Happy Freakin Birthday

The big 2-1.  Not bad so far and I think others are starting to really take notice that you're the real deal (thankyou bri911 for the link).  I think it's a given no one has lived your type of lifestyle at this young an age so I am not going to feel bad about myself.  But enjoy that first sip of alcohol...

The public read about the little party downtown on Wednesday, but we all know your going to have the real party at Swenson's destroying a Galley Boy.  Enjoy the burger and good luck vs the Pistons. 

OSU vs ND Preview

I was forwarded this little blurb today regarding the upcoming Fiesta Bowl matchup between the Bucks and Irish.  This is written by a friend of a friend's dad, but it feels pretty professional to me. 

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If you're a Buckeye or Fighting Irish fan, there are three things that stir up emotional extremes: Politics, Religion & College Football.  All three subjects lead to irrational behavior which divides families, severs friendships or creates an indestructable bond.  Clear lines have been drawn between fans of the two teams.  But, this is a week of College Football celebration & we should put our differences aside to practice acceptance and understanding.  Whether you believe in the power of Holy Buckeye or Touchdown Jesus, at least you are a disciple of College Football.

The OSU/ND Fiesta Bowl match-up next Monday pre-dates most of us.  When I was little, I asked my Uncle Garth who was his favorite team.  He answered, "Ohio State and whoever is playing Notre Dame."  His College Football beliefs were instilled by my Grandparents' & Great Grandparents' generations.  Historically, Notre Dame has been the pinnacle of College Football -- people love to love 'em or love to hate 'em.  It's a little difficult for younger folks to really understand because recently Notre Dame seems like a team that is legendary for something that happened long ago -- they haven't won a bowl game for 12 years.  You have to look at the bigger picture to understand their importance and rabid national fan base.  For perspective, think 2003 - 2005 USC or 2000 - 2002 Miami and draw that out since the beginning of College Football history, not just over a 3-year time period.

The 1935 Ohio State / Notre Dame game played in Ohio Stadium has been called "The Game of the Century" (I'd contend that the game of the 21st Century occured on January 3rd, 2003 in Tempe AZ).  The pictures from the 1935 game are incredible.  Grainy black, white & gray shots.  Over 80,000 people in the stadium - most of the men wearing those dark hats.  No facemasks, so you can see the grizzled look on the player's faces -- who all look much older than they are.  This was the height of the Great Depression and yet 10,000 people came by train from South Bend to see this game.  In 1935, Ohio State lost on a touchdown pass (which was fairly revolutionary @ that time) in the final minute.  The Buckeyes would lose again in South Bend in 1936.

Do you remember where you were in 1995 when the Buckeyes finally had a chance for redemption against the Fighting Irish?  One of the best College Football images ever captured is Eddie George seemingly pulling away from the entire Notre Dame team with 9 gold helmets chasing him from behind.        

The Ohio State / Notre Dame game on January 2nd, 2006 is already historical and there hasn't even been a snap.  This will break a 2-2 tie in the all-time OSU/ND series.  Who knows how many times in the 21st century these teams will meet, so a win carries long-term spoils.  It is also the type of game that can determine the direction of a program for the next 5 to 10 years -- which is important, but just a small blip on the football timeline for these schools.

- Large (Austin Kennesaw's) Father

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For additional Buckeye pre-game analysis make sure to check out Buckeye Commentary. 

Yep..

So we are back from a nice little vacation and now entering the most relaxed work week known to man.  I hope everyone had a nice holiday (regardless of faith) and you enjoyed the first ever holiday LeSong written by some awe-struck Akronites.  I can only imagine how awesome an experience that was...first the guy who ran the gym when we were young and then the King.  I mean thats a freakin duo right there.  

On top of that amazing run-in comes a very fancy 6 game winning streak by our Cavs.  We are spreading the points around, shooting the ball well and even *starting* to play some defense.  I mean check out this boxscore from last night:

That's the first time all year our starting 5 scored in double figures.  All we need now is Wise LeBron to throw in a Quadruple-Double and the trophy is ours.  But seriously, we are playing well and have the second best record in the East right now.  I am pretty excited with how we ended this month after a rocky start. 

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For those of you looking for an easier way to access LeBlog given the url is so long or if you want to spread the word of LeBlog nation..look no further.   Since we became #1 on Google's search results for "leblog", it's become quite easier to access the site.  For those of you who use Firefox all you have to do is literally type in "leblog" into the url box and this blog will come up.   No http://, no www, just type in "leblog".   For those of you who don't use firefox, well first off you should try it out, but you can just go to google.com, type in "leblog" then hit "I'm Feeling Lucky" and bam..here comes the blog.  Pretty money.  For a while we were battling some lame french blogs and businesses, but like LeBron, LeBlog is now #1. 

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In Tribe news, we lost Jody Gerut and Kevin Milwood yesterday, but picked up RHP Jason Johnson.  That rounds out our starting 5 of CC, Lee, Westbrook, Byrd, and now Johnson.  Not bad...now we just have to keep hold of our bats and this team should have a good shot in the AL.  Also, check out this really cool article from the NYPost which compares the bats of the '99 Indian's vs. the '06 Yankees.  (remember use BugMetNot for a login)  Why are they comparing this Indians lineup and not 1995?  Well, since 1950, one team topped 1,000 runs scored in a single season...sup now '99 Tribe.   Def check this out and just looking at this lineup brings chills. 

That's it for now.. 

Happy Holidays - Bron Style

Hello out there..just wanted to wish everyone the happiest of holidays.  So cutting straight to the point, I get a call last night from some fellow Akronites regarding a certain someone who interupted their X-Mas Eve dinner.  In fact..these boys have written a little holiday jingle for everyone (this is not edited so parents make sure your reading with your kids)... enjoy:

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Twas the night before Christmas

And all through LeAkron

All the restaurants were closed

But Olive Garden was happenin'



At a quarter 'til seven

Four Jewish boys sat down to eat

Now they bring you the story

Of LeBron and Pistol Pete



We sat at the bar

With our domestic beers

Talking about LeBron

Spreading Cavalier cheers



But the middle aged bartender

Who Brotsky would screw

Was dissing LeBron

Said he was cheap as a Jew



We sit down for dinner

And remember the years

About New Years in Cincy

While enjoying our beers



When all of the sudden

A voice from the past

Munchkin League ref Pete

Who we thought was an ass



Ski never grew up though

He still feared the ref

Cause the blind one had blackmail

About Brotsky and Steph



Our laughter was hearty

But the pasta was cold

But little did we know

What events would unfold



In walked a hero

The Chosen, the King

Complete with baby's mama

Diamond studs and some bling



As the King walked in

Sug kept everyone composed

But under the table

The truth was exposed



Bron sat down beside us

And drank pink lemonade

But the King couldn't eat in peace

Thanks to an endless brigade



The Cavalier faithful

All got in line

To bother the King

As he tried to dine



But the four Jewish warriors

Played it cool as Ian's ass

They enjoyed the moment

Like it was their last



But the gayest of Kay

Couldn't handle the heat

He came in his pants

And shot up from his seat



He went to the bathroom

And Ski closed his eyes

Ski dreamed of Bron naked

To no one's surprise



The King's Christmas dinner

Was salad and bread

And chicken alfredo

The nice waiter said



We couldn't see for ourselves

Over Seider's big dome

So we picked at our meals

Until Bron headed home



The moment he left

We started spreading the news

We dialed our phonebooks

To tell all our Jews



So what is the moral

Of our Christmas Eve Story

It's good to be a Jew on Christmas

And bask in Bron's glory



Written by Marc, Ian, Aaron, and Ski

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truly wonderful gentleman..

Day 11 > Finale

Here are the clues to get that last two menentos.  I will be gone for the next few days so updates will occur when i get back.  If you missed any of the days make sure to go back into the archives for the answers.  Apparently you have till March 1, 2006 to obtain those momentos, but c'mon. 

Memento #11:  located next to the big TV.  Go to the big TV next to Kid LeBron then you will see a championship belt on the right of the TV.

Memento #12:  Look out for the little car zooming around the house..


Also, if anyone wins a prize please let me know..

Day 10

Sorry I could not post immediately, but I was too busy laughing at Sarah Silverman's movie:  Jesus is Magic.  Oh man was that wrong, but hilarious. 

So on to the matter at hand.  Today's clue:  Bron Bron has always been a natural born leader, but even as a freshman he showed the skills it took to lead his team to this achievement. 

Hmm..so I don't think they are referring to the NBA All Star Freshman vs Sophomore game.  But what other awards has LeKing wrapped up.  I mean he has seriously won every award possible before he was even an adult.  But ok..we all know the answer to this is the Ohio State Basketball Title (Go Bucks!).  If you head to the trophy room, where 2 other memento's have been (c'mon Nike), you will see an extra trophy with the letters OH-IO on it.  Snag that up for memento #10. 

Also, once you find this you learn this LeAwesome story.  I am only posting this for those who aren't participating in this challenge.  If you are collecting the memento's please do not keep reading.  Otherwise: 

When LBJ was a freshman in High School, team-star Maverick Carter fouled out during the state tourney with just a minute left in the game.  LBJ, just 15 years old at the time, called a timeout and brought the team in for an impromptu team huddle.  He said, "We're going to win this game...stay calm."  On the next play, LeBron got the rock, drove to the cup drawing in the defense, and kicked it out to a teammate for the game winning 3.  That's leadership baby.  During the tourney, LBJ averaged 19 points, 7 rebounds, and 4 assists. 

Wow..all I can say is wow.  I mean 15 freakin years old and that un-selfish.  These stories are going to be legends in a few years if they aren't already.  The future is bright..very...very bright. 

C'mon Double C's

As sugknight114 mentioned last week (in which YaySports! picked up as well), Usher Ryamond was asked by Dan Gilbert to not come to the Q until he fufills his promises when he purchased a portion of the team.  Now as much as I want a celebrity owner to give more exposure to the Cavs, he has to at least go to ONE game.  I mean c'mon.  Involvement would be nice.  But on the other end, I wouldn't mind seeing the crowd throw up the most tamed gang sign around. 

So my buddy Aaron threw over this opinion piece today from the Ohio Free Times about Mr. Usher which touches on a few additional points regarding his future with the LeBronaliers: 

According to DeepShot, the hip-hop king has, in fact, met his financial commitment but is too busy with his Hollywood career to be present for every game.  A discussion will take place in the new few weeks between Usher, Gilbert, and the other minority owners to decide if Usher should become more visible or possibly step away.  That decision will be private.  No, Usher is not being punished for misuse of executive snacks, and the only reason he's not on the Web Site is because the site needed updating.

Hmm..I mean ONE game would be nice..

Day 9

I mean come on..this is too easy.  The clue:  LeBron rolls with a tight knit crew of Akronites that's not only there for emotional support, but to assist him in overseeing his business interests.  The Four Horsemen are rep'd by this gamepiece.

As you will see the memento is smack dab in front of your face when you enter the home.  That's all I can really say about this one. 

Day 9:  lame

A Loozer-less Year

Ahh..Carlos Loozer.  What a bum..  Thankyou commenters for bashing this idiot once again.  It seems Bron Bron is getting into the act with this quote from the PD about the most pathetic Olympian ever (yea..remember that - he played for the USA Olympic team):

James, asked Monday if Cavaliers fans ever will get over Boozer, needed approximately 1/100th of a second to ponder.

"Uh, no," James said. "I think the first time he comes here to play, he's going to get a nice round of booz. Maybe without the z.' But he'll get the boo."


Oh yes..can't wait to hear those boo's flow.  Also check out one of the first LeBlog entries I wrote on the Loozer stating that the only reason he was good was due to the King.  I think that stab wound in Gordon Gund's back is pretty much all healed up about now.

Day 8

Ahh...day 8 and we are back on to the Akron clues.  Today's clue reads:  When you want to play ball, but don't have a hoop, you got to use anything you have. When he was young, LeBron's love for the game was bigger than (*a galley boy*) the obstacles before him.  So due to no hoop available, LeBron used one of these instead. 

Hmm..a substitute for a hoop.  What did James Naismith use?   Well, I believe a peach basket, but wait they probably didn't buy peaches in urban Akron.  So what about a milk crate...that's it.  So head to the fridge once again and open that puppy up.  You will see the good old milk bottles and click away.  Once you get the memento you learn that Bron Bron used to play with a bottomless milk crate hung on a telephone pole with a few nails.  Damn..

Day 8:  ooo..right

Day 6 > 7

Welcome back...sorry about the lack of update for the Saturday night into Sunday night challenge (otherwise known as memento #6).   But you can still collect this memento..just probably won't win the grand prize for the day..yea probably not.  So what was the clue:  the clue basically asked what does LeBron do on the road to keep him busy.  Now, the logical answer would be well...you know..think Wilt Chamberlin.  But..the clean and crisp Nike.com was referring to his card shark abilities.  If you head to Wise LeBron's chair check out the cards on top of the vinyl and you'll see the memento.  I wonder if the King will one day have crazy gambling habits of  the man they call pre-Bron.  Yes..Michael Jordan.

So there goes memento #6 and now we are in the home stretch passing the contest's half way point.  And the first clue in the second half of the season reads:  LeBron was named 2003-2004 ROY becoming the youngest player to receive the award (shocker).  Arguably one of the greatest individual rookie seasons ever, LeBron has been an impact player since day one.  This item represents the beginning of his professional (& marketing) career.  

Here we are again..looking for some damn shoes.  I didn't know it was shoes we were looking for initially, but u just had a hunch they were due for another shoe plug.  So to find the Zoom Generation 1's, head to the kitchen, go to the second fridge (the one not full of Sprite), and look to the right.  You will see the King's lion and click on that fella.  It will take you to a new screen with the lion, a light and an object behind the lion.  Just drag the lion over to the right and click on that freakin shoe.  Bam..memento #7. 

Oh also..while you are over there check out the fourth commercial titled 'Celebration' on the TV to the left of the fridge (they finally took away those behind the scenes clips).  Now, this is my new favorite commercial..hands down.  Wise LeBron breaks it down to Rick James and then Biznass Bron steps in...so freakin smooth.  Even my roommate who now hates Bron cause I speak of him so much was like..yea that commercial was pimp.  It just all seems to easy for the King...

Finally, thankyou to paullev7 for guest blogging the other night.  Remember if you have anything to say please drop me an email at burgoon@gmail.com.  I would be more than willing to post it up here. 

Day 5 and other radom musings from the mind of a madman

Yo yo yo- this is paullev7 reporting from the home of the LeBlog-master.  Day 5 is the busted clue from a few days ago.  The answer, of course, is a TV.  But its not one of the TV's you know about.  Nope, this TV is up the stairs behind Grandpa LeBron, in the same location as the football. 

So I have some other Ohio Sports Ramblings:

Scott Elarton - hope you enjoy that cash and 90 loss seasons in K.C.  I mean, no disrespect to KC (who could eventually build a club), but they aren't winning in the next two years in the mad-hard AL Central (eat it AL East fans.... the AL Central is just as good). 

Ohio State- the Bucks are wearing whites in the Fiesta Bowl.  Which brings back some memories...
Screw Disney... the real Greatest Game ever Played


The Cavs- big win over the Nuggs, who were without Marcus Camby.   I missed the game (holiday party with open bar), but the Cavs have three problems as I see (two are related): (1) can't stop penetration, particuarly by PGs; (2) can't stop pick and roll, particularly the high pick and roll; and (3) sometimes rely too much on LeBron.  The remedy?  I don't know, but if Damon Jones can stop yapping with Jay-Z and start playing D, that would go along way to solving 1 and 2.  As for 3, that used to happen with a certain Jordan guy too, so the team can learn  its way out the habit. 

The Browns- well, the Charlie Frye era looks ready to begin.  There will be some bumps on the way, but if Braylon and K2 can get healthy, then the Browns will have the weapons we need.  And Charlie, an un-assuming Le-Akron guy, might have the ego (or lack thereof) to handle it all.

Other Tribe notes- caught a little Tribe talk with Matt Underwood on 1100 (thank god for skip!).  Wedgie says he still feels the hurt of last year and the team will use that for motivation.  Oh yeah, pitchers and catchers report in about 70 days...

Finally, let's give a big shout out to the OSU hoops team, who is back in the top 25.  And to think, next year we get the next great thing...

Day 4

As most of you saw the new clue's will be announced from 7pm-10pm EST going forward.  No problem.  And today's is another local question.  Ya know I am starting to feel like this was meant for us - his real fans.  But then I am thinking...this is a national challenge.  It's weird to think that other people besides those who grew up in the same hometown would know all this stuff?  I mean I can't tell you one event any other major athlete has held in his hometown.  Well anyways, I am glad Bron is so loyal to his hometown and once again he is setting a good example for not only the NBA, but the kids. Yes, the kids..like Jerry said, "I do it for the kids."

So today's clue:   It is typical for ballers to have a charity basketball game, but for LeBron's major charity event in Akron, he chose this activity cause everyone from young to old can participate.

Well, as people know LeBron's Bike-a-thon was a huge success for the city and his foundation.  Not only that but it brought the likes of t-MAC & Wade to the AK.  So anyways, to get the memento click on the TV in the living room next to Kid LeBron.  This will give way to the backyard where you'll see the bike.  

Day 4: Money..

Day 3: You Just Knew..

I mean if they are gonna wait till after the work day to update the Clue you just knew it had to be good. 

The Clue from Lebron.com..I mean Nike.com reads:  LeBron represents Ohio (*Akron*) to the fullest, so much so that he was the first basketball player in the state's history to win this award as a sophomore. 

Ok let's think...well we know he doesn't have an MVP trophy.  So, lets think..how bout Mr. Basketball anyone?  Well giggidy, giggidy that's it. 

If you head to the Bentley you shall find just what your lookin for.  And the best part...the word 'Akron' is written on it.

Day 3:  Wut..Wut. 

Uhh..yea..

I gotta admit I didn't expect to see this as the top headline on ESPiN.

"Charlie Frye is a championship-type guy."  - Jim 'freakin' Brown

LeScoop

Thankyou sugknight114 for the just as good as Brian Windhorst inside scoop.   Let me just repeat what he mentioned in the comments (for those who don't read em):

* While speaking of Rappers and such, Usher Ryamond has been asked by Dan Gilbert to not come to the Q until he fufills his promises when he purchased a portion of the team. Usher must have been spending too much time on the movie, and not enough at the "Q"

* On that same note, some of you might have seen Kid Rock at some of the home games. I confirmed it last game with one of my friends in the marketing department and Kid Rock actually has court side season tickets for the Cavaliers.  Maybe he will take over Usher's portion of the team? He is a Detroit Native and friendly with Gilbert?

* Again speaking of Gilbert, last game I had the chance to talk to him. Nice guy, down to earth, and truly just wants a championship in Cleveland. He was asking us how to get the people in the front 7 rows to wave the "clapping sticks" and made the following remarks:

    " Are they just too rich to blow those things up themselves, I mean maybe we should blow them up for those rich people and see what happens than."

* And most importantly - Beyonce is freakin gorgeous. When she was in the building with Jay-Z, I don't think anyone cared that he was in the building.


Now that is good stuff..thankyou very much for allowing LeBlog nation on the inside track.  Go Cavs and please just beat the crap out of the Hawks tonight.

Day 2

Sorry, I might not get to this first thing in the morning, but there will be a post by the end of the day.

CLUE:  LeBron does his thing on the court, but in his off time (when he isn't at Swenson's) he has a specific style and he knows what he wants.  This item is a classic example of  *marketing* LeBron's off the court style. 

So as paullev7 noted in the previous comments, the item is indeed a bunch of AF1 shoes.  Just head to the kitchen and click on the cooler full of Sprite.  Once you see that the shoes are in the bottom right.  It's not too clear, but they are there.  

day 2..giggidy

Day 1

As you know there are a series of new commercials out about the King called The LeBrons.  This campaign is now nationwide and in true Bron fashion, it's just as pimp as his old commercials.  Right now there are 3 commercials out:  Butter, New Shoes, & Glory Days.

But..in addition to the TV spots is an online campaign.  Yes folks on the intranet.  If you go meet the LeBron's on Nike's site you will find a little trivia contest in which you can win prizes like the Zoom LeBron 3 remix shoe (just one shoe of course) as well as some playing cards.   Today was the first day of the contest and it runs till Dec 23 (the greatest number in all the land). 

While it would be cool if everyone could figure out all the hints by themselves, I will post the answers to each of the questions daily.  But you gotta try it out on your own.  I mean the first 10,000 only win prizes but I don't suspect that many people will be attending this site for answers.  10 maybe, but not 10g.  So yea..take a look around his Akron home and try to solve the clue before reading on.

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So I assume if your reading once inch below the last line then you got stuck.  As you read, the question today asks what other sport was LeBron a pimp at.  Well..I thought back and figured it might have been the days where Bron and I shared the court at the JCC..I mean JCC basketball is a sport in itself, but after much thought I would have to say the answer is football.  And if you click to the right of the dining room table it will take you to a trophy room overlooking the Akron skyline.  Click up the stairs and you'll see a football on the couch.  Click on that puppy and rake in the pride..

Day 1..check

Team Playa

"I don't want to score 50 again for the rest of my career because I am now 0-2 when I score 50," James joked after the game. "I don't look at it as me playing well. It's the fact that we didn't get a win and that's all I care for."

the man..

Cavs Bloggers

In addition to Brian Windhorst's solid behind the scenes blog, comes Michael Reghi's blog.  For those not in the know, Reghi is in his 12th season as one of the Cavs television announcers and also hosts Cavs Fastbreak.  Without question one of the better play-by-play announcers out there (un-biased opinion of course) and it should be noted he did an amazing job of masking Mark Price's awful attempt at announcing.
 
He is only on his 5th post, but so far doing a pretty solid job.  Notice his latest post in which he dissects Hughes vs. his potential alternatives:

Which brings me to the strongest cases I can give you as to why the Cavaliers got the right guy. You see, what many have missed when discussing Redd, Allen and Johnson, along with the additional millions they raked in when staying put in Redd and Allen's case, and taking the Atlanta money that Phoenix said they would not pay in Johnson's, is that none of the three was willing to have shots reduced, and some of the luster taken away from their games, while playing with LeBron. Speaks volumes about how Hughes views the potential winning that sits on the horizon with the Cavaliers, as opposed to his personal numbers.

The LeBrons..

So last night turned out well as the Cavaliers at least pulled out one win on their first west coast road trip of the season.  It wasn't easy at times, but overall we played well enough against the awful defense of the Kings.  Bron as usual poured in 30 points and dazzled the Kings crowd once again as he did on his first day in the NBA (remember that commercial where Bron froze up for 20 secs then smiled like "gotcha sucka"). 

So speaking of the King (since I never bring him up) check out this unreleased commercial of The LeBrons..  It shows the king just living a normal life in his home in Akron, OH.  (also check out this behind the scenes making of the commercial which is actually kind of akward)

Oh also..give it up for LeBlog James everyone..

The Browns..

You just gotta love those Brownies.  As some know I am not exactly the biggest Browns fan and haven't been since I was 16 years old and a man named Art broke my heart.  But I decided to put away those feelings for an afternoon and head to an old Brown's backers bar and cheer on Charlie "Akron" Frye in his first start.  Overall, the boy played well (real well first half, so-so second half) and totally deserves the job vs. the Kentucky Bengals.  It actually was a pretty good game to watch, but in usual Ohio sports fashion, Braylon decided to drink the same kool-aid as Winslow and now might be out for the remainder of the season.  Browns lose not only the game but the guy who scored both receiving TD's.  Sweet..real sweet.  

So enough about that..

The Tribe made some headlines in the past few days first with the signing of Paul Byrd for a lot of cash.  Hmm..his stats last season were 12-11 with a 3.75 era...$7 million/year for a 35 year old man..huh.   Ok well I guess I won't question Mr. Mark Shapiro. 

I think a reason cash might not be an option is that the Tribe are going to spawn their own regional sports network given the Fox Sports Network deal expired after the '05 season.  It seems the Tribe and Time Warner (my employer for now) have reached a deal to have their own station including 130 games being televised plus some additional programming.  So off the bat it won't have to try and be a 24 hour news source, which in my opinion changed the face of sports (think ESPiN News if I lost you).  Only negative is that the Indians Sports Network won't have the 4.8 million reach of FSN because the new network "won't go to the Cincinnati market."  

HA..the Reds are totally in Kentucky.  

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It's also great to see this blog turn into a message board for my buddies, but if you've got something I should post on this bad boy then please email me at burgoon@gmail.com

Should we Thank LeBron?

Well when my buddy Paul said he wanted to get together and watch the MAC Championship last night I have to admit I was a little skeptical.  But since the game featured the Akron Zips, I figured why the hell not.  And this turned out to be one of the best games I watched all season (and I watch a lot of games given my basement is packed with 5 TV's each with a different game on every Saturday).  So yea..this game was money.  Akron had never been to a bowl game even though they had a winning record last season.  So they were shafted, but this year with the power of LeBron they came through... 

So coming out of haltime the score was tied up at 10-10 and Akron was keeping pace with the heavily favored Northern Illinois...isnt MAC football exciting?  So N. Illinois scored twice in the third to put Akron in quite the hole not to mention killing the attention span of Herbie and Mike Terico in the booth.  Yes, if you tuned in you heard Herbie say don't watch any of the games this weekend cause they will all suck..love it.  So Akron goes down big in a pretty intense game actually. 

4th quarter begins and Akron makes a quick score to make this game watchable, but after a 52 yd field goal by N. Illinois, we felt like the night was over.  Granted it was only 10 points, but they were moving the ball at will thanks to their mini version of Reggie Bush.  But the Charlie Frye replacement, Luke Getsy, drives on down the field and scores quickly.  But after hogging the ball for almost 5 mins, N. Illinois scores going up 30-24 with about 3 mins left.  Ok 'we' can do this so Akron is driving than bam..interception.  Damn tipped ball.  At that point with about 2 mins left things weren't looking to good.  But our D stepped it up making some big stops and combining that with our last 3 timeouts, it's Akron's ball again.  No timeouts, 81 yards to go.  MAC football baby.  So Getsy drives us down the field against an awfully tired N. Illinois defense (it was sloppy trust me) and gets to their 36 yd line...then LeBron steps in.

#23 of the Zips (Domenik Hixon) who was taken out of the game for heat exhaustion, wanted back in.  They put him in towards the end and boy did that pay off.  Luke hit Bron's number for a 36 yard TD with 10 secs left and there we go..a 31-30 victory, the first Conference title in the school's history, and a trip to the Motor City Bowl. 

  the power of Bron can not be underestimated...

So yea folks I just gave a recap of the MAC championship, but I am not nuts.  For me, Paul, and Gaffbag it was easily one of the best games we watched all season.  Herbie was even going nuts and proclaimed it the game of the week. 

MAC football..good stuff..

Unreal folks..

One of the most influential people in the world has just been named the Eastern Conference Player of the freakin Month.   I mean honestly is this really a shock to anyone.  The kid is in his third season and these kind of awards already mean nothing.  The month started out with the king being enshrined in a giant mural outside of the Q (which I witnessed in person over Thanksgiving and let me tell you it was quite LeSpectacular) and now ends the month with basically the award for NBA Pimp of the Month.  Amazingly, this is just another month passing by for the King.

Why did he get the award exactly?  I mean not only is he the face of the NBA, but James led the Cavaliers to 10 wins in November, our best start since the 1977-78 season.  LeKing also averaged 28.4 points (shooting 48.9%), 6.0 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 1.64 steals.  Also, the King got a TD (Triple Double) vs the Phila Sixers.

In summary:

The NBA Award Selection committe = awesome
LeBron = LeAwesome

Le King

In addition to the LeBron commercials I gathered a while back comes some more Bron Bron footage thanks to youtube.com.   Check out this page of Bron vids which includes some shoe promos, chinese commercials, and of course LeAmazing highlights.  Seriously, watch that dunk over Damon Jones again just to refresh the memory of how awesome that really was. 

  I mean if that's not old skool...

Moving On..

ESPiN - you suck..you really do.  

And in honor of you sucking I give you two solid links.  First, check out this insightful article from Deadspin about the latest in the world of Michael Irvin:

No answer was given to the perfectly legitimate question a reader asked in the comments yesterday: The incident happened Friday. So, did Irvin neglect to mention it until he had to own up because someone else found out and told ESPN? Did he mention it immediately and ESPN buried it till Sunday afternoon, after NFL Countdown had aired? If he didn't mention it and ESPN found out thru other channels, shouldn't that be deemed fireable in itself? And if he did tell ESPN on Saturday when he arrived in Bristol, aren't they incredibly negligent in allowing him on the air without saying anything?

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Secondly, I'd like to thank EveryDayShouldBeSaturday for giving us 52 reasons why ESPiN sux..

my favs:

1.  Synergy.  Promo the games you have the rights to while barely mentioning the big games on in other places, no matter how important they might be.  Push your product over THE GAME.  Vile corporate entertainment thinking that yields little but viewer disgust.

19. Making the story, not reporting it. Two words: Terrell Owens.

42. ESPN, the Magazine. Huge pages, fellatio-style coverage of the shittiest citizens of the athletic world, and very, very little content.

There's always next week..

well..as i mentioned there was plenty to be thankful of heading into the holiday break, but leaving it was just about as awful as it could get.  My buddies and I were witnesses to two of the most poorly played games I have ever seen.  Ever..I mean almost as bad as late 90's Cavs.

We couldn't hit anything vs the Pacers or Timberwolves.   I began the Timberwolves game by asking what exactly does Eric Snow contribute, then sadly realized his point total was 7 times that of Donyell's and Damon's combined.  I mean it was bad, real bad. Apparently it was too much pressure for the young team with people home for Thanksgiving, a 6 game domination streak at home, and of course the blue jerseys.. 

Obvious highlights include a spectacular performance by the King both shooting and dunking.  His drive to the left then slamming it down with the right hand was out of control.  The team had just gone down at that point and we needed him to take over.  The King knew his role, but one man can't win it all.  This team will grow or rather this team HAS to grow.  I agree with the comments in the previous post about dishing Snow.  He is really not worthy of a starting spot on the floor.  I mean Damon not starting shouldn't make a difference, but you just feel someone who is that cocky actually will be happier thus play better if he starts.  Let Snow go to NY and attempt to save that awful team.  And I can't wait for Anderson to get back.  Our defense now is struggling and we need more than Bron's/Hughes steals.  Granted Gooden is playing better than 'almost' everyone on the team, but Andy's energy adds a whole new dynamic to the game. 

Overall, the team is still learning the ropes and if we want to make it in the East we have to beat Detroit and Indiana.  With the Clippers around the corner then a 3 game West Coast road trip, it's going to be another tough week.  (I still can't believe the Clippers are actually a force in the NBA).  Anyways, I hope our shooters are practicing a little extra this week..

Turkey Time

I am sorry I couldn't update the blog before Thanksgiving break, but I will be back next week in full force.  Hopefully by that time the Cavs will have the best record in the NBA and Buckeye country will still be glowing.  I'd like to leave you with a few positive quotes from the past few days:

Senator Tressel - "There are going to be a lot of youngsters out there on Thanksgiving weekend making plays in a pile of leaves."  (including myself in the annual Akron vs Cleveland Turkey Bowl, but at this rate substitute snow for leaves)

LeKing - "We've got so much confidence, we're riding on an all-time high right now,'' James said. "This is the most fun I've had in my two and half years.''

Enjoy the break everyone and I'd have to imagine every Ohio Sports fan has something to be thankful for this holiday.  

Sorry, Sorry

Been slammed today with meetings but...an update will arrive soon.

In summary, this weekend was basically LePerfect. 

 you just knew Akron would come through in the end..

LeAwesome

you gotta love getting forwarded your buddies site from a random friend..
I am sure most of you have seen this but here is a classic page put up by a fellow Akronite..

also had to include these shots from the '02 game (photos credited to Ryan Clery)

Much Love

So this morning I am tuning into Mike & Mike on my way to work and after the usual dose of NFL talk, I was shocked to hear the subject actually move to college football.  I mean why bring up college football on the day before the most important weekend in the sport. Anyways, enough bitterness, but what transpired next shocked and delighted me.  Greenberg started it out by apologizing to Red Sox/Yankees fans then proceeded to proclaim that any of the college rivalries this weekend are more meaningful.  Then Golic jumped on board and agreed saying even if each team was 0-9 this one game is just as important and STILL as important as a Red Sox/Yankess Oct series to make the playoffs..damn.  This is something we all know in Buckeye country, but great to hear an understanding on a national level.  And while they didn't actually say that OSU vs scUM itself was the best rivaly in sports, we all know what's up.

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FireJimTressel

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and in the most heartwarming news of the day..my buddy Aaron is volunteering this week for his job by teaching 2nd graders.  And let's just say his lesson plan was slightly diverted today..

aaron: i've been volunteering all week
aaron: teaching 2nd graders
aaron: so today, i wore my buckeyes football coaches polo
aaron: so i explained the significance of the game
aaron: and then i taught them OH-IO
aaron: and we did it three times real loud
aaron: how awesome is that

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And finally my buddy Paul threw over this stat of the day:

National Title Since 1950:

scUM: .5
OSU:   5

Oh to be young again

ahh yes..tonight is indeed the night for a little late night swim in Mirror Lake.  To clarify what that exactly means, many OSU students will take the plundge tonight (keep in mind its 30 or so degrees) into a lake on campus in preperation for the Michigan game.  Absurd yes, but tradition is a powerful force.  Check out this article on the festivities as well we other signs of Michigan week around C-Bus.  (remember use BugMeNot)

Here's a sample:

Everywhere in the city, signs point to Buckeyes football. Clocks that countdown to the Michigan game year round. Newspapers that remind readers how many days are left. Streets named after Woody Hayes. Namesake bars, restaurants and arcades. Rental signs in front of apartments that entice renters with "stadium view," as though the "Horseshoe," as it's affectionately called, is a wonder of the world, a Grand Canyon-like opening in south central Ohio.

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Let's all take a few mins and remind ourselves how good Archie Griffin actually was...

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sup now..

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 straight from espin.com...at least the readers know what's up

3 days and counting..

You always know it's the week leading up to the OSU vs scUM game when you exchange emails with college friends you haven't talked to since well..last year's game.  To all of you who don't understand, 'The Game' is really that big of a deal and in honor I'd like to share some of the awesome & absurd links thrown my way recently:

Is this kid named Scott Kropko a bigger fan that Neutron Man?

My buddy Tom's OSU football card site..

A highlight reel from last year's blowout of scUM (excuse the crappy music)...

UPDATE:  and this one just came in...a song called Ted Ginn did Everything from the Dead Schembechlers


enjoy..

Oh how sweet it is..

Money baby..money. 

Tonight, the Cavs easily took care of the overrated Wizards on Larry Hughes bobblehead night in CLE.  This matchup pitted Hughes against his former teammates for the first time since making the best choice of his career.  And for all of you out there, tonight also marked the first time Larry smiled in public. 

But this was indeed a big game for our Cavaliers.  The Wiz came into tonight after a commanding victory of Seattle and an upset of the former champion Spurs.  So we needed to prove that our team was for real.  That in fact happened as we played well on both sides of the ball.  Combine that with an awful shooting effort by the Eastern Conference Player of the Week and you got yourself an easy Cavs victory.   I think it's pretty obvious not only to the fans, but the NBA that the Cavaliers are on their way to becoming a real ball club.

I think the best part of it all is that our team is deep.  While Bron is our leader, the rest of the team plays an equal part.  Tonight for instance, the stats were once again spread evenly.  Like I mentioned last week, it was easy to forget who was in charge at times.  Bron took over in the first half, Z owned the 3rd quarter and bobblehead boy domniated the 4th period.  Throw in a bunch from Donyell and a monster rebounding effort from Gooden and everyone played their part.  Think about it..if this team can be egoless (minus Bron when he needs to be) then we're gonna have a real shot at the playoffs.  Yes, I am being conservative here, but the first goal is playoffs then in a few months we can talk second and third round. 

Anyways..great victory tonight and more importantly, congrats to Larry Hughes who didn't disappoint on his own bobblehead night.  Go Cavs..

The Rivalry

Thankyou to FanBlogs for this great find from the PD.  This comes from a former Big 10 official named Bill Kingzett who once worked an Ohio State - Michigan game: 

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Big Ten officials work in crews, and some people don't know this, but back then, when a crew was chosen to work the Ohio State- Michigan game, if that crew had an official from Michigan, he had to be approved by Woody Hayes; and if the crew had someone from Ohio on it, he had to be approved by Bo Schembechler. If Woody or Bo didn't approve, the Big Ten had to find someone to replace you. For that game, I was the only Ohio official that Bo approved. One member of our crew was from Dayton, and Bo would not accept him, so they had to replace him.
...
I remember our crew went in on Friday, and we were staying at the Student Union in Ann Arbor the night before the game. With the excitement, the parties, the anticipation of the game, that place never shut down. I'm a great sleeper, but with the combination of noise and the atmosphere, I woke up at 3 or 4 in the morning. I went into the hallway for a walk, and I bumped into a couple of other members of our crew. They couldn't sleep either. So we walked for a little while and then managed to get some sleep. That was the only time I was awakened before any game I worked.
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This game is what college athletics is all about..

Good Old Links

As we all know by now, Le Bron has been inshrined in a massive way over downtown Cleveland with his own 110ft by 212ft billboard.  I must admit I am pretty damn excited to check this out over Thanksgiving break.  And you gotta love this statement from Nike, who flipped the bill for the billboard:

“The ‘We are Witnesses’ wall is a statement for all Cavaliers’ fans to watch the growth, development and legacy of LeBron James through his play on the court and outreach activities in the Greater Cleveland-Akron community.”

Anyone else think the team should be renamed to the Cleveland-Akron Cavaliers?

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My buddy Karl is now aware of where the Black Keys are from..

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I just discovered the site LebronTalk this morning and as far as I can see does a great job detailing the King's various shoes as well as other sightings of the King around the media.  Definetely a good site to bookmark in terms of all the Bron gear out there. 

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It's always nice to learn your blog is getting promoted by one of the biggest sports blogs on the net.  YAYsports hooked it up on a few weeks ago cause of the Bron/Batman picture I posted.  If you poke around the site you can tell the main editors have much CLE love. 

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Congrats Donyell for a pretty clutch 3-pointer last night.  The Cavs improve to a solid 5-2 record with the Wiz just around the corner on Tuesday.  Hughes was a fantasy god last night with a crazy stat line..in fact, check out this box score from last night..if that's not a team, then by golly bring me back Ricky Davis..

Happy OSU vs Michigan Week Indeed..

My Apologies

My deepest apologies to Brain (sugknight114) for mistaking your Insider information with Mark's plebeian (non-insider's) analysis.  To be honest, I really just got excited that I could finally link to Zack Morris' homepage.  It looks like I need to take a giant step back and realize that life can not be controlled by the greatest TV show to hit the airwaves in the past two centuries. 

Once again I am sorry.  As you can see not only I, but Zack apologies as well. 

 I'm sorry and I've been nothing but a loser post SBtB..

Dis is very very nice..

you gotta love waking up to 2 reviews of last night's game sitting in your mailbox/comment field.  Thankyou to my buddies Mark and Paul (no, not Mark Paul Gosselaar) for offering their insights into last night's action..one from inside the Q and one from inside the brain of a mad man..

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Mark...

I have never exprienced a better sports moment than when LeBron James recieve the alley oop from Donyell Marshall, and watching the entire Quicken Loans arena errupt into what some might describe as a riot. This group is not fully together on the court as you can tell by some un-needed turnovers, missed oppurtunities and they just don't see the extra pass quite yet, but it is comming.

  As for the rest of the Quicken Loans, as Gilbert promised they are working on the new seats. The enitre lower bowl is now Wine color, and it looks amazing. The scoreboard is out of this world, and absolutly amazing.

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Paul..

So last night another Cavs domination.   The Cavs look mighty comfy at the Q, as we have pounded our two opponents there (and we have 6 of 9 to get some more home cookin in).  First and foremost, LeBron was a stud as usual, as he totally dominated.  He is postin up more, and there ain't no small forward that can guard the King on the Box, and there aint no big man who can guard his highness on the perimiter.  Pretty much making LBJ unstoppable, as the Royal one went to the line 11 times (and made all 11, of course). 

Big props also go out to Drew "Double-Double" Gooden, who barely missed another one with 11-9.  And the other half of the Double-Double brothers, Donyell, put up 13 and 9. Big props also go out to L. Hughes, who doesn't do anything totally that blows your mind, but got 13-5-5 in an efficient 32 minutes.  

The key to this game was the Cavs total domination on the glass, 56-21.  If we can pound the backboards like that, then no one is gonna be able to stop us.  We even had 21 on the offensive side.  Big Z and Alan Henderson each had 9, so it was a total team effort in controlling the glass- just like Mike Brown wants it.

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Thankyou gentleman for your insights..I think it's quite obvious this year is special and as far as I can tell..people really do believe.

One final note here..in the DC area you can actually pick up the Clevland broadcast of 1100AM which is totally random, but sick.  My buddy recently pointed this out and last night I tuned in on the drive home to hear the sweet sweet sounds of Joe Tait.  Wow..was this a treat.  Only Swenson's will bring you closer to home than Mr. Tait. 

That's it...

I've Got a Feeling

You might be asking why I didn't post after the opening night domination of the nomadic Hornets.  Well..while I was crazy excited after the victory, I knew it was still just the Hornets.  Our team was in synch..Donyell, Damon, and Hughes all played their part.  At times it was quite easy to forget LeBron was actually the team's star..well until the 3 point parade.  One thing I noticed is that the media coverage was light after the opening night victory.  While CLE fans had already placed the Cavs as important as Jesus, most of the sports world knew it wasn't yet time.  And they were right.  Then the next game rolled around.  Now granted it was vs the Spurs, but we just couldn't hang post halftime.  It was very rough..  First the Spurs, then the Grizzlies, then the skeptical press. 

Even though we handled the Raptors quite easily last night, I think this team is gonna need a good 20 games to get their rhythm.  There are just too many new players introduced before each game.  Keep in mind Anderson would have probably been our starting PF if not for his injury (remember Gooden had a scoring mentality last year).  The one thing Cavs fans should be happy about is that our bench is deep.  I mean I will argue with anyone that our talent is better top to bottom than any other team in the Association. 

The tricky part will be how to layout our offense.  I think after a few games it's quite clear Damon Jones will shoot from anywhere on the court no matter how many people are in his face.  And now we have Donyell who wants to shoot plus we have the King who apparently practiced his shot (a lot) at the JCC this summer.  Then when Luke gets in, that's all he really wants to do (although he made a few sweet drives to the hoop last night).  I mean we went from a team where Z was one of the top shooters to basically a Three-Point Contest roster.  This obviously isn't a bad problem to have and I have no doubt Mike Brown will cleanup everyone's role in thenext few weeks. 

This season the Cavs have more rebounders, stealers, shooters, and slashers than I have ever witnessed in my lifetime as a fan.  Right now, I am just excited to watch our team grow together and with time this team should start to take shape with roles being ironed out.  Until then..we just have to watch the beginnings of something really special.  Think of it like being in Liverpool at the Cavern Club in the early 1960's ...yea, that ended up working out pretty well..

Dolla Dolla Bills

LARRY HUGHES -  $10.3 million

ZYDRUNAS ILGAUSKA -  $9.2 million

ERIC SNOW -  $5.48 million

DONYELL MARSHALL -  $4.8 million

LEBRON JAMES -  $4.62 million

DREW GOODEN -  $4.065 million

DAMON JONES -  $3.5 million

IRA NEWBLE -  $2.95 million

LUKE JACKSON -  $1.95 million

SASHA PAVLOVIC -  $1.27 million

ALAN HENDERSON -  $1.13 million

ANDERSON VAREJAO -  $866,000

ZENDON HAMILTON -  $850,000

MIKE WILKS -  $700,000

MARTYNAS ANDRIUSKEVICIUS -  $398,000

Pre-Game Notes

And here we go..  Will the addition of a few stars mixed in with a few average players equal success for the Cavs?  We shall see.  It took Jordan a while and a supporting cast, but as we all know too well..he rose to glory.  LeBron has the ability, the attitude, and now the cast to bring it home. C'mon now..

Given the Cavs haven't won an opener since 2000, I am hoping for a W tonight as a sign of what's to come.  We got the Hornets this evening and Spurs manana, so we will be tested early.  Granted we have players and coaches who really haven't worked together, but I am hoping that's just part of the fun.   Go Cavs..

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Drew Gooden will start as well alongside Snow, Hughes, Bron, & Z.   But this might be his last season starting for the Cavs given the team declined him a contract extension.  Yesterday was the final day to extend his contract and it looks as though he was left in the dust.  Since he is now an unrestricted free agent at the close of the season, expect a big contribution for the make-shift Loozer.  Just to clarify, next summer the Cavs can match any offer, but depending on how good he does, the Cavs have to be careful and not match over the salary cap.

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Apparently the third most burning question from SI.com about the NBA season is as follows: 

3. Who will make more news in Cleveland -- LeBron James or flashy new owner, Dan Gilbert?

Answer:  If it's Gilbert, the Cavs will be in trouble; if it's James, I think they have a chance to finish as high as third in the conference.

While Gilbert is somewhat flashy, he is no where near Cuban style.  He will be more outgoing as far as Cleveland owners go, but I think he knows his place.  Oh and I do agree with the tail end part of the answer...Third or even Second place will be fine. 

Ahh..Chief

When Sheryl Swoops announced she was gay, you knew it was only a matter of time before NBA players were asked how they would handle the same situation.  Well, after this spectacular answer by Robert Parish, I would hope those questions come to a screeching hault:

“No time soon,” Parish said. “It would be a very, very uncomfortable environment to step forward in. It would probably make someone retire, because they couldn’t take the heat. Men in general are more homophobic. Society is more accepting of woman-on-woman sex than man-on-man. Women on women? That’s a man’s fantasy right there.”

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So Snow is our starting PG.  Seems as though his defense skills put him on top.  Expect Snow and Jones to split time evenly. 

The contract on Sasha Pavlovic was extended through the 06-07 season.

Boozer is placed on the inactive list...poor baby.

Let's Go

Wednesday baby..Wednesday.  It begins.  A new season not too mention a new era of Cavs basketball.  This year it's big names and big paychecks.  Something rather new to our teams history since 1971.  Our track record isn't pretty, but that is behind us and this season is our chance to turn things around. 

To kick off the season, the newly redesigned and rather pimp looking cavs homepage has served up the first of many Cavaliers commercials to come.  Glad to see the front office minds are thinking big.  

And there you go..

The Cavs have finally rounded out their 15 man roster.  Ferry made the final cuts yesterday and it looks like the newest Cavs are none other than PG Mike Wilks and C Zendon Hamilton.  Wilks, who played tremendous preseason ball, went to Rice College and has been tossed around the NBA for 4 seasons.  Henderson, who according to Ferry really earned the spot playing the best out of the big men, has also been thrown around the NBA for 6 seasons and a graduate from St. Johns.  I mean seriously..read the section 'Career Transactions' for both of those guys..

According to NJ.com (remember use BugMeNot), Larry Brown is actively looking to add another true PG to the Knicks roster and they are interested in Eric Snow.  With Wilks now on board, that might not be too far fetched.   In that article you might notice what looks like a straight up rumor that LeKing is said to prefer playing with Wilks.  Whether it's a true comment..I don't know, but at this rate I say let's see how Wilks handles his first few regular season games then decide from there.  

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Oh and you remember that Powerade Bron commercial where he nails those full court shots like its nothin..well, I recently came across an Urban Legends site and after a quick search for Bron, low and behold an entry which discusses whether the this ad is real or not.  I mean I don't know about you, but I always thought it was real...I mean it's the King, c'mon.

Gettin Psyched

and we're in the final stretch with the regular season tipping off next week.   While the press is still all over the dress code, it's time for people to give it up and start focusing on the teams themselves.  Lookin around, it actually seems the ESPiN had the most solid analysis of the Cavs...yes, I am endorsing this, but it's damn good.  Interesting picks for our starting lineup..Bron, Snow, Hughes, Z & Gooden.  Damon and Donyell will probably squeeze their way on at the last min...just a hunch.  But overall, their beat writers really think Danny has pulled this team together for a legitimate contender in the East.  Psyched...real psyched..

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check out this money tidbit my buddy Aaron shot over:

When Brown addresses the media, he wants to make sure he is getting his point across. After one recent practice, Brown looked at a reporter and said, "You look puzzled." The puzzled-looking reporter said, "I am." With that, Brown took the five assembled reporters onto the practice court, positioned them as if they were the Cavaliers, and took 20 minutes to explain the offensive sets he was teaching the team.

I think the word is confidence..hopefully the press relays the same message.

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In wrapping up rather quickly, I am psyched to see sugknight114 on board to deliver some quality info from the inside of the Q.  It seems not only him, but the rest of the media is most impressed with Damon Jones.  We finally have our 3-point threat..in fact we have 2 of em.  Oh yeah..this season is going to be spectular.  I feel this is our time and it is indeed a great time to be a Cavaliers fan. 

  sup now..

Little Cavs Update

With the season just around the corner, it seems our roster is starting to take shape.  Drew Gooden, who most of us believed would be gone by now, will be a Cavalier on opening night.  Note: this is the last year of his contract, in which Gilbert is paying him $4 mil, so look for a huge year off the bench from the Jayhawk grad.  And remember Gooden (this year especially), you're not a scorer..

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On a lighter note, 3 former Cavs made it to SI's All Poison Team:

Darius Miles - I mean the guy even had problems in Portland..come on
Carlos Loozer - makes me so happy to see people question his worth..
Jeff McInnis - ahh..seems SI ran out of room to list all of his shady maneuvers

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Given Hughes PG exposure in the pre-season, he might end up being be our third option at PG.  I kind of feel this is also due to the fact we have no money left to spend.  But anyways, Mike Wilks has been crazy good in the preseason shooting 55% from the floor with no turnovers.  Even if Mike doesnt stay on board, we are shaping up to have a real backcourt presence...Snow, Hughes, Jones, Bron, Luke...not bad folks.

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So as Mark Cuban pointed out last week, the NBA Dress Code was the fault of some owners not being able to talk to their players, not the NBA's Marketing team's decision to shape up their image.  Bron, being the upstanding citizen that he is, is having no probs with the recent changes.  But IHughes..well, he is.   Hughes disagreed with the banning of the bling, which is actually causing the most uproar around the league. As Hughes states, "It is part of our culture.''

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Finally, check out this LeBron interview with Slam magazine.  You get a sneak peak at the Blue cavs jersey, which will def be worn on Xmas day.  Even though this is a Bron article, notice the mad props to Gilbert in the intro paragraph:

New Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert has gone straight Cuban, renovating the home locker room and pulling out each of the arena's 20,000-plus blue seats and replacing them with cushy, burgundy-colored chairs.

So pumped to check out the new & improved Q.  And of course, the King provides some masterful quotes of his own.  Here's one:

If Jesus came on the court, I still wanna be better than him. That's just my mind frame. That's why I've gotten to this position I'm at now.