Stuff

 

Taking the time today to write about some stuff going through my head in recent days:

 

The so-called genius of Jim Leyland.  Kenny Roda’s man crush on Leyland has reached incredible proportions.  This is not to say the Tigers’ skipper is not a good manager.  Heck, he once stood up to Barry Bonds!  However, Leyland is not the reincarnation of John McGraw.  Detroit finished 8th in the AL in runs allowed last season, and this year they led the league in pitching.  That’s why the Tigers are in the World Series.  The emergence of Justin Verlander, Joel Zumaya, and the signing of Kenny Rogers are the three biggest reasons Detroit won the pennant.  Leyland may have changed the losing culture in Motown, but the pitching is the reason they won.  If the Tigers’ manager is so smart, how do you explain playing the horrible Neifi Perez so much down the stretch.

 

The best in the NBA.  In Branson Wright’s question and answer column on Sunday, he was asked about LeBron James being the best player in the NBA.  Basically, his comment was since Dwayne Wade was on the Miami Heat and they are the champs, Wade would be considered the better player.  This kind of comment drives me crazy.  Wade is a great player, but he did have Shaquille O’Neal on his team.  If the Cavaliers had Shaq last season, do you think the Cavs would have won?  If winning titles is a criteria, then Steve Kerr is one of the all time greats of the NBA.  I’m so tired of hearing that Charles Barkley and Patrick Ewing aren’t truly great players because their teams never won.  If there was a draft of all NBA players today, LeBron James would be the first pick.  Period.  That means he’s the best player in the league. 

 

Cavs’ Season Starts Wednesday.  With all of the hand wringing about the Browns’ offensive coordinator and the worry about whether or not Larry Dolan will spend money, there isn’t much talk about the opening of the NBA season next week.  Lest you forget, the Cavaliers should be one of the best teams in the Eastern Conference.  The Pistons lost Ben Wallace and are aging, and Shaq is another year older as well.  Meanwhile, at 21 years old, the Cavs’ resident superstar is still getting better.  Cleveland, Miami, and New Jersey are the frontrunners to get to the NBA Finals this season.  In a city starving for a winner, we all should be excited about that.

 

KM