Welcome Deadspin!

If you’re looking for any Mike Cooper information, you’ve come to the wrong place!  Go back to Deadspin…there you can find all of the stalker-goodness you’ve come to get from Will.  But remember, Carl Monday is watching you!

Thanks for stopping by, and if you want, check some of my friend’s sites:

Swerb’s Blurbs, GodHatesCleveland, VinnyandthehornlessRhino, ThatChick, Ben Cox, and TheClevelandSportsAnimal.

You’re with me, Stalking.

New Look

Since WordPress opened up some of it's layouts to customization, I've been playing around with some different layouts, and I think I like this one the best.  Probbaly not done though.  Any feedback is appreciated…

The Legend Continues

     

     Tonight is a swing game in more ways than one.  Tonight is the night LeBron can really elevate himself to Superhero status.  If the Cavs can go into The Palace tonight and find a way to win, no one will be joking anymore when referring to someone as a 'witness'.  If Lebron can lead his team to victory against the overwhelming Eastern Conference favorites something very special will be happening. 

     Up until this point, everything he has done has been amazing, but still within team expectations.  Winning tonight (and closing out the Pistons in game 6 or 7) would change everything.  Beating the Pistons was not in the blueprints, but now that it's a legitimate possibility one can only marvel at what might be.

    On the flip side, this is Cleveland.  The only reason websites like this one exist is because things like this don't happen in Cleveland.  The hero is never on our team.  Somehow many of us still hold out hope that LeBron is in some way above all that.  That somehow, he isn't affected by 40+ years of history,heartbreaks, and dissillusionment. 

     So which one is it?  Do we continue our habit in Cleveland of getting our hopes up only to have face the inevitable heartbreak?  Or will this team/player/season turn out different?  We've asked this questions many times before and the answer is always the former.  While we won't know for sure after tonight, another chapter in Cleveland's burning river of sports will certainly be written. 

1,000 Reasons to visit The Burning River

                                              

     The Burning River is about to reach a small milestone.   By the end of the week, we should have reached our 1,000th visitor.  That's right, for some reason, this site has been visited 1,000 times by people other than me.  As a way to thank my small readership, I would like to give back in some small way.  Therefore, I am announcing the first Burning River Contest:

If the person who is the 1000th, visitor can take a screen shot and prove to me that they were, in fact, the correct visitor, a gracious Burning River Prize will be given away.  The prize is still TBD, but the leading choice right now is the oppurtunity to become the first guest blogger on TBR.  You will have the oppurtunity to write one post on any topic.  You could even right about what a terrible site this is, and how it is a horrible prize. 

Sorry, that's all I've got to give.  Would anyone even want this prize?  Guess we'll find out.

Help is Requested

     So, I have a question for any experienced bloggers who read this site–especially those using WordPress.  For some reason I can't get my site to come up on any search engine sites, and as of yet no search engine has sent me traffic.  This site won't even come up on Google Blog Search, even if search for "The Burning River".   However, it will give me a dozen or so links to sites that have mentioned my site, but never this site itself.  WordPress allegedly pings a dozen or so sites, but for some reason I still can get TBR to come up on any searches.  Anyone got any info?

Burning River Warning!

I am going to try my best weekend to enforce my own rule of not posting on the weekend.  With that in mind, I really hope that I get to fire up the blogging on Monday morning with a sweet pic of LeBron & Co. celebrating after a nice first-round win over the Wiz.  This pic would preferrable have Gilbie in the background crying to the refs as usual.  I'm getting fired up just thinking about it.

     However, I need to step back and put this in perspective.  Let's go over the facts:

• This is a Cleveland team.
• This is the playoffs.
• They have what is normally a substantial chance of winning said playoff series (82% when up 3-2).
• Not advancing would be a collossal collapse, and may even induce a naming of the game/series.

     Yep, I need to put out the warning to my fellow River brethren, this could another Burning River moment.  I'd like to say that Lebron is Superman and is invulnerable to the collapse and heartbreak that is so common to our teams.  But, this is Cleveland, just when you think you have it wrapped up you are most vulnerable.  Brace yourselves…

Dan Gilbert is clearly new to the River

     This post isn't about evaluating Dan Gilbert as an Owner.  For the record though, I happen to like Gilbert–especially the way he is so bullish on the city of Cleveland.  The guy has done more for the development of the Cleveland area in the last year, than our last two Mayor's combined.  But, that's not for this blog. 

     However, it became very apparent to me in an interview with the Plain Dealer that Gilbert gave this week that he has not completely read up on the history of this great city.  Here is the excerpt in question:

Q: You've talked about wanting to end Cleveland's championship drought. When is your ultimate goal for that to happen?

A (Gilbert): As soon as possible. I have no doubt it's going to happen, it's just a matter of when.

Whoa now!  The comes right out and claims that he will be the Messiah that brings us a championship?  That's either really ballsy, really really stupid, or really naive.  I'm going with the latter of the three, but the point is someone needs to educate this guy on where he his. 

     Hasn't he seen "The Shot" over and over again?  Does he even know about Jim Chones and his untimely broken foot?  Does he not know that winning a championship in this city isn't just 'winning a championship'?  That who ever brings a championship to this city and puts out the blaze that is The Burning River will be Idolized for Centuries?  Hell, if he IS the own that does it, we'll all be living in LeCleveland, and everyone will give their kids names that begin with 'Q'.  That several communities will probably vie for the right to be called "Gilbertville" or "Gilbertland"?    That his children will subsequently be referred to as "the royal bloodline"?

You don't just make statements like that in this city.  People are bound to get all fired up and think that we have a chance.  And you know what happens then…let's just say that at least this time Michael Jordan won't be involved.

Another Reason to Hate Art Modell

     Since there's not much going on until the Cavs first playoff game (which still doesn't sound right) I thought I would bring up some random topics.  I know it's old news that the Browns are alledgedly bringing back some features of the old uniforms including the slightly different colors and grey face masks.  But taking a look at those old uniforms reminds me of another reason to hate Art Modell:  He insisted on getting rid of the Brownie Elf!!!

     I know some Browns fans think the logo is a little wimpy, but I for one love it, and wish they would use it more.  Bet most of you know the Browns actually did have a logo on their helmets for one game–they had the interlocking "CB" logo for one pre-season game in 1965.  Of course the brainchild of Art Modell.  I seriously don't know who I'd go after first if I were locked in a room with Art and Osama Bin Laden.  It's a tough call.