65 Down, 17 to Go

Wow, a lot has happened since my last post. 12+ inches of snow has melted in Cleveland... the Tribe is off to a meaningless 5-0 start in the Cactus League... Derek Anderson was cut, then blasted the fans, then half-heartedly apologized. But my thoughts are still squarely with the Cavaliers. Here's sort of my "state of the Cavaliers" address with 5 weeks left in the regular season (this is cross-posted from my other blogging grounds - www.numbersdont.com):

So here we are in the midst of the Cavs' longest non-All-Star-break break since November. The beautiful weather in Cleveland (for early March) has been a welcome thing. And aside from a ton of dog poop in my yard, the warm weather has also revealed a stroke of genius on the part of the Cavaliers. Their wise decision to sit LeBron against the Bucks and Spurs has allowed the King a rare chance to recharge his batteries before a final regular season push. The selfish Cavs fan in me really wanted LBJ to play on Monday night. But when it was over I walked out of the Q with an even bigger sense of satisfaction after seeing the wine and gold outlast the Spurs in a tough-fought win minus LeBron, Shaq, Z, and Jamison (for nearly the entire 2nd half).

As this current rest period nears an end, the Cavs have 17 games left to get everything ironed out for the playoffs. Their current three-game lead (really 4 with the tiebreaker) on the Lakers for the top overall seed has afforded them this opportunity to rest key players. Over the final 17 games the Cavs only face 8 opponents currently above .500. Just to put things in perspective, if the team completely tanks and goes something like 10-7 over that stretch, the Lakers would need to go 14-3 to surpass the Cavs. Does anyone think that will happen given how the Lakers have performed in their last four games? Or how the Cavs have performed all year? I didn't think so.

Of greater importance is getting all the key players on track so the team will be peaking in May and June. The #1 seed may seem like a mere formality at this point, but there's still plenty of work to be done. The laundry list includes a lot of moving parts:

1) Dealing with Antawn Jamison's creaky knee: This was a known issue when the Cavs dealt for Jamison and something that will just have to be coaxed along with proper rest. He will likely miss tomorrow night's game in Philadelphia but says he'll be ready for Sunday's showdown at the Q against the Celtics. Such will probably be the formula for Jamison over the next few weeks.

2) Getting Mo Williams back into the flow on both ends of the court: Mo arguably hit rock bottom with his 3-for-17 shooting performance in Milwaukee on Saturday night. He looked lost on both ends of the court as Brandon Jennings had his way on offense. It was encouraging to see Mo come back and hit some big shots Monday night against the Spurs and begin to play tougher defense in the 2nd half of that game. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't more than a little concerned with the way he seemed to be flexing his previously-injured shoulder before hitting two late free throws to ice the game. We'll have to keep an eye on that one. But I'd rather see Mo get a chance to play his way out of this funk than having to rest that shoulder yet again.

3) Figuring out how to integrate Z back into the rotation: March 22nd is only 11 days away now and that's the date Z has given to "begin negotiations" again with the Cavs. That's a polite way of saying he won't re-sign until a roster spot opens up. Darnell Jackson is likely the odd man out in this situation. Once the final playoff roster is ironed out, Mike Brown has the unenviable task of sorting out the rotation and figuring out who goes back to the bench. Things will be a little easier for the time being since Shaq is still out of action.

4) Incorporating Shaq back into the flow: This one is important to me because we saw how uncomfortable Shaq and the Cavs looked figuring out his role in the beginning of the season. It should be easier this time around now that both know what to expect of each other. But I'm hoping that the big man gets to test that thumb a bit late in the regular season before the playoff grind starts.

5) Getting back to their defensive roots: It's no secret that the Cavs' defense has been lacking for the better part of a month now. In my view, it began to slip in the game against the Knicks on February 6th, a 113-106 win in which they nearly coughed up a 30+ point lead. Aside from the 108-88 win in Boston on February 25th, the defense hasn't really been up to par since. I would be hammering this point home to the team over the next five weeks if I were in Mike Brown's shoes.

The to-do list for the coaching staff is a big one, but all parts are manageable. The Cavs know what they need to do and they have been in this position before. They were the first to 50 wins this year for a reason and we all know what has transpired over the last two seasons with the team that is first to 50. These final 17 games may afford the Cavs a chance to repeat that trend and give this city its first championship in 46 years. No pressure, right?

Switching gears

Before tomorrow night's interesting barometer game between the Cavs and Magic in Orlando, I'm gonna switch gears for a second and talk Browns. It's a subject I've avoided like the plague this season, frankly because there never seems to be anything good to talk about and attempting to just turns me into a negative Browns basher. I've been cynical of the ManKok regime since day one, and it seemed further justified when Kokinis was let go last week. Now we've seen various reports this week ranging from Mangini's head also being on the chopping block, Mike Holmgren sightings in Berea, and even Bill Parcells himself looking for another franchise to re-shape. Wow. Sometimes the Browns make my head want to explode.

Have we been wrong about this guy?

I honestly have no idea what's going to happen regarding the next GM/coach/football czar. But I do know this - after reading this one-one-one interview today between CBS's Clark Judge and Eric Mangini, I actually have some optimism about the much-maligned head coach and his philosophy for this franchise. I feel for what he is going through this year. Maybe I read this on the wrong day and I'm feeling just a little too compassionate. But maybe we were wrong about this guy. Maybe we shouldn't be so knee-jerk about the dismal season we're forced to endure. Maybe it's time to exercise a little patience and try to breathe some stability back into this volatile organization. Maybe he deserves the chance to turn this thing around. Just do me a favor - if you still consider yourself a Browns fan, read that interview. I'll open up the comments section below to get your thoughts.

More weirdness in Berea

Just another day in the life of the Browns: George Kokinis fired as GM just eight games into his first season after being hand-picked to be the man by head coach Eric Mangini. Then finally some good news to report, as old friend Ernie Accorsi seemed to be in as the new GM! But of course that was way too good to be true, and those reports proved to be false. Accorsi emphatically stated, "I am not taking any GM job anywhere. Period." I'd probably proclaim the same if my name was attached (even if only a rumor) to the Browns too.

What next for the orange and brown? Owner Randy Lerner will apparently meet today with two fans who came up with the idea of the kickoff protest for the MNF game vs. the Ravens. Honestly, doesn't Lerner have bigger things on his plate right now? The silliness around this organization keeps growing by the day. At least we won't be forced to watch them play again this weekend, although I did see the bye week is favored by 6.5 on Sunday. Sounds like a safe cover to me. Go Cavs.

One week in

OK, so it's been nearly a week since the Cavs started their season. It's been sort of a roller coaster with the opening losses to the Celtics and Raptors, the ensuing panic from everyone in northeast Ohio, and then the nice bounce back wins against the Timberwolves and Bobcats. The team now sits at 2-2, the identical record of last year's squad through the season's first four games.

While there were some alarming things that took place in the first two games (complete defensive collapses at times, suspect shot selection, turnovers, tentative play), I'm willing to chalk that up to early season kinks due to a lack of preseason preparation. The good news is that LeBron is still LeBron, Mo seems to be back on track offensively (20 and 24 points his last two games), Anthony Parker appears to be settling into his role, and Andy hasn't let the contract get to his head and still exhibits all-out hustle. Oh, and DELONTE IS BACK!!! I can't express how great it was to see him return to the floor on Saturday night and put together a very solid game on both ends of the floor. The Cavs are just an entirely different team with Red in the mix. Who knows how long things can last with him in such a fragile mental state, but here's to hoping for the best.

Delonte returned to the court on Halloween night

I'm still anxious to see how Shaq and Z are going to mesh. It's been mildly shocking to see how willing Mike Brown has been to play the plodding twin towers on the court together at the same time. He's apparently still tinkering with his big man rotation, brought on by the fact that JJ Hickson still cannot be counted on for big minutes. Shaq definitely brings a defensive presence that the team has never had with Z. But I prefer Z's spot up shots from mid-range as opposed to Shaq's backboard-rattling shots from six feet that have almost no chance of going in. Hopefully it's just a case of Shaq trying to do too much for his new team and rushing things a bit. But I've been a little put off by his close-range misses when he has great position under the basket, where he is almost unguardable. And of course his free throw shooting will be a concern as long as he is still playing in the NBA.

Overall there is no reason to panic after the slow start. We as Cavs fans need to remember that this is still very much a work in progress. And we need to look for this team to peak in March/April/May/June, not October/November. Another tricky week lies ahead with the Wizards and the Bulls visiting the Q on Tuesday and Thursday, followed by the media circus event of LeBron and the Cavs visiting NYC on Friday night. I'm taking everything one game at a time.

Random Browns Note: This is seriously worse than 1999. How has it gotten this bad? Now we have Randy Lerner finally showing some emotion? Whether his frustration is genuine or PR-related, the fact remains that Lerner has allowed all this to come to pass. This is exactly why I refused to pony up for season tix again this season. There will surely be many more once-loyal fans that will give up on financing this mess going into next season. Hopefully all the empty orange seats will finally send a message that we are tired of this. This bye week couldn't have come fast enough. It almost makes me wonder why I wanted the Browns back in the league so badly when we didn't have them around. Is this what we were waiting for?

Wow, it's been too long

I've been too lazy to enter any good updates here in a while - I found Twitter and it's been my ultra-lazy way of jotting down thoughts this summer. But after yesterday's Tribe trade I had to come back and enter something more than just 140 characters of broken English...

So the Indians traded Cliff Lee and Ben Francisco to the Phillies for four minor leaguers yesterday, and to me it was the final signal that I really shouldn't care about MLB or its broken system anymore. It was the second consecutive season that our tight-pursed team was inclined to trade a defending Cy Young winner in July, hopelessly out of contention in a mediocre division. If that doesn't trouble fans everywhere that something is seriously wrong, then nothing ever will. The sport is broken and only another lockout can fix it.

In the meantime, we are forced to face the reality of our beloved Tribe already raising the white flag of surrender on the 2010 season. Who will be the ace of the staff next season? A broken down and rebuilt Jake Westbrook? A highly unreliable Fausto Carmona? One of these young kids that we have no idea whether we can count on? A veteran band-aid (probably the most likely choice being someone claimed off the injury scrap heap on a one-year deal). Thinking about it just depresses me. The Central division is so winnable and we are basically already giving up. I say this because we all know the reality of the situation - we are in yet another rebuild mode, payroll will be trimmed again, and attendance will be shockingly low.

It's been nice knowing you and you will be missed

For Victor Martinez's sake I hope he is traded. But my inner-Tribe fan wishes that it didn't have to be this way. Victor has been the face/heart/soul of this franchise in this latest "era"... and for as much frustration as this era has caused us, it also gave us the highly entertaining 2005 season, and the oh-so-close 2007 season where we were basically one win away from a championship. That was just 21 months ago. So how did we get here today? Because the sport is broken and we have an owner more worried about the bottom line than winning... any chance you can save us Dan Gilbert?

Speaking of Dan, this should help get us through things a little easier: the Cavs are only 89 days away from returning to the court. Hard to believe it, but it's true. Just hang in there Cleveland, there is light at the end of the dark tunnel of misery laid out by the Tribe and Browns. And yes, I'm very happy that Anthony Parker and Jamario Moon are on board. More on them later... for now I'm mourning the loss of our Tribe and the sport I once loved.

Go West young Cavs...

The Cavaliers embark on their first really tough road stretch of the season tonight in Los Angeles where they face the Lakers at 10:30pm. And they do so on an up-note after beating the Hornets 92-78 (highlights) on Friday night at home. That win improved them to a perfect 20-0 at the Q and was really much-needed after the ugly loss Thursday night in Chicago.

Can we really count on this guy as we head out West?

So how did the short-handed Cavs step up and earn a relatively easy win on Friday night against a very solid Hornets team? They junked things up on defense, they slowed the pace on offense, they made their open shots, they outworked New Orleans, and of course having LeBron on your team always helps too. LBJ finished the night with 29 points, 14 rebounds, and 7 assists while playing all over the court (including logging some minutes at center). And guys like Wally Szczerbiak (14 points, 4-of-5 from three-point range) and Sasha Pavlovic (19 points and 6 rebounds in 42 minutes) really stepped up. And Mo Williams was his normal solid self, chipping in 17 points, even on an off-shooting night. And it sure was good to see Big Ben back on the court. I think his presence lifted the team emotionally, even if he only logged 14 minutes as he works to get back to 100%.

So what should we expect from this four-game swing out West? Your guess is as good as mine. Will Sasha and Wally be able to stay consistent offensively? I've seen enough Cavs basketball over the last couple years to know we can't fully depend on either one of them. Hopefully they can surprise us. There will no doubt be an increased scoring load on LeBron and Mo. But others will need to chip in if this is to be a successfull trip. And I would qualify coming home with a 2-2 record or better as a definite success. I really hate to be without two of our key guys at this important time in the season. But really, it is much better to have these injuries crop up now than in April. Go Cavs!

Browns Update: As the Steelers move on to another likely Super Bowl victory (ugh), the Browns seem to finally have found their new GM (yawn). Please just let this work out. I don't want to see another rebuilding phase for a long, long time.

Still perfect

Still perfect, and no I'm not talking about Romeo Crennel's sparkling 0-8 record vs. the Steelers (more on that later). The Cavaliers remain a perfect 16-0 at the Q after their 93-86 win (highlights) over the Heat last night. Casual sports fans of Cleveland, I'm now begging you... please start paying attention to these Cavaliers. Somehow after their 26-4 start, I still don't think this city has fully embraced this team. But now that another Browns season is officially in the can, hopefully that will change. If you're not following them consistently, you're really missing out on something special.

Last night was just another example of how many different ways the Cavs can win now. They again looked sluggish through the first 3+ quarters of this one, much like the Wizards game on Christmas Day. But again, they turned it on when they had to, turning a nine-point deficit after three quarters into a 7-point win while outscoring the Heat 35-19 in the final quarter. They did it with their defense, timely shots, and some good free-throw shooting down the stretch. And I'd like to point out that even though Dywane Wade ended up with 29 points, Delonte West's defense was relentless. Plays like this highlight how valuable a player West can be. I also thought that LeBron and Ben Wallace were especially active on defense in that final quarter, as was Anderson Varejao (no different than how Andy always is). And Mo Williams proved how capable a sidekick to the King he can be by notching his third straight 20+ scoring night.

Smiles and hugs all around again on Sunday night

All in all, it wasn't a particularly pretty victory for the Cavs but they can't blow out teams every night. The league has taken notice of just how good this Cavs team is and they are really getting the best of most opponents on a nightly basis now. And I also think being home for the holidays might play a little into their sluggish starts the past two games. We'll see if that changes when they face the Heat again tomorrow night in Miami on LBJ's 24th birthday. To calm your Cavalier craving you can watch NBA TV all day today with their '24 Hours of LeBron' programming

Browns Update: On the uglier side of Cleveland sports, the Browns' 2008 season finally came to a merciful end. The embarrassing 31-0 loss marked the franchise's first back-to-back shutouts ever. I believe they have also gone an astonishing 24 consecutive quarters without an offensive touchdown. I'm not sure if that's an NFL record (probably because I stopped really paying attention a long time ago) but I would this level of ineptitude has to rank them up there with the all-time greats.

After a 4-12 season that began with lofty expectations (remember the 'Super Bowl' chants in training camp?) heads were sure to roll. And the team wasted no time last night, with Phil Savage the first man to the chopping block. Romeo Crennel is sure to follow today. Then Rebuild #4 can finally be underway. I heard a bunch of the coach/GM rumors last night and it was enough to make my head spin. My favorite was Bill Parcells & Scott Pioli. Why in the world would either one of them want to come here??? I'm sure Tony Grossi's head is about to explode today. I can't wait to listen to the cleveland.com podcast. Just another day in Berea for our Browns...

***Update*** Apparently as I was writing today's entry, Romeo Crennel was indeed fired. No surprises there, but just wanted to make sure everyone knew it was official.

It couldn't last forever

A great man once said, "no good thing ever dies." After the Cavs' 88-72 win (highlights) over the 76ers on Friday night they reached a franchise milestone by tying a club record for 11 consecutive wins. But before it could become another team record, the streak died on Saturday night with a 97-92 setback in Atlanta. Of course the Cavs can't win every game they play but this one was rather frustrating, especially given the torrid pace that the Celtics are setting in the East.

It was one of Those Games. You know the ones where your team is playing on the road, shorthanded, with the refs making a lot of terrible calls in favor of the home team, and every loose ball seeming to bounce the home team's way? Yep, that's how it went on Saturday. The free throw disparity doesn't even begin to tell the story, with the Hawks getting to the line 39 times compared to just 23 for the Cavs. And don't be fooled by LeBron's 12 free throw attempts in the box score. He was hacked on numerous other drives to the rim that resulted in non-calls. So given the lopsided officiating, coupled with the fact that we were playing without two of our top six rotation guys (Z and Boobie) I'm actually quite pleased that we almost pulled it out in the end.

One of the few times LBJ wasn't fouled on his way to the rim

Thankfully for the Cavs they get to rest up for a bit before returning to the court to take on a bad Timberwolves team in Minnesota on Wednesday night. With a little luck Z can take the next few days to rest that ankle up and maybe he can even be ready to go on Friday night when the Cavs have another tough road test in Denver. It's obvious that we're missing the big guy in many of our offensive sets. Speaking of that, here's a great in-depth look at the Cavalier offense. Interesting stuff if you really want to see the different sets that can run from something that seems so simple, yet so hard to defend...

Unfortunately until the Cavs play again we are relegated to watching the Browns tonight in Philadelphia to take on the Eagles on Monday night football. Ugh. $20 for the first person that can give me one solid reason to watch this game tonight.

Polar opposites

At this exact moment can you think of two sports franchises that are more opposite than the Cavs and Browns? While the Browns continue to flounder through another lost season the Cavaliers are only getting stronger. They extended their impressive run with two more easy wins over the weekend, running their current winning streak to 8 and their overall record to 17-3. On Friday night the Indiana Pacers were the victims of a 97-73 drubbing (highlights) at the Q. Then the Cavs followed it up on Saturday night in Charlotte with a 94-74 thumping (highlights) of the Bobcats. Their routine blowouts of the opposition are reaching historic proportions - the Charlotte victory was the team's 8th straight win by at least 12 points. That ties an NBA record with one team you may recall... the 95-96 Chicago Bulls that finished the year 72-10.

LBJ and the Cavs are soaring to new heights this year

That's not to say the Cavs are going to win 72 this year. I just don't see any reason to push the pedal that hard all year long, especially given their already swelling 5-game lead in the Central division over the Pistons. But with the Celtics at 20-2 and showing no signs of slowing down, the Cavs will likely be pushed all year. Both teams will be gunning for the all-important #1 seed in the East, and home court advantage that goes along with it. So it will be interesting to see just how high the win total can get this year. And to put this season into perspective, when the Cavs finally reached 17 wins last season (not until January 6th) they also already had 17 losses. Buckle your seatbelts Cleveland, we're only a quarter of the way through the regular season and this is going to be a long, enjoyable ride.

Browns Update: As I said, at the opposite end of the sports spectrum you have our Cleveland Browns. Pathetic in every way, now 4-9 after their 28-9 loss in Tennessee. I know that Ken Dorsey is our starting QB now and of course I didn't expect a win over the far superior Titans yesterday. But is it too much to ask for the coaching staff to mix things up a bit? Try something new offensively (before the 4th quarter when the game is out of reach) and make it at least bearable to watch?

Some of my favorite highlights from yesterday's game:

• Jamal Lewis' 7 total rushing yards on 7 carries.
• The Browns' total offense of 178 yards.
• Romeo Crennel's flat-out refusal (or disinterest?) in challenging a close call in which Josh Cribbs actually threw a great pass that Braylon Edwards appeared to catch on the sideline for a long gain in the fourth quarter.
• Crennel's insistence in calling a timeout in the last minute of the game when the Browns were still near midfield and Tennessee just wanted to celebrate winning the AFC South title.
• The Browns then following that timeout up by not even getting a Hail Mary pass off as the final seconds ticked off the clock.

The mess of this organization is now visible in virtually every aspect of the game for this team. From the front office, to the coaching staff, to the undisciplined and quitting players (save for a handful of them) this franchise is everything the Cavaliers are not. Let's hope some of this speculation is accurate and we can get some professionalism and control back on this team.

Sinking to new lows

We've known the Browns' season has basically been over for weeks now. But they may have hit a new low, even for their own crappy standards yesterday. Their defense somehow managed to hold the powerful Colts to just 10 points, yet the Browns still found a way to lose the game 10-6. And in the process they also lost beleaguered QB Derek Anderson probably for the remainder of the season to a knee injury. Let the Ken Dorsey era begin in Cleveland!

DA's knee injury will pave the way for a possible 4-12 finish

We might as well go out and sign Tim Couch and Ty Detmer at this point because we have come full circle, all the way back to the expansion mess of 1999. I now have visions of Doug Pederson running the Browns offense in 2000, followed by the Dennis Northcutt experiment under center in that game against the Eagles. Maybe we can do the same with Josh Cribbs when the Bengals visit the Stadium on December 21st. At least that would give us some reason to actually tune into that mess of a game.

This was the first Browns home game that I personally did not attend this season, so I can't verify the magnitude of this - but it was troubling to me to hear that the fans in attendance actually cheered Derek Anderson's knee injury. Even if you're not a fan of this guy, that is just wrong. It seems that our own ineptitude and resulting inferiority complex has driven us against our own players again. But again, I wasn't there so I don't know how much this has been blown out of proportion by the papers. Either way, it's just another mess involving the Browns. And as I touched on last week, the fans' apathy is growing, as evidenced by the 20,000 or so empty orange seats.

I hope Randy Lerner hears/sees that message loud and clear. This is a team that was 7-1 at home last year and gave us reason for hope and optimism. They are now 1-6 at home, with the real prospect of going 1-7 with Ken Dorsey taking snaps against Cincinnati in the home finale. The only year they did worse at home was their 0-8 season of 1999 when they could at least lean on the crutch of being an expansion team. Ladies and gentlemen, your 2008 Cleveland Browns! Pathetic.

Cavs Update: On to brighter news, as always seems to be the case when transitioning away from Browns talk... the Cavs are now 14-3. They extended their current winning streak to five with impressive wins over the Warriors (highlights) and Bucks (highlights) over the holiday weekend. This has to feel good for newcomer Mo Williams, whose longest winning streak last year in Milwaukee was two. He already has streaks of eight and five wins under his belts with the Cavs.

Mo has to be happy he's out of Milwaukee and now winning with the Cavs

And just looking at the schedule and the Cavaliers' next seven opponents (all .500 or worse) this streak could balloon even more. So do yourself a favor my fellow Cleveland fans. Go out and support this team. Start with LeBron bobblehead night Wednesday vs. the Knicks. Go have fun and watch a dominant team whose last 8 wins have come by at least 11 points. This is going to be a special season and you really shouldn't miss out on it.

Time to give thanks

I have a lot of things to be thankful for in my life right now... my wife, my family and friends, my health, my job, my home, just to name a few. But there are also things in Cleveland sports that I'm truly thankful for. And not surprisingly, none of them have to do with the Browns. Here's a quick list on this day before Thanksgiving:

• LeBron James - I've been thankful for LBJ for quite some time now. He is truly a one-in-a-generation athlete and we have him here for this season and next season at the very least. Don't forget that Cleveland, despite whatever you read, see, or hear anywhere else.
• Mo Williams - How great is it to finally have someone on the Cavaliers that can initiate his own offense independently from LeBron? Mo is taking this offense to another level.
• Delonte West - His hideous occasional cornrows aside, what Delonte is doing this year at the starting 2 guard spot is nothing short of brilliant. I love his game.
• A healthy Ben Wallace. Enough said right there. He is an animal.
• Zydrunas Ilgauskas - Basically for just being Z. He is a model of consistency and professionalism. Is he the perfect player? Of course not. But he's pretty damn good at what he does and he is so dependable. Many people forget this is the same player that missed almost three full seasons due to various foot injuries/surgeries/rehab.
• Mike Brown - In a town where it is always fashionable to dislike the head coach/manager, Mike Brown is bucking the trend. He is a players' coach that values defense first and has done quite a job in his first pro gig. A .600 winning percentage is nothing to sneeze at. And it will only get better this season.
• Dan Gilbert - Finally an owner that seems to care about winning as much as us fans. He is willing to do whatever it takes to keep LBJ in a wine and gold uniform and win multiple championships. We are blessed that Mr. Gilbert came along when he did.
• Danny Ferry - Always the hard worker in his playing days, he seems to be putting even more effort into his GM duties. He is methodical and calculating, but also not afraid to make a big splash. I'm very curious to see where the Szczerbiak expiring contract takes us this season.
• Cliff Lee - For the hell of a season turned out by the lefty. Winning the AL Cy Young was just icing on the cake in Cliff's turnaround year. I'm excited to see what he can do as the ace of this staff next year. And if you would have told me last Thanksgiving that I'd be thankful for Lee this year I would have said you were nuts. Bravo Cliff.
• Grady Sizemore - For playing every game like it's his last. There are quite a few athletes on a certain team headquartered in Berea that could take notes on the way Grady leaves it all on the field in every game.

You may have noticed that a certain team dominated the above list. They are currently plowing their way through the Eastern Conference and only seem to be getting better with each game. With their 119-101 dismantling (highlights) of the Knicks last night in New York the Cavaliers improved to 11-3 on the season. And the score wasn't nearly as close as that. The Cavs were up by more than 30 at one point, while the Knicks continued to make a mockery of the game of basketball. Why in the world LeBron would ever consider playing for that joke of a franchise is completely beyond me. But New Yorkers seem to eat it up so whatever. I'll just continue listening to Brian Windhorst on the subject:

Tonight he ruled nothing out and told the Knicks fans "to have an open mind." There is no doubt a basis for all this hype, LeBron has been thinking about his options. One of them is surely to play in New York in the future. But right now -- and everything can and maybe will change -- the needle is firmly pointed toward staying home no matter what anyone says.

I enjoyed this sign in the Garden last night

Of course this saga will continue for another 20 months until a merciful end to all the speculation in July 2010. Until then I'll choose to enjoy LeBron and the Cavs working their way towards a goal that seems to be more attainable than ever for this franchise - an NBA title.

Browns Update: A fitting end to the 2008 Browns season, even with five games remaining. Go Cavs.

Romeo's swan song

Another day at the Stadium, another embarrassing defeat. This time at the hands of the lowly Houston Texans 16-6, themselves bringing in a 3-7 record and a road losing streak stretching over a year. It was another game filled with dropped passes, desperate coaching moves, terrible play calling, and more defensive ineptitude. The Browns are now 1-5 at home after being 7-1 there last year, including winning 7 straight. And they 4-7 on the season overall, one in which they entered with such hope.

Thankfully and finally the fans' patience has run out with this team. I've been inside the Stadium for every home game this year and I honestly didn't think it would happen. I've looked around me and seen blind support for a team of losers while they inexcusably pissed away second half leads against the Ravens and Broncos. I think there were still a lot of believers even before yesterday's game when a win would have brought the Browns to only 5-6. But this pathetic performance finally sapped all support from the fans here in Cleveland. Congratulations Browns, I didn't think you could do it. But I'm glad you finally did.

One of the better signs in the Stadium yesterday shows
just how these fans feel about #17's play this year

This moment had to come. Something needs to change with this franchise. This season has been filled with as much nonsense off the field as on it. The Kellen Winslow staph infection adventure, followed by his one-game suspension. The text messaging saga to Winslow's phone from Browns staffers urging him to keep quiet. GM Phil Savage's email-gate. Players talking about quitting. I'm so sick of all of it. And then yesterday came Romeo Crennel's decision to pull Brady Quinn after two interceptions and insert the embattled Derek Anderson. It was a desperate move by a desperate coach of a desperate team. And likely one of Crennel's final moves as the head man on the Browns' sidelines.

Please Browns, if you're going to rebuild again (and you definitely should), please, please, please do it the right way this time. Don't bring in another guy that has never been an NFL head coach before. Back up the Brinks truck to Bill Cowher's home in North Carolina or Strongsville (I loved that dumb rumor) or wherever the hell he is living now. Make him an offer he can't refuse. Show the fans you care about this team's image as much as they do (or did). The current state of the franchise is beyond embarrassing and Cowher can instantly restore some credibility.

Other Browns Notes: Brady Quinn reacts to his benching... Terry Pluto talks about how the Browns torment their own fans... Braylon Edwards hears and accepts the boos... And don't forget about Tony Grossi's noon chat today. This should be a fun one to recap.

Cavs Update: Now for a team that actually rewards you for being a fan: the Cavaliers laid the wood to the Hawks on Saturday night with a 110-96 win at the Q. If you didn't see the game, check out the highlights here. LeBron made three plays that were simply jawdropping to me, and luckily all three of them made that highlight reel. The first is around the 1:25 mark after Ben Wallace blocks a shot, Delonte West picks up the loose ball and thows an alley-oop to LeBron from nearly half court. Just watch LBJ streak past the defense. His speed in the open court is unbelievable. The second play is featured right after that one when LeBron drives through two Hawks defenders in the paint, gets hammered and still throws it down left-handed while losing his headband. His strength is ridiculous. And the third play is shown right after that dunk when LeBron drives through the lane, fakes a behind the back pass, cocks his right arm back and as Austin Carr would say, "throws the hammer down!" Just listen to the sound of the rim. And watch Mo Evans scurry to get out of the way.

So with the win the Cavs are now a perfect 7-0 at home, their best start ever at the Q. And they are 10-3 overall with a two game cushion in the Central over the Pistons. They will have a big stretch of games this week with four games in five nights beginning tomorrow night in New York (where we will surely hear more rumors of LeBron bolting for the pathetic Knicks). Three of the four games will be against sub-.500 teams. In fact, 6 of the Cavs' next 8 games will come against teams that currently have losing records. I feel another streak coming on...

Mike Brown credits his "Committee" for helping the Cavs get off to a fast start this season... And Coach Brown isn't a big fan of gambling for steals... And LeBron isn't tired of the 2010 rumors (yet).

Browns win?

I know I should abide by my own made-up rule that a win is a win, especially in Cleveland. But I just can't help tearing apart last night's 29-27 win (highlights) over the Bills. I just can't. First, those were two really bad teams playing each other last night. That's not to say that each side doesn't have individual talent... but when looking at the overall team aspect of football, the Browns and the Bills are equally bad. Good thing for us that it resulted in an entertaining (for reasons both good and bad) game on national TV. But if you really stop and think about it, this is what today's NFL has become. A bunch of teams that are pretty close in talent level, battling it out. How many really good teams would you say there are in this league? Three? Four?

There are so many things that you could criticize both the Browns and Bills for last night. Here are just a few off the top of my head:

• With Trent Edwards basically handing the game to the Browns in the first quarter with three interceptions, how do we only capitalize with two field goals? The Browns took possession on each drive at the Bills' 44, 40, and 10 yard lines. Six points? Really?
• The Bills exploited the inexperience of Brady Quinn by consistently blitzing him. And linebacker Kawika Mitchell ran seemingly untouched through the Browns' line about a dozen times. Was anyone paying attention to him? Would it hurt to keep Jamal Lewis or Charles Ali as an extra blocker back there so Quinn doesn't get killed?
• After Trent Edwards' awful start the Bills rightfully handcuffed him by only allowing him to throw the ball near the line of scrimmage for almost the entire remainder of the game. This meant that any pass was basically going to Marshawn Lynch. And of course the Browns couldn't tackle him to save their lives. How is an NFL team so inept at something as fundamental as proper tackling?
• With Marshawn Lynch and Fred Jackson basically ripping the Browns' defense a new one, how did the Bills only rush 35 times? I would have handed off 50 times if I was them, especially considering how bad a QB Edwards is.
• What was up with the Browns' play-calling when they kind of got into field goal range late in the fourth quarter. It was like they saw the imaginary line drawn on the field by Monday Night Football to indicate Phil Dawson's career-long field goal and decided that they were close enough right there. They followed it with three awful pass plays to the sideline, forcing Dawson to hammer home a 56-yard field goal with 1:44 left. Kudos to Phil for that kick (and his other four on the night) - as Doug Dieken said, "If Phil doesn't make the Pro Bowl this year, then no one deserves to be there."

Dawson was money from 56 yards on Monday night

• In true Browns fashion, they decided to squib the ensuing kickoff and the Bills took over at their own 44. I know they were gunshy after the kickoff return for a touchdown earlier in the quarter, but come on.
• Of course Trent Edwards made his one good throw of the night on that drive, getting the Bills into their own long field goal range at the Browns' 38. The the Bills decided to tear a page out of the Browns' playbook by playing it safe and opting for their own long field goal, except this one was going into the swirling wind.
• Also on that drive, Romeo Crennel and the Browns' coaching staff made another really boneheaded move. After Edwards' one good pass there was about 1:15 left on the game clock and the Browns still had all three timeouts. Instead of calling one immediately after that play to preserve the clock in case the Bills made that field goal, Romeo decided to let the Bills run another play and then call a timeout, effectively losing another 20 seconds. Brilliant.

I'm sure there are other things I missed, but like I said these are just off the top of my head after a late night. And I didn't even mention the continued drops by Braylon Edwards, coupled with another procedure penalty against him as well. These are mistakes that a good football team just doesn't make. But thankfully the Bills aren't a good football team either. The saddest part of all of this is that without two epic fourth quarter collapses at home (where the Browns are 1-4) this team would now be at 6-4 fighting for a playoff spot, or maybe even the division title. Only in today's NFL...

There were some good things to take away from last night's game for the Browns, aside from a much-needed win. Jerome Harrison showed outstanding speed on his 72-yard TD run and again is making a case for more carries. Brady Quinn knows how to manage a game and avoid costly turnovers in just his second NFL start (he really should be 2-0 now). Despite his drops and mental errors, Braylon Edwards still was able haul in 8 catches for 104 yards. And I loved the play that Chud called with the 'Flash' package for the Josh Cribbs TD. More of that, please.

Cavs Update: The Cavaliers look to add on to their 7-game win streak when they face the Nets at 7:30 tonight in New Jersey. It will be the first of a tough back-to-back on the road before heading to Detroit tomorrow night. So it's imperative for the Cavs to try to get a win tonight. Mike Brown is ignoring the win streak in an effort to keep the team focused... LeBron isn't satisfied with just winning seven in a row... The team needs to be successful on the road and this will be a good test... You'll never guess who was again named Eastern Conference player of the week... And don't look now but there's a new #1 on NBA.com's latest power rankings. Uh-oh.

"We don't want to get too far ahead of ourselves because when you start thinking, 'We've got to take care of our road trip,' or 'We've got to handle this winning streak,' that feels like an enormous burden. If you just think, 'Let's go handle our business this next game,' to me that's simplistic and you go out there and do what you do and you have a chance to win if you do it right."
- Mike Brown

Another good weekend

Although greatly aided by the fact that the Browns didn't play yesterday, we made it through another Cleveland sports weekend without a blemish. The Cavaliers took care of the Jazz on Saturday night with a 105-93 win (highlights here) at the Q. That makes seven in a row for the good guys and they now sit atop the Central Division at 8-2, one game ahead of the Pissed-ons.

1/8th of the way home and looking good...

This was one of the funner regular season games that I can remember attending in quite some time. It probably had a lot to do with the fact that old friend Carlos Boozer was in the building (his team now 0-5 in Cleveland since his backstabbing departure). My personal favorite moment of the night was when LeBron soared high to reject a shot attempt by Boozer midway through the fourth quarter. It was part of a highlight-reel fourth quarter by James and Mo Williams that had the Q rocking.

LBJ hit some daggers in the 4th on his way to 39 on Saturday night

I've said it before, and I'll say it again - stick with this team. Enjoy them. They won't disappoint you. This is truly a talented squad, ready to reach new heights for this franchise and this city. And for those of you that like to complain about Mike Brown and his lack of offense, this team currently sits fifth in the league in scoring at 101.1 ppg. Mo Williams and Delonte West in the starting line-up make this a very formidable bunch. And the bench is contributing greatly to the cause. And they will get better too.

Other Cavs Notes: Just to expand on what I touched on last week, the Cavs can offer LeBron one more year and $31.5M more than any other NBA team in the summer of 2010. How do I know this? Because the great Brian Windhorst laid out all the numbers today. So suck on that national media... Bob Finnan has a nice piece today on Boobie and his unwavering confidence... And George Thomas gives some more details on the Cavs' new high-powered offense.

Browns Update: The orange and brown continue the beginning of the Brady Quinn era tonight as the kid gets his first taste of Monday Night Football at 8:30 in Buffalo. I've been avoiding talking about the Browns for the last week because frankly, I'm a little sick of all the blind love they get in this town. That's not to say I don't love this team and root for them no matter what... but I just think they get too many free passes for their bumbling ways.

There aren't many things to look forward to when watching a 3-6 team that actually had Super Bowl-type expectations a few short months ago. But we can be excited about Quinn finally getting his shot now that the season is officially in the toilet. The Bills have also been somewhat of a disappointment, losing four of their last five after starting the season 4-0.

So what should we expect when a 5-4 team hosts a 3-6 team tonight in what could be some very sloppy conditions? Perhaps a replay of the Ice Bowl last year in the Stadium which resulted in an 8-0 Browns victory? Probably not that bad, even though that was one of the more memorable sports experiences of my lifelong Cleveland fanhood. The Browns are obviously (to me anyway) a much more talented team than the Bills. We are certainly better than our 3-6 would indicate. But there's also a reason we are 3-6... we just can't finish teams off as evidenced in the last two fourth quarter debacles. So taking all that into account I still think the Browns will find a way to win this one tonight. I'll go with Browns 20, Bills 17. And I'm also going with Billick on the sidelines in '09.

Losers find ways to lose

I don't know what I can say that hasn't been said hundreds of times about the Browns since 1999. They just are not a winning franchise and losing still hangs like a dark cloud over everything they seem to do. There is no more honeymoon period for this organization, at least not for me. It has been almost 10 years since they were reincarnated and we are still watching them invent new ways to lose on a consistent basis. Their debut on Thursday Night Football, a humiliating 34-30 loss to the Broncos, was just the latest example.

Was there anyone in the stands at Cleveland Browns Stadium, or watching at home all over northeast Ohio that didn't see this one coming? Our defense was shredded in the 2nd half, giving up another big lead at home and ruining a solid starting debut by quarterback Brady Quinn. I'm embarrassed by this team and fed up with their lack of discipline. Fan loyalty can quickly turn to apathy and when that happens you can lump the Browns in with teams like the Lions and Bengals. Not exactly the company we want to keep in this league.

How do we fix this mess? I think the easiest answer is for Browns owner Randy Lerner to tear two blank checks from his checkbook. Send one to Bill Cowher and the other to Brian Billick. Whomever returns the gesture first with a "yes" gets the job. At least these guys know how to win in this division. That's not to put all of the blame on Romeo, but winning starts at the top. It's quickly becoming evident that this team cannot win with a players' coach. They need someone who cares about winning as much as their fans do...

Do yourselves a favor Cleveland fans: turn 100% of your attention to the Cavaliers. They are a team that knows how to win right now. Start by going to the game tonight and watching them dismantle the Pacers. You'll even get a throwback Cavaliers Hardwood Classics winter hat for your trouble. It's the quickest way to rid your mind of the losers in orange and brown. Go Cavs.

Three wins, three blowouts

The Cavaliers' third victory of the season was another relatively easy one in their 107-93 rout (highlights here) of the Chicago Bulls. That makes three blowouts in their three victories, with an average margin of +16.7. That's not to erase their two road losses in Boston and New Orleans, but those are arguably two of the best teams in the league, and the Cavs were in both of those games in the fourth quarter.

Especially impressive in last night's game was the way LeBron scored his 41 points. It just seemed so effortless (13-of-23 from the floor in 35 minutes) and once again he was nailing his free throws (15-of-16 from the line). Delonte West (a three-ball call courtesy of Mr. Tait) and Mo Williams also looked great manning the backcourt and Big Ben continued he rejuvenating play with 14 rebounds, 2 steals and a blocked shot. But most important for the Cavaliers, they were again able to keep LeBron's minutes down. And it wasn't complete chaos and panic on the floor when he had to sit for a few minutes when he tweaked his ankle. That's what excites me most about this team - they are deep enough to allow LeBron some rest and can look good without him for long stretches.

Big Ben has played well early in the year averaging 9.8 rpg

So far everything is going according to the script at home - they are finally taking care of teams handily inside the friendly confines of the Q. As I said in earlier posts, that will be a key to a big win total and playoff seeding come April. Now they need to make sure they can translate this style of play onto the road and we could be looking at a dominant NBA team this season...

Other Cavs Notes: Could Antonio McDyess be another big man option for the Cavs? Interesting to think about if he becomes a free agent... LeBron is happy with the results of the election... Old friend Drew Gooden was happy to be back in town... And the Cavs seem to be doing business the right way.

Browns Update: I will be leaving work shortly to partake in the tailgating festivities down in the Pit before the Browns take on the Broncos. Again, no more expectations from this team, but it will be fun to see the debut of Brady Quinn as the next starting quarterback of our Cleveland Browns. It's a perfect beautiful fall day and I'm glad this one will be showcased for the country to see (unless #10 completely embarrasses us and we lose again). But today hopes are high for the start of the Quinn Era. Brady thinks this game will be fun... His old coach will be watching closely tonight... Tony Grossi's latest podcast previews the Browns vs. Broncos.

My bold prediction tonight? The rollercoaster continues - Browns 23, Broncos 21.

"Yeah, it's been a little while. I'll have to dust off the ol' cleats and shoulder pads and everything. Obviously I'm excited now and I will be once game time comes. I think the biggest thing for me is remaining calm.'' - Brady Quinn

That's more like it

The Cavaliers went into Dallas last night, built a 16-point lead in the first half, let Dallas come all the way back to tie it, and still ended up walking away with a dominating 100-81 win (highlights here) over the Mavericks. If this was just our fist taste of the new-look Cavaliers then I'm already hungry for more. LeBron James led the way with 29 points (13-15 from the line!!!), Mo Williams added 14 (including some daggers during a fourth quarter run, highlighted by this long range bomb), and the Cavs outrebounded Dallas by 17. In all five Cavaliers were in double figures in a very balanced offensive attack.

I wish I had photographic or video evidence of a huge baseline dunk by Wally Szczerbiak but I cannot find it anywhere. But trust me, with 3:58 left in the third quarter and the Cavs only up by one Wally went baseline and threw one down right in Erick Dampier's face. It's like the people in control of NBA highlights were so shocked that it happened, they just decided to omit it altogether. It might be the first time I've ever even seen Wally throw one down in a Cavalier uniform and I won't soon forget it. It was the kind of night for the guys in wine and gold.

The King led the cheers from the bench in the 4th quarter

Another thing that was great about this win was the way the bench reacted throughout. They were up and cheering and really supporting the five guys on the floor all night. It may seem like a trivial thing but I can't remember the last time I saw the Cavs bench so actively involved in a game. I think it illustrates how tightly knit this group of players is and how excited they are about the opportunities ahead of them. LeBron was really leading the cheers from the bench in the fourth quarter. And how nice is that to say? Again, he only had to log 34 minutes on the court in this game and is averaging 34.5 mpg through the season's first four games. You know that makes Mike Brown grin uncontrolably. A healthy, rested LeBron means trouble for the rest of the league come playoff time...

Other Cavs Notes: Brian Windhorst's take on the big win in Dallas... The Cavaliers have some opinions on yesterday's big trade... I just noticed Bob Finnan started a new Cavalier blog to go along with his view of yesterday's win... The Cavaliers will return home to the Q tomorrow night to take on the Bulls at 8:00 pm.

Browns Update: I was literally shocked when I got three texts from friends around the same time as I was driving home from work yesterday - Brady Quinn will be the starter vs. the Broncos on Thursday night. Of course I wanted this and lobbied for it yesterday, but I can't believe the Browns actually pulled the trigger... Coach Crennel says it was his decision... Tony Grossi says the Browns just couldn't wait any longer on Quinn... Joe Jurevicius is eager to recover and return to the field in '09. We're pulling for you Joe.

"Some things had to do with it. Our record, offensive ranking, offensive production, so I made the decision to make the change." - Romeo Crennel

Pathetic collapse

There's no other way to describe the Browns' meltdown on Sunday in their 37-27 loss to the Ravens. At home with a 14-point lead in the third quarter. Not to mention a chance to put some heat on the Steelers in the AFC North race. But of course these Browns couldn't stand success and found a way to let a rookie running back and rookie quarterback carve up their defense. 24 unanswered points from the Ravens to end it? That is an embarrassing disgrace that should cause heads to roll in Berea.

The thing that angers me the most after this loss is that Derek Anderson will take the immediate brunt of the fans' displeasure. That's not to say that he isn't culpable in this loss, but 'Bad DA' really didn't show up until almost the fourth quarter. And by that point the defense had done its job to let the Ravens back into the game. Bad DA still managed to throw a perfect strike to Braylon Edwards in stride on 3rd-and-7 that should have gone for a game-winning touchdown. Of course Edwards dropped that one to add to his league-leading 13 on the year. Bad DA hit Kellen Winslow for a 22-yard gain on the next drive with the score still tied at 27 but Winslow was called for a puzzling pass interference penalty. That immediately led to another three-and-out by the Browns. And Bad DA later found Edwards open on the sideline on the next drive with the Browns only trailing by a field goal. Edwards again dropped it.

Sunday showcased 'Braylon being Braylon' yet again

The point is that Anderson cannot be held responsible for this loss. It should be pinned on the Browns coaching staff, their porous defense (aside from Shaun Rogers who again was a beast) and Edwards. I won't even mention how Dainty Stallworth was again a late scratch from the starting line-up with a pulled quad muscle. Wait, I just did mention it. This guy is literally stealing money from the Browns. Or maybe he's just embarrassed to put on that uniform every Sunday. I know I'm embarrassed to be a fan of a team that consistently plays like this in must-win games.

So what next for the orange and brown? Obviously I think we should start Brady Quinn at quarterback on Thursday. This is not to fault Anderson, it's just time to see what Quinn can give this franchise. It's now definitely a lost season and Quinn deserves a crack at the starting job going into next year. Will the Browns make such a bold move? I have my doubts. They will likely wait another week so that Quinn has a full 11 days to prepare for the Monday night game in Buffalo. I'm sure the Browns will win on Thursday just to sucker some fans back in. Not me. Not only are my expectations gone, but the hopes are too.

Other Browns Notes: At least you can count on Josh Cribbs to leave it all on the field every game. I'm kicking myself I didn't get a Cribbs jersey to replace my Winslow one this year... Terry Pluto has some scribbles on the meltdown... Bud Shaw also argues for the Quinn experiment to begin... And coach Crennel's 'I don't know' explanation surely won't go over very well with the fans.

“We couldn’t muster enough energy to make the plays we needed to make. I can’t put my finger on it. … I don’t know what the answer is.” - Romeo Crennel

Cavs Update: The Cavs look to get back on the winning track tonight at 8:30 in Dallas. Mo Williams isn't happy with his slow start... I like reading Bob Finnan's three points section... The Pistons are in the middle of a move that reeks of desperation. I'm sure Rasheed Wallace and Iverson will make that a winning locker room up in Detroit. One step closer to the Central division title for the Cavaliers?... And are the Nets' big plans for LeBron unraveling? I normally wouldn't even include that here, but Brian Windhorst is the man.

Week 9: Browns vs. Ravens

I didn't have time this morning to post anything too significant, so this will have to do...

Sunday the Baltimore Ravens come into Cleveland Browns Stadium. Here's what we currently know about the AFC North:

• The Browns have clawed their way back to a somewhat respectable 3-4, after starting out 0-3.
• The Ravens are just one game ahead of the Browns in the AFC North at 4-3.
• The Steelers, leaders of the AFC North sit at 5-2 with a tough Monday night matchup in Washington to face the Redskins.
• No one cares about the Bengals (aside from their drunk hillbilly fans).

Why am I laying this all out? Because if everything aligns perfectly this weekend, by late Monday night the Steelers will be 5-3, the Browns 4-4, the Ravens 4-4, and the Bengals 0-8 (the bright side for them is they can't possibly lose this week). The problem is that we've seen these type of opportunities numerous times over the years and the Browns typically fail to capitalize when the pressure is on. So what should we expect on Sunday at Cleveland Browns Stadium? Believe it or not, I actually have hope (that is not to be confused with expectations).

As the great Andy Dufresne said in Shawshank, "hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things, and no good thing ever dies." We've learned to live by that motto in Cleveland. And when in doubt, but still full of hope, I find it best to modify my favorite Shawshank quote of them all, delivered by Red himself:

"I find I'm so excited, I can barely sit still or hold a thought in my head. I think it's the excitement only a Browns fan can feel, a Browns fan at the start of a matchup with the Ravens whose conclusion is uncertain. I hope the good DA shows up. I hope to see my friend Braylon, and watch him actually hold onto the ball. I hope to see Jamal Lewis get even more carries than the 20 he had in my dreams. I hope. "

I'm calling on Red for some hope this Sunday at the Stadium

Remember no expectations, just hope. And full of hope I'm going with Browns 20, Ravens 13.

Cavs Update: I was at the Q last night for their home opener. And damn was it good to see the way they played. Aside from the third quarter, where they seemed mostly bored and toyed with Charlotte, they looked great on their way to a 96-79 victory. Mo Williams' contant pushing of the ball up the court was a sight for sore eyes. The team defense was outstanding for most of the night. Boobie Gibson's 25-point outburst was a thing of beauty, reminiscent of his Game 6 performance in the ECF vs. the Pistons. LeBron's thunderous dunks were expected. And J.J. Hickson's powerful first two NBA points were not-so-expected. Overall, a solid first win before they head off a couple road games. New Orleans and Dallas will be two good early season road tests for this Cavalier squad.

J.J. Hickson throws down his first NBA points

Home cooking

Basketball is finally back in the Q tonight as the Cavs have their home opener vs. Charlotte at 7:00pm. I'll be in attendance and I'm looking forward to another fun and hopefully dominant home campaign for the wine and gold. These are the type of games where in the past the Cavs have had the tendency to play down to their competition. Don't get me wrong, there is some good young talent on the Bobcats roster... but this is not a team that the Cavaliers should ever lose to at home.

Home court will need to be an even bigger advantage for the Cavs this year

Expectations are high for us this year, and many so-called experts have picked the Cavs to win updwards of 55 games this year. That's a tall task for any NBA team, but the real key to success like that starts with a great home record. Here's a look at what this franchise has accomplished inside the friendly confines of the Q in the LeBron Era:

2003-04: 23-18
2004-05: 29-12
2005-06: 31-10
2006-07: 30-11
2007-08: 27-14
=================
Total: 140-65 (.682)

So there has obviously been home success since LeBron arrived. But to have a season that approaches the Cavaliers' all-time best of 57-25 (accomplished twice, in the 88-89 season and the 91-92 season) they will need to do better. I'm thinking something like 35-6 at home and then go .500 on the road. We'll see how it all unfolds in the coming months, but the path to success at home for the Cavs starts tonight in a very winnable game. Time to take care of business before heading back out on the road to face the Hornets and Mavericks...

Other Cavs Notes: Mo Williams is remaining optimistic after an 'average' Cavalier debut in Boston... LeBron had his '60 Minutes' of fame yesterday... Terry Pluto has more scribbles in his notebook about the Cavaliers... And as I could have already told you, the Cavs are near the top 10 priciest tickets in the NBA. What do you expect when you get to see LeBron 41 times a year?

Browns Update: In light of the Browns' goal-line struggles so far this season, could we see a new fullback leading the charge? I'd be surprised if they went that route, but I have to admit, it would be something to see... A decision on Joe Jurevicius' season is due soon and it's not looking good for #84. If he is done for the year, I really hope he tries to stick around for one more. He just can't go out like this... ESPN is still not believing in the Browns in their latest power rankings. Can't blame them there... I think they will have me fully sucked back in if they can win Sunday and Thursday. 5-4 going into the Monday Nighter in Buffalo would be a lot of fun.

"You know what? We talked about that [playing Shaun Rogers at fullback] a little bit," coach Romeo Crennel disclosed on Wednesday.