Take a few days off and look what happens. The University of Akron loses its Athletic Director, Shaq is back in the picture (or at least peeking in from the corners of the photo) and the Indians start playing better baseball.
Let's take them in reverse order. The Indians remain seven games below .500 and in last place in the AL Central. But they're only six games out of first place and things seem to have settled down a little bit. At least they do from the outside. This presents the classic half-full/half-empty argument. A 29-36 start is bad, but no matter how bad it is the Indians remain three games out of second place, six out of first. Thinking back to April and May, it's hard to believe this team actually has a chance right now to be in the hunt in August and September.
The possibility of the Cavs adding Shaquille O'Neal is tantalizing, but must be taken with some skepticism. Shaq is not the Shaq he once was, and Phoenix would want more than salary dumps to acquire him. That being said, adding Shaq to LeBron James would certainly keep the Cavs in the news, and would provide an inside presence to deal with Dwight Howard and the Boston Celtics. The Cavs would need more than just Shaq, but it would be a start. It would also be entertaining. Shaq is one of sports' funniest personas, and his ongoing off-court feud with Howard would be a source of amusement for months. If he can be acquired, go do it.
Akron's Mack Rhoades decided to leave for Houston after first telling the Houston search committee he was not interested in interviewing. Rhoades is from Texas, and this move puts him closer to family, which is his right. So now Akron must make a decision: Does it try to find someone who will stay long-term, or does it try to find another AD like Rhoades, an energetic, forward-thinking, aggressive guy who winds up using Akron as a stop along the way? Rhoades did great things for Akron. He was always thinking of bigger things for the program. He strengthened the less-publicized sports, he got a stadium built, he stood behind Keith Dambrot and he strengthened academic responsibility and performance. It will be hard to find someone like him, but they are out there. Perhaps UA can find an energetic, forward-thinking, aggressive guy who wants to stay in Akron.
Oh … the Browns quarterback competition remains "even." Some things, I guess, never change.
{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
I buy into the Tribe having a shot to win the division. For whatever reason, the team seems to respond to adversity (losing CC last year, losing half the roster this year). Maybe it's the energy the young guys have brought, combined with lopping off dead-weight and underachievers.
RE: UA….is the associate Hunter Y. a good option? He's already up-to-speed with the programs, so we wouldn't be starting from Square One.
RE: Shaq….much ado about nothing. This trade will never happen. The national media has already seen to that. Overexposure kills deals on contact.
Yes, the Tribe is technically still in the race, and the crowds are going absolutely crazy. 18,000 for the Red Sox. 20-something for the Yankees. 23,000 for the Cardinals. More seagulls on the field than actual fans in the stands for the Royals. I tell ya, it's a madhouse over on East 9th and Ontario.
If this keeps up, and it's quite likely it will, next season Dolan will be able to afford a payroll of HGH Hafner and Delonte West. And then Dolan and Shapiro can pretend that they didn't acquire Shaq at the trade deadline because the Diamondbacks decided to stand pat.
Oh, and the only way that Akron will ever find a guy who isn't going to use the post as a steppingstone is to hire somebody locally who just *luvs* the area, and was borned and raised in Akron or nearby. A lifer who would rather die than ever leave. Otherwise, it's always going to be like a college freshman with talent and the NBA. One and done.
How about Terry Pluto? I'm serious. Sorta.
Did I just write "borned?"