Archives: I Cried When Lebron Left, Predicted His Return, and Wrote His Speech. by Colin Gawel

It's only 68 minutes until tip off of the Cavs v Warriors round 3. My son Owen is shooting hoops in the driveway wearing a Kyrie shirt under a Lebron jersey while listening to Ice Cube. I'm typing this. Please excuse typos and bad headline. My mind is elsewhere. But...

If you want a timely article story about the 2017 Finals I strongly suggest Pencilstorm's own NBA beat writer Ben Galli and his preview by clicking here. 

For a fun blast from the past please enjoy:

Ok, I'll admit it, I cried when Lebron left Cleveland, and what's worse, I did It in front of my six year old son.  by Colin Gawel

LeBron James is returning to Cleveland !! Hate to Say I Told you So. by Colin Gawel

I Went Ahead and Wrote LeBron's return speech for him. by Colin Gawel

That is all. Go Cavs! - Colin G.

Cavs v. Warriors III: A Finals Preview and Prediction - by Ben Galli

This is it.  One of the most anticipated Finals matchups in NBA history is spilling over the brim with hype and hyperbole.  This is the 3rd fight between Rocky and Apollo and we’re not talking about practice this time.  This is as real as it gets.

THE HYPE

We all remember the summer of 2014 when many in Ohio were contemplating how to forgive LeBron all while being giddy af that he might return to the Cavs.  That season ended with a hobbled Cavs squad facing a rising Warriors team that was destined for dynasty.  Without Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love, it was shades of LeBron’s 2007 Cavaliers team that was swept in the finals.  There’s no such thing as a moral victory in any title game but LeBron and the Cavs surprisingly took Golden State to 6 games (and had a 2-1 lead).  LeBron had never been better.

That Braveheartian performance gave many hope that a healthy Cavs team could really take down 73-9 Golden State in 2016.  And I, dear reader, walked amongst them and I too believed. (and predicted right here)

And what followed was one of the greatest Finals series we’d seen since the hallowed 1980’s.  The Cavs came back from a 3-1 deficit and denied the Warriors their place in history in the most embarrassing fashion.  And so the scene is set and the trilogy is nearly complete.

 THE HYPERBOLE

Kevin Durant frustrated a lot of NBA fans when he signed with Golden State last July.  Only the staunchest of LeBron stans and the most casual of Cavs fans thought there was a chance Cleveland could beat Golden State in the Finals again. Durant, looking for his first title, had unwittingly become the NBA’s chief villain and Golden State was the team we loved to root against.

And that’s put LeBron in a new position.  The former NBA’s chief villain finds himself perhaps more respected and loved than ever before for a variety of different reasons.  First and foremost, for bringing the first title to Cleveland since the year the Beatles invaded. Bron’s legacy is cemented in Northeast Ohio.

Then you have the Golden State haters who see the Warriors as being too full of themselves and demand they fall back down to Earth.  They stand aside those promoters of parity that would like nothing more than to see super teams fail just so they can feel like their teams have a chance next year.  

And there’s a growing group, their voice starting to be heard.  This is the contingent that wants one of their own, a player they grew up with, to be remembered as the greatest ballplayer who ever lived.  And that is another underlying theme of these historic Finals.  If LeBron James beats this Golden State Warriors team, he becomes THE argument against Michael Jordan being the best player of all time.

THE PREDICTION

Every year, the games get more scrutinized and with social media, literally millions of opinions get heard.  There will be controversial endings to games and untimely fouls will lead to allegations against the NBA of fixing outcomes.  But just let them play.  This year’s postseason didn’t have a ton of great games let alone a memorable series. But that has been the trend in the NBA. Still, we have the series we wanted and it should be a fantastic one.

But for the Cavs to make that so, they have to catch all the breaks. Golden State is the better team by almost every metric. The Cavs can’t lose the turnover battle, Tristan needs to be a monster on the offensive boards which won’t be as easy this year, and they’ll need to seek edges in other areas like free throws.  And Mike Brown needs to Mike Brown.

Really though, in the end, the Cavs have to outperform Golden State in almost all areas.  Kevin Love has been playing great as of late and continuing that is key if Cleveland wants a chance.  It’s going to be simply exhilarating watching these teams make buckets. Golden State plays better defense than the Cavs and they’re pretty much unstoppable on offense.  

Cleveland will need to play better D than they have all season but their only real shot is to somehow outpace the Warriors in scoring.  That seems obvious but my point is that they’re not gonna be able to keep the Warriors from scoring a lot of points, only the Warriors can do that.

Common sense, and all the stats, and frankly the eye test all say the Warriors should win in 6 or less.  But this is also LeBron’s eye test.  The whole world watching as he goes against perhaps the most talented starting 5 ever assembled as a heavy underdog but also a defending champ who triumphed against all odds but a year ago.  If you believed last year, you can’t stop believing this year.  If you can come back from a 3-1 deficit, you can do anything.

Cavs in 7

Ben Galli covers NBA basketball for Pencilstorm.com Follow @bengalli33

One Opinion on New WWE Champion Jinder Mahal - by Big Vin Vader

                               One Opinion on New WWE Champion Jinder  Mahal

                                                   follow @bigvinvader

 Backlash was a very mixed bag of a show, with few notable matches or moments of worth.  That said, this is one PPV that will be talked about for quite some time to come, solely for the outcome of the main event match.  In a somewhat surprise (more on that to come) upset, former enhancement talent Jinder Mahal defeated Randy Orton to become the WWE Champion.  There’s really no way to explain that any further, so I’ll just get right down to it.

 The match itself actually wasn’t that bad, which was the only expectation going in.  Sure, it was far from good, but also nowhere near the worst PPV match this year.  On top of that, there was a surprisingly vocal contingent of the audience supporting Jinder, which was refreshing after the nonstop negativity leading up to this match.  I didn’t have a chance to watch much of the PPV the night it aired, but even for the little bit I did catch (Owens vs. Styles), I had a strange feeling that Jinder would be coming out on top.  The pin was very abrupt, but came at the end of a nice sequence where Orton knocked the hell out of the Singh Brothers and laid both out with a dual rope-hung DDT.  Jinder, of course snuck in for the finishing touch, and after the three count the result was final.  Call me contrarian, but there was something so refreshing, so enjoyable about that kind of a surprise, unpopular finish that worked for me.  After my initial shock died down, there was a lot to enjoy in the way the cameras sought out scores of distraught, disgusted fans.  That was a great reaction to a heel victory for the championship, and it’s not the sort of thing you get to see very often any longer.  In its own way, it was a great moment.

 If I can make a long-reaching comparison, the Hulk Hogan of the 1980s was every bit as limited a performer as Jinder, and his rise and continued status at the top of WWE clearly played into the rampant patriotism of the time.  Moving past that so-called Golden Era, it’s time that the company acknowledge their global audience and stop playing to the stereotypes they’ve dealt in for decades.  This is certainly a business-oriented move, but it clearly reflects the fact that white males are no longer (and have not been for quite some time) the core of their worldwide fan base.  That Jinder remains a heel while WWE attempts global expansion is another matter altogether.  Also of note is the fact that the Singh Brothers, formerly the Bollywood Boyz, are cast as his flunkies, denying their talents as impressive cruiserweight performers.  However, and this is very important to consider, there’s little to no indication that these performers’ ethnicities are the reason they catch such tremendous heel heat from crowds.  Rather, it’s the abrupt nature of Jinder’s push that seems to raise the ire of his most vocal detractors, and that totally makes sense.  There’s no indication beyond appealing to their Indian audience/market that Jinder is ready for this sort of a position at the top of the card (it isn’t my place to discuss whether he deserves it or not).  And with my reference to Hogan, I’m not trying to begin to compare them beyond wrestling ability.  Hogan could work a crowd like nobody else before or after, and how over he was unparalleled at the time.  What I’m saying is that this is a post-Triple H, Roman Reigns world.  That the company’s top choice will be at odds with the majority of their audience is almost a given anymore.  And let’s not forget that the majority of that vocal audience is composed of white American males.

 Face it, the Great Khali was the last attempt at an Indian crossover, and Jinder is nowhere near his level of awfulness in the ring.  Plus, at least he shows more personality than the giant former champion.  More importantly, this is a company who in its fifty-plus year existence has had only one African-American wrestler (that would be The Rock) hold its top title (the WWE Championship), and just a handful of minorities win that same prize.  That’s something you don’t hear mentioned too often, and it's very important not to forget that.  The fact that WWE is playing to a more global audience is a very good thing, particularly given the fact that most foreign and ethnic performers have been saddled with hugely offensive gimmicks, even in recent years.  Come on, Shinsuke Nakamura is the first major Asian performer on the main roster not to be saddled with an over-the-top gimmick emphasizing his race.  And I’m not saying that Jinder’s current Maharajah gimmick is without problems.  And I certainly can’t deny that the appeal to Indian crowds feels like little more than a cynical, exploitative cash-grab.  But I’m willing to sit back and watch how things are handled, and I want to see Jinder succeed in his role, because there could be a very interesting change of pace in store if this is pulled off successfully.  There are more important things, both within and especially outside of wrestling, than seeing somebody that the majority approve of.  Seeing the same bland, muscular white men in the top role ought to be a thing of the past, and opportunities need to be given to wider variety of stars from the company’s deep talent pool.  I’d be lying if I didn’t say I expected WWE to fail and fall back on their offensive, old ways.  But I don’t want that, and hopefully there are more people who agree that it’s time for a change, and if nothing else, Jinder’s ascent is certainly unprecedented.

Big Vin Vader covers professional wrestling for Pencilstorm. follow@bigvinvader

WWE Payback - Not that Kind of Horrible by Big Vin Vader

WWE Payback    -    Not that Kind of Horrible   follow @Bigvinvader

This is gonna be a different sort of write-up, and I’m going to take the unpopular opinion and spend most of my space praising Bray Wyatt and Randy Orton’s controversial House of Horrors match.  But before all of that, a few notes on Payback as a whole.
    The show had a lot of promise going in, despite its clearly transitional nature.  The fact that several of the competitors were to immediately be split between brands the following day looked to bring several long-running storylines to satisfying conclusions.  Beyond that, all but two of the matches promised to be very solid affairs, and Owens/Jericho, Rollins/Samoa Joe, and Aries/Neville looked to be very good.  Only the House of Horrors match and Roman Reigns vs. Braun Strowman held little promise, and both of those actually exceeded my expectations.
    In execution, the show delivered on many of its promises, and there were even a number of positive surprises along the way that served to spice things up a bit as well.  Overall, Payback was one of the better WWE PPV’s this year, with a number of very good matches, some very stiff and believable ring work, and some very crowd-pleasing conclusions and twists.  No match was truly bad (at least in my opinion), and even the midcard and less-anticipated bouts proved worth their time on the show.  The finishes left a lot to be desired at times, but I’ll get into that later.
    Now on to the meat of this column…

Bray’s House

The House of Horrors match raised so, so many questions, and seemed destined to be an enormous failure.  The fact that nobody had any clue as to what such a stipulation would entail until the week of the show did it no favors, nor did the ultimate news that the match was to be partially pre-taped.  People have soured on the Randy Orton-Bray Wyatt feud, but it’s stayed interesting to me.  This is the first time that Randy Orton has actually captured my attention as a wrestling fan, and the story has been building since last fall which is impressive in this day and age.  Things took an undeniably ridiculous turn with the desecration of Sister Abigail’s ashes, but that absurdity is part and parcel of wrestling.  Hell, I even liked the insect projections at WrestleMania.
    But even I was skeptical going into the House of Horrors.  I shouldn’t have been, given my love of horror and wrestling, and as the video package unreeled before the match, I realized that there was potential for the HOH to be legitimately creepy, something that would easily hold my interest.  In fact, just like a good horror movie, going into this one knowing nothing about the match, save the background storyline, proved to be a huge help.  Flat out, I thought that the pre-taped portion of the match was a fun, unique, and somewhat startling exercise in atmosphere.  Sure, it was ridiculous, and a little cheesy, but there were some undeniable touches of legitimately disturbing effects, and the flat-out brawling style the two wrestlers adopted perfectly suited the stipulation.  
    Things got off to a strange, nearly disheartening start, as Orton showed up to Bray’s rural shack in a limo.  I was expecting more of a Gothic mansion, not a ramshackle farmhouse (on the outside, at least).  Then, in one of a few missteps, a tractor started up and drove itself, unmanned, in front of Randy.  This really bugged me the first time I watched the match, since it was so stupid in effect, and the only supernatural element in the match.  Second time around, I was more insulted and confused by the fact that the tractor was driving itself backwards.  Still not sure why that’s where my feelings stand.  Regardless, it was all uphill from there.
    Despite the exterior looking like an Ohio farmhouse, the interior of Bray’s house was a bit more contemporary.  What we got was a fully-furnished house with some undeniably subtle touches of squalor, which, for the most part, were not the hackneyed attempts at horror movie scenery I expected.  Instead there were cobwebs in the corners of rooms, lamps with tilted shades casting queasy yellow light, and couches and chairs covered in white shrouds like they hadn’t been used in months.  Of course, there were shots of hooks and sickles and such things, but they really could have been anywhere in the house.  The overall impression at this point was of a semi-rural crank house.  Somewhere people lived and did hard drugs in semi-squalor while still functioning enough to prevent things from falling into complete disrepair.  But there was still the sense that things had gone very poorly, that there was a definite turn to something darker, more sinister and violent.  Hence the ensuing brawl.
    It gave not only an insight into Bray’s world, but also peeled back the curtain to reveal some vulnerability.  What if he isn’t a supernatural cult leader, but a delusional, paranoid, drugged-out freak living in the recesses of middle America and casting his influence over similarly-afflicted individuals?  Hell, even take the drugs out of the equation and you still have a compelling, if unlikely, character profile.  The attention to detail, and I mean beyond the hokey mutilated dolls, painted symbols and stick effigies, really drove the overall atmospheric effect home.  The house itself was well-enough maintained, but certain things were off.  The cobwebs in the corners, the drywall ripped away to reveal brick in the hallway, the exposed wires in the walls, the streaks and stains marking the wallpaper in the kitchen and doll room.  In the kitchen, there was an outlet stripped of its faceplate, and a sink full of dirty dishes.  The fridge was smeared with a greasy, charcoal-like substance, bizarre messages written on its surface.  There was dust and grime on the tacky linoleum floor tiles, and the oven had an honest-to-god streak of grease dripping down its door.  That was real work put in, and the whole thing added up to a uniquely unsettling atmosphere that has rarely been touched upon in the world of pro wrestling.
    The whole thing was so undeniably grimy and real, a visceral recreation of actual squalor and the sorts of conditions that can drive someone to violence, or at least the backdrop that it can play out against.  Bray and Randy looked like they were legitimately fighting for their lives, using everything at hand—a lamp, a frying pan, even (ridiculously) the refrigerator—to ensure they made it out alive.  In this way, the whole thing touched more closely on the real-world horrors of violence and crime than Bray’s usual supernatural shenanigans. There was no chance that the in-ring portion of the match could hold a candle to this in my mind as soon as the segment was over.  It really was nothing but a brawl, almost entirely in Bray’s favor, as the home field advantage would suggest.  If you showed this match to anyone unfamiliar with the storyline, and especially anyone who hates wrestling, it would look like two sweaty, heavily-tattooed men desperately beating the hell out of each other in a filthy house.  
    The audio was the only major mistake, after the tractor, in my opinion, since the whole thing was scored with a soundtrack giving the intimation that this was meant to be scary.  It was the sort of cheap horror movie trick that the match itself stepped above.  Also, in the doll room (which of course was way too over-the-top to be taken seriously), we got overdone crying and giggling noises from some sound library.  Way too cheesy.
    There was talk of this being a pale imitation of Delete or Decay, but I was reminded more of the first Boiler Room Brawl between Mankind and the Undertaker at SummerSlam 1996.  Mankind was still a legitimately deranged, threatening heel, helping to revitalize the Undertaker’s career.  He squeaked and squealed like a pig going to slaughter while he fought, and the match itself made perfect use of the squalid, dark and dusty boiler room as well as every dangerous object it contained.  It wasn’t good wrestling, but it was a disturbing brawl that felt like two transients assaulting one another in a battle to the death.  It’s still disturbing if you watch it now, removing the storyline and just letting the on-camera action take you away.  At its best, this is what the HOH match did for me, and even on rewatch, it still has an undeniable power that could very well appeal to me alone.
So maybe this all has nothing to do with wrestling, or at the least, very little, but it was one of my favorite parts of the show, hands-down.  And yes, I do realize that I could very well be the only person on Earth praising this match.  I can live with that.  It was WrestleCrap, for sure, but of the most entertaining variety, the sort that steps beyond wrestling itself into a bizarre world of its own.  Either way, that’s enough over-analysis for today.

The Real World (Of Wrestling)

As I mentioned earlier, nearly every match was above average, and a few were pretty good.  None were flat-out great however, and one of the biggest issues, one that’s been far too prevalent as of late, was the finishes in several of the bouts.  So, instead of a breakdown of every match’s action, let’s focus on the finishes and see how those played out in terms of overall effectiveness.
    First up was Jericho vs. Owens in a very good, very physical blow-off match.  Well, it was supposed to be the blow-off.  Jericho is touring with his band, Fozzy, starting this week, so it seemed a lock for KO to retain and end their feud.  And it looked to be the case, with a repeat of the finger-on-the-ropes spot from WM 34.  That is, until Jericho started to target his hand and fingers, crushing them between the ring and steel steps.  Owens tapped to the Walls of Jericho when his finger was too weak to catch the rope.  This one took me by surprise, even with the last-minute rumors that Jericho would win back the United States title.  Regardless of my disappointment, the match was very engaging, and by the crowd’s massive response, having Jericho get one more major win in before his hiatus was the right call.  And Owens won back the title on Tuesday night’s SmackDown, settling matters once and for all.
    Neville vs. Austin Aries, in a rematch for the CruiserWeight championship had what was likely the most controversial finish of the evening.  Their WM 34 match was fantastic but didn’t deserve the pre-show treatment.  Given time on the main card, the two proved that they could absolutely deliver and engage the crowd, and in my opinion, Austin Aries was the MVP of the night for his fantastic ring work at Payback.  They were given the right amount of time to work, and every move looked crisp and believable, with Aries maintaining the upper hand for most of the match.  The problematic finish came with Aries locking in the Last Chancery, and Neville, desperate to retain his title, pulling the ref’s shirt.  So it all ended with a very anticlimactic, inconclusive disqualification finish.  People were pissed, but I was actually fine with this one, mainly because it should lead to another fantastic rematch, and as good as Aries was, it still isn’t time to strip Neville of the championship.

In terms of solid matches, The Hardys vs. Sheamus & Cesaro was a very good, very stiff tag team match with few surprises.  At least regarding the finish.  Both teams looked good and had chemistry in the ring, and both S&C’s beat down and the Hardys’ eventual comeback were exciting.  During the course of the match, Jeff actually lost a tooth, and Matt was busted open over his eye, which started noticeably swelling.  Of course, Matt and Jeff scored the win to huge applause, and the European odd couple shook their hands mid-ring.  This was followed by another savage attack on the Hardys, a heel turn for Cesaro that was rumored in the days leading up to the PPV.  Hopefully this new ruthless streak works as well for the Swiss performer as Neville’s own heel work has for him.  Regardless, one of the better RAW tag title matches in some time.
Alexa Bliss vs. Bayley delivered on its promise of a very solid match, which was given just enough time to stretch out and go somewhere.  I had no issue with the finish again, especially since Alexa captured the RAW Women’s Championship, making her the only person to have held both brand’s titles.  She deserves the position at the top of the card, and is one of the best heels on either brand at the moment.  The unpopular aspect of the finish came with Bayley losing in her hometown of San Jose, much like Sasha Banks losing to Charlotte at Hell in a Cell last year.  It was controversial and unpopular, sure, but not unprecedented, and gives Bayley something to motivate her even harder in the coming weeks.
Following the House of Horrors was Seth Rollins vs. Samoa Joe, in what looked to be a fantastic grudge match given the very personal nature of their story.  While their match at Payback was indeed solid, it fell short of my expectations, and there was yet another unsatisfactory finish hurting things even further.  Both are world-class wrestlers, and Joe looked incredible in the ring as always, moving like someone half his size and age.  Rollins managed to get a surprise win by reversing Joe’s Coqina Clutch into a sudden pinfall, which was certainly problematic.  Joe is still fresh on the main roster and needs to look like a crushing, dominant heel.  He was presented successfully up until this point, and frankly, Rollins’ babyface act is floundering.  Joe should have won and destroyed Seth, establishing himself as one of RAW’s top heels.  Hopefully this loss settles their issues and each man can move on.
I have very little to say on the finish to the in-ring portion of the House of Horrors match.  Randy Orton looked to have it won when the Singh Brothers and Jinder Mahal ran in and beat him down.  After a fantastic-looking powerslam from Jinder took Orton out, Bray scored the win.  It was good to see that and all, but they really phoned that one in.  At least Bray can move on now.
Braun Strowman and Roman Reigns put on a very respectable match that exceeded expectations.  Both are relatively limited in-ring, but they do have some chemistry together.  Best part of the match was how Roman got thrown around, looking far more like an underdog than the top dog.  Braun winning was expected, and the right call, and the post-match assault which left Reigns (falsely) bloodied was a good way to build his eventual triumph.  Not bad at all, although the fan reaction after the match really irritated me.  Chants of “Thank you, Strowman!” were almost deafening.  I’ve made my feelings clear on Reigns plenty of times here, and he sure as hell doesn’t deserve that.  From a purely storyline standpoint, the crowd was cheering a man who beat Roman down after destroying him during the match.  A man who smashed the already-injured Reigns with the ring steps to the point that he was coughing up blood.  Again, that was all merely for the sake of the storyline, but you really get the sense that some of the more malicious basement-dwelling fans wouldn’t mind seeing that for real.  It was kind of disturbing, like wondering what would happen when ECW’s bloodshed wouldn’t be enough for crowds.
Then again, this is coming from the guy who praised a wildly unpopular match for capturing the atmosphere of a fight to the death within a lookalike drug den.  Wrestling is weird like that.

Overall

This was a really good show, very consistent and entertaining, especially from my own particular viewpoint.  As I see it, none of the matches were bad, and several exceeded all expectations.  Even with WWE continuing to screw up the finishes of major matches, they can’t take away the very compelling first portions of those contests.  The talent on the roster is undeniable, and the storylines have been very compelling for the most part.  On a whole, Payback was a very solid show, one of the company’s best of the year thus far.
    I just want to fit in one more thing here regarding Kevin Owens’ position in the company.  Last week there was news that Vince McMahon is fed up with Owens’ physique and wants him to wrestle in a full dress suit.  This sounds more than a bit absurd, and looked to (hopefully) be false as Owens came out in his usual ring attire, albeit with longer gym shorts.  Ditto for SmackDown the following Tuesday.  Regardless, Vince’s prejudice towards the out-of-shape is well-documented, and I wouldn’t doubt that the rumored sentiments are true.  I realize that wrestling is a very different world than any other, but this would certainly constitute harassment, if not discrimination in any other profession.  Not to mention that Kevin Owens is an incredible all-around performer who can do more incredible things in the ring than Vince McMahon ever could in his days wrestling.  Which, of course, came in his fifties.  So that’s just one thing that got on my nerves this week.

Big Vin Vader covers wrestling for Pencilstorm. follow @bigvinvader

Ben Galli Answers Yours (and ours) 2nd Round NBA Questions

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The first round is officially over and it’s starting to get serious.  With some teams’ seasons over and some teams’ championship aspirations just starting (so you’re saying there’s a chance!), there’s a lot of questions to ask and I’m here to try and answer them.  These are some real questions from some real people with some real concerns.

1. Russell Westbrook and his triple double stats seem to be a lock for the MVP. However a quick comparison of the first round of NBA playoffs is rather disturbing for fans of Russ and his gaudy numbers.

First round: LeBron was 50-92 from the floor. Russell was 59-152. It took him 60 extra shots to make 9 more buckets. It's even worse from beyond the arc where Westbrook needed 29 extra shots to get just 4 more triples than LeBron.

So my question is:
Does Russell Westbrook suck?
Should OKC be excited or terrified if Westbrook wants to sign a long term extension?
Would any top player want to be teamed with Westbrook?

- Colin G. (no relation to Ali G.)

Russell Westbrook does not suck.  For one, that's a comparison to the best player in the world who has a lot more help and two, who doesn't have to take very difficult shots (or a lot of them) to give his team a chance.  OKC should be super excited that they were able to extend Russ in the first place and should be so happy if he signs a longer term deal that they should look in the mirror and ask themselves if they really deserve it.  

There’s no indication that Russell’s not a team guy so I don’t think other stars will have a problem but there is the question of fit on the team.  Russell is going to control the ball.  If a star/superstar feels they need the ball in their hands to truly play their game, then playing with Westbrook will probably be a negative.  

2. Any hope the Cavs can play good enough defense going forward? It's been pretty ragged.
Don't those dopey OKC fans just want someone like Westbrook that they can see on Sportscenter?
Would the Sonics have won their second NBA title by now had those thieves not stolen my team and taken it to the middle of a God damned oil field?
When David Stern dies will he go to hell?

- Brian P. (allegedly no relation to Master P.)

I'm taking a wait and see approach on the Cavs improving their defense.  Facing the Raptors will be a nice test for that aspect of the Cavs that's been their biggest question mark going into the season. These teams know each other and we'll get a better idea of the Cavs chances during this series.

I think the Sonics would have a better ownership group (well, maybe not the one that sold the team from out under the fans and the city) which would have led to putting a bigger priority on winning chips as opposed to making money (hello Clay Bennett).  They would have done what they needed to do to re-sign James Harden.  Harden wouldn’t blossom into a top 5 player like he has now on his own team, but he would be the number 3 (arguably number 2) on one of the all time big 3’s in NBA history.  After David Stern super unfairly nixed the Chris Paul to the Lakers trade, I would simply wish him well wherever he ends up in the afterlife and just sip my cup of tea.

3. Are Cp3 , Deangelo, P. George, Ingram and t.moz good enough to bring a title back to the purple and gold?
Are the thunder a top 3 seed with Blake Griffin?
You get one of these 2 players moving forward: Devin Booker or Lonzo Ball, who's it gonna be?

- Big $, (larger cousin to small money)

To respond to the first 2, the West is loaded. In that Lakers lineup (which is very possible by the way), there are 2 superstars and 2 guys that have disappointed a little but still have very high ceilings.  If Russell and Ingram develop to 75% of their potential, these Lakers are going to be nasty.  But they won’t be nasty next season. It’s going to take a couple years with this lineup to really contend for a title.

It’ll matchup nicely with the Warriors not being able to afford their big 4 and LeBron getting older (possibly).  I don’t know about that guy, Poncé de LeBron.  Blake by himself doesn’t make the Thunder a top 3 seed but if they upgrade Roberson and either do the same with Oladipo or he takes the next step, then I can see it.  They'd be right up there right away though.

To answer the 3rd query, no one likes Lavar Ball and he’s hurting his son’s chances of a nice endorsement deal.  But Lonzo’s talent will overcome the sins of the father and he will be highly drafted.  And Devin Booker is quickly becoming one of the best scorers in the NBA and he’s only like 20.  But in the NBA nowadays, the faithful are flocking to the Point God and because of Lonzo’s very high ceiling in that area, I’d take him over Booker.  Is it greater to be able to create one’s own shot or create shots for others?

4. James Harden - basketball genius or a cheating punk that would get beat down if he tried all that drawing a foul crap in a pick-up game?

- James B. (no relation to Lil B who has placed a curse on Harden)

I prefer the term savant for Harden.  A basketball genius wouldn’t completely avoid the 2nd most important aspect of the game.  But Harden’s a savant because he has not really developed his defense but man, oh man has he developed everything in his offensive repertoire.  His shooting, ball handling, ball fakes, and passing are top notch as is his ability to draw a foul.  

And yes, he would be the most annoying player ever to play a pick up game with.  He’d hold on to the ball forever, making 15-20 head fakes and then shoot up a shot while flopping midway through and calling foul, whether touched or not.  Those guys are douches.  I played with one in junior high.  One day he wore a shirt with the confederate flag on it that said “You wear your X, I’ll wear mine.”  Nuff said.

5. Who’s most relieved Dion is not in the playoffs?

- Mike Y. (perhaps as a proxy for Dion W.)

I’m going to say the 2 most recent teams he’s been on since he got to the Heat.  That would be the Cavs and the Thunder.  Probably the Thunder more so because they did not re-sign him and the lack of scoring talent around Russ is glaring.  I put the Cavs here because I can see Dion really getting up for games against them and tipping the scales in a game or two in his team’s favor (although it’s just as likely to be the other way around).

6. What are the chances Blake Griffin ends up in OKC next year?
Where does Carmelo end up next year?
If the Cavs don’t win the finals, who do you see them trying to add?

- Kovic M. (because everyone has Russian connections)

I don’t think there’s a very good chance Griffin ends up in OKC next year.  All indications are that he likes the big city limelight and the draw of home doesn’t draw him.  OKC would also have to work wonders to get the necessary cap space. I think the Lakers, Knicks, and Heat will be bandied about as possible destinations but this early into it, I feel he will re-sign with the Clips because he likes L.A.

At this point, most of us would be shocked if Melo stayed in Phil Jackson’s doghouse.  The Lakers per usual will be brought up but I think their new front office will stay away from this aging superstar.  I see a battle between Miami, Chicago, and the L.A. Clippers for Melo’s still considerable services.

As far who the Cavs will add, it will be another round of: Who wants to chase a ring with LeBron?  The Cavs will want to get younger and more defensive while still retaining shooters.  Here’s a list of the impending free agents for this summer.  (look at that top 3!).  I can see the Cavs having an interest in some lower-tier vets like Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Mason Plumlee, or James Johnson. If these players take pay cuts, I can see the Cavs going after Danilo Galinari and Wade or Vince Carter trying out a year here.  

And some final thoughts on the Conference Semi-Finals and the 1st Round:

I had Cavs over Pacers in 5 and they did better than that although too many of the games came down to the final seconds.  I hit on my Raptors over Bucks in 6 prediction but I hope you're as excited as I am for the Bucks next season.

I'd picked the Celtics to sweep the Bulls but you never know what Bulls team you're gonna get and they extended Boston to 6 after winning the first 2.  In my defense, Boston swept after that.  I picked Wizards in 5 but it was Wizards in 6 because you can never trust Atlanta.

Over in the best conference, I got 3 of the 4 series right.  I'd picked Clippers in 6 but Utah bebop skedaddled to a win in Game 7, granted Blake Griffin missed most of the series with an injured toe.  I'd picked the Warriors and Spurs in 5 but Golden State swept impressively while the Grizz grinded to 6 games before falling.  They weren't gonna get rooked. And in the most anticipated 1st round matchup, I'd picked Houston in 6 but they usually dominated and won in 5.

Raptors-Cavs:  I still don't think Cleveland is going to struggle much here and I see them winning in 5 or 6.  It went 6 last year in the Conference Finals but I'll say Cavs in 5 this time around.

Wizards-Celts:  In my preview, I said Washington would upset Boston in this round.  Boston had an impressive come from behind victory on Sunday to take game 1 of this series and the Wizards depth weaknesses were exploited especially after Markieff Morris went down.  I will say Wizards in 7 in what should be a very intense, back and forth series.

Warriors-Jazz - This Jazz team is well coached and on the up and up but they're not on G.S' level.  Warriors in 5.

Spurs-Rockets - This should be a fun series and Houston has a decent shot to upset.  But I pick Spurs in 6.

These playoffs have almost been overshadowed by the incredible post game pressers and this is the best one in years.  Because it worked! Coach David Fizdale of the Memphis Grizzlies:

NCP Draft Preview: Big $ Attacks His TV if the Browns take Deshaun Watson

Did you know that Pencilstorm's own North Coast Posse are considered a top five twitter follow by the actual Cleveland Browns? Well they are. Follow their draft coverage @northcoastposse . I recently met up with Big $ at the India Oak bar to get his thoughts on the upcoming NFL Draft. - Colin Gawel

CG) Let's address the elephant in the room. Are there any quarterbacks in this draft that can be the next Bernie Kosar and if yes, how will the Browns land him? 

 Big $: My initial thought was a definitive no, then my phone kept autocorrecting Kosar to "Kizer" and I thought it may be a sign. Then I thought about D. Kizer's questionable mechanics and Ohio ties and how they are both Kosar -esque. Then I escaped the daydream and recalled the several N.D. games I witnessed and how there is very little chance Deshone Kizer is going to succeed in the NFL. Shooting for Bernie II may be a stretch, I'll take a freaking Eric Zeier at this point.

CG) Is Garrett the next JJ Watt or the next Courtney Brown?

 Big $: The player I most align Garrett with is Jadaveon Clowney. The one thing that separates Myles from Clowney is that he put up 10 more reps of 225 at the combine than the former Gamecock. Not only is this a plus as it relates to strength, it shows that he is ahead in dedication category as well. I have a hard time believing the ultra grizzled Gregg Williams is not going to demand the Aggie phenom at #1.

CG) What players and needs would you like to see addressed?

Big$: Real talk, there is not one position I think is a legit strength on the Browns at this time. They need to ensure that they get solid contributors across the board in at least the first 4 rounds

CG) What pick would make you throw something at the TV, hold your head in your hands and scream, "Oh my God, Nooooo"

Big $: I will literally attack my t.v, if I hear that the name  "Deshaun Watson" is coming to Cleveland. The dude has a historically low exit velocity. With the tight Windows and super heroes playing defense in the NFL coupled with the lack of anticipation needed to run the Clemson spread, he is a disaster waiting to happen.

CG) Vegas has started betting on the NFL draft. Seems like a blatant attempt to bring Browns fans to Vegas once a year since they don't make the Super Bowl junket. Does betting on the draft hold any interest for the North Coast Posse? 

 I would love, love, love to hunker down at a Vegas sportsbook and bet on picks all weekend. Who will have more first picks, Big10 or Pac12? Christian Mcaffrey pick over/under (8.5) etc etc etc. I'm salivating just thinking about how awesome this would be.

CG) If not in Vegas, where are you guys watching the draft and what will you be drinking?

Big $: Im waiting on an invite to the Trubisky party, but as a native west sider, I expect I'll get the cold shoulder from the Mentor crew. Thus, I'll probably crack some 4 string brews and kick back in my living room.

Big$ and K-Dubs the Soldier are the North Coast Posse. Browns beat writers for Pencilstorm.