The POJO Dojo

Who's the next Tribe skipper?

2009-10-17T05:10:00.003-04:00

With John Farrell out of the picture, is there really a manager candidate that sets anyone on fire? Did Farrell set anyone on fire, for that matter. Remember, he hasn't ever managed before, and his previous staffs in Boston happen to be some of the best pitchers money can buy.

Bobby Valentine likely heads the list, and does bring some serious cred to the job, but is almost more known for his antics than his managing. Is he prepared to build a team, which he has been proven to have done in the past, or is he at an age where winning now is a premium? He has declined to talk about the job, which usually means he's in play. Mike Hargrove would also fit in this list, and wants to bookend his managing career with another gig in Cleveland, but Grover also brings several questions, least of which is the fact that he quit in Seattle. Ned Yost, Clint Hurdle, and Manny Acta are also managers from other clubs that might get a look, even though they've been recently canned from their prior job.

Minor League skippers Torey Lovullo of the Clippers and Travis Fryman of the Scrappers should also get looks at the head job, buy may either not be ready, or not far enough from Wedge for anyone's liking...Luvullo in particular. Fryman might be the fresh face the team needs, but brings several questions to the table with regards to readiness.

Of course, Tribe fans are in the dark because of the Shapiro Death-Squad mentality and super-secret...well...secrets.

More on this over the next several days, as the rumors continue to swirl in Tribeland...

Jake Westbrook's lost year

2009-08-11T20:10:00.004-04:00

Jake Westbrook has been shut down for six weeks, essentially ending his season before it really had a chance to begin. Westbrook was working his way through a rehab assignment after Tommy John surgery over a year ago, and was scheduled to rejoin the Tribe within the next two weeks. Now, his future status is certainly up in the air.

The news isn't all bad. Fans of the scrappy pitcher feared the worst with regards to his surgically repaired elbow. Another surgery would have likely ended Westbrook's career with the Tribe, and likely would have jeopardized his career. Those worries can be brushed aside for now, as Westbrook's soreness in the elbow appears to be caused by scar tissue from the surgery. As bad as it sounds, it is a normal reaction to the invasive surgery. Pitcher's so routinely have the procedure done in this era of the game that it's often easy to forget that the window for return is up to 18 months.

For those counting at home, Westbrook will have spent nearly all of the first two years of his three-year, 33 million dollar deal injured. Don't get me wrong, he deserved the money, but it's painful to watch Mark Shapiro now pocket more ammo as to why he should never sign a pitcher to big money.

Westbrook, the Tribe's resident bulldog, will likely spend the winter building up his arm for next season. Anthony Castrovince speculates that he may even pitch winter ball to strengthen the arm. Either way, let's hope that Westbrook comes back healthy in 2010.

The Indians will only be better for it.

Jake Westbrook: 2010 opening day starter, or another year-long DL stint?

2009-08-10T21:13:00.006-04:00

How bad are the Indians going to be in 2010? Mark Shapiro is already lining up Jake Westbrook to be the opening day starter in 2010. No offense to you Jake Westbrook, but...what?!?

Jake Westbrook isn't a bad starter. As a matter of fact, he's far from it. You could make a case that during his tenure as a healthy Indians' starter, he's been the most consistent pitcher not named Sabathia to wear the Indians' jersey since the days of Chuck Nagy. Westbrook pitched just over 900 innings from 2003 and 2007, making 143 starts during that span. His ERA was slightly over 4.00, and he went 57-53 during that span. There's no doubt that Westbrook had become a prototypical #3 or #4 starter. He was an innings-eater who could win games when needed.

Now, after over a year off, Shapiro is proclaiming Westbrook to be the opening day starter in 2010. Okay, I get that Westbrook is a pitbull on the mound, has tenure, and has been unhittable in spring training over the past couple of years when healthy. But do you really want to throw that comment out there with Westbrook not nearly recovered from Tommy John surgery? I'm sure Justin Masterson and Fausto Carmona are just thrilled with the news.

In fairness to Mr. Mark Shapiro, he did say "if he's healthy" after making the initial comment. In equal fairness, he also made the comment before Westbrook was pulled from his latest start with double A Akron last night. I'll get to that in a minute.

In case you were wondering, Jake Westbrook hasn't made a start since May 28th, 2008. In case you were wondering more, he hasn't made back-to-back starts since April 14th and April 19th, 2008. Either Westbrook is a future Cy Young award winner for Shapiro to proclaim him the opening day guy in 2010, or the Indians' pitching is going to be utter garbage. Call this the irony of waiting so many years for solid pitching, only two trade off two Cy Young award winners in back-to-back years.

Enter Westbrook, who missed most of 2008 and all of 2009 so far because of Tommy John surgery. As mentioned before, Westbrook was pulled from his start on Sunday because of a sore elbow. It's not known whether or not the soreness is the regular process of recovering from Tommy John surgery, or something much more dramatic, such as the need for another surgery. Either way, it puts a rather large cloud over whether or not he can start on opening day, oh, say seven months from now.

The hope here is that this soreness for Westbrook is a normal elbow issue and that he finishes out the season with a flourish. Let's hope he follows it with a spring like a couple of years ago, and earns that opening day starter's job.

Leave the game-day decisions to the manager Mark. Oh, wait, Wedge is still the manager. Nevermind.

Indians' Jamey Carroll auditioning for postseason work

2009-08-09T22:47:00.005-04:00

The Cleveland Indians are dumping salary, and Jamey Carroll is looking for his first class ticket out of town. Carroll emphasized his point today in going 2-5 with a double, homer and three RBI, as the Indians took 2 of 3 from the second place Chicago White Sox.

With two on and two out in the fifth inning, and the Indians trailing 3-2, Carroll hit a laser down the left field off of Jose Contreras. The double scored both runners and gave the Indians a 4-3 lead they would never relinquish. Carroll capitalized on his double with a lead-off, solo shot in the seventh inning, to give the Indians a 6-3 lead.

The win makes it four of five wins for the Indians, who are playing like a house of fire now that they really are playing for nothing.

Don't tell that to Carroll, who is most definitely playing for a shot at the series, albeit with another team. Carroll, a free agent at the end of the year, could bring the Indians something for nothing. The Indians have no shot at signing Carroll as a utility next year since he makes too much money. Anything they get for him would be icing on the cake at this point. Carroll doesn't believe he'll be dealt, or at least that's what he wants everyone to believe. When asked about being traded after Cliff Lee and Victor Martinez were traded, he said,

"I guess I fit into that category, but usually when trades are made at this time of the year it's for a guy who comes in and plays. You've got Mark DeRosa, Carl Pavano, Victor Martinez. Everybody already has me, a utility player."

Carroll is exactly what teams need. Not only can he play nearly every position, but he can give you quality at bats as a starter over long stretches. After today's performance, don't be surprised to see Carroll playing somewhere else in the near future.

Isn't tomorrow an off day?

After Carroll, look for two other Indians to get a look before the postseason rosters have to be set on September 1st. Kerry Wood's massive contract doesn't make any sense for a team that doesn't figure to contend next year. There aren't many teams contending that need a closer, but he could be the icing on the cake for a team that needs a quality, back-end arm. I'm sure Wood wants to go somewhere else as well. Kelly Shoppach is also a guy that seems to be on his way out the door. Tampa Bay recently made a deal via waivers for Gregg Zaun of the Orioles. I'm not sure what that means with regards to Shoppach's availability or lack thereof, but I'm sure the Indians are either talking to a team that claimed him, or searching for a team to deal if he cleared waivers.

Can you trade a manager?

The ongoing saga of John Meloan and Wilson Abreu

2009-08-08T23:45:00.006-04:00

Lord knows I've spent the better part of a month bitching and moaning about the morons running the Indians. The dealing of a young arm in John Meloan for an old arm in Wilson Abreu was the prototype deal in the 'land of idiots' known as the Indians' front office.

Perhaps it was much ado about nothing.

The Indians had designated Abreu for assignment after three bad appearances. As expected, the former Rays reliever cleared waivers, and Cleveland offered him a minor-league deal to stay with the Tribe at triple A Columbus. Abreu chose instead to re-sign with the Rays this past Thursday.

Oh how I wanted to hammer Shapiro for giving up Meloan for nothing, which was accentuated by the Rays reacquiring the shabby player they dealt for the young hurler.

Leave it to the Rays to save Shapiro when they designated Meloan for assignment on Friday to make room on the 40-man roster for catcher Gregg Zaun. They had acquired Zaun earlier in the day in a waiver-induced trade with the Orioles. It's unknown if the Indians will try and sign or trade for their former reliever, and even a bigger unknown if Meloan will even want to return to the Indians.

It speaks volumes that Abreu would rather sign with the Rays than the rebuilding Indians. My how times have changed.

Pavano dealt to division rival

2009-08-08T17:26:00.004-04:00

The Cleveland Indians continued their major upheaval yesterday when they dealt Carl Pavano to the Minnesota Twins for another one of those players to be named later.

Pavano had started 21 games for the Tribe, going 9-8 in those starts (matching his 4-year win total with the Yankees), with a 5.37 ERA. Pavano struck out 88 and walked only 23 in 125 2/3 innings this year. He was the last remaining member of the Tribe staff with a clear shot at winning 10 games on the season. The next most wins on the roster. He was also scheduled to make a boatload more money with tonight's start with the Indians, had he made it.

Pavano was placed on waivers earlier this week and claimed by the Twins, and the Indians quickly worked out a deal with their division rival. To replace Pavano's roster slot, the Indians recalled Rafael Perez from triple A Columbus for his third stint with the Tribe.

Justin Masterson, who was acquired by the Tribe last week in a trade deadline deal involving Victor Martinez, will take over Pavano's slot in the rotation tonight against the White Sox. Masterson, who many thought wouldn't be starting for the Tribe until September, will be on a short leash tonight, taking the mound with a 60-65 pitch count. Likewise, Pavano will be on the hill against the Tigers tonight.

As for the player to be named, you know the drill. The Indians will have until September 1 to choose a player off a list that the Twins and Indians have been working on all week. Many are speculating that it's going to be a pedestrian player, but I'd be willing to bet that the Indians will get a player near the top five in the Twins organization. Shapiro has made a killing off deals like this, and I have no doubt he's done it again. It's about the only thing he's good at.

Pavano certainly wasn't a need on this current team, and dealing makes nothing but good future sense in a year that has made no sense at all.

Indians DFA Winston Abreu

2009-08-01T22:13:00.007-04:00

In one of the most confounding moves of the season, Mark Shapiro dealt away John Meloan on July 2, 2009 for a 32-year old reliever Winston Abreu. Adding more to the confusion, the Indians now have DFAed Abreu today, which essentially means they have 10 days to either work out a trade with another team, release him, or send him to Columbus if he should clear waivers.

Meloan was acquired from the Los Angeles Dodgers last year in the Casey Blake deal that also brought the Indians Carlos Santana. Meloan has a mid-90's fastball, and a whole bunch of upside. On a team that has a bad habit of signing cruddy relief pitchers, Meloan seemed like an incredible get for Blake, especially when you consider that certain guitar wielding catcher the acquired with him. Sure, Meloan has struggled for much of this season, but certainly the upside for the then 24-year old (turned 25 on July 11) far outweighed his half season struggles.

Unless you're named Mark Shapiro.

You have to question the trade based on the simple logic that Meloan was 24, had a live arm, and upside. Abreu has played with about half the teams in the majors, is 32, and was having one of those seasons that makes scouts scratch their heads. He was pitching too good for a pitcher that's been a whole lot of bad. He was suspended for three games as an Indian, and really bad in the only three games he pitched in (23.14 ERA after giving up six earned runs in 2 1/3 innings over three appearances).

The move made so little sense, that many figured that Abreu had to fit into some other trade scenario with either the Rays, or perhaps as a fill in for another trade involving Cliff Lee or Victor Martinez. It turned out that Abreu wasn't dealt, although it is potentially possible that he was supposed to be moved based on the fact that the Indians dfaed him the day after the deadline. Perhaps he was a door opener for Shapiro with the Rays, who were interested in acquiring both Cliff Lee and Victor Martinez. Shapiro may have been looking to soften the Rays by taking a lesser player with the hopes of springing some of their slew of prospects. If that was the case, it obviously didn't work.

Either way, the Indians dump Meloan for Abreu, which is slang for acquiring a large pile of dung. Chalk it up to another screw up in a growing list of man for GM Mark Shapiro. Whether or not Meloan fit into the future plans of the Tribe, it doesn't really make sense dumping a live relief arm when you are trying to acquire LIVE RELIEF ARMS.

Victor Martinez leaves "his house"

2009-07-31T18:55:00.003-04:00

Roll this one off of your tongue a couple of times: Victor Martinez was traded to the Boston Red Sox. Who the Indians got in return is nearly secondary, but for the record, the Indians brought in three more fireballers to add to their system. The 6'6", 250 lb, 24-year old Justin Masterson is the anchor to this trade for the Tribe, having spent the past two seasons mostly in the back-end of the Red Sox pen. Along with Masterson, the Tribe received two top-ten pitching prospects from the Sox in lefty Nick Hagadone and righty Bryan Price.

Who cares.

Anthony Castrovince reported earlier today that V-Mart spent the afternoon crying in front of his locker. I can't deny feeling the same way that he does.

I've followed this team since birth, and had to live through the teams of the 70's and 80's to get to the 90's. Now the thought of any amount of longevity with regards to losing is nearly too damn painful to even think about. The Indians have shed every noteworthy player on their team. Grady Sizemore remains, but you have to wonder what in the hell he is thinking at this point. Nice sales pitch to Grady, don't you think. "Don't worry Grady, stick it out, and we just might have a winner a couple years from now...maybe."

So now this team is an unknown commodity. There doesn't appear to be any hope for 2010, unless a slew of prospects can somehow surprise the hell out of the American League. Don't count on it. Perhaps 2011 is the year this team rebounds, but don't hold your breath.

Trust me...I haven't barely taken a breath in 37 years waiting...

Blue Light Special at V-Mart

2009-07-30T22:49:00.004-04:00

There's not much to mention on the V-Mart front, other than the fact that there has been a surprising silence since early this morning. The Rays apparently dropped out of talks with the Indians when Cliff Lee left the building. There were rumors that the Rays were willing to open up the coffers a bit to get both Lee and Martinez. V-Mart alone isn't nearly as enticing. The Red Sox have already apparently turned down a one-for-one deal that would have given the Indians Clay Buchholz. If they won't deal Buchholz, who has yet to find much success in the majors with any consistency, then I can't see a deal being made. The Mets also seem to be in the mix, especially with Omar Minaya under the gun. A deal for V-Mart could right the ship a bit for the bewildered GM. There are supposedly a few other teams knocking on the Indians door, but as of right now, nothing appears serious or imminent. As for the Indians...

I can't wait until 2011, can you? That's supposedly when the Indians will catch wind in the Mark Shapiro rebuild 2.0. Can't you feel it Cleveland? Grady Sizemore will be firmly in his prime, and about to play in his contract year. Matt LaPorta will be dominating the majors with his power. Michael Brantley will be making everyone forget about Kenny Lofton in the outfield, leading off and stealing bases at will. Carlos Santana will be busy playing the guitar, and becoming the next great catcher in the majors. Hector Rondon, Carlos Carrasco and David Huff will be three of the top starters in the majors. Jason Knapp will be knocking on the door as the top pitching prospect in baseball. Luis Valbuena and Asdrubal Cabrera will have developed into to top middle infield tandem in baseball. Andy Marte will be attempting to top 40 homers for the second season in a row.

Just close your eyes, you can almost see it, can't you?

Of course, for most of you, I had you at Grady Sizemore about to enter his contract year. Sure, he'll be in his prime alright. He'll be prime pickings for Shapiro to dump him for several prospects that will allow the Indians to spin perennially into the abyss of rebuilds that will likely occur under the constraints of the Dolans and the economic marketplace.

Will there ever be lightning in a bottle for this team? Maybe, but I know it's getting less and less fun waiting for it to happen.

More on the VMart watch tomorrow...

Cliff Lee-ving

2009-07-29T22:44:00.005-04:00

Cliff Lee has left the building, as the Cleveland Indians traded their ace to the Philadelphia Phillies for AAA RHP Carlos Carrasco, SS Jason Donald, C Lou Marson, and RHP Jason Knapp. I'm left...strangely...numb.

There was no doubt something afoot last night, when the Indians and the Phillies discussions for the Tribe lefty heated up. The Indians spent a bit of time last season rooting through the Phillies minor league organization before they dealt CC Sabathia to the Brewers. Nothing the Phillies had to offer, including Carlos Carrasco, interested Mark Shapiro enough to seriously consider the City of Brother Love as possible suitors. My how things have changed.

Lee leaving is a near-final admission by the Dolans and Shapiro that the Cleveland Indians are long done for 2010. Shapiro's rebuild 1.0 is a complete and utter failure, with the peak coming in 2007, one game from the world series, and the gutter coming, well, take your pick.

The deal is staggering, in that it hinges on a 19-year old power pitcher in single A ball who was shut down this year because of a sore arm. Jason Knapp has the capability of topping out in the upper-90's. He also has injury concerns, and we all know how (Adam Miller) upside (Adam Miller) can (Adam Miller) sometimes (Adam Miller) go (Adam Miller) down (Adam Miller) the (Adam Miller) drain. Young power pitchers aren't a dime a dozen, but blown out arms are. Giving up Lee with this kid being the anchor of the deal is a monster risk for a club that has proven it can't take the next step once they HAVE players that can win a series.

The rest of the deal is a pure head scratcher.

Carlos Carrasco has a big arm, but has been lit-up by triple A pitching this year, and many scouts have questioned his head. Lou Marson is a catcher. He's a freakin' catcher. THEY TRADED FOR A FREAKIN' CATCHER? Sure, Victor Martinez will likely leave Cleveland in the next 48 hours, making Marson a likely fill-in. He's top five in the Phillies organization, so he's no slouch behind the plate. Here's the thing. Don't the Indians have Carlos Santana, Wyatt Toregas, Chris Gimenez and Kelly Shoppach? Now they have one more...for a Cy Young award winner with numbers in the ballpark of Roy Halladay. Oh yeah, they have Jason Donald, a SS that many can't figure out where he may play. He could be a second baseman, or a shortstop, or maybe he could play third base. Nice. They picked up a utility guy.

Oh, I'm sure I'll have to stomach some morons talking about how the Indians are a small-mid market team, and that this was the best they could do under the circumstances. That's garbage. Lee was a cheap asset over the next 1 1/2 years, and they had plenty of time to shop him for a package that might include the likes of a player like Kyle Drabek or Domonic Brown or Michael Taylor, who most, including the Blue Jays, considered the three potential gets that were guarantees for the majors. The Indians couldn't get a single one of them.

Well done Shapiro.

The best part about it is that the Indians not only gave up Lee for the package of overrated garbage, but they had to give up Ben Francisco as well. Now, I'm not sad to see Francisco and his fourth outfielder stats gone, but it's funny that the Indians had to give up TWO players for their less than standard haul. It's like shooting a dog in the neck with a BB gun, then kicking him in the ass on his way out the door. I could get into the Francisco piece, but at least this should get Matt LaPorta up to the big club, so I'll just leave it alone. I guess keeping Francisco as insurance for Grady's injury was like everything else Shapiro spews out of his mouth.

You know, I get this team is constrained by the market. I get it. The problem I have is that unless they align every planet, and every prospect works out in the next five years or so, this team will never win a series. The ONLY way to win is to spend when you are on the precipice. No, the team may fail to make money for a few seasons, but a World Series trophy would certainly curtail that. The Indians mantra continues to be "just not enough."

Shapiro was jerkin' everyone around today, mumbling about how this team was better off than when he took over in 2002. You've got to love the irony. The Indians are hunting for a future ace, by trading away an ace. Make that two.

See you around Cliff...

More tomorrow after the Indians deal Victor Martinez for a can of corn.

Great posts one the article at Tony Lastoria's Indians Prospect Insider and Paul Cousineau's The Diatribe. Here's another from Paul as well.

Indians deal Ryan who?

2009-07-28T21:48:00.005-04:00

Let's be honest Tribe fans, there aren't going to be many that actually miss Ryan Garko now that he's been traded to the San Francisco Giants. It's not that Garko hasn't been productive, because there have been moments in Tribe-land in which Garko was the most productive player on the team. Unfortunately for the lumbering first baseman, most of that production has come at a time when the Indians have done their best impression of their pre-90's selves. Garko always seemed to be the guy who played like he was wearing a 200 lb weight when there was any sort of pressure on him. Consider Garko Paul Sorrento. Unfortunately for Garko, the Indians of his generation won a whole lot less than Sorrento's.

Luckily for Cleveland, they were able to "sell high" in acquiring Scott Barnes from the San Francisco Giants. Barnes isn't a sure thing by any stretch of the equation, but certainly provides the Indians with a big upside in the future. The bonus is that they essentially acquired the well-thought-of lefty for a guy in Garko that certainly didn't figure into their future.

So what does that mean for the future of the Indians? Certainly Matt LaPorta is likely earmarked for the Indians in some form or fashion in the coming weeks. LaPorta is the elephant that enters any room when there's any sort of roster shuffling. Surprisingly enough, LaPorta won't be the first guy called up.

Why? Can you believe that Andy Marte is still/back in/actually in the picture? I don't really know what it is about this guy. Since the Indians have dealt for Marte 3 1/2 years ago for Coco Crisp, he has proven many scouts right in being nothing more than a AAAA minor league player. Let's face facts, he hasn't even been that good. Marte has struggled to find any sort of rhythm, and has gone from a top major league prospect to a massive hole in whatever lineup he enters.

Enter 2009, with Marte out of options and likely out of Cleveland in nearly every rumor mill talking about him earlier this year. Cleveland thought so little of him that they left him off their 40-man roster. MLB thought so little of him that not a single team claimed him. Back to the minors he went, but likely for a short period of time, with the Indians laced with corner prospects. What's he done since the start of the season in triple-A Columbus? How about making a run at the International league triple crown (2nd in homers and rbi, and third in average). Unfortunately for Marte, he won't get to fulfill his triple crown threats, as he finds himself in Cleveland for one last opportunity to make the club.

Ryan Garko couldn't stick with the Indians because he could perform when he needed to most. The only question now is, can Marte?

If he can, the Indians will be the better for it.

2007-08 Cleveland Cavalier Season Preview

2007-10-11T13:26:00.000-04:00

Cleveland Cavaliers

Last Years Record: 50-32, Finished 2nd in NBA Central Division

Key Losses: Anderson Varejao (?), Sasha Pavlovic (?), Scot Pollard, David Wesley--Let's be fair here...Varejao and Pavs are holding out, but not on the roster...so until they do...they are losses. Frankly...they can stay lost or be dealt for all I care--Pollard and Wesley were non-existant as Cavaliers...so they are hardly KEY LOSSES.

Key Additions: Devin Brown, Cedric Simmon (both from New Orleans)

1. What significant moves were made during the offseason?

Let's be honest...I could have kept this blank. Danny Ferry managed to do nothing. You can insert reason here...as to why...but the truth of the matter is that nobody knows. Is owner Dan Gilbert having money problems? Is Danny Ferry a lame-brained moron? Did Anderson Varejao and Sasha Pavlovic's misguided hold-outs handcuff Ferry's potential moves? Whatever the reason, Cleveland failed to improve upon a team that followed the yellow brick road to the NBA Finals. OH, they tried to trade for Mike Bibby, and a few other players...but ultimately nothing happened. I'm pretty sure that the reason they DIDN'T make a deal is because Drew Gooden is more valued by the Cavs brass than anyone ever thought. Call it because of Varejao, they just didn't want to deal Gooden. This is probably a good thing in the long run.

Sure, Cleveland ultimately signed Devin Brown and Cedric Simmons a couple of weeks ago. Who are they? Exactly. They can be decent players, but they aren't difference makers. Cleveland needs to break down these talks with Pavs and Varejao at REASONABLE pay, and get moving on the season.

There also needs to be a move at some point to improve this offense.

Ultimately, the most significant MOVE of the offseason may be sending Larry Hughes to Mark Price for some pointers on his shot. Hopefully it will pay off, and Hughes can find his shooting touch that's so eluded him in his Tribe tenure.

2. What are the team’s biggest strengths?

Okay, let's get the obvious out of the way...

LeBron James. What he brings to a team need not be mentioned because you all know what it is. If he's not the best player in the NBA, he will be, and he's still not near how good he'll be. That's to come in the next few years. Look for an improved outside game to take shape this year, which will continue LeBron's journey towards daily dominance. LeBron's defense should also see an improvement, but without help in the paint from Varejao and his charges...this could turn into a struggle.

Struggle defensively generally turns players into lazy defenders...

Past LeBron, and with Varejao and Pavs not here, it's hard to list another strength. Their defense is overrated (it is...sorry). Yeah, their regular season D was wonderful...and in the first three rounds of the playoffs as well. But you could see in the finals, that when it counted...it was garbage. Without Pavs and Varejao, it will be even moreso. When Cleveland would play teams that could score WITH THEIR DEPTH...they struggled for the most part. It will be much worse this year, even with optimum performances from their current roster.

Cleveland can also still be a good rebounding team, although not having Varejao will hurt. It's not QUITE a strength without the holdouts out there, but as close as you can get. Those seven boards a game off the bench WAS a big deal.

Boobie and Shannon Brown. I think this duo is underrated...in their roles of course.

Talking about last season's stats really aren't applicable without Varejao and Pavs around.

3. What are the team’s biggest weaknesses?

Take your pick. Let's start with outside shooting. Donyell Marshall is a power forward who thinks he can shoot. After two years of pulling my hair out, I can safely say he's done as a player. One good game out of 20 isn't a good percentage. Damon Jones is a freakin' whiny little idiot. The self-proclaimed "Best shooter in the world," is just a bust. He can't shoot as advertised. Gibson is an unknown, but looks like he's got a shot, but as a soph this year, it's hard to tell what is standard, and what's not. Overall offense is the stare at LeBron show. Why? THEIR OFFENSE IS HORRIBLE. Mike Brown doesn't know how to coach it, and didn't hire anyone to help him do it. Speaking of Mike Brown, I think his defense is overrated, and his offense is non-existant. He's personable for sure...but let me know when that wins big games against actual good teams consistently.

What about the point guard situation? Eric Snow sucks, and he's hurt anyways. Larry Hughes doesn't want too...does want too...doesn't want too...does want too. Who freakin' knows what he wants or doesn't want, but until he proves it, he doesn't. Boobie might be able to roll with this...but I still think he's a roll player from the outside. I hope I'm wrong.

4. What are the goals for this team?

There is only one goal, and that is to win the NBA title...period...end of story.

I don't know how achievable it is as of yet. Cedric Simmons reinjured his high ankle sprain, and it doesn't look like we can put a roster together as good as last year's...which stinks because we needed a BETTER roster than last year to actually have a shot at this thing.

Still, LeBron wants a championship...and I can tell you this...

Last year taught me NEVER to doubt LeBron...

Is their first NBA title on the horizon? It may actually be closer than you think.

5. Which player will step up this season to offer LeBron James the support he needs to win a title?

Look...you can just forget the Damon Jones' and the DMarsh's. They are done...toast...finished.

So let's get to it:

Boobie Gibson: I don't know...I think in the right roll, this kid can be special. He did it in the playoffs last year, and has done NOTHING to prove that he can't do it over the long haul. I just don't know though. Is he a point guard? Is he a short shooting guard? He he just the guy that steps in no matter what? Either way, I think he'll improve.

Shannon Brown: He did nothing last year...so my bet is he improves on that. Still, I'm not sure where a Larry Hughes clone makes the team better. Rumor has it he can defend, and he has the eye of the coaches because of his work ethic. Let's hope this pays off.

Larry Hughes: I know...I said it...Larry 'freakin' Hughes. He will improve. He just will...trust me. He'll find his role, and stay healthy. He may even make Amar like the guy.

I think we'll have a bunch of improvement...from players we may have not expected it from.

Predicted Record: 50-32...again. It's hard to see this team improving without new players, but then again...how many teams have THE player...that would be one...The Cleveland Cavs.

Don't count them out just yet.

Proof-Positive that Danny Ferry and the Cavaliers are Insane

2007-09-03T12:55:00.000-04:00

The Cleveland Cavaliers have done absolutely nothing since they surprised the NBA in getting the the NBA finals. There have been no signings, including their two restricted free agents, Sasha Pavlovic and Anderson Varejao. There have been no trades, with Mike Bibby’s name at the top of nearly every list of possible deals the Cavs have thought of.
There have been rumblings, including New Jersey, Washington and Golden State, but they all have proved to be just that….rumblings. We’ve gone through the gambit of wanting the Cavs to do something…ANYTHING…just to make the game of basketball relevant again. More importantly, the Cavs have watched their contemporaries improve, some dramatically (see Boston and Orlando). Still, Cleveland does nothing.

***Click the Title, or RIGHT HERE to see the complete article at MVN's Cavalier Attitude***

Game 136: White Sox Shut Out Indians Win Streak

2007-09-03T12:50:00.000-04:00

The Cleveland Indians had their eight game winning streak ended abruptly, as the Chicago White Sox and Jose Contreras shut out the Tribe 8-0. It just wasn’t pretty.
Jake Westbrook, the hottest Tribe starter (and that is saying something), gave up 11-hits in his five innings against the American League’s worst hitting teams. He gave up only four runs, three of them earned. He was a fighter last night, but repeatedly left his pitches up high. He’s most effective with the slider low, and he just didn’t have it consistently. I like this pitching staff because it wins. But more than that, this staff is loaded with guys that can make bad situations not so much. If the offense had been there early, Westbrook did enough to keep the Tribe in the game.

***Click the Title, or RIGHT HERE to see the complete article at MVN***

Game 135: Cleveland’s Byrd Baffles White Sox for Complete Game Shutout

2007-09-02T05:35:00.000-04:00

How good was Paul Byrd today? Up until A.J. Pierzinski walked in the eighth inning, Paul Byrd faced the minimum batters. After Jerry Owens was caught stealing in the fourth inning on a perfect throw by Byrd battery-mate Kelly Shoppach, Byrd retired the next 12 batters in a row. He was that good.
With the 7-0 complete game shutout over the White Sox, Byrd’s second this year, Byrd moved to 14-5. He has won his last four starts, and seven of his past eight. He has walked 23 batters…not during that span, BUT THE WHOLE SEASON. Of all the Tribe starters, he has the highest winning percentage, to go along with second on the team in wins, with fourteen. He’s tied with Fausto. Now, raise your hand if at the beginning of the season, you thought Fausto and Byrd would have 28 wins combined on September 1st. Okay, now those of you that have your hands up…put them down liars. Sure, Byrd has his bad outings, but in between those rare occurances, Byrd has been an exceptional pitcher this season. He’s been much better than his 4.19 ERA suggests. Byrd is as old school as you get, and you can tell that the Indians want to win for him. Sure, they want to win for all the others as well, but there’s something about Byrd that maybe makes the team buckle down even more. Maybe it’s the old-school windup. Maybe it’s the old school jersey pants that only go down to the knees. Maybe it’s the way he throws strikes. Whatever it is, Cleveland scores for Byrd, and when he pitches like he does tonight, it makes for an easy win.

***For the rest of this article at MVN's Tribe Report, click the title, or RIGHT HERE***

Cleveland Calls Up Four Players from Buffalo

2007-09-02T05:31:00.000-04:00

September 1 means september call-ups, and the Indians called up four players to help during the stretch run. Ben Francisco was recalled to play some outfield for Cleveland. He had a pretty successful year when he was brought up earlier, and certainly has the skills to stay with the big club. There just isn’t any room. Mike Koplove was brought up to help the Indians in the pen. Koplove started his career with Arizona. Cleveland picked him up this season, and he’s been solid in Buffalo. He was 4-2 with 14 saves in 51 appearances there. He was up briefly with the Tribe Cliff Lee was also brought back for a spot in the bullpen pitching long relief, as well as making some spot starts to give the starters some rest. Luis Rivas was more than a bit of a surprise. Rivas was signed at the beginning of the season to compete for the utility slot. He lost out to Mike Rouse. I can’t quite figure out why they brought up Rivas, and he wasn’t on the 40-man roster. Since the 40-man roster is full, Cleveland will have to take someone off. Stay tuned for who that is over the next day or two.

Click the Title, or right here for more on Tribe Happenings at MVN's Tribe Report

Game 134: Cleveland Agitates Ozzie G with Big Comback Victory

2007-09-02T05:26:00.000-04:00

The sure thing every year in the American League Central is that at some point, Ozzie Guillen is going to blow up on his club…more than once. This past week was no exception, as he hammered his Sox for their pathetic play. There is some speculation that Guillen’s style has worn thin with his players, and management, and that he may find himself out of a job if the White Sox don’t find a way to win over the last month of the season.

Cleveland was only happy to add to the anguish.

To read this article in its entirety at MVN's 'Tribe Report,' click the title, or right here.

LeBron James’ FIBA Perfection

2007-09-01T23:29:00.000-04:00

I haven’t posted anything at Cavalier Attitude about LeBron James and Team USA’s quest to win the FIBA America’s Olympic Qualifier. There’s a really good reason.

I could care a less.

Actually, that’s not true. I do care. As much as I want to see LeBron James wearing the Red, White and Blue in the Olympics, I DON’T want to see King James rolling into the regular season looking like he’s spent the summer running triathalons. So pardon me if the US’s run through the Uraguay’s, US Virgin Islands, and Caribean West Indies South Central doesn’t excite me.

Click the title, or here to read more about LeBron "burn-out," and the his "perfect game at MVN's Cavalier Attitude

Ohio State Rolls Over Youngstown State

2007-09-01T19:04:00.000-04:00

Rare is the day that you call a 38-6 thumping a favor when you are the team that scored six points. Still, you have to think that the Youngstown State Penguins spent a lot of Saturday thanking their former coach and athletic director, Jim Tressel for giving them the opportunity to play the Ohio State Buckeyes. Not only will the game get YSU some nice bank, but it will also give their program some nice exposure, not that Tressel hadn’t already done that in winning four I-AA national championships there in his years before Ohio State.

***Click Story Title, or here for the entire article at MVN***

The Spurs EDUCATE the Cavs

2007-06-07T23:40:00.001-04:00

There's no way around it. There really isn't a whole lot of analyzing that needs to be done here. San Antonio played well enough to win on offense, and fantastic defense, in particular on Lebron.

I don't have the stats sitting here in front of my, but Lebron was terrible tonight, I think 4 for 16, and I completely commend the Spurs. Here's what they did, and it's so simple, it's sickening. Whenever Cleveland were there to set picks for him, San Antonio would step out. Detroit stepped out as well...but San Antonio STEPPED OUT, and got big. What it took away was Lebron hitting the pick, and driving right around the pick for a layup. He didn't try to split the double, and I saw Mike Brown say it to him several times.

Popovich said, "We maintained our intensity defensively for 48 minutes, and that's what got us through the night."

On offense, Tony Parker was just absolutely impressive. Cleveland had to figure out how to stop him, and they didn't. That opened up the late run for the Spurs, that saw the perimeter open up for Ginobli, Bowen, and Parker himself. Duncan, of course, was the silent assassin. I was hoping Varejao would get under his skin, but he didn't.

San Antonio outrebounded Cleveland by 11, which was huge, and just plain outhustled the Cavs tonight.

The good? You take away the third quarter that saw the Spurs build a near 20 point lead, and the Cavs are right in the game, without Lebron playing well, with Z non-existant, and not shooting well from the outside. If Lebron steps it up, and the Cavs can find a way to open up the inside for Gooden and Z, this series should get interesting.

The first battle goes to the Spurs...but this series is just getting started.

The NBA Finals: Cleveland Cavaliers vs. San Antonio Spurs

2007-06-07T18:55:00.000-04:00

The NBA Finals appear to be a given. The Spurs are going up against the Cavaliers, in what many are saying should be a one-sided affair. What's not to like about the Spurs. San Antonio rolled through the West. In the first round, San Antonio handled Denver in five games, after losing game 1. In the conference semis, San Antonio wore down Phoenix in six games. Finally, in the conference finals, The Spurs really hammered Utah in five games.

The Cavs, of course, had a very pedestrian ride to the finals. In the first round, Cleveland swept an injury-riddled Washington Wizards. In the conference semis, the Cavs rolled over the New Jersey Nets in six games. In the conference finals, Cleveland beat Detroit in six, in which all the contests were relatively close, except for the final game 6.

The experts will spend the series talking about how easy the ride was for Cleveland, and just how good the West was compared to the East.

I'm not going to bore you with any of that.

I'm also not going to bore you with any stats. What's the point.

The West has more offense. The East has more defense. Both of these teams can play D. Both of these teams have offensive players. Whose are better?

I don't think it matters.

The key for San Antonio is simple. Can they stop the rest of the Cavs surrounding Lebron. Many think it will be easy. Many will focus on Daniel Gibson. The problem, however, is that with Lebron, there are several Cavs that can score. They'll have to step up, no doubt about it.

The key for Cleveland is Tony Parker. Can they annoy Parker enough that he can't penetrate at will. When that happens, the rest of San Antonio's offense clearly excel. There will be a lot of pressure on Boobie, Hughes and Snow.

When it's all said and done, I don't feel there is a whole lot different about these teams. Lebron should dominate Bowen, and Duncan should dominate Gooden. Ginobli has the advantage over Pavlovic, but Pavs can be annoying. He is a similar player to Ginobli. Z is a better player than the two centers that rotate for San Antonio. Parker is a better point guard than Hughes.

When you look at the bench, San Antonio has old, wily vets in Finley (starter, but really off the bench), Robert Horry, Brent Barry and Jacque Vaughn. Cleveland has a mix in Boobie, Snow, Varejao, Marshall. All are role players that can turn the tide.

Cavs fans will make a big deal about the 2 wins the Cavs have over the Spurs, and it IS a bigger deal than most Spurs fans will take credit for, but not nearly as big a deal as Cavs fans will make it out to be. It shows the potential for Cleveland to win. It also gives the Spurs incentive.

The bottom line for me, is that this game, and this series will be a lot closer than a lot of people are giving it credit for.

To me, it comes down to the third and fourth quarter. Can Cleveland keep it close in the third quarter, when they have struggled in the past? Can San Antonio pull away in the second half?

If it's close, and I think it will be, it will come down to the stars...and San Antonio has more of them, but Cleveland has the one that really can't be stopped. If it's close at the end, look for the Cavs to steal some games.

And in the end?

Cleveland wins the series in seven games.

Like I said, look for a close series with teams that are much more closely bunched together than anyone gives them credit for.

In the end...

Look for Lebron...

to make EVERYONE a witness.

Keep Your Eye On the Prize

2007-06-07T15:36:00.000-04:00

Most of you know that I currently write the blogs at MVN for Ohio State and the Cleveland Indians. My first order of the day is usually to run through all the MVN sites for Cleveland. Today, I stopped over at Cavalier Attitude to see if there were any late additions before the title game. Sure enough, there was a piece about another article written by Bomani Jones, from ESPN's Page 2. The article by Jones, focuses on how lucky the Cavs were to get in the finals. No, I'm not here to talk about the validity of the argument, Amar at the Cavalier Attitude did a fine job discussing it. I'll let you read through them yourselves.

I'm not even going to counter-point it. Those of you that read my blog daily, know how I feel about the Cavs roster.

What I am here to say, is this.

ENOUGH.

ENOUGH worrying about what's going to happen down the road.

ENOUGH!

Before the season, Cleveland re-signed Lebron James to a 3 year deal, that was 2 years shorter than the max-out deal he could have signed. Instead of rejoicing that Cleveland had gotten three more years with one of the most talented stars in the game, we all worried about what would happen AT THE END of those three years.

ENOUGH!

Who cares about the path the Cavs took to get into the finals!

THE CAVS ARE IN THE FINALS!

Let Bomani Jones rattle on about the playoff matchups. WE AREN'T BLIND. But guess what.

THE CAVS ARE IN THE FINALS!

Let Bomani Jones worry about the East (pssst...the East has won 2 of the past 3), and I'm sure denounce the fact that Cleveland has won both games against San Antonio. It doesn't matter.

THE CAVS ARE IN THE FINALS!

Let Bomani Jones worry about the roster as it stands now. It doesn't matter if Little Bo Peep and Biff Pocaroba are starting guards.

THE CAVS...ARE IN...THE FINALS.

Let Bomani Jones make Zydrunas Ilgauskas sound like Shawn Bradley's weaker sidekick. IT DOESN'T MATTER!

THE CAVS ARE IN THE FINALS.

Let Bomani Jones inform the world that Mike Brown has made NO GOOD MOVES since becoming the head coach.

psssst...Bomani...

THE CAVS

ARE IN

THE FINALS.

No, I don't blame Jones. He's taking the same stand that most everyone else is. I'm not even saying he's wrong.

What I am saying is,

THE CLEVELAND CAVALIERS, FOR THE FIRST TIME IN THE HISTORY OF THE FINALS, ARE IN THE FINALS.

Oh, and another thing. They have Lebron James. Remember him?

I remember at the start of the Pistons series, most everyone said, "Lebron is the best player in the series, but the Pistons are the better team." I know you all have heard it as well. At the time, the Pistons had rolled through Chicago and Orlando, and were playing solid ball. Then Cleveland beat them in six, and I think most will agree probably should have swept them.

But hey, it couldn't have been how the Cavs played, right?

It was the Pistons, imploding.

Whatever...

Here's my final plea, to all the Cavs fans, and that includes the Cavs bloggers out there that consider themselves Cavs fans. Make your predictions, and be true to yourselves. That's your right.

But as a fan of this team, do me one favor.

Worry about the future, IN THE FUTURE!

Now's not the time to crank out a piece talking about the do's and the don'ts of the GM. There will be plenty of that, IN THE FUTURE!

Now's not the time to think about how much BETTER we could be.

Now's not the time to think about how much BETTER we could be next year.

The salary cap means nothing.

It doesn't matter if the Cavs are the worst finals team in the history BEFORE the finals.

Who gives a flying rat's behind where the Cavs would have finished if they were playing in the West (they don't).

David Wesley is wearing a suit, and Scott Pollard is the 12th guy on the bench. So what.

Larry Hughes makes more money than Lebron James (serously, go back and look what LEBRON said about that when it happened). At the time the deal was signed, most people LIKED IT, even though we wanted Redd. Lebron WANTED them to make the deal with Hughes. So...WHY SHOULD WE WORRY ABOUT IT!

Trade value? How many deals are going to be made IN THE FINALS. Yep...not one.

Are they useless? Will that matter if they win?

DYNASTY?

CAVS FANS ARE THINKING DYNASTY???????

C'mon, seriously?

I've lived with a bunch of Cavalier fans, I know a bunch of Cleveland fans, Cavs fans are friends of mine, and folks, I don't know many Cavs fans that are seriously worrying about a DYNASTY.

One will be fine, thank you.

And guess what...

THE CAVS ARE IN THE FINALS.

Last I knew, that gave us a chance...

for a title.

Don't worry, we'll have several months to drop the hammer on management about the roster.

If it's all the same to you,

I'll wait until the finals are over.

It's time to enjoy being at the top of the mountain...as all us Cleveland fans know...

you just never know when you'll reach to top again.

Somebody Pinch Me, THE CAVS ARE IN THE FINALS!

2007-06-04T15:43:00.000-04:00

This can't be real.

The Cleveland Cavaliers are in the NBA Finals.

WHAT?

THE CLEVELAND CAVALIERS are in the NBA Finals.

WHAT? HUH?

THE CLEVELAND CAVALIERS ARE IN THE NBA FINALS!

I hate to quote John McEnroe here, but "YOU....CANNOT BE SERIOUS!?!"

Can you?

Sure, I remember Austin Carr and Campy Russell and Bingo Smith, but the mild remembrences of Eastern Conference glory are swamped by memories of Mike Mitchell and Foots Walker and last place finishes.

I grew up in the "The Cavs really suck" era of basketball.

I remember watching the 1980-1981 All-Star game at Richfield Coliseum, and listening to the announcers lamenting at poor Mike Mitchell and him enduring a wasted year in Cleveland. For those fans that don't know about Mike Mitchell, by the way, check it out. He was a playa, and unfortunately, the announcers were right, he WAS wasting away, playing for the Cavs. You notice the year he went to the All-Star game, by the way, was the same year that Ted Stephian-era began.

I remember World B. Free. Who could forget a guy named World B. Free. I don't remember the year the Gunds took over, but I know World B. was right there with them. The Cavs were atroicious, but World B. Free was everything his name was. He looked crazy when he shot, but they seemed to rain in from everywhere. This happened to be the same time-period of Roy Hinson and John Bagley. I Loved that team, but they were terrible.

No, winning an NBA title wasn't an option. GETTING GREAT SEATS IN RICHFIELD, however, were.

I remember drafting Mel Turpin, and thinking, NBA title? I know, I know. I laughed later too.

I remember the 1986 draft well. The Cavs dealt Roy Hinson for the #1 choice, and took UNC center Brad Daugherty. I remember how pissed off I was that they didn't take Len Bias. I remember how happy I was they DIDN'T take Len Bias a couple of days later. That same draft, they took Ron Harper with the 8th pick (I was pissed about that one as well. I wanted them to take Brad Sellers). John "Hot Rod" Williams would also be joining the Cavs that year. The Cavs had drafted him in 1985, but he sat out a year because of a point-shaving scandal at Tulane. He would have gone much higher, but teams were wary of him. Cleveland wasn't. Mark Price came to the Cavs with the first pick of the second round. Craig Ehlo also signed with Cleveland.

I was ready for an NBA title.

On a sidenote here, imagine if the Cavs would have KEPT Charles Oakley in 1985, instead of dealing him to Chicago for Ennis Whatley and Keith Lee.

In 1988, Cleveland traded for Larry Nance and Mike Sanders for a whole bunch of other players (one that turned out to be Dan Majerle).

The pieces were set.

I was ready for an NBA title.

In 1987, the Cavs lost in the first round to the Bulls.

In 1988, the Cavs lost in the first round to the Bulls.

In 1989, the Cavs lost in the first round to the Sixers, but Magic proclaimed the Cavs to be the team of the 90's. Ron Harper was traded early in the season, for Danny Ferry. I wanted to be sick. Ferry wouldn't join the Cavs until next season. He was busy playing in Cambodia, or Hell, or whatever you want to call the Italian league.

I was ready for an NBA title.

Cleveland was horrible in 1991, and so was Ferry.

Cleveland had an incredible year in 1992, beating New Jersey, then Boston on its way to the Eastern Conference Finals. There waiting? Chicago. Both teams bashed the other until Chicago won game 5 and 6. Series over. No NBA Title.

Enter Terrell Brandon and Gerald Wilkins, and enter a 4 games sweep by the Bulls in 1993 in the Eastern Conference semis.

1994 brought the Bulls in the first round, and a 3-0 sweep.

Enter Ty Hill, Chris Mills and Bobby Phills. What did they all have in common? "Ill" The Cavs made it to the playoffs, this time to lose in the first round to the Knicks.

Enter "Thunder" Dan Majerle, and another first round defeat to the Knicks. No more Daugherty, or Price, or Hot Rod Williams. Gone was the glory.

Then came the Bobby Sura era, and Shawn Kemp, and Zydrunas Ilgauskas and Derek Anderson, and Brevin Knight, and Vitaly Potapenko. There was excitement again, and a first round loss to Indiana.

There were players since, LaMond Murray and Andre Miller. Ricky Davis and Loozer. The team got progressively worse. That brings us to 2003 and 2004, the year of Lebron.

I could see it, and I could taste it.

2 years, and the Cavs were in the playoffs their third, and taking the Pistons to seven games.

Year 4...

the Cavs are in the finals. It's been a long time coming. You watch Lebron talk about it, and you can see that he's blown away by it. Like Tiger Woods, however, Lebron realizes the implications of what he's done.

He's led the Cavs to the finals.

The precipice of glory.

This Cavs team, made it where all the others didn't. This Cavs team is IN THE NBA FINALS!

What?

The Cavs are in the NBA Finals?

What?

THE CAVS ARE in the NBA Finals?

WHAT????

THE CAVS ARE IN THE NBA FINALS?

Someone pinch me...

...the Cavs are in the finals.

Watch for the POJO Predictions on this match-up within the next 24 hours.

Game 6: The Detroit Pistons at The Cleveland Cavaliers

2007-06-02T13:46:00.000-04:00

The Cleveland Cavaliers are up 3 games to 2, heading into game six at the Q. With a win, Cleveland can put an emphatic stamp on a victory over the Detroit Pistons, who jumped out to a 2-0 lead for the second year in a row.

Many are comparing this year's series to last year's series. There are obviously some comparisons. Detroit jumped out to an early 2-0 series lead. Cleveland followed up by winning 3 in a row heading into Cleveland. That's where the similarities end. First and foremost, this is the Eastern Conference Finals, as opposed to the Eastern conference semis. A win tonight for Cleveland puts them into the finals for the first time in club history. The dynamics of this series are dramatically different as well. If you remember from last season, the series started off very different. Detroit bashed the Cavs 113-86 in game 1. It was NEVER close. Game 2 was a bit closer, with Detroit winning 97-91, but again, Detroit was in control from the start. There couldn't have been a better start for a team. Cleveland did end up winning the next three games, as they did this year, but there was still a feel that Cleveland wouldn't win. The Pistons, last season, were going through a lag. They were a better team than Cleveland, and more seasoned. Oh, and they had Ben Wallace, that imposing presence in the middle.

This year, there's a mammoth difference. There hasn't been a second in this series in which Detroit has been playing any less than 100%. The first two games of the series weren't blowouts, and Cleveland had a chance in each to win the game. As a matter of fact, they had the ball in their hands in both games and could have won. In the three games that Cleveland have won in a row, Lebron has done everything that it takes to win, and against a team that was doing everything possible to win themselves. No, Detroit isn't playing their best basketball. Last year, they were lazy, and taking Cleveland for granted. This year, it has everything to do with how Cleveland is playing.

And that may be the biggest difference.

Now, Detroit fans will have many reasons to think that tonight is going to be a Detroit night. Why? Here will be the common themes: Antonio McDyess will be back. Lebron will be beat-down. For as good as Lebron played, they still had to go to double-overtime. Larry Hughes is still hurt. Cleveland is getting every call in the book because the NBA wants Lebron in the finals. Lebron shoots too much. Lebron couldn't possibly do what he did on Thursday two nights in a row. Detroit has been slumbering. They'll be awake now. It IS just like last year...etc...etc...etc.

Why will tonight be different? Well, Thursday night was no accident. Lebron said after game 2 that the goal for the Cavs were to get to the fourth quarter, and the last couple of minutes in particular, and I'll win the game. Cleveland has followed that blueprint, and Lebron has proved that the hype-machine hasn't been hype. Lebron James is a legend in the making, and he's hoisted up the Cavs onto his shoulders.

I don't know if this is the year for the Cavs to WIN the finals, but they will taste it. Unfortunately for Detroit, they were just along for the ride all along.

Look for Cleveland to win going away, and for the face of the NBA to begin a decided Wine and Gold shift.

It's not going to game 7...he won't let it.

Lebron James--Legend

2007-06-02T05:01:00.000-04:00

I've been a Cleveland Cavaliers fan since I can remember. I remember sitting on the floor of our living room in Avon Lake as a kid, with the lights out, and the radio on, and my Dad and I listening to Joe Tait blazing about Jim Cleamons, Chones and Brewer...and of course, 'Bingo' Smith.

I remember the above the head shot of World B. Free, and the roly-poly point guard, John Bagley. I remember the quiet excellence of Mike Mitchell, when the rest of the Cavaliers weren't all that good. I remember Hinson and the trade that brought Daugherty, and Price and Harper. Then there's Hot Rod Williams after the Tulane scandal, and Nance.

The list goes on and on.

Of all of the players listed, there weren't many that were electrifying. Obviously, the Harper/Price-led Cavs of the late 80's and early 90's were electrifying, but the one thing the Cavs have never had, was a player that could transcend any game, and any team. Then came Lebron.

Lebron was everything as advertised. He was a man-child, and could dominate a game as a scorer, passer or rebounder. Lebron did that. The only knock was that he couldn't take over a game. Most figured that he would develop that over the years. Most also had their doubts.

Thursday Night cured that.

Lebron went from one of the best, to a legend.

People will argue. Kobe fans will try and downplay it, because Lebron did something last night that only a handful have done. DWade fans will downplay it, because it wasn't the finals, and DWade has a ring. Jordan fans will downplay it, because it wasn't Jordan. Many will argue that it was against a team that really isn't comparable to a great team.

All of that is beside the point. Lebron did something that most have never seen. It was an unimaginable display.

Lebron scored the last 25 points for the Cavaliers. Lebron scored the last 29 of 30 points.

We heard the announcers talk about how Lebron said to just keep the game close, and he'd take care of the rest in the fourth quarter. We've seen him make a pass that didn't work out. We've seen him take a shot that didn't work out.

Now we've seen something we've NEVER seen before.

There were the dunks at the end of the fourth quarter, where he decided enough was enough. Both tied the game, and ultimately sent the game into overtime. There was the fade-away three pointer to tie the game. There were mid-range jumpers, and lay-ups. The variety of of shots were unimaginable, and a guy with 19 points heading into the fourth quarter ended up with 48 points, 9 boards and 7 assists.

Lebron James decided the Cavs weren't going to lose, and one guy just decimated the other team, on their home court, in stunned silence...and awe.

I'm still shocked, nearly 2 days later, after all of these years watching the Cavs. The past four years watching Lebron become the player that he is. Then, the unbelievable game we were all a WITNESS to last night (yeah, how many times did you say it yesterday?).

The game where Lebron James went from being a superstar,

to a legend.