The Drive. The Fumble. The Shot. The Elbow?
Well, LeBron finally talked about what is now known here in Cleveland as “The Elbow”. He said it’s been fine, hasn’t flared up in practice these last couple days, but that it is just something he is going to have to deal with … and that he has to find ways to be more aggressive, even if it’s hurting him.
This fan base, already conditioned to expect the worst, is terrified, and thoroughly convinced that The Curse that has plagued the professional sports teams in this city since 1964 is back. There are all sorts of rumors out there that the elbow is seriously damaged, and that the Cavs and LeBron are downplaying it.
From the “if we weren’t laughing we’d be crying” department, someone has started a “LeBronsElbow” Twitter account that has tens of thousands of followers already.
So let’s hear from The Elbow himself. Some of the recent tweets …
“Night playas! I’m feeling good. Feeling loose. Not looking forward to the sleeve tomorrow. It now smells like a Pittsburgh Steelers fan.”
“I’m back! I was getting treatment. More electronic zapping. They tell me it’s safe, but I just looked @ a cat and it exploded.”
“Thanks to @Rachel_Nichols for the mention on Sportscenter. I have never met her but I have brushed against her. She smells like cupcakes.”
“Night everyone. I’m trying to read everyone’s funny comments but LeBron keeps singing Usher’s ‘My Way’ in his sleep, so it’s kinda distracting.”
Game three, tonight in Boston, 7 PM on ESPN. Game four is Sunday on ABC at 3:30. There’s no need to go to in depth into tonight’s game. If LeBron is LeBron, we’ll win at least one of the two games in Beantown and probably win the series in six games. If LeBron is that other guy that was wearing #23 Monday night, we will lose the series, probably in six games. And if LeBron is somewhere in the middle … we’re likely in for one of those series that takes years off the back end of your life that will go down to the final seconds of game seven at The Q.
And all the while, Orlando looks unbeatable. They are making the Atlanta Hawks look like the Globetrotters used to make the Washington Generals look, and are now 6-0 in the playoffs.
Wasn’t this supposed to be our year? What’s happening?
Sing it to me Mr. Buffett … “Come Monday, it’ll be alright …”
Quote of the day …
“I’ve got to play with it. It could be a recurring thing through the whole playoffs,” he said. “If we continue to win and continue to be in the playoffs it could be a recurrence and it may not be better until the offseason.” ~ LeBron James, on “The Elbow”
Market …
First things first before we get to yesterday’s insanity in the stock market. This morning’s jobs report. Was better than expected.
Market was expecting that 200,000 new jobs were created in April. Actual # came in at 290,000. Biggest monthly increase in four years. The national unemployment rate rose from 9.7% to 9.9%, but that’s mainly because 805,000 jobseekers – perhaps feeling better about their prospects – resumed their searches for work.
Stocks should rise today. Mortgages are down already and will probably have a tough session going into the weekend.
On to yesterday. The Dow Jones suffered a historically poor collapse, which was in part caused by an electronic error by a stock trader! This column from the NY Times best sums up what happened yesterday:
Combine one part nervous traders, one part Greek crisis and one part trader error. Stir in one part central bank complacency. Bring to boil. Panic.
That combination produced one of the wildest days ever in financial markets, with the Dow Jones industrial average, at one point, down almost 1,000 points while the euro sank to its lowest level in more than a year. There were substantial declines in emerging markets, whose economies had seemed to be booming, and in developed markets fearful of renewed recessions.
Even though a substantial part of the worst plunge appeared to be linked to a trader error – one $40 stock fell for a time to one penny – prices had fallen around the world even before such mistakes began to happen.
It appears that investors are again growing more hesitant to own assets like stocks and bonds, particularly since many now cost far more than they did only a few months ago. Another sharp retrenchment by investors, consumers and businesses could threaten the current global recovery by choking off financing and new orders for companies.
News …
~ 290,000 Jobs Created in April, National Unemployment Rate Rises to 9.9%
http://www.marketwatch.com/story/290000-jobs-created-in-april-jobless-rate-99-2010-05-07
~ High Speed Trading Glitch Costs Investors Billions
http://www.cnbc.com/id/37010880
~ Europe Tries to Douse Debt Crisis
~ CDS’s Point to 55% Chance of Greek Default
http://www.cnbc.com/id/37013461
~ Geithner to Hold Call with G7 on Greece, Markets
http://www.cnbc.com/id/37009852
~ Continental/United Merger Questioned
http://www.cleveland.com/business/index.ssf/2010/05/continental-united_merger_ques.html
~ Get Ready for Gas Prices to Fall?
http://www.cleveland.com/business/index.ssf/2010/05/get_ready_for_gas_prices_to_–.html
Comments