Parker and Davis, Cavs, Dethrone The "King"

LeBenedict and his crew came to the Q once again to take on our beloved Cavaliers, which ended in a comfortable margin. For the Cavaliers, that is. So, for now, Cleveland can party all the rest of the day today, as Bosh and Wade also were taken down, in front of a crowd that acted like we were in the playoffs. This win really helped them with that 26 game losing streak they had not too long ago.  Go Cavs!

What Does it Mean to be a "Fan"?

This guy is a real Cavs fan.

Now that I have lured you in with a funny picture, I have a deeper question that has been on my mind (the title does kind of give it away). Above my desk at work I have various posters and pennants of my favorite teams, Cleveland Cavaliers included. When someone new walks near my desk and notices said posters, they almost always ask "Are you still a Cavs fan?" I was so surprised by this the first time it was asked that I almost didn't know what to say. Of course I am, why wouldn't I be a Cavs fan? "Well, Lebron is gone and they are going to be pretty bad now" is the response I most often get when I defend my choice of NBA teams (I PROMISE, this is not an article about Lebron, trust me).

By now, I get pretty annoyed when somebody asks me that question. I do not have a bunch of Lebron posters on that wall to indicate that he is my favorite player (there are no Lebron images allowed in that office). In fact, there are exactly zero player-specific pictures, just images and logos of the teams. This has got me to thinking, does the average, casual sports fan follow teams, or follow players?

LeBron: From and Akron Native's Perspective

Yesterday, LeBron put an ad in the Akron Beacon Journal thanking everyone from Akron for all their support, vowing to do whatever he can for his hometown. He also said:

"Akron is my home, and the central focus of my life. It's where I started, and it's where I will always come back to."

This would've been viewed as a great gesture from our native son if he would've handled himself like someone who cared about any one's feelings over these past few months. Because he's acted like a complete (fill in desired adjective here), this gesture that would normally be viewed as humble and caring, is seen (in my opinion) as very hollow. As someone who went to elementary school with him and was a high school student in Akron during his tremendous high school career, it's sad to see what he has become. During his years in Akron he was very humble, nice and approachable (as documented in this lovely musical montage). I was overjoyed that Akron finally had a representative on the global scene. I still get goosebumps (or at least I used to) when I see video of Austin Carr's emotional reaction after the Cavs won the draft lottery in 2003.

My opinion of LeBron remained unchanged during his 7 years in Cleveland however, after reading various articles and reports, the LeBron I thought I knew wasn't who he really was. Reports of his horrible attitude and lack of respect are truly saddening and disheartening, his great service and dedication to his hometown has been overshadowed by his ego. This type of person is not who I want representing my hometown, we may not have many notable natives, but I hope and pray that one day someone else will eclipse the so called "King".

MJ Doesn't like LBJ's decision either.

Mr. Air Jordan himself finally gave a comment on the whole Lebron fiasco, telling reporters that

"There's no way, with hindsight, I would've ever called up Larry, called up Magic and said, 'Hey, look, let's get together and play on one team,' " Jordan said after playing in a celebrity golf tournament in Nevada. "But that's ... things are different. I can't say that's a bad thing. It's an opportunity these kids have today. In all honesty, I was trying to beat those guys."

It's obvious to me that Jordan doesn't like Lebron's decision. Maybe not as much as Cleveland fans, but he gets it. There is no doubt that Lebron can never be considered one of the greats. This isn't out of anger, at least, anymore. It's just fact.

Lebron ruined his legacy, because he couldn't win a championship "by himself". He could have easily tried to get someone, Chris Paul, or a rookie even, to come to Cleveland. Instead, he took the easy way out and now is going to pay heavily for it. Sure we can continue to poke fun at him, burn his jeresys and whatnot, but the fact won't change that he set a terrible example for kids trying to be just like him in the future. If the next Lebron James wants to be like Lebron, what is he to do? 

Live Blog: The Decision.

Well everybody, the wait is over. Were starting around 8:30-8:45, and then from then on, Lebron James will hold all of Ohio in his hands. Hope to see you here.

'The Decision': The Details, plus Live Blog!

So it looks like we'll have full LeBron coverage tomorrow from about 6pm until midnight on ESPN. Here's the details of tomorrow night according to ohio.com. Also, please join us for the Live Blog here at Inside The Shoe, which will include Ian, SBB, and I. Come join us in the tearful, or fantastic night. Live Blog starts at 8:45 PM, EST. The regular 6 pm Sportscenter will be extended from one hour to three which will lead right up to 'The Decision'. The actual decision isn't expected to come until around 9:45. Immediately following 'The Decision' will be a two hour Sportscenter special... Looks like the King will own the night tomorrow in sports...literally...

Is Lebron Staying?

Update, Breaking News: Chris Bosh is headed to Miami, and sources say it's down to Cleveland and Miami for Lebron.

All of the signs today point to yes. It started out with Lebron getting a twitter account. At first glance it may not sound like a big deal, but he probably created it because it means he's going to announce his decision sometime soon. He's up to about 70,000 followers within 3 hours. I have 18 after about 6 months. Then the bigger sign. The Akron Hammer is trying to recruit Chris Bosh to come to Cleveland. That sounded fine and dandy, but Chris Bosh said specifically he doesn't want to play in Cleveland.

Teammates?

After that, the Raptors said they would be glad to have a sign and trade with the Cavs for Bosh. In return, they would get Anderson Varejao and/or J.J. Hickson, Delonte West and perhaps  Anthony Parker. Along with, a probable draft pick. Sounds like a hefty price, but if it gets Lebron and Bosh, then a championship is that much closer to coming to the Cavs and Cleveland.

Let's have some fun.

This sounds like Lebron is coming to Cleveland and so is Bosh. I wouldn't say it's a done deal, but I feel pretty good about our chances. We will keep you updated.

Your POW.

Lebron James free agency has begun, and Ohio fans across the nation hold their breath for what they hope will be a good decision. Most think he will be headed to the Bulls, but the other part is thinking Cleveland. Nobody truly knows, including Lebron, until about Sunday night. Monday morning is the time to tune in. Lebron will be making his decision. Good luck.

Jim Tressel is also a recruiter of Lebron.

Fans and organizers are having a rally to show appreciation for Lebron James' effect on the Akron community. It's also another way to say, please stay.

"Ohio State coach Jim Tressel will have a video message for James, who will be presented with the first annual Akron Hometown Hero Award to honor the dynamic and positive impact he has had on the Akron community."

Even Jim Tressel is getting into it.

Super Monday.

We've got a lot of topics to cover today, as big news has hit from a couple of sides on the sports world.

First off, the expansion of conferences is heating up once more, as the Big Ten Council met in Park Ridge to discuss. The Dispatch also reports and prints emails from Gordon Gee to and from Jim Delany, and a big key to this is Delany saying that they are fast tracking the expansion. This most likely is due to the fact that the Pac 10, over the weekend, dropped the bomb inviting Texas, and many more Big 12 schools. This is huge, and could lead the Big Ten to making some tough decisions in the future. Nebraska and Missouri have been given an ultimatum, the Big 12 saying, by Friday, you either need to pack your things or get comfy.

Is this the future Lebron??

Lebron James is said to be favoring the Chicago Bulls, but Gilbert is leaning hard on hiring Michigan State coach Tom Izzo for the job, and he hopes that will sway LBJ's choice towards the Cavs. I'm not sure this is a good thing, because it's giving Lebron too much power. If he wants Calipari, then the Cavs will get him. I don't like it, and neither does anyone else. If it does get Lebron to stay, he better stay his entire career, because he is basically managing the Cavs.

Celtics tie the series at 1, and will head to Boston for what should be a good home stretch. Kobe Bryant and the Lakers have to be feeling some heat right now, as they were expected to be 2-0 in the series at this point.

The Reds battled back yesterday to take the game into extra innings, and then finally closing it out. They look good, and are tied for first as the Cards lost in extra innings to the Brewers. Bronson Arroyo didn't get the win, but the Reds still got it done.

Your POW.

It's time again for the POW, which means the Spring Finals will finish the offensive series Saturday. This picture was due to last nights final collapse of the Cleveland Cavaliers. Once again they fell short of their goal. Now speculation is that Lebron will be leaving us for good. The thing I don't understand about the Cavs are the last minute and a half, they trotted up the court, half-heartedly shooting 3's and missing by a mile. Even when Mo Williams was shooting his hardest, he didn't make them. This is it, Lebron, it's decision making time. If you would like to suggest photos for the POW, please send them to insidetheshoe2009@hotmail.com and we will get them in!

What to expect.

For the next week or so, ITS will be breaking down all the spots on offense and defense, telling you how they did this spring and who to expect where come fall. This includes our early predictions for the fall depth chart. It's been a busy weekend, but were making it up to you starting tommorow. As we wait for fall, this will ease the pain, if just a little. Of course, to get the rest of your fix, head over to Eleven Warriors, as they  are doing a tremendous job right now with the stats pouring in. I'm excited for this series, and we won't let you down. The Rivalry Esq. is on Wisconsin now for their Big Ten team of the week, and they will go over everything from spring, to the MVP of last season, even down to Rivalry day.

Won't be too long until we see this.

Lebron and the Cavs got destroyed physically and mentally in the third quarter to a point where they were down by almost 30. Eventually the comeback started, but it was too late, although the Cavs came within 8 at one point. Kevin Garnett and Rajon Rondo were key players, but my MVP of the night goes to Ray Allen. Boy, for being too old to play on a superstar level, he seemed like he couldn't miss from the 3 point line, as he made two awkward shots, as well as draining them from the perfect spot. The Cavs will have to now bounce back on the Celtics court, which is no small task. I look for them to take at least 1.

The Reds last night went into extra innings with the Mets, going to the bottom of the 11th, it was tied 2-2. Lance Nix then hit a walk-off homer to keep the Reds in the hunt of those Cards. Good pitching was key, and Kyle Masset provided.

Good start for Cavs.

The Cavaliers and Lebron James. What a beautiful combination. The Cavs last night played the first game in the semifinals of the Eastern Conference playoffs, competing against the hated Boston Celtics. This rivalry is intense, and elbows and punches are thrown quite often. In this game, it was pretty tame. Lebron had suffered a sprained elbow and fought through it to score 35 points in the 101-93 victory. Mo Williams had a pretty darn good night as well, adding his first career dunk as a Cavalier. That in itself is impressive, but it also got the team, crowd, and himself ignited. After that dunk, Cleveland went on a 21-9 run to end the third quarter, starting with Williams' slam. Before that, Boston led by 11 points and was looking to put Cleveland away early. Now Lebron will be heading out to receive his second MVP trophy, after winning last season. Lebron also delivered the final dagger to the Celtics with about 40 seconds left, leading by 4, Lebron nails a 3 from the outside sending the Q into pandemonium. If you want to know how important this game was, Historically, winning a series opener is a good omen for the Cavs, who are 10-0 when taking Game 1. That is amazing, and I really hope they can pull it out. I think we can win Monday, but I think we lose one at Boston, but take one as well. At that point we will lead 3-1 in the series. That should be enough to finish them off at home.

The Cincinnati Reds are sitting at 2nd in the NL Central Standings right behind the team they lost to yesterday, the St. Louis Cardinals. They are currently 4 games back, and they can win the series today against the Cards when Harang takes the mound at 2:15.

The double-edged sword finally hit.

It was only a matter of time. All the seasons I've been watching Lebron James, I always wondered just like any other Cavs fan I'm sure, how he did such an amazing job of driving and scoring and being physical, without getting injured. Sure, he's had his injuries, but only for a day or two. Now we have this elbow from last night that apparently has been bothering him since Game 2 of the Bulls series. Of course, the elbow says it's fine, so I guess we should believe it. So the double-edged sword here is obviously the series being won, but bad side: LBJ's elbow. He said after the game it worries him, but we will see what happens.

Ben Koyack commits to Notre Dame. Obviously didn't want the competition here.

If you haven't seen what Michigan has done/said lately, go here. I hope they don't seriously think that will work. Obviously if your making your own new defense, and no one else will be using it, then it's not very good. I swear, they get dumber and dumber every year. Oh, and worse at all sports.
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Inside The Shoe is still looking for two writers. One basketball, and one football writer. If your interested, please leave a comment, or email us at insidetheshoe2009@hotmail.com. The requirements can be found here. We hope to be talking to you soon!

Let the countdown start.

The 2010 Spring Game came and went, and most people were most excited to see the upbringing of freshman Kenny Guiton. He had a great day, and most fans weren't worried about Terrelle Pryor, the running backs, the defensive line, or the offensive line. No, the one thing they were wondering once the game was over, was if Guiton was going to be OK. I took this as a good sign, and it also could mean were going to be really good, and have depth at every position. I like this, and I'll take it. The hit he took usually ends up with knee surgery, or a career ending injury. He walked off his own power, and then was able to walk up and down the sidelines, which is good. So now the countdown starts until the Marshall game. Summer ball will start up here, and we will keep you up to date.

The Cavaliers won their 3rd game, at Chicago giving them a 3-1 series lead. Lebron posted a triple double yesterday, and seems to get better every game.

The Reds won 5-4 to avoid being swept by the San Diego Padres as Homer Bailey pitched pretty well.
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Inside The Shoe is still looking for two writers. One basketball, and one football writer. If your interested, please leave a comment, or email us at insidetheshoe2009@hotmail.com. The requirements can be found here. We hope to be talking to you soon!

We got a lot going on.

Today is a pretty big day for people in Ohio, whether you like the Browns or Bengals (Bengals over here). The NFL Draft is tonight, and we will update the first round picks right here on this post. Not only that, but we will even find out where all the Ohio State players go. So that covers the NFL for now.

1. Rams - Sam Bradford
2. Lions - Ndamakung Suh
3. Bucaneers - Gerald Mccoy
4. Redskins - Trent Williams
5. Cheifs - Eric Berry
6. Seahawks - Russell Okung
7. Browns - Joe Haden
8. Oakland - Rolando McClain
9. Buffalo - C.J. Spiller
10. Jacksonville - Tyson Alualu
11. 49ers -Anthony Davis
12. Chargers - Ryan Matthews
13. Eagles - Brandon Graham
14. Seahawks - Earl Thomas
15. Giants - Jason Pierre-Paul
16. Titans - Derrick Morgan
17. 49ers - Mike Iupati
18. Steelers - Maurkice Pouncy
19. Falcons - Sean Weatherspoon
20. Texans - Kareem Jackson
21. Bengals - Jermaine Gresham
22. Broncos - Demaryius Thomas
23. Packers - Bryan Bulaga
24. Cowboys - Dez Bryant
25. Broncos - Tim Tebow
26. Cardinals - Dan Williams
27. Patriots - Devin McCourty
28. Dolphins - Jared Odrick
29. Jets - Kyle Wilson
30. Lions - Jahvid Best
31. Colts - Jerry Hughes
32. Saints - Patrick Robinson

The next big thing tonight is Game 3 of the NBA playoffs on TNT. The Cavs and Lebron face Noah and the Bulls on what's sure to be a good game. If you missed the first two games, the only real thing you missed was a sick slam in Game 2. Lebron is going to be looking for the sweep, and it starts here. He is getting payback for all the clevelanders around the world, because MJ had to hit that incredible shot over Ehlo. Plus, the Bulls dominated the Cavs back then whenever they had the chance.

That's all for today, keep checking back here if your stuck at work, or can't listen to the radio or something, and we will have the first round for you.
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Inside The Shoe is still looking for two writers. One basketball, and one football writer. If your interested, please leave a comment, or email us at insidetheshoe2009@hotmail.com. The requirements can be found here. We hope to be talking to you soon!

Playoffs.

It's time for the NBA playoffs. Lebron James looks to win his first championship in his 7th year. Today, they start the journey against the Chicago Bulls. Revenge for the Craig Ehlo play, and then we move on to the Miami/Boston game, which is sure to be good. I want to wish the Cavs luck today, and hope for the best.

In Buckeye news, the jersey scrimmage is going to be taking place today, but it is closed to the media. We will try and get as much information as possible.

Inside The Shoe is still looking for two writers. One basketball, and one football writer. If your interested, please leave a comment, or email us at insidetheshoe2009@hotmail.com. The requirements can be found here. We hope to be talking to you soon!

Let's go Lebron. This is it, make amazing happen.

Your POW.

This is ITS second picture of the week, and we got a little love from it, so we will keep it going. If you would like to suggjest some photos, just email us at insidetheshoe2009@hotmail.com or tweet @us, or even fire off a message at Facebook. Today, we go off Ohio State for a little bit to honor the 13 game winning streak the Cleveland Cavaliers are on. Last night they extended it to 13, aganist Yogi's Orlando Magic team. To honor that, the POW will be Mr. James.

(Getty Images)

Congrats to Lebron and the Cavs for getting this week's POW.

Last week's POW