While We’re Waiting serves as the early morning gathering of WFNY-esque information for your viewing pleasure. Have something you think we should see? Send it to our tips email at tips@waitingfornextyear.com
Hopefully only growing pains: “No question damage has been and will continue to be done as his free agency plays out. Some say that they’ll never look at LeBron the same way after all of this; that LeBron’s relationship with Cavs fans is forever changed. Some even say they’ll be glad to see him go. But I’m still thinking about growing pains here. Sure, we’ll never look at LeBron the same way after all of this, just like a parents can never look at their 7-year old, then 14-year old, then 21-year old as the same perfect angel (s)he was when (s)he was a toddler. Things we know: Good judgment comes from experience. Experience comes from bad judgment. And every relationship has its ups and downs. No question the honeymoon is over between Cleveland and LeBron. Definitely call this a “down” period in the relationship.” [Pete/Cleveland Frowns]
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Honest assessment of minor league potential: “The Indians have quite a few older players performing well in this high minors this year. Some of these guys were formerly legitimate prospects who fell off the map because of injury or lack of performance, some of them are simply minor league vets putting together a great season. Given the questionable talent on Cleveland’s roster, and the questionable tenure of the talent that is there, it is worth sorting through some of these guys and evaluating whether any of them stand a shot of contributing in Cleveland.” [APV/Let's Go Tribe]
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O-Line shuffles continue: “In replacing Ghiaciuc, the team signed OG Paul Fanaika. At 6’5″ and 325 pounds, Fanakia was a seventh-round draft choice for the Philadelphia Eagles in 2009. He started off on the Eagles’ practice squad, but was picked off their practice squad in November 2009 when the Washington Redskins signed him. The Browns claimed him off waivers after the Redskins released him two days ago. According to his stats, it doesn’t look as though Fanaika played in any games. It is interesting to note that Fanaika was drafted by the Eagles when they had Tom Heckert. With the Browns working rookie Shawn Luavao at guard and center, Ghiaciuc was apparently expendable.” [Chris Pokorny/Dawgs by Nature]
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MoMass poised for a breakout year: “Massaquoi’s rookie numbers weren’t much to look at, but a few factors point to taking a big step in 2010. He is a hard worker who will put his ’09 experience to good use. He has a new quarterback, Delhomme, who shows a knack for getting him the ball. Fellow second-year receiver Brian Robiskie has had a strong spring and is ready to diffuse the pressure. ’(Massaquoi) has outstanding hands. You could see that last year, not always in the games, although he had some good ones, but … bunches of times at practice, he made just unbelievable catches. He makes good adjustments with his body. It’s really impressive when you watch his growth—route in, route out.’” [Sporting News]
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Dividing up the new Big Ten: “The Western division is fertile ground for nouveau rivalries, the Buckeyes would be free of a dreaded rematch with the Wolverines, and the states of Indiana and Michigan keep their in-state rivalries. Further, athletic department travel costs are kept down and fans have road trips that do not require an extra a day off of work in most cases (especially in the Eastern division). The problem with this setup is you now have the three traditional conference powers, Ohio State, Michigan and Penn State, in the same division (see the old Big 12 South). This is bad for a host of reasons (the fear of having lopsided games) and almost certainly a situation the Big Ten will not allow. So, the solution would seem simple: move one of the three to the other division. It can’t be Ohio State or Michigan, for the previously mentioned fear of seeing the teams play two games in a row to end the season.” [Jason/Eleven Warriors]
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Good GM’s being run off: “Sarver had decided, like Paul Allen, that the star GM — or at least too centralized a front office — might be a liability. Or at least not a clear-cut advantage when the name attached to it wasn’t Larry Harris. But there’s writing on them there walls, especially in a summer where free agents are arguably more important than team logic. That’s why you saw Danny Ferry leaving Cleveland, right before what should have been the most exciting months of his career. Or were they? Ferry tried to give James support as best he could. The same goes for Mike Brown. Maybe neither is perfect, but both proved extremely effective at their jobs. Now, they would come under intense scrutiny, however unfairly, for the simple fact that Cleveland didn’t go all the way. That artifical set of conditions was all about LeBron James’s presence. And it would only heighten in the run-up to July, to the point where Ferry would be second-guessed and undermined at every turn. Ferry would have had to land LeBron and at the same time, justify his resume to LeBron. If he made any other moves, they would be both more loaded than ever, and more monolithic. This isn’t what a resourceful general manager should spend his days doing. Is that so different from what Danny Ainge, 2008 Exective of the Year, did to win that title? Well, Ferry has more actual team-building chops (Ainge’s draft grabs didn’t add up on their own), has been more active, and presumably wants more out of his job than wooing single big names.” [Bethlehem Shoals/Fanhouse]
(AP Photo/Charles Krupa)