Welcome to the FSO Sporadic, a compendium of links and other nattering available whenever the need for such things arises. It has arisen today.
CAVALIERS: Last night's win over the Wizards, of course, marked the end of the Cavaliers season, which left fans with mixed emotions. The team's improved late-season performance is a testament to Byron Scott's ability to keep his charges focused, with the play and leadership of Baron Davis, in particular, giving fans a lot to be optimistic about for next season. Having two high draft picks doesn't hurt, either.
Naturally, the second half of last night's game really brought him how badly Cavs fans are going to miss Joe Tait. So many little phrases, e.g., "to the line, to the lane" are uniquely his, and something will be missing from our lives this time next year. Remember that FOX Sports Ohio's look back at Joe's legacy, Have a Good Night Everybody!, plays again tonight at 7PM in HD. We have some web bonus footage here as well.
If you've listened to the Cavaliers over the years, try to say "Wham with the right hand" in your mind and see if you can hear it any anything other than Tait's voice. You can't. That phrase is his, forever. The only thing I can compare it to is "Good news, everyone!" which can only be said in the voice of Hubert J. Farnsworth.
Now, on to the NBA draft and off-season player development. Sam Amico and Zac Jackson are ready to roll with coverage of the Cav's future.
Meanwhile, in Miami, a parking valet claims that the mother of a one-time Cavaliers player has created the "loss of capacity for the enjoyment of life".
Wow... "loss of the capacity for the enjoyment of life". I had no idea you could sue over that. I'm going to contact my lawyer with a list of things to go after for redress, starting with whoever is responsible for making buffalo wings fattening.
BLUE JACKETS: News comes out of Columbus that Ohio's hockey franchise will move into next season with a new goalie coach, as Dave Rook has decided not to return, a decision a long time in the making.
If there are more changes on the way, Blue Jackets blog Light the Lamp thinks he has an idea what they should be, and offers his plan for how he would rev up the Jackets engine in 2011. FOXSportsOhio.com's Bruce Hooley has had some thoughts in a similar vein, which he shared last weekend.
REDS AND INDIANS: Both of Ohio's Major League Baseball franchises are headed back to Ohio today after closing out west coast trips. Both left on losing notes, with the Tribe dropping two in a row. We've got both games covered tightly with game recaps, follow up analysis, and photo galleries (Indians, Reds). With the Cavaliers season coming to a close, look for FOXSportsOhio.com's Sam Amico to shift gears, and begin providing additional reports on the Indians as they try to surprise their rivals in the AL Central.
XAVIER, BEARCAT HOOPS: Xavier took a look back at an excellent season last night, as they conducted their annual awards. Coach Chris Mack has a lot to be proud of, but no time to dwell on his success, as he is off to the Nike Clinic in Mrytle Beach already.
Meanwhile, Tu Holloway is taking the next step needed to test the NBA draft. UC Bearcats fans can get a glimpse of what the future may hold as Jermaine Sanders was named the All-Manhattan boys basketball player of the year.
BROWNS, BENGALS: The Cleveland Browns will hold a special conference call for season ticket holders today at 3PM. The Orange and Brown Report's Fred Greetham will be there, and will let us know if anything of note happens. Fred will also post any major news to the OBR Twitter feed. Meanwhile, the Bengals also continue to plot their draft strategy, while one of their great players becomes a great coach.
Elsewhere, the mediation action continues hot and heavy as the NFL looks to divert $300 million from rookies and lock them in to five year contracts, borrowing a page from Carmen Policy and Butch Davis in the early 2000s. Given the Browns draft history, longer contracts are not necessarily better, but perhaps Tom Heckert can change that.
Anyhow, we'll see if NFL Films can make this off-season exciting by putting a pulse-pounding orchestral soundtrack and deep-voiced announcer over clips of legal teams distributing briefs. Stay tuned.
- Barry McBride
