Media Day offers first look at new Cavaliers

I've made no effort to try to hide my love for the Cavaliers here. I sometimes feel like I defend them as I would my own child. They are always third fiddle in this city, behind the (ever-disappointing) Browns and the Indians. And that's a shame because obviously LeBron is a once-in-a-lifetime athlete and we have him right here to watch on a nightly basis. I get frustrated when casual fans don't see this as a great team. Sure there have been holes on this roster in past seasons, but they have been the most successful Cleveland playoff team in years and I think they have only scratched the surface of their potential. This team is now arguably the deepest squad in the Eastern Conference, and of course they have the best player in the league for at least two more seasons. So yesterday's media day at the Q was a great chance to catch up with the Cavaliers and get a sneak peek at what's in store for us this season.

It's nice having Andy in camp this time around

The best news to me is there are no distractions heading into training camp this year. No contract holdouts, no injuries, no disgruntled players. Just a hungry team led by an even hungrier superstar. Get pumped Cleveland - yes, it's the hokey catchphrase adopted this season, but it's appropriate when you get right down to it. This is one team that will not disappoint you this year.

Some observations from the articles and pictures I've skimmed over:

• LeBron actually likes playing for the Cavaliers! (*GASP!*) Some of those quotes from LBJ are sure to disappoint the national 'experts' that can't comprehend why the King would want to stay here past 2010.
• Delonte West has a new look. He's always been kind of an odd-looking character, but hey, whatever works for him. I'm just glad he's still a part of this team and I expect bigger things from him this season.
  
• Boobie Gibson is always an entertaining interview.
• Mo Williams and LBJ seem to have become fast friends. I can picture Mo in a Damon Jones-like class clown role off the court... only with the on-court game to go along with the antics.
• Even at 6'8" and 260 lbs., the King is still a kid at heart. I'm sure Danny Ferry had a mini-heart attack when he learned of LBJ playing pickup football with Boobie and others, but it was harmless and shows that these guys still know how to have fun.

''I've never given any indication that I was leaving or didn't like being here. Every time I am asked the question — I love being here, I love playing in front of these fans, my family is here, I grew up 30 miles away — I never gave any indication that I did not like playing for the Cleveland Cavaliers.''
- LeBron James

More Cavs Notes: Brian Windhorst reports that big Z has no plans for retirement or early free agency (I also like the part at the end about Delonte and the Russia rumors)... Pat McManamon says the Cavs need to trust each other this season... The PD (pre-Windhorst so bear with them for another week or so) has some things to consider as the Cavs open camp... Dan Labbe has some notes from media day... And finally, I usually hate these things and disagree with them vehemently, but I actually have no problem with espn.com's initial NBA Power Rankings.

Tribe Update: Jhonny Peralta says he's open to a move to third base. I'm glad to hear that, because that's where he'll be come April... The Tribe may finalize the CC Sabathia trade by picking their final player today. Thankfully the Brewers made the playoffs so it is our choice... Kelly Shoppach underwent 'minor' knee surgery yesterday at the Cleveland Clinic. The words "minor knee surgery" strung together in a sentence always make me a little nervious, so let's hope for the best for Shoppach. He had a nice season behind the plate and at the plate this year... And finally, Shin Soo-Choo was named AL Player of the Month for September. This is a well-deserved honor for Choo and I'm looking forward to seeing what he can do in a full season in 2009.

Browns Update: Stop the presses, Donte Stallworth claims he'll be ready to play vs. the Giants. Excuse me for being skeptical, but I'll believe it when I see it... Phil Savage gave the dreaded vote of confidence to DA and RAC... And Terry Pluto says the Browns just need to play better.

One season officially ends, another lives on (barely)

Well, the Tribe officially ended their 2008 season at .500, but more on that later. First order of business, how to feel after the Browns' 20-12 win in Cincinnati? (highlights here) On one hand it's definitely nice to be back in the win column. But on the other hand, this was a sloppy victory over an 0-3 Bengals team playing without starting quarterback Carson Palmer. Of course the Browns are a little banged up themselves, but I honestly just can't feel good about this win. It took 17 fourth quarter points from the Browns to pull this one out. And that's after the Bengals turned the ball over 5 times. They were practically begging the Browns to take this one and they still seemed reluctant to do so for much of the game.

Braylon found his way into the end zone on Sunday and celebrated with some air guitar

Derek Anderson was again very shaky and tentative on his way to 15-of-24 for just 124 yards, 1 TD, and another interception. If you're scoring at home, that's six picks in four games this year and sixteen in his last eleven games going back to last season. His interception just two minutes into the third quarter probably had every Browns fan expecting #10 to strap on his helmet and take the field on the Browns' next drive, but RAC again stuck with Anderson. I thought Paul Warfield summed it up nicely on "Sports Sunday" late last night on Channel 5 by saying, "If Romeo was the coach when I was playing, my 13-year career may have lasted 20."

"I decided to give him another chance," said coach Romeo Crennel, who considered replacing Anderson. "He went ahead and took advantage of it and finished on a good note."

Honestly, I really don't know what to take from this game. The Bengals are not a very good team. They had some guy named Ryan Fitzpatrick at quarterback. But we did enough to get a road win and keep both coach Crennel on the sidelines and Derek Anderson under center for the time being. Only time will tell if that's good or bad for this franchise. They now have two full weeks to design a game plan to try to take down the defending Super Bowl champs at home. That may even be enough time for Donte Stallworth to stop stealing Randy Lerner's money...

More Browns Notes: Tony Grossi says it wasn't pretty, but the Browns will take it. And don't forget Grossi's always entertaining chat at noon today at cleveland.com (or just download the podcast later, which I always do)... Terry Pluto says the win should calm the nerves and quiet the Cowher rumors for now... Braylon is happy to be back in the end zone again... Hey, at least we're not the Bengals.

Tribe Update: The Indians finished the year at .500 with their 5-1 loss in Sunday's season finale. Going into this season, if you would have told me that they would end up 81-81 and in third place in the AL Central it would have been a massive disappointment. But at the time I didn't know that CC Sabathia would end up taking the Brewers to the postseason, Jake Westbrook would spend almost the entire year on the DL, Travis Hafner and Victor Martinez would also be shelved for much of the year, out bats would be lost for the first few months of the season, our bullpen would be a complete disaster until after the All-Star break, Casey Blake would be going to the playoffs as a Dodger, etc., etc. My point is that we need to put everything in perspective as Tribe fans. I couldn't be more proud with how this team finished the final three months of the season. Coming from 16 games under .500 to finish where they did is pretty remarkable.

They also helped themselves for the future through their mid-season trades that netted some serious talent for now and the future. There is still work to be done to be ready for next year - namely filling the huge holes at second base and bullpen closer - but the groundwork has been laid for 2009. There's no reason the Indians can't finish ahead of the Twins and White Sox next year. Hell, they may have pulled it off this year if the season was a few weeks longer.

More Tribe Notes: Eric Wedge plans on giving Grady Sizemore more rest next season... And Sheldon Ocker has one last look back at Cliff Lee's incredible season... I'll be back with a more comprehensive look at the Tribe's roster and what I expect next year later this week.

Cavs Update: Only 29 days until the Cavaliers season officially starts. Training camp does open up today and cleveland.com will give you a live look at media day starting at 3pm today. I also added a new poll to the right to gauge fans' expectations for this season. So go ahead and exercise your right as a Cleveland fan duty and vote today...

Back home...

To the handful of faithful readers out there, I apologize for the outage this week. I had to travel for work and really didn't have proper computer access to add any good updates. Spending a couple days in Madison, Wisconsin - as nice as it is - made me homesick for Cleveland. Call me crazy, I know. At least I got to miss the Tribe's slide in Boston (I can't stand the effing Red Sox). So we're back below .500 again, but with a chance for redemption this weekend in Chicago. I also got to miss out on the speculation regarding the Browns' brewing QB controversy. But now we know that DA will get the start, with BQ waiting in the wings for his chance to try to keep this sinking ship afloat. And has anyone else heard the Bill Cowher rumors? I briefly heard something on the radio last week about him buying a house in Strongsville. Then I even heard the same when I was in Wisconsin. I love all this speculation (probably based on the same unsubstantiated rumor I heard on the radio). Oh well, back to the grind...

Browns Update: The Browns take on the Bengals in Cincy on Sunday. And thankfully were finally a 1:00 pm start. The good news is if we keep playing like this, we'll have plenty of 1:00pm starts on the schedule next year. One of the more depressing things I did see when I was away from Cleveland is that this will be the fourth time since 1999 that both the Browns and Bengals enter their intrastate rivalry game winless. So four out of the last ten times we've met for the first time in a season, we've both been 0-and-something. Pathetic. But even worse if you're a Bengals fan, because at least we've had the expansion team excuse to lean back on. I really don't know what to expect anymore, especially out of either of these teams. My predictions have been woefully wrong all year, so hopefully I'm wrong again. I'll go with... Bengals 17, Browns 14. But win or lose this Sunday, it's really a win. A true win gets us back on track going into the bye week and some confidence in our preparation for MNF on October 13 vs. the Giants. But a loss probably means the Brady Quinn era will officially begin. And possibly the end of the RAC era (and inevitably more Cowher rumors). So all that should be fun to watch unfold. Although I don't think I'm ready for this franchise to start over again...

Will Sunday be Crennel's farewell?

Other Browns Notes: Tony Grossi talks about Crennel working through the storm... And what is up with our special teams so far? I think most of it comes down to Josh Cribbs playing hurt, although that doesn't explain the terrible punting by Dave Zastudil... At least we now know the Browns aren't eye-gougers. I was really worried about that...

Tribe Update: I won't go into the details of the Tribe losing the last three to the Red Sox. All I can say is F Boston. At least we know that Jhonny Peralta will finally give third base a try this weekend. Hooray!!! Rookie suprirse Scott Lewis will be on the mound for the good guys tonight as they attempt to ruin the postseason plans for the White Sox.

Cavs Update: Only 32 days until the first game! We finally got to hear from Dan Gilbert and Mike Brown in a press conference yesterday. Terry Pluto says that we can count on the Cavs to not disappoint. And I agree 100%. And Brian Windhorst also reports on the opening of camp. Speaking of Brian... I have heard from a very reliable source that he will soon be the Cavs beat writer for the Plain Dealer, following in Terry Pluto's footsteps by leaving the ABJ. If true, this will obviously leave a huge hole for the Beacon Journal, but will be a big plus for Plain Dealer readers. Finally some good Cavs coverage from the PD! It's about time.

I'm digging Coach Brown's new look

Stick a fork in 'em

Done. Over. Finished. After their awful 28-10 loss in Baltimore, the Browns' 2008 season of hope is already at an end. At 0-3 they are done and you can write it down now. And really, if this is how they are going to play this season I'm glad it's already over. I've laughed in years past in conversations with friends, all of us agreeing that we should never get our hopes up for the Browns. We made that mistake after somehow making the playoffs in 2002, with a very lucky 9-7 Browns squad. We pinned our hopes on Kelly Holcomb's arm and were bitterly disappointed. Then last year, the Browns came out of nowhere again, led by another no-name quarterback that made us forget Detmer/Couch/Holcomb/Wynn/Garcia/Dilfer/Frye. The 10-6 Browns of 2007 gave us reason to hope again and saw 6 different players sent to the Pro Bowl. Their high-powered offense re-wrote the franchise's record books. So it was safe to have high hopes for 2008, right? Wrong.

Ray Lewis delivers the blow that ended the 2008 Browns season

Derek Anderson is starting to look a lot like Kelly Holcomb of 2003. Forcing balls into coverage, overthrowing open receivers, taking sacks, and serving up those killer turnovers. Yesterday he was 14-for-37 for 125 yards, 1 touchdown, and 3 interceptions. Just think about those numbers for a second. There's a reason why he has a league-worst 43.5 passer rating. Yikes. And those interceptions directly led to 14 points for the Ravens. The Chiefs can forget about their idiotic fantasy of getting Brady Quinn. I have a feeling he's gonna be needed here in a Browns uniform in the not-too-distant future. When the Browns inevitably go into Cincy and lose this weekend and enter the bye week 0-4, I fully expect us to have a new head coach and new starting QB going into the Monday nighter against the Giants. And I don't think that is a knee-jerk pissed-off fan reaction. Those are necessary moves to save a team that just flat out quit yesterday in Baltimore.

And one final side note on yesterday's debacle - is there anything worse than watching Ray Lewis dance around like a lunatic? Or seeing Ed Reed gobble up another interception against the Browns and take it into the end zone untouched? I know the Ravens defense is good, but we made them look like it was 2000 all over again. Just utterly embarrassing on so many levels, I feel like my head is going to explode. And what does RAC have to say about it?

"Right now, we're not a very good football team. We're going to have to do a lot better or this thing's really going to get away from us." - Romeo Crennel

Even he sounds worried at this point, and he should be. He has maybe 7-10 days left as head coach of this football team...

Other Browns Notes: Terry Pluto gives his post-game scribbles... And he talks about another QB controversy in Cleveland (here we go again)... Don't miss Tony Grossi's noon podcast - always entertaining after a beatdown like yesterday... Pat McManamon also weighs in on a season that is slipping away.

Tribe Update: As embarrassed as I am with the Browns now, I'm equally proud of the way the Indians are finishing their season. And sad for the fact that their run is almost over. It's been a strange year to say the least for the Tribe. But there's no questioning this team's grit and determination in their quest to end the season with a winning record. Yesterday's 10-5 shellacking of the Tigers at the Prog (how bad is Dontrelle Willis now???) finally put them back over .500 for the first time since May 17th. It was the Tribe's sixth consecutive win and gave youngster Scott Lewis his third straight victory to start his major league career.

You get the feeling that if the season were somehow stretched for another month that the Indians would catch the White Sox and Twins. Amazingly, they are now only 5-1/2 behind Minnesota and just 8 behind Chicago. I know the Wedge-haters out there don't want to hear this, but the guy has done a great job juggling this line-up all year and keeping the team focused and playing hard. I for one am looking forward to next season. And I know that this Cleveland team won't quit like the Browns did yesterday.

Fausto provided a satisfying and lasting memory Friday night

And on a personal note, I was so glad to be in attendance at Friday night's game at the Prog. Seeing Shin-Soo Choo rise to cult-level status among the fans was one thing (this guy's swing is something to behold). But watching Fausto Carmona pound on Gary Sheffield's head was even more gratifying on so many levels. My hatred for all things Detroit has grown over the last couple years with the Pistons and their tired act, and now the Tigers and their bloated payroll and underachieving roster. Thank you Fausto for giving us that memory and a big f*ck you to you Gary Sheffield. You're a class act with your .223 average and $14M salary. I'm gonna enjoy having you around for one more year in the division, and watching your team fall flat on its face yet again.

The Indians will begin their final road trip of the year tonight in Boston with Zach Jackson going for the good guys against Josh Beckett. Not exactly the pitching match-up I'm most looking forward to, but Cliff Lee will get the start tomorrow night.

Week 3: Browns vs. Ratbirds

With the Tribe off last night, I'm reduced to giving my worthless prediction for the Browns game at M&T Bank Stadium. I didn't even realize it was a 4:15 start until yesterday. It is not my favorite thing to have to sit around on Sunday waiting for the second game, especially when my favorite team is 0-2. I want them back on the field ASAP so I can try to forget about the first two games. Obviously, the Browns need to win this one or their season may already be over, as dumb as that sounds just three games into the season. Really, I don't think anyone knows what to expect from the brown and orange at this point. I wouldn't be surprised if they lost and I wouldn't be surprised if they won big.

Remember what happened last time the Browns visited Baltimore?

The Ravens should be nice and rested after Hurricane Ike disrupted their plans last weekend in Houston. But that also means they could be rusty. And with a rookie quarterback in there, you would think that this is the perfect time for the Browns to throw in some blitzing schemes to try to rattle young Flacco. Then again, we've rarely seen that type of planning on defense so who knows what's to come. I do know that with Robaire Smith out of action for the year, it's one less big guy up front to occupy their offensive line.

On the Browns side of the ball, it's imperative that they come away with some points this weekend. A whopping sixteen points through two games isn't going to cut it in this league. Not to mention their meager 206.5 ypg average, good for second-to-last in the AFC. With the weapons this team has, there is no excuse for that type of output. I expect Braylon to elminate the drops, Winslow to be involved more, and Stallworth to be standing on the sidelines in street clothes again. So now on to my prediction...

I see this game coming down to the wire, even though it should not. The Browns are head and shoulders above the Ravens talent-wise. But this is a road game, and the Browns just won't make it easy - just look at last year's game against an overmatched Ravens team. The Browns also have a coaching staff that consistently has looked overmatched and ill-prepared. Play-calling, clock management, and coaching decisions have been even worse than the execution on the field. I could honestly see this one coming down to another Phil Dawson field goal as the clock is winding down with the Browns of course having no time outs and scrambling to the line (a la the 16-15 win in Pittsburgh back in 1999). It was excusable for an expansion team, but I'm not sure why it's still possible 10 years later. Nevertheless, I'm going with Browns 16, Ravens 13.

Other Browns Notes: Phil Dawson is actually hoping for a repeat of last year's performance in Baltimore. Well, at least the part where the teams wins... And more good news - Eric Steinbach is hurting. Just what we need... And Tony Grossi gives his thoughts in his Friday podcast.

Tribe Update: After their final off-day yesterday the Tribe is back in action tonight. This will be the last game that my wife and I will be attending this year so I hope to be sent out on a good note. Fausto Carmona is on the hill for the good guys to start the final 10-game push for .500 or better... Based on my expecations going into this season, Ryan Garko has truly put up some puzzling numbers this year... Jensen Lewis seems to be enjoying the tiring role of everyday closer... And kiss Buffalo goodbye, the Tribe is now calling Columbus its AAA home.

The sweep taste of victory

The Tribe was able to cap off their sweep of the Twins with a 6-4 win last night at the Prog. Amazingly, the Indians are now 31-35 vs. the Central Division after such a horrendous start to divisional play. They even still have a chance to finish with a winning record against Central foes if they can somehow sweep both their remaining three-game series against Detroit and Chicago. More importantly, last night's victory brings them within 2 games of the .500 mark with just 10 games to play. So just a 6-4 finish (or better) would mean a non-losing season, which would be pretty remarkable when you consider how bad things were in July.

Pronk's shot in the 4th was a sight for sore eyes

The only downer to last night's game was that Cliff Lee wasn't able to hold on for his 23rd win. He entered the 7th inning with a 4-2 lead, but some bad luck caused him to depart with a 4-4 tie and a disgusted look on his face. I just love Lee's intensity this year. He was so upset he didn't even notice the rousing standing ovation he got from the crowd, who realized that this was their last chance to thank Lee personally for an amazing year. But thanks to the offense picking Lee up, his no-decision allowed him to finish the year a perfect 10-0 at home.

"I was so focused on what just happened, I didn't hear anything," he said. "I was just frustrated with the way things went in that inning. I was caught up in the moment." - Cliff Lee

The Indians also managed to sock two more home runs off of Twins' pitching last night, giving them a total of eight in the three-game sweep. The most welcome sight was obviously the shot off the bat of Travis Hafner. It was one of those no-doubters that Pronk has become known for over the years and I had my doubts whether we'd see one of those again in 2008. Jhonny Peralta also added a solo shot of his own in the 4th for his 22nd on the year.

Other Tribe Notes: Terry Pluto reflects on Cliff Lee's stellar season... The Indians' 2009 schedule was released yesterday, and good news - we play 40% of our games in August and September instead of April and May. I'm already dubbing it 'The Season of Redemption'... The Tribe will enjoy their final off-day of the year today before beginning a three-game series with the Tigers tomorrow night at the Prog.

Browns Update: Stop me if you've heard this one before - Donte Stallworth still isn't healthy enough to play. Shocking I know... And Tony Grossi talks about Braylon Edwards and his 'slump.' Whatever is going on with that, it needs to change quickly. I'll be back here with my big Sunday prediction tomorrow...

Cavs Update: Only 40 days until the season officially kicks off. Nothing big to report really, just that I'm excited. The Cavs may be rounding out their roster with the addition of Ronald Dupree. Here are his career numbers. Nothing earth-shattering, but maybe a little more depth in camp, and perhaps some good defense if he makes the final roster.

Finally a walk-off HR

It wasn't pretty on Tuesday night at the Prog, considering the Tribe gave up an 8-1 lead they held through four innings. But they did fight back in the 8th with a home run by Grady Sizemore to tie the score at 9-9 and push the game into extra innings. Then Victor Martinez finally gave the Indians the win with his first career walk-off home run (if you can believe that) and the Tribe's first walk-off home run of the season. The 12-9 win also dealt another huge blow to the Twins' playoff hopes, pushing them 2-1/2 games behind the White Sox. This was a game that lasted almost 4-1/2 hours and featured nearly 400 pitches and you know it kills the Twins to not win this one.

Martinez couldn't hide his excitement after his first career walk-off HR

I laughed when watching Victor slide into home after his trot around the bases (although it sure didn't look like Ron Gardenhire was laughing from the dugout steps). You can't blame him for being excited. It's been a long, difficult season for him personally and I don't think he could help himself. But I actually do feel bad for the Twins. I wanted to see them win the Central this year, given my extreme dislike for Ozzie Guillen, Jim Thome, and the rest of the White Sox. Don't get me wrong - I love beating whatever team we play, but if I had my choice I'd rather see the Twins win the division. I'm just hoping we can also play spoiler for the White Sox during the final series of the year on the 26th-28th.

The Indians will look to finish off the sweep tonight with Cliff Lee on the mound for the good guys. This will be Tribe fans' last chance to see Lee and his historic season at home so I'm hoping for a good crowd. He will be facing Scott Baker who is pitching on only three days rest. It, looks like the Twins might be a little desperate at this point, no?

Other Tribe Notes: The Tribe got some bullpen help from Taiwan yesterday, signing 21-year-old Cheng-Chang Lee to a contract. The ABJ also has some more info on the newest Indian. And Anthony Reyes has been shut down for the season. Probably a good move to avoid any long-term injuries. I'm hoping for good things out of Reyes in 2009.

Browns Update: The Browns offense believes it will be better on Sunday vs. the Ravens. I sure hope that's the case, because 16 points in two home games is pretty embarrassing, regardless of who we played. And if we can't beat a team led by this guy then we probably are as bad as our record says right now. The team did make a small roster move in the wake of Robaire Smith's season-ending injury. Too bad we'll still have the same linebackers and secondary in Week 3...

"They're darned good teams — the Pittsburgh Steelers and Dallas Cowboys,'' quarterback Derek Anderson said. ''There's nothing wrong with us. Remember last year? I've got to throw the ball better, and they have to catch it and make plays.''

Cavs Update: Just a quick note today... god forbid we have to go a couple weeks without more speculation on LeBron's future. My favorite is the huge picture of a smiling LeBron next to Jay-Z, as if that's the only place in the world that would make LBJ happy. Now I remember why I stopped watching ESPN. In fact forget I even linked to that story. The whole thing is so dumb. *Sigh* Just go read this instead. It's good to have Windhorst back.

Sports weekend from hell

I purposely waited to sum up my thoughts from the Cleveland sports weekend until Tuesday morning. This was partly to recover from a long weekend of drinking in Chicago and then tailgating before and attending the Browns Sunday-nighter... and partly because I didn't want to write a bunch of knee-jerk pissed-off reactionary thoughts. I wanted to digest what I saw on Sunday night. Now that I've had time to do that, I honestly feel no different. I can't believe this is the team that I had such high hopes for two short weeks ago.

That really was an embarrassment on national TV. The Steelers played about as badly as we could have hoped and still beat us in our house because we couldn't do anything right. We couldn't stop them on obvious passing third-and-long situations. We couldn't convert in the red zone. Hell, we couldn't even manage the clock to set up a score right before halftime. That sequence was inexcusable. The ten second runoff penalty, immediately followed by the Browns' complete lack of urgency as they waited another 8 or so seconds to snap the ball. Then their refusal to call a timeout after a completed pass in bounds. Then the final straw - the DA interception to take any points off the board before halftime. The team was rightfully booed as they ran into the tunnel. What a complete disgrace. And the second half was equally as embarrassing with the team mustering only 6 points on two field goals, the second one almost as head-scratchingly confusing as the one ordered by Romeo Crennel in the fourth quarter last week against the Cowboys. I just don't get it.

At 0-for-our-last-10 this 'rivalry' has turned into a joke

The Browns now sit at 0-2 and are really a full three games behind the Steelers with the head-to-head loss. Kiss all hopes of an AFC North title goodbye two weeks into the season. What a great feeling. I'm so sick of seeing black and gold jerseys on the ugly redneck hillbilly fans that treck up here every year to watch their team own us. I'm sick of watching the Browns get knocked around and not really seem to care. I'm sick of wasting my time and money on this team year after year. Of course that won't make me stop going, it will just make me stop hoping. I guess the tailgating will always be good. At least we have that in Cleveland. It would be nice to someday have a team to be proud of too.

Personnel-wise, I have no idea what the Browns can do to shake things up. Derek Anderson has looked awful in his first two games. But I think it will take a few more bad weeks before Brady Quinn would ever get a shot. And what happened to the Pro Bowl version of Braylon Edwards that we saw last year? Did the bizarre foot injury in training camp really set him back that much? And I can't figure out what happened to our run blocking, but 38 yards on 19 carries for Jamal Lewis just won't cut it. That's the kind of production we got out of Ben Gay and Willie Green in their primes, but I expect a little more from Lewis. And finally, where is the vaunted offensive game plan from Chud that we loved so much last year? Are Jurevicius and Stallworth really that integral to our game plan? I really don't know what to expect from the Browns the rest of the year, but if they are to have any hopes of playing in January then two consecutive road wins are a must in the next two weeks. And from the looks of things, I just don't see how that is possible...

Other Browns Notes: Terry Pluto agrees that the next two weeks will be the most important to RAC's coaching career... Another week, another season-ending injury... I think this is tongue-in-cheek writing from Pat McManamon, because I wouldn't adopt the Steelers if my life depended on it... And apparently Romeo doesn't see a problem with opting for field goals. I'm gonna go way out on a limb here (not really) and say that if the Browns are 0-4 entering their bye week, then RAC will have coached his last game here. And I'm really not rooting for that to happen, I'm just making that observation. He needs to inject some urgency into this team immediately.

Tribe Update: To continue the 'weekend from hell' theme, the Tribe went 0-for-3 against the Royals on Saturday and Sunday (to go along with the Buckeyes' embarrassing primetime loss to USC). Thankfully I'm not a huge OSU fan and I wasn't in town on Saturday and was busy tailgating on Sunday, so I missed the Tribe's weekend. Their fight to get back to .500 is now that much more difficult, but they did rebound nicely with a 3-1 win vs. the Twins last night. Scott Lewis impressed again with another 6 shutout innings on the mound for the Indians. He has now gone 14 scoreless innings to start his major league career. Not too shabby, and another reason to have some hope for 2009. Shin-Soo Choo and Kelly Shoppach provided all the power the Tribe would need in this one. And Rafael Betancourt and Rafael Perez continued their much-improved work of late, paving the way for Jensen Lewis to notch his 9th save.

Paul Hoynes gives more background on Scott Lewis' impressive start... And Shin-Soo Choo is becoming a 'complete player' in Wedge's eyes... Asdrubal Cabrera is proud of his resurgence after being named co-AL player of the week... The Indians will need to go 8-4 over their final 12 games to reach the .500 mark, a tough task when considering 9 of them will be against the Twins, Red Sox, and White Sox. Zach Jackson will continue his quest for his first major league win tonight for the good guys.

Delonte Re-Signed!

The Delonte West free agent saga finally reached a conclusion today with him signing a multi-year deal to remain with the Cavaliers. Details here.

“This is the first time since I was offered a scholarship at St. Joes that I feel like I am valued as a person and a player. Dan Gilbert and the Cavaliers have shown me that they value me as a person and a player and that was the most important thing to me,” said West. “In that sense, this was not about a specific dollar amount. You can’t really put a dollar value on a person, their skills you can, but not their heart and what kind of person they are. My family is blessed and I feel a great relief to be able to concentrate on basketball now.” - Delonte West

This is a big signing in my eyes. Now we have the full squad coming back from last season with much-needed depth in the backcourt now that Mo is here too. It remains to be seen what happens with Wally Szczerbiak's expiring contract, but the team now has many options. West gives the Cavs toughness on defense and gives them another scoring option and we know he's not afraid to take big shots. I love that he will be back with the Cavaliers and can't wait for October 28th in Boston. Only 46 more days...

We're glad to have you back Delonte :)

Will they get over the hump?

It seems like lately the Tribe just hasn't been able to get over that hump. Not that .500 is some major accomplishment, but they have crept close to the mark a few times only to fall down again. It happened again last night with a 6-3 loss in Baltimore. The loss leaves them at 71-74, instead of 72-73 with Cliff Lee on the mound tonight. I just want them to get back to .500 or better to make this season easier to swallow. And considering how far they have come to get back to this point, I think it would be a major letdown if they don't at least end the season with 81 wins.

Last night's loss again had the Indians leaving runs on the bases. A total of seven runners were left stranded, with the worst coming when Franklin Gutierrez grounded into a double play in the 5th with the bases loaded and one out after the Orioles giftwrapped two runs to tie it 3-3. Zach Jackson was able to give the Tribe 6 innings, but he did allow 4 earned runs and is still searching for his first Indians victory at 0-3.

And speaking of young Tribe starters, how about the job that Scott Lewis did in his major league debut on Wednesday night? I should have wrote something about this yesterday, but work just seems to keep getting in my way this week... but Lewis was incredible in the Indians' 7-1 win. 8 IP, 3H, 0ER, 3K, and 67 strikes on 97 pitches - those numbers speak for themselves. The only downer on the night was that Eric Wedge didn't leave Lewis out there to finish the job in the ninth. How often do you get to pitch a complete shutout in your major league debut? Well, Lewis will obviously never get that chance again... who knows how his career will turn out, but Wednesday night's gem was one to remember.

Lewis's MLB debut should give Tribe fans even more hope for '09

Other Tribe Notes: Mark Shapiro is excited about 2009 and says Eric Wedge isn't going anywhere. I'm sure that will probably irk a lot of Tribe fans, but I think Wedge has done an incredible job after all the injuries and trades to keep this team fighting. He's had to juggle his starting line-up and pitching rotation all year long and the team has responded well after the trades.,.Wedge is also being careful with starter Anthony Reyes, which makes Saturday's double header with the Royals even more difficult... A few more tidbits from Lewis's great debut... Cliff Lee (21-2, 2.28 ERA) is on the mound for the good guys tonight and I will happily be in attendance, hopefully not dodging raindrops. I hope a few other brave souls show up tonight to watch this incredible Cy Young season from Lee.

Browns Update: With the Browns' Sunday-nighter against the arch rivals from the armPIT of America looming, they got some good news on Thursday. I'm a huge Cribbs guy and I know how he can change a game so this is great news for me. Also, it looks as if the Steelers are trying to bait us into false hope that their QB won't be ready. Trust me, he'll be on the field Sunday night. Tony Grossi knows the key to beating this team will be getting to Big Ben.

Will we see some of the 'Flash' package from Chud on Sunday night?

I honestly don't know what to expect out of the Browns on Sunday. Nothing would really surprise me. Their defense worries me, especially against a quarterback like Roethlisberger. But I also know the offense just can't play as poorly as they did against the Cowboys. I fully expect an aerial assault on the Steelers defense, with Braylon looking to atone for the drops against Dallas. Remember, I'm not in the business of predicting and I never gamble myself because I'm so bad at it... but I just have a feeling the Browns will finally get over the mental hurdle of Big Ben and the Steelers. I'm going with Browns 33, Steelers 21.

Cavs Update: We sort of got to know Mo Williams in an online chat yesterday and I'm liking him more already:

Demetri (Cleveland, OH): Is it true that you listen to "In The Air Tonight" by Phil Collins before every game? If so, I'd just like to say that that is incredible.
Mo Williams: That is true.

Any NBA player so willing to admit they are a Phil Collins fan (me too) and that they listen to that song before every game is OK in my book. I'm expecting big things from Mo this year, both on and off the court. The guy is entertaining.

Back on track

The Tribe returned to their winning ways in Baltimore last night (after a forgettable Monday night) with a 6-1 win. Jeremy Sowers was able to notch his third win of the season with 8 strong innings of work (7K, 1BB, and 72 strikes in 96 pitches). And more importantly, this game finally featured the return of Travis Hafner off the disabled list. He went 2-for-4 with two singles and a walk. So the Indians finally have all of their bats back in the line-up for the first time since May 25, although now there are only 19 games left in the season.

A sight for sore eyes: Pronk singling in the first inning

"He looked good, [took] a couple of strong swings," Wedge said. "I felt like it was a great start for him in regard to him getting back with us and getting back into the swing of things here at this level."

I actually didn't think Hafner would make it back on the field this year. It has been a tough season with the shoulder injury and the passing of his father. But I have to admit it was nice to see him back out there having some fun and helping contribute to another Tribe win. They are now 33-22 in the post-Sabathia era and only need to finish 11-8 in their quest for .500. And you have to wonder what could have been had this team remained somewhat healthy this season. They are only 9-1/2 out right now even after all the adversity. But as we are used to saying in Cleveland, there's always next year...

Other Tribe Notes: Mark Shapiro talks about the infield options for 2009... Brian Bullington was called up from AAA Buffalo to start the second game of Saturday's double header... and some strange details are emerging in the yet-to-be-finalized CC Sabathia trade with the Brewers.

Browns Update: The Browns offense is getting ready to play the Steelers, with our without Donte Stallworth at receiver. Why do I have a feeling this guy will never be 100% this year? To add to the speculation that Stallworth might be recovering for a while, the Browns re-signed receiver Paul Hubbard to the practice squad... Tony Grossi gives his scouting report on the Steelers... obviously the Browns defense needs to improve quickly to beat their arch rivals.

Cavs Update: OK, only 48 days until the season opener. If you can't tell I'm obviously excited for this season. There probably won't really be much to talk about until training camp opens in a few weeks, but I did like this article from the Toronto film festival where the documentary 'More Than a Game' (chronicling the LeBron-led Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary high school basketball team) just premiered. It should be something to see.

Then, James, a 6-foot-8, 260-pound man who has carried an NBA franchise on his back since his rookie season at age 18, stopped talking and started to get choked up. He cried onstage. For the first time, the public witnessed a deeply emotional moment for James. ''This is the first time I've cried — in basketball or anything — since we lost that national championship game in eighth grade,'' James said, referring to an AAU game in Orlando. He wasn't the only one who cried.

1-9 and 0-1

The Browns are now 1-9 in season-opening games since returning to the league in 1999. Most of those losses over the years can be attributed to them just not being a very talented team. And when you factor in that every one of those openers has been at home, it really makes it seem a lot worse. But the Browns have talent now and they were 7-1 at home last year. So their 28-10 loss at the hands of the Cowboys yesterday is troubling, even if somewhat expected.

I have no problem with losing to the Cowboys. They are obviously an elite team in the NFL and will likely challenge for the Super Bowl this year. I understand that and I even said last week that a loss wouldn't surprise me and that the Browns could even afford to lose this non-conference game. What bothers me is the way it happened. From Donte Stallworth hurting himself in pre-game warmups, to Braylon Edwards dropping catchable balls, to the defensive line putting absolutely no pressure on Tony Romo, to our defensive backs getting torched by Cowboy receivers. There is a long list of things that were troubling to any of the 73,000+ of us fans that were in attendance yesterday. I won't dwell on this loss for very long, with much more important business coming up this Sunday.

The Browns defense couldn't stop anyone in blue on Sunday

My hope is that the Browns will be able to put this game behind them quickly and focus on the Pittsburgh Steelers. They need to get healthy and get focused on their own 'must-win' game now. They can't afford to start the season 0-2 with two road games in Baltimore and Cincinnati looming ahead. So all I'll say about Sunday is that the game was not much fun, and the tailgating was the highlight of the day. That's not what I expect the rest of this season.

"I wanted to put some points on the board ... there were 10 minutes left, and if you don't make it, then where do you go?"- Romeo Crennel on the decision to kick a field goal when down 28-7 with 10 minutes remaining

Other Browns Notes: Terry Pluto has some scribbles on Sunday's game, including some comments about Crennel's puzzling decision to kick a field goal when down 28-7 in the 4th quarter. That was just one of many "WTF" moments from yesterday's game for me... Braylon Edwards says he's just a little rusty after the preseason injury... and Pat McManamon gives his thoughts on a forgettable opener.

Tribe Update: There was some good in Cleveland sports yesterday - Cliff Lee notched his 21st victory in the Tribe's 3-1 win in Kansas City yesterday. The win puts Lee at 21-2 on the year, and barring a catastrophic collapse in his final four starts, he should now be a lock to bring home the Indians' second straight Cy Young Award.

"I really don't think about it that much," Lee said. "I think about preparing each day and doing everything I need to do to get ready for my next start. I don't really reflect back on previous outings and what I've done or look too much ahead of today. That's been a key to me being successful this year. I'm going to continue to have the same mindset."

The team is now 32-21 since the Sabathia trade... With the Anthony Reyes injury the Tribe has called up Scott Lewis from Akron to take his place in the rotation... And finally, Travis Hafner could be back on the field as early as tomorrow night for the Tribe. He homered in his last two starts for Akron in the playoffs over the weekend.

Cavs Update: The Cavs made it official on Friday with Lorenzen Wright. They also inked second-round pick Darnell Jackson from Kansas to a three-year deal. And speaking of Arthur, his letter to Kansas fans makes me happy to know we have a class-act wearing the wine and gold... The start of the season is only 50 days away now!

Week 1: Browns vs. Cowboys

So after what was seemingly a neverending wait for the start of the NFL season, Week 1 is finally upon us. As Browns fans we have gone from lofty expectations during training camp to a bit of worry over the 0-4 preseason, and more importantly, all the injuries. Such is the nature of things here in Cleveland... we have come to expect freak knee injuries like the one that happened Wednesday that will keep Antwan Peek out for the entire 2008 season. Not that I think Peek is an essential player to the team's success this year, but it's the type of downer that you don't want to start a season on. But injuries or not, the season kicks off with a tough opponent in the Cowboys on Sunday at 4:15. Here are the things I will be watching:

1. The Cowboys air attack vs. the Browns secondary: Much has been made of the Browns' perceived lack of depth in their secondary after trading Leigh Bodden and losing Daven Holly to injury. Terry Cousin and Travis Daniels were added during camp. But the real pressure will be on Eric Wright and Brandon McDonald at corner and Brodney Pool and Sean Jones at the safety spots. For as much as I dislike Terrell Owens, I won't kid myself and think that we can stop him. We just can't allow him to go off like he did when the Eagles came into town in 2006. And keeping track of Cowboys tight end Jason Witten also scares me a lot. If we start playing back off the line of scrimmage I think they will look to Witten a lot underneath and that could spell trouble.
   
2. The Browns defensive line: The off-season additions of Shaun Rogers and Corey Williams gave a lot of us hope that the Browns would not only be able to better defend the run, but also finally get some pressure on the quarterback. This will be imperative in Week 1 against the Cowboys, because if Tony Romo is given time he will find the open receiver and pick the defense apart. And Marion Barber is more than capable enough to break of some big runs if he isn't contained.
   
3. The Browns offensive line: This unit has been considered one of the best in the NFL after a stellar 2007 season. Left tackle Joe Thomas is a beast and will only get better as he progresses into his second NFL season. But he will have his hands full with DeMarcus Ware and the rest of the Cowboys defensive line. And the Browns didn't do a great job of protecting Derek Anderson in limited action in the preseason. It will be imperative that they give Anderson time on Sunday, as well as opening up some running lanes for Jamal Lewis.
   
4. The Browns receivers vs. the Cowboys secondary: Obviously Braylon Edwards had his breakout season last year. I expect much more of the same this year as he and Anderson really developed good chemistry. And the addition of Donte Stallworth gives the Browns more speed and a reliable second option. And Kellen Winslow is the ultimate pass-catching tight end with the size, speed, and fearlessness that will make and defense afraid. But the Cowboys secondary is very talented (namely Roy Williams) and this may well be the matchup that decides the game. We all know how much better the Browns were last season when Anderson was able to limit his turnovers and didn't force mistakes. It is a must that the Browns don't give the Cowboys extra possessions or a short field to work with.
   
5. Special teams: Mainly I'm referring to the Browns special teams here. A huge key for me will be if Josh Cribbs is healthy enough to play. If his ankle isn't an issue and he is on the field he is a game-changer. Syndric Steptoe did a nice job stepping in during the preseason, but he is nowhere near the caliber of Cribbs. If #16 is back there receiving the opening kickoff, I will be breathing much easier. It will also be important for Dave Zastudil and Phil Dawson to step up when called upon. Field position or an extra 3 points could be the difference in this game.

DeMarcus Ware vs. Joe Thomas will be just one of the big matchups on Sunday

Summing everything up I'm just not sure I love this matchup to start the year for our Browns. But I also know that we have become a dominant team at home (7-1 last year, with the one loss featuring Charlie Frye under center). I definitely think this could become a shootout which could also favor the Browns (5-0 under Romeo Crennel when scoring 30 points or more). Ultimately this game will come down to which team can take care of the ball better on offense and get stops on defense. I'm just not sure the Browns can make all the stops they need to in this one.

It's not that I don't think the Browns can't win this game... I wouldn't put anything past them with their explosive offense. And I know the crowd will be a huge factor (I can't wait to be in the middle of 73,000 screaming fans on Sunday). If the Browns do lose, this would be a game to do it (non-conference so it likely wouldn't play a part in playoff tiebreakers). Weighing everything, I'm going with a prediction of... Cowboys 30 Browns 27. But I reserve the right to change my pick if anything changes my mind before Sunday morning...

No more day games, please

One look at the expanded MLB standings and you'll notice something very peculiar about the 2008 Indians... they are an abysmal 15-26 in day games (.365) compared to a very respectable 52-45 (.536) in night games. What's the reason for this oddity? Is it that we are now loaded with younger players that like to stay out late and party till the wee hours of the morning (I know I would be doing that)? Maybe they just can't get up for day games. Or were they cursed by Grady Sizemore losing that ball in the sun in Kansas City late September of 2005? Although that doesn't really check out since they did go 29-19 during the day last year. Or maybe it's just a random occurrence in a long 162-game season and there really isn't any relevance to it. Whatever the case, they need to start playing better during the day. (Note to self: If you do renew your 20-game plan next year, don't get one that includes 7 Sunday games like this year).

The Tribe couldn't complete the three-game sweep at the Prog yesterday afternoon, falling 4-2 to the White Sox. Sweeping the Central division leaders would have been a tall order, especially with the inconsistent Jeremy Sowers on the mound for the Tribe. Yesterday he was able to give the Indians only 5-1/3 innings and gave up all four runs, including 2 homers. But at least the bullpen did give the Tribe some solid work again, with four relievers combining for 3-2/3 scoreless innings.

The White Sox went all out for this one, giving Jenks a rare 5-out save

Obviously I'm not a fan of these weekday getaway games. But this one really boggles my mind, considering both the Indians and White Sox have an off-day today. What was the reasoning behind scheduling this one as a day game? So you could only get a half-capacity crowd to show up? If that was the goal, then good work. The Tribe will resume play tomorrow night as they embark on a 8-game road trip starting in Kansas City. Not only will they have a chance to get back over .500 this month, but they can also get their division record over .500 and that would be a major accomplishment to me. They currently sit at 25-31 in the division with 16 games left against their Central foes.

Other Tribe Notes: Cliff Lee was named AL pitcher of the month yesterday. And with a 5-0 record and 1.86 ERA in August, who could possibly argue that selection?... Newcomer Rich Rundles is excited for his chance to be in the big leagues. He debuted with a four-pitch walk yesterday... And this is Cleveland, so I guess it's time to start worrying about Cliff Lee's future here.

Browns Update: More bad news on the injury front from Berea yesterday. Not exactly the way I was hoping we'd be going into the Cowboys game. But it sounds as if Jamal Lewis will be ready to go. As promised, I will have my Browns/Cowboys thoughts featured here tomorrow. Just don't take my advice to Vegas or your local bookie.

Cavs Update: LeBron made an appearance on ESPN yesterday. And Brian Windhorst says we are close to signing Lorenzen Wright as big-man insurance. I'd like to think of him as a slightly upgraded Scot Pollard, but of course without the fun hairdos and advice for the kids.

Another day, another win

The Tribe continued the recent hot streak last night at the Prog, winning their 12th in their last 15 games with a 9-3 victory over the Central-leading White Sox. Fausto Carmona almost gave the Indians a quality start, but ran into some trouble in the 6th inning with the Tribe up 4-0. He allowed three runs in the inning but the bullpen slammed the door shut after that. The best news of the night occurred in the 2nd inning when Victor Martinez went deep onto the home run porch for his first homer in almost a year. That was definitely a sight for sore eyes.

The HR drought finally ended for Victor on Tuesday night

"I'd be lying if I said I wasn't thinking about [his drought]," Martinez said. "This game is all about having fun and the guys made some fun of me. It was a great feeling."

If the Indians are able to complete the sweep this afternoon (although I have my doubts considering it's a weekday getaway game with Jeremy Sowers starting) I may officially become a little excited about the prospects of a White Sox collapse. A win today would bring the Indians to 8.5 games back in the Central with 24 remaining. Obviously a very difficult mountain to climb, but still possible considering the Tribe ends the season with a three-game series in Chicago September 26-28. The fact that I'm even entertaining that thought right now is a credit to how the Indians have really turned their season around. A winning season is now firmly within their grasp and I will be bitterly disappointed if they don't at least achieve that.

Other Tribe Notes: Some roster updates for the Tribe now that September has arrived... And some historical context for Cliff Lee's great 2008 season... And finally, a rundown of all 20 of Cliff Lee's wins.

Browns Update: Tony Grossi has an early scouting report on the Cowboys. And the Browns have been watching "Hard Knocks" on HBO too. I've caught a couple episodes and I have to say, if I was a Cowboys player I probably would have punched Jerry Jones in his obviously surgically-stretched face by now. Why is he in every team meeting?

No, that's not a mask, but it still may frighten young children

Lee gets to 20

I know the season isn't technically over, so saying that Cliff Lee has "completed" his personal turnaround is a bit premature. The guy probably still has five more starts in him, barring any late season injuries. But honestly, at this point what could he do as an encore??? Last night he became the first Indian in 34 years to win 20 games in a season, upping his record to a ridiculous 20-2 in his complete game 5-0 shutout of the White Sox.

Cliff showed some rare emotion after the final out

He was so dominant that he actually retired 21 straight batters after giving up two singles to lead off the game. Just add that to some other incredible numbers for Lee this year:

• He has only reached a 3-0 count when facing a batter five times this entire season.
• He has only faced a batter with the bases loaded four times this entire season.
• By contrast he has been ahead in the count 0-2 against 86 batters this season, with no walks and 34 strikeouts in those situations.
• All of the above numbers are through 26 starts and 185-1/3 innings and over 700 plate appearances against him.

Those numbers are simply staggering to me, especially when you consider he was sent to AAA Buffalo at this time last year, searching for his delivery and left off the postseason roster. I've said it here before, but in a season like this one for the Tribe Lee has been a breath of fresh air and a true reason to watch whenever he has been on the mound. If he can keep this up over the last month of the season I will be truly disappointed if he doesn't win the Cy Young award. What more could he possibly do?

"I never lost confidence," Lee said. "I never got down on myself or questioned my abilities. I never once doubted what I could do."

My only disappointment from last night's game is that my wife and I weren't in attendance. We have really enjoyed his turnaround this year, especially since I was so hard on him after a game we were at against the Red Sox in August of last year. Only 23,317 were in attendance at the Prog last night, but you can bet there will be plenty more over the years that claimed they were there.

Other Tribe Notes: Terry Pluto has more great things to say about Lee and can do a much better job than me... And it's nice to see that I'm not the only one with an extreme dislike for A.J. Pierzynski... Pat McManamon also has nothing but praise for Cliff, and rightfully so... And finally, should the Indians even bother putting in an offer for C.C. this winter? I say no. Why even waste your time?

Catching up on the long holiday weekend - you can blame me for the Tribe stumbling against the Mariners, and getting swept on the heels of a 10-game win streak. Of course my wife and I were in attendance on Friday night and that likely turned things in the wrong direction - I'm superstitious like that. But the good news is that I don't have tickets again until next Friday, August 12th against the Royals. So we'll keep tabs right here on the Tribe's quest for a winning record in 2008.

Browns Update: Not a big surprise here, but expect Derek Anderson to be in uniform for the good guys on Sunday at 4:15. On the other hand, Josh Cribbs' situation is more up in the air. If he's not in the line-up on Sunday and we win the opening coin toss, I think I'll be more than a little nervous to think that Sydric Steptoe will be the first guy to touch the ball for the 2008 Browns. And I expect around 73,000 others around me to feel similar butterflies.

"It doesn't matter what I think at this point. It's not up to me. They're going to make an assessment as the week progresses and do what's best for me and the team." - Josh Cribbs

I'll give my full thoughts and a prediction on the Browns/Cowboys matchup (likely to be incorrect) later in the week. Right now my thoughts are on planning for an epic tailgating session in the Pit on West 3rd...