Even Hall of Famers Are Taking Notice of JOK

CLEVELAND- The Browns are back! (kind of). Saturday marked the first preseason game for the Browns as they got the first look at the first overall draft pick Trevor Lawrence and the Jacksonville Jaguars in a 23-13 win.

The feeling of this preseason game was different from seasons past. The anxiousness of feeling out a rookie QB and implementing a new rookie head coach was taken over by the opposing sideline for once.

What replaced that anxiousness was expectation. The Browns may not have had anything really to get excited about on the offensive end, but they sure as hell had something to be excited about on the defensive end.

Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah made his debut and did not disappoint racking up 7 solo tackles 3 tfls and 1 sack.

Koramoah, or JOK as players like to call him, was drafted to Cleveland in the second round of this year's draft in a move that was stunning.

The Browns got handed a gift with Koramoah at pick number 52. He was ranked as the top linebacker in this year's draft and projected to go in the top 25 in almost every expert big board. Even the front office was surprised Karmoah was there.

“He was definitely in considerations.”

Said Paul DePodesta when talking about using their first-round pick on the linebacker. Now, this was because of the Browns battered linebacking core that ranked 31st in the NFL last year according to Pro Football Focus.

But even so, Kormoah being available for the Browns at 52 was highly unlikely, and they took advantage.

Andrew Berry has been praised for his moves from last year's offseason, but this year may even be better.

Berry not only added talent, but he also addressed need. Safety, linebackers, and corner depth were the three positions that Browns had glaring holes and Berry filled them flawlessly.

 Notable Defensive Signings:

SS, John Johnson (signed from LAR) 3-yr/ $33.75 mil.

DE, Takkarist McKinley (signed from LV) 1-yr/ $4.25 mil.

LB, Malcolm Smith (resigned) 1-yr/ $1.21 mil.

CB, Troy Hill (signed from LAR) 4-yr/ $24 mil.

LB, Anthony Walker Jr (signed from IND) 1-yr/ $3.5 mil.

DT, Malik Jackson (signed from PHI) 1-yr deal

CB Greg Newsome (Rookie) Pick 26

LB Jeramiah Owusu-Koramoah (Rookie) Pick 52

DT Tommy Togiai (Rookie) Pick 132

LB Tony Fields II (Rookie) Pick 153

S Richard LeCounte III (Rookie) Pick 169

But the one that could define Berry’s legacy as a GM could be that lucky number 52. The preseason is exactly that, the preseason. We take it with a grain of salt as we should, but there are also times where we don’t give it the respect it deserves.

Even playing against second and third-string players, there was one thing that proved that Koramoah is going to be an elite NFL linebacker: Instinct.

Fans raved and were aw struck by a play by Kormoah made late in the fourth quarter in Saturday's preseason game.

At first glance, it looks like an atypical tackle for loss, but the Browns were actually in a zone defense that held Kormoah responsible for the middle part of the field. Not only was he able to recover on a screen pass for negative yardage with a monstrous hit, but he also clipped a tight end. He made up 10 yards to somehow stop Contrell behind the line of scrimmage.

The talent and instinct for the position that JOK posses are where his upside lies, and it has even caught the eye of a future Hall-of-Famer:

“He kind of put the team on his back at certain times,”  Michael Vick said after watching Kormoah’s college career unfold. “That energy. And that’s what you have to do at linebacker, is bring that energy. You’ve got to be vocal. You’ve got to be very enthused about playing that position. He has shown that.”

So how did the Browns get so lucky to get Koramoah in the second? Before the draft, there were rumors that JOK had developed a heart issue while at Notre Dame, and could affect his ability to be on the field.

But there were other concerns as well: Koramoah is smaller than your average linebacker. He certainly is not Ray Lewis or Luke Kuechly, and he does not try to be. Koramoah is a hybrid linebacker that can change the way the NFL looks at the position for years to come. At least, that is what former defensive coordinator at Notre Dame and current Vanderbilt head coach Clark Lea seems to think so.

"I think that he is the evolution of the game at the second level. I think he is exactly the kind of guy that we're seeing become more relevant and more coveted, both in college and in the pros… With 'Wu,' when I watch that tape, you see explosive athleticism all over the place. Defensively, he does so many things on that film, but there are times where he's so explosive through the line of scrimmage and I'm talking about him as a linebacker. Now he plays rover for us, which is like a nickel position essentially, and that kind of folds in a different skill set. I was so impressed with his second-level linebacker film. The way he found windows to the ball, the way he accelerated in a bent position, it separated him…"

With receiving backs, speedy tight ends, and slot receivers becoming more vital to NFL offenses, having a linebacker that is a hybrid can change the game significantly. Guys like Isiah Simmons and JOK could very possibly cause an evolution that we have not seen.

So what does this mean for the Browns? Well, for starters it looks as if they may have gotten more than just filling a need, it looks as if they have a potential superstar to bolster a position that may be one of the only few weak points on their defense.

Could This Former Cav Be Heading Back to Cleveland?

CLEVELAND- Cavs fans are finally starting to see the light at the end of the post-LeBron era rebuild. A young, exciting team with boatloads of potential, but is it time to capitalize on that potential?

Despite their injuries, the Cavs are currently holding the 7th seed in the East. This is primarily due to their tenacious defense and play from All-Star bound big man Andre Drummond.

The Cavs already made a big play in the Harden sweepstakes by trading for young stud center Jarrett Allen and role player Taurean Prince. Perhaps this was a move centered around bolstering their bench, or maybe the Cavs are trying to hedge their bets on Drummond and capitalize on his hot start.

Drummond is currently playing under a huge contract and living up to that money as well. With his contract expiring after this year, it plays to the Cavaliers’ advantage.

It’s no secret that the Cavs front office thinks it can compete right now. With the emergence of what fans are calling ‘Sexland’ and a deep bench, the Cavs look like they can compete in the East, but it is clear they are missing that go-to scoring option.

Sexton has been great, but his ability to create his own shot is somewhat limited right now. While Drummond has been scoring at a higher clip this season, he is still averaging under 20 points per game. Suitable for a center, but as a secondary scorer that can create his shot, his tools are limited to the inside.

Cavs have been linked to multiple big names such as SF Ben Simmons and PG Russell Westbrook, so it would not be a surprise to see them become buyers on some of the premier big names on the trade block.

SG Bradley Beal for Andre Drummond, SF Kevin Porter Jr., and a First-Round Pick.

Bradley Beal has been on the trading block for seemingly a century. While it’s too early to tell if the Westbrook/Beal combo will be a bust, one thing is for sure; they are not a finals contender.

Washington’s defense has been atrocious to start the year, so bad that Beal said, “We can’t cover a parked car.” Ouch.

Acquiring Drummond still gives them a chance to compete while giving them time to evaluate their status.

The trade gives the Wizards something they have not had previously: flexibility. Along with Drummond comes Kevin Porter, who is not just a throw-in on the deal. Porter is a guy that many NBA GMs think can be a star talent in this league. With the relationship between Porter and the Cavs front office being up in the air, the Wizards would be foolish not to take advantage of it.

Suppose the Wizards decide that the combination of Westbrook and Drummond, along with a young studded cast, doesn’t work. In that case, they can dump Drummond’s contract at the end of the year and begin their rebuild with KPJ and the picks they acquired from the Cavaliers.

The Cavs get their go-to guy in Bradley Beal, who is also a lockdown defender. A guy that fits perfectly in coach JB Bickerstaff’s system and is averaging over 30 ppg this season. With Allen’s addition, the Cavs can afford to give up Drummond, but trading for Beal can also be a gamble.

SF Demar Derozan for Andre Drummond and Kevin Porter Jr.

The Spurs are in a peculiar spot at the moment. Sitting at the bottom of the West, it is unclear what their path is. Demar Derozan had been a four-time All-Star while residing in the East but has not made the all-star team in the West in his two years with the Spurs.

Perhaps a trip back East is just the change in scenery Derozan needs. Coupling with a fellow mental advocate and close friend, PF Kevin Love, would make him a good fit and locker room presence.

The Spurs get a young big man in Drummond, which would allow C LaMarcus Aldridge to step out and stretch the floor as he did in Portland. This would be reminiscent of coach Greg Popovich’s system when he had a young C Tim Duncan and C David Robinson.  Pop would also get a young and talented guard to pair with young rising star PG Dejounte Murray. Pop is the Bill Belichick of the NBA; he believes that he can get any guy to buy in no matter the off-court circumstances in his system. This gives Pop a new project that perhaps he was looking for in this weird transition period.

PG Cj McCollum for Andre Drummond, Kevin Porter Jr. and a pick.

With C Jusuf Nurkic out for the season and the clarity that the duo of CJ McCollum and Damian Lillard is not a duo that will win finals, it may be time for the Blazers to retool.  Andre Drummond brings a 2nd scoring option but does not demand the ball as much as McCollum. This allows Lillard to be able to control an offense in which he is the centerpiece.

With the help of draft picks and KPJ, the Blazers get some valuable bench pieces that will make them one of the West’s deeper benches. As for the Cavs, this is a match made in heaven. McCollum was born in Cleveland and still has a deep connection to the city. He is not shy about his love for the Browns as he is continuously tweeting every gameday. He loves the city and the city loves him. He makes up for some of the Cavs scoring woes and he has been proven to play off-ball when he needs to. This is a good fit piece for the Cavs.

Andrew Wiggins and F Kelly Oubre for Andre Drummond.

This one has to be the most intriguing for Cavs fans. Andrew Wiggins making his return, or non-return? Was he even here long enough… Nevermind.

Oh, have the mighty have fallen, two teams at the top of the NBA now lobbying for a position in their respective conferences.
With SG Klay Thompson out and the Warriors not getting much offensive firepower aside from PG Steph Curry, they may be looking to add a significant piece that can supplement their lack of offense while still keeping their defensive mentality. Drummond is an excellent fit in the short term and could take some of the pressure off of rookie C James Wiseman.

The Cavs are finally reunited with their former #1 overall pick and get a stud role player in F Kelly Oubre. This would make sense for the Cavs as they get two guys that can create and score in bunches and can defend at a high level.

Will The Browns Intensive COVID-19 Protocols End Up Hurting Them?

CLEVELAND- The joy, euphoria, monkey-off-our-back feeling is starting to subside in Cleveland today as head coach Kevin Stefanski, all-pro lineman Joel Bitonio and Wide Receiver Khardarel Hodge test positive for COVID-19.

Those positive tests come with two others in tight ends coach Drew Petzing and defensive backs coach Jeff Howard.

Over the past two weeks, that makes six total positive cases for the Browns and several close contacts, which put wide receivers, Jarvis Landry, Rashard Higgins, Khardarel Hodge, Donovan Peoples-Jones and rookie linebacker Jordan Philips out of the Jets game.

The failure of stopping the spread of the virus has not been for lack of trying. The Browns have had intensive measures in place from the start of this funky season. With the rise of cases in team facilities, the NFL announced in November that they would be putting teams through intensive protocols.

NFL.com sent a statement that all players and coaches must have a negative test from the previous day’s testing before entering the facility, in addition to regular daily PCR testing, all meetings being held virtually unless they can be held outdoors or indoors with a pre-approved plan and for facemasks being worn at all times at the facility, including on the practice field by all personnel. All meals must be served in a grab and go style to prevent people from congregating in meal rooms. Locker room use is strongly discouraged on non-game days.

These were all protocols that the Browns had already been following; Stefanski even commented on this.

“We are not having any of those meetings in-house anymore or out on the field; guys are wearing the Oakley face shields and masks, obviously. For us, it is very much business as usual. We do not have any meals [together] in the building anymore,” Stefanski said. “The guys grab-and-go all of their meals, so you are not sharing meals with each other. There is a time limit that they spend in the locker room. It gets in and gets out. It is very unfortunate when you are talking about a team sport that you can’t spend a lot of time with your team.”

Stefanski has been very interactive with head team physician Dr. James Voos and senior vice president of player health and development Joe Sheehan in ensuring that they implemented these processes early.

“When you are in the intensive protocols, you can’t hang out together outside of this building,” Stefanski said. “For us, we just try to educate everybody on the risks that are involved when you are talking about having anyone in your home or wherever when you leave this building, once you leave this building, you have to make smart decisions. We talk a lot about that.”

This goes as far back as training camp. Players were conducting meetings strictly online and were splitting into orange and brown workout groups to regulate further preventive measures.

Yet, the Browns find themselves in an unthinkable spot and that’s not the playoffs. So what now?

Browns fans feel cheated today.

For the first time in 18 years, they have had a winning season, something for the city to finally take pride in. Now, their chances seem bleak and they are calling on the NFL to intervene.

The NFL came out publicly and said that as of now, there will be no change in the schedule for the wildcard round. The league is still going through contact tracing protocols to make sure that the spread is contained. But suppose Browns fans were bringing into question the NFL’s protocols last week. In that case, there is reason to believe that the most significant game in 18 years can and would bring questioning as well.

In Week 12, the Ravens-Steelers game was pushed back due to the rapid spread of COVID-19 around Baltimore’s facility. The spread saw 11 positive cases, including key pieces such as star quarterback Lamar Jackson, tight end Mark Andrews and defensive end Mathew Judon. Along with that, 20 close contacts had to be placed on the covid reserve list.

This forced the NFL to pivot and push the game, which came under scrutiny. That same week, the Broncos had to play the Saints without a quarterback after placing them on the covid reserve list.

In an interview with Mike Tirico, Roger Goodell commented on the difference in the two situations between both teams.
“Our decisions are based on medical issues and that being our priority.” Goodell said, “We told all the clubs that at the beginning of the year and they understand that absent a medical issue we are going to play the games.”

Fans can say what they want, but the NFL has been consistent in this approach. The Broncos-Ravens debate really has no traction. The Ravens had 11 positive tests, whereas the Broncos players appeared on the close contact list.

Now, what does this mean for the Browns?

Well, it is evident that the NFL is unconcerned with competitive disadvantages with COVID-19. Still, with the increase in POSITIVE COVID-19 cases in the Browns facility and it spanning through multiple weeks, there is a chance that the NFL pushes the game back.

As of right now, the NFL believes that the Browns have run such a tight ship that they will not find any further harm in continuing the game. However, if we see one or two more cases come to pass, this will put the NFL in a very tough spot.
Considering this is not a new spread and has gone on for multiple weeks any new positive submissions will seemingly force the NFL’s hand to stay consistent with their protocols.

The competitive imbalance mindset of the NFL may change as well. The long-term effects of their decisions now are crucial to their ratings. Let’s play a hypothetical here: Say the NFL decides to play this game and weeks later, in an AFC championship game, Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes tests positive, but contact tracing deems that the spread stops at Mahomes. Obviously, without Mahomes, the Chiefs are at a considerable disadvantage and the NFL is at a massive disadvantage with ratings. But consistency in a global pandemic is huge.

Browns fans should keep hope that this game will get pushed. The implications for the NFL go well beyond just the Browns.

Are The Cavs Becoming the Miami Heat?

CLEVELAND- As we look to the start of the NBA season, it is evident that the 2020-21 Cavs are not the 2016 juggernaut with the best player in the world, but perhaps Cavs fans can hold onto some hope.

The 2020 NBA Finals was peculiar, but the most peculiar part of the bubble was the finals matchup. With Giannis’ Bucks humming, a stacked Sixers team and a young loaded Celtics team, you would have been pressed to say that the winner of the East would be a young gun Jimmy Butler-led Heat team.

The grit and grind the Heat played within the Finals and throughout the playoffs was something to marvel at. It was no secret going in that they would be a problem in any matchup, but no one thought they would bring down the league’s back-to-back MVP.

So how did they do it?

Well, the model fits the method essentially. Miami Heat teams have traditionally been known for their defensive prowess, especially in a Pat Riley led organization.

“In terms of more of a methodology, it’s still very much how Pat did it, even as we’re making adaptations based on how the league has changed.” Said head coach Eric Spoelstra “Pat developed a system, where there’s consistency in structure and accountability, we still, hopefully, adhere to that.”

This is not to Spoelstra’s discredit, who had the Miami Heat defense humming in the 2020 season.

Spoelstra has been able to evolve and tinker with Riley’s system to fit today’s game, utilizing the tools he has at his disposal: Bam Adebayo. This lengthy stretch big man can defend the rim and perimeter. Bam can cover multiple positions and he’s a 2nd All-NBA Defender, with an argument to be made for the first team. Veteran Jimmy Butler, a four-time all NBA Defender and a collection of young three-and-D players in Duncan Robinson, Tyler Herro, and Kendrick Nunn.

“Are the nuts and bolts of the system a little bit different than how they used to be in the 90s? Yes,” said Spoelstra, “the game is different, and it evolved. It’s a markedly different game, from shooting and skill level and even personnel level than it was 20 years ago.”

The Heat have also been able to bring in veteran leadership adding pieces like Andre Iguodala, Jae Crowder and Goran Dragic. The mixture of youth and experience is a nod to the Heat’s methodical structure that they can utilize. Even the LeBron, Wade, and Bosh super team were built like this. Pieces like James Jones, Mike Miller and Shane Battier were valuable outlets for Miami’s big three.

The Heat couldn’t rely on their sole talent to get them there, so they built up the core they have now.

Sound familiar Cavs fans?

The model for success Cleveland is taking is directly correlated to what the Heat are now.

Andre Drummond: A prolific rim defender can be a core of an offense as Bam Adebayo does.

Collin Sexton: A young, tenacious point guard who can create shots with his pull-up game and has the potential to be an All-NBA defender like Jimmy Butler

Isaac Okoro: The best defensive guard in the draft, a guy that, if he can develop an offensive game, has a style that could be closely related to Jimmy Butler and Kawhi Leonard.

Darius Garland: A guard with a lot of capability offensively that is untapped and a silky-smooth stroke. His ceiling is reminiscent of Kendrick Nunn.

Cedi Osman: He was not always known for his 3-pointer, but that part of his game came into form, making him a three and D guy like Jae Crowder.

Dylan Windler: Windler missed all of last year but can be very important to this Cavs team’s development. A lengthy SF who is known to be a fantastic shooter, very reminiscent of Duncan Robinson.

Kevin Love: His best years may very well be behind him, but he is still an asset to this young Cavs team in their development and can go off at any time. He has finals experience, can stretch the floor, and is becoming a force defensively. Playstyles and position are different, but this is much like Goran Dragic’s role for the Heat.

JaVale McGee: A rim protector with finals experience. Not a flashy pickup but an excellent piece none the less. His finals experience and defensive tenacity is closely related to Andre Iguodala.

Larry Nance Jr: Not a flashy guy (besides his dunks) but a very underrated defender with the length that brings a lot of leadership and energy on the boards. He does the dirty work like Cavs fan favorite Kelly Olynk does on the Heat.

Kevin Porter Jr: A young guard with a ton of talent and athleticism. When he gets going, it is hard to be stopped. One of the most promising young guards the Cavs have, similar to Tyler Herro.

The Cavs have a collection of young talent and while none of them are Zion Williamson or Ja Morant, it may just work in their favor. Going through the LeBron heartbreak not once but twice is enough for any fan base. The Cavs are going back to their roots, compiling their talent through the draft as they did with Mark Price, Brad Daugherty and Austin Carr.

Yet, the Cavs are missing a go-to scorer.

While Okoro and Sexton can be compared to Butler, they are not near his offensive talent. Drummond also has a similar offensive game but is not a star offensive talent. Maybe they are hoping to combine the production of the three to make up for that go-to option, or perhaps we can see them take a plunge on an NBA star to act as their Jimmy Butler.

During the Russell Westbrook sweepstakes, the Cavs were rumored in discussions with the Rockets about landing the former MVP. Ultimately, it did not come to pass, but it makes sense for the argument that the Cavs are committing to the Miami Heat style.

Jimmy Butler went to the Heat in a head-scratching move. With the way he left Minnesota and went to Philly, it is evident that Butler was set on winning a championship and Miami seemed to be in a retool. Several analysts did not see Butler as a player that could lead a team to finals as he did not do it in Chicago or even Minnesota. Hindsight is 20:20 and looking back, it was a perfect fit.

Russell Westbrook is going through a similar narrative. No one believes that he could be a guy who leads a team to the finals, and several groups give up on him. Westbrook is a competitor like Butler; his mindset is to win at all cost. He has played in a small market before and will be loyal to a team that is a winner.

Unfortunately, Westbrook found a new home with Washington. Still, the Cavs were checking in on him and other stars in the league (Ben Simmons) shows that they believe they are looking to add that final piece to their system.

Besides player comparison, the Cavs also are trying to change the culture as well. Cavs fans will tell you that the Cavs have been lackluster on defense the past few years. JB Bickerstaff, first-year head coach, has already enforced a rugged defensive mindset.
JB Bickerstaff led the Cavs to a 5-5 record in the back-end of the year. A .500-win percentage is not an eye-popping number, I know, but what is eye-popping is the teams they beat in that stretch: The Nuggets, Spurs, Sixers and ironically, the Miami Heat.

Bickerstaff brought a different tenacity to his team, which stemmed from his time in Memphis. We all remember the Grizzly bully ball era with Marc Gasol, Mike Conley, Zach Randolph and Tony Allen. While Bickerstaff was just an assistant, he was an essential figure in their identity. He brought that the Grizzly grit to Cleveland.

“One of the words that we use is toughness,” the Cavs coach said. “You can’t be a good team if you don’t have that toughness. My vision has always been being a group of guys that nobody wants to see. And as you play, you come into a team who’s on back to back in February, and their first thought, when they see you on the schedule, is ‘Oh s—, not them.’ One of our other core values is compete. I think those things go hand in hand, where again, we may not be the most talented, but by the time the fourth quarter comes, we’ve worn you down enough with those things where now the advantage is in our favor.”

Hm sounds familiar; listen to what former Cav Dion Waiters said when he first got to the Heat:

“We’re going to get you in world-class shape. Not good shape. Not great shape. World-class shape,” Pat Riley Said to Waiters, even though Waiters claimed he was already in NBA shape. “After one week, my body [was] shot, I was damn near throwing up in trash cans like in the movies.”

Now, this is not to say that every NBA team lacks a work ethic. Still, every team has a mantra that they build their team around: The Warriors are run and gun and like to get out on breaks, the Lakers rely on the drive and kick with AD and Lebron and the Bucks run their offense through Giannis. Where these teams lose on defense, they can supplement through the high-powered offensive of their superstars. Some teams (like the Heat and Cavs) Don’t have the luxury of a LeBron James (anymore). Still, they have talent. Their toughness and defensive mentality make it hard for any team to go against them, especially in a seven-game series as we saw with the Heat.

Perhaps the Cavs are not there yet, but Cavs fans can hold on hope that they are making a turnaround and could even be in the playoff discussion in the East this year.

Booby: Where is He Now?

CLEVELAND- June 2, 2007, Cavs fans are experiencing a hope turn into a reality. They watch as a hero steps in the fourth quarter and wills the Cavaliers past the Pistons in the eastern conference finals. But who is this hero? Lebron? Hughes? Z?

Cavs fans inch off their seat as they see the first three-pointer drop down the nylon as silky as the shot that released it. The threes continue to pour, each one creating new chaos in Quick and Loans Arena. Fans are in shock at the prospect of going to the NBA finals, but even more shocked at who led them there.

Daniel Gibson or 'Booby' as he is known in Cleveland picked quite a night to unleash his best performance of his rookie season, going 5-5 from three with four of those threes coming in the fourth quarter.

Booby led all scorers even, and yes, that includes even Lebron James, with 31 points in perhaps the most important game in Cavs history to that point. An incredible performance, but an unlikely one. If you were to ask Cavs fans before game six who they thought would be their hero, they would be reluctant to say their 42nd overall pick from Texas.

Game 6 jumped Daniel Gibson to Booby Gibson. He became a Cleveland fan favorite almost overnight. To this day, he is one of Cleveland's most beloved players to ever suit up in the wine and gold. But it does beg a significant question: What happened to Booby Gibson?

Booby played seven years in the NBA, with his best year after the NBA Finals in 2008, where he averaged 10.4 points per game and shot 44% from three. The following year the Cavs committed to Booby, signing him to a five-year deal worth 21 million dollars. However, Booby had an ankle injury that needed surgically repaired.

After his surgery, Booby never averaged over 10 points a game in his career again. His role was also becoming diminished after the NBA’s best player and best contributor to his success, Lebron James left for Miami.

After Lebron's departure, it seemed as if Booby was on a steady decline. Perhaps the final nail in the coffin for him came in 2011 when the Cavs drafted another point guard: Kyrie Irving.

The Cavs were looking towards their future. Even though Booby was productive in his career with the Cavs, his ankle issues loomed large in their decision to move on from him.

 A hard pill to swallow for many Cavs fans; they weren't just saying goodbye to a player, but an era of Basketball that came with many memories. Cavs fans alike can tell you about their experience with Booby's infamous game six and every subsequent big-time three pointer he hit after that. 

Booby was not Lebron James, but he was an iatrical part of what made those Cavs teams succeed. Cleveland fans appreciated and recognized that which made it hard to see him go. 

After the Cavs moved on from Gibson, he sat on the market for a year, and in October of 2015, he would announce his retirement from Basketball. 

Gibson announced the decision to retire and focus on a rap career during an interview on a New York Urban Radio station.

The decision was peculiar and challenging for some fans to wrap their heads around. Not many NBA players decide to leave for a music career; in fact, most players who look to pursue a rap career do it while they are in the league (Dame Lillard, Shaquille O'Neal).

However, in 2017 Gibson came out and admitted that his decision to leave Basketball was not just to pursue a career in rap music. After his departure from Cleveland, Booby had gotten divorced, lost his Grandmother, and had another ankle surgery. This left him stagnant and many teams unwilling to take a chance on him.

“I was just hit with a flurry of events,” Gibson said in an interview. "Mentally, it just took away my ability to work out. I was suffering from depression and anxiety. Honestly, Basketball was my sanctuary, but I couldn't even do that."

Gibson, a father of one, struggled to keep his head above water.

"I really got to the point where being alive wasn't something that I wanted anymore," Gibson said. "But I can speak about it so freely now because I feel comfortable, and I know that there are people out there who are in it and can't speak to it."

Gibson says that pursuing his music career wasn't something he wanted to do instead of Basketball. Still, it gave him a release from his anxiety and depression.

“I just started writing, and someone close to me had started to read some of my work and kept up on what I was doing,” Gibson said. “He ended up telling me about ways that I could express myself and release my feelings through music with nobody around except a microphone. So I started doing that and writing about how I felt, what I wanted to feel like, what I wanted to accomplish, and it all just kept me going. It – along with my son – basically saved my life.”

In 2017 Gibson starred in a reality show with his ex-wife called love and Hip Hop. In an interview with Marc Spears, Gibson said he was grateful for the show's timing because fans got to see a different side of him. 

 “They just automatically assume just because every other [basketball] rapper before, I would say, wasn't that good or didn't have time, they kind of jump to conclusions.” Said Gibson, “But with the show, it is like, ‘He is actually doing it.’ It’s a different set of fans. I think it opened up people’s eyes to the idea of me doing it. It’s been good for me.”

In the show, he does mention whether or not he wanted to make a return to Basketball.

“Yes. But in terms of the NBA, it’s tough because of the injuries that I have had with my ankle, my knee, my back. It started to be challenging to play 82 games and compete at a high level.”

Still, Gibson wanted to be back on the court but in a much different capacity. The premise of playing back to backs on the road was for Gibson, and many other former NBA players, too much.

“I got in with Keyon Dooling and Corey Maggette, and we created 'The Champions League,' which is a league for guys who still have names and can still play at a high level but might not be able to play five games in seven nights," Gibson said. “Guys like myself, Mike Bibby, Stephen Jackson, Corey Maggette, Al Harrington, Jason Williams. We would go play in smaller markets.”

Sounds familiar right? A year later, rapper Ice Cube pioneered a new league for former NBA players called the BIG3. Booby did not want to play in their first season due to his knee and ankle injuries that he had recently endured. But in 2019, he decided to sign with the BIG3.

Gibson has yet to play in the BIG3. His return to action will be one that Cavs fans alike are excited to see, and especially excited to see that signature Booby stroke on the floor again.

Booby will always be apart of the Cavalier faithful, and the Cleveland faithful will always be apart of him. In his interview with Marc Spears, Booby eludes the feelings he felt watching the Cavs 2016 title run.

“I cried, man. I get invested, man. I only played for the Cavaliers. They love me to death every time I go there now. They roll out the red carpet. I don't have to pay for anything." Said Gibson, "The first year they went to the Finals and LeBron went to the Finals, that was my rookie year. To go through what we went through, losing 25 games in a row, and they were still packing it out. … Man, when they won, I was sitting on the couch. I couldn't believe it. I felt like I got me [a title] too. If we don't lose, they don't get Kyrie, if we didn't stink it up like we did. I was a part of that.”

I am sure Cleveland fans would have no problem lumping in Booby Gibson with the 2016 title team and giving him an honorary ring.

A Paradigm Shift in The NFL

The NBA is usually the league making headlines during their free-agent period, with huge pieces moving and changing its dynamic. However, this year the NFL made its splash in the free agency frenzy.

Huge moves involving Tom Brady leaving New England, Gronk coming out of retirement, and even former MVP Cam Newton leaving the Panthers.

Blockbuster moves have been a theme the past two years for the NFL, the year before fans saw Odell, one of the most polarizing figures in football, get shipped to the Cleveland Browns.. Besides living in a world with covid, this was probably the most peculiar thing to happen in the past two years.

One thing is for sure; this free agency frenzy is not going to stop anytime soon. I expect the heat to get turned up even more during next season's offseason.

Here are some predictions for the 2021 NFL offseason:

 Aaron Rodgers gets shipped to the Colts:

It is no secret that there is tension between the Packers front office and star QB Aaron Rodgers after their infamous Jordan Love pick in the first round of this year's draft.

Rodgers, as he consistently does, looks to be playing off of that tension and proving why he is still one of the best QBs in the NFL. However, as a franchise, you do not draft a QB early in the first round and not expect him to take the reigns.

With Rodgers getting older and his offense getting younger (Aaron Jones 25, Devante Adams 27), and a young head coach in Matt LaFleur, it seems likely that they are moving towards the direction of retooling and skipping the rebuild process.

Aaron Rodgers has played his entire career with the Pack, and as I am sure everyone knows, Rodgers plays his best ball when he has something to prove. Could this all have been an elaborate plan for the Packers to get the most value out of Rodgers?

Enter Chris Ballard: The Colts have been rebuilding their team almost secretively. They have had the luxury of having Andrew Luck in those years to keep their head above water. But seemingly right as Ballard fit all the pieces together, Andrew Luck retired, leaving the entire organization in disarray.

Sneakily, Ballard has been able to put a tremendous young offense and defense together while still maintaining one of the highest caps in the NFL at $91 million. Ballard has been on record saying that he will not spend that cap unless he feels that a player puts them over the edge and fits the Colts culture.

There were rumors of the Colts being in on many QBs in this year's free agency, such as Newton, Brady, and Rivers. Ultimately, they went with Rivers on a one-year deal and gave up the option of drafting a QB in the first round when they traded their pick to the 49ers for All-Pro Deforest Buckner.

While Rivers is not playing terrible football, it is quite apparent that he is not the answer to take this team to a super bowl. Ballard has been building capital for many years, waiting for an opportunity like this.

 Ballard has already said that he is not afraid to spend the money and wealth for a guy that fits in and gives them a chance; here's his homerun opportunity.

Rodgers would be playing behind the top offensive line in football along with a young receiving core and a young and upcoming top 5 defense in the NFL. A scary sight for any NFL team facing the Colts. 

JJ Watt leaves the Texans for the Steelers:

Yes, you can start compiling all the childhood pics of the three Watt brothers now Fox.

The Texans are in an odd spot. After firing Bill O'Brien after an 0-4 start to the year, they find themselves in a half rebuild half not. With the talent of Deshaun Watson, this team won't be torn down to the studs, but they will look at options for ways they can gain more assets for Watson, especially after trading Deandre Hopkins.

 Even though it does not have the same weight, JJ Watt's name still holds significant value for any NFL organization. The Steelers have one of the most talented defenses in the NFL, but there is one problem, they are young.

I know what you are thinking, youth is the opposite of a problem, but it is when you have a bunch of guys playing on expiring rookie contracts, and the wealth starts to get thin.

The Steelers recently franchise-tagged linebacker Bud Dupree, and while they have him for this season, finding out where that money is coming from is going to be a challenging task. JJ Watt can solve some of those problems if he comes over at the right price.

Watt’s availability is already going to force him to take less than he wants, but the prospect of playing with both of his brothers might even cause him to take even less. The Steelers would be silly not to at least look into a deal for Watt.

Tj Watt has also been poking fun at JJ, saying that he is jealous of him and brother Derek, and even has caught JJ wearing a Steelers hat around the house.

Dak stays with the Cowboys:

Dak looks to be going into the Russ Wilson evolution, from game manager to superstar QB. Even though his team has struggled, he has posted insane numbers; he has even thrown for over 400 yards in back-to-back games, led the Cowboys from 24 back of the Falcons, and was one Odell Beckham house call from making it two straight ridiculous comeback victories.

 Even with his devastating leg injury, the Cowboys would be silly to let Dak walk in free agency. Dak is out,  yet he still leads the league in passing yards... That is a pretty impressive feat when guys like Patty Mahomes and Russ Wilson playing at MVP levels.

This guy is unique, and if it weren't for the Cowboys lack of defensive prowess, this team would have consistently been in the top five of power rankings each week that Dak was healthy, and Dak would be the front runner for MVP. It is hard to see a situation where Jerry Jones walks away from this type of production unless he has another plan in mind that he is keeping to himself.

AJ Green heads to Baltimore:

Green did not see the field in the 2019 season after being held out due to injury. Green was slated to make his return from an ankle injury right before the halfway point of the season, but the Bengals held him out, seemingly giving the impression that they were tanking for a high draft pick.

 Being the competitor he is, this did not sit well with Green and even led to him saying that he knows they would not have been 0-8 if he was on the field.

This unpleasantness led to rumors of him asking for a trade. Trade rumors made sense because it looked as if the Bengals were heading towards a rebuild and that Green wanted to win.

However, the Bengals punted the idea of trading Green and even put a franchise tag on him. The plan might have been to have him there as a safety blanket for rookie number one pick Joe Burrow, but as the weeks go by, it is becoming more apparent that Tyler Boyd and even Tee Higgins are Burrow's number one targets.

With Green's contract up and his frustration with the Bengals looming, it makes sense that he would want to stay inside that division and compete against the Bengals twice a year.

 Lamar Jackson has been feening for the Ravens to take a shot on Antonio Brown, but with him off the market Aj Green could be an ideal replacement.

The Raven's could use a legit WR1 with little to no headache. The odds are that they will be able to get Green at a great price, and it would provide a new element to an already stacked offense with Marquise Brown, Mark Andrews, J.K Dobbins, Mark Ingram, and Willie Snead.

Malik Hooker signs with Browns:


It is no secret that the Browns are desperate for help in their secondary, especially at safety after their 2nd round pick Grant Delpit was out for the 2020 season.

 Andrew Berry had a fantastic offseason for the Browns signing Austin Hooper to provide some stimulus for their red-zone woes and signing pro-bowl lineman Jack Conklin to a nice chunk of change.

 But Berry still has a lot of work to do, especially on the defensive side of the ball. Berry and the rest of the Browns front office base their decisions on analytics, which may lead them to consider Malik Hooker in their secondary.

Hooker has been ailed by injuries that have left him off the field two of his first three years in the NFL. That being said, he has shown flashes of greatness when he is on the field, even drawing comparisons to former Colts star safety Bob Sanders.

Malik Hooker is someone that would not jeopardize the Browns payroll because of his health concerns, but the value you are getting back from him if he stays on the field is unprecedented and provides some depth at a position that needs it. 

 Trevor Lawrence to the Jets Sam Darnold to the Lions:

In short... The Jets are terrible. There is no visible future for the Jets, and it seems as if they are heading towards a number one pick in this year's draft in Cleveland.

The Jets would be almost forced to take Lawrence with that pick unless they genuinely believe that Darnold will turn out to be a better player than Lawrence.

Ultimately, I think the Jets will make the logical play and draft Lawrence number one and ship Darnold. But who would take Darnold?

The Lions are a middle of the road team with a lot of young talent. Matt Stafford has been excellent for the Lions, but as he gets older and more injury-prone, the Lions might need to find an insurance policy.

Darnold is very similar to Stafford with his gunslinging mentality, and his arm angle even compares closely to Stafford. At the very worst, you are keeping a young and talented Darnold to sit behind a veteran hall of fame QB in Stafford and grooming him for the future.

This is not a Josh Rosen Situation; Darnold still has a lot of talent and a lot left to prove.  

Missing: Kyrie Irving

Christmas day 2016, the Cleveland Cavaliers fresh off their first title in 52 years are facing a juggernaut Warriors team. With time running down and in need of a bucket, the Cavaliers turn to Kyrie Irving. Fans watch with confidence as he rises and drains the go-ahead bucket, and in a moment, all was right in Cleveland, at least so we thought.

As fans look back onto that time, it is tough to find a point where toxicity reigned over the Cavs locker room. Where in their three straight finals appearances did things go sour? Was the picture that Cavs fans created for their team accurate, or an illusion formed out of denial?

Fast forward to the summer of 2017, fans across the globe are in shock at Kyrie's news wanting out of Cleveland. The fairytale ending to their storied championship drought has eluded them, and one question rings in every fan's mind: Why?

A question that has yet to be fully answered by Kyrie or the media and left fans reeling for years. There is no simple reason for Kyrie's departure, even though the popular consensus might say otherwise: Lebron James.

"It has been made clear to me by multiple people, Kyrie never really wanted LeBron to come back [to Cleveland] in the first place," Said Jason Lloyd of The Athletic. "LeBron said something to Kyrie on the court following a game when he was with Miami something to the effect of, 'Keep going, keep doing what you're doing. You never know, I could be back here one day.' And Kyrie basically said, 'What's he talking about, we don't need him."

Though Kyrie's narrative wanting the spotlight over James seems to be overwhelming reasoning behind Kyrie's departure, it leaves a lot of questions unanswered.

Kyrie adopted the 'mamba mentality' from mentor Kobe Bryant. Several fans attributed his relationship with Kobe as the reason he wanted to forge on a new path and create a legacy that he built.

In hearing these reports, Bryant responded with an obscure meme that suggested that the accusation was far off base. That did not stop the media from continuing their onslaught, even drawing comparisons to his relationship with former teammate Shaquille O'Neal.

Though their relationship was rocky, Kobe and Shaq have publicly said they wished they would have stayed together. Kobe is even on record saying that if Shaq had his work ethic that he would have 12 rings at the end of his career.

Kyrie has also come out publicly and said that he did not want to repeat the Kobe and Shaq feud.

"I know I don't want to look back and say that I let my selfishness get in the way of us winning championships," Said Irving before his trade request in 2017 "because we have unbelievable talent on this team and unbelievable players, and so I don't want to ever take that for granted."

Knowing the feelings, he shared for the Shaq and Kobe feud, and Kobe's regret/hunger of winning amongst anything else, it does not make a lot of sense that he would push Kyrie out of Cleveland; especially after being apart of 3 straight finals.

So, what led to Kyrie's ultimate ugly departure from Cleveland?

"Nobody could have become a ball-dominant play creator that makes people better in the presence of the single most efficient ball dominant play creator in history," Said former Cavs GM David Griffin "Kyrie had to do this for the sake of himself as a basketball player, and it had much less to do with his relationship with LeBron. But, it's not as sexy a story, so we focus on the relationship as though somehow it would matter more if they hated each other."

Griffin went on in his interview, saying that he thought Kyrie handled the situation in the most professional way possible and that he was not at fault for the media blowing up his trade request.

Kyrie reiterated that he felt very professional in his approach to the request saying on ESPN's First Take.

"I was very diligent and very professional in terms of this entire process."

Kyrie has overwhelming confidence in himself, and it is evident in the way he comes through in the clutch. Maybe that confidence manifested itself into the knowledge that he can be the best in the world after playing and learning under arguably the best player of all-time.

But the story quickly shifted on him, Cavs fans started taking shots at his personality and labeling him as selfish by while they rapidly came to the defense of hometown hero Lebron James.

It is evident that Irving felt some disconnect from Cleveland after getting heat for leaving when their hometown kid was accepted with open arms after leaving them high and dry and would later leave again after the 2018 season.

If you were to ask 90% of Cavs fans if they hate Lebron, they would quickly respond that they appreciate the championship he brought the city. If you were to ask the same question about Irving, the word traitor would be a popular phrase.

Perhaps Kyrie felt slighted. He hit the biggest shot in Cleveland's sports history, and even that is viewed as the second-best play compared to Lebron's chase-down block. A good indication that he was hurt was from his comments after being traded to Boston.

"You go in Cleveland, and it would be at night, and there were things going on. You could see it was a vast difference of what Cleveland is and what Boston is." Said Irving, "But Boston is one of those cities … I'm driving in, and I'm like, 'OK, I'm really in a real, live sports city and a great city."

A non-subtle dig at the city that he called home for six years was all but the final blow for Cavs fans. Even after being in a "live sports city," Kyrie finds himself out of Boston, but why?

Despite Kyrie being hurt, his Celtic team made it to the Eastern Conference finals and took the Lebron led cavaliers seven games before ultimately getting bounced.

Besides his injury, Kyrie had a tremendous first year in Boston, and even came out and addressed the Celtics faithful before a game to tell them that he would be resigning.

"I think Kyrie had a really good first year with us, and going into the second year at that moment things were moving in a really good direction," Danny Ainge said about Kyries statement of wanting to resign, "It changed later in the year, but at that moment he was happy to be in Boston."

Kyrie came into a Boston team that had extraordinary young pieces, and it seemed to be a perfect fit for him to lead them on a title run. But as Kyrie would come to find out, being a leader amongst young guys is not always easy.

 "I had to call [LeBron James] and tell him I apologized for being that young player that wanted everything at his fingertips, and I wanted everything at my threshold," Said Irving. "I wanted to be the guy that led us to a championship. I wanted to be the leader. I wanted to be all that, and the responsibility of being the best in the world and leading your team is something that is not meant for many people."

The realization of his faults as a leader has been viewed as shots towards teammates by the media, but could his statement about contacting his former mentor be a better indication of ownership of his mistakes?

I didn't give (his Celtics teammates) everything I could have," Irving said. "Bringing everyone together, I failed." Said Irving "It was something that I couldn't explain at the time because I don't think I was acknowledging the things that were surrounding my life as well and how to lead this group of guys that I was traded to."

Kyrie's mentality has led him to be one of the best point guards in the NBA, but it is clear that his mindset is trying to push him further than that. As the knife continues to twist via the media on Kyrie's reputation, one might understand why he is not thrilled to speak to them after games, or even in the offseason.

Kyrie may be complicated in approach, but his attitude has helped him be one of the best that the NBA has to offer in their young superstars.

"You know what he'll bring to the table every night because he cares so much about the game…Now, it might not be how other people want him to care about it. He has his way of doing things." Said new teammate and fellow NBA superstar Kevin Durant "I respect who he is and what he does. He has all the intangibles you want in a teammate and a great player. So, how he gets to the point to be ready for 7:30 every night, I'm supporting him 100 percent."

So, what is the reasoning behind Kyrie's mysterious departures? Why would he consider leaving after winning a title in 2016, and why would he leave a young deep Celtic team? Well, maybe it is more cut and dry than we think.

 Perhaps fans did not see the tension because there was none, maybe things went sour after the news broke of his request to his teammates, maybe the media blew up the story.

Perhaps Kyrie just wanted a chance to be recognized as not only an all-star point guard but the greatest point guard of all-time. Maybe he started to believed his former mentor Lebron when he said that he could be an MVP in the NBA.

"It was not about Lebron it was about Kyrie achieving the most that Kyrie could as an individual player," Said Irving's former teammate Richard Jefferson "Kyrie feels that, 'Hey, I enjoyed the role of being a Pippen, but now it's time for me to go be a Jordan and lead a team.'"

Tradition Meets Modern

The historic franchise that won a championship in their inaugural season in the NFL. Jim Brown and the classic orange and brown striped jersey. The orange pants of the Kardiac Kids. These historical moments of the browns pay homage to the traditional brown jerseys.

In 2015, The Cleveland Browns organization decided to transform their brand. The anticipation of the release had Browns fans excited for a new future; a fresh start. The design was untraditional and carried none of the values that built the historic franchise.

The changes gave the Browns nine different combinations with white, brown, and a new orange color tone. The facemask was changed from grey to brown. New wordmarks were added, including “CLEVELAND” on the chest and “BROWNS” on the side of the pants. The release made it clear that they were not just redesigning a jersey, but trying to implement a new culture. The Browns have been a perennial laughing stock of the NFL for decades, and this was their chance to change the narrative.

However, making changes to a brand is severe, the design thinking and process can take a long time. Multiple rounds of mockups are needed to come up with a design that is not only timeless but can also be used for years after.

The most iconic sports brands are the ones that have not changed in decades. Teams like the Yankees, Red Socks, Celtics, and Lakers all inherit the same design principles they had since the beginning. The logo and style of the design is the story of this novel, and the chapters of the story are the design process. Elements like jerseys in sports is a medium that displays this story visually.

As a designer, I would not define the Browns transition as a rebrand but more of a change to get away from the embarrassment that plagued them for years. The new colors and wordmarks had a modern look, but the change to removing the traditional orange and brown stripes from the shoulder pads and socks is what the fans and critics were questioning.

“Embarrassing."  Said renowned designer Paul Lukas of the Browns 2015 “Those big, honking ‘Browns’ wordmarks down the sides are an arena league move.”

The Browns record is 48-112 since entering this decade, so for the fans, any small victory on or off the field is big for the Dawg Pound. This transformation was not successful, and the team needed to make more changes to get back to the winning culture.  

Only five years later, in 2020, The Browns are going back to their roots with the hopes that it will bring back the winning culture that Cleveland has been longing.

Before the drop, experts such as Paul Lukas and Uniwatch mocked-up design concepts that matched what they had heard from industry sources of the Browns the plans to rebrand in October 2018.

“The Browns have been hinting for more than a year now that they’re getting back to basics, and this design is certainly in keeping with that: old-school sleeve stripes, no wordmark on the chest, simple pant striping, and even striped socks.” Lukas

This shows that the organization has been thinking about another transformation two years before the debut. But again, a lot of work and efforts go into a branding project in the National Football League. The Browns took the time to make sure to get it right this time, so this whole process would not happen again in the next five years.

A week before the Browns released images of the new jerseys, the Atlanta Falcons, Indianapolis Colts and Tampa Buccaneers also revealed a change in their identity. A couple of weeks before that, other NFL teams such as the LA Rams and LA Chargers dropped new colorways and completely new logos. Of course, critics found reasons to dislike some parts of the rebranding to these teams, but overall, these organizations pleased their respective fan bases.

The Atlanta Falcons are the only exemption, and designers alike have been particularly hard on their gradient jerseys.
Phil Hecken, the designer and creator of UniWatch, was particularly hard on the jerseys saying, "They play in a dome, so it makes sense that they look like an arena league team.” I think it is apparent that these designers are not fans of arena football...

The Falcons replicated what the Browns did in 2015 with the bold wordmarks and numbers, but as we saw with the Browns tradition is the missing piece and what makes the team's identity. We see a shift back to the old school regime of jerseys.

On April 16, the Cleveland Browns released official imagery on the new uniforms. Overall, experts and critics were right on going back to their traditional look with a couple of modern changes. They pay homage to the orange and brown stripes in the socks and shoulder pads that the fans wanted back in 2016.

The “color rush” jersey had been modified to get rid of the ‘CLEVELAND’ across the chest and changing the numbers to standard TV numbers. The numbers overall just got a more of a modern round edge on the corners.

The team uses the stripe socks in all three jersey types and even switches it to a brown top right under the knee on the white pants and brown jersey combo.

The vast 'BROWNS' on the side of the pants is removed, and the brown stripe with orange outline is back. The helmet did not have any significant changes besides the back-bumper reading "Cleveland," and the sublimated pattern in the striping has been eliminated.

The all-white uniforms are sleek and bring out the orange color they updated back in 2015. I wish we could have seen a change in the facemask to a white color again back in the early 2000s. I would have also liked to see a combination with orange pants or a new concept on the color rush jersey.

In design, less can be more, and taking elements out can lead to significant changes in a brand. The Browns, having a rich heritage and decided that it was finally time to get back to the history that made them one of the most storied teams in football.

Overall the uniforms are a successful and big upgrade to what they tried to do five years ago.

Critics are saying that the jersey reveal is just a revised version of 2014 and that they are just going backward on the design. Yes, there are similarities to 2014, but that what the organization wanted; they wanted to make the Cleveland Browns look like the Cleveland Browns again.

Design thinking is precisely that, knowing the story the establishment is trying to narrate and visually translating it into the brand. The reveal shows the inspiration of great memories like the Kardiac Kids and the memorable run in the '80s and connects this history with a bright and hopefully successful future.

The Lost City of Cleveland

CLEVELAND— Cleveland, a city known for some of the most iconic debacles in sports history. The shot…The drive… The fumble... Mesa. But in 2016 narrative was starting to shift and a new one was beginning to take its place: Sports mecca.

June 19th, 2016, it was a warm summer night, there was nervous energy not just in Cleveland, but all-over Northeast Ohio.

The two greatest and most nerve-racking words in sports echoed through Cleveland’s sports fans heads throughout the day “game 7.” Could the Cavs really come back from a 3-1 deficit to beat a
73-win juggernaut?

Fans of all different backgrounds gathered as the Cavaliers took them on an emotional roller coaster. The back and forth blows proved that this was going to come down to one or two key possessions. One-shot, and one-stop. 

As Andre Iguodala goes up for a fast break, one thought maps through every Cavs fan mind-“not again.” Fans are held breathless as Iguodala goes up. In a blur comes Lebron James, an Akron native and hometown hero to come and pin Iguodala and resuscitate fans.

A new and somewhat frightening thought encompasses Cleveland fans- “could this be the one?” With the game tied the Cavs needed a bucket to end a long scoring drought- enter Kyrie Irving.

Kyrie, dubbed Mr. 4th quarter, rises over unanimous MVP Steph Curry and drains a three and in an instant, fans all around Ohio felt all the 52-year pain start to dissipate and a new feeling of
euphoria and relief started to settle in.

Tears of joy engulf the fan base and players as they finally dismissed a 52-year drought that
seemingly crippled the city.

Fans all alike celebrate in unity and are in disbelief-For the first time they are on top, for once they are champions. But one thing was clear, it was not going to stop there. 

The Cleveland Indians were in the midst of their season as the Cavs celebrated their championship parade, and they took notice of the attention the Cavs got for ending the drought

“You see the whole city getting together, actually, the whole state,” said young star-studded Indians shortstop Francisco Lindor “I had a chance to see it driving in and it gave me chills just to see how great it can be once you win.” 

The Indians were already making a strong bid for a playoff berth, but after the Cavaliers win it was clear that Lindor and the rest of his teammates were chasing the chills that he felt while
witnessing the parade. 

That year Lindor led his Indians to the world series defeating the Toronto Blue Jays in just 5 games, and while they were not able to achieve winning a world series after leading the Cubs 3-1, the Indians made their print as a studded super team that had many years ahead of them. But it did not stop at the Indians.

In 2015 Ohio State, behind a loaded squad consisting of 1 st round Pro Bowlers RB Ezekiel Elliot, DE Joey Bosa, CB Marshon Latimore, and WR Michael Thomas, was able to go on a storybook
run and capture a National Championship, which was the first of the playoff era.

The Blue Jackets had also made a splash in 2017, making the NHL playoffs for the first time since 2013. Since 2001, the Blue Jackets had only appeared in the playoffs twice before this run: 2008-09 and 2013-2014.

The Blue Jackets minor league affiliate Lake Erie Monsters were also making their imprint on the Ohio sports scene, winning their very first Calder Cup in a clean sweep of the Hershey Bears
in the same year as the Cavaliers.

Another hometown kid, not named Lebron James, was making headlines as well. In 2016 Stipe Miocic, a native of Euclid Ohio, and 2020 Cleveland athlete of the year, captured the first UFC
heavyweight title of his career.

Ohio was quickly turning into an epicenter for the sports world, filled with some of the best talents in the country. It was an oddly exciting time to be a sports fan in Ohio, something that
many were not used to. 

The Cavaliers went on to appear in 4 straight finals, and the next year the Indians reloaded with even more talent and even compiled an MLB record 23 game win streak. The Browns were in
the midst of a rebuild but they were beginning to turn the corner and felt as if they were a QB away from making the playoffs.

The city

The 2016 finals showed just how important the local sports teams were to the city of Cleveland. Their passion was on display on the biggest stage possible and that transparency had an impact
on the growth of Cleveland as a whole. 

In 2016 Dan Gilbert announced that The Q would begin a rebuild. The rebuild would end up costing upwards of $140 million and would make it competitive by making it more modern and create more room for dining and event rooms.

“The Cavs and taxpayers would split the cost, without any increase in taxes.” According to Cleveland.com “Existing taxes on hotel rooms and Q tickets would pay most of the public share.” A small price to pay for a new state-of-the-art arena.

The boost in the international spotlight also did a lot for the economy of Cleveland. Being in the Finals in consecutive years, and having them in the same year as the world series put all the national media in Cleveland Ohio. 

“Each 2018 NBA Finals game in Cleveland generates $3.7 million for the local economy.” According to DowntownCleveland.com “The entire Cavs 2018 NBA Playoff run is projected to
generate an estimated total of $31 million in economic impact.”

The amount of admissions tax (8% of every ticket sold to every event at The Q) generated: $3.6 million: Projected total generated from Cavs games during the 2018 NBA Playoffs. $12.5 million: Generated total from all events at The Q in 2017. $10 million: Generated total from all events at The Q in 2018 through April.

This created new building projects (like the Q) and Cleveland was booming and seemingly on its way to becoming a sports dynasty. Suddenly Cleveland’s passion was on full display, and
with the economic rise, Cleveland was turning into a town that people wanted to be in. 

The Republican National Convention was housed in Cleveland in the summer of 2016, proving that the rise of recognition was going far beyond the sports platform.

“The host city Cleveland has also gone through a recent revitalization” Politico states while persuading audiences to tune in. “Not even including its recent and long-awaited NBA
championship.”

In a break down of the numbers, Politico states that there were 50,000 expected total visitors in Cleveland during the convention, according to convention organizers, increasing the population
of Cleveland (389,521 as of spring 2014) temporarily by 13 percent.

In 2017 Cleveland was awarded the 2019 MLB All-Star game, and in 2018 they were also awarded the 2022 NBA All-Star game. Hosting these events were perfect examples of how
Cleveland’s stock was rising rapidly, and perhaps too quickly. 

The collapse
‍
In 2018 Lebron James left Cleveland in free agency, and in 2019 the Indians fell short of the playoffs. With the Window closing on a new contract for Lindor, it seems as if the Indians may
be ready to rebuild here soon.

Cleveland was as close as it could get to being sports royalty, there was just one variable missing, the Browns. 

The Browns were a year away from putting their pieces together to make a legitimate contender. In 2018 they drafted what they saw to be their franchise QB in Baker Mayfield (Heisman
Winner), and brought in other important pieces such as Jarvis Landry (5x Pro Bowler), Denzel Ward (Jim Thorpe award nominee), and Nick Chubb (First team All-SEC).

In 2019 The Browns also made a move to get Superstar receiver Odell Beckham Jr (3x pro bowler and 2x second-team all-pro) from the Giants. 

It seemed as if the Browns were coming into the fold just as the Indians and Cavs were heading towards tearing it down from the studs.

One year away from being a highly coveted free agent destination, a city that for so long were recognized for the biggest sports debacles in history was a year away from being a city immersed
in a winning culture. 

What if

There are fans who reflect on this time in Cleveland sports with joy and triumph. After being the lovable loser for so long they finally got to experience the joy of being at the center of winning.

They were happy that they were able to be recognized for their passion, heart, and undying loyalty- even through heartbreak. But some cannot shake the feeling of what could have been.

Joe McMullan, a Cleveland native and die-hard Cavs fan sits and watches a Cavs team that gets blown out at home from the Clippers by a score of 133-92, a franchise-worst 41-point loss.

Joe flips the channel to MLB tonight where they are talking about Lindor being traded, and the Indians coming off a year where they missed the playoffs, tearing it down to ensure the unlikely
possibility of October baseball in Cleveland.

Joe decides to tune into the NFL combine because the Browns have ended up with yet another top 10 draft picks coming off a 6-10 year and their head coach being fired.

A familiar and unsettling feeling surrounds Joe, a feeling of pain of being so close to being a city that is recognized for greatness instead of failure, one that people embrace instead of dismissing,
and one that is known to leave nothing unfinished.

As Joe lays awake at night, he cannot help but think about what could have been: What if the Indians won in 2016? What if Lebron stayed? What would the Browns have done if they were submerged in a winning city? What if the Browns never left Cleveland? What if Kyrie and Kevin
Love never got hurt in 2015? What if Elway never completed that drive? What if Earnest Byner never fumbled? What if Mesa closed the door on the Marlins? What if…

The Truth Behind The Astros Scandal

Game 5 of the 2017 World Series was broken down into one singular narrative: collapse. But, years later, a new one is starting to take place: Fluke.

Bottom of the 4th one out with two runners on base, the Astros had a tough time breaking 3x Cy Young winner and best pitcher in baseball Clayton Kershaw, but now is their chance to capitalize.

In steps, Yuli Guriel with unusual confidence. Surprising, not only because of the high-stake situation but also because Guriel’s only appearance against Kershaw has been in this World Series.

Kershaw looks in and gets his sign and fires a fastball down and in. Guriel sits on it all the way and sends a deep shot to left that clangs off the brick wall that encompasses left field of Minute Maid Park. A missed location by Kershaw no doubt but peculiar that the relative ease that Guriel hit it.

The stats
Kershaw is known to keep hitters off-balance with his mix of pitches, especially to start counts. In fact, according to MLB.com and FanGraphs, in the 20 batters he faced in game five alone, 12
of them saw fastballs while the other 8 saw off-speed pitches. For all of you math nerds at home, that is a 60%-40% split; The average major league pitcher stays steady at around 70% first-pitch fastballs.

In a big-time moment in the game in the game with a base open and Kershaw keeping hitters off-balance, most MLB hitters are laying off the first pitch, but Guriel did not hesitate and launched
a game-tying moon shot.

So, what exactly does this mean; we already know that the Astros bent the rules why does this situation matter? Well, this one example depicts how substantial the Astros advantage was in 2017, one that many may not understand.

When people talk about the Astros scandal, one thing that fans use in defense of them is their talent, and most use that as an argument for Houston retaining their 2017 title. But, their
advantage of knowing what pitch is coming enhances their skill tremendously.

“from release of the pitch until it gets to the plate, a 95-mile-an-hour fastball is around 425-450 milliseconds.” Says neurophysiologist Jason Sherwin who conducted brain research on MLB
hitters reaction time.  “Now, on the other side, it takes 150 milliseconds on average for a Major League Baseball player to get their bat around.”

Hitting a major league pitch has long been known to be one of the difficult feats in sports, so these numbers may not be surprising, but relating these numbers to the Astros is where we shape
where their advantage lies.

Imagine changing milliseconds into seconds, that in essence is what Houston was able to accomplish. Dr. Sherwin claims that it takes hitters an average of 425-450 milliseconds to decipher a pitch, not including the time it takes for a hitter to get their bat around.

Since we have been analyzing Kershaw's pitching metrics, let's use him as an example. Kershaw typically goes into his wind right after he confirms his sign; from there, it takes him an average
of 2.19 seconds to complete his motion towards the plate.

The first 400 milliseconds hitters need to breakdown a pitch is taken out of the equation for Astros hitters, and all they need to worry about is the 150 milliseconds required to get the bat
around on a pitch.

Knowing what pitch is coming also tells players what not to swing at: “Kershaw threw 51 sliders and curveballs that day, and got *zero* swings and misses on them,” Said MLB writer Tom Verducci “that alone will make you start thinking that something was up.”

One question continues to be asked: If the Astros had such an insurmountable advantage, why did the series go to game 7? Reports by the MLB claim that the Astros were only able to utilize their personnel at minute maid park relaying signs from a video camera in center field, and the numbers back those statements.

In home games, Houston batted a combined average of .273 with a .343 on-base percentage .519 slugging percentage and scored an average of 5.7 runs per game.

In away games, they batted a combined average of .208 with a 284 on-base percentage .347 slugging percentage and an average of 3 runs per game.
Here are some of the Astros corner piece hitters and their averages in 2017 home/away:

Alex Bregman: Road – .154 BA, .508 OPS; Home – .273 BA, .857 OPS.
Carlos Correa: Road – .211 BA, .626 OPS; Home – .371 BA, 1.164 OPS.
Jose Altuve: Road – .143 BA, .497 OPS; Home – .472 BA, 1.541 OPS.
Brian McCann: Road – .037 BA, .198 OPS; Home – .300 BA, .849 OPS.
Evan Gattis: Road – .200 BA, .533 OPS; Home – .300 BA, 1.014 OPS

Players have publicly come out and stated how they felt cheated by what the Astros did and have bashed the MLB for how they have handled the scandal. These numbers help us understand why
they feel this way.

As the MLB unveils more on this scandal, it will be interesting to see whether or not they decide to take more drastic punishments for the Astros, and if those punishments will include suspensions of key players like Bregman and Altuve.

With players continuing to step forward and a tension-filled 2020 season approaching, fans all alike wonder how this is going to shape the future of the league.