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.
Real Cavs Fans had Brian Windhorst as their podcast guest. He came out swinging on First Round pick Dion Waiters:
The surprising thing to me is the Cavs have their method of drafting. This was a violation of their method. Really getting to know a guy, getting to know his personality. They are interested in fit and character and they weren’t able to vet Waiters because he just wouldn’t give them the opportunity to, and they drafted him anyways and he’s already had some issues being in shape. He’s already, from what I can tell, pouting a little about not starting. I know in the first preseason game, he didn’t play at all in the first quarter, which he has never done before in his career and, obviously you know, Byron has taken some shots at him in the media [Ben/Real Cavs Fans]
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Romeo Crennel and Brian Daboll are turning to Brady Quinn this week at QB in Kansas City. Isn’t that ironic?
Quinn struggled to get past Derek Anderson to become the starter in Cleveland, but once he did, he showed signs of brilliance. Quinn threw for 304 yards and four touchdowns in a game against Detroit, for example, but had his 2009 season cut short by a foot injury.
It’d be nearly three years before he started again.
He was traded to the Denver Broncos for Peyton Hillis, now his teammate on the Chiefs, and a couple of draft picks. He lost out on the starting job there to Kyle Orton, and Tim Tebow claimed the backup job last season, leaving Quinn searching for a place to play in 2012.
He wound up reuniting with Crennel and offensive coordinator Brian Daboll, who had just been hired by the Chiefs and who worked with Quinn during his final season in Cleveland. Now, it appears he’ll be pressed into duty against the Buccaneers. [Dave Skretta/Associated Press]
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I don’t know about you, but I could always go for another Terry Francona piece:
It definitely goes to show you what his dismissal after the 2011 season did to him mentally. His divorce with Boston was particularly nasty, which likely aided the Indians during this process. Francona clearly had one word on his list of must-haves for his next job: Trust. Mark Shapiro really “rescued” Francona after he was fired by the Philadelphia Phillies in 2000, and while I wouldn’t go so far as to say this is payback, I definitely feel that both the Tribe front office (Shapiro and Antonetti) and Francona are “all in” with regards to this tenure.
In other words, you can now start calling these guys the Three Amigos. Francona signed a lucrative four-year deal with the Indians, and clearly wants to be here in some form or fashion for the long-term. If, after those four seasons, Francona is bringing winning baseball to Cleveland, Antonetti and Shapiro will still have jobs. If the opposite occurs, and Francona loses more than he wins, you’ll no doubt see Francona and Antonetti gone for sure, and likely Shapiro as well…and I doubt it will take four years. [Jim Pete/Indians Prospect Insider]
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Carlos Hyde has turned the corner under Urban Meyer, just in the nick of time:
The verdict after shucking off the Huskers was beyond reasonable doubt – Hyde is for real.
“We have two good runners right now,” Meyer said. “We have a quarterback who is, obviously, ridiculous running the ball. And then we have Carlos Hyde, who is starting to earn a lot of respect.”
Last season, Hyde let his immaturity take hold of him, going to Twitter to air his grievances about the coaching staff and a lack of playing time. In the story of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, it is Hyde who is the evil one. But Ohio State’s Mr. Hyde has developed into a leader under the new staff. The only accusations of being evil would come from opposing coaches and players.
Hyde has gained 298 yards on the season and is averaging almost five yards per carry. He returned to action at Michigan State after missing two games from a sprained MCL suffered during the first half against Central Florida in Week 2. Kyle Rowland/Eleven Warriors
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Can’t forget about the most consistent team in our city, The Cleveland State Vikings Men’s Basketball Team:
“Our motto (this season) is, ‘We must finish strong’,” Waters said.
To achieve that goal, the Vikings will have to find a way to replace the total production of departed lettermen Trey Harmon, Jeremy Montgomery, D’Aundray Brown and Aaron Pogue. The four senior starters accounted for 40.0 points, 13.9 rebounds and 8.1 assists per game last season.
Waters acknowledged that the top challenge facing the 2012-13 Vikings is finding a way to replace those lost points.“The issue is, who’s going to take the big shots? This group will have to identify who is the go-to guy,’’ Waters said. [David Glasier/Morning Journal]
