Jim Tressel loves special team play.  He has said the punt is the most important play in football, because of the yardage that can be picked up on that play.  He is one football coach who treats the special teams as 1/3 of the game, equating it with offense and defense.  So, one can only imagine how distressed he feels today when that phase of the game let him down in OSU’s 38-24 loss to Louisiana State in the BCS Championship Game in New Orleans last night.

 

After LSU tied the game at 10 after falling behind early, the Buckeyes offense was on the move again.  At that point in the game, OSU scored on Chris Wells’ 65-yard touchdown run, and followed that by driving down the field with ease until a penalty stopped them and they kicked a field goal.  Following a personal foul penalty on this drive, the scarlet and gray lined up for a field goal to put them up 13-10, but Ricky Jean-Francois bulled his way past the linemen and blocked Ryan Pretorius’ attempt, shifting the momentum the Tigers’ way.

 

The second special teams’ gaffe came on the first series of the second half.  With the Buckeyes trailing 24-10, they needed a stop badly.  They appeared to get one by forcing an intentional grounding penalty on second down, and a short completion on third down.  LSU had to punt.  Unfortunately, Aaron Spitler roughed the kicker on the punt, giving the Tigers the ball back.  How he missed the ball is one of the great mysteries of the game.  Another personal foul penalty on the Buckeye defense put LSU into scoring position, and they converted a TD pass from Matt Flynn to Early Doucet to give Les Miles’ team an insurmountable 31-10 cushion.

 

To win a championship game, you have to play error-free football.  Ohio State didn’t do that yesterday.  That is to take nothing away from LSU, but you cannot have four turnovers and four personal foul penalties and defeat a quality opponent.  Todd Boeckman’s first pick was the result of an LSU blitz, and his fumble in the fourth quarter when the Bucks were trying to get within a touchdown was the result of extreme pressure.  When it mattered, the OSU offensive line couldn’t keep the Bayou Bengal defenders out of the backfield. 

 

The penalties are inexcusable for a team who wants to win a title, especially personal fouls.  The speed factor is overrated, but it did stop the OSU wide receivers from getting open.  However, the Buckeyes did have some success with crossing routes, but more often than not, they were sent on fly patterns.  It didn’t work in the first quarter, so they certainly weren’t going to work in the fourth quarter.  Another questionable play calling move was not running more off tackle plays after Wells stiff armed a Tiger DB into the turf.  They gained good yardage on that play, but never went back to it.

 

With only three seniors starting, the Buckeyes are set up well for 2008.  I understand they will likely lose two or three juniors who will declare for the NFL draft, but they will still have Wells, Boeckman, and Brian Robiske, three standouts on offense.  The biggest day coming up for Ohio State will be letter of intent signing day for high school players when they find out if uber prospect, QB Terrelle Pryor decides where he will play college football.  Three title games in seven years is a good thing for a program, but it doesn’t make losing the games sting any less.

 

MW

 

Redemption.  That’s what the Ohio State Buckeyes are looking for tonight in the BCS Championship Game.  Redemption.  It was another Buckeye team that went to Phoenix a year ago, heavily favored against Florida, and went home embarrassed.  That one game has changed the perception of Ohio State football throughout the nation.  The players who were part of that game want it, they’ve been waiting an entire year for it…redemption.

 

Ohio State isn’t the first team to be blown out in the BCS title game; in fact, games decided at the end have not been the norm.  The Ohio State-Miami game went to overtime, and the USC-Texas match-up was an instant classic.  However, there have been several colossal hammerings in this contest.  In 1999, Florida State beat Virginia Tech, 46-29.  In 2001, Miami (FL) walloped Nebraska, 37-14.  And in 2004, USC spanked Oklahoma 55-14.  Yet, none of those defeated teams have heard the criticism of their program that Ohio State has endured.

 

What would people be saying had the scarlet and gray defeated Florida last season?  They would be talking about Jim Tressel and the Bucks in the same reverent tones reserved for Pete Carroll and USC.  It would have been OSU’s second championship in five years, a claim that only the Trojans can make because of the so-called split title (the BCS doesn’t recognize this) in 2003.  Instead, the Bucks have to explain why they are in the game at all.  Can one game discredit a great program like Ohio State?  Apparently, the national media thinks so.

 

I believe that people dislike Ohio State because the dislike the entire BCS system.  The Buckeyes simply worked the BCS to perfection.  If you are in a BCS conference and go undefeated, you will get to the championship game.  So, you play a soft non-conference slate. Now, Tressel doesn’t do this on a regular basis, but he did this year.  To those who don’t believe this to be true, remember, OSU played Texas in 2005 and 2006, and will play Southern Cal in 2008 and 2009. 

 

The people who run the BCS took strength of schedule out of the equation a couple of years ago.  So, they get a team from a weak conference (at least this year) with a less than stellar non-conference schedule in the title game.  Ohio State could only play the teams they have on their schedule and they defeated them all, aside from Illinois.  However, that doesn’t mean the OSU defense is weak.  They held Michigan to less than 100 yards in total offense in November.  The same Wolverines that shred a Florida defense on New Year’s Day. 

 

If the Buckeyes’ defense plays up to par tonight, they will come back to Columbus with another BCS title.  The LSU defense might have the first player to be selected in the upcoming NFL draft in Glenn Dorsey, but several teams have lit up the scoreboard against them.  Even in the loss to the Illini, Ohio State gave up just 28 points.  

 

I also have to think that any Buckeye who was on the field against the Gators a year ago has been thinking about making up for it for an entire year.  Therefore, a very motivated scarlet and gray squad will be playing tonight.  I think Ohio State will be able to run the ball, and control the LSU offense enough to come away with a victory.  Redemption will be theirs.  And the national media will need to find a new subject to discuss regarding college football.

 

KM

 

 

Now that the Cleveland Browns season is over, football fans on the North Coast have to find something else to worry about.  Since the team dealt its first round draft pick in 2008 to obtain Brady Quinn, the usual talk about whom the brown and orange should draft is on the back burner.  This off-season, the teeth gnashing has centered on next season’s schedule, and the difficulty of it.  However, is it as tough as it looks?

 

Much debate has centered on the fact that the Browns are matched up against the AFC South and NFC East in 2008, two divisions where every team finished with an above .500 record.  Each division is the host of three teams that reached the playoffs this season.  Since it has been suggested that Cleveland’s 10-6 mark is the result of an easier type schedule in ’07, could the success of these divisions be attributed to the same thing?

 

First, let’s look at the AFC South.  They matched up against the AFC West and the NFC South as per the NFL rotating schedule guidelines.  Out of those two divisions, the only teams that finished over .500 were the two division winners, the Chargers and the Buccaneers.  The rest of the teams were mediocre at best.  The AFC West contained the disappointing Broncos and the mediocre Chiefs and Raiders.  The NFC South has the horrible, Michael Vick-less Falcons, the two more teams who didn’t play up to expectations, the Panthers and Saints.

 

As for the NFC East, their AFC divisional foes came from the Eastern Division, which had the unbeaten Patriots, the up and coming Bills, and two of the worst teams in football in the Dolphins and Jets.  They also took on the NFC North, which featured the Packers, and the inconsistent (or disappointing, depending on your point of view) Vikings, Bears, and Lions.  Therefore, they played six beatable teams from these two divisions.

 

Some would say the reasons the bad teams had poor records was because they played good teams.  However, the fact that each of these divisions placed three teams in the playoffs is due in part to playing a rather soft schedule.  The Browns were 10-6 this year because they played against the AFC East, picking up three wins.  I’m just saying perhaps some of those teams aren’t above the break-even mark if they played a division with better teams than the AFC West. 

 

If Browns’ fans want to worry about something, consider the team is offering Coach Romeo Crennel a two-year contract extension.  This was the first winning season for the head coach, and I would like to see a second before offering Crennel additional years.  Why the rush?  He has two more years on his current deal, anyway.  There is nothing wrong with getting an extra year’s book on a coach before signing him up for more seasons.  What would your thoughts be next year if the Cleveland Browns go 8-8 or 7-9?  GM Phil Savage should exercise patience.

 

JD

 

The real college football bowl season starts in earnest on January 1^st, and culminates with the BCS Championship Game next Monday night between Ohio State and LSU in New Orleans.  Of course, the BCS has made most of the games irrelevant, because they really don’t mean anything.  There’s only one game that matters, the one that determines the BCS Champion.

 

This year’s Buckeyes vs. Tigers match up has also started a feud between the Big 10 and SEC, two of the major college football conferences about the superiority of the SEC.  Certainly, the southeastern portion of the country is the hotbed of the sports, collegiately.  Also, there is no question the SEC is a deeper conference than the Big Ten, with its sixth and seventh best teams being superior to Indiana, Iowa, and Northwestern.  However, is the SEC’s best really better than the Big 10’s best?

 

Yesterday, there were two matchups between the two leagues, Tennessee defeated Wisconsin in the Outback Bowl, and Michigan knocked off Florida in the Florida Citrus Bowl.  So, it was a split.  The rubber match will be the BCS title tilt.  The latter game was particularly interesting in that Ohio State held Michigan to under 100 yards of total offense when they played six weeks ago, yet the Wolverines went up and down the field on the Gators.  Granted, the OSU-Michigan game was played in a driving rainstorm, but it was still an impressive defensive performance.

 

The day after Thanksgiving, I watched an Arkansas team move the ball with relative ease against the same Louisiana State team the Buckeyes will play on Monday night.  Granted, the Razorbacks have the premier runner in the country in Darren McFadden, but they also have a poor passing attack, which means the Tigers could focus on the running game, but still couldn’t stop it.  One conclusion could be that the gaudy offensive numbers put up by SEC teams is a result of poor defenses throughout the conference.

 

The SEC supporters point out their record against other conferences is very good, particularly against the Big Ten.  My argument would be when was the last time an SEC team came north in late October or November to take on Penn State or Wisconsin?  It never happens.  Whenever a northern team takes on an SEC member, it usually is in pristine weather conditions, either at the beginning of the season when the weather is nice, or in a bowl game which is held in beautiful weather or a domed stadium.  I wonder how the spread offense used by Urban Meyer and the Florida Gators would fare on a windy, cold day in the north?

 

The Big Ten for the most part has recruited for size, not speed.  However, Jim Tressel has bucked this trend, and with Illinois’ Ron Zook in the conference, and Michigan’s hire of Rich Rodriguez, the Big Ten is going to get faster.  These three coaches will start a return to power for the Big Ten, but the gap isn’t as large as some may think.  Part of the problem is everything is stacked in favor of the southern schools.  Heck, the BCS title game is virtually a home game for LSU.  Still, don’t be surprised if the Buckeyes become the first team to repeat as BCS champs.

 

MW

 

 

 

 

The Cleveland Browns closed out the regular season with its seventh consecutive home win, a 20-7 triumph over the San Francisco 49ers.  It was a workmanlike performance by the brown and orange, as the game didn’t seem at all in doubt after Derek Anderson’s 45 yard TD pass to Braylon Edwards midway through the second quarter.  It was on that play that Anderson hurt his hand and wrist slightly, giving the crowd an opportunity to see Brady Quinn’s NFL debut.  Unfortunately, the Colts didn’t hold up their end of the bargain losing to Tennessee 16-10, thus eliminating the Brownies from the playoffs.

 

Quinn shook off jitters on his first two passes to lead a drive which resulted in a Phil Dawson field goal to increase the Cleveland lead to 17-7 going into halftime.  He certainly gave the fans an idea of what he can do when he gets a chance.  Of course, after Anderson’s first pass was picked off following his four interception game last week, the crowd wanted Quinn to make his debut the next time the Browns got the football.  DA didn’t play his best game, making several poor throws, including a couple more that could have been picked off.  He finished 11 of 20 for 152 yards, as the Browns played ball control with Jamal Lewis.

 

Although he has a few miles on him, it would be difficult to imagine Phil Savage not working out some kind of new contract with Lewis, who had another 100 yard day, picking up 128 in 26 carries.  It was #31’s fourth game over the century mark in the last six, and the Browns lost the two games in which he did not reach 100 yards.  It has been reported that Savage is trying to work out a new deal with Lewis, who certainly showed he still has plenty of gas in the tank.

 

Defensively, the 49ers were hesitant to throw the ball because they were playing their 4th quarterback of the season in Chris Weinke, the former Heisman Trophy winner.  The Browns held Frank Gore under 100 yards in controlling the ground game, and put pressure on Weinke in recording five sacks.  It would not be a surprise if Willie McGinest was playing his last regular season game, and if he did, he went out in style, recording two sacks.  LB Leon Williams also recorded two sacks, as Todd Grantham’s much maligned crew held its third straight opponent under 20 points.

 

How can you forget the way Josh Cribbs dominated this game if you can do that on special teams.  The Pro Bowler returned two punts more than 50 yards, including a 76 yard return for a TD.  He also took two kickoffs back for an average of 28.5 yards, and had another touchdown if not for a very questionable holding call on Lenny Friedman, who appeared to be simply blocking his man.  He also made a great open field tackle on a punt return.  You really have to wonder why coaches continue to kick the ball anywhere near Cribbs.

 

It was a great turn around for a franchise with one winning season since 1994.  A playoff spot would have been nice, but the Browns really aren’t good enough defensively to be a factor in the post-season.  With an estimated $30 million under the salary cap going into the 2008 season, Savage should be able to upgrade that side of the ball, although he won’t have a first round draft choice.  A tougher schedule is not next year’s slate so improvement will be needed to match this year’s 10-6 record.  If nothing else, this year’s Browns made the team relevant again, not the joke they had been since 1999.

 

JD

 

 

 

 

 

 

As we get ready to put 2007 in the history books, it’s time to reflect on the year in Cleveland sports.  Compared to some of the calendars we have tracked, particularly in the past five or six years, 2007 has been a great year.  No, the championship the city so badly wants was not achieved, but all three of our major sports teams were winners, one even went further than ever before.

 

Even Ohio State, who we have adopted ever since they won the national championship in 2002, went to the college football and basketball title games in 2007.  Actually, the football Buckeyes lost to start the year, and they have a chance to win again in a little over a week against LSU.  The basketball Bucks also lost in their championship game, which was a recurring theme for the sports year. 

 

It was a very good year, but one that came up just a bit short.

 

Cavaliers.  The wine and gold made it to the NBA Finals for the first time in franchise history, hoisting an Eastern Conference Championship banner.  It was a great spring for basketball fans in Cleveland, the highlights being LeBron James’ ridiculous 48-point performance against the Pistons in Game 5, and clinching the conference title by defeating Detroit on the hot shooting of rookie Daniel Gibson.  In his fourth season, James led this formerly moribund franchise to The Finals.  The Cavs came up short against the Spurs, but they reminded everyone what is possible when you have the best player in the game wearing your uniform.

 

Indians.  The Tribe’s season at home began with a snow, and forced them to actually play a three game series against the Angels in Milwaukee.  It ended one game short of the World Series.  In between, baseball fans watched a Cy Young Award winner in C.C. Sabathia, the Manager of the Year in Eric Wedge, and the MLB Executive of the Year in Mark Shapiro.  Fausto Carmona emerged as a #1A starter, winning 19 games, and Asdrubal Cabrera, a 21-year-old second baseman turned out to be a key player.  Even fan favorite Kenny Lofton returned to help the Indians reach the post season.  The highlight of the season had to be eliminating the Yankees at Yankee Stadium; making the entire Big Apple shut its collective mouths.

 

Browns.  No one would have imaged the Browns would hit the last game of the season with a chance to make the playoffs, especially after a 31-7 drubbing by the Steelers in their opener.  But, Charlie Frye was traded, Derek Anderson was given the reins, and the vertical offense orchestrated by offensive coordinator Rob Chudzinski took off.  Braylon Edwards made the Pro Bowl, and Kellen Winslow, Eric Steinbach, and rookie Joe Thomas came very close to a trip to Hawaii.  The defense still has issues, and GM Phil Savage will spend the off-season upgrading the front seven in the draft and free agency.  Finally, there is hope for pigskin followers in Cleveland.

 

In fact, if the Colts win on Sunday, all three professional sports teams in our city will make the post season in the same year for the first time.  We are even seeing a revitalization of the Cleveland State basketball program under Gary Waters.  To those who still complain about the lack of a title, please chill out.  After watching our teams lose and lose and lose, it was good to see each squad be winners, and come close to titles.  It gives us hope for 2008.

 

MW

 

Mike Brown tweaked his starting lineup on Christmas Day, opening up the game with a backcourt of Larry Hughes and Sasha Pavlovic, thus putting Daniel Gibson off the bench.  I agree, as written in this blog, that the wine and gold needed to get back to its defensive roots. and that combination does give Brown a better defensive team at the beginning of games.  However, one game doesn’t mean the team has turned around, it will be interesting to see how the team performs tomorrow night in Dallas and then in New Orleans.  I can still remember how terrible they looked Sunday against Golden State.

 

LeBron James was irritated after that contest, so he joined the other 20,000 who paid to be there in digust after that performance.  After that game, rumors surfaced about Hughes being mentionned in trade talks.  Quite frankly, GM Danny Ferry has to do something to shake up this team.  I’m normally not one to push the panic button, but the Cavaliers are stuck in a malaise they haven’t been able to shake.  The Cavs need consistency around LeBron, and that has been lacking since his return from injury.  Yesterday, Drew Gooden decided to play, getting 18 points and 9 boards, but that has not been the norm as of late.  Since Anderson Varajao has rejoined the team, Gooden has virtually disappered.

 

Hughes could have been put back in the starting lineup as a showcase move, since he hasn’t done anything to merit the move after his 36 point outburst against Indiana a few weeks back.  The free agent disappointment is averaging less than 10 points per game and is shooting less than 33% from the floor this season.  He does play defense, but you have to be able to put the ball in the hoop, or you force your teammates to play four on five.  It would be stunning if Ferry can make a trade in which he gets a useful player in return for Hughes, because of his huge contract and diminished play.

 

Besides Hughes, it’s also time Ferry makes a move with his frontcourt.  Gooden’s up and down play is maddening to me, so I can assume it has to drive his coach nuts.  There is no question this team plays better when Varajao is in the game, so if you can trade the former Jayhawk, whose contract is not untradable, and get another Varajao type player (read: defender and rebounder) in return, it would definitely help the wine and gold.  Gooden is a good offensive player at times, but he is prone to turnovers, mostly because he tries to do too much with his passes, and he doesn’t show up on a night to night basis.

 

Gibson didn’t do anything to be demoted.  He played well yesterday, scoring 14 points off the bench.  Boobie isn’t a good defense player, and takes ill-advised shots at times, but he is just a second year pro.  He has improved greatly since a year ago, and he has a good work ethic, so it is probable he will learn from his mistakes and will continue to get better.  If he can get better handling the ball, and can get the Cavs into their offense, he will be a starter at the NBA level for a very long time.

 

The next three or four weeks are a key for the Cavaliers.  They will determine whether or not this team will be a team that is lucky to make the playoffs, or one that will make another run at the Eastern Conference title.  The biggest factor in determining this is whether or not Danny Ferry can improve his roster.  Based on how the team has performed over the past two weeks, a 7th or 8th seed looms in the Cleveland Cavaliers’ future.

 

JK

 

I knew it wouldn’t be easy for the Cleveland Browns today.  The Bengals are a talented team having a disappointing season.  That is a good sign they will be the type of team that would love to be a spoiler.  I figured they would play with the attitude of "if we can’t make it, let’s stop someone else from making it, too".  Cincinnati did play hard, and the result was a 19-14 defeat of the Browns that leaves the brown and orange looking for help to make the post season.

 

Derek Anderson did not play well and threw four interceptions, two of them turning a 6-0 potential halftime deficit into a 19-0 one.  The Bengals played a very soft zone defense taking away the deep throws he completes so well, and made the Browns throw underneath.  Anderson’s accuracy could also been affected by the gusty winds at Paul Brown Stadium, as many of his tosses sailed on him.  However, he did get the Browns into a position to win with five minutes remaining in the game, throwing two TD passes to Braylon Edwards to trim the Bengal lead to 19-14. 

 

It was then that the Browns’ weakness on defense reared its ugly head.  The inablility to stop the run.  After Carson Palmer’s second interception to Leigh Bodden put the good guys in a position to get back into the game, coordinator Todd Grantham had to know Cincinnati was not going to take any chances.  However, reverse running back Kenny Watson, subbing for an injured Rudi Johnson, simply ran the ball right down the Browns’ throats.  Cincy did mix in one gadget double reverse, but otherwise it was good old fashioned smash mouth football.  The Bengals moved forty yards on the ground until Watson fumbled on the Cleveland 18 with under two minutes to go. 

 

The Browns had to go 82 yards, but an offensive pass interference call on Edwards nullifying a long game moved them back further.  Anderson’s pass to give the Browns a victory fell incomplete in the Cincinnati end zone, and forced the Browns to wish and hope.  It seemed like Cleveland had the ball the entire game, and they did control the clock holding the ball for 33 minutes compared to 27 for Cincinnati.  The Browns ran 21 more plays than their opponent, but the four turnovers and the inability to stop the running game tilted the contest in our southern neighbors’ favor.

 

Not that it had any effect on the contest, once again, the NFL officiating was not up to par.  What was the official on the goal line looking at in the second quarter when he called a touchdown for Chad Johnson?  Johnson didn’t come close to catching the ball, let alone cross the plane.  The thing that irks me is he was right on the play.  What did he see?  Another mistake was after the Bengals return man called a fair catch on the kickoff on his own 18, yet the officiating crew marked the ball on the 21 yard line.  How can a mistake like that be made?

 

The Browns play another team going nowhere next weekend, but this time at home in the San Francisco 49ers.  A win puts Romeo Crennel’s team at 10-6, the most wins by a Browns team since 1994.  Yet, without help, they will be home for the playoffs.  Tennessee currently has the edge for a playoff spot, and they play Indianapolis on Sunday.  Normally, that would be a good thing, except the Colts have absolutely nothing to play for.  They are the #2 seed, and cannot move up or down.  Therefore, they will probably play a Jim Sorgi led Colt team. 

 

The Browns put themselves in this spot because the weakness of this team since 1999 came back and bit them once again.  If you cannot stop the run, it’s tough to win in the NFL.

 

JD

 

It is amazing what you hear when people talk sports.  There is an old expression that opinions are like noses (or another part of the anatomy) everybody has one.  And everyone thinks they know something about sports.  However, there still are some comments from these uninformed fans that make me shake my head.  Here are a few of them.

 

Brady Quinn is better than Derek Anderson.  This is a ridiculous comment.  How would anybody know this?  Are they basing it on Quinn’s performance against third stringers in exhibition games?  You could say that the rookie has the potential to be better than Anderson, but you can’t say he is better right now.  The Browns’ quarterback has led the team to a 9-5 record, and is an alternate for the Pro Bowl.  According to the players, there are only three signal callers in the AFC better than D.A., and none of them are named Quinn.

 

Here’s another thing.  Do you really think if Brady Quinn were outperforming Anderson everyday at practice, the Browns coaches wouldn’t have created time for him?  They would have gone to him in one of those games where Anderson was struggling in the first half.  I think people should not use the present tense in discussing Brady Quinn.  Remember, he has yet to take a snap in a regular season game. 

 

I can’t root for the Tribe because the Dolan’s are cheap.  Apparently, these idiots would rather see the Indians spend $150 million on players and then finish with a 78-84 record.  Are you kidding?  What does the amount of money spent on the team have to do with your support.  The Tribe won the American League Central Division and missed the World Series by one game.  It’s a team worthy of your support, because they are arguably the second best team in baseball.

 

Even with the Tigers off-season pick-ups, the Indians are still one of the best five teams in the national pastime.  That’s not just my opinion; it’s the opinion of many baseball writers throughout the country.

 

Here’s an old one…the only reason Phil Savage signed Josh Cribbs is he is a local guy.  Infamous talk show caller Hiram said this one after Cribbs signed with the Browns following the 2005 draft.  I guess Savage knew what he was doing, since the former Kent State quarterback is arguably the best special teams player in the NFL, and made the Pro Bowl.

 

Can you imagine how Pete Franklin would have responded to comments like these?  He would have told them it was amazing they were able to dial a phone.  I just laugh, because I guess some fans are incapable of being happy.

 

MW

 

LeBron James and Anderson Varajao are back, and still the Cavaliers are struggling.  They have lost eight of their last ten games, although to be fair, the King missed five of those contests.  After a resounding win over Indiana in his return, the wine and gold lost to the Nets on the road, dropped a home game to the 76ers, and struggled to defeat the Bucks in double overtime at Quicken Loans Arena.  Right now, the Cavs look more like a team trying to reach the playoffs than the defending Eastern Conference Champions.

 

Coach Mike Brown has struggled to find the right combination of players now that he has everybody back.  To help him find that mix, here is a little advice.  You are a defensive coach first and foremost.  You have taken heat for your offensive strategy the past two years, including on this site.  Your team is running more this season, and that is a good thing.  Defensive clubs use their play on that end of the floor to create fast break opportunities.  The Cavs still need work on the half court offense.

 

However, back to his defensive background.  Brown stresses it.  Stop your opponents.  You can’t win titles until you can stop teams, and last year the Cavaliers became a pretty good defensive squad.  Your playing rotation should consist mainly of players will are willing to step up and play tough, aggressive defense.  Monday night was a good start, in that Devin Brown got back in the mix.  D. Brown does the little things.  He guards people, isn’t afraid to go inside and battle for rebounds, and doesn’t shy away from floor burns.  In fact, it was Brown’s offensive rebound and put back that sent the game against the Bucks into double overtime. 

 

Another player who should continue to get time is Eric Snow.  Snow is older and is probably limited to just 10-12 minutes per night, but he provides the hardnosed defense his coach loves.  Ira Newble, although he struggles to stay healthy, is another player who contributes on the defensive end.  Even Dwayne Jones should get some minutes every night since he defends and can run the floor.  With the starting five and Varajao, this gives the coaching staff a ten man rotation.

 

Who does that leave out?  It would appear to leave Larry Hughes out, put I would put Hughes back in the starting lineup in the backcourt with Daniel Gibson.  So that would leave Sasha Pavlovic out.  Hughes hasn’t shot well in the past three games, but if he’s on the floor with James and Zydrunas Ilgauskas, it might allow him to comes off more screens as the third option in the offense.  He simply has to start providing some points if this team is going to succeed.  He can’t continue to shoot below 35%. 

 

It also leaves out Damon Jones and Shannon Brown.  Perhaps this added "depth" can allow GM Danny Ferry to go out and swing a deal to make the half court offense better.   Recently, Rick Mahorn said getting Andre Miller from Philadelphia would make the Cavs the team to beat in the Eastern Conference.  Miller, who should have never been dealt away in the first place, would be a perfect fit in that he is patient in a set up offense.  He would allow LeBron to be the finisher instead of the initiater.  Once again, the fourth quarter offense consists of LeBron with the ball and four guys watching.

 

Mike Brown has got to figure out who deserves to play and who doesn’t.  The wine and gold are too talented to be struggling against the Philadelphias and Milwaukees of the league at home.

 

JK