Great American Weekend

God bless this country. Have a great weekend. Roll Tribe.

A Word About Jim Donovan

Many of you have probably already heard the news about Cleveland sportscaster Jim Donovan. Apparently back in 1999, Donovan was diagnosed with leukemia and has been undergoing treatment since that time. Donovan has just recently found a bone marrow donor to help with his ailment. Fromhere at ClevelandsRocks, we'd just like to say get well soon Jimmy D.

I know for me personally, when I think about Cleveland Browns football and the Cleveland sports scene itself, Jim Donovan is one of the first people that comes to my mind. As a guy in his early 20's, my earliest memories of Browns football are during the relocation era walking past the countdown clock in Tower City. I remember growing up around the post-relocation era Browns teams, with Jim Donovan as the liaison between the team and myself. I remember listening to Donovan calling a 2002 Browns-Jags game w

here Quincy Morgan catches a 51 yard hail mary to win the game. I remember "Run William Run" when Willie Green busted off a huge run against the Falcons in 2002 to put the Browns in position for their first (and last to this point) playoff appearance since retu

rning in 1999. I r

emember Donovan calling Joshua Cribbs' "Immaculate Deception" against the Steelers in 2007. Shit, I even remember Jimmy D calling James Davis' 81 yard touchdown run against the Lions in the 2009 preseason!

There are many times when I'd rather turn up the radio, mute the TV, and

have Jim Donovan call the game for me as I sit on the couch. The fact of the matter is, he's an unbelievable sportscaster, but more telling is that he's a great guy. I have

numerous family members who have worked in TV and radio in Cleveland over the years, and Jim Donovan is the one guy that they talk about the most. Quality sportscaster, quality guy, epitome of Cleveland. This one's for you, Jim. Get well soon.

Indians Forget Today's Game Was At Noon

Did anyone remember the game was at noon today? Not the 26,000 loyal fans who showed up. The Indians players who just got embarrassed out there today against the Red Sox. Mitch Talbot probably hasn't even unpacked his bags yet and I wouldn't be surprised if he is sent right back to Columbus. We were working fine without him and he clearly looks like he needs some more time.

I'm okay with losing a series every now and then but I hate losing to the Sox. Gives me a bad taste in my stomach. That's what winning does to do. Its a drug and you need more of it. I haven't had my fix in a couple days now. Not okay.

Take a look at this Josh Beckett video and tell me you don't have a bad taste now.

Browns 2011: What to Expect

With no news in the NFL, aside for the lockout situation, which I find incredibly boring, we here at ClevelandsRocks have decided to make up our own pieces instead of our usual commentary on Browns news. In the next few days, I'll be going over a handful of under-the-radar players and what to expect from them in 2011. Today, Montario Hardesty.

Montario Hardesty, RB

Hardesty's 2010 campaign is well noted throughout Cleveland. After injury history in college, GM Tom Heckert traded up in the the draft to select the Tennessee Volunteer. After a promising few preseason games, Hardesty

went down in a heap against the Bears in the final preseason game with a torn ACL. With a new system in place in 2011 and an entire year to rehab, Hardesty is cautiously being considered a player who can help this Browns offense.

While he isn't on the same physical level as Peyton Hillis, Hardesty has a reputation as a physical runner. In the West Coast Offense, he can also provide a pass catching capability out of the backfield, much in the same way that Hillis does. Going into 2010, most people thought running back would be a strength of the Browns. However, after Hardesty goes down and Jerome Harrison underachieves and is ultimately traded, running back became one of the thinnest positions on the roster. Hardesty is being counted on to make sure this isn't the case in 2011. We all saw Hillis wear down by the end of the season carrying the load by himself. Hardesty should bring a much needed spell throughout 2011 for Hillis. Also, with a young quarterback in Colt McCoy, Hardesty's pass catching ability out of the backfield will give him one more safety valve, something he didn't have last season with Mike Bell coming out of the backfield.

An overly optimistic projection, barring injury in 2011:

400+ yards

3 touchdowns

15-20 receptions

125 recieving yards

Role: An invaluable role player and effective sub for stud running back Peyton Hillis. AKA the opposite of Mike Bell.

A Yankee's Game Is Cheaper Than The Subway

The prestigious Yankee organization that recently built a stadium comparable to the cost of our Nation's debt has their once coveted ticket on sale at StubHub.com for a mere $3. Thats right, it will most likely cost you more to take the subway to the game than the ticket itself. The funniest part of this is the face value of these tickets are probably $50 or $60 dollars. Yet their fans are still ignorant pricks who think they are better than everybody. You have to scroll to page 6 to find a ticket costing more than $10. Meanwhile Cleveland is at least selling their tickets a respectable price.

Jordan Didn't Need Joey Crawford To Get A Ring

Holy crap this was hard to watch. I know that all stars from all teams get calls. But with seconds left in OT in the Conference Finals? Com'on David Stern. Your league is a complete joke that's only a small step away from the WWE. The moment the Lakers vs Celtics rivalry was out you got a boner for a 2006 rematch of Heat vs Mavs. Also Mr. Stern, enjoy when your league collapses in 10 years due to your acceptance of super-teams. Tough to run a league with every small market team in the shitter. Good luck with that. I'm sure your TNT ratings ill be superb.

PS: Don't be surprised if in 10-15 years there will be a Joey Crawford betting scandal that makes Tim Donaghy and Pete Rose look like an office bracket pool. Just saying.

Michael Smith Calls out Heat Bandwagon Fans

And Michael Smith has just won over all of Cleveland with his comments in Around The Horn today. Smith goes on a rant calling out the Miami bandwagon fans. Not once but twice does he interrupt just to get his point across.  Even the Cleveland hated Bomani Jones mentioned that the Heat fans probably haven't watched basketball before this year.

As soon as the video comes up I will post it.

Here is the podcast of Around The Horn today.  Flip ahead to about 12:50 to find Smith's rant.

Heat Fans Whining About Barkley Calling Them Whiny

Charles Barkley for a long time has not been a fan of LeBron. Since The Decision, he has also taken his ridicule to South Beach. Barkley recently called the Heat and their fans a "Whiny bunch." Now the Heat fans are whining about being called whiny. I'm confused here. If a kids is making fun of you on the playground, you're not going to come back to the playground and whine some more. Wade says he isn't going to talk to Barkley the rest of the playoffs even though they are commercial buddies.

This is just one more example of how terrible of a sports city Miami is. They can't take any Heat (no pun intended) and can't stand up for themselves. They don't understand that people will dislike them for hoping on the biggest bandwagon ever. Whatever, they'll never understand what it really means to be a fan.



Here is a great song sung to the tune of the Brady's Bunch intro. Credits to this song come from BleacherReport.com

The Whiny Bunch

Here's the story 

Of a king with no crown 

Who announced his decision with much ado

That his talents he would take,

Down to South Beach

So he could win rings too

Here's the story

Of a man named D-Wade

Who recruited his two besties to come sign.

Then they promised,

Seven rings were coming, all on stage design.

Till the one day, the Bulls beat up these three fellas

And they knew it was much more than a loss 

That the world

Was happy they were losing.

That's the way they all became the Whiny Bunch

The Whiny Bunch

That's the way they all became the Whiny Bunch

The Whiny Bunch

More Reasons To Attend An Indians Game

Not too long ago I wrote a post regarding the state of the Indians' season. It was a mere ten games into the season and the Tribe were 8-2. Sure, many people thought it was a fluke but I knew there was something more to this young team. Anyways, back then the attendance was terrible. In this post, I wrote Five Reasons To Attend An Indians Game.

I know that in April and even in May the weather has been awful. Nobody wants to sit through a baseball game in 40 degrees and rain. It seems as though the weather may finally turn around now and it looks like it will be a hot summer.

This should defiantly spike attendance. This past weekend against the Reds was a great example of the fans showing their support. Great weather and a great turn out by us. This young team feeds off of the fan's presence.

Yesterday we had an attendance of just over 19,000; about 42% full. If you would have told me the Indians would even have that many on a Monday night a month ago I'd call you crazy. Don't get me wrong, i'm not jumping up and down over 40% attendance. But its a start.

The Indians are now the first team to hit 30 wins this season. They have to finish only 60-57 to win 90 games and already have a 7 game lead over the Tigers. Basically .500 ball over the rest of the season and we will be right in the thick of things.

So now that the Indians have the best record in baseball after 45 we have the best reason ever to attend a baseball game. Playoff atmosphere. If you attended any of those weekend games or the Monday game against Boston you know what i'm talking about. We all remember the 90's where every game during the season had that 'edge of the seat' emotion to it. You always have the feeling that the Indians can win, no matter how much we're down. Last year, if the Tribe was down like that to the Red Sox, we could all but assume they would lose. Yesterday, I think every Cleveland fan knew that we would somehow pull that out.

There are going to be more series' this summer that have that atmosphere. I don't think we are going to sell out close to 500 games yet but I think that people will want to come to feel what its like to win. We all need to catch the Indian Fever this summer.

Mike Brown Or This Mule? Who Do You Got?

Pro Football Talk- The Cincinnati Bengals aren’t changing their tune on Carson Palmer.

Bengals owner Mike Brown told Albert Breer of NFL Network that he hopes to have Palmer back and won’t trade him, but that if Palmer follows through on a threat to retire rather than return to Cincinnati, the Bengals are prepared to turn to rookie Andy Dalton, the 35th pick in the draft.

“We don’t plan to trade Carson,” Brown said. “He’s important to us. He’s a very fine player, and we do want him to come back. If he chooses not to, he’d retire. And we would go with Andy Dalton, the younger player we drafted, who’s a good prospect. Ideally, we’d have both of them. That’d be the best way to go forward. If we don’t have Carson, we’ll go with Andy.”

Brown sang the praises of Dalton, describing him as a rookie who could be ready to start from Day One.

“He’s very football intelligent, he’s been with our coaches, and Jay Gruden, our coordinator,” Brown said. “Jay had a very good feeling about his football abilities, his abilities to understand the defenses and how to go about things. He’d been productive at the college level, and we think he has a good shot at it here.”

If Brown really feels that way about Dalton, however, it’s hard to see why he’s so steadfast in his refusal to trade Palmer. The Bengals appear to be ready to move on with Dalton as their starting quarterback, so why not try to bolster the roster by getting something for Palmer in a trade?

The question is moot until the lockout ends, but at the moment, Brown clearly doesn’t want Palmer to think he’ll have any other options besides Cincinnati and retirement.

If Al Davis has the award for scariest/oldest/most looking like a sea monster trophy; then Mike Brown has the award for More Stubborn Than A Blind, Deaf, & Dumb Mule. This is just another great example of the Bungles' organization. Mr. Brown, Palmer is not going to come back and play for you. He despises your organization and the way you run it. He has mentioned that he has close to $80 million saved up in the bank and can retire whenever he wants. His Cincinnati house has been vandalized and his kids have been bullied in school by your ridiculous so-called fans. He is never going to be a Bengal ever again. So why don't you get off your high horse and trade him. You could probably get a fairly decent pick at this point. Actually, don't trade him. Stay on your high horse and help the Browns out by being a terrible owner.

Anyways Cleveland fans who do you got? This mule or Bengals owner Mike Brown.

Ray Edwards To The Browns?

Last week I mentioned the possibility of Donte Whitner coming to the Browns via free-agency. Now, on ESPN.com, blogger James Walker talks about the possibly acquisition of Vikings Defensive End Ray Edwards. 

Edwards recently made the news with his new hobby of professional boxing. Though he did win, it took him four rounds to defeat an opponent he out-weighed by 20 pounds.

Aside from his young boxing career, Edwards is going to be one of the top free agents this summer. (Assuming there is free-agency) Over the past two seasons, Edwards has tallied 16.5 sacks. He could fit right in to our new 4-3 scheme and though only 26, be a valuable mentor to Sheard.

The Browns plan to be aggressive this free-agent season and hopefully can add a few solid players. In years past, Cleveland hasn't done much in free agency. However, Heckert plans on making some moves to quickly change the fortune of the Browns.

Great Weekend For Cleveland

Usually, Memorial Day weekend is the precursor into Summer. However, if this past weekend was any correlation to what the summer is going to be then sign me up! This is the first time in years the Cleveland Indians reminded me of the 90's dynasties.

Great weather, a packed stadium for three straight days, and a sweep of the Cincinnati Reds. This wasn't just any ordinary weekend sweep. The Reds were battling for first place in the NL Central with the Cardinals and have been playing very good ball of late. Naturally, coming into the Battle of Ohio, the media was predicting the Reds to take the series. This was a big one for Cleveland respect.

If you follow any of my blogs, that's what I want the most right now. I know a championship is the most important, obviously, but respect will help us get there. This city has been down big time after The Decision, but this summer is going to turn it around... Hopefully.

The Indians did not back down from what the Reds threw at them and won three games with three different styles. A big comeback win on Friday set the tone for the rest of the weekend. Saturday, a pitchers duel that Tomlin outlasted the Reds bats and Buck came through late. A Sunday, well Sunday was the best. A completely dominating performance by the Indians's offense. Whenever the Reds scored we scored more. A game where the series was already locked up and the possibility for a letdown, the Tribe showed no signed of letting up.

The Indians dominated this weekend which was a must win series. We now face the Red Sox and even have an ESPN game tonight. Time to shine in front of a national audience. With a seven game lead in the division, the Indians need to keep the pressure up and we could be looking at a nice All-Star break lead.

Indians Top ESPN Latest Power Rankings

For the first time in a while, the Cleveland Indians have reached the top of ESPN's MLB Power Rankings. Sitting at number two for a few weeks, the Indians finally jumped the Phillies into the top spot. The Indians have had the best record in baseball for some time now and finally got the respect of the ESPN writers.

This is more of a cosmetic stat but still means a lot to the young Indians team. The most important stat right now is the AL Central division. The Tribe currently holds a 7 game lead over the Tigers. This is by far the biggest early lead in the majors. Though still May, a 7 game lead is a lot to overcome. Hopefully the Indians can continue to roll through the weak division the rest of the year.

God Wouldn't End The World Before Another Cleveland Championship

Well, the rapture came and went this weekend and we are all still here. I remember being at the Tribe game Saturday at about 6:00 PM and a half hearted cheer went by. I didn't even realize it what it was about till I looked at my phone at 6:05 and was like "Oh shit we were supposed to be raptured!"

Lets be serious. God would not end this world until Cleveland wins another championship. As much as he tests us and what not, he does indeed love us and will wait to rapture the shit out of people till somebody in this damn city raises a trophy. We have until 2012 until the next possible apocalypse so lets go Cleveland!

On a side note, it must really suck to be one of those diehard rapture believers. Not to bring in religious issues to this blog but there were some hardcore believers who gave away all their money and belongings. The best story I heard was a family in New York where the kids didn't believe it but the parents did. So the parents decided to give away their college savings. If that doesn't have MTV reality written all over it I don't know what does.

One more side note: As funny as this shirt is, please don't support this website who is claiming that the rapture did occur and those who are still hear were left behind for the end of the world in five months. Please, my grandmother attends church 3-4 times a weekend and is the most holiest non nun/priest that I know. Also, If you wrote this post on that website, doesn't that mean you weren't raptured either? Do the math.

Tyler Hamilton Is Un American!

CBS News-- A former teammate of perhaps the world's greatest cyclist, Lance Armstrong, says he used banned performance-enhancing substances with Armstrong to cheat in pro races, including the Tour de France, the sport's ultimate event.

For the first time, former Armstrong teammate Tyler Hamilton reveals details to Scott Pelley never heard in public before of how and when he and some of the former members of the U.S. Postal Service team led by Armstrong used banned substances, including EPO and testosterone, to gain an advantage in races that Armstrong won.

Hamilton's interview is part of a six-month investigation by "60 Minutes" into doping on the cycling circuit and whether Armstrong has used banned substances - which he has steadfastly denied - a matter now under federal investigation.

The Pelley team's report will be broadcast on "60 Minutes" Sunday, May 22 at 7 p.m. ET/PT.

Hamilton, one of Armstrong's closest teammates and a champion cyclist in his own right, has previously denied using banned substances. He came forward to reveal secrets he thought he would harbor for years after he was subpoenaed by the grand jury in the federal investigation and forced to testify. "[Armstrong] took what we all took...the majority of the peloton," Hamilton says, referring to the tight group of bicycles and their riders in a race. "There was EPO...testosterone...a blood transfusion," he tells Pelley.

Hamilton says Armstrong used EPO, a drug that boosted endurance by increasing the amount of red blood cells in his body, to win the 1999 Tour de France, the race he won an astonishing seven times. "I saw [EPO] in his refrigerator...I saw him inject it more than one time like we all did, like I did many, many times."

First off, who the hell is Tyler Hamilton? I'm mean if you're not Lance Armstrong or some other Spanish guy who also took roids, then I have no clue who you are. Cyclists pissed me off enough whizzing past me on campus when I walked to class like a man.

But seriously, what kind of ass hole rats out the sports best athlete ever. So he roided up a bit. Big whoop. Take that to your grave.  Lance has been a figure of America beating those European pricks for more than a decade. Plus the whole I beat cancer then won 7 straight races with one testicle part. Now you go and run to the press because you want somebody to actually know who you are. Thanks a lot Tyler Hamilton. Now we all know who you are. You are the guy who ratted out the face of American endurance in not only in sports but beating life threatening cancer. Props to you.

Snitches get Stitches... or at least that's what I learned growing up in my upper-middle class neighborhood.

Hey LeBron You Are Not The Cavs GM

Chicago — LeBron James knows the Cleveland Cavaliers and the likely No. 1 pick in next month’s draft, Duke’s Kyrie Irving, and he feels they’ll be a good fit for each other. James said he was glad the way it turned out. “I’m happy for the franchise and happy for the fans,” James said after the Miami Heat’s shootaround Wednesday morning as they prepared for Game 2 of the Eastern Conference finals against the Chicago Bulls. “I think it is a good step for them.” James said he knows that Irving will have certain expectations of him because of the situation he may be coming into, helping step into the shoes that James left as the Cavs’ last No. 1 overall pick in 2003. He said Irving shouldn’t face the same pressure. “If it’s Kyrie, I don’t think you automatically place the franchise tag on him, but he’s good enough where, if he continues to work hard, he could be that guy for that team,” James said. “It’s a tough situation for anyone to be given the franchise tag coming out of college, but I think he’s one of the kids who is up for the challenge.”

Who does he think he is? Thanks for the lecture Bron Bron but we as a city don't give a shit what you have to say about our draft picks. We are picking first because of you ass hole! So don't go lecture us on how to handle the picks. Does he think he won championships and is loved by our city now? Quit talking about the Cavaliers and worry about your own damn series. We don't care what you have to say.

Indians Bringing The Magic Back To Cleveland

USA Today reporter, Bob Nightengale just wrote a great piece on the Indians bringing a winning attitude back to Cleveland. In a well written article posted in the USA Today, Nightengale mentions John Adams and the ups and downs he has witnessed. Adams recently witnessed his 3,000th Indians game and mentions how he has been to all the good ones and all the bad ones.

This is a greta piece on how Indians Fever has hit Cleveland once again. I'm pumped for this summer to see how rowdy downtown gets if the Tribe keep this pace up.

Also mentioned was how fans have been lining up outside the games to get autographs. Mark Shapiro even had to tell his 8-year-old son that this was how the Indians were every night before he was born. This is the Tribe I remember while growing up. All day talking with my friends in school about going to the game that night and remembering the countless sellouts.

I wish more people catch this Indians Fever. This young teams needs our support more than anything. Many reports suggest that with the warmer weather, more Tribe fans will flock to the stadium. I hope this is true this weekend as then Battle for Ohio comes back to Progressive Field. Two Central Division teams face off in which should be a great weekend series.

I'm glad the Indians and Cleveland are finally getting some positive attention by the national media. We can use all the help we can get. As always, Roll Tribe.

Austin Kearns Fighting DUI

NICHOLASVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Indians outfielder Austin Kearns is fighting a drunken-driving charge in Kentucky, claiming the off-duty officer who stopped him was out of his jurisdiction.
Kearns was pulled over Feb. 12 by Lexington police officer Todd Hart, who was headed home to Jessamine County in his marked cruiser when he says he observed a vehicle that was "all over the roadway" and called dispatch.
During a hearing Tuesday over a motion to dismiss the charge, Kearns' attorney, Brent Caldwell, argued that Hart didn't have the authority to stop his client, according to the Lexington Herald-Leader.
Assistant prosecutor Anna Roberts-Smith said the Jessamine County Sheriff's Office authorized Hart to make the stop. A sergeant from the sheriff's office arrested Kearns, who is free on bond and did not attend the hearing.

Hell ya! There's the fight bro. By no means am I promoting drinking a driving. We all know that buzzed driving is drunk driving. I'm just glad somebody is fighting a power hungry police officer. This has entrapment written all over it. Don't give that "all over the road crap". Please, he probably hit the yellow line once. Its not like he was as shit-faced as Choo asking for directions back to Korea. I hope Austin wins this case for the sake of the common folk of America. I also hope he starts hitting again... or at all for that matter. Roll Tribe

Random side note: If you Google image search Austin Kearns, the first picture is two chicks making out. Not sure why but Kearns just went up a small level on my respect meter. Rock on playa.

Knicks Interested In Ramon Sessions

Pro Basketball Talk- The Knicks weren’t in the lottery for the first time since 2007 (the second of two picks yielded to Chicago in the Eddy Curry trade), but the results of the drawing could set up an opportunity for them.

For one, the Cavaliers certainly have to strongly consider taking Duke point guard Kyrie Irving with the first overall pick. Irving is widely regarded as the top player in what many scouts and team executives are calling an extremely shallow draft. The Cavs already have Davis, whom they traded for last season, and yet also haveRamon Sessions. If they take Irving, you’d have to expect Sessions would be available.

Mike D’Antoni has wanted Sessions since 2009, when he was a restricted free agent. The 25 year old point guard is from Myrtle Beach, South Carolina — yes, the same place where D’Antoni’s brother, Knicks assistant coach Dan D’Antoni, coached high school ball — and both D’Antoni’s feel Sessions would be a perfect fit in this offense.

Just posted on Pro Basketball Talk on NBC Sports, an interest level from the Knicks dealing wit Ramon Sessions. Assuming the Cavs would take Irving, this would give us Davis and Sessions on the bench at point. As much as I loved Sessions' play this past year, if a trade is on the table, I think we should listen to offers. The article did not talk about any possible trade options so it seems like a fairly new rumor. If we deal Sessions we better get some good quality in return. I'm still in favor of using our trade exemption along with the 4th pick to grab a solid young player.

Chris Broussard just Tweeted the possibility of the Cavs using their exemption and their fourth pick to move up to number two. This would be amazing if we got an opportunity to grab Irving and Williams. I think this is doubtful since the T'Wolves really seem interested in Williams. But if that came along I would be giddy for a long time. Lets hope we know what we're doing with these picks and actually put together a competitive team this year.

Donte Whitner To The Browns?

ESPN AFC Noth Blogger James Walker talks today about the possibility of Donte Whitner heading to the Browns in free agency. This would be a great addition for the Browns, assuming there is free agency after the lockout, to help our defense and secondary. Whitner had mention earlier on Twitter that we would love to come back to his hometown when the lockout is lifted. The Browns have cap room, assuming there still is a cap, and this would be a great piece to add to our rebuilding team.

Whitner would bring talent, some experience, and most importantly the will and enjoyment of playing in Cleveland. Pair him up with Haden and have TJ Ward in at safety and the Browns immediately have a great young secondary. Lets hope that lockout ends soon and the Browns are lucky enough to add this Cleveland bread stud to their roster.

Random Old Indians Baseball Card Of The Day

Big time Albert Belle. One of may favorite players growing up for sure. I still have my Albert Belle bell and my mug with his intimidating stance on it. Just another reason to miss the 90's. I remember when i was like seven and went Mother's Day shopping with my mom, I saw an Albert Belle wall clock. Needless to say, that was the gift for my mom and it now resides in my room as it has since about two weeks after that Mother's Day. Its okay she said she loved it. I especially love this card because the rare glimpse of Belle actually trying to play defense. I can only assume he didn't catch the ball in this pic. But he probably came back from that with three homers and two corked bats.

One of the greatest Indians stories ever was the Albert Belle corked bat story. This was the gangster Indians of the 90's. Jason Grimsley squirming through ceilings to swap his bat with Paul Sorrento's. Dude should have been in Ocean's 11. Good stuff. Roll Tribe.

My Cavalier Lottery Prediction

Tonight is the annual NBA Draft Lottery. We all know how luck the Cavs got back in 2003 when we landed the first pick and drafted that one guy from Akron. Yet, this year, the draft class is anything but that. Its almost certain that nobody is going to find a Dwyane Wade at the 5th spot this year. The class is significantly weaker, yet the Cavs do have two lottery picks and are ready to make an impact.

With our 19.9% chance plus the 2.8% chance from the Clippers, the Cavs have about the same chance of winning that we had in 2003. However, this year, I just don't feel like we have the luck to grab the first pick. Maybe not, as shady as the NBA playoffs are, who's to say the NBA doesn't slightly fix the lottery. Its not like there is a judge back there checking everything. Coincidence that the Cavs got LeBron and the Bulls got Rose? Thats your call?

Whether you think the lottery is rigged or not, I think i'd rather have the 2nd pick this year. Kyrie Irving seems to be the most liked pick at #1. Yet, he barely played last year and seems to be a bit small for the NBA. I would personally like to have Derrick Williams out of Arizona. To me he seems like the better NBA ready player. At 6'9'' 240, he has the size and athleticism to be a solid forward. We need a scorer and go to man and someone to take the load of the boards between Andy and JJ.

This just seems to be the year that it is ok to be second in the lottery. Lets just not hope we fall past that because we'll be in slim pickings.

Cleveland Out Of Money; Builds Skatepark Instead

Cleveland City Council has passed a plan to build a $550,000 skate park on the east side of the Flats. This coming just days after the city laid off hundreds of city workers including police and firemen. I don't want to get into politics on this blog but this has to be one of the dumbest city projects ever.

Now I was too young to remember and experience the Flats when they were in their prime. However, my parents and older relatives took full advantage of the once prime waterfront bar district in Cleveland. For many years now, the once popular Flats have been abandoned and run down due to crime and a rough economy. Shooters is ironically about the only thing left there now.

Are skater-boys really the crowd we want to bring into the Flats? My beef with this is personal. I guess because I grew up in a different culture and possibly a whole different generation. Call me crazy but when we were bored as kids, we picked up a ball of some sort. We played whiffle ball, a pick-up basketball game, or played some old fashioned tackle football.

Thanks to the X-games and MTV, kids are growing up wearing jeans so tight an anorexic model couldn't fit into. Maybe I was a sheltered kid who's parents would watch the Sopranos with them instead of MTV. This is going to be the downfall of America. I never got into the whole "rebel against society" and ride skateboards thing. Its one thing if your living in Canada to want to rebel but this is Motha Fucking America!

And do these kids really need an expensive new park to skate around in? If the Tony Hawk video games taught me anything is that these skaters like to "shread" on random abandoned shit rather than a skatepark. So why is our broke ass city spending half a million on these kids when they can be perfectly happy riding on the shit hole we currently call the Flats?

Anyways, stay in school, wear larger jeans, and be thankful your living in America; a society that is ok with your already weird habits. Also, pick up a damn baseball once in a while. We need more Americans in all these American sports!

Scouts Inc. Tries To Defend Ranking The Browns Dead Last

A couple weeks ago, those at Scouts Inc. came out with an early Power Ranking for the 2011 season. They also sparked some flames with us diehard Browns fans by ranking the Browns 32nd. Dead Last and prime to pick Andrew Luck. Now, drafting Andrew Luck is an entirely different story, the fact that we were picked to be the worst in the league is a little shocking.

Today, on the ESPN.com AFC North Blog, blogger James Walker talks with Scouts Inc's Matt Williamson about why he ranked us so low. He really doesn't give any strong reason other than we are still weak at d-line and have no offensive weapons. He brought up how we play in the AFC North and have a fairly strong schedule. However, he brought up no inclination on how he assumes the Browns will probably win between 2 and 4 games. If there was any consolation to what he mentioned, he would now move them to 31st and Washington to 32nd. Yay!

Now don't get me wrong, i'm not going to say the Browns are going to make the playoffs. I am biased here but I am also more realistic. I do think the Browns are moving in the right direction. I think McCoy will be a good fit in the West Coast offense. I think our new front four is much better than what we had before. And I can guarantee that the Browns will not be the worst team in the NFL next year.

Look at our non-division schedule. Its on the easier half and I think it is one of the easier ones out there. To be the worst in the NFL, you can at most win four games. I think at worst we can split with the Bengals. At worst. The Colts are a loss but you never know. Then we go on what has to be one of the easiest nine week stretch in the NFL. Dolphins, Titans, bye before the Raiders, Seahawks, Niners, Texans, Rams, Jags, and the Bengals. Call me optimistic but I think there is at least five to six wins in that stretch. Now we finish with the Ravens and Steelers each twice in five weeks. Thats why there is no chance at the playoffs. But com'on Matt Williamson, how do you honestly think the Browns are going to have the worst team?

What pisses me off the most is how he think the Bengals are a better team. Sure they have more offensive weapons on paper. But most of them want out. That organization is so f'ed up at the top, that anyone with talent want the hell out of there. Dalton will have AJ Green who we have no clue how well he will produce. Their defense is average at best but there going to lose their best secondary player to free agency. The Browns are coming together great as a team. Camp Colt has only helped and its obvious as long as Mike Browns is there, our organization has an advantage to theirs.

Anyways, I would bet good money that the Browns will not be last. If anything, Colt knows that he has to win because Andrew Luck will be right on his ass.

Indians Rolling, Yankees Struggling, Its A Good Day

Well that's what you get when you cancel two straight games and keep the Tribe all cooped inside. They come out with a flurry of runs sending pitcher Vin Mazzaro back to the minors. Tribe absolutely killed the ball today. My favorite part of this night was that we only had one homer. 19 runs with only one long ball. Thats just pure overall hitting right there. 7 doubles and 11 2-out RBI's. Everyone better watch out if the Indians are hitting that clutch all year. We spiked the kids ERA by more than 15 in one inning!

I wonder how far in the season until we actually start getting respect. I know we are Number Two on the power rankings but im talking about longer than 30-sec stints on ESPN.

To make it even better, the damn Yankees are all in a mess. Between Jeter and Posada being too old to even play, they Yanks have lost six straight games and are on the verge of completely falling apart. Getting swept at home against the Sox then blowing a 5-run lead to the Rays has playoff written all over it.

This is one of the more interesting baseball season is a while. Thanks to a weak AL Central, im excited to see the Tribe actually have a shot at the division. Roll Tribe.

Chad Ochocinco Riding A Bull

Once again Chad Ochicinco embarrasses himself and the Bungle organization by one of the worst bull riding performances ever. Now i'm not gonna compare a fake bull in a bar to that real life 2000 pound beast, but Chad is just embarrassing himself. While Colt McCoy is finishing up his second lockout camp, Chad is getting pummeled by a bull. Browns are actually taking advantage of this lockout while the Bungles players are doing more stupid shit.

PS: Hey Chad, if you're going to do this, don't pussy out and wear a helmet and pads. That should be the next Miller Lite Man Up commercial.

BOOM! BRIAN RUSSEL!

The Great Fan Escape

I'm sure everyone has seen this already but it is still worth posting. The man had a plan and executed it to a T. Nobody else is every going to be able to run on a field again unless they have a prefabricated plan of action. So next time you drunk friend is in the stands and says he is going to run on the field. You better ask him what his exit strategy is and if it doesn't involve shimmying up 3 different walls then tell him don't bother. Moral of the story is DONT BUILD HILLS IN YOUR OUTFIELD!

PS: Apparently this man was caught in the concourse but still one of the biggest moral victories of all time.

Is There Anything More Exciting Than A Walk-off Walk?

The game winning blooper has nothing on the walk-off walk. Its got jump-off-your-seat excitement combined with a sense of modest relaxation. The skip home by Carlos Santana was a little too much for me. Don't get me wrong I was obviously excited, but you didn't hit a walk off granny this time; just walked in. Nevertheless, the Tribe keep on rolling and dominating in the later innings. If you think about, we always have good seasons when we have a ton of walk-off hits, or walks for that matter.

Sporting News Trying To Say The Decision Was Good For Fans & NBA

AOL Fanhouse columnist Greg Couch, probably a relation to Tim after reading this, is trying to say how "The Decision" was good for the league and NBA fans. This has to be some of the biggest bullshit i've read in a long time Call me a homer or whatever, but this is grade-A bullshit. Like I can barely even express in words how upset I am about this article.

He first starts by basically admitting that James, Wade, and Bosh had previously talked about all joining the Heat or at least the same team. This is a huge violation of league regulations that prohibits players collaborating on joining a specific team. David Stern already turned his eye to this when they had that summit crap.

The only point he kind of makes is TV ratings. Sure those three assholes do get good national TV ratings. But for the wrong reasons. Everybody in the country is rooting against them. People hate them almost as much as Cleveland does. LA, Boston, New York all watch them to see them lose. What this dumb-ass doesn't realize is the word parody. This is why the NFL is leaping way beyond the other leagues right now. Players can't just group themselves together in the NFL. That way, we have different champs and it is almost impossible to truly have a dynasty. Year in and year out, new teams become contenders.

That will never happen in an NBA that allows stars to group themselves on super-teams. It will kill the NBA. Couch says having 6-8 contenders is good for the league. First off, they're really aren't that many contenders. probably only legitimately like 4-5. Plus, you need more than that to support a league. His argument that average fans in Nebraska would rather watch a Bulls-Heat game than a San Fran-Texas World Series is ridiculous. Just because they may watch it, does not mean it helps the league.

To continue this terrible article, he talks about how noble it was for LeBron to join Wade's team. Please cut the bullshit on this one. We all know LeBron could not handle winning alone as the big one. He needed Wade so he could act like Jordan on some days but them fall back to Scottie Pippen when he wanted too. He will always be remembered for this and the great ones are very quick to point this out.

Couch then rambles on bashing other sports and small market teams like Vancouver for hockey and OKC for basketball. Don't go anywhere on the western part of Canada and say the Canucks don't mean anything. Sorry you have never watched a hockey game in your life.

Was I the only one to see the buzz from a Cleveland vs Boston Conference Semifinal? Don't act like LeBron had to go to Miami to get national attention. He would get that if he created a franchise in North Dakota. Couch basically said that LeBron had to go to a large market to save the NBA. Apparently the Cavs selling out every game was bad for the league? Couch also believes that the trend to super-teams will save the league. Well, I can't wait till 2020 when the NBA consists of 6 teams. Great writing Greg Couch. You really did your research on this one idiot.

If you want to read an actual article by an actually talented writer, check out this one by Wright Thompson for ESPN Outside The Lines. It shows the real effects of "The Decision" and how a small market team can have a big impact.

Thanks for pissing me off for the rest of the week Greg Couch.

A Good Sign For Indians Attendance

Earlier this year, I wrote a post about how upset I was about the Cleveland Indians attendance patterns. They were winning and showed good signs for the rest of the year. Yet, we were barely getting 10,000 fans the Progressive Field. We were getting embarrassed by the nation media and as a fan and Clevelander, I was sick of it.

However, in a recent Yahoo Blog post, Paul Rados talks about the difficulty of getting bleacher tickets. As he tried to purchase bleacher tickets for the May, 13 game against the Seattle Mariners, he was informed the section was sold out. This is a great sign for the Indians and our fan attendance. I know its not perfect, but anything is better than what we were doing early on.

With the weather getting better, and more of the games being evening games, more fans should be able to attend these games. People, the tickets are not expensive and there are promotions almost every game of some sort. The Tribe is gonna keep winning so we have to support them. I know many people have grudges with the ownership and Dolan's, but boycotting games will do nothing. This young team needs support and as a city with sports pride, we need to give it to them.

Terry Pluto brings up the point that even though the Indians are winning, they still have the lowest average attendance in baseball at 14,275. He also brings up how TV rating are improving. Therefore, with the weather becoming nicer, we should get of our couch and support the Tribe.

Indians Option Gomez; Keep White In Rotation

Jeanmar Gomez, scheduled to start this Wednesday, has been optioned to AAA Columbus. This keeps rookie Alex White in the rotation. This move is expected to free up a spot for Carlos Carrasco to return from the disabled list. White has came off two impressive starts to begin his career, and with the prospect of actually winning games, the Indians decided not to worry about the arbitration process with Gomez.

White, the Indians number 1 pick in 2009, is 1-0 with a 3.75 ERA. He also has 10 strikeouts in 12 innings of work this year. Gomez is 0-1 and has an ERA of 4.91. Manny Acta seems impressed with White and is interested in sticking with him during the Indians great start. I'm excited to see how he does in more starts with more on the line. Hopefully, this will not be another Cy Young winner we decide to trade off. Nevertheless, I like to see the youth on this team thrive as the Indians keep on winning. Roll Tribe

Top Undrafted Free Agents The Browns Should Look At

Okay, I'm gonna be optimistic. I'm gonna assume that the owners and the players make up and at some point in the summer we will see an agreement. Once that happens, we can then see trading and free agency, assuming they don't tamper with those. Anyways, with free agency, the Browns can look to add much needed depth from players that were passed up. Here are some notable undrafted free agents the Browns could look at in the summer.

Mark Herzlich, OLB, Boston College- This man fought off cancer and returned for his senior season at BC. Sure he needs some more time back but he is a great person and will be great in the locker room. He can be a solid backup and special teams player.

Derrick Locke, RB, Kentucky- Locke fell off boards due to his size. However, he has blazing speed and solid hands. Could be a good 3rd down back for the Browns to help keep Hillis' carries down.

DeAndre McDaniel, S, Clemson- He went into the season as a second or third round prospect but an average year topped with character issues knocked him off the board. Has enough talent to contribute in the secondary.

Jeff Maehl, WR, Oregon- Not the greatest size or speed but has great hands and runs great routes. Those translate well into the west coast offense.

Kendric Burney, CB, UNC- Solid size and speed who could fill in as a cheap nickel or 4th corner.

Armon Binns, WR, Cincinnati- Used his size and jumping ability to make extraordinary catches over smaller corners. However, average 40 time left him undrafted.