May 24, 2013

While We’re Waiting… More on LeBron/Dwight, All-Americans, and Previewing the Tribe

April 1, 2010 by 2 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

A rebuttal of sorts to yesterday’s Dwight Howard remarks: “It’s not entirely fair to pick on Van Gundy for something he said when he’s answering a question honestly. So, let’s just say we respectfully disagree with an implication from one of his statements in Orlando Tuesday. Van Gundy was doing what he should, and that was defending his guy Dwight Howard for MVP consideration. But he got a little offensive when he said: “It is just an offensive award.” [...] Of course James is noticed for his offense, as he should be. Entering Wednesday’s game against Milwaukee, the Cleveland Cavliers’ star led the league in scoring (29.8 points) and is averaging a career-high 8.6 assists per game, sixth-best in the league.

Ahead of him are only All-Star point guards (Steve Nash, Chris Paul, Deron Williams, Rajon Rondo and Jason Kidd). James is the only forward in the top 15 in assists. There’s more. James is .2 from averaging 30 points, seven rebounds and eight assists. The only players who did that in NBA history? Oscar Robertson and Michael Jordan.

James is averaging nearly 30 points while shooting 50.5 percent. He ís the only guy in the top eight in scoring above 50 percent — and the web site 82games.com reports that 65 percent of those shots are jump shots.  Finally, James has assisted or scored on 49.4 percent of his team’s points. Only two players in NBA history had higher percentages, Tiny Archibald and John Stockton.

James is not just having a great season; he’s having an all-timer.” [Pat McManamon/NBA FanHouse]

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Great Dates In Cleveland Sports History

March 11, 2010 by 17 Comments

Cactus League StandingsRemember this day, Indians fans. At least keep it stored in your back pocket for use on a tough day in the future. On this day, March 11, 2010, the Cleveland Indians are the only undefeated team in all of Spring Training. Take a good look at the standings there, and commit this to memory. It might be the only time this team feels this good.

Baseball Prospectus is famous for their PECOTA system of predictions projections regarding not only individual players, but also deciphering predicted projected run differential to figure out expected win total for the season. Of course they’re not perfect (otherwise we wouldn’t even have to watch the games), but they do a better-than-you-might-expect job of projecting where teams will finish. Then again, they’ve projected the Indians to contend in the Central each of the last 4 years and, uh, well, they’ve been flat wrong 3 of the 4 years. So you never really know, but for what it’s worth, they project the Indians to finish 80-82 this year.   [Read more...]

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While We’re Waiting… Coach LeBron, Bring Back Brownie, and Bill James’ Projections

February 4, 2010 by 18 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

LeBronAndyEmbraceNo. 23, the Player-Coach: “Everyone knows that LeBron is a general on the floor.  He’s constantly talking with his teammates, and pointing around, instructing various cuts, rotations, passes, shots and picks.  And if you’ve been close enough to the action, you may even know what he’s saying.  

But there’s something really comforting in knowing that he’s actually teaching and reminding others of the game plan and scouting reports. 

That’s why I think he and Mike Brown are perfect together.  Mike prepares the team, and coaches the games;  LeBron makes sure there are results on the floor.  Neither get in each others’ way.  LeBron is a coachable player, and Mike . . . well, he’s flexible.  He knows that when LeBron is taking over, LeBron is taking over, and whatever “play” he draws up has to have room for the spontaneity involved with, yes, LeBron taking over.” [Wine and Goldrush]

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While We’re Waiting… Cavs Problems, PECOTA’s Indians Forecast, and Simmons on LeBron

February 2, 2010 by 34 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

90043311_DLK021_CAVS_V_LAKE“The Cavs still have a problem. Believe it or not, those problems—along with the good times—started rolling as soon as James took the floor for his rookie season.

That is because the Cavaliers became a good team almost immediately. This impeded their ability to add more players of James’ age through the draft. Instead of building a nucleus around their franchise cornerstone, the Cavs added veterans and journeymen role players to build around a superstar who was barely 20 years old. In short, they were stuck playing for the present instead of the future.

When your franchise player is barely old enough to legally buy his own drink at the bar or club, surrounding him with 30-somethings is never the best strategy to take.” [Amar Panchmatia/Wine and Goldrush]

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