Top Cleveland Sports Figures, By the Numbers - #22

This is one installment in a team effort by The Cleveland Fan, highlighting the top local sports figures by jersey number. Please weigh in with your thoughts, in the Boards. As David Letterman would say, “For entertainment purposes only; please, no wagering.”

Wham Nance with the right hand!

You could count on Joe Tait to say that once or twice every time the Cavs took the floor. More than we loved the Tait call, we loved Nance; hell, Tait loved Nance too. Conceding that Lebron James obviously tops the list, Tait has gone as far as to imply that Nance was the most talented Cavalier he ever saw play. Sure, Cavaliers History only goes back about four decades and change, but if Nance is second on that list, he must have done something right.

He’s the best Cleveland athlete to wear #22 (according to us), and basically anyone associated with the Cavs would probably agree, based on the fact that the number hangs in the rafters at Quicken Loans Arena, making him the last Cavalier ever to wear the number he wore for all but one season in Cleveland. He was assigned #6 when he first checked in with the Cavs, after being traded from Phoenix in 1988.

Posted by Jeff Rich Feb 22, 2013 12:00 PM Last Updated: Feb 22, 2013

Top Cleveland Sports Figures, By the Numbers - #21

As unfortunate as it was to have to live through the Browns move to Baltimore, after falling in love with the Marty Schottenheimer teams of the late 80’s who played with the hearts of lions, I feel fortunate that I’m too young to know of the Stepien Era of the NBA in Northeast Ohio. It’s not inconceivable to believe that a decade earlier, the dreadful Cavaliers, owned by the worst owner (possibly) in the history of sports.

For that reason, mostly, we are going to make a questionable here at #21. There’s a number hanging in the rafters at Ontario and Carnegie of the same value, and also a pair of Browns running backs that actually gave us a thrill or two in the color TV era, but they’re all going to get snubbed here in what might appear to be a ridiculous case of name recognition. Truth be told, Lloyd Bernard Free is probably my choice at #21 anyway, but it’s so much more fun to talk about World B. Free.

Posted by Jeff Rich Feb 21, 2013 12:00 PM Last Updated: Feb 22, 2013

BracketBusters Betting

BracketBusters are happening this weekend and it’s a perfect time to try and take advantage of some lines that may be off. Unlike conference play, the books are trying to set lines for games featuring teams that have not, in most cases, played each other recently. The teams were paired together and scheduled as matchups that should be close, because the teams are relatively equal and from conferences of similar strength. But, as always, if you look beneath the surface, there are going to be opportunities of value.

For one thing, understand that these games don’t mean the same to both teams. A team who is on the bubble for an at-large berth to the NCAA Tournament will need this game more than a team that is solidly in the field and just needs another resume-padding victory. Also, watch for this to be a look-ahead or letdown spot for certain teams. Obviously, BracketBusters is made up of teams who aren’t from the power conferences, because those teams are going to get postseason bids anyway. Teams who have a big conference game on the horizon, like Akron and Ohio, may be looking ahead at a game that will mean more in the grand scheme of things.

Posted by Adam Burke Feb 19, 2013 10:23 PM

Kekäläinen Embarks on Journey to Fix Jackets

1kekalainen New General Manager Jarmo Kekäläinen is expected to join the Blue Jackets on Wednesday, just in time for Thursday night’s game in Detroit, and maybe he’ll be able to put the team at ease. Since Kekäläinen’s hire, the Jackets are winless and have scored just six goals. Injuries and slumps have been the theme of the season thus far and the players, and coach Todd Richards, appear to be feeling the pressure of Kekäläinen’s hire.

Since opening the season with a shootout win and a shootout loss, the Blue Jackets have managed just seven out of 28 possible points. With their three-game losing streak, the Jackets are now the worst team in the NHL, one point behind Washington, who has a game in hand. For Jackets fans, the saving grace has been the team’s 3-4-2 home record, where they have played competitively. They have just one win in seven tries on the road, with all six losses in regulation. The Jackets have three road games left on this six-game road trip. Those three games are against Detroit, St. Louis, and Chicago, so the gap in the Central Division standings is likely to grow.

Sixteen games into the season, Fedor Tyutin remains the Jackets’ leading scorer. The Blue Jackets are tied for 22nd in goals scored, yet are 14th in shots on goal. The team simply lacks the forward talent to compete on a nightly basis, an issue that has plagued the team since its inception.

Posted by Adam Burke Feb 18, 2013 8:31 PM