Why "It's How You Start" Means A Great Deal If You're the Cleveland Indians

Major League Baseball presents one of the most grueling seasons in all of professional sports. Over 30 Spring Training games, 162 regular season games, 3 rounds of playoffs, and for most, Winter Ball. Add all that together, and you usually hear phrases like "It's a marathon, not a sprint" and "It's not how you start, but how you finish". In the case of the Cleveland Indians, where for the last 10 years, their seasons have come to rest in April due to their inability to get out of the gate quickly, the latter of the above phrases carries little weight with me. For this team, getting off to a fast start has lead to success. So the formula is simple; win early and you have a shot, lose early...

The 2011 installment of Indians baseball is off to a better start than the entire nation expected. At 15-8, they own the best record in the American League. While there have been a few disappointments, there have been plenty of surprises. Manager Manny Acta seems to be pushing all the right buttons early on, and I would argue that the way the Indians "finished" Spring Training lead to this hot start. The team is young, but has displayed a veteran poise that should be credited mostly to their skipper.

Youth is a great tool, but it's only one of the tools. For a young team, a team that was and still is expected to grow and mature over a long MLB season, quick starts have historically proven to be beneficial. A little confidence never hurt anyone, right? With the Indians, there were a number of young, talented prospects (that's right, prospects), that the brass has been secretly keeping their fingers crossed on, hoping for a quick start. Players Michael Brantley, Matt LaPorta, Carlos Santana, Carlos Carrasco, and Josh Tomlin are at the top of that list. These players have exceeded expectations collectively early on, and have been put to the test in big spots this year.

While the season is still in it's infancy stages, all of us in Cleveland aren't discrediting the Indians fast start. Under Eric Wedge, the team often stumbled through April, posting only 1 winning opening month in the 8 years of Wedge's tenure. That year was 2007, the year the Indians moved within 1 win of reaching the World Series. That year was also full of surprises, and you could see the pressure lessen and the confidence grow with each early win the team notched.

Early Observations

To win, you have to find the right mix of players. The Indians certainly have plenty of youth to go around, but they are often searching each year for the right bargain veterans to mix in with their youth. Newcomer Orlando Cabrera has been just what the doctor ordered. He's been around, been on winning teams, seen the playoffs. He's a pro's pro. He can also play a variety of positions on the infield. He's gotten the timely hit, along with the big hit, and he's usually right in the middle of most Indian innings where crooked numbers are posted. Returning veterans Shin-Soo Choo, Grady Sizemore, and a reborn Travis Hafner, whose numbers are very encouraging through the first 23 games, have all helped stabilize and support the young guns in the Indians offense. Sizemore has especially been electric since his return from microfracture surgery on his knee. He's displayed a good burst, a quick bat, and has done a good job of cutting down on the strikeouts that plagued him the last 2 years. Manny Acta no doubt was faced with a tough decision upon Sizemore's return. Michael Brantley was doing a great job in the leadoff spot, and the argument could have (and probably was) been made to bat Sizemore lower in the lineup until he felt stronger. Acta didn't hesitate, returning Grady to the leadoff spot, and thus added a new threat to the top of the order. The lineup seems to be gelling, as the Tribe was ranked third in the league in runs scored.

While the hitting has grabbed plenty of attention, it's been the pitching that has really been the story. You want surprises? How about Justin Masterson and his 5-0 record and sub 2.50 ERA? Josh Tomlin is 4-0. Mitch Talbot was 3-0 before his injury. Carlos Carrasco has pitched well at times also. The big disappointment has been Fausto Carmona, the guy everyone was counting on to put it all together and establish himself as the ace of this staff. After a disastrous opening day start, Carmona has pitched better, but not much better. He was shelled by Minnesota last week, and has often struggled with his command. Recently, Manny Acta challenged his young ace to attack hitters more often and trust his stuff. He's constantly falling behind hitters, and heading into tonight's start, he sports a record of just 1-3, with an ERA near 6. If he Indians hope to contend, he'll need to be the driving force.

The bullpen has been equally as good as the starters. I believe this is mostly due to the fact that the Indian starters lead the league in quality starts. Rarely is a Tribe starter removed before the 5th inning, and Acta has had the luxury of using his relievers in the roles that they are most comfortable in. There have been a few really bright spots in closer Chris Perez, and rookie Vinny Pestano. Rafael Perez has been solid, but he hasn't looked the same since 2007. Tony Sipp and Chad Durbin need to do more if they hope to be around in September.

Steady players Asdrubal Cabrera and Jack Hannahan have been great for the offense. Cabrera's defense at short is elite, and teamed with Orlando Cabrera, also a former shortstop, the team has a solid double play duo up the middle. The team has been fun to watch, and has even showed a little resiliency in games that they've fallen behind early. There's plenty to be optimistic about.

While no one truly knows how this year's Cleveland Indians season will play out, the one thing we can all agree on is that they seem to be pointed in the right direction. Attendance is a bit disheartening, but Cleveland fans have shown that they'll support a competitive team. Owner Larry Dolan certainly isn't the most popular man in town, but Mark Shapiro, Chris Antonetti, and Manny Acta are helping him stay out of the direct line of fire right now. The team is playing well at home, winners of 9 straight (the longest streak since 2005). There is one thing that Tribe fans can be sure of; their offense will get better...because Lonnie Chisenhall is coming.

TR

To Be The Man...

As the NBA regular season came to a close last week, and playoff seeds were finalized, a few stories began to surface regarding Dwyane Wade's message to both LeBron James and Chris Bosh this past summer, which lead to both stars deciding to join Wade in Miami for the next 6 years. No one truly knows exactly what Wade said to his free agent-to-be friends, but Brian Windhorst, who is very close with James, and covers the team, summed it up in one sentence. Wade's message was loud and clear- being the man was "overrated". I have a problem with this message.

Athletes do this kind of stuff all the time. It's almost comical to watch the events unfold. It's like you're driving down a highway, and up ahead you see a 10 car pile up. You know you should slow down and use caution, but you just don't. Before you know it, you're in the pile up wondering why you didn't heed the warning signs in the first place. They use words like "sacrifice" and "maturity", "teamwork" and "commitment". These are all the buzz words that fans love to hear their super stars say to them. Rarely do the actions of the super star athlete reflect what they spent so much time trying to convince us of.

Being from Cleveland, I did not follow the college and pro careers of both Wade and Bosh, but in the case of James, we all know how the script has been written. Did James believe that being the man was overrated when at the age of 17, his face was plastered all over the cover of Sports Illustrated, touching off a national media frenzy that eventually lead to his high school games being televised (which at the time was unheard of) on ESPN? Perhaps he felt this way when he received throw back jerseys for free from a Shaker Heights sporting goods store, leading to an investigation from the OSHAA, and a subsequent penalty for James. Surely it had to be when his mother received a loan for James' brand new Hummer (while he was still in high school), a loan that Mrs. James could in no way pay back with her current income situation.

When Nike came calling, giving James a shoe deal worth $90 million, all before he played a single professional game, surely that had to be the foundation for Wade's pitch. As LeBron filmed commercial after commercial, unveiling all his unique personalities such as "Business" LeBron and "Wise" LeBron, do you think he was telling himself "this really sucks, I wish these guys at Nike would just leave me alone"? Endorsement deals with Vitamin Water, State Farm, and McDonald's had to bolster Wade's position, right? And what about all the self-appointed nicknames like "King James" and "Chosen 1" (hell, he even got a tattoo across his back for that one)? Wearing #23? It seems like someone was right at home with being "the man".

I could go on for a long time about the wild parties, website launches, cartoon spin-offs, LRMR, appearances on "Entourage", clothing lines, celebrity event hostings/appearances, and soccer club ownership- all of which came with being and wanting to be "the man" for James. Wade and Bosh also used these platforms to maximize their own brand, and seemingly become multi-millionaires overnight. In the case of Wade, Bosh, and James (especially James), it seems that falling back on Wade's words are convenient only when failure accompanies these men on the basketball court when the stakes are the highest. Game-Winning shot attempts? Championships Won? No thank you, I'm not cut out for being the man after all. Maybe James never wanted to be "the man", but then again, he shouldn't have spent the first 25 years of his life trying to convince us all that he was.

Joe Tait and the Long Shadow he Casts

I'll always remember the first time I heard Joe Tait's voice without realizing it was Joe Tait. I was going through some of my father's cassette tapes and blindly playing them on his stereo one afternoon shortly after my parents told my brother and me that they didn't love each other anymore. I was 11, and had started to take an interest in basketball. The Cavs were a good, solid, young team on the rise, with plenty of stars to like. Anyways, after pressing play and starting another random tape, I heard the closing minutes of the 4th quarter of perhaps the most famous game in Cleveland Cavaliers franchise history. The Miracle of Richfield. The Cavs were in just their 6th year of existence as a franchise, and this was their first playoff series in team history. The opponent was the Washington Bullets. The year was 1976.

As I listened, so many sounds were flooding through the headphones and into my ears. The crowd was roaring, the players were making big time plays at both ends of the floor, and the announcer of the game, Joe Tait, was shaking the mic with every call. I couldn't see him, but I could just see him; sweat beading on his forehead, shortness of breath, and sweaty palms as he called every second of this battle. His voice was strained at times, barely audible over the crowd noise. After it was all over, it was as if Joe was on the floor, fighting for rebounds, setting screens, and directing teammates on the floor. When the Cavs won that game, you felt like you won. You felt how Joe felt...alive!

I was hooked. I listened to all the Cavs games moving forward. Turn the sound down on the TV, put on the Sony Walkman, and just listen to Joe Tait bring it home. 7th grade camp, yep I had to have my Sony Walkman so I could listen to the Cavs/Bulls playoff series. I heard all the catch phrases over the years that became favorites with Cavalier fans like "3 Ball...GOT IT", "Wham with the right hand!", "Line to the left, sights it, shoots, it...good." and "The Cavaliers will be moving left to right on your radio dial". I would be shooting hoops outside and would play all the parts; the crowd, the d-fense chant, and of course, Joe Tait's radio play-by-play. Joe Tait was responsible for my interest in basketball. I was certain that I would do radio broadcasts one day, just like him. I often regret not following through on that.

Now, only 2 games remain in the broadcasting career of Joe Tait. I'm not sure what the Cavaliers have planned for their radio team beyond this year, but it's going to be hard, after 39 years, to flip on the radio for Cavs broadcasts, and not hear Joe's voice. I suppose he's earned a break. Thank you for being you, Joe, and thank you for sharing your passion of basketball with all of us. You'll be missed after one final "Have a goodnight, everybody".

TR

Why Eric Mangini Isn't the Right Coach for the Browns

Frustration. Browns fans know this feeling all too well this time of the year. Another disappointing year coming to a close (though there were a few bright spots), injuries piling up, playoffs out of the picture, and a head coach on shaky ground. The prospect of starting over is very real following inept performances against Buffalo and Cincinnati. There's lots of blame to assess. The quarterbacks? Special Teams? Offensive Coordinator Brian Daboll? Coach Mangini? One thing is for sure. After the final game on Jan. 2 against the Steelers, I believe Mike Holmgren will have no other option than to fire Eric Mangini. Here's why.

It wasn't that long ago that I was pining for Mike Holmgren to exercise patience and give Mangini more time to work with this team. It's obvious that the number of playmakers on both sides of the ball are low, but the team was doing a lot of things right and seemed ready to turn the corner TOGETHER. Surprising wins over New England and New Orleans had the city excited about Sundays. A rookie quarterback was managing the game with veteran savvy. Sure the Jets game was a letdown, but we were right there, and probably should have won the game. Recent events have cast a long shadow over what once was. A 1-point win over a 1 win Carolina team at home, followed by losses at Buffalo and Cincinnati (both 2 win teams) have left fans scratching their heads. Pile on the loss at Jacksonville, a game in which the Browns forced 6 turnovers, and you have yourself some unimpressive football. With Baltimore and Pittsburgh left on the schedule, it seems the Browns are headed for a second straight 5-11 season.

To start, this team is extremely inconsistent in its game planning from week to week. Coach likes to play power football, and we've finally got a bruising running back to establish a ground game. What we get in the games where Jake Delhomme starts is a QB chucking it 35 times a game, all while throwing a few to the other team. What makes it worse is that we have a pretty solid fullback in Lawrence Vickers. The Browns have gone through long stretches where he isn't even on the field to open holes for Peyton Hillis. The game plan from week to week seems 1-dimensional and unimaginative. Teams have wisened up and are not kicking the ball to Josh Cribbs as often, and the Browns have done little to get him going in games. Less Wildcat, and few targets when he's in at receiver. Most fans want to see Brian Daboll get his walking papers, but if you all think the head coach isn't signing off on the game plans, you all need to get your heads examined. What makes it worse is that when the Browns are fighting through miserable stretches of play calling during games, Mangini, a man who has to know his job is on the line, doesn't take charge and get his coordinators on the same page.

Most of you will argue that the team is competing because they've been in almost every game this year. I'll challenge you and tell you that they are better managing situations and not necessarily competing. Butch Davis used to run a similar style to what's going on now. Don't make a mistake, keep the game close, call it ultra conservative and try to win it in the end. The defense is playing better, but they still don't get much of a pass rush, and definitely embody the strategy of "bend, but don't break". You can't get to the playoffs, let alone win Super Bowls with that type of defense, you just can't.

As for the quarterback, this style of offense restricts the quarterback. In the Buffalo game, I saw Jake Delhomme throw 6 one yard passes. The quarterbacks rarely stretch the field, and they often throw to the check downs, or throw to Peyton Hillis. Again, no creativity, no excitement, no nothing. Colt McCoy has demonstrated the ability to not fall into easy mistakes and extend plays with his legs. While he's definitely the guy moving forward, I'd like to see the coaches let him open it up a bit.

Personalities. Every football team has them, and every head coach has got to manage them. At first, I was all about cleaning house with the players we had. The "stars" weren't really stars, and the atmosphere was very relaxed. While I agree with coach's decision to get some discipline in the organization, I'm getting the impression that he's not very flexible when it comes to personalities. Everyone agrees that you need more playmakers on this team. Let's face it, star players come with baggage. They need to be managed. I'm not condoning distractions, or even suggesting that guys like Braylon Edwards or Kellen Winslow were right for this team, what I'm saying is that there are not many humble stars out there. You have to manage and grow talent. Looking at our roster, we have a lot of hard working guys, but no stars. Teams like New England have always amazed me how they get stars from other teams, players who were troubled, and they come in and get right in line. Part of that is the structure that's already in place, but part of it is also the coach. In my opinion, Mangini can't coach stars, he's just too rigid. In the end, that will keep stars from coming to Cleveland.

These next two games will tell a great deal about the stability of this team, and the growth of Eric Mangini. It's hard to imagine the Browns winning 1 of these games, but they will probably need to win both, and I do mean win (and not have the other team lose it), to save their embattled coach. The option if Mangini is retained would certainly be that Daboll would be out, and an O-Coordinator would be brought in to run the West Coast offense. I'm not buying that to be successful in Cleveland, you have to run, run, run in late December and early January. The Patriots throw the ball just fine in the snow, and it gets plenty cold up in Foxboro. It's my opinion that the axe will fall on Eric Mangini, fair or not. I just hope the brain trust have a plan to get us a real coach.

Derek Anderson Reaction and Thoughts on Today's Athlete

A week removed from his tirade on a local reporter, Derek Anderson can't have many snaps left in his NFL career. In the closing minutes of last Monday's less than stellar performance against the San Francisco 49ers, Anderson was seen yucking it up with a fellow teammate on the bench. No one knows for sure what was talked about except for Anderson and his teammate, but one thing is for sure, they couldn't have been talking about the game. There wasn't much to smile about. Anderson came under fire not only from the broadcasters on the National telecast, but from local media as well. With yet another inconsistent season coming to a close for him, a season that was supposed to be different for him mostly due to the fact that he was on a better team than the previous year in Cleveland. This time, Anderson would legitimately have the edge as a starter coming into the season. No quarterback controversy, no fan backlash, nothing. He was starting fresh. It would be entirely in his control this time whether or not he succeeded.

As he moved to the podium to answer questions about the game, he had to know what was coming. Television cameras had caught just about the entire interaction on the bench. When Anderson was asked about what was said, he reacted the only way he knew how. He deflected all talk, calling it "his business" what was said between the two. Again, there wasn't much else to talk about in regards to the game. Anderson had played poorly, and he didn't seem too upset about it on the sidelines. Sensing irritation, a local reporter dug deeper, probing with questions and statements questioning Anderson's preparation and execution of the game plan from week to week. Aggravated at this point, Anderson snapped, saying he "takes this shit" seriously and he "studies his ass off" from week to week. The reporter kept asking what the two were talking about. Finally, Anderson said he was "done" and walked off the podium. He would later apologize for the outburst. In case you were wondering, Anderson played poorly again yesterday in a loss to the Rams. His statline- 7/20 for 93 yards. He threw 1 interception. With that type of performance, he took a lot of the shine of his preparation comment. He was later replaced by the back-up QB, who would later get hurt and the 3rd string QB played the rest of the game. That's how bad it is for DA these days in Arizona- even the 3rd stringer gets a chance before he re-enters. He probably won't be back next year.

There's a few points I'd like to make here. First, when he was asked about his conversation on the sideline, Anderson should have owned up to it. Players do this all the time in an effort to keep their spirits up, as well as the spirits of their teammates. As the quarterback, your job is to stay positive, I mean hell, Mark Sanchez is being fined by the Jets every time he displays poor body language. Back to Anderson-by taking it personally, he only compounded things. If a reporter, any reporter sees that he/she is getting a reaction from you, their job is to push the issue, all while being professional and respectful. Anderson could have easily said that it was a frustrating night all the way around, and that he wasn't happy with his performance. Simply put, he could have said, hey look, we were trying to make the best out of a bad situation and looking back now, we could have handled it differently. End of story, end of drama.

But were Anderson's sideline antics really that uncalled for? I can point to a number of instances, all within the last week, where two teams were playing a game, and the players on the losing team are smiling and talking it up not just with their teammates, but with the opponent. This is more common than you would be lead to believe in today's athlete. These guys are so rich, that the thought of competition is less important to them. Sure, they want to win, but at the end of the day, they seem to get over it pretty quick when they all meet at midfield, or center court to shake hands and make plans for the evening. It's so prominent nowadays that when opponents don't shake hands, the offender is labeled as a poor sport. Anderson has made himself a bigger target with his poor play and I do think he was unjustly made an example of. But hey, that's what happens when you're the QB. What we have here is a good old fashioned case of hipocracy.

I think that this is where pro sports is starting to lose a little bit of it's luster. Everyone is so interested in the "business" of professional sports that some of the good old fashioned rivalries and the spirit of competition have diminished greatly. College sports best embodies that passion, and yet we are still robbed out of a true playoff each year- a real opportunity to showcase the spirit of competition. No strings attached. In the case of Derek Anderson and pro sports, money has become the root of all evil, and it's killing the sport. But then again, that's today's athlete, like it or not.

The Beautiful Mess in Miami

It seems LeBron James is at the center of all things dysfunctional these days in Miami. 2 days before his first game against the Cavaliers, James and his Heat teammates are in one of the craziest soap operas the sports world has ever seen. Each day there is a new story, a new "insider's" report, attempting to shed some light on the question everyone is asking in some form; "What the hell is going on down there in Miami?".

20 years from now, I'm not sure what professional sports will look like. As a fan, I've always been captivated by athletes, and what they can do. It's art. I know there's so many other people in the world that deserve my adulation more than sports figures. In the case of LeBron James, 20 years from now is going to look a whole lot different than it appeared to look 6 months ago.

There are other players in this circle, but I'm going to stick with James for the simple fact that he was supposed to be different. I've read so many articles about this guy. As an Ohio native, he's been force fed to all of us since he was 15. I remember the Plain Dealer doing a full page color spread tracing all his movements when he goes to the basket for a dunk. This was when he was a high school freshman. It should be mentioned that it didn't start there. It had started long before. We are indeed all Witnesses, as the Nike slogan for James suggests, but we are not witnessing greatness anymore, we are witnessing the destruction of a man.

James shoulders much of the blame for this. He's been equivocating from the start. From the minute he found the spotlight, he tried to tell us he was the next Michael Jordan. He wore #23 and often spoke on the phone with Jordan while in high school. Jordan was also seen at his games, giving James pointers on how to improve his all around game. James even attended his basketball camps in the summer. Now (according to his commercial), he wants no part of Jordan's legacy. Why the sudden change?

It's hard to wrap my mind around what's going on with James. It's obvious that he planned this from the time he, Wade, and Bosh all signed 3 year extensions with their teams in 2007. As a fan, that pisses me off. The thing I've come to realize with pro sports is that the fans get left out in the cold while the owners are trying to get over on the players, and the players are trying to get over on the owners. Any adoration that the athlete showers the fans with is usually insincere, and when the fans react out of anger, the athletes can't understand why they are taking it personally. But, like the girlfriend in an abusive relationship, the fans come back for more, often latching on to another savior, hoping and rationalizing that this one will be different. In the case of James, he's shown that he's totally oblivious to the damage he left not only in Cleveland, but with the national media.

Looking back, it's easy to see how James got to this point. From the time he signed his extension in 2007, justifying his reasons for inking a 3 year deal as opposed to a 6 year deal as an attempt to keep the Cavaliers organization committed to winning and giving himself the best opportunity to win each year, he was openly flirting with every team that he had interest in. He kept one eye on Cleveland, and one eye on everyone else on his 2010 radar. Then there are his friends, all of whom rode his coat tails to their meal tickets. It was obvious James wasn't strong enough to make the choice himself and check his friends. He let them take control, convincing him that it should be all about him, and no one else mattered. There would be no accountability for LeBron James. He's the best. Just ask Nike, ESPN, his friends, and all of New York City. Go on TV and crush your fans in Cleveland. Call it The Decision (no one in Cleveland will be smart enough to figure out what's coming with all the misfortune tied into things like The Drive, The Fumble, and The Shot). LeBron James flat out forgot where he came from.

We all heard the accusations after it all went down. The Cavs fired off that they had covered up so much of James and his buddies' gaffes, that it would surely come out in Miami. He wouldn't have the same protection there. Travel plans had been changed to stay extra days in cities James and his pals wanted to party in. James' friends were on payroll with the team as well. They had held the Cavaliers hostage, and like a scorned lover, they were fighting back. The national backlash was fierce, and James, along with his superfriends, was suddenly the most hated man in the NBA. James was too busy to notice. He tried to build his brand by launching a new website, opening a Twitter account, and teaming with Dr. Dre to develop new headphones. Pile that on top of the over the top rave-like introduction the 3 planned shortly after The Decision, and the transformation was complete. Promises of 7 championships and dancing on stage only fueled the fire. You could just see the arrogance in the press conferences and interviews as these guys smiled and laughed and talked how they couldn't believe this had actually happened. They had pulled it off. What no one knew was that LeBron James was about to reveal himself.

Now to Miami. Things couldn't be worse for James right now. South Beach got its hooks in him right away. Rumors of a romance with Kim Kardashian were just the start. James quickly lashed out on Twitter, but the damage was being done. The team stands at 10-8, far below expectations, and suddenly the coach is on thin ice (mostly due to a shaky relationship with James). LeBron only adds ammunition to his detractors. Instead of letting his game do the talking, he often contradicts himself in interviews, and has a comment for just about every situation. In attempting to get his claws more in the pie, he's opened himself up to an avalanche of criticism. The one thing that matters, the thing he's being paid 110 million dollars to grow, his basketball game-it's never looked worse. Maybe LeBron should have signed a 3 year contract to give himself more flexibility if this whole thing goes wrong, which it looks like it might. As for his buddies, they can't get out of their own way. Chris Bosh said that they need more time to "chill", and suddenly Dwayne Wade is distancing himself from the coach after saying he was the right guy for the job b/c he "understands today's player". All that changed in a mere 18 games. The problem here is James.

As for the struggles, don't blame LeBron, none of its his fault. Just ask him. First he's playing too many minutes and he's not fresh at the end of games, then the offense is too simplistic and predictable. He's not having as much fun this year as he did last year. Are you kidding me? Where's Pat Riley? The grand master, who sold the million dollar pitch, is nowhere to be found. Let's not take accountability for our own actions, let's blame the coaches. After all, isn't that why Cleveland couldn't win the NBA title the last 2 years despite having the best record in the league? It's not LeBron's fault. No sir. Not one bit. And what of Game 5 against Boston? What happened that night? The problematic elbow? What these guys (Wade/Bosh/James) didn't consider is that while they might be good players, they aren't good teammates. After Monday's win over Washington, Wade stated that they may have found their identity. LeBron would take over the first half, and Wade would take over the second half. Does anyone understand how idiotic that sounds? So every night, Heat fans are going to be treated to one half each from their mega stars. Don't expect them to play a complete game. 4 quarters. Especially when the playoffs come around.

No one really knows what to expect on Thursday night when James comes to town, including James. One thing is for sure, Cavs fans aren't going to see the same player that put on a virtuoso performance against Detroit in the '07 East Finals. What they are going to see is a man who hides behind everything but basketball. I was reading today that we are starting to get a peek into LeBron James' soul, and it's covered in mirrors. In order to help James see what he's become, maybe Cavs fans should hold up mirrors. On December 3rd, Cavs fans will move on from LeBron, but he'll still be fighting for his life in the beautiful mess he created.