I love him, I love him not
Posted December 11th, 2005 by bwindhorst
So this story in today’s Indy Star sort of ruined what was supposed to be a quiet Sunday for me. If you don’t want to read the link, Ron Artest demanded a traded from the Pacers via the media (ain’t that 
grand). Also, just to spice things up, he said one of he places he wanted to be traded was Cleveland. Also he said he wanted to go to the New York Knicks, which you will now read and hear about until: a) Artest is traded; b) The Feb. trade deadline; c) Whenever a New York writer/ESPN gets bored.
So where does this leave the Cavs? Well, I try to sum it up in my story for Monday’s paper. Please do read the link and don’t e-mail me trade scenarios, because I really don’t think it’s going to happen. I have it on pretty high authority that the Cavs will pass on this chance, for a number of reasons. Reason No. 1, of course, is that he’s a freakin’ wacko. But then, he’s also a freakin’ defensive wizard and maybe toughest guy in the NBA. Also, apparently, he plays the cello.
Now, many of you know I’m a huge Artest fan. He’s the only guy in the league who can match LeBron James’ size (6-foot-8, 260) at his position. He’s fearless, he delivers in the clutch, and he genuinely wants to play defense and can get into the head of the opposition. I’ve said it many times, I believe he’s one of the top 10 players in the NBA.
I also watched him ruin the Pacers last two seasons, first with a stupid flagrant foul in a playoff game in Detroit in 2004. Then, of course, last season he went AWOL in Detroit again. He shaves things in the back of his head, etc., etc. But what is most troubling to me is in this latest rant, he rips Rick Carlisle and says he wants to focus more on offense so he can get a bigger contract in three years. That is cancerous.
Frankly, if I were the Cavs, I wouldn’t want him even though he may be exactly what they need. The risk is just so high. Especially if you have to give up Ilgauskas or Hughes for him, which I think it probably what it would take. But it is all probably moot, even if the Pacers are forced to trade him there’s no way you trade him to a division rival.
But I’m sure it will be hashed out on plenty of message boards and talkshows, though.
For your reading pleasure, check out my Sunday column, which gives little nuggets about the Cavs’ defense, Usher, Eric Snow’s wallet, Larry Hughes’ unflattering closeup, and Mike Wilks’ dunking ability. Also you can read my prose from LeBron’s 52-point loss, if you wish.
December 11th, 2005 at 9:52 pm
Brian, the very least you can do as the resident Cavaliers correspondent is use nine dollars of that huge Beacon Journal paycheck to see that Usher movie. And then issue a full report here. Does Usher take off his shirt? Does Usher do a tender love scene? Does Usher do a nasty dance number and then suddenly drop his pistol and wave that gay “Cleveland YMCA” hand thing? Give your readership some reporting they can use.
December 12th, 2005 at 3:09 am
The Cavs need Artest like I need a hole in my head.
December 12th, 2005 at 4:03 am
Tim, you must have approximately 10 holes in your head, because the last time I read the list of players on the Cavs roster, that’s how many Ron Artests they needed.
Actually, come to think of it, you must have about 20 holes in your head. Jones alone is equivalent to 10.
Doesn’t matter, though. The Cavs don’t have anything to offer beyond James and Hughes, and Walsh and Bird are too smart to take lumbering stick figure Z and his five-year contract off the Cavs hands. So the point is moot. It’s fun to talk about, though. But really, when you think about it, Artest merely says out loud some things that many players are really thinking. So if Artest is “cancer,” then the Cavs are acne. But at least with cancer, you can wear a hat and still be seen out in public.
December 12th, 2005 at 6:08 am
Brian…I wouldn’t go so far as to say Zydrunas is untouchable - I think it’s pretty clear that Zyrunas cannot serve as the center in a defensive predicated on the big man showing and retreating.
What might make him untouchable his relationship with Ferry, which is extremely conerning to me. GM’s should not be emotionally attached to players at any point - I haven’t seen anything written about this yet, but it’s something I would at least address.
I think the Cavaliers at some point have to realize their obvious lack of an enforcer on the front line. I’m not sure a team can contend in this league without a defensive minded player down low - be it a power forward or a center. That’s why I continue to question Z’s signing. While his offensive is solid - it’s clear that the teams that contend in this league have a big man that can move, rotate and block/alter shots.
December 12th, 2005 at 7:24 am
I am very depressed about the Cavs right now. Z and DJ will never play defense, Hughes will never shoot well. Sigh.
December 12th, 2005 at 8:38 am
Hye Thanx 4 that little minescule piece like 2 weeks ago re: andy Varejao… made a lot of people @ my office happy, we’re all big fans of him n Luke.
ALSO,
Alan tucker, get a life! How many times a day do u check this site just to see if somebody posted another insult to you comments? AND FYI, that cancer comment, NOT COOL bro… find a new hobby.
Thanx 4 a great site Brian!!
December 12th, 2005 at 8:52 am
MS, Hughes has never been a great shooter, and Ilgauskas and Jones have not played anything resembling defense in their entire careers. It’s not that they don’t try, it’s just that they can’t. They have neither the physical ability nor the talent. So why did you think it would be any different now? Just because the ink on a contract is still wet does not mean a player’s God-given ability is going to improve. If it’s not there, it’s not there. These long-term bloated contracts aren’t anywhere near as stupid as Jim “Bidding Against Myself” Paxson and his Newble/Ollie fetish, but absent Rob Babcock or some another dolt riding in and making white knight trades with Ferry, it is what it is. So take your mind off your problems, and stare at the nice assortment of saline bag boobs shaking and baking during the Q halftime Neutron Dance.
December 12th, 2005 at 8:56 am
I’m quite honored that I’ve just been slammed by a guy named “Wolverine.” It’s even better than being bit by a beaver.
December 12th, 2005 at 9:56 pm
I just read your entry again and looked at the picture…Artest plays the cello? Pretty cool. It would have been great to have been able to see a black guy in concert with ELO instead of just a bunch of British guys. Artest’s 10-minute cello solo would have rocked the house in Cleveland Stadium.
What instrument does Jeff Garcia play? No, wait, don’t tell me. I don’t want to know.
December 13th, 2005 at 3:26 am
That guys’s right Alan you check this webpage about as much as I do. When did this thing turn into a chat room?:)
December 13th, 2005 at 5:44 am
Tim, I don’t know why you waste your time here, but when you turn into a balding old fart just like I am, you’ll see why I waste so much time here. It’s either this, count Michael Reghi’s shoe-polished hair plugs, or simply walk blindly into traffic. Brian Windhorst is both my savior and my hero, and keeps my brain alert with stuff that keeps me interested. And by total coincidence, Brian just finished eating a hero.
With that being said, I can’t believe Brian buys into the baloney the Cavs “system” is the reason their defense sucks so bad. That’s what coaches and GMs always try to hoist when they’re doing their best Donald Rumsfeld impressions. It’s total crap, especially in light of the fact the zone has become legal in the NBA. That’s what these guys played both in college and overseas. It’s not some triangle offense or anything remotely complicated. Indeed, one only has to review video of incompetent defensive dudes like Beavis Jones, Z, and all the rest getting repeatedly torched even when they’re playing MAN-TO-MAN defense to know it’s not any purported underlying defensive “system” causing the problems. Year after year after year, they’ve been getting torched regardless of any underlying “system.” Bill Russell never complained about his “system.”
December 13th, 2005 at 7:12 am
Thanx for that comment Tim, I appreciate that I’m not the only who thinks this has gone a little too far!
And Alan, did you ever think that a person with the name “Wolverine” could be a.. hmm.. GIRL? Just curious. And no its not a reference to any body hair, I’m just a big X-Men/Hugh Jackman fan. But knowing you, your going to find something to say about X-Men or Hugh too…
Brian, whadda ya think about the game tonight??
Also, please note that I waited a full 24 hours to repost.. i guess i have more self-control over my impulses to burn comments on NBA blogs…
So Alan, since your a self described “balding old fart”, maybe theres a reason you suggest MS should go those slutty cavalier girls. Probably because you wouldnt even have a chance with moondog!
December 13th, 2005 at 10:25 am
Wrong. In fact, Moondog has come on to me more than once. I can’t tell if it’s a he or a she, because he or she is either neutered or spayed. Regardless, that bitch likes old men a lot and has been in heat for me for a very long time.
December 13th, 2005 at 12:50 pm
This really has becaome a chat room… Maybe BW will get the hint and post more. not that Ithink he’s doing bad or anything. I think we just want to read what he’s got. Even if it has to do with eating ( which again I don’t have a problem with) So the Artest thing hascome up again yet so I have to think people agree with me saying he shouldn’t and won’t be anywhere near with Cleveland… The Pacers will trade him to an losing team that is not in the competition. It would be rediculous for Artest to go somewhere where he beats his own team down the stretch…
December 13th, 2005 at 2:08 pm
Nonsense. Do you seriously think Donnie Walsh and Larry Bird give a rat’s patootie where Artest goes? They don’t give a damn if he goes to a winner, they don’t give a damn if he goes to a loser, they don’t give a damn if he goes to an Eastern Conference team, they don’t give a damn if he goes to a Western Conference team. All they care about is getting value for value. As any good GM should.
As far as eating is concerned, what is your gut feeling regarding the recent return of the McRib sandwich? Should it stay permanently on the menu? Or should it stay confined to its seasonal menu status?
December 13th, 2005 at 7:53 pm
THE CAVS JUST SUCK!!!! How do you lose to Atlanta??
If the Cavs put half as much effort into defense as Alan Tucker puts into this blog they would never lose a game!
December 13th, 2005 at 9:05 pm
Effort is not my problem, nor is it the Cavs’ problem. A kid in the Special Olympics can put forth all the effort in the world, but at the end of the day, he’s still a kid in the Special Olympics. The players on the roster are what they are. You can’t polish a turd.
And Brian, I really wish you would STOP referring to Ilgauskas in every article you write as “All-Star center.” It’s driving me crazy. You’d almost think you’re on Z’s payroll. And Withers, who I also respect, does the same thing. (Or is that “whom?” Ah, who cares.) Ilgauskas is an above-average center with a very above-average salary. That’s it. Nothing more. In the entire history of the NBA, I can’t think of any other purported “All-Star center” ever leading his team to a 17-65 record. Can you? This is not the movie industry, where the Academy and the agents force every talk show host to introduce some joker as “Academy Award Winning Actor” Joe Blow, even though the guy won the award back in 1989 and has been nothing more than a slightly above-average actor ever since.
They play lousy without Ilgauskas, they play lousy with Ilgauskas. Or, as Joe Tait described, “putrid.” So please, for the love of God, stop annointing Ilgauskas as the Lithuanian Pope of the Flats.
December 14th, 2005 at 3:33 am
I don’t eat the Mc Rib I don’t care if it stays or goes.
December 14th, 2005 at 9:00 am
whom beat them?
December 14th, 2005 at 10:09 am
Tim, I find your cavalier attitude towards the McRib sandwich to be most disconcerting. No pun intended.
December 14th, 2005 at 12:22 pm
So what the hell do we do now? How to stop the bleeding? Is a big trade the answer?
December 14th, 2005 at 2:19 pm
Yes, a big trade is the answer. So I propose that Dan Gilbert go out and hire Wayne Embrey away from his Raptors consulting job. Immediately thereafter, Gilbert trades empty suit Danny Ferry and a couple of future first-round picks to Detroit. If memory serves, both Embrey and Paxson got fired before they had a chance to trade the Cavaliers’ 2034 and 2036 first-round picks, so Gilbert still has those draft picks at his disposal. In return, the Cavaliers receive the Pistons’ assistant coach, Ron Harper.
For all the guys that have painfully and closely followed this incredibly sorry franchise since the very beginning on Euclid Avenue, both karma and justice will be duly served.
December 14th, 2005 at 5:12 pm
If you think this sad excuse for a human being is one of the 10 best players in the league, you need to watch more basketball. He’s about as one dimensional Eric Snow. And if he played 10 straight games against LeBron, the King would drop 30 plus on him 8 of those times.
December 14th, 2005 at 6:02 pm
Mark, it’s fairly evident your laser eye surgery went terribly, terribly wrong. At the very least, you should demand your money back. Did you pay full price, or did you have a coupon?
December 14th, 2005 at 9:26 pm
i think alan tucker is actually maverick carter.
December 15th, 2005 at 6:43 am
Sorry Travis, but hes probably one of those nerdy kids you saw in high school who sucked to bad to ever make the team and joined band instead, sharing his misery with others… but good suggestion!
Alan Tucker, 5 comments in a day? Wow, in between jerking off to Lebron pictures, that pretty much fills up your day! Have a good one…
Oh and hey Brian, what do u think about the STVM cheerleaders doing the Halftime Show on the 26th??? Just curious
December 15th, 2005 at 12:03 pm
Harsh guys just too harsh.
December 15th, 2005 at 12:21 pm
This is what Windhorst posted back in September:
Welcome one and all
The new blog is up and running. You’ll notice a lot of changes, some you may like some you may not. But I’m confident that after a year of experimentation, the blog is only going to get better. Here are the new highlights:
A new, cooler (I think, but what do I really know) design
We’re going to allow comments on each post, which you can click on at the bottom of each post. This is a PG-13 blog, so remember that or I’ll have to shut them down
Soon there will be regular podcasts up here and at ohio.com
Sound clips from various interviews I conduct with Cavs players and press conferences
On the calendar to the right, you can easily click on days when I’ve blogged to easily jump there
To the left are links to other Cavs content supplied by the Beacon Journal
A promise from me to update the blog every few days, at least 3-4 times a week.
The last one is certainly a broken promise.
December 15th, 2005 at 1:17 pm
Luv the classy pointed commentary, Wolverine. But you’ll get a free pass from me. Given your embryonic age, I’m sure you don’t know any better.
December 15th, 2005 at 1:36 pm
J.C., precisely what do you want to see written on those days you believe he is supposed to write something? If you find yourself extremely disgrunted, then simply go the National Zoo’s website and look at video of the new baby panda. That teddy bear could easily muscle Ilgauskas out of the paint (but then again, who can’t?), and on top of that, that little bear has gotta be the cutest thing I’ve ever seen in my life. It will make all your Windhorst troubles slowly melt away.
December 15th, 2005 at 1:40 pm
Whoops. Typo, J.C. I meant disgruntled. Whatever. My point is relax and watch the panda.
December 16th, 2005 at 8:44 pm
As an addendum, the San Diego Zoo also has their own Panda Cam. They also have an Ape Cam for the many fans that think Ilgauskas is the most uncoordinated, weakest and overrated basketball talent to hit the town in years. Instead of squandering all that salary cap room until the 2010-2011 season on the Great White Stick Figure, Ferry should have simply signed this big San Diego ape for the league minimum. The Cavs would have finally had a legitimate presence in the middle. Go take a live video look at that gorilla intimidating and patrolling the paint. Put an afro wig and a headband on that animal, and you’d swear it’s Ben Wallace.
December 17th, 2005 at 4:59 am
i think donnie walsh should trade artest for pierce the celts need a better defensive team and the pacers have a very good offense and would help them by making a better defense and offense for both teams
December 18th, 2005 at 1:52 am
Alan Tucker, I like this blog but my point is that Windhorst hasn’t posted in a week. He’s the one that wrote that he would update 3-4 times a week. I guess he doesn’t have as much time as you.