For more than a decade, the Guardians franchise had a major league manager who was a bonafide basketball junkie in Terry Francona. With new skipper Steven Vogt, not much has changed. Vogt told reporters Tuesday that he attended Game 2 of the Eastern Conference first round playoff series between the Cavaliers and Orlando Magic during the Guardians’ off day Monday. . “That was awesome,” Vogt said. “It was fun to go watch those guys. They’re a fun team to watch, and my wife follows the NBA very, very closely. We both do.” Vogt’s wife, Alyssa, was a standout on the basketball team at Azusa Pacific University and coached at Evergreen State College as well as Tumwater (WA) High School. Vogt said there’s always a game on the television in their home. The problem there is the game likely features the Warriors, Vogt’s favorite team and Cleveland’s nemesis for a run of four consecutive finals appearances from 2015-18. Golden State won three of the four matchups between the two teams. “That’s probably unpopular around here, but you are who you are, man,” Vogt laughed. “I don’t shy away from it.” Vogt referred to those Cavaliers vs. Warriors finals as “the height of NBA basketball over the last few years.” “Those battles between the Warriors and Cavaliers were something special, and there was a lot of talent on the court,” said Vogt, who attended Game 2 of the 2016 Finals in Oakland. Golden State won that game, but the rest of the series did not turn out the way Vogt was hoping, with Cleveland rallying from a 3-1 deficit to win its first NBA title. The loss still stings for Vogt, and all Warriors fans. “But no,” he said. “I love watching the best players in the world do what they do.”
New Guardians Skipper Steven Vogt Is a Basketball Junkie, Too
