Posts Tagged ‘Lebron James’

Lebron James was the hero Friday night, hitting a three with one second left against Orlando to further his rapidly growing legacy.  Cleveland sports have been one failure after the next for over half of a decade.  These kinds of plays usually happen against Cleveland teams.  For years, this areas sports fans have had to endure memories of Michael Jordan hitting a shot over Craig Ehlo, John Elway and “the drive“, the Florida Marlins unlikely burst in the World Series… Sigh.

I cannot remember a bigger play in Cleveland sports history.  Usually the person Cleveland fans have banked on to deliver in the clutch comes up with some new and bizarre way to stun fans into waiting for next year.  The shot that Lebron made only won one game, but being down 2-0 heading back to Orlando would have been much tougher.  I sincerely feel those nine days off take a team out of “game shape“.  It got obvious in the third quarter of games one and two where the Cavs blew huge leads.

Yesterday I went to The Eastwood Mall in Niles.  It was pretty crowded and I could not believe the amount of people I saw wearing #23 Cavs jerseys.  People in this area who have rooted for Cleveland teams have waited a lifetime for that moment.  24 years ago, had I went to the same mall, I am sure I would not have seen Ehlo jerseys everywhere.  The other thing that impressed me was the window display of every sporting goods store was flooded with Cavs merchandise.  I asked clerks at a couple of the stores if they redid their displays this morning and unanimously was told, “no, we haven’t touched that window display for months”.

If Lebron can continue his heroics through the finals and secure a championship for the city of Cleveland I am not sure what to expect.  I do know that Cleveland fans everywhere are zoned in.  With a championship, Lebron James can carry over 50 years of grief to the dumpster.

The Pittsburgh Penguins are making things better for me considering that The Cavs gave Game 1 to Orlando.  Geno Malkin’s hat trick proves both he and Sidney Crosby are big game players.  A bit of Youngstown nostalgia in the above picture.  Harry Arroyo was briefly in the national spotlight as a boxing champion.  Arroyo still lives is Youngstown.  Here are some great stories to check out!

Top Internet Era Drunken Moments At The Indy 500 * Busted Coverage
Drew Barrymore Was Loaded At The Lakers-Nuggets Game * Steady Burn
Is Anderson Silva The Best Athlete Alive? * Fansided
What Were These Celebrities Really Thinking At The Lakers Game? * The World Of Isaac
Random Retro Baseball Player: Mark Gubicza * Sharapova’s Thigh
Steelers Visit White House, Give Hands-On Help To Troops * PSAMP
The Top-10 Movies About Baseball * In Game Now
Giants Lineman David Diehl Makes Comedy Debut, Makes Fun Of Brett Favre * Sports Rubbish
9 Classic Floyd Mayweather Moments * Hail Mary Jane
Yet Another New Kobe And Lebron Nike Commercial * Docksquad Sports
Jake Peavy Uses No-Trade Clause, Refuses White Sox Deal * FOX Sports
Dunks That Have Caused Some Damage * A Stern Warning
Akron Aeros Jeanmar Gomez Throws Perfect Game * Tribe Daily
Interleague Play Q & A * Baseball Reflections
Lakers vs Nuggets Game 2 Recap * Talk Hoops
Brian Kenny vs Floyd Mayweather Spunky Interviews * Zoner Sports
Penguins vs Hurricanes Game 2 Highlights * The Program

Was a bad night…  The Cavs got beat at home, Adam Lambert got screwed on American Idol, the Red Sox beat Toronto and the Yankees won.  Here is hoping that the Pittsburgh Penguins can deliver tonight and make things better.

Kansas City Royals Fans Brawl In Kids Play Area * Sports Rubbish
Mo Williams Hits 3/4 Court Buzzer Beater * Hoop Doctors
Interactive Nintendo Punch-Out * NESW Sports
Citifield Toilets Are No Place For A Womans Arm * Total Pro Sports
Dwight Howard Tears Down The Shot Clock * A Stern Warning
The Tigers Are Raburning Hot * Detroit4Lyfe
Ohio State Football Preview * College Sports Fans
Washington Nationals Elevating The Blown Save Into An Art Form * Legend of Cecilio Guante
The Return Of Michael Vick * Ed The Sports Fan
Wife of Diamondbacks Pitcher Found Dead * FOX Sports
Dont Mess With Vince McMahon * YepYep
Blast The Hell Out Of Turkeys * Hugging Harold Reynolds
The Clippers Will Take Blake Griffin * Moondog Sports
Dear Lakers, You Shouldn’t Have Won Game One * The No-Look Pass
Cavaliers- Magic Game 1 Recap * Talk Hoops
The Sixers Select Charles Barkley * Zoner Sports
2009 Conn Smythe Candidates * The Program
MMA Fighter Kevin Casey’s Rap Video * In Game Now
Skip Bayless Disses Craig Sager On Twitter * Pac Man Jonesin
Mickelson’s Wife Diagnosed With Breast Cancer * The World Of Isaac
Mark DeRosa Already On Trading Block * Waiting For Next Year
Big Ten Football Expansion? * Eleven Warriors
Jake Peavy Headed To White Sox * Deadspin
Funny ESPN Commercials * Gunaxin

So far the 2009 NBA Playoffs have been a cake walk for the Cleveland Cavaliers.  They have swept Detroit and Atlanta and are awaiting either Orlando or Boston in the East Finals.  Both teams had some success against Cleveland this season.  In one of their last regular season games, the Cavs pounded a Kevin Garnett-less Celtics team.  Orlando blew out the Cavs in Orlando.

When looking at potential matchups, I would rather see the Big Baby / Scalabrine led Celtics than Dwight Howard.  Right now, Howard is establishing himself as a big-time inside force.  For this reason I think the Cavs would much rather play Boston. 

Don’t get me wrong, I think either series will be tough for Cleveland.  Paul Pierce, Ray Allen, and now Stephon Marbury are playing well and Big Baby Davis is playing way above his expectancy.  However, I just feel that the Cavs match up much better with the Celtics than they do with Orlando.  Offensively, Lebron James will make or break this team in the end.  He can kick out to Delonte West and Mo Williams who have repeatedly hit big shots, but ultimately, James shooting, and more importantly, shot selection, will be crucial in either series.

Cleveland lacks that big guy who can post up and get to the hoop.  Big Z thinks he is a guard sometimes and Ben Wallace was never a weapon on offense.  Anderson Varajeo is about the closest thing there is on this years team.  If Orlando wins and Howard is patroling the paint, it diminishes the Cavs arsenal to Lebron and the outside shooting of the rest of the team.  Against Boston, Cleveland would have some success in the paint.

These are just my thoughts, please comment if you agree or disagree.

Read that headline closely… Pittsburgh Overpowers The East.  I’m sure Sports Illustrated has a big stack with the same heading ready for delivery after Pittsburgh’s great start this year.  Instead of Willie Stargell, Adam LaRoche graces the cover… Sigh.   They won a game this month, I can dream can’t I?

Mark Cuban Apologizes To K-Mart’s Mother.. Is Twitter Next? * Steady Burn
Give Tiger Woods Credit Not Grief * Zoner Sports
Nick Kappel’s Fantasy Baseball Focus: Buy Or Sell Part 2 * Baseball Reflections
Is Michael Phelps The New Joe Namath? * Josh Q. Public
Alex Ovechkin Is Unoriginal And Stupid * PSAMP
NCAA Champion Tar Heels Visit White House * The Fifth Corner
Seperated At Birth: 20 NBA Playoff Pairs * Fansided
Baba Booey Throws Out First Pitch, Nearly Kills Umpire * Sports Rubbish
Tigers Sweep Indians To Let The City Of Cleveland Know That Detroit Is Still Your Daddy * Detroit4Lyfe
Mo Williams To Lebron James Alley-OOP * NESW Sports
Ken Griffey Jr. Hits Subway $25K Sign To Win A Fan Money * Total Pro Sports
SI.Com Releases List Of Best And Worst Owners- Let The Debate Begin * Hugging Harold Reynolds

Penguins looking to battle back and even up the series with Washington.  Hopefully Sid and Geno can have good games!  Here is a look at what is going on in the world of sports…

Holiday Special: Bad Ass Mothers * Hugging Harold Reynolds
Lebron James Reverse Dunk vs Hawks * NESW Sports
Mariano Rivera: Sign Of The Times * Josh Q. Public
Brewers Sausage Races * PWNED Videos
Manny Ramirez Suspended 50 Games For Positive Drug Test * Sports Rubbish
Key To Cavs Success: Just Have Some Fun * Hoop Doctors
20-Year Anniversary Of “The Shot” Jordan Over Craig Ehlo * Docksquad Sports
Didier Drogba Swears At Cameras * Total Pro Sports
Bengals Sign Ex-Cowboy Roy Williams * FOX Sports
Bullpen, Bullpen, Bullpen, All Around * Tribe Daily
The 10 Best Goalee Fights Ever * InGameNow
Apologies To Kris Letang * PSAMP
Cavs vs Hawks Game 2 Recap * TalkHoops
Whats The Name Of The Mets New Stadium? * Zoner Sports
Videos Before Bedtime: Hockey Highlights * The Program

Enjoy all of these great stories from these great websites!

Cleveland is in a great situation.  They can sit at home, watch the Bulls and Celtics beat the hell out of each other and wait for Atlanta or Miami.  The Cavs disposed of Detroit in 4 straight games.  Rumors of Kevin Garnett returning to play in Game 7 against the Bulls are still unknown.

In blowout wins all season, Lebron James would usually sit on the bench for a quarter or so anyway, so it isn’t like the rest is going to hurt the Cavs chances of playing a solid series against whomever is next.  I am sure that this years team will keep a pretty strong focus on winning a championship. 

The one thing, in my opinion, that will chase Lebron away from Cleveland is if this team fails to win a championship before his contract is up.  This could be the year.

Here are some stories from other sites worth checking out!

Never-Say-Die Red Sox * Josh Q. Public
Did The Hornets Give Up On Chris Paul? * Talkhoops
The Steelers Love Fake Super Bowl Celebrations * PSAMP
Mike Golic of Mike And Mike Waxed – ESPN Video * NESW Sports
President Obama Shoots Some Hoops With UConn Women * Total Pro Sports
Tales Of March Madness And Vegas * Sharapova’s Thigh
Charles Barkley Drunk, Calling Kevin Garnett * Hoop Doctors
Surfers Make Documentary In Ireland.. In The Dead Of Winter * Steady Burn
Romanian Soccer Coach Beats Up One Of His Players * Sports Rubbish
Ron Artest Says Brandon Roy Is Better Than Kobe * Lakeshow Life
A-Rod Could Be Back With Yankees In Ten Days * FOX Sports
Kentucky Derby Picks * Joe Cool & The Outfield
Garnett’s Attitude Sucks * A Stern Warning
Did Rasheed Wallace Ask For A Buyout To Join The Cavs? * Motown String Music
Jacoby Ellsbury Steals Home * The World Of Isaac

Enjoy All Of These Great Stories!

Busy week and more to come!  Here are some great stories from friends to help catch you up!

Kevin Garnett: Got The Ring, Still No Class * PippenAintEasy
Pad Harrington Uses Happy Gilmore Swing For Better Drive * Total Pro Sports
Matthew Stafford Top Ten From David Letterman * Sports Rubbish
Even The Ref Can’t Stop Kobe From Scoring * Hoop Doctors
Who Is Currently The Best Player In Baseball And Can He Be An All-Time Great * Sports2Debate
Lebron And Kobe New Vitamin Water Commercial * Docksquad Sports
Lebron For Pope * The Legend of Cecilio Guante
John Salley Is Calling Technology His Crack * NESW Sports
Arizona Cardinals Cut Edgerrin James * FOX Sports
Rowdy Roddy Piper Shockproof Vests Are In Style * Hugging Harold Reynolds
Ryan Braun Still Mad About Getting Hit With A Pitch * True Blue Brew Blog
Paul Pierce Finally Shows Up * Josh Q. Public
Mr. Irrelevance is Gaining Revelance * Moondog Sports
Eric Wedge Really Should Bite Someone * Tribe Daily
DVD Review: Fever Pitch * Baseball Reflections
Why Does Everyone Seem To Love Ned Colletti? * Sharapova’s Thigh
Videos Before Bedtime: NHL Highlights * The Program

Thanks for checking in!

Lebron James is always in the spotlight, that is just his thing.  He is awesome and deserves all of the accolades coming his way this season.  Lebron will be the first to tell you that the reason Cleveland has had so much success this season is because of Mo Williams.  Mo Williams is such an upgrade over Eric Snow. 

Mo scored almost 18 PPG, averaged just over four assists per game, shot over 90% from the line, and just does everything with so much enthusiasm.  His hustle earned him a trip to this years NBA All-Star game.

To me, Mo Williams is the reason the Cavs are the #1 seed in the Eastern Conference.  He and Delonte West have upped the team’s standards.  Delonte and Mo can hit the outside shots when the defense collapses around Lebron in the paint.  This was not there the last few seasons even though Lebron was there. 

I love the way Lebron rallied to get Mo on the All-Star team, it just proves that this is a very close knit team.  It was also Lebron making the statement that The Cavs are a much better team with Mo Williams on board.  Mike Brown winning NBA Coach of The Year is another direct reflection on Mo.  Remember Cavs fans, Eric Snow and Larry Hughes were Lebrons help in the recent past.  They did not do much, especially in the playoffs.

In the playoffs, Mo is averaging 16.5 PPG and 5.5 assists / game.  He will have an impact and Lebron would be the first to tell you that I am right.