Video: Ray Farmer speaks, offers mea culpa for texting
February 19, 2015Stack of All Trades: Sorting through the NBA Trade Deadline
February 20, 2015It’s my time for WWW and thankfully I’m finally out of the cold. I’m in Florida for a few days and while they’re complaining about how cold it is, you know, for Florida, I’m wearing a sweatshirt and basking in the 60-degree weather. My four-year-old even dragged me into the pool until he couldn’t control his shivering anymore. I’m not one of those complainers though. When faced with negative numbers in my hometown, “unseasonably cold Florida weather” is just fine by me. ENOUGH about the WEATHER. On with the WWW.
Finally the Cavs have come BACK to Washington…
Yes, people, I do know who The Rock is and yes I’m still playing off his larger-than-life gimmicks, but this is about LeBron and the boys. This extended all-star break was probably good for them and good for the ever-handsome GQ coverboy Kevin Love, but it’s been far too long since the Cavaliers have played and I missed them.
It’s something worth acknowledging. As Ben Cox said in the latest Brian Spaeth Cavaliers email…
Every game is an event again. It’s really a lot of fun and I hope folks don’t take it for granted.
Despite LeBron and his “chill mode” and when people wanted David Blatt fired and whether or not Kevin Love is going to re-sign with the Cavaliers in a year, I just can’t let it impact watching this year. I don’t want to think about whether the movie I’m watching can execute a sequel while I’m in about to start the third act of the first movie. I know this is a departure for someone like me and I might even sound like a hypocrite compared to things that I’ve said about the Cavs or other Cleveland teams at various points of time. I am just at a point in my life right now where so many things feel unpredictable that I don’t want to ruin the present with negative, and largely unsubstantiated predictions about the future.
Here’s to living in the moment.
This goes doubly for anything about Kevin Love…
“Kevin Love is a massive disappointment!”
“Kevin Love is almost definitely not going to re-sign in Cleveland!”
Whatever to both. Kevin Love and the Cavaliers are trying hard to work together to win basketball games in Cleveland right now. They will try even harder (presumably) to win enough games to bring a championship to themselves and this city. I put those two beneficiaries in that order for a reason.
Has Kevin Love struggled with his transition to Cleveland? Yes. Is it possible that he might not re-sign with the Cavs next year? Sure. What’s the difference? If Kevin Love ends up playing really well for the Cavs, then it increases their chance for a championship. If Kevin Love doesn’t end up playing well for the Cavs, maybe there’s a mutually beneficial deal available to sign-and-trade him for something that more suits Kevin Love and the Cavaliers together.
Either they win and they figure it out, they lose and make a necessary change, or they lose and decide to try it again next year. Everything in the future is dependent on what occurs this year. The better this year goes, the better you’ll feel about any outcome. Worrying and complaining won’t improve this year, so anything you do in that regard (other than honest basketball criticism) is largely a waste of time.
As always, when I say stuff like this I’m talking to myself first and then to the rest of you. I’m trying to preach what I want to practice because my instincts aren’t to practice what I just preached.
Be the change you want to see…
I’ve started living life by the recommendations of bumper stickers. I have to admit that I’m sometimes a boob. I’m kind of secretly proud of this and also wholly embarrassed that I allowed my life to be guided in this way. I’ve openly laughed at myself for thinking this at all, but I’m going to let you in on the weirdness.
I’m a Target shopper. I just assume most people with families are because the fewer stops you have to make to get the things you need to live, when you have children the better. That being said, I get really annoyed when people leave shopping carts all over the place in the Target parking lot, so I’ve started habitually putting not only my own cart, but those of others in the proper spots after I load my stuff into the car.
And the first time I decided that this is what I was going to do during my many trips to Target, the bumper sticker entered my mind. “Be the change you want to see in the world.” And when I think of changing the world, apparently I mean extraneous shopping carts, rudely left around the parking lot by other customers. Way to aim high Craig.
As I said, I’m a boob. You’re welcome.
Your weekly moment of soccer zen…
A really great individual effort. Probably some lazy defense too and I’m sure the keeper let them have it for giving up this opportunity, but I love watching a guy cover this amount of ground.
The movie I’m excited for…
Last, but not least, I wanted to share the trailer for this movie. I’m really looking forward to it because I’m going to help break it down on an “Anything to Add Monty?” podcast.
That’s it from me this week, except this.
A big thanks to Jon for all he’s done for the site. It’s been really great having him here and it’s been even better getting to know Jon and his wife and family in real life. Even as he “says goodbye” it’s really just the work he’s saying goodbye to, and that’s the very best thing about WFNY. Whether we’re talking about Rick or Bowers or DP, Denny or now Jon, this site has allowed me to make friends that I never would have made otherwise, and those are just some of the ones who’ve written here.
What this really means is that it’s time to bring back the Akron game this year. It’s time for everyone to get to the same draft party. Handshakes and hugs and sometimes beers and food and all that. So goodbye isn’t really goodbye, but still, big thanks to Jon for all the exceptional work and see you soon.
And who knows? Maybe we’ll all see each other at a giant happy screening of a Fast and Furious movie? 🙂
21 Comments
Can we sign-n-trade Kevin Love? This item is an interesting dynamic that I will need to go and try to figure out on Coon’s at some point. We are a luxury tax paying team with Kevin Love’s cap hold, so we cannot sign-n-trade. But, without that hold, I believe we will be below line. So, which one matters?
Nothing is quite as entertaining as folks down here who think it’s cold. I had one student come in wearing a balaclava yesterday afternoon. It was 54 degrees.
Bravo on the “live in the now” attitude toward sports. I am not one who does that well in any facet of life, but I’m trying to get there as well. Baby steps.
And regarding the soccer zen, there was definitely some lazy defending at the center line (including the classic “I just got blown past, so let me fake this injury and appeal for a call” move by said defender), but it’s the contortion employed on the finish that gets my attention–no easy feat at speed.
It’s time… http://www.nfl.com/combine/live
http://mashable.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/surpirsed-baby.gif
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I walked in to Heinen’s the other day just in time to watch an elderly lady leave her shopping cart in a rather obstructive spot. And while I normally would have cut her some slack because she just looked old and she sounded too old and she’s just old, it was the fact that she had to walk past where the carts belong and still chose to leave hers elsewhere that annoyed me.
Good for you, Shopping Cart Guy. I’m not quite as ambitious as you are, but I at least always put my cart away, even if there are 15 others strewn about right next to me. Just because other people are lazy and inconsiderate doesn’t mean that I am.
But you’ve inspired me. I think I’ll start putting mine and one other away.
I’ve completely acclimated to southern weather. Gone are the days of wearing a sweatshirt when it’s 30 degree; now it’s a knit cap any time it dips below 55.
For those who follow the NBA: trade deadline reactions? Sounds like it was pretty crazy. Does this help/hurt the Cavs? Were people expecting them to do something or just stand pat like they did?
edit: And now I see that’s there an article covering this. Is there anything WFNY can’t do?
Saw it is going to be 30 down there in Florida today. Sorry man.
Balmy 33 in Savannah at the moment.
I don’t want to be a killjoy on your Fri but those are an awful lot of calories. Might want to slow down. Also, tis the season for Paczki!
In my very layman’s opinion, I think the biggest impact to the Cavs was indirect in the Heat landing Dragic. I don’t think they pass us up in the playoff standings, but they could have enough to knock off a high seed. Lot of ifs with that team & health (Bosh & Wade) of course but IMO, it was a solid move by the evil Riley and overall that was the biggest move in the east.
What I also gather is that our lack of move doesn’t mean we’re not going to add a guy. Guys might start getting bought out or cut after the deadline, and we can sift through the bins.
ouch. do not check Austin weather today
that is why I am waving my arms. burning calories as I go.
Twelve years and I have yet to get to that point. Heat and I still don’t get along.
RE: Here’s to living in the moment.
“You’re sad because you live the past and you’re anxious because you live in the future. There is no better feeling than right now.”
…uhhh…..er… something…..huhh uh huhh huhh
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Major difference for you though is that you have the humidity. I don’t think anyone gets along with 90/90 and up.
lol i’m not going to any draft parties, craig
I could be wrong but I believe CLE’s ability to sign and trade goes away at this level of luxury tax violation
http://www.cbafaq.com/salarycap.htm#Q21
restrictions aren’t triggered unless the team would be over the “apron” — the point $4 million above the tax level — following a signing or trade
23. Starting in 2013-14, teams cannot receive a player in a sign-and-trade transaction (see question number 91) if their team salary is above the apron at the conclusion of the trade.
91. To qualify for a sign-and-trade, all of the following must be true:
Starting in 2013-14, the team receiving the player cannot be above the “apron” ($4 million above the tax level) after the trade1, 2. A team above the apron can receive a player in a sign-and-trade if the trade reduces the team’s payroll and the team finishes the trade below the apron.
Starting in 2013-14, the team cannot receive a player in a sign-and-trade if they have used the Taxpayer Mid-Level exception (see question number 25) that season.
There are other components for 23 and 91,but I only put the pieces here that mattered for a Love trade. So, it is possible to sign-n-trade him, but we would be looking to do so for a cheap, young player to get under the apron. Someone like, oh, I don’t know, Andrew Wiggins.
It all depends on where the apron ends up though. We are already at $77mil for next year and that is without counting Delly, Tristan, and Iman RFA-holds. It’d have to go up a ton quickly.