Second, the Cavaliers were cruising last season. So, yes, despite Pat's naive nonsense believing a couple of piss-poor sources with zero credibility about Phoenix wanting this guy and that guy, and Phoenix wanting to push for a playoffs beatdown (yeah, right), the fact that O'Neal has been acquired now instead of then does not mean what it would have meant in February.

Also, assuming the Lakers can stay healthy, and assuming they can convince Odom to sign a one-year contract, they'll be even better. Their other East competitors will be better. February is not July.

But hey, Anthony Parker is going to save the world!

Four straight years, every single move I've predicted correctly about Ferry, as well as correctly predicted how each of his individual acquisitions would subsequently fare. Every single one. Not one single miss. Either I should be an NBA GM, or I should wear Steve Van Zandt's bald-headed hanky and become a gypsy.

I wish I had been as successful with women as I've been predicting that professional Cleveland Cavaliers wrecker. Sure, I would have had VD from head to toe, but it would have been a happy VD.

anthony freakin' parker.

danny ferry's worst nightmares have come to life. he has no pull and has the best player on the planet watching it all crumble around his feet. the sham has been exposed if it wasn't obvious in february. of course most cleveland fans are so blinded by lebron they can't see it but "the great danny ferry" (as shaq sarcastically called him on pti) has been publically emasculated.

Who is left free agent wise, by the way? This is really Ferry's worst nightmare. He is running out of options and looking like an incompetent flaccid fool.

Everybody knows he was originally intending to cut Varejao loose. Now, he has placed himself in a position where he just might have to have to grovel at Varejao's agent's feet and take him back. The very same agent who Ferry outrageously dissed two years ago. Duke obviously never offered a course in business ethics. Naturally, Windhorst and Broussard and Ferry's other media allies are going to spin this in Ferry's favor any way they can, but behind the scenes, Ferry is going to lose face in a major way.

By the way, it was nice of him to put on a sportjacket sans tie at that O'Neal press conference. Looked like something straight off the rack from Men's Wearhouse.

I still think the Cavs can win the title because of James' greatness, but this seals the deal. Ferry recruits quality free agents like peanut butter crackers recruit salmonella. No matter what, title or not, James is gone. Fun while it lasted, see ya.