1.
Quicken Loans Arena
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Quicken Loans Arena, commonly known as The Q, is a multi-purpose arena in downtown Cleveland, Ohio, United States. It also serves as an arena for Cleveland State Vikings mens and womens basketball. The arena opened in October 1994 as part of the Gateway Sports and Entertainment Complex with adjacent Progressive Field and it is named for the retail mortgage lender Quicken Loans, whose chairman and founder is Dan Gilbert, the majority owner of the Cavaliers, Monsters, and Gladiators. From its opening until August 2005, it was known as Gund Arena, named for former Cavaliers owner Gordon Gund, after he paid for the naming rights. Quicken Loans Arena seats 20,562 people in its configuration and up to 20,056 for ice hockey. It has also been the host venue for the 2007 NCAA Womens Division I Basketball Final Four, opening and regional games in the NCAA Division I Mens Basketball Tournament. Figure Skating Championships in 2000 and 2009, in July 2016, The Q hosted the 2016 Republican National Convention. The Q was preceded in downtown Cleveland by the Cleveland Arena and it was best known as the site of the Moondog Coronation Ball in 1952, widely regarded as the first rock and roll concert. Cleveland Arena was the first home of the Cavaliers in 1970, by 1970, however, Cleveland Arena was outdated and in disrepair. The Cavs played there their first four seasons and it was replaced in 1974 by the 20, 273-seat Richfield Coliseum, located in Richfield, between Cleveland and Akron. The market site was acquired in 1985 and cleared in 1987 in a push for new downtown sports facilities by city. In 1990, voters approved a sin tax on alcohol and tobacco products in Cuyahoga County to fund the Gateway Sports and Entertainment Complex, construction began in 1992 with the ballpark opening in April 1994 and the arena in October 1994. The arena opened with a concert by Billy Joel on October 17,1994, the Cavaliers played their first regular-season game in the arena a few weeks later, a loss to the Houston Rockets, on November 8,1994. The team name was announced as the Lake Erie Monsters on January 25,2007, the Lake Erie Monsters changed their name to the Cleveland Monsters on August 9,2016. The Las Vegas Gladiators of the Arena Football League announced on October 16,2007, plans for a two-year, $140 million renovation project to begin in 2017 were released by the Cavaliers in December 2016. The project calls for an increase in the footage of the concourses and open areas. It is scheduled to be completed by late 2019, the arena seats 20,562 for basketball, with 2,000 club seats and 88 luxury suites. Seating is divided into three levels, with two levels of suites and five platinum suites on the event level
2.
Cleveland
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Cleveland is a city in the U. S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Cuyahoga County, the states second most populous county. The city proper has a population of 388,072, making Cleveland the 51st largest city in the United States, Greater Cleveland ranked as the 32nd largest metropolitan area in the United States, with 2,055,612 people in 2016. The city is the center of the Cleveland–Akron–Canton Combined Statistical Area, the city is located on the southern shore of Lake Erie, approximately 60 miles west of the Pennsylvania border. Clevelands economy has diversified sectors that include manufacturing, financial services, healthcare, Cleveland is also home to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Residents of Cleveland are called Clevelanders, Cleveland has many nicknames, the oldest of which in contemporary use being The Forest City. Cleaveland oversaw the plan for what would become the downtown area, centered on Public Square, before returning home. The first settler in Cleaveland was Lorenzo Carter, who built a cabin on the banks of the Cuyahoga River, the Village of Cleaveland was incorporated on December 23,1814. In spite of the swampy lowlands and harsh winters, its waterfront location proved to be an advantage. The area began rapid growth after the 1832 completion of the Ohio, growth continued with added railroad links. Cleveland incorporated as a city in 1836, in 1836, the city, then located only on the eastern banks of the Cuyahoga River, nearly erupted into open warfare with neighboring Ohio City over a bridge connecting the two. Ohio City remained an independent municipality until its annexation by Cleveland in 1854, the citys prime geographic location as a transportation hub on the Great Lakes has played an important role in its development as a commercial center. Cleveland serves as a point for iron ore shipped from Minnesota. In 1870, John D. Rockefeller founded Standard Oil in Cleveland, other manufacturers located in Cleveland produced steam-powered cars, which included White and Gaeth, as well as the electric car company Baker. Because of the significant growth, Cleveland was known as the Sixth City during this period, by 1920, due in large part to the citys economic prosperity, Cleveland became the nations fifth largest city. The city counted Progressive Era politicians such as the populist Mayor Tom L. Johnson among its leaders, many prominent Clevelanders from this era are buried in the historic Lake View Cemetery, including President James A. Garfield, and John D. Rockefeller. In commemoration of the centennial of Clevelands incorporation as a city, conceived as a way to energize a city after the Great Depression, it drew four million visitors in its first season, and seven million by the end of its second and final season in September 1937. The exposition was housed on grounds that are now used by the Great Lakes Science Center, following World War II, the city experienced a prosperous economy. In sports, the Indians won the 1948 World Series, the hockey Barons became champions of the American Hockey League, as a result, along with track and boxing champions produced, Cleveland was dubbed City of Champions in sports at this time
3.
Wine (color)
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The color wine is a dark shade of red. It is a representation of the color of red wine. The first recorded use of wine as a name in English was in 1705. The term Bordeaux is also used to describe this color. The source of color is, ISCC-NBS Dictionary of Color Names --Color Sample of Wine. The color champagne is displayed at right, the first recorded use of champagne as a color name in English was in 1915. At right is displayed the color claret, another name for this color is bordeaux. This color is a representation of the color of bordeaux wine. The first recorded use of claret as a name in English was in 1547. Burgundy is a red color associated with the Burgundy wine of the same name, the first recorded use of burgundy as a color name in English was in 1881. At right is displayed the color wine dregs, a tone of the color wine. The first recorded use of wine dregs as a name in English was in 1924. Fashion The color wine is used in fashion for various articles of clothing. Sports Wine is the color of the National Basketball Associations Cleveland Cavaliers along with gold. Claret is a colour for Association Football clubs, it is used by FC Barcelona. West Ham United F. C. Burnley F. C. Northampton Town F. C. Bradford City A. F. C. and Scunthorpe United F. C
4.
Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company
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The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company is an American multinational tire manufacturing company founded in 1898 by Frank Seiberling and based in Akron, Ohio. Goodyear manufactures tires for automobiles, commercial trucks, light trucks, motorcycles, SUVs, race cars, airplanes, farm equipment, the company was named after American Charles Goodyear, inventor of vulcanized rubber. The first Goodyear tires became popular because they were easily detachable, Goodyear is also known for the Goodyear Blimp. Though Goodyear had been manufacturing airships and balloons since the early 1900s, today it is one of the most recognizable advertising icons in America. The company is the most successful tire supplier in Formula One history, with starts, wins. They pulled out of the sport after the 1998 season and it is the sole tire supplier for NASCAR series. Goodyear is a component of the Dow Jones Industrial Average. The company opened a new headquarters building in Akron in 2013. The first Goodyear factory opened in Akron, Ohio, in 1898, the thirteen original employees manufactured bicycle and carriage tires, rubber horseshoe pads, and poker chips. The company grew with the advent of the automobile, in 1901 Frank Seiberling provided Henry Ford with racing tires. In 1903, Paul Weeks Litchfield was granted a patent for the first tubeless automobile tire, by 1908 Ford was outfitting his Model T with Goodyear tires. In 1909 Goodyear manufactured its first aircraft tire, in 1911 Goodyear started experimenting with airship design. It later manufactured airships and observation balloons for the United States Army Air Service during World War I, the transport and reconnaissance capabilities that Goodyear provided contributed significantly to the Allied victory. In 1916, Litchfield found land in the Phoenix area suitable for growing long-staple cotton, the 36,000 acres purchased were controlled by the Southwest Cotton Company, formed with Litchfield as president. In 1924, Litchfield, as Goodyear Vice President, forged a joint venture with the German Luftschiffbau Zeppelin Company to form the Goodyear-Zeppelin Corporation, by 1926 Goodyear was the largest rubber company in the world. Only four years earlier it was forced to halt production of racing tires due to heavy competition. Nevertheless, the popularity of the Goodyear tire on the circuit led to a popular demand for the return of the brand. On August 5,1927, Goodyear had its public offering and was listed on the New York Stock Exchange
5.
Tyronn Lue
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Tyronn Jamar Lue is an American basketball coach who currently serves as the head coach of the Cleveland Cavaliers of the National Basketball Association. He is also a professional basketball player. After his playing career ended in 2009, Lue became Director of Basketball Development for the Boston Celtics, in 2014, he was hired by the Cavaliers as associate head coach and was promoted to head coach midseason in 2015-16, replacing the fired David Blatt. That same season, Lue led the Cavaliers to their first NBA championship, Lue attended Raytown Senior High School in Raytown, Missouri. He later went to University of Nebraska and he played basketball and studied sociology. He was a key member of the 1995-96 team which won the NIT defeating St. Josephs in the finals and he finished his Nebraska career ranked third all-time in assists, fourth in three-pointers made and attempted, fifth in steals and seventh in scoring. Lue opted for entry into the 1998 NBA draft. He was selected 23rd overall by the Denver Nuggets but was traded on draft night to the Los Angeles Lakers with Tony Battie in exchange for Nick Van Exel and his first three years with the Lakers were disappointing. His playing time was limited and he suffered injuries in 2000. However, Lue excelled in the 2001 playoffs, due to his quickness, he was specifically used to guard Allen Iverson during Game 1 of the NBA Finals. The Lakers would lose Game 1, but would sweep the four games and go on to get a 4–1 series victory over Iversons 76ers. In the off-season of 2001, Lue signed with the Washington Wizards and he played with the Orlando Magic in 2003–04 where he got to play a lot of minutes alongside Tracy McGrady, however the team had the worst record in the NBA that season, 21–61. After the season Lue, along with Juwan Howard and McGrady were traded to the Houston Rockets for Steve Francis, Cuttino Mobley, in Houston, Lue did not get much playing time because of the number of point guards the Rockets had on their roster. He was traded mid-season to the Atlanta Hawks for Jon Barry, Lue starred in Atlanta, although again his team had the worst record in the NBA and their worst record in franchise history, 13–69. On February 16,2008, Lue was acquired by the Sacramento Kings in a trade with the Atlanta Hawks and he was waived by the Kings on February 28,2008. After clearing waivers, Lue signed a contract with the Dallas Mavericks on March 4, on July 17,2008, Lue was signed by the Milwaukee Bucks. On February 5,2009, Lue was traded back to the Orlando Magic in exchange for Keith Bogans, on October 23,2009, Boston named Lue director of basketball development. In July 2013, he joined the Los Angeles Clippers coaching staff, on June 23,2014, Lue joined the Cleveland Cavaliers as their new associate head coach, making him the highest paid assistant coach in the NBA in the process
6.
Dan Gilbert
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Daniel Dan Gilbert is the chairman and founder of Rock Ventures and Quicken Loans Inc. He is also the operator of the Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio and chairman of JACK Entertainment, Gilbert was born to a Jewish family in Detroit, Michigan and grew up in Southfield, Michigan where he attended Southfield-Lathrup High School. He earned his bachelors degree from Michigan State University and a Juris Doctor from Wayne State University Law School, while in college he earned a real estate agent’s license and while in law school, he worked part-time at his parents Century 21 Real Estate agency. In 2000, software maker Intuit Inc. purchased Rock Financial and it renamed the national web operation Quicken Loans and grew substantially as the leading provider of direct-to-consumer home loans on the Internet, offering mortgages in all 50 states. Gilbert remained at the company as CEO, in 2010, Quicken Loans moved its headquarters and 1,700 of its employees to downtown Detroit. In 2007, Gilbert bought the dormant Utah Grizzlies American Hockey League franchise, moved it to Cleveland, in early 2012, Gilbert became the new owner of the Arena Football Leagues Cleveland Gladiators. Gilbert became majority owner of the Cleveland Cavaliers in March 2005 and undertook a complete overhaul of the front office, coaching staff, player personnel and game presentation. Under his tenure, the Cavs won four Central Division championships, also in 2016, Gilberts Lake Erie Monsters won the Calder Cup, giving Gilbert two championships within eight days. In 2011, Gilbert purchased the NBADLs New Mexico Thunderbirds, and moved them to Canton, Ohio renaming them the Canton Charge, following the special, Gilbert published an open letter in Comic Sans font to Cleveland Cavaliers fans in which he strongly criticized how James made his announcement. July 12,2010, NBA Commissioner David Stern fined Gilbert $100,000 for his remarks in the letter, though some members of the media criticized Gilbert for this letter, many Cleveland Cavaliers fans embraced him for it and even offered to pay the fine. Gilbert instead insisted on donating the money to charity, four years later when James opted out of his contract with Miami, Gilbert and James met privately. James also expressed his regret to Gilbert about The Decision, the two embraced, and James subsequently returned to Cleveland in free agency days later. James explained his homecoming to Cleveland in his Sports Illustrated announcement writing “I’ve met with Dan, face-to-face, who am I to hold a grudge. ”Gilbert is a founding partner in private equity group Rockbridge Growth Equity LLC. The partnership invests in growing businesses in the services, Internet technology, consumer-direct marketing. Gilbert is a principal of Detroit Venture Partners, a venture firm that funds start-up. Some of the companies DVP has invested in includes, LevelEleven, iRule, in addition, Gilbert recently cofounded StockX, a stock market of things for high-demand, limited edition products such as sneakers. Gilbert is also invested and involved in the operation of several consumer-based technology-centered businesses, including Fathead, Veritix, Xenith, StyleCaster, in November 2009, Gilbert and a group of partners successfully backed a statewide referendum to bring casino gaming to Ohio’s four largest cities. Through a joint venture with Caesars Entertainment Corporation, the groups operate urban-based casinos in both Cleveland and Cincinnati, the first of the casinos, Horseshoe Cleveland, opened in May 2012
7.
Usher (musician)
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Usher Raymond IV is an American singer, songwriter, dancer, and actor. Born in Dallas, Texas but raised and lived in Chattanooga, Tennessee until moving to Atlanta, at the age of 12, his mother put him in local singing competitions, before catching the attention of a music A&R from LaFace Records. In 1994 he released his debut album, Usher. 8701 produced the number-one singles U Remind Me and U Got It Bad and it sold 8 million copies worldwide and won his first two Grammy Awards as Best Male R&B Vocal Performance in 2002 and 2003. Confessions established him as one of the musical artists of the 2000s decade. Bolstered by its four consecutive Billboard Hot 100 number one singles, Burn, Confessions Part II, and My Boo, it has been certified Diamond by the RIAA. Here I Stand and Raymond v. Raymond, debuted atop of the Billboard 200, the EP, Versus, also produced the Hot 100 top-five single DJ Got Us Fallin in Love. Looking 4 Myself, also debuted atop the Billboard 200 chart, Raymond v. Raymond and Looking 4 Myself received Grammy Awards for R&B singles There Goes My Baby and Climax. Hard II Love peaked at five of the Billboard 200 albums chart. Usher has sold 23.8 million albums and 38.2 million digital songs in the United States, to date, his worldwide sales stand at 43 million albums and 75 million records overall, making him one of the best-selling music artists of all time. Usher has won awards and accolades including 18 Billboard Music Awards and 8 Grammy Awards. Billboard also placed him at number 6 on their list of Top 50 R&B/Hip-Hop Artists of the Past 25 Years, Usher has attained 9 US Hot 100 number-one singles. Considered an icon and sex symbol, he was inducted into the Georgia Music Hall of Fame, in 2008, he started his own record label Raymond-Braun Media Group, a joint venture with talent manager Scooter Braun that includes Canadian singer Justin Bieber. Usher was born in Dallas, Texas, the son of Jonetta Patton, from Tennessee, Usher spent the majority of his young life in Chattanooga, his father left the family when Usher was a year old. Usher grew up with his mother, then-stepfather, and half-brother, while in Atlanta, Usher attended North Springs High School. At age 10, Usher joined an R&B local quintet called the NuBeginnings, Usher recorded 10 songs with the group in 1991, and the ensuing album, Nubeginning Featuring Usher Raymond IV, was only made available regionally and by mail order. However, Patton took him out because, according to her, the album was re-released nationally in April 2002 by Hip-O Records. At age 13, Usher would meet A. J, alexander at local talent show in Atlanta
8.
Canton Charge
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The Canton Charge is an American professional basketball team based in Canton, Ohio, that competes in the NBA Development League. The Charge is owned by and is the minor league affiliate of the Cleveland Cavaliers of the National Basketball Association, the team won their first league championship while playing in Albuquerque, claiming the 2006 NBA D-League title. After playing the 2010–11 season in suburban Rio Rancho as the New Mexico Thunderbirds, through the 2015–16 season, the Charge has one league title and one division championship. They played home games at the Von Braun Center, in their first two seasons, they failed to make the playoffs, but in their third they reached the NBA D-League Finals, losing to the Asheville Altitude. The team ended its tenure in Alabama at the conclusion of the 2004–05 season after finishing third in the league, the team moved to Albuquerque, New Mexico, and became the Albuquerque Thunderbirds beginning in the 2005–06 season. They played home games at Tingley Coliseum, in their first season in New Mexico, the team won the 2006 NBA D-League Championship by defeating the Fort Worth Flyers in the championship game. In the 2006-07 season, they made the playoffs, but were defeated by the Colorado 14ers. The Thunderbirds moved in 2010 to the Santa Ana Star Center in suburban Rio Rancho and were re-branded as the New Mexico Thunderbirds and they played just one season in Rio Rancho, finishing ninth and failing to make the playoffs for the fourth consecutive season. It was announced on July 7,2011 the Thunderbirds had been purchased by the Cleveland Cavaliers and were moving to Canton, Ohio, alex Jensen was named the first head coach of the Charge on October 11. On October 13, the Canton Charge name, logo, colors, on October 20, the team announced the first two players of the new team, Keith McLeod and Jamine Peterson. On October 25, the new uniforms were released, in the 2011 NBA D-League Draft, the Canton Charge selected Tyrell Biggs in the first round. In their first game as the Canton Charge, they were defeated by the 2010-11 champions Iowa Energy in an 82-100 game at home and their first win came against the Texas Legends in their third game, which they won by 108-87. Steve Hetzel was named head coach on September 11,2013 and their colors were red, yellow, navy and white. The home uniform was white with Huntsville and the written in red, near the arm and in the neck there were black. Their away uniform was similar, but it was red instead of white and their logo as Albuquerque and New Mexico was the same, with just one difference, the name written below the logo. The logo consisted on a black head, with a basketball in its claw. Their colors were yellow, black, white and orange. As New Mexico, they removed the color and replaced with grey
9.
2007 NBA playoffs
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The 2007 NBA Playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Associations 2006–07 season. The tournament concluded with the Western Conference champion San Antonio Spurs defeating the Eastern Conference champion Cleveland Cavaliers 4 games to 0 in the NBA Finals. Tony Parker was named NBA Finals MVP, making him the first Spur other than Tim Duncan, the playoffs are conducted in 4 rounds of best-of-7 series. The 3 division winners in each conference, along with the 5 best non-division winners in each conference, the division winners and top second-place team are seeded 1–4 based on record, with the remaining teams seeded 5–8 on record. Up until 2006, the champions were guaranteed no worse than the third seed. In response, the NBA changed the system so that the teams with the two best records in the conference are guaranteed the top two seeds even if the second-best team isnt a division champion. Meanwhile, the champions are guaranteed no worse than the fourth seed. This ensures that the teams with the two best records in the conference cannot meet until the finals at the earliest. Teams in italics have home court advantage, teams in bold advance to the next round. Numbers to the left of each indicate the teams original playoffs seeding in their respective conferences. Numbers to the right of each indicate the number of games the team won in that round. The division champions possess an asterisk Houston and Chicago had home advantage in the first round despite being lower seeds. Both teams had regular season records than their opponents. This was the playoff meeting between these two teams, with each team winning one series apiece. The Orlando Magics first playoff trip in 4 seasons was short lived as the top ranked Detroit Pistons dispatched the upstart Magic in 4 games, the Pistons recorded their first series sweep since sweeping Indiana in the first round of the 1990 NBA Playoffs. The series was also the first time Orlando forward Grant Hill had appeared in the postseason since leaving Detroit after the 2000 season and this was the fourth playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Cavaliers winning two of the first three meetings. Without Arenas and Butler, the Wizards were unable to stop LeBron James and it was Clevelands first playoff sweep in franchise history. This was the first playoff meeting between the Nets and the Raptors, the Nets won the first round of the 2007 NBA Playoffs in their sixth straight appearance in the NBA Playoffs
10.
2015 NBA Playoffs
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The 2015 NBA Playoffs were the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Associations 2014–15 season. The tournament concluded with the Western Conference champion Golden State Warriors defeating the Eastern Conference champion Cleveland Cavaliers 4 games to 2 in the NBA Finals, andre Iguodala was named NBA Finals MVP. For the first time since 2005–06, all teams from a division made the playoffs. The San Antonio Spurs made their 18th straight playoff appearance, while the Atlanta Hawks, the Warriors and Hawks advanced to the Conference Finals for the first time since 1976 and 1970, respectively. The Cleveland Cavaliers made their first postseason appearance since 2010, the season of LeBron James first stint with the Cavaliers. On the other hand, James former team, the Miami Heat, missed the playoffs after making the previous years Finals, Miami had qualified for the playoffs for six consecutive seasons before missing this year, also reaching the NBA Finals four consecutive times. The Heat were also one of three finalists from the previous year to miss the playoffs, along with the Oklahoma City Thunder. Oklahoma City and Indiana were tied with the New Orleans Pelicans and the Brooklyn Nets with 45 and 38 wins, respectively, despite starting their respective seasons in a rebuilding mode, both the Milwaukee Bucks and the Boston Celtics returned to the playoffs after a one-year absence. Bucks head coach Jason Kidd became the first head coach to lead two teams to the playoffs in his first two seasons, having led the Nets to the playoffs the previous season. The first round of the playoffs saw a record six teams take a 3–0 lead in their respective series, the fifth seed defeated the fourth seed in both conferences for the third straight year. Game 7 between the Clippers and Spurs ensured a 16th straight postseason in which at least one Game 7 was played,1999 was the last postseason to not feature a Game 7. The San Antonio Spurs became the first defending champions to be eliminated in the first round since the 2011–12 Dallas Mavericks and this was only the second time it had happened since 2000. With the Spurs being eliminated in the first round, none of the eight remaining at the beginning of the Conference Semifinals had previously won an NBA championship in the 21st century. In Game 4 of the Nets first-round playoff series against the Hawks on April 27, for the first time since 1970, the Hawks made the Conference Finals. Since 1970, they had lost all 15 Division or Conference Semifinal series they participated in, the Warriors made their first conference finals appearance since 1976, and the Houston Rockets made their first conference finals appearance since 1997. These three were the NBA teams which had been waiting for the longest time for a return to the conference finals, for the second straight year, the No.1 seed faced the No.2 seed in the Conference Finals, and for the fourth time since 2000. In the second round, all teams that held a 2–1 series lead within the first three games of their respective series had gone on to lose that series. The Rockets became only the franchise to twice come back from 3–1 series deficits to win the series by defeating the Los Angeles Clippers in the Semifinals
11.
Zydrunas Ilgauskas
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Zydrunas Ilgauskas is a Lithuanian retired professional basketball center of the National Basketball Association. He played for the Cleveland Cavaliers from 1996 to 2010, and is the career leader in games played, rebounds. He also played for the Miami Heat during the 2010–11 season, in 2012, Ilgauskas joined the Cavaliers front office, becoming a special advisor for the team. Ilgauskas made his debut in his birthplace of Kaunas, with local club Atletas in 1993. He averaged 20.3 points,12.8 rebounds and 2.8 blocks per game in the 1994–95 season, Ilgauskas was selected by the Cleveland Cavaliers with the 20th overall pick in the 1996 NBA draft. On August 1,1996, he signed a deal with the Cavaliers. In the earliest parts of his career he suffered through a myriad of foot and he spent the entire 1996–97 season on the injured list due to a broken bone in his right foot. On January 26,2000, he had a surgery on a fractured bone in his left foot. He re-gained the starting spot for the Cavaliers in 2000–01. He was injured again in December 2000 and was out for the season, the injury dealt a blow to the Cavaliers. After winning 15 out of 23 games with Ilgauskas, they finished with a 30–52 record and he returned in December 2001 and was mostly used as a backup to Chris Mihm for the rest of the season. Ilgauskas averaged 17.2 points and 7.5 rebounds in 2002–03 and he was selected as an All-Star, but the Cavaliers finished with the third-worst record in team history and landed the number one draft pick. The Cavaliers drafted high school phenomenon and future NBA MVP LeBron James in 2003, James teamed up with Ilgauskas and Drew Gooden to form the core of the team. Ilgauskas only missed 9 games over the three seasons and was selected as an All-Star again in 2005. On July 12,2005, Ilgauskas signed an extension with the Cavaliers. The deal was worth over $55 million over 5 years. For the next four seasons, Ilgauskas was the center for the team. They reached the NBA Finals in 2007 and the Eastern Conference Finals in 2009, in summer 2009, the Cavaliers acquired Shaquille ONeal
12.
Austin Carr
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Austin George Carr is an American retired professional basketball player who played for the Cleveland Cavaliers, Dallas Mavericks, and Washington Bullets of the National Basketball Association. He is known by Cleveland basketball fans as Mr. Cavalier and he was part of the Notre Dame team that ended the Bruins winning streak. Carr grew up in Washington, D. C. and attended Holy Redeemer School, at Mackin, Carr teamed with All-City guard Tom Little, who made some national All-American teams before starring at the University of Seattle. As a Junior All Met, Carr scored 475 points in 24 games, during Carrs All Met senior season, he scored 600 points and along with Sterling Savoy, led the Paul Furlong coached Trojans to the Catholic League title over DeMatha. Carr was named Parade All-American along with other 1967 seniors such as Artis Gilmore, Howard Porter, Jim McDaniels, and Curtis Rowe, all of whom became major college stars. Carr lived up to his lofty billing by ending his career at Notre Dame with 2,560 points. During his final two seasons, Carr became only the college player ever to tally more than 1,000 points in a season. Carr holds NCAA tournament records for most points in one game, most field goals in one game and his record scoring average of 50 points per game in seven NCAA playoff games may never be broken. Recently, ESPN named Carr the 22nd greatest college player of all time. Carr moved onto the professional ranks as the first overall selection of the Cleveland Cavaliers in the 1971 NBA draft, Carr was also selected in the 1971 ABA Draft by the Virginia Squires, but signed with the Cavaliers on April 5,1971. Carrs first season in the NBA was marred by a series of injuries limited his output. During the 1971 preseason, he broke his foot and missed the first month of the season, less than one month after returning to the court, he was sidelined again by another foot injury, missing another seven weeks. Upon his return, he began to display the skills which made him the top selection in the NBA draft and was named to the 1972 NBA All-Rookie Team, following the conclusion of his first season, Carr had surgery to clear up any lingering foot problems. The arrival of Lenny Wilkens prior to the start of the 1972–73 campaign gave Carr a solid partner in the backcourt, helping the Cavaliers improve by nine games in the win column. Carrs best season came the year, when he averaged a career-best 21.9 points,3.6 rebounds and 3.8 assists per game while shooting 85. 6% from the free-throw line. Two months into the 1974–75 season, he suffered an injury that put him out of the lineup indefinitely. His absence in the lineup likely prevented the Cavaliers from capturing their first-ever playoff berth, with the teams bid falling one game short, however, during the next three seasons, Carr played a role in three straight playoff appearances for the team. Cleveland met the Boston Celtics in the 1976 Eastern Conference finals and they were eliminated in the first round of the 1977 playoffs by the Washington Bullets in a close three-game series
13.
Nate Thurmond
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Nathaniel Nate Thurmond was an American basketball player who spent the majority of his 14-year career in the National Basketball Association with the Golden State Warriors. He played the center and power forward positions, Thurmond was a seven-time All-Star and the first player in NBA history to record an official quadruple-double. In 1965, he grabbed 42 rebounds in a game, only Wilt Chamberlain, Thurmond was named both a member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History. Known to fans as Nate the Great, Thurmond has had his No.42 jersey retired by both the Golden State Warriors and the Cleveland Cavaliers, Thurmond starred at Akrons Central High School, where he played alongside fellow future NBA star Gus Johnson. Passing up an offer from Ohio State to avoid becoming a backup to Jerry Lucas. Thurmond led the Mid-American Conference in rebounds during all three of his varsity seasons, and was named a first-team All-American by The Sporting News in 1963. In Thurmonds last two years with Bowling Green, he helped lead the team into the NCAA Tournament and he set a record with 31 rebounds in his final college game. Thurmond was drafted by the San Francisco Warriors in the 1963 NBA draft, as a rookie, he mainly played a supporting role alongside Hall of Fame center Wilt Chamberlain. Thurmond averaged 7 points and 10.4 rebounds in his first NBA season and was named to the NBA All-Rookie Team in 1964, after Chamberlain was traded to the Philadelphia 76ers during the next season, Thurmond blossomed into a highly productive starting center for the Warriors. Among his many accomplishments, Thurmond set a season record for rebounds in a quarter with 18. However, even with the contributions of star teammates like Rick Barry and they reached the 1967 NBA Finals, but lost to Chamberlains 76ers. Thurmond was acquired by the Chicago Bulls in exchange for Clifford Ray, the Bulls had felt a need for one starting center rather than continue with a three-man rotation of Ray, Tom Boerwinkle and Dennis Awtrey. The Warriors added more fiscal stability when completing the deal, thirteen games into the 1975–76 season, Thurmond was traded along with Rowland Garrett to the Cleveland Cavaliers for Steve Patterson and Eric Fernsten on November 27,1975. After retirement, Thurmond returned to San Francisco and opened a restaurant and he sold the restaurant after 20 years, while living in San Francisco with his wife, Marci. He was given the title Warriors Legend & Ambassador by the Warriors organization, Thurmond died on July 16,2016, nine days away from his 75th birthday, after a short battle with leukemia. Alvin Robertson, Hakeem Olajuwon and David Robinson are the other players to achieve a quadruple-double. Hall of Fame profile NBA profile Carrer statistics and player informations on Basketball-Reference. com
14.
Brad Daugherty (basketball)
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Bradley Lee Daugherty is an American retired basketball player, analyst, and co-owner of Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series team JTG Daugherty Racing. He played college basketball at the University of North Carolina and professionally with the Cleveland Cavaliers of the National Basketball Association, Daugherty played basketball at Charles D. Owen High School in Black Mountain, North Carolina, where he led the Warhorses to the 1982 state finals. Daugherty accepted a scholarship to play at the University of North Carolina under legendary college basketball coach Dean Smith, Daugherty was one of the greatest big men ever to play at the University of North Carolina. He entered college as a 16-year-old freshman and was a two-time All-ACC first team selection, and he was named to the ACC 50th Anniversary mens basketball team in 2002 and was inducted into the North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame. Daugherty averaged more than twenty points per game in his senior season, Daugherty was taken as the first overall pick by the Cleveland Cavaliers in the 1986 NBA draft. Cleveland had obtained the rights to the first pick in a trade with the Philadelphia 76ers for Roy Hinson, the Cavaliers also drafted Ron Harper with the eighth pick in the 1986 draft and obtained the rights to Mark Price the 25th pick. Harper, Price and Daugherty, along with fellow rookie John Hot Rod Williams immediately began to pay dividends for Cleveland, Daugherty, Williams, and Harper were all named to the 1986–87 All-Rookie team. Daugherty averaged nineteen points and ten rebounds per game over eight seasons in the NBA, daughertys all time-leading scorer record stood until March 21,2008, when LeBron James broke the point record against the Toronto Raptors. His leading rebounder record stood until December 9,2008, when Žydrūnas Ilgauskas broke the rebound record and he played in 41 postseason games and led the Cavaliers as far as the Eastern Conference Finals in 1992. Brad was a five time All-Star, as part of the Cavaliers 30th anniversary in 1999–2000, Daugherty was a unanimous selection to the All-Time Cleveland Cavalier team. Daughertys career in the NBA was cut short at the age of 28 because of recurrent back troubles, after two consecutive seasons of inactivity, he announced his retirement after the 1995–96 season. His #43 jersey, a number he picked as a tribute to NASCAR legend Richard Petty was retired by the Cavaliers on March 1,1997, daughertys business interests include car dealerships, waste management and commercial real estate. He is also a basketball analyst and NASCAR broadcaster for ESPN. For one season, he was a commentator, alongside Michael Reghi. He is active in many charities including hosting the Presbyterian Home for Childrens annual golf tournament and he also has sponsored an annual scholarship to help a child from Presbyterian Home receive a higher education. At UNC, he has given to the Sonja Haynes Stone Center for Black Culture and History and has served on the Board of Visitors and the athletic council of the General Alumni Association Board. Following his retirement from the NBA, Daugherty co-owned a NASCAR Camping World Truck Series team featuring such drivers as Kenny Irwin Jr. in 1997 Irwin won two Craftsman Truck Series races driving for Daugherty. Daugherty joined ESPNs return to NASCAR racing telecasts in 2007 and he is currently an analyst on the weekly topical show Inside NASCAR on Showtime, and on NASCAR Now, a nightly newscast on the sport
15.
Joe Tait
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With the exception of two seasons in the early 1980s and illness during his final season, he was the Cavaliers radio announcer from the teams inception in 1970 through the 2010-11 season. He won the Basketball Hall of Fame 2010 Curt Gowdy Media Award, Tait was born in Evanston, Illinois. He attended Monmouth College in western Illinois, where he began his radio career and he did various jobs, including play-by-play on a local radio station in Monmouth, sports reports, and operations manager. After college, Tait spent three years in the United States Army Security Agency, after the Army, Tait bounced around, spending time in Decatur, Illinois. From 1966 to 1968 he was the voice of the Ohio Bobcats, served as sports director for WOUB. He next served as the voice of Indiana University football. In 1970, Tait began his association with the Cleveland Cavaliers. The games were broadcast on WERE for the first two years, after then-owner Nick Mileti, who also owned the Cleveland Indians, bought Clevelands most powerful radio station, WWWE in 1972, he moved both teams radio broadcasts to WWWE. Tait was the announcer for the Indians from 1973 through 1979 along with Herb Score. However, prior to the 1980-1981 season, new controversial Cavs team owner Ted Stepien had a disagreement with WWWE, consequently, the station gave the broadcasting rights back to Stepien. Yet, many Cleveland fans mistakenly believe that Tait was fired by Stepien, in the interim, Tait was the radio announcer for the New Jersey Nets for the 1981-1982 season. The following year he switched to television, calling play-by-play Chicago Bulls games on SportsVision and he also broadcast the CBS Radio College Game-of-the-Week. When new owners Gordon and George Gund III bought the team, Tait returned to the Cavaliers for the 1983-1984 season, in 1987, he was named vice president of broadcast services, a job that he held until his retirement. For fifteen seasons, Tait was also a play by play voice for the Cleveland Indians, in 1992, he was inducted into the Radio/Television Broadcasters Hall of Fame of Ohio. From 1997 to 2003, Tait also served as the radio voice of the Womens National Basketball Association Cleveland Rockers. In 2004, Tait was selected as a member of the Indiana Broadcasters Hall of Fame. Beginning in 2008, Tait has done play by play for the Mount Union College Purple Raiders and he is on the schools board of trustees. He also calls high school games for WEOL-AM930
16.
Basketball uniform
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A basketball uniform is a type of uniform worn by basketball players. Basketball uniforms consist of a jersey that features the number and last name of the player on the back, as well as shorts and athletic shoes. Within teams, players wear uniforms representing the colors, the home team typically wears a lighter-colored uniform. Different basketball leagues have different specifications for the type of uniform that is allowed on the court, early in the history of the sport, basketball was played in any type of athletic attire, but by the 1900s, special uniforms were developed and marketed to basketball players. The style, cut, and fit of basketball uniforms evolved throughout subsequent decades, originally, basketball was played in any type of athletic attire, ranging from track suits to football uniforms. There were two types of suggested jersey, a sleeve and a sleeveless version. The long pants later evolved into medium-length shorts in the 1920s, and by the 1930s, in the 1970s and 80s, uniforms became tighter-fitting and shorts were shorter, consistent with the overall fashion trends of these two decades. At this time, womens basketball uniforms transitioned from longer-sleeved uniforms to tank-top style jerseys similar to mens basketball uniforms, which more explicitly showed off players muscle tone. In 1984, Michael Jordan asked for longer shorts and helped popularize the move away from tight, for the Christmas Day games of 2013, the NBA introduced a newly designed sleeved jersey with large team and NBA logos on the front. Marketers for the new uniforms realized that fans were unwilling to wear jerseys in their day-to-day life. In 1903, a basketball shoe with suction cups to prevent slippage was added to the official basketball uniform demonstrated in the Spalding catalog. In the 1970s, Slick Watts and Bill Walton began to wear headbands, rick Barry popularized wrist-bands, and other players soon created variations, such as bands that covered their forearms or biceps. These were used to wipe off sweat, or simply worn as fashion statements, in professional basketball leagues today, teams playing at home typically wear lighter-colored uniforms than the visiting team. In the NBA, basketball shorts must fall at least 1 inch above the knee, unlike European basketball leagues, the NBA forbids the display of commercial logos on players uniforms, with the exception of players shoes. Some WNBA teams have allowed sponsors logos to appear on their uniforms, uniforms are made of wicking material designed to absorb sweat and ensure that it evaporates faster. They are the product of a study researching professional basketball players, who identified the need for fewer seams, lighter weight
17.
Away colours
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Away colours are a choice of coloured clothing used in team sports. They are required to be worn by one team during a game between teams that would wear the same colours as each other, or similar colours. This change prevents confusion for officials, players, and spectators, in most sports it is the visiting team that must change – second-choice kits are commonly known as away kits or change kits in British English, and road uniforms in American English. Some sports leagues mandate that teams must always wear an alternative kit. In some sports, conventionally the home team has changed its kit, in most cases, a team wears its away kit only when its primary kit would clash with the colours of the home team. However, sometimes teams wear away colours by choice, occasionally even in a home game, at some clubs, the away kit has become more popular than the home version. Replica home and away kits are available for fans to buy. Some teams also have produced third-choice kits, or even old-fashioned throwback uniforms, in American sports, road teams usually wear a change uniform regardless of a potential colour clash. Further, almost all road uniforms are white in American football, in the National Basketball Association, home uniforms are white or yellow, and visiting teams wear a darker colour. In the United States, color vs. color games are a rarity, most teams choose to wear their color jerseys at home, with the road team changing to white in most cases. White road uniforms gained prominence with the rise of television in the 1950s, a white vs. color game was easier to follow in black-and-white. According to Phil Hecken, until the mid 1950′s, not only was color versus color common in the NFL, even long after the advent of color television, the use of white jerseys has remained in almost every game. The NFLs current rules require that a home jerseys must be either white or official team color throughout the season. If a team insists on wearing its home uniforms on the road, the road team might instead wear a third jersey, such as the Seattle Seahawks Wolf Grey alternate. According to the Gridiron Uniform Database, the Cleveland Browns wore white for home game of the 1955 season. The only times they wore brown was for games at Philadelphia and the New York Giants, in 1964 the Baltimore Colts, Browns, Vikings and Rams wore white regularly for their home games according to Tim Brulias research. The St. Louis Cardinals wore white for several of their home games, until 1964 Dallas had worn blue at home, but it was not an official rule that teams should wear their colored jerseys at home. The use of white jerseys was instigated by general manager Tex Schramm, the Cowboys still wear white at home today
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National Basketball Association
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The National Basketball Association is the major mens professional basketball league in North America, and is widely considered to be the premier mens professional basketball league in the world. It has 30 teams, and is a member of USA Basketball. The NBA is one of the four professional sports leagues in the United States. NBA players are the worlds best paid athletes by average annual salary per player, the league was founded in New York City on June 6,1946, as the Basketball Association of America. The league adopted the name National Basketball Association on August 3,1949, the leagues several international as well as individual team offices are directed out of its head offices located in the Olympic Tower at 645 Fifth Avenue in New York City. NBA Entertainment and NBA TV studios are directed out of offices located in Secaucus, the Basketball Association of America was founded in 1946 by owners of the major ice hockey arenas in the Northeastern and Midwestern United States and Canada. On November 1,1946, in Toronto, Canada, the Toronto Huskies hosted the New York Knickerbockers at Maple Leaf Gardens, the first basket was made by Ossie Schectman of the Knickerbockers. During its early years, the quality of play in the BAA was not significantly better than in competing leagues or among leading independent clubs such as the Harlem Globetrotters. For instance, the 1948 ABL finalist Baltimore Bullets moved to the BAA and won that leagues 1948 title, Following the 1948–49 season, the BAA took in the remainder of the NBL, Syracuse, Anderson, Tri-Cities, Sheboygan, Denver, and Waterloo. The new league had seventeen franchises located in a mix of large and small cities, as well as arenas and smaller gymnasiums. The process of contraction saw the leagues smaller-city franchises move to larger cities, the Hawks shifted from the Tri-Cities to Milwaukee in 1951, and then to St. Louis in 1955. The Rochester Royals moved from Rochester, New York, to Cincinnati in 1957, japanese-American Wataru Misaka broke the NBA color barrier in the 1947–48 season when he played for the New York Knicks. He remained the only player in league history prior to the first African-American, Harold Hunter. During this period, the Minneapolis Lakers, led by center George Mikan, won five NBA Championships, to encourage shooting and discourage stalling, the league introduced the 24-second shot clock in 1954. If a team does not attempt to score a goal within 24 seconds of obtaining the ball, play is stopped. In 1957, rookie center Bill Russell joined the Boston Celtics, who already featured guard Bob Cousy and coach Red Auerbach, and went on to lead the club to eleven NBA titles in thirteen seasons. Center Wilt Chamberlain entered the league with the Warriors in 1959 and became a dominant individual star of the 1960s, russells rivalry with Chamberlain became one of the greatest rivalries in the history of American team sports. The 1960s were dominated by the Celtics, led by Russell, Bob Cousy and coach Red Auerbach, Boston won eight straight championships in the NBA from 1959 to 1966
19.
Portland Trail Blazers
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The Portland Trail Blazers, commonly known as the Blazers, are an American professional basketball team based in Portland, Oregon. The Trail Blazers compete in the National Basketball Association as a club of the leagues Western Conference Northwest Division. The team played its games in the Memorial Coliseum before moving to Moda Center in 1995. The team has advanced to the NBA Finals three times, winning the NBA championship once in 1977 and their other NBA Finals appearances were in 1990 and 1992. The team has qualified for the playoffs in 31 seasons of their 45-season existence, including a streak of 21 straight appearances from 1983 through 2003, the second longest streak in NBA history. The Trail Blazers 31 playoff appearances rank third in the NBA only behind the Los Angeles Lakers, six Hall of Fame players have played for the Trail Blazers. Bill Walton is the franchises most decorated player, he was the NBA Finals Most Valuable Player in 1977, four Blazer rookies have won the NBA Rookie of the Year award. Sports promoter Harry Glickman sought a National Basketball Association franchise for Portland as far back as 1955 when he proposed two new teams, the other to be located in Los Angeles. To raise the money for the $3.7 million admission tax, Glickman associated himself to real estate magnates Robert Schmertz of New Jersey, Larry Weinberg of Los Angeles and Herman Sarkowsky of Seattle. Two weeks later, on February 24, team management held a contest to select the teams name, the most popular choice was Pioneers, but that name was excluded from consideration as it was already used by sports teams at Portlands Lewis & Clark College. The name Trail Blazers received 172 entries, and was selected by the judging panel. Despite initial mixed response, the Trail Blazers name, often shortened to just Blazers, along with the Cleveland Cavaliers and Buffalo Braves, the Trail Blazers entered the NBA in 1970 as an expansion team, under coach Rolland Todd. Geoff Petrie and Sidney Wicks led the team in its years. During that span, the team had three coaches, team executive Stu Inman also served as coach. The team won the first pick in the NBA draft twice during that span, in 1972, the team drafted LaRue Martin with the number one pick, and in 1974 the team selected Bill Walton from UCLA. In 1976, the ABA–NBA merger saw those two rival leagues join forces, four ABA teams joined the NBA, the remaining teams were dissolved and their players distributed among the remaining NBA squads in a dispersal draft. The Trail Blazers selected Maurice Lucas in the dispersal draft and that summer, they also hired Jack Ramsay as head coach. The two moves, coupled with the stellar play, led Portland to several firsts, winning record, playoff appearance
20.
Buffalo Braves
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The Buffalo Braves were an American professional basketball franchise based in Buffalo, New York. The Braves competed in the National Basketball Association as a club of the leagues Eastern Conference Atlantic Division from 1970 until 1978. In 1978, Braves owner John Y, Brown, Jr. swapped franchises with then-Boston Celtics owner Irv Levin, who then moved the team to San Diego, where it was renamed the San Diego Clippers. The franchise moved to Los Angeles in 1984, and is now known as the Los Angeles Clippers, the Braves were one of three NBA expansion franchises that began play in the 1970–71 season. The NBA had two teams in Western New York, the Rochester Royals and the Syracuse Nationals. The teams first head coach was Hall of Famer Dolph Schayes and the franchises first star players were Bob Kauffman and Don May, murphy would eventually be inducted into the Hall of Fame. As is typical of expansion teams, the Braves finished with a dismal record, 22–60, seven games ahead of the Cleveland Cavaliers, their expansion cousins. The Braves repeated their 22–60 record in the 1971–72 season, Buffalo drafted center Elmore Smith from Kentucky State University and local favorite Randy Smith from Buffalo State College. Johnny McCarthy replaced Schayes one game into the season as the head coach. The team did worse in the 1972–73 season, as it went 21–61 under new head coach Dr. Jack Ramsay. The Braves big move that season was drafting forward/center Bob McAdoo from North Carolina, the team finally made its first playoff appearance in 1973–74, in which it faced the Boston Celtics in the first round and lost in six games. That season, McAdoo posted averages of 30.6 points and 15.1 rebounds, also, that season, the Braves rookie Ernie DiGregorio won the NBA Rookie of the Year Award. The Braves made trips to the playoffs in both 1974–75 and 1975–76, the latter of which would be their last playoff berth playing in Buffalo, even so, by 1976 Snyder was facing severe pressure to sell the team and get it out of Buffalo. This in turn angered the NBA, who pressured Snyder to resolve the issue in short order, the June 15,1976 issue of Buffalos Courier-Express blasted the headline Braves Go to Florida, Leaving Hockey Town. Snyder had a deal to sell the team for $6.1 million to hotel owner Irving Cowan. However, the city of Buffalo filed a $10 million damage suit to block the move, later that summer, Snyder finally sold 50% of the franchise to businessman John Y. Brown, Jr. who had owned the Kentucky Colonels of the American Basketball Association. Ramsay, unwilling to have his career hurt by the change in ownership, a provision in the team sale agreement stipulated that if Brown sold the contract of any Braves player, then the money would go to Snyder and the purchase price would be reduced
21.
Richfield Coliseum
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Richfield Coliseum, also known as the Coliseum at Richfield, was an indoor arena located in Richfield Township, between Cleveland and Akron, Ohio. It opened in 1974 as a replacement for the Cleveland Arena and it was the main arena for the Northeast Ohio region until 1994, when it was replaced by Quicken Loans Arena in downtown Cleveland. The Coliseum stood vacant for five years before it was purchased and demolished in 1999 by the National Park Service, the site of the building was converted to a meadow and is now part of Cuyahoga Valley National Park. In a 2012 interview with ESPNs Bill Simmons, basketball great Larry Bird said that it was his favorite arena to play in, the Coliseum was the site of Birds final game in the NBA. Richfield Coliseum hosted the 1987,1988 and 1992 editions of WWEs Survivor Series pay-per-view and it hosted the 1981 NBA All-Star Game and The Buckeye Homecoming, the 1983 professional boxing match bout between Michael Dokes and Gerrie Coetzee. It was also the site of the March 24,1975 boxing match between Muhammad Ali and Chuck Wepner, which in part inspired the movie Rocky, the first rock concert at the Richfield Coliseum was Stevie Wonder in October 1974. The arena, which opened in 1974, replaced the Cleveland Arena, the new arena seated 20,273 for basketball and 18,544 for hockey, and was one of the first indoor arenas to contain luxury boxes. The Coliseum was built in Richfield to draw fans from both of Northeast Ohios major cities, as nearly 5 million Ohioans lived within less than a drive from the Coliseum. While the arenas location hindered attendance somewhat, nevertheless, the Cavaliers average attendance was over 18,000 per game each of the last 2 seasons at the Coliseum. Though a large arena at the time of construction, it had one concourse for both levels, which made for very cramped conditions when attendance was anywhere close to capacity. The Coliseums real drawback was that the luxury suites were at the uppermost level. This situation was rectified at Quicken Loans Arena, where the suites are much closer to the playing area, another hindrance to attendance was the arenas location at the intersection of Interstate 271 and Ohio State Route 303, which was a rural, two-lane highway outside of Richfield. The Coliseums fate was sealed in 1990, when voters in Cuyahoga County approved a new sin tax to fund the Gateway Sports and Entertainment Complex, the Cavaliers moved to Gund Arena at the beginning of the 1994-95 season. Two years later it was noted that the site appeared to have no trace of the former building, the site is now a grassy meadow and has become an important area for wildlife. Birds such as the Eastern meadowlark, bobolink, and various sparrows now inhabit the area and this has caused the site to become popular with local birders. Other birds that are seen are American goldfinch, red-winged blackbird, turkey vulture, red-tailed hawk. In 1997, the floor and baskets were sold to Grace Christian School of Staunton. The seating capacity for basketball was as follows,20,90020,273 Details of the demolition at Independence Excavatings website|via=Wayback Machine Arenas by Munsey & Suppes
22.
Downtown Cleveland
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Downtown Cleveland is the central business district of the City of Cleveland and Northeast Ohio, United States. It is the economic and symbolic center of the Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH Combined Statistical Area, as of 2000,100,000 people worked in the district, as of 2012, it contained more than 16 million square feet of rentable office space. Reinvestment in the area in the mid-1990s spurred a rebirth that continues to this day and it had the largest population growth, by percentage, of any Cleveland neighborhood over that time and is Ohios most populous downtown. Between 2010 and 2014, it saw more than $4.5 billion in residential and commercial developments, in 2012, Forbes included Downtown Cleveland in a list of 15 U. S. The heart of downtown and the citys first settled area, Public Square was laid out by city founder Moses Cleaveland in 1796 and has remained largely unchanged and it consists of a large open space, cut into quadrants by Ontario Street and Superior Avenue. Public Square is the heart of the city, and has hosted presidents, vast congregations of people. At one time, Public Square was fenced off and inaccessible to vehicles, in 1860, the Perry Monument, a memorial to Commodore Oliver Hazard Perrys victory in the Battle of Lake Erie in the War of 1812, was dedicated in the center of Public Square. In 1892, it was moved out of the square, which by then had the fences removed after lobbying by commercial interests, Public Square is also home to the Soldiers and Sailors Monument, which commemorates residents of Cuyahoga County who served in the Civil War. Public Square also features a statue of Cleaveland, a statue of Tom L. Johnson, the citys most famous mayor, an amount of shrubbery and other landscaping. The Consulate-General of Slovenia in Cleveland is in the 55 Public Square building, Public Square is also home to the historic Old Stone Church, completed in 1855. The classic Higbees department store building is home to the Jack Cleveland Casino, the Warehouse District is the largest downtown neighborhood by population, and continues to grow with an assortment of shops, clubs, bars, and loft condos/apartments. West Sixth Street is known as the heart of the district, famously, the 17-story Rockefeller Building sits on the corner West Sixth and Superior Ave erected by John D. Rockefeller. The Gateway complex was built on parking lots on the site of a former produce market, the baseball stadium and basketball arena are connected to Tower City Center, and RTAs rail transit system, via an enclosed walkway. The neighborhood includes retail, housing, and a variety of restaurants. East 4th Street is a restaurant and entertainment street near Progressive Field. It is home to Clevelands House of Blues, Iron Chef Michael Symons Lola Bistro, comedy club/restaurant Pickwick and Frolic, as well as a dozen other dining, the neighborhood is home to hundreds of residents who live in the apartments and loft condominiums above the storefronts. The neighborhood also houses the Cleveland Arcade, the first indoor shopping mall in the United States, home to the second-largest performing arts complex in the U. S. Playhouse Square Center in the Cleveland Theater District is downtowns cultural heart. Additionally, the smaller theaters include the 14th Street Theater, Kennedys Theater, Westfield Insurance Studio Theater, Second Stage, residents of the district include Cleveland Playhouse and Cleveland State University performing arts
23.
Cleveland Gladiators
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The Cleveland Gladiators are an arena football team based in Cleveland, Ohio, United States, who play in the Arena Football League as part of the AFL National Conference. The franchise was based in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The Gladiators have qualified for the eight times in their history. The New Jersey Red Dogs entered the Arena Football League in 1997, along with the Nashville Kats and the New York CityHawks. Their ownership group, which was led by New Jersey radio entrepreneur E. Burke Ross, also included several players, such as Joe Morris, Carl Banks. The name Red Dogs reflected the sponsorship of the Miller Brewing Company, the Red Dogs played at Continental Airlines Arena in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The AFLs intention was to add only New Jersey and Nashville for 1997, however, well after the awarding of the Red Dogs and Kats franchises, the owners of Madison Square Garden in New York City requested a franchise of their own, and the league granted this request. And so the CityHawks also began play in 1997 and this affected the Red Dogs, in that the league then prevented the Red Dogs from advertising in New York. While North Jersey itself is very populous in its own right, despite this setback, the Red Dogs management built a good team, which opened its history in memorable fashion. The Red Dogs were led by head coach John Hufnagel, who had been a quarterback, after his time with the Red Dogs, Hufnagel went on to be an offensive coach for several National Football League teams, including the New England Patriots and the New York Giants. He then became the coach of the CFLs Stampeders for the 2008 season. Hufnagel brought in players with CFL experience to the Red Dogs, including QB Rickey Foggie. The teams other main receiver was Alvin Ashley, a player whose small size made him unlikely to play in the NFL but suited the more compact Arena game. The Red Dogs slumped late in their first season, losing 4 of their final 5 games to finish 9–5, the Red Dogs finished 8–6 in 1998, their second season, and won their first playoff game in Albany against the Firebirds. Hufnagel left the Red Dogs after the 1998 season for a job with the NFLs Cleveland Browns, and he was replaced by Frank Mattiace, a former defensive lineman for the New Jersey Generals of the USFL. Star Larry Ray Willis was traded to the Milwaukee Mustangs Following those losses, the Red Dogs made a significant trade following the 1999 season, a trade they never got to benefit from. New Jersey sent Alvin Ashley to the Orlando Predators for wide receiver/defensive back Barry Wagner, however, soon after the trade, the league and its players agreed to a new collective bargaining agreement that resulted in several veteran players—including Wagner—gaining free agency. Wagner then signed with the San Jose SaberCats, in 2000, the Red Dogs, without Wagner, Ashley, and offensive mainstay Chad Lindsey, fell to 4–10
24.
Arena Football League
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The Arena Football League is a professional indoor American football league in the United States. It was founded in 1987 by Jim Foster, making it the third longest-running professional football league in North America, after the Canadian Football League and the National Football League. The sport was invented in the early 1980s and patented by Foster, an executive of the United States Football League. From 2000 to 2009, the AFL had its own developmental league, the AFL played 22 seasons from 1987 to 2008, internal issues caused the league to cancel its 2009 season, though the af2 did play. Later that year both the AFL and af2 were dissolved and reorganized as a new corporation comprising teams from both leagues, and the AFL returned in 2010, the Arena Football League has its headquarters in Las Vegas. The leagues average attendance since returning in 2010 has been approximately 9,500. After the 2016 season, continuing a pattern of contraction over recent seasons. Jim Foster, a manager with the National Football League. While at the game, he wrote his idea on a 9 x 12 envelope, with sketches of the field and he presented the idea to a few friends at the NFL offices, where he received praise and encouragement for his concept. After solidifying the rules and a plan, and supplemented with sketches by a professional artist. He reached an agreement with NBC for a test game, plans for arena football were put on hold in 1982 as the United States Football League was launched. Foster left the NFL to accept a position in the USFL and he eventually became executive vice-president with the Chicago Blitz, where he returned to his concept of arena football. In 1983, he began organizing the test game in his time from his job with the Blitz. By 1985, the USFL had ceased operations and he began devoting all his time to arena football. The test game was played in Rockford, Illinois, April 27,1986 at the Rockford MetroCentre, interest was high enough following the initial test game that Foster decided to put on a second, showcase, game. The second game was held on February 27,1987 at the Rosemont Horizon in Chicago with a budget of $20,000, Foster also invited ESPN to send a film crew to the game, a highlights package aired on SportsCenter. Following the successes of his games, Foster moved ahead with his idea for arena football. He founded the Arena Football League with four teams, the Pittsburgh Gladiators, Denver Dynamite, Washington Commandos, Foster appointed legendary Darrel Mouse Davis, godfather of the run and shoot and modern pro offenses, as executive director of football operations
25.
Cleveland Monsters
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The Cleveland Monsters are a professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League based in Cleveland, Ohio, United States. The team began play in 2007 as the Lake Erie Monsters, the Monsters play home games at Quicken Loans Arena in downtown Cleveland and have one Calder Cup championship, after winning their first title in 2016. A new AHL team was awarded to Cleveland following the departure of the Cleveland Barons to Worcester, Massachusetts, after the 2005–06 season. With Quicken Loans Arena established as the home venue, the Colorado Avalanche was announced on December 17,2006. The franchise was announced on January 25,2007, as the Lake Erie Monsters, referring to Bessie. The name was chosen from researching focus groups around the Cleveland area, the Monsters do not recognize any past links to the Grizzlies and promote themselves as having begun in 2007. Former NHL player Joe Sacco was named as the Lake Erie Monsters first head coach, the Monsters opened their inaugural 2007–08 campaign at home against the Grand Rapids Griffins on October 6,2007, with Craig Billington acting as the Monsters General Manager. At the end of the 2010–11 season, the Monsters qualified for the Calder Cup playoffs for the first time in team history. After gaining a 3-1 series lead over the Manitoba Moose in the opening round, on April 17,2015, the Monsters announced the signing of a multi-year agreement to become the AHL affiliate for the Columbus Blue Jackets, which took effect in the 2015–16 season. The affiliation was among several that offseason that brought AHL and NHL franchise affiliations geographically closer together, the Monsters finished the 2015–16 season by setting a franchise record in points and qualified for the playoffs for the second time in team history. On April 23,2016, the Monsters defeated their first round opponent, the Monsters advanced to the Western Conference Semifinals to play the Grand Rapids Griffins in a best-of-seven series, defeating them 4–2 in six games. They then swept the defending Calder Cup Champion Ontario Reign in the Western Conference Finals to reach their first Calder Cup Final in franchise history. On June 11,2016, the Monsters won the franchises first Calder Cup in a sweep of the Hershey Bears. This marked Clevelands first AHL title since the Barons won their last Calder Cup in 1964, on August 9,2016, the Lake Erie Monsters changed their name to the Cleveland Monsters. The following teams have played in Cleveland. For the full history, see List of Cleveland Monsters seasons Updated February 28,2017. No Monsters player has had his number retired, however, the team has retired the numbers of players who have played on past Cleveland franchises to honor the citys hockey history. Goals,30, Andrew Agozzino Assists,50, T. J, hensick, Ben Walter Penalty Minutes,215, Daniel Maggio Wins,23 Jason Bacashihua, Calvin Pickard, Anton Forsberg GAA,2.11, Cedrick Desjardins SV%.34, Anton Forsberg SV%
26.
American Hockey League
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The American Hockey League is a 30-team professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary developmental league for the National Hockey League. Twenty-seven AHL teams are located in the United States and the three are in Canada. The league offices are located in Springfield, Massachusetts, and its current president is David Andrews, the annual playoff champion is awarded the Calder Cup, named for Frank Calder, the first President of the NHL. The reigning champions are the Lake Erie Monsters, the AHL traces its origins directly to two predecessor professional leagues, the Canadian-American Hockey League, founded in 1926, and the first International Hockey League, established in 1929. With both leagues down to the minimum in membership, the governors of each recognized the need for action to assure their member clubs long-term survival. Their solution was to play an interlocking schedule, while the Can-Am was based in the Northeast and the IHL in the Great Lakes and Midwest, their footprints were close enough for this to be a viable option. The two older leagues eight surviving clubs began joint play in November 1936 as a new circuit of mutual convenience known as the International-American Hockey League. The four Can-Am teams became the I-AHL East Division, with the IHL quartet playing as the West Division. The IHL also contributed its former championship trophy, the F. G. Teddy Oke Trophy, the Oke Trophy is now awarded to the regular-season winners of the AHLs Northeast Division. A little more than a month into that first season, the balance, the makeshift new I-AHL played out the rest of its first season with just seven teams. At the end of the 1936–37 season, a modified playoff format was devised and a new championship trophy. The Syracuse Stars defeated the Philadelphia Ramblers in the final, three-games-to-one, the Calder Cup continues on today as the AHLs playoff championship trophy. After two seasons of interlocking play, the governors of the two leagues seven active teams met in New York City on June 28,1938, maurice Podoloff of New Haven, the former head of the Can-Am League, was elected the I-AHLs first president. The former IHL president, John Chick of Windsor, Ontario, the Bears remain the only one of these eight original I-AHL/AHL franchises to have been represented in the league without interruption since the 1938–39 season. The newly merged circuit also increased its schedule for each team by six games from 48 to 54. After the 1939–40 season the I-AHL renamed itself the American Hockey League and it generally enjoyed both consistent success on the ice and relative financial stability over its first three decades of operation. The number of teams competing for players rose from six to thirty in just seven years. Player salaries at all levels shot up dramatically with the increased demand and this did not seem to affect the AHL at first, as it expanded to 12 teams by 1970
27.
2003 NBA draft
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The 2003 NBA draft was held on June 26,2003, at The Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. The NBA announced that 41 college and high school players and a record 31 international players had filed as candidates for the 2003 NBA draft. The Detroit Pistons and the Denver Nuggets were second and third respectively, the 2003 draft is known for having one of the most talented draft pools in draft history. Four of the top five picks are NBA All-Stars and Redeem Team Olympic Gold Medalists, Carmelo Anthony, Chris Bosh, Dwyane Wade, Carmelo Anthony won the 2013 NBA Scoring Title and is the only player in NBA history to win at least three Olympic gold medals. Chris Bosh left Toronto in 2010 as its leader in points, rebounds, blocks, double doubles, free throws made and attempted. LeBron James, who was drafted by the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2003, left for the Miami Heat in 2010, ^ a, Chris Kaman was born in the United States, but also has German citizenship through his great-grandparents and competes internationally for Germany. These players were not selected in the 2003 NBA draft, but have played at least one game in the NBA, archived from the original on April 19,2007. Player profiles with their career transaction information, archived from the original on April 19,2007. ESPN. com Draft 2003 databaseBasketball. com Draft 2003
28.
LeBron James
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LeBron Raymone James is an American professional basketball player for the Cleveland Cavaliers of the National Basketball Association. James has won three NBA championships, four NBA Most Valuable Player Awards, three NBA Finals MVP Awards, two Olympic gold medals, an NBA scoring title, and the NBA Rookie of the Year Award. He has also selected to 13 NBA All-Star teams,12 All-NBA teams, and six All-Defensive teams. James played high school basketball at St. Vincent–St, mary High School in his hometown of Akron, Ohio, where he was highly promoted in the national media as a future NBA superstar. After graduating, he was selected by the Cleveland Cavaliers as the first overall pick of the 2003 NBA draft, James led Cleveland to the franchises first Finals appearance in 2007, losing to the San Antonio Spurs. In 2010, he left the Cavaliers for the Miami Heat in a highly publicized ESPN special titled The Decision, James played four seasons with the Heat, reaching the Finals all four years and winning back-to-back championships in 2012 and 2013. In 2013, he led Miami on a 27-game winning streak, following his final season with the Heat, James opted out of his contract and returned to the Cavaliers. Off the court, James has accumulated wealth and fame from numerous endorsement contracts. His public life has been the subject of scrutiny, and he has been ranked as one of Americas most influential. He has been featured in books, documentaries, and television commercials and he also hosted the ESPY Awards, Saturday Night Live, and appeared in the 2015 film Trainwreck. James was born on December 30,1984 in Akron, Ohio to a 16-year-old mother, Gloria Marie James, who raised James on her own. Growing up, life was often a struggle for the family, as a youth, James played Amateur Athletic Union basketball for the Northeast Ohio Shooting Stars. The team enjoyed success on a local and national level, led by James and his friends Sian Cotton, Dru Joyce III, the players were inseparable and dubbed themselves the Fab Four, promising each other that they would attend high school together. In a move that stirred controversy, they chose to attend St. Vincent–St. Mary High School, a predominately white private Catholic school, as a freshman, James averaged 21 points and 6 rebounds per game for the St. Vincent-St. The Fighting Irish finished the year 27–0, winning the Division III state title, as a sophomore, he averaged 25.2 points and 7.2 rebounds with 5.8 assists and 3.8 steals per game. For some home games during the season, St. Vincent-St, mary played at the University of Akrons 5, 492-seat Rhodes Arena to satisfy ticket demand from alumni, fans, and college and NBA scouts who wanted to see James play. The Fighting Irish finished the season 26–1 and repeated as state champions, for his outstanding play, James was named Ohios Mr. Basketball and was selected to the USA Today All-USA First Team, becoming the first sophomore to do either
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