While We’re Waiting… Suns Minus Shaq, Mangini’s Timing, and Ndesiring Ndomukong
Written By: Scott | Category: Best of the Web | Comments: 30While We’re Waiting serves as the early morning gathering of WFNY-esque information for your viewing pleasure. Have something you think we should see? Send it to our tips email at tips@waitingfornextyear.com
Role reversal? “If the NBA playoffs began today the Phoenix Suns would currently have the 4th seed – and home-court advantage in the first round — in the Western Conference. The Cleveland Cavaliers – in the Eastern Conference – also hold the 4th seed. Why is this comparison important? Last year the Cavaliers were the best team in the NBA (at least, in the regular season) and the Phoenix Suns missed the NBA playoffs. This past summer the Suns sent Shaquille O’Neal to the Cleveland Cavaliers. And after one-quarter of the 2009-10 season, it appears that Shaq’s departure has made the Suns better and caused the Cavaliers to decline.” [Wages of Wins Journal]
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Looks like former Cavalier Chris Dudley is an up-and-coming politico. [HHR]
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“Timing is everything. After praising his players for the way they turned in their most complete game of the year just a little over 12 hours before, Browns head coach Eric Mangini took the occasion of the highlight, by far, of his short tenure – a 13-6 victory at Cleveland Browns Stadium that ended a 12-game losing streak to the Pittsburgh Steelers – to pound his own drum for the better part of a half-hour early Friday afternoon in regards to the job he and his coaches are doing as they try to right the struggling franchise.” [John Taylor/The OBR]
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Is Ndomukong Suh the “most desireable” defensive player of this decade? Though he’ll technically be drafted next decade? [The Big Lead]
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And finally, Stepien Rules hosts Sandy Dover for a State of the Union on the Cavaliers. [Stepien Rules]
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(Tony Dejak, AP Photo)
Author: Scott
Scott is a co-founder/editor of Waiting For Next Year who resides in Cleveland, Ohio. Feel free to follow him on Twitter or email him at scott@waitingfornextyear.com.Scott has written 2013 articles for Waiting for Next Year.
ugh – these “analysts” who attribute cleveland’s “decline” and phoenix’s “rise” on shaq have tunnel vision. to do so is overly simplifying the situation. last year, phoenix had terry porter as head coach. porter tried to implement a half-court, slow tempo defensive minded philosophy. that actually worked well with Shaq as he put up very good numbers. phoenix kept losing though since that philosophy did not fit their overall personnel, ie, amare, nash, etc. they then switched to gentry who runs a d’antoni-style offense, which is much better suited for nash and company. the suns started winning LAST YEAR once they made that switch and still had shaq. this year, the difference is no shaq at all and half a season last year and a full-offseason to get better acclimated to the gentry run and gun system. they HAD to get rid of shaq as that system would never work with him. cleveland, on the other hand, won 66 games without shaq. they didnt get him to win games in the regular season. they got him to counter dwight howard. thats it. in the one game we’ve seen so far, that worked quite well. i dont know why this is so hard for analysts to understand.
He should be preaching from the rooftops, especially after this town has trashed him all year. It’s clear that they are playing better ball, in spite of numerous starters hitting the IR.
Now, let’s see if the stars align and Charlie Frye is starting for Oakland in two weeks. This should be interesting.
also – look at nash’s numbers with porter vs. gentry just last season. the difference is tremendous.
“Is Ndomukong Suh the “most desireable” defensive player of this decade? Though he’ll technically be drafted next decade?”
2010 is the end of the current decade. 2011 starts the next one.
More importantly for the Cavs drop off is the void left in Mr Potato head’s brain pan by the departure of John Keuster.
@ DCBucks – You’re talking about The Big Lead here, don’t expect silly facts to get in the way of a story.
In DCBucks’ defense, that was my bad – I just assume the third number in the year is the qualifier. I forget that there was never a year “zero.”
I wish people weren’t so quick to jump on the Suh bandwagon just yet. He’s been a beast in college, no doubt. But I remember around this time last year, and especially after the Combine. Everyone and their mother (including me) were all about Aaron Curry. How’s he doing in Seattle? Average season at best. Let’s not be too hasty. Do we need more help on the line, or in the secondary?
I have no problem with Mangini giving himself and his staff credit. Casual fans – and I would assume even hardcore fans – have no idea what it’s like to coach in the NFL, let alone in the NFL with a CFL-talent team. Like it or not, he deserves credit.
Mangini’s comments come across as desperate. And why wouldn’t they? He’s been hounded all season, and if you believe the rumors, he may be let go after a far worse-looking season than he’s ever had.
On the other hand, Cribbs has a point. If they still look like an NFL team for the next three games, how can anyone say there was no progress? Even if there was only minor progress, what’s the point of starting from scratch AGAIN?
Did anyone else notice Mangini not giving Quinn a vote of confidence, Saying they will continue evaluating week by week or somesuch? That was silly. You’re supposed to do it the other way around, say he’s safe and then make a change if you need to.
I was born in the year zero.
Denny, is this your second time around? Because, if it is I’ve got a few loose ends to tie up.
Suh is so desirable because fans have a nice one syllable chant. 4th and 1, Suh takes the field and Browns Stadium erupts with “SUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE”.
@Jay –
Curry did not dominate in college like Suh is dominating…everything was projections on him based on his incredibly disciplined style of play and his athleticism. Suh not only is dominating in college but the only apt comparison anyone can find for what he is doing is Warren Sapp…except he is bigger and stronger.
Aaron Curry is having an average ROOKIE season by the numbers. But, you have to understand that he plays in a 4-3 and doesn’t play in a D that blitzes the QB a lot. He is asked to drop into coverage and play TE and RB’s. Also, teams spend a lot of time crushing Seattle because their defense might be worse than ours. He would’ve been a great player in the 3-4 as a rush LB.
The player we really need to talk about missing on, thus far, is Brian Orakpo. Dude had 4 sacks for the Skins the other day, and now has 11 sacks on the season.
We need a RB, but there’s no Mark Ingram or Adrian Peterson to take in the top 5. I’d much rather wait to the second or 3rd.
Dez Bryant is a guy we really need to think about too. Speed of DeSean Jackson and the size of Andre Johnson, at 6’2 220 Lbs.
@ DC Bucks – I thought 2009 was the end of the deacade. Just like 1999 was the end of the 90′s and 1989 was the end of the 80′s. Is this an 11 year decade? I’m confused
I think technically 2010 would start the new decade. I mean when we rolled over into 2000 that was a new decade (and millennium) as we didnt wait for 2001 to claim a new decade…And dont we consider 1990 part of the 90′s.. not the 80′s and so on? I think Scott was right in his terminology. 2000-20009= 10y span = decade.
Suh is certainly most desirable simply because of the inexhaustible nicknames/puns/headlines that can be generated…
Indomitable Suh
Dominant Suh
Boy/Man named Suh
(via EZ) – ‘SUUUUUHHHH!!!!!”
Having ‘KONG’ in his first name
Having “Dam you kong” in his first name
Making ‘sue’ (as in a law suit) jokes
SUHper Man
etc…
Dang it Clevexaminer!!!! you must have posted that as I was typing mine up!
1999 was not the end of the decade or the millenium, will smith lied to you. 2001 was the first year of the millenium and also the decade.
Justin/clevexaminer – It’s a technicality. Yes, we consider 1990 part of the 90′s when discussing and debating cultural trends and memes.
However, there was no year ’0 A.D.’ In the calender, the shift from BC to AD started at 1 A.D. The year 1. So technically speaking, the years 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 were the first ten years of the new calendar, the first AD decade. Thus the year 11 was the first year of the new decade which spanned years 11-20. Skip ahead 2,000 years and…voila!…you see that 1991-2000 actually comprise a decade, and 2010 ends the decade that began with the year 2001. Thus, technically, 2011 begins a new set of ten years.
I feel cheated, I should have had my big Will-ennium party in 2001, but the media told me it had to be in 2000.
As far as Shaq, he was brought here to beat Orlando anyway, so his slow start doesn’t bother me. As long as he’s ready to go at playoff time, it’s all good. Although it would be nice to get a #1 or #2 seed for the playoffs
To further this time frame question…decade can refer to ANY period of 10 years. That could mean 1990-1999 or something like 1985-1994. Doesn’t have to have a specific starting point.
A decade can cover any 10 year period so I think the writer was a little vague when he wrote “this decade”. For all we know he might have meant 12/15/1999 to 12/15/2009. I don’t think anyone’s interpretation is either right or wrong here.
My decades start AND end in the years that end in 4.
@BB. I agree with you. The author probably meant that Suh is the most sought after d-lineman of the 00′s. So, that would encompass 2000-2009. Much like the 90′s is a decade spanning from 1990-1999. Anything is a decade as long as its a period of 10 years.
I agree that there was no year 0, but it does not mean that you have to start every decade at a year that end with 1 unless you were talking about successive decades in history (1st decade, 45th decade, etc.) However, when you discuss a term such as “Millenium” years ending in 1 would mark the start of a new one since you mostly talk about milleniums in succession (i.e. 2nd or 3rd millenium)
what? nothing at all about the chinese investors finalizing the ownership deal?
A decade is the length of time between signing-on as a die-hard fan and, if there has been a change in ownership, having the option of rooting for another team.
Decade was a Neil young greatest hits album, too.
By the way, I’m not (yet) worried about the shaq thing. “analysts” tend to forget that our second-best player (Hot Sauce West) hasn’t really played much at all this year. And if he’s not careful, he may be in jail for the next DECADE (and I mean ten years, not until 2021 or whatever weird number scheme that Tim K has going).
Haha Saggy, I said a decade is 10 years and does NOT need to start in a year that ends with a 1. It’s science.