Browns victory over Saints: Craig on #DawgsontheRun
September 15, 2014Tribe bats non-existent in fourth straight loss
September 16, 2014Happy Tuesday WFNY!
It’s always a happy day when the Browns are 1-1. It’s funny how a win can give even fans so much more confidence. I was sure the Browns were going to start the season 0-3. I was completely bleak in the WFNY preview.
But today? I’m looking at the upcoming schedule and I feel like the Browns could be as good as 6-2 at the midway point of the season.
Ravens? Winnable game.
@Titans? Could be tough, but winnable.
Steelers? Revenge!
@Jaguars? Better win.
Raiders? Gotta win.
Buccaneers? Winnable.
If the Browns go 4-2 in that stretch of winnable games, they’d be 5-3.
But hey, we’re talking about the Browns here. Who among us would be surprised if they stumble to 2-4 through this stretch? My feeling on the team is they have to earn my trust as a fan. Until they prove they can do it, I will be resigned to mere hope.
*****
MVP Kyrie
So Kyrie Irving won MVP of the World Cup of Basketball, or whatever it’s called these days. Don’t get me wrong, it’s exciting for Kyrie and it’s exciting for the Cavaliers. But does anyone really care about this event?
Yahoo’s Adrian Wojnarowski says that not only does nobody care, but this is the beginning of the end of Team USA as we know it.
The World Cup of Basketball is a wonderful event, a well-run, well-coordinated tournament with pride and history and gravitas. It is something else, too: beneath the threshold of worthiness for NBA stars to participate. For Indiana Pacers star Paul George to have broken his leg in a televised pick-up game on the Vegas strip never felt as senseless as did watching the United States hang 129 points on Serbia in the gold-medal game Sunday at Palacio de los Deportes.
Outside of Derrick Rose using FIBA as a Double-A rehab assignment and some sportswriters beefing up on Marriott points for post-summer vacations, this tournament was a waste of everyone’s time and resources. They used to call it the World Championships. Now it’s the World Cup of Basketball. This is certain: It has outlived its usefulness for the NBA, and owners and executives will be wise to petition FIBA to reshape the future of international basketball.
As one GM told Yahoo Sports, “[Outside of the U.S. team], there’s more talent and more interest from basketball fans in the NBA summer league than this event.”
For all the inspiration the U.S. coaches and players tried to drain out of George’s injury, understand something: It was in vain. He lost a year of his career for the chance to play in a tournament that few watched back home, and even fewer felt mesmerized by across the world. The risk-reward for NBA stars participating in FIBA tournaments has never been so low, the gains of the Mike Krzyzewskis and Jim Boeheims on the bench so high.
Well ok, then. I don’t really care too much about Coach K using his status as coach of Team USA as a recruiting tool. He’s taking time out of his normal recruiting/coaching schedule to guide Team USA back to it’s place as the unquestioned best basketball nation in the world. It’s easy to forget now, but Coach K was brought in to fix a mess. Team USA was struggling and the word “embarrassing” was used all too frequently. Coach K stabilized the program and got the best players in the country to buy in to committing to the team.
Where I agree with Woj, though, is the senselessness of this event. As Team USA played in the Championship game on Sunday, I was never once tempted to turn away from the Browns game to watch. In fact, I didn’t watch any of the games in the tournament. I followed the storylines throughout, but I simply don’t care one bit about a tournament that feels artificially trumped up by trying to apply the name “World Cup” to it.
That doesn’t mean I’m not glad Kyrie played. I think there was a ton for Kyrie to learn from playing in this tournament that will directly apply to this upcoming Cavaliers season.
We’ve all seen the success Kyrie has had in one-off All-Star games. But there’s nothing really applicable about that to regular season or post-season success. But this tournament is different. Sure, this isn’t the best Team USA ever, but this still gave Kyrie an opportunity to spend several weeks around other great players. He got to see how they prepare, how they practice, how they handle things.
But even more than that, he learned how to play PG on a team with other great players. One of my bigger concerns about the Cavaliers adding LeBron and Kevin Love was how Kyrie would fit in to a role as a distributor. By playing for Team USA, Kyrie learned how to pick his spots with other good players. He learned how to excel without always needing to be the primary scoring option. All of these lessons will be huge as he transitions into this Cavaliers team.
So, say what you will about the World Cup of Basketball as an event, but I am so glad Kyrie participated and I’m even more glad that he exceled in it. I think it’s going to be nothing but good for the Cavaliers this season.
*****
Who are the bad guys?
There is a lot of heat on Roger Goodell right now. A LOT. And much of it is absolutely deserved. But you know who probably loves all the attention being on Goodell right now? Ray Rice. Somehow Goodell has replaced Rice as the bad guy in this situation.
I tweeted last Friday that sports aren’t all that much fun for me right now:
Racism, domestic violence, drug tests, brutal injuries. Sports really aren't that much fun.
— Andrew Schnitkey (@RockWFNY) September 12, 2014
There are so many depressing stories in the news these days. It’s a dark time in the world and sports, our escape, are anything but an escape right now. But maybe we’re letting the narrative get ahead of us a bit.
I’ve seen a lot of anger sent towards the likes of Jerry Richardson, Rick Spielman, Roger Goodell, etc for their handling of their players. And when you apply your anger to the top, it’s easier for your anger to spread deeper. But it also minimizes the reality that a few “bad eggs” are spoiling it for the whole bunch.
Most of these people are football people. They are no more equipped for dealing with these kind of situations than any of us are. Sure, they could do some things better. Common sense would indicate that they should pull these players off the field. But we need to remember that it was Ray Rice who beat his wife, not Roger Goodell. It was Adrian Peterson who beat his child, not Rick Spielman. It was Greg Hardy who reportedly attacked his girlfriend, not Jerry Richardson.
None of this is to say we shouldn’t be angry or that we shouldn’t expect, or demand, better from leadership in the NFL. But we should try not to lose focus on who the bad guys are here. Incompetence isn’t a trademark of leadership, but it’s also not inherently a trademark of moral bankruptcy.
*****
Anyone else playing Destiny?
Yes, I am a 34 year old (for one more week) child in a man’s body who still enjoys playing video games. I’ve been playing Destiny for the last week and I’m having an absolute blast with this game. It’s one of the biggest console games I’ve ever played with a totally immersive depth.
But the real reason I’m bringing this up is because I remember as a kid playing video games wondering at what point in my life would I stop playing games? None of the adults in my life had any interest whatsoever in video games. But then again, none of them grew up with consoles in their house. From Nintendo to Super Nintendo to Sega Genesis to Playstation to Playstation 2 to Xbox 360, I’ve never not had a console. Now, I know many adults who play video games. You can watch streams on Twitch.tv and see plenty of adults playing video games as a career. Technology changes things, and I find it fascinating to see how different my idea of what being adult would be like is from reality.
Sure, I don’t have time to dedicate 8-12 hours per day playing a massive MMO shooter like Destiny. I wish I did, but I don’t. But I’m still able to carve some time to play the games that I love. Which kind of brings us full circle. Because whereas sports are supposed to be my escape from reality, video games have become my escape from sports.
*****
New music of the week?
This will probably be the last time I do this. It’s become quite clear that nobody is interested in talking about music in WWW. And that’s more than fair, it’s expected. You come to WFNY for the sports. The idea of talking about music was more about adding a little of my personality to WWW. But it’s exhausting having a one way conversation every week and I know my taste in music is a little too esoteric to spark a good conversation.
That doesn’t mean I won’t still talk about music in WWW. It just means I won’t be nominating a new album release of the week anymore. So, I’ll end my new music discussions in WWW with some slow-building post-rock. Why not.
This week’s new album of the week is the new album from Texas-based (where else?) instrumental post-rock titans This Will Destory You, “Another Language”.
As with all of their releases, this is a big album to digest. There’s a lot to take in and it requires some patience at times as the songs slowly build and wind their way. But I love just letting myself be taken along on their journey. These songs tell a story not with words, but with movement in music. The songs can combine so many emotions into just a few minutes. Sometimes even conflicting emotions, which is where the music really excels at tugging on the body in a very real, physical way.
*****
And that’s it for me this week. Enjoy the rest of your week, WFNY, and here’s to hoping we’ll be talking about the 2-1 Cleveland Browns next Tuesday.
76 Comments
that is really weird. could have sworn I clicked on the Crowell link. oh well, “the Train” will show West above how to finish off that run.
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GVP0Ja7jztc/U__p29OZ5xI/AAAAAAAAJsA/IdA62bhiHPM/s1600/9.gif
Regardless, that block on the crashing linebacker was DISGUSTING.
http://www.geocities.ws/groovyface/boxing.jpg
They were both carrying the ball on the wrong side though.
Rookie mistake.
Good, but preferably the gif would feature a train that wasn’t Steeler colors
Great point. Missed that.
Have to come up with some kind of moniker for West and The Train; something about the wild west and trains or something.
Are you referring to Destiny, the FPS genre, or gaming in general? Also why?
Hey, I hope you see this man. NFLN is replaying the Browns game at 3:30 EST today!!! Not sure if there will be a 2nd showing, but I hope you can see this and set your DVR before it.
NFL Network @ 3:30 PM TODAY – Saints v. Browns REPLAY
Does that make the OL the Towson & BamaState Railways?
I don’t know but here they are going through the Ravens D line:
http://media.giphy.com/media/ZQBXImP3Da0iA/giphy.gif
Ravens line is pretty good it will be interesting to see how well the Browns run.
But, the car is Ravens colors(ish).
Last Madden I had was 2 years ago and as of that time no.
In general I’ve wasted more time on gaming then I care to admit. I liked the multi-player team concepts most of all.
The power of wishful thinking.
With you on so much of this:
1) Farmer: yes, yes, yes. Seemed like a big win to keep him from Miami, and his work on draft weekend seemed to reinforce that. Really impressed with him all around.
2) Pettine: I was a Quinn guy–hugely prefer a defensive-minded guy in charge, given the teams we share our division with, as well as my own personal preference for a defense/running game focused team (also why I was not at all heartbroken to see Chip Kelly go elsewhere–his style may work long-term in the pros, but I’m still not sold on it). Pettine was an unknown, but the more you saw and heard of the guy, the more you had to like him. Not convinced he is totally the answer, but he’s been mostly impressive to this point.
3) FA: Dansby concerned me because of the fear that he was a system product. Wasn’t sad to see Jackson go, though. Honestly wasn’t crazy about Whitner for Ward. Not because Ward was amazing, but Whitner didn’t impress me much, either. If anything, his positive talk of Cleveland just made me think of Nick Swisher. Meh. Tate seemed a solid get, though it was a given that health would be an issue. I preferred Edelman as a slot guy to Hawkins, but so far I’m pleased with what we got. Indifferent on Dray, and McQuistan seemed necessary but not especially impressive.
4) my approach to the Mack situation was we should lock him in regardless. He
yes, we have agreed on much these past few months. and, the team certainly deserves to be in “prove it” mode with the fanbase. I just have a strange feeling that they actually have the ability to prove it. I hope it’s not indigestion again 😉
Beat the Perriwinkle & Black!
Since I’m an unrepentant old school metalhead, this should be the gameday entrance music…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cDcBKVKQizg
Perriwinkle?
You don’t get to stop posting music. I refuse to believe there isn’t a silent group listening to it and then just not coming back to talk about it. Don’t be so selfish Andrew! You don’t need feedback on every section of your WWW! 🙂
Yep. 😀
I think you’ll like what I’m thinking about replacing it with. In fact, you might sue me over it because I would be stealing it from you.
WFNY Duel!!!!
http://o.aolcdn.com/hss/storage/midas/1171b59102b5d012ff789dfe99cdfa45/200449111/homer-duel-o.gif
High five for Tribes. I played that, along with countless hours of Team Fortress (the original Quakeworld mod) back in the day. These days when I want to play a multiplayer FPS, which isn’t often, I stick to TF2 because the presentation is so cartoony and silly, and the randomness introduced by the crits keeps “hardcore” types out. Also I’m old and my reflexes are really slow these days so if I’m having an off night I can just play medic and still help my team. It’s definitely still a fun way to spend an evening.
Right there with you buddy. I can only justify/get away with gaming a couple nights a week, tops, and that’s after kids are in bed, house is cleaned up, etc which doesn’t actually leave much time to play. So I’ve actually gravitated more towards shorter and more experimental games lately, because generally I can play through them in an evening or two rather than needing like 2 months to get through something like Skyrim.