Box Score: Orioles 4, Indians 3
July 22, 2012Penn State Receives NCAA Sanctions
July 23, 2012While We’re Waiting serves as the early morning gathering of WFNY-esque information for your viewing pleasure. Have something you think we should see? Send it to our tips email at tips@waitingfornextyear.com.
Who should sponsor each NBA teams’ uniforms– “Chicago Bulls: Jenga. Without Derrick Rose at full strength, the Bulls could have a hard time staying among the league’s elite. In Jenga, removing just one piece can make the whole structure fall apart. Also, it is very cheap, just like Chicago’s free-agent pickups this offseason.
Cleveland Cavaliers: Quicken Loans. Around the time of the housing crisis, Dan Gilbert’s Quicken Loans came under fire for its predatory loaning practices. Nevertheless, Gilbert took the moral high ground during LeBron James’ poorly conceived departure from Cleveland. Is there any reason he’d stop now and avoid giving one of his businesses more attention, especially with the Cavs looking much improved?” [Freeman/Ball Don’t Lie]
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Reviewing your summer league Cavs– “Certainly the strength of the Summer League team, the young trees presented themselves well. Tacking up pretty similar stat lines, in 43 combined minutes per game, Zeller and Samuels averaged 24 points and 14 rebounds on 59% true shooting. Samuels served as the major revelation, dropping lots of weight and looking significantly beefed up. Seeing Cleveland extend Harangody a qualifying offer but not himself, might have offered a wake-up call.
There is genuine excitement for the team’s big man rotation next year. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not, “55 wins – here we come” excitement, but more like “wow – we get to watch a roster of legitimate NBA players”. Varejao returns to health. The Cavs viewed Zeller as top-ten talent (and I agree). Tristan will be improved. Jon Leuer poses as a completely respectable fourth big man, and same story for Samuels in the five-slot. Kevin Jones may be a sleeper and Luke Harangody…well, he waves a mean towel.” [Hetrick/Cavs the Blog]
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Praise for Joe Haden– “What truly separates him from any other “star” player in Cleveland over the last 15 years is that he blends being an elite player at his position with also being a fan favorite. Josh Cribbs is a close second in this one, but he went through a contract dispute and has been slightly less productive as of late; however, he pretty much laid the blueprint for how to hype up a fan base.
Furthermore, the two of them are great friends. But in his second year in the league, Haden separated himself from the overhwleming majority of defensive backs in the NFL. He’s a lockdown corner who can pretty much play man-to-man on every team’s No. 1 receiver, allowing the rest of the team to focus on themselves and less about helping him out.
Granted, that’s a tall task, and the life of a cornerback is such that it only takes one misstep to make it look like a bad game. But Haden has proven himself as a stud. He’s got all the F-sounds: fast, physical, and fun to watch. Even better, he’s a fan.” [Nye/Dawg Pound Daily]
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Does this trend bother anyone else, or does it just matter how fast and how hard they hit?– “On Saturday morning, Detroit Lions cornerback Aaron Berry was arrested on three charges of simple assault for an incident in which he allegedly brandished a firearm. It is Berry’s second arrest in less than a month, the seventh arrest of a Lions player since the 2012 offseason began, and the 29th police incident involving an NFL player since the confetti came down on Super Bowl XVLI on the evening of February 5.” [Farrar/Shutdown Corner]
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Who do the Indians even have to trade? “2. Dillon Howard, RHP-Arizona Indians: Almost by default, Howard is the 2nd best prospect in the system right now. He dealt with some nagging injuries coming out of spring training, and didn’t make his professional debut until the complex leagues started up a few weeks ago. He’s made 5 appearances (4 starts) in the complex leagues, throwing 17 1/3 innings. He has a 6.75 ERA, 14 K and has walked 10 hitters. He’s a long ways from the major leagues, but has the frame and stuff that general managers like to dream on.” [Al/The DiaTribe]
3 Comments
As much as I don’t want to believe it, I think the tribe is done this year. They are back under .500, they do not play with energy, and they do not look like they are having fun. They are looking more like a 75 win team then a team competing for the wild card spots.
I hate to agree but have to. I think they were waiting for that “shot in the arm” trade to add a little boost to the squad and it obviously hasn’t happened. It’s understandable how that can upset a fan base, but I can see it affecting the team too. It’s nice to believe you have all you need to succeed, but they realized they needed another piece or two and didn’t get it, unlike the teams they’re chasing.
Dang it Eric Freeman, you can’t just give Nick’s catchphrase to the Spurs!