Well this was 2007 (i..e during the NBA Cleveland Cavaliers v San Antonio Spurs Finals).
 |
| 2007 NBA Finals ~ Cavs v Spurs |
This is what the signage looks like now (i.e. 2011). **** It's a Sherwin Williams' ad.
THE WIRK
Showing posts with label Cleveland. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Cleveland. Show all posts
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Cleveland's famous LeBron sign is now a Sherwin Williams' ad
Anyone remember the famous, iconic LeBron images that were featured on the downtown signage in Cleveland?
Well this was 2007 (i..e during the NBA Cleveland Cavaliers v San Antonio Spurs Finals).
This was the LeBron signage in 2010.
This is what the signage looks like now (i.e. 2011). **** It's a Sherwin Williams' ad.
Well this was 2007 (i..e during the NBA Cleveland Cavaliers v San Antonio Spurs Finals).
This is what the signage looks like now (i.e. 2011). **** It's a Sherwin Williams' ad.
Thursday, December 23, 2010
Charles Oakley to the Bobcats as part of Paul Silas' coaching staff
Congratulations to one of my favorite former New York Knicks and Cleveland's own, Charles Oakley, on his new coaching job with the Charlotte Bobcats! As someone who grew up in Ohio and followed the physicality of the Knicks, it's great to see Oakley transition into coaching.
Actually, when I met my 1st fiancee, I asked him on the day that we met, "What do you think about that Oakley-Camby trade?" *** Earlier that day or the day prior, the New York Knicks' Charles Oakley and the Toronto Raptors' Marcus Camby were traded for each other. He responded that he didn't watch basketball. That was a lie, though, because he played basketball for the Cleveland Cavaliers. He knew exactly what I was talking about.
Anyway... It's been announced today, and confirmed by the banger himself on Twitter (i.e. Twitter name: CharlesOakley34), that he's joining Paul Silas' crew in Charlotte.
Alright, Bobcats... Now I'll be pulling for you (i.e. or at least checking the scores).
THE WIRK
Actually, when I met my 1st fiancee, I asked him on the day that we met, "What do you think about that Oakley-Camby trade?" *** Earlier that day or the day prior, the New York Knicks' Charles Oakley and the Toronto Raptors' Marcus Camby were traded for each other. He responded that he didn't watch basketball. That was a lie, though, because he played basketball for the Cleveland Cavaliers. He knew exactly what I was talking about.
Anyway... It's been announced today, and confirmed by the banger himself on Twitter (i.e. Twitter name: CharlesOakley34), that he's joining Paul Silas' crew in Charlotte.
Alright, Bobcats... Now I'll be pulling for you (i.e. or at least checking the scores).
THE WIRK
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Manny Ramirez to help Chicago White Sox postseason push
As someone who has "adopted" the Minnesota Twins, I'm also curious to see how the addition of Manny affects the White Sox and Twin's race to the finish (i.e. the post season) since the White Sox are currently only 4 games back...
I remember Manny's glory days in Cleveland. The city loved the Tribe and it wasn't easy getting a ticket to the game since the team was so talented (i.e. Sandy Alomar, Roberto Alomar, David Justice, Jim Thome, Kenny Lofton, Manny Ramirez, Jose Mesa, and Omar Vizquel etc.). It wasn't uncommon for me to see them running around town, at the movies on a Sunday, or just miss them as my car was going in for inspection. **** Ugh. Now I'm reminiscing about the good old days at Jacobs Field in Cleveland and watching post-season games at Nautica... Those were great times with friends. Too bad the Atlanta Braves had the Tribe's number those years...
Question: Why does Cleveland appear to be the farm team for every major sport?
Regardless, here's my prediction: The Minnesota Twins maintain their spot on top of the AL Central.
THE WIRK
Friday, July 9, 2010
LeBron James Fathead stickers on sale: $17.41
If you're listening to WKNR 850 in Cleveland, you may not know this but you can buy a LeBron James Fathead for $17.41. Why $17.41? Well, because that's the year Benedict Arnold was born.
You have 3 to choose from. Knock yourself out.
http://www.fathead.com/nba/cleveland-cavaliers/lebron-james/
THE WIRK
You have 3 to choose from. Knock yourself out.
http://www.fathead.com/nba/cleveland-cavaliers/lebron-james/
THE WIRK
Thursday, July 8, 2010
Sick of LeBron ~ You probably avoid ESPN, but can you avoid the Internet?
If you're sick of LeBron you probably avoided ESPN the past few days and definitely didn't watch "The Decision", but brace yourself if you're hitting the Internet any time soon...
Consider yourself warned.
Consider yourself warned.
ESPN.com
CNN.com
NBA.com
NBA.com again
MSN.com
Yahoo.com
Weather.com
Actually, I'm surprised that Weather.com doesn't have LeBron James on it's home page considering the shit storm that is going on in Northeast Ohio right now. I feel your pain, Cleveland.
THE WIRK
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
Am I the only one annoyed with Chris Bosh and NBA free agent talk?
In the free agency NBA "shuffle" am I the only one who has or is developing feelings about Chris Bosh? I can't be. Can I? The latest, I've seen is that Bosh can come to Cleveland but he doesn't want to. Exact reasons haven't been given, but I've heard it has to do with the fact that he thinks the market isn't big enough for his brand. I was listening to Chris Broussard earlier on ESPN and he mentioned that Bosh, would be interested in Houston because of the China factor. Hellooooooooooooo. Am I the only one that knows that Chinese investors have a stake on the Cleveland Cavaliers? I can't be. Can I?
I saw a funny tweet earlier today. It was from sportspickle. Sportspickle tweeted the following:
"Hey @KingJames, I suggest you follow @chrisbosh. It may change your mind about playing with him."
Evidently, sportspickle is beginning to feel like me. I don't know Chris Bosh. I don't know what's going through his head, but if the Toronto Raptors said they'd do a sign and trade deal with the Cleveland Cavaliers, and that ultimately means he can play with LeBron James ~ then I truly think he is foolish for not doing so. That's my 5 cents.
Chris Bosh and Amare Stoudemire, NBA All-Star 2010
Great Amare Stoudemire is going to sign in with the New York Knicks, and says he's going to try to recruit LeBron. Amare, I'll lend him you my phone if you need one. I welcome the recruitment calls from the Knicks. In my gut, I don't think LeBron will go to New York ~ unless he's going to see the New York Yankees, etc.
I think at this point, Bosh is doing himself the greatest disservice. He needs to take a serious look at himself in the mirror. I'm beginning to think that maybe he's a bit out of touch with reality. His choice of cities is more like a vacation destination list. That's fine. I'm not against great weather, but come on. I'm not going to run the numbers, and I completely admit that I'm biased ~ but seriously?!?!
Come on. Is there ANYONE sitting and waiting for Chris Bosh to get off the fence and to decide? If you are, then that's fine ~ but seriously, please tell me why. I sincerely want to know. I enjoyed watching Chris Bosh as a Toronto Raptor, but I can't be the only one getting annoyed. Seriously... I can't be. Can I?
THE WIRK
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
Caps dominate, Cavs win, Noah's comments, and the Jazz defeat the Nuggets
Last night, I parked myself in front of my TV and flipped channels. That might sound lame to some, but for me, it was about all I could handle.
First up was Game 3 for the Washington Caps and the Montreal Canadiens. I started watching hockey, 15 mins into the game. Before you knew it the Caps were up 4-0. Nice! Realizing that the Caps didn't need my moral support I started focusing on the Cavs game.
The Cavs were up 10 points and Shaq was on the bench sweating like Patrick Ewing. A 10 point lead isn't the end all, especially since it was early, but I wasn't interested in watching the game. No matter how I tried to get into the game, the Cavs v Bulls series just doesn't interest me. I don't believe that the Bulls are a threat to the Cavs. I'm not a fan of Joakim Noah either. I didn't like him in college, and I don't like him in the pros. He seems awkward to me. I remember I had dinner with some of my sporty friends and one of them told me that Noah was killing it on the boards and really proving himself. As I politely smiled and then yawned into my napkin, I'm sure my disinterest was apparent. The only Noahs that interest me are Yannick and the one who managed to gather pairs of animals and survive a storm for 40 days and 40 nights. Both of those men's stories, I find far more fascinating than the youngest Noah. Shoot... When I was in Paris, I found myself intrigued by the billboard I saw for Yannick's concert. However, while in Chicago, Joakim was the furthest thing from my mind... I wanted to see Derrick Rose and the United Center. Yep, the building was more exciting to me than Joakim.
Can someone tell me what Joakim's problem is? Why does he think he can start jawing with LeBron James in Cleveland? Further to cement, my feeling that Noah is just terrible, check out the video of him trashing Cleveland. Now, I'm sure that Cleveland isn't at the top of the list in terms of vacation destinations, but I'm also confident that there are at least 20,000 people who'd be more than happy to put Noah on the Rapid and send him back to the airport. Don't worry, Joakim. You'll be on vacation soon enough! Feel free to go wherever you want in the off season.
The last game I watched was the Jazz v Nuggets game. It was Game 2 and was being played in Denver. The injury riddled Jazz managed to defeat the Nuggets. Injury riddled... With Kirilenko out and Mehmet Okur rupturing his Achilles it should've been an easy game for the Nuggets... "Should" was the key word. What is going on with the Nuggets? Sure, they're not the same team they were now that George Karl is tending to his health, and Adrian Dantley has assumed coaching responsibilities. George Karl's presence is obviously missed. I know Adrian Dantley is knowledgeable, but he only had 1/10 of the passion to win last night's game compared to me. I'm actually a little surprised that the folks in Denver didn't tell me to, "Shut up," because my inside voice was SCREAMING last night.
The Nuggets are supposed to win this series! Am I the only person that knows this? Has anyone told the Nuggets that they can and should win? ARGH! It's almost as if the refs didn't want the Nuggets to win either. Is it just me, or did it seem like every time I heard a whistle blow, one of the Nuggets had drawn a foul. Crazy...
**** I just checked. Numbers don't lie. Fouls for Denver looked like this:
Being a Cavs fan, I'll say this. I know Gordon Gund to be a class act, and I respect Jim Paxson. I believe in Paxson's basketball knowledge. Based on those statements, you can deduce how I feel about Boozer (i.e. especially when it comes to the Cavs). Boozer had a very strong performance last night. Come on Denver, let's stop getting tattoos, practice, get it together, and WIN!
Enough about all that. Today is a brand new day and there is a full slate of games on tonight.
Bucks and Hawks tip at 7.
Heat and Celtics tip at 8.
**** Earlier tonight, for his Twitter fans, dwadeofficial, posted this: "First 1 to get this question rt. How many players on Miami and Boston R from chicago??? And name them." If you're not on Twitter and you're a fan, you might want to correct the situation.
Trailblazers and Suns tip at 10:00.
Thunder and Lakers tip at 10:30.
If you follow this blog, you know who I want to win... Let's go guys! BRING IT!!!
THE WIRK
First up was Game 3 for the Washington Caps and the Montreal Canadiens. I started watching hockey, 15 mins into the game. Before you knew it the Caps were up 4-0. Nice! Realizing that the Caps didn't need my moral support I started focusing on the Cavs game.
The Cavs were up 10 points and Shaq was on the bench sweating like Patrick Ewing. A 10 point lead isn't the end all, especially since it was early, but I wasn't interested in watching the game. No matter how I tried to get into the game, the Cavs v Bulls series just doesn't interest me. I don't believe that the Bulls are a threat to the Cavs. I'm not a fan of Joakim Noah either. I didn't like him in college, and I don't like him in the pros. He seems awkward to me. I remember I had dinner with some of my sporty friends and one of them told me that Noah was killing it on the boards and really proving himself. As I politely smiled and then yawned into my napkin, I'm sure my disinterest was apparent. The only Noahs that interest me are Yannick and the one who managed to gather pairs of animals and survive a storm for 40 days and 40 nights. Both of those men's stories, I find far more fascinating than the youngest Noah. Shoot... When I was in Paris, I found myself intrigued by the billboard I saw for Yannick's concert. However, while in Chicago, Joakim was the furthest thing from my mind... I wanted to see Derrick Rose and the United Center. Yep, the building was more exciting to me than Joakim.
Yannick > Joakim
**** There's an "I hate Joakim Noah" facebook group. I thought about joining it, but next to "Affiliation" it reads, "Peyton Manning is overrated." Um, excuse me. As a Colts fan, I'm definitely not down with that. Oh well. They almost had me.
Can someone tell me what Joakim's problem is? Why does he think he can start jawing with LeBron James in Cleveland? Further to cement, my feeling that Noah is just terrible, check out the video of him trashing Cleveland. Now, I'm sure that Cleveland isn't at the top of the list in terms of vacation destinations, but I'm also confident that there are at least 20,000 people who'd be more than happy to put Noah on the Rapid and send him back to the airport. Don't worry, Joakim. You'll be on vacation soon enough! Feel free to go wherever you want in the off season.
The last game I watched was the Jazz v Nuggets game. It was Game 2 and was being played in Denver. The injury riddled Jazz managed to defeat the Nuggets. Injury riddled... With Kirilenko out and Mehmet Okur rupturing his Achilles it should've been an easy game for the Nuggets... "Should" was the key word. What is going on with the Nuggets? Sure, they're not the same team they were now that George Karl is tending to his health, and Adrian Dantley has assumed coaching responsibilities. George Karl's presence is obviously missed. I know Adrian Dantley is knowledgeable, but he only had 1/10 of the passion to win last night's game compared to me. I'm actually a little surprised that the folks in Denver didn't tell me to, "Shut up," because my inside voice was SCREAMING last night.
The Nuggets are supposed to win this series! Am I the only person that knows this? Has anyone told the Nuggets that they can and should win? ARGH! It's almost as if the refs didn't want the Nuggets to win either. Is it just me, or did it seem like every time I heard a whistle blow, one of the Nuggets had drawn a foul. Crazy...
**** I just checked. Numbers don't lie. Fouls for Denver looked like this:
- Anthony: 6
- Nene: 5
- Martin: 5
- Afflalo: 5
- Billups: 5
Being a Cavs fan, I'll say this. I know Gordon Gund to be a class act, and I respect Jim Paxson. I believe in Paxson's basketball knowledge. Based on those statements, you can deduce how I feel about Boozer (i.e. especially when it comes to the Cavs). Boozer had a very strong performance last night. Come on Denver, let's stop getting tattoos, practice, get it together, and WIN!
Kenyon Martin had 15 pts, but was hampered with 5 fouls Monday night
Actually now that I think about it, when the Nuggets were in town to play the Wizards, the Wizards won 107-97.
Seriously... What is wrong with Denver?
Enough about all that. Today is a brand new day and there is a full slate of games on tonight.
Bucks and Hawks tip at 7.
Heat and Celtics tip at 8.
**** Earlier tonight, for his Twitter fans, dwadeofficial, posted this: "First 1 to get this question rt. How many players on Miami and Boston R from chicago??? And name them." If you're not on Twitter and you're a fan, you might want to correct the situation.
Trailblazers and Suns tip at 10:00.
Thunder and Lakers tip at 10:30.
If you follow this blog, you know who I want to win... Let's go guys! BRING IT!!!
THE WIRK
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
It's tough to be a Celtics or Hornets fan right now ~ Go Cavs, Go Caps, Go Colts!!!
Basketball
1. Wouldn't be surprised if Paul Pierce sits out a few games. Might as well rest the foot/ankle, until after All-Star break.
2. Ray Allen to be traded? I think it's a mistake. I like Ray Allen as a Celtic and his 3 point prowess... He's the Celtics version of John Starks... I like his 3P%age (about 33 percent) and his 15 PPG. Admittedly, I'm not a GM so I have no idea what he's making.
3. Would hate to be a Celtics fan right now, with all these headaches and KG back in the game.
4. Celtics don't scare Cavs fans!
5. Boobie Gibson is getting it done in Cleveland! Cavs won 9 is a row last night as they beat Memphis. I'm going to have to look for my "Got Boobie" T-shirt...
6. Incidentally I was playing on Twitter and saw NBATVChris (aka Chris Webber) ask if anyone thought Memphis was going to beat the Cavs last night... I tweeted back that there would be no upset in Cleveland and that the Cavs would win. Chris, I was right!
7. Chris Paul to have surgery. That's really unfortunate for him and the NO Hornets, who currently are in the 9th spot in the West. Sorry Hornets fans... There's room for you on the Cavs bandwagon... We'll welcome you with open arms. Hornets don't scare Cavs fans either!
8. NBA-All Star next weekend in Dallas ~ I need to start planning my trip!!!
Hockey
1. Capitals have won 11 in a row, but I won't be able to check them out until March. They're away A LOT this month and I'm headed to the Super Bowl this weekend.
2. The Caps should beat the Rangers easily on Thursday night ~ just a hunch...
3. Whoever is in charge of setting NHL hockey schedule needs to get fired. Why would you have the Capitals play the Penguins on Super Bowl Sunday?!?! It makes no sense and at a minimum completely inconveniences ME, since I would've liked to have been there in-person to see the match-up at the Verizon Center! Seriously, the first time these 2 teams met this year (last month), they were up against the Lakers v the Cavs in Cleveland. I remember that, because I was in Cleveland watching LeBron et al ball... I have no idea what cave the NHL schedulers are hanging out in ~ but I hope they get their acts together and position the marquee matchups better next year.
Football
1. Dwight Freeney will play. He has to... It's the Super Bowl. GO COLTS!!!
Other
1. Still looking at logos for TheWirk.com. I've seen so many mock-ups, that I've got a headache...
Alright, I'm done ~ I need to head to the airport "soon"... Miami here I come...
THE WIRK
1. Wouldn't be surprised if Paul Pierce sits out a few games. Might as well rest the foot/ankle, until after All-Star break.
Paul Pierce walking off the court after hitting the deck
What uniform do you see Ray Allen wearing?
4. Celtics don't scare Cavs fans!
5. Boobie Gibson is getting it done in Cleveland! Cavs won 9 is a row last night as they beat Memphis. I'm going to have to look for my "Got Boobie" T-shirt...
6. Incidentally I was playing on Twitter and saw NBATVChris (aka Chris Webber) ask if anyone thought Memphis was going to beat the Cavs last night... I tweeted back that there would be no upset in Cleveland and that the Cavs would win. Chris, I was right!
7. Chris Paul to have surgery. That's really unfortunate for him and the NO Hornets, who currently are in the 9th spot in the West. Sorry Hornets fans... There's room for you on the Cavs bandwagon... We'll welcome you with open arms. Hornets don't scare Cavs fans either!
8. NBA-All Star next weekend in Dallas ~ I need to start planning my trip!!!
Hockey
1. Capitals have won 11 in a row, but I won't be able to check them out until March. They're away A LOT this month and I'm headed to the Super Bowl this weekend.
2. The Caps should beat the Rangers easily on Thursday night ~ just a hunch...
3. Whoever is in charge of setting NHL hockey schedule needs to get fired. Why would you have the Capitals play the Penguins on Super Bowl Sunday?!?! It makes no sense and at a minimum completely inconveniences ME, since I would've liked to have been there in-person to see the match-up at the Verizon Center! Seriously, the first time these 2 teams met this year (last month), they were up against the Lakers v the Cavs in Cleveland. I remember that, because I was in Cleveland watching LeBron et al ball... I have no idea what cave the NHL schedulers are hanging out in ~ but I hope they get their acts together and position the marquee matchups better next year.
NHL Playoffs, Penguins v Caps, May 2009
Football
1. Dwight Freeney will play. He has to... It's the Super Bowl. GO COLTS!!!
Other
1. Still looking at logos for TheWirk.com. I've seen so many mock-ups, that I've got a headache...
Alright, I'm done ~ I need to head to the airport "soon"... Miami here I come...
THE WIRK
Friday, January 22, 2010
Lakers v Cavs = Kobe v LeBron... The Cavs and LeBron win AGAIN!
Wendnesday I decided I wanted to go to Cleveland on Thursday for the Lakers v Cavs game. I wanted to see Kobe v LeBron. I wanted to see whether or not the Lakers had an answer for the beating that they took from the Cavs on Christmas day. I knew it'd be a show, and I wanted to be THERE to WITNESS the game.
Thank you Continental Airlines for having a hub in CLE and letting me earn just enough One Pass miles to get there on such short notice. Incidentally, I'm all out of One Pass miles... My balance is ZERO, and coincidentally ZERO equals the amount of gas left in my tank after this latest adventure.
Crosby v Ovechkin is interesting, but Kobe v LeBron was the premier event for Thursday night. On Wednesday I was being hammered by messages from folks that had forgotten I used to live, work, and school in CLE and who had decided to give me advice as to where to eat and go... Ummmm, thanks ~ BUT I know Cleveland, AND and I'm a creature of habit so in essence, all the suggestions were distracting me when I was hunting down a ticket to the game. Eventually, I find a ticket ~ I'm not courtside, but I am in the lower bowl and over in the corner looking at the visitors bench. Not too shabby considering it's all last minute... Now... Where do I stay? I text a few friends and realize that they're all spread out around Northeast Ohio. This is not especially helpful because I don't want to rent a car, and I want to stay downtown. Frustrated, I decide to bite the bullet and hit Priceline. I put on my negotiation hat and lowball the hotels in downtown Cleveland. I really don't care where I stay, because I don't intend to spend much time in my room. Bingo! My offer has been accepted and I'm all set for the trip.
Now, I'm back to work...
7:30PM on Wednesday night, my computer crashes. Awesome. Time to call Continental and reschedule my flight. My sick computer is frozen and is now sporting 3 mini "inappropriate" icons. That's great. How the heck did that happen?!?! I change my flight and now I'm scheduled to depart for Cleveland later in the afternoon. This works out fine, since I have my blackberry and the tech guy needs my computer for most of the day to re-image it and migrate my data.
Serendipity...
Thursday morning I wake up at the crack of 8 and head to the office. The tech guy says he's gonna need time. Well, guy ~ it's your lucky day. I tell him he has all day, but on the off chance that he fixes my computer quickly, I linger in the office until lunch time in hopes that I can have my machine back. No dice. My computer is still sick.
I head to the airport and wait at the gate. I get a text from my friend asking me if I'm still going to Cleveland. Yep, I'm boarding. I land in Cleveland and for the first time in a long time, I don't have anyone picking me up. I kinda like that. It means, I'm free to do whatever I want, whenever I want. My personal freedom is very important to me. I love to be around people, but I also cherish my time alone.
I jump on the Rapid. Yes, I took the Rapid. I did. It cost me $2.25 (i.e. versus $30 something for a cab). I took the Rapid to Tower City and then decided to walk to my hotel on Lakeside. Yes, I walked. I did. I missed Cleveland and it wasn't that cold, and for those of you in Cleveland or who are familiar it's not really THAT far. I enjoyed my walking tour. I looked for my favorite homeless guy, Ralph ~ but didn't find him. I went by the Galleria, the Federal building, and headed towards the Free stamp to take a pic and then kept heading North towards the lake. For the geographically challenged ~ the "lake" is Erie. I take a pic of the Browns stadium and then walk further towards the Rock and Roll HOF. I snap another pic. OK - I'm done. Time to head to the hotel and clean up.
I watch ESPN while getting ready and listen to the hype about Kobe and LeBron. I realize how lucky I am that I am going to go to the game. It's about 6PM and I need to get moving and find my friend Raj. Raj and I know each other either from medical school or undergrad. I'm not sure what we decided, but we recently connected again because of facebook. I meet Raj and his friend, Mark, at Chocolate Bar ~ the place is about 3 weeks old. I had a chocolate mint martini and filet mignon for dinner. I recommend that restaurant to anyone with a sweet tooth.
We leave Chocolate Bar close to 7:45, and I separate from the guys once we hit the arena. It's so close to tip-off that I start to get anxious. I can hear the national anthem being sung as I wait to get my ticket scanned. Ugh. That means the line I'm in had better start moving. I hear the Lakers' starting line-up getting introduced. Double Ugh. MOVE PEOPLE! How long does it take to get in?!?! Alright - I'm in and walking swiftly to my seat. I make it to section 111, row 13 but I miss a little bit of the Cavs opening line up. That's fine. I've seen it.
I'm sitting next to some freakishly tall teenage girl, who has her lanky arm in front of my face as she reaches for a free t-shirt. Cleveland, we may have a problem ~ but I try to be cool.
I snap a pic of the intros and the opening tip, and it's GAME ON.
The Lakers take the early lead and already I can hear my friends who are Lakers fans chiming in my ears. First of all, let me put it out there. I am an OLD school Lakers fan. OLD school. Not a Kobe Lakers fan, but a Magic/Kareem/Scott/Worthy fan. Yeah ~ I left off Thompson ~ you would too...
I don't really have a favorite team. I went from the OLD school Lakers to Ewing's Knicks and then migrated my way to being a CAVS fan, since 1998 (i.e. not because of Ilgauskas, but obviously that helped). I'm from Ohio, and I have to admit ~ Cavs basketball is exciting and has done a 180-degree turn, since the days I'd sit in section 128 for 41 games a year.
Anyway...
TNT covers the game and Craig Sager is at the Q.
Lil Wayne is there also, and he's sporting some smart frames and sitting courtside.
Lakers took the early lead, but the Cavs came back. It was a fight until the end, but the Cavs came out victorious. It was comical watching the Liger guard the Shaqtus... You know what that is, right?!?! No. Ok - here. According to Wikipedia, "The liger is a hybrid cross between a male lion (Panthera leo) and a tigress (Panthera tigris)." So, yeah, I called Gasol a Liger ~ or maybe I should say Beowulf.... I swear Gasol looks like a werewolf... Yeah, I said it... But, you all know that I'm right.
Ron Artest needs lotion for his legs. You can see that they're ashy from 13 rows up...
The Q is the equivalent of a racecar driver's outfit... Is it just me or is there advertising on every bit of bare wall space and electronic signage EVERYWHERE? On the wall next to me, I saw Hoover vacuums... Go Canton! I don't get it...
Thank you, Liger, for not making your free throws.
LeBron outscored Kobe. 'Nuff said.
CAVS win.
Off to West 6th Street to celebrate the victory. First stop, Mercury Bar. It's dead. Next stop, Liquid. It's the same.
Next stop, Bar Fly because Raj's friend knows the owner. We walk in and Mark starts talking to the owner. HOLY CRAP ~ I know the owner too... It's Gary Bauer ~ he used to own the Basement on the East Bank of the Flats. The Basement is gone, but I'm sure I still have my VIP card somewhere... I give Gary a big hug and down memory lane we sprint. It'd been about 8 years, since he used to see me out and about so we had plenty of stories to catch up on QUICKLY. Random.
Leaving Bar Fly we go to Barley House. Barley House is having an event and Kim Kardashian is hosting. Makes sense, since Lamar Odom is her brother-in-law. There was a line outside, complete with tent and people were clammering to get into the venue. FYI for those familiar with Cleveland ~ Barley House is the old Spy Bar... The price of admission is $25. Eh... If I my friend wasn't in there, and he wasn't texting me to join ~ I would've passed, but we all anted up and we walk in. I see my friend immediately and he has to head to VIP really quickly, but says he'll be back. Normally I'd go with ~ but this is Cleveland, and I play by different rules there. I hang with Raj and Mark at the bar and guess who I see... LOL ~ I see Craig Sager.
Immediately, I go over and introduce myself and tell him about when I went to 3 NBA playoff games in 3 nights in 2 different cities. I told him that not even he does that. I'm a fool, but he smiles and shakes my hand. I figure I had my time so I decide to leave him be. I see cameras flashing out of the corner of my eye. Um, he's taking pictures with some folks. Ok - time for me to circle back with him and get my picture taken also... Yep, that's right ~ Ricky, check the picture. I WIN!!!
At Barley House, I run into Cleveland Plain Dealer columnist Branson Wright. I introduce myself, since he started with the paper after I left town. I'm not sure why, but I did it and it's done, so there's no taking it back. I doubt he'll remember. It was late.
Eventually we leave Barley House and head to Panini's. Time to eat. Afterwards, Raj and Mark are gracious enough to drop me off at the hotel, and lucky me ~ I have a few hours of sleep before I have to head to the airport... My flight was around 7:30 this morning. I took a cab to the airport ~ since I couldn't handle the idea of the Rapid this morning.
I was back in the office by 9:30 this morning to retrieve my healthy computer and have been trying to re-install old programs, learn Microsoft 2007 v 2003, and migrate data that I need, between conference calls ever since.
Thank you Continental Airlines for having a hub in CLE and letting me earn just enough One Pass miles to get there on such short notice. Incidentally, I'm all out of One Pass miles... My balance is ZERO, and coincidentally ZERO equals the amount of gas left in my tank after this latest adventure.
Crosby v Ovechkin is interesting, but Kobe v LeBron was the premier event for Thursday night. On Wednesday I was being hammered by messages from folks that had forgotten I used to live, work, and school in CLE and who had decided to give me advice as to where to eat and go... Ummmm, thanks ~ BUT I know Cleveland, AND and I'm a creature of habit so in essence, all the suggestions were distracting me when I was hunting down a ticket to the game. Eventually, I find a ticket ~ I'm not courtside, but I am in the lower bowl and over in the corner looking at the visitors bench. Not too shabby considering it's all last minute... Now... Where do I stay? I text a few friends and realize that they're all spread out around Northeast Ohio. This is not especially helpful because I don't want to rent a car, and I want to stay downtown. Frustrated, I decide to bite the bullet and hit Priceline. I put on my negotiation hat and lowball the hotels in downtown Cleveland. I really don't care where I stay, because I don't intend to spend much time in my room. Bingo! My offer has been accepted and I'm all set for the trip.
Now, I'm back to work...
7:30PM on Wednesday night, my computer crashes. Awesome. Time to call Continental and reschedule my flight. My sick computer is frozen and is now sporting 3 mini "inappropriate" icons. That's great. How the heck did that happen?!?! I change my flight and now I'm scheduled to depart for Cleveland later in the afternoon. This works out fine, since I have my blackberry and the tech guy needs my computer for most of the day to re-image it and migrate my data.
Serendipity...
Thursday morning I wake up at the crack of 8 and head to the office. The tech guy says he's gonna need time. Well, guy ~ it's your lucky day. I tell him he has all day, but on the off chance that he fixes my computer quickly, I linger in the office until lunch time in hopes that I can have my machine back. No dice. My computer is still sick.
I head to the airport and wait at the gate. I get a text from my friend asking me if I'm still going to Cleveland. Yep, I'm boarding. I land in Cleveland and for the first time in a long time, I don't have anyone picking me up. I kinda like that. It means, I'm free to do whatever I want, whenever I want. My personal freedom is very important to me. I love to be around people, but I also cherish my time alone.
I jump on the Rapid. Yes, I took the Rapid. I did. It cost me $2.25 (i.e. versus $30 something for a cab). I took the Rapid to Tower City and then decided to walk to my hotel on Lakeside. Yes, I walked. I did. I missed Cleveland and it wasn't that cold, and for those of you in Cleveland or who are familiar it's not really THAT far. I enjoyed my walking tour. I looked for my favorite homeless guy, Ralph ~ but didn't find him. I went by the Galleria, the Federal building, and headed towards the Free stamp to take a pic and then kept heading North towards the lake. For the geographically challenged ~ the "lake" is Erie. I take a pic of the Browns stadium and then walk further towards the Rock and Roll HOF. I snap another pic. OK - I'm done. Time to head to the hotel and clean up.
I watch ESPN while getting ready and listen to the hype about Kobe and LeBron. I realize how lucky I am that I am going to go to the game. It's about 6PM and I need to get moving and find my friend Raj. Raj and I know each other either from medical school or undergrad. I'm not sure what we decided, but we recently connected again because of facebook. I meet Raj and his friend, Mark, at Chocolate Bar ~ the place is about 3 weeks old. I had a chocolate mint martini and filet mignon for dinner. I recommend that restaurant to anyone with a sweet tooth.
We leave Chocolate Bar close to 7:45, and I separate from the guys once we hit the arena. It's so close to tip-off that I start to get anxious. I can hear the national anthem being sung as I wait to get my ticket scanned. Ugh. That means the line I'm in had better start moving. I hear the Lakers' starting line-up getting introduced. Double Ugh. MOVE PEOPLE! How long does it take to get in?!?! Alright - I'm in and walking swiftly to my seat. I make it to section 111, row 13 but I miss a little bit of the Cavs opening line up. That's fine. I've seen it.
I'm sitting next to some freakishly tall teenage girl, who has her lanky arm in front of my face as she reaches for a free t-shirt. Cleveland, we may have a problem ~ but I try to be cool.
I snap a pic of the intros and the opening tip, and it's GAME ON.
The Lakers take the early lead and already I can hear my friends who are Lakers fans chiming in my ears. First of all, let me put it out there. I am an OLD school Lakers fan. OLD school. Not a Kobe Lakers fan, but a Magic/Kareem/Scott/Worthy fan. Yeah ~ I left off Thompson ~ you would too...
I don't really have a favorite team. I went from the OLD school Lakers to Ewing's Knicks and then migrated my way to being a CAVS fan, since 1998 (i.e. not because of Ilgauskas, but obviously that helped). I'm from Ohio, and I have to admit ~ Cavs basketball is exciting and has done a 180-degree turn, since the days I'd sit in section 128 for 41 games a year.
Anyway...
TNT covers the game and Craig Sager is at the Q.
Lil Wayne is there also, and he's sporting some smart frames and sitting courtside.
Lil Wayne
This is Ohio, and people from Ohio are proud. I'm proud of my state. During the Cavs game they played, "Hang on Sloopy" and the crowd made the O-H-I-O. Fun.
Lakers took the early lead, but the Cavs came back. It was a fight until the end, but the Cavs came out victorious. It was comical watching the Liger guard the Shaqtus... You know what that is, right?!?! No. Ok - here. According to Wikipedia, "The liger is a hybrid cross between a male lion (Panthera leo) and a tigress (Panthera tigris)." So, yeah, I called Gasol a Liger ~ or maybe I should say Beowulf.... I swear Gasol looks like a werewolf... Yeah, I said it... But, you all know that I'm right.
Ron Artest needs lotion for his legs. You can see that they're ashy from 13 rows up...
The Q is the equivalent of a racecar driver's outfit... Is it just me or is there advertising on every bit of bare wall space and electronic signage EVERYWHERE? On the wall next to me, I saw Hoover vacuums... Go Canton! I don't get it...
Thank you, Liger, for not making your free throws.
LeBron outscored Kobe. 'Nuff said.
CAVS win.
We are all Cavfanatics
Off to West 6th Street to celebrate the victory. First stop, Mercury Bar. It's dead. Next stop, Liquid. It's the same.
With Raj and Mark
Next stop, Bar Fly because Raj's friend knows the owner. We walk in and Mark starts talking to the owner. HOLY CRAP ~ I know the owner too... It's Gary Bauer ~ he used to own the Basement on the East Bank of the Flats. The Basement is gone, but I'm sure I still have my VIP card somewhere... I give Gary a big hug and down memory lane we sprint. It'd been about 8 years, since he used to see me out and about so we had plenty of stories to catch up on QUICKLY. Random.
Leaving Bar Fly we go to Barley House. Barley House is having an event and Kim Kardashian is hosting. Makes sense, since Lamar Odom is her brother-in-law. There was a line outside, complete with tent and people were clammering to get into the venue. FYI for those familiar with Cleveland ~ Barley House is the old Spy Bar... The price of admission is $25. Eh... If I my friend wasn't in there, and he wasn't texting me to join ~ I would've passed, but we all anted up and we walk in. I see my friend immediately and he has to head to VIP really quickly, but says he'll be back. Normally I'd go with ~ but this is Cleveland, and I play by different rules there. I hang with Raj and Mark at the bar and guess who I see... LOL ~ I see Craig Sager.
Immediately, I go over and introduce myself and tell him about when I went to 3 NBA playoff games in 3 nights in 2 different cities. I told him that not even he does that. I'm a fool, but he smiles and shakes my hand. I figure I had my time so I decide to leave him be. I see cameras flashing out of the corner of my eye. Um, he's taking pictures with some folks. Ok - time for me to circle back with him and get my picture taken also... Yep, that's right ~ Ricky, check the picture. I WIN!!!
At Barley House, I run into Cleveland Plain Dealer columnist Branson Wright. I introduce myself, since he started with the paper after I left town. I'm not sure why, but I did it and it's done, so there's no taking it back. I doubt he'll remember. It was late.
Eventually we leave Barley House and head to Panini's. Time to eat. Afterwards, Raj and Mark are gracious enough to drop me off at the hotel, and lucky me ~ I have a few hours of sleep before I have to head to the airport... My flight was around 7:30 this morning. I took a cab to the airport ~ since I couldn't handle the idea of the Rapid this morning.
I was back in the office by 9:30 this morning to retrieve my healthy computer and have been trying to re-install old programs, learn Microsoft 2007 v 2003, and migrate data that I need, between conference calls ever since.
Last night, I WITNESSED :-P
Today, I work...
THE WIRK
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)