We fans fretted and conversed about the lockout and missed training camps, the kickoff rule change, a certain “Dream Team” in Philadelphia, and a #1 overall draft pick who just wasn’t going to cut it as an NFL quarterback; but few predicted the Bengals, Giants and 49ers would lead their divisions at this point.

Back then, no one knew the extent of Peyton Manning’s neck injury, and many thought Chad Ochocinco would be enjoying a resurgent season with the Patriots.  Chris Johnson held out for a bigger contract, and then promptly showed the exact reason NFL teams are hesitant to award running backs with big contracts, regardless of their previous performance.

And who would have guessed Carson Palmer would have 6 interceptions by this time in the year?  Well, yeah, everyone – but they would have assumed the picks would have come while Palmer spurned the Bengals by sitting on his couch and playing Madden.

Now that we have reached the midpoint of the 2011 season, let’s take a look at who the most outstanding players, coaches and executives have been so far.

Most Valuable Player

Aaron Rodgers – QB – Green Bay Packers

I think everyone is pretty much unanimous on this one.

Rodgers leads the NFL in passer rating by almost 30 points, leads in touchdown passes (24) and completion percentage (72.5%, and no, that’s not a misprint), and is 4th in passing yardage (although Drew Brees and Ben Roethlisberger, who rank 1st and 3rd, respectively, have played one more game than Rodgers).

Oh, and he has only thrown 3 interceptions and his team is an NFL-best 8-0.I have watched football for over 20 years, and I can’t remember ever seeing someone play the quarterback position at such a high level.  Not Brady in ’07, not Peyton in ’04 and not Curtis Painter in ’11 (sorry, Colts fans).

Brandon Marshall – 6-109-0.  Revis returned an interception 100 yards for a touchdown in the 2nd quarter and added another pick in the second half.

Vincent Jackson – 1-15-0.  A Revis interception set up the go-ahead touchdown pass to Plaxico Burress.

Stevie Johnson – 3-84-0.

That’s a pretty impressive body of work, and Revis’ status as the best defender on the league’s best pass defense is good enough to earn him honors as the best defensive player of the first half.

Offensive Rookie of the (Half) Year

Andy Dalton QB – Cincinnati Bengals

This choice is going to draw some criticism.

Cam Newton has been the most thrilling rookie this year.  There is no debating that.  But what Dalton has done in leading the Bengals to a 6-2 record and the AFC North lead has been more impressive.

No one expected the Bengals to perform this well this year.  With the departure of mainstays Carson Palmer and Chad Ochocinco, the Bengals were expected to be a bottom-dweller with an inept offense.  Dalton and a hungry defense have turned those expectations on their ear.

Although his passing numbers aren’t as gaudy, Dalton has been very efficient.  He is completing 61.5% of his passes and has 12 touchdowns against only 7 interceptions.  Unlike Newton, Dalton hasn’t been able to rack up additional yardage while trailing big in games.

Dalton’s connection with fellow rookie A.J. Green has been spectacular, and Cincinnati seems to have two very important pieces for a successful future.

Defensive Rookie of the (Half) Year

Von Miller – Denver Broncos

This was a tough decision.

On one hand, Miller has been a pass rushing phenom and has established himself as the best player on the Broncos defense.  On the other hand, San Francisco’s Aldon Smith has been a great playmaker as well.

Miller gets the edge here because even though he and Smith are tied with 6.5 sacks apiece, Miller has a 31-13 advantage in total tackles.  Plus, Smith has the good fortune of playing linebacker alongside Patrick Willis (who is as good as any LB in the NFL) and NaVorro Bowman (the NFL’s leading tackler).  Miller doesn’t have that kind of help, but he has been borderline un-blockable this year.

If only people would take more notice in the midst of Tebow-mania.

Comeback Player of the (Half) Year

Steve Smith – WR – Carolina Panthers

One byproduct of Cam Newton’s gunslinging has been the resurgence of Steve Smith.

Most had written Smith off, thinking his physical ability had declined.  In reality, it was the dreadful quarterbacking of Matt Moore and Jimmy Claussen that had so doomed Smith last year.  The fiery receiver still has plenty left in the tank, and he’s showing everyone this year just how great he is and has been.

So far Smith is 2nd in the NFL in receptions (46) and yards (918).  He also boasts the league’s highest yards-per-catch at an even 20.  Perhaps as important, he hasn’t been a distraction to his team at all, as he seems content to be racking up big numbers again.

As long as Smith doesn’t punch anyone during the next 8 weeks he should lock this award up easily.

Coach of the (Half) Year

Jim Harbaugh – San Francisco 49ers

Sure, maybe he gets a little overexcited at times.  That hasn’t stopped Harbaugh from engineering the best turnaround of the season.

The 49ers have jumped out to a 7-1 start by grinding teams down with their running game and playing crushing defense.  The cliche says that in order to win you have to be able to run the football and stop the other team from doing so.  This year, the 49ers are 7th in rushing yards behind a healthy Frank Gore, who has tallied 100 yards or more on the ground in 5 straight games.  They are the best in the NFL at defending the run, allowing only 70 yards per game.

Harbaugh has also helped Alex Smith develop into a game manager who protects the ball (only 2 interceptions) and makes smart decisions.  With that running game and defense, Smith just has to keep his team in the game in order to be successful.

Most importantly, Harbaugh has instilled a sense of confidence in this team.  For the most part, the talent has been in place in San Francisco.  With the winning attitude the players have gained from their coach, a division title should be automatic, and the Super Bowl seems much more realistic than most might have thought.

Executive of the (Half) Year

Mike Brown – Cincinnati Bengals

Photo by Mike Simons AP

Never in my life did I think I would write the two lines above.

Let me start by saying that most of the things that have made Brown look like a genius this season could easily be attributed to dumb luck.  I couldn’t argue otherwise very effectively.  But you can’t help but recognize the Bengals’ great track record over the past year.

Brown’s hardline stance with Carson Palmer led to a trade for a first-round pick (and maybe a second one, pending the rest of the season’s results) from the Oakland Raiders.  Granted, no one thought a team would pony up that kind of loot for Palmer, but credit Brown for waiting it out until a team was desperate enough to overpay.

Drafting A.J. Green and Andy Dalton has replaced Palmer and Ochocinco, and as I mentioned above, the future looks bright.  Maybe Atlanta giving away the farm to get Julio Jones helped Brown land Green, and maybe it was pure luck that led to every team passing on Dalton in the first round (Newton, Jake Locker, Blaine Gabbert, and Christian Ponder were all drafted ahead of Dalton).  Even the decision not to overpay Johnathan Joseph was a good one, as veteran Nate Clements signed for a fraction of Joseph’s price and has performed well.

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Follow me on Twitter @keithmullett

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Image Credits: sbnation.com, stripehype.com

Many are surprised by Brown’s hiring, but his career accolades prove that he is worthy.

In five years in Cleveland he went 272-138 with an Eastern Conference title in 2007. He won NBA Coach of the Year in 2009, and he led the Cavs to the best record in the NBA for two straight seasons.

As a Cavs fan I am very happy to see Mike Brown get another opportunity. He did a great job in Cleveland, but he was often blamed for the team’s playoff struggles. Mostly everyone believed that he was to blame. That blame is now put on LeBron James, ever since he appeared to give up in the 2010 playoffs.

Going to LA, Brown will have to deal with another superstar in Kobe Bryant. Last time he dealt with a superstar, LeBron, Brown was often a pushover and let him have his way. The difference now is that Kobe is not the same type of human being as LeBron. Kobe already has his titles, and is nearing the end of his career. He also has a supporting cast full of All Stars, which is completely different from what LeBron dealt with in Cleveland.

The fact that Brown inherits a team of talented players will surely help his transition to life and coaching in Los Angeles. He has Pau Gasol, Lamar Odom, and Ron Artest. The main problem is the age of the team. Brown has signed a 4-year deal, which means that these players might not be around when his contract needs renewed.

Brown also inherits the youth of Matt Barnes, Andrew Bynum, and Shannon Brown, which gives him a solid core of guys to build with in the future. However, if this turns into a long term coaching gig, these players might be traded in order to acquire more talent. This is looking too far into the future, but all of these are possibilities.

It will be interesting to see how Kobe responds to the media about the hiring of Mike Brown. I am sure that he will give Brown his full respect, but he must be surprised by the hiring. It will certainly be a change of style after having the legendary Phil Jackson as a coach.

Brown’s success, of course, will eventually come down to the performance of the team. If the Lakers have a terrible season, all order might fall apart and players could start calling for Brown’s firing. Much of this also depends on whether or not Brown will retain the entire coaching staff left behind by Phil Jackson. The main person in this conversation is Brian Shaw. He was the presumed successor to Jackson, but the hiring of Mike Brown should result in Shaw becoming coach of another NBA team.

The 2011-2012 NBA season is far from starting, and might not even start on time due to a possible lockout. This will lead to a lot of speculation about how Brown will do, with his successful but not totally satisfying tenure in Cleveland as the backdrop.

As it does with any coach, it all comes down to the Lakers’ performance over the next few years. There is no way to tell right now if the Brown hiring will succeed, but Cleveland fans have seen him win with a one-man show in Cleveland. He should be able to win with a more balanced, veteran roster in Los Angeles.

Brown is expected to sign his contract later Wednesday or Thursday. The deal is worth between $4 million and $4.5 million per season, according to NBA officials. Brown’s contract is thought to be for three years, with a team option on the fourth season that would give him partial pay if he is not retained.

While Kobe Bryant has been quoted stating he has ‘great respect’ for Brown, he had no comment Tuesday afternoon when asked of his opinion.

Mike Brown won the 2008-09 Coach of the Year Award, and coached the Cavs to two consecutive NBA best-records.

1. Mike Brown, formerly of the Cleveland LeBrons
2. Rick Adelman, formerly of Houston and many other franchises

Update: Devon says Brown to the Lakers is close to a done deal.

Brown is the #1 choice with Adelman waiting in the wings as the backup should Brown not accept the terms the Lakers offering. Not surprisingly, after paying Phil Jackson half the GDP of California to coach over the past several years, the Lakers are not looking to break the bank with this new hire.

Hiring Brown is an interesting choice. He is a former the Coach of the Year, he’s led a team to the best record in the league, and he’s had some playoff success. He also presided over Cleveland’s ignominious playoff exit last year and earned a reputation as being a mere puppet in the world of LeBron.

My initial thought on this is that, while it’s a ballsy move by the Lakers, I like it. Brown is a disciple of Gregg Popovich, one of the best coaches in NBA history, and he also has been a head coach on a high profile team with a high profile star before — two experiences that are necessary for taking over a Lakers’ ship that will always be high profile and that now must deal with an aging icon. No matter who is the coach, that is going to be tricky.

We see it in sports all the time: young coach gets chance; young coach has some success; young coach gets fired; young but now older coach gets second chance; young but now older coach succeeds having learned lessons from his first gig. Who knows if Brown’s second act will follow this trend, but I think he has done enough to show that he has the potential to do so.

It’s not a slam dunk, but considering what the Lakers are willing to pay right now…I like the hire of Mike Brown, if it comes to fruition.

Gary Carter diagnosed with four brain tumors

This is very sad news. Hall of Fame Catcher Gary Carter is now awaiting word on how bad the tumors actually are. Doctors have not yet determined whether the tumors are cancerous or not, so hopefully Carter will receive good news in the next few days.

Carter spent 19 seasons in the MLB, playing for the Mets, Expos, Giants and Dodgers.

Mike Brown among candidates for Lakers Head Coach

Former Cleveland Cavaliers coach Mike Brown is among the many who will be considered for the Lakers head coaching position. He is remembered for his time with LeBron James in Cleveland, and for leading the team to the Finals in 2007.

Brown is also being considered for the job in Golden State, which seems a more realistic possibility for him. Many agree that the Lakers position will go to assisstant coach Brian Shaw, but that has not been confirmed as of yet. Other candidates include current ESPN analyst Jeff Van Gundy and former Rockets coach Rick Adelman.

Cleveland Indians sweep the Reds

The Cleveland Indians are the best team in baseball and they proved it over the weekend. They swept the Reds and won two games in the 8th inning.

• On Friday night, recently called up Ezequiel Carrera laid down a drag bunt that brought in the winning run. He evaded the tag while nearly going out of the baseline to reach safely and bring in the game winning run.
• On Saturday Travis Buck his a game-winning two-run home run in front of a sold out Progressive Field.
• The Tribe followed up these wins on Sunday with a commanding 12-4 win in which Asdrubal Cabrera went 5-5 with two home runs.

The Indians now face the Red Sox in a 3 game series starting today.

Shackleford win Preakness Stakes

Horse racing fans will have to wait another year in order to have the chance of seeing a Triple Crown winning horse. On Saturday, Kentucky Derby winner Animal Kingdom finished second in what was the second part of the Triple Crown chase. He ran a great race, but Shackleford held off Animal Kingdom’s late charge. The last leg of the three major races will be the Belmont Stakes which is on June 11th.

The French Open is underway

The second Grand Slam event in the tennis season began on Sunday with the beginning of the French Open. The tournament will feature Novak Djokovic who will try to extend his current 37 match win streak in 2011.

The date which could be known as the final day of the Cavaliers as an elite.

The day that hell broke loose in every media outlet, and the day that Twitter had sprung at least 3 types of trending topics which included either LeBron, Cavs, Cavs suck, and plenty of others surrounding the LeBron/2010 hoopla.

But since then, basketball has been played. The Magic were vanquished, as were the Suns, and the Finals was set. Set in great fashion it was, with the two most historic franchises in NBA history; the Lakers and Celtics.

But this is not about that, this is about how the Cleveland Cavaliers are falling apart. In a way, it much resembles the Roman Empire.

Led by a strong leader, Caesar, which in Cleveland’s case is LeBron James, began a strong start to a season, as they sold out practically every game imaginable, then were leading the way at the All-Star break.

Things didn’t change in the second-half of the season, as the Cavs remained in the lead until the last day of the 82-game season, and finished strong with a 61-21 season. Not as good as last season’s 66-18 record, but still a great plateau.

Then came the playoffs, the city of Cleveland was in complete euphoria, with the feeling the Cavs had the strongest argument to win the title; I mean, they had the best player in the NBA, they had one of the better benches in the league, and had newly acquired Antawn Jamison from the Wizards in a snag deal. Thing were pretty much rolling in Ohio.

The first round matchup was pretty much an ease for Cleveland, as they took on the very young, but athletic Chicago Bulls. Heck, LeBron at one point thought of it just testing his team out, testing the rotations and testing out the team’s tenacity. The most excitement in the series, was Joakim Noah’s rants, but other than that..it was bland. The series was quickly over in 5 games.

Then came the long awaited rematch with the Celtics. The last time these two teams met in the playoffs, was in 2008 when LeBron and co. were not nearly as prepared for a Finals run, as they were this time around. So, the Cavs, Cleveland and even some Boston fans I knew were prepared for a Cavs/Magic Eastern Conference Finals. But then..things took a turn for the worse, as Cleveland picked up a loss at home in Game 2. But, the Cavs redeemed themselves, and stole a victory from Boston on the road, and things began to go back to normal…sadly, it was the last time things would be that way.

Boston quickly won a home game against Cleveland, and knotted the series up. They were on a roll, and then demolished Cleveland in possibly their most embarrassing playoff loss ever.

The rumors began to fly, whether it was LeBron’s elbow, Delonte West with LeBron’s mom or plenty others. Things were not looking good on the Cavs side of things. So how would they respond?

The Cavs would end up losing the decisive Game 6 in Cleveland, as the Celtics look like they had awoken from a long slumber, leaving LeBron, the Cavs, the city of Cleveland and Ohio in utter disgust. Again, the Cavs would reach another early offseason.

Things at this point are very bitter and confusing in Cleveland. The Cavs were just taken out by what looked like a washed up C’s team, and LeBron might have played his last game with a Cavs jersey on. Clear reason to be bitter.

As the offseason arrived, the Cavs had numerous questions; who would the Cavs fire? What changed were to come? Any trades? Would they even attempt to resign LeBron?

Well the first major move came not too long ago, as the Cavs decided to fire head coach Mike Brown, on May 25th whom had the most wins, and highest winning percentage in the past two season combined. Just goes to show how bad Cleveland wants a championship.

Then today, as I was exploring the Twitterverse, a surprising tweet came along from Cavs insider, Brian Windhorst:

“Danny Ferry tells the Plain Dealer he has resigned as general manager of the Cavs”

Hearing this solidified one thing in my mind: The Cavaliers are definitely moving in another direction.

Danny Ferry who practically stole Mo Williams from the Bucks, Shaq from the Suns, and Antawn Jamsion from the Wizards, was announced to have parted ways with the organization around 2:00 PM ET, on June 4th.

Now with the two key figures in Cavaliers management, and tactical approach long gone, where do the Cavs go from here? Will there be a whole roster change? Does Dan Gilbert have something up his sleeve?

Does LeBron change ways with the Cavs, or take his own direction? Maybe, maybe not. But maybe on last Tuesday’s interview with Larry King on CNN, LeBron might have been honest, when saying Cleveland has the edge.

Possibly…

Might I add, there is the rumor flying that  Mo Williams and Delonte are on the trade block for the Cavs.

What’s next? Tom Izzo to coach the Cavaliers?

Who knows….

…no one knows, but I can guarantee all of you fans out there, that this summer will be hellish, so stick along for the ride, and I promise I will as well.

More to come…

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* – Quick Loans Arena image source

* – LeBron & KG image source

* – Mike and Ferry image source

Hearing that Mike Brown was “relieved of his head coaching duties” by the Cleveland Cavaliers has to be at the top of my list of recent head-shaking events.

Last year Brown was named “Coach of the Year”, had LeBron James as the undisputed leader of the Cavs with his first MVP award, and was sitting on top of the NBA with the best record in the league.  They lost, but we all had great hope.

This year Brown still had LeBron, the Cavs went out and acquired the legendary Shaq to “get the King his ring”, again came up at the top of the entire league with 61 wins, had the best home record, and everything seemed possible for the Cavs to go all the way to the NBA championship. Again LeBron won MVP, only the 10^th player in NBA history to win that prestigious award back to back.

A year ago Mike Brown had it all, except that elusive Championship.  Again this year Mike Brown had it all.  He had everything necessary to go the distance with a team full of chemistry and talent, belief in themselve,s and the record to back it up.

And yet, this year Mike Brown got a pink slip instead of a title.  Hence the head-shaking confusion on my part.

Up until the last four games of the regular season, everything was going along just great!

The team was back to full strength, LeBron was his usual Super Star self, Mo Williams was backing him up, Antawn Jamison had fit very well into the mix and quickly  learned to play to LeBron’s strengths.  Ilgauskas was reaquired, but for some reason wasn’t playing up to par, so J.J. Hickson stepped in to fill Big Z’s very large shoes and  J.J. did a remarkably good job creating points and needed energy when it counted.  Delonte West was back and contributing, and crazy, floppy Anderson Verajao was always a delight to watch as he tormented his opponents and scored with great regularity.

Their pre-game sideline antics delighted the home crowds, and seemed to not only loosen them up, but helped them infuse each other with a camaraderie that inspired them to play with enthusiasm and a team mentality that spurred them to 11 straight victories.  It was all good!

Then they won their division title and Mike Brown started making some odd decisions.  He pulled LeBron out of the last four games.  He pulled Mo out of the last two games.  He pretty much stopped playing J.J. Hickson altogether in the post-season, which seemed a terrible waste of talent and youthful exuberance at a time when momentum was crucial and so easy to sustain.

But Mike Brown blew it.  He had it all right in his hands and he blew it.

I know that LeBron held a strange, almost co-coach status in the Cavs organization, but when all is said and done, the Coach needs to be the Coach, and Mike Brown almost seemed like he’d checked out at the end of this season.  It didn’t really occur to me during the playoffs, but after their loss to Boston I started comparing Head Coaches, and Mike Brown seemed to have lost his edge.  Everyone has their own style, and his is a more quiet, pacing, arms folded, blank stare approach to coaching.  Well, that worked well during the last two regular seasons, and no one can deny it.  And, he won Coach of the Year with that style last year, so who would say anything negative, right?  Only one team can advance during each round of the post-season, and it can’t always be the one you want it to be.

BUT, when the same scenario plays out two seasons in a row, when you have all the tools at your disposal to get to the Finals, and you fall apart in the second round, well, maybe that blank stare approach had something to do with it after all!

I’ve always enjoyed Stan Van Gundy’s approach to coaching.  He paces, he pulls at his thinning hair, he yells at his players and the officials, he diagrams plays and pleads with his guys to do what they do best, right up until the last second of each game. He wears his heart on his sleeve, and even when the Magic lose, everyone knows that Stan and his team tried, and cared, and left it all on the floor.

Doc Rivers has a similar approach with his team as he paces, grimaces at bad officiating, exhorts his players to find what’s deep inside each of them and use it when they need it most.  Doc and Stan coach with their heads, but more importantly, they coach with their hearts.  I just don’t feel that Mike Brown is in their league, despite having the two-time MVP, best overall record two years in a row, and home court advantage throughout the post-season.  What good are all those great bits and pieces if you can’t turn them into a cohesive, winning outcome when it counts?

Post-game interviews are when you get to see who people really are, off the court, after the sound and fury of the game has subsided.  When the Cavs ended their season in ignominious defeat, it didn’t surprise me that Mike Brown came out and said nothing that meant anything.  He had nothing to say.  We all watched a great team play flat, uninspired, disjointed, disappointing basketball.  In our hearts we all knew it very well might have been LeBron’s last game as a Cleveland Cavalier.  He couldn’t even wait until he entered the locker room before he pointedly peeled off his Cavs jersey, as if to say to all of his fans, “I’m so done with this team.”  Wow…that hurt.  That was unnecessary to do on camera, but it was done with such intent that you couldn’t help but wonder what had happened to create such negative feelings?

The next question I ask myself is whether Mike Brown’s departure may clear the stale air in that locker room and give the Cavs a fresh start with a new coach?  And might this Head Coaching change pave the way for LeBron to re-sign and stay with the Cavs?  In my humble opinion, it would be a real shame for James to leave his home town team, leave all of the great chemistry and winning records he’s worked so hard to create with this truly first-class group of guys.  I know the post-season was almost impossible to explain, but look at the top-ranked regular season(s)!  Every good part of that team is still there, just waiting to be harnessed and put to better use by a new coach!  Every player on the Cavaliers still wants to play to win, and will be hoping that LeBron will be their leader after July 1^st comes and goes.

A new coach may just be the last piece of the puzzle that will allow the Cleveland Cavaliers to go all the way next season.  But if LeBron decides to leave, to go and start all over again somewhere else, his ring may well be a long way off.  If he decides to go for the bright lights and big city, the Knicks won’t be up to his standards for several years.  The Nets are a joke, and he doesn’t want to play in Josiey!  The Bulls just barely made it to the playoffs this year, and even with LeBron’s talents and star status, the rest of the team will need at least a couple more years to play up to his level.

But the Cavs are there now!  This team needs a transfusion of new blood, and the firing of Mike Brown just might be the right diagnosis and treatment to correct their anemic play in this year’s post-season.  They’ve got great talent.  Now all they need is a great coach who’ll take control, a guy who’ll come in and inspire them, encourage them and show up on the sidelines every game with his heart on his sleeve.

Jeff Van Gundy, are you available?

While going through my email this morning I happened upon the article once more. I think it is almost more insightful and appropriate now, a week later, when we still don't really have any more of an explanation for the Cavs' terrible play against Boston than we had a week ago.]

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I come from Buffalo, a town known for its “almost but not quite” teams.  We long for a champion, and for that reason I have come to love watching the Cleveland Cavaliers and LeBron James.

Why?

Because they play with a love of the game, and have a team mentality that has propelled them to the top of the league two years in a row.  LeBron deservedly won MVP two years in a row, the team was the top seed this year, and they had made all the necessary tweaks and additions to win the NBA title this year.

Or so we all thought.

So, what happened?

I worried when Head Coach Mike Brown pulled LeBron out of the last four games before the playoffs, to “rest him”.  All the commentators shook their heads at that decision.  My own questions were echoed in their confusion.

Why would you pull your best player, your floor general, your sparkplug, for no reason, no injury, just before the playoffs?  Why lose your edge, your focus, your momentum just before the post-season? Wouldn’t you want your team to end the regular season with four big, crushing wins, to propel them into the playoffs, to show all opponents that you are the team that can’t be beat?  That your team is in “the zone”?

I worried that decision would derail their “rhythm”, but what can I do?  I’m just a shlubby fan, hoping that this year will be the year that “The King gets his ring!”  Wasn’t that the reason they acquired Shaq?  Wasn’t that the reason they let Ilguaskas go and acquired Jamison?  Hasn’t that been LeBron’s one unclaimed title and goal? So I just said, “Time will tell.”  And so it did.

So, the playoffs began with the Chicago Bulls, who squeaked by in their last regular season game to grab the last place 8^th spot in the first play-off round.  Cleveland should have swept that series with their eyes closed.  But they struggled.  I was worried that the energy and effort seemed lacking, but they managed to win the series in 5 games.  NOT a good sign.  They were then matched with Boston, and I felt it would be a hard-fought series, but believed that the Cavs wanted this so much that they would find a way to win in 7 games.

LeBron’s elbow then became the focus, the question, the worry, the fans’ excuse for his  uncharacteristically tentative play in the first few games of Round Two.  However, he told us that his was a policy of “no excuses”, and he and his team would play to win.

Let’s recap:  best regular season record overall, best home-court record, MVP two years running, home court advantage throughout the playoffs, top seed in the rankings, a team that was healthy and built around LeBron to create a winning mentality and capability, and a home town crowd unmatched for support and enthusiasm for their team.

And then LeBron comes out flat and almost invisible in the second game, at home.  And the fourth and the fifth games…and they lose two home games…and worst of all, James lacked the normal, expected, and needed leadership and encouragement that has been the hallmark of The King’s success as an individual and team player.

Mike Brown was asked about the elbow issue after the first game.  He claimed to know nothing about any problems, and said he didn’t notice that LeBron played any differently. REALLY?  Everyone else who watched the game noticed.  Even LeBron acknowledged that he was in pain, and “it sucked to not be in top physical condition going into the playoffs.”

Why didn’t the head coach know about his star player’s issue?

As the series progressed, more and more people noticed an odd detachment, a lack of presence and disinterest from LeBron during the games, which clearly took its toll on the rest of the team.  He prides himself on being their leader, so when he checks out both mentally and physically during their most important games, what does he think will happen?

They reminded me of a flock of baby ducklings running around, looking for their mother.  They all just seemed like they were lost, confused and their spirits were broken.  And rightly so.  They have accepted that they are the “Company” in “LeBron and Co.”, and have the ability and desire to win the title and support their leader—if their leader decides to show and and do his job.  He did not, but nobody seems to know why not.

So that leads me to my final confusion and anger in this debacle.  At the press conference after the last game, Mike Brown stated again and again that the team “just never got their rhythm” during the play-offs.  “We just never got our rhythm.”  Okay….and the follow-up question from a ROOM full of sports reporters should have been, “So, WHY couldn’t you get your rhythm?”  No one asked that obvious question.  It was like they were afraid to ask what happened, to probe even one level beyond what Brown was willing to give them.

Maybe a good question would have been, “Do you think resting LeBron for four games, and losing all four games, caused them to lose their rhythm as a team?”

Or,

“Did you talk to LeBron after the 5^th game to see why he was so mentally and physically out of the game?”

Or simply, “What happened between the end of the regular season and now?”

Brown was asked something about the regular season, and he disdainfully replied, “Oh, the regular season and the post-season are two completely different things.  Completely different.”  Again, the follow-up question should have been, “WHY?”  The rest of the teams are blowing through their opponents in 4 game sweeps, doing what got them there.  It doesn’t appear to be a “completely different” game or mindset for any of them.  Why should that be an acceptable defense and deflection of the complete collapse of this #1 ranked team?  Why did no one ask any tough questions?

Then, there’s LeBron.

Yes, he stayed on the court after the game to congratulate the Celtics, which was a change from his unsportsmanlike departure at the end of game 7 in Orlando last year.  But, ya know what?  I’d almost have preferred that emotional response to the loss, as opposed to the lack of caring or concern he exhibited this year.

ESPN’s Eric Snow was almost speechless when he tried to describe what he thought had happened in these last few games.  Snow was a team mate of LeBron’s a couple of years ago, so he has personal knowledge of James’s locker room demeanor and emotional connection to the game.  Snow just shook his head and said he felt that LeBron was just not emotionally “there” during the last few games, and Snow did not understand why not.

So, LeBron granted the media a few minutes of his time, long after the game had ended. Being an experienced mental health counselor, I waited to hear what he would say, how he would behave, what his body language and voice tone would tell about his emotional state and his feelings about disappointing his fans.

His face was blank, angry, uncomfortable but not embarrassed.  He fidgeted with his hair, rubbed his nose repeatedly, clasped and unclasped his hands, and looked down as he spoke.  He voice was flat, his eyes were cold and uncaring.  This was not the LeBron we had all come to love and appreciate for his love of the game, his burning desire to win, his team spirit and enjoyment of his achievements.

During side-line and post-game interviews he is always articulate, humble and committed to the ideal of “team first”, and a strong and effective team spokesman.  When he accepted his MVP award this year, he brought his team mates up on stage with him.

Suddenly, and without warning or apparent cause, he seemed to have stepped back from his team and isolated himself in a state of disinterest with the outcome of the season.  And again, not one reporter asked one probing question about the series.  They asked questions about his future, which everyone with a working brain cell knows he’s not going to answer.

Why not ask what changed for him in the past three games, and what caused him to play flat and without leadership and team engagement?  Why not ask one question about his determination to win, or his “no excuses policy” that seemed to get left in the locker room after game 3.  Why let him get off without one question that the fans wanted to ask?

Why not ask…“why?”

LeBron was asked after Game 5 why the Cavs should feel confident going into Game 6.  His response was, “Because they have me.”

Did they?

I honestly don’t believe anyone will ever truly know what happened here, unless a teammate decides to let us in on the inside problems or dissention after free agency takes LeBron elsewhere.

All I do know is that the fans of the Cleveland Cavaliers had their hopes built up by a man who gave them reason to BELIEVE, and those fans deserved better from the man who would be King.

Well last night, in the aftermath of the Cavs’ Game 6 loss to the Celtics, during a time when Twitter vitriol for Mike Brown was predictably strong, @CavsWITNESS tweeted something that got the wheels spinning in my head:

It must be said, Mike Brown is a good man and good coach. He also must learn tough lessons of youth. Do recognize what has been done here. Brown’s time in Cleveland has passed. It is not, however, the deeply tragic story you are feeling right now. Time will show.

What really stuck out to me was line I bolded for effect: Do recognize what has been done here.

And it got me to wondering if any coach in NBA history (maybe even in sports history) had ever done so much while earning so little respect.

Understand that I am no NBA historian, not even close. The NBA ranks below college basketball, the NFL, and Major League Baseball in terms of the ferocity with which I follow it. So I’m not writing this to make any definitive statements regarding Mike Brown’s place in history. I’m looking for your help.

What I do know is that Mike Brown, in five years as the head coach of the Cavs, has accomplished the following:

• A 272-138 record (.663 winning percentage)
• A trip to the NBA Finals
• A trip to the Eastern Conference Finals
• Three trips to the Eastern Conference Semifinals
• A 42-29 playoff record (.592 winning percentage)
• An NBA Coach of the Year award in 2009
• Twice guided the Cleveland Cavaliers through an 82-game regular season to the league’s best overall record

Is there any coach in NBA history other than Phil Jackson and (I assume) Red Auerbach who can claim all of that during his first five seasons as a coach? The one obvious blemish is the lack of an NBA title, but all in all that is a pretty strong and respectable resume for a coach who just turned 40.

Yet, here’s the rub: Mike Brown is not respected as one of the top coaches in his profession, not even close. In fact, Mike Brown is almost universally considered to be not a very good coach, as best I have been able to surmise from a distance watching fan reaction and reading articles and blog posts by people who know much more than I do.

My own opinion of Brown, formed watching most of the Cavs playoff games over the last two seasons, is similar. His on-court presence certainly does not inspire confidence, nor do his adjustments and substitution patterns.

Of course, no one is wondering to themselves, “Hmm…well I wonder how a guy generally considered to not be a great coach could have had such a great 5-year run?”

We all know why: LeBron.

Mike Brown has had the good fortune of his first five years of coaching coinciding with the elevation of one of sports’ all-time prodigies from precocious youngster to dominant veteran in the prime of his Hall of Fame career. The truth is that there are many people who think the Cavs won 66.3% of their games over the past five years in spite of Mike Brown.

And that brings me back to the tweet I mentioned above that got me thinking about this in the first place.

No, Mike Brown is not Phil Jackson. He isn’t Larry Brown. He isn’t his mentor Greg Popovich. He probably is not in the top 10, maybe even top 15, heck maybe even top 20, of active NBA coaches. Brown has achieved a high level of a success because he’s had the back-to-back MVP leading the way, and I have heard no one say that Brown has helped the Cavaliers overachieve in any way.

They have simply achieved, thanks to their superstar, with few if any thanks going in the direction of the coach save for last year’s award, which I’ve actually heard used more as a punchline than a plaudit by the majority of Cavs fans and observers.

So I will repeat the question in the title of this post: Has any coach ever achieved more while earning less respect than Mike Brown?

I can’t think of one, but that doesn’t mean there is not one. I’m counting on you to help further this discussion in the comments section below.

In conclusion, I’ll just say that while Mike Brown clearly has multitudes of deficiencies as an NBA head coach, many of which were highlighted once the pressure ratcheted up come playoff time, he should not leave Cleveland (which he undoubtedly will be doing soon) under a cloud of fan vitriol and totally devoid of appreciation.

While Brown proved to not be the right guy to guide LeBron and the city of Cleveland to a championship, he was the steward during the most exciting five seasons of basketball in the city’s history. His effort alone – if not at least some of his quantifiable accomplishments – should earn him at least a little bit of respect and appreciation on his way out of town.

And who knows? Mike Brown may catch on somewhere else and have a nice career as an NBA coach. He wouldn’t be the first young coach to leave his first job ignominiously, only to learn and grow and resurface with much more success at his next destination.

It’s not Brown’s fault that the Cavaliers hired him when he was 35 and had only five years of NBA experience as an assistant, trusting him to lead a team built around a kid not yet old enough to drink; it was, however, Brown’s good fortune that they did.

Ultimately, you or I or the talking heads on ESPN can say whatever we want about Mike Brown. He’ll still have the impressive resume above, youth on his side, and the knowledge that only one opinion matters: that of the next GM who interviews him for a job.

Brown does seem like a hard working, earnest guy, just one who was overmatched and not ready for his role. I, for one, hope he gets another chance to add the one thing that is missing from his otherwise impressive resume: respect.

Unfortunately for Brown, it appears that he’ll have to do it somewhere other than Cleveland and with someone other than LeBron. But hey, maybe that was the only way he was ever going to truly get respect anyway.

**********

* – Mike Brown holding glasses photo credit: John Kuntz/The Plain Dealer

* – Mike Brown and LeBron photo credit: Gregory Shamus/Getty Images via ESPN.com

WTF?

Perhaps not so coincidentally, the three letters above represent the same WTF number of shots LeBron James made last night.

Really, WTF doesn’t even describe last night’s game. Cleveland and LeBron pretty much rolled over, on their home floor, in a must win game, in a performance that even the Atlanta Hawks would have considered soft.

Every sports news outlet from Bristol to Bangkok will be dissecting LeBron’s poor play last night and assessing what it may or may not mean for his future in Cleveland. I thought I’d throw my two cents in as well, although with a little bit of a difference perspective.

So, since everyone is reacting to last night’s “LeBracle” that made all of Quicken Loans Arena groan, boo, and exit early, we’re counting down the top 10 reactions for you this morning.

Here they are, along with a hastily made photo collage that I think pretty much sums up last night. (Memo to Mike Brown: when Jose Mesa is trying to kick you in the face – with the full support of the city of Cleveland, I might add – you know you have problems.)

Top 10 Reactions to the Quicken Groans LeBracle:

10. Even former Browns QB Derek Anderson thinks the Cleveland faithful deserved better and were justified in booing.

9. Kentucky coach John Calipari was apparently in the arena last night. After the game, not even Worldwide Wes himself could convince Calipari to add LeBron to his next recruiting class at Kentucky.

8. After the game John Starks called LeBron. He requested royalties the next time LeBron decides to imitate him in a big game. (Note: Legally, LeBron would not be required to pay John Starks royalties because he did not completely infringe on Starks’ patented big stage collapse. Starks, you see, at least went down shooting.)

7. While waddling dejectedly to their cars, multitudes of Cleveland fans sought solace by reminiscing about the less painful and crushing memories of Earnest Byner and Jose Mesa.

6. At halftime, Cleveland native Brady Quinn implored his new teammate Tim Tebow to use his powers of divine intervention to compel a Cavs comeback. Tebow responded that he would, as long as the Cavs showed up to play the second half. They never did.

5. Lost in all the disappointment and finger pointing over Prince James’ woefully underwhelming 3-14 shooting performance and overall lackluster play is the fact that LeBron did actually accomplish something amazing: he made Skip Bayless more impressed with himself.

4. Mike Brown was left speechless for the second time this series…

…wait, never mind, based on the sideline shots of Mike Brown, he is always speechless.

3. The game hasn’t even been over for 12 hours and already LeBron’s elbow is getting sick and tired of answering questions about LeBron. LeBron’s elbow even said that now his kids are asking him “what’s wrong with LeBron?”

The fact of the matter is that LeBron’s elbow said an MRI that had been scheduled for LeBron will no longer be necessary. So see? Nothing to worry about. (LeBron and the rest of the Cavs will, however, be undergoing EKG assessments at the behest of owner Dan Gilbert. He wants to make sure his players still have normal heart activity since they showed none on the floor last night.)

2. We now know why Jay-Z included these lyrics in his epic song “Empire State of Mind”:

Me I gotta plug a special and I got it made,
If Jesus payin LeBron, I’m paying Dwayne Wade,

Although I’m not sure Tim Tebow really wants LeBron on his team after last night’s performance, we can certainly understand why Jay-Z would rather have Wade and his ring. (Hey, DWade may have received a huge assist from the refs in getting his one ring, but at least he attacked the basket and took control of the game to put the refs in a position to hand him a title.)

And finally, the #1 reaction to last night’s Quicken Groans LeBracle:

1. All those New York fans clamoring for LeBron James to come to the Big Apple? They just had a harrowing realization: they already have LeBron, and his name is Javy Vazquez.

Don’t believe me? Read this quote:

“I just want him to be aggressive…knock somebody on their butt…You have to be mean. Go out there and show them we show up to play, show up to kick your guys’ [butts]. And believe me, that will take care of itself.”

No, that was not Mike Brown describing LeBron James after Game 5. That was White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen talking about Javy Vazquez when he pitched in Chicago. After failing under the pressure of the Windy City, then succeeding in the obscurity and absence of pressure in Atlanta last year, Vazquez is now back in New York shrinking on the big stage.

Is LeBron much better at basketball than Javy Vazquez is at baseball? Sure. But could you compare LeBron’s Game 5 performance to a typical Javy Vazquez big game start? Unfortunately, you absolutely can.

Sure you need another Javy, New York? Just sayin’…

(Deep breath.)

(Deep breath.)

(Deep breath.)

Okay.

Now that I have that out of my system, let me close with a little perspective.

Last night’s game was awful. In fact, it was beyond awful. If you’re a Cleveland fan, there is not one positive that you can take from last night’s game other than the knowledge that Shaq can still dunk when left wide open. Hooray.

But…

As bad as last night was, and as epically bad as LeBron James was in a really big spot, the series is not over yet.

Cleveland has already beaten Boston once in the Garden. And LeBron, despite how badly he played last night, has shown us in the past that he is capable of virtuoso performances in big spots. Remember his epic 4th quarter against Detroit a few years back? Remember his tremendous performance as recently as Game 3 in this series?

Though it doesn’t seem like it after last night, LeBron and the Cavs are still very capable of winning Game 6 and forcing a Game 7, although the championship experience, maturity, and momentum of the Celtics certainly will make it extremely difficult.

Difficult…but not impossible.

The unfortunate truth of the matter if you understand the sad history of sports in Cleveland is that if Game 5 does end up being LeBron’s final home game in his hometown, it ended about how it “should” have: in crushing disappointment.

In fact, because such a cursed, downtrodden city has placed so many hopes on this one person to deliver them from sports purgatory, it is almost cravenly predestined that it would end with those same cursed, downtrodden fans booing the man who was supposed to be their sports savior. I really hope that’s not the case, but still less than 12 hours removed from the filth I watched last night from the Cavs, it is really hard to see the silver lining right now.

On Thursday night it will be up to LeBron and the Cavs to burst through the storm clouds hovering over the city and their season to give fans a reason to keep hope alive.

Otherwise, another era of Cleveland sports will be doing its best Cuyahoga River impression…by going up in flames.

**********

Full Disclosure: I unfortunately listened to Mike & Mike this morning, and Mike Greenberg read something by someone that described last night’s game as a “LeBacle”. I thought “LeBracle” actually sounded better. I’d like to give credit where it is due for coining the idea for that phrase, but I’m not sure where it came from first. If you know, let me know so I can provide a link. Thanks.

Update: I think this was the article. And it’s a good one too, by John Hollinger.

* – LeBron James photo credit: David Liam Kyle/NBAE via Getty Images via ESPN.com

* – Javier Vazquez photo credit: Hawk Fantasy Sports

* – Skip Bayless photo credit: ImageShack

* – Mike Brown photo credit: BareNucks.com

* – Kevin Garnett photo credit: FunFunNewsNews.com

* – Earnest Byner photo credit: NYTimes.com

* – Jose Mesa photo credit: DayLife.com

* – LeBron James chalk photo credit: Free-Extras.com

Troubled Cavs guard Delonte West, who was recently arrested for gun possession in Maryland, reportedly skipped today’s first practice as the Cleveland Cavaliers opened training camp.

Here is the somewhat ominous quote from Mike Brown assessing the situation:

“On a personal note, you always hope he’s doing well,” Brown said of West. “But I have to continue looking forward and coaching this team. Whether it is Delonte or somebody else, if they miss practice and it is unexcused it will be handled internally.”

Hopefully West is okay, but the Cavaliers have to be wondering how much they can count on the talented but troubled guard this season.

With Shaq now in the mix, and with LeBron’s free agency looming, this is the biggest basketball season in Cleveland…maybe ever.

The main concern is will he be able to play the opener? The Bears management believes so. Injury in the defensive backfield for the Bears is not new. Mike Brown has missed most of the past 4 seasons, with Achilles, calf, and Lisfranc injuries.

What could hurt the Bears is if Tillman does miss some of the first few games, especially when they play Green Bay and Pittsburgh. Those two teams have very good passing quarterbacks: Aaron Rodgers and Ben Roethlisberger. These dangerous quarterbacks could throw all over the Bears, just like last year, without the right leadership in the secondary.

The Bears passing defense wasn’t all that great last year to begin with, even with a healthy Tillman. They ranked 30th out of 32 teams in passing defense. An injury like this, if it is prolonged or nagging, could be devastating to the Bears defense. With the possibility of Mike Brown getting injured also, as he has every year since 2004, and the possibility of Tillman missing a few games, the Bears playoff chances could be hindered by a limping set of DBs.

But Tillman missing games is still unsure. He could be totally fine by the time the season starts. We will just have to wait and see.

Injuries are what every team wants to avoid, but you can never avoid it completely during any season. The key is to have your team ready to play without the injured player. New guys need to step up and take charge when a leader gets injured.

With Jay Cutler now taking the reins, the Bears have a chance to compete in the NFC. Defense will still be key though, just like it always has been. They need to stay away from major injuries, get a lot of wins, and hopefully get a second chance this decade at the Super Bowl.

* – Charles Tillman photo credit: Suzy Allman for The New York Times

ESPN’s Chris Broussard

The current Shaq reports now mark the (3rd) major rumor to involve the Cavaliers in the last week. Its not you Chris, we’re just a little skeptical at this point.

First it was a Slam Magazine report at the beginning of the week that said the Cavaliers had recently ‘opened negotiations with free agent Center Rasheed Wallace.’ Then towards the end of the week Pro Basketball News wrote a piece saying that the Cavaliers front office was in ‘disarray’, and that Coach of the Year ‘Mike Brown’s job was in jeopardy.’

However, Cavs beat reporter Brian Windhorst crushed both of those rumors no sooner than they surfaced. He called the possible signing of Rasheed Wallace both impossible and illegal. He then wrote that the reports about Mike Brown’s job being on the line were simply, false.

But Windy hasn’t shut down the Shaq rumors yet, and until I hear otherwise, I am of the opinion that Broussard’s report has legs. It certainly seems plausible.

As mentioned, Danny Ferry and Steve Kerr have a relationship that dates back to their playing days on the Cavaliers together. The Suns are looking to dump salary, and Shaq carries a big number ($20 mil). The players the Cavaliers are reportedly dangling include Sasha Pavlovic and Ben Wallace, and their contract situations fit that motive for Phoenix. Pavlovic’s contract can be bought out for less than $2 mil, and Wallace is hinting at taking his major dollar contract and retiring – possibly accepting a buyout to do so. There is a chance for the Suns saving nearly $10 million dollars with the move.

As a Cavaliers Fan, I am really hoping Windhorst doesn’t stomp this one out like he did the last two. We need this one to be true. I don’t even want to get into how much Shaq would help this team right now…let’s just say – he would help a lot – and see what happens.

* – Shaq photo via Deadspin

———-
JD Shaver is a featured columnist at Midwest Sports Fans who also runs Shaver Sports, where they discuss everything you ever wanted to know about Cleveland sports.

JD Shaver’s contributions to Midwest Sports Fans are sponsored by BigTimeGameBoards.com, the company that helps you tailgate like a champion with our high quality cornhole boards, sets and accessories. And if you don’t know what cornhole is, you aren’t a Midwesterner.

Sunday June 6, 9pm ET on Versus WEC presents Brown Vs Faber 2

This is my pick for fight of the weekend. No matter how it ends, as long as it happens no other fight holds the interest this does. Urijah Faber is 22-2 and was considered an unstoppable featherweight until last November when Mike Brown man handled him for just over 2 minutes then scored a TKO victory. Both fighters have fought once since then. Both scored first round submission victories, and both plan on doing the same in this fight.

While both fighters are determined and skilled, I just cant see Faber loosing this. In his last fight (a rematch Vs. Jens Pulver) Faber came to the ring with an air of victory. He could have been fighting Brock Lesner that day and won. His will was so strong that it came through the TV and let you know, as soon as you saw him, that he was going to win decisively. That being said, Browns domination of Faber in the first fight was surprising. Faber never stood a chance on that day and Brown seemed to have his number. I really hope this fight goes past the first round.

Saturday June 5, ,10pm ET on Showtime Strikeforce presents Lawler Vs Shelds

For me, the headlining match isn’t the biggest match on this card. While I fully expect Robbie Lawler and Jack Shelds to tear the house down and have a great fight (who could forget the two EliteXC contest between Lawler and Smith?) I am much more interested in the match between Andrei Arlovski and Brett Rogers. This could very well be showcasing 2 of the three best Heavyweights outside of the UFC (Fedor being the other), maybe I am a little overzealous to name Rogers as a top heavyweight, but that dude has potential to be a star. I believe him to be much better the Josh Barnett (whom Fedor is fighting in August) and I can see him having a very bright future in MMA. I hope Arlovski can hold Rogers off, but I’m not sure I can see it happening. No matter the outcome of this fight, the UFC needs to do all it can to sign whoever wins.

This Strikeforce event will also showcase someone who is becoming a begrudging favorite of mine, Nick Diaz. He will be fighting Scott Smith in what will probably turn into a stand up war. Smith has a habit of being in the most intense battles in MMA. His chin seems to be made of adamantium and his fist are of steel. Nick Diaz however is a BJJ black belt who fancies himself as a boxer. In my opinion, the smart move would be for Diaz to take Smith down and try to submit him, but I don’t think he will. This fight wont go all 3 rounds, but however long it does last, it will be a war. Diaz will trash talk, and maybe even flip the bird. Diazs’ brother (UFC fighter Nate Diaz) will stand on the outside talking smack and almost definitely flipping the bird. Smith will take a ton of punishment, seem to be knocked out, then comeback again and again. In the end I don’t know who will win. I am starting to really enjoy the side show that is the Diaz family, but I also really pull for Smith who seems to be a good guy with a family to feed. After this fight is over I just hope both fighters aren’t too hurt and can move on to their next fights soon.

While UFC 99 doesn’t happen for another week, it hasn’t exactly been quiet over at the Zuffa offices. For those of you who don’t know, The Ultimate Fighter 10 started filming this last week and the big news coming out of the taping doesn’t concern either Rashad Evans or Quintin “Ramapge” Jackson who are the coaches, nor does it concern the reported 4 former NFL players who are on the show this season. It seems that Kimbo Slice has won the “Brass Balls” award for the week by joining the cast of TUF 10. This is a guy who was criticized by UFC President Dana White almost none stop just over a year ago as being a freak show. White always stated that Kimbo could come on TUF if he ever wanted to get a UFC contract, well it appears Kimbo decided to take him up on it.

I am pulling for Slice. If that guy can get his head together and get and sort of condition he could be really good for MMA. He was in the 1st and 3rd most watched events in the history of MMA and has ridiculous charisma . With the UFC in need of some, what I call, placeholder stars no one could be better for them then Kimbo.

• Franchise record 66 victories
• Only two losses at home the entire season
• #1 overall seed in NBA Playoffs

[Note: Follow the links for great deals on Cavs Playoff Tickets or all NBA Playoff Tickets from Stubhub.]

But more important than any quantifiable accomplishment is the close relationship that Mike Brown has built with superstar LeBron James.

This year’s Cavs have amazed NBA observers with their team chemistry and camaraderie. Much of that can be attributed to Mike Brown trusting LeBron James, LeBron James trusting Mike Brown, and the positive vibes trickling down throughout the entire team. Brown obviously trusts his best player to also be a team leader, and LeBron has certainly fulfilled that role as much, if not moreso, than any superstar in recent NBA history.

As to the voting for this year’s award, Mike Brown received 55 first place votes in the NBA Coach of the Year voting and finished with 355 total points. Rick Adelman finished second and Stan Van Gundy finished third. The combined point totals of Adelman and Van Gundy would not equal Brown’s, making Brown the clear winner. The NBA Coach of the Year is voted upon by NBA writers and broadcasters.

Said Cavs owner Dan Gilbert:

“Mike Brown is one of these rare people that has nearly every tool in his tool box,” Gilbert said in a statement. “He is smart, hard working, and selfless. He is curious and hungry to learn. He is philosophically driven and derives his decision making from his strong philosophy.”

Brown becomes only the second Cavaliers head coach ever to be named NBA Coach of the Year. Bill Fitch was also named Coach of the Year when he was in Cleveland during the 1975-76 season. Below is the complete all-time list of past NBA Coach of Year Award winners.

Now that Mike Brown has earned some hardware, his Cavaliers look to continue their quest for the ultimate piece of hardware. After throttling the Pistons in Game 1, the Cavs host Detroit again Tuesday at 8:00 ET on TNT. Cleveland is favored by 11.5 — and anyone who watched Game 1 will no doubt be leaning towards taking the Cavs with the points.

The more immediate question than the Cavs’ quest for an NBA Title is whether LeBron James can hold off Kobe Bryant and Dwyane Wade to win his first NBA MVP Award. Follow the link for an analysis of the 2009 NBA MVP Award and a list of the past MVP winners.

(Mike Brown and LeBron James photo above by Drew Hallowell / Getty Images North America)