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.
“How do we evaluate the job Shurmur did in his first year? I like to ask myself if there are any redeeming qualities when it comes to keeping a head coach. In other words, “is there something I can look back at on this season and say, ‘Shurmur did [this] well.’?” The Browns played well defensively, but I don’t see how you can directly attribute that to the “offensive-minded” Shurmur. Shurmur was brought here to install the West Coast Offense. After 16 games, I don’t see how anyone can say they were encouraged by the offense this year. The Browns scored 218 points all season. The only two teams who scored less were the Chiefs and the Rams, and they are both undergoing coaching changes.” [Pokorny/Dawgs by Nature]
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“The Indians’ front office often gets slammed for some poor decisions they make, and rightfully so, though I think considering the climate they work in they have had done a solid job. The unfortunate reality is in the last few years they have had to make the tough decision to trade their best players because of a ridiculous financial climate where there is no way a team like the Indians can go toe-to-toe with the big boys in free agency to try and retain their players. They learned this lesson the hard way in the past with the likes of Albert Belle, Manny Ramirez and Jim Thome.
Because of the way the game works today teams like the Indians will continue to be a developmental team for the bigger market teams. Boras was spot on about that. The Indians will have the true stars for five to seven years before they either leave via free agency or are traded before they become free agents. I hate to say it, but that is likely what will happen down the road with any of the current players such as Carlos Santana, Jason Kipnis, Asdrubal Cabrera, Justin Masterson, and so on. This flies in the face of what I wrote in a column recently of how I think the Indians need to dig deep and find a way to retain their players. I still stand by that belief in that it is the only way to improve attendance because it would help restore faith in a fan base that distrusts the organization immensely. But having said that, I also understand that the Indians are limited in what they can do until this broken system gets fixed somewhere down the line.” [Tony/Indians Prospect Insider]
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I will have more on the Buckeyes later, but this just kind of boggles the mind- “Shugarts’ streak continues. With a false start penalty in the first quarter of the Gator Bowl, Ohio State offensive lineman J.B. Shugarts finishes his college career with at least one offsides penalty in four consecutive bowl games, and in 24 total games over the course of his career. Hey man, you gotta leave as you lived.” [Hinton/Dr. Saturday]
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“Daniel Gibson has been quietly very good for the Cavs all season. He poured in 19 points in 27 minutes off the bench. In a night when Anthony Parker struggled mightily (2 of 7 shooting, 0-4 from deep), Gibson was a much bigger threat at shooting guard. Boobie shot 5 of 7 from downtown and was instrumental in closing out the Nets. Gibson drained several threes in the fourth quarter to help open up the big lead and cruise to victory. Don’t be surprised if Boobie starts to get many more minutes at SG instead of Anthony Parker. ” [Kaczmarek/Fear the Sword]
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How in the world can he be ‘confident’ this will happen? “RB Montario Hardesty is confident he can return in 2012 healthy and productive. “I’m very confident that’s what I’m going to do,” he said. “It will help to have an offseason and I want to be as normal as I can be.” Hardesty was slowed coming off an ACL injury and then strained his calf that held him out of several games. Hardesty finished with 266 yards and no touchdowns and just a 3.0 average. He caught just 14 passes for 122 yards.” [Greetham/FSO]
