Cavaliers Preview Game #44: Lakers at Cavs
January 21, 2010LeBron James Flows “Forever,” Cavs Drop Lakers 93-87
January 22, 2010While 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.
Though it’s no longer up on the team site, know that there is merchandise and a URL ready to go. Yeah, good luck with that… [Deadspin]
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Profiling a possible second-round pick for the Browns… “[Brandon Graham] had an incredible senior year despite the awful supporting cast. After a junior year where Graham netted 20 TFL (2nd in the nation) and 10 sacks, his senior year was even better: 26 TFL, 10.5 sacks, 2 blocked punts, 1 glorious defensive TD. Despite being considered undersized (how somebody can be 263 and undersized is beyond me), BG is an all around terror. His strength and speed in the pass rush are exceptional, and his patience that he’s developed in the run game consistently had teams running away from him this year. He’s got a great bull rush, and he never stops going until the whistle. Whomever gets this guy is getting a gem of a player.” [Rivalry Esq.]
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Well, look who tops this “Best Farm System” list… [Minor League Ball]
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Talking LeBron… “Most LeBron Haters will say he has never won a championship. True. But he is 25. Yeah, Kobe won his first in 2000, at 21. Shaq got his the same year, at 28. Sure even D-Wade (who I have to say is not even close in the who is the best player in the league argument anymore, Sorry #3) got one before him, but that was with a pretty good second banana Shaq. Now LeBron has his Shaq season. This could be his first title. But will having 1 title officially show that he is the best in the league? It won’t be enough for the LeBron Haters, whose inevitable response to LBJ’s first Ring will be “Whatever, call me when he has 4 like Kobe.” [Lake Erie Soldiers]
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And finally, a quick look at the Eastern Conference playoff picture if the season ended today. Hint: Second-round would bring us the Orlando Magic… [Wine and Goldrush]
32 Comments
Jinx complete!
Kobe is an amazing player. His ability to get shots off is incredible but after watching that game last night, how can anyone say LeBron isn’t the best in the league? LBJ just effects so much of what happens out there. I still feel great about last night’s win.
That Jets crap looks like bad Mt. Dew gear. Ugh.
@Mark
Absolutely true. Kobe has ice in his veins after a career of chilling last second shots, but last night showed that if you defend him well the Lakers fall apart. If you defend Lebron well, he’ll make the pass to the open shooter or he’ll drive into you for the foul. He’ll crash the boards on offense and defense and dive into the stands for the loose ball.
Maybe this was just a picture of Lebron healthy and 25 and Kobe 31 with a broken finger and a sore back, but even if that’s the case… Kobe’s not getting younger and his finger is going to be a problem through the playoffs. It’s not going to get better for him.
Its horrible/amusing when they make all this gear and then the teams lose and you inevitably get the pics of peope in third world countries wearing nonsensical “X Team Championship” gear.
what in the hell is that shirt on the far left.
someone would actually buy that thing?
What got me last night was Barkley, who said the Lakers are the best team in the league. Hey, Charles, they just got beat by the Cavs twice. How are they still better? And we beat them without Mo. There is no way anyone rational can still say the Cavs are just a bunch of scrubs and Lebron.
And I promise that every post in which I mention Lebron will have something good to say about him. I feel like I am too hard on him sometimes so I’m making up for it.
No one has mentioned his rap lipsync routine in the 4th quarter last night. National TV audience, only up by 2 against the lakers with less than a minute left, and he’s about to get the ball from the ref, and he’s just as cool as can be. It looked like what I do when I’m driving to Home Depot and there’s a good song on the radio.
That my friends is grace under pressure.
@Mark
That’s exactly what I was thinking. Fugly.
btw, on mike & mike this morning they said one of the only ways the jets can win is if “that acquisition from Cleveland shows up.”
haha, I like how they didn’t even refer to him by name (at first).
Although some people might like a blowout, I would prefer a 4th quarter collapse of the Jets. Let the Jets get up by 2.. no 3 touchdowns going into the fourth. Let Peyton live in New York infamy as the Jets spend the entire offseason wondering how the hell it happend.
What are your thoughts on a perfect ending… Jets have a lead and Braylon lets one bounce of his facemask, pass gets picked, and Peyton drives for game winning touchdown… or Braylon lets one bounce off his chest in the endzone for a game winning score as time expires?
I’ve been saying Brandon Graham in the 2nd forever.. He would be great for us.
Time to stop talking about the Jets. Our coach used to be their coach, we have former Jets on our team, Braylon went there … we didn’t like him … we laugh when he messes up, we get it.
@Mark, excellent post. LBJ and Kobe just have such different games, it’s hard to compare them. As others have said Lebron just affects the entire court. How many buckets did J.J. get because Lebron was double teamed?
@Jets, in case anyone missed this Deadspin article comparing Sanchez to JaMarcus Russel, check it out. http://deadspin.com/5452869/mark-sanchez-is-the-new-jamarcus-russell-only-worse
The short of it is that Sanchez’s stats this year are almost identical to Russel’s last year, except of course, those 20 picks Sanchez threw (12 more than JaMarcus). Nice eye opener for those cleveland.com posters that are wishing we had drafted the Dirty one.
I am biased because I’m a Colts fan, but the Jets are going to lose.
@6 – that shirt appeals specifically to Jersey d-bags – it complements their tapout and ed hardy gear.
I had the great joy of watching the game with my Grandpa last night. One of those special moments I will treasure for a while. What makes it even more special is how oblivious my old Grandpa is (bless his heart) at times. When Lebron was flowing like Niagra coming out of the time-out, good old Gramps said to me: “Wow, look at Lebron! He’s really getting after the guys! I bet his giving them instructions for the end of the game.” I couldn’t help but laugh on the inside while agreeing whole-heartedly with Gramps.
Any idea what song it was Lebron was rapping along to? It should be played at every home game from here on out.
@11 Charlie – you are kidding, right? The playoffs are so much more enjoyable when you have someone to root against. And Braylon is sooo easy to hate. Over inflated ego? Check. Inability to back up his talk? Check. Inevitable drop in key situations? Check.
We will make Braylon rue the day he spoke badly about our fair city! I said rue! Rue it!
Wow, that Jets gear is just exploding with hubris. Speaking of which, the only thing I have ever been critical of WFNY for was the “Championship countdown banner” rolled out during the playoffs last year. Could we nix that this year? Or possibly put it to vote? It’s state of the union time, so is in keeping w/ the spirit of the moment
Lmao @ Homer in #16. Quality!
@Vare-A-Jay,
The song was Forever by Drake including about a thousand other rappers. LBJ was lipping Eminem’s part.
I’m with you 17.. Forgot all about that and it gave me chills thinkin about that and back to that time.
Well, at least we know what one box of supplies for Haiti will contain on Monday.
I agree with JK – Graham in the 2nd would be huge if he’s still there. Adding a talent like Haden in the 1st and Graham in the 2nd makes the D look pretty decent. Pike in the 3rd would be nice too…
But Graham went to Michigan, so one bad game would have the fans booing him because of that.
/Braylon’d
I think the Jets gear is as funny as anyone but really, it’s not hubris as much as it is practicality. In the event that the Jets do win (and you know the team’s marketing dept HAS to be thinking of that possibility) they need to have designs ready and stuff ready in the team shop. Jets fans will want to buy that stuff immediately and some people will be impulse buying right after a win. Wait 3 or 4 days and maybe some of those sales are lost.
Every team does this. How do you think the players are all wearing the hats immediately after the game?
@EZ – ostentatiously advertising the goods several days before the game is what is hubristic. Before teams win in sports they prepare the locker rooms for the champagne/beer-fest but they don’t bring the champagne out onto the field.
Well, the blurb says the stuff is no longer available on the team site. They probably went live temporarily to check for bugs and to make sure everything worked, and someone happened to find it.
Please no on Pike. Look what happened when he played good Ds. He also does not have the frame to take a beating in the NFL. I would love to see Haden in round 1, then LB, RT, and S addressed with the next 3 picks in any order.
‘Forever’ by Drake?
Have you guys seen the video?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eDuRoPIOBjE
Still haven’t seen ‘More than a game’ (yet!) but I bet it has something to do with that.
Think that’s why Lebron likes it so much?
“Any idea what song it was Lebron was rapping along to? It should be played at every home game from here on out.”
It is played at every home game – usually during one of the warm-up periods.
I don’t think Lebron was lip syncing. I think he was actually singing it. The ladies in the crowd were like cheering him on.. I did notice he said the “f” word during the song.. Shame on you Lebron.. lol.
/I couldn’t care less if he curses.
Yes but was Z air-guitaring to the Black Crowes songs that played?
I don’t understand why anybody would want to buy an “AFC Championship” shirt while the playoffs are still going on.
Maybe wait to see if your team wins a championship, but even then I’d rather have a regular shirt or a jersey. Probably stems from seeing so many mountain people in Steelers Superbowl shirts. Sigh.