While We’re Waiting… All I want for Christmas is, a winning team?

Cleveland sports fans are waiting. Thus, while we’re all waiting, the WFNY editors thought you might enjoy reading. Because you never know how long we might be waiting. So here are assorted reading goodies for you to enjoy. Send more good links for tomorrow’s edition to tips@waitingfornextyear.com.

“I’m not going to say that the Cavs are the softest team in the league, but they’re probably in the top five. You know that I usually think all of those intangibles things are crap, but is there a single tough guy on this team? Dion Waiters is the only guy that comes to mind. Matthew Dellavedova and Anderson Varejao are gritty and play with lots of energy, but nobody on the roster really screams “screw you, we’re going to destroy this opponent.” When things start to go badly, they seem to just accept the fact that things are going badly. Nobody takes charge and rallies the troops. I might be making something out of nothing, but it’s a little discouraging. The Cavs have no identity and they desperately need one.” [Kaczmarek/Fear the Sword]

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“Waiters hasn’t started a game since that Cavalier meltdown in Minnesota, with all of the allegations of unpleasantness which followed the locker room issue supposedly involving Waiters and Tristan Thompson. Now, with Waiters coming off the bench, the Cavaliers have the highest scoring bench in the Eastern Conference going into tonight’s game, and 4th best in the NBA. It appears that the rotation that Mike Brown has created has an opening for a player to come off the bench and score. Before Waiters was moved to the bench CJ Miles filled this role, providing what seemed like an instant 10 points to the offense the minute he came into the game. With Miles in the starting lineup, these shots went to Waiters, who took advantage, particularly late in games.” [Jackson/Stepien Rules]

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“The shooting woes are Bennett’s fault, he needs to stop hanging around the perimeter so much, and he needs to exploit mismatches even at the small forward position.

Everything else, though, is Cleveland’s fault.

They saddled him at the wing because of the presence of Tristan Thompson. They saddled him with the first overall status. And they’re saddling him with inconsistent minutes and a possible waste of a rookie season. This is part of the reason why we agree with Ford, and why Bennett should be allowed to roam free in the D-League, working his way back up to game speed and building his confidence back. Making more than 30 percent of his shots. Actually playing a position that suits him. That sort of thing.” [Dwyer/Ball Don’t Lie]

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Letters to Santa from the ‘Indians’. “Yo Santa! Did you know we are both named Nick?! I wonder if that means we’re related??? There are so many awesome things I want for Christmas, but JoAnna says my first list was too long, and that I had to make it shorter. The one thing I’ve got to have is the new Skylanders game, Skylanders: Swap Force! There are all these new characters, and you can swap their top half or bottom half for someone else’s to create even more guys! Like, you could have a shark head and fins, with an octopus’ bottom! That would be rad! I have all the different systems, so you can bring me the game for any of them.

Thanks, bro!!! – Nick Swisher” [Lukehart/Let’s Go Tribe]