The Browns could snake the argument for the most frustrating team, but that time is past us and we have a GM that knows what he is doing and players that are young, hungry and improving. On top of that, we have one of the best offensive lines in football, something that lacked for ever since I have watched the Browns.
The Cleveland Cavs though are one of the most incompetent organizations I've ever witnessed. This team would win right around 15 games if they did not have Lebron James. What if, blah blah blah, I know, but this I went to a website today that made me want to simply puke.
It lists all the Cleveland players salaries for the next 4 years.
Let's run down the list of notables that will cripple this franchise and send Lebron James to a professional organization.
1. First and foremost, Larry Hughes. He's making $12,000,000 to $13,655,000 over the next 3 years. He doesn't deserve to be a starter in the NBA. At best, he should be a bench player brought in for defense on the Bobcats or something. Yet we decided to sign this guy to a 6 year contract to build the base of our team. This website I found basically tells it all. It is also extremely funny and I will be frequenting this site.
http://heylarryhughespleasestoptakingsomanybadshots.com/
2. On the home page for the salaries, we reveal the Cavs have the fourth highest payroll in the league. Can't blame them for not spending money. When there is a problem in this country, we know the best way to handle it is to throw money at it from the right, left and center. (The last line is also a definition of why Democrats will probably lose the election because that's how we act. Although, I must say the Republicans have done a great job spending lots of money lately and cutting taxes. See definition of Budget constrain in an economics book.
G = b(g) + t
t = taxes
G= government expenditures
b(g)= debt
If G increases, t must either go up to keep the equation in tact or b(g) must increase. Those are government bonds. At least democrats don't vote to lower t.
t = taxes
G= government expenditures
b(g)= debt
If G increases, t must either go up to keep the equation in tact or b(g) must increase. Those are government bonds. At least democrats don't vote to lower t.
My point is that throwing money at the problem is not a great way to things in America. What problem did Larry Hughes solve with $12 million? How to spend the prize of the biggest main event in the World Series of Poker history on a player that makes the Cavs worse. If you didn't cheer quietly inside your head last year in the finals when Hughes was hurt, you aren't a real fan. The only other person I can remember Cleveland fans cheering for an injury is Tim Couch. Good company for Hughes.
3. Our fourth highest paid player is Eric Snow. (6.7 and 7.3 mill in the next two years). In the words of Bill Simmons, "if I had to bet my life on any NBA player to miss a 10 foot jumper, I would put up Eric Snow." That probably isn't a direct quote, but he altered my mailbag a little for literary effect.
4. Donyell Marshall is the sixth highest paid with $5.5-$6 mill over the next two years each. He's our third power forward if you aren't counting.
5. I'm really fine with the rest of the salaries except, I do not see a need to resign Damon Jones at another $4 million a year. The problem with our salaries is that they are so inflated everywhere else that I just shrug off $4 million for a guard that hasn't been able to shoot until the last 5 games and still is the biggest defensive liability on the team. But hey, at least he made the game winning shot two years ago against Washington. You can't say that for Larry Hughes who actually did miss a wide open 3 foot jumper in game 2 versus Detroit last year that almost got me grounded by my mom for swearing in my house. (I no longer live at home with my parents)
6. Daniel Gibson is getting paid $600,000. Please resign him to a 6 year contract. We need to make a statement that we actually like good players that can shoot. He did it on the biggest stage too. If we let him go, then we can kiss Lebron James officially good bye. I'm just worried that we aren't going to have that much room in our cap to give him a fair price. I mean if I was making less money than Larry Hughes and I actually made shots, I would start missing them to see if they would pay me more.
7. It really appears that we have salaries locked up hard until at least next year. I don't expect any big moves because no one wants our overpaid old players like Snow and Marshall and no one wants Larry Hughes for even .10 on the dollar.
The future looks bleak. Unless we make a splash in the free agent market or Ferry pulls some miracle move that creates some sort of neat trade, I'm afraid we are stuck with Lebron without a strong supporting cast. I know we made the finals last year, but we then pulled the most embarrassing performance of any finals team in history. I don't want that to happen because the future greatest player to ever have lived deserves better than that. My prediction is that after he picks up his player option in 4 years, he rides it high all the way to some other team that has management actually fit for a King.
Until then, enjoy moments like this.
3. Our fourth highest paid player is Eric Snow. (6.7 and 7.3 mill in the next two years). In the words of Bill Simmons, "if I had to bet my life on any NBA player to miss a 10 foot jumper, I would put up Eric Snow." That probably isn't a direct quote, but he altered my mailbag a little for literary effect.
4. Donyell Marshall is the sixth highest paid with $5.5-$6 mill over the next two years each. He's our third power forward if you aren't counting.
5. I'm really fine with the rest of the salaries except, I do not see a need to resign Damon Jones at another $4 million a year. The problem with our salaries is that they are so inflated everywhere else that I just shrug off $4 million for a guard that hasn't been able to shoot until the last 5 games and still is the biggest defensive liability on the team. But hey, at least he made the game winning shot two years ago against Washington. You can't say that for Larry Hughes who actually did miss a wide open 3 foot jumper in game 2 versus Detroit last year that almost got me grounded by my mom for swearing in my house. (I no longer live at home with my parents)
6. Daniel Gibson is getting paid $600,000. Please resign him to a 6 year contract. We need to make a statement that we actually like good players that can shoot. He did it on the biggest stage too. If we let him go, then we can kiss Lebron James officially good bye. I'm just worried that we aren't going to have that much room in our cap to give him a fair price. I mean if I was making less money than Larry Hughes and I actually made shots, I would start missing them to see if they would pay me more.
7. It really appears that we have salaries locked up hard until at least next year. I don't expect any big moves because no one wants our overpaid old players like Snow and Marshall and no one wants Larry Hughes for even .10 on the dollar.
The future looks bleak. Unless we make a splash in the free agent market or Ferry pulls some miracle move that creates some sort of neat trade, I'm afraid we are stuck with Lebron without a strong supporting cast. I know we made the finals last year, but we then pulled the most embarrassing performance of any finals team in history. I don't want that to happen because the future greatest player to ever have lived deserves better than that. My prediction is that after he picks up his player option in 4 years, he rides it high all the way to some other team that has management actually fit for a King.
Until then, enjoy moments like this.
6 comments:
#3, really worked for you, especially the last sentence.
What exactly am I supposed to be seeing in that video? The move or the missed free throw? All two points in the end.
Your points are well taken about the Cavaliers. BUT, we are the
hottest team in the NBA (8-1 for 2008) and have the a top 2 player in the league. Yes, Larry Hughes does not deserve $12m per year, but that is what had to be done in 2005.
If you remember, LeBron's rookie contract was coming to an end and we needed to make a splash in free agency with all the cap room that former GM Jim Paxson made for Danny Ferry. The top 3 guards on the market were Ray Allen, Michael Redd, and Larry Hughes. With Dan Gilbert already signing Coach Mike Brown before picking Ferry as GM, the Cavs knew that they were going to be a defense-first team (the Detroit/San Antonio way, who were the previous 2 champions.)
So here is how Ferry, along with Brown and the players, saw it:
-- Ray Allen is not a good on the ball defender and was one injury away from being an overpaid jumpshooter who would wear out his welcome.
-- Michael Redd was a "Larry Bird" rule player, meaning his current team had the ability to pay him much more money (20% or thereabouts) than any other team. Milwaukee, wisely, gave him the maximum contract and there was no way for Redd to leave that much money on the table.
REMEMBER... EVERYONE IN CLEVELAND WANTS TO MAKE A BIG SPLASH TO GET LEBRON TO STAY....
-- Larry Hughes was the next option. Though injury-prone, in 05-06 he averaged like 22ppg, 5rpg, 5apg, and 2 steals for Washington, along with great defense, a staple of a Mike Brown team. Seemed like the perfect fit for the Cavs. Even the pther players told Ferry they wanted him! But the Cavs had to offer much more than WSH to pry him away, hence the $12m annually.
I have no problem with the contract he has because that is what it cost to "make a splash" in 2005. He is playing out of position at PG and seemed to forget that he is a slashing type guard, not a spot shooter. This team is fine, especially since Varejao came back, and will contend in the East. I expect a trip back to the Eastern Finals, where they might not have enough to beat Boston. This team is on the right path and with #23, anything is possible.
Hey Coach...This has been my first week of blogging and after getting into Keith's Kardiac Korner, I figured I'd check yours out. I really like your wide range of topics and your assessment of the future state of the Cavs, and Cleveland sports for that matter. Anytime you have what could be the best player in the history of your sport, you should be the most promising team in your city. Unfortunately we took King James, tied some cinder blocks to his feet (Hughes, Z, Marshall, and Snow) and dumped him in the middle of Lake Erie.
Currently I think the Tribe is the best team in Cleveland and should be the most promising based on their depth in the starting rotation and the back end of their bull pen. While our offense has been streaky, on the Tribe every hitter in the lineup has demonstrated the ability to carry the team to victory. You can't say that for every member of the Cavs. In fact, I would go as far as to say that most people in Cleveland would rather have Casey Blake pulling up to take a game winning jumper than Larry Hughes. So why can't a team with the reigning Cy Young winner, saves leader, a 96mph sinker (Carmona), a lineup where anyone can be the hero, and of course, Ed Harris (Paul Byrd) be the most promising team in Cleveland. The Detroit Tigers. After trading Eminem and a copy of 8-Mile for Dontrelle Willis and Miquel Cabrara, then signing both to long term deals, they have joined New York and Boston as one of the best teams money can buy. We play in a division, and a league for that matter, where if you do everything right, develop talent into award winning All-stars, and win 95 games a year, you might not even be able to play for a championship because 3 teams use other major league clubs as their personal farm systems.
Where am I going with this. I basically want to agree with you in that throwing good money after bad doesn't win championships (or elections you far left loon). I give credit to the Tribe for holding firm and not giving the farm away for high priced talent. Had Danny Ferry been running the team, I am sure we would have been in the sweepstakes for some aging hurler at the tune of $28 million a year who is a steroid controversy away from retirement (not trying to name names here). I'd rather go down with an underpaid group of home grown ball players than an overpaid disappointment, covered head to toe in tattoos, with apparently no tolerance for pain?
Ice, while I frequently agree with you I never would have thought that I would live to call the Browns the most promising team in Cleveland. In the NFL the salary cap with the ability to cut players has clearly leveled the playing field. While Lebron and the Cavs have cinder blocks chained to their feet, the Browns have a set of flippers and a pair of floaties (Brady Quinn and DA) just in case. Through some wise investments and proper management, the Browns have a legit chance to bring home a championship. In a league where anything can happen, and the teams decide it on the field, look for the Browns to win a Super Bowl long before the Tribe or the Cavs.
I am not going to write a novel like broda or dave but I did tear up from laughing so hard about you getting grounded. Cheryl is the best!!!!!! Actually second best. Shrub is first.
One thing about the bad players contracts is that teams will take these contracts on when they have a year or so left. The way the salary cap works in the NBA is that players value is almost based more on their contract and amount of time left on it rather then their overall ability. For example a team like Philly is looking to move Andre Miller simply to clear cap space to rebuild their team. If we could give them some expiring contracts (i dont even think they would care that much about the quality of the players) it would allow them to clear cap space this summer after the contracts expire and make a splash in the free agent market.
Post a Comment