This comeback falls short....

The Cleveland Cavaliers uncorked another huge late game attempt to pull out a seemingly lost game,but could get no closer than two points to the Boston Celtics before finally losing to the Celtics 93-90 at the Q.
Kyrie Irving led Cleveland in scoring with 21 points with 3 of those coming at the buzzer and Anderson Varejao scoring 20 points and grabbing 20 rebounds for a career high total.
Cleveland will take on Orlando Friday night at seven....

Swashbucklings

1)  Anderson Varejao.
20 points and 20 rebounds.
Those are the type of numbers you expect from Dwight Howard not role players such as Varejao,but role players often are the most popular players and some of the most valuable on the team.
Watching the play of Varejao this season,I can only say this-If you don't like the way Anderson Varejao plays the game,then you cannot be a basketball fan...

2) If Byron Scott is not considering moving Alonzo Gee into the starting lineup over Omri Casspi,then he has made the decision that Gee is going to get the lions share of playing time.
Gee played almost 12 minutes more in the loss than Casspi and deservedly so.Gee finished with 11 points played solid defense and hit the shots that you have to make unlike Casspi,who missed two gimme shots in a row and found himself on the bench for most of the remainder of the game...

3) Mychel Thompson got the start at shooting guard for the injured Anthony Parker and finished with eight points.
Cleveland is battling injury issues at the two guard spot with both Parker and Daniel Gibson unable to play,which explains why a player that spent most of the season inactive is suddenly playing thirty minutes...

4) Tristan Thompson aggravated his injured ankle in the second period and was finished for the night.
Hopefully,the injury is not too serious and the Cavaliers are smart enough this time to take their time in bringing the rookie back to the court..

5) The rumor is that with the injury issues,NBDL player of the week Manny Harris could be called up from Canton.
Harris spent last season with the Cavaliers,but did not make the team due to a injury to his foot from freezer burn..Really,freezer burn....

6) Another rumor has the Lakers interested in trading for Ramon Sessions.
The Lakers have their top pick and the Mavericks (top 20 protected) to offer,Cleveland will likely look for a better one,but Sessions does have value to a contender and his value might be at its peak around the deadline...

Photo Credits:AP

Devils late drive rides past Rangers in shootout

David Clarkson (17) took the puck straight off the boards off an Andy Greene dump in and sent the puck careening past Martin Biron with 47 seconds left in the third period to force overtime against the New York Rangers.
Clarkson's goal came with six skaters on the ice with Martin Brodeur leaving the net to create a man advantage offensively.
The Devils then used a Ilya Kovalchuk goal to start the shootout and three Martin Brodeur saves to earn a huge 4-3 comeback win over the Rangers.
The Devils never held the lead in the game until the Kovalchuk shootout tally.
Kovalchuk (20 power play) and Zach Parise (16) scored the remaining goals for the Devils.
New Jersey hosts Montreal tomorrow night before a big four day run inside the division featuring games against the Flyers,Penguins and yes,these same New York Rangers.

Hell Raisers

1) Martin Brodeur was to blame for the Rangers taking a 3-2 lead in third period action with a bad read on a Michael Del Zotto shot,but give Brodeur credit for stepping up in the shootout and in overtime,where he made a great save on Derek Stepan.
Stepan still should have been able to slide the puck around Marty,but Brodeur cut the angle off enough to cost the Rangers the win.
Brodeur may not be the greatest of all time on a nightly basis anymore,but he is still pretty damned good.

2) The goal by David Clarkson was not a designed play,but one of the home ice breaks that you get from time to time.
Andy Greene was keeping the puck in the Ranger zone on a dump in and the rebound hit an odd partition on a board and bounced right to a surprised Clarkson in front of the net.
Lucky?Sure,but these things happen in a rink that is never shaped perfectly and I am glad to take it!
Especially after a similar play against Buffalo last week allowed the Sabres to score their only goal of regulation and eventually win in the shootout.

3) Ilya Kovalchuk also had a strong night.
As important as his game winner was,his power play goal in the third was almost as important at the time as it tied the game at two and Kovalchuk's emotion after the goal sent the crowd into a frenzy.
Kovalchuk could have had more offense though,he was stopped on two occasions,where the puck just didn't catch the sweet spot of the stick.

4) Andy Greene was the story in his return from injury and added a badly needed defenseman to the lineup with Henrik Tallinder being place on the injured reserve,but the real story was Adam Larsson,who was pounding the Rangers with a surprising amount of physical play.
If Larsson can continue to add that type of physicality to his game with his skills,Larsson is going to be one of the best in the league eventually..

5) Steve Bernier made his Devils debut after being called up from Albany with Peter Harrold being returned to the junior Devils.
Bernier is a player that has NHL experience and has always been a tantalizing player with the ability to be a solid contributor,but never quite putting it all together.
The talent is there as is the need on the third or fourth line,here is hoping Bernier can take advantage of the opportunity..

6) Wow! What a night!
The hated Rangers fall and spending the evening watching and screaming with Rachel for every moment.
Put aside the huge win over the despised rival,these are the type of evenings that you never seem to get enough of as a parent and move along way too quickly when you have them.
I never had a connection with a team with Ryan that I have with this team and Rachel and I am enjoying every minute of it.
Thanks Rachel for sharing it with me.

Back later with the Cavaliers loss to the Celtics.

Photo Credits:AP Photo

On the signing front-Thank You's

This will not finish the stuff to put away for the season,but it will chop it down to a large stack of cards to go.

These are pretty much thanks yous and through the mail things from here on in.

Thanks to:

Jason Christensen for his help in Binghamton and the Eastern League.
On this post Jason helped me with these notables:
Binghamton Mets
Matt Harvey-One of the top Met prospect pitchers
Matt Den Dekker
Jeurys Familia
Manager Wally Backman,who Jason helped me with all season.

Erie SeaWolves
Coach Jerry Martin,former big league outfielder with several teams
Casey Crosby
Justin Henry

Altoona Curve
Starling Marte
Tony Sanchez
Brock Holt

Former Pirate manager Gene Lamont
Former Pirate and Red Sox outfielder Mike Easler

Tom O'brien helped me with some other EL players as well as some Independent players.
New Hampshire Fisher Cats
Anthony Gose
Mike McDade

Harrisburg Senators
Erik Arnesen-Eastern All Star card

Portland Sea Dogs
Will Middlebrooks

Akron Aeros
Nick Weglarz
Bryce Stowell

Independent
Former Indian and Cardinal outfielder Brian Barton

Former Indian first baseman Boog Powell on his 1976 SSPC Card!

Corey White was able to help me down in the Southern League with his hometown Tennessee Smokies making it to the Southern League championship series before losing to Mobile.
Thanks to Corey for these notables and a special tip of the pen for some of these players that I would have never gotten without his help...

Tennessee Smokies
Steve Clevenger
Andrew Cashner,Aaron Shafer and Chris Carpenter all on one signed card!

Chattanooga Lookouts
Ethan Martin
Allen Webster
Kyle Russell-On Texas Longhorn card!
Cole St.Clair-On Rice Owls card!

Mobile Bay Bears
Trevor Bauer-Very pleased with this one!
Jarrod Parker
Tyler Skaggs
Pat Corbin
Marc Krauss
A.J.Pollock
Ryan Wheeler

Through the mail
Basketball
Mark Alarie

Baseball
Former Athletics and Cardinals pitcher Tim Conroy
Former Angels,Brewers and Rangers pitcher Clyde Wright
Former Pirates and Giants catcher Steve Nicosia

Hagerstown/Winchester Suns and a plan to please all!

These are not rumors or anything that I have heard from sources for the most part,more along the lines of things printed and some thoughts of mine.
Just a few things to think about.

I have not given up yet on the Hagerstown Suns staying here,although I am disturbed by things that I have read that Hagerstown Mayor Bob Bruchey is talking to the Suns ownership about bringing a short season team (Think New York/Penn league) team to town to replace the Suns.
Frankly,this would be a financially silly decision and despite my support for the new team (I would certainly be there often),I do not think that the community will support the new team any more than the area do/did the Suns.

Hagerstown baseball has never truly recovered from the day that AA baseball left town and instead of returning to the High A Carolina League (where the town won its only championship since baseball returned to the area),the level dropped to the Low A South Atlantic League.
I have problems believing that the town would be accepting of yet another drop to a league that only plays for eight weeks.
As much as I would like to see baseball here and short season is better than nothing certainly, this will open the door for this from the City Council and County Commissioners-"Since we no longer have a full time tenant,we certainly cannot commit the type of money to fix Municipal Stadium for such a part time tenant".
Another possibility is this scenario,which I call the "Oh,Expletive" scenario-where Hagerstown/Washington County loses the team,then realizes that the lost prestige and travel money lost by allowing the team to leave town is far more substantial than they currently believe.
This ends in either of two not so great results-A)Frederick says "I don't think so as your fans are currently increasing our attendance and revenues or B) Frederick agrees to a short season team only,Hagerstown finally builds a new/renovated facility and discovers that short season baseball draws even fewer people to the facility making it a huge money loser.

I do think Hagerstown Mayor Bob Bruchey is doing his best to keep the team here,although if the Mayor believes a backdoor deal for a NY/Penn team is going to salvage the situation,I believe he is badly misreading the landscape.
I also give the City Council credit for stepping up the funding,although it could be too little too late,thanks to the County Commissioners,who apparently feel that other projects are more important to spend their motel tax money on other than the reason for the tax to begin with.
Although I would like to give a special nod to Ashley Haywood on the City Council,who wants to see a business plan from a team that makes money (although not nearly as much as they could elsewhere),despite her business failing in the downtown due to a  Wait for it....  "Bad Business Plan from Day One!"
Forgive me,if I would rather have someone that knows what a successful business looks like checking things out rather than Ms.Haywood,who offers more gems on what to do with Municipal Stadium without the Suns-

“The Suns have offered us a renovation proposal but they haven’t offered us a business plan for success,” she said. “We’ve been hedging our bets on the stadium being the impetus for them to stay, but we’ve received no confidence from them that that is the case, so we need to switch our perspective a little and plan for the future, whether or not the Suns are going to be here.”


“We need to shift away from building the stadium for the Suns and, rather, if we do choose to build a stadium, build a stadium that will benefit the community in the amenities that it offers, whether or not the Suns stay,”


They don't need to offer a business plan for success,they make money with a slipshod stadium with a nicer facility,they will make more!
Please switch your perspective to something else and what would that something be?
Perhaps a coffee festival at the Muni? Because without a regular tenant,the Muni is going to be a huge waste of space and to attract a new team,you will have to build/renovate anyway,so why not keep the team that is here now?
Enlighten me on the "amenities" that a stadium without a baseball team will offer the area,please?
The NFL coming to Hagerstown,anytime soon?Maybe Wrestlemania?
Nah,let's just have another BluesFest-at least at the Muni,it would not shut the traffic down due to blocked off streets.

I would also like to give a special high five to Winchester,who continue to make progress towards taking care of business and realizing what baseball can mean to towns of theirs and Hagerstown's size and doing what it takes to land it.
Although,I would rather them have the short season team and the Suns stay here,I would have no ill will towards them and would attend games there as well.
I could do without their "Controlled Tsunami" talk about their announcement later this month,but they are excited about baseball coming to their area and I don't blame them a bit.
I wish the people in charge of this area (Bob Bruchey excluded for now) would realize that in a similar fashion.

I have not given up hope yet and I have been told that we have yet to reach end game,but the time is coming near.

Here is hoping the TRS plan is adopted-A new stadium for Hagerstown keeping the SAL and the Suns and a new stadium for Winchester with a short season team for their deserving area or even a full season team from somewhere else works for me.
I hope Bruce Quinn and his group can own both teams under the plan for his efforts in pleasing both towns.
A fairy tale?Maybe,but one that I hope can come true....

Cleaning out the Inbox

Time to clean the inbox out a bit before it overflows.

The Cleveland Browns hired an offensive coordinator in West Coast offense crony Brad Childress.
Childress is a past colleague of Pat Shurmur and Tom Heckert with the Philadelphia Eagles and of course was the former head coach of the Minnesota Vikings.
Childress is being hailed as a good hire due to his expertise in the WCO,but considering that Andy Reid called the plays for the Eagles and that Childress called the plays for just one of his seasons with the Vikings,one could argue that Pat Shurmur has more experience in that role than Childress.
That is a fact that needs to be considered as if Pat Shurmur continues to call the plays,than Brad Childress is just another assistant with a fancier title than the others....

The city of Cleveland will be spending five million dollars to renovate the past home of the Indians and practice home of the Browns-League Park.
The field at League Park is still intact as is the ticket building and a bleacher wall is still there,so much of the funding will go to restoring those two buildings and fixing up the field to "MLB size and standards".
I am glad to see the stadium saved,but I do wonder a bit about five million to fix a crumbling field when Cleveland has bridges so bad that my Aunt Becky refuses to cross them anytime that she goes to Cleveland!

Meanwhile,the Browns are asking for improvements to Cleveland Browns Stadium,which for a stadium that is not that old could use them,but wants their share of the funding that they receive each year (850,000) paid in a lump sum that covers the next six years (5.8 million) to fix things right now.
That raises this question to me-Do you think nothing else will be needed to fix for the five years after the payment? And where would that money come from?
Between the economy and the wretched on field performance,this might be the worst time to be asking to get an advance on your allowance!

Quick note on MASN's baseball coverage where Debbi Taylor has gotten the axe as the "reporter" for Washington Nationals games.
Nothing against Taylor,who was nothing spectacular nor horrifying in the role (like Pirate reporter Lacee Collins),but the role,as we have stated in the past,is just superfluous.
Taylor stated the the position was being eliminated and was not being replaced,which is a step forward in coverage.
No word on whether the position will remain on the Baltimore Orioles side of the network.

Sorry to hear of the passing of Robert Hegyes at the age of 60.
Hegyes was famed for his role of tough guy Juan Epstein on the 70's high school comedy Welcome Back Kotter.
The Epstein character was famous for his notes for any occasion (seemingly to be a variation of the Cpl.Klinger notes on MASH) and always signed Epstein's mother.
I have always thought that being an Elementary or Junior High teacher in the 1975-1980 era might have been among the most frustrating times to teach ever when Kotter aired.
From the Arnold Horshack "OOOO's" to Freddie Washington's "Hi There" to the Vinnie Barbarino's "What? Where etc" from half the kids in any class,I might have lost my mind!

Recently had the chance to watch the Phil Ochs documentary on PBS and their American Masters series and found it tremendous.
Whether your interest in music,politics,the 60's or protesting,the film entitled "There but for fortune",has something of interest for most and I give it my highest recommendation.
PBS tends to replay things often,so be on the lookout for it...



The latest story from the "ghost hunter" types is from a 1997 photo at Jim Morrison's grave that supposedly shows an apparition of the Lizard King in the background.
Supposedly it has been tested and called a legitimate photo,but my experience with these things is that they are all one big work....

Finally,two of my comrades are entering the blogosphere joining us and Battlin' Bob.
Ryan has occasionally penned (typed?) a few things at his blog Rebellious Jukebox,which is largely based on the music that Ryan cares about,while Corey is writing for the Fantasy Baseball Vision blog of someone that I don't know.
Check either or both out if you can.

Photo Credit
League Park:Thomas Ondrey-Cleveland Plain Dealer

12-0 run stuns Celtics in Cavalier upset!

The Cleveland Cavaliers gave the Boston Celtics all they wanted for three quarters,but appeared to be fading against the odds in the fourth as they fell behind by 11 points and looked to be looking forward to a rematch at the Q on Tuesday night.
Nothing could be further from the truth as the Cavaliers ripped off the final twelve points of the game and capped it off with a driving Kyrie Irving layup with under three seconds to go for a shocking 88-87 Cleveland win.
Irving led the Cavaliers with 23 points with Anderson Varejao adding 18 points and nine boards to go with immeasurable hustle.
The Cavaliers improve to 8-11 with the win.
The Celtics come to Cleveland tomorrow at seven for 70's night.

Swashbucklings

1) The Irving game winner brought to mind his early season shot that did not fall against Indiana,which allowed the Pacers to drag the game into overtime and hand the Cavaliers a loss there.
Shots will and will not drop at the end of games,but what I was impressed with was the coolness of Irving on the drive.Irving continues to show maturity and poise well beyond what anyone could have expected from a shortened college career.

2) As much as I loved Irving's night,once again the player of the night goes to Anderson Varejao,who's relentless boardwork and loose ball efforts were the main part of the comeback.
Varejao grabbed an offensive board to give Cleveland a second chance to take the lead and then after another miss,dove on the floor to outfight Boston for the ball and have the presence of mind to call timeout rather than be tied up for a jump ball.
As much as I would love the bounty that Varejao would bring on the trade marker,I think I'll just keep him.

3) Another interesting part of the comeback? The Boston "Big Three" each flubbed chances to put the game in the Beantown win column.
Ray Allen missed with a chance to increase a one point lead,Kevin Garnett grabbed a rebound of Allen's miss,but walked with the basketball and Paul Pierce missed with what could have won the game.

4) Daniel Gibson missed another game with a "stiff neck" and Anthony Parker left the game early again with back issues.The Cavalier backcourt is low on depth right now,so a frontcourt player deep on the bench could be a choice to head to Canton for a guard to bulk up the bench.

5) Mychel Thompson got off the bench with the need for minutes and scored his first four career points and contributed a key steal late in the game.
Good for Thompson.It is always a neat thing to see the guys that rarely play succeed a bit!

6) Highlight of the night goes to Alonzo Gee,who flashed across the lane and launched a tomahawk dunk in the face of Kevin Garnett and "Threw the hammer down"!
Gee finished with 14 points off the bench and continues to be my surprise player of the season.

I hope to be back later with a cleaning of an overflowing inbox!

Photo Credit:AP Photo

Not enough time in Cavalier loss to Nets

The Cleveland Cavaliers trailed by ten points at the end of one quarter and they would get no closer until a furious late rally left them three points short in a 99-96 loss to the New Jersey Nets.
Kyrie Irving led the Cavaliers with 32 points with 21 of the total in the final period.
Antawn Jamison finished with 20 points on the evening in support of Irving.
Cleveland travels to Boston tomorrow for the first of a home and home set over three days....

Swashbucklings

1) I was happy to see the team battle back in a game that was already decided,but let's face it-much of the comeback was in garbage time and off missed Nets free throws.
Liked the effort,but have to be realistic..

2) That does not make up for the listless play over the first three quarters as the Nets pretty much put things into cruise control for the second,third and early fourth in keeping the lead between ten and fifteen points.
I would even say that had the Cavaliers showed up with any intensity for the third quarter,they might have stolen this one away.
On that part-the effort was disappointing...

3) Kyrie Irving's career high came with much of the points coming through the lane as the Nets preferred to give the basket away rather than foul and stop the clock,but I was encouraged to see Irving driving to the hoop rather than chucking up threes in that situation..
Smart play by the rookie to take the sure two rather than risky threes....

4) Ramon Sessions had one of those rare games where his jumper was falling (5-8) and finished as the only Cavalier other than the two mentioned above to finish in double digits with 11 points.
It is really too bad that Sessions' shooting is so unreliable,if he could just improve a little,Cleveland would be able to utilize Sessions so much more over the course of a game.
As it stands now,the Cavaliers just cannot afford to spend too much time with Sessions and the inconsistent Daniel Gibson (zero points in 25 minutes of court time) clanging jumpers off the board like they are tossing cement blocks off Lake Erie....

5) Tristan Thompson returned from his ankle sprain and scored five points in fifteen plus minutes.
Thompson will likely keep the same playing time range for the two Celtic games to avoid a flareup.

Photo Credit-AP