James cover shot causing controversy

A Vogue magazine cover photo featuring Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James has sparked controversy because of the NBA star’s pose.

The April issue cover, created by photographer Annie Leibovitz, has upset some fans who complain that James’ pose with supermodel Gisele Bundchen reinforces racial stereotypes by depicting the basketball star with a grimacing expression, WEWS-TV, Cleveland, reported Thursday.

WEWS said some have said the pose is reminiscent of King Kong.

“I didn’t want to bring up that point, but since you showed me that point, I totally agree with people that are upset about that particular picture,” said one Cavaliers fan.

James is the first black man to appear on the cover of the magazine, which has typically featured women on its cover in its 115 years of publication.
Source: UPI.COM

Drew Gooden Fits in Nicely

 In Chicago they are starting to feel better about Drew Gooden.  That is one thing most people always felt in Cleveland as well.  While drew could be inconsistent at times you usually could count on him for a double double.

The Daily Herald writes, that after being acquired from the Cleveland Cavaliers in February, Gooden struggled to find consistency through his first nine games with the Bulls. He had nights in which he would go for a double-double, but then he would follow it would with a single-digit performance.
Finally, though, the 6-foot-10, 250-pound Gooden appears to be on track. After producing 19 points, 11 rebounds and 4 blocks Tuesday, Gooden has put together four consecutive consistent games. He has averaged 20.5 points, 10.5 rebounds and 2.8 blocks in that short span.
“That’s what we thought when we made the trade; that’s who we thought were getting,” Bulls coach Jim Boylan said.
A major reason for Gooden’s rise has been his familiarity with the team and the team’s familiarity with him, according to Boylan.
“Well, Drew has turned up his aggressiveness with his rebounding and his offense, so the guys are starting to look to him,” Boylan said. “Me, as a coach, I know I’m starting to feel like I can try to get him the ball in certain positions and certain match ups that he can get something done.
“It’s nice to have a guy who you can throw the ball to down low and he’s physical and can go to the basket, can score, get some fouls and whatever.
“I want him to be aggressive. I want him to assert himself at both ends of the floor. And I think he’s been doing that over the last several games. So it’s a good thing to see, and we want him to continue to do that.”

Source:  Daily Herald.Com
 

Stevenson Vs. LeBron Round 2

Check out Brian Windhorst’s latest blog.   After the most recent Wizards – Cavs game, most of you probably remember  after Stevenson called James “overrated” folllowing the game, James responded by saying he is above such mess because that would be like his hero, Jay-Z, lowering himself to respond to the rapper, Soulja Boy. So, in one neat quote, James dissed Stevenson and Soulja Boy. Well apparently, Stevenson isn’t done.
“I hope we play Cleveland. I’m going to get Soulja Boy courtside seats and have him wear a DeShawn Stevenson jersey. Maybe (James) can have Jay-Z there since LeBron’s all on his (shorts) anyway.   And tell LeBron to cut that beard off and stop copying me.”  Apparently this all goes deeper. LeBron said something to Drew Gooden, one of Stevenson’s boys, about Stevenson once and Gooden passed it along (I don’t think this makes Drew a favorite in the LeBron world, either).  “We’re all in the same profession,” Stevenson said. “We don’t need to talk bad about one another. So, that’s how it happened. I was ticked off.

The Trade: A “Mid-Term” Report Card

Ben Wallace, Wally Szczerbiak, Joe Smith and Delonte WestAs of March 18, the Cleveland Cavaliers have played 14 games since acquiring Ben Wallace, Joe Smith, Wally Szczerbiak and Delonte West in exchange for six players. There are 14 games left in the regular season, so now is a perfect time to issue a “mid-term” report card about the trade’s impact on the Cavaliers. Obviously, final grades will not be issued until the playoffs are over.

In the first game after the trade, the Cavs were not able to use their new players but they still managed to eke out a one point win over a Washington team that was without the services of injured All-Stars Gilbert Arenas and Caron Butler. Since that time, except for one missed game by Szczerbiak and one and a half missed games by Wallace, the new Cavs have played in all 13 games. Cleveland went 7-6 in those games. Other than a 92-87 road loss to the Boston Celtics, Cleveland did not face any teams that would be considered legitimate championship contenders; in fact, the majority of those games were against teams that will not even make the playoffs.
Continue reading “The Trade: A “Mid-Term” Report Card”

Is LeBron James MVP?

Chris Broussard is on record for saying that LeBron James is the best player in the NBA.  But does he think that LeBron is the MVP?

According to Broussard, “If the award were to go strictly to the most outstanding individual, he’s your man.  But with the Cavs on pace to win just 46 games in the woeful East, it’s hard to give him the award.  In the last 25 years – since Moses Malone won the award with the 46-36 Rockets in 1982 – no one has been named MVP when his team won fewer than 50 games.  Couple that with the fact that the Cavs aren’t going to win 50 despite playing in the wretched Eastern Conference and it’s hard to give LeBron the trophy.”

Broussard goes on to discuss other MVP candidates including Kobe, Chris Paul, Tyson Chandler and David West.  And even Tracy McGrady.  Well, except for Kobe I don’t think any of these other players can be mentioned along side LeBron.  Even though he continues to score 30+ points per game, the last few games LeBron’s game does seem a little off.  Maybe it is the realization that they aren’t going to catch the 3rd seed and the focus is more on trying to gel as a team.  Maybe he is getting tired from playing as many minutes (40.7 MPG) as he has played this season.  Or maybe he is just tired from having to lead his team to 38 wins this season.  Regardless, LeBron James is MVP in my view.

Wally World 2

In my previous article about Wally I talked about my concern that Wally was getting “frozen” out.  Well apparently Wally’s defense and poor shooting are starting to show up in his playing minutes.  According to Bob Finnan of the News Herald.Com, there’s so much competition right now, if the Cavaliers’ perimeter players aren’t on top of their game, they won’t play.  “One thing Wally has to do is bust his behind defensively,’ Coach Brown said.  “He got beat back door a couple of times.  That’s something he know he has to correct.”  “He’s a shooter.  He’s got to knock down shots.  That’s what he gets paid to do.”

Source:  News Herald

Playing Footsie

The year is 1974, the first season in Cavs franchise history without Bill Fitch as head coach. Stan Albeck heads the team; Cleveland selects Clarence “Foots” Walker as the 38th overall pick in the 3rd round of the NBA draft. We have our team:

7 Bobby Smith
10 Dick Snyder
14 Foots Walker
20 Campy Russell
22 Jim Chones
24 Fred Foster
34 Austin Carr
35 Jim Cleamons
42 Dwight Davis
44 Luke Witte
50 Steve Patterson
52 Jim Brewer

Clarence spent ten seasons (1974–1984) in the NBA, playing for the Cleveland Cavaliers until 1980 before he hopped a bus to New Jersey and Roger Phegley woke up in Cleveland. Back in the day when a triple double was still a triple double, before LeBron made it a nightly event, Clarence became the first Cavalier in franchise history to record double digits in rebounds, assists and points.


A 6′ 0″ guard (also known as a 5’11” guard and a 6’1” guard), Foots teamed with Bob McAdoo at Vincennes Junior College to lead the team to a 34-0 record and an NJCAA National Championship. Mission accomplished, Foots headed to West Georgia State, now known as the University of West Georgia (UWG), where he was First Team All-American and First Team All-Tournament Team in his senior year. In the first of several career firsts, Foots left West Georgia to become the first West Georgia College athlete to play in the NBA. In 1988, a standing UWG Athletic Booster Club committee nominated Foots for the West Athletic Hall of Fame. Continue reading “Playing Footsie”

Zydrunas Ilgauskas Returns Today

Good news for the Cavaliers. After missing seven games because of a bad back, Ilgauskas is expected to return to the starting lineup today when the  Cavaliers play the Bobcats at 6pm at the Q.

The Cavaliers have gone 4-3 in his absence.

Since the trade, Ben Wallace and Ilgauskas played well together, “I thought Ilgauskas and Wallace played well with each other and off of each other offensively and defensively,” Cavs coach Mike Brown said. “Hopefully, that will pick right up again.”