While We’re Waiting… The LBJ/NYC News Cycle, A Letter to Gilbert and Indians Make New Hire
While We’re Waiting is a special daily feature and serves as the morning gathering of WFNY-esque information for your reading pleasure. Have something else you think we should write about tomorrow? Send it to our fancy ol’ tips email address in the right sidebar.
Nothing quite like national basketball writers reiterating to us that New York City loves the best thing to happen to Cleveland sports in generations. Epic sigh: “Only in New York City could a basketball player do everything right – shoot with range, play tough defense, find his teammates with pinpoint passes, working with a sense of flair and drama all along – and still have it come off as slightly gauche, and unseemly. That’s what tonight’s Cavalier win over the New York Knicks felt like.” [Kelly Dwyer/Ball Don't Lie]
On the celebration of the annual game at MSG, at least we know the New York Times is more intelligent sounding than those other NYC bloggers: “These are not modest aspirations, but then James, the Cleveland Cavaliers star who answers to the nickname King, is no modest figure…. So what do you get for the superstar who has everything? More fame? More awards? More money? The answers might determine where James lands next summer, if he becomes a free agent as expected.” [Howard Beck/NYT]
Hard-core stats people strike again! This time in analyzing what the Cavaliers can do to fix their current mess: “This was exactly what the Cavaliers did not want when they made the move to get Shaquille O’Neal, and it is not a recipe for a championship. In the last three games, the Cavaliers have shown some signs of pulling things together after their lackluster opening two losses. For them to be successful throughout this season and live up to the advance billing as a top-three team in the Eastern Conference, they still have work to do.” [Anthony Macri/Basketball Prospectus]
A letter to Mr. Gilbert that addresses everyone’s favorite topic, DID SOMEBODY SAY PANIC MODE: “Something needs to be done about our Cavs. I don’t need to tell you what’s at stake for the team and the city of Cleveland this year, and I certainly don’t need to tell you what’s at stake for you personally. I’m not concerned with your ability to see the big picture, nor do I suspect you need any further motivation to ensure that a positive result is achieved.” [Biff/Cleveland Frowns]
Already tired of those Damn Yankees parading in their glory? Well Joe Posnanski is here for you in the form of a tirade against the easiest team to hate in the league: “Here’s the thing about the New York Yankees’ huge payroll: It has been talked about so much that, in reality, it is hardly talked about at all. I know this makes little sense, but what I mean is this: A. Everyone knows the Yankees spend much more money than any other team to win games.” [SI.com]
Tim Belcher was not the only new Indians staff member announced yesterday as the team also officially named their new Director of Latin Operations: ” On the same day the Indians began to fill out their coaching staff, they also filled a key scouting role Friday by hiring Ramon Pena as their director of Latin American operations. For Pena, it’s a return to a role in which he has had success with two other organizations. He spent the last three seasons overseeing the Mets’ Latin American operations as a special assistant to Mets general manager Omar Minaya.” [Jason Beck/Indians.com]
Don’t you just love the ever-powerful blogosphere? Where else could you find an entertaining article that talks about Jesus, whales, dolphins, poop and Ted Ginn Jr: “I’m not up on my theology, but I don’t seem to recall Jesus being a highly touted first-round draft pick out of Ohio State. In fact, now that I think about it, I think Jesus went undrafted. What a pick-up he was.” [Michael Tunison/The Sporting Blog]
(Photo above found here and is via AP Photo/Kathy Kmonicek.)
November 7th, 2009 at 9:15 am
I agree with the Cleveland Frowns article. As the way they are constituted right now, the Cavs aren’t winning a championship. They are playing lackadaisical basketball and have too many glaring holes on defense. The games they’ve won thus far have been on the grounds they have more talent than the other team.
November 7th, 2009 at 9:25 am
Tim Belcher = Brian Daboll
November 7th, 2009 at 9:59 am
Yes because Tim Belcher will be so thoroughly important when it comes to choosing what pitches the pitcher actually throws during the game … If managing in baseball only causes a few win differences through out the year, then the pitching coach likely will have even less influence in that respect
November 7th, 2009 at 10:42 am
@2: And you know this…how? Who would you have wanted? No explanation, just names.
@1: Agree as well. LBJ has his Doug Collins in Mike Brown. Good coach, especially on defense (in fact, he is best suited as a defensive specialist on a staff), but not strong enough offensively to get the job done. Also, it appears the team as constructed is not athletic enough down low (Hickson excluded, as he’s just not getting it yet), and a true PG away from being truly special.
November 7th, 2009 at 10:50 am
Dan Gilbert is a businessman. A driving force behind the casinos in Ohio. Any chance he is using this venture to hedge his stake in the Cavs/Lebon? He must have some plan if his investment in the Cavs diminishes aka the king leaves.
November 7th, 2009 at 11:03 am
Maybe Gilbert will name his casion “The King’s Throne” or something along those lines.
November 7th, 2009 at 11:04 am
But a silver lining in this in the Cavs situation, the Knicks are absolutely not signing LeBron next year. They are honestly one of the worst basketball teams I’ve ever watched. They play no defense and there offense is not that impressive, either.
November 7th, 2009 at 11:55 am
I don’t know why JVG and Co. expected the Knicks to play hard. Pretty tough to play hard when every fan there is wearing a Cavs jersey or a doctored Knicks jersey and cheers every time Bron would abuse Hughes.
The Cavs can win a championship without a true point guard. Maybe, Mo should come off the bench though and Delonte should play the 1. That will never happen. But it should. Let West hound Rondo, Rose, and Co. from minute one. Mo is much better when he isn’t worried about Lebron and making plays.
He’s a Bobby Jackson. The undersized scoring guard. Delonte has much more discipline. Runs the offense. Waves off Lebron when he’s being stupid. Trade Z for Jax and start West-Jax-Bron-Hix-Shaq with a second squad of Mo-Parker-Moon-Powe-Andy. Very strong. Can match up with anybody.
November 9th, 2009 at 4:04 pm
@8 Agree that the team would be better off with West starting at the point, but not markedly so. The best result would be Mo developing more of a point guard mentality, but Cleveland was so busy genuflecting in front of him last season for his average play that he saw no reason to make an adjustment.
You lost me when you said that Hickson should start. The kid forces the Cavs to play 4-on-5 defense when he’s out there, and his rebounding is pathetic.
But I do love how everyone is deciding that the Cavs can’t win a Championship after two weeks. Way to overreact Cleveland. We should probably just stop playing right now and award the Celtics the title since they went 7-1 in the first 12 days.