C-Webb and Outtheplayoffsheimer

Two sports hopes:

1. I hope the San Diego Superchargers

keep Marty Schottenheimer
for one more season.
2. I hope the Pistons go ahead and

sign Chris Webber
but don’t let go of McDyess in the process.

You see, for me, it was dog-bone-chewing elation when the Cleveland Browns
advanced to the AFC Championship Game against the Broncos back in ’86.
Kosar, Byner, Slaughter, Golic–they were going to woof all the way through the playoffs. Schottenheimer
was the coach. I had a Browns jacket; I subscribed to the Browns Digest (the name?) and
postered my bedroom walls with all the players. The first set of teams for

vibrating-sheet-metal
football: AFC Central (Cleveland, Cincy, Houston, and
Pittsburgh). After the drive,
I cried. And then in Kansas City, several years later, Schottenheimer was with
the Chiefs–Thomas, Montana, Allen. Always a surge into the playoffs and then a
fizzle, year after–not again–year. With the Chargers, this year
was no different. But 14-3? I say keep Schottenheimer for the regular season and
get him a spot in the booth for the post-season. Hand the team over to a
preparer and motivator come post-season (i.e., borrow Urban Meyer for a few weeks).
The Chargers have the personnel, right? Give him one more season, I say.
(Note: Of the weekend’s playoffs, the Chargers-Pats outcome was
the only one I thought disappointing.)

Here’s the other hope: I’d like to see Webber run with the Pistons. But
I hope they don’t have to let Antonio McDyess off the roster to make it work.
I’ve only been half-following this story (due to let loose after 2:00 p.m.
today), so there’s probably been some discussion of who will stay and who will
go. But I think of Webber as a Detroit local, despite the missteps at U-Mich
in the early ’90s. Webber was Michigan’s Mr. Basketball out of the Country
Day School the same year the I was a senior in high school. I never played
against him in AAU because I was a year younger, but Webber and the Superfriends
towered over all in-state competition (they may have even won the national AAU
tournament in ’91). Webber has had an injury-plagued NBA career. And
although his stop-over in Philadelphia was little more than an overpriced backslide, he was a Horry
three-pointer away from a title-chance with the Kings. I might be wrong,
but the mix of local pride and end-of-career-is-near might be enough to evoke
whatever he’s got left. I say it’s potentially a Finals-making pick-up for
the Pistons.

4 Comments

  1. Talk radio here is still up and arms over C-Webb. Lots of folks don’t forgive him for taking the money at Michigan and helping cause the downfall of that program.

    But I’m a Gator, not a Wolverine fan. The Pistons should also pick up Penny Hardaway who is healthy and ready to return.

  2. See an Anfernee, pick him up. But wouldn’t you rather see Penny reunite with Shaq for the sweet twilight of their careers?

    I’m ambivalent about the Wolverines. Take money from a booster? Sure, like the timeout in the Nat. Championship, it was stupid. But C-Webb always drove fancy cars. And for the free agent minimum, Dumars is making a smart gamble.

  3. As much as I love my Miami Heat, they are done. Riley is gone. Walker has his ring. He doesn’t care. Get Wright in there and plan for the future.

    W/the Pistons, they have to ship somebody now. Nazr, Davis, or Dice. Looks like Muhammed wants out.

  4. It’s too bad about Miami because Wade is able to do so much. Boo to Walker’s lethargy.

    I thought Nazr was going to work out okay, and I think he’ll be a contributor for another team enough that Detroit could make an even trade for another player who can help them, like Okur or Darko. Heh.

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