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January 3rd, 2006
Hey Everyone!
I do hope all of you enjoyed your Holiday Season. It's a tremendous time to be around family, loved ones, and friends! Let's make 2006 a year to remember fondly in many aspects.
I have to begin with a large 'way to go' to all of you Cavaliers fans who were extremely boisterous while creating that sizzling atmosphere at The 'Q' on New Year's Eve afternoon while the Wine and Gold were smacking the team with the top record in the NBA, the 24-4 Detroit Pistons. I have to tell you the way you responded during a couple of Cavaliers runs in building the big lead gave me some chills and flashbacks to days gone by in the previous building in Richfield. It was that impressive! And don't think for a moment that it goes unnoticed by the Cavaliers players! They love the energy and believe it enhances their play. Already 13-3 @ home, with twenty five left in front of 20,562 rockin' the place could find the boys, as I've stated on the telecasts, quite conceivably lookin' at 32, 33 home 'w's'....possibly more. Creating an environment that opponents find difficult overcoming was one thing that was very high on the priority list for general manager Danny Ferry.
Speaking of the former Cavalier, don't you believe he deserves a tremendous amount of respect and credit for how he meticulously, yet aggressively, put this roster together this past summer? Let's not kid ourselves. He had to make some strong and tough assessments on individuals, and there were some glaring areas of need that had to be addressed. Sure, it helped that the money to spend under the cap was plentiful. However, how many organizations in each of the pro sports over the past decade lavished money on players that gave them virtually nothing in return for the investment? Ask franchises like the Washington Redskins, Los Angeles Dodgers, and Baltimore Orioles what the feeling is like to have one of the highest payrolls in all of sports during the late 90's into the early years of this decade and win zero...zilch.
You see, Ferry has already put in place an atmosphere of loyalty and accountability with the Cavaliers that is to be admired. It's what he believes in most. And it's a tribute to his upbringing in the basketball business that will serve as his master blueprint. The thing I most enjoy is that he is not afraid to say something needs to be done better if that's the case, and he'll be very proactive in doing so. Dan Gilbert and David Katzman can be very proud of, and comfortable in, the selection they made. Given what goes on in other franchises' front offices all over pro sports, Danny Ferry is truly a visionary that will have you Cavaliers fans enjoying your basketball team in the manner you desire.
By the way, have you taken a look at the standings around the NBA this morning? I know you get a bit detached over the holidays, so here's a quick bulletin that may jolt you some....the Wine and Gold, with their 18-10 slate, and .643 winning percentage would be a division leader in four of the six divisions in the league...yep, only Detroit and San Antonio, the two squads everyone feels will compete for the championship in June, have better records and winning percentages than the Cavaliers. Mike Brown and the guys would be leading the Atlantic, Southeast, Northwest, and Pacific Divisions as we blog. Now, I'll be the first to tell you 28 games does not a season make. More to the point, these next four games, three at home, twice with Milwaukee, home and home, and Houston and The New York Knicks at The 'Q' are very important. I'm looking at needing to grab wins in at least three of them to head west feeling and standing tall, still in hailing distance of Detroit in the Central.
Back to the win over the Pistons. Yes, I do believe it could be quantified as a 'barometer', or 'measuring stick' of how the Cavaliers not only view themselves, yet maybe more importantly, how teams like Detroit looks at them. It brings with it a confidence and trust among teammates that should serve as a piece of the building foundation. Don't you, as fans, see some tangibles on the defensive end of the floor starting to fall into place in Mike Brown's new system? Trust is a key ingredient. Defenders have to develop that amongst one another in order for this new system to thrive. It's beginning to grow, evidenced by how Zydrunas Ilgauskas has altered and blocked shots in the painted area around the rim. It's fun to watch, especially as it leads to fastbreak transition opportunities for LeBron and Larry Hughes, as it did against Detroit. Keep a watchful eye on that aspect of the Cavaliers' play. It just may determine how much is achieved by season's end.
Time to catch the plane for the short jump to Milwaukee. I'll see you on the telecast tomorrow night, and we'll get together again early next week. Happy '06 to one and all!
My Cavaliers Best!
Michael
Hey Everyone!
I do hope all of you enjoyed your Holiday Season. It's a tremendous time to be around family, loved ones, and friends! Let's make 2006 a year to remember fondly in many aspects.
I have to begin with a large 'way to go' to all of you Cavaliers fans who were extremely boisterous while creating that sizzling atmosphere at The 'Q' on New Year's Eve afternoon while the Wine and Gold were smacking the team with the top record in the NBA, the 24-4 Detroit Pistons. I have to tell you the way you responded during a couple of Cavaliers runs in building the big lead gave me some chills and flashbacks to days gone by in the previous building in Richfield. It was that impressive! And don't think for a moment that it goes unnoticed by the Cavaliers players! They love the energy and believe it enhances their play. Already 13-3 @ home, with twenty five left in front of 20,562 rockin' the place could find the boys, as I've stated on the telecasts, quite conceivably lookin' at 32, 33 home 'w's'....possibly more. Creating an environment that opponents find difficult overcoming was one thing that was very high on the priority list for general manager Danny Ferry.
Speaking of the former Cavalier, don't you believe he deserves a tremendous amount of respect and credit for how he meticulously, yet aggressively, put this roster together this past summer? Let's not kid ourselves. He had to make some strong and tough assessments on individuals, and there were some glaring areas of need that had to be addressed. Sure, it helped that the money to spend under the cap was plentiful. However, how many organizations in each of the pro sports over the past decade lavished money on players that gave them virtually nothing in return for the investment? Ask franchises like the Washington Redskins, Los Angeles Dodgers, and Baltimore Orioles what the feeling is like to have one of the highest payrolls in all of sports during the late 90's into the early years of this decade and win zero...zilch.
You see, Ferry has already put in place an atmosphere of loyalty and accountability with the Cavaliers that is to be admired. It's what he believes in most. And it's a tribute to his upbringing in the basketball business that will serve as his master blueprint. The thing I most enjoy is that he is not afraid to say something needs to be done better if that's the case, and he'll be very proactive in doing so. Dan Gilbert and David Katzman can be very proud of, and comfortable in, the selection they made. Given what goes on in other franchises' front offices all over pro sports, Danny Ferry is truly a visionary that will have you Cavaliers fans enjoying your basketball team in the manner you desire.
By the way, have you taken a look at the standings around the NBA this morning? I know you get a bit detached over the holidays, so here's a quick bulletin that may jolt you some....the Wine and Gold, with their 18-10 slate, and .643 winning percentage would be a division leader in four of the six divisions in the league...yep, only Detroit and San Antonio, the two squads everyone feels will compete for the championship in June, have better records and winning percentages than the Cavaliers. Mike Brown and the guys would be leading the Atlantic, Southeast, Northwest, and Pacific Divisions as we blog. Now, I'll be the first to tell you 28 games does not a season make. More to the point, these next four games, three at home, twice with Milwaukee, home and home, and Houston and The New York Knicks at The 'Q' are very important. I'm looking at needing to grab wins in at least three of them to head west feeling and standing tall, still in hailing distance of Detroit in the Central.
Back to the win over the Pistons. Yes, I do believe it could be quantified as a 'barometer', or 'measuring stick' of how the Cavaliers not only view themselves, yet maybe more importantly, how teams like Detroit looks at them. It brings with it a confidence and trust among teammates that should serve as a piece of the building foundation. Don't you, as fans, see some tangibles on the defensive end of the floor starting to fall into place in Mike Brown's new system? Trust is a key ingredient. Defenders have to develop that amongst one another in order for this new system to thrive. It's beginning to grow, evidenced by how Zydrunas Ilgauskas has altered and blocked shots in the painted area around the rim. It's fun to watch, especially as it leads to fastbreak transition opportunities for LeBron and Larry Hughes, as it did against Detroit. Keep a watchful eye on that aspect of the Cavaliers' play. It just may determine how much is achieved by season's end.
Time to catch the plane for the short jump to Milwaukee. I'll see you on the telecast tomorrow night, and we'll get together again early next week. Happy '06 to one and all!
My Cavaliers Best!
Michael