Blogcritics Author: Gary D. Benz

Mark Shapiro's Rose-Colored Glasses

Gary D. Benz — Sat, 28 Jun 2008 00:17:51 EDT

Cliff Lee may be holding the safety net for the Indians' Mark Shapiro, but being fine is not the same as being better.
It was pretty clear early in the season that Indians pitcher Cliff Lee was having a big year. For everything that went wrong last season, that much and more went right early and often this season. But who knew that in the process Lee would be the one more than anyone to help General Manager Mark Shapiro withstand the coming storm?That coming storm...

Has Mark Shapiro Lost His Nerve?

Gary D. Benz — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 21:44:15 EDT

If Indians GM Mark Shapiro is to deliver on his audacious promises, he needs to rekindle his own audacity.
As the Cleveland Indians slide deeper and deeper into mediocrity this season, you can see the fan base breaking into three distinct camps. The first advocates trading C.C. Sabathia. The second advocates trading C.C. Sabathia RIGHT NOW. The third has lost interest in the whole damn thing and just wants Browns season to start.The fact that virtually...

Releasing LeCharles Bentley: It's Only Business

Gary D. Benz — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 20:19:31 EDT

The Browns release of LeCharles Bentley may be just business, but it will linger
Beware the fist in the velvet glove.Channeling Hyman Roth, Browns general manager Phil Savage essentially positioned Wednesday's release of center LeCharles Bentley as purely business, nothing personal. Bentley said pretty much the same thing. But just as Michael Corleone's business move of snuffing out Moe Greene had its repercussions, don't be...

Making the Wrong Excuses in Cleveland

Gary D. Benz — Mon, 9 Jun 2008 17:05:34 EDT

The Indians' problems aren't injuries, but a flawed lineup and a bit of self-denial.
The only thing that could be more disappointing than the Cleveland Indians performance thus far is if general manager Mark Shapiro blames it on injuries. With the losses piling up, the talk about the impact a host of injuries allegedly is having on this team is growing louder. All that means is that Indians' vice president of public relations Bob...

Hillary and the Women Who Resent Her

Gary D. Benz — Sun, 8 Jun 2008 14:40:31 EDT

Clinton's failed campaign was an inside job as much as anything else.
You take your history how it’s made, now how it’s wished. Those hoping that history this time would be made in the form of the first female presidential nominee from a major political party will instead have to settle for it in the form of the first black presidential nominee of a major political party.It’s hard to appreciate the...

For the 2008 Indians, It's 1968 Revisited

Gary D. Benz — Tue, 3 Jun 2008 00:46:57 EDT

40 years later and not much has changed with the Indians. All pitch and no hit and another long season.
With another lost weekend under their belt, you can almost feel the last ounce of optimism dripping from the entire Cleveland Indians organization. In a season of dispiriting losses, these were just a few more. But given that the Kansas City Royals were on a bit of a tear themselves -- 12 straight losses and counting -- possibly the only positive...

Eric Wedge's Season of Discontent

Gary D. Benz — Fri, 30 May 2008 10:22:03 EDT

The Indians skipper took on relief pitcher Rafael Bentancourt and revealed more about himself in the process.
If anyone was worried that the dismal performance of the Cleveland Indians has gone unnoticed by manager Eric Wedge, worry nevermore. With each passing loss, Wedge is coming far closer to becoming unhinged than at any point since he took over as manager in 2004.The latest evidence was on display after Wednesday afternoon's loss to the Chicago...

Will The NFL And Its Union Kill The Golden Hen?

Gary D. Benz — Thu, 22 May 2008 20:30:51 EDT

The NFL and its union seem to be on a collision course, but not everything is as it seems.
It didn’t come as much of a surprise that the NFL owners earlier this week opted out of the collective bargaining agreement. After all, the owners have never been shy about doing whatever it takes to maximize their profit margins. What is somewhat surprising, however, is that the NFL Players Association seems nonplussed by the whole...

Arlen Specter vs. Roger Goodell, Again

Gary D. Benz — Sat, 17 May 2008 18:28:40 EDT

There's far more to the battle between Arlen Specter and Roger Goodell then just spying. Again, follow the money.
What’s the sound made by one hand clapping? Probably the same as the one generated by the majority of football fans over Sen. Arlen Specter’s continued grandstanding on the so-called Spygate matter.This past week, golf pro Matt Walsh, the former videographer for the New England Patriots, emerged from his Hawaiian hideway to spill...

Playing the Odds with C.C. Sabathia

Gary D. Benz — Wed, 14 May 2008 20:01:32 EDT

Holding onto C.C. Sabathia for the rest of the season may be the Cleveland Indians' best bet.
It's easy to think of players as transient commodities. And as the years go by, free agency and salaries caps only emphasize the point. But every once in awhile, a player actually has a point....