Cavs owner wrong with LeBron-to-NY "insult" rant

Cleveland Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert attempted to stick it to the media on Thursday, blaming them rather than the ineptitude of the franchise for speculation that LeBron James will flee Cleveland after his contract is over for either the New York Knicks or future Brooklyn Nets.

He called the media's reporting of the issue out-of-line, "an insult to the city" and simple conjecture from bored soprts reporters.

PUH-lease.

Really, Dan Gilbert?!

Yeah, I guess LeBron James isn't best buds with Jay-Z, who just happens to be a co-owner of the New Jersey (soon Brooklyn) Nets?

Really?!

I guess the Nets and Knicks haven't been making trades, cutting players and clearing cap space for 2010 when they can make max offers to James and bring him to NY?

Really?!

Because Dan Gilbert isn't one of the worst owners in professional sports who didn't fall ass-first into the best player in the league and has YET to provide him with an acceptable supporting cast in order for him to take that sorry franchise all-the-way to an NBA title?

Really?!

Because LeBron James (noted front-runner aside) didn't wear a New York Yankees cap to a Yanks/Indians playoff game...IN CLEVELAND?

Really?!

When asked about New York, LeBron didn't specifically say he loves the city and thought it would be a great place to live and play?

Really?!

Because LeBron didn't come out with a limited edition line of a New York style of his shoes...only sold in New York City...featuring many Yankees references?

Really?!

Because LeBron is going to indicate his team's owner (who is currently paying him millions of dollars for the next two years) that he plans to leave? There is a max contract in the NBA, so the best the Cavs can do is match exactly what the Knicks and Nets will offer.

Really?!

Because LeBron doesn't have a clause in his Nike contract that promises to DOUBLE his endorsement deal if he moves to a major city like New York, Chicago or Los Angeles?

Really?!

Gilbert's not going to worry about a contract extension for the best player in the NBA who is disheartened with the lack of effort made and money the team has spent to fill up the rest of the roster with appropriate talent to compliment LeBron and help them win a title?

Really?!

Sports reporters are bored because they don't have the entire NFL season to cover, NCAA football every Thursday through Saturday, tight MLB playoff races, Brett Favre, O.J. Simpson, Lance Armstrong, (locally) Derek Anderson/Brady Quinn, Ohio State, etc.?

Really?!

THAT speculation is an insult to the city? Not the fact that the Indians made the playoffs last year and gave up on this season before the All-Star break? That Ohio State made it to two BCS title games and got whooped by superior opponents? That OSU just got bludgeoned to death by USC? That your 2008 gem of an NFL team is at the bottom of the league and about to lose their starting QB, coach, etc.

Really, Dan Gilbert?!

(Just for the record...I've been doing "Really?!" columns since the late 90s...so no posts about ripping off Saturday Night Live on this one. Thanks.)

Daily News Update

Outside of my individual posts, I thought it would be a good idea to provide a "Daily News Update" with other interesting stories to which I'm not necessarily going to devote a full post.

* Update: Noah's punishment? Six months probation and a $200 fine.

* SI.com's Tom Verducci realizes he's a week behind on the MLB instant replay argument.

* China has stopped airing NBA playoff games because they are too entertaining. Obviously they didn't watch the Pistons/Magic series.

* Our own Brian McBride returns home from Fulham after five years in the EPL. He cited the desire to play against better competition as his reasoning.

* Former Memphis forward Joey Dorsey "knows" the Chicago Bulls are NOT picking Derrick Rose.

* Former New York Knicks center Patrick Ewing is upset new GM Donnie Walsh did not interview him for the open head coaching position.

Rose Garden?

Tonight, before the first game of the Eastern Conference Finals, the NBA’s non-playoff teams are in for a little excitement of their own with the NBA Draft Lottery at 7:30 p.m. in Secaucus, New Jersey. And no team has more at stake than the New York Knicks.

With the fifth most chances (76 / 1000), the Knicks certainly do not look poised to receive the No. 1 overall pick. At this point, most columnists would delve 23 years ago into the first Lottery in 1985 with the selection of Patrick Ewing and the supposed “frozen envelope.” Didn’t happen—get over it.

But if the Knicks get lucky and do receive the No. 1 selection, a franchise turn around will seem more feasible than ever. No, there is not a LeBron James or Michael Jordan sitting at No. 1, but there is Memphis point guard Derrick Rose. For a team that hasn’t had a first round selection the last two seasons because of a (standard) horrible Isiah Thomas trade with the Chicago Bulls, Rose would be the perfect catalyst to re-invigorate the team and fan base.

Rose has more than talent. He is the absolute perfect fit for new Knicks head coach Mike D’Antoni’s run-and-gun scheme. I promise you this, if the Knicks win the Lottery tonight, D’Antoni (who is representing the team) will slam the table with excitement harder than Dave DeBusschere once did.

In case you don’t believe me, here is some proof of how the Knicks organization feels about rose.

"I just haven't seen too many guys with that kind of explosion from the point-guard position," GM Donnie Walsh told the New York Post yesterday about Rose. "It's the kind you rarely see."

"There's guys who are going to be very good point guards in this league," Walsh said. "Derrick Rose instinctively is a good point guard. There's not one as obvious as Rose but they can develop into really good point guards. Our job is to find which is the one."

D’Antoni has told those close to him that he thinks Rose can be the next Steve Nash. He told the New York Post that Rose is “Jason Kidd with a shot.” That is pretty high praise from a guy that knows his point guards like Charles Barkley knows the hard-six.

With a 16 percent chance of receiving a top two pick, the Knicks would likely trade up to No. 1 if they were concerned the team in front of them would pick Rose over Kansas State PF Michael Beasley. Most important for the franchise is that they are not unlucky and fall out of their natural No. 5 spot. At No. 5, the Knicks would still be in position to try their hand at O.J. Mayo, Jerryd Bayless and Eric Gorden—combo guards that could be converted to the point. If they fell, they’d be looking at Texas PG D.J. Augustin.

Oh, by the way, Jay-Z will be representing the New Jersey Nets at the Lottery. Just thought I’d throw that out there.