(slurping through straw) Mmmmm, that's a good Margarita.  While we here at The Q relax and wait for the ECF to start sometime this month, the debate around the office continues, "Who do you want to play in the ECF?"  Me, I don't care.  Bring on whomever.  However, I wonder what the Fanatics think.  So, what do you think?  Who do you want to play in the ECF, Orlando or Boston?  Vote below.

This poll brought to you by the letter "Q."

Just when you think Nike can't be any more creative, they do something like this, and TOTALLY redeem themselves!  What could be better than having LeBron and Kobe in a NIKE commercial?  Instead of having the actual LeBron and Kobe in the commercial, have them be muppets!  YES....GENIUS!

(Ding ding ding) Round 2 is upon us. The waiting is over.  It's business time!  You know how I know it's business time?  Because I changed my avatar.  That's how you know it's business time.  It may frighten Moondog, but I don't care.  This cat looks angry and he's on the hunt for the dirty birds from down South.  If I may digress for a moment, you can't like or root for a city that has 2 professional sports teams with a relatively similar mascot for both teams.  Really, Altanta?  You couldn't come up with another type of mascot for your football and basketball team? 

"Hey, what should we call our football team?" 
"How about the Falcons?"
(cheers)
"Well, then what do we call our basketball team?"
"Well, I really like the Falcons?"
"We can't use the same name, can we?"
"Hey Chip! Can we use the same name for our football and basketball team?"
(Chip faintly heard) "No."
"Well what about another bird that resembles a Falcon?"
(Chip faintly heard) "That's OK."
"How about the Hawks?"
(cheers)

That's like having two boys and naming them Johnny and Janni or Brandon and Bradon or Evan and Ivan.  You just DON'T DO IT!  So having said that, I am officially referring to the Atlanta Hawks as the Atlanta Hattons.  "Why," you may be asking yourself.  Well, inspired by this past weekend when the world's #1 pound for pound fighter, Manny Pacquiao, defeated...no...demolished Ricky Hatton in the second round, I thought it was only fitting to not only give a name that separated the Hawks from the Falcons but also had a twist of irony in it as Hatton couldn't get out of the second round versus Pacquiao and Atlanta will face the same demise against the Cavs in Round 2 of the NBA Playoffs.

One Goal.

With over a week off before the Wine and Gold Warriors continue the journey to everyone's ONE GOAL, I thought I would provide a few ideas for what you could be doing to pass the time until Round 2 starts:

1. Write a list of things you can do to pass the time until Round 2 starts
2. Watch the other NBA Playoff games being played and hope the Heat, Hawks, Celtics and Bulls continue to beat up one another through 7 games
3. Watch the Indians and then wonder why they can't keep a lead
4. Think about what it is going to be like to root for the Cleveland Jets...I mean Browns this season
4. Go outside and do something...ANYTHING
5. Copy someone else's theme about a blog but add you're own twist
6. Enter the One Fan contest and try to win tickets to the next Playoff game or autographed stuff (shameless plug but it is strategic)
7. Listen to Pink Floyd's "The Darkside of the Moon" while watching The Wizard of Oz with the sound muted.  It will blow your mind...
8. Think about what it would be like to root for the defending Super Bowl Champion Pittsburgh Steelers this year
9. Try to convince me that the Jordan XI are not the best basketball shoes EVER made (Sorry, LeBron...you'll hold this title too eventually.)

10. Add a new friend to your CavFanatic profile every 30 minutes
11. Post a comment to add to this blog and add to the list

Back in the 90's, Gatorade created one of the most memorable commercials for Michael Jordan.  The whole campaign, for those of you who are too young to remember or don't recall, was entitled "Be Like Mike."  It was and still is one do the most recognizable, memorable and, in my opinion, best uses of a professional athlete, even a head of my beloved Steeler, Mean Joe Green's 1980 Coca-cola commercial.  But I think that this song can now be used to talk about a different Mike in the NBA.  He doesn't have a multi-million dollar shoe deal (although he may have a deal worked out for as many different pairs of glasses he has), he isn't featured on video games or products and he isn't staring in any Looney Tunes movies...yet.

You wanna be like Mike?  Look no further than the 2008-09 NBA Coach of the Year, Coach Mike Brown.  Aside from just being named Coach of the Year, receiving a total of 355 points, including 55 first-place votes out of a possible 122, he is successful in his profession.  Here's just a few highlights over what he has done in just 4 years:

• He was named Eastern Conference Coach of the Month this season on 3 separate occasions and 4 times overall. 
• Led the Cavs to an NBA and franchise-best 66-16 (.805) record, becoming just the 12^th team in NBA history to win 66 or more games in a season and the fourth-youngest coach to lead a team to 60 wins in a season.
• He led us to 16 victories, tying the NBA all-time record for most victories in any month.
• In four seasons as the head coach of the Cavaliers, Brown has a .643 regular season winning percentage (211-117), the best in franchise history and third among active coaches (Phil Jackson and Gregg Popovich).
• The Cavs are one of just four teams (Dallas, Phoenix and San Antonio) to have won at least 45 games in each of the last four seasons.
• Brown has led the Cavs to the postseason in each of his four seasons in Cleveland and reached at least the second round of the playoffs in each of the previous three seasons (one of just three teams to accomplish the feat along with Detroit and San Antonio).
• With a 27-20 (.574) record in the playoffs, Brown has the highest winning percentage and most wins of any head coach in Cavaliers history.

But even through all that, his character, humbleness and selflessness is what sets him a part from everyone else.  He is a dedicated father and husband.  He gives back to the community whenever he can including focusing on education for children in the Cleveland area.  He offers a smile whenever you see him and even when he was honored with the most prestigious award given to an NBA Coach this afternoon, he passed the credit to other who made it possible including Danny Ferry and his coaching staff/players.  Dan Gilbert said it best:

"There is no man more deserving and it proves to the world that, yes, nice guys CAN indeed, finish first."

Congratulations, Coach Brown.  Thank you for directing a season for the ages and for giving Cavs fans a reason to "be like Mike."