On the fourth of July this year, I took my family to a friend’s lake house, where we spent the day away from computers, technology, and fancy city life in general to embrace the great outdoors. We swam in the lake, kayaked, and most importantly, we went fishing.
There’s something about fishing that I just don’t understand. I have a rough idea where fish live, and a rough idea what they want to eat. I know how to set a hook, and how to move a lure. Yet somehow, whenever I throw a line into the water, my lure has the effect on fish activity that Chernobyl had on real estate pricing in the area. And I wind up frustrated and fishless, having only dozens of murdered worms to show for my day’s work.
Like Ubaldo Jiminez’ mechanics, I have no idea what is wrong. I see the 2010 equivalent Ubaldo fisherman next to me reeling fish in left and right. Next to him is me, 2012 Ubaldo, doing exactly the same things, and getting completely different results. Whatever it is, it is entirely frustrating to watch, like 2012 Ubaldo pitching, and leaves me baffled and angry when I leave the lake, like 2012 Ubaldo pitching. And I wonder what I could have done with the money I spent on the gear and bait, and the prospects of the day I traded away, like 2012 Ubaldo does.
With draft season out of the way, it’s time to take stock of the Cleveland sports scene’s updated cast of characters with another edition of the Power Rankings. And while I’d love to say that we have an American topping our list on Independence Day, that’s only half true-- as the proud, Australian-born Kyrie Irving continues to reign over his field of contenders. The real question this time around is, where will Kyrie’s newest teammates Dion Waiters and Tyler Zeller debut—if at all—on the rankings? And how has a rollercoaster first half for the Indians affected where some of the top Tribesmen rank? Your sleepless nights struggling with these questions are finally over. It's time to dish out some star power scores.
Last week for my vacation, I took a trip to Haiti. Stayed in an all-inclusive without air conditioning in a room with 7 other guys and no hot water. Worst travel agent ever, right? Actually, I would suggest exactly the opposite.
There's nothing like a redemption story. It's a yarn older than the written word, more beloved then a tale of true love and continues unabated in every form of entertainment today. It's nice to believe in the power of redemption evens when it's mostly just a dramatic device contrived as an efficient if not accurate way to convey complexity either the writer, the reader or both can't fully understand.
Feeling some unsettling optimism brewing for the imminent NBA Draft and the Cavaliers’ pair of first round selections? No worries. There’s a cure for that. With the Cavs, Browns, and Indians reaching the playoffs just eight times out of a combined 36 seasons this century, the only thing more common than early first round draft picks in Cleveland are the eventual regrets surrounding them. Sure, Kyrie may have turned the tide a year ago. But to get here, he had to ride the wake of some disastrous lottery misfires.  And so, in honor of the ashes from which a phoenix must rise, here are the 10 Worst First Round Picks by Cleveland teams since the year 2000… updated dutifully for 2012!