On second thought, never mind. There’s some things in life I’d rather not know.

I respect and admire Terry Pluto a LOT, not only with regards to his earlier sportswriting, but also with what he’s done with his life over the past ten years or so. He is really a fine person and a good guy. I strongly recommend to everybody out there that you read his two books on faith, which mostly consist of compilations of his columns. I’m the biggest apathetic non-believer in the world, but those essays really are outstanding. You do not need to be religious to appreciate them and take something from them. Some really terrific stuff.

With that being expressly said, this must now be said: That particular column is such an abomination, so out-of-this-world, so patently ridiculous, so nonsensical, so outrageous, such rose-colored glass-wearing flagrant, blatant pom-pom cheerleading salesman tripe, that if I had to take one single sports column to put in a time capsule to describe everything that is wrong and has been wrong with Northeast Ohio sportswriting since I first read a newspaper sports section after the Browns won their last championship, I would get out my scissors and snip and laminate that for future generations.

But other than that, it really is a fine piece of sportswriting opinion and analysis. Hits the nail on the head.

I also agree with that Knicks proposal. Problem is, Gilbert sells the sizzle, not the steak. So long as tickets sell, loges sell, marketing sells and James can be re-upped in the summer of 2008, I highly doubt his primary concern is the team’s finish through 2010. He’s a very smart businessman talking out of both sides of his mouth.

Moving Ilgauskas and his contract will only serve to alienate the fan populace in a major way, and local hyperventilating sportswriters would do more than their fair share to fan the flames. The last think Gilbert desires is bad press. Teflon he’s not, he’s made that perfectly clear. Shoot Gilbert up with truth serum, and he’ll tell you his foremost concern is a strong return on his fiscal investment. He’s getting it, and I think they can continue to successfully sell false hope for the next four years, don’t you? So from that perspective, moving Ilgauskas will accomplish nothing.

I’m not as sure as everyone else seems to be that Murray is going to get a lot of offers to be a starter. Teams will probably see him for what he is–a pretty good third guard. The Cavs should promise him 30-35 minutes a game.

I still think this summer will be more important than last, as far as seeing what what kind of roster Ferry can build now that he’s watched James for a year.

If I were Ferry, I’d be frantically trying to trade Z and Snow for Steve Francis and maybe Jackie Butler, before Isiah Thomas gets canned.