As the Cleveland Cavaliers complete their first preseason game of the 2011-12 season, they are already looking better and more in sync than they did last season. On Friday (12/16/11), the Cavs defeated the Detroit Pistons 91 to 87 and while there were some bumps during the game, the team recovered quickly and kept pushing forward.

Rookie Kyrie Irving and veteran Antawn Jamison were who to watch tonight. Surprisingly, Samardo Samuels also pulled in 15 points for the Cavs tonight. He looked pretty clumsy when he first entered the game and then seemed to find his rhythm. He took several fouls and made most of the shots. Jamison had 13 points and Irving led the Cavs with 21 points in his first NBA game.

A lot of people were skeptical about Irving since he only played in 11 college basketball games, but if this game is any indication of how he will fare in the NBA, I think it is safe to say that the Cavs have a very solid and skilled player on their hands that will only get better with time and increased experience.

Tristan Thompson also got some time on the court tonight and really showed off his defensive skills. In addition to his epic block that had the jaws of many Pistons on the floor, he also scored eight points. In a way, he almost reminded me of J.J. Hickson in how Hickson would literally slam the ball to the ground when blocking and seem to show up exactly when he was needed.

Will the Cavs be playoff contenders this season? Probably not, but of course it is too soon to tell and if you know anything about Cleveland sports, you know they are unpredictable. However, it seems certain that even without playoffs, the Cavs are definitely headed for more wins and a more exciting and explosive season than they had last year. Not only do they have some new and talented players, but they have a new sense of direction and motivation to take the court and set it on fire.

R. Elizabeth C. Kitchen was born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio and still lives there. She was raised a Cavs’ fan and has remained loyal through all of the teams ups and downs. She remains confident that the Cavs will bring home a championship at some point in her life. Follow Rose on Twitter @Rose_Kitchen

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This is certainly not the same Cleveland Cavaliers team that we witnessed last year.

The Cavaliers defeated the Detroit Pistons by the score of 91-87 on Friday, December 16. The Cavs improve to 1-0 in a short two-game preseason, and begin regular season play on Monday, December 26 against the Toronto Raptors.

The game marked the professional debut of No. 1 pick Kyrie Irving and No. 4 pick Tristan Thompson. Both were impressive coming off the bench.

Irving was the Cavaliers top performer of the night scoring 21 points with six rebounds, three assists, and two steals. If he had any jitters coming into the game, they certainly did not show by its conclusion.

Thompson got off to somewhat of a slow start but finished the night with 11 points, seven rebounds, three blocked shots, and a steal.

As expected, after only a few days of practice, the Cavs looked rusty as the game got underway. There were some miscommunications on the court causing silly turnovers as well as sloppy shooting, but as the game progressed, so did the quality of their performance.

Anderson Varejao and Samardo Samuels took a leadership role in the game playing very aggressive basketball. Their play appeared solid despite the challenges of limited practice time.

While the score remained close for the majority of the game, the Cavaliers maintained control of the game. Their defense was solid and the young rookies shined on offense.

At times, Irving made offensive plays look effortless. He made his share of mistakes but also played with the poise and confidence of a seasoned veteran. He is certainly something special and will be a treat for all Cavs fans to watch this season.

Thompson showed just what a beast he could be on the defensive side of the ball as witnessed by a monster-blocked shot sending the ball screaming to the sidelines. It is plays like that, which will send fans at the “Q” into frenzy this season.

It appears Cleveland fans only had to suffer through one season of utter misery before entertaining basketball returned. While I don’t believe the team will be playoff ready this season, I do believe we will be rewarded with a better team to cheer for and are laying the foundation for great things in the future.

Not bad after just one preseason game against another mediocre team!

More Cleveland Cavaliers Commentary from this Contributor:

Chris Paul to the Los Angeles Clippers is better for business: A fan’s perspective

Cleveland Cavaliers use amnesty clause, waive Baron Davis: A fan’s reaction

Cleveland Cavaliers’ rookies ready to make an impact: A fan’s take

Sources:

All data provided by NBA.com

Paul Rados is an avid Cleveland Cavaliers fan and a Featured Contributor for the Yahoo! Contributor Network. Follow him on Twitter @PSRados or leave him a message on Facebook. For a complete look at his freelance work please visit his Blog.

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The Cleveland Cavaliers must have a lot of confidence in their No.1 pick, point guard Kyrie Irving. They opted to use their amnesty clause to waive Baron Davis and complete a well-orchestrated trade in the process. In hindsight, it all began when Cleveland acquired Davis along with the Los Angeles Clippers first round draft pick in exchange for Mo Williams and Jamario Moon. Now, the Cavaliers have Irving and 8 million dollars of wiggle room under the cap this year and 20 million next season. Let’s just hope the whole LeBron James ordeal taught the Cavaliers a much needed lesson.

Always a class act

While I liked Baron Davis and hate to see him go, it will be interesting to watch what Irving can do. Besides, this did not really come as any surprise. 32 year-old Davis has been out of training camp due to a bulging back disc and while he was saying all the right things, there was a lot of doubt in his future with the Cavaliers. I wish him the best of luck wherever he lands, he was a class act, right down to his farewell words on his Twitter page, “I’m going to miss Cleveland fans and the organization! When I was down and out you believed in me and embraced me! I will always be a Cav!”

Bold contrast

The management seems to feel the same way. Their official announcement was full of respect. “We would like to thank Baron for his contributions to the team during his time in Cleveland,” said general manager Chris Grant. “He has been an absolute professional since the day he joined the Cavs and we now wish him the best in the future.” That is a big contrast to the infamous letter Cavalier owner Dan Gilbert issued after LeBron left.

On with the new

Kyrie Irving will get his big debut Friday, during the preseason opener against Detroit. Then the teams meet again at the Q on Dec. 20. Head coach Byron Scott is showing knowing but confidence in Irving’s abilities, he said, “He’s pretty good. The one thing about Kyrie is each day he shows you a little something special. The first day it might have been one thing. Then we had a scrimmage and there were five or six things. He’s progressing very nicely.”

More by Sylvie Branch:

Cleveland Cavaliers Coach Byron Scott Keeping the Training Wheels on Training Camp

Christmas in Cleveland, Lockout Over. Fan’s Reaction

Cleveland Cavaliers Baron Davis is Hot in Cleveland: Fan Report

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When the Cleveland Cavaliers went 19-63 during the 2010-11 season after a 61-21 season the year before, it was hard not to vilify “he who shall not be named” at least a little while longer. The franchise had grown accustomed to winning, with the buzz of Cavaliers basketball echoing in every restaurant and sports bar in downtown Cleveland. Overnight, the excitement was gone.

Last season, the Cavaliers were the second worst franchise in the NBA. It is hard to believe after the horrific season they had, the Minnesota Timberwolves were actually worse with a record of 17-65.

Their luck started to change when they traded the widely popular Mo Williams(notes) and Jamario Moon(notes) to the Los Angeles Clippers for Baron Davis(notes) and what would become the No. 1 pick in the draft. That pick would in turn bring rookie PG Kyrie Irving(notes) to the Cavs.

Cleveland is now in an interesting position where they can keep Davis, utilizing his skill and experience on the court as well as his ability to mentor young Irving, or use their amnesty clause to waive him and remove the $28.7 million owed to Davis over the next two years.

Outspoken owner Dan Gilbert is not tight with his pocketbook so for once a decision will be made on what is best for the team from a more broad standpoint over what is best for the bottom line.

With their own No. 4 pick in the draft, the Cavs selected a defensive powerhouse in PF/SF Tristan Thompson(notes). Many fans were left scratching their head after the announcement was made, preferring the likes of C Jonas Valanciunas(notes) or SF/PF Jan Vesely(notes) to Thompson. I do, however, think he will surprise a lot of critics with his contributions to the team right from the start.

Will Irving and Thompson lead the Cleveland Cavaliers back to the playoffs this season? It is unlikely, but they will become the foundation for a rebuilt franchise that was once centered on a single player that often dictated his demands. The team has learned its lesson and will likely make better decisions moving forward.

It is a year of rebuilding for the Cavs, but Irving and Thompson will surely add excitement to this year’s squad.

Sources:

All data provided by NBA.com

Paul Rados is an avid Cleveland Cavaliers fan and a Featured Contributor for the Yahoo! Contributor Network. Follow him on Twitter @PSRados or leave him a message on Facebook. For a complete look at his freelance work please visit his Blog.

Note: This article was written by a Yahoo! contributor. Sign up here to start publishing your own sports content.

Baron Davis(notes) just joined the Cleveland Cavaliers rather late last season, but the new collective bargaining agreement has an amnesty provision that the Cavs may take advantage of that could result in Davis playing elsewhere. He is owed somewhere around $27 million over the next two seasons and if the Cavs want to bring on more players and do not want his salary counting against the salary cap, the point guard may have to take his talents elsewhere.

Davis brought a new energy to the Cavs last season and I and many other fans would hate to see him go. It seems Davis does not want to go either. When talking about possibly being waived by the Cavs, Davis remarked, “come on, don’t start that. When the season starts, when training camp starts I’ll be a Cleveland Cavalier until they tell me otherwise. I know my name has come up with the amnesty thing, and a lot of people have said I’m going this place or I’m going that place. My whole thing is to be ready for the season to help any team that I’m on. I welcome any challenge.”

It is no secret that Davis makes big bucks and this could impact who else the Cavs may bring on for what is left of this season. However, Davis also brings experience, talent and the ability to motivate the team. He has the ability to mentor Kyrie Irving(notes) – the Cavaliers new rookie point guard – and has stated that he would like the opportunity to do this.

It seems that the Cavs have been moving their veteran players and while this strategy may benefit them long-term, the fans would like to see at least some progress this season. Keep Davis, keep Jamison and work with them and what they have to rebuild a team that can win. Cleveland fans are incredibly loyal so we will stick around, but it would be nice to give us something to cheer for.

R. Elizabeth C. Kitchen was born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio and still lives there. She was raised a Cavs’ fan and has remained loyal through all of the teams ups and downs. She remains confident that the Cavs will bring home a championship at some point in her life.

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Betty White is a Cavaliers fan. Well, at least her character, Elka Ostrovsky, is in the sitcom “Hot in Cleveland.” The TV Land series premiered in June 2010, and in addition to White, stars Valerie Bertinelli, Jane Leeves and Wendie Malick. Soon, Cleveland Cavalier Baron Davis(notes) will join the cast for an episode.

“Hot in Cleveland” takes shots at our beloved city, from the eyes of three friends from Los Angeles who move to Cleveland. Having Baron Davis, the former Los Angeles Clipper, join the cast for some fun is only appropriate. Baron Davis landed in Cleveland back in February right in the heart of our very bad season. Baron was traded to the Cavaliers along with a first round pick for Mo Williams(notes) and Jamario Moon(notes).

In the upcoming episode, Betty White’s character will be giving Davis some advice on how to improve his game. It looks as though Davis does not need to improve his game, he would rather have Betty White’s career, or something similar!

NBA players are having to look into other options during the current lock-out. Some took their talents across the pond to play in other countries, others went back to school. Davis is prepping himself for life outside of the NBA having already appeared in the film “The Cookout” and an episode of “Lincoln Heights.”

Davis is also using the NBA lockout to work on a documentary. “American Schlub” is his attempt to showcase the demise of American men’s style. He challenges men to rethink the way they are dressing. “We used to be fashion forward,” Davis said, “we’re more of a sweats and Ugg boots type of society. We wanted to challenge men, from that perspective.”

“Crips and Bloods: Made In America.” was also produced by Davis. It looks like Davis is well on his way to a promising second career. Other players following this path include New York Knick small forward Carmelo Anthony(notes) who is showcasing his acting skills on “Law & Order” and “Nurse Jackie.” Chris Paul(notes) even took his family to appear on Family Feud.

While the episode will be filmed Thursday, Nov. 17, it will not air until sometime in February. It will be worth the wait to see White encouraging Davis to bring back Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s skyhook shot. In the meantime, Cleveland Cavalier fans with time on their hands during the lockout can go ahead and tune into the third season of “Hot in Cleveland” which begins at 10 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 30.

More by Sylvie Branch:

Players walk out on deal, on season

NBA 2011-2012 season final hope

Friday NBA Talks End Again Without Resolution: Fan Reaction

Cleveland Cavaliers season pushed back: A fan’s reaction

NBA cancels first 43 preseason games, will hurt struggling metro areas: A fan’s reaction

Note: This article was written by a Yahoo! contributor. Sign up here to start publishing your own sports content.

Cleveland is known for many things. These include the Browns, Indians, Cavaliers, Rock n Roll Hall of Fame, Football Hall of Fame, and many more.

Ice fishing.
www.sxc.hu

But when people think Cleveland, they normally do not think ice fishing. They should though, because Cleveland and its park systems try to make ice fishing in Cleveland some of the best around. They do this by one or even two annual stockings of fish for ice fishing. Those fish mainly consist of rainbow trout, as trout love cold water. There are many places to go ice fishing in Cleveland, but one really always sticks out in my mind. This is Wallace Lake in Berea, Ohio.

Wallace Lake gets three stocking of rainbow trout every year. They stock them at the beginning of fall, during the winter, and in May for the west Cleveland Children’s Trout Derby. This makes this lake a very good spot to ice fish. Also, the lake freezes over rather quickly because most of the lake is shallow.

To make the best of the ice fishing, I suggest going sometime in January. You will have a nice iced-over lake at this point usually, and the lake should be nicely stocked by then. Try the middle of the shallow parts first if you can, otherwise stay toward the shore.

This is a very easy lake to fish in my opinion. Just start with the shallow areas. There is a small water fall-type area towards the north of the lake that fish may stay near because of the higher oxygen levels.

The types of fish available at the lake are somewhat slim. They offer bass, which you will probably not catch ice fishing; carp, which again you will not catch; bluegill; and rainbow trout. Keep in mind that here and most other places in Cleveland have strict bag limits on fish. At this lake, the daily bag limit is two bass and three rainbow trout. All other fish there is no limit on what you can keep.

This lake can get cold during the winter. Make sure you are dressed warm. If you start to get cold, get off the lake and go warm up. This is important for anywhere you ice fish. It is not worth getting frostbite, a cold, or any other problems that can go wrong while fishing.

Wallace Lake is a very enjoyable lake for ice fishing in Cleveland, Ohio. I would suggest anyone who wants a good lake to start ice fishing to start here. Other lakes worth mentioning are Ranger Lake in Strongsville and Ledge Lake in Hinckley. Between the three of these lakes, you should have many seasons of fun icing fishing in Cleveland.

Source:

Cleveland Metroparks

Note: This is based on personal experience.

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Thanksgiving is a time to reflect on what we are thankful for. Most would not think to think about what athletes we are thankful for, but sports do play a major role in American culture.

There are athletes I have looked up to throughout my life that have helped to shape me as an athlete.

Mark Price

This former Cleveland Cavalier was known for his 3-pointers. The all-star point guard led the team to many great seasons, and he was on the team when I was a kid. He was a major reason I became a Cavs fan as a kid, and I always looked up to him as a player. I went on to play power forward, but my shooting was good and in an indirect way; I thank Mark Price for some of the motivation to gain the skills I have.

LeBron James(notes)

I am thankful for the seasons that he gave the the Cavs. He could have left in a less media-hog fashion, but the seasons he gave us did seem to revive the Cavs’ spirit in this town. Now, even if the Cavs are not winning 60+ games, the fans are recharged and ready to stand behind the team like we do the Browns—no matter what.

Antawn Jamison(notes)

Jamison has really stepped up, especially after you know who decided to make himself Wade’s second half. He has proven that he can make plays and cut through defense just the like the biggest names in basketball. He has done a lot for the Cavs in the last two years, and for that I am thankful. I think he will continue to do a lot for the Cavs and will help guide our new players along, given we even have a season this year.

J.J. Hickson(notes)

I think it was a huge mistake for the Cavs to send Hickson away. He and Jamison had a chemistry and played extremely well together. I think that—well, if we even have a season this year—both Hickson and Jamison could have done some great things on the court. While Hickson is no longer a Cavalier, I am thankful for what he did for the team, especially in that game last season where we finally beat the Heat.

Larry Nance

Larry Nance put up big numbers for the Cavaliers back in the early ’90s and late ’80s. He is another player I looked up to as a child. I remember watching him when I was just 5 and 6 years old. My mom has always been a huge Cavs fans and would watch all of the games, and I would watch with her. Mark Price, Craig Ehlo and Larry Nance were her favorites during my childhood. I was always so impressed with Nance’s athletic ability. He could shoot and he seemed to be able to slide to the hole regardless of how crowded the paint was. He was a rare talent and one that inspired me to play basketball.

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