Top 10 Things I'm Wondering With Shaq Coming to Cleveland

by Joe Strailey

10. How will Shaq enjoy a Cleveland winter? It's surely no LA, Miami or Phoenix warm winter. I'm thinking fur coat, and a Ushanka. Somebody get him the address to Mike the Hatter ASAP. You heard it here first.

9. What happens to Usher? With the amount we are paying Shaq this year, I think he's a larger minority owner than the master of 'You Make Me Wanna'. Maybe they'll do a song together? It could be called, "Remember When People Played My Music & Thought I Was Cool?" by Usher and Shaq.

8. Where will Shaq live? Some are saying Avon Lake, Westlake, maybe even Downtown. Whereever it may be, somebody needs to get him the number to Norton Furniture immediately. You aren't a Clevelander until Marc creeps you out.

7. What happens to Z? When contacted to see his reaction to the trade, Z simply responded, "Shaq? I haven't turned on my Genesis in years. That game sucked. Stop calling me."

6. What will Shaq drive? I think it's only respectable that he drives a Browns mobile that you'd see in Muni Lot on a Sunday morning. If you want to fit in around Cleveland it's either that or an illegal Hummer.

5. What does Jay Z think? Now that Shaq's here, and DeShawn Stevenson is old news, is he still spendin' the night with a chick you've been dating? Remember; know the difference 'tween a king and a pawn.

4. Will the Cavs now bring back Damon Jones? Everyone knows The Diesel and DJones were tight. That being said, this town is only large enough for one larger than life personality and can only handle one bad suit representing every year at the All Star Game. Shaq stays, DJones stays...away.

3. What does this really mean to Cleveland? Well, Shaq will help the local economy by booking studio time around the city, he will crack down on crime as he is a certified Police helper, he has more rings than the entire Cavs team combined, and he also hates Kobe Bryant as much as you do. Sounds like a no brainer.

2. Is Shaq the final piece that Cleveland has been looking for? Yes. Bone Thugs now has all the tools for a major comeback.

1. If Shaq goes to XO, will he actually leave a tip?

Kosar gets no respect

Bill Belichick getting a second chance -- in the same decade, no less -- to be the head coach of the Cleveland Browns? Whoa! That's a stunning thought. But if former Browns quarterback Bernie Kosar had had his way, then it indeed would have happened and Belichick -- not Chris Palmer -- would have been hired as the first head coach of the expansion Browns a decade ago. Kosar said that Friday morning while serving as a guest on "The Really Big Show" on Cleveland sports talk radio station WKNR (850-AM) with host Tony Rizzo. "I went to Mr. (Al) Lerner and Carmen Policy in 1998 and told them when they were talking about who should be the head coach of the new franchise, that they should hire Belichick. They laughed at me. They ridiculed me," Kosar said.

scout.com

Remember Kellen?

So, you want to know how Kellen Winslow is fitting in with his new team? The men he will play alongside will tell you he seems right at home after his trade in late February. About the only disagreement is whether he's more receiver than tight end or vice versa. Really, the answer is whatever the Bucs want it to be. But on this there is total agreement: Winslow, 25, will be used extensively. Offensive coordinator Jeff Jagodzinski said he believes in widespread use of his tight ends, and, being a former tight ends coach with the Packers and Falcons, he is intimately familiar with the position.

St. Petersburg Times

Braylon...Staying?

Odds are that Braylon Edwards will remain with the team this season. ... unless a team comes out of nowhere with a huge trade offer late in training camp because a receiver is hurt and it is desperate for a replacement. So far, Edwards has been doing what the coaches have asked.

Cleveland Plain Dealer

Alex Boone Update from SF

Ever since he arrived in Santa Clara for the latest minicamp and organized team activity (OTA) sessions, Alex Boone has bunked out at a nearby hotel. And followed one rule. "I just don't go out," Boone says. "That limits the opportunity to be around alcohol. When I met with somebody about all this, they were like, 'You're a smart kid. So you know what to do.' " Four months ago after attending a Super Bowl party, Boone got very drunk and went haywire. How haywire? Boone, at the behest of his agent, was living in Southern California to work out and prepare for the NFL scouting combine. But on Feb. 1, he was arrested by Aliso Viejo police after they answered a disturbance call at an apartment complex. They discovered a 6-foot-8, 318-pound man jumping up and down on the hoods of cars and attempting to smash the window of a tow truck. After being tasered twice, Boone was finally subdued. His blood alcohol level was found to be .24, three times the California legal limit if he had been driving. Boone issued a statement in which he called his behavior "inexcusable" and said he was going "to seek professional treatment." The incident, however, was preceded by an earlier DUI arrest during his college years.

Oakland Tribune

Cribbs being traded?

The rumor mill continues to churn regarding potential destinations for Broncos receiver Brandon Marshall. Last night, we heard that the Ravens might be interested. We're hearing rumblings of Brandon possibly being traded to the Browns. The package would include, per the rumor, Browns kick returner/receiver Josh Cribbs and one or more draft picks. Such a move also would likely put Braylon Edwards in play for a trade elsewhere.

profootballtalk.com

Softball Guy

Another blog I wrote for Scene, read it here.

Mel Hall Knocking on the Wrong Door

A Texas jury convicted former Cleveland Indians outfielder Mel Hall of sexually assaulting a 12-year-old girl, NewsChannel5 reported.

The incident happened about 10 years ago when he coached on an elite basketball team.The jury found the 48-year-old guilty Tuesday on three counts of aggravated sexual assault of a child and two counts of indecency with a child.Hall could get up to life in prison when he is sentence.

Salty's Thoughts: Not cool, not cool at all.

Shaq to Cleveland...Again?

CLEVELAND -- The rumors are once again swirling around about the possibility of bringing Shaquille O'Neal to Cleveland. NewsChannel5 learned that was something the Cavaliers pondered at the trade deadline in February. Fans said they were excited about the chance of having Shaq play in the wine and gold.

Copyright 2009 by NewsNet5. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Salty's Thoughts: Newsnet5's sports coverage is junk. Just my two cents.

Stay classy, LA

LOS ANGELES -- Los Angeles police say five officers were hit by debris and had minor injuries in downtown celebrations that followed the Lakers' championship victory over the Orlando Magic. Police Sgt. Andy Mathes says one of the officers was taken to a hospital and the others were treated at the scene during the scattered melees that erupted late Sunday night before the crowd around the Staples Center dispersed under orders from police. What began as a lively but peaceful celebration took on a different tone for those remaining a few hours after the game. Some in the crowd vandalized buses and police cars, set small fires and threw rocks and bottles at police. Police say 18 people were arrested for disturbing the peace, arson and other infractions.

Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Deadliest Catch!

MADEIRA BEACH, Fla. – Florida authorities say a commercial fisherman reeled in a live missile in the Gulf of Mexico and kept it on his boat for 10 days.

The sheriff's office in Pinellas County says the boat's captain, Rodney Salomon, hooked the air-to-air guided missile 50 miles off the Panhandle town of Panama City. The Air Force and Navy use Gulf waters off the Panhandle for weapons training.

Salomon had the missile aboard his boat for 10 days before returning Monday to port in Madeira Beach, near St. Petersburg.

A bomb squad was called in from MacDill Air Force Base and dismantled the missile in an empty parking lot.

The bomb squad said the missile was very corroded from floating in saltwater for a long time. They said it was live and in a very unstable state.

R.I.P. PIO

Former Cleveland Browns defensive lineman Pio Sagapolutele dead at age 39

by Tony Grossi/Plain Dealer Reporter Monday June 08, 2009, 4:33 PM

CLEVELAND --Former Browns defensive lineman Pio Sagapolutele died Sunday night in Chandler, Ariz., after suffering an aneurysm on Friday. He was 39.

Sagapolutele, a native of American Samoa who had one of the most unforgettable surnames in Browns history, was a fourth-round draft pick of Bill Belichick in 1991. He played in 63 games in five seasons for Belichick in Cleveland, starting 34.

Sagapolutele's versatility to play end and tackle appealed to Belichick. When Belichick joined the New England Patriots as assistant head coach in 1996, he recruited Sagapolutele to rejoin him. Sagapolutele started 13 games for the Patriots during the season and at right defensive tackle in Super Bowl XXXI against Green Bay.

Starting in the Super Bowl wasn't Sagapolutele's fondest NFL memory.

In a story in 2005, he said, "My best memory was just being out there on the field for my first game. I was playing for the Browns and I remember sitting on the field stretching in the pre-game, thinking about growing up in Kalihi (Hawaii) ... and how far I had come."

Sagapolutele moved his family to Arizona a few months ago. He is survived by his wife and four children, ages 14, 9, 6 and 3. His burial is planned for Hawaii.

Dick Jacobs, Former Indians Owner, Dies

CLEVELAND -- Former Cleveland Indians owner Dick Jacobs, 84, has died after a long illness. Jacobs' real estate company said he died peacefully early Friday. He had been in ill health. Jacobs and his brother, David, bought the Indians from the Steve O'Neill estate in late 1986 for $40 million. David Jacobs died in 1992. Dick Jacobs focused his attention on restoring the struggling American League franchise to financial soundness and competitiveness on the playing field. The team's new ballpark in downtown Cleveland became Jacobs Field when it opened in 1994, and the Indians made it to the World Series in 1995 and 1997. Jacobs owned the club until 2001. The park was renamed Progressive Field last year." With the passing of Dick Jacobs, the city has lost not only an exceptional businessman, but also a friend committed to revitalizing Cleveland. My thoughts and prayers are with his loved ones at this difficult time," said Mayor Frank G. Jackson. Jacobs is responsible for turning the Indians into a dynasty during the 1990s. The team won two American League Pennants and six Central Division championships.Under Jacobs' ownership, the Indians made two World Series appearances, in 1995 and 1997, and set a record 455 consecutive sellouts at Jacob's Field. Jacobs sold the team to Larry Dolan and family for $320 million in 2001.

Copyright 2009 by NewsNet5. The Associated Press contributed to this report. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

LeBron Says He's Happy

INDEPENDENCE, Ohio -- LeBron James finally talked about not making the NBA finals, and insists Cleveland's loss to Orlando will not impact his future with the Cavaliers. James stormed out of Amway Arena without speaking to the media Saturday night after the Cavs were eliminated with a 103-90 loss to the Magic in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference finals. The league MVP, who also did not shake hands with Olympic teammate Dwight Howard or congratulate any Orlando players as he left the floor, said Sunday that he's happy in Cleveland and feels the Cavs made major progress this season. "I'm great. I feel great about this situation that's going on," James said. "You want to continue to get better, that's all you can ask. We got better and I feel this team will be better next season. You don't want to take a step backward. I think we went forward from the Boston series (a Game 7 loss in the semis) last year." "Hopefully we can go forward next year." The Cavaliers won 66 regular-season games and their second Central Division title this season. James, who averaged 38.5 points, 8.3 rebounds and 8.0 assists against Orlando, said he hasn't given any thought to signing a contract extension with the Cavs this summer. Cleveland can offer the extension on July 18 -- the three-year anniversary of him signing his previous deal. "I don't know," James said when asked if he'll sign. "I haven't thought about it just yet. I'm just going to take time off from basketball and not think about contracts or the game period. I'll relax with my family we'll figure out once it comes from them." James said he sent an e-mail to Howard following Saturday's game. "It's hard for me to congratulate somebody after you just lose to them," he said. "I'm a winner. It's not being a poor sport or anything like that. If somebody beats you up, you're not going to congratulate them. That doesn't make sense to me. I'm a competitor. That's what I do. It doesn't make sense for me to go over and shake somebody's hand."
Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press.

Salty's Thoughts: Dan Gilbert better hope so.

Cavs' Wallace May Retire

INDEPENDENCE, Ohio -- Wallace, a four-time NBA defensive player of the year, said Sunday that a combination of injuries, declining production and a loss of passion for the game has him thinking about quitting. He plans to sit down with his family before deciding his next move. The 14-year veteran suffered a broken leg this season and suffered from tendinitis in his knees. Wallace has one season left on a contract worth $14 million, but says the money will not be a factor on whether he decides to play another year. Wallace won an NBA title in 2004 with Detroit.Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press.

Salty's Thoughts: No chance he walks away from $14M. He will be back, and we will trade him and his expiring contract. I'd be shocked if he walks on $14M.