The Decision II > The Decision

So I wrote this before LeBron James is coming back to Cleveland. I am going to attempt to write a blog post about LeBron heading back to the Cavs before I head out to Eau Claire. We are under the gun here at SnoTap. Either that, or I will write one up for Saturday. This is more about the process to get here.  

I expected to have a LeBron James blog post up this morning talking about if he decided to stay with Miami, or if he came back to the city whom once loved him. But we have nothing. No one knows anything going on right now. There are so many people on the phone trying to figure out what could be the choice by The King. We are in the same spot we were in last night which for some is incredibly frustrating. The decision is likely coming today but who knows it might continue until the weekend is over. All I know is this has been much funner than the first decision.  (As you can see this becomes irrelevant.)

Some people might be tired of seeing all of the ridiculous theories behind why LeBron is either going to Miami or coming back to Cleveland. I love every minute of it. The whole thing is fascinating to watch unfold like one big puzzle. Twitter has become a playground where rumors can fly like crazy. Fake Twitter accounts all over the place trying to spread rumors in hopes to dupe big name reporters from ESPN And Yahoo!. The new thing was linking or retweeting old links about LeBron and both cities. All of it is pretty hilarious. This time around with James it is met with great humor. I really enjoy it this time around, and much of it has to do with the beauty of social media.

In the first round of The Decision, social media hadn't really been running at full throttle. Twitter was just starting to get going as LeBron made up his mind. I believe I had just became 'Chuck's Corner's' on Twitter at this point. Further, I wrote several articles killing James for moving on to Miami. It was a little unnecessary honestly looking back on all of it, and a month after LeBron leaving, Sports News on Tap was born.  Social media made this time around so much more fun because it is a topic we are talking about non-stop. At times it is a little exhausting, but the enjoyment of having the same conversation with a boatload of people is tremendous. July is a boring month for sports. When LeBron chooses his team, and the World Cup is over, sports will be just baseball until August. I love baseball, but it is much more fun to have multiple topics to talk about honestly.

There is not as much criticism of LeBron unless you write the hottest take possible at the Denver Post, but I digress. No one really cares where James goes outside of Miami and Cleveland fans. Mitch Pratt, my podcast co-host, asked me "Where do you want LeBron to go?"  And I said, "Honestly, I don't give a shit." This is fun either way. Because LeBron either becomes a villain again by coming back to Miami reigniting the fire between Cleveland fans and LeBron. Or LeBron comes back to Cleveland with everyone welcoming back to the city he once spurned and it becomes one of the greatest yet weirdest sports story in a American history. As a blogger, you root for Cleveland due to the storylines being endless with LeBron rejoining the Cavaliers.

Waiting on LeBron is a fun thing, and we all know he will pick his next team while I drive up to Eau Claire this afternoon because that's my luck.

Charlie. 

Cleveland Clears The Way For LeBron

LeBron James made the month of July about himself again like he did in 2010. James went from being a guy whose going to opt-out to make more money and stay in Miami to he might end up either playing for Miami again or a return to Cleveland. The latter became much more of a possibility on Wednesday morning when Cleveland cleared cap space by trading away Jarrett Jack and Marcus Thornton to Brooklyn and Boston in a three-team deal to pave the way for max money for James. Cleveland is either welcoming their King back or getting hurt again although this time the pain for them shouldn't be the same. 

There is a real chance LeBron comes back to the city where it all began. The city is alive right now with sports due to Johnny Manziel and the up and coming Browns plus Cavaliers have a young nucleus ready to make the playoffs. LeBron joining the fray would put Cleveland in the epicenter of all sports, and all fans of James rejoicing they can wear their 23 Cleveland jerseys again. It is hard to get into the mindset of Cavs fans right now, but you have to think people are writing on walls or computers 'I will not get excited about LeBron James' 'I will not get excited about LeBron James.' I mean there is no way this fan base is going to burned again, right? 

If it were me, I would lie in the weeds, read as little as possible and try to believe that this isn't a reality until we see James holding up a jersey next to Dan Gilbert and Kyrie Irving. There is a chance right now, but in no way should Cleveland fans get excited. What's cool about this whole free agent saga is the Cavs pushed their chips in. They didn't pussyfoot around this thing, and instead cleared out money to attempt to sign LeBron to a big deal. Why the hell not? Let's go for it, that has to fire you up as a fan whether LeBron comes back to Cleveland or not. At least, they aren't resting on their laurels here because they know they cannot. 

The great thing about this whole thing is Cleveland has a ton of money to spend if LeBron decides to stay put in South Beach. Rumors are Trevor Ariza will be the play whom could be a good option for them to add a wing to this team plus a little veteran leadership and a guy whose excelled with a strong point guard. They could also make a slight run at Pau Gasol. They have some young big men inside, but why not at least see what Pau's interest would be in playing with a bunch of young players? It wouldn't hurt. They have money to blow if LeBron becomes unavailable.  The fact of the matter, Cleveland's risk is a good one because having all of that money is not a bad thing. Losing Jack is not the worst thing in the world, he didn't fit in with the Cavs system. This was a solid move by them, and if people are calling it dangerous play or anything like that is completely wrong. 

The other thing about not getting LeBron is this team is still on pace to be a good one with Irving, Andrew Wiggins, Anthony Bennett, Tristan Thompson and Dion Waiters. The last one might be a stretch, but that's a solid young core for the future especially in the Eastern Conference. It is not like LeBron is the savior in this situation. I do not think this is too much of a reach to say Cleveland could be a deep playoff contender in the next couple of years as Irving heads into his prime including the other two coming near it as well. Cleveland will be a fun time with or without LeBron. 

The biggest question if LeBron comes back, do we have a video of 'Coming Home' or 'Cleveland is My City?' I am available to make either one, just ask.

Charlie. 

Tapping The Keg Podcast Episode 95

After a week hiatus, Charlie and Mitch are back with another edition of Tapping The Keg podcast. We talk about all things Milwaukee Bucks for the first 15 to 20 minutes of the podcast going over Jason Kidd's hiring plus Jabari Parker and Summer League. Next, it moves to NBA Free Agency talking about LeBron James and whether he will go to Cleveland or Miami. Continuing on, we try to calm everyone down about the Milwaukee Brewers recent skid. It finishes with a little World Cup and Johnny Manziel talk.

NBA Free Agency Frenzy Fun

Everyone thought there was a chance the NBA Free Agency season could be a little wild if things broke the right way. Some believed people were making too big of a deal of free agency, and everyone will be back with their teams from last season. Things are getting extremely hairy right now, and it starts with Carmelo Anthony and LeBron James. Nothing will happen in the Free Agent market until these two players are signed.  There is some thoughts that we will learn where Melo will go today, but LeBron could take one or two weeks to decide his fate. This is a fascinating time in the NBA.

People talk all the time about how the National Football League is a 24/7, no days off sort of season. Granted, some of that is blowing things way out of proportion like Johnny Manziel having a rolled up 20 in a Las Vegas bathroom, and no, I didn't realize I made a cocaine joke there. NBA has become a 24/7 league without question. There is no sleep right now with their league, and honestly, it has been that way since the first time we went through LeBron's free agency yet this is the first time people are coming to this realization.

This isn't a blog post to tell you what will happen with Carmelo or LeBron. I have no idea. I am not Brian Windhorst nor am I a fake Adrian Wojnarowski Twitter account. In fact, Melo might have a team while this blog post goes up this afternoon. This is more a blog to recognize the craziness that is this free agency period with all sorts of moves to be made.  A couple weeks ago, I called people 'suckers' for thinking LeBron would go to somewhere else than Miami, but now it seems like I was the sucker for thinking James returning to Miami was a #DoneDeal. Good for LeBron taking a look around and smelling the flowers elsewhere instead of settling. I respect the hell out of James not listening to anyone about loyalty or anything of that nature.

There are rumors coming through every day. Woj came out with something this morning that LeBron's agent wants him to move back to Cleveland. There will be some new rumor by the time I post this blog, but that's the beauty of this whole thing. Agents and people close to these players leak shit all over the place to get headlines. ESPN had 'sources' lining up their top headlines these days. There is nothing wrong with these sorts of stories. I realize it bothers people when they see 'sources' all over the place, but the fact of the matter, this is how things are in modern journalism. All of these people realize they can be faceless creatures and say whatever the hell they feel about their client. When ESPN, Yahoo! FOX Sports and others have went the route of sources being a legit way to publish a story, there is no coming back from it even if this method pisses people off.

The best thing about all of this in the post-Decision era is people not believing every story that's out there. When the sources thing got going in the first couple years of Twitter's peak, people started assuming that everything out there was concrete, it really hurt this whole thing. It led to massive assumptions about all things about free agency almost diluting the whole thing. Now, it has become a proceed with caution way to do free agency and not make any sorts of assumptions about anything. People now wait and see what happens with NBA Free Agency before rushing to conclusions which makes things much more fun.  

The best part about this whole thing is free agency rumors will be just as strong for the next two seasons if Russell Westbrook doesn't get extended and Kevin Love ends up not getting traded at all making him unrestricted as well. Furthermore if Kevin Durant decides he wants to test the waters in 2016, things become even more interesting with the free agent season. This isn't dying by any means in the next couple of years. NBA becoming a 24/7 sport is a big reason why this is the number two sport in America right now.

-Charlie.

Just Pick Baby - Milwaukee's Easy Draft Slot

When it comes to the final week of any draft whether it be the NFL, NBA, NHL or MLB, there are all sorts
of smoke screens that happen.  People want to try to throw off the scent of the other team. There were rumors of Duke forward Jabari Parker tanked his workout with Cleveland Cavaliers in order to get picked by the Milwaukee Bucks. Now it has moved to Cleveland being 50/50 on whom to pick between Andrew Wiggins and Parker. Dante Exum is starting to gain some momentum as well. It is officially the time where nobody know anything.

With Joel Embiid's latest injury picking second was the best thing to ever happen to Milwaukee's professional basketball team. Milwaukee doesn't have to decide to between Wiggins or Parker. They just have to pick the one Cleveland decided to pass on. It is that simple, no need to overthink things and do something stupid. Exum could definitely help the team, but international players this early have been costly for teams in the past. Milwaukee isn't going to do something crazy like trade out of the 2 position to help their team right away. All they need to do is pick the best player on the board.

Cleveland looks like they are going to make a pick. My assumption would be the asking price for the number one pick would be astronomically high. If they decide to trade the pick, all bets are off with what happens in this draft. After the first two selections, this draft might be one of the craziest ones we have seen in quite some time. There are so many different things that could happen after Wiggins and Parker are taken. If the Cavs trade the first pick, it will be a complete madhouse. Cleveland wants to make the playoffs therefore trading the pick might make sense, but at the same time adding a player like Wiggins or Parker could easily make this team a playoff contender in the weaken Eastern Conference.

Milwaukee gets to sit back and relax watching the world burn. They might work on trying to get another top 10 pick in the draft possibly from Sacramento or Philadelphia. Sacramento will have several offers to trade out of the top 10 with the latest rumor about Josh Smith getting traded then trying to get his buddy Rajon Rondo to California's capital (If this happens, we need a Hard Knocks of this team immediately). That package will not compare with anything Milwaukee has to offer tomorrow.  But at the top of the draft, Milwaukee only has to pick the guy left. That's pretty damn easy instead of all the different rumors happening with Cleveland in the past couple of weeks.

I know completely nothing, but it seems like Milwaukee would like to get back into the first round. If it is not Sacramento, it will be another team, possibly Phoenix, a team with two picks in the first round. Milwaukee seems like they would like to add to their arsenal by getting another first round pick in case the four second round picks don't pan out. Further, I believe Milwaukee will also take someone overseas that they can store for a couple years like they did with Zaza Pachuila and others since they have a mass quantity of picks in the second round.

This is the single most exciting day in the last couple years for the Bucks. They have been hanging around the eighth seed for the last couple of years and finally bottomed out like every Milwaukee fans hoped for in years past. Now, it's finally here. We will discuss the expectations and what might come with it in the coming days, but right now, it is time for Bucks fans to enjoy this moment.

Charlie.

LeBron & Shaq: A Closer Comparison Than Anyone Thinks

Miami Heat's superstar LeBron James has a major decision to make this offseason. He could opt out of his contract and try to get a restructured deal with his current team or move on to another team. Many people believe if James leaves Miami, he will get absolutely crushed by the media, and people will criticize LeBron of being a front-runner, not wanting to face a challenge. Personally, LeBron wants to win as many championships as possible.  Shaquille O'Neal was the first modern day player to do this begging the question, "Why aren't more people comparing LeBron's career arc to Shaquille O'Neal? If LeBron decides to leave, their arcs become eerily similar.

Obviously, people do not compare LeBron and Shaq because they are two very different players. LeBron doesn't play in the post like O'Neal, and Shaq is the interior player of this generation where James will be known as the wing player of the generation. It is so easy to compare James to Michael Jordan or Kobe Bryant because they play the same position. Although if we go through what happened in their careers, James is much more comparable to what O'Neal through his career. Shaq was never considered a front-runner, why should James?

Maybe it is the hatred and disdain of James which causes it, but Shaq should have gotten the same sort of criticism. If anything, O'Neal's antics were far worse than anything James did so far in his career. Shaq forced his way out of Orlando and Los Angeles because he fractured relationship with guards, Anfernee Hardaway and Kobe Bryant. James might decide to leave when his contract is up, isn't that his given right as a professional athlete?  It is not like LeBron is napalming the entire franchise before he leaves the franchise. LeBron is moving on to see what's next for him.

What's weird about comparing the early arcs of Shaq and LeBron is with O'Neal, he left Orlando after four years while James left Cleveland after seven. O'Neal moved coasts from Los Angeles to Miami after seven years and if James decides to leave, it will be four years. Therefore by their eleventh year, both players were on their third franchise if James heads out of South Beach. There are a lot of different options for LeBron including a return visit to Cleveland, Los Angeles Clippers or Houston Rockets are probably all on the table for The King. It would add to the eeriness if LeBron chose Los Angeles making the arcs of him and O'Neal even more similar.

Personally, I think it is a 50/50 thing whether James leaves or not. People will obviously hammer LeBron for his choice if it is not with Miami. There will probably be a jersey burning like what happened in Cleveland. But at the end of the day, what people have to realize is this has happened before with the best player in the league. No one was better than O'Neal after Jordan left the league, and he bounced all over the league. We really shouldn't make a big deal about James leaving but it will inevitably happen given all of the different media outlets ready to pounce on James.

Charlie.

The Summer of Kevin Love

Kevin Love is a free agent after next season. The NBA season isn't even over yet, but it seems like the Minnesota Timberwolves forward is already looking for a new destination to play basketball this winter. It could be a simple coincidence he was in Boston checking out the sights and sounds hanging out at Fenway, running into Rajon Rondo, boozing with Gronk and getting tweets from David Ortiz, right?  K-Love just taking a weekend vacation to Boston, a team with an NBA franchise and a team reportedly interested in Kevin Love. If I am Love, I am spending the rest of my summer seeing all the different cities and its nightlife that want to trade for him. 

Everyone seems to believe that given Love spend his weekend in Boston that he will be in Celtic green by Fall. I would like to give everybody a big cup of relax with that one. It is not a stone cold lock, but the old saying 'If it smells like a duck, quacks like a duck, it's probably a duck.'  Love could be there, but this could end up being the best summer ever if you're Love. Minnesota announced today that Love is probably gone by Draft Day meaning he could spend the next couple weeks hanging around all of these cities and seeing what they have to offer. Boston is a great time in the summer. Here are all the places Love could look to ensuring a hell of a summer. 

Houston is another team that's interested in him. Head out to there to see an Astros game, run into James Harden or Dwight Howard at some point and crush some beers with JJ Watt. Houston's nightlife is supposed to be a damn good time. I would assume Slim Thug and Bun B would take care of him in a major way. 

Golden State would be an awesome time as well. As a suitor of Love, he could do a baseball doubleheader seeing what San Francisco and Oakland have to offer. He would somehow run into Steph Curry or Klay Thompson then explore the nightlife with Aldon Smith... Actually shit wait bad idea. Let's go with Colin Kaepernick, that's better. 

Let's throw Cleveland in the mix for the hell of it. He would be partying with Johnny Manziel and Nolan Murphy obviously, let's get that off the bat. I don't know if I take him to the Indians game given their attendance issues. Kyrie Irving and him could do a redux of the Pespi Max commercial minus all the Uncle Drew makeup get some runs at local Cleveland parks.  

Sacramento?  I have no idea what the hell you do in SacTown.  Do you see the capital or what? For their sake, might want to hope Kevin doesn't spend a weekend trip out there. 

Keep having a blast this summer Kevin, just don't get fat. 

Charlie.  

An Open Letter to NBA Draft Prospects About Milwaukee

One of the more depressing parts of the NBA Draft is how many prospects do not want to go to Milwaukee.  I decided to write them an open letter to them.  

Dear Dante Exum, Andrew Wiggins, Joel Embiid, Jabari Parker and anyone to whom this concerns,

I know you don't want to go to Milwaukee. No one really does as an NBA player. Even in the early 90's, this was a problem with one of the most famous Draft Day moments with Todd Day going MILWAUUUKEE... Damn (Kevin Hunt is the man, 'All we do is drink cheese and beer' is a gold line), but truly, this is a great city with a bright future and the opportunities could be endless. But once again, I understand why Milwaukee doesn't sound as alluring as some of the other lottery picks.

Not every year do you see Los Angeles Lakers, winners of 16 NBA Championships or Boston Celtics, winners of 17 NBA Championships although did you know the Bucks have a championship under their belt in 1971?  Los Angeles and Boston are nice, but truth be told, the Lakers could be a mess for awhile plus Boston might be a year or two away as well. The same could be said for the Bucks, but they have a wealth of young players to not only play with but also hang out with in Milwaukee.

I realize Milwaukee gets a bad rap for the lack of a nightlife scene and that's probably accurate for an NBA player. There aren't swank clubs that only the elite hang out at meaning you will probably run into some fans attending a night club here. Just don't throw any bottles, okay. And yes there are no strip clubs downtown and don't be fooled by Arts. But the fact of the matter is there are a bunch of young guys to hang out with off the court like John Henson, Brandon Knight and Giannis Antetokounmpo whom are all under the age of 24. The nightlife might not be there, but at least you are not walking into a situation where you are the only rookie without many other young players.

The other thing about Milwaukee besides the nightlife and the franchise is the thought your brand will die in Wisconsin. Wrongo.  First of all, look at Kevin Love. He plays or played pending on this summer in Minneapolis, a little bigger city than Milwaukee, but he built his brand into multiple Taco Bell commercials along with being a must-follow on Twitter. Second, look at what Ryan Braun did before the PED scandal, what Aaron Rodgers has done and it is clear to see if you are as good as the Internet says you could be, the brand will go in a major way in Milwaukee. Plus you will be seen as a cornerstone of the players who saved Milwaukee basketball. Sounds pretty nice, doesn't it?

There will be pressure to win like anywhere else, but it might not be as intense as say Cleveland. The Cavs are picking their third top pick in four years, and with Kyrie Irving, there is a need to win right away. Bucks fans would love to back in the playoffs, but honestly, if they end up in the lottery for a second straight year, it is not the end of the days more so the continuing building process. Now, if they are still there after the second year, it becomes a problem. But right now, Milwaukee is about as low pressure as they come, right now. The microscope will be on because you are one of the best NBA rookies, but the local media will not be breathing down your neck.

All of this letter has been said without talking about the city of Milwaukee. It's a great one with a loving fanbase that will come back in no time. It's already building. Hopefully, you reconsider your stance on Milwaukee.

Signed,

Charlie Tritschler
CEO of SnoTap

Milwaukee Bucks: A New Era Begins

I've been lacking on my Bucks coverage over the past few weeks and for that, I apologize. Not to go all Tritschler on you but I was out of town visiting the parents two weeks ago and generally busy since then...so back off.

Alas, a new era of Milwaukee Bucks basketball has begun and the new blood has brought some marked excitement across Wisconsin.

New owners Wes Edens and Marc Lasry were officially approved by the NBA's Board of Governers this past Thursday and have seemingly taken the reigns from the shackles of Herb Kohl since then. Somewhat surprisingly, the new owners' haven't made any really drastic moves yet. I feel that many Bucks fans want a fire sale of the front office and coaching staff and for the organization to start completely anew.

Personally, I'm on the fence when it comes to the front office. I think GM John Hammond is decent to really good at drafting and assistant GM David Morway seems like more of the analytical type and could form a solid duo with Hammond when not under the control of a meddling owner.

As far as the coaching staff is concerned, I say dump them all. The play on the floor is generally a good barometer of how well the team is coached. How'd that turn out? The '13-'14 Bucks had the worst record in franchise history. Larry Drew was definitely part of the problem and is not part of the solution.

One thing the new owners have done properly was showcasing Edens' daughter, Mallory, at the draft lottery last night. She became the Internet's newest crush in a matter of minutes. Some might say Edens should be ashamed for taking advantage of his 18 year old daughter. In reality, it was a savvy business move to get the team some easy publicity.

Sites like SportsIllustrated and BroBible picked up on this and Mallory Edens was the second most talked about topic nationwide on Twitter last night.

The Internet’s Newest Crush is Mallory Edens, and She is Gorgeous -- http://t.co/5mT1olaTgs
— BroBible (@BroBible) May 21, 2014

Mallory Edens, daughter of Bucks owner, breaks Twitter during NBA draft lottery show http://t.co/zGVj8nUQTi (via @SI_ExtraMustard)
— Sports Illustrated (@SInow) May 21, 2014

Here she is, Tappers:

Also, one Bucks fan put this cheesy song together which I thoroughly enjoyed:



Anyway, speaking of the Draft Lottery, Mallory's looks weren't even enough to get the Bucks the number one overall pick and instead, they'll have to settle for the number two overall pick as the #1 went to Cleveland (AGAIN!).

To use a cliche: I'm not upset the Bucks didn't get the number one pick, I'm just disappointed that Cleveland got it again and they won 18 more games than the Bucks this past season.

However, there was plenty to be happy about around the league regarding the lottery:

• Pinheads in Wisconsin can breath easy as the Lakers and Celtics didn't leapfrog the Bucks and take the one and two spots in the draft, due to preferential treatment. In fact, they didn't move up at all.
• The Detroit Pistons really got screwed on a trade technicality and went from a mid-lotto selection to having no first-rounder at all, meaning they won't get an injection of young talent into that wasteland of a starting five. They gave a $35 million contract to Stan Van Gundy and now have no lotto pick for him to choose.

The Bucks having the second pick isn't really the worst, all things considered. Granted, it really depends on who you want them to take and who the Cavs end up taking before the Bucks. ESPN's Chad Ford says they like Andrew Wiggins and also that they like Joel Embiid. I think they might also consider Jabari Parker at #1, given how antsy they are becoming to get back into the playoffs. 

I really want Wiggins so I'm hoping the Cavs take a chance on Embiid or go for the more sure-thing in Parker so he falls in our lap. I won't cry over getting any of the three or Aussie guard Dante Exum at #2.

I just think Wiggins can be plugged right into the Bucks' starting lineup at the shooting guard right away and can form a great defense-transition combo with Giannis Antetokounmpo. Many have said that Wiggins has the most upside but will be a bit of a project. I disagree. His defense is NBA ready and Bill Self didn't make the best use of the prodigy at Kansas. As I've said before, Giannis and Wiggins in the open court could be basketball porn.  

The draft is June 26 and there will be plenty of discussion and stories about what teams and potentially draftees are doing and not doing between now and then. Undoubtedly, the most sickening ones will be involving Kevin Love and where he thinks he wants to play and so forth. Love is arguably my favorite player but it will be unbearable after a few more weeks.

That's all for now, Tappers. Fear The Deer.

-Big Money