Cavaliers Season Ends with Many Important Lessons
April 14, 2011USA Today: MLB Attendance Issues Reach Beyond Cleveland
April 15, 2011While 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.
Cavalier fans should be sensitive to the plight of Sacramento fans- “Several hours after the Cavaliers concluded their season and graced the legendary Joe Tait with a farewell victory, I tuned into some of the other season finales. Some fan bases eagerly await the first round of the playoffs and others show their utmost appreciation for their players in the midst of a disappointing season. No matter how each team ends their 2010-11 season, fans will hold a similar sentiment, one that provides hope and allows their passion to be perpetuated. There’s always next year.
For the supporters of the Sacramento Kings this may not be the case. As I glanced at the score tracker on my computer screen I was unsurprised to see the Los Angeles Lakers beating up on the Kings late in the game. Nevertheless, I turned on the game to watch what many figure to be the last game played in Sacramento before the team relocates to Anaheim. I don’t know any Kings fans personally, nor do I have any connection to the franchise, whatsoever. Regardless, the events I witnessed on April 13, 2011 will forever be engrained in my mind.” [Kaczmarek/Hardwood Parxysm]
–
Counting down Browns’ draft busts. #2 Brady Quinn?- “I don’t think many people can go back and blame the Browns front office for making this deal. They had already drafted Joe Thomas with the third overall pick in the draft, and the talk of the first round was that Brady Quinn was quickly falling. Cleveland gave up their first-round pick for the following year (and their second rounder in 2007) to move up to No. 22 overall, but that did not seem to matter at the time as it seemed like we got our quarterback of the future one year early.” [Pokorny/Dawgs By Nature]
–
Tribe and Orioles starting tonight- “The same rationale might be applicable to the 2011 Cleveland Indians. People in these parts are actually buzzing — in understandably cautious tones, of course — about the Tribe. It’s a phenomenon brought on by the club’s unexpected 8-4 record. With sound fundamentals (save for a few unsightly moments in an extra-innings loss to the Angels on Wednesday night), stellar starting pitching, a lockdown bullpen and timely hitting, the Indians are off to a “Gold”-like start to the season. Furthermore, the purported “big three” of the American League Central — the White Sox, Twins and Tigers — haven’t quite lived up to the hype.
All this has led to the Indians entering their weekend homestand against the Orioles on top of a division in which their preseason outlook was deemed by many (myself included) to be, as I wrote a few weeks back, “cloudy with a chance of fourth place.” [CastroTurf]
–
This entire comparison is invalid. The one thing that makes Braylon, well Braylon is his unbelievable stone hands- “A.J. Green, WR Georgia = Braylon Edwards, New York Jets. This may make some Browns’ fans cringe, but the Georgia product is very similar to the team’s former No. 3 overall selection, Edwards. Only, Green has consistent hands. The two are identically the same size. Both are 4.5 40-yard dash receivers with a knack to get open. Both can make the spectacular catch with ease. In college, both came out of pro systems and, at times, carried their offenses.” [Sobleski/OBR]
–
Good news on last year’s #1 draft pick- “High-A Kinston left-handed pitcher Drew Pomeranz has had about as perfect a professional debut as a pitcher can have. He has been nearly flawless on the mound allowing no earned runs and just three hits and two walks in 11 innings while blowing away 17 hitters for strikeouts. He has had two no decisions, but a lot of that is due to some poor run support and an 80-pitch count which has prevented him from being able to finish six full innings in either start.
In his debut in the Kinston season opener last Friday, Pomeranz threw 5.1 two-hit, shutout innings with no walks and nine strikeouts. He relied heavily on a low 90s fastball in the initial outing where he threw just a few curveballs and only one changeup all game. In his follow up outing yesterday he was excellent once again going 5.2 innings allowing one hit, an unearned run, two walks and eight strikeouts. This time he had a much more balanced pitch mix where he mixed in his plus curveball a lot more and featured his developing changeup a lot more.” [Lastoria/Indians Prospect Insider]
15 Comments
Anybody wanna save me the trouble of actual research and tell me who was drafted with the 2 picks we gave up in order to get Quinn? I know we eventually flipped him for the Albino Rhino, so maybe he wasn’t a complete bust. I’m just curious to know who we missed out on
The thing that’s noticeably missing from the gushing praise of the Sacramento fans is any criticism of their owners and the league. I get that fans are so regularly screwed that this is not news anymore. But if a game with an almost-comeback and another team slinking off greedily to greener pastures is the best we can do, that’s a pretty pathetic last stand.
“who was drafted with the 2 picks we gave up in order to get Quinn?”
I believe DAL flipped the pick to PHI who then drafted Kevin Kolb.
Quinn or Kolb, huh? Talk about a great “what if.” Even more interesting because of the interest we had in him over the last couple years. Wouldn’t that have been something if we had landed Kolb and Hillis.
What about the 2007 second rounder? Pardon my laziness today – 3 exams yesterday, so you can understand my lack of desire to exert myself.
While I feel some sympathy for the Sacramento fans, it’s tempered a bit by the fact the Kings used to be in KC, Cincy and Rochester. If we feel sorry for Sacramento fans, shouldn’t that extend back through the franchise’s history? Who will speak for Rochester?
It would be nice if the Kings were staying, but if you’re following a team that is on its fourth franchise location, should you really be surprised when they move again?
@Jneids –> kevin kolb (2nd rd, 2007) and felix jones (1st rd, 2008).
@Titus – I understand what you are saying. But, the team has been in Sacramento for 25years. The city did support them even when they were absolutely terrible.
They are the ONLY pro-team in town (unless you count the AAA Rivercats as Sacramento fans do) in a city that is now one spot ahead of 3-team Cleveland in metropolitan population:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Table_of_United_States_Metropolitan_Statistical_Areas
I was in Folsom for “Game6” so my view is definitely biased, but at some point, a team becomes part of that cities culture whether it was a relocation or a expansion.
Kolb and Felix vs McCoy and Hillis. I like Felix Jones and all, but I think Hillis is more “Cleveland.” And since McCoy and Kolb have proven themselves just as much to this point, I’ll take the deal we got.
“but the Georgia product is very similar to the team’s former No. 3 overall selection, Edwards. Only, Green has consistent hands.”
Ryan Leaf is very similar to Peyton Manning. Only Manning has consistent accuracy.
@Titus
I absolutely see your point. But I think the reason the Kings left Rochester, Cincinnati and Kansas City was due in large part to fan apathy. The city of Sacramento has always supported that team through thick and thin. Their attendance dwindled in recent years due the the team losing and the Maloofs jacking up ticket prices. The soldout games all the time, even when the team was terrible. Their best season between 85 and 99 was 1995 when they won 39 games and squeaked into the playoffs as an 8 seed. They hosted 2 playoffs games against the Sonics in the first round and it was a game 7 of the NBA finals type atmosphere.
The Cavs by comparison, in those years had playoff games that drew less than 18,000. 2000 or more empty seats for a playoff game. The Kings really did have the best and most loyal fans in the league for many, many years.
In the Chris Webber years up until 2007 they sold out 354 consecutive games. And its not like people jumped on the bandwagon either, they had sold out 519 of 568 home games between 85 and 99 before Webber showed up. 49 non sellouts in 14 years for a team that was routinely among the leagues worst.
I feel for those guys, if anyone deserves an NBA team its Sacramento.
@GhostToMost and @mgbode
I agree; I think the Maloofs could have found a way to make this work. Plus its rough when, as a fan, you do everything right and you still lose your team (not that we know anything about that here in Cleveland, of course).
@Titus / Ghost – one more point I forgot and it’s a major, major point.
Not only is Sacramento losing the Kings, but they are losing them to SoCal. NoCal vs. SoCal is a huge territory rivalry. It’d be like Cleveland losing the Cavs…..to Pittsburgh.
My god the Cavs going to Pittsburgh, how awful would that be?
I can understand why the Maloofs are trying to move the team. They tried unsuccessfully for years to get a new arena.
But Anaheim? Really? Like the L.A. market really needs another professional sports team, especially basketball. Is anybody in SoCal really going to give a crap about the “Royals” when they have the Lakers contending for a title every year?
Ive been reading alot of articles on sactownroyalty.com, a Kings blog. I read that the Lakers earn 150 million anually in television revenue alone. The Kings by comparison, earn about 11 million. Thats an unbelievable disparity, and gives you an idea why these large market teams have such an advantage in the NBA and MLB.
Still, even though its a HUGE market, I cant see how the “Royals” will be able to compete against the Lakers for revenue. Is the team really going to be that much more profitable in Anaheim? I dunno, sounds like a pretty risky move to me.
I hope the league owners block this move and force the Maloofs to sell. Theyve got serious financial problems stemming from not only the Kings but their casino’s in Vegas and other business ventures have taken a serious hit in recent years. The Maloofs are “poor” compared to other NBA owners, and the owner of the Pittsburgh Penguins (apparently VERY wealthy) has already shown an interest in buying the team and keeping them in Sacramento.
Sorry for the long rants, but thats a compelling story to me, Im rooting for those guys to be able to keep their team. This is the NBA equivalent of the Browns leaving Cleveland.
@Ghost – “This is the NBA equivalent of the Browns leaving Cleveland.”
and that is too far. the Kings in Sacramento are not a historical franchise with multiple championships and many HOFers.
the Sonics leaving Seattle was closer to the Browns leaving Cleveland (but still not at the same level).
the rest, I agree with. it’s a compelling story and I certainly hope that the Kings can stay in the region.
@mg
I see your point, perhaps I should have worded that a bit better.
I was not attempting to draw parallels between the Browns and Kings as franchises, but drawing parallels between 2 fanatically loyal fanbases getting shafted by crummy circumstances.
Kings fans are on the same level of fanaticism as Browns fans. The Kings mean as much to Sacto as the Browns do to Cleveland. They LOVE that team.
As far as team history is concerned, youre right, its no comparison.