Random Thoughts from the Weekend

1. I've only seen one Tribe game all season. This was in Chicago and they blew an extra inning Save with a throwing error and a wild pitch. Haven't watched before or since.

2. I'm not sure which is more sad, the fact that the fire sale is beginning before the All-Star break or that Mark DeRosa is second on the team in both homers and RBIs.

3. However, the trade doesn't look too shabby. The bullpen needs crazy help.

4. Now that double DeRosa jersey is even more worthless, if that was even possible.

5. I dunno if firing Wedge is the answer. However, it's not like this guy has done a bang-up job over the years. This is a team who routinely gets off to bad starts and has to dig themselves out of deep holes.

6. Great article on the Tribe's mistakes (link not safe for lunch). Jesus, those draft picks are awful...

7. Terry Pluto says that new DC Rob Ryan is in charge of reviving Kamerion Wimbley's career. Let's hope he does a good job, two years ago I thought Wimbley was gonna be a stud (he looked like a beast in the preseason in his 2nd year).

8. Joey J is suing the Browns over his staph infection, of course he is. It's stories like this that had me on Kellen Winslow's side during that whole debacle.

9. Great article on Bernie Kosar by Dan Le Batard. Livingston talks Bernie as well.

10. I found the Kosar article because Le Batard brought it up during his appearance on Bill Simmons' podcast. I do enjoy those BS Reports.

11. However, I think Simmons and Chard Ford were unfair to Cavs GM Danny Ferry during their recent podcast. They basically lambasted Ferry for surrounding LeBron with veterans and not young guys like Thunder GM Sam Presti is doing with Kevin Durant.

12. It's unfair because Ferry got the job right before LeBron's third year. They had missed the playoffs by a game each of LeBron's first two years, so they were never picking anywhere near the top of the draft. Also, Jim fucking Paxson had traded a ton of picks (so even if the Cavs HAD sucked enough to draft high, they wouldn't have been able to).

13. Yes, Ferry whiffed on Larry Hughes (along with Marshall and Jones), but the Cavs DID make the Finals with those signings (in an admittedly weak year). But I still say Ferry HAD to make those signings, because if the Cavs would've kept starting Ira Newble, there's no way LeBron re-ups.

14. Obviously, at this point I'm not thrilled with the amount of vets on this team (I'm still not quite sold on Shaq), but I'm not sure what other options Ferry had. He didn't have picks, they didn't suck enough to draft actual talent and it's not like this team was full of vets that would've brought them back nice picks via trades. I mean, this team won 66 games and lost to an Orlando team playing out of it's freaking mind. Could he do better? Sure, but he hasn't done bad.

15. Brian Windhorst discusses the Cavs free agent options.

16. My main target is Milwaukee's Charlie Villanueva. I keep seeing conflicting reports on whether or not the Bucks will present him with the qualifying offer. If they don't, he'll be an unrestricted FA and things could be looking waaay up. (If he's a Restricted FA, the Cavs would probably have to work out some kind of sign-and-trade).

17. I'm curious to see what the Cavs do with Anderson Varejao. If they go after Charlie Villanueva hard, it may piss off Andy (and/or his agent). But it's gonna be imperative, with Shaq on the floor, that the Cavs have a power forward who can consistently knock down the open J. I'd lose my mind if I spent 82 games watching Varejao brick 13 footers.

18. BW brings up Jason Kidd and Rasheed Wallace. Part of me thinks that these guys would be great for a 1-2 year run. But part of me feels like we'd have a Miami 06 team on our hands. Lot's of ring chasing vets... meh. However, a championship is a championship is a championship. If and when the Cavs do win a title, I'm not gonna bitch that it wasn't won with home grown talent.

19. I know next season is championship-or-bust (and convince James to stay), but say the Cavs win the title with a team build around Shaq, Kidd, Sheed, Z and LeBron... why would LeBron sign long term, when most of those pieces are gonna be put out to pasture within the next 3 years? Signing CV would at least give the Cavs a young nucleus of Williams, Villanueva and LeBron to build around.

20. The Cavs still need a wing player for defensive purposes and I'm undecided on their best option. Matt Barnes isn't a bad idea (I do like his moxie) but I'm not sure how he'd fit here offensively (his last two stops were Golden State and Phoenix. Not sure how he'd adapt to Le-Iso). Anthony Parker would probably be a good signing, if a bit boring.

21. Livingston likes the Shaq signing. If nothing else, next year should be very interesting.

22. Patrick McManamon makes a good point:

Think back to Game 7 in Boston in 2008. James set up Ben Wallace for a dunk in the final minutes with the game in the balance. Wallace threw the ball outside to Delonte West for a 3-pointer, which he missed.

Shaq is probably going to dunk that ball — with force.

23. I just hope all the band wagon Cavs fans know what year it is (2009) and that asking a 37 year-old, 7-foot, 300+ lbs man to stay healthy for an entire NBA season (whether he's motivated or not) is a lot to ask. Yes, they dealt two guys who weren't gonna contribute but it's not 2002 anymore.

24. Well, I'm gonna have to buy a #33 Cavaliers jersey.

25. For the most part, I'm OK with the Cavs draft. Sure, Christian Eyenga is a project, but he's supposed to have a high ceiling (and crazy athletic abilities AND a 7-1 wingspan). Plus, by stashing him overseas, the Cavs will save some cash this season.

26. The Christian Eyenga pick is easier to swallow when you read things like this:

Were it not for San Antonio's theft of Blair, Cleveland taking Green at No. 46 would be the steal of the draft. He's a knockdown outside shooter who hit 42 percent on 3s and 85 percent at the line last season, and he's a solid defender at the wing with good size. My Draft Rater had him as the No. 8 college player in the draft, and he should be able to contribute right away.

Moreover, this is exactly what the Cavs need. In addition to their inability to contend with Dwight Howard, their biggest issue in the playoffs against Orlando was a lack of wing talent -- in particular, wing talent that can knock down all the open looks LeBron James creates. Green helps answer that need.

27. re: Michael Jackson's death: I have no idea how many times I listened my cassette tape of Thiller, but I played the hell out of that thing during countless school trips (on an insanely bulky walkman). Dangerous was one of the first albums I bought with my own money (also on cassette, my first CD was PotUSA). I was in NYC visiting an aunt just when HIStory was coming out (people forget how big of deal that was, I mean, 'Scream' was a big freaking deal at the time). Not gonna lie, I was definitely intrigued by his recent comeback attempts in London (in a train-wreck kind of way, but holding out hope for some nuggets of awesome).

28. After listening to a lot of Jack-O over the past few days, I've forgotten how practically half the time I have no idea what the hell he's singing. Take 'Wanna Be Starting Something,' I get maybe 55% of those lyrics (and that doesn't even include the whole 'mamase, mamasa, ma-ma coosa' ending).

29. This:

For future reference, "I was sitting in front of my computer masturbating to that Farah Fawcett poster" is not a good answer when someone asks you where you were when you heard Michael Jackson died.

30. If you have a moment, make a call for Ohio Libraries. 70% of Ohio Libraries gets 100% of their funding from the state. The libraries in Cleveland, Columbus and Cincinnati will take hits, but they'll keep ticking (though you'll notice the difference). Libraries in small, rural Ohio towns will be absolutely devastated. For more, go here and here.

* Call the Governor's office at 614-466-3555
* Call your local state representative
* Call your state senator