While We’re Waiting…Shaq Stuff, OSU Recruit Visits, Eyenga is Here!
Written By: Brendan | Category: Best of the Web | Comments: 7While We’re Waiting aims to be the round-up of the recent WFNY-esque information for your morning viewing. Have something you think we should see? Send it to our tips email in the sidebar.
Shaq goes with #33: “The 15-time All-Star chose the new digits because it corresponds with the number he wore in high school and at LSU before turning pro. The Big Witness — yes, that’s what we’re calling him — wore No. 32 when he played in Orlando, Miami and Phoenix (he wore No. 34 in Los Angeles from 1997-2004), but that number, 32, is already taken by veteran power forward Joe Smith(notes). Apparently, Shaq and the Cavs couldn’t wait for free agent Joe to jet somewhere else this offseason.” [Ball Don't Lie]
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Shaq in the middle of perhaps the most meaningless political squabble: “It’s ridiculous that Gov. Strickland has time to send out a press release welcoming a basketball player, but he has nothing to say about the growing scandal involving prominent members of his own party,’ DeWine said. Turning a ‘welcome to the Cavs’ letter into an attack on the governor for corruption in Cuyahoga County took some doing.” [Michael McIntyre/Plain Dealer]
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Shaq’s goofy lip-syncing video response on his arrival: From Shaq’s Twitter: “this is how i really feel about the trade, enjoy.” [Sporting News/The Baseline]
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Not a Shaq story. Super prep LB visits OSU: “The best high school linebacker prospect in Ohio was surrounded by hundreds of peers Friday at Ohio State. Jordan Hicks wasn’t taking part in the Buckeyes’ one-day camp for advanced prospects, but he was still getting some of the greatest attention. Having narrowed his college choices to Ohio State, Florida, USC, Texas, Georgia and Alabama, the 220-pounder from Lakota West High School near Dayton is looking for a comfortable fit, and he spent his day getting more comfortable with the Buckeyes.” [Doug Lesmerises/Plain Dealer]
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If you cannot wait a few more months for football, head to Canton tonight to see some of the best HS players in the USA beat up (hopefully) on some Frenchies: “At 8 p.m., when Team USA takes the field against France, it’s time for Kyle and his team to make some history of their own. ‘It’s been quite the experience,’ Kyle said. ‘It’s been slightly like what a head coach at a major college goes through. Thank God for the coordinators and assistants who have been able to work on the Xs and Os. I like to do that, but there has been so much more to this job.” [Canton Repository/Joe Frollo]
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You get VC, we raise you Eyenga: “He admitted he did not get much sleep after the Cavs drafted him Thursday, giving him an opportunity to play with LeBron James and Shaquille O’Neal. He said he was shaking and his heart was beating 100 miles and hour when NBA Commissioner David Stern announced the Cavs had selected him. ” [Mary Schmitt Boyer/Plain Dealer]
Author: Brendan
Brendan is a weekend editor at WaitingForNextYear. He has been writing for the site since March of 2008. He went to college in Boston during a run of insufferable Beantown championships that only served to reinforce his Cleveland allegiance and fandom which he transcribes to you here at WFNY.Brendan has written 80 articles for Waiting for Next Year.
Well, at least the political squabble didn’t erupt because of something Shaq did. Honestly, for a spit second, I thought “wow, he opened his mouth already.”
by the time he is NBA ready, there is a serious possibility that Eyenga will play with neither LeBron nor Shaq.
I would say there is probably 100% chance he never plays on the Cavs with Shaq…with LBJ, hopefully.
I bet my brother a 100 dollars that he will never play a game in a Cavaliers uniform.
Doc you’re gonna be out 100 dollars if they let him play in the summer league
After reading the last article closer, it looks like Eyenga picked up Spanish in three months? That’s pretty amazing; this kid must have some brains. Hopefully that translates into an aptitude for learning schemes on the court, because in combination with his obvious enthusiasm that could be pretty cool to watch.
@Fabio: Chiming in on the same topic: Ferry said that Eynga picked up Spanish and so now is on the path to knowing three languages, French, Spanish, and English. Well, his French sounds beautiful, but Ferry neglected to consider that, as a native of the Congo, Eynga surely speaks at least one other language used in that country and probably more than one. My bet is that he speaks the widely used Lingala and Kituba languages as well.
That doesn’t make him a standout intellect necessarily, but it is an interesting profile for an NBA player. Let’s hope we see him contribute to the Cavs at the Q one of these days.