Why I'm Excited for Roman Reigns to Headline WrestleMania (Again) - by Big Vin Vader

Why I’m Excited for Roman Reigns to Headline WrestleMania (Again) 

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There, I said it.  That might be the single most blasphemous statement to most hardcore WWE fans.  At the same time, all of the nonstop Roman hating has pretty much run its course.  I can understand being sick of having him forced as the company's top guy year in and out, but John Cena is privy to just as divisive a reaction.  Let's face it, the RAW I was at last December at the Schott was full of Roman fans; I saw more of his merch than anyone else, and his reaction from the crowd was pretty much all positive.  And let's not forget how into the Shield everyone was, both initially, as well as leading up to last year's botched reunion.  Not to mention the fact that Reigns participated in several of 2017's all-around best matches: his Royal Rumble clash with Kevin Owens was one of my favorites, and the multi-man matches at Extreme Rules and SummerSlam were fantastic, with his series against Braun Strowman not falling far behind. Plus, he had a barnburner of a match with Cesaro on Raw at the end of the year. His promo game has always been somewhat lacking, but that's not for his lack of confidence in delivery.  And the verbal thrashing he laid on Brock Lesnar following last week's so-so Elimination Chamber match points to him improving in that regard to become one of the company's best all-around performers.  So the issue really shouldn't be with Reigns himself, but with the role the company insists on putting him in.  However, if he keeps delivering at this consistent rate, then there should be no real reason to regard the backlash he will undoubtedly continue to get.

People really ought to be fed up with Brock Lesnar's prominent position as the face of RAW, given his reduced schedule, aforementioned homophobia, and general disinterest in delivering enjoyable singles matches.  But he has always been capable of delivering better.  When Brock is pressured to put on a good performance, he can really bring it.  After two wet squib squashes against Goldberg, Lesnar stepped up his game at last year's WrestleMania to deliver one of the best sub-five-minute matches I've seen.  That match also served as a solid reminder of the incredible athletic potential that Brock still possesses yet generally fails to display.  His match with Samoa Joe at Great Balls of Fire was also very good, although it was hampered by its short runtime and predictable outcome.  Basically, he may phone it in more often than not with his part-time schedule, and I certainly don't like him as a person, but he is capable of delivering a great match when he feels compelled to do so.  He's also going to have been champion for a full year by the time WrestleMania comes around, so the stakes are high over the title change whether the fans want Roman to win or not.  And even if a good portion of the fans are opposed to him as Universal Champion, isn't he far better suited to a top spot than Jinder Mahal ever was?  Also, do title belts even really mean much any longer?

If you ask me, people make way too much of the main event position of WrestleMania.  Also, even the term "main event" has been devalued at this point.  Randy Orton won the Royal Rumble last year, meaning he was supposed to take that spot at Mania; his match against Bray Wyatt lasted ten minutes and was seventh on the ten-match card.  The main event isn't even the best match on the show: last year that honor went to Shane McMahon's curtain jerker against AJ Styles.  Hell, I can't even begin to count how many WrestleManias put their worst overall matches in the main event spot.  The way WWE has been running their PPVs lately, the final match is the perfect time to tune out following six hours of programming.  I know I fell asleep multiple times throughout Reigns' last coronation against Triple H at WM32.  All of that considered, why should it really matter if Roman headlines the event for the fourth year in a row?

All of that makes it seem like I'm just dismissing the match off the bat, but as the title of this column suggests, I'm actually looking forward to Lesnar vs. Reigns.  This match has been no secret, having been booked nearly a year ago and unchanged in any way since.  We've had plenty of time to prepare ourselves, and people seemed to will themselves to forget about this, or at least expect a last-minute change.  Obviously all the talk of Lesnar returning to UFC shook things up a little bit, and certainly seemed to solidify Reigns' apparent victory.  But there have been a few notable moments along the way that have looked to make this one something memorable, something less than the expected phoned-in coronation of Roman Reigns.   Also, with the possibility of Brock retiring from wrestling once again, it seems like a sure shot for him to turn in a top-notch performance on his way out.  This is the exact thing to light a fire under his ass and force him to deliver a quality farewell.

More to the point when it comes to anticipating this match, we need to look at its direct precedent: Lesnar vs. Reigns for the WWE Title at WM 31.  Everything about that match was awesome, and it was another perfect example of Roman shining in the main event spot.  Lesnar and Reigns have complementary hard-hitting styles, as well as a shared versatility that keeps their powerhouse moves from clashing in the course of things.  Their match was brutal and full of hardway blood, which was shocking to see but also lent the conflict more drama and made each wrestler look legitimately vulnerable.  Let's be honest, if there's anyone who looks like they could believably hurt Brock, it's Roman Reigns.  And after fifteen or so minutes of incredible, fast-paced action (and don't forget that both men can pull off incredible selling jobs) the whole show was thrown for a loop as Seth Rollins cashing in his Money in the Bank briefcase and pinning a weakened Reigns to snag the title.  So technically, the predicted outcome of this year's match isn't even a rehashed finish.  Everything about that earlier match points in favor of this rematch delivering an even better showing, although I'm really hoping they stick with the lean runtime of the earlier contest.

Finally, right after winning the men's Elimination Chamber match, Reigns delivered a career-best promo on RAW, tearing into Brock's part-time schedule and behind-the-scenes attitude.  It was a blistering two minutes, and delivered the sort of scripted heat that's been lacking from pretty much every episode of the flagship show.  In doing yet another fake shoot-style promo, Reigns inadvertently gave voice to a large portion of the hardcore audience that is traditionally against him in every way.  This is smart booking, even though the "things 'they' don't want me to say" shtick feels a little tired.  The way to get Reigns over as a face is to call attention to his reliability, his constant presence and dependability.  Lesnar's part-time schedule has been a subject of much derision from fans, and it was time that somebody brought that into the storyline.  Even more to the point, Reigns called Brock out for skipping Elimination Chamber (not that he was booked) to take photos with Dana White, calling his loyalty in question.  To cap it all off, he called Brock a bitch, which got a big shock reaction from the crowd, so I'd say it paid off to err on the side of bad taste this time around.  That promo helped prove that Reigns is out to prove himself yet again, while also making sure that Lesnar will be out for blood once he gets his hands on his challenger.

So don't talk to me about all of the times Reigns has been forced on fans, or all of the great (possibly even better) wrestlers that have been sacrificed to his various pushes.  What we have here is a sure-shot incredible match that should steal the show, particularly in light of some recent misguided booking decisions.  Consider: there's a very real chance that AJ Styles and Shinsuke Nakamura's dream match will become a triple-threat featuring John Cena.  I'm sure it would still be great, but that isn't what people want or need to see.  And then, likely to be an absolute mess, is the newly-announced Triple H/Stephanie McMahon vs. Ronda Rousey/Kurt Angle.  That's even worse of an idea than putting the Rock in Angle's place.  Stephanie can't wrestle, Kurt barely can any longer, and Rousey hasn't even been tried in the ring as of yet.  This match will be a disaster, emphasized even further by the fact that Stephanie McMahon (along with Rousey) could very well be the first woman to headline WrestleMania.  Think about that before complaining about Reigns winning the Universal Title.

Big Vin Vader covers WWE for Pencilstorm. Follow on twitter @bigvinvader 

The Power of No Expectations - by James A. Baumann

The Power of No Expectations

This evening, the Ohio State Buckeyes men’s basketball team will take the Value City Arena floor for the last time this season. It will be the last home game for seniors Jae’Sean Tate and Kam Williams as well as Keita Bates-Diop if he decides to test the NBA waters (subliminal message “please stay”). It will be the last home game of coach Chris Holtmann’s first year. And it will be the last home game of a season that, to be honest, about 90 percent of the city of Columbus had totally written off.

The story has been oft repeated: past disappointments; new coach hired late; committed players released to go to other schools; would-be returners taking off (and being let go); and questions about who would even fill out the roster. Projections had the Buckeyes as low as 11 or 12 in the Big Ten. When people said, “Do you think this team can make the tournament?” they were talking about the NIT.

From a personal point of view, the uncertainty manifested itself with repeated questions if I was going to re-up on my season tickets. For the last dozen years or so, attending games with friends and family has been a highlight of the battleship gray days of Columbus. I’m not saying I have to roll loose change to make the purchase, but it’s not an unsubstantial one either. I admit I gave pause, but in the end I decided to take the plunge. When asked why I would say, only half-jokingly, that I hoped the fan defections would allow me to get better seats and that “when everyone starts jumping on the bandwagon, I want to say I was there at the beginning.”

Well, the bandwagon pulled up a lot sooner than anyone (except perhaps announcer Dan Dakitch ) expected. Sure, there were a couple of tough losses early in the season, but those were quickly forgotten as this team now sits in the top four of the league and most likely will be the higher-seeded team in their first NCAA tournament team. There was the incredible comeback against Michigan and two dramatic upsets over Michigan State and Purdue. The Schott saw its first sell-out in years and, maybe more importantly, the student section has been filled and loud.

Here’s the thing, for me all the wins have been gravy. Yeah, the Ws are great, but this also is a fun team that is filled with interesting stories. They play hard and work as a team. There are the Wesson brothers, local kids playing together and following in the footsteps of their Buckeye father. There’s Musa Jallow, who may be the best athlete on the team despite the fact he should be planning for his high school prom. Andrew Dakich has been welcomed into the fold despite his school-up-north history. The scrappy, undersized Tate has put up incredible numbers while also becoming probably the team’s most beloved fan-favorite since Aaron Craft. And, of course, there is the emergence of Bates-Diop (“please stay”) as one of the country’s best players and also one of its best human beings. As he comes back from the serious leg injury that led to his red shirt last season, there have been as many feel good stories about him (like this and this)  as there have been ways announcers have pronounced his name. (I swear I heard one call him “Beta Dates-Kiop.”)

The city’s collective blood-pressure would be much healthier if more fans looked for the stories behind the scoreboard. I remember falling into the trap somewhat during the 2006-’07 season as Greg Oden, Mike Conley Jr., and company made it to the national championship game. There were a number of great moments that season: a game winner against Wisconsin  and a last-second block against Tennessee. But with all the winning came a mixture of complacency and raised expectations. If the team won, well, that’s what they were supposed to do. If they lost, it was a gut punch. There literally was nowhere for the mood to go but down.

That is why this season has benefitted from the power of no expectations. The ups-and-downs are the nature of a college basketball season as teams juggle lineups, navigate injuries, evaluate strategies, deal with matchups, and set themselves up for post-season play. This flies in the face of the football fans for that handful of teams whose season is ruined with just one loss. To that end, I actually wonder how much the seemingly most fanatic OSU followers really appreciate or enjoy watching the sport – regardless of what it is – being played.

I’ll be in my seat tonight, sending off the seniors and rooting for another win. I’ll also be sure to take a second and appreciate what may not prove to be the most successful season I’ve seen, but certainly has been among the most memorable. I encourage other fans to do the same and be ready to come back next year and see how the next chapter of this story plays out (please come back Keita). But if they do, I hope they are behind me in line for tickets. After all, I was there this year.

Trade Deadline Recap: The Cavalier Restoration - by Ben Galli

Last Thursday’s NBA Trade Deadline may go down as one of the best days in Cavs history.  With just a few fell swoops, Cleveland traded 6 malcontent players (the active roster is 12) for 4 players that should put Cleveland back atop the East.  Rumors have dated back to the summer, but it was a pleasant shock to see them make trades that got the team what it needed.

Kudos are deserved by young GM Koby Altman (no relation to Kobe Bryant) who really endeared himself to The Land with a couple of deals benefiting the Cavs both by addition and subtraction.  As detailed in last week’s trade deadline preview, the Cavs and Isaiah Thomas were not really seeing eye to eye (pun intended).

With how poorly Thomas was playing, the Kyrie trade was being re-scrutinized.  Although many had warned at the time, it's now more widely accepted that the Cavs’ return haul in the Kyrie trade was less than desired.  Thursday didn’t solve the long-term ramifications of losing Kyrie Irving but it did set the Cavs up as well as could be expected for an uncertain future.

Sometime around 12 pm Eastern time, the news of the day hit.  The Cavs had traded Isaiah Thomas, Channing Frye, and their 1st round draft pick (not Brooklyn’s) to the L.A. Lakers for Jordan Clarkson (6th Man of the Year candidate) and Larry Nance Jr. (son of the former Cavs all-star).  

Then seemingly within minutes, the Cavs admirably executed a successful “Hold my beer” moment by making another roster shaking trade.  This one involved 3 teams and ended with the Cavs jettisoning Derrick Rose, Iman Shumpert, and Jae Crowder in favor of George Hill and Rodney Hood.  

In a comparatively under-the-radar move, the Cavs finished the day by dealing Dwyane Wade back to the Miami Heat for a conditional 2nd round pick.  That was a nice gesture to send Wade back to the city he rules to possibly finish out his career.  Banana Boat Bros 4 Lyfe.

Here's a peek at the new look Cavs:

George Hill is a 6’3 31 year old above average veteran guard who’s actually 3rd in the NBA in 3 point shooting percentage this year. He was a 1st round pick of the Spurs, traded to Indiana for Kawhi Leonard, and made 2 Eastern Conference Finals with the Pacers.  He’s better than Isaiah Thomas on defense.

Rodney Hood is a 6’8 wingman who played at Duke and is averaging a career best 16.9 ppg.  Injuries have marred his development but he has been long seen as a nice player with some serious upside.  I guess the comedy potential of Derrick Rose in Utah was too much for the Jazz to pass up.  He’s better than Isaiah Thomas on defense.

Jordan Clarkson is 6’5 and averaging the 2nd most points off the bench in the NBA behind just Lou Williams.  He was only the 5th player in the last 35 years to be drafted in the 2nd round and make the All Rookie 1st Team in 2015.  He’s an excellent scorer and smooth to watch.  He’s better than Isaiah Thomas on defense.

Larry Nance Jr. is the most unheralded member of the group acquired on Thursday but he may already be the most loved.  The 6’9 Akron native’s father is Larry Nance, a key member of the Cavs late 80’s to early 90’s glory years.  Nance Jr. is a high energy catalyst who flies around on defense, competes, and dunks magnificently like his pops.  He can improve on offense but he’s better than Isaiah Thomas on defense.

The Cavs got harder, better, faster, stronger.  A team chemistry that was threatening to burn down their season was demolished and replaced with a new hope.  But there are long term consequences as well.  The Cavs got younger and more talented in the long run (Hood, Clarkson, and Nance Jr. are 25).  But most importantly it showed a certain kid from Akron that maybe, just maybe Cavs management could secure him a true title contender.  Both of those are not bad things.

Update:  The Cavs are on cloud 9 after pretty much dominating the Boston Celtics Sunday afternoon in the first game the new Cavs played (and ruining Paul Pierce Day).  They combined for 49 points (8 of 15 on threes!) but perhaps most importantly, LeBron sat out the 4th quarter and looked like this for much of the 2nd half.  It's only one game and the Celtics had been struggling but if the team culture and chemistry can change this quickly and this drastically, the East yet again stands little chance against the King and his LeBronniers.  

Ben Galli covers the NBA for Pencilstom. Follow on twitter @bengalli33

How WWE Fixed the Royal Rumble - by Big Vin Vader

How WWE Fixed the Royal Rumble   by @Bigvinvader

The crowd in Philly was right: Holy Shit.  I don't think anyone expected the Royal Rumble to be nearly as good as it was.  Saturday's NXT TakeOver was one of the company's best PPVs in years and looked to totally eclipse the main roster's PPV.  And while nothing at the Rumble was as mind-blowingly great as Aleister Black vs. Adam Cole or Johnny Gargano vs. Andrade Almas for the NXT championship, we still got the single best men's Rumble match I've ever seen, and a hell of a first-ever women's match.  Those two seemed like surefire duds just because the past two years have been such colossal train wrecks.  There was no precedent for the women's match, so it should have been fine on paper, but I wasn't optimistic that WWE would make it anything truly special or respectful.  Wrong.  Not only was the in-ring action itself incredible, but the booking decisions for each match were nearly perfect, delivering exactly the sorts of spots and outcomes that the entire audience wanted to see.  The whole show bodes very well for the company's 2018, and even the nature of the surprise entrants shows that things are going to play out well this year.

I was legitimately surprised when the men's Rumble came in the middle of the show.  It's always the main event, the focus of the entire PPV itself, so it seemed odd to put it in any other spot.  Then again, it was tricky to structure a show featuring two separate one-hour matches, so it wasn't the worst choice.  It was also nice to realize the women would be headlining the show, no longer being cast as the "bathroom break" match in the sub-main event spot.  If anyone was stupid enough to just tune out during the women's Rumble, they missed a great match with a fantastic conclusion and several more legitimate surprises.  I've never been quite so excited about the result of a Royal Rumble, let alone two in the same night, so that's what I want to focus on here.  The rest of the card is harder to discuss, since I'd initially been looking forward to it more than the Rumble matches.  That wasn't necessarily because of their potential quality, since nobody really needed to see Kane in a Triple Threat title match in 2018.  I just expected WWE to totally botch the dual Rumbles and planned to find solace in the other matches on the show.  None of that was necessary, however, and as it stands now, I don't have too much to say about the undercard.  Lesnar, Styles, and the Usos retained, while The Bar won the RAW tag titles from Rollins and Jordan.  Nothing was terrible, but there was also nothing especially memorable or remarkable about the rest of the show either.

---------

It's always hard to run down the Rumble itself and touch on even half of the important moments in the match, but I'm gonna do my best.  Rusev came out first to a huge pop; the crowd has already turned him face.  He is so incredibly over that he needs better opportunities.  Finn Balor was out second, and he got about the same reaction, which is hardly surprising since only Vince McMahon believes that he isn't over with the fans.  Then again, somebody in the company must have faith in him, as he was this year's Iron Man, nearly making it coast-to-coast, lasting fifty-five minutes in total.  It was a pretty great showing, and it should have done wonders for Balor's stock in the pre-WrestleMania season.  At least until he lost clean to John Cena (who had eliminated him from the Rumble) on RAW the very next night.  I guess it's better than another loss to Kane.  There were several big surprises throughout the match, and each one was great.  First was Andrade Almas coming in at #7, which was especially surprising so soon after he retained the NXT championship the night before.  Almas put in a good showing and lasted nearly half an hour, so there's little doubt that he'll connect with the audience once he's called up to the main roster.  The in-ring portion of the Rumble was a few notches above what we've grown used to in the last few years, so the whole thing was already exceeding expectations.  Things picked up even more at the mid-point, with Shinsuke Nakamura, crowd favorite alongside Balor, coming in at #14 to a huge reaction. 

Both brands were represented by great talent, with all three members of the New Day entering, as well as other favorites like Cesaro, the finally-Broken Matt Hardy, and Seth Rollins all making appearances.  Shane Helms returning as The Hurricane was another legitimate surprise, though he only lasted forty-five seconds.  Shortly after that, Adam Cole made a surprise appearance at #23, which is especially impressive after the brutality of his Extreme Rules match from Saturday’s NXT TakeOver.  Just like Almas, Cole got a great reaction from the crowd, and will definitely find his place on the main roster once they make the decision to call him up (which should be sooner rather than later).  By this point, Jinder Mahal was the least received entrant into the match, and his presence here makes sense as the crowd needs someone to react against with little overall stakes.  So by the time the final five or so entrants were due, everything had been great, and things stayed consistent.  Entrant #27 was the biggest surprise of all, with Rey Mysterio coming out of nowhere to return to WWE, and last a good ten minutes.  Granted, his presence means nothing at the moment since he's still a free agent and has committed to nothing as of yet.  Still, that was the sort of surprise that the company always strives for yet fails to deliver.  Roman Reigns was in next and got the expected split reaction, while racking up several eliminations.  Dolph Ziggler was out at #30, which should have been a huge deal.  Ever since he forfeited the US title on SmackDown late last year, there was quiet buzz that he was the dark horse to win the match, reclaiming his tarnished legacy in the most spectacular fashion.  Instead, he eliminated Goldust, lasted for two minutes, and was thrown out by Balor.  At that point he shouldn't even have been booked in the first place.

The final stretch of the match was some of the best action on the PPV.  Mysterio hit both Reigns and Cena with a 619 at the same time, which was probably the best thing he could have done to rile up the Philly crowd.  Right after that, Balor got rid of him, leaving himself, Reigns, Cena, and Nakamura as the final four.  That was brilliant booking, especially in a hardcore town like Philly, with the two company golden boys pitted against the clear fan favorites and two of the company's best wrestlers.  At that point, it really seemed like anything could happen, especially given the number of times better, more deserving wrestlers have been sacrificed to Cena and Reigns.  Cena eliminated Balor, but Shinsuke went after him fast and got him out of there.  There was some legitimate tension as the final two went back-and-forth, and they really teased this one out.  I can't recall ever feeling that sort of anxiety during the conclusion of a Rumble match; usually it's more of a sunken sense of foregone inevitability.  So imagine the genuine elation I felt when Shinsuke Nakamura, who has been misused and horribly booked since debuting on the main roster, took out Roman Reigns to win the Royal Rumble.  Obviously, the Fargo Center went nuts for that one.  Renee Young came out to interview Nakamura and asked which champion he wanted to face.  The answer was somewhat predictable, but no less exciting: AJ Styles.  I'll take it as a given that AJ will retain the WWE Championship until Mania, but that's hardly the sort of spoiler to get upset at. 

All said, this was the Royal Rumble that I've enjoyed the most in recent memory, as well as the one that seemed most engineered to satisfy the company's fan base.  Apart from possibly Finn Balor, nobody but Shinsuke should have even stood a chance at winning the match, and even then, Nakamura vs. Styles is the dream match fans have been waiting to see.  WWE were smart and waited for the right time, to give the match a good build and the biggest possible stage to be seen on.  Everything about this is shaping up to be a classic, which is hardly a surprise given AJ and Shinuke's past match in New Japan living up to that very title.  On the other side of things, the Rumble itself was about as good as it gets given the nature of the match.  None of the competitors were wastes of time, and the fan favorites, save Dolph Ziggler, were booked incredibly well.  Best of all, in this particular Rumble at least, there was no McMahon/Helmsley ego stroking to be seen at all.  As expected, Daniel Bryan did not make an appearance.

Big Vin Vader covers WWE for Pencilstorm. Follow@Bigvinvader

Pencilstorm Exclusive: Cavs Team Meeting Transcript and Trade Deadline Preview - by Ben Galli

Pencilstorm Exclusive!  We’ve received a transcript of the latest Cavs team meeting.  No, not the infamous one from a couple weeks ago.  Nope, this is from a very recent meeting that someone from LeBron’s production team hasn’t even leaked yet.

Scene: The Cavs practice facility.  Several players listlessly stand around.  Although this mirrors his defensive drills, Ty Lue is nowhere to be seen.  Neither is any member of the Cavs management.  Save for one.  He stands up in the center of the room and calls the meeting to order.

LeBron James:  Men, the great and ancient Roman king dude in Gladiator, Marcus Aurelius, once said:  Do not ask what LeBron will do next offseason, ask what you can do to help LeBron win this season.  For all men must perish but it is the days that they live that determine if they will be remem-

Random 5th Grader:  [interrupts]  Yo, yo, wait, is Kevin Love really injured?  Man, I’ve faked injuries before when it looked like my team was gonna get swept and this feels just like that.

[The 5th Grader is revealed to be none other than Isaiah Thomas.]

Everyone else in room:  [eyes roll simultaneously]

Kevin Love:  I feel like I should say something to defend myself or LeBron will be mad at me again.  But I’ve been thinking a lot about how I can contribute and make this team better.  You know what? Maybe trading me is the best move right now.  Here, [unfolds a piece of paper], here’s a list of teams I wrote out. I’m a West Coast guy with ties to Portland and L.A. so I prefer that, but any big city wouldn’t be bad.  I can’t play for a bunch of weeks anyway, why not trade me for someone that can help now? [crosses his fingers behind his back]

Derrick Rose:  I love taking weeks off.  Where’s this West Coast?  Sounds Spanish. Do they like Adidas?

Isaiah Thomas:  Rose, you dummy.  You can’t come to a new team and then just say whatever you want out of turn as if you’ve earned the right to do that.

JR Smith:  Even I have more self-awareness than this.

Iman Shumpert:  [practicing 25 foot fadeaways] I don’t.  

LeBron:  [Simply stares ahead with no expression.  A single tear runs down his face.]

Isaiah:  Man, people on this team literally crying and they say I’m the one that doesn’t care just because I’m calling out y’alls lack of effort and selfishness.  Why is everyone blaming me and saying I’m self-centered when I’m just pointing out how everyone else is probably making me look bad. I can’t do everything, I’m only 5 foot 9.  

Channing Frye, Kyle Korver:  [make eye contact with LeBron] Can we?

[LeBron nods back.  Korver and Frye take Thomas by the ears and gently place him in Tristan Thompson’s bejewelled, fur-lined purse.  The purse is then carried to Dan Gilbert’s office and placed next to his Trade Suggestion Box]

[The meeting ends now.]

It’s obvious to most people that the Cavs are not playing well.  Their defense is especially offensive and they’re getting embarrassed by good teams.  The trade deadline is a few days away (Thursday, February 8th at 3pm EST) and all eyes will be on the Cavs.  There’s growing favorability for the once laughed-at opinion that the Cavs would not make it out of the Eastern Conference.  Here’s a few thoughts on the rumored moves Cleveland could and should make.

Isaiah Thomas - I was not aware of the character issues that are now evident in the Cavs newest star. Last year it seemed Boston loved him, he was much celebrated, and no matter how you look at it, nearly 30 points per game from a 5’9" guy is pretty impressive.  But there have been signs:

Thomas has worn out his welcome at every stop in his relatively short 8 year career.  It’s evident that even with impressive stats, the teams he’s been on didn’t see him as part of their future.  He’s been traded from Sacramento, Phoenix, and Boston.  It didn’t look like Boston’s Danny Ainge had any intention on giving Thomas the kind of money he was seeking and after a hip injury, those chances were lessened considerably.  

Boston’s luck has turned around something fierce since 2001 and Ainge got a gift that would set his team up for championship contention for the next decade when he was able to center Thomas in a package that netted him arguably the East’s best point guard in the Cav’s Kyrie Irving.

But even more so than that, Thomas’ recent comments to the media were eye-opening.  Full of pointing fingers and deflecting blame, both behind the scenes and in public, Thomas displayed the type of character that is anathema to any winning organization.  Winners look within. (Source: Pat Riley).  Accountability, responsibility, and effort cannot be compromised and Thomas has exemplified the opposite.

Of course any story about the Cavs centers around LeBron. It’s pretty much LeBron and everything else.  Dan Gilbert’s situation (which he put himself in) is this:  He’s messed up the LeBron extension at least for now.  It seems more and more likely every day that LeBron is LeGone and he couldn’t keep Kyrie either.  He might see Isaiah’s stats and think he might be a marketable star that maybe Cleveland should invest in but that’s not gonna sit well with the Cleveland faithful that have very much turned on him.  

Thomas doesn’t seem fully recovered from the hip injury that kept him out until recently, and now, even if Gilbert wanted to trade him, teams (at least smart ones) are not going to want to give up much for such a questionable player.  Especially one that will be a free agent this summer.  

So much for that Kyrie trade being somewhat fair.  Danny Ainge embarrassed the Cavs with that one.  I think the Cavs should hope a playoff-contending team wants to give up a lesser piece maybe with a draft pick(s) in exchange for Thomas, who can still be a great scorer off the bench.

However, I don’t think the Cavs trade him unless they get a bigger name and will just hope he can work his issues out.  Jordan Clarkson, the Lakers 6th man, has been rumored to have the Cav’s interest and although he’s a weak defensive player, he’d probably be a much welcome respite to Cavs fans.  Think a better Ramon Sessions with decent upside.

DeAndre Jordan - There have been heavy rumors that the Cavs and Clippers are interested in a trade.  The Clippers probably want the Cavs’ Nets pick which creates their next conundrum.  If LeBron isn’t staying, shouldn’t they keep that likely lottery pick in a very deep draft?  And on the other hand, if trading that pick might increase the chance LeBron stays, should they waste it on the likes of DeAndre Jordan?  

Jordan would be a big upgrade to whatever the Cavs are trying to do at center but how much could he really fix their defense?  And it’s not like he’s a major force on the offensive end outside of alley oops and dunks.  He might be a poor man’s Dwight Howard on that end.  

Dealing for Jordan is kind of like making a move just to say you did something.  Who knows how positive an impact he’ll have.  The Cavs shouldn’t trade that Brooklyn pick unless they get at least a young, star player.

Kevin Love - Love was apparently almost traded before the season started.  Pretty sure Kevin Love didn’t really care either way.  I would be more surprised to see Kevin Love sign an extension with the Cavs than I would be to see the Browns win the Super Bowl next year. (Okay, maybe win 4 games.)  But with Love being out a month and a half, what kind of team would want to trade for him?  

Surely not a team that’s currently playoff contending and needs a push over the edge.  I do see teams that maybe want a star for next year being interested in bringing in Love.  I also see Love having interest in Portland where he grew up and went to high school, and Los Angeles where he was born and went to college.  

But down in Orlando, it looks like the Magic are somewhat intent on trading Aaron Gordon (who’s having a career year) ahead of his restricted free agency coming up.  That would not be a bad move for the Cavs future but I see the Cavs sticking with Love at least until this postseason ends.  

I do see a potential trade coming up after the season ends that might make sense for both sides.  That's Kevin Love going to Portland in exchange for Northeast Ohio product, C.J. McCollum.  Blazers throw in that expensive Evan Turner contract and Cleveland now has a couple guys that might want to stay in town.

One player that just became available and that I think the Cavs should pick up, is Tony “Grit and Grind” Allen who just got traded to the Bulls in the Nikola Mrotic deal.  That guy knows grit, grind, and defense.  Cavs need that in spades and Allen can light a fire.

The Cavs also need another ball-handling point guard which makes it hard for them to trade Isaiah Thomas without getting one in return.  But Ricky Rubio is apparently not fitting in Utah and he’s a pretty good defender and incredible passer that would be better than Thomas in Cleveland.

So the Cavs would love to get rid of Thomas but have to save face because of the Kyrie deal which means they need to get something big in return. It also seems like they want to get rid of the J.R. Smith and Tristan Thompson contracts but may need to throw in the Brooklyn pick to do so.  Not an enviable position when you have unrealistic hopes of keeping the greatest star your franchise has ever known.

My prediction:  The Cavs keep the Brooklyn pick but make at least one trade that will not go over very well with the fans.  But if they get something for Thomas, especially if they somehow send him to Orlando for Gordon, they can save some face.

What Kind Of Jack-Ass Actually Wants To Go To The Super Bowl? - by Colin G.

Unless you are a fan of the Broncos or Seahawks, what kind of jack-ass would you be to attend Super Bowl XXXVVVIIII? (Or whatever# it is.) Look, I consider myself a pretty big sports fan. I'm not quite the guy who screams down officials at youth sporting events or wears team jerseys with other dude's names on them, but I do play fantasy baseball, football and basketball. And one time while driving alone from Detroit to Columbus I listened to the NFL Draft and the OSU Spring football game on the radio for the entire four hours. Basically, I walk a fine line between "sports loser" and "total sports loser." Still, for the life of me, I can't understand the appeal of the Super Bowl. Especially this year at fabulous Met Life stadium in the chilly swamps of New Jersey. 

OK, imagine it is Super Bowl Sunday you are sitting cozy at the bar DJ Reynolds in Midtown Manhattan. Your pal walks up, "Dude I just scored two pretty good tickets to the Super Bowl tonight. Face value!!! Want to go?"

Hmmm. Let's pretend the tickets aren't terrible but in lower price range, say $1,000 apiece. That probably gets you goal line seats in the second deck. Mind you, those same tics would be going for $2,000 on Stubhub, so this is a pretty good deal.

The conversation continues:

"Come on man, all we have to do is catch the bus to the game at the Waldorf Hotel five blocks away. It's only $51 and just a two hour ride. It drops you off right at the stadium."

"So you want me to spend a grand, take a two hour bus ride to sit outside and watch a five hour football game? And then have to wait in line to catch the bus back? And even worse, sit through Anthony Kiedis' insufferable monotone rapping for the half time show? I can think of better ways to spend a thousand bucks in NYC. Thanks but no thanks. Grab me another space beer, Klee - Klop."

But let's forget the money. Imagine the same scenario except the Super Bowl tickets are free. You heard me, FREE SUPER BOWL TICKETS! Still, doubtful I am riding the bus out to that game. Once again, thanks but no thanks. I'm good right here in front of the TV.

This cuts to the core problem of the Super Bowl. It is by far the worst championship of the major sports. I would ride a bus to the World Series, Stanley Cup, NBA Title Game, Final Four, Rose Bowl, The Masters.....so forth and so on. I would even ride to the NFC/AFC Conference title games. At least those are in home stadiums with real fans. But the Super Bowl? Nah.....

The Super Bowl has turned into one giant circle jerk for Corporate America. Not that I have a problem with that per se, it's just that sitting through one bazillion television time-outs drinking with Jonah Hill's character from "Wolf of Wall Street" just doesn't scratch my itch. The insipid media coverage the two weeks leading up to the Super Bowl just serves to remind me how overblown our sports culture has become and how embarrassed I am to be a part of it. Think of what could be done to improve schools and help the homeless with the time and resources used to stage this one football game? Alas...

So yes, I will watch the game somewhere, but no, don't ask me which commercial I liked, I won't be watching. As for the halftime show, Bruno Mars will be pretty good and the Chili Peppers will suck except for "Give it Away." For all you gamblers, that is a my lead pipe lock of the day.

Colin Gawel owns Colin's Coffee and plays in the band Watershed. Sometimes he writes things for Pencilstorm just for the hell of it. Learn more about him and our other contributors by clicking here,