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 they get over The Shot and The Drive and The Move, etc., they'll let everyone know.

As for The Decision, there was "interesting" analysis from Wright Thompson, an ESPN writer who worked on the film.

Thompson said the anger shown by fans at LeBron James' decision to go to Miami came through the guilt of Clevelanders who had watched their sons and daughters love Cleveland and leave it for the exact same reason James did.

But with respect to Thompson, the main reason the decision and announcement hurt so much was because fans' felt like their lungs had been ripped out.

It's tough to get everything into one film, but there were a couple curious omissions. One was Art Modell's eventual admission years after the move to Baltimore that had he not moved he would have had to declare bankruptcy, which would have cost him his team.

Another was the last playoff series James played before The Decision, and that bizarre Game 6 blowout loss in Cleveland.

The scenes of James' uplifting return were nice, but typical, and had little insight into the pull that brought James back.

"Believeland" was a chance to get into the thinking of a city that has been beat down, but bounces back. How have Clevelanders been able to persevere through so much?

ESPN-Cleveland's Tony Rizzo did some of that well with his insight, humor and anecdotes based on a family history in Cleveland. The scenes of Esquire writer and author/Cleveland native Scott Raab speaking with his son Judah also helped. But there simply was not enough of that to go with the tales of what happened.

Ex-Indians manager Mike Hargrove has lived through searing disappointment and still feels it, but he stayed in Cleveland and contributed to the Indians and the community. His story could have been examined more closely.

So could that of Byner, who came as close as anyone to bringing the spirit of Cleveland to life. He was the true hero of the film, a guy the entire city should embrace.

The fact that the 1987 AFC Championship Game had a "goat" is an enduring cruelty. That it was the guy who gave the Browns everything he had, a guy who embodied what Cleveland fans love in their athletes, made it that much worse.

Without Earnest Byner, that game was a blowout loss. With him, it became a cruel, vicious and unfair way to lose.

Yet Byner somehow has persevered. He carries the pain, but he's made his life about helping others deal with disappointment or failure. He suffered. He hurts. He struggles. He believes in himself. And he endures with grace, class, dignity and professionalism.

Byner is Cleveland.

There is the essence of "Believeland."