LeFuture is Bright
Over the past few years I have found it is very nice (say "It's Nice" like Borat here), interesting and exciting to have a team to cheer for in the various championships in sports. While it's been awhile for the Browns, the Indians are still around in my memory (it's nice to see all those banners out in right field at The Jake). The Buckeyes National Championship in football a few years ago was one of those moments in life which a sports fan and alumni dream of experiencing. I certainly remember that one. I am reminded almost every day while I have my morning coffee out of my National Champs mug. While it would have been nice to be purchasing another mug or two in these past few months (lets say we go back to January 8, 2007), it has certainly been fun and I have no regrets.
I was thinking about the Cavaliers game last night, and the Finals series as a whole. In my case, losing this series did not have the same crushing feeling that the football game did, and to some extent, the basketball game (probably because OSU was the underdog, and I was prepared). In other words, I didn't want to kick the dog and break things after the game/series was decided. I came up with a few reasons why I believe I this to be the case:
- I didn't attend or graduate from the University of Cleveland Cavaliers. I bleed scarlet and gray.
- The series was boring, the start times for the games too late, and the emotions were spent just getting there. There was no one to hate on the Spurs. The Detroit series was charged with emotion between the two teams.
- I am content in my firm belief that James and the Cavaliers will have a fist full of championships for Cleveland in the next ten years. This is just the beginning and it is very exciting. I am not going to be crushed by this series. Some idiot on television today was started talking about "The Sweep" in the same sentence as The Drive, or The Shot, or The Fumble. Sorry dude, there is no comparison. He obviously doesn't know Cleveland or come from there.
- San Antonio played better than Cleveland and they deserved it. When the Cavs would make a run or cut it close, the Spurs always answered with points. They could be behind by five and then all of the sudden they were up by ten. What happened! They made their shots… what a concept!
- Anger management stills have improved since April.
- The pain was drawn out over a week or so, during which I was able to find acceptance. I think this four game NBA Finals series lasted as long as a seven game World Series. That's a long time (especially since the MLB draws that one out as well). How many days off do they need?
Labels: Buckeyes, Cavaliers, Cleveland, LeBron James
Cue the Fat Lady
I watched most of that horrible basketball game on television last night. It looks like the Cavaliers are really done now. It became clear to me that they weren't ready for this game when they lost focus just before halftime and blew a five point lead into a two point deficit. They simply lost focus and the Spurs went for the kill. San Antonio is too good of a team to let up against. The Cavaliers are getting their asses handed to them and they will be swept. Hey Cleveland, "Wait 'til next year." Sound familiar?
I was watching the Indians game when the Florida announcer said that Justin Verlander had thrown a no-hitter for seven innings. I turned the Tigers game on and watched the rest. It was awesome. I was so happy for him. His curveball was biting so hard, the hitters were looking like fools. His fastball was hitting ninety-eight miles per hour in the ninth inning. Congratulations to Verlander.
The Indians and Tigers are now tied for first place in the AL Central. This is not a surprise that the Indians blew the lead they once had because they have been playing so poorly lately. Where are the bats? Carmona and CC pitched well enough to win in their last two starts. Wake the hell up!Labels: baseball, Basketball, Cavaliers, Indians, Justin Verlander, NBA, Tigers
Bad Guys Win Regional Championship
Congratulations to Michigan baseball coach Rich Maloney and the other schmucks on the baseball team for defeating the overall number one seed, Vanderbilt, in the NCAA tournament, and winning the Regional Championship. Michigan moves on to the Super Regionals for the first time in school history. A win there gets them to Omaha. I don't remember ever seeing a Big Ten school in the College World Series. The Buckeyes gave it up on Sunday with a loss to Texas ATM. The third representative in the NCAA tournament from the Big Ten, Minnesota, also lost Sunday and was eliminated.
I have met Maloney since my step-son goes to UM baseball camp every summer (it is really well run). He's a terrific coach and a nice guy for someone from Michigan.Labels: baseball, Michigan, Wolverines
Indians/Tigers Weekend - Take 2
Despite Cleveland losing both baseball games I was at this weekend, I had a great time. My wife and I arrived in Cleveland around five on Saturday, checked into the hotel and walked down Euclid Avenue to Vivo (the same place we ate last year when we did the "Tigers/Indians weekend"). By the way, if you ever decide to eat at that place, get the pork chops. Anya ordered them and by the end of the meal, I was eating off of her plate. They were the best pork chops I have ever tasted (and my sea scallops were great too). The crowd walking around downtown was awesome. 
People everywhere had on their Cavaliers gear, and music was blasting from the House of Blues. It was like Ohio State v. Michigan, minus the marching band. The city was buzzing and you could almost tell that victory was just a few hours away.
The crowd at the Indians game on Saturday night was pretty rowdy, including myself who "had a few beers" during the evening. For instance, when Gary Sheffield looked at the home plate umpire funny after a strike call he didn't agree with, I shouted, "Throw your bat at him!" Or, when he struck out, I yelled, "It's a conspiracy!" During Jim Leyland's rant when he was tossed from the game, I was yelling, "Someone call security!" How long does it take to get an old man off the diamond? It seemed like forever. I sat there hitting refresh on my Blackberry, getting updates on the score of the Cavs' game a few hundred yards away. 
From my seat in the fourth row, I could see one of the large televisions across the way and I could remotely figure out what was happening. Once the game was over (after watching Cliff Lee pitch BP to the Tigers and the Indians bullpen stink again), we made our way outside the Jake to join the crowd outside The Q. It was awesome. With each Boobie Gibson three the place erupted. When Rasheed was tossed people waved good-bye. When the game ended, the celebration in my home town was insane. People honked their car horns until three in the morning.
- Best sign I saw on television: "I just Rasheed my drawers."
- Sunday morning in the lobby at the Renaissance Hotel: I see ESPN basketball analyst Stephen A Smith as my wife and I get out of the elevator (spoke briefly with him as we checked in Saturday as well). I asked him if he had to work late after the game last night. He said it was an off day but he "didn't want to miss this." I told him that I thought it was great and that maybe Cleveland could pull it off. He looked at me as if I was insane and said, "No way," with that same terse tone he takes on while on television. He said that Cleveland has no chance against San Antonio, "San Antonio in six games."
I had Sunday breakfast at The Harp just on the west side in Ohio City. Good food. We got a late check-out from the nice people at the Renaissance. They were great, and I really recommend that hotel. After checking out, we stored our bags at the hotel and went over to watch Jeremy Sowers pitch BP to Detroit. I only yelled "Buffalo" to him once this time. That one was getting old, and it makes no sense to keep putting him down. I really was hoping he could get it together. The Indians let this game get away very early and I was ready to leave before the fifth inning. The fact that it was nasty hot and humid out there, and I was sweating out the "toxins" from last night didn't help. After the Indians batted in the fifth, I convinced my wife it was time to check out the shop over at The Q. The Indians looked like a tired team, and they needed today off. Bought some stuff... and drove home. It was a fun weekend.
Labels: Cavaliers, Cleveland, Indians, Tigers
Time to Witness
I am off to Cleveland in just a few hours. My bid on priceline.com was picked up for sixty bucks at the Renaissance Hotel downtown (when I booked it on May 20). What a great deal! I bet they didn't know game six of the NBA Eastern Conference Finals was going to be happening right outside the door.
The Indians bullpen really pissed me off last night. They walked too many Tigers. It was like watching a softball game with all the runs being scored by Detroit. I left the room for a few minutes because I was mad and frustrated with the bullpen, but I left the television on. I could hear the Detroit announcers talking about how Todd Jones walked Hafner and then the crowd got really loud when Martinez spanked his second homer of the night. I got reacquainted with my seat on the couch for the rest of the game. Ja-honny hit a double to right. Nixon got walked. Base hit from Barfield... this has to be breaking the Tigers' hearts. I could smell blood, and I am sure the sell-out crowd did as well. Dellucci up the middle with another solid hit. YES! It's over! Wow. This is awesome. Does anyone else want the Indians to win every game against Detroit? I do.
There is going to be a large party in the area between the Jake and the Q today. It starts at six, which is about an hour before the Tribe game. I think I will head over there to check it out, and then maybe again after the game to watch the end of the Cavs on the big screens. I am taking my camera, so hopefully I have some nice pictures to show you next time I post.
Go Tribe! Go Cavs!Labels: Cavaliers, Indians
Rized Up!
I was a Witness. I witnessed it on television. I cheered loudly and clapped my hands by myself on the couch. I yelled at the television. I hollered and was pumped up like I was out there with them. I played almost every minute of the game. I paused the TiVo and took a rest between overtimes. When it was over, I laid awake in bed for at least another half hour. I couldn't sleep. I was too excited. That was awesome. The Pistons are now on the ropes. They are defeated...
Do you remember the game Mortal Combat (played it a lot in college)? "Finish Him!" It's time for the Cavaliers to put their finishing move on the Pistons. Time to put their lights out. It's time to see the Cavs use their newly developed killer instinct. It's time to be champions.
Some good stuff from The BBC:Reading the Pistons blogs are funny today. "LeBron will never win a ring playing selfish ball like that" was the funniest comment. He just poured in 48 points on a double-team against the best defense in the league. Yeah, he's overhyped. Smoke more weed, Turtle. Seriously. Smoke more weed.
The Entourage reference is great. I can hear Ari saying it.
Do you think the Indians could put the Cavs game up on the big screen during the baseball game Saturday night? Will anyone be paying attention to the baseball game? At least I will be in town for the party afterwards.
Did anyone else think the Pistons cried a lot during that game? I thought Tayshaun was going to need Oprah or Barbara Walters at the end of the game. Maybe he can make a guest appearance on The View on Monday. Perhaps it was PTSD from LeBron's dunk on him. What was with the women in the stands at the Palace sniffing their fingers at the end of the game (or were they covering their mouths in disbelief - I don't know)?Labels: Cavs, LeBron James, Pistons
The long weekend is over; time for the long week.
It was a beautiful weekend. Since my last post, the Indians swept the Tigers, the Cavaliers won game three and the Indians got screwed by the umpires again, this time in Boston (and it wasn't even snowing). I got to the pool yesterday with my family and had a nice Memorial Day backyard cook-out. Now the reality of another week (albeit a short one) of work is upon me.
Tonight, the Cavs play game four. I am a bit nervous for this one. If Cleveland doesn't win this game, the series will feel all but over (although I think they could win three in a row, but not likely). I can hardly believe that I am nervous about Larry Hughes not playing. I think Cleveland will miss his defense, but I am excited about Gibson's extra playing time (just nervous about Billups getting his game going). Maybe the Cavs will actually score points! At least the Cavs' big men will know its a good idea to run the floor because Hughes won't be heaving up a twenty-footer with fifteen seconds on the shot clock. Maybe that alone will result in more offensive rebounds.
I am a little disappointed in myself. Two and a half miles from my house this weekend the Ohio State Buckeyes won the Big Ten baseball tournament, and I didn't get to a single game. In fact, I didn't even know about it. It would have been nice to watch. The Bucks knocked off number one seed Michigan in UM's first game last Thursday. Penn State finished them off the next day. Ohio State defeated PSU on Thursday, Michigan on Friday, Minnesota in extra innings on Saturday and then Minnesota again on Sunday for the title and automatic bid to the NCAAs. The tournament champions earned their way to College Station, Texas to become a three seed and face off with opponents Texas A&M, Louisiana-Lafayette, and Le Moyne(?). Good luck with that!
I had to watch the Indians game last night with the feed from NESN. The Boston announcers may be the worst homers in the league. Wait a minute, Chicago still has that honor.
The Indians need to put last night's game behind them and try to win at least one of the next two games to complete a winning road trip. The Tigers come to town for four games starting Thursday. It's looking like a tough week against top teams in the AL. What's the deal with Pronk? He looks lost at the plate. Is he trying to pull every pitch? I think so. He needs to start looking to drive the ball up the middle. Last night's four K's were awful.
That is all for now. Go Cavs! Rise Up, be a "Witness", etc.Labels: Buckeyes, Cavaliers, Indians, Travis Hafner
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