Hello everyone, its been awhile, so lets get to work.
Cleveland Browns
-Not much to report here. Braylon rumors continue to fester but I don't think there is much to them. I think the Browns think Braylon can have a Pro Bowl year and make great contributions to this team. To me, he is a headcase, can't catch, and he probably won't stay past next year, and thats why I advocated for a trade. Since the draft is complete, I guess you have to go with the guys you have.
-I predict that Brady Quinn will be the starting QB of the team opening day. According to Tony Grossi, the Browns rejected 2 trades for Quinn and both these offers included a 1st round pick. The Browns used Quinn as a smokescreen to bait teams into trading up for Mark Sanchez. I like Quinn and I think he can be a good QB in this league.
Cleveland Indians
-This team is in somewhat of a mess. The players held a players only meeting a couple games ago. Our bullpen cannot hold a lead, and when we do get solid pitching, our hitting doesn't come through.
-We need consistency out of our bullpen. Can you name a solid bullpen arm that the Tribe has had this year? Raffy Perez was optioned to AAA, Betancourt has a 4.91 ERA, Kobayashi has a 8.38 ERA, Joe Smith has a 7.11 ERA, and Kerry Wood has an ERA of 6.00.
-Fausto Carmona has continued to struggle this year. He is 1-4 with a 5.57 ERA. He has 25 walks, 25 strikeouts in 42 innings. He is a key to our pitching staff, and if theres any chance of salvaging our season he needs to get his act together.
-Cliff Lee has not been that bad. Yes his record is 2-5, but he has an ERA of 3.00. In 4 of his 5 losses the Indians offense scored a combined 2 runs...
-People are starting to call for Eric Wedge to be let go. I still would give him another 2-3 weeks to see if this team will have any chance at all to make it out of the Central. We are only 6 games back, and we are just a solid winning streak away from climbing in the standings.
Cleveland Cavaliers
-The Cavs have done great in the playoffs so far. They swept the Detroit Pistons in 4 games, and the Atlanta Hawks in 4 games. They won every game by double digits.
-Our defense continues to be impressive as we held the Hawks to 78.5 points per game in the series. We out-rebounded them 44.5 to 30.75.
-LeBron James continues his amazing performance throughout the playoffs, and his shooting touch seems to have been improved. He is averaging almost a point a minute throughout the playoffs.
-If the Cavs play the Celtics, they need to finally knock the defending Champs out. The Magic have a better team but they can't seem to close the envelope. The Cavs must deliver the killer blow to the Celtics and not let them hang around. It will definitely be a grind out series.
-The Cavs need to continue their stout defense and aggressive rebounding if they want to beat the LA Lakers. The Lakers can score 120 points on any given night, but they are an inconsistent team. The Cavs must be focused on boxing out, defending the post, and slowing the tempo down. By doing this, the Cavs will be playing to their strengths of defense, rebounding, and half court offense.
-I still believe the Lakers will beat the Cavs if they play in the Finals. I have written why in earlier blogs. Any other team out of the West, I have the Cavs.
-This upcoming offseason will be big for the Cavs as Wally, Joe Smith, and Anderson will all be free agents. There is a early termination option with Sasha's contract as well. We should have the mid level exception to use, along with millions coming off the books. And did I mention we have 2 draft picks in this years up coming draft?
Well folks this just about does it. With the Cavs on a break for a little bit, the Indians struggling, and the Browns a couple months from training camp, sports talk has been a little slow. It will pick up once the Cavs begin to play again and when we know the direction the Indians are headed. Thanks for reading!
-Raz
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Sunday, April 26, 2009
NFL Draft Review
Boy was I wrong. None of the guys I listed in my last draft were drafted by the Browns. Neither Brady Quinn and Braylon were traded. GM George Kokinis and Head Coach Eric Mangini made a flurry of moves during draft day. We traded our 5th overall pick to the NY Jets for the 17th overall pick, their 2nd round pick, and 3 reserves from the NY Jets. We then traded down two more times to the 21st pick. I was initially shocked and mildly disappointed with our selection of C Alex Mack of California. I thought the Browns should have taken LB Rey Meualuga or LB Clay Matthews, because of our need of LB. The Browns thought otherwise, and all in all I am starting to make some sense of what the Browns did.
1st Round- Alex Mack, C, California- This was a tough pick to understand at first, but it makes some sense. Mack was the best rated C in the draft, he broke his right wrist during the season, and he continued playing with his left hand. He is nasty, tough, strong, hard working, and he is great at anchoring the line. He is a safe pick and can contribute immediately.
2nd Round- Brian Robiskie, WR, Ohio State- This was another head scratching move to me when it initially occurred. With Rey still on the board I thought we should have taken him, but we went with the OSU wideout. I think Robiskie can be a very solid #2 WR in the NFL. He is smart, has great hands, has some speed, and can run routes very well. This means he can contribute immediately and fill our need for a possession receiver. He can fill the role that Joe Jurevicius had (3rd down receiver, reliable hands).
2nd Round- Mohammed Massaqoui, WR, Georgia- By this time, I started to see what the Browns were trying to do. They were concerned about the depth at WR, and they wanted to get 2 good WR's who could contribute quickly. Massaqoui has great height (6'1), great speed, improving hands, a hard worker, elusive, and can go across the middle. He sounds like a good slot reciever, and he will complement the deep threat of Braylon, and the sure hands of Robiskie. He played with #1 overall pick Matt Stafford at Georgia, and he has a lot of experience. I like this pick a lot.
2nd Round- David Veikune, DE, Hawaii- Finnally, the Browns take a DE that they will convert to LB. I liked this pick because Veikune offers good size (6'2 260 lbs.), is a hard worker, has a nasty streak, has quickness, and great strength. He can compete for a LB position in our 3-4 defense. He sounds a little like Rey, which I like...
4th Round- Kaluka Maiava, LB, USC- We took a USC LB, just not one of the ones I listed! Maiava is tough, strong, and fast. His weakness is his lack of height (5'11), and his short arms. Maiava seems like a good candidate to be on our special teams and could see some time on defense during the game.
6th Round- Don Carey, CB, Norfolk State- After addressing our LB and WR problems, we went to shore up our secondary. He is a smart, somewhat quick, and solid tackler in the secondary. He saw time at both S and CB, and he could serve that purpose with the Browns. The only problem I have is his lack of height (5'11), and average leaping ability. He seems like a solid backup for our secondary and could see some time with Mike Adams at S.
6th Round- Coye Francies, CB, San Jose State- Here is an extremely quick athlete, who has pretty good cover skills, but he struggles against the run. He is not that aggressive, and has some character problems (he was kicked off Oregon St. and was arrested on weapons charges in 2007 but they were later dropped). Francies will probably serve as a solid backup, and he adds youth to our secondary.
6th Round- James Davis, RB, Clemson- The Browns decided to go back to offense, and they used their last pick on Davis. I thought getting a RB was important, and good RB's can be found late in the draft. Davis has good vision, good blocker, and hit the hole with authority. His weakness is that he does not have great speed, and he isn't that elusive. Davis sounds like a good workhorse, 3rd down back, and maybe he could develop into a guy who can take 10-12 carries a game. With the aging Jamal Lewis, and the unproven James Harrison, the pick of Davis makes a lot of sense.
The right side of our offensive line is in some trouble with the underachievement of G Rex Hadnot, and the injury problem of T Ryan Tucker. With Mack as our starting C, Hadnot and Hank Fraley can battle for the RG position, and Tucker can play RT (he started one game at RT last year versus the New York Giants, we all know how well that went). John St. Clair and Floyd Womack will provide depth for the line as well. We solidified our line, found an anchor, and we saw how important a good offensive line was to an offense (anyone remember 2007?)
When I actually sit down and think about this draft, it might not have sexy names, but they filled a lot of holes on the roster. We acquired DE Kenyon Coleman, and S Abram Elam, in trading the 5th pick, and both will provide solid depth, as they are familiar with Eric Mangini (they played for him last year). We saved a lot of money by not selecting at the 5th pick, and I didn't feel that there was anyone we could use at the 5th spot. We got an extra 2nd rounder, and we began to use it on our defense.
The 2 LB's we got are quick, strong, tough, and good workers. We got rid of our two slowest LB's (McGinest and Andra Davis), and we are replacing them with strong and fast players. We still have LB's Leon Williams, and Beau Bell to work with, free agent Eric Barton (played with Mangini), along with stud D'Qwell Jackson. If our coaches can develop more moves from Kamerion Wimbley, we could really have an improved LB's corps.
Now I know I spoke highly of Rey Meauluga, but after thinking about it long and reading more scouting reports, I came to notice that he has 3 red flags. Durability, character issues, and inability to drop back in coverage. Rey does not change directions quickly enough, and is not fluid in his movements. He has faced disciplinary action more than once at his time at USC, and he was once arrested on suspicion of battery. He did have a calf and leg problems that he dealt with this past year as well. While I love his "kill em all" attitude, he could be a real wild child, and pose problems for the team. Also, the New England Patriots worked him out numerous times, and they passed on him twice. Remember the Patriots lost Mike Vrabel in the offseason, and they could have used a LB....
Before Saturday could you name our #2 WR? Syndric Steptoe. That scares me a lot right there. I think our need for LB was magnified by the fact that Aaron Curry was in our reach, and we really didn't concentrate on the fact that we needed to replenish the depth at WR after cutting Joe Jurevicius, and the impending legal problems of Donte Stallworth. We added a potential possession and a slot receiver which compliments the vertical threat of Braylon, and our short passing game very well. Both receivers that we drafted are experienced, hard working kids, who can contribute pretty quickly.
The last three picks of the draft addressed our needs at S, RB, and CB, and they will provide good depth for us. All three guys are pretty durable, and have a lot of experience. These guys might not pan out to be Pro Bowlers, but if they serve as solid backups/special teamers, then we will have found good value.
We had 8 draft picks in this draft, and we added a lot of young talent to our team. We won't know how well we did, but I am content with our draft. We filled our needs of LB, WR, CB/S, most of our picks are smart, tough kids, and none of these guys have character concerns except Francies. 2-3 of our picks could be starting for the Browns this year. If I had to grade our draft I would give it a solid B. These guys are starting to sound like "football players"......
Thanks for reading and go Cleveland!
-Raz
1st Round- Alex Mack, C, California- This was a tough pick to understand at first, but it makes some sense. Mack was the best rated C in the draft, he broke his right wrist during the season, and he continued playing with his left hand. He is nasty, tough, strong, hard working, and he is great at anchoring the line. He is a safe pick and can contribute immediately.
2nd Round- Brian Robiskie, WR, Ohio State- This was another head scratching move to me when it initially occurred. With Rey still on the board I thought we should have taken him, but we went with the OSU wideout. I think Robiskie can be a very solid #2 WR in the NFL. He is smart, has great hands, has some speed, and can run routes very well. This means he can contribute immediately and fill our need for a possession receiver. He can fill the role that Joe Jurevicius had (3rd down receiver, reliable hands).
2nd Round- Mohammed Massaqoui, WR, Georgia- By this time, I started to see what the Browns were trying to do. They were concerned about the depth at WR, and they wanted to get 2 good WR's who could contribute quickly. Massaqoui has great height (6'1), great speed, improving hands, a hard worker, elusive, and can go across the middle. He sounds like a good slot reciever, and he will complement the deep threat of Braylon, and the sure hands of Robiskie. He played with #1 overall pick Matt Stafford at Georgia, and he has a lot of experience. I like this pick a lot.
2nd Round- David Veikune, DE, Hawaii- Finnally, the Browns take a DE that they will convert to LB. I liked this pick because Veikune offers good size (6'2 260 lbs.), is a hard worker, has a nasty streak, has quickness, and great strength. He can compete for a LB position in our 3-4 defense. He sounds a little like Rey, which I like...
4th Round- Kaluka Maiava, LB, USC- We took a USC LB, just not one of the ones I listed! Maiava is tough, strong, and fast. His weakness is his lack of height (5'11), and his short arms. Maiava seems like a good candidate to be on our special teams and could see some time on defense during the game.
6th Round- Don Carey, CB, Norfolk State- After addressing our LB and WR problems, we went to shore up our secondary. He is a smart, somewhat quick, and solid tackler in the secondary. He saw time at both S and CB, and he could serve that purpose with the Browns. The only problem I have is his lack of height (5'11), and average leaping ability. He seems like a solid backup for our secondary and could see some time with Mike Adams at S.
6th Round- Coye Francies, CB, San Jose State- Here is an extremely quick athlete, who has pretty good cover skills, but he struggles against the run. He is not that aggressive, and has some character problems (he was kicked off Oregon St. and was arrested on weapons charges in 2007 but they were later dropped). Francies will probably serve as a solid backup, and he adds youth to our secondary.
6th Round- James Davis, RB, Clemson- The Browns decided to go back to offense, and they used their last pick on Davis. I thought getting a RB was important, and good RB's can be found late in the draft. Davis has good vision, good blocker, and hit the hole with authority. His weakness is that he does not have great speed, and he isn't that elusive. Davis sounds like a good workhorse, 3rd down back, and maybe he could develop into a guy who can take 10-12 carries a game. With the aging Jamal Lewis, and the unproven James Harrison, the pick of Davis makes a lot of sense.
The right side of our offensive line is in some trouble with the underachievement of G Rex Hadnot, and the injury problem of T Ryan Tucker. With Mack as our starting C, Hadnot and Hank Fraley can battle for the RG position, and Tucker can play RT (he started one game at RT last year versus the New York Giants, we all know how well that went). John St. Clair and Floyd Womack will provide depth for the line as well. We solidified our line, found an anchor, and we saw how important a good offensive line was to an offense (anyone remember 2007?)
When I actually sit down and think about this draft, it might not have sexy names, but they filled a lot of holes on the roster. We acquired DE Kenyon Coleman, and S Abram Elam, in trading the 5th pick, and both will provide solid depth, as they are familiar with Eric Mangini (they played for him last year). We saved a lot of money by not selecting at the 5th pick, and I didn't feel that there was anyone we could use at the 5th spot. We got an extra 2nd rounder, and we began to use it on our defense.
The 2 LB's we got are quick, strong, tough, and good workers. We got rid of our two slowest LB's (McGinest and Andra Davis), and we are replacing them with strong and fast players. We still have LB's Leon Williams, and Beau Bell to work with, free agent Eric Barton (played with Mangini), along with stud D'Qwell Jackson. If our coaches can develop more moves from Kamerion Wimbley, we could really have an improved LB's corps.
Now I know I spoke highly of Rey Meauluga, but after thinking about it long and reading more scouting reports, I came to notice that he has 3 red flags. Durability, character issues, and inability to drop back in coverage. Rey does not change directions quickly enough, and is not fluid in his movements. He has faced disciplinary action more than once at his time at USC, and he was once arrested on suspicion of battery. He did have a calf and leg problems that he dealt with this past year as well. While I love his "kill em all" attitude, he could be a real wild child, and pose problems for the team. Also, the New England Patriots worked him out numerous times, and they passed on him twice. Remember the Patriots lost Mike Vrabel in the offseason, and they could have used a LB....
Before Saturday could you name our #2 WR? Syndric Steptoe. That scares me a lot right there. I think our need for LB was magnified by the fact that Aaron Curry was in our reach, and we really didn't concentrate on the fact that we needed to replenish the depth at WR after cutting Joe Jurevicius, and the impending legal problems of Donte Stallworth. We added a potential possession and a slot receiver which compliments the vertical threat of Braylon, and our short passing game very well. Both receivers that we drafted are experienced, hard working kids, who can contribute pretty quickly.
The last three picks of the draft addressed our needs at S, RB, and CB, and they will provide good depth for us. All three guys are pretty durable, and have a lot of experience. These guys might not pan out to be Pro Bowlers, but if they serve as solid backups/special teamers, then we will have found good value.
We had 8 draft picks in this draft, and we added a lot of young talent to our team. We won't know how well we did, but I am content with our draft. We filled our needs of LB, WR, CB/S, most of our picks are smart, tough kids, and none of these guys have character concerns except Francies. 2-3 of our picks could be starting for the Browns this year. If I had to grade our draft I would give it a solid B. These guys are starting to sound like "football players"......
Thanks for reading and go Cleveland!
-Raz
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
NFL Draft Preview
Hello everyone. I am going to dedicate most of my thoughts today to the upcoming NFL Draft that will take place this Saturday. As most of you know, the new regime of Eric Mangini and George Kokinis have kept the lid shut on what their plans are for the draft. My friend and I have a subscription to the Orange and Brown report, and these guys really give out great bits of information. What I will right today will be facts I have heard from these guys, and my own opinion of what I think could happen. Here we go:
The Browns hold the 5th pick in the NFL Draft. This draft does not have any star power names in it, but there is a lot of depth with good players. The Browns probably feel that the money they will be paying the 5th overall pick is not worth the skill set they are drafting. Not many teams are looking to trade up, and I feel that the Browns if given the opportunity would definitely trade down. With this said in mind, the Browns have shown "genuine" interest in USC QB Mark Sanchez. This is why you hear so many trade rumors about QB Brady Quinn. Quinn fits in with the short passing game that Eric Mangini uses, so why would he trade him. He hasn't seen much of Quinn, so whats the point of drafting Sanchez? Your better off drafting someone else or trading down than getting a QB. Why are the Browns showing interest in Sanchez? I believe that they are trying to bait a team to trade up for their pick. Will it work? Who knows, but I would be shocked if we drafted Mark Sanchez.....
The player that the Browns want the most is LB Aaron Curry. He is a tough linebacker who makes all the tackles, and has can play the run well. He is intelligent, has great character, and he won the Butkus Award (best linebacker) his senior year. He will fit our need at LB. The problem is he will probably be gone by the time we pick (the Chiefs will probably take him at #3). IF Curry is there at #5, the Browns will draft him for sure. Now if this happens, should we still trade Braylon? Yes we should, if you can get a 1st, 3rd, and a WR for him do it. He said when he got drafted that he really didn't want to play here, last year he said he didn't feel liked here (catch a pass, it might help you), and he is in the last year of a contract. There are several good WR's in this draft that will be available in the latter part of the first round (Harvin, Maclin, Nicks, Britt). Now if Curry isn't there, and Sanchez isn't a possibility who do the Browns take? Here are some names we could take at the 5th pick:
Michael Crabtree, WR Texas Tech- I think the only way we draft this guy is if we trade Braylon. Many reports have surfaced that the Browns do have a deal in place for Braylon (1st and 3rd and player from Giants), but the guys at the Orange and Brown Report can't confirm this. If Curry is gone, and the Browns can't trade down a few picks, I expect that the Browns will have the Giants on speed dial, and work out a trade. Crabtree might not be as fast as Edwards, but he runs routes much better, is a team leader, and has great hands. These are all qualities Edwards lacks, and it would be a great fit for our shorter passing style.
Brian Orakpo, DE/LB Texas- I like Orakpo as a defensive end, but as a linebacker I am somewhat scared. He is an incredibly strong guy, fast, elusive, and a hard worker. The problem with Orakpo is that he will be converting from DE to LB, and we know how well that has worked out for Kamerion Wimbley. I read a scouting report on Orakpo on the Orange and Brown Report, and they are also somewhat skeptical of him. Apparently his stats were padded at Texas as they recorded more QB pressures than he deserved. They believe he will be a good DE, but he might struggle at the point of attack as a LB, and might not be able to develop pass rushing moves. The Browns biggest need is a pass rushing LB, and if Orakpo struggles at the point of attack, he doesn't sound like a fit. A lot of mock drafts have Orakpo going to the Browns, but this is because we have a need for LB. He isn't worth the 5th pick, especially since he is such a high risk, and this is why I believe the Browns are trying to trade down and get LB who fits their needs.
Eugene Monroe, OT Virginia- Now this pick would have a lot of Browns fans scratching their heads and mad. I would be happy with this pick because we have a very weak right side of our offensive line. Monroe has great size 6'5 310 lbs, who is agile, can protect the QB, hard worker, and is a very smart player. We saw in 2007 how important an offensive line could be to a team. Monroe would play RT for the Browns and fill in for the released Kevin Shaffer. He would help solidify our offensive line for the next 5-10 years with Joe Thomas on the left side. This pick seems unlikely, but we all saw the effect that Joe Thomas has had on our offensive line.
Now if we trade down, or trade Braylon for a draft pick later in the first round, here are some names to consider:
Rey Maualuga, LB, USC- I would love to have this guy on our team. He has good size (6'1 260 lbs.), speed, and just wants to kill opposing offenses. The Browns need scary guys like this on our defense. He should be available from picks 6-20. He would fit our need of LB, and bring some serious toughness to our defense.
Clay Matthews III, LB, USC- This is another LB I would love to have. He has amazing size for a 3-4 defense (6'4 240 lbs.). He has a motor that never stops, a nasty demeanor, good lineage (father player for the Browns), and is very tough. Again he fits a need, and he should be available near the end of the 1st round.
Brian Cushing, LB, USC- Another USC LB could be a possibility for the Browns. Out of all of the USC LB's, I am the most skeptical of Cushing. He has good size (6'2 243 lbs.), was productive at USC, is very strong, and tough. The problem with Cushing is that he is injury prone, and not that fast. We need a quick LB to attack the QB.
Robert Ayers, DE, Tennessee- Ayers might be a DE, but he could transfer to a LB in a 3-4 defense because he is great at the point of attack, is good in pursuit, great tackler, and can shed blocks. He checks out as a good character, and he too should be available later in the first round. I would like this pick as well.
Everette Brown, DE, Florida St.- This guy on the surface might look like another Kamerion Wimbley, but if you take a closer look he might actually be a good fit. He has a wide variety of moves, very athletic, fast, tough worker, strong, and can close in on the QB quickly. Again, he should be available in the middle of the first round. I would rather have the three guys I listed above, but Brown would be a pretty good fit as well.
Jeremy Maclin, WR, Missouri- If we trade Braylon, and we take Curry at #5, this is the guy we could draft with the 1st rounder we would get with Braylon. He has great speed, good hands, and great upside. He is a threat anytime he touches the ball, and he would give our offense much energy. He can be used as a special teams guy, and he is versatile. I like Maclin, but only if we get a LB before him. Also, a knock on Maclin is that he might not fit with our short passing game, since he is better at running deep routes.
Hakeem Nicks, WR, UNC- Again, Nicks would be the guy we draft with the first round pick if Braylon is traded. He has good size (6'0), great hands, runs routes very well, tough, runs across the middle of the field, and is a team player. He would be a fit for our offensive passing game as well. He should be available in the end of the first round. Hicks would be a great pick, and I like him a little more than Maclin
Louis Delmas, S, Western Michigan- He would help fit the need of the departed S Sean Jones. He is tough, good in coverage, physical, productive, and a great team leader. The Browns could use an enforcer type safety, and he would be a good fit. Delmas should be available at the end of the first, beginning of the second round. I would like Delmas a lot because if you think about it, Mike Adams is our starting safety right now......
Again, not a lot of information has been released, and I am trying to be logical in who the Browns might take. There are a lot of "if's" in this draft. There will be some sort of activity going on, and I am excited to see what will happen. If I had to make a prediction, I say we end up trading Braylon, drafting Crabtree, and either Maualuga/Matthews/Ayers/Brown/Cushing with the other 1st round pick we acquire. Well I know this is a lot of information, but I hope it made you a little less confused on what the Browns could do.
Notes
-Congrats to Mike Brown for winning 2009 NBA Coach of the Year. He has done a great job trusting his assistants (Chris Jent, John Kuester), and his players.
-The Cavs looked very good in Game 1, and they should continue their dominance over the Pistons. People should appreciate the fact that the Pistons have gone to the Eastern Conference Finals for the past 6 years. They are one of the few teams to win a championship without a superstar player.
-I hope Ben Wallace's leg continues to improve, because his inside presence will be huge in the coming rounds. We need his defense and rebounding to combat the Dwight Howard's, Al Horford's, Pau Gasol's, and Andrew Bynum's. Our front line is going to be key in the playoffs.
-The Indians seem to be improving a little bit, and their offense is seeming to click. They scored 22 runs on the Yankees on Saturday.
-The bullpen is a big concern of mine as Jensen Lewis (8.10 ERA), and Rafael Perez (16.71 ERA) seem to be lost. Its sad that the Carl Pavano pitches well against his former team, but the bullpen blows it.
-Jon Meloan is was acquired in the Casey Blake deal, and has a 4.32 ERA in the minor leagues. Maybe its time we give him a try.
-Cliff Lee rebounded well after his 2 horrible starts. He seems to have better command, and is getting ahead in the count early.
-Travis Hafner continues to be steady as he is batting .286 with 4 homers and 8 RBI's. If he continues this, our offense will be much more potent and stable.
Well folks, thats about it. Thanks for reading and go Cleveland!
The Browns hold the 5th pick in the NFL Draft. This draft does not have any star power names in it, but there is a lot of depth with good players. The Browns probably feel that the money they will be paying the 5th overall pick is not worth the skill set they are drafting. Not many teams are looking to trade up, and I feel that the Browns if given the opportunity would definitely trade down. With this said in mind, the Browns have shown "genuine" interest in USC QB Mark Sanchez. This is why you hear so many trade rumors about QB Brady Quinn. Quinn fits in with the short passing game that Eric Mangini uses, so why would he trade him. He hasn't seen much of Quinn, so whats the point of drafting Sanchez? Your better off drafting someone else or trading down than getting a QB. Why are the Browns showing interest in Sanchez? I believe that they are trying to bait a team to trade up for their pick. Will it work? Who knows, but I would be shocked if we drafted Mark Sanchez.....
The player that the Browns want the most is LB Aaron Curry. He is a tough linebacker who makes all the tackles, and has can play the run well. He is intelligent, has great character, and he won the Butkus Award (best linebacker) his senior year. He will fit our need at LB. The problem is he will probably be gone by the time we pick (the Chiefs will probably take him at #3). IF Curry is there at #5, the Browns will draft him for sure. Now if this happens, should we still trade Braylon? Yes we should, if you can get a 1st, 3rd, and a WR for him do it. He said when he got drafted that he really didn't want to play here, last year he said he didn't feel liked here (catch a pass, it might help you), and he is in the last year of a contract. There are several good WR's in this draft that will be available in the latter part of the first round (Harvin, Maclin, Nicks, Britt). Now if Curry isn't there, and Sanchez isn't a possibility who do the Browns take? Here are some names we could take at the 5th pick:
Michael Crabtree, WR Texas Tech- I think the only way we draft this guy is if we trade Braylon. Many reports have surfaced that the Browns do have a deal in place for Braylon (1st and 3rd and player from Giants), but the guys at the Orange and Brown Report can't confirm this. If Curry is gone, and the Browns can't trade down a few picks, I expect that the Browns will have the Giants on speed dial, and work out a trade. Crabtree might not be as fast as Edwards, but he runs routes much better, is a team leader, and has great hands. These are all qualities Edwards lacks, and it would be a great fit for our shorter passing style.
Brian Orakpo, DE/LB Texas- I like Orakpo as a defensive end, but as a linebacker I am somewhat scared. He is an incredibly strong guy, fast, elusive, and a hard worker. The problem with Orakpo is that he will be converting from DE to LB, and we know how well that has worked out for Kamerion Wimbley. I read a scouting report on Orakpo on the Orange and Brown Report, and they are also somewhat skeptical of him. Apparently his stats were padded at Texas as they recorded more QB pressures than he deserved. They believe he will be a good DE, but he might struggle at the point of attack as a LB, and might not be able to develop pass rushing moves. The Browns biggest need is a pass rushing LB, and if Orakpo struggles at the point of attack, he doesn't sound like a fit. A lot of mock drafts have Orakpo going to the Browns, but this is because we have a need for LB. He isn't worth the 5th pick, especially since he is such a high risk, and this is why I believe the Browns are trying to trade down and get LB who fits their needs.
Eugene Monroe, OT Virginia- Now this pick would have a lot of Browns fans scratching their heads and mad. I would be happy with this pick because we have a very weak right side of our offensive line. Monroe has great size 6'5 310 lbs, who is agile, can protect the QB, hard worker, and is a very smart player. We saw in 2007 how important an offensive line could be to a team. Monroe would play RT for the Browns and fill in for the released Kevin Shaffer. He would help solidify our offensive line for the next 5-10 years with Joe Thomas on the left side. This pick seems unlikely, but we all saw the effect that Joe Thomas has had on our offensive line.
Now if we trade down, or trade Braylon for a draft pick later in the first round, here are some names to consider:
Rey Maualuga, LB, USC- I would love to have this guy on our team. He has good size (6'1 260 lbs.), speed, and just wants to kill opposing offenses. The Browns need scary guys like this on our defense. He should be available from picks 6-20. He would fit our need of LB, and bring some serious toughness to our defense.
Clay Matthews III, LB, USC- This is another LB I would love to have. He has amazing size for a 3-4 defense (6'4 240 lbs.). He has a motor that never stops, a nasty demeanor, good lineage (father player for the Browns), and is very tough. Again he fits a need, and he should be available near the end of the 1st round.
Brian Cushing, LB, USC- Another USC LB could be a possibility for the Browns. Out of all of the USC LB's, I am the most skeptical of Cushing. He has good size (6'2 243 lbs.), was productive at USC, is very strong, and tough. The problem with Cushing is that he is injury prone, and not that fast. We need a quick LB to attack the QB.
Robert Ayers, DE, Tennessee- Ayers might be a DE, but he could transfer to a LB in a 3-4 defense because he is great at the point of attack, is good in pursuit, great tackler, and can shed blocks. He checks out as a good character, and he too should be available later in the first round. I would like this pick as well.
Everette Brown, DE, Florida St.- This guy on the surface might look like another Kamerion Wimbley, but if you take a closer look he might actually be a good fit. He has a wide variety of moves, very athletic, fast, tough worker, strong, and can close in on the QB quickly. Again, he should be available in the middle of the first round. I would rather have the three guys I listed above, but Brown would be a pretty good fit as well.
Jeremy Maclin, WR, Missouri- If we trade Braylon, and we take Curry at #5, this is the guy we could draft with the 1st rounder we would get with Braylon. He has great speed, good hands, and great upside. He is a threat anytime he touches the ball, and he would give our offense much energy. He can be used as a special teams guy, and he is versatile. I like Maclin, but only if we get a LB before him. Also, a knock on Maclin is that he might not fit with our short passing game, since he is better at running deep routes.
Hakeem Nicks, WR, UNC- Again, Nicks would be the guy we draft with the first round pick if Braylon is traded. He has good size (6'0), great hands, runs routes very well, tough, runs across the middle of the field, and is a team player. He would be a fit for our offensive passing game as well. He should be available in the end of the first round. Hicks would be a great pick, and I like him a little more than Maclin
Louis Delmas, S, Western Michigan- He would help fit the need of the departed S Sean Jones. He is tough, good in coverage, physical, productive, and a great team leader. The Browns could use an enforcer type safety, and he would be a good fit. Delmas should be available at the end of the first, beginning of the second round. I would like Delmas a lot because if you think about it, Mike Adams is our starting safety right now......
Again, not a lot of information has been released, and I am trying to be logical in who the Browns might take. There are a lot of "if's" in this draft. There will be some sort of activity going on, and I am excited to see what will happen. If I had to make a prediction, I say we end up trading Braylon, drafting Crabtree, and either Maualuga/Matthews/Ayers/Brown/Cushing with the other 1st round pick we acquire. Well I know this is a lot of information, but I hope it made you a little less confused on what the Browns could do.
Notes
-Congrats to Mike Brown for winning 2009 NBA Coach of the Year. He has done a great job trusting his assistants (Chris Jent, John Kuester), and his players.
-The Cavs looked very good in Game 1, and they should continue their dominance over the Pistons. People should appreciate the fact that the Pistons have gone to the Eastern Conference Finals for the past 6 years. They are one of the few teams to win a championship without a superstar player.
-I hope Ben Wallace's leg continues to improve, because his inside presence will be huge in the coming rounds. We need his defense and rebounding to combat the Dwight Howard's, Al Horford's, Pau Gasol's, and Andrew Bynum's. Our front line is going to be key in the playoffs.
-The Indians seem to be improving a little bit, and their offense is seeming to click. They scored 22 runs on the Yankees on Saturday.
-The bullpen is a big concern of mine as Jensen Lewis (8.10 ERA), and Rafael Perez (16.71 ERA) seem to be lost. Its sad that the Carl Pavano pitches well against his former team, but the bullpen blows it.
-Jon Meloan is was acquired in the Casey Blake deal, and has a 4.32 ERA in the minor leagues. Maybe its time we give him a try.
-Cliff Lee rebounded well after his 2 horrible starts. He seems to have better command, and is getting ahead in the count early.
-Travis Hafner continues to be steady as he is batting .286 with 4 homers and 8 RBI's. If he continues this, our offense will be much more potent and stable.
Well folks, thats about it. Thanks for reading and go Cleveland!
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
16 More Wins
Hello everyone. Here are some of my quick thoughts.
Cleveland Indians
-Man this team has gotten off to a bad start. 1-7 won't cut it. Pitching has really killed us as we have allowed an average of 8 runs a game. Cliff Lee has struggled to find his command as he is 0-2 with a 9.90 ERA, Fausto is 0-2 with a 9.00 ERA, and Scott Lewis is on the DL.
-Travis Hafner has looked somewhat good so far, he has hit 3 HR and 6 RBI already. He looks like he cut some weight, and his swing is starting to come back. He is vital to our teams success.
-We need to get some legitimate starters in our rotation. Carl Pavano just isn't going to cut it, Lewis is hurt, and Reyes (your 5th starter) has the teams only win. Compare our pitching to the Rays rotation: Matt Garza, Andy Sonnanstine, James Shields, Scott Kazmir, and David Price. Look at the Red Sox: Dice K, Lester, Beckett, Bucholz, and Brad Penny. Yanks have CC, Burnett, Wang, and Pettitte. Do you really think our rotation matches up with these guys?
-Our hitting really hasn't been too big of a problem. I am excited to see some of our youngsters come up at play in the coming months.
-Eric Wedge's leash is starting to become tight, and he needs to start winning if he wants to keep his job. One year he has a good season, the next a bad one, this team flip flops too much. We need consistency, and our team is too good to be 1-7. This team has great potential, and they need to start playing like men.
Cleveland Browns
-I really have no idea what the Browns are going to do in the upcoming draft. They want "football players", I am not sure what you mean by that.
-At the #5 pick, we can go any different direction. WR Michael Crabtree, QB Mark Sanchez, LB Aaron Curry, OT Jason Smith, OT Eugene Monroe DE/LB Brian Orakpo are all names that have been mentioned.
-I think the Browns are trying to bait a team to trade for the #5 pick. I don't really believe LB Aaron Curry will be there, neither will OT Jason Smith, Orakpo isn't worth the 5th pick, if we don't trade Edwards we have no need for Crabtree. Where do we go?
-I believe the Browns want to trade down, and collect more draft picks. They don't want to pay a player #5 money, especially if that player does not fit a need. If we do trade down, pay attention to these names: DE Robert Ayers, OT Michael Oher, S Louis Delmas, LB's Rey Meualuga, Clay Matthews, and Brian Cushing and WR Jeremy Maclin. These are all guys that the Browns have brought in for workouts.
-The Browns should keep Brady Quinn. We haven't really seen much out of him, and I want to see him for a whole season before we trade him. He fits our short passing style very well, he is a competitor, and he doesn't make dumb mistakes.
-If the Browns are offered a 1st and 3rd for Braylon, they should trade him. He is unhappy here, he is in the final year of his contract, and he cannot catch a pass. We aren't going to be Super Bowl contenders, so you might as well trade away an unhappy player. Should we trade him, we should use our 5th pick on Crabtree, and depending on where the 1st round pick is, draft the best available LB or S. After that, go after an OT, S, RB, and LB.
-I will give a more extensive preview on the draft in a future blog.
Cleveland Cavaliers
-Congrats on getting homecourt gentlemen. It has been truly a great season, and we are 16 post- season wins away from a championship. If we don't win a championship, the season means nothing. LeBron talking about the heartbreaks we've had in Cleveland, and how it motivates the team is just awesome.
-Detroit will be a tough opponent in the first round, but I think we can handle them. PD's Brian Windhorst made a good point in that they have a rookie head coach in Michael Curry, crumbling team chemistry, no main scorer, and they run a very simple offense. The Pistons fell apart yesterday at home versus the Bulls. They needed to win that game to avoid playing the Cavs, and they didn't make it happen.
-According to RCF insiders, Ben Wallace should be ready for the playoffs this weekend. He is vital in our success, as he will give us a tough interior presence with our 2nd unit. When he came back, Wallace looked like he had fresh legs. He meshes will with the smooth inside/outside game of Joe Smith.
-The Cavs need to win game 1 at the Q, and game 3 in the Palace. By winning the first game, you establish yourself in the series, and its hard for a visiting team to win game 2. If you win the first away game, then the Pistons will just fold in game 4. My prediction Cavs in 5.
-This is going to be a very tough playoff run. We have to beat Detroit, Hawks/Heat, Celtics, and Lakers 4 times each to win the championship. My hope is the Lakers will get upset in the West, and the Cavs propel themselves to a championship against a weaker team (Nuggets).
-If the Cavs win every post season home game, we win a championship, its that simple.
We have a very exciting month coming up with the Browns draft, the Indians season in full swing, and the Cavs playoff run. I will do a Browns draft preview, some more Indians talk, and Cavs playoff thoughts. Thanks again for reading and go Cleveland!
-Raz
Cleveland Indians
-Man this team has gotten off to a bad start. 1-7 won't cut it. Pitching has really killed us as we have allowed an average of 8 runs a game. Cliff Lee has struggled to find his command as he is 0-2 with a 9.90 ERA, Fausto is 0-2 with a 9.00 ERA, and Scott Lewis is on the DL.
-Travis Hafner has looked somewhat good so far, he has hit 3 HR and 6 RBI already. He looks like he cut some weight, and his swing is starting to come back. He is vital to our teams success.
-We need to get some legitimate starters in our rotation. Carl Pavano just isn't going to cut it, Lewis is hurt, and Reyes (your 5th starter) has the teams only win. Compare our pitching to the Rays rotation: Matt Garza, Andy Sonnanstine, James Shields, Scott Kazmir, and David Price. Look at the Red Sox: Dice K, Lester, Beckett, Bucholz, and Brad Penny. Yanks have CC, Burnett, Wang, and Pettitte. Do you really think our rotation matches up with these guys?
-Our hitting really hasn't been too big of a problem. I am excited to see some of our youngsters come up at play in the coming months.
-Eric Wedge's leash is starting to become tight, and he needs to start winning if he wants to keep his job. One year he has a good season, the next a bad one, this team flip flops too much. We need consistency, and our team is too good to be 1-7. This team has great potential, and they need to start playing like men.
Cleveland Browns
-I really have no idea what the Browns are going to do in the upcoming draft. They want "football players", I am not sure what you mean by that.
-At the #5 pick, we can go any different direction. WR Michael Crabtree, QB Mark Sanchez, LB Aaron Curry, OT Jason Smith, OT Eugene Monroe DE/LB Brian Orakpo are all names that have been mentioned.
-I think the Browns are trying to bait a team to trade for the #5 pick. I don't really believe LB Aaron Curry will be there, neither will OT Jason Smith, Orakpo isn't worth the 5th pick, if we don't trade Edwards we have no need for Crabtree. Where do we go?
-I believe the Browns want to trade down, and collect more draft picks. They don't want to pay a player #5 money, especially if that player does not fit a need. If we do trade down, pay attention to these names: DE Robert Ayers, OT Michael Oher, S Louis Delmas, LB's Rey Meualuga, Clay Matthews, and Brian Cushing and WR Jeremy Maclin. These are all guys that the Browns have brought in for workouts.
-The Browns should keep Brady Quinn. We haven't really seen much out of him, and I want to see him for a whole season before we trade him. He fits our short passing style very well, he is a competitor, and he doesn't make dumb mistakes.
-If the Browns are offered a 1st and 3rd for Braylon, they should trade him. He is unhappy here, he is in the final year of his contract, and he cannot catch a pass. We aren't going to be Super Bowl contenders, so you might as well trade away an unhappy player. Should we trade him, we should use our 5th pick on Crabtree, and depending on where the 1st round pick is, draft the best available LB or S. After that, go after an OT, S, RB, and LB.
-I will give a more extensive preview on the draft in a future blog.
Cleveland Cavaliers
-Congrats on getting homecourt gentlemen. It has been truly a great season, and we are 16 post- season wins away from a championship. If we don't win a championship, the season means nothing. LeBron talking about the heartbreaks we've had in Cleveland, and how it motivates the team is just awesome.
-Detroit will be a tough opponent in the first round, but I think we can handle them. PD's Brian Windhorst made a good point in that they have a rookie head coach in Michael Curry, crumbling team chemistry, no main scorer, and they run a very simple offense. The Pistons fell apart yesterday at home versus the Bulls. They needed to win that game to avoid playing the Cavs, and they didn't make it happen.
-According to RCF insiders, Ben Wallace should be ready for the playoffs this weekend. He is vital in our success, as he will give us a tough interior presence with our 2nd unit. When he came back, Wallace looked like he had fresh legs. He meshes will with the smooth inside/outside game of Joe Smith.
-The Cavs need to win game 1 at the Q, and game 3 in the Palace. By winning the first game, you establish yourself in the series, and its hard for a visiting team to win game 2. If you win the first away game, then the Pistons will just fold in game 4. My prediction Cavs in 5.
-This is going to be a very tough playoff run. We have to beat Detroit, Hawks/Heat, Celtics, and Lakers 4 times each to win the championship. My hope is the Lakers will get upset in the West, and the Cavs propel themselves to a championship against a weaker team (Nuggets).
-If the Cavs win every post season home game, we win a championship, its that simple.
We have a very exciting month coming up with the Browns draft, the Indians season in full swing, and the Cavs playoff run. I will do a Browns draft preview, some more Indians talk, and Cavs playoff thoughts. Thanks again for reading and go Cleveland!
-Raz
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
End of the Month
It has been a long time since I last wrote. Here are some thoughts...
CSU Basketball
-I am very proud of these guys. They shocked the world by beating 4th ranked Wake Forest. The Vikings did not back down at all during the game, they hit clutch 3's, and they fought the entire game. Cedric Jackson's alley oop is still one of the best plays of the tournament. He made Wake Forest PG Jeff Teague look stupid.
-For their second game, the Vikings did not play well at all. They couldn't hit the 3, as they were 1/15 at one point. Arizona has 3 great players in PF Jordan Hill, PG Nic Wise, and SG/SF Chase Budinger. We looked very scared, and tentative during the game, and we were playing from behind the whole time.
-Even though CSU is losing bigmen George Tandy, Chris Moore, J'Nathon Bullock (who is trying out for the NFL Draft), and guard Cedric Jackson, this team has a lot to look forward to. Guards Tre Harmon, Jeremy Montgomery, Norris Cole form a solid core of guards. D'Aundrey Brown will return to play forward, and the team has 6'8 270 lb. PF Aaron Pogue (sat out this year) waiting to play. 6'9 C Kevin Anderson will be transferring from Juco, and the team signed Shaker Heights PG Anthony Wells. While CSU will have its growing pains next year, the future is bright.
Cleveland Indians
-I haven't written about the Tribe in a little while. I really feel like this team can be a sleeper team, and take the Central division. As long as Kerry Wood stays healthy, our bullpen will be very solid. Add Jensen Lewis, Joe Smith, Rafael Perez to the mix, and you have 4 dependable, good arms. Rafael Betancourt is due to make a comeback, and Masa Kobayashi can give a few solid innings.
-Mark DeRosa will make a big difference at third base. He adds a solid bat to this lineup, and if we can get Travis Hafner to 60% of what he used to be, the Indians will have a lethal lineup. Sizemore, Choo, Martinez, Shoppach, DeRosa, Peralta can all hit. We also have Michael Brantley, Matt LaPorta waiting in the outfield, and Carlos Santana waiting to play catcher. Add in the fact that Ben Francisco had a solid first half before burning out after the All Star Break, and you have an Indians lineup could be more dangerous that people believe.
-The biggest concern I have is our rotation. Its ironic that our rotation was our strong point last year, but now it is a weakness. We can't expect a 20+ win season from Cliff Lee, we don't know if Carmona can come back fully healthy, Carl Pavano has been inconsistent and injured throughout his career, Scott Lewis has been rocked in spring training (he gave up 10 runs in his last outing), and Anthony Reyes is still a question mark from last year (he has had a good spring training, 0.77 ERA). The best case scenario is Pavano stays healthy, Lee stays consistent, Carmona regains his form, Scott Lewis gets a grip, and Anthony Reyes gives us 6-7 solid innings an outing. This is a lot to ask for, but we will have to see.
Cleveland Browns
-With the Jay Cutler debacle in front of us (Broncos tried to trade him for Matt Cassell, now he is upset), many insiders including John Clayton have said that if a trade does happen for Cutler, Cleveland will have to be involved. This is because we have 2 QB's available in Brady Quinn and Derek Anderson. I would rather see Derek Anderson get traded because I believe Quinn has a higher upside, and will fit our short passing game offense much better. Quinn does not have as much experience, and I think we should let him play more.
-The issue of trading Braylon Edwards has come about, and if we can get 2 high draft picks (2nd and a 4th) along with a player, I am all for it. This would give a lot of picks day one of the draft, and allow us to rebuild this team. Braylon does not seem happy here (he went to Michigan), he can't catch, and his contract is up after this year. If he doesn't seem apt to staying here, trade him while you can. There was an offer reported by Orange and Brown Report that the Browns were offered the 2nd, and 5th pick from the Giants (New Orleans picks, Jeremy Shockey trade) and Dominix Hixon for Braylon. The Browns want WR Steve Smith from the Giants instead, and it hasn't worked out. With the Plaxico Burress mess still in form, look for this conversation to be revisited soon.
-I like the approach that Mangini is taking, he isn't going out and blowing all of our cap space on big name free agents. Look at all the bonuses that were due earlier this month (Donte Stallworth, Corey Williams, Shaun Rogers, Derek Anderson, Kevin Shaffer). Instead of spending, he is trying to find guys who fit his system through free agency, and building the team through the draft. I really believe Braylon, DA/Quinn will be traded for draft picks and young players. He wants guys who will play the game his way, and be responsible for themselves.
-If LB Aaron Curry does not fall to us at the 5th pick, and we cannot trade down, the Browns should select DE/LB Brian Orakpo. He has incredible strength, speed, productivity, and he is a hard worker. With the next 3 picks (2 in the 2nd rd and one in 3rd) we should go after a S, RB, WR. We need a S to help offset the Sean Jones loss, a RB to groom behind Jamal Lewis, and if Braylon is traded, we have to use one of our first three picks on a WR. Draft Day this year should be pretty busy.....
Cleveland Cavs
-The Cavs won their 13th straight game versus the Detroit Pistons tonight. We are 3 games ahead of the Lakers for the best record in the league, and 5 1/2 games ahead of Boston and Orlando for the top seed in the Eastern Conference. Home court is so important to us, as we have lost just 1 game at the Q all year. Without homecourt, I don't think we can get to the NBA Finals.
-LeBron James is inching closer and closer to winning his first MVP. The Cavs own the best record in the NBA, and LeBron is averaging 28, 7 and 7 this year. D Wade is great, but his team has only 39 wins, and he shoulders the load on his team. His season reminds me a lot of what LeBron did last year. LeBron lead the NBA in scoring last year with 30 ppg, 8 rebounds and 7 assists last year. Last years Cavs team only won 46 games. D Wade has 30 ppg, 5 rebounds and 7 assists a game this year. Remember, LeBron finished 4th in MVP voting last year....
-Kobe Bryant should be considered as well, but his numbers are down just a little bit from last year (he is scoring 1 less point, and 1 less rebound per game than last year). His team is doing very well (58 wins), but he has a lot of support from Pau Gasol and Lamar Odom. Many analysts believe that that he won the MVP award last year as a lifetime achievement award. They wanted to make sure he got the MVP, to justify the fact he has been the best player in the NBA for the past few years. Once he gets Andrew Bynum back, he will have to carry the team even less.
-The stars are aligning for the Cavs this year, as we will be getting Ben Wallace back soon, we acquired Joe Smith and he has played well for the Cavs. Kevin Garnett will not be playing for the next 4 games as his knee is still bothering him, Andrew Bynum will be returning from the Playboy Mansion to play soon, the Magic lost PG Jameer Nelson for the season, and the Spurs are dealing with the nagging injuries of Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobli. I still believe that if the Cavs go to the Finals with homecourt versus the Lakers, they still will not win. The Lakers have great outside shooters, size downlow, and Kobe Bryant. This will be hard to handle in a 7 game series. The Cavs will need another game 5 performance from LeBron to win it all this year. This could be a special year for this team.....
Thats all folks. Thanks for reading and go Cleveland!
-Raz
CSU Basketball
-I am very proud of these guys. They shocked the world by beating 4th ranked Wake Forest. The Vikings did not back down at all during the game, they hit clutch 3's, and they fought the entire game. Cedric Jackson's alley oop is still one of the best plays of the tournament. He made Wake Forest PG Jeff Teague look stupid.
-For their second game, the Vikings did not play well at all. They couldn't hit the 3, as they were 1/15 at one point. Arizona has 3 great players in PF Jordan Hill, PG Nic Wise, and SG/SF Chase Budinger. We looked very scared, and tentative during the game, and we were playing from behind the whole time.
-Even though CSU is losing bigmen George Tandy, Chris Moore, J'Nathon Bullock (who is trying out for the NFL Draft), and guard Cedric Jackson, this team has a lot to look forward to. Guards Tre Harmon, Jeremy Montgomery, Norris Cole form a solid core of guards. D'Aundrey Brown will return to play forward, and the team has 6'8 270 lb. PF Aaron Pogue (sat out this year) waiting to play. 6'9 C Kevin Anderson will be transferring from Juco, and the team signed Shaker Heights PG Anthony Wells. While CSU will have its growing pains next year, the future is bright.
Cleveland Indians
-I haven't written about the Tribe in a little while. I really feel like this team can be a sleeper team, and take the Central division. As long as Kerry Wood stays healthy, our bullpen will be very solid. Add Jensen Lewis, Joe Smith, Rafael Perez to the mix, and you have 4 dependable, good arms. Rafael Betancourt is due to make a comeback, and Masa Kobayashi can give a few solid innings.
-Mark DeRosa will make a big difference at third base. He adds a solid bat to this lineup, and if we can get Travis Hafner to 60% of what he used to be, the Indians will have a lethal lineup. Sizemore, Choo, Martinez, Shoppach, DeRosa, Peralta can all hit. We also have Michael Brantley, Matt LaPorta waiting in the outfield, and Carlos Santana waiting to play catcher. Add in the fact that Ben Francisco had a solid first half before burning out after the All Star Break, and you have an Indians lineup could be more dangerous that people believe.
-The biggest concern I have is our rotation. Its ironic that our rotation was our strong point last year, but now it is a weakness. We can't expect a 20+ win season from Cliff Lee, we don't know if Carmona can come back fully healthy, Carl Pavano has been inconsistent and injured throughout his career, Scott Lewis has been rocked in spring training (he gave up 10 runs in his last outing), and Anthony Reyes is still a question mark from last year (he has had a good spring training, 0.77 ERA). The best case scenario is Pavano stays healthy, Lee stays consistent, Carmona regains his form, Scott Lewis gets a grip, and Anthony Reyes gives us 6-7 solid innings an outing. This is a lot to ask for, but we will have to see.
Cleveland Browns
-With the Jay Cutler debacle in front of us (Broncos tried to trade him for Matt Cassell, now he is upset), many insiders including John Clayton have said that if a trade does happen for Cutler, Cleveland will have to be involved. This is because we have 2 QB's available in Brady Quinn and Derek Anderson. I would rather see Derek Anderson get traded because I believe Quinn has a higher upside, and will fit our short passing game offense much better. Quinn does not have as much experience, and I think we should let him play more.
-The issue of trading Braylon Edwards has come about, and if we can get 2 high draft picks (2nd and a 4th) along with a player, I am all for it. This would give a lot of picks day one of the draft, and allow us to rebuild this team. Braylon does not seem happy here (he went to Michigan), he can't catch, and his contract is up after this year. If he doesn't seem apt to staying here, trade him while you can. There was an offer reported by Orange and Brown Report that the Browns were offered the 2nd, and 5th pick from the Giants (New Orleans picks, Jeremy Shockey trade) and Dominix Hixon for Braylon. The Browns want WR Steve Smith from the Giants instead, and it hasn't worked out. With the Plaxico Burress mess still in form, look for this conversation to be revisited soon.
-I like the approach that Mangini is taking, he isn't going out and blowing all of our cap space on big name free agents. Look at all the bonuses that were due earlier this month (Donte Stallworth, Corey Williams, Shaun Rogers, Derek Anderson, Kevin Shaffer). Instead of spending, he is trying to find guys who fit his system through free agency, and building the team through the draft. I really believe Braylon, DA/Quinn will be traded for draft picks and young players. He wants guys who will play the game his way, and be responsible for themselves.
-If LB Aaron Curry does not fall to us at the 5th pick, and we cannot trade down, the Browns should select DE/LB Brian Orakpo. He has incredible strength, speed, productivity, and he is a hard worker. With the next 3 picks (2 in the 2nd rd and one in 3rd) we should go after a S, RB, WR. We need a S to help offset the Sean Jones loss, a RB to groom behind Jamal Lewis, and if Braylon is traded, we have to use one of our first three picks on a WR. Draft Day this year should be pretty busy.....
Cleveland Cavs
-The Cavs won their 13th straight game versus the Detroit Pistons tonight. We are 3 games ahead of the Lakers for the best record in the league, and 5 1/2 games ahead of Boston and Orlando for the top seed in the Eastern Conference. Home court is so important to us, as we have lost just 1 game at the Q all year. Without homecourt, I don't think we can get to the NBA Finals.
-LeBron James is inching closer and closer to winning his first MVP. The Cavs own the best record in the NBA, and LeBron is averaging 28, 7 and 7 this year. D Wade is great, but his team has only 39 wins, and he shoulders the load on his team. His season reminds me a lot of what LeBron did last year. LeBron lead the NBA in scoring last year with 30 ppg, 8 rebounds and 7 assists last year. Last years Cavs team only won 46 games. D Wade has 30 ppg, 5 rebounds and 7 assists a game this year. Remember, LeBron finished 4th in MVP voting last year....
-Kobe Bryant should be considered as well, but his numbers are down just a little bit from last year (he is scoring 1 less point, and 1 less rebound per game than last year). His team is doing very well (58 wins), but he has a lot of support from Pau Gasol and Lamar Odom. Many analysts believe that that he won the MVP award last year as a lifetime achievement award. They wanted to make sure he got the MVP, to justify the fact he has been the best player in the NBA for the past few years. Once he gets Andrew Bynum back, he will have to carry the team even less.
-The stars are aligning for the Cavs this year, as we will be getting Ben Wallace back soon, we acquired Joe Smith and he has played well for the Cavs. Kevin Garnett will not be playing for the next 4 games as his knee is still bothering him, Andrew Bynum will be returning from the Playboy Mansion to play soon, the Magic lost PG Jameer Nelson for the season, and the Spurs are dealing with the nagging injuries of Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobli. I still believe that if the Cavs go to the Finals with homecourt versus the Lakers, they still will not win. The Lakers have great outside shooters, size downlow, and Kobe Bryant. This will be hard to handle in a 7 game series. The Cavs will need another game 5 performance from LeBron to win it all this year. This could be a special year for this team.....
Thats all folks. Thanks for reading and go Cleveland!
-Raz
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Dancing with myself!
What a huge victory for the CSU Men's Basketball squad as they beat the Butler Bulldogs 57-54 in the Horizon League Championship. I am so happy for this team right now. The last time CSU went to the NCAA Tournament was in 1986. In 1986, I wasn't even alive, Ronald Reagan was the president of the U.S., LeBron James was 2 years old, Brad Daughtery was the first overall pick of the NBA draft, and "Sledgehammer" by Peter Gabriel debuted. My point being, its been awhile since CSU got to the tournament. This is such a great victory because earlier this year, CSU lost to a buzzer beater shot against Butler, and two weeks ago, CSU lost by 2 against Butler, in Butler. This team fought so hard to end the game as they never fell apart in the second half. They were down by as much as 8 points, but they never gave in. Senior guard Cedric Jackson played the game of his life as he scored 19 points, 8 assists, 7 boards, and 3 steals. Jeremy Montgomery hit huge three pointers throughout the game, Norris Cole had a huge steal near the end of the game, Tre Harmon played great defense, and George Tandy did a solid job on Matt Howard. J'Nathon Bullock struggled with foul trouble, but he fought his heart out. The 6'4 forward battled against forwards Matt Howard and Gordon Hayward, and he did not want this to be his final game in a CSU uniform. The only negative was that Chris Moore struggled throughout the game.
You could really tell CSU wanted this game more than anything. I have been cheering for CSU since I was a junior in high school. Back then, Mike Garland was coaching the team, they rarely won games, and the Wolstein Center had no fans. For many years, CSU had the lowest attendance rate of any Horizon League team. When Coach Gary Waters took over, he brought a new attitude and new philosophy to this basketball team. CSU started winning with defense, and smarts on offense. Me and one of my friends went to his summer basketball camp in 2006, and he was a great guy to speak to. I got to speak to him, and his assistant coaches, and these guys were awesome. They treated us like family, and I am so glad Coach Waters and his staff made it to the dance. Seeing him cry on the sidelines after CSU won tonight These guys deserve it and now the rest of the U.S. can see what this squad is made of. I am excited to see who this team will play in the tourney. Here is a link for your enjoyment:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yZ-bnob1edA
Thanks for reading folks, and go Cleveland!
-Raz
You could really tell CSU wanted this game more than anything. I have been cheering for CSU since I was a junior in high school. Back then, Mike Garland was coaching the team, they rarely won games, and the Wolstein Center had no fans. For many years, CSU had the lowest attendance rate of any Horizon League team. When Coach Gary Waters took over, he brought a new attitude and new philosophy to this basketball team. CSU started winning with defense, and smarts on offense. Me and one of my friends went to his summer basketball camp in 2006, and he was a great guy to speak to. I got to speak to him, and his assistant coaches, and these guys were awesome. They treated us like family, and I am so glad Coach Waters and his staff made it to the dance. Seeing him cry on the sidelines after CSU won tonight These guys deserve it and now the rest of the U.S. can see what this squad is made of. I am excited to see who this team will play in the tourney. Here is a link for your enjoyment:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yZ-bnob1edA
Thanks for reading folks, and go Cleveland!
-Raz
Sunday, March 8, 2009
The Trifecta
What a great night to be a Cleveland fan. The rest of Ohio can suck a cock after tonight. Columbus has nothing but the Ohio State Buckeyes football team, the Columbus Blue Jackets, and the Columbus Crew. No one watches hockey, I could play MLS soccer, and OSU football won't be good for another two years. You can collectively add the talents of Columbus athletics, and they wouldn't come near LeBron James. The other big city in Ohio is Cincinnati, and they have their MLB team in the Reds. I don't know what other sports teams come from there. All I know is that it would suck to be a sports fan in Cincinnati, because you really have nothing to cheer for, and your next to the state of Kentucky. Some of you might be wondering why I am calling out these cities, and its because this blog is about Cleveland sports, and how great it is. People always talk shit about this city and how we can't win anything, but I have a feeling it is going to change soon.
The John Carroll Blue Streaks basketball team heads to the Sweet 16 of the DIII NCAA Tournament after defeating Carnegie Mellon at the buzzer, the CSU Vikings defeated UW Green Bay to advance to the Horizon League Tournament Finals, and the Cleveland Cavaliers rebounded from a horrible loss to the Boston Celtics by defeating the Miami Heat. I will write a little bit about each of these three teams.
John Carroll Basketball
I am very happy that our squad advanced to the Sweet 16. I have a few friends on the basketball team, and they are a good group of guys. Our team plays great defense, and they just outwork every team. Our tallest player is 6'4, and we never give up in games. I am excited to see what this team will do this year, and next year in that we have 1 senior graduating. Also, our starting lineup features 4 juniors, and 1 sophomore. These guys are coached by Mike Moran, who has been a staple in coaching at JCU. Lets hope he can continue to lead our guys deep into the tournament.
Cleveland State Vikings
This is the team I was quietly cheering for the most. One of my favorite basketball players ever, J'Nathon Bullock played a great game tonight. He had 16 points and 8 boards. I would have been very sad if this was his last game. CSU trailed by 6 at half, and in the second half they played great defense, and attacked the basket on offense. Senior Point Guard Cedric Jackson had 14 points, 8 boards, and 4 assists. George Tandy had one of the best put back dunks of the year, and I am sure it will be on ESPN's top plays tonight. Sophmore Norris Cole stepped up big off the bench with 23 points. He is one of the building blocks of the future at CSU. This win is huge in that it came without one of CSU's best players in D'Aundrey Brown. I am very excited for the Horizon League Tournament Finals versus #22 Butler. Twice, Cleveland State has lost to Butler by 2 points. CSU has to have revenge on their mind, they are one game away from the Dance. Playing in the Hinkle Fieldhouse isn't easy, but I really think CSU can pull off the upset.
Cleveland Cavaliers
-Good win tonight versus the Heat. The Cavs returned to playing solid basketball, and they lead for most of the game.
-The Cavs played without any heart versus the Boston Celtics Friday night. The Celtics beat us because they wanted that game more than we did. Without Kevin Garnett and Glen Davis, the Celtics continued to pound us inside. Too many times Leon Powe, and Mikki Moore got 2 feet within the basket and just layed it in. Yes, we did not have Ben Wallace, and this game showed how much we really need him, but there is no excuse for Leon Powe to have 20 points on us.
-How does one stop this, two things, Its pretty simple, one box your man out. If you stay low, put your body on your man (I know this sounds gay), you will box your man out. I have done this numerous times while playing the game of basketball, and it works!
-Two, force your man to stay out of the paint. If he is trying to post up, put your arm and shoulders into him and force him out of the paint. If you just stand behind your man, and allow him to get the ball, he will either force his way in (like Glen Davis did with his big big body, like Leon Powe did with his quickness, and like Mikki Moore did with his athleticism and length). I know this sounds simple, but you have to play physical with the Celtics. In one of my previous blogs, I wrote how TrailBlazers forward Travis Outlaw said that you just need to hit the Celtics back if you want to beat them. That definitely didn't happen last night.
-Paul Pierce hit so many damn shots from the outside. He did this during game 7 too. Heres an idea, force him to go to the hoop. He has destroyed us from the perimeter, and putting a hand in his face isn't working. If we suck him to the middle of the floor, then he will be forced to take a bad shot or dish it out.
-We just looked outmatched yesterday, and we didn't seem to play as a team. Once we got behind, we gave the ball to LeBron. This didn't work in that he made 5-15 shots. He needs to quit his perimeter shooting, and go to the hole. When your 6'9 and 260 lbs. you shouldn't be shooting jumpers.
-The rest of the starters did fine as Anderson had 15 points and was the only active body downlow, Mo had 26 points as he put on a shooting clinic (4-5 from 3 pt. and 6-6 from the free throw line), Delonte had only 5 points, but he had 8 assists, and 6 boards, and Z continued his consistent play with 12 points, 4 rebounds, and 2 blocks. Z also did a good job sticking up for Anderson again after Davis knocked him to the ground.
-JJ Hickson looked like a rookie (2 turnovers, 1 reb. 0 pts.), Joe Smith looked rusty (he shot 3-8), Daniel Gibson continued his struggles (3 pts, 1 reb. 1 assist), and Wally couldn't get any good looks (4 points).
-If we have any chance to win in Boston, we need great bench play, and a great game from LeBron. The Celtics feed off of their crowd so well, and we just need LeBron to be coldblooded (much like Kobe was earlier in the year in Boston). I think a another Game 5 performance is needed to knock the Celtics out....
Well folks, that just about does it. I hope we can continue winning here in Cleveland! Thanks for reading and go Cleveland!
-Raz
The John Carroll Blue Streaks basketball team heads to the Sweet 16 of the DIII NCAA Tournament after defeating Carnegie Mellon at the buzzer, the CSU Vikings defeated UW Green Bay to advance to the Horizon League Tournament Finals, and the Cleveland Cavaliers rebounded from a horrible loss to the Boston Celtics by defeating the Miami Heat. I will write a little bit about each of these three teams.
John Carroll Basketball
I am very happy that our squad advanced to the Sweet 16. I have a few friends on the basketball team, and they are a good group of guys. Our team plays great defense, and they just outwork every team. Our tallest player is 6'4, and we never give up in games. I am excited to see what this team will do this year, and next year in that we have 1 senior graduating. Also, our starting lineup features 4 juniors, and 1 sophomore. These guys are coached by Mike Moran, who has been a staple in coaching at JCU. Lets hope he can continue to lead our guys deep into the tournament.
Cleveland State Vikings
This is the team I was quietly cheering for the most. One of my favorite basketball players ever, J'Nathon Bullock played a great game tonight. He had 16 points and 8 boards. I would have been very sad if this was his last game. CSU trailed by 6 at half, and in the second half they played great defense, and attacked the basket on offense. Senior Point Guard Cedric Jackson had 14 points, 8 boards, and 4 assists. George Tandy had one of the best put back dunks of the year, and I am sure it will be on ESPN's top plays tonight. Sophmore Norris Cole stepped up big off the bench with 23 points. He is one of the building blocks of the future at CSU. This win is huge in that it came without one of CSU's best players in D'Aundrey Brown. I am very excited for the Horizon League Tournament Finals versus #22 Butler. Twice, Cleveland State has lost to Butler by 2 points. CSU has to have revenge on their mind, they are one game away from the Dance. Playing in the Hinkle Fieldhouse isn't easy, but I really think CSU can pull off the upset.
Cleveland Cavaliers
-Good win tonight versus the Heat. The Cavs returned to playing solid basketball, and they lead for most of the game.
-The Cavs played without any heart versus the Boston Celtics Friday night. The Celtics beat us because they wanted that game more than we did. Without Kevin Garnett and Glen Davis, the Celtics continued to pound us inside. Too many times Leon Powe, and Mikki Moore got 2 feet within the basket and just layed it in. Yes, we did not have Ben Wallace, and this game showed how much we really need him, but there is no excuse for Leon Powe to have 20 points on us.
-How does one stop this, two things, Its pretty simple, one box your man out. If you stay low, put your body on your man (I know this sounds gay), you will box your man out. I have done this numerous times while playing the game of basketball, and it works!
-Two, force your man to stay out of the paint. If he is trying to post up, put your arm and shoulders into him and force him out of the paint. If you just stand behind your man, and allow him to get the ball, he will either force his way in (like Glen Davis did with his big big body, like Leon Powe did with his quickness, and like Mikki Moore did with his athleticism and length). I know this sounds simple, but you have to play physical with the Celtics. In one of my previous blogs, I wrote how TrailBlazers forward Travis Outlaw said that you just need to hit the Celtics back if you want to beat them. That definitely didn't happen last night.
-Paul Pierce hit so many damn shots from the outside. He did this during game 7 too. Heres an idea, force him to go to the hoop. He has destroyed us from the perimeter, and putting a hand in his face isn't working. If we suck him to the middle of the floor, then he will be forced to take a bad shot or dish it out.
-We just looked outmatched yesterday, and we didn't seem to play as a team. Once we got behind, we gave the ball to LeBron. This didn't work in that he made 5-15 shots. He needs to quit his perimeter shooting, and go to the hole. When your 6'9 and 260 lbs. you shouldn't be shooting jumpers.
-The rest of the starters did fine as Anderson had 15 points and was the only active body downlow, Mo had 26 points as he put on a shooting clinic (4-5 from 3 pt. and 6-6 from the free throw line), Delonte had only 5 points, but he had 8 assists, and 6 boards, and Z continued his consistent play with 12 points, 4 rebounds, and 2 blocks. Z also did a good job sticking up for Anderson again after Davis knocked him to the ground.
-JJ Hickson looked like a rookie (2 turnovers, 1 reb. 0 pts.), Joe Smith looked rusty (he shot 3-8), Daniel Gibson continued his struggles (3 pts, 1 reb. 1 assist), and Wally couldn't get any good looks (4 points).
-If we have any chance to win in Boston, we need great bench play, and a great game from LeBron. The Celtics feed off of their crowd so well, and we just need LeBron to be coldblooded (much like Kobe was earlier in the year in Boston). I think a another Game 5 performance is needed to knock the Celtics out....
Well folks, that just about does it. I hope we can continue winning here in Cleveland! Thanks for reading and go Cleveland!
-Raz
Monday, March 2, 2009
She Cried Mo, Mo, Mo.....
What a huge win for the Cavs tonight versus the Miami Heat. The Cavs ended their recent roadtrip with a 3-1 record. The Cavs started off with a horrible loss to the Houston Rockets in which we lost Ben Wallace to a broken leg. We had our worst shooting night of the year that game. We picked it up with a win versus a injury depleted San Antonio Spurs squad, and a nail biter last night versus the Atlanta Hawks. Tonights win to me though was one of the best wins of the year. We were down 11 in the fourth, and the Cavs did not fold their tent. This team showed how it could overcome adversity at the end of games, and fight their way through a game. The Cavs flight into Miami was delayed numerous hours because of the snow storms in Atlanta, and the team did not get into the hotels in Miami until 7:00 AM. This team just has a different flare and swagger than teams in the past. In this game, Mo hit big shots in the last two victories, Andy drew charges, and LeBron had a huge dunk at the end of the game. This all came against one of the best players in the league in Dwyane Wade. Kudos to Mike Brown for shifting the defensive strategy in the fourth quarter by double teaming Wade with LeBron. Wade was held to 2-8 shooting in the 4th quarter. Remember, Wade scored a total of 41 points in this game. Brown forced the rest of the Heat to beat us, and the Heat had not seen this all game. I ussually don't interject my opinions of non-Cleveland players, but I think Wade is one of the best players in the league. I don't like when people compare LeBron to MJ because he is not the same player. To me, LeBron is more of a Magic Johnson with much more scoring. LeBron facilitates, rebounds, and is just a freak of nature when it comes to his size and speed. Wade is more like MJ in that he can shoot, he is consistently bringing pressure on defense, and he is an amazing finisher. LeBron, Kobe, and Wade are without a doubt the 3 best players in the game. I am glad to see Wade back in healthy form.
Back to the victory, this puts us 1 game ahead of the Celtics for the #1 seed. This is huge for us because if we get homecourt advantage I honestly believe we can go to the Finals. This victory shows us that we are a much better team than we were last year, and this game is definitely a confidence builder. Also, the addition of Joe Smith will only help this team. Chemistry really won't be affected because he played with us last year, and he brings a great veteran presence. He purposely got a buy out so he could come back here, and get a ring. We now have a solid big man off the bench, and this will allow Andy, and Z to get some rest. He is a good jump shooter, he rebounds well, and he is good at drawing offensive charges. When Ben Wallace comes back, we will have 4 solid bigmen, along with Hickson and Jackson. Its crazy to think that we traded Damon Jones for Mo Williams......
I want to write some quick scribbles about the Browns. This past Friday, the team traded TE Kellen Winslow to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for a 2nd round pick this year, and a 5th round pick next year. I think this was a trade that needed to be made. Winslow is a difficult character guy, who wanted a new contract. The Browns paid this man $11.6 million in the 2 years he was hurt. The Browns made him the highest paid TE in the league before he took a snap in the NFL. He had one great season, and he wanted a new contract. He has bad shoulders, 4 knee surgeries, ankle problems, and 2 staph infections. He can no longer block as a TE, his speed decreased this past year, and he was flagged for 7 offensive pass interference penalties last year. He said the organization treated him like "a piece of meat".
There are two reasons why K2 was so vocal about the organization and his contract demands. One, he has been pampered and told that he is the greatest his whole life. His father was a TE for the San Diego Chargers, and Winslow once compared himself to a soldier. After the first touchdown he scored in the endzone his junior year at Miami, he did the Heisman pose. If he doesn't get what he wants, he whines. Second, K2 obviously knows that he is not 100% in terms of health, and he probably will never be. He once said that he will probably be at 90% the rest of his career, but him at 90% is "better than any TE in the league" (ego issues?). He wants to make as much money possible because he knows his body won't stay healthy for much longer. Did you notice that his contract demands came right after his first Pro Bowl year? Maximizing ones own value? He played in only 10 games last year and was hurt for most of it. Lately, he was unable to practice at full speed because of his health problems. Now, don't get me wrong, K2 is one of my favorite players on the Browns. He plays with a lot of heart, and he has great hands, but he is just way too much to handle. What made me love him so much (his swagger, great plays as a receiver), also made me cope with the trade. His contract demands, coupled with his large ego probably did not bode well with the new staff. Our new staff is not like Romeo where they will just let players do what they want. Also, a positive from the trade is that we saved saved about $3.6 million for the cap. I was sad to see K2 get traded, but the Browns are in need of picks, and he was just too much. Here are some other quick notes about the Browns:
-Speaking of cap space, the Browns have about $25 million free.
-Kokinis and Mangini have been looking at players that will fit into their system. They are not going for "big name" signings. Some guys that might be brought in for visits are S Jim Leonard, and CB Jabari Greer.
-Shaun Rogers is unhappy because Phil Savage promised him numerous things when he was signed. The new regime did not get that memo, and he is unhappy. Also, Rogers is unhappy that Mangini did not speak to him when he was first hired. Again, like K2, Rogers is a pro athlete who will get upset when someone does not speak to him. There are worst things in the world Shaun. Also, seeing Albert Haynesworth get a $100 million contract does not help.
-Josh Cribbs met with Mangini and Kokinis and Cribbs came away very impressed. Notice how last year Cribbs and Jamal Lewis called out the team for quitting, and you didn't hear a word out of Braylon, K2, or Rogers? How many times did we see Braylon drop a pass and him saying that the game was his fault? I remember Willie McGinest said the Pittsburgh loss last year was on him because of a missed tackle...
-The insiders on the Orange and Brown report said that the Browns front office will meet with Braylon. If he is open and receptive to a new contract and team philosophy, then they will look to lock him up, as he is in the last year of his contract. If he does not seem inclined with the visit, then look for the Browns to trade him....
-There is nothing new to report on the DA/Brady Quinn situation.
-The Matt Cassell trade to the Chiefs basically insures that they will draft LB Aaron Curry. The Browns can either draft DE/LB Brian Orakpo from Texas, or trade down to draft USC LB Rey Mealuga.
-Raz
Back to the victory, this puts us 1 game ahead of the Celtics for the #1 seed. This is huge for us because if we get homecourt advantage I honestly believe we can go to the Finals. This victory shows us that we are a much better team than we were last year, and this game is definitely a confidence builder. Also, the addition of Joe Smith will only help this team. Chemistry really won't be affected because he played with us last year, and he brings a great veteran presence. He purposely got a buy out so he could come back here, and get a ring. We now have a solid big man off the bench, and this will allow Andy, and Z to get some rest. He is a good jump shooter, he rebounds well, and he is good at drawing offensive charges. When Ben Wallace comes back, we will have 4 solid bigmen, along with Hickson and Jackson. Its crazy to think that we traded Damon Jones for Mo Williams......
I want to write some quick scribbles about the Browns. This past Friday, the team traded TE Kellen Winslow to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for a 2nd round pick this year, and a 5th round pick next year. I think this was a trade that needed to be made. Winslow is a difficult character guy, who wanted a new contract. The Browns paid this man $11.6 million in the 2 years he was hurt. The Browns made him the highest paid TE in the league before he took a snap in the NFL. He had one great season, and he wanted a new contract. He has bad shoulders, 4 knee surgeries, ankle problems, and 2 staph infections. He can no longer block as a TE, his speed decreased this past year, and he was flagged for 7 offensive pass interference penalties last year. He said the organization treated him like "a piece of meat".
There are two reasons why K2 was so vocal about the organization and his contract demands. One, he has been pampered and told that he is the greatest his whole life. His father was a TE for the San Diego Chargers, and Winslow once compared himself to a soldier. After the first touchdown he scored in the endzone his junior year at Miami, he did the Heisman pose. If he doesn't get what he wants, he whines. Second, K2 obviously knows that he is not 100% in terms of health, and he probably will never be. He once said that he will probably be at 90% the rest of his career, but him at 90% is "better than any TE in the league" (ego issues?). He wants to make as much money possible because he knows his body won't stay healthy for much longer. Did you notice that his contract demands came right after his first Pro Bowl year? Maximizing ones own value? He played in only 10 games last year and was hurt for most of it. Lately, he was unable to practice at full speed because of his health problems. Now, don't get me wrong, K2 is one of my favorite players on the Browns. He plays with a lot of heart, and he has great hands, but he is just way too much to handle. What made me love him so much (his swagger, great plays as a receiver), also made me cope with the trade. His contract demands, coupled with his large ego probably did not bode well with the new staff. Our new staff is not like Romeo where they will just let players do what they want. Also, a positive from the trade is that we saved saved about $3.6 million for the cap. I was sad to see K2 get traded, but the Browns are in need of picks, and he was just too much. Here are some other quick notes about the Browns:
-Speaking of cap space, the Browns have about $25 million free.
-Kokinis and Mangini have been looking at players that will fit into their system. They are not going for "big name" signings. Some guys that might be brought in for visits are S Jim Leonard, and CB Jabari Greer.
-Shaun Rogers is unhappy because Phil Savage promised him numerous things when he was signed. The new regime did not get that memo, and he is unhappy. Also, Rogers is unhappy that Mangini did not speak to him when he was first hired. Again, like K2, Rogers is a pro athlete who will get upset when someone does not speak to him. There are worst things in the world Shaun. Also, seeing Albert Haynesworth get a $100 million contract does not help.
-Josh Cribbs met with Mangini and Kokinis and Cribbs came away very impressed. Notice how last year Cribbs and Jamal Lewis called out the team for quitting, and you didn't hear a word out of Braylon, K2, or Rogers? How many times did we see Braylon drop a pass and him saying that the game was his fault? I remember Willie McGinest said the Pittsburgh loss last year was on him because of a missed tackle...
-The insiders on the Orange and Brown report said that the Browns front office will meet with Braylon. If he is open and receptive to a new contract and team philosophy, then they will look to lock him up, as he is in the last year of his contract. If he does not seem inclined with the visit, then look for the Browns to trade him....
-There is nothing new to report on the DA/Brady Quinn situation.
-The Matt Cassell trade to the Chiefs basically insures that they will draft LB Aaron Curry. The Browns can either draft DE/LB Brian Orakpo from Texas, or trade down to draft USC LB Rey Mealuga.
-Raz
Sunday, February 22, 2009
Deal or No Deal?
Well folks, the trade deadline came and passed, with no moves being made by the Cavs. It was a crazy week, as the Cavs were linked to Amare Stoudemire, Shaq, Richard Jefferson, Antwan Jamison, Caron Butler, and Marcus Camby. All in all, it mounted to nothing, and the more I think about it, I think it was a good idea. Now I know I said the Cavs were a big man short, and I still think they are, but I did not want them bending over backwards to get someone who was just going to help us this year and next year. I said I would trade Wally and picks for a solid player, and only add Hickson in a deal for a superstar. Here are some positives I see from us not making a move:
Keep draft picks- While the Cavs will be selecting pretty low in the draft, the ability to draft young talent will do us a lot of good. This years NBA draft class is pretty weak, but with 1 pick in the first round, and 1 in the second (we traded 1 second rounder last year, but have the Bulls second rounder for the Ben Wallace trade), the Cavs give themselves a good chance of landing a solid rotation player. Also, the more young talent you surround around LeBron, the better chance he will stay. This is because if one of the young players we draft begin to develop into a good player (JJ Hickson?), the more incentive he will have to stay and build a good team. Also, good players can be found in late parts of a draft, and even in the second round. Carlos Boozer, Monta Ellis, Michael Redd, Daniel Gibson, Ramon Sessions, Paul Milsap, Ronny Turiaf, Chris Duhon, Trevor Ariza, Mo Williams, Matt Barnes, and Luis Scola were all drafted in the second round. David Lee was drafted with the 30th pick in the first round, Kevin Martin was drafted 26th, Josh Howard was drafted 29th, and Leandro Barbosa was drafted 28th. My point is, while you might not find a superstar late in the draft, you can find yourself some formidable players to help build your team.
Team chemistry is kept- While I think this is somewhat overrated, I have come to appreciate it in the past few days. The Cavs bench seems like a close knit group, and after a player does well they all seem to cheer very hard. After seeing the bench go crazy after LeBron's third quarter performance versus Milwaukee, I thought that this team was a very close knit group. In that same game, Z came to the defense of Anderson after Charlie Villanueva knocked him to the ground. In years past this did not happen. I remember when Z gashed his forehead from a Rasheed Wallace elbow, and no one came to his defense. Having a teammates back is something that is evident in this team, and they all get along very well. I noticed this last year with the Celtics. If some of you have seen that commercial where its clips of all the Cavs players talking about the team and winning a championship, you kind of get my idea.
Teams were asking for too much- Earlier, I said that a team was bound to make a stupid move, and none of them did. Phoenix wanted Wally's contract instead of Ben Wallace for Shaq, the Clippers wanted JJ Hickson instead of a first round pick for Camby, and the Suns wanted 2 picks, and Anderson, to go with Hickson for Amare. Camby is not worth Wally and JJ, you would disrupt team chemistry by trading so much for Amare (while gutting all your picks), the Wizards were not trading Antwan Jamison or Caron Butler (this boggles my mind the most, that team is horrible, and they can't even get out of the first round of the playoffs) and Shaq's mammoth contract was not worth it (he would cost us $40 million, $20 million for his salary, and $20 million for luxury tax). I honestly thought a team would give in, and trade a player based on a financial hardship they were having, much like the Hornets did by trading Tyson Chandler for 2 expiring deals. I guess I was wrong.
Salary Cap Space- By not taking on a contract after this from trading Wally, the Cavs were able to create much cap room. They can use this money to help re-sign Anderson Varaejo or bring in a solid free agent with some of our Mid Level Exception money. I don't think he is worth starting money, but he is definitely worth what top bench reserves make. Also, the luxury tax we will pay next year will decrease, as opposed to us taking on a longer contract from a trade.
I was disappointed that we were not able to swing a deal, especially with the assets we had, but teams were demanding too much, and sometimes the best deals are the ones that are not made.
I haven't written about the Browns and Indians lately, so I will write some tidbits quickly.
Browns
-The Browns need linebackers this offseason. Aaron Curry from Wake Forest seems to be a guy we could get with our 5th pick. He is big, tough, and physical. If he is not there at the 5th pick, I suggest trading down, adding some picks (we only have four picks!), and getting USC LB Rey Mealuga. This kid is nasty, and he is very fast in pursuit. He will be available from picks 10-15.
-If the Browns let Sean Jones go (they did not franchise him), then they should look into drafting a safety as well. The Browns really need defense in this draft, especially linebackers and safeties. We need linebackers to put some pressure on the QB's, and take some pressure off our secondary.
-The Browns should draft a RB later in the draft. Good RB's can be found anywhere in the draft. Michael Turner was drafted in the 5th round, Steve Slaton was drafted in the 3rd round, Ryan Grant went undrafted, Brandon Jacobs was drafted in the 4th round, and Brian Westbrook was drafted in the 3rd round. There isn't really a standout RB in this draft. Beanie Wells and Knowshon Moreno are the top two RB's, and I wouldn't touch either of them, defense is a bigger need.
-The Browns should trade Derek Anderson. They should pick up his $5 million roster bonus, then trade him. This is because after he gets his roster bonus, his base salary is very small. Teams will not have to eat up this bonus, as the Browns will have paid it. This will make him much more attractive on the market, and the Browns are in need of draft picks.
-The team needs to hand the team over to Brady Quinn. While he didn't play much, he was much smarter with the ball, and seemed to be more of a leader. Also, we don't need a QB competition, because when you have 2 QB's, you have no QB's. Remember Tim Couch and Kelly Holcomb? Remember Charlie Frye and Derek Anderson?
Indians
-Depending on how their spring training goes, the Indians should give Matt LaPorta or Michael Brantley a shot at cracking the opening day roster. From what I have read from these guys, they project to be good major leaguers, especially LaPorta. I do not want David Delluci trying to split time with Ben Francisco. Francisco is a good fourth outfielder, and a good insurance policy if someone goes down.
-The bullpen might actually be a strength on this team. Rafael Perez, Joe Smith, Kerry Wood, Jensen Lewis are all very solid relievers. If Rafael Betancourt and Kobayashi can get their acts together, we will have 6 solid arms in the bullpen. Add in wildcards Anthony Reyes, and Adam Miller, the Indians could have a good bullpen.
-The Indians season will depend on a few things in my opinion. One, Travis Hafner and Victor Martinez have to come back healthy, and play like they are capable of. If they can do this, the Indians will be a dangerous sleeper team. Two, Fausto Carmona needs to turn around a disappointing 2008 campaign and Cliff Lee needs to continue his excellent pitching. If this happens, then the Indians will have one of the best 1-2 punches in the MLB. Three, Kerry Wood needs to stay healthy, if he can stay injury free, the Indians will have themselves their first reliable closer in a couple years. Four, the rest of the rotation really needs to step up. Scott Lewis, Carl Pavano, Aaron Laffey, Jeremy Sowers, and Zach Jackson all need to step up and take the last 3 spots in the rotation. Add in the fact that Westbrook should be coming back sometime in the middle of the year, the Indians need solid pitching from this group.
-I really think the Indians can win the Central this year. We improved our bullpen, added a solid 3B, and have 2 solid outfielders waiting in the wings. The fact that we have Fausto Carmona, Victor Martinez, and Travis Hafner all coming back from injury helps a lot. Also, none of the teams in the Central did anything, Detroit still has no bullpen arms, Chicago is a year older, Kansas City still sucks, and Minnesota will always be a thorn in our side, but they are beatable.
Well, I know I haven't written in awhile, I will try to keep everyone updated with my thoughts. With NFL Draft coming up, and MLB spring training on the horizon, I will be writing more about the Browns and Indians. Thanks for reading, and go Cleveland!
-Raz
Keep draft picks- While the Cavs will be selecting pretty low in the draft, the ability to draft young talent will do us a lot of good. This years NBA draft class is pretty weak, but with 1 pick in the first round, and 1 in the second (we traded 1 second rounder last year, but have the Bulls second rounder for the Ben Wallace trade), the Cavs give themselves a good chance of landing a solid rotation player. Also, the more young talent you surround around LeBron, the better chance he will stay. This is because if one of the young players we draft begin to develop into a good player (JJ Hickson?), the more incentive he will have to stay and build a good team. Also, good players can be found in late parts of a draft, and even in the second round. Carlos Boozer, Monta Ellis, Michael Redd, Daniel Gibson, Ramon Sessions, Paul Milsap, Ronny Turiaf, Chris Duhon, Trevor Ariza, Mo Williams, Matt Barnes, and Luis Scola were all drafted in the second round. David Lee was drafted with the 30th pick in the first round, Kevin Martin was drafted 26th, Josh Howard was drafted 29th, and Leandro Barbosa was drafted 28th. My point is, while you might not find a superstar late in the draft, you can find yourself some formidable players to help build your team.
Team chemistry is kept- While I think this is somewhat overrated, I have come to appreciate it in the past few days. The Cavs bench seems like a close knit group, and after a player does well they all seem to cheer very hard. After seeing the bench go crazy after LeBron's third quarter performance versus Milwaukee, I thought that this team was a very close knit group. In that same game, Z came to the defense of Anderson after Charlie Villanueva knocked him to the ground. In years past this did not happen. I remember when Z gashed his forehead from a Rasheed Wallace elbow, and no one came to his defense. Having a teammates back is something that is evident in this team, and they all get along very well. I noticed this last year with the Celtics. If some of you have seen that commercial where its clips of all the Cavs players talking about the team and winning a championship, you kind of get my idea.
Teams were asking for too much- Earlier, I said that a team was bound to make a stupid move, and none of them did. Phoenix wanted Wally's contract instead of Ben Wallace for Shaq, the Clippers wanted JJ Hickson instead of a first round pick for Camby, and the Suns wanted 2 picks, and Anderson, to go with Hickson for Amare. Camby is not worth Wally and JJ, you would disrupt team chemistry by trading so much for Amare (while gutting all your picks), the Wizards were not trading Antwan Jamison or Caron Butler (this boggles my mind the most, that team is horrible, and they can't even get out of the first round of the playoffs) and Shaq's mammoth contract was not worth it (he would cost us $40 million, $20 million for his salary, and $20 million for luxury tax). I honestly thought a team would give in, and trade a player based on a financial hardship they were having, much like the Hornets did by trading Tyson Chandler for 2 expiring deals. I guess I was wrong.
Salary Cap Space- By not taking on a contract after this from trading Wally, the Cavs were able to create much cap room. They can use this money to help re-sign Anderson Varaejo or bring in a solid free agent with some of our Mid Level Exception money. I don't think he is worth starting money, but he is definitely worth what top bench reserves make. Also, the luxury tax we will pay next year will decrease, as opposed to us taking on a longer contract from a trade.
I was disappointed that we were not able to swing a deal, especially with the assets we had, but teams were demanding too much, and sometimes the best deals are the ones that are not made.
I haven't written about the Browns and Indians lately, so I will write some tidbits quickly.
Browns
-The Browns need linebackers this offseason. Aaron Curry from Wake Forest seems to be a guy we could get with our 5th pick. He is big, tough, and physical. If he is not there at the 5th pick, I suggest trading down, adding some picks (we only have four picks!), and getting USC LB Rey Mealuga. This kid is nasty, and he is very fast in pursuit. He will be available from picks 10-15.
-If the Browns let Sean Jones go (they did not franchise him), then they should look into drafting a safety as well. The Browns really need defense in this draft, especially linebackers and safeties. We need linebackers to put some pressure on the QB's, and take some pressure off our secondary.
-The Browns should draft a RB later in the draft. Good RB's can be found anywhere in the draft. Michael Turner was drafted in the 5th round, Steve Slaton was drafted in the 3rd round, Ryan Grant went undrafted, Brandon Jacobs was drafted in the 4th round, and Brian Westbrook was drafted in the 3rd round. There isn't really a standout RB in this draft. Beanie Wells and Knowshon Moreno are the top two RB's, and I wouldn't touch either of them, defense is a bigger need.
-The Browns should trade Derek Anderson. They should pick up his $5 million roster bonus, then trade him. This is because after he gets his roster bonus, his base salary is very small. Teams will not have to eat up this bonus, as the Browns will have paid it. This will make him much more attractive on the market, and the Browns are in need of draft picks.
-The team needs to hand the team over to Brady Quinn. While he didn't play much, he was much smarter with the ball, and seemed to be more of a leader. Also, we don't need a QB competition, because when you have 2 QB's, you have no QB's. Remember Tim Couch and Kelly Holcomb? Remember Charlie Frye and Derek Anderson?
Indians
-Depending on how their spring training goes, the Indians should give Matt LaPorta or Michael Brantley a shot at cracking the opening day roster. From what I have read from these guys, they project to be good major leaguers, especially LaPorta. I do not want David Delluci trying to split time with Ben Francisco. Francisco is a good fourth outfielder, and a good insurance policy if someone goes down.
-The bullpen might actually be a strength on this team. Rafael Perez, Joe Smith, Kerry Wood, Jensen Lewis are all very solid relievers. If Rafael Betancourt and Kobayashi can get their acts together, we will have 6 solid arms in the bullpen. Add in wildcards Anthony Reyes, and Adam Miller, the Indians could have a good bullpen.
-The Indians season will depend on a few things in my opinion. One, Travis Hafner and Victor Martinez have to come back healthy, and play like they are capable of. If they can do this, the Indians will be a dangerous sleeper team. Two, Fausto Carmona needs to turn around a disappointing 2008 campaign and Cliff Lee needs to continue his excellent pitching. If this happens, then the Indians will have one of the best 1-2 punches in the MLB. Three, Kerry Wood needs to stay healthy, if he can stay injury free, the Indians will have themselves their first reliable closer in a couple years. Four, the rest of the rotation really needs to step up. Scott Lewis, Carl Pavano, Aaron Laffey, Jeremy Sowers, and Zach Jackson all need to step up and take the last 3 spots in the rotation. Add in the fact that Westbrook should be coming back sometime in the middle of the year, the Indians need solid pitching from this group.
-I really think the Indians can win the Central this year. We improved our bullpen, added a solid 3B, and have 2 solid outfielders waiting in the wings. The fact that we have Fausto Carmona, Victor Martinez, and Travis Hafner all coming back from injury helps a lot. Also, none of the teams in the Central did anything, Detroit still has no bullpen arms, Chicago is a year older, Kansas City still sucks, and Minnesota will always be a thorn in our side, but they are beatable.
Well, I know I haven't written in awhile, I will try to keep everyone updated with my thoughts. With NFL Draft coming up, and MLB spring training on the horizon, I will be writing more about the Browns and Indians. Thanks for reading, and go Cleveland!
-Raz
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
A Fun Week Ahead......
Well, it has been a couple weeks since I last wrote. Sorry guys! Last Sunday, the Cavs got beat by the LA Lakers, snapping our 23 game winning streak at home. I won't delve into what we should have done, but for those of you who did watch know that we need a big man. Lamar Odom killed us as he had 28 points and 17 rebounds. Numerous times the Lakers grabbed offensive boards, and they made us pay.
With all this said, everyone was calling for a trade after the game. I agree, and I have said this since early in the season. With the deadline only 9 days away, trade talks are hot around the NBA. The struggling economy has really hurt some teams as they wish to get under the salary cap tax threshold. Even the Phoenix Suns are thinking about trading on of their best player Amare Stoudemire (we have no chance of getting him). We have an expiring contract worth $14 million with Wally, $7 million expiring contract with Eric Snow, two cheap rookie contracts of JJ Hickson and Darnell Jackson, and a first round pick in the 2009 NBA Draft. So, it seems that the Cavs could really help some of the bad, economically struggling teams, but according to Brian Windhorst of the Plain Dealer, they won't. He has reported that the Cavs will probably sit out next week's NBA trade deadline. Now, here are the parameters in which I make a trade. I will trade Wally, and a first rounder for a bigman whose contract ends in 2010, this means a Marcus Camby or Brad Miller. Also, if we could get Mike Miller for Eric Snow and a pick would help a lot. Here are reasons why we should make a trade.
-Chemistry won't be changed. People talk about it so much, and it is very important. The Cavs aren't going to be acquiring 3-4 players like they did last year, at most they will acquire 2. Wally has said that he will request a buyout and come back to the Cavs if he is traded (he loves Cleveland that much, and he must wait 30 days if he is boughtout). If Eric Snow is traded, it won't matter because he isn't even with the team. So how much will chemistry be ruined if we can get Wally back?
-Its a buyers market. Teams are looking to shed salary as revenues have decreased. Teams that are out of contention (LA Clippers, Minnesota Timberwolves, Washington Wizards, and Sacramento Kings) will be looking to deal some big names, along with big contracts to shed salary. The Cavs are one of a few teams who have 2 large expiring contracts at their disposal. Along with those expiring deals, we have draft picks to sweeten a deal as well. I am not saying lets make a move to make a move, but I have a feeling that a team will get desperate near the deadline and lower their demands for a trade.
-We are 1-4 vs. Boston, LA, and Orlando. Yes, we didn't have Delonte for either L.A. games, and we didn't have Z or Delonte for Orlando, but the Cavs really fell apart in the 2nd half versus Orlando and LA. The offense stopped flowing, the defensive intensity dropped, and we got lazy on the boards. These teams all have very solid bigmen, and they have a lot of size on their teams. LA has Pau, Odom, and Bynum. Orlando has Howard, Hedo, and Rashard Lewis. Boston has Kendrick Perkins, Garnett, Leon Powe, and Glen Davis. Z and Ben Wallace are both old, and they still play well, but Wallace cannot play more than 30 minutes a game, and we need that 4th big man to solidify the frontcourt. This would also allow LeBron to stay on the wings, and not have to play downlow (where he is uncomfertable)
-Teams are prone to making boneheaded moves. The Cavs must be active on the phones and listen to all offers. This team is so close to a championship, and they are one solid player away from it. As I said earlier, teams will lower their demands as the deadline approaches because the owners will keep the pressure on the GM's to cut salary. Speaking of lopsided moves look not further at what the Grizzlies did last year when they traded Pau Gasol. They got 2 low first round picks, Marc Gasol, and nothing else really for him. We traded Damon Jones and Joe Smith for Mo Williams. The Nuggets traded Marcus Camby for a 2nd round pick. The Mavericks traded Devin Harris and 2 first round picks for Jason Kidd. The Sonics traded Ray Allen and Glen Davis for Wally, Delonte, and Jeff Green. Not every trade will be lopsided, but if the Cavs see a trade that they must make and is of good value, they have to do it.
Well folks, as you can see, I am all for making a trade. From what we know about Wally wanting to come back, I definitely think we should pull the trigger. The trading landscape has changed a little, but the top 2 guys I want are Marcus Camby, and Brad Miller. Again, these are 2 bigmen whose contracts expire in 2010. I honestly believe Camby could be had for Wally, and a first rounder. Apparently, the Clips wanted JJ in the deal too, but you never know, they could lower their demands.... Maybe there are other names out there that we haven't thought of, but I hope the Cavs make a move. It is sure to be a crazy 9 days..... Thanks for reading and go Cleveland!
-Raz
With all this said, everyone was calling for a trade after the game. I agree, and I have said this since early in the season. With the deadline only 9 days away, trade talks are hot around the NBA. The struggling economy has really hurt some teams as they wish to get under the salary cap tax threshold. Even the Phoenix Suns are thinking about trading on of their best player Amare Stoudemire (we have no chance of getting him). We have an expiring contract worth $14 million with Wally, $7 million expiring contract with Eric Snow, two cheap rookie contracts of JJ Hickson and Darnell Jackson, and a first round pick in the 2009 NBA Draft. So, it seems that the Cavs could really help some of the bad, economically struggling teams, but according to Brian Windhorst of the Plain Dealer, they won't. He has reported that the Cavs will probably sit out next week's NBA trade deadline. Now, here are the parameters in which I make a trade. I will trade Wally, and a first rounder for a bigman whose contract ends in 2010, this means a Marcus Camby or Brad Miller. Also, if we could get Mike Miller for Eric Snow and a pick would help a lot. Here are reasons why we should make a trade.
-Chemistry won't be changed. People talk about it so much, and it is very important. The Cavs aren't going to be acquiring 3-4 players like they did last year, at most they will acquire 2. Wally has said that he will request a buyout and come back to the Cavs if he is traded (he loves Cleveland that much, and he must wait 30 days if he is boughtout). If Eric Snow is traded, it won't matter because he isn't even with the team. So how much will chemistry be ruined if we can get Wally back?
-Its a buyers market. Teams are looking to shed salary as revenues have decreased. Teams that are out of contention (LA Clippers, Minnesota Timberwolves, Washington Wizards, and Sacramento Kings) will be looking to deal some big names, along with big contracts to shed salary. The Cavs are one of a few teams who have 2 large expiring contracts at their disposal. Along with those expiring deals, we have draft picks to sweeten a deal as well. I am not saying lets make a move to make a move, but I have a feeling that a team will get desperate near the deadline and lower their demands for a trade.
-We are 1-4 vs. Boston, LA, and Orlando. Yes, we didn't have Delonte for either L.A. games, and we didn't have Z or Delonte for Orlando, but the Cavs really fell apart in the 2nd half versus Orlando and LA. The offense stopped flowing, the defensive intensity dropped, and we got lazy on the boards. These teams all have very solid bigmen, and they have a lot of size on their teams. LA has Pau, Odom, and Bynum. Orlando has Howard, Hedo, and Rashard Lewis. Boston has Kendrick Perkins, Garnett, Leon Powe, and Glen Davis. Z and Ben Wallace are both old, and they still play well, but Wallace cannot play more than 30 minutes a game, and we need that 4th big man to solidify the frontcourt. This would also allow LeBron to stay on the wings, and not have to play downlow (where he is uncomfertable)
-Teams are prone to making boneheaded moves. The Cavs must be active on the phones and listen to all offers. This team is so close to a championship, and they are one solid player away from it. As I said earlier, teams will lower their demands as the deadline approaches because the owners will keep the pressure on the GM's to cut salary. Speaking of lopsided moves look not further at what the Grizzlies did last year when they traded Pau Gasol. They got 2 low first round picks, Marc Gasol, and nothing else really for him. We traded Damon Jones and Joe Smith for Mo Williams. The Nuggets traded Marcus Camby for a 2nd round pick. The Mavericks traded Devin Harris and 2 first round picks for Jason Kidd. The Sonics traded Ray Allen and Glen Davis for Wally, Delonte, and Jeff Green. Not every trade will be lopsided, but if the Cavs see a trade that they must make and is of good value, they have to do it.
Well folks, as you can see, I am all for making a trade. From what we know about Wally wanting to come back, I definitely think we should pull the trigger. The trading landscape has changed a little, but the top 2 guys I want are Marcus Camby, and Brad Miller. Again, these are 2 bigmen whose contracts expire in 2010. I honestly believe Camby could be had for Wally, and a first rounder. Apparently, the Clips wanted JJ in the deal too, but you never know, they could lower their demands.... Maybe there are other names out there that we haven't thought of, but I hope the Cavs make a move. It is sure to be a crazy 9 days..... Thanks for reading and go Cleveland!
-Raz
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