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Cavs reportedly trade Jarrett Jack to Nets, clear room for LeBron James

July 9, 2014 By Steve DelVecchio Leave a Comment

The Cleveland Cavaliers have reportedly agreed to a three-team trade with the Brooklyn Nets and Boston Celtics that will send Jarrett Jack to Brooklyn. The Cavs needed to move Jack, who is owed $6.3 million next season, in order to clear the space needed to sign a player to a maximum contract. They’re hoping that player will be some dude named LeBron James.

According to ESPN’s Marc Stein, the Nets will get Jack and Sergey Karasev while sending a future first-round pick and Marcus Thornton to the Celtics. Thornton is owed more than $8 million next season, so the Cavs had to involve a third team in order to shed contracts without taking any on. Cleveland also sent Tyler Zeller and his $1.7 million to Boston.

The Cavs facilitated the trade with one goal in mind — creating salary cap space. While we have no way of knowing for sure what LeBron’s future plans are, it is fairly obvious that Cleveland is doing all it can to sign him. The decision is now solely in LeBron’s hands.

Meanwhile, Danny Ainge has parlayed the Cavs’ desperation to sign LeBron into a nice haul for the Celtics. Boston will get a free look at Zeller while also acquiring another future first-round pick. With Ainge reportedly still trying to figure out a way to trade for Kevin Love, could that future first-rounder become valuable? Let’s not get carried away…

Filed Under: Basketball, Headlines Tagged With: Cleveland Cavaliers, Jarrett Jack, LeBron James

Prince Fielder Body Issue Photoshops are even better than the cover photo

July 9, 2014 By Larry Brown 1 Comment

The real reason ESPN asked Prince Fielder to pose for their Body Issue and put him on the cover is because they knew the results would launch a thousand memes. There is no doubt that was the motivation.

And just as you would have hoped, the internet came through for us.

A Photoshop battle broke out on Reddit, giving us all these great pictures of Prince in his naked pose.

First, let’s get the junk food memes out of the way since those were so easy:

Rare shot of Prince Fielder before ESPN used photoshop for body issue #Rangers #Tigers #Brewers #MLB pic.twitter.com/wtWd4L05EK

— Sports Woof (@sportswoof) July 8, 2014

Sports Science reveals a pre-photoshopped version of Prince Fielders ESPN body photos. pic.twitter.com/WX78uDazk4

— Sock§Sole (@socknsole) July 9, 2014

Here’s Prince hailing a cab:

[Read more...]

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Filed Under: Everything Else, Headlines, Viral Greatness Tagged With: Prince Fielder

Carmelo Anthony waiting to see if he can join LeBron James in Miami?

July 8, 2014 By Steve DelVecchio Leave a Comment

The Miami Heat are going to need Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade to take less money in order to keep their Big Three intact. LeBron James will likely command something very close to a maximum contract, and deservedly so. If the Big Three all return, those crazy rumors about the Heat potentially signing Carmelo Anthony will disappear. But what if Bosh leaves?

Bosh has reportedly been offered a max contract from the Houston Rockets, and there has been word that he may prefer that over taking a pay cut to stay with the Heat. And if he does, there might be an opportunity for LeBron and Carmelo to join forces in Miami. Marc Berman of the New York Post has more:

However, that scenario became trickier with Miami agreeing to terms with Josh McRoberts and Danny Granger on Monday, though not impossible. If Wade takes a significant pay cut, Riley can be creative in fitting James and his buddy Anthony under the salary cap.

The Lakers, too, would have to be creative in fitting in James and Anthony. Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak met with James’ agent in Cleveland on Friday and their pie-in-the-sky plan was adding both stars and creating more cap space by dealing Steve Nash’s contract.

Having LeBron, Carmelo and Kobe Bryant on the same team seems way too over-the-top to even consider. However, Anthony could feasibly end up in Miami if he was desperate enough to play alongside LeBron. He would have to take much less money than the New York Knicks are willing to offer, but stranger things have happened and teams are reportedly talking about it.

Popular question raised by last five teams I've talked to: Is Melo holding out in hopes Bosh goes to Houston so he can join LeBron in Miami?

— Marc Stein (@ESPNSteinLine) July 8, 2014

While I’m sure the thought of playing with LeBron excites ‘Melo, I don’t see why he would want to do that. Anthony was supposed to rescue the Knicks and lead his team to a championship. If he teamed with LeBron, he’d just be along for the ride.

H/T Pro Basketball Talk

Filed Under: Basketball, Headlines Tagged With: Carmelo Anthony, LeBron James

Dan Gilbert removes open letter to LeBron James after four years

July 7, 2014 By Steve DelVecchio 1 Comment

LeBron James may wind up re-signing with the Miami Heat in the very near future, but don’t be fooled into thinking Cleveland Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert isn’t trying to bring him back. There are just too many signs to ignore.

On Monday, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst pointed out that the scathing letter Gilbert wrote to LeBron after James left the Cavs in 2010 is no longer up on the team’s official website. It had been available at this link for four years prior to Monday.

The open letter, which was kind of an embarrassment to Gilbert and the Cavs, ripped LeBron for betraying Cleveland and described the MVP as “narcissistic.” It also guaranteed fans that the Cavs would win a championship before James did, and we all saw how that turned out.

In addition to the letter being removed, there is also reason to believe that Gilbert (or his people) flew to South Florida on Sunday. A report from Windhorst and his colleague Marc Stein later indicated that the Cavs believe LeBron is legitimately hearing them out and has not ruled out a return to his home state.

We have said all along that we believe LeBron will ultimately return to the Heat, and we’re not going to change our minds. But as I said earlier, the only thing LeBron could do to better his legacy aside from winning another ring or two with the Heat would be to return home and bring a Larry O’Brien trophy to the people of Cleveland. Just go ahead and admit it — that would be fun.

Filed Under: Basketball, Headlines Tagged With: Dan Gilbert, LeBron James

Josh Gordon arrested for DWI

July 5, 2014 By Steve DelVecchio Leave a Comment

Cleveland Browns wide receiver Josh Gordon was arrested for driving while impaired on Saturday morning. Matt Anderson of WKYC first reported the arrest, which took place at around 4:00 a.m. in North Carolina.

While it is unclear if Gordon was drinking or under the influence of drugs, Raleigh police captain Tommy Klein told Adam Schefter that Gordon appeared “appreciably impaired.”

Where do we even begin with this one? Gordon, who emerged as one of the best wide receivers in the NFL last season, is already facing a potential season-long suspension for a second failed marijuana test back in May. After word of the arrest surfaced, former Browns linebacker D’Qwell Jackson wrote on Twitter that Gordon needs serious help from those close to him.

If you're close to Josh Gordon please help this kid, it's not about football anymore it's about picking up the pieces of his life.

— D'Qwell Jackson (@DQ52) July 5, 2014

Earlier this week, Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer reported that sources close to Gordon are concerned he will have a “hard time making it back into the NFL” if he is suspended for a full season. The 23-year-old’s latest arrest has his future looking even more grim.

Photo: Twitter/Matt Anderson

Filed Under: Football, Headlines, Police Blotter Tagged With: Josh Gordon

Neymar suffers fractured vertebrae, out for remainder of World Cup

July 4, 2014 By Gordon Dixon 1 Comment

As the host nation for this year’s World Cup, and one of the great soccer nations, the pressure for Brazil to lift the trophy at the end of the tournament is immense.

For that to happen, a fully fit squad for manager Luiz Felipe Scolari to choose from would be ideal. After Friday’s quarterfinal match against Colombia that will no longer be the case.

Brazil star Neymar was stretchered off the field after taking a knee to the back from Juan Zúñiga. With one of the game’s brightest young stars in visible pain, the thoughts of many turned to Neymar’s possible availability for Tuesday’s semifinal meeting with Germany.

As it turns out, 22-year-old will not be able to play on Tuesday, or in the final if his country makes it that far. The collision has resulted in a fractured vertebrae and Neymar will be sidelined for the remainder of the World Cup.

Obviously, a huge blow for Brazil as if they are to capture their sixth World Cup championship it will have to be done without their best player. Thankfully, it doesn’t appear surgery will be required and we can only hope Neymar makes a full and speedy recovery.

Filed Under: Headlines, Soccer Tagged With: Neymar, World Cup 2014

Tim Howard yearbook quote is so appropriate

July 2, 2014 By Steve DelVecchio Leave a Comment

Imagine how popular Tim Howard would be if the US defeated Belgium on Tuesday. Despite a heartbreaking loss that eliminated Team USA from the World Cup, Howard’s amazing 16-save performance is all people can talk about. His high school yearbook quote only adds to the discussion.

A Reddit user whose Reddit name can’t be repeated on here dug up Howard’s yearbook, in which he chose “It will take a nation of millions to hold me back” as his quote. Commenters quickly pointed out that Howard likes Public Enemy, and the hip hop group’s second album was entitled “It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back.”

Still, the quote could not be more appropriate. Howard was one man standing against an entire nation throughout most of Tuesday’s match. Had it not been for his record-setting performance, the US would have been embarrassed.