Within the past month, it became apparent that the Cavs were dead in the water as constructed. The only question that remained was how far they were willing to go to change their fortunes. As we found out Thursday, the answer was “pretty damn far.” The team tied its own NBA trade deadline day record, sending out six players in three deals and bringing in four new faces. Jeff Nomina of Waiting For Next Year joins the guys to discuss how a front office under fire for months stood up and overhauled a fractured roster to rebuild the team’s culture. Whether it is enough to overcome the Warriors (…or Rockets?) remains to be seen for now. ... Plus: The guys wrap up the show with a salute to WFNY on its 10th anniversary.
It’s been a busy 10 days since The Nail guys have convened to record a pod. Stipe Miocic successfully defended his UFC heavyweight title and already has another opponent lined up for July. WWE put on a surprisingly great Royal Rumble pay-per-view headlined by the first women’s Rumble match (and Ronda Rousey!). The Cavs have gone to hell and back, and are finally starting to show signs of life—although for reasons both on and off the court, Isaiah Thomas’ future looks as murky as ever. And finally—FINALLY—the Indians announced Chief Wahoo is going away (well, sort of). As they have every step of the way with their embattled logo, the Indians continue to take the hardest road possible in moving on. The guys cover that and more in a busy, wide-ranging edition of The Nail.
From the final numbers on the scoreboard at Quicken Loans Arena on Monday night to the grim anonymous quotes from players in stories published in early Tuesday morning, the consensus is clear: The Cavs, as presently constructed, won’t beat the Warriors. Friend of the show and longtime Cavs fan Nick Carrabine is back on The Nail as the guys discuss what has happened to J.R. Smith, Isaiah Thomas’ fit and whether he’s playable against Golden State, and whether Ty Lue is getting the most out of this Cavs roster. Plus: The Cavs have assets, but in the face of what looks like increasingly long championship odds, is there a deal out there worth gambling on with a summer of uncertainty for the franchise ahead?
Mercifully, the Browns’ season is over, but the interesting times are just getting started. Tom and Travis discuss decisions made—John Dorsey replacing Sashi Brown, transitioning from collecting assets to acquiring players, and (against all odds) keeping Hue Jackson—and the decisions to come (read: “quarterback, quarterback and quarterback”). As the Browns sort through their issues, there’s one other decision that’s easy for the guys: Neither of them would be caught dead at this weekend’s 0-16 parade. … Plus: Thoughts on the Rose Bowl and the upcoming college football national championship game, Isaiah Thomas’ exciting Cavs debut and what to do with J.R. Smith and Tristan Thompson.
As you may have heard, The Nail is joining up with Waiting For Next Year. The guys welcome Craig Lyndall of WFNY to discuss that news, the NFL and Craig's #SellTheBrowns mantra, and the state of the Cavs one month into the NBA season. Are the Celtics an actual threat in the East or another in a long line of media creations stemming from LeBron fatigue? What in God’s name possesses fans to defend Derrick Rose? Plus: Thoughts on Jae Crowder, Jeff Green, Dwyane Wade and the almighty Brooklyn pick.
On the eve of the Eastern Conference Finals, the guys ponder what, if anything, the Celtics can do to stay competitive in this series, how the Cavs will look to take away Isaiah Thomas at one end of the floor and get Kevin Love more involved at the other, and whether Ty Lue gets his proper due as an NBA coach.
