Not only do they employ a few people, but they help the city define itself.

Keeping those people (call them entrepreneurs if you must, but it’s a daunting term) is the responsibility of every Clevelander. They won’t stay in a depressed city. They won’t stay in a hopeless city. But most of all, they won’t stay in a panicky city. Cleveland, relax. Be what you are. Be the quirky, working-class, art-loving, dog mask-wearing, cloudy, American, funny, four-season, spacious, beautiful, leafy, friendly city that you’ve been for years. Be proud of that. Be more of that. Good things will happen.

from Cool Cleveland reader Michael Devlin michael.devlin@bc.edu (:divend:)