Video: Uncle Drew and the search for the big man
February 12, 2014Mike Lombardi reportedly lands on his feet, set to join the Patriots
February 13, 2014Cleveland sports fans are waiting. Thus, while we’re all waiting, the WFNY editors thought you might enjoy reading. Because you never know how long we might be waiting. So here are assorted reading goodies for you to enjoy. Send more good links for tomorrow’s edition to tips@waitingfornextyear.com.
“And what of Justin Masterson, whose contractual situation has been perhaps the most interesting plot point of an otherwise tame Tribe winter? Certainly, you always want to make every effort to lock up your staff ace, particularly given what’s lined up in the pipeline. But the sizable, $3.75 million gap between Masterson’s request ($11.8 million) and the Indians’ offer ($8.05 million) only illustrates how difficult his value is to pin down at present, if only because his excellent 2011 and 2013 seasons did not come in succession.
Still, Masterson’s been durable, and he’s overcome the stigma that his splits might make him more effective as a relief option than a starting one. Trouble is, he’s too tantalizingly close to free agency to go overboard in his generosity at the bargaining table. The Draft pick compensation issue that has cratered Ubaldo Jimenez’s market has to be a point of concern for Masterson, because a 2012-like year could put him in a similar situation (assuming, of course, the Indians would make a qualifying offer at that point). But anything resembling his 2013 effort would probably solve that problem, because his track record doesn’t vary between two extremes the way Ubaldo’s (and Ervin Santana’s) does. Personally, I think he’d fare well.” [Castrovince/MLB.com]
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“Given all this, it is surprising to me that this myth endures when it comes to the NFL. I had this same debate several years ago with a friend who was a Vikings fan. His evidence was the 1998 Minnesota team, whose offense roared through the regular season on the strength of a rejuvenated Randall Cunningham and the young wheels of Randy Moss. That Vikings team hit a wall in the playoffs in the form of the Atlanta Falcons, a defensive-minded team that stifled Minny’s high-powered offense on their way to the Super Bowl. Surely this proved the point, he said.
I replied that the only reason the Vikings lost was because of a missed chip-shot field goal by a kicker who hadn’t missed any field goals the entire season. I added that those same Falcons were rolled in the Super Bowl by the offensive-minded Denver Broncos, who averaged over seven yards per play against Atlanta’s vaunted defense. My analysis was the Denver had balance between their running game (led by 2000-yard rusher Terrell Davis) and their passing game (Elway, duh), which made it difficult for Atlanta to defend them.” [Beale/Eleven Warriors]
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“Like many Cavaliers, C.J.’s place in the rotation has changed throughout the season. As of Feb. 10, he’s played in 47 games, started 34 yet is the third shooting guard on the team’s depth chart, behind Jarrett Jack and Dion Waiters. He’s played some at the 3, thankfully over the ineffective Earl Clark and Alonzo Gee. His 20.1 minutes per game is seventh on the team, 5.8 less than Jack.
Miles’s purpose hasn’t changed: to make shots and spread the defense. Among wing players, his numbers stack up quite nicely throughout the NBA. Per 36 minutes, he’s averaging 18.5 points, down from 19.2 last year but still second among all Cavaliers and better than any of his 7 years in Utah. His 39.3% mark from deep is tied for 41st in the league; his 79 makes is tied with Spencer Hawes for 38th and only 6 behind Kyrie Irving, who’s attempted 34 more.” [Duprey/Stepien Rules]
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Best dunkers who never won the dunk contest. “Before the drug problems, weight problems and child-support problems, Kemp was the “Reign Man,” a 6-foot-10 monster who seemed a good 10 years ahead of his time, at least, when he competed in four Dunk Contests in the early 1990s. A less restrained, less polished successor to Wilkins, Kemp was a Goliath who consistently did battle with smaller competitors, a fact that many observers believe winds up being a disadvantage.
Kemp made his debut as a 20-year-old rookie at the 1990 Dunk Contest, which was won by Wilkins. His first attempt packed so much punch that it sent him flying to the ground, causing the television broadcasting crew to wonder whether he had hurt himself. By the next season, Kemp had ironed out some of the kinks, putting on a great show in a contest that Dee Brown, the ultimate David to Kemp’s Goliath, won with his Reebok pumps and his forearm-across-the-eyes “no-look” dunk.” [Golliver/Point Forward]
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Finally, your tweet of the day. Looks like a former Brown is a fan of the moves made on Tuesday.
Cleared out 2 impediments to progress, IMO. Makes Browns a more desirable location now. @dutey12
— Scott Fujita (@sfujita55) February 11, 2014
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3 Comments
Irving (Duke) and Barnes (UNC) were bad enough, but I didn’t know about this one and it sickens me:
http://grantland.com/features/trey-burke-jared-sullinger-friends/
AAU basketball 🙁
They went to the same high school :/
true, but they only did because of the AAU connections that they had previously. the story lays it out.