10 Items

Carson Palmer, another “franchise quarterback” who never was, wants out of Cincinnati. The guy allegedly made it be known he’d quit before playing again for the Bengals. Nice. Meanwhile, the front office, with a straight face, responded by saying he will not be dealt. Right. The guy is on the back 9 of his career, the teams he’s led have underachieved for the most part, he said he's done if you don't deal him and you want him back? Yea. Right. Who are you kidding? Get what you can and move on. The guy is doing you a favor.


In the middle of a serious economic downturn in the country, the NFL and the Players Union can’t figure out how to split up $9 billion. You couldn’t make this stuff up if you tried. Here’s a solution – split it 50-50. The owners get their 18-game season and the players get lifetime medical care. Finally, veteran players get more guaranteed money left over after the Cam Newton’s of this world, who complete 11 of 21 passes throwing to an uncovered receiver in shorts in Indianapolis, don’t get $50 million+ right out of the gate because some team was stupid enough to take him in the top-5. Problem solved.


Speaking of Cam Newton – never invest a ton of money in a player, in any sport, who uses the word "ICON” when describing himself. Even the best modern day baseball player I have seen (Rickey Henderson) never went to the "icon" card. Yes, I know - he was the first to go "third person." I would argue you can do that after stealing 100 bases in a season. It's part of what made Ricky, Rickey.

The Cavaliers have hope. There, I said it. No, that’s not based on their win in New York against the Chauncey-less Knicks. They have a young point guard who has some skills (R. Sessions), a young post player who looks like he could be a consistent double-double guy down the road – no, not J.J. “I have atrocious hands” Hickson, but S. Samuels. They have also added a veteran guard in Baron Davis, who is still a top-10 point guard when motivated and asked to play 28-30 minutes a night instead of 38-40. Throw in an immediate impact player with their top pick in the draft, and at minimum, a top-8 rotation guy with the top-10 pick they got from the Clippers, and you have the makings of a semi-competitive team heading in the right direction next season. One piece of advice – I would dangle J.J. Hickson in the off-season and see what the market value is for him. If you go big in the draft and Andy V. returns from injury, Hickson could be dealt in a move to add a much-needed long, wing player who can score the ball.


The Browns resigned my boy Seneca Wallace. Go ahead and snicker, but the guy will be a good fall-back if Joe Thomas gets Colt McCoy killed on the way to his annual Hawaii vacation.


I have been asked who the Browns should draft. Since I haven’t seen most of these guys play enough, I can’t say for sure. I do know they desperately need a #1 and a #2 receiver, a true pass rusher, and a third down running back. Having said that, if there is a “Champ Bailey” on the board when they select at 6, I would take him if the #1 receiver is already gone. That would be copying the late 80s Browns when the Minnifield/Dixon combo roamed the secondary during the Kosar years. Having Joe Haden and friend gives your defense an identity for the next 10 years. Secondly, if Ironhead’s kid out of Ohio State drops to late in the first round due to his off-season surgery, I move up and grab him. I have seen him play enough to know he’ll be a good pro – whether you play him inside at tackle or outside at end.


Carmelo went to the Knicks and now I have to hear from the national media centered on the East Coast how New York is emerging as a potential contender. Wrong. One more time – you have to defend to win. The system in place in New York didn’t win anything in Phoenix and it won’t win in the Big Apple either. And by the way, the New York Knicks are the most overrated franchise in U.S. sports. I believe this “storied” franchise has won 2 championships. That’s 2, not 12, not 22. And please stop with how Madison Square Garden is the “mecca” for pro basketball. If New York is the “mecca,” what does that make San Antonio, Chicago, the Lakers or Boston?


Governor Scott Walker and John Kasich of Ohio are battling federal unions over compensation packages. To make a long story short, the public sector unions for years have been negotiating their benefits with folks they have helped get into office (mostly democrats). That leads to ridiculous pension plans for public employees when there is no adversarial relationship between the two sides in negotiations. They are beholding to each other. The states are broke, partly because of these more than generous pension plans. This is a key moment in this national debate on debt. If Walker and Kasich win, state governments will begin to right themselves financially and this wave will likely sweep across the nation. If the governors lose this battle, these public unions will get stronger instead of weaker and balancing state and federal budgets will be a pipe dream. One other note, in years past, state public workers were provided with generous pensions because they made a lot less than private sector employees – thus justifying those inflated pension plans. However, recent studies have shown public employees now make comparable salaries to private sector employees, making these pension plans problematic for the rest of us – the people that flip the bill. By the way, I am public employee now and expect to take a hit in terms of future pension benefits. I am okay with it. Everyone needs to have skin in the game. Everyone.


The answer is NO if you are asking me if the U.S. should get involved heavily in Libya’s emerging Civil War. We have enough problems at home to deal with. No, I am not an isolationist, but we can’t be the “world’s policeman” any more. Besides, real U.S. involvement would be spun as American intervention in another Muslim nation. You want to fly in some food and aid – fine. But beyond that, leave it up to Europe to handle this one. No, we shouldn’t be the lead dog in a no-fly zone. It’s not our business. I know that sounds cruel, but the only reason we are even considering action is because of Libya’s oil. Libya produces only 3% of the world’s oil, with Europe getting most of that oil. Like I said, it is time others with more at stake take the lead.


With the increase in oil prices, you will hear more political hot air in the coming weeks and months about drilling here and drilling now, building more nuclear power plants, more coal production, etc. The problem is simple – once the prices go back down, the public’s interest will wane once again. Unless the prices stay around $4 a gallon or more, there will not be the public pressure to force the political will for the federal government to move on this issue – especially with democrats in office. And stop with the “we need “alternative fuel sources.” Until someone comes up with an electric car that doesn’t cost $40 grand and doesn’t need to be re-charged every time you fetch groceries, no one is buying the crap. Check that - college professors, wealthy housewives with too much time on their hands and environmental nuts who think animals first and people second will fork out the cash and deal with the inconvenience. For the rest of us, thank goodness it’s still a free market and you can still purchase a Yukon or Denali if you have the cash. By the way, I drive a Honda Civic. I can’t afford the car I truly want – a black Audi or BMW with leather interior. As for energy, for years, I have been for all of the above regardless of what gas costs me. Unfortunately, there aren't enough of us to move Washington to act unless a sustained crisis takes hold.


Till next time. Be good.