Watch the game-changing penalty on Paul Kruger’s sack of Andrew Luck
December 7, 2014Cavs considering trading Dion Waiters for a big man
December 8, 2014Happy Monday? Hopefully, Ohio State’s utter domination of the Wisconsin Badgers and subsequent admission into the first ever College Football Playoff is enough to carry you through what was otherwise awful weekend for football. We’ll have a slew of Browns-based coverage over the coming hours, but While We’re Waiting…
The Cleveland Cavaliers have quietly gone from panic-inducing disappointments to winners of six straight and possession of first place in the central division. Maybe it’s because their schedule has rendered much of their winning ways to weekends, or maybe it’s because complaining is so much easier, but it seems as if there was more Cavs chatter when they were struggling than the last two weeks which have seen victories over the Washington Wizards, New York Knicks and Toronto Raptors—the last two of which were on the road. It feels as if even their wins are scrutinized—they’re not dominating offensively!—and that winning with defense1 is simply ˆnot what was expected so the only reaction is an uncertainty that borders on skepticism.
Fun fact: Since dropping four straight to a slew of quality opponents (Can you believe they lost to the reigning champs!?) the Cavs have allowed 100 points just once. Now, they get the Raptors (again?), Oklahoma City Thunder (with Kevin Durant, of course) and New Orleans Pelicans in the coming days so it’s acceptable to reserve big picture judgement, but if you were one of those fans getting all bent out of shape when they lost a handful of close games but aren’t celebrating the wins, well I’m not quite sure what else to say. Feel free to be concerned about things like chemistry and the lack of rim protection and the occasional ‘off’ night for LeBron, but give credit when the Ws pile up, even when it’s not via the manner you had anticipated.
Also: Kyrie!
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Last week, Robert Lipsyte filed his final column as ombudsman of ESPN. ESPN appointed Robert Lipsyte for an 18-month term as ombudsman to offer independent examination and analysis of ESPN’s television, radio, print and digital offerings. He had some great moments, and some pretty bad ones. All in all, however, having an ombudsman—not to mention someone with the panache of Lipsyte—is a fantastic if not captivating idea.
There’s always going to be skepticism in the way of principle-agent conflict, but that’s largely unavoidable in an arena that’s already tainted with speculation and conspiracy the way media is. But when his parting shot is one that resembles a left jab to credibility, I think it’s safe to say that Lipsyte did what he was hired to do, even if it wasn’t as frequent as many would have hoped.
I think that improvement is most needed in ESPN’s inconsistent execution of journalism, which does not appear to be the highest of company priorities. That’s understandable from an economic perspective. College football and basketball, for example, are important revenue producers for the company. Extensive investigative reporting into the exploitation of college athletes, and the legal battles around that, would seem to conflict with ESPN’s business model. How do you turn over the rocks in the Southeastern Conference, for instance, while owning the SEC Network?
And why should ESPN bother? Its dominance in sports broadcasting is apparent, its bottom line is rising and, at the risk of shield-polishing, I think its live event coverage and studio production, the core of its renown and revenue, is as good as or better than any of its competitors.
However, I think ESPN should bother because no other media company has the resources, the talent pool, the access, the leadership and the institutional intelligence to cover sports as well. It feels like a responsibility. …
For ESPN to become universally respected for legitimate and timely sports news would require time, money and a shift in sensibilities from the frequent Jock Culture first response of “How will this affect the team’s next game?”
Well then… Let me towel off. OK, that’s better.
ESPN has long been the borg that rattles the market—create news, report on self-created news, debate said reports, and then speculate on the fallout—putting the television, talking head-side first. It’s refreshing to see Lipsyte nuke that concept and recommend they hire news desk of reporters and writers rather than forcing on-air talent to play double agents in makeup.
Whether ESPN is willing to do that, however, is another story.
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2015 Grammy nominations were released this past weekend, and there were few (if any) surprises. While I’m patiently waiting to see if Iggy Azalea can pull a Macklemore—winning every hip-hop award with a pop-friendly feel despite more acclaimed songs or albums among fellow nominees—over the likes of Schoolboy Q.
If there’s any big takeaway, expect a whole boat load of Beyoncé. Not only did she rake in the most nominations out of the entire field, but she officially became the most nominated female in the history of music. They don’t call her Queen B for nothing…
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Do like Lipsyte says and take your takes elsewhere. Here’s this week’s edition of #ActualSportswriting
“Everybody Loves Mike” by Jonathan Abrams (Grantland): “More than a decade later, [Mike] Miller is no longer the slashing playmaker of his NBA youth. He’s now the smooth-shooting veteran on the revamped Cleveland Cavaliers. It’s a role he’s seemingly been preparing for his entire career: to be there at the right moment for the right shot or the right words. Wherever Miller has played, he has been a friend to the stars — and the scrubs, executives, coaches, and everyone in between.”2
“The rise of NY Giants wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr.” by Kevin Armstrong (NYDN): “Nelson Stewart, the head coach at Isidore Newman School, walks the private academy’s football field off Jefferson Ave. in New Orleans on Wednesday morning. He recalls the blue bloods who once played for the Greenies, pointing to the No. 18 home jersey that is affixed to the brick exterior of the Tuohy Gymnasium that overlooks the football stadium from the south end zone. All three Manning brothers — Cooper, Peyton and Eli — slipped on the same uniform in their celebrated, record-setting tenures. Beckham Jr. was a sophomore on the roster the night the number was retired in 2008.”3
“Carmelo Anthony means business” Eli Saslow (ESPN The Magazine): “His professional life has brought Anthony many things: a wife, a son, seven NBA All-Star Games, a scoring title, a couple of Olympic gold medals and, yes, ridiculous amounts of money. He just signed a five-year contract with the Knicks worth $124 million, forgoing a better chance to win a quick NBA title with the Bulls and instead staying with a lesser team that offered a longer, more lucrative deal. “I’ve got money. That’s not the problem,” he says. The problem as he sees it is that he is still defined mostly by what he lacks. No championships. No universal adoration. No sense of peace with his own place in the world as he begins the transition from the prime to the twilight of his career.”4
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And finally, this week’s Brew du Jour: Sweetwater Brewing Company’s 420 Pale Ale
There are some things that just fall under the category of a When in Rome-like tradition. When you’re in New Orleans, you stop in Cafe du Monde and eat a few beignets. When you’re in Philadelphia, you wait in line for hours to land a cheesesteak. And while it may never register on the same scale, whenever I’m in Atlanta, I stop and pick up a Sweetwater 420.
An “extra pale ale,” rather than stocking up against the hop-happy IPAs, Sweetwater’s 420 is more along the lines of Sierra Nevada’s Pale Ale or—for the Cleveland folks—Great Lakes’ Burning River. It’s not the most crafty of beers, but it does pour with a decent amount of head despite the light color of the beer. The scent and taste are both smooth—a bit fruity, but crisp and cool. Don’t get me wrong: This beer has a very hoppy feel to it, but for those who tend to avoid the bitterness that comes with the more aggressive IPAs, this (along the lines of the Session IPA by Sam Adams) is a great in-between.
I was able to get a tall draft last month when I was passing through the Atlanta airport, but that experience was cut short due to the whole having to come back to Cleveland thing. I picked up a Sweetwater sampler pack this past weekend (I’m usually heavily against sampler packs, by the way—just personal preference) and was happy to find 420 mixed in with a few other IPAs. While it’s not the same as having a 420 in Atlanta, being able to have a couple in the comfort of my own home is the next best thing.
- In the Cavs last 10 games they have a 97.8 defensive rating with Kyrie on the court—third in the league. [↩]
- I love when I can link to Cleveland-based long reads in this space. This one is a bit bittersweet as I had hoped to write a profile on Miller at some point this season, but I’ll gladly give way to Abrams who is easily one of the best NBA profile writers out there today. This one is a must-read. [↩]
- One of the best stories of 2014, Beckham Jr. could very well be in line for the Rookie of the Year award on offense. This story digs even deeper than those puff pieces that ran after “the catch.” Just don’t remind me that he could’ve very well been a Cleveland Brown. [↩]
- Anything Eli Saslow writes is a must-read, sports or not, but this especially as I’ve always been intrigued by ‘Melo. To me, he’s never felt like one of the game’s best despite the fact that he inarguably is. Its interesting that that perception, or even the existence of debate surrounding it, is something that bothers him at a core level. [↩]
10 Comments
“have went.”
Aaarrgghh.
First place Cavs, last place Browns. More like what everyone expected.
ESPN is becoming more and more difficult to watch, particularly in the college football season. On one hand, they “report” about extraordinarily serious allegations surrounding Jameis Winston and hyperventilate while trying to sound like leaders in the “no domestic violence” campaign, but then turn around and fawn over the “adversity” that Florida State has had to endure in the midst of “all that has happened to Jameis Winston” this year. And the SEC connection is just too filthy to overlook. This network drives public opinion on nearly every aspect of sports – to include the perceived strength of college football programs and conferences – and it is not saying too much to imply that this must have some impact on how this ridiculous playoff committee makes its subjective decisions. I’ll have to go back and re-read my Dante, but I’m pretty sure there’s a circle of Hell reserved for ESPN.
If I was a negative kind of guy, I would say, “Yeah but the Cavs beat the Wizards without Nene, the Raptors without DeRozan, and the Knicks suck so badly that the game shouldn’t have been that close.”
However, I’m not that guy. I think there is a tangible difference in how the team is playing and even though I still cringe at LeBron’s lack of effort in the first 3 quarters of each game, I do understand why he wants to save his body as he gets older. The Spurs do the same thing.
My guess is the 8th circle (the Fraudulent), your choice of Bolgia 1 (panderers), 2 (flatterers), 6 (hypocrites), or 9 (sowers of discord).
Very nicely played! Can they be in all of the rings?
I dunno, after LeBron left in 2010, I was angry with the NBA for the system they had fostered. I watched 85% of the games in the 2010-2011 season to prove to myself that I wasn’t a fair weathered fan (which I already knew after slogging through season after season of 30 wins or less with Randy Wittman, Clarence Weatherspoon, Lamond Murray and an injured Z.)
By the time we won the Kyrie lottery in 2011, I was increasingly disinterested with the NBA overall. Also, still bitter. I watched even fewer Cavs games that season. In the two years since, I haven’t watched a full game, doing most of my “watching” by streaming the wrap up shows on local AM. I haven’t watched an NBA game that the Cavs were not a participant in since 2010. The NBA mostly ceased to exist for me, other than what I’d gather by listening to the radio (nights are the time when I can listen to the radio, have a beer and relax after the kids are in bed).
I was as excited as anyone at the prospect of LeBron returning, and all of the moves since then felt exciting to me as they were happening. I figured I’d be back on the bandwagon again, watching large portions of most games (as I did even when our starting 5 consisted of Chris Gatling, Milt Palacio and Cedric Henderson), but I just…haven’t. I dont set my DVR for games…I dont even think to check on the game if I have the opportunity to channel surf. I just…dont care anymore.
Maybe thats because I railed against the star system put in place by the NBA and I feel that it would be hypocritical to just shut my eyes and ignore the fact that it still exists just because it worked out in our favor. Dont get me wrong, Ill still be happy if the end the drought, but I’m certainly not living or dying with each piece of Cavs news as i did in the past. At the end of the day, I guess I’ve moved on from the NBA. Im not sure if this is me moving away from sports in general, or if maybe I really never liked basketball all those years (always thought it was more fun to play than watch).
I expected my interest level to increase this year, and it’s just not happening. Heck, I think I was even more interested last year when it was a quandary to how they were going to come together and work things out as opposed to this year where the expectations start in the penthouse. I just find it weird, this seemingly unconscious decision that seems to indicate the NBA may have lost me forever.
Maybe thats because I railed against the star system put in place by the NBA and I feel that it would be hypocritical to just shut my eyes and ignore the fact that it still exists just because it worked out in our favor. Dont get me wrong, Ill still be happy if the end the drought, but I’m certainly not living or dying with each piece of Cavs news as i did in the past.
That is where I am at with it as well except that I still enjoy the NBA on the whole.
420 is my All-Time favorite brew. Best in the south in the summer. Where did you find it in Cleveland?
As for the Grammy’s: if a tree falls in the woods…………
Not sure. Check you Venn diagram.