LeBron James is all in with the Cavs, (no) surprise, (no) surprise -- Bud Shaw"s Spinoffs
CLEVELAND, Ohio – LeBron James has officially signed his three-year, $100 million contract.
This is big only if you thought he might leave after next season.
If that was your concern, all it really means now is he can’t leave for two years.
Fact is, James has used these contracts to maximize his earning power.
This one is no different.
He’s been fully invested in the franchise since he decided to return.
And the Cavs are fully invested in making him happy, whatever his contract status.
James started talking about next season at the parade. Absolutely no one doubted his return.
He did have one suggestion for the Cavs in announcing his new contract via a social media video:
“Let’s get J.R. (Smith) done. It’s that time.”
He wants J.R. in the fold so badly he’d play for less.
Just kidding.
• Josh McCown says he wasn’t worried about getting repetitions in practice or, more specifically, whether not getting first-team repetitions made for an unfair “competition” with Robert Griffiin III.
McCown said that “not in any shape do I think it was unfair. It was exactly how it needed to be to fairly evaluate things. I trust their judgment, I trust their evaluation and then we move on. “
Obviously, this guy is a rabble rouser.
• The orchestration of repetitions didn’t erase the possibility McCown would outplay RG3. But it came close.
McCown is a coach’s dream. He could get demoted to scout team and declare it an “understandable move by an organization and head coach that aren’t afraid to think outside the box.”
• Stephen Jones, the Cowboys vice president, told CBS radio’s Tiki and Tierney there is “no chance” Johnny Manziel will play for Dallas.
Or, as owner Jerry Jones probably interprets his son’s words, “So you’re saying there’s a chance?”
• The Browns really missed their opportunity to trade Manziel to Dallas back when Jerry Jones couldn’t stop ruminating on the team’s failure to land Johnny Football in the 2014 draft.
In a ESPN.com interview that September, Jones said this:
“I’m still so damn mad at Stephen,” Jones exclaimed. “… I get madder, every day, about missin’ (Manziel).”
According to ESPN.com, Jones told his people the night of the draft picking any other player than Manziel would mean a “ticket to parity, more 8-8 seasons.”
The Cowboys went 12-4 that season.
If Manziel had brought parity to Berea, he’d have his own statue.
• Jones, by the way, says he will “vouch” for Baylor head coach Art Briles, fired on May 26 in the midst of an investigation into the school’s handling of rape charges involving football players.
So Briles has that going for him.
• The relationship between the San Diego Chargers and No. 3 overall pick Joey Bosa isn’t improving, with the latest report saying Bosa’s side considers it “irreparable.”
Right up until each side compromises so both can save face and get a contract done.
• UFC’s Julianna Pena is calling out Ronda Rousey, oddly enough by saying nobody cares about Rousey anymore.
Except Julianna Pena apparently.
• Said Pena: “I think nobody cares about Rhonda Rousey and her fat arms anymore.”
I’ve watched Stipe Miocic work out.
Body shaming a UFC fighter isn’t nearly as easy as body shaming a sportswriter.
• Russian swimmer Yulia Efimova has dragged Michael Phelps into the conversation about a proposed lifetime ban for positive drug tests in an attempt to redefine “second chances.”
That conversation gained momentum after American Lily King called out Efimova, who served a suspension for DHEA and later tested positive for Melodium. Both are considered PEDs.
“What would she say about Michael Phelps?” Efimova said.
Phelps has been suspended twice, once for using marijuana and then after a DUI.
So I’m pretty sure King would say it’s not the same.
• The ease with which Phelps dispatched South Africa’s Chad Le Clos in the 200 meter butterfly final reminded me of something.
In the warmup room before the semifinals, Le Clos went through a series of gyrations in front of Phelps, who fixed him with a death stare.
I couldn’t place it for the longest time, then it came to me:
Indiana Jones pulling out a gun to settle a knife fight.
• The NFL is trying to incentivize kickoff returners to stay in the endzone on touchbacks by giving possession at the 25 yard line instead of the 20.
The rule change seems more suited to incentivizing kickers to kick it higher and shorter.
If there’s a drawing board at NFL rules meetings, time to go back to it.
• Alex Rodriguez, who hasn’t played in the field this season, asked manager Joe Girardi if he could play third base in his final game Friday night.
Girardi said no. The Yankees, after all, are 3.5 games out of a wild card spot.
“I totally get the answer,” said Rodriguez.
Then why ask.
• There’s no way to know for sure if the Red Sox fans who called for Rodriguez to get in Wednesday’s game at Fenway Park are the same ones who booed him when they got their wish.
But of course they were.
• Rams’ head coach Jeff Fisher says he heard from his mother about his foul language after the airing of a recent episode of “Hard Knocks.”
Fisher ranted to the team after cutting wide receiver Deon Long, who invited a woman to his training camp dorm room.
“Little things are important, you follow me?” Fisher said. “I am not (expletive) going 7-9 or 8-8 or 9-7, OK? Or 10-6 for that matter.
“This team is too talented. I am not going to settle for that, OK? I know what I am doing. We had some 7-9 (expletive) this morning. Now, Deon’s gone. That is 7-9 (expletive). We don’t need it.”
Deon Long spent some time with two other NFL teams last year before going to camp with the Rams.
Jeff Fisher since 2009 has gone 8-8, 6-10, 7-8-1, 7-9, 6-10 and 7-9.
So clearly Deon Long is the problem here.
LeBron James is all in with the Cavs, (no) surprise, (no) surprise -- Bud Shaw"s Spinoffs
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