David Lee, Anyone?
June 27, 2008Sabathia Shuts Out Distractions, and the Reds
June 28, 2008…Because I sure don’t want him…
I’m a fan of the weekend Plain Dealer. Partially because it’s the only portion of the week in which I actually have time to read, and partially because of the back page of the Sunday version. But I was set back a bit when I saw Bud Shaw’s mug on the upper right corner of today’s Sports section, but more due to the content of which he was writing about.
I understand that we all have our opinions; after all, that’s what brings you all to WFNY each day. But as I absorbed line by line, it was really one of the only times that I’ve had to question whether or not I was actually reading something from a Cleveland-based writer.
Take the first paragraph for example:
JJ Hickson says he’s ready to become “the player they want me to be.” He’s got half a chance.
Living up to Danny Ferry’s hopes are one thing. To be the player Cavs fans want? No way. Not gonna happen. To do that, he’d have to be Michael Redd.
Really, Bud? Fans were expecting Michael Redd to be traded, or a Michael-Redd type player selected during Thursday’s festivities? I’m pretty sure that while we would have liked to have moved up in the draft, we all knew that we were not getting a star at the 19th slot. In fact, most of us are actually happy with Hickson being added to the team. Instead of using a comment from cleveland.com (not always the best place to get sample opinions, by the way), how about venture out to some of the better (in my opinion) Cleveland-based sites out on the web?
After all, we touched on Hickson here and here. Cavalier Attitude gave us his thoughts. I could list plenty of other thoughts, but you get the point. I think this part really irks me.
In the draft [GM Danny Ferry] settled for attending the second of his two agendas: life two years down the road.
There’s a possibility he might someday be asked to put a winning team on the floor without James, too.
So, because we couldn’t swing a deal that would land us Brandon Rush, or move in to the late first/early second round for a Chris Douglas-Roberts, we now have to pack LeBron’s bags for him? Obviously, there will be a time when LeBron James is not a Cavalier. I mean, it’s simple mortality – you do not have to be a scientist to realize this. But to think that Ferry made this pick to plan for the future instead of now is just silly. Will Hickson step on to the floor and put up 12 and eight a night? Not likely. But we do not need him to. Oh, and the last time I checked, the off-season is still, well…on.
I realize that Shaw states that the expectations for Ferry to “do something” may have been unfairly elevated. And when you have a city that hasn’t won in this long, that’s going to happen. But to glorify the fact that our new power forward isn’t the answer is just simply uncalled for at this point. If he performs well enough to make Anderson Varejao and his expiring contract that much more expendible, I think it’s safe to say that the team took a step forward on Thursday night.
Regardless of what a “fan” on cleveland.com says.
12 Comments
I agree 100%, but Bud’s ignorance might be a commonly held belief in most Cavs fans who simply do not understand how the NBA salary cap works and how deals are made.
By the way, I saw on realgm.com today that the cavs tried to trade Wally for Vince Carter straight up. Dodged a bullet on that one, but it doesn’t really boost my hopes that Ferry is looking for the right players to put next to Lebron
im kinda with ricky on this one. i dont think bud was really saying that “michael redd is the end all solution” or that jj hickson is a goof, i think he was addressing all the “JJ HICKSON??? WHAT??? WHO??? IT’S OVER” cavs fans who post the lovely comments on cleveland.com and don’t reall understand how it works.
to me it seemed that bud was really just saying “well, it was the 19th pick, did you expect derrick rose?”
Great post…and it brings up an interesting concept about the Cleveland media.
I grew up in Cleveland, and the colors of Cleveland’s three sports teams still runs through my veins. That said, I’ve lived away from Cleveland – Portland, OR, to be exact – for the last three years. After living here and getting most of your info from the national media, you realize just how backwards the local media in Cleveland is.
Bud Shaw and Bill Livingston are complete idiots. Those old farts have been around forever, and their sarcasm and strange, odd metaphors every single day has to drive you up a wall. I’m glad I don’t have to read the Plain Dealer every day now. I heard Terry Pluto joined the PD recently, and that definitely has to be a step up. Not much, though, but definitely a step up from Dumb and Dumber (Shaw and Livingston), although that isn’t saying much.
Brian Windhorst is seriously the only good thing about Cleveland media, and he writes for an Akron paper. BW is the only local guy who sees things with a national perspective in mind. Hence, HE’S the only local guy being asked to write things for ESPN. He’s the only guy being asked to cover other teams’ summer leagues and give his analysis and provide discussion. The other old farts are stuck in the 70s and early 80s and can’t get the damn defeatist attitude out of there brain that us young fans don’t want to become a part of. The more of Shaw and Livingston you read, the dumber you become. And you waste five minutes of your time that you’re never, ever getting back.
And the local radio…fucking Kenny Rhoda. Yesterday, that asswipe was talking about a rumored trade that would send Varejao, Wally S, and Damon Jones to the Warriors for Baron Davis. The only reason I knew about this was because some dude on a message board posted that this is what WKNR in Cleveland was saying. Now, you go to a national rumors page like Hoopshype or RealGM, and this bullshit is nowhere to be found. Absolutely nowhere. ESPN? CBS Sportsline? CNNSI? Fox Sports? Nowhere.
Yet this yahoo who is every bit as retarded as Shaw and Livingston talks about this rumored trade so authoritatively and so definitively like he knows what he’s talking about and as if he has some kind of insider sources that nobody else in the country has. I’ve got news for you, Toad Man: you’re a fucking local sports talk show host. Nobody gives a shit about you. If I had never lived in Cleveland or heard of you, you might as well be the guy who mows my lawn or the guy who rings me up at the grocery store every week. You don’t matter at all. If you started thinking outside the box and actually looking at where Cleveland teams stand nationally and offered your output a little bit more objectively, then maybe you wouldn’t be the thing I miss least about moving away from Cleveland.
That’s why I like what you guys have going here with WFNY. It’s seriously the best website that talks about all Cleveland sports, and instead of reading the PD or ABJ or listening to stooges like Kenny The Toad Man, fans should stop by here to get the best and more rational view on Cleveland sports. That’s what I try to do with my blog, as well, at Cavalier Attitude by offering objective analysis and looking at the big picture instead of thinking that Cleveland and the Cavs are the only things that matter and trying to serve it up with a bit of upbeat, positive thinking. I applaud you guys for doing the same thing here, and that’s why you’ve definitely earned a big fan in me.
Fuck the Cleveland media. Get with the 21st century, you Plain Dealer clowns!
and just to clarify, im not going to pretend like i know how everything works, but cleveland.com comment posters simply amaze me sometimes.
Ricky/buu…
I could be reading the tone in his piece incorrectly, however catering to the commenters on cleveland.com instead of pointing out their invalid arguments may be that much worse.
Bud Shaw is a douchebag.
I agree 100% scott. People don’t realize that the Cavs need to use the draft to build for the future, with our without LeBron. The goal isn’t to win just one championship and then proceed to suck afterwards, like Miami. They are going to try and build a team for the present and the future through the draft, like San Antonio. With late first round picks and 2nd round picks, the Spurs have developed players like Manu, Oberto and Tony Parker, and have used their salary cap wisely to sign key veterans like Michael Finley. I guess that isn’t what this article is about at all, but that is why drafting Hickson was a good decision, we can’t just assume trading for Michael Redd or Baron Davis will make us a championship winners every year and Lebron will stay
Yikes. Guess I’m in the ” thinking that Cleveland and the Cavs are the only things that matter and trying to serve it up with a bit of upbeat, positive thinking” category. Some might call me a fan. 🙂
Amar – Excellent comment, that could almost be a post in its own right.
Carolyn – take off the blindfold 😉
Half of what Bud Shaw says is just to make folks angry and keep them talking about the Plain Dealer. I don’t think he really believes it. He’s just doing his job of keeping the storm brewing. It’s a lot easier to read him if you imagine him cackling like The Wicked Witch of the West as he types.
i gotta say, i was just turned on to this site today and it is a very welcomed change from cleveland.com. i am so sick of the posts on that site.
Thanks for checking us out Gabriel.