The Cleveland Indians do not like the salary arbitration process.  They haven’t been involved since the early 90’s when Jerry Browne took the team through the process.  They avoided going there again this off-season by inking catcher Kelly Shoppach to a one-year deal.  It appears this might the last move the Tribe makes this winter prior to spring training in Goodyear, AZ.

 

If it is, the Indians have a major decision to make at 1B and catcher.  Victor Martinez should be healthy in 2009, and was arguably the best catcher in the American League in 2007, when he batted .301 with 25 HR and 114 RBI.  It has been said that Martinez, who just turned 30 in December, would like to continue to catch on a regular basis. 

 

With Martinez injured much of last season with elbow problems and hamstring issues, Shoppach stepped in and performed very well, batting .261 with 21 HR and 55 RBI.  The glaring statistic for Shoppach, who will turn 29 this spring, is his strikeouts.  He fanned 133 times in 352 at bats last season, which projects to 189 K’s in a 500 at bat season.

 

Shoppach’s presence allows skipper Eric Wedge the flexibility to keep Martinez fresh by playing him at 1B or DH in the event Travis Hafner doesn’t come back from his shoulder problems.  Of course, another option at first is Ryan Garko, who had an off year in 2008, but still knocked in 90 runs with 14 homers and a .273 batting average.  Garko’s track record makes me believe he will bounce back to his form of 2006 and 2007, when he hit .290 (834 OPS) with 28 dingers and 106 RBI in 669 at bats.

 

If Pronk returns to even his 2007 level when he drove in over 100 runs, Wedge will have a very enjoyable time dividing playing time between these four players at three spots.  It will allow him to rest Hafner against tough southpaws, thereby keeping his shoulder strong.  Martinez will not get worn down by catching 135 games per season. 

 

It will also provide GM Mark Shapiro with trade options if another weakness on the ballclub emerges. I know this sounds like a broken record, but with the Tribe’s top prospect, catcher Carlos Santana on the horizon, Shoppach becomes the most likely trade bait.  Keep in mind that Shoppach is no youngster, being just a year younger than Martinez, who has been around Cleveland for a long time.

 

Assuming no injuries in the everyday lineup, here is how it looks like the Tribe will open the season in Texas on April 6^th—

 

Grady Sizemore               CF

Mark DeRosa                   3B

Victor Martinez                   C

Jhonny Peralta                 SS

Travis Hafner                   DH

Ryan Garko                      1B

Shin-Soo Choo                RF

Ben Francisco                  LF

Asdrubal Cabrera            2B

 

However, something tells me the infield positions are marked in pencil, and that Peralta may still shift to third, with Cabrera moving to short, and DeRosa to second. 

 

KM

 

 

The Cleveland Cavaliers embark on their first extended trip of the year starting tonight.  They take on the Grizzlies tonight in Memphis, the first game in a stretch of six of the next seven games, which will be on the road.  It will be interesting to see where the wine and gold is in the Eastern Conference standings after these road games, as they are currently two games ahead of Orlando in the loss column and three ahead of the Celtics.

 

Friday night’s 98-83 resounding win over the Celtics put a punctuation mark on the Cavs’ early season success.  LeBron James put a lock on Paul Pierce, holding him to 11 points on 4 of 15 shooting, making a claim to be included on the NBA’s All-Defensive team for the first time.  ESPN analyst Mark Jackson even went as far to say James should be the Defensive Player of the Year.

 

The performance cemented why I believe there is no question that #23 is the best player in the world.  He simply dominated the game on both ends of the floor, making steals, blocking shots, diving on the floor for loose balls, and, of course, scoring 38 points, dishing out 6 assists, and grabbing 7 rebounds in 36 minutes.  What was surprising to me was that LeBron hit just 4 of 12 outside shots, because it seemed to me that his jumper was falling.  It just shows that he made shots when the Cavs needed them.

 

Yes, the Celtics were struggling going into the game, but the wine and gold were missing Zydrunas Ilgauskas, their starting center, and a key outside shooter.  Boston has rebounded with a pair of wins against Toronto, but the second of those was an overtime win in Beantown, hardly a sign the green has emerged from their funk.  Celts’ Coach Doc Rivers even tried to send Ben Wallace to the foul line repeatedly in the fourth quarter in an effort to get back in the game, but Big Ben hit half of his charity tosses to foil the strategy somewhat.

 

That struck me as somewhat of a desperate move by Rivers, who obviously is concerned about the performance of his team since the end of their 19 game winning streak on Christmas Day.

 

These first two road games (Memphis and Chicago) are critical because the Cavaliers are coming off of the huge win against Boston, and quite frankly, neither team is very good.  Will the wine and gold learn a lesson after losing to the Wizards in Washington a week and a half ago?  This team can demonstrate their mental toughness by winning both games before returning home to play New Orleans on Friday night.

 

JK

 

Wow!  What a big week for the professional sports teams in Cleveland.  Each team made news, some bigger than others, with the highlight being the hiring of Eric Mangini as the next head coach of the Cleveland Browns.  Here is our “perspective” on all the news—

 

Browns Hire Mangini.

 

Eric Mangini might very well become the next great NFL head coach, but he also could be the next Romeo Crennel.  It has been said he had problems with his assistants and some players, but so did Bill Belichick, and he learned from his mistakes to win three Super Bowls.  Perhaps Mangini will learn as well, and be a better coach than he was with the Jets.

 

The biggest problem was the process taken by owner Randy Lerner.  Lerner interviewed four people for the job, excluding names like Titan defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz, Ravens defensive coordinator Rex Ryan, and former Bronco coach Mike Shanahan.  Why not wait and interview these seemingly qualified coaches? 

 

The answer is Mangini infatuated Lerner, the same way Romeo Crennel did four years ago.  We all know how that turned out.  I would feel better if someone with a football background, whether it would be Scott Pioli, Rich McKay, or Tom Heckert made that decision, rather than the owner. 

 

The other part of the equation is that the new General Manager will likely be George Kokinis, currently the Ravens’ director of pro personnel.  It appears that Kokinis will be in the office on a daily basis, which differs from the style of Phil Savage, who spent much of his time on the road.  This is a key aspect for Lerner. 

 

There are some who say the head coach is more important than the GM, but I would have preferred to hire a football professional to head up the organization, and allowing that man to decide on the football coach.  To me, that’s the best way to run an organization.  That’s why I am skeptical about the hiring of Eric Mangini.  He hasn’t proven enough at the NFL level to wield that kind of power.

 

Tribe Signs Pavano.

 

The Indians signed a free agent starting pitcher, that’s the good news.  The bad news is the signing doesn’t exactly ease my concerns about the starting rotation.  That doesn’t mean it isn’t a good deal for the Tribe, however. 

 

Why not sign Pavano for a one-year incentive laden contract?  If he comes back from the assortment of injuries he suffered during his tenure with the Yankees, they get a pitcher who has won ten or more games in the majors twice in his career.  In his last healthy season, he went 18-8 for the Marlins in 2004.  I don’t think anyone is expecting that, and if his arm isn’t right, the Indians can release him at little financial cost.

 

The Indians still need another middle of the rotation starter who is healthy and capable.  The only free agent available who fits this bill is Jon Garland, but he likely is too expensive for the Tribe.  GM Mark Shapiro has said the Pavano signing is likely the team’s last move unless he can get rid of some payroll, which means any move would be a trade. 

 

The team has some bullpen depth, and could look to move RHP Rafael Betancourt to free up some cash.  I keep hearing that Texas would like to unload Kevin Millwood’s contract and I wouldn’t be shocked to see a deal bringing the right-hander back to Cleveland if the Rangers eat some of the money.  He would be a perfect fit in the middle of the Tribe’s rotation.

 

Big Game at “The Q”

 

Don’t look now, but the Cavaliers have the best record in the Eastern Conference and tonight they take on the team that eliminated them from the playoffs last year, the World Champion Boston Celtics.  The Celts have struggled lately, dropping six of their last eight, but still this might be the biggest regular season in years for the Cavaliers. 

 

With the wine and gold embarking on a west coast trip next week, they definitely need a win tonight to maintain an edge on the green.  The Cavaliers are short-handed with the loss of Zydrunas Ilgauskas, so it will be a big test especially on the defensive end without the big man.  This is where playing J. J. Hickson could be considered a risk, but on the other hand, it will be a great experience for the big man.

 

Who knows, tonight’s game could help determine home court advantage in the playoffs, and anyone who watched last year’s series knows how important having the seventh game on your home floor is.  The Cavs know it too.  They made getting off to a good start a priority to make sure they had home court advantage in the playoffs this season.

 

There is no doubt that tonight’s game will have a playoff feel.

 

MW

 

It was another loss in a BCS Bowl game for the Ohio State Buckeyes, but it was much closer than many expected.  In fact, Texas probably has no claim to a National Championship now because they did not dominate OSU in Monday night’s Fiesta Bowl.  Heisman Trophy runner-up Colt McCoy rallied the Longhorns in the fourth quarter, throwing a game-winning TD pass to Quan Cosby with :16 left on the clock.

 

I have several comments regarding the game—

 

1).  If I were an NFL General Manager, I wouldn’t touch Buckeye RB Chris “Beanie” Wells with a ten foot pole.  Wells suffered a concussion in the second half, another in a long line of injuries suffered by Wells in his time at Ohio State. 

 

Wells has first round talent, but undrafted free agent durability.  He simply can’t stay healthy.  And the guys in the NFL are bigger and faster than the ones Wells played against in college.  I don’t think he can be a feature back in the NFL.

 

2).  It appeared that freshman QB Terrelle Pryor regressed as a passer in the six weeks of practice leading up to the bowl game.  Pryor missed several open receivers, and also appeared indecisive as to whether or not to throw when flushed out of the pocket.  In fact, on the drive leading to the Bucks third field goal, Pryor could have easily run for a first down to keep the drive alive, but instead fired a pass into the ground.

 

This is not to give up on the freshman.  Remember, Jim Tressel and the coaching staff made Troy Smith a terrific passer by the time he left Columbus.  However, Pryor has to improve greatly as a passer to be a great college quarterback and pro prospect.  He came to OSU because there was more potential to be NFL ready when he left, so I expect he will put the work in during the spring.

 

3).  Once again, the Buckeyes have a problem with a “fast-break” offense.  The Buckeyes controlled the pace of the game with the running attack in the first half, but when that didn’t happen in the third quarter, OSU was in trouble.  It may be time for Tressel to bring in some new blood on his coaching staff, particularly people who have experience in dealing with the high-powered SEC and Big 12 offenses.

 

4).  The senior football players at Ohio State had a remarkable run, going to three BCS bowl games, including twice playing for the National Championship.  However, they will likely be viewed as a disappointment because of the losses to Florida and LSU in the title tilts.  They won two Big Ten championships outright, and shared a third. 

 

The biggest disappointment was probably this season.  Many players eschewed the NFL for another year in Columbus after last season, figuring they would make another run at the National Championship.  It didn’t happen, and several players, such as Brian Robiskie, Todd Boeckman, and Brian Hartline probably will be drafted lower in 2009 than they would have in 2008.  They may be disappointed, but they accomplished a lot in their time in scarlet and gray.

 

5).  The Bucks need to get more athletic upfront, particularly on the offensive line.  Tressel recruited some top linemen last year in Michael Brewster, J.B. Shugarts, and Mike Adams.  Perhaps the head coach was a little over-protective of some upper classmen who weren’t getting the job done.  Because of graduation, the offensive and defensive fronts will be much different in 2009.

 

The most telling play was the penultimate play of the game, when Texas rushed three and still sacked Todd Boeckman.  Even with a two-man advantage, the Buckeyes couldn’t keep the Longhorns out of their backfield.

 

KM

 

The greatest fear I had about the search for leadership by the Cleveland Browns is coming true.  Owner Randy Lerner is making the decision the wrong way, and by that I mean he has become enamored by a coach, and is considering letting that man beside what direction this franchise is going in.  I believe this will be a mistake, and the Browns fans will have to wait longer before their team gets back into contention.

 

It appears that Lerner has developed a yearning for former Jets’ coach Eric Mangini, and now is considering Ravens’ Director of Pro Personnel George Kokinis at the team’s GM.  What I’m wondering is what has Eric Mangini done in the NFL to merit wielding this much power.

 

Count me among those who believe Lerner should find the man he wants to run the football operations first, and then let this “football man” decide who should be the next coach.  Remember, Lerner did the same thing four years ago with Romeo Crennel and hired him first.  That didn’t work out so well, did it?

 

Mangini spent three years as the Jets’ coach and he did take New York to the playoffs in his first year, showing great improvement from the 4-12 record the year before.  The Jets went 10-6 that season, but they did benefit from a ridiculously easy schedule.  Remember that the 4-12 Browns handed New York one of their defeats in that first season.

 

The Jets dropped to 4-12 in 2007, but rebounded to finish 9-7 this past season.  They were 8-3 before playing poorly down the stretch losing to teams like the Raiders, Seahawks, and 49ers.  Part of that was the poor play of Brett Favre, but still as Bill Parcells says, “you are what your record says you are”. 

 

That makes Mangini 23-25 in his three seasons as the Jets boss.  Considering the Browns have hired only one head coach with previous NFL head coaching experience in the history of the team (Nick Skorich), this qualifies as getting a winner.  Mangini may well develop into the next Vince Lombardi, but he should definitely not be handed over the football operations of an entire franchise.

 

As for Kokinis, he might be a very qualified personnel person.  However, no one had heard of the guy until a couple of days ago.  His biggest qualification is that Mangini likes him and they enjoyed a good working relationship with the Browns and Ravens. 

 

Randy Lerner needs to hire someone with experience and with a history of success.  There is no timetable for the hire, it is much more important to get it right.  Find someone to run the football operation and let him hire the head coach.  If that guy is Scott Pioli, great, if he doesn’t want to leave New England, fine.  Rich McKay has had success at both Tampa Bay and Atlanta and would be a fine choice to take over here.

 

Lerner is acting like a fan, not an owner.  He was very impressed with Mangini in the interview process, and it seems like he has stopped talking to other prospective coaches because he liked the former Jets’ boss.  What is there to lose by talking to Titan defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz?  Why not talk to Mike Shanahan, who has two Super Bowl victories on his resume. 

 

Hire a football man first.  Let him talk to your prospective coaching candidates, and then make your decision.  You are running this football team backwards, and the results are showing up in the win-loss record. 

 

JD

 

Tribe GM Mark Shapiro filled one of his pressing needs yesterday by acquiring infielder Mark DeRosa from the Chicago Cubs for three minor leaguers, most notably right-hander Jeff Stevens, who was a candidate for a bullpen job until the Indians picked up Kerry Wood and Joe Snith in off-season moves.  DeRosa will be 34 prior to the beginning of the ’09 season, and has one year remaining on his contract. 

 

Basically, Shapiro picked up a replacement for Casey Blake at less years and less money than Blake received from the Dodgers as a free agent.  DeRosa has the same versatility as Blake, as he can play 2B, 3B, 1B, and the outfield.  He is a solid bat, a lifetime .279 hitter with an OPS of 770 for his career.  He carries an on base percentage of .348, so he likely will hit in the #2 spot in the batting order, right behind Grady Sizemore.

 

He did have a career year last season, batting .285 with 21 HR and 87 RBI, but over the last three seasons has averaged 15 dingers and 80 runs batted in.  And he’s not a whiff machine, striking out about 100 times in 500 at-bats per year.  He hit .316 at Wrigley Field last season, but over the past three campaigns, which includes one season in Texas, he doesn’t show much of a home/road differential.  He does hit lefties very well, batting .302 for his career against southpaws, compared to a lifetime mark of .275 against righties.  He’s also known as a "grinder", which will play well in the Tribe clubhouse.

 

He’s a solid pick-up, and cost the Tribe two young minor leaguers and Stevens, who is expendable because of the acqusiitions Shapiro made earlier and the move of Adam Miller to the bullpen.  Stevens ranked behind Miller, Jon Meloan, and Tony Sipp in the young reliever pecking order. 

 

The odd thing about the trade is that the Indians have said DeRosa will play 3B for Cleveland, not 2B, as he spent most of his time in Chicago.  A Cub insider said DeRosa’s best defensive position was the hot corner. 

 

However, weren’t we led to believe that one of the team’s objectives was to move Jhonny Peralta to third?  This could have been done by playing DeRosa at second, and moving Asdrubal Cabrera to shortstop.  I’m sure the Tribe will counter that this weakens the team defensively at both 2B and 3B, where Andy Marte was solid with the glove.

 

Still, didn’t Shapiro deal for Luis Valbuena with the idea he would be the Tribe 2B in late 2009, and definitely 2010 (remember DeRosa has just one year remaining on his deal).  When Valbuena is ready, doesn’t the move have to be made then? 

 

Of course, the Indians are very smooth when it comes to these things, and when Opening Day hits, Peralta just may be at third with DeRosa at 2B and Cabrera at SS.  They may have a good reason why they are saying DeRosa will play third.

 

The Indians’ GM now has to address the starting rotation, which still has a hole in the middle of the rotation.  It appears he doesn’t have a great deal of money to spend, which means it may have to be taken care of with a trade.  Remember, I still advocate a deal of Kelly Shoppach, who I don’t believe will repeat his 2008 season.  The organization also has depth at this position with prospects Carlos Santana and Chris Gimenez in the wings.  Also, remember that Shoppach is less than two years younger than Victor Martinez.

 

With six weeks to go before spring training, Shapiro strengthened his hitting and solidified his infield.  I still wouldn’t mind getting a bat in LF, but there is no question the starting rotation is the bigger concern.  A contender can’t go into the season with so many questions in the rotation.  I see another move happening before the Tribe opens its new training complex in Goodyear, AZ.

 

MW

 

Maybe it’s the holiday season, but it’s not out of the realm of possibility that the Cleveland Cavaliers could be sitting with a three game losing streak this morning after a loss at Miami against the Heat last night.  After struggling on Christmas Day against the terrible Wizards, and having to overcome a ten point deficit to win Sunday night against Dwayne Wade’s crew. 

 

Last night, the Cavs couldn’t overtake Miami after trailing at halftime by 16.  A second half rally got the wine and gold within two before they finally succumbed, 104-95, ending a six game wining streak.  The Cavs now sit at 26-5 on the season, the second best record in the NBA.  Is it just holiday malaise, or are some weaknesses starting to creep up?

 

A little of both, actually.  As WTAM’s Jim Chones pointed out over the weekend, this is a tough time for NBA players, with a lot of distractions around the holidays.  Family members visiting, lack of practice time, and the general excitement of the season have players not at their best.  The usual hustle plays for the wine and gold have been missing these last three games.  Want proof?  The Cavaliers are normally one of the league’s best rebounding teams, but were hammered on the boards last night by a Miami team that doesn’t play anyone over 6"10" in their regular rotation.

 

However, Cleveland has also been plagued by turnovers and an over-reliance on the three point shot.  Since they have been red hot from outside all season long, it is easy to think these long range shots will continue to find the bottom of the net all year.  Last night, the wine and gold hoisted 30 shots from behind the arc.  Way, way too many. 

 

Other teams are starting to zone the Cavaliers to prevent LeBron James from dominating the game close to the basket.  Now, Mike Brown and "offensive coordinator" John Kuester have to find the seams in the zone instead of just jacking up long distance jumpers.  The Cavs need to continue to attack inside.  If they continue to maintain spacing and floor balance, there are most definitely open spaces at 15 to 18 feet where the ball can be entered, and the defense can be attacked.  This is especially true if they would put James at the high post. 

 

Since Zydrunas Ilgauskas has returned from his ankle sprain, the Cavs have gotten away from their normal practice of establishing the big man’s presence early in the contest and working the outside game off the inside game.  The Cavs need to go to Z right off the bat and make the opponents react to him.

 

It also appears that Delonte West, Daniel Gibson, and Wally Szczerbiak have forgotten to take the ball to the basket after setting up on the three point line.  All three players have the ability to drive to the basket, but are settling for the three.  West, in particular, can be very effective taking the ball to the hoop.  Gibson’s outside shot has been struggling all season long, so he needs to drive more often.  It will create more space on the outside shot if team respect him going into the paint.

 

These aren’t huge problems, and likely will be solved by a little more time on the practice floor.  Actually, it’s a testament to the toughness to this group that they pulled out wins against Washington and Miami despite not playing well in either game.  The Cavs will be fine, but it’s kind of a shock after their dominant start to see the wine and gold struggle even a little bit.

 

JK

 

It was a day of conclusions for the Cleveland Browns, and it will continue today.  The team ended its dismal season with another embarrassing 31-0 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers yesterday.  It also meant the end of GM Phil Savage, who was fired prior to kickoff on Sunday.  And Romeo Crennel has followed Savage out of the door today after he meeting with owner Randy Lerner.

 

One thing continued, however.  The streak of quarters without an offensive touchdown continued to 24 with another whitewashing, which sets an NFL record.  This streak will continue at least until the 2009 Browns take the field next September.

 

Still, the most painful statement about the Browns is this:  If they played the 0-16 Detroit Lions next weekend, they would likely lose the game.  The Browns offense is simply incapable of scoring right now.  That falls on the coaching staff.

 

The less said about the Steelers’ game the better.  Jamal Lewis had some success early and wound up reaching the 1000-yard mark for the season, and the primary focus of the offense in the second half was to make sure this happened.  The Pittsburgh defense figured Cleveland would be passing since they were trailing 17-0, so they relaxed the run defense and Lewis ran for 94 yards on the game.

 

Oh yes, despite saying there would be greater use of the “flash” formation, Josh Cribbs threw just two passes, completing one, for eight yards.  He also carried just twice for seven yards. 

 

The offense has gotten so predictable that I believe the Browns went to the “flash” package on their second offensive snap for the last three games.  When you use it at the same time every game, it’s not really a surprise.

 

Defensively, the missed tackle festival continued.  A hit by Willie McGinest and D’well Jackson did knock Steeler QB Ben Roethlisberger out of the game with a concussion, but on the same drive the defenders whiffed on a sack of Byron Leftwich and he waltzed in from 8 yards out to put Pittsburgh up 14-0.

 

For all the talk from the players about how they like Romeo Crennel, their effort in the last few games spoke louder than their words.  They didn’t play like they wanted their coach to keep his job. 

 

So now, Browns’ fans have to have faith that owner Randy Lerner will get it right with the hiring of yet another coach and general manager.  The first thing to demand is that we see the owner.  His shyness around the television camera is getting annoying.  Everyone talks about how much Lerner cares about this football team, but the average fan needs to see the passion.  The owner has to be out front and talk to arguably the most loyal fans in the NFL.  They deserve at least that.

 

Savage had upgraded the talent in his four years as GM, but his lack of leadership qualities doomed him.  He should have been out front when all of the crises that befell this season occurred.  Instead, Crennel was left holding the bag.  Savage didn’t provide a clear direction for the franchise, perhaps because he and his head coach were not on the same page.

 

WEWS-TV had Reggie Rucker analyzing the situation last night, and Rucker hammered Savage and spoke in glowing terms about the head coach.  Rucker is half-right, because Crennel is hardly blameless in this mess.  Crennel is a good guy.  He’s a class act.  However, he’s a terrible head coach, and keeping him as a defensive coordinator would not be a good move either.  His passive approach doesn’t work in today’s NFL.  Speed and aggressiveness are the new mantras on defense.  Look at Pittsburgh, Baltimore, Indianapolis, Tennessee, etc.

 

It appears Lerner has his eye on New England VP Scott Pioli, who is said to be tired of being in Bill Belichick’s shadow with the Patriots.  This would thrill Tribe GM Mark Shapiro and Cavs GM Danny Ferry who are friends of Pioli.  It also appears Lerner is going to act quickly since there are several teams in the market for coaches and general managers. 

 

Let’s hope this time the owner gets it right.  The fans of the once proud Cleveland Browns franchise deserve better than the mess they have witnessed the past 15 years.

 

JD

 

It was reported on Saturday by The Plain Dealer’s Brian Windhorst that LeBron James would consider signing an extension with the Cavaliers after this season.  The King said he was very happy with the direction the wine and gold was headed, and why shouldn’t he be.  He’s already on one of the best teams in the NBA, right now.

 

The Cavaliers continue to have the second best record in the Association at 23-4, and have done this despite playing more games on the road than at the friendly confines of The Quicken Loans Arena.  The only team with a better mark is the defending champion Celtics, who have played six more games at Boston than they have on the road.

 

Indeed, it would not be surprising if James did sign an extension with Cleveland, especially in the team gets to The Finals, or perhaps brings Cleveland its first title since 1964.  However, what #23 may do is re-up for less than the maximum years allowable.  He may sign a three-year pact, for example.  Why?  To keep the pressure on owner Dan Gilbert and GM Danny Ferry to keep the wine and gold at a high level. 

 

Obviously, nothing can or will happen until the season ends, but the fact LeBron let even a small cat out of the bag, shows he knows how good this team is, and how much he likes and trusts the guys he is playing with.  It also shows that he trusts Gilbert and Ferry.  He feels confident that the front office will do what they have to do to keep the Cavaliers among the NBA elite.

 

There really are very few situations in the league that would be comparable to Cleveland in terms of being close enough to win a title.  The Celtics are aging, and by 2010, Ray Allen may be retired, Kevin Garnett will be 34, and Paul Pierce will be 32.  In Los Angeles, Kobe Bryant will be 32, and although he won’t say it, I doubt Bryant could play in a situation where he isn’t the lead dog anymore.

 

Probably the two places that would offer an immediate title shot without taking into account salary cap implications would be New Orleans, with LBJ’s friend Chris Paul, and Orlando, with Dwight Howard.  Other teams with young superstars. Adding LeBron James to either of those teams would have the league shaking.

 

Signing early would also help Ferry and Gilbert to attract other free agents in 2010 to come to Cleveland to play alongside James.  Remember, the wine and gold have the cap room to sign another max contract even after inking The King.  Imagine a Chris Bosh or Dwayne Wade wearing a Cavalier uniform in the 2010-11 season…

 

Keep your eye on January 9^th.  The Celtics visit Cleveland that night, and play the Cavs for the first time since opening night.  We can measure the improvement the wine and gold have made since the first game of the season.

 

JK

 

If I were a Cleveland Browns season ticket holder, I would seriously think of asking Randy Lerner for a refund for yesterday’s 14-0 debacle against the Cincinnati Bengals.  The coaching staff didn’t appear to make an effort to win the game, even though they were playing a team that came into the contest at a robust 2-11-1 record. 

 

I understand the Browns are down to their third quarterback in Ken Dorsey.  But that doesn’t excuse a game plan from the Stone Age and a defense that refused to recognize the Bengals did not want to throw the ball by putting more men in the box.  As a result, Cedric Benson, cut by the Bears early this season, ran for over 170 yards against the Browns, easily the best day of his career.

 

The shutout brought the Cleveland streak of not scoring an offensive touchdown to an embarrassing five games.  Not even the 2000 Browns, quarterbacked by Doug Pederson can make that claim.  That’s why using Dorsey as an excuse is lame. 

 

Also, stop telling us about the “flash” package that features the best player on the team, Joshua Cribbs.  Every week, Crennel talks about using Cribbs to take snaps, but once the game starts, he is ignored.  Cribbs carried three times in the first quarter, but touched the ball just twice thereafter, and of course, did not throw out of the formation.  Cribbs commented after the Eagles’ game that the Browns have weapons, they just don’t use them, he is correct, at least where he is concerned.

 

Defensively, was Mel Tucker that afraid of Ryan Fitzpatrick’s arm that he didn’t want to put more defenders near the line of scrimmage?  CBS analyst Rich Gannon couldn’t fathom why the Browns allowed the Bengals to run the ball without making adjustments. 

 

By the way, for those who think the Browns’ defense is good because they don’t allow that many points, they rank 27^th in the NFL in defensive third down conversions.  How many times do they get the opponent in third and long, and then allow the first down?  They can’t get off the field.  Of course, that may be a good thing because it would put the putrid offense on the field. 

 

Yesterday in The Plain Dealer, Mary Kay Cabot wrote a story which was very pro-Crennel, and discussed the disconnect between the coach and the general manager.  This is exactly what happens when you don’t let the GM hire the coach. 

 

First, Cabot cited Beau Bell as an example of how Crennel and Savage are on different pages.  One of Savage’s jobs is to bring in talent.  If he thinks Bell is the most talented player on the board, then he should take him.  Is Bell not playing because the coach didn’t want him to be drafted in the first place?  When Savage was hired here, the cupboard was basically bare in terms of talent.  However, the fact that the coach and GM aren’t on the same page is a result of how the hiring of the two positions took place.

 

Second, the article talked about the make up of Crennel’s coaching staff, and how Savage hired most of the assistant coaches.  However, Crennel lost this power when he was so slow to change offensive coordinators when Maurice Carthon was calling plays.  Does anyone else think Carthon would still be the coordinator if it were up to Crennel?  The head coach was so stubborn, Savage had to step in and make the changes. 

 

Whatever happens after next week’s game against Pittsburgh, it should start with letting the general manager pick the new coach.  If that is Phil Savage, okay.  If Savage is going, then hire the new GM first, and allow him to pick the new coach.  These two leadership positions must be on the same page if the organization is to thrive and succeed.   Randy Lerner got it wrong last time, he can’t afford to repeat his mistake. 

 

JD