Short & Quick

Some of you reached out and complained, so here’s your fix. We’ll do this in chronological order since it has been a while.

Colts
How did bagging the end of the regular season and snubbing potential history work out for the Colts?

I mention this only because had Manning stuck it in the end zone in that final Super Bowl drive and a chip shot field followed in overtime, the pundits (aka: mentally challenged) would be justifying the Colts’ horrid decision to rest their starters late in the season for the Super Bowl run.

Of course, resting the starters or not resting them had absolutely nothing to do with Manning throwing a late pick on an in-route.

Here’s some advice to Colts’ management if you ever get in that situation again – which is highly unlikely – ask the players what they would want to do when sitting at 14-0.

I’d bet the house it would be unanimous – let’s play to win EVERY game and let the chips fall where they may.

Besides, that’s what they get paid to do – isn’t it?

Paying Josh Cribbs
What the hell is taking so long for the Walrus to get this done?

Yes, I know he doesn’t play every down and only touches the ball 10x a game. However, the facts are the facts. Josh Cribbs is your most dynamic offensive player. He’s been extremely consistent in his performance – a sign of greatness. He’s the only guy on your roster teams have to game plan for. I repeat – the ONLY such player on your roster. No, Jerome Harrison does not qualify – not yet. Cribbs is also just entering his prime years. He’s arguably your best player. He’s actually a Pro Bowler who plays in Cleveland. And finally, he’s the most popular player with the fans. Is that enough?

I can get this deal done in one Olive Garden meeting wit his representative. Extra salad and bread sticks please.

Tear up the old cntract in front of Cribbs and his agent before the appetizer arrives. Offer Cribbs a $3 million signing bonus and a new three year deal on top worth $2 million per for a total of $9 million. Have the $3 milion check on the tale so Cribbs can take it home with him along with his leftover lasagna.

Add some incentives – i.e. lead the league in kick return yardage ($100 grand extra), punt return yardage ($100 grand extra), $50 grand per touchdown, $100 grand per Pro Bowl appearance, etc. That gives Cribbs the possibility of making another million over the duration of the deal.

There – it’s done.

Almost forgot - I'd pick up the check of course.

You might have to tweak it a little, but I can’t imagine Cribbs and his people turning down $10 million over three years.

Indians
Okay – the Tribe already announced Shapiro and Antonelli will get newer, better titles and more dough nex year. This comes after this regime has posted a 1-for-8 performance in making the post-season.

Where do I go to sign up for this gig? Talk about low expectations for your executives.

Look, I firmly believe in PATIENCE & CONTINUITY in sports. I preach it every day. But this is ridiculous. In simple English we can all understand – these guys have been around almost a decade and have not won enough baseball games to warrant such a move at this time – not even close! So why reward them now.

What will the Dolans do if the Tribe goes 72-90 this summer – offer Shapiro part of the club? For the organization’s sake, I hope 2010 ends with the reverse – a 90-72 campaign. That would at least make these moves somewhat more palatable to the paying public instead of leading to more ridicule.

Look – if players are to be held accountable, the same goes for management. Shapiro and Antonelli might be terrific bosses to work for, good organizers, excellent fathers and husbands, and they probably love their pets too, but it’s still about winning.

Metaphor time again - this is like giving a career .260 hitting corner infielder with limited power and run production a raise.

Jamison
A. Jamison brings the Cavaliers even with the Lakers. Period. That’s the jist of what this addition means.

Before the season started, I had the Lakers beating the Cavs in the NBA Finals based mainly on the Artest acquisition. Look it up.

Even though Cleveland got longer and more athletic in the perimeter, and bigger and badder inside (Shaq), I felt the Lakers would squeak out a win in the Finals. Now it’s a toss up.

What will likely happen? It will boil down to which star plays best and which star gets the most help. Sorry – some times, the answer is obvious.

I do believe the Cavaliers’ brass is starting to sour a bit on Mo Willams coming up big in prime time. Thus, the addition of Jamison becomes even more important.

This corner loves Moe and stated he’s the best player LJ has played with since joining the Cavs. However, we also acknowledged he was MIA against Orlando last season. If Williams does show up in May and June, coupled with the other acquisitions, the Cavaliers will be holding a parade down Superior in June.

As of now, and even with his 0-12 performance in his Cavs debut notwithstanding, Jamison is the best pure talent 23 had played with. Sorry Mo – you need to move over. Hopefully, Jamison’s postseason performance will bare that out.

With Jamison, the Lakers won’t be able to run multiple defenders at LJ and leave Jamison open. With Jamison, the Cavaliers add a career 20/9 player who can STRETCH the defense, score in the block and get his own shot. That’s huge.

Simply put – he’s an All-Star talent. Yes, I know he’s 33, but look at his numbers, the guy is solid, night in night out. Plus, he’s under contract for two more years. And, he’s healthy and good in the locker room. Besides, if he were 28, he wouldn’t be available.

Remember what we told you about Amare. He’s playing with the one other guy in the league besides James that makes you look better than you are EVERY night – Steve Nash. Jason Kid was in that group, but father time has taken the consistent greatness away from Kidd.

Amare does not defend, has had multiple serious injuries and does not have the range Jamison possesses – not even close. And, he may opt out of his deal this summer.

Yes, he’s (Amare) a lot younger, but I am very glad Jamison is a Cavalier. He was always my first choice.

As you know, I’ve been pushing for him to wear a Cleveland uniform for a long time. Again, look it up. It’s the right fit at the right time.

Does it guarantee a title? Of course not. It just increases the margin for error. That’s all you can ask of management. Great get Danny. It’s exactly what I would have done.

Z
Look for him to be back with the Cavs before the playoffs. I don’t like the league rule that allows a team to dump a guy after getting him and him hooking back up with his old club for the homestretch, but if the rules allow it, the Cavs would be foolish not to take advantage of it.

And don’t believe the morons who are telling you will go to Dallas or San Antonio or Atlanta or Timbuktu.

Why?

The guy has made over $100 million in his career – all in Cleveland. It's not about money for him now. He’s got a chance to get a ring with the team he started with. They want him back. They need another big now. And just as important, his family will want him in Cleveland. His kids have started school in town. His wife knows where all the best malls are in Northeast Ohio. Get my point?

Why would he go elsewhere now and play for a team that has less of a chance to win the title? Do you think his wife and kids want to fly to Atlanta for all his playoff games or get in their SVU after parent-teacher conferences and drive a few miles to the Q?

Come on. This isn’t rocket science. If I'm wrong I'll be the first to admit it.

But here's likely how the conversation went.

Danny F: “We’ve got to put you in the deal to get Jamison Z. Sorry. But we want and need you back when the Bullets release you. You have my word. Tell the wife and kids it’s not personal, its business. You okay with that?”

Z: “Fine, as long as you don’t give away my locker. I want the same one I had for the last 12 years.”

Danny: “Done.”

Climate Change
Let me get this right. If the weather is warm, it’s because of global warming (aka: climate change). If we get a ton of summer hurricanes, it’s because of global warming. If we get record rain fall it’s because of global warming. Now we are told, if we get record snowfall, it’s because of global warming. Do they really think we are that stupid?

Look, if you want to buy a Prius, go right ahead. I’m not stopping you. I only hope when the brakes give out, you go into a huge snow embankment instead of over a cliff followed by a 300 foot drop. Of course, those brain-dead tree huggers will then assume climate change (i.e. huge snowfall) saved their lives.

Obama & Company
I still like the guy personally, but he’s about to commit political suicide like never seen before if he goes ahead with this so-called bipartisan commission on the debt. It’s just political cover for raising taxes – something he promised over and over again during the election he would not do to those making under $250,000 a year.

It seems he’s doing everything possible not to get re-elected.

The flip side is watching some of his Republican counterparts smile from ear to ear about the current political landscape. Most of these guys contributed to the debt by going along with the tarp bailout, by accepting pork projects in their districts and by not having the stones to step forward with real solutions on the huge entitlement programs that are weighing us down and adding billions every year to the deficit – i.e. social security.

Republicans are now seen as a lesser of two evils - not the solutions. However, they do stand to benefit greatly from this public tide. The key will be what they do with the power if they get it back so quickly after losing it.

Regardless, I love listening to most Democratic strategists when asked about the mood of the country. Here is their talking point answer – “The country is mad at EVERYONE in Washington, not just the democrats. It’s an anti-incumbent mood, not just anti-democrat attitude. Americans think Washington is broken.”

Geez that’s original. You can make a tape of that and run it at any point in recent history. It’s says and means nothing. I should know - I teach this stuff every day in class.

Let’s try this again. Democrats, for better or worse, controlled both houses of Congress and the White the past year plus. So this is on their watch.

We have been over this. They simply OVERREACHED, like they always do when they get real power. The morons simply don’t get that the country is still center right. Obama pushed hard left and let Pelosi and Reid take the lead - very, very bad idea.

The end result is the democrats may lose one or both houses of Congress in record time next fall. So stop telling me “the country is mad at Washington for nothing working together and getting anything done.”

You insult my INTELLIGENCE when you go there and I absolutely hate that. If you were right, they (the public) would boycott the elections instead of giving the republicans 40 seats in House and perhaps 8 seats in the Senate next fall.

More Obama
Should Republicans go to the Health Care Pow Wow scheduled by Obama this coming Thursday? In a word – yes.

However, they should just send their best people when it comes to Health Care. In other words, the guys and gals who know this subject inside out and can communicate their ideas well.

Remember, this is going to be carried live. Obama wants to match up against these "angry white old men who just say NO." Or a least that's what his people want this to look like.

If other republicans want to attend to get face time on television – which most politicians crave for – they can show up. However, I would demand they keep their mouths shut and let the "experts" do the talking to counter Obama’s charm.

Of course, that’s easier said than done. Trying to keep Washington politicians away from the limelight is like the Browns drafting a Pro Bowler on defense – it just hasn’t been done, at least not since the Clay Mathews era.

Pardon The Interruption
I actually occasionally watch this show finding the hosts entertaining and knowledgeable. However, this past week, the bald headed white guy (Tony K.) actually criticized the NBA because it’s predictable – in that only a few teams have a chance of winning. I am paraphrasing of course. Amazing.

This is the same guy who keeps telling us LJ will end up in his (TK) hometown of New York next fall. And this is the same show that leads with the Yankees and Red Sox whenever possible.

If basketball is rigged, what about baseball, where many teams have next to no chance to win, and if they get a great young player (i.e. Joe Mauer in 2011) or core of players, those guys fly the coup when free agency rolls around.

In the NBA, a mid-size or small market can consistently compete based on how the sytem is set up, while that's not the case with MLB - not even close. And for TK to say otherwise, borders on lunacy.

We good for now? Again, I take requests.