The Song Remains the Same

Sooo.....  10 in a row again and 20 of 21.  The Cavs fall to the Suns 108-100.  Not that Phoenix is a cadre of world beaters (15-20), yet the Cavaliers playing anyone even to 81 after 3 is heartening.  Once again the lack of depth off the bench (Byron only played 8) and the absence of a go-to guy coming down the stretch became the Cavs undoing.  True to the commentators' quips the team burned the varnish off the floor in diving for loose balls and showing the scrappy hustle needed to win games given their stable of talent, but it was not enough.  Manny Harris scored a career high 26, JJ added 23 & 17, and only 11 turnovers were committed; these are positives.  If some of the unsung young talent can mature under fire then the second half of the season could be a glimpse into a bearable future.  For now 37% shooting and porous team defense block the road.  The 4th quarter was awash with bail-out fouls and poor rotation.  These dynamics shall return, it is only a question of when, and that #1 pick is a tantalizing peach waiting to be plucked.  The top of the draft is still muddled, but I'm a-ok with Sullinger or Kyrie Irving.  I'll have to look into this Perry Jones cat...

Try to dig the vid and ignore the classly soundtrack.


Cheers

Adding Injury to Insult

Andy's done for the season with a a torn tendon in his right ankle. Some seasons are dreams; this is a nightmare. It would be difficult to imagine any scenario more disheartening for Cavaliers fans than what has actually occurred. The 7-9 start raised our hopes to near mythic level. Could we actually win without LeBrat? Answer? A resounding NO! 19 of 20 kids, the Cavs have lost 19 of their last 20 games. Now the future becomes considerably more bleak, not so much because Varejao in unavailable to play, but rather due to the fact that he can no longer fetch any trade return to help Dan Gilbert et al build to the future. At this point I cannot begin to imagine what comes next. Given that Arizona thing, I'm waiting for someone to nuke the Q. Hi Homeland! ugh.

Grace Potter and the Goblet of Rock

G'head and pick your favorite.











GPN will cover just about anything.

Cheers.

Any Given Saturday

Seahawks 41, Saints 36.  

So much for being 11 point dogs (the biggest for a home playoff team in NFL history), go shock the world 'Hawks.  This is why they play the games.  I feel as if I'm channeling 30 years of Browns frustration through Seattle.  As irrational as it is, I am so familiar the deluge of shit that Cinderella getting the slipper would give me the taurine to withstand the next storm.  I'd love for them to roll every one of these NFC pretenders right out of the door on their way to donkey punching Brady or Roethlisberger in the Super Bowl.



Cheers.

Pretty Girl 01.09.11 - Vanessa Lengies

I love you in Waiting..., but, c'mon darlin', I need some more skin.  You're killin' me.

MVotD - Tara MacLean - If I Fall

Something about this just makes me smile.  Either she reminds me of something that I miss desperately or it's the way her hand looks around the mic.  ;-j

Cheers.

Pretty Girl 01.08.11 - Katie Holmes

We miss you, Katie. I'm gonna go download The Gift.

Pretty Girl 01.07.11 - Jane Krakowski

And the original life-size Barbie.  See if you can spot her in Vacation.

Viking Quest

Your Cleveland State Vikings are 16-1, 4-0 in the Horizon Conference.  Tonight they travel to historic Hinkle Field House to take on reigning national runner-up Butler (10-5, 2-1) at 7p.  CSU is gaining nationwide recognition ranking 27th in the most recent RPI and within the top 40 in both polls.  A few of names for you -

Norris Cole leads the pack for conference player of the year averaging 21 points, 5 boards and 5 dimes while shooting 85% from the line.  Kid is a semi-finalist for the Bob Cousy award as the nation's best point guard.

Former Kent State head man Gary Waters led CSU to 21 wins in his 2nd season, the second round of the NCAA tourney in his 3rd and now, in his 5th year, is steering perhaps the grandest Viking ship ever.

Cleveland State could get even better towards the end of the month when 6'4" senior D'Aundray Brown returns form a hand injury.  It is still unclear whether Brown will take a medical redshirt, but he is on track to graduate at the end of the semester and his combination of production (8.6pts, 5.6rbs, 52%fg) and athleticism could push the Vikings over the top.

Waters gives much respect to his team's defense and the numbers back it up - opponents ppg 59.9 (29th of 366 teams), opponent fg% 39.0 (34th) and steals per game 8.9 (42nd).  Butler is suffering from inconsistency in the wake of losing Gordon Heyward to the NBA and CSU is primed for the deathblow.

To see if the Vikings can climb to the top of Horizon mountain, tune in to ESPNU or click here.

Harbaugh's Day's Night

Jim Harbaugh agrees to coach the 49ers on a 5-yr, $25mil deal.  This comes via ESPN's Adam Schefter.  Although dates have yet to be released, Harbaugh Bowl I will take place in Baltimore at some point next season as San Francisco visits John Harbaugh and the Ravens.  Andrew Luck's decision to return to Stanford for another year now seems even more bizzare.