Shaq Throws Out First Pitch for the Cardinals Yesterday

wade through the commercials and the highlights to see it

link here

Cavaliers Sign Leon Powe

via cavs.com

“The Cleveland Cavaliers have signed free agent forward Leon Powe to a contract, Cavaliers General Manager

Our Agent Zero

Danny Ferry announced today. Per team and league policy, terms of the contract were not released.

Powe, 25, played in 70 games (seven starts) this past season for the Boston Celtics and averaged 7.7 points on .524 shooting and a career-best 4.9 rebounds in 17.5 minutes per game. In his seven starts, he averaged 14.3 points on .576 shooting, 8.1 rebounds and 1.4 blocks in 25.9 minutes per game. The 6-foot-8 forward recorded career highs in scoring (30), blocks (5) and assists (3) and added 11 rebounds in 41 minutes versus Memphis on March 13th. He scored in double figures on 25 occasions and notched five double-doubles during the season. He experienced a torn ACL and meniscus in his left knee during Game 2 against the Chicago Bulls in the First Round of the 2009 NBA Playoffs and missed the remainder of the playoffs. In 189 games (14 starts) during his three seasons in Boston, he has career averages of 6.6 points on .523 shooting and 4.2 rebounds in 14.6 minutes per game.

“Leon is a high quality player and person. His tough, gritty play has already contributed in big playoff games during his young career,” Ferry said. “As he continues to work rehabilitating his injury, we would look to hopefully see him return towards the end of the season.”

The California native played 23 of his 25 career postseason games during the Celtics’ run to the 2008 NBA Championship. He averaged 5.0 points on .493 shooting and 2.7 rebounds in 11.7 minutes per game in the 2008 postseason, including a 21-point performance against the Los Angeles Lakers in Game 2 of the NBA Finals.“

LeBron in Chi Promoting More than a Game

Also talked about Derrick Rose and taxi fightin’ Blackhawk Patrick Kane

via the Chicago-Sun-Times:

LeBron has switched to the iPhone

After all, few understand what it’s like to be the face of a franchise at 20 better than James.

”I wish him the best,” he said of Kane. ”I wish him and his family the best, and hopefully they can get through this tough time.”

When asked if it was difficult to live such a public life at such a young age, James said: ”It’s not difficult at all. You have a responsibility as a professional to be professional all the time, on the court or off the court.”

He also was asked to comment on Chicago’s other 20-year-old star, the Bulls’ Derrick Rose.

”He’s really good, really talented,” James said. ”He will be one of the better point guards we have in our league in the near future. They have a good one. They picked the right player.”

For someone who has lived a very public life since his junior year of high school, James has remarkably few blemishes on his resume. The closest thing he has had to a brush with the law is a speeding ticket for reaching triple digits a couple of years ago, and he was criticized this spring for walking off the court and blowing off the interview session after the Cavs were eliminated by the Orlando Magic in the NBA playoffs.

”I apologized for not talking to the media because I should have done that; that’s a responsibility of mine,” he said. ”But shaking hands, it’s not done in the NBA.”

No one ever has accused James of being a bad teammate. He was in Chicago for a youth event at Seward Park in River North as the first stop on a tour to promote the movie ”More Than a Game,” a documentary on the relationship between James and his high school teammates at St. Vincent-St. Mary’s in Akron, Ohio.

”Sometimes a movie makes you feel like you’ve been out of high school that much longer, but we graduated in ’03,” he said. ”Not a long time, but to see it makes it feel like a long time ago.

”To see what I’ve been able to do and what some of my friends have been able to do since we graduated high school, it’s remarkable. The fact that we’re still together and we still talk on a day-to-day basis, that’s even more moving to me.”

About his current team, which added Shaquille O’Neal this summer, James said: ”Our expectations are to compete for a championship. That’s the only expectation I have going into the season. I’m at a point in my career where if I’m not competing for a championship, it’s a failure.”

Non Story of the Day: “People Still on LeBron for Not Shaking Hands”

OK, here’s what ACTUALLY happened.  He was pissed off and wanted to get off the court.  That’s it.  He hated

HOW COULD HE?!

HOW COULD HE?!

losing and wanted out of there.  LeBron is the super star of the league and hasn’t made any mistakes and I agree with him, he hasn’t had a “black eye” yet. The media is really stretching to try and get something juicy to write about him (free agency, handshake-gate, dunk-gate, T-Shirt-gate, etc…).  Tell you what, if the worst thing LBJ does in his career is wear a funny T-Shirt or not shake hands, it’ll be fine by me.

here’s the story from realgm.com:

“LeBron James defended his decision not to shake hands with the Magic after his Cavaliers were eliminated from the NBA playoffs this past season.

James was asked by a reporter if not shaking hands following the loss put the first blemish on his reputation on Tuesday while promoting his upcoming movie, “More Than a Game.”

“I still haven’t had a black eye, for one. Two, I don’t regret anything that I do. The only thing I apologize for that night is not doing the media [session, after the game].

“The media, your … job don’t start until ours’ finish. You guys can’t report and write you guys’ story until we take a shower, until we come out and sit on the podium. That’s the only thing I apologize for. As far as shaking hands, it’s something that is not done in the NBA. If it was something like tennis, after tennis, you play, you win, you lose, you go to the center and shake hands, it happens every game in tennis.”

Cavs Looking at Rob Kurz (who is that exactly?)

Not a whole lot about him out there, but the Cavs are looking to fill the early season gaps left early by JJ and Powe being out.  From his picture on NBA.com he looks like a pleasant fellow.

A Bulls Blogger Thinks Bosh/LeBron is Plausable

From blog.bulls.com here

“…The consensus among NBA executives is James will remain in Cleveland, mostly because there may not be

As long as I can twitter, I don't care where I play

The belief is the Cavs will be a better option, and, of course, can provide him the biggest contract. Toronto’s Bosh has been the other big name. But there are increasing indications he will remain in Toronto given an aggressive summer of acquisitions, including Hedo Turkoglu.

Should Bosh still look to leave, the consensus is it will be a race between the Cavs with James and the Heat with Wade to try to sign Bosh and combine two All Stars and Olympic teammates. The free agents who played on the 2008 gold medal team supposedly have talked about eventually playing together…“

“

Wally on the Nuggets Radar

via Denver Post here:

Shall We Never See His Fist Pumping Again?

“Of the final three roster spots, Warkentien said he was “hopeful” Carter would take up one spot and the Nuggets “will go and get another wing player” to replace Kleiza. One name floating around is that of veteran guard Wally Szczerbiak, who last played with Cleveland. He is an unrestricted free agent and would fill the need for a perimeter scorer off the bench.

“Of our remaining roster spots, etch this in stone,” Warkentien said. “One of them will be a wing.“

ESPN Breaks Down the Cavs

Cleveland: Scary thought — the Cavs won 66 games and got better in the offseason. Whatever they get from Shaquille O’Neal will dwarf the contributions of Ben Wallace and Sasha Pavlovic a year ago, so that trade is a home run for Cleveland. Beyond that, they addressed the greatest area of concern by adding size and depth on the wings in the form of Anthony Parker and Jamario Moon.

Cleveland also kept Anderson Varejao, and while their payroll is on pace to outstrip the national debt, that’s Dan

The New Teammates

The New Teammates

The Cavs can make a strong case that they will match much better against Orlando now, especially against Dwight Howard with Shaq in the middle. One caveat, however: They must overcome the distraction of the most eagerly anticipated walk year in sports history.

Varejao, Barbosa promote charity game in Brazil

RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — Brazilians Anderson Varejao of the Cleveland Cavaliers and Leandro Barbosa of the Phoenix Suns have teamed up to promote a charity game with stars from the National Basketball Association.

Ray Allen NOT Being Charitable

Ray Allen NOT Being Charitable

Shawn Marion, Danny Granger, Drew Gooden, Keith Bogans and Coby Karl were some of the NBA players on court at the Maracanazinho gymnasium in Rio de Janeiro on Sunday. Cleveland coach Mike Brown also participated.

<--ooh, clickable

The team called Friends of Leandrinho beat the Friends of Varejao 116-110.

Varejao also announced Sunday that he will soon feature as a comic book character for kids in Brazil.

link here

Cavs Still Going After Powe, Injury or Not?

via the grand Windhorst at cleveland.com

“CLEVELAND, Ohio — Thinking outside the box and taking a managed risk, the Cavaliers are close to scoring what could be a key big-man addition to their roster.

Leon Powe On Da Tracks

According to a source, the Cavs have the framework of a contract completed with free agent forward Leon Powe. It could become official as early as Tuesday, when Powe is expected to come to Cleveland to meet with team doctors.

Powe is in the middle of recovering from a torn ACL in his left knee and may not be able to return until the All-Star Break. But the Cavs feel like he’s worth the wait.

The sides have been talking for weeks and were able to agree on a two-year contract, which will protect both sides. Powe will get a chance to rehab with a deal and the Cavs will be protected if he recovers as they apparently believe he will.

The 6-8 three-year veteran averaged 7.7 points and 4.9 rebounds for the Celtics last season. He proved valuable when Kevin Garnett went down with injury and played an important role until he suffered the injury during the playoffs.

The Celtics could have kept Powe’s rights, but they declined to make him a qualifying offer in June because he’s had several injuries to the left ACL. They had hoped to be able to re-sign him when he was healthy, but the Cavs were able to put together a more attractive offer.”

Link here