Browns Agree to Terms with Massaquoi
July 28, 2009The Eighth Ends The Streak at Five
July 29, 2009While 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 in the sidebar.
The new Brangelina: “If you put together the strengths of Brady Quinn and Derek Anderson, the Cleveland Browns would have no problems choosing their quarterback this summer. “Brady Anderson” would be their guy. Anderson brings the rocket arm and the ability to stretch NFL defenses, while Quinn has all the intangibles such as leadership, decision making and pocket presence. With “Brady Anderson,” the Browns could be a threat in the AFC North this year and perhaps rekindle their rivalry against the Steelers.” [James Walker/ESPN]
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Congress takes a little dig at Shaq [HHR]
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Hey, did you hear about this so-called big game? “The outcome of the Sept. 12 game in Ohio Stadium will determine just how seriously people across the country take the Big Ten the rest of the season. No other nonconference game involving a Big Ten team comes close, in terms of marquee value. And no other game comes close in terms of a barometer, since the [USC] Trojans waxed the Buckeyes 35-3 last year in Los Angeles before slapping around Big Ten co-champion Penn State 38-24 in the Rose Bowl.” [Tim May/Columbus Dispatch]
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Don Delco sits down with Paul Lukas from the UniWatch [No Logo Needed]
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Can’t say I disagree: “There is a growing perception that if the Philadelphia Phillies miss out on Roy Halladay, they can simply acquire Cliff Lee as a backup plan without having to mortgage the farm. From where I am standing, though, the price for Lee should be nearly as high.” [Around the Majors]
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“Talk about off-season transactions. Danny Ferry has been one very busy man this off-season, upgrading this team in pretty much every way possible. The Cavs roster from last year was flawed and in need of a few additions to put the Cavs over the top. The Cavs decided to take a few gambles as well as play it safe on some free agents. In the end, this is what the Cavs roster now looks like…” [Cavalier Attitude]
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Stay tuned for another Tribe implosion, some Braylon Edwards talk and more throughout the day…
30 Comments
Ship Anderson to the Vikings for a box of donuts and jock strap. Get that worthless nuisance off the team. Dumb as box of rocks, with an attitude and IQ to match.
I’m also a little confused by the media’s perception that Roy Halladay is several pairs of heads and shoulders above Cliff Lee. I admit that Halladay is probably the better pitcher and does have a longer track record of consistent success, but you’d be hard pressed to find another pitcher who’s pitched as well over the last season-and-a-half as Lee has.
Plus, Lee’s contract is less expensive this year and next than Halladay’s, and that has to count for something in our current economic climate.
If Lee’s gonna go, I would expect him to go for almost the same package as Halladay would. Anything less would be tremendously disappointing.
JD-all good points. Except: Shapiro is desperate and he’s doin’ the dealin’. He doesn’t exactly have a track record OVERALL of extracting value and developing young talent.
The fact that Toronto is haggling makes it more likely Cliff Lee will be gone.
Odds of Cliff Lee being dealt by July 31: 99.99%
Any idea why the Cavs would only be offering LeBron a three year deal?
http://www.cbssports.com/nba/story/11991646
Hes obviously worth a max-contract, why not offer him the max, and if Lebron wants to trim it down from there they can discuss that later.
Tom63: because that’s all the rules allow them to offer LeBron at this time.
Oh really? I thought it was like 7 years. Ok, nevermind.
Eventually it will be a 6 year max, but not at this time. The Cavs are on it, all over it!
Would this Brady Anderson be on steroids, too, like the one that mysteriously hit 50 home runs one year? If so, sign me up!
@ Isis –
Deadline deals are actually one area where I think Shapiro has had some success. Though the jury is still out on the Sabathia deal (a lot of that will hinge on how successful Brantley is as a major leaguer if you assume LaPorta’s a “can’t miss”), in general his ability to acquire players that are now “fixtures” in the line-up like Choo, Cabrera & Valbuena for relative peanuts at least offers some hope for a fair deal for Lee.
I will agree that over the years the Indians haven’t gotten much in the way of pitching help from deadline deals, and that’s something that’s clearly come back to bite the team as you look at how “well” the team’s supposedly vaunted pitching depth (read: tons and tons of mediocre-to-borderline bodies) has performed this year.
Now, the fact that the front office is able to pick-off other team’s minor league talent with some skill but has totally botched the draft and evaluations of big-league talent via free agency is definitely a head-scratcher and quite indefensible….think if how good this team could be if it had actually drafted even half-way decent over the past few years.
I would have to agree with JD on this one. Just take a look at some of the top prospects and/or players in the organization right now:
Asdrubal Cabrera (Seattle), Luis Valbuena (Seattle), Grady Sizemore (Montreal), Cliff Lee (Montreal), Shin Soo-Choo (Seattle), Michael Brantley (Milwaukee), Matt LaPorta (Milwaukee), Andy Marte (Boston), Joe Smith (NY Mets), Carlos Santana (LA Dodgers), Chris Perez (St. Louis), Jess Todd (St. Louis), Travis Hafner (Texas), and Kelly Shoppach (Boston).
That looks like around half of the 40-man roster just from trades in the Shapiro era. Almost all of these guys were minor leaguers at the time we traded for them and have moved up through the organization. Sure you could complain with their MLB production, especially recently considering we are 17-games under .500, but you can’t blame Shapiro for a lack of effort at the deadline in acquiring other team’s prospects and moving them up to Cleveland.
Just saw the Cavs waived Kinsey……does that mean we’re signing someone else today?
Looks like Kinsey got waived this morning…
If Brady Quinn can get decent velocity on a 10-yard out then the job should be his. “Stretching the defense” – and the high-praise given for arm strength – is overrated. James Walker is basically saying it’s a case of brains v. brawn because apparently DA only has the latter. Mark my vote for “brains.”
Right, because BQ isn’t a meathead. No, no – he’s got that Notre Dame education, and staggering good looks.
Quinn has to be the better choice especially for the way the team is currently set up. The Browns do not have enough offensive weapons to currently worry about stretching the field as a deal breaker with Quinn. Quinn has the aptitude and leadership to run this offense and his strengths of shorter more methodical routes suits this team better anyway. Anderson has shown that 2007 was a fluke due to a soft schedule with his putrid performance in 2008 and it is not as if Quinn can’t throw the ball more than 20 yards.
i still love that BQ looks and sounds like he says “Now I’m dumb” when he finishes his sports drink in that commercial….
I’m pretty sure the Cavs could offer a 6 year (7?) now. LeBron/Wade/Anthony/Bosh set a new precedent a couple years ago signing 3 year deals. It keeps pressure on the team to produce a quality product, instead of a KG scenario where the team falls to shambles but he’s locked for 6 years.
If the Cavs are offering 3 it’s because they know LeBron won’t sign for six. Also, if the cap rebounds by then his contract will be bigger.
Pretty much everywhere you look outside of cleveland you will find people that think Brady is not a franchise QB. Watching sportscenter and nfl live and such, they always talk that it should be DAs job. The reason why I think this is true is because Quinn is too robotic. Yes, he is smart, but he doesn’t take risks (this coming from the 2 games he played). The majority of his passes were check downs. Im not gonna go and say taking care of the ball is bad, but if you don’t go long, and at least show you can pass deep, then you will consistently face 8 men in the box.
I do not think stretching the D is overrated because it can help out with a lot of other passes and in the run game. DA needs to learn when to check down though to help protect the ball, where as BQ needs to learn to take a risk or two.
Please do keep in mind that this all relative. BQ’s not in Mensa, but he’s closer than DA. Close enough to have those “leadership, decision making and pocket presence” things. Don’t mention Notre Dame or his looks, it’s muddles the conversation and makes one sound jealous, or ignorant, or something.
@ Denny: So you think BQ is a meathead? Idgi. When compared to DA, even JaMarcus Russell seems intelligent.
And I agree w/ Charlie, crazy-huge arm-strength is ridiculously overrated. Brees and Pennington were often knocked for not being able to toss the ball 30,000 yards at a time. Look how that’s turned out.
BQ seems like the more mobile/athletic of the two…DA seems like a gunslinger type of guy…I would say that DA looks like the more accurate passer (scary, I know), but BQ seems to understand the schemes better…
that being said, I dont think either guy is a long term fix…the kid from Jets however…seems like he blends more of both of them together…
BQ vs. DA article coming at 1:00 PM…
to clarify, the max a team can offer as an extension while a player is still under contract is 3 years. come on – does anyone really think the cavs would give lebron some kind of lowball offer? if and when lebron turns down his player option and becomes an unrestricted free agent, the cavs could then offer a max of 7 years (no other team can go past 6).
ben the difference I would say is that they still do pass it 30 yards or more, its just not their best. I dont know this for sure, but did BQ throw it even longer then 20 in either of his 2 starts? thats what I am saying. If you keep the passes within 20 yards, its easier for the safety to slip into the box.
Charlie- I have known many not-so-smart people who are decent leaders too. Not trying to say from what we have seen/heard that DA is more of a leader then Quinn, just saying it happens.
@ Charlie, ben – let’s reserve this debate for later today. I’ll say this – I think it absolutely has something to do with Notre Dame especially. Let’s revisit this afternoon.
@ Denny – works for me.
Here’s the reason that DA was successful in 2007: the o-line was healthy. Chud’s offense was a “pass to set up the run” offense, where they were able to get ahead and then use Jamal to control the ball.
Obviously we don’t know exactly what the new offense is going to look like, but it would appear that the goal is to establish a power running game which would then open up PA passing. If you can get 8 in the box by running and freeze the backers with play-action, Quinn is more than adequate at making the throws.
And, yes, I would much MUCH rather have a QB who makes smart decisions and doesn’t try to force it than a QB who throws four INTs against the Bengals in a “win and you’re in” game. Any day of the week and twice on Sunday.
Finally, if you watched what Brett Favre did to the Jets’ playoff chances last year, that should give you an indication about how Mangini probably feels about the “gunslinger” QB. It basically cost him his job, and by most accounts he never wanted Favre but had Favre forced on him by the GM to “make a splash” with the fans. So, if you’re into reading tea leaves like that, the smart bet is that he’s going to pick Quinn.
Swig-I don’t think you are correct. I do believe, however, from a strategy perspective that offering LeBron a 3 year deal is to best advantage since future caps may be reduced. That would allow the Cavs to get a deal done, and LeBron the flexibility that we know he’ll want as well as maximizing his earnings by signing now. Win-win for both…….
JD/Jacob-hey, if you’re fine with Shapetti’s “minor” deals, fine. I’m not going to say LaPorta/Brantley are can’t miss (LaPorta would be here if that were the case), and certainly putting Valbuena in that category is homerism. How about we wait and see what Shapiro get’s for Lee…….then I’ll respect your opinion on that count. Lee will be traded, and likley for a bunch of lower level minor leagers, which would be steal for the acquirer and a schnook for Shapiro.
The combination of LeBron and Jamario Moon at SF is going to make this team even more exciting to watch than last year. Plus Delonte and Mo hitting the deep ball and Shaq dominating the key, I can hardly wait.
But could this Brady Anderson hit 50 HRs as a leadoff hitter or cultivate some sweet sideburns?