The Randomness of the first Monday in June
Poor LeBron James.
Dude spends his entire career surrounded by inferior teammates like Dwyane Wade.
Sebastian Pruiti has a good breakdown of the final play of the Heat’s Game 4 loss to Boston on Sunday night.
Instead of running the play the right way and giving the Heat a chance to win the game and take a 3-1 series lead, Wade went through the motions and ended up taking a poor shot.
LeBron really could have used the help as he was on the bench after fouling out of a game for the first time in four years and the first time ever in a playoff game.
Too bad there’s not a way that James could pick which team he plays on so he could avoid these types of situations.
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The Cleveland Indians recalled Quadruple A all star Matt LaPorta over the weekend after Johnny Damon went on maternity leave.
Damon expects to return to the team on Wednesday, after spending a couple of days at home with his wife, Michelle, and their newborn twin daughters. Of course with Damon hitting .180 on the year, the Tribe may want him to take his time returning from diaper duty.
As for LaPorta, we’ve all been here before. He hits minor league pitching (.307, 14 home runs, 32 RBI this year in Columbus), comes to Tribe and no so much (.238 career average, .700 career OPS). So he’ll be out of here once Damon returns, right?
“We have different options,” manager Manny Acta said in published reports.
We don’t like the sound of that.
As for LaPorta, he’s going to give it the old college try (again).
“I’m up here hopefully to help contribute to this ballclub,” he said. “If it’s two days, three days, a week – doesn’t matter.I just need to have fun, play the game the way I know how and not worry about what (the media is) thinking, what somebody else is thinking or what a fan is thinking. It’s been a problem that I’ve had to overcome. I can’t control what other people think. I’m not in control of somebody else’s happiness. If they want to be upset about my performance, sorry.”
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Would the Charlotte Bobcats be better off trading the No. 2 pick in the upcoming NBA Draft – say to a certain NE Ohio based team that holds the No. 4 and No. 24 pick?
They would, at least according to Matt Moore at Pro Basketball Talk:
The Bobcats need a complete organizational makeover. Moving the pick for multiple assets is the way to go. It doesn’t have to be any deal available, they should wait for the right one. But any deal involving a first rounder this year, an asset either in cap space or player, and a future first should be the model. If the Cats can be smart enough to set themselves up with multiple chances in future lotteries, they can improve now and still have a shot at that franchise player.
I think trading the pick is almost never the answer. But here? I think it’s a must. The Cats need to start the process. And that takes more than one player, if that player is not Anthony Davis.
No idea if the Bobcats feel the same way or if they could be talked into a deal, but seems like it would be worth Cavs general manager Chris Grant’s time to pick up the phone and a make a call.
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Arbitrator Stephen Burbank ruled in favor of the NFL on Monday, saying Commissioner Roger Goodell is within his rights to suspend players involved in the New Orleans Saints bounty program, which includes current Browns linebacker Scott Fujita.
Burbank’s ruling does not kill the player’s attempts to appeal or reduce their suspensions, according to NFL.com, but it supports the NFL and sets a precedent for any other similar matters that could arise in the future.
Fujita will formally file his appeal once the Players Association’s issues are resolved, according to The Plain Dealer.
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Congrats to the Kent State baseball team, which won the first regional championship in school history over the weekend.
The Gold Flashes, ranked No. 25 in the nation, will take on No. 10 Oregon in the best-of-three Eugene Super Regional, beginning Saturday. The games will be on ESPNU.
The winner advances to the College World Series, which would be the first in school history of Kent makes it.
Kent State, where you don’t have to lie or cheat to win.
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With the start of the Euro 2012 tournament just a few days away, ESPN Classic will aid several classic European Championship Games this week to wet the appetite of viewers.
For the full schedule, check out the always informative EPL Talk.
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Sunday’s IndyCar Detroit Grand Prix was red flagged at one point because Detroit’s streets are falling apart.
Which is really strange, because Detroit has casinos and casinos are supposed to solve all of an inner-city’s problems.
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Finally, it was 38 years ago tonight that the Indians presented 10-Cent Beer Night with predictable results.
(Photo by Getty Images)
Red Right 88 