Short & Quick

Tony Hayward
What did the media whores who represent us and moron members of the press expect the guy to do when Tony Hayward, the CEO of BP, was dragged in front of the cameras in Washington DC?

Did they really think he would admit fault?

You had a better chance of getting him to accept responsibility for the Holocaust then admitting liability. The guy was doing exactly what his attorneys to him to do. And you & I would do the exact same if in his shoes.

The more I see from Congress, the more I dislike those hypocritical, over-bearing, self-important, half-wits.

And how about that representative from North Carolina, who when asked by a couple snot-nosed college kids a harmless question this past week, went off and grabbed one of them – first by the shoulders, then by the arm and not letting go. That arrogant bastard assaulted the kid - pure and simple.

The old prick kept asking, in his southern drawl – “Who are you? Who are you?” – as he grabbed the kid half his size who looked like he was going to piss his pants.

If that bastard put his hands on me without provocation, he would have ended up on the ground and in need of serious medical attention. I do not believe in violence as an option of first or second resort, but understand this - the only people permitted to touch me either have the same DNA as I do or must be sleeping with me at the time.

Dan Gilbert
You have to wonder who, if anyone, if advising the Cavaliers’ new GM Dan Gilbert. Did he really think a high quality coach would take the Cleveland job without knowing if LBJ would be here?

If he wanted Izzo, why not wait until July to contact him, after the world finds out if ‘The King Without a Ring” stays put?

Here’s my favorites as of today – of those individuals currently without an NBA head coaching gig - Hubie Brown, Mike Fratello & Byron Scott, in that order. Again, these gentlemen all have one thing in common – they get the most out of the talent they work with!

As you are aware, I also like Scott Skyles a lot, but he has a job. And no, I don’t want Larry Brown. The professional gypsy, who can coach, kept LBJ on the bench in international play several years ago. Trust me, LBJ remembers that. And if he doesn’t, a member or two of his entourage will.

Cavs’ Only Card
To his credit on this front, Dan Gilbert is playing the only true basketball related card he has with LBJ. The Cavs have contacted the Raptors about a sign and trade for Chris Bosh. Of course, in order for this to work, the Raptors have to be interested in what Cleveland has to offer (aka: Andy V or JJ Hickson, Mo Williams, a #1 pick, etc.), it has to work in terms of cap space, Bosh has to be interested in coming to Cleveland, and LBJ would need to sign off and agree to stay. That’s a ton of stars aligning in order to make it work.

However, it is the only way I see the Cavaliers being able to attract James with something that might entice him to stay.

By the way, in Bosh, you would be getting a younger version of the Lakers’ P Gasol – long, skilled and relatively soft. And yes, he’s better than anything the Cavaliers currently have on the roster.

3 Hole Hitter & Soft Tossers
My early impressions of Mr. Santana – the Tribe’s new catcher - are very positive. What jumps out is the patience he shows at the plate for such a young hitter. The Indians’ brain trust (oxymoron) must agree. They wasted no time putting him in the 3 hole.

If I were in charge of this merry band of men, besides working backwards in terms of building a strong bullpen and working back to the starters, I would also be searching high and low for a true leadoff hitter.

The Indians sorely lack a guy at the top of the order who works the count and can post a .400 on base percentage or better. I could care less what position he plays. Put him in the DH role if necessary. There’s nothing etched in stone that says your DH must be a power hitter.

The best of the Indians’ soft-tossing lefties (Mike Huff) is struggling once again this summer to get out of the fifth and sixth innings. Unfortunately, it looks more and more like he’s a fifth starter at best. If that is the case, then bring up a prospect who has earned a call-up to take his place. I have seen enough.

It took the Indians too long to call up Harvard’s Frank Hermann – who was lights out pitching in the minors and has been very effective in his short stay in Cleveland to date. What do you have to lose? Why you are at it – where is Michael Brantley and Matt Laporta?

I’m going to be beating this horse until I wear it out.

Browns
Look for the Browns to run the ball early and often this fall. In fact, don’t be surprised if this team ends the 2010 season among the league-leaders in rushing yards. I know that’s hard to believe considering the team’s past rush rankings. Follow me here.

First, J. Harrison established himself as a good-looking young back at the tail end of the season – once the genius Mangini activated him. At minimum, he looks like a guy who could get you 1,300 yards this fall.

If you believe the glass is half full, you are counting on him to break the Browns’ single-season mark for yards rushing.

That’s right, you heard it here first.

The record is 1,863 yards set by Jim Brown in 1963 – in case you were wondering. That’s 116.5 yards per game Harrison needs to average to break that mark. That’s doable if they commit to running the ball, he stays healthy and gets the bulk of the carries.

The Browns may opt however to rest Harrison on occasion and give their rookie back out of Tennessee (Hardesty) some action from time to time. They traded up to get Hardesty. Therefore, they must truly like his skill set. And remember, running backs come quickly at this level. The learning curve is rather short.

Can you say Mack and Byner? Yes, back in 1985, the Browns had two guys rush for 1,000 yards. I’m not saying that will happen either this fall, but I would not be surprised if this team rushes for well over 2,000 yards this season.

Third, with Jake D. taking snaps, you want to run the ball. Again, I want my boy, Seneca Wallace at the helm. We’ve liked him for years and hope he gets a legitimate shot at the starting gig.

I know one thing - “The Walrus” wouldn’t mind if he starts. Wallace played for him in Seattle and there’s a reason he kept him around so long.

One thing is for certain, if Mangini goes with Jake D. and he starts throwing picks left and right, expect a short hook.

Finally, would you throw the ball to this receiving corps? Unless they add a couple professional receivers soon, you are likely to see, by necessity, a very boring brand of football in Cleveland this fall.

Of course, the problem with being run-oriented is you can’t play catch-up and you’d better have a good defense that keeps it close.

Did I say you need a good defense? That's another issue for another time.

Farewell
Finally, a farewell to a sports icon – Manute Bol, who passed away recently.

The “Dunking Dinka” was a true pleasure to watch. As a youngster, I always pushed hard for the Cleveland Cavaliers to acquire Manute and Mugsy Boggs so I could personally watch that freak show every night. They never took my advice ofcourse.

I argued with many that Mugsy, all 5-1 of him – was perhaps “pound for pound” the greatest athlete of our time. To be that short and have a lengthy NBA career spoke volumes. It wasn’t like he was playing golf or curling. He competed against the best athletes in the world and held his own while being eligible for "midget bowling."

As for Manute, and all 7-6/165 pounds of him, you always worried a stiff draft from an open gate would knock him over. Regardless, he was a very entertaining sports figure. May he rest in peace.

Till next time. And yes, I am still taking requests.