Episode 25: The Bottom Up Returns!

A slow start or a bad team? Scott and Logan return to find all is not well in Cavs Nation.

Topics: Should we be panicking after nine games? // Thoughts on Kyrie and Mike Brown's relationship. // Getting Anthony Bennett out of his slump. // Is Andrew Bynum a key piece worth our patience or a distraction? // Are the Cavs better served having Dion come off of the bench?


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Episode 24: Bynum? Bynum!

The one where Andrew Bynum takes his talents to North Beach, and the Summer League sparks a revolution, or something.

Topics: Scott and Logan's reactions to the Andrew Bynum signing, Expectations for the Cavs' Summer League squad, and the brand new stat that the Summer League has inspired.*


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*Note: We're nowhere near competent enough ourselves to compile this stat (quarters won)...any mathletes in the audience today? Get in touch at TheBottomUpShow (at) Gmail.com!

Episode 23: Free Agency

The one where Jarrett Jack is the hero Cleveland needs right now, and Dwight Howard is the hero nobody deserves.

Topics: Impact of Earl Clark and Jarrett Jack signings for the Cavs, The Dwightmare has ended, A tale of two trades: Bargnani to the Knicks and the Suns/Clips/Bucks deal, and other free agency discussion.

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Episode 22: Cavs Draft Special

The one where...WHOA!!!! and other draft thoughts.

Topics: Anthony Bennett, Sergey Kasarev, and Carrick Felix to the Cleveland Cavaliers, The Nets-Celtics trade, and our favorite moments from the 2013 NBA Draft.



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Here's the majestic "Where in the World is Nikola Pekovic?" video that Logan references in the pod...

Mocking the Mocks

By: Scott Barkett

With all of the mock NBA drafts floating around the interwebs, we were feeling a little left out here at The Bottom Up. See, we do not have any sources or inside information, so it seemed a little above our pay grade to have a running mock over the past couple months. Then I thought about it a little bit more and realized if Sam Amico can make a mock draft while clearly having no real sources, then so can we!

I kid, I kid...we love you, Sammy.

Anyways, here's my hastily compiled mock draft. My method? Look at everyone else's mock drafts and try to deduce where the truth actually is. I'm like Gandhi, but better. Also, I only picked the top 6, since the consensus is that there are six players in consideration for the # 1 pick. Everything after that gets much more murky in a weak draft like this, and I expect there to be plenty of trades. Basically, I have stuff to do today and you heathens need to take these six picks and like them.

Episode 21

"Get that first pick outta' here!"

The one where the NBA Finals lived up to the hype, and pre-draft anxiety pushes Cavs fans to the brink.

Topics: Heat vs. Spurs wrap-up, Who's best positioned to challenge the Heat next season?, Cleveland-Miami rivalry and the Josh Gordon shenanigans, Doc to the Clippers, Cavs draft anxiety with a flawed group of prospects.


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Episode 20

UNLV's Anthony Bennett doing grown man things.

The one where Anthony Bennett and Alex Len make a late push for the Cavs' number one pick.

Topics: Cavs draft: Are Bennett or Len a better option than Noel?, Is Andre Iguodala the perfect veteran free agent for Cleveland?, Heat-Spurs Game 5 reaction, Clippers-C's trade talk.


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Episode 19

The one where Pop lets the shooters shoot, and George Karl takes a ride on the coaching carousel.

Topics: Heat-Spurs NBA Finals reactions, Pop's failed Game 2 strategy, is the 2-3-2 Finals format still necessary?, George Karl's firing and the NBA coaching carousel, Jason Kidd's Nets candidacy.



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Episode 18

The one where Vitaly Potapenko looks to finally fulfill the prophecy, and Kidd and Hill hang up their Chucks.

Topics: Heat-Pacers series wrap-up, Roy Hibbert comments and fine reaction, NBA Finals preview and predictions, Cavs hire Potapenko and Kokoskov, Lionel Hollins out in Memphis?, and Grant Hill and Jason Kidd retire.


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Episode 17

"Attaboy, Nicky!!"

The one where the Cavaliers win the lottery, and the Memphis Grizzlies lose the coin toss.

Topics: Why there is no downside to winning the lottery, Is Noel the guy?, What trade offers would be worth listening to?, Spurs shocking 3-0 lead over Memphis, Indiana's legitimate shot at knocking off the Heat.


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Nerlens Noel in Cleveland?: Scouting Videos and Links Roundup

"Get that weak stuff outta' here!!"

It's a night of celebration for Cavs Nation worldwide! For the second time in three years, the Cleveland Cavaliers will have the first overall pick in the draft. Barring any long-term red flags with his knee, it appears that Kentucky big man beastnastymonster Nerlens Noel will be the pick.

Here's a quickly assembled package of Noel scouting reports and highlights:
(If I missed a good one, get in touch on Twitter or comment below!)

The Curious Case of Mike Brown and Cleveland Cavaliers Fans

By: Logan Bednarczuk

"Hear me out, bro."

Back Again

Mike Brown is once again the coach of the Cleveland Cavaliers.

When the news broke a few weeks ago I was one of the many who were outraged; I never despised a coach as much as I despised Mike Brown. But was this feeling toward Mike Brown truly fair? Dislike of Mike Brown can be difficult if you are a Cavs fan, as most of your fondest Cavaliers memories probably come from the Mike Brown era.

He is inarguably the most successful coach in Cavaliers history. The Cavs had an astounding 272-138 record in his five seasons as their coach and he led them to not only five playoff appearances, but also never lost in the first round. He even led Cleveland to the 2006-07 NBA finals. In 2009, while leading the Cavaliers to a franchise record 66-16 regular season record, Brown won the Coach of the Year award. 

You would think a coach with such a large list of achievements would lead me and other fans to be ecstatic that Mike Brown was returning, but we as fans possess bittersweet memories of his tenure and were largely upset at his return.

Under Mike Brown, the Cavaliers were consistently great, breaking team records and dominating the regular season. Every year felt like it might be our year to finally bring a championship to Cleveland. Yet, every year we came up short. Most of the blame fell upon the shoulders of our MVP superstar and our coach. Critics claimed that the “King” did not have the winning spirit that makes someone truly great, the intangibles that do not show up in the stat sheet, the extra "stuff" that Jordan oozed through his pores. 

Death to the Ad Page Redirects, and Thanks for a Great Three Months!

By: Scott Barkett

"Just try and redirect my browser away from The Bottom Up!"

It has been an amazing first three months here at The Bottom Up.

We could not be more thrilled with the feedback we have received from loyal podcast listeners and those who read our written pieces. Even better, the fine folks at RealCavsFans.com have partnered with us over the past month or so to run our more Cavs-centered podcasts over on their shores as well. Needless to say, that has been a fantastic way for Logan and I to build our audience and engage with a larger cut of the Cavaliers fan base.

Also, we have been lucky enough to have a couple of our blog posts make it into WaitingForNextYear.com's daily "While We're Waiting..." blog roundup, which has also helped us to broaden our audience and increase our traffic.

This experience has been, as a good friend says, aces...

...except for one thing....

Episode 16

Georgetown's Otto Porter

The one where we plot out Cavs draft scenarios, and Phil Jackson answers one of life's most enduring questions.

Topics: Tuesday's NBA Draft Lottery and Cavs draft scenarios depending on their pick, Knicks vs. Pacers, the upcoming Eastern Conference Finals and Western Conference Finals, and a discussion about Phil Jackson's Jordan vs. Kobe analysis from his new book.


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Cavs Draft Options and the Chris Grant Lemonade Stand Deluxe Combo Special

By: Scott Barkett

When life give you lemons, you draft European players

A Tale of Two Scenarios

As a near constant stream of overly dramatic music blares from my laptop speakers, my roommate calls out from the other room, “Who are you watching now?” I have poured through every DraftExpress YouTube video possible, and with the draft lottery days away, my anxiety as a Cleveland Cavaliers fan is skyrocketing.

DX’s Mike Schmitz does an amazing job of putting highlight videos together. For those unfamiliar, each video begins by highlighting all of the strengths a player has, before finishing with the weaknesses. And so, as another highlight tape rolls on my computer screen—backed by a soundtrack fit for Gladiator, of course—my excitement is inevitably decimated once the second half of the video trains the halogen beams on the flaws.

This is not Schmitz’ fault, though. He has to tell it like it is, and this is a draft that teases and intrigues more than it comforts and excites. Still, I cannot help but feel as if my praise for Schmitz’ work comes more from Stockholm syndrome than it does from pure enjoyment.

Episode 15

The one where it's Boogie time for the Cavs, and Cousin Niko wants to go bowling in Cleveland.

Topics: Bill Simmons' Trade Value column, Boogie Cousins trade--worth the risk?, Nikola Pekovic to Cleveland in free agency?, D. Rose fatigue and placing blame, Amare's return tonight for the Knicks.


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Episode 14

The one where the contender pretenders look to pick up the pieces, and Sacramento makes the NBA a Godfather offer.

Topics: Sacramento's creative offer to the NBA that helped keep the team from leaving, the contender pretenders (Clippers, Nets, Nuggets, Lakers) and what's next for them, making our picks for the second round of the playoffs.


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Episode 13

The one where we break down the NBA playoffs so far.

Topics: Giving thanks to those supporting the blog so far, NBA playoffs first round discussion.


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ESPN the Magazine Turns 15

By: Scott Barkett

Hard to believe it, but ESPN the Magazine turned 15 today. As a 23 year old, scrolling through old covers feels like going through a time capsule of all my sports memories. I highly encourage all those who revel in nostalgia to Google "ESPN the Magazine 1998 covers" and go from there.

One early cover stands out over all of the others. Behold:

New The Bottom Up podcast on the way tonight. See you then!

Brave New World: Drafting and Winning in Cleveland

By: Scott Barkett

But I don't want comfort. I want God. I want poetry, I want real danger, I want freedom, I want goodness. I want sin. 

-Aldous Huxley, Brave New World

We Prefer to Do Things Comfortably

Cleveland fans would do well to read a little Huxley this week, as the tired, huddled masses cope with last weekend's underwhelming NFL draft. The safe, traditional--dare I say comfortable--path that Mike Holmgren and Tom Heckert followed during their brief stay in Barea is no more.

In its place, Browns fans have seen their team pursue and sign two of the top available free agents--a facet of roster building openly abhorred by Holmgren, et al. Then, during the 2013 NFL Draft--the yearly Super Bowl for Browns fans starved for hope--Joe Banner and Mike Lombardi opted to trade down, then out of the middle rounds for higher future picks and veteran wide receiver Davone Bess. They even traded with the Steelers, an ultimate sign of confidence for a franchise that has all too often cowered in fear and deference to the black and gold.

(And for the all the talk of Steelers drafting greatness, ask your local Steelers fan how that 2009 draft went for them. They'll tell you that it's not just Eric Mangini that can blow an entire draft.)

Despite Banner's active free agency period and confident if not arrogant patience with the draft, the pitchforks and torches are out once again among Cleveland fans.

You'd have thought Banner and Lombardi slapped Bernie Kosar across the face.