MLB News: Michael Bourn worked out, plans to play Wednesday
October 1, 2013Tuesday’s best tweets about the Indians AL Wild Card game
October 2, 2013“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 attips@waitingfornextyear.com.
“The Rays have never faced Salazar. Can the Indians overcome their Cobb-struggles? Can the Rays overcome never facing Salazar? Let’s check out more numbers from both. Cobb has an 8.41 K/9, which is his best in the big leagues. Danny Salazar is at 11.25. Cobb has a 2.83 BB/9, which was in line with his average. Salazar is at 2.60. Salazar leads both categories.” [Pete/Indians Prospect Insider]
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“The Indians had a busy offseason last winter, acquiring 11 new players who’ve made significant contributions in 2013. Many of those moves were second guessed at the time, or ignored outright as insignificant, but there’s zero chance the Tribe is playing in tomorrow night’s American Wild Card game without them. GM Chris Antonetti and his front office team are to be applauded for the work they did in identifying and attracting these players to the organization.
The first major addition of last offseason came just days after the 2012 season ended, but it wasn’t a player the FO brought onboard, it was new manager Terry Francona. It’s hard for fans to know what all impact a manager has on a team, but between free agents mentioning him as part of Cleveland’s appeal, the excellent platoon splits shown by many Indians as their playing time has been juggled and massaged, the team’s sterling record in close games, and the harmony that’s seemed to emanate from the clubhouse all season, I feel confident saying Francona has made a major difference for the Tribe.” [Lukehart/Let’s Go Tribe]
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“At least at this point in the not-quite-the-season, Cavs fans haven’t heard anything from Brown that brings up queasy reminders to his “LeBron lets me coach him” remarks of yesteryear. There seems, for instance, a lack of pandering to Kryie Irving. I’m sure Brown respects Irving’s talents, but his measured praise (and, again, who knows how this all changes when Irving starts hitting game winners during the season) seems to quietly say “I’ll praise you when you show me that you can lead this team and can play some defense. Prove to me that you’re one of the game’s rising stars.” Brown’s relationship with Dion Waiters has been more chummy, but smartly so. Waiters, Brown seems to be betting, is a player who will play better when he believes he has your full belief and confidence, while Irving may like to prove doubters wrong.
Brown has also been clear about defining players’ roles. Waiters will play shooting guard. Earl Clark will be a small forward. Anthony Bennett will play power forward. While much of this was done to aid a young team grasping a new set of defensive principles, it also harkens back to 2010, when player discord over their roles was largely blamed for the team’s collapse against the Celtics. That’s where Brown is showing his growth as a coach and a leader — he’s learned from his mistakes — but coaches have systems and those systems can sometimes be resistant to change.” [Attenweiler/Cavs the Blog]
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Video: The Browns wish the Indians best of luck against the Rays. No, they didn’t promise not to trade anyone tomorrow though. [Cleveland Browns.com]
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Finally, ex-NFLer Ricky Williams lives in a dorm. He sleeps in a bed with Marvel Comics sheets. [Watson/Shutdown Corner]
22 Comments
Very sweet “go-get-’em Tribe” spot by the Brownies. Look at Hoyer’s face – he means it. And see Mary Kay, Greg Little does speak to the mics, just not to you.
And this Ricky Williams blurb solidifies him as one of my all-time favs. So he’s reacted to Star Jock Fishbowl Life by studying philosophy and yoga, taking sabbaticals to smoke blunts and save his body, and sleeping in little dorm room beds with superhero sheets while coaching youngsters. Away from the field he was never the low-brow Play Video Games All Day and Beat Your Lady NFL norm. If Ricky is weird, my kind of weird.
Also, I gotta work today. Please don’t distract me.
A soundtrack for your day: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i3jzZmRLXSM
I am quite excited about the game tonight, but also feel oddly conflicted. For the first time in my life, I have not been a good fan of a Cleveland team. I of course paid attention this season, but I didn’t get nearly as invested as I used to when I knew and cared about every inch of the team. I only was able to watch 3 or so games this summer on TV; I had no idea what the “Goon Squad” was until yesterday; I know next to nothing about Ryan Raburn, or Yan Gomes, or…that journeyman guy w/ the generic name who won a game for us a couple weeks ago w/ a big hit, etc.
It’s uncomfortable trying to reconcile my natural impulse as a rabid Cleveland fan with my substandard following of this team. Am I the fair-weather fan I’ve always disdained? Wonder if others feel the same?
Psychobabble aside, roll Tribe.
Hoyer in his post-game presser also mentioned the Tribe (unprompted). Something to the effect of: “And the Tribe won today too, so it’s been a good day.”
note: this in the moments after he just won his 2nd start and (for all intents and purposes) cemented himself as the starting QB moving forward.
Given the rarity of the occasion, no man will be denied a seat on the bandwagon – hop on and enjoy the ride! There will be plenty of time to call you out on your fair-weathery after the season ends, hopefully later rather than sooner.
Despite being a fan who’s almost always there no matter how sucky the team is, I totally reject the fair-weather fan epithet. It’s freaking entertainment. When they don’t entertain they are not owed your attention, never mind your passion. I won’t welcome you back, instead together we are welcoming the Tribe back, from unworthiness. Now that they’re deserving of full-throated support, let’s give it.
Well said, Harv. I was actually putting the “fair-weather fan” phrase out there as a straw man (or lighting rod, pick your metaphor) but I certainly don’t feel it is an appropriate reflection of reality. It does feel strange not to have been fully invested and then to ramp up for the playoffs – I’ve never experienced that transition before as a Cleveland sports fan.
At any rate, will be watching the game tonight w/ an Edmund Fitzgerald porter in hand.
Fire up the torches sharpen the pitchforks!!!!
yeah, I have a few Fitzgeralds cooling at home. That or a decent bourbon is the only thing that might slow “perched seat bouncy knee.”
stuff like that does not influence my opinion of his playing abilities one iota. It just makes me love him.
those are in the shed. we broke out the fine china & wine for today (errrr, beer mugs and GL’s is more like it).
Ah yes, Restless (Cleveland sports fan) Leg Syndrome. My colleagues are now prescribing an off-label Parkinson’s drug for that. You can thank the pharmaceutical industry for their work on that one. Personally, I like your treatment regimen much better 😉
I had to drive 45 min to get GL last night
He hasn’t been terrible as a QB…though he clearly isn’t (at this stage) an elite QB.
I’ll take his wins (even if they are at times very ugly) any day of the week. But yeah, at a minimum, he’s that much more likeable.
Yes, you are a “Fair-Weather” fan. But, as Harv21 stated, it’s completely justifiable. Besides, occasionally, life happens. I just completed a move to NC (from Ohio) and so have paid very little attention to any sports (other than Football) this year. I’ll try to catch up on the Tribe this week. If I can’t, well, life happens. The Cavs season is just around the corner and the Browns season is starting to gain some traction worth noticing.
Allow me to recommend Bulleitt Rye. It’s even better than their bourbon, and their bourbon is goo-ood.
Edmund Fitzgerald. Great choice. Unfortunately, no GL for me. I’m stuck with Troegs (if that’s a bad thing).
I went to the store specifically looking for a Great Lakes beer to watch the game with tonight. No dice. (I live in Michigan)
But I did find a sixer of Paulaner Oktoberfest Weizen. That’ll do, I guess…
Oh, that’ll do.
Not a bad thing at all, though I definitely prefer Great Lakes. Garry, we keep meaning to get together one of these days – hopefully the Indians will give us another month to make good on it!
Tried some of that just last week. Was ok, but maybe because I’m not a big rye fan. Course wasn’t too long ago that I wasn’t a huge bourbon fan either. Then some kind folks introduced me to seriously good stuff. Great thing about being a very moderate drinker is that it’s easy to keep a tippy-top shelf inventory, and only keep the meh for when the volume imbibers come over … Wait, what were we talking about?
Glad you said it first. Exactly how I feel. In a cosmic sense, I’m hoping for the Tribe’s sake, the lack of involvement from people like you and me who consider ourselves Cleveland sports die-hards, will somehow bode well for their playoffs outcome.
For sure!