The Holmgren Situation

So far this week we’ve had the Shurmur situation, the Hillis situation, and the Cribbs situation.  Now we’ve got the Holmgren situation.

Just to get you up to speed if you missed it:

Mike Holmgren broke his silence today as he spoke to Mitch in the Morning on KJR 950 in Seattle.  Here’s what he said…

Mitch: How long you going to do this?  In 10 years are you going to be the President of the Cleveland Browns?

Holmgren: Well, you know it’s hard to tell for sure.  I’m pretty sure it’s not going to be 10 years.  We still have our home in Seattle.  The kids are there.  The grandkids are there.  I don’t think they’re going to be moving anytime soon.  Our vision is to get back into that area at some point.  Exactly when that is?  I’d like to see improvement here and lay the foundation here so that they can feel good about their team again before I make any changes.

Source:  http://www.waitingfornextyear.com/2011/10/holmgren-speaks-to-seattle-radio-station/

Holmgren’s choice of pronouns, specifically his use of “they/them”,  has caused some folks heads to explode.  Some fans now feel that Holmgren insulted them by not pledging his allegiance through the use of “we” and “our” team.

This is further fueled by a Cleveland media that is angry because Holmgren threw a bone to a Seattle station after claiming to be unavailable to the local media.  This coupled with the pronoun thing makes them feel that Holmgren is just collecting a paycheck and has no investment in the team.

NEWSFLASH:  MIKE HOLMGREN IS GETTING PAID A SALARY TO DO A JOB.  HE IS COLLECTING A PAYCHECK.  HE IS ALSO DOING A GOOD JOB.

Mike Holmgren is not from Cleveland.  As much as you’d love to have him bleed orange and brown, he’s not going to do it.  But does it matter?

As much of a mess this team is now, the team is making progress.  Look at the number of players that are under 3 years experience that are playing and making an impact.

I don’t understand what people want from Mike Holmgren.  It sounds from the airwaves that they expected him to be like them,  a die-hard fan.  Well, if you haven’t noticed, die-hard fans do not often make very good general managers.  That’s why they don’t take a public vote on what to do.  Fans make irrational and reactionary decisions.  General Managers and Team Presidents do not.  Front office people do whatever is in the best interest of the team not what is most popular.

Look at Dan Gilbert.  He’s passionate about his team and sent  out a reactionary letter and got crucified for it.  I’ve heard people refer to him as TMLP (the meddling little prick).  When an owner is passionate, they say they don’t want that.  But with the Browns, they do?

Mike Holmgren is a hired gun.  You didn’t see him volunteer for the job.  He’s not being paid in gum.  He is well compensated ($10 mil/yr) to right the franchise.  If you feel he is not doing that, grill him for that.  Don’t grill him because he is over 60 years old and doesn’t know if he’ll be here for another 10 years and would like to eventually return to Seattle where is family and friends are.  Holmgren said that he wanted to get this thing on the right track before he stepped down.  He previously said that he would stay until the job is done.  He’s not backing off, he’s reaffirming that he wants to leave the Browns in a better position than when he got here.

The other problem is people are taking what he said out of context.  The very next response is a “we/us” response.  He is not a fan, but he is a member of this team.  As such, he wants to succeed and that is all you can expect.  This is a business and a career for the folks at the Browns.  They don’t do it for free.  They come to work and try to accomplish their goals.  At the end of the day, they go home and spend time with their families.

People need to cut the guy some slack.  He is here.  He has the most functional and organized front office since before 1999.  There are a ton of questions about where exactly we are on the path to winning a Super Bowl, but at least I feel confident that the team is at least on the right path.  Pat Shurmur is an unknown through FIVE games but the last two drafts are the best since….the 80’s?

Finally, don’t think that I’m giving the front office a pass because I am not.  As I said, plenty of questions remain and there are plenty of chances for this thing to go off track.  All I am saying is that to crucify a guy who doesn’t include himself in the fanbase is a bit overboard.

QUICK HITTERS:

On Josh Cribbs – He wants to be more involved on special teams.  Great.  Go for it.  Just don’t get hurt.  I understand your frustration.  If your coach/quarterback did more to get you involved on offense, maybe you’d be less inclined to go back to that role.  But since they’re not doing that, have at it.

On the Trade Deadline – Very few trades happen in the NFL.  The ones that do are generally lopsided (see e.g. Oakland-Cincinnati) or don’t work (see e.g. Detroit-Philadelphia).  Don’t get upset that the Browns stood pat.  The only argument I would listen to for even a second would be that if the Browns had no interest in resigning Hillis, why not move him?  Three answers: (1) who else is going to run the ball if Hardesty gets hurt? (2) Would you be satisfied with a 6th or 7th rounder for him? (3) Nobody wanted him.  Get over it.

On the Palmer trade – My friends in Cincinnati are going crazy.  They think they won the lottery by trading a fading/aging Carson Palmer for a 1st and a 1st (or 2nd) round picks.  Congratulations.  Now you’ve got two more picks to screw up.

On the Cavs – They’re still locked out?  I didn’t notice…  Actually, I do have to say that I really do care and wish they would get this thing started.  Not because I miss the games, because I really don’t, but instead because of all the folks in downtown Cleveland that make a living off people attending Cavs games.  I originally had a cavalier attitude (ha ha) towards the whole thing but after thinking about those poor folks losing jobs and money I’ve changed my tune.  If you’re keeping score at home, I’m voting for the owner’s in this lockout too.

The Peyton Situation

This Sunday marked the third game in a row that Peyton Hillis has failed to contribute anything to the offense.  Against the Dolphins, Hillis sat out with anything from a sore throat to a debilitating flu bug to a bruised ego.  Against the Titans, Hillis was ineffective due to anything from a lack of carries to a stout defense up the middle to a cautious contract situation.

All of which brings us to Sunday’s game against the Raiders where Hillis was absent for more than half the plays and ineffective when he was on the field.

So what the hell is wrong with Peyton Hillis?  Is it his contract?  Is it his health?  Is it the play calling?  Or is it something else entirely?

THE CONTRACT

Maybe if Peyton had a new contract, he could afford to leave better tips

Look, clearly this contract situation with Peyton Hillis is an enormous distraction and leads to bad tipping.  Not only is the lack of a long-term contract potentially making him tentative on the field, allegedly, but also the coaching staff tentative in playing him, allegedly.  I’m not going to rehash the whole strep throat thing but I think where there is enough smoke…you know the rest.

I believe this is the number one reason Peyton Hillis can’t get on the field.  Peyton is not secure in his financial future.  He plays a position prone to big hits and injury.  If he gets hurt before signing a big deal, he is financially done for.  At the same time, if he doesn’t play big and prove he is worth a big contract, he won’t get one.

From the Browns perspective, if they play Hillis and he performs incredibly without locking him up long-term, they may lose him in free agency or will have to spend big to keep him.  If they don’t play him, he doesn’t get big stats or big money.  So would the Browns really not play him to keep his contract more affordable?  Let me answer that question with another question:  Are the Browns going anywhere this year and would his lack of playing time make much of a difference either way?

Something else to keep in mind:  Someone told me the other day that Peyton is on his fourth agent since April.  I haven’t read that anywhere myself, but it could explain part of the problem: Peyton Hillis does not like being told “no” and changed agents until he found someone who said “yes”.

I’ve seen it plenty of times.  A client does not like what you have to say and discharges your services.  The client then bounces from lawyer to lawyer until he finds someone who promises to get him what he wants.  Then in the end, the results are the same anyway.  It happens all the time.  Don’t like the diagnosis, seek a second opinion.  Psychologists doesn’t think you need drugs, find a new psychologist.

I don’t know if any of that is true with Hillis, but it surprises me that the Browns have been able to work out long-term deals with other players, including their best player Joe Thomas, and not Hillis.

HEALTH

If the contract is the problem, but Hillis stands to gain more from playing than sitting, why isn’t he playing?  The second most likely reason has to be his health.

Hillis says that he sat out week three against the Dolphins with anything from strep throat to the flu.  Alex Mack played through appendicitis.  What is wrong with this picture?

I thought Peyton Hillis was the Juggernaut?  Indestructible.  Unstoppable.  A player that runs under, through, and over tacklers.  How could strep throat knock out the “#@$#@-ing” JUGGERNAUT?!?

The answer whether any side is willing to admit it circles back to the contract.  While playing ultimately is worth more to Peyton than sitting, playing with a greater perceived chance of injury is not.  I’m not exactly sure how playing with a sore throat could increase the chances of injury, but obviously Peyton and his agent believed that it could and acted accordingly.

Now this week, Peyton played, then sat, then went back in for two plays.  WTF, right?  Well, I guess now we are hearing that it is not that simple.  When is it ever?

Apparently, Hillis injured his hammy in the first quarter at some point.  In his press conference this afternoon, Shurmur said he was aware of the injury in the first quarter.  However, Hillis continued to receive carries in the second quarter.  Shortly thereafter, Hillis stopped receiving carries.  For those watching at home, we were baffled.  Suddenly, after halftime, a report surfaces that Hillis had an injured hammy.  Then Hillis returns in the fourth quarter for two plays.  All of which begs the question:  How hurt was he?

I cannot believe the Browns were holding Hillis out for contract purposes.  So the only other options were either they did not like what they saw from Peyton when he played or else he really was hurt.  Seeing what the Browns got from Hardesty, I cannot believe it was the former.  So if Peyton was too hurt to run the ball, what made Shurmur confident he could stop a nimble pass rusher that had terrorized Colt McCoy all day?

So circling back to the contract, should the Browns offer a big contract to a player that got worn down at the end of last season and has already missed one whole and one half game this year to the flu and to a tweaked hamstring?  Is this guy shown that he can be durable enough to endure the grind of a 16 game NFL season?  He’s as big as a house but week after week of getting hit with battering rams may be taking its toll.  Are the Browns being cheap or frugal?

What makes Sunday even more bizarre, if that is possible, is that at his Monday press conference, Shurmur first said that Hillis put himself back in the game for those two plays then later backtracked and said it was a coaching decision.  So which was it: Shurmur’s choice or Peyton’s choice?  God help the Browns if it was the player’s choosing to ignore the doctor’s and coaching staff and do whatever he wanted.  The implications from such a move are terrifying for a new coaching staff.  To lose a player/team this early in his tenure as head coach…

THE PLAY CALLING

There is no doubt in my mind that Pat Shurmur has bitten off far more than he can chew in calling the plays and being the head coach at the same time.

Let me know when something exciting happens.

Shurmur seems to get lost in what is happening on the field and gets immersed in his cheat sheets.  Unfortunately, it’s a trait the rest of his team shared in that Cincinnati debacle with AJ Green.

When Hillis was healthy in the game against Tennessee, he split carries with Hardesty.  Neither were particularly effective.  After the game, Shurmur vowed to get Hillis more involved.  He said the same thing about Evan Moore who received just 3 targets and had 2 catches for 12 yards in Sunday’s game.  So did Hillis not get more love because he was hurt or because Oakland forced the Browns to play from behind or for contractual purposes or what?

Pat Shurmur reminds me of myself when I’m calling plays in video games.  I like to run but find myself getting pass happy about halfway through the game.  Passes are just more fun.  They get huge chunks of yardage quickly.  The difference is I’M PLAYING A VIDEO GAME AND SHURMUR IS COACHING A REAL FOOTBALL TEAM.  Shurmur must understand that balance is key to this league.  If you want to be a pass team, fine but you’ve got to run enough to keep the defense honest.  Shurmur may be trying to do that but finds himself in situations that he feels dictates a different game plan thanks to ineffectual running.  Instead of sticking with it, Shurmur appears all to eager to abandon the run.

I was watching the 49ers – Lions game before the Browns game this past Sunday.  In a perfect example of what I’m trying to say, the Lions ran for 1 yard then followed it up with two short swing passes to their running back who got them down to the 49ers’ 6 yard line.  Three passes later, the Lions kicked a field goal.

The Lions running back (Jahvid Best) got them down the field only to have the coach go pass happy and foil their chances at a TD.  I see Shurmur do the same thing.  He gets pass happy instead of sticking with what got him there.

So Pat Shurmur’s play calling is the problem, right?  Maybe, maybe not.  When you take into consideration that the Browns have played from behind most of the season and the fact that Hillis has been hurt for at least a couple of games, Shurmur’s hands have been tied to some extent.  If you’re not able to get on the field, Shurmur can’t play you.

On the flip side, you’ve got understand what the Browns are trying to do here.  The Browns watched Hillis breakdown last season and want to avoid that this season.  The Browns also spent a 2nd round pick on Hardesty and they want to see what they’ve got.  The Browns know they are not going anywhere so to (A) lessen the wear and tear on Peyton and (B) get their rookie RB some reps, the Browns choose to come close to splitting carries.  In the short-term, that type of play calling does not help Peyton.  In the long-term, if Hillis is still racking up stats in December that otherwise would not be gained due to the physical beating he’s taken the previous months, such a game plan will help him.  It certainly means more to Peyton to show that he can play at full speed throughout an entire year than it does to flash and fade.

Bottom line is that the play calling hasn’t helped Peyton Hillis in the short-term, but over the course of the entire season it shouldn’t affect his bottom line.  However, Hillis hasn’t put himself in a position where he has (A) been available and (B) been effective when he has gotten reps.

SOMETHING ELSE ENTIRELY

I feel stupid even writing this.  I don’t believe in curses, jinxes, etc.  The length of my socks, cleanliness of my underwear, and position of my ass on the couch does not effect the outcome of a major sporting event.

While I would like to believe I have the power to effect the outcome of major sporting events with the shifting of my rump, neither I nor the cover a video game have the ability to cause harm to a player.  Peyton has not (knock on wood) suffered the debilitating injury as has a number of other Madden cover athletes. What Madden may have done, however, is something far more subtle.

Being on the cover of Madden is a tremendous honor that has been reserved for the best of the best athletes after a breakout season or overall tremendous performance the prior year.  While Hillis had a good year, far more accomplished athletes failed to make the cover.

As we all know, the difference this year is that the makers of Madden decided to make the selection of the cover athlete a bracket challenge.  Because most of Cleveland is out of work but somehow has internet access, Clevelanders voted in droves and allowed a #10 seed to grace the cover of Madden.  As luck would have it, we screwed the pooch yet again.

Cover athlete, Peyton Hillis, is in a contract year.  He knows he was on the cover of Madden.  He knows he had a breakout year.  He knows his popularity is at an all time high.  He knows that he was recognized as the top athlete on the Browns last season.  As such, Peyton wants to be compensated in a way that reflects these feelings.

Nice work Cleveland.  Only in Cleveland can we effectuate the “Madden Curse” ourselves.  Not a freak injury, but our own votes made it possible.

I still don’t believe in curses but there can be no doubt that being on the cover of Madden may have caused more harm than good.

CONCLUSION???

If there is a conclusion to be drawn from all these factors is that the contract, or more specifically the lack thereof, is the biggest reason for Peyton Hillis’s decline this season.  Peyton’s running style has been hesitant and unsure as has his approach to playing or not playing.  When you hesitate and lose confidence, injuries happen because you do not put yourself in a strong position to protect the ball or yourself.  So the lack of the contract has led to hesitation which has led to not playing and to injury.  Even the “Madden Curse” has afflicted Peyton in a way not previously perceived.

The sooner the two sides come together on a new contract, the sooner we will start to see production from the Browns’ star running back.  The only other alternative is to trade him at the deadline which is knocking as I finish this post.  If you don’t play him (or even if you do), without a new contract, you won’t see production.  The longer the Browns wait the more of a spectacle this becomes.  The Browns may have already caused a fissure between player and organization to such a degree that without serious negotiation the likelihood of Peyton Hillis returning next year will be slim to none.  If you’re not going to keep him, better to trade him and get something.

Really? And you’re surprised because…?

My friend, Matt, tweeted a great reminder of why anyone who expects the Browns to win anything is insane.  He cited Einstein’s definition of insanity: doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.

Welcome to Insanity, Browns Fans.

We each do it.  Every year so many of us get caught up in the hype that we believe the outcome is going to be different.  It never is.

The truly amazing thing is that we’re insane for so many reasons.  One can look as closely as a single play to find insanity or as large as three-year cycles to see the delusion.

People expect that with a new regime, things will change.  The Browns get a new coach, a new GM, a new philosophy, a new cast a characters, but the results are always the same.  This happens every three years.  Why would anyone who is NOT INSANE believe things would be different?  I got into a heated debate with a colleague (see previous post) about how there is no reason to believe things would be different this time around.  I was basically called an idiot for not having full faith in this regime.  So my question is: should I still be insulted if the insult comes from the mouth of the insane?!?

I love the Browns.  I want them to succeed.  I just no longer expect it.

This Sunday’s game against the Raiders was a perfect example of what I am talking about.  The Browns arguably had two weeks to prepare for the Raiders and people expected the results to be different.  The quarterback is still the same.  The receivers are still the same.  The playcaller is still the same.  The offensive line is still the same MASH unit.  The defense was missing its best player.  Finally, the Browns really didn’t have two weeks to prepare as the new CBA prohibits mandatory practices during the bye week.  Most of the team was gone and football was the farthest thing from their minds so the Browns legitimately only had ONE week to prepare.  Insanity to expect any other outcome.

I’m not trying to be a downer.  I’m not trying to crush your hopes and dreams.  If you enjoy your weekly trips to the rubber room, by all means, don’t hesitate to strap on your straight-jacket.  I do it too!  But I just implore you not to get upset or lose sleep over the fact that the Browns failed to execute as they have since 1999.

Show Me Something

I should probably know better than to blog angry, but I’m going to do it anyway.  I am sick and tired of people defending the Browns.  Since 1999, the Browns front office and coaching staff has had more new looks than Lady Gaga.  They may look different but we keep hearing the same noise coming from their mouths.

The Browns have been a treadmill of mediocre to bad football.  They’re constantly moving but never forward.  Every regime since 1999 has said why they knew more than the last and why their strategy is better than the last.  How often has that proven to be the case?

“In Holmgren and Heckert We Trust.”  Really?  Why?  What makes you believe this regime knows any more than the last?

Holmgren won a single superbowl early in his career as a coach.  But he’s not coaching.  He was president/gm/coach in Seattle, but was fired from the GM position three years later.

And Tom Heckert?  Tom had the title of GM in Philadelphia but he didn’t build their NFC Championship teams.  Andy Reid did that.  I’m not saying Heckert didn’t play a major role in it but let’s give credit where credit is due.

Again, I’m not saying the Browns are bad or are expected to be bad or anything like that.  I’m not saying Heckert and Holmgren don’t have the ship righted and aren’t moving forward.  What I’m saying is that I am so tired of people letting the front office off the hook.  I’m tired of hearing wait until next year.  I’m tired of hearing that they are going to build slowly through the draft.  I’m tired of hearing that we have to give them time.  I’m tired of hearing that we need to be patient.

You know what?  Fuck that.  I’m so tired of excuses.  This team won 6 games last year.  If this team doesn’t win A MINIMUM of 7 games this year, I will go ballistic.  You can’t tell me that you’re making progress if you’re merely hoping to replicate last year’s failures.

I hate these people who say, “Well, I’m okay if they only win 6 games this year as long as we see progress.”  PROGRESS???  What the hell kind of “progress” is the same thing you got last year!  This isn’t 4th grade soccer where everybody gets a trophy for trying hard!  Win the damn games!  You won 6 games last year.  Winning 7 games this year is progress!  Winning 8 games the following year is progress!  Winning the same or less is NOT PROGRESS!!!

I wouldn’t get so fired up if I didn’t care.  Football truly is my favorite sport and I desperately want this team to succeed.  What is success?  Wins.  I want wins.  Is that too much to ask?

 

New Blood

As you can tell, life has gotten in the way of this blog the last month.  I’ve got a few article in the can that I will be publishing over the next week so there should be regular contributions from me.  Also, as this Indians season starts winding down, things will become much more interesting and interesting equals articles.

Speaking of the Indians, in an effort to bring you more regular coverage, I’ve sought the help of an additional contributor, Matt (@mhess52 on twitter).  Matt’s my oldest friend (length, not age) and a baseball guru.  I’m bringing him on board to help keep content flowing from this blog on a more regular basis.  While baseball is certainly his forte, he is more than competent to add whatever sports news strikes his fancy.  I’ve begged him to contribute for months now so it’s exciting to have a new point of view coming out of the blog.  I look forward to his first article and on going contributions to the Ten Cent Beer Blog.

NBA DRAFT 2011: Instant Analysis

#1 Kyrie Irving & #4 Tristan Thompson

Last night, the Cavaliers made their ballclub better by adding two very talented players to a roster lacking playmakers.  By taking Kyrie Irving first overall, the Cavs added the consensus best player in the draft.  While the Tristan Thompson pick polarizes fans, I believe that very little argument exists that he is a good basketball player with tons of potential that will make this team better.

I’m not going to get into the Irving-Derrick Williams debate that’s been hashed and re-hashed ad nauseam.  That is no longer interesting.  Sure there are plenty of people who will say the Cavs should have drafted Williams and Brandon Knight but the bottom line is that they got a true point guard rather than another combo guard like Knight and they got a true power forward that can block shots and get rebounds as opposed to a scorer and little else.

The biggest criticism of the draft is the selection of Tristan Thompson at #4 when the Cavs have a roster full of forwards and no wings.

I understand the Thompson pick and reports around the net had him shooting up draft boards with his workouts and interviews.  Coach Byron Scott wants a forward who is going to bring the power to the power forward position.  He is old school.  Power forwards do the dirty work on the glass and on defense.  Scott and GM Chris Grant realized that they don’t have that kind of player on the roster.  And no, Samardo Samuels is not a starter in this league so stop trying to count him.

I like what JJ Hickson sometimes brings to the table.  He is athletic, quick, and can really dunk the basketball.  What he is not is a rugged defender who commits to doing the dirty work that Scott demands.  Hickson can put up amazing numbers from time to time and played very well at times last season.  However, he often loses focus at critical times in the game, he has very questionable hands for a slasher, he insists on shooting jump shots which are not his strength, and he is absolutely lost on defense.  On the offensive side of the ball, he can be great.  His defense is his liability.

The other thing about trading Hickson is that in the right system, he could be a very good player.  So many teams will view him as a desirable player thereby making him an asset for the Cavs.  Hickson is also in the last year of his rookie contract so while the Cavs can resign him and go above the salary cap to do it, if he doesn’t fit their system why would they?

So in a very Mangini way, Grant and Scott must have decided that Hickson was not the long-term solution and did not fit his system.  However, there was no need to deal Hickson last night or even in the immediate future.  Let Thompson develop and when the time is right, deal Hickson.  Why pick up more players from a weak draft when you can trade him at the deadline or before next year’s draft and get more picks in a strong draft.

As for the rest of the power forwards, Harangody is a nice player but never a starter.  He only looked above average when compared against the rest of his teammates.  The guy is a bench warmer who will get a few minutes here and there but lacks the athleticism to be a starter or sixth-man.  Antawn Jamison is an expiring contract that will be a deadline deal so he’s obviously not a long-term solution.  Finally, Anderson Varejao is a center on this team.  When/if the Cavs get an actual center, Varejao can go back to being that energy off the bench as the sixth-man.  The other thing is that Thompson is a rookie power forward and rookie power forwards tend to get in foul trouble fairly easily.  The Cavs have to have somebody to step in for him.

Sam Amico of Fox Sports Ohio has a good article posted in which he discusses the draft and the Cavaliers mindset.  The article really reiterates what I’ve said above in that the Cavaliers approached this draft in a vacuum.  This team has very few long-term players to build upon and they could afford to take the best player available with all of their picks regardless of position.  As you can see, the Cavs really don’t have a glut of power forwards and if Thompson is the fourth best player in the draft then the Cavs had to take him.

The last point I’ll make is that I heard a ton of griping about the Cavs taking Jonas Valanciunas prior to the draft.  Now people are griping that the Cavs took Thompson.  If you didn’t want Valanciunas and you didn’t want Thompson, who the hell did you want?!?  You can tell me a wing or a shooting guard but there was nobody worthy of the #4 pick!  Would you really pass on a player with more talent to draft for a position of perceived need with this roster?  Where do you think the Cavs are going this year (or next for that matter)?!?

I was initially miffed at the way the Cavs handeled the second round but the more I think about it the less disturbed I really am.  For every Carlos Boozer and Landry Fields that gets picked in the second round, there are 29 others (or more) that flame out.  If this draft truly was as weak as it appeared, then the chances of finding that diamond in the rough are even slimmer.  The trade of second round pick Justin Harper netted them two future 2nd round picks.  So essentially they got two more lotto tickets that will have almost no chance of hitting.  As you can see from some of the deals last night, even second round picks have some value and can be combined with other parts to make a deal.  If next year or the year after the Cavs are able to package one or both of those picks to help them get the player(s) they want, then it was a good deal.

I guess I will mention the international player, Milan Macvan, drafted at #54.  We all know he will never wear a Cavs uniform.  Even ESPN’s international correspondent, Fran Franchilla, said as much.  He basically said that a lot of these European players who get drafted have very good lives in Europe and like where they’re playing so they have very little incentive to move to the United States and be some team’s 12th – 15th bench guy.  What the Cavs did was to get his rights and if by some miracle he develops overseas into the next Vitaly Potapenko then maybe they’ll pay him enough to encourage him to join the Cavs as the 9th – 15th bench guy.

On the whole, the national media seemed to like what the Cavs did last night but were as divided as the Cavaliers fanbase about the Thompson pick.  Here are just a few of the opinions:

CBS Sportsline Eye on Basketball’s lists the Cavs as Winners:

Cleveland Cavaliers: Irving is mostly a case of winning by default, but they wouldn’t have been the first team to be unable to get out of their own way with an obvious pick. Irving gives them a franchise point guard to build around and was the best player overall in this draft. Going for Derrick Williams would have been sheer hubris in order to burn LeBron by choosing a replacement forward. Then, with the fourth, they could have opted for Valanciunas, which would have been a good pick. But there’s a reason so many teams were chasing Tristan Thompson. His workouts showed how he would translate on the next level, and with that kind of athleticism, he provides a good running partner for Irving. They managed to not overcomplicate the combination of two top-five picks. They got good talent both small and big. That’s a win right there. 

CBS Sportsline’s Eye on Basketball had this to say about the top-10 picks:

No.1: Cavaliers select Kyrie Irving, PG, Duke University

 Irving has been the top pick since last summer and despite a brief dip after his injury in the winter, he returned to the top spot in a flurry of offensive firepower in the NCAA tournament. Irving gives Cleveland not just an athletic playmaking point guard with a jumper, but a franchise quality player with a humble attitude and great basketball IQ.

 The question will be who the Cavs will build around Irving. Anderson Varejao is rumored to be being moved and with the No. 4 pick is expected to be used on a big man such as Jonas Valanciunas or Enes Kanter if available. Irving will function as both scorer and distributor for the team. He volunteered for a thorough physical to remove doubts about his toe and has been completely cleared.

 Irving’s closest comparison is Chris Paul, though he’s not the player Paul was when he was drafted. Still, Irving is described by nearly every analyst as “special” and the kind of player the Cavs needed to get in order to kick off their rebuilding project. Landing the top pick with the lottery selection they got in a trade of Mo Williams to the Clippers, Irving represents what the Cavaliers hopes will be a change of luck for a notoriously fate-challenged franchise.

 Irving’s athleticism isn’t of Calipari-point-guard caliber, but he also has a polished jumper and excellent vision. He’s not elite at the level of John Wall, but he does have a great overall mix of abilities. Derrick Williams would have been a solid choice here, but Irving was simply the best player available. The question will be if he will reflect the overall quality of this draft, or if he truly is their franchise player to help rebuild the broken kingdom LeBron James left behind.

 No. 4: Cleveland Cavaliers select Tristan Thompson, F, University of Texas

Tristan Thompson had made a meteoric rise throughtout the late draft season.  He went from being a mid-teens pick all the way to the fourth pick. His length and size started to catch eyes in the combine and in workouts. His frame and body give him the ability to out-muscle other players, which is rare in a draft low on size.

 Cleveland now has a power forward to pair with Kyrie Irving. The other option, Jonas Valanciunas, won’t be available until 2012. Thompson can make an immediate impact. Defensively Thompson’s got good ability as well. There are questions about his touch and face-up game, but he showed enough in workouts to convince GMs… like Chris Grant, obviously.

 This may have been a reach, but in a weak draft this fills a need. With a surefire lock in Irving, the Cavaliers were able to gamble on who they thought was the best big in this draft. The question will be how he translates to the NBA and if he can put some polish on the raw athletic game he brings off the bat.

 The question now turns to whether the Cavs will trade J.J. Hickson, who disappointed last season and who rumors said clashed with Byron Scott. Hickson will likely gather interest on the open market.

 Probasketballtalk over at NBC did not have such a high opinion of the draft:

Cleveland Cavaliers (19-63): They made the right move with Kyrie Irving, but Tristan Thompson seems like a reach. A lot of teams like him but his offense is so raw, I wasn’t a fan. Not loving their night because it feels like it could have been better, but they got the best guy overall.

Grade: B

NBA DRAFT 2011: Who ya got?!?

Suck it, Minnesota!

Today’s the day.  The Tribe is off.  The Browns still aren’t allowed in the building.  The Cavs will add at least two impact players via the 2011 NBA Draft this evening.  What’s not to like!?!

My final prediction for tonight?

Cavs take Irving #1 and Valanciunas #4.  I think Kanter goes #2 to Minnesota and Williams goes #3 to Utah.  Cavs will make some sort of deal involving its second round picks and the trade exemption to get another player or late first pick. (I know you can’t include players in a trade involving the trade exemption but I don’t know if you can include picks.)

Enough about me.  Call your shot.  What do the Cavs do?

Cleveland Cavaliers NBA Draft 2011: Difference Makers

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The phrase “Difference Makers” has twin meanings as it relates to the 2011 NBA Draft and the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Tomorrow night, the Cavs will be the center of attention as all eyes will be watching to see what Cleveland does when they are on the clock at #1, #4, #32, & #54.  What the Cavs do at #1 & #4 will have a huge impact on the rest of the field.  If the Cavs go with Derrick Williams, will Minnesota really take another point guard in Kyrie Irving or will they go with a big like Enes Kanter?  If the Cavs go with Irving (as expected), will Minnesota really take a man without a true defensive position (Williams) whose two possible positions are positions of strength even if he is the next best player available?  Fortunately we only have to wait until tomorrow evening to know the answer to those questions.

At the same time as being difference makers in terms of how the draft shakes out, the Cavs are looking to draft players who will be real difference makers in their locker room and on the court.

The consensus number one pick in this draft is Kyrie Irving.  In a league filled with quality point guards, Irving is the best this class has to offer.  While the Cavs already have two quality point guards on the team in Ramon Sessions and Baron Davis, neither is a long-term solution for this team.  While comparisons are made to Chris Paul, most prognosticators seem to believe that may be a best case scenario.  Irving is a very good shooter and ball handler but lacks the natural quickness of a John Wall or Derrick Rose.  However, Irving is crafty and can shoot the rock better than both Wall and Rose.  While Irving may be a pass first player, he will also bring a strong scoring ability to the team that it desperately needs.

The other player everybody knows about is Derrick Williams.  Williams is an incredible scorer who can play with his back to the basket and still make the long distance shot.  Nobody is doubting his ability to score when they talk about him.  What people do doubt is when it is time to match up defensively.  The issue is that he is short to cover most power forwards but not quick enough to guard most small forwards.  I know that the Charles Barkley comparisons begin and end with the fact that Charles was considered too short for PF as well, but I think it shows that you can get by with being too short for that position.  The problem for the Cavs is that they already have two power forwards on the roster in JJ Hickson and Andy Varejao.  They lack a true center and quickness on the wing.  While I love Derrick Williams and would love a combination of Williams and Brandon Knight from this draft, I’m not sure it makes the Cavs the best they can be coming out of the draft.

So what would I do?

1. Draft Kyrie Irving #1

Irving is the best overall player in this draft.  Draft him and don’t look back.  He has good character, great handling skills, and a fine shooting touch.  Take the best player in the draft.

I don’t worry about too many point guards.  Baron Davis will continue to start and let Irving develop under his tutelage.  Next year, when Davis is an expiring contract, move him.  As for Ramon Sessions, there are a number of teams out there that would have an interest in Sessions and, even if the Cavs don’t trade him on draft day, they will have an opportunity either before or during the season to move him for something of quality.  Booby Gibson is a SG in a PG body that will continue to provide a spark off the bench.

2. Try to Trade Down from #4

There are a number of rumors floating around about the Cavs trading with Washington for the #6 and #18 picks if Kanter is still on the board at #4.  The same deal has been talked about with Utah moving down to #6 but if the Jazz are as high on Knight as they seem to be, the Jazz had better take him at #3 or else Toronto will grab him at #5 and Utah will be shut out.

If I’m the Cavs, I make that deal.  There are a lot of people who really like Lithuanian center Jonas Valanciunas and have him linked to the Cavs.  As you’ve heard by now, Big V (sound familiar) is still under contract with his Euro team and is not expected to be available to play in the US this season.  However, he is a true center and the Cavs are in no hurry.  He is also expected to be available at #6 in the above scenario.  In that scenario, I take Valanciunas at #6, let him play overseas next season, and still get a ready-now player at #18, preferably an athletic wing.

This is my ideal situation (outside of landing Williams at #4) and I hope it comes to pass.  I would not be upset by any means if it didn’t but I think it allows the Cavs to add even more pieces to a team that needs them.

The other rumor involves Houston shopping #14 and #23 to anybody who will take it to move up in the lottery.  I’ve read somewhere that the Cavs were one of the teams contacted but it really doesn’t make a lot of sense to me.  No specific target appears to be named for Houston so why would they move up all the way to #4?  Further, if this is the same deal being shopped to Milwaukee at #10, why would Cleveland take it at #4?  I think this is a highly unlikely scenario and should be chalked up to mere conjecture by the media.

3. If not, take the best player available.

There was so much talk about how great Enes Kanter will be early in the draft season.  Now all the talk is about how low his ceiling is here at the end.  I have absolutely no idea what he is.  If he is the best player, take him.  If not, don’t.

On the other hand, I would be hesitant to take Valanciunas at #4 without getting another player somewhere in the first round.  I know the team is being patient and has time to let players develop but I think the Cavs would prefer to let that player develop here in the NBA and gain some rapport with their teammates as opposed to overseas.  So unless the Cavs get another pick in round one, I’d pick someone else.  My only caveat would be that if I felt that Valanciunas was significantly better than whomever else I’d pick, I’d take Big V.  It worked out pretty well for the Cavs with another Lithuanian center, but I’m glad I don’t have to make that decision!

4. Use the trade exemption, cash, players, second rounders, and/or whatever to add another round 1 pick in 2011 or 2012.

If the Cavs don’t use the trade exemption before July 1 then they will likely lose it.  Therefore, I trust the Cavs are doing everything they can to use it.  It does take two to tango so don’t crucify GM Chris Grant if nothing gets done.  From all reports it won’t be from lack of trying.

Ideally, the Cavs would use the exemption to add a player AND a pick.  If not, they should use whatever means necessary to add another first round pick this year or next.  This team needs to get younger and add some quality parts.  The best way to do that is through the draft.

At the end of the day, the Cavs are going to be better on Friday than they are today regardless of what they do.  I have enough faith in GM Chris Grant that I think he can’t possibly screw this up unless of course he takes Enes Kanter #1.  As that appears a pretty remote possibility, I think the Cavs are going to be fine and I can’t wait to see it all shake out tomorrow night.

A Roman Peace In Briton: Blood On The Stone

A very good friend of mine over at joeunleashed.com has just published his first novel titled “A Roman Peace In Briton: Blood On The Stone.”  The book is a tremendous read.  If you are a fan of historical fiction, the roman empire,  adventure, excitement, or just have a pulse, you’ll be doing yourself a great service by checking it out at http://romanpeaceinbriton.com/.  If you liked the move Gladiator, you’ll love this book.

Want to know more?  How about this:

Still not interested?  What are you, dead???  Read this:

Over two thousand years ago, in a vanished world in which gallant death and honor still holds sway, Gaius Julius Caesar is blitzing through Briton’s fierce, blue-painted warlords, exacting a heavy price in exchange for peace. News from Rome and word of rebellion in war-ravaged Gaul cut short Caesar’s invasion of Briton, leaving him little choice but to return to the mainland. Leaving for Gaul, Caesar entrusts a depleted legion to Cussius Caesar, and senior centurion, Marcus Rulus. With orders to further explore Briton and return to Gaul with the tribute, Marcus and Cussius find themselves in a remarkable quest to carve a future out of the land. A Roman Peace in Briton follows the lives of those left behind whose fates become bound to the people of the fabled, fog-bound lands of ancient Briton. Filled with dramatic scenes and abounding in fictional and historical personalities, A Roman Peace in Briton hooks with passionate storytelling and engulfs the reader in events of historical legend. 

This is Joe’s first published novel.  If you go to his website, romanpeaceinbriton.com, there are links to order it in print, for your nook, and/or through Amazon for your kindle.  I’ve already purchased and am enjoying the kindle version.  It was easy to order and download.   I urge all of you to check it out.

Turning a Corner

I’d like to thank the Cleveland Indians for sweeping the Pirates this past weekend.  Getting a chance to rub the wins in the face of my cousin (from PA) and father (from Pittsburgh) was priceless.  Take that Father’s Day!

Gloating aside, it was really good to see the Indians offense start to make some strides.  It is a small sample size so it is hard to draw too many conclusions based upon what happened this weekend, but the return of Travis Hafner should have a nice effect on the offense as a whole and Carlos Santana in particular.

Santana is already showing the effects of the Return of Pronk as he went 5-for-7 with 2 HR, 3 R & 3 RBI in the two games Hafner played in while going 0-for-3 with 1 RBI in the game Hafner sat.

Again, this is a small sample size, but clearly injecting an actual threat into the Cleveland lineup is positively impacting in his game.  Prior to Hafner’s exit to the DL on May 17, Santana hit 6 HR and was batting .233.  Still not a great average, but clearly saw better pitches to hit.  During the month Hafner was on the DL, Santana saw his average drop to .216 and he only hit 1 HR.  Since the return, he’s already hit 2 HR.

The irony is that the offense was finally starting to show some signs of life when the Indians dumped their hitting coach, Joe Nunnally, in favor of their minor-league hitting coordinator, Bruce Fields.

Paul Hoynes and Dennis Manoloff of the Cleveland Plain Dealer had an article about the change yesterday.  I don’t know too much about either coach but I do know that the Indians were hitting, stopped hitting, and now are starting to hit again.  However, Hoynes, et al., notes that “[i]n their previous 24 games, [the Indians] scored two or fewer runs 15 times. In that stretch, they were shut out six times.”

The problem has been the hitters on this club have reverted to their career numbers rather than the above average numbers they had been posting.  Choo is still not choo-like but A-Cab is still mashing beyond his career numbers.  Everybody else is starting to appear like who we thought they were.  So I guess a new voice is worth a try.

Clearly through, adding Travis Hafner will have a bigger impact than changing the hitting coach.   The coaches aren’t the ones swinging the bats.  A hitting coach may get a couple of guys to play beyond themselves but not an entire lineup.  Maybe Fields gets more than just A-Cab to do that but the chances are he won’t do better than Nunnally.  What this team really needs is a few more bats whose career averages are closer to being productive than what we’ve got so when Fields gets average results, these results are better than what we’ve got.

I’m going to keep banging the drum for a trade to add a couple of hitters but not at the expense of the future.  I believe the Indians can add role players without sacrificing their long-term plans.  Frankly, I’m tired of seeing key situations arise in games and the right-handed bat coming to the plate is Adam Everett (or Austin Kearns).

As we near the end of June, teams will emerge as sellers and the bats available for a reasonable price will be identifiable.  The Indians just need to hold on until then.  However, adding Travis Hafner back into the lineup gives some hope that maybe this Indians offense is starting to turn the corner and get back to being the productive offense we all enjoyed watching in April.