May 19, 2013

Cavaliers Discussion Points

April 3, 2011 by 13 Comments

The Cavaliers enter tonight’s game at Madison Square Garden with a record of 15-60.  At this point last season, they had a record of 60-16.  The Miami Heat enter their game tonight across the river in New Jersey with a record of 53-23, unable to match the Cavaliers win total from last season.  Cavs fans are familiar with the dangers of using regular season results to project postseason results.

Kenny Roda asked LeBron, in postgame media access on Tuesday, what he thought about the situation of Miami having no chance to match the regular season success he had with the Cavaliers.  LeBron shrugged it off and hit the talking points of regular season records not necessarily translating to the postseason, citing failures last season against Boston – he didn’t really care about the comparison of last year’s Cavs and this year’s Heat.  And he’s right, he shouldn’t really care.

But yesterday, Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! reported that Pat Riley had worked out Eddy Curry and had plans for further workouts with an objective of signing the Chicago fatman. [Read more...]

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A Bit More on This Miami Heat Tampering Investigation…

December 2, 2010 by 27 Comments

Intriguingly timed, on Wednesday evening, the NBA world caught wind of a legal probe involving Dan Gilbert and the possible tampering of LeBron James at the hands of the Miami Heat. 

An owner that has recently told many media outlets that he had in fact moved on from his relationship with the two-time MVP, Gilbert has been working diligently behind the scenes to wager any and all evidence of would-be illegal discussions between his former player and another team, specifically Heat president Pat Riley.  Sources tell WFNY that not only is this report “completely accurate,” but it is something that has been going on since James announced his Decision to take his talents to South Beach, despite the adverse recommendations of his front office.

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Report: Dan Gilbert in Midst of Heat Tampering Probe

December 1, 2010 by 21 Comments

Filed from the confines of Cleveland, Ohio, Yahoo! Sports’ resident LeBron James misanthrope Adrian Wojnarowksi drops another bomb – this time, in the form of official findings that Cavaliers majority owner Dan Gilbert has shelled out “hundreds of thousands of dollars” in a probe to find evidence of wrongdoing at the hands of Pat Riley and the Miami Heat.

Per Wojnarowski:

Gilbert has spent several hundred thousand dollars on the investigation and will spare no expense to uncover whatever evidence he can to take to the league office, two sources with direct knowledge of the probe told Yahoo! Sports. The law firm staff includes several former prosecutors with backgrounds in investigating and constructing cases, sources said. [...] [Read more...]

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The NBA is Broken: Superteams, Perspectives, and Britney Spears

November 1, 2010 by 30 Comments

(Buckle in folks. This is going to be a long one.  (Over 2300 words.)  In my head, it is all part of a cohesive thought encompassing most of professional sports. Hopefully at the end, you will agree. Now, where to begin?)

I got into a conversation over the weekend on Twitter with Jason McIntyre who runs popular national blog, The Big Lead. It all started with his comment agreeing with Bill Simmons about how the Knicks should only care about getting Carmelo Anthony with the intent of getting Chris Paul as soon as he becomes a free agent. Simmons’ comment was that nobody else on the roster mattered and McIntyre, a Knicks fan, agreed. Instantly, I asked him why he was in such a rush to ruin the NBA with another super team. His response to me was quite simple. “Why would stacked teams ruin it? I think the opposite – would help greatly.”

From there the conversation exploded as I proclaimed to no avail that I thought fans were looking for parity like the NFL. We talked about player movement in which he claimed that LeBron left money on the table to go to Miami. He isn’t wrong, technically. Then again, I think to say that LeBron really sacrificed financially for his decision is a bit of an overstatement. He didn’t chase every last dollar, but after choosing Miami, Pat Riley persuaded the Cavs to participate in what turned out to be a sign-and-trade getting LeBron the bigger annual increases. Don’t tell me that wasn’t always a part of Riley’s pitch to LeBron either. I don’t believe that LeBron ever intended to give up all the financial compensation that should have come along with leaving the Cavaliers. Additionally, LeBron left some money on the table to increase his flexibility, much like he did on his prior contract in Cleveland. So he did gain something of value in leaving money on the table. To paint it as a financial sacrifice on LeBron’s part to create the Heat superteam is disingenuous in my opinion. [Read more...]

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LeBron Announces He Would Now Change “The Decision”

October 31, 2010 by 13 Comments

LeBron James stated today that he would change how he scripted “The Decision” this past summer, according to a story from ESPN. Obviously affected by constant negative criticism against that television program, James did not specify what he would have changed today:

If I had to go back on it, I probably would do it a little bit different. But I’m happy with the decision I made. There’s always going to be a misunderstanding. I don’t know what I would [have done], but I definitely would have changed it.

It’s a beginning step toward what Cleveland fans have been saying since the summer. Today’s story was an unsurprising comment from James, but certainly one that will warrant national attention as well as his thoughts on his potential future free agency plans after this current contract with miami. ESPN.com’s Michael Wallace first reported this today before the Heat faced off against the New Jersey Nets.

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Photo above via AP Photo/Barbara Johnston

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While We’re Waiting… 3-4 Defense, Sweater Vests, and Big Ten Play

September 28, 2010 by 6 Comments

While 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

It’s a scheme thing, or something: “On multiple occasions yesterday, either [Chris] Gocong or [Eric] Barton flashed a fake blitz, then dropped roughly two yards in coverage – manning a spot on the field that virtually no one other than the Ravens’ guards would occupy. Meanwhile, some 7-10 yards further down the field, Baltimore’s Joe Flacco was completing passes against single coverage to one of his veteran wideouts.

Occasionally, either Gocong or Barton would blitz – along with five other defenders – but for the majority of the Ravens’ passing downs, they would guard the same two yards of field turf. For the life of me, I can’t figure out what this strategy accomplishes. If the Ravens featured a mobile QB, then these two would be performing “spy” duties. If the Ravens threw underneath routes that were less than three yards, then the Browns would be ultra-prepared.

And for the 3,437th time, I have to state the following: I hate the 3-4 defense.” [Cleveland Reboot]

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Pat Riley Fires Back at Miami Heat Critics

September 11, 2010 by 10 Comments

Miami Heat president Pat Riley met with the media Friday to discuss some topics concerning the free agency summer of 2010. The long-time coach of the team took personal offense to many criticisms of the Heat throughout this long process and left no prisoners with his statements.

For Cavalier fans, it is a story that will never die and continues to haunt every single day. As much as the city of Cleveland wants to put the entire LeBron James era in the backseat now, the story will continue to be a major attention grabber for years to come.

Riley extended the news cycle of the two acquisitions of James and Chris Bosh. From comparing James to another Eastern Conference forward to lashing back at Charles Barkley, the comments are almost comical if they weren’t meant to be so serious.
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NBA Free Agency: The Big Collusion

July 11, 2010 by 48 Comments

The Collusion – that’s what AP and Cavs beat reporter Tom Withers was calling the arrangement that came to fruition this past week in Miami.  Spike Lee was calling it a conspiracy, articulating that we were all hoodwinked and it was rigged: “It was laid out. This didn’t happen by happenstance.  They made people look like idiots. They had the thing planned out two years ago.”

Brian Windhorst, in a piece that sportswriters have been heralding since last night, delivered the excellent and detailed reporting which has provided a base for these collusion, and potentially tampering, accusations in an A1 Plain Dealer story this morning.  Journalism and reporting have been discussed nearly as much as the players themselves in the past few weeks.  Windhorst’s triumphant reporting, something he calls only the “tip of the iceberg,” details a plan hatched and honed over the past four years to unite the 3 stars in their 2010 summer of free agency.

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Source: “Don’t Read Too Much into Rose/Riley Meeting”

July 2, 2010 by 21 Comments

Despite the pragmatic schedule of potential suitors attempting to pitch their respective teams to LeBron James, the Plain Dealer reports that Heat representatives, led by Pat Riley, attempted to get a bit of a head start on things late Thursday night in a downtown Cleveland hotel lobby.  But a source close to the local free agency madness has told WFNY that Cavalier fans should not read too much into the late night rendezvous.

The Miami Herald stated that Riley, along with vice president Nick Arison, coach Erik Spoelstra and former center Alonzo Mourning, left Chicago – where they had met with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh earlier in the day – for Cleveland.  Allegedly after landing in Cleveland on Thursday evening, Riley, Arison and Andy Elisburg (assistant general manager) met in the lobby of Cleveland’s Ritz-Carlton where James’ agent Leon Rose would later join for a 45-minute meeting. [Read more...]

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Heat Not Expected to Match Moon’s Offer Sheet

July 20, 2009 by 16 Comments

jamario-moon-rookie-gameAs Cavs followers eagerly await the possible matching of Jamario Moon’s offer sheet by his current team, the Miami Heat, the Sun Sentinel’s Ira Winderman comes through with two points that will make any pro-Moon fan pretty happy.

First, said offer sheet was actually signed late Friday.  While this means that we were all a bit late to the party, it also means that Miami’s seven-day window to match the offer is actually two days less than originally anticipated.  With the Lamar Odom rumors still out there, there is no doubt that the Heat would prefer to see what he will do prior to tying up any more money.  Alas, Pat Riley’s hands are essentially tied as he attempts to put difference-makers along side Dwyane Wade.

Winderman also claims that Riley’s reluctance to tie up money in non-core players past 2009 may force the Heat to bypass matching the offer sheet right out of the gate as the Cavaliers’ offer is required to be for at least two seasons (with one season guaranteed).  Matching the offer would also make it difficult for the Heat to trade Moon, as the Toronto Raptors did last season.  While the actual terms of the offer have yet to be disclosed, it is also noted that the Cavaliers can work on alternate contract options during this seven-day window.

Stay tuned…

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Addressing the Mike Brown Rumors

June 11, 2009 by 32 Comments

mike-brownIf you haven’t seen them, you likely will. Sam Amico is reporting today that the Cavalier front office is split on the future of coach Mike Brown.The piece included opinions from sources not willing to quoted.

“The Cavaliers’ front office has reportedly been in disarray since the team was bounced by Orlando in the Eastern Conference finals — despite finishing with a league-best record of 66-16 and possessing NBA MVP LeBron James.

Some key members of the organization feel Brown was badly out-coached by Orlando’s Stan Van Gundy, according to sources. One source said Cavs management wasn’t only disappointed in the losses, “but equally disappointed in the (two) wins” in a series that went six games.”

Brian Windhorst went on the offensive (or I guess the defensive) this morning to let Cavs fans know that he feels the report(s) are flawed. According to Windhorst- [Read more...]

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Interception! Check out this email exchange…

February 8, 2008 by Leave a Comment

shaqinphoenix.jpg

I have to tip my hat to the IT department here at WaitingForNextYear, they know how to grab a good story! Check out this email from Pat Riley to Steve Kerr…

Steve-

First off, thanks again for handling your end of this trade with class and respect. I hope that Shaq finds the healing waters of some desert oasis and can lead you into the playoffs and beyond. We are thrilled with Marcus and Shawn, as is our fan base, and hopefully they will restore us into contention in the Eastern Conference again soon. (That really shouldn’t be all that difficult huh?)

The reason I’m writing is to ask a favor. See, I sort of forgot about something when we traded Shaq to you. You may remember reading about our December 19th game with Atlanta. With 51.9 seconds left to go in OT, Shaq picked up his 5th foul but the officials claimed he had fouled out and was not permitted to play the remainder of the game. We ended up losing that game, but won a protest and the game is scheduled to be resumed from the time that Shaq was given the foul. It is to be finished prior to our March 8th game against Atlanta. Perhaps you are beginning to understand the situation. [Read more...]

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