There's Always Next Year

A few tidbits in my first post in months...

Congratulations to the Orlando Magic for convincingly establishing themselves as the best NBA team in the Eastern Conference by knocking off the defending champion Boston Celtics and number one seed Cleveland Cavaliers.

In the common occurrence of an opponent eliminating a Cleveland team from the playoffs, I am normally inclined to root for the victor's next opponent. However, I have three solid reasons for becoming an Orlando Magic fan for the next two weeks:

1. They are playing the Lakers -- 'nuff said.


2. I can't find a good reason to dislike Orlando. The management didn't build their team by outbidding for free agents. While there were a few elbows in the Cavs-Magic series, overall it was well-played and respectful by both teams (sans one LeBron James snub.)
   


3. I was in Daytona in June of 2006 when the Cavs opened the NBA Finals at San Antonio. To my amazement, nearly everybody drinking beer in the same sports bar as myself was cheering for the Cavs. It is only right to temporarily become an Orlando fan with the situation reversed.
   

NY ♥ LBJ

I vowed last November after the Cavs made their first road trip to New York that I would not address the 2010 free agency hype. Instead, hundreds of sports writers across the country who get paid for their expert opinions have written thousands of articles about this topic for me.

The problem is that none of the experts can agree with one another. Ultimately this means that half of these opinions will be correct while the other half will be proven to be nothing but humbling dreck.

Let's hope the Stephen A. Smiths of the journalistic world fall into the latter category.


My Take?

LeBron James's free agency is Danny Ferry's burden. That being said, Ferry has excelled as the GM of the Cavaliers until now and there is no reason to assume he will suddenly fail at his role during this critical offseason.

Stay tuned.


And Finally...

My personal favorite post of the past year in the Cleveland Plain Dealer Cavs forum:

"I just flushed a Rondo."