Browns Fans Attempting to Organize “Brown Out” (Update: Randy Lerner’s Comments)
October 29, 2009While We’re Waiting… The Twin Towers, Ticket Scalping, and the Browns Name/Colors
October 30, 2009
It was bound to happen. Shortly after the buzzer sounded and curtain fell on the Cavaliers’ morose 0-2 start to the season, it was evident that the whispers would be starting the next day. It doesn’t take a genius to understand that the mainstream national media is going to see the Cavs struggle as an opportunity, and they will waste no time to pounce. And, of course, who else would get the ball rolling other than Yahoo’s Adrian Wojnarowski? In a column that was intended to either insinuate doom for the Cavaliers or else to chastise owner Dan Gilbert for his overt support for Issue 3, he points out that the Cavaliers 0-2 start means certain peril for the LeBron era in Cleveland.
I could do a whole other post on both the ridiculousness of Dan Gilbert using the Cavaliers as a political platform to push support for Issue 3 and on the needlessness of Wojnarowski throwing this argument in to a column about LeBron’s future plans, but that’s for another day. What is prevalent to today, though, is Wojnarowski’s rather daunting and bleak outlook on what the Russian billionaire Mikhail Prokhorov’s takeover of the New Jersey Nets means to the Cavaliers in the context of this 0-2 start. He writes:
As the Nets floundered with legal red tape and financial issues that threatened the proposed Brooklyn arena, the threat of Jay-Z and a flashy new building would come and go over the years. Now, it could be a far more real threat than the blah New York Knicks and historic Madison Square Garden.
Suddenly, the Russian’s staggering $9.5 billion fortune and alluring charisma threaten to transform the fledging Nets into a fully loaded weapon again.
“Prokhorov and his people know that the way to LeBron is through Jay-Z,” one high-level source connected to the Russians and Nets said. “From the start, that’s right where they’ve wanted to go.”
The Russian’s influence was everywhere in the Air Canada Centre on Wednesday night, where the Cavs trudged through another discombobulated performance. Even a LeBron triple double – 23 points, 12 assists and 11 rebounds – couldn’t elevate the incompetence surrounding him in a 101-91 loss to the revived Toronto Raptors.
The Raptors have been deftly restored under general manager Bryan Colangelo’s watch, but beside him in the tunnel stood Maurizio Gherardini, the assistant GM out of the Euroleague whom Prokhorov tried to hire for his Moscow power, CSKA. He is considered Prokhorov’s top choice, sources say, to eventually run the Nets – despite the mistake it would be to replace Rod Thorn.
Small world, yes, and this was one of those nights when it felt like it was closing on Cleveland. For the Cavs to hold onto their hometown hero, they’ve always believed there was one unimpeachable recruiting tool: winning. Make it impossible for him to leave a champion for a lottery loser, whatever its proximity to a major market.
This is only the beginning of course. This kind of stuff is only going to get worse before it gets better. And for once, I don’t totally disagree with Mr. Wojnarowski. It really does feel like the walls are closing in. With the deconstruction of the Indians and continued hopelessness of the Browns, the strain of an 0-2 start by the Cavaliers is magnified tenfold. At the minimum. It takes every once of strength to keep in mind that we are only 1/40th of the way in to the season. It’s a struggle to find relevance in the fact that the 2006-07 Spurs started out 1-1. That the 2005-06 Miami Heat started out 1-2. That the 2003-04 Pistons lost their first game of the season. That the 2002-03 Spurs started out 1-1. The 1998-99 Spurs started out 2-3. The 1991-92 Bulls jumped out to a 1-2 start. Heck, the 1990-91 Bulls team started out 0-3 and were just 9-6 in November. Then there’s the 1984-85 Lakers who dropped their first 2 games and were 3-5 after 8 games. Can you even imagine the pressure on this team if they find themselves at 3-5 after 8 games? It could happen. If they beat Minnesota, Charlotte, and the Knicks and lose to Washington, Chicago, and Orlando, the Cavaliers will be 3-5.
The point of all of this is that yes, there is pressure, and yes, this 0-2 start is freaking Cavs fans out. Articles like this one surely aren’t going to help, but what if it gets even worse than that? Bethlehem Shoals has a very different take on this article by Wojnarowski. He writes:
But what’s really interesting is that Prokhorov apparently has to “woo” Jay-Z, which makes accusations of shadowy backroom dealings, exploitation of friendships and general unfairness a little premature.
This tells you a couple things about the situation. First, being part-owner is largely symbolic and frivolous if the new majority dude has to go out of his way to have a little talk with you. It also makes it darn impossible to tell who the bigger fish is here: Prokhorov, the conquering foreign invader just oozing with cash, or the international hip-hop icon whose imaginary/simulated power nearly equals MP’s. Second, it’s almost like the interaction between Prokhorov and Jay-Z is the sensitive juncture, not Jay and Bron.
Let that last line really sink in for a second. The implication there being that Jay-Z and LeBron are essentially already a package deal. Of course, the problem with that scenario for the Cavaliers is that this street is strictly a one way street. And to be honest, I think that’s the most frustrating thing about all of this. Virtually anything that can be connected to LeBron is by default a one way avenue, and all roads are leading out of Cleveland. LeBron isn’t bringing Jay-Z to Cleveland, but Jay-Z can draw LeBron to New York. LeBron can’t bring Madison Avenue to Cleveland, but Madison Avenue can bring LeBron to New York. LeBron can’t bring another superstar in his prime to Cleveland, but another prime superstar can lure LeBron elsewhere.
Shoals goes even further in his article. He points out that it’s certainly odd for two people who own the same corporation (as Mr Carter and Mr Prokhorov both own the Nets) to have so much trouble connecting and getting on the same page. So is the next jump in logic to naturally assume that LeBron and Jay-Z are already so tied together as one that in order for the Nets to get LeBron, they have to first get Jay-Z?
It makes sense. I can’t deny it, it truly does. But then you have to take this one step further. If that connection between LeBron and Jay-Z extends beyond pop culture and is already sinking into a business relationship (whether it be spoken or unspoken), then how is that not tampering? That’s the basis of the questions Shoals is asking, but then again, this is such new ground and unlike anything we’ve ever seen before. After all, who is the one doing the tampering? Is it Jay-Z, or is it Mikhail Prokhorov? Imagine the scenario whereby Prokhorov would be tampering by default just by trying to connect with a fellow part owner of his sports franchise.
We live in an existence where the NBA is powerless to do anything about this. For that matter, they may have little incentive to do so. Sure, David Stern publicly says he hopes LeBron stays in Cleveland, but he has to say that. But he’s a businessman. He surely has caught himself daydreaming about unifying this nation’s premiere city with the world’s premiere basketball player. So what, really, is his motivation to care whatsoever about tampering? He knows the Cavaliers will never file a complaint against Jay-Z or the Nets. How could they? To put any strain on LeBron’s relationship with his “big brother” would be akin to a shove out the door. So Stern can continue to hide behind the shield of the NBA’s policy to only investigate cases of tampering when a formal complaint is filed by a team.
In 1996 the Chicago Bulls paid Michael Jordan $30,140,000 to keep him out of New York. Dan Gilbert may not be a billionaire, but with a net worth around $900 million and having already invested millions in breathing life, excitement, and technological advancements and amenities into this franchise, you’d think he would probably like to pay LeBron $50 million a year to stay in Cleveland. But he can’t, and he’s relatively powerless to stop Jay-Z from swooping in and stealing the heart and soul from this franchise and this city.
Of course, on the other hand, there is another possibility. Perhaps the pressure from these early season setbacks are causing us to not think straight and to see conspiracy theories where there are none. It could easily be just as likely that Jay-Z’s current tour schedule makes it hard for Mr. Prokhorov’s associates to find a good time to meet with Jay-Z. Perhaps Jay-Z, a minority owner and a silent partner, knows that LeBron’s decision is LeBron’s decision alone and that he can’t exert any influence over this decision. That would certainly be a logical reason for him to see no urgency in finding time to meet with an eccentric billionaire who has only one goal in mind….a goal that has nothing to with Jay-Z whatsoever.
There’s really only one certainty in any of this, and that’s the realization that this is the last year LeBron is guaranteed to be a Cavalier. If the Cavs want it to extend further beyond this season, the team cannot perform the way it has been. LeBron knows this, the other players know this, Mike Brown knows this, and most importantly, Danny Ferry and Dan Gilbert know this. Patience is a virtue for know, but if this subpar performance continues for much longer, don’t be surprised to see radical changes on the horizon. This franchise’s survival depends on it.
68 Comments
Im’a tape it.
Would the Nets even need the cap space to sign 2 max players? They have Devin Harris, a legit all-star PG that is in his prime. They have Brook Lopez, a young C (those are hard to find) that had a very good rookie year and looks to continue to improve, he had a very good first game. Throw in CDR and Courtney Lee at SG, who are pretty solid and young, and you have a nice starting core around LeBron, assuming they could then use the rest of their cap space, because while they can’t sign 2 max guys (depending on where the cap is next year), they can sign 1 max guy and then still have some cap space to do work. A core of Harris, Lopex, and Lee/CDR to me is very appealing if you want to win a Championship. Is it better then Mo, Shaq, and Delonte/everyone else? If it isn’t now, it will be in a couple years. Plus they will have a high draft pick this year, something the Knicks do not have (traded it away years ago, Utah has it, somehow Knicks fans don’t know this, probably don’t want to know).
It wouldn’t be that simple of course, the Nets are still in NJ and they will be getting a new Coach and GM, which leads to uncertainty, but the Nets have the personnel to be appealing to LeBron
i agree all youd need is lebron and a few role players
booboo snuggles I don’t have time to shoot holes in all your arguments. You really don’t know what you are talking about. You may have heard, or read somewhere and are repeating things, but try this article. It was written by Rock back in 2008, and really is the most comprehensive piece to refute your New York=better argument.
https://waitingfornextyear.com/?p=1463
this is probably the best and most popular cleveland sports blog, right? well, the way you are all pissing on the cavs and Lebron after two games, it makes me wonder why he’d want to display any kind of loyalty to a city that’s dumping on him and his team after 8 periods of basketball (since surely this site is checked out by members of the team).
of course, it’ll be just as bad, if not worse, in NY – but he doesn’t know that yet.
anyway, keep up the good work alienating the best thing to happen to cleveland sports since…. ever.
@ Team Brady – It seems like the purpose of this article was to look at the current opinions out there concerning LeBron’s future after these two games. I don’t think Rock has the intention of “pissing on the Cavs” and if you look at Rick’s comment just before you, it is clear that we are definitely in favor of LeBron staying.
We are being honest; the losing streak has surprised us but I don’t think we are taking this team for granted at all. Rock clearly said we are approximately 1/40th of the way through the season, and there are much better things yet to come.
like last night, you are completely off with regard to whom I’m speaking.
do us both a favor and just skip my comments…
Do everyone a favor and just skip your comments. What, someone had to say it.
Kidding. Nobody here is pissing on the Cavs or Lebron. Unlike other, lesser blogs, the people here can actually intelligently criticize what happens in games. Nobody’s panicking because the Cavs lost. People are UNHAPPY with HOW the Cavs have played and been coached. And despite this, I’m guessing at least half the comments and all the posts keep perspective, realizing that it’s 1/41 of the season gone.
I find it pretty unlikely that this (or any) blog will do anything whatsoever to sway Lebron or anyone else on this team in any way. IF Lebron is sensitive enough to fan opinion, you know he’s already aware of what will happen in NY. IF he’s sensitive and follows this blog, he can probably see that the complaints have a lot to do with:
Shaq and Z on the court at the same time
Delonte being absent
Brown’s offensive coaching
Now, is there anyone who would disagree that those are potential issues, EVEN BEFORE THE SEASON BEGAN? And now that it has and these potential issues have actually caused problems in real games that matter, HOW IS THIS CRAPPING ON LEBRON IN ANY WAY, SHAPE, OR FORM?
yeah, I agree about those potential issues. but if you read the comments posted since game 1, there has been a whole lot of pissin’.
and you don’t think the attitude of the fanbase affects the mindset of the players? think again.
now, take your comment. a clear, concise, and constructive critique. that’s great. next, look at yesterday’s post that was being commented on during the game. someone went all CAPS LOCK and wrote that its time for FULL FLEDGED PANIC MODE. and there were many others along the same lines.
then above you can read “stabs self,” “bron’s gone. book it,” and “I’m assuming Lebron’s gone.” pissing.
anyway, i don’t mean to sound like I dont think everyone should have an opinion and I’m glad we all have an awesome place to share it. I just hate the fatalism that pours out of so many cleveland sports fans. when the red sox and cubs couldn’t win anything, they were lovable losers. fans of bad cleveland teams are just whiny b****es – more often than not.
not that we should embrace the losing. we just shouldn’t be so quick to turn our backs on our teams. nor should we be their harshest critics when they clearly need a little boost from their supporters.
but, this will fall on deaf ears (eyes?). and Jacob will surely take it personally, even though its not directed at him. its ok. i still love me some WFNY…
Uh, caps lock is the sarcasm font. Just an FYI. Things like “stabs self” are also pretty clearly hyperbole, but caps lock is a designated sarcasm font.
there are plenty of posts that don’t employ sarcasm. why is that hard for you to accept? whats your defense for posts like 16 and 18 (from yesterday)? they’re whining, plain and simple.
and did you read the postw/the caps? b/c that joker clearly believed what he was typing. he went on to spout some crap about jordan and pippen and shaq and wade never needing a couple games to adjust – despite the fact that they were on teams which went 0-3 and 1-2 respectively during championship years.
if you are not one of the people shouting that the sky is falling, then my critique is not for you. end of story.
HEY GUYS, DID YOU KNOW THAT LEBRON WILL MAKE HIS DECISION OF WHETHER TO LEAVE OR STAY BASED ON WHAT IS SAID IN THE HEAT OF THE MOMENT IN A GAME THREAD? AND THE TEAM WON’T WIN UNTIL NOT ONE OF US ACTS LIKE THE SKY IS FALLING. WE ALL BEST BE ON OUR BEST BEHAVIOR. AND WE’RE DOOMED IF THE CAVS READ CLEVELAND.COM AT ALL.
Give me a break. I guess championships were won by teams like the Red Sox and Phillies because their fans never were “just whiny b****es.” Yeah, right. I’m sure during those 85+ years for the Red Sox and 25+ years for the Phillies, there wasn’t a contingent of fans who appeared to “turn [their] backs on [their] teams.” Never fatalistic. Lovable losers, every damn last one of them.
Some of us will spout some things during the progression of a game, that upon later reflection, seems a bit over-reactionary. And some of us will take longer (sometimes much longer) to reach that conclusion. And then, some of us never are calm about anything (FULL FLEDGED PANIC MODE). Those few of us appear to always be doom and gloom. But that last group of fans does not have that profound of an affect on “the mindset of the players.” Especially not with comments made on a game thread on a very popular Cleveland sports site. (That is, unless Mike Brown is reading our comments to the team during the game. Which if he did do this, would help explain the poor in-game adjustments. Stop refreshing WFNY, Mr. B.)
The comments that you pointed out, #16 & #18 (and a list of others could be included too) – I’m sure many of those same thoughts creep into a few of our heads during a game like Wed. night’s. And those fans felt like venting/”whining” those frustrations by posting a comment. It happens. So, please, try not to get so bent of shape with what’s blurted out during the course of a game, or even immediately afterward. The “whole lot of pissin'” isn’t poisoning this team.
Now, come on Cavs. Let’s get a win tonight, and move on from there.
@ 62 – Incidents arose, from circumstance.
ADDITIONALLY I FOR ONE WELCOME ANYONE WHO GOES R KELLY ON OUR TEAM.
drip-drip-drip
Just so there isn’t any confusion….I really didn’t stab myself. I was joking. I should have, in the words of the great Boo Boo Snuggles, come more correct. I also think that Boo Boo and Snuggles are the same person, posing as Boston/NY fans and are here to just rile everyone up. Or they may be two different people, each with massive head wounds.
Denny – most hilarious series of posts ever
This thread may be dead, and I’ll admit I didn’t read every comment, but one of Rock’s statements really hit me.
“David Stern publicly says he hopes LeBron stays in Cleveland, but he has to say that. But he’s a businessman. He surely has caught himself daydreaming about unifying this nation’s premiere city with the world’s premiere basketball player.”
Pardon the disagreement, but this is a completely conflicting statement.
It is certainly in Stern’s best interest to see Lebron stay in Cleveland. The Knicks will continue to live and even sell truckloads of tickets without Lebron, but Cleveland without Lebron will end up being a dead franchise, and will probably contract. After 7 years of Lebron, there is no way this city supports the Cavs if he leaves in free agency.
That being said, there is absolutely no way in hell Stern has daydreamed about Lebron in New York. He is, after all, a businessman.
[…] those losses to the Celtics and the Raptors to open the season? It only took 2 games for Yahoo’s Adrian Wojnarowski to kick the LeBron to New Jersey rumor mill into gear. While the team remained composed, the fans pretty much lost their collective minds over […]