This was supposed to be a magical month for music.
My wife and I are fans of American Idol, and this past year we were big fans of James Durbin. We thought his voice and his music stylings were just awesome. Obviously, before him, we were big fans of Chris Daughtry. My favorite band in the world is the Finnish symphonic metal outfit: Nightwish.
All three released albums in November. At the beginning of the month I was about as excited as I get about music.
So now that it has all dropped, I get to respond...
I expected more of the same from Daughtry, and he did not disappoint. The album is solid. A few of the songs will probably slide into the top 40.
Durbin's album is not good. I was expecting a metal anthem album that crossed Skid Row with 30 Seconds to Mars. What we got is Michael Bolton crossed with Bon Jovi. Several of the songs are actually painful listening. The lyrics are trite, the music is simplistic, and the vocals are uninspired. I was very disappointed after we had leveled such high expectations on him.
Durbin probably deserves a pass because this is his first album. I mean, he can only get better, right? I had no reservations about Nightwish. They are incredible. Dark Passion Play had several five-star tracks and the entire album was a solid offering. The band members were saying that the latest album, Imaginaerum, was like Dark Passion Play times six!
So I downloaded the album. I listened. At first I tried to convince myself that it wasn't too bad, then I made excuses, then reality set in.
Imaginaerum sucks.
There's really nothing else to say. Half the songs make me cringe. There are three songs on the 13 track album that I will never listen to again, and even the couple that aren't horrible, reek of familiar riffs and vocal styling. There were several sections that were lifted right from other songs, and I'm not talking about the compliation track that revists all the themes of this lamest of albums.
What should have been a great month of music turned into a dud. At least I don't have to fight with my kids when we're driving somewhere. After all...Veggie Tales songs aren't bad at all...
Friday, December 2, 2011
Monday, September 12, 2011
Browns Woes
Every year at this time, I get excited about football. It really doesn't matter which team is playing, I just love good football. Unfortunately, "my team" is the Browns. Which means I've seen very little good football over the past 11 years.
I had very high hopes going into the opening game of 2011. Their opponent was a cream puff, they were unveiling a new and improved offense, and they had played well in the preseason.
It didn't matter.
On offense, they looked just as wretched as they've normally looked over the past 11 years. It's not just poor execution. It's bad offense. Bad offense is when you call a play that has no chance of succeeding. It's the equivalent of running up the middle when the defense is in man-coverage with all eleven players stacked at the line of scrimmage. I'm used to seeing this defense, because Baltimore and Pittsburgh use it against us all the time. It's the dare to throw the ball deep. Apparently, we still have no idea how to do that.
The bad offense was exacerbated by the many mental mistakes that added up to 11 penalties, and the execution mistakes that resulted in poor blocking and dropped passes. The defense played well until they decided to stop playing in the fourth quarter when it really mattered, and the rookie punter put the defense into huge holes with three really bad kicks.
Aside from all the bad, the absolute worst aspect of that game was the "analysis" of color commentator Solomon Wilcots. If I was that bad at my job I would have been fired years and years ago. How this moron has managed to keep his job over season after season of verifiable ineptitude is a travesty the NFL should correct.
In watching the game with my friends, I took to correcting Solomon's verbal mistakes. It got so bad, we were more frustrated by his comments then we were with the Browns.
Because Solomon is at the bottom rung of the NFL's color commentators, and because the Browns are at the bottom rung of the teams in the NFL, they will be matched up frequently. So, I have another season of woefully inept play and woefully inept commentating to look forward to.
I really wish I grew up in Green Bay or Boston.
I had very high hopes going into the opening game of 2011. Their opponent was a cream puff, they were unveiling a new and improved offense, and they had played well in the preseason.
It didn't matter.
On offense, they looked just as wretched as they've normally looked over the past 11 years. It's not just poor execution. It's bad offense. Bad offense is when you call a play that has no chance of succeeding. It's the equivalent of running up the middle when the defense is in man-coverage with all eleven players stacked at the line of scrimmage. I'm used to seeing this defense, because Baltimore and Pittsburgh use it against us all the time. It's the dare to throw the ball deep. Apparently, we still have no idea how to do that.
The bad offense was exacerbated by the many mental mistakes that added up to 11 penalties, and the execution mistakes that resulted in poor blocking and dropped passes. The defense played well until they decided to stop playing in the fourth quarter when it really mattered, and the rookie punter put the defense into huge holes with three really bad kicks.
Aside from all the bad, the absolute worst aspect of that game was the "analysis" of color commentator Solomon Wilcots. If I was that bad at my job I would have been fired years and years ago. How this moron has managed to keep his job over season after season of verifiable ineptitude is a travesty the NFL should correct.
In watching the game with my friends, I took to correcting Solomon's verbal mistakes. It got so bad, we were more frustrated by his comments then we were with the Browns.
Because Solomon is at the bottom rung of the NFL's color commentators, and because the Browns are at the bottom rung of the teams in the NFL, they will be matched up frequently. So, I have another season of woefully inept play and woefully inept commentating to look forward to.
I really wish I grew up in Green Bay or Boston.
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
Throes of Editing
I frequently get asked how my book is coming along. I'm grateful that people want to know and genuinely care about my progress. I am happy to say that it is coming along.
In an earlier post, I wrote that I'd learned that editing wasn't just a step, but an entire flight of stairs in the proverbial climb to writing a book. That is all too true. I mentioned that a former English professor and friend, Kathe was going to edit my book. This has not occurred. She is quite busy, and by novel is not small, and a marvelous thing interrupted the process.
I have an agent.
That's right. Count me among the fortunate few to have found an agent. But Paul is in many ways much better than just an agent. He's also become a marvelous friend. Even though he doesn't read fantasy, he agreed to edit my book. He also started reading fantasy to find out what it's all about and see if he couldn't learn some new tricks.
Turns out writing is pretty much writing. The same editing principles apply to the fantasy genre as apply to any other genre. His lack of experience in the genre has led to me questioning many of the elements that are acceptable in the genre. For example, almost every fantasy novel I've ever read is filled with description--much of it needless. If a sentence isn't absolutely essential, Paul is right there to challenge me to find a shorter way of communicating the same. He's also showed me the power of word choices (especially verbs) and pointed out grammatical mistakes I repeatedly make. But editing is much more than fixing grammatical errors. It's about making the book better.
I recently let my 17 year old brother read the book. The first 15 chapters have been heavily edited in this style while the rest was still on the last version. He noticed the difference. He said the first section flowed better than the later parts. He couldn't say exactly why it was different, only that he noticed.
Editing in this way takes a long time. I think it's actually harder to edit my book than it was to write it. But I'm pressing on. I'll leave you with this example:
This is the opening to Chapter 14 Version 6 (65 words):
Daeden slipped down the dark alley, careful to make little noise. The air stank from the piles of refuse, and the grime on the walls made his hands hesitant, but he pressed himself through the narrow opening and shot through a door, only to wait in the abandoned shack a moment before doubling back and passing the very walls whose grime now stained his clothes.
Here is Version 7 of the same section (56 words):
Verithor Daeden made little noise as he stole down the dark alley. The air stank and the grime on the walls made his hands hesitant, but he squeezed through a narrow breach to hide in an abandoned shack, waiting only a moment before doubling back and passing the very walls whose grime now stained his clothes.
I don't know if the new version is perfect, but it's better. First, it's shorter. It's 13% shorter than the original. If I cut 13% out of my Version 6 manuscript then the book goes from 162,000 words to 141,000 words. That's a really big jump in the right direction. Paul would be really excited if I can get it down to 120,000 words. I don't think that's happening, but the closer the better. Next, there are better verbs in V7. Stole and squeezed are just a little more clear than slipped and pressed. Finally, there are five breaks in V7 compared to seven in V6. Breaks are pauses in the flow of the narrative. You must have pauses, but many times those pauses can slow down the pace unnecessarily. Breaks are often characterized by periods, commas and the word and when it is connecting two phrases.
Those are the kinds of changes that I'm painstakingly making throughout my entire manuscript. This isn't a guarantee that I'll get published. But I'm hoping it's another step in the right direction.
In an earlier post, I wrote that I'd learned that editing wasn't just a step, but an entire flight of stairs in the proverbial climb to writing a book. That is all too true. I mentioned that a former English professor and friend, Kathe was going to edit my book. This has not occurred. She is quite busy, and by novel is not small, and a marvelous thing interrupted the process.
I have an agent.
That's right. Count me among the fortunate few to have found an agent. But Paul is in many ways much better than just an agent. He's also become a marvelous friend. Even though he doesn't read fantasy, he agreed to edit my book. He also started reading fantasy to find out what it's all about and see if he couldn't learn some new tricks.
Turns out writing is pretty much writing. The same editing principles apply to the fantasy genre as apply to any other genre. His lack of experience in the genre has led to me questioning many of the elements that are acceptable in the genre. For example, almost every fantasy novel I've ever read is filled with description--much of it needless. If a sentence isn't absolutely essential, Paul is right there to challenge me to find a shorter way of communicating the same. He's also showed me the power of word choices (especially verbs) and pointed out grammatical mistakes I repeatedly make. But editing is much more than fixing grammatical errors. It's about making the book better.
I recently let my 17 year old brother read the book. The first 15 chapters have been heavily edited in this style while the rest was still on the last version. He noticed the difference. He said the first section flowed better than the later parts. He couldn't say exactly why it was different, only that he noticed.
Editing in this way takes a long time. I think it's actually harder to edit my book than it was to write it. But I'm pressing on. I'll leave you with this example:
This is the opening to Chapter 14 Version 6 (65 words):
Daeden slipped down the dark alley, careful to make little noise. The air stank from the piles of refuse, and the grime on the walls made his hands hesitant, but he pressed himself through the narrow opening and shot through a door, only to wait in the abandoned shack a moment before doubling back and passing the very walls whose grime now stained his clothes.
Here is Version 7 of the same section (56 words):
Verithor Daeden made little noise as he stole down the dark alley. The air stank and the grime on the walls made his hands hesitant, but he squeezed through a narrow breach to hide in an abandoned shack, waiting only a moment before doubling back and passing the very walls whose grime now stained his clothes.
I don't know if the new version is perfect, but it's better. First, it's shorter. It's 13% shorter than the original. If I cut 13% out of my Version 6 manuscript then the book goes from 162,000 words to 141,000 words. That's a really big jump in the right direction. Paul would be really excited if I can get it down to 120,000 words. I don't think that's happening, but the closer the better. Next, there are better verbs in V7. Stole and squeezed are just a little more clear than slipped and pressed. Finally, there are five breaks in V7 compared to seven in V6. Breaks are pauses in the flow of the narrative. You must have pauses, but many times those pauses can slow down the pace unnecessarily. Breaks are often characterized by periods, commas and the word and when it is connecting two phrases.
Those are the kinds of changes that I'm painstakingly making throughout my entire manuscript. This isn't a guarantee that I'll get published. But I'm hoping it's another step in the right direction.
Monday, June 13, 2011
LeBron's Weakness
He didn't quit.
Since the epic failure of the Cavaliers last season to finish off the Boston Celtics and advance in the Eastern Conference Playoffs, I've thought that LeBron, for whatever reason, gave up in the series.
I now know that it's not true.
The Cavs were up 2 to 1 against Boston and unmercifully handed them the worst playoff beating they'd ever received on their home court in game 3. The team was unstoppable and the Celtics where just another speed bump---just like the Chicago Bulls in the first round. Then the unthinkable happened. The Celtics won 3 in a row and closed the season on LeBron, and also his time in Cleveland. Sound familiar?
I remember those last few games very well. I remember Shaq working his aging butt off, trying to be the dominating player he was while he wore a Lakers uniform. He just couldn't make it happen. Mo Williams was jacking up contested threes, and LeBron stood in a corner, chewing on his fingernails.
Fast forward a year. Run past the Decision, the Celebration, the early year woes, the talk, and everything else, and one thing is very clear: LeBron James is the best player in the NBA. No other player, coach or team can stop LeBron. If LeBron wants it, it's his for the taking.
So why didn't he take it? In the waning minutes of games 5 and 6, when the chips were all down and it was up to the superstars to stake their claim to greatness, LeBron watched. In a very telling possession late in the 4th quarter of game 6, the Heat were down (but not out, yet) and they were flying around the offensive end trying to get a good shot. The Mavs double and triple teamed Wade, forcing the ball out of his hands. Twice in the possession, the ball landed in James's hands outside the three point line. A defender rushed toward him, but otherwise, he was open. The LeBron that I know from watching Cavs games for the last 5 years would have bull-rushed his way to the rim for an And-1. This Lebron instantly flicked the ball away, not to a wide-open Bosh for a jump shot, not to a cutting Wade for a dunk, but to a covered Mario Chalmers. What? One time is perhaps understandable. Twice? In the final minutes, the Mavs didn't bother defending LeBron. He stood behind the three point line chewing his finger nails.
The producers at ABC ran some video at the half showing scenes from the series. One of the scenes was of LeBron sitting in the training room, getting taped up. He wore his usual jovial expression and playfully talked to the camera. "When you look across the room and you see a Finals MVP, and a perennial All-Star, you have to like your chances." It seemed LeBron was adopting that faux humility he dons when speaking to a crowd, but now that admission has a depth of meaning that is clearly coming into focus.
LeBron has all the talent a person could ask for. He has size and strength and speed enough to make the very best in the NBA look childish in comparison.
What LeBron lacks is heart.
The greatest champions have heart equal to and often surpassing their physical tools. Dirk showed more heart and grit in these 6 games than James has shown in the sum of his entire career.
I said previously that for me LeBron's legacy was defined by an ill-conceived moment on TV where he wasn't even playing basketball. Now LeBron's legacy is summed up in a new image: one of him standing alone, behind the three point line, chewing his fingernails.
Since the epic failure of the Cavaliers last season to finish off the Boston Celtics and advance in the Eastern Conference Playoffs, I've thought that LeBron, for whatever reason, gave up in the series.
I now know that it's not true.
The Cavs were up 2 to 1 against Boston and unmercifully handed them the worst playoff beating they'd ever received on their home court in game 3. The team was unstoppable and the Celtics where just another speed bump---just like the Chicago Bulls in the first round. Then the unthinkable happened. The Celtics won 3 in a row and closed the season on LeBron, and also his time in Cleveland. Sound familiar?
I remember those last few games very well. I remember Shaq working his aging butt off, trying to be the dominating player he was while he wore a Lakers uniform. He just couldn't make it happen. Mo Williams was jacking up contested threes, and LeBron stood in a corner, chewing on his fingernails.
Fast forward a year. Run past the Decision, the Celebration, the early year woes, the talk, and everything else, and one thing is very clear: LeBron James is the best player in the NBA. No other player, coach or team can stop LeBron. If LeBron wants it, it's his for the taking.
So why didn't he take it? In the waning minutes of games 5 and 6, when the chips were all down and it was up to the superstars to stake their claim to greatness, LeBron watched. In a very telling possession late in the 4th quarter of game 6, the Heat were down (but not out, yet) and they were flying around the offensive end trying to get a good shot. The Mavs double and triple teamed Wade, forcing the ball out of his hands. Twice in the possession, the ball landed in James's hands outside the three point line. A defender rushed toward him, but otherwise, he was open. The LeBron that I know from watching Cavs games for the last 5 years would have bull-rushed his way to the rim for an And-1. This Lebron instantly flicked the ball away, not to a wide-open Bosh for a jump shot, not to a cutting Wade for a dunk, but to a covered Mario Chalmers. What? One time is perhaps understandable. Twice? In the final minutes, the Mavs didn't bother defending LeBron. He stood behind the three point line chewing his finger nails.
The producers at ABC ran some video at the half showing scenes from the series. One of the scenes was of LeBron sitting in the training room, getting taped up. He wore his usual jovial expression and playfully talked to the camera. "When you look across the room and you see a Finals MVP, and a perennial All-Star, you have to like your chances." It seemed LeBron was adopting that faux humility he dons when speaking to a crowd, but now that admission has a depth of meaning that is clearly coming into focus.
LeBron has all the talent a person could ask for. He has size and strength and speed enough to make the very best in the NBA look childish in comparison.
What LeBron lacks is heart.
The greatest champions have heart equal to and often surpassing their physical tools. Dirk showed more heart and grit in these 6 games than James has shown in the sum of his entire career.
I said previously that for me LeBron's legacy was defined by an ill-conceived moment on TV where he wasn't even playing basketball. Now LeBron's legacy is summed up in a new image: one of him standing alone, behind the three point line, chewing his fingernails.
Friday, March 11, 2011
For Real: Basketball Roles
In view of all the talk about how Lebron and Wade aren't mixing well on the court, I thought I'd share my opinion of what components make a great basketball team. Incidentally, this works extremely well when applied to the Boston Celtics and San Antonio Spurs.
There are only 2 positions on defense: post defender and wing defender. There's no real reason to go deeper then that. Positions really only matter on the offensive side of the ball.
I have changed the word "position" to the word "role". Mainly because the perceived position (center, guard, forward) actually doesn't tell us much. It is the role of the player that matters. These roles are not mutually exclusive and one player may be able to handle multiple roles.
Role #1: Dude with the ball. Every team needs Dude with the ball. He's the facilitator. His job is to create good shots for his teammates. (Rajon Rondo, Tony Parker)
Role #2: Slasher, scorer guy. He creates his own shot going from the wing toward the basket. Maybe it's a stop and pop, maybe it's a complete drive. But when the ball is in his hands, he's expected to create a shot. (Paul Pierce, Manu Ginobli)
Role #3: Post threat guy. Expected to receive the ball in the post and create a good shot from that position. This one is technique and footwork, or sheer size and power. (Kevin Garnet, Tim Duncan)
Role #4: Spot up shooter guy. The ball is in his hands for half a second. He's doesn't create, he shoots. Get ball, shoot ball. (Ray Allen, Manu Ginobli)
Role #5: Defensive stopper guy. "What?" you ask. That's right. Defensive stopper guy. He's the guy who is out there because he makes his impact on the defensive end of the floor. On offense, he's little more than an extra ref. No offensive plays are called for him. Basically, you hope he doens't touch the ball unless it's for a dunk. (Kendrick Perkins used to be that guy for Boston. Ben Wallace was the king of this position.)
Breaking down the Heat:
Lebron: Dude with the ball.
Wade: Dude with the ball.
Bibby: Spot up shooter guy (but he's dead, so he really just takes up space)
Bosh: 1/2 Post threat guy, 1/2 slasher scorer guy
Z: takes up space
Dampier: takes up space
Miller: 1/2 slasher scorer guy, 1/2 takes up space
Anthony: 1/2 Defensive stopper guy, 1/2 takes up space
Chalmers: I don't think he thinks in terms of what he's supposed to do. I think he's there as an on-court cheerleader.
So there you have it. They have Lebron and Wade who play the same position and don't know how to do anything else, Bosh who can't decide if he's post threat guy, or slasher scorer guy, and a bunch of players who could play corpses at a funeral.
Sheer athleticism allows them to compete at a high defensive level, but their offense is a train wreck. And I can't look away!
There are only 2 positions on defense: post defender and wing defender. There's no real reason to go deeper then that. Positions really only matter on the offensive side of the ball.
I have changed the word "position" to the word "role". Mainly because the perceived position (center, guard, forward) actually doesn't tell us much. It is the role of the player that matters. These roles are not mutually exclusive and one player may be able to handle multiple roles.
Role #1: Dude with the ball. Every team needs Dude with the ball. He's the facilitator. His job is to create good shots for his teammates. (Rajon Rondo, Tony Parker)
Role #2: Slasher, scorer guy. He creates his own shot going from the wing toward the basket. Maybe it's a stop and pop, maybe it's a complete drive. But when the ball is in his hands, he's expected to create a shot. (Paul Pierce, Manu Ginobli)
Role #3: Post threat guy. Expected to receive the ball in the post and create a good shot from that position. This one is technique and footwork, or sheer size and power. (Kevin Garnet, Tim Duncan)
Role #4: Spot up shooter guy. The ball is in his hands for half a second. He's doesn't create, he shoots. Get ball, shoot ball. (Ray Allen, Manu Ginobli)
Role #5: Defensive stopper guy. "What?" you ask. That's right. Defensive stopper guy. He's the guy who is out there because he makes his impact on the defensive end of the floor. On offense, he's little more than an extra ref. No offensive plays are called for him. Basically, you hope he doens't touch the ball unless it's for a dunk. (Kendrick Perkins used to be that guy for Boston. Ben Wallace was the king of this position.)
Breaking down the Heat:
Lebron: Dude with the ball.
Wade: Dude with the ball.
Bibby: Spot up shooter guy (but he's dead, so he really just takes up space)
Bosh: 1/2 Post threat guy, 1/2 slasher scorer guy
Z: takes up space
Dampier: takes up space
Miller: 1/2 slasher scorer guy, 1/2 takes up space
Anthony: 1/2 Defensive stopper guy, 1/2 takes up space
Chalmers: I don't think he thinks in terms of what he's supposed to do. I think he's there as an on-court cheerleader.
So there you have it. They have Lebron and Wade who play the same position and don't know how to do anything else, Bosh who can't decide if he's post threat guy, or slasher scorer guy, and a bunch of players who could play corpses at a funeral.
Sheer athleticism allows them to compete at a high defensive level, but their offense is a train wreck. And I can't look away!
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
The Sound of Madness
We barely hear the sounds that constantly assault us. We live in a placid mash of suppressed cacophony.
They tarry and scoot and are so numerous we can only catch them like water. There are cries of joy and pain, groans, squeals, laughter and shouts. We’ll work hard to hear people laugh, and just as hard to stop them from crying. Unless you are deaf, you probably have no conception of just how much sound governs our lives.
Of course, there are sounds, and there are sounds. Some are just noise—the background music of the daily grind, while others define the moment. Some sounds are worth so much, you’d spend whatever it takes just to join in. These are sounds worth waiting for.
Once a year we hear these sounds. Once a year there is a shear two weeks were every sound is triumph or agony. Thousands of roars. The thunder of a thousand feet stomping madly. The hush of strained anticipation. The crush of looming inevitability.
Once a year we turn our attention to a sound that lacks pretense and definition. It births a single victor amidst a sea of 63 losers. It is the sound of passion. It is the sound of determination. It is the sound of madness!
Friday, February 18, 2011
Poetry Friday
Journey’s End
Through closed eyes the doorway beckons
And the veil parts above the petal strewn ground.
It’s too late for more goodbyes.
There was only this one wanting moment.
Where goes the struggles and the fight?
Is there a city where love and pain nestles
In a marriage of discarded purpose and reason?
On white cushions, tracked by years carved
By tears and smiles, lies a map to a soul.
Sleep softly, the journey is done.
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Love Letter to Lebron #3
Dear LeBron,
I fully admit--I was drinking the Koolaid.
Everything about the Cavs seemed to be great, and they were indeed great--winning more games than any other team in the NBA for two seasons, and enjoying five consecutive years of playoffs. Except that they weren't great. You were great, LeBron, and that is were the greatness ended.
I previously wrote about how sad I was that you left. I then wrote about how you could fix your tarnished image with the fans of the NBA. Now I write to say that, while I still don't agree with the manner in which you did it, your decision to go and play in Miami was absolutely the right choice.
The supporting cast you left behind in Cleveland is good enough to be the absolute worst club in all the NBA. I don't even need to dress this ugly monster up. Their record speaks for itself. Is there one player on the Cavs team that would start for any team in the NBA that is over .500? It's really easy to argue no.
Your former coach Mike Brown is a commentator on the NBA channel. He couldn't even land a gig on ESPN or TNT, let alone another head coaching job. From the top down, this organization is run much the same way you run your marketing team. It's a rich guy who's great at something else, handing out jobs and responsibilities to buddies and taking far too much bad advice.
I guess I should have realized this when Gilbert unceremoniously dumped Michael Reghi from the TV announcer chair in favor of his former roommate. I could have seen it again when faced with millions of dollars in free cap space, Danny Ferry, who had no executive experience whatsoever, used all of it to secure long-term deals with aging players that the didn't fit. Or the relentless drive to get every old and busted former star currently playing in the vain hope that you wouldn't know they were grasping at straws.
But the worst was the hiring of Mike Brown. I hated it when it happened, and I still hate it. You don't take the most gifted offensive player of his generation and team him with a defensive-minded rookie head coach. That was just unforgivable. The talking heads in studios treated the Cleveland offense like the laughable plod it was. Charles Barkley was especially funny about it. I used to hate hearing them say it. I used to argue that it wasn't that bad. Oh yes. It was that bad. Their offense was basically: throw it to LeBron and let him do something.
Wade, Bosh and you are starting to gel. The Heat still lack an effective center. Z is too immobile to play the up-tempo style that suits the rest of you, and that might result in some problems in the playoffs, but you are the most exciting team in basketball, and a pleasure to watch.
Right now I feel like smacking Dan Gilbert upside the head. That could have been the Cavs. If he'd have known what he was doing. Instead of getting young guys to fly around with you, we got Shaq and Ben Wallace--five years after they'd played their best basketball. Now the Cavs are the worst team in the NBA, and there's really only one person to blame.
I fully admit--I was drinking the Koolaid.
Everything about the Cavs seemed to be great, and they were indeed great--winning more games than any other team in the NBA for two seasons, and enjoying five consecutive years of playoffs. Except that they weren't great. You were great, LeBron, and that is were the greatness ended.
I previously wrote about how sad I was that you left. I then wrote about how you could fix your tarnished image with the fans of the NBA. Now I write to say that, while I still don't agree with the manner in which you did it, your decision to go and play in Miami was absolutely the right choice.
The supporting cast you left behind in Cleveland is good enough to be the absolute worst club in all the NBA. I don't even need to dress this ugly monster up. Their record speaks for itself. Is there one player on the Cavs team that would start for any team in the NBA that is over .500? It's really easy to argue no.
Your former coach Mike Brown is a commentator on the NBA channel. He couldn't even land a gig on ESPN or TNT, let alone another head coaching job. From the top down, this organization is run much the same way you run your marketing team. It's a rich guy who's great at something else, handing out jobs and responsibilities to buddies and taking far too much bad advice.
I guess I should have realized this when Gilbert unceremoniously dumped Michael Reghi from the TV announcer chair in favor of his former roommate. I could have seen it again when faced with millions of dollars in free cap space, Danny Ferry, who had no executive experience whatsoever, used all of it to secure long-term deals with aging players that the didn't fit. Or the relentless drive to get every old and busted former star currently playing in the vain hope that you wouldn't know they were grasping at straws.
But the worst was the hiring of Mike Brown. I hated it when it happened, and I still hate it. You don't take the most gifted offensive player of his generation and team him with a defensive-minded rookie head coach. That was just unforgivable. The talking heads in studios treated the Cleveland offense like the laughable plod it was. Charles Barkley was especially funny about it. I used to hate hearing them say it. I used to argue that it wasn't that bad. Oh yes. It was that bad. Their offense was basically: throw it to LeBron and let him do something.
Wade, Bosh and you are starting to gel. The Heat still lack an effective center. Z is too immobile to play the up-tempo style that suits the rest of you, and that might result in some problems in the playoffs, but you are the most exciting team in basketball, and a pleasure to watch.
Right now I feel like smacking Dan Gilbert upside the head. That could have been the Cavs. If he'd have known what he was doing. Instead of getting young guys to fly around with you, we got Shaq and Ben Wallace--five years after they'd played their best basketball. Now the Cavs are the worst team in the NBA, and there's really only one person to blame.
Monday, January 3, 2011
Time Flies... Or Does It?
You ever noticed how the older you get, the faster time seems to pass?
As we crest another year and plunge into a new one, I couldn't help but look back at a year that seemed to pass even faster then the last. As I looked in the rearview, I was stunned by how much happened. It was a year packed with new experiences, tired arguments, rote work, discoveries, costs, prayer and lack thereof, lots of TV, so many stories I started to lose track of what I read, software updates, charity, selfishness, birthday parties (almost every week, how does everyone I know have a birthday?? and why do they all need presents??) but that's just it, it's the people that we remember the most. Our experiences, good or bad, are almost always shared.
So here's what happened:
bought a car (2011 Sonata)
Blake had a drum performance for the ages
Ari had surgery on her tongue
Battleforge
Castle
The Cavs 2010 playoff push
The Decision (ugh)
Skillet
the cabin!
Kalahari with the Jr. High kids
90,000 words
editing
lots of visits with my grandmother (89)
P90X
joined a writing group
Beulah Beach
Cole's last
But the people of 2010 (new and reconnected)...
Ray
Kathe
Vera
Gloria
Dianah
Adrianne
Craig
Stu
Judy
Roxanna
Kelly
Rebecca
Scott
Chris
Paul
Jami
Eric
Melanie
Mark
...and the ones that have been there for so long...
Krista!!!
Blake, Avery and Ari
Charlene
Rick
Noelle
Lindsey
Abby
Luke
Jamie
Jim
Ted
...and everyone in between, they're the ones that made the year.
Yeah it seemed to go by fast, but looking back, so much happened. How'd I get so much crammed into one year? Would I like to go back and do it again? Heck no! 2011 is here, and I'm anxious to see what happens!
As we crest another year and plunge into a new one, I couldn't help but look back at a year that seemed to pass even faster then the last. As I looked in the rearview, I was stunned by how much happened. It was a year packed with new experiences, tired arguments, rote work, discoveries, costs, prayer and lack thereof, lots of TV, so many stories I started to lose track of what I read, software updates, charity, selfishness, birthday parties (almost every week, how does everyone I know have a birthday?? and why do they all need presents??) but that's just it, it's the people that we remember the most. Our experiences, good or bad, are almost always shared.
So here's what happened:
bought a car (2011 Sonata)
Blake had a drum performance for the ages
Ari had surgery on her tongue
Battleforge
Castle
The Cavs 2010 playoff push
The Decision (ugh)
Skillet
the cabin!
Kalahari with the Jr. High kids
90,000 words
editing
lots of visits with my grandmother (89)
P90X
joined a writing group
Beulah Beach
Cole's last
But the people of 2010 (new and reconnected)...
Ray
Kathe
Vera
Gloria
Dianah
Adrianne
Craig
Stu
Judy
Roxanna
Kelly
Rebecca
Scott
Chris
Paul
Jami
Eric
Melanie
Mark
...and the ones that have been there for so long...
Krista!!!
Blake, Avery and Ari
Charlene
Rick
Noelle
Lindsey
Abby
Luke
Jamie
Jim
Ted
...and everyone in between, they're the ones that made the year.
Yeah it seemed to go by fast, but looking back, so much happened. How'd I get so much crammed into one year? Would I like to go back and do it again? Heck no! 2011 is here, and I'm anxious to see what happens!
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