WaitingForNextYear

Chris Perez’s Comments: The Good, The Bad, And…The Bad

May 20, 2012 by Brendan · 12 Comments

By now, most Cleveland sports fans have heard or read Chris Perez’s controversial postgame comments. Early Saturday evening after a 2-0 Indians shutout of the Marlins, Perez was asked if it bothers him when he’s booed, and the Tribe closer unleashed. Indians’ fans are well aware that Perez does not have much of a filter. Whether on Twitter or in the clubhouse, he responds directly, if not always accurately. For a combination of reasons, he’s become the voice of the Indians over the past two seasons.

And that’s why ownership and President Mark Shapiro cannot be happy with their closer. He’s come to represent the team more than any other player right now, and he’s spouting off about how poor attendance has driven free agents away from signing with the Tribe.

It’s a slow time of year in the sports calendar, particularly in Cleveland, and his comments instantaneously became the biggest story, igniting backlash and discussion. Not quite what everyone in the organization expected to be talking about after a 2-0 home win in front of 30,000, and with the Tribe in first place in the Central by 3.5 games.

It wasn’t all negative backlash, however, as there was plenty of back-and-forth on Twitter and among the various press members. There seem to be three facts in all of this: 1) Chris Perez is outspoken, 2) Chris Perez has been booed at home, and 3) the Indians are last in the league in attendance. Everything in between is opinion and argument assigning weight to the accuracy of the comments or the intelligence of those making the comments. The remarks can lead to a wormhole of debate, with extrapolations that have some ending points which contemplate whether this city can support three professional franchises.

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Kyrie Irving Unburdened By Comparisons To LeBron

May 19, 2012 by Brendan · 1 Comment

Cavaliers’ franchise point guard Kyrie Irving was the king of Cleveland this week. It started on Sunday with news leaking out that he would be named the 2012 NBA Rookie of the Year. The leak, of course, did not bring unexpected news, as it was only a matter of where and when he would accept the award. Irving received the award on Tuesday in Independence, gregarious and reflective. The Jersey native then put a bow on the week on Friday, with the release of a funny short mockumentary commercial where Irving played the sage old “Uncle Drew.”

Later on Friday, GQ published an interview with Irving that was both goofy and enlightening, switching and balancing tones perfectly as he did throughout his acceptance press conference. Irving was candid in the interview, directly addressing the persistent comparisons to LeBron James and their respective chases for an NBA championship. [Read More]

Colt McCoy Through the Lens of Brady Quinn

May 18, 2012 by Craig Lyndall · 68 Comments

Browns fans are understandably terrified of a QB controversy. The days of Derek Anderson and Brady Quinn (not to mention Charlie Frye) will do that to you. I’ve already been on record that I think it is a possibility that Colt McCoy might beat out Brandon Weeden, at least initially, because of his experience in the Browns’ offense. Still, despite all the moving parts and an ultimate desire to win ASAP, some Browns fans are so bitten by the Brady Quinn past that they think the only option is for Colt McCoy to be gone.

They might be right. I might be missing the boat completely on this thinking that this mix of quarterbacks can coexist. It does seem similar to Derek Anderson and Brady Quinn in some ways. On the one hand you have the somewhat smaller guy with questionable arm strength with Colt McCoy and Brady Quinn. On the other you have a guy who fits the stereotypical QB mold in terms of height and ability to hurl the ball like Derek Anderson and Brandon Weeden. And other than that, there just isn’t much similarity between the controversies of the past and potential conflict now.

One of the biggest problems with the D.A. vs. B.Q. situation was that Browns fans kept echoing the sentiment that “we need to see what we have in Brady Quinn.” That phrase became so common at one point that it made me want to scream just because everyone was using the same exact phrase. Is there anything worse than a localized cliché that peppers sports talk radio and website comment sections? I digress. The current situation with Colt McCoy is totally different than when we had to see “what we have in” Brady Quinn. [Read More]

The Terrelle Pryor era in Ohio State: Was it all worth it?

May 14, 2012 by Scott · 15 Comments

Patrick Maks is back, this time with a take on a former Ohio State player who has recently been in the news due to lengthy profile in Sports Illustrated. Patrick asks, was it all worth it?

Before he’d ever taken a snap as a college quarterback, Terrelle Pryor received a standing ovation on a brilliantly sunny day against Youngstown State in Ohio State’s cakewalk of an opener in 2008. Months before that, Sports Illustrated called his college decision “the most anticipated signing day announcement in history.”

Talk about hype. A look at just the numbers suggests he lived up to the most of it.

Key word: most.

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While We’re Waiting…Scouting AFC North Rookies, Big Ten Power Rankings, Checking In With Chris Antonetti

May 20, 2012 by Brendan · 4 Comments

While We’re Waiting serves as the early morning gathering of WFNY-esque information for your viewing pleasure. Have something you think we should see? Send it to our tips email at tips@waitingfornextyear.com.

One of the best scouts in the game discusses the AFC North draft:”Theoretically, you could look at it this way — they ended up with Richardson and Weeden instead of Ryan Tannehill and Doug Martin. And I think Richardson/Weeden is the better combination … in fact, I don’t think, I know. Richardson, we don’t need to discuss … I thought he was the best player in this draft. Weeden has some concerns. He was the best pure pocket passer in this draft, but he’s got meaningful and troublesome issues with pressure. That’s a serious red flag when you transition to the NFL.” [Greg Cosell on The Shutdown Corner]

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