Excitement for the Cavaliers might have to come from running the floor, not winning games, Bud Shaw writes in his Spin column.
J.J. Hickson and the rest of the Cavaliers may be offering a fast-paced attack that should help fans deal with the losses surely coming their way, says Bud Shaw.CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Time for another trip through the sports spin.
For you, a deal...
There's not much the Cavs can do to get the city's attention during this period, otherwise known as The Hangover.
But they have made a deal. It's not the one some of the more resentful Cavaliers fans might have been holding out hope for, the one involving Tonya Harding's goons and plane fare to Miami.
This deal sent Delonte West and his bag of hot sauce to Minnesota along with Sebastian Telfair. The Cavs received versatile guard Ramon Sessions and 7-0 center Ryan Hollins.
Nothing against Sessions, the central figure in the trade. He should fit in well. It's just that in an off-season highlighted by LeBron James' departure and followed by the exits of Zydrunas Ilgauskas, West and Shaquille O'Neal to come, the Cavs' next move was almost certain to fall short on the excitement meter.
I mean, no matter how much resentment there is toward James, we had the Cirque du Soleil in town for the last several years.
Guaranteed contention. A top seeding. Wins that came with the price of admission.
Every show started with a talc-heavy cloud of abracadabra.
There was magic in the air.
Ramon Sessions and Ryan Hollins?
They make perfect sense for the Cavs at this point in what surely will become a rebuilding. But for now it's like replacing the flying trapeze with a poetry reading.
Cavs Part II: Now that James is gone, it's time to run the floor
You keep hearing Sessions should work well in Byron Scott's system.
Scott wants to run after all.
(Why do I think, though, that after years of chiding former head coach Mike Brown for not running enough, Charles Barkley will soon enough be chiding Scott and the Cavs for not playing any defense?)
That is, if the Cavs ever show up on national TV.
Sessions can't shoot but does push the ball and distribute. So if you're a fan forced to commit to tickets before knowing James' plans, you'll have that going for you.
Of course, a skeptic -- if there are any in this glass half-full town -- might say Scott's two-guard system has worked best when one of those guards was Jason Kidd in New Jersey and Chris Paul in New Orleans.
If not the Cirque du Soleil, Cincinnati gets the circus
With the addition of Terrell Owens to a receiving corps that includes Chad Ochocinco and Antonio Bryant, the Bengals have become must-see football -- especially in between the plays.Now that Terrell Owens has joined the Bengals, Chad Ochocinco has already dubbed the pairing, "Batman and Robin."
That was easy enough. The hard part could come when each points at the other and says, "Carry my pads, Robin."
Maybe it won't happen. Owens wasn't a problem in Buffalo last year. He seems to know his limitations.
The Bengals needed to upgrade their red zone scoring. Owens could do that for them. But they also gave Owens a contract laden with incentives. No problem there, right?
I mean when has Owens ever been concerned with his numbers?
SPINOFFS
Bengals' president Mike Brown, in explaining why he pursued and signed Owens, cited the good attitude Owens exhibited when they met in March...
Lucky for the rest of the AFC North, the NFL still insists on playing its game from September through January...
Owens and Bengals' receiver Antonio Bryant are playing for their fifth teams, respectively. A coincidence, no doubt...
The NBA issued a warning not to tamper with Chris Paul, who is under contract for two more seasons in New Orleans. That may force Leon Rose and World Wide Wes to come up with another word for what they do...
Tim Tebow got a deal with Jockey International as an underwear spokesman. I'm sure that happened only because the other obvious hard-body choice, John Daly, already had an underwear endorsement with Slix...
HE SAID IT
"I didn't know nothing about no tradition," Cowboys rookie receiver Dez Bryant, explaining why he refused to carry teammate Roy Williams' shoulder pads off the practice field.
It's hard to say who was more upset with Bryant.
Cowboys veterans? Or his high school English teacher?
HE SAID WHAT?
"I have been a Hornet my entire career and I hope to represent the city of New Orleans and state of Louisiana for many years to come." -- Paul after a meeting with the Hornets' front office in which he was expected to demand a trade.
Translation: He's no happier than he was when he walked in to the meeting, but decided the best way out was not to look like a jealous brat with two years left on his contract.
YOU SAID IT
(The Expanded Thursday Edition)
"Hey Bud:
"Can you explain the thought process of Yankees fans who take photos of A-Rod at Progressive Field, using their 3-volt camera flashes to illuminate a subject 300 feet away?" -- Steve
No, I can't, but I think one of them sent me the following message.
"[Bud]:
"If u tryed to work in a circus long ago u got fire, u r no funny but idiot. Auchhh." -- Jay
Congratulations on successfully sending your first text.
"Bud: I find it stoicly ironic that the Running of the Bulls in Pamplona and the tossing of the bull (ESPN) in Connecticut were totally in concert." -- Bobby O.
Jim Gray to the bulls of Pamplona: "Is red still your favorite color?"
"Hello dear:
"I came across your profile and I will like us to have a good relationship and to know much better. I am single and never marriage" -- Monica
And as the sole target of your affections, Monica, put me down as flattered.
"Bud:
"Since LeBron and his posse are moving south, does that mean that we can do away with the 'DIFF' at the Q?" -- Jim W
Be careful in singling out LeBron's guys. I have the SAT scores to prove that The Diff really does serve a purpose.
"Bud:
"When Larry Dolan bought the Indians he said he wanted 'to compete with the Yankees every year.' How is that working out?" -- Russ
Almost as well as my goal to compete with Jon Hamm for my wife's attention now that "Mad Men" is back.
"Bud:
"Now that the Cavs have lost LeBron and the Indians have lost two straight Cy Young Award winners, shouldn't we be giving the Browns some credit for not letting any of their stars get away. For example..." -- Edward
First-time "You said it" winners receive a T-shirt from the Mental Floss collection.
"Bud:
"Did the Cavaliers send Delonte West packing?" -- Connie G
Repeat winners receive a copy of West's "Guide to Feeling Safe on a Motorcycle."