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
Drastic changes on horizon: ‘”The Summer of LeBron has turned into the Summer of Superstar Discontent and may well become the Off-season That Changed Everything. The N.B.A.’s best players are either relocating or trying to, upsetting the league’s balance of power and undermining a system that was once fine-tuned for parity and stability. The reckoning will come, as with everything else, at the bargaining table, where owners will try to wrest back control in the next labor deal. Already, there is talk among team executives of franchise tags and heavy financial penalties for players changing teams, measures that are anathema to the players union…Never in a single off-season have players demonstrated such a brazen show of self-determination. Rarely has so much high-level talent been on the move. It is a potentially dangerous trend for the league.That is why most team executives (who are forbidden from speaking publicly on labor issues) expect more drastic measures to curtail movement in the next collective bargaining agreement.” [Howard Beck/Off the Dribble]
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Five guys battling for their roster lives tonight: “Let me check to see if Veikune is actually still on the roster. Technically, yes. While the second-year pro has suffered through a serious learning curve, it’s become apparent that Mangini and Rob Ryan do not have much confidence in Veikune. After all, the high mileage Eric Barton has played more than Veikune, while Chris Gocong has settled into what looks like a starting inside linebacker role. Throw in Mangini favorite Jason Trusnik, the ultra-valuable Kaluka Maiava and David Bowens, and suddenly this position looks a little too crowded for the likes of a project like Veikune.” [DK/Cleveland Reboot]
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The elbow feels good. My shot looks good. I like my chances…:”Celtics-Cavaliers Game 5 is going to haunt LeBron James for the rest of his career. There are millions of people who believe that he simply quit, which is pretty preposterous given everything else we know of James’ career, egotist or not. The guy doesn’t exactly have a history of shrinking from the moment. Many also questioned his health, and while he never admitted it until after the playoffs were over, it was clear whatever elbow injury he suffered all the way back as far as possibly late March had an effect on his play. He mentioned in the famous GQ article that his elbow was still not right when that interview took place. Well, the Heat have posted video of an early workout with James, Chris Bosh, and Heat coach Erik Spoelstra. And that elbow? Looks pretty good.” [Matt Moore/NBA Facts & Rumors]
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Ohio State AD Gene Smith posts video message to “set the record” straight on moving the Michigan game from the end of the season. [via Eleven Warriors]
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Gentleman Jim’s HOF candidacy and the good old days when August mattered: “It was 13 years ago today that the Cleveland Indians pulled up the socks, a symbolic gesture to help celebrate Jim Thome’s 27th birthday. The Indians clobbered the then-Anaheim Angels 10-4, and the rest of that season took a turn for the better as the good guys went 18-14 the rest of the way and cruised to a third consecutive American League Central crown…When he left Cleveland, he wasn’t exactly embraced. He left for money and he wasn’t the first to do it, and as we saw this summer, he won’t be the last. The fact of the matter is that Jim Thome was a terrific player in Cleveland for 12 seasons – and he was fantastic for other teams as well – but at the end of the day he’s going to represent our city and our team in Cooperstown, New York.” [Tim Ertle/Land Loyalty]
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Browns fantasy options: “If you’re hell-bent on taking a Browns running back and all three are available, I’d say your best bet is Jerome Harrison. It was originally thought that he’d face stiff competition from Montario Hardesty, but the rookie running back had missed all of training camp up until two days ago. Harrison did very well behind the Browns’ offensive line and Lawrence Vickers last year, and with Cleveland set to face Tampa Bay and Kansas City over the first two weeks, it might be worth drafting him higher than you normally would.” [Chris Pokorny/Dawgs by Nature]
(Photo: Chris Trotman/Getty Images For Nike)
