This team has disgraced CLEVELAND tonight

[OptimusPrime]

The only thing that's going to really piss them off is if they feel they're being disrespected on the court.

How much more did he have to disrespect their game before they got mad? They haven't heard any of his comments for the past 5 months?

[Montana]

If only looks could kill . . . check out Wally Szczerbiak in the photo below. Too bad none of our current players could muster up such contempt.

[Bob_The_Cat]

If only looks could kill . . . check out Wally Szczerbiak in the photo below. Too bad none of our current players could muster up such contempt.

In hindsight, we should have just waived Jawad and signed Wally to a 10 day contract just for this game.

[Jake]

We should just fucking sign Wally straight up, he would contribute way more than Jawad is even capable of, on his off nights he can give nice ass fives.

[pjtoadie]

If only looks could kill . . . check out Wally Szczerbiak in the photo below. Too bad none of our current players could muster up such contempt.

I love the couple with their arms crossed ....they look disgusted!

[Gunther]

If only looks could kill . . . check out Wally Szczerbiak in the photo below. Too bad none of our current players could muster up such contempt.

Is that Travis Hafner in a Cavs jersey walking away in disgust?

[NorthCoastKid]

Is that Travis Hafner in a Cavs jersey walking away in disgust?

It does appear to be Pronk, and that would make sense because I read on Twitter that he was there with another member of the Tribe yesterday (can't remember who). Pretty cool that all those guys got customized jerseys. Shaun Rogers, Bernie, Drew Carey, Abe Elam, and Cribbs all had them on.

[Montana]

Is that Travis Hafner in a Cavs jersey walking away in disgust?

You are right, I didn't notice him earlier! Confirmed in this article from the Plain Dealer:

http://www.cleveland.com/livingston/...aliers_le.html

Affable Cleveland Cavaliers let LeBron James rule The Q: Bill Livingston
Published: Friday, December 03, 2010, 7:18 PM Updated: Friday, December 03, 2010, 10:36 PM

Amid the catcalls and boos, LeBron James sought shelter from the storm before tipoff Thursday night at The Q. He approached Mo Williams, who returned his embrace. The booing reached a new crescendo.

Anderson Varejao also hugged James, and J.J. Hickson made amiable small talk after that. It was just like the Cavaliers to do that.

The message in body language was that they held no grudge against the superstar who gave a poor effort in last season's playoff series with Boston, who left them too late in the free agency period for the franchise to entertain any thought of acquiring a top free agent.

They made nice. They wanted everyone to just get along.

Maybe it was misleading. But the trend continued in the game. No one gave James a hard foul as he poured in 24 third-quarter, garbage time points. No one knocked him on his butt on a drive.

The Cavs are a soft team with no inside deterrent, a team that has to outwork and outscrap top opponents. That game plan went away about halfway through the first quarter. Probably, no amount of hustle could make up for the talent deficit, given that the Miami Heat, and especially the former Cavaliers superstar, were at the top of their game. But it would have been nice if the Cavs had tried.

The fans would have appreciated at least a small sign that the players were as passionate about the outcome as they were. The reporters, whose turnout was more appropriate to a second-round playoff series than an early December game, expected some indication that the Cavs, too, knew this was a big game.

But it seemed to be a regular little homecoming game reunion at times in the second half, as the Miami lead ballooned to a grotesque 38 points.

It was hard to tell from Dan Gilbert's Pressbox in the Sky, to which writers are assigned, whether James was chatting up Cavs bench players or assistant coaches during several third quarter free throws at the Cavs end of the floor. Giving media members a whiff of what's going on between players and coaches or players and players was long ago sacrificed by an image-conscious, money-grubbing league. Courtside media seats became season ticket-holders' seats for big bucks. Thursday night's jollity between James and members of the Cavs seemed to exclude assistant coach Chris Jent, anyway. In one television replay when that was going on, Jent looked particularly grim, despite his close association with James here.

Daniel Gibson said at practice Friday that it might have looked like he was smiling at James, but that the conversation between the pair was not cordial. Well, whatever.

But if former Browns quarterback Derek Anderson caught heat for a moment of levity on the bench during a blowout loss with Arizona, what manner of criticism might the Cavs have faced after they caught the Heat at full blast and put up the resistance of marshmallows over a campfire?

It was even more amazing that coach Byron Scott, who experienced the Lakers-Celtics grudge games as a Lakers starter, gave the players a pass after the game. Scott explained Friday that the players were hard enough on themselves after the feeble effort and he didn't need to pile on.

James has always been a man-child, a leader in locker room pranks and those ridiculous Busby Berkeley musicals the players used to stage during pregame introductions. Making him feel more uncomfortable couldn't have hurt. He did enough harm as it was, with a box score line of 38-5-8 in points, rebounds and assists he amassed in three quarters of play.

The Cavs trotted out several current and former Browns and Indians players and comedian Drew Carey, all clad in Cavs jerseys, before the game. Among them were Shaun Rogers, Bernie Kosar, Travis Hafner, Jensen Lewis, Josh Cribbs. The crowd roared long and loud. Hafner actually turned away from James' during his pregame powder toss.

No one who actually played in a Cavs jersey did as much.

[Abdullah67]

That’s an interesting look that Pronk’s rockin…basketball jersey over a plaid button-up

I’m very disappointed that no one assaulted LeQuit when he did the chalk toss. This was when he realized he could do what he pleased without consequence. A city with all kinds of crazy people, and not one could even attempt to nail this doosh with an object??? That’s sad.

[JiggleIt]

Pronk could have fucked any chick in that shot...probably just finished.

[Rich]

Wtf is Wally doing at the game?

[Abdullah67]

The 2 people with their arms crossed make me laugh. The people taking pics for their facebook accounts make me want to spew for some reason.

[Jezzar]

The one I'm most pissed at is Jamison.

You were relieved that you got traded here because apparently this would be your last good championship chance. Then the dude who's supposed to will your team to a championship, quits and leaves the team and you're not pissed at all. I honestly expected him to cave LeBron's face in during their first good physical contact. Never happened.

I don't care about players personal life. You can be butt buddies with LeBron. I don't care. But during a Cleveland Cavaliers game, you have to be a Cavs player first. For God's sake, respect the city a bit.

I feel sorry for all the fans who went to the game. You guys did a great job supporting our team and showing the feelings of an entire city without being classless. Can't say the same for the players. I'm totally embarrassed of the players other than JJ. You know why? Because I expected his bitch ass to act like that.

[Littaguy714]

You guys aren't just realizing that the players don't see things the same way you do?

The only thing that's going to really piss them off is if they feel they're being disrespected on the court.

Actually Jon, that is the one thing that became crystal clear to all Cavs fans last night. These guys do not give a flying f*ck about the fans of Cleveland. The NBA is a business and fraternity. To the players, the fans are a necessary evil, nothing more.

Therein lies the problem for one Mr. Dan Gilbert. How do you sell tickets on what looks like a pretty bad basketball team to a fan base when the one game all year the fans needed them to play balls to the wall, they basically laid down all the while kissing the ass of the most reviled man in the history of Cleveland sports.

As little as they care about what the fans care about, I would think they would at least care about the media. They have been ripped to shreds and embarrassed nationally from TNT to ESPN to the print journals. If you listened to Cleveland radio yesterday, every talk show hosts, caller and contributor all said the same thing, they are done with this team from here on out.

[Pioneer10]

Well unfortunately in terms of pure basketball: we match up terribly with the Heat. Our two worst positions by far are SG and SF and well we all know who the Heat have at those positions. We needed either our PG's to blow up and JJ or Jamison to take it to Bosh. Well the PG's were ok but JJ has been MIA for awhile now and was for the most part MIA against Miami as well