Subway Sports -- A New York Sports Blog

NY Jets: Free Agency Review

2009-03-08T12:33:00.003-04:00

Key Additions: Bart Scott, Jim Leonhard, Lito Sheppard

Key Subtractions: Brett Favre, Laveranues Coles, Mike Nugent

Key Retentions: Tony Richardson

Rex Ryan is making his impact already on the defense side of the ball. Bringing in two former Ravens, Bart Scott and Jim Leonhard, Ryan is sending a message to the team and to the league that the Jets defense has designs on being as good and as physical as the Ravens.

The good news is that Ryan may have the personnel to do it. Yes, Ed Reed and Ray Lewis are not here, but the Jets defense is loaded with talent.

Revis and Rhodes have alsways been studs and now they have replaced two marginal performers with potential All-Pros in Leonhard and Sheppard. On paper this secondary is as good as any in football. That should take pressure off the front seven, but I'm not sure they need pressure taken off them.

On the inside Bart Scott partners up with David Harris. These two big, physical linebackers should be able to control the middle of the field, opening up the pass rush for Calvin Pace, Vernon Gholston, and Bryan Thomas. The key to the defense is Kris Jenkins. If he can stay healthy and stay fresh for the whole season, expect big things from this Jets team. The Jets would be wise to sign or draft someone to take some snaps off his hands because he clearly wore down as the season went on.

The problem for the Jets is on the offensive side of the ball. Kellen Clemens and Brett Ratliff? I'm not exactly confident. Add to the mix that these QBs have lost a reliable target in Coles and you have to wonder how the Jets are going to score points.

Looking forward, I still think the Jets need a veteran QB to help in case these youngsters implode. Second, the Jets need a reciever. The draft is deep in WR, but it's hard to rely on rookies.

NY Giants: Free Agency Review

2009-03-08T12:23:00.003-04:00

Key Additions: Chris Canty, Rocky Bernard, Michael Boley

Key Subtractions: Derrick Ward

Key Retentions: Brandon Jacobs, David Carr

The Giants have made an obvious effort to add to the front 7 on defense. Last season the Giants lost Michael Strahan and immediately thereafter Osi Umenyiora was lost for the season due to injury. Players like Justin Tuck stepped up, but fatigued by the end of the year. In order to have a dominant defense, you have to have depth and the Giants have added that.

We knew the Giants couldn't keep both Jacobs and Ward so they stuck with their number 1 back this off-season. Bradshaw has a much better chance of replacing Ward than he does Jacobs. The Giants should be wary of giving Jacobs a long-term contract because running backs don't fare well when they get to be his age.

Overall, I like what the Giants did. You can never have too many athletes on defense. I'm not sure how Canty will fit in, considering the Giants already have Tuck, Osi, and Kiwanuka. That being said, expect the Giants defense to give opposing team a lot of different looks. The Giants won the Super Bowl due to the strength of their front 7, so they are rightfully reinforcing it.

The Giants still need to figure out their WR situation. It's a deep WR-Draft, but rookie WR often struggle. We'll see where the go from here, but I suspect Plaxico will be back.

Another Great Marbury Clip

2009-02-25T20:41:00.005-05:00

This clip must have been funny when it first aired. But now in hindsight it is much better. According to Marbury, Isiah Thomas is "a man's man."
'
My favorite quotes are "I shoot to win because I shoot to win. And that's it." and "I want to create jobs for everyone on this Earth."

I recognize this is a long clip. But please at least watch the last minute. Bruce Beck is a joke.

Marbury Waived

2009-02-24T20:26:00.001-05:00

Goodbye Stephon Marbury.

What a disaster the Marbury era was. More than anything it is such a disappointment. A native New Yorker with all the skills to be great, I always wanted Marbury to one day be a Knick. Now I'm so glad he's gone I can't express it in words.

At least he made this contribution:

Knicks' Playoff Chances?

2009-02-23T18:35:00.003-05:00

The Knicks need to avoid losses like the last one to the Raptors 110-100. The Raptors aren't very good and I think they wouldn't mind giving up on this season.

The reason the Knicks lost? They can't win on the road. Currently 7-20 on the road, things will have to change if they are going to make a playoff push.

The good news is they have 5 of their next 6 games at home against mostly beatable opponents. If the Knicks can go 5-1 or 4-2 it will show a lot about their potential to make the playoffs. Anything less and things will be tough.

Right now they are only 3.5 games behind the Bucks who do not have Michael Redd. In expect the Bucks to fade down the stretch and don't look now but the Pistons are in free fall mode. I bet they won't make the playoffs. That means all the Knicks have to do is catch the Bulls or the Nets and not let anyone skip them. It starts in the next game versus the Pacers.

Where 2010 Happens?

2009-02-22T11:17:00.003-05:00

This video is a bit dated, but overall very good. Can Lebron save the Knicks?

Either way the Knicks are on the way to being saved. Obviously getting Lebron would be unbelievable, but even if they can only secure Chis Bosh or Amare Stoudemire plus a perimeter player, they are going to have a chance to be very good in the near future. In the meanwhile, we have a team we can root for to make the playoffs. It's nice to have some basketball to care about. In time, the Garden will return to form and stop cheering for opposing players. The Isiah Era hasn't fully be washed away but it's fading fast.

Jim Calhoun Gets Heated

2009-02-22T10:59:00.006-05:00

Jim Calhoun doesn't appreciate a reporter's suggestion that he should make less money given the state's financial situation. Calhoun pretty much owns this guy.

Knicks Make Some Moves

2009-02-21T16:08:00.002-05:00

The Knicks didn't make the moves I expected, but I'm pleasantly surprised with what they were able to accomplish. They improved their team in the short term without adversely altering their ability to pursue free agents in 2010.

1. Trade Jerome James, Tim Thomas, and Anthony Roberson to the Chicago Bulls for Larry Hughes.

The contracts cancel out here because James and Thomas come off the books after next season and so does Hughes' contract. In the meanwhile, the Knicks get a shooting guard that can step in and help them immediately. When disciplined, Hughes can score on defend. He'll help prevent opposing shooting guard from scoring 61 points at MSG. I'm not a huge Hughes fan, but he should help a lot as the Knicks try and make a playoff push. It goes without saying, good riddance to James and Thomas.

2. Trade Malik Rose to the Oklahoma City Thunder for Chris Wilcox.

Someone explain to me why the Thunder would do this. First, the send back Tyson Chandler because he has been injured. Getting Chandler for Wilcox and Joe Smith was a steal in my opinion, so they must believe he is seriously injured. Then they turn around and trade for Malik Rose? The contracts for Rose and Wilcox come off ater this year, but Wilcox still has upside, while Rose is finished. This should add some additional muscle and athleticism to the Knicks front court.

I think both Hughes and Wilcox will do well under D'Antoni. I didn't think the Knicks were a playoff team before, but now I think they have a very good chance.

Walsh continues to prove he's a pretty shrewd GM. I think the Knicks are finally in good hands.

Trade Deadline Looms

2009-02-18T20:35:00.003-05:00

The NBA trade deadline looming, so let's take a look at what the local teams might do:

KNICKS

The Knicks would love to unload one of their longer dated contracts, namely Eddy Curry and Jared Jeffries. There is probably no interest in Curry and who could possibly want Jeffries?

At the same time the Knicks have two very marketable commodities in David Lee and Nate Robinson. Both are playing great basketball right now and could really help a playoff team. Why would the Knicks trade these players? Both a restricted free agents after this year. Someone will offer them contracts past 2010 and the Knicks may lose them for nothing. At this point Donnie Walsh needs to evaluate if the Knicks can get more now or via a sign and trade this summer. To me the sign and trade is a big risk.

No one will trade for Stephon Marbury unless they are looking to unload a contract, but this scenario is pretty irrelevant because the Knicks won't take a big contract back.

If the Knicks do anything they will have to move either Lee or Robinson. In order to make it worth it to them, look for Walsh to try and force either Curry or Jeffries on whichever team wants Lee or Robinson. It sounds like nothing is going to happen, but I wouldn't count anything out. Before people scream about trading Lee and Robinson, remember the D'Antoni effect. Everyone puts up bigger numbers under D'Antoni and thus have inflated value. If the Knicks can get back a 1st round pick plus some cap relief, they will make a move.

NETS

The Nets appear to be actively shopping Vince Carter. One rumor had them dealing Vince for Tracy McGrady but that's likely dead due to McGrady's injury (plus why would you want McGrady). Portland is also a possible destination for Vinsanity, but I personally don't think they need him. There's to much potential for corruption there. The Cavs claim to be out of it, but if they can convince NJ to trade him for Wally-World's expiring contract how could they pass up on that? Carter would be a nice complement to Lebron and take a lot of the scoring pressure off. A backcourt of Mo Williams, Vince Carter, and Lebron James would present a lot of match-up problems for the Cavs rivals.

My guess is the Nets sit tight and try to make a playoff run. Unless blown away, the Nets will sit back.

Jets Interested in Michael Vick?

2009-02-15T23:15:00.002-05:00

With Favre retired there are rumors that the Jets may pursue Michael Vick. I will never root for the Jets to win another game if they do this.

The guy is a disgraceful person. It's sickening what he's done and at some point that has to count for something.

I know he's gone to jail and we are supposed to forgive him. But before you do, re-read the stories about what he did and see if you can. I certainly can't and I won't forgive the Jets either.

Nate the Great Wins the Dunk Contest

2009-02-15T22:42:00.007-05:00

They call him Krypto-Nate now that he took down Superman. In an eventful dunk contest Howard and Robinson stole the show with their Superman vs. Kryptonite theme. Howard has really put this competition back on the map, but I suspect he'll sit out next year. Lebron is saying he'll be in it next year, which will make it a must see event.

For Knicks fans, it's nice to have something to cheer for. Check out some of the dunks below.

Goodbye Brett

2009-02-15T22:38:00.001-05:00

I haven't written about this yet because it was so expected that it was barely news-worthy. Brett Favre ended his illustrious career and I fully expect him to stay retired. Last time it was pretty obvious he still had an itch, but this time he sounded pretty tired.

It's sad to see such a great career fizzle out, but the Jets are better off. The cap relief was a must and now they can move forward. Look for them to sign a veteran such as Jeff Garcia or Byron Leftwich to pair with Kellen Clemens this season. Sounds Rex will have to bring it on defense to me.

Selig Should Be Ashamed

2009-02-13T20:15:00.002-05:00

How is Bud Selig saying things like this:

"While Alex deserves credit for publicly confronting the issue, there is no valid excuse for using such substances, and those who use them have shamed the game."

How Selig can say this with a straight face? He's done nothing while this whole travesty occurred. He let Barry Bonds who was obviously juicing break the sports most hallowed record. Is Selig pretending like he didn't know about this? Bud Selig shamed the game by letting the Players Union and greed destroy the history of the sport. I can't say for sure that he knew players were juicing, but he certainly should've been able to figure it out considering how many players have now been caught.

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3902907

A-Rod Interview

2009-02-10T21:02:00.007-05:00

Alex Rodriguez's message was clearly, I did it, I'm sorry, and I'm a great player without it. I'm not sure if I'm being naive, but I believe him when he says he only used it from 2001-2003. But whether Alex likes it or not, you can't be the greatest of all-time if you are a cheater.

This has become a familiar tune:

1. Everyone was doing it and you needed to do it to keep up
2. I did it to help my team
3. I'm sorry to the fans

This is all old hat by now. But what I took from this interview that really struck me is what A-Rod didn't say. He almost said it. He almost said that baseball knew this was going on. That Selig, the owners, the players, the teams all knew it was going on. That's the even bigger story here. Selig's head has to roll. He can't take on the players or the players union because he was an accomplice. We need a new commissioner who can try to turn the page.

Here's the bulk of his interview. Wait for the long pause towards the beginning where you can see he wants to blame baseball. He wants to blame baseball for letting this happen. I think he wanted to say that he knows he is the most talented player in baseball. He was scared that players worse than him would be better than him if they took steroids and he didn't. Alex can't live with not being recognized as being the best so he did it. That's what he wants to say.

http://video.aol.com/video-detail/sc-exclusive-alex-rodriguez-interview/303336011

I believe Alex is a great player with or without steroids. I don't group him with Bonds who's career might have been over several years earlier if he didn't use steroids and he continued to use steroids even after everyone knew. But the fact remains, a cheat is a cheat is a cheat. I can't ever look at him the same.

This is pretty comical....

A-Rod? More like A-Roid

2009-02-08T02:47:00.003-05:00

I don't know why I'm surprised but it's out that A-Rod used steroids in 2003 and probably before then and after. Jose Canseco has been proven right once again. He said A-Rod used steroids and here is the news. Why doesn't anyone believe him? I know he's a joke and the most legitimate thing he's done since leaving baseball is star on VH1's the surreal life, but he's been 100% dead on about everything he has said. Everyone he has called out has been guilty. We all thought he was exaggerating when he said 80% of the players use steroids, but I'd bet that number is dead on.

This really sucks for a lot of reasons. Most notably because the best player in the sport is a fraud. Part of the reason we could ignore Bonds breaking the home run record is because we knew A-Rod would break it. But now what's the difference?

The great thing about baseball is history. Who hasn't heard stories about Mickey Mantle, Joe DiMaggio, Willie Mays, etc. Forty years from now who are we going to tell stories about? Even those not explicitly implicated we'll always have to doubt how great they truly were. And those who we know didn't use steroids will not have the MVPs, batting titles, home runs titles, etc. that they deserve and signify greatness. The biggest crime of all this is the destruction of baseball history. The Black Sox, Pete Rose, whatever else you can think of pale in comparison to the magnitude of this cheating. It will no doubt destroy the game for many fans and lead everyone to question the integrity of our so called heroes. I love baseball too much to turn my back on the sport, but they certainly do make you want to abandon it.

Isn't it time we impeach Bud Selig? The guy is a complete joke. I understand no one is jumping at the job, but anyone would be better. His incompetence is only rivaled by his negligence. He's destroying our nation's pastime with each day he is in office. The Players Union ought to be ashamed of themselves as well. They knew this was going on and did nothing. What a disgrace. Lucky for them we expect so little from them this is hardly a surprise.

As for the Yankees, what can you do? Recognizing that everyone uses steroids, you can't punish the guy. Just tell him not to do it again. Unfortunately for us fans, the last 15 years of baseball are basically meaningless. Everyone we thought was great we should erase from our memory. We'll have to wait until the next generation of players to rebuild the sport.

Kobe drops 61 on the Knicks; Lebron Next?

2009-02-04T18:36:00.005-05:00

I was at MSG the other night to see Kobe dominate the Knicks and break the record for points scored in a game at MSG. Bernard King's record of 60 points was broken in convincing fashion by Bryant, who at times looked like he wasn't even trying. It was clear from the start he wanted the record. On a side note, I was pretty disappointed with the home crowd as Kobe got a lot of cheers. Luckily some fans like myself still booed him.

More importantly, I sat in by far the best seats of my life, 2 rows behind the announcers. I shook hands with Walt "Clyde" Frazier, who seems like a very good guy. He shook everyone's hand, signed autographs, whatever people wanted.

Can Lebron top 61 tonight? I wouldn't bet against him, but unfortunately I won't be there to see it.

Here are some other pictures from the night:

The man of the hour....

Jay-Z amongst the blur...

Bobby Bacala and Clyde...

I have some more of better quality that I haven't gotten a chance to upload, so more to come.

Super Bowl Preview

2009-01-29T22:49:00.003-05:00

The prediction powers of Subway Sports have been pretty average this postseason. Against the spread we're batting .500 with a 5-5 record. So the difference between making money and just paying the house comes down to the Super Bowl.

Pittsburgh Steelers (-7) vs. Arizona Cardinals

Super Bowl XLIII is only half what the experts expected. Everyone knew Pittsburgh would maintain their status as a perennial contender, but Arizona is new to this stage.

What are some of the storylines?

Mike Tomlin vs. Ken Whisenhunt: These two hard nosed coaches are looking to build their own legacy. Tomlin is a promising young coach who has shown that no stage is too big for him. From the looks of things the Steelers have found a coach for the next decade. You have to hand it to the Rooney family, they run a great organization. Whisenhunt was passed up for the Steelers head coaching job, but apparently it was a win-win decision for the Steelers. Whisenhunt may have a bit of a chip on his shoulder and comes into this game with something to prove. Whisenhunt will have to provide an X's and O's advantage if the Cardinals are to win this game. The Steelers defense is too good and Tomlin preaches execution too well for the Cardinals to simply outplay them. Whisenhunt has to have a strategic advantage or they won't win, and unfortunately for him I think the Steelers will be prepared for the "throw it to Larry Fitzgerald" gameplan.

Which QB wins 2 Super Bowls? Some say that Kurt Warner has already solidified himself as a Hall of Famer, but I don't see it yet. He's had a very up and down career. At his peak he's been dominant, but not for long enough. However, 2 Super Bowl wins with two different teams is pretty impressive. Super Bowl wins with the Rams and Cardinals? That's unbelievable. For Ben Roethlisberger he has a chance to build a reputation as one of the greatest winners of all time. He'll be turning 27 this March and may have 2 Super Bowl victories under his belt. That gives him a great chance to win 4 or 5 which would make him the winningest QB of all time.

Larry Fitzgerald & Anquon Boldin: There's a lot of pressure on this guy to deliver. He's on everyone's radar now as the new Randy Moss with a good attitude. Now he plays the league's best defense on the grandest stage. A big performance could immortalize him, a bad one and people will be wondering what happened. Anquon Boldin is making his reputation as the new Terrell Owens. He's doing himself a disservice because he plays hard for his team. Let's see how he responds because the Cardinals need him to take attention away from Fitzgerald.

These three storylines will probably decide this game. The Cardinals have had some success running the ball the last 3 games against NFC opponents. This has given their offense the necessary balance to make it this far. I can almost guarentee that they will not have success this week. The Steelers run defense is elite and will only require 7 men to shut down the run. Thus, either Warner, Boldin, and Fitzgerald need to make magic or Whisenhunt needs to out-strategize the Steelers defense. I have to think the Steelers will do everything they can to take away the former, so it's up to Whisenhunt. Luckily for the Cardinals, he knows the Steelers as well as anyone. Unluckily for the Cardinals, the Steelers know him.

It's easy to pick against Arizona, but scary at the same time. They've proven us wrong many times and beat Philly and Carolina, both of which were supposed to be physical tehe'll make up teams with good defenses. The difference here is that Roethlisberger won't give this game away. I don't see him having a huge game, but he won't play nearly as badly as he did in his last Super Bowl appearence. With the Steelers taking care of the ball, expect them to wear down the Cardinals and eventually pull away.

Steelers 30, Cardinals 13

Slow Day for NY Teams

2009-01-28T21:08:00.003-05:00

Now that the Jets have announced their new coach, Torre has denounced the Yankees, the Giants are out, the Mets still haven't signed Oliver Perez, and the Knicks are still the Knicks, NY Sports have slowed down. So, I post this for your entertainment. The best part is that they couldn't even get the actual Fireman Ed to do the commercial. Surprisingly, he must of known the Jets were being mocked.

Super Bowl preview tomorrow.

More on Joe Torre

2009-01-28T20:58:00.004-05:00

Great article by Buster Olney of ESPN on the Torre book. The more I think about this, the more ridiculous it is. Way out of character.

Buster Olney Article

Why Joe? Why now?

2009-01-27T20:05:00.001-05:00

I'm holding my tongue on Joe Torre's book because it's still unclear what he has really said and what he hasn't.

No matter what though, it's clear that he has made negative comments about his players and the Yankees. Why tarnish those years? The answer is money.

If these comments are true Torre really should be ashamed. He showed himself to be above it all during his time with the Yankees and is an all-time favorite of Yankee fans for his success, but also his class. I for one am pretty disappointed.

Andy Pettitte is Back

2009-01-26T18:14:00.002-05:00

The Yankees agreed with Andy Pettitte on a 1 yr deal which guarantees him $5.5 million with a chance to make $12 million. This is a huge success for the Yankees who had offered him $10 million guaranteed, which he turned down. I'm sure he's regretting that now.

You have to love the Yankees rotation of:

CC Sabathia
Chien-Ming Wang
AJ Burnett
Joba Chamberlain
Andy Pettitte

I'm still in favor of putting Hughes in the rotation and Joba in the pen. The rotation will still be excellent and they would have the best bullpen in the majors. The plus side of keeping Hughes in AAA is that if Pettitte or Burnett get hurt, they have a possible replacement.

More importantly, I'm glad Andy is back with the Yankees where he belongs.

Herm Edwards fired

2009-01-23T22:30:00.002-05:00

Anyone who has watched the Jets knows that Herm is a nice guy, but not a good coach. So, I was not surprised to see him get fired by the Chiefs today. Scott Pioli knows better and is looking to hire Mike Shanahan. Talk about an upgrade.

I stumbled across this and thought it was pretty funny. A lot of NY coaches made the cut, but Herm gets a lot of time at the beginning. Does anyone know what he's talking about when he brings up the reporter's wife's dessert?

Rex Introduced

2009-01-21T23:27:00.000-05:00

Rex Ryan was announced as Jets coach today at a press conference. I'm skeptical of this hire, but he was pretty convincing. They will play upbeat and physical according to Ryan. I love smash mouth football so if he can deliver God bless him. Only the future will tell.

I saw a rumor that the Jets were going to pursue Ray Lewis now that they have hired Rex Ryan. This certainly will not happen.

The Jets need the following this off-season:

Quarterback: If Brett comes back they have no choice, he's their starter. If not there aren't many great options out there. Jeff Garcia is probably the best available.

Reciever: They need a big play reciever. Coles and Cotchery are good, but they are both possession type players. Boldin is available, but it's not worth spending that much on a reciever. I like trying to draft Jeremy Maclin, but I think he'll be gone. TJ Housmanzadeh, Antonio Bryant, and Lance Moore are probably the three best free agents. None are great choices because TJ may be franchised and will cost a lot of money, Bryant is a nightmare in the locker room, and Moore is a restricted free agent so it will cost the Jets draft picks.

Cornerback: Most people believe they need one. I don't believe so because I think Lowery can do the job.

Luckily for the Jets they don't have many holes. But QB is a big one.

Danilo Gallinari Doesn't Like That's Amore

2009-01-20T20:35:00.004-05:00

On Monday the Knicks were playing "That's Amore" and "Volare" after each time Danilo Gallinari scored. Also, they went over the top with a very ethnic pronunciation of Daneeeeelo Galllllinari....

Apparently it didn't sit with with Danilo. I think it's pretty funny.

Jets Hire Rex Ryan

2009-01-19T11:18:00.003-05:00

The Jets and Rex Ryan have agreed on a 4-year deal shortly after the Ravens' loss in the AFC Championship Game. I've been outspoken about my displeasure with the Mangini firing, especially if the Jets were going to hire some other unproven assistant coach. Rex Ryan is a fine coach, but I have major problems with the Jets for the following reasons.

1. Apparently the finalists for the position were Rex Ryan and Brian Schottenheimer. Brian Schottenheimer? Are you serious? Marty must have a large stake in Johnson and Johnson that Woody is worried about him selling. Didn't the Jets fire Mangini because he only managed 3 point against the Seahawks? Didn't the Jets fire Mangini because the team, including the offense, collapsed during the stretch? Didn't the Jets fire Mangini because he couldn't control Favre? AND YET Brian Schottenheimer almost gets the head coaching job? Are you SERIOUS?

2. Rex Ryan has zero head coaching experience. I'm not sure he's ever been the head coach of a high school team. He has two sons, I have to assume he's coached them, but it's unclear if he was head coach in any of those situations.

3. Rex Ryan was almost let go with Brian Billick last year. He interviewed for jobs with the Dolphins and Falcons and got neither.

4. Sure the Ravens defense is great. But do you think its because of Rex Ryan? He has two coaches on the field at the most important positions in Ray Lewis and Ed Reed. Now, the Jets have pretty good players in David Harris and Kerry Rhodes at those positions, but I'm not going to embarrass David and Kerry by comparing them.

5. How good has former Ravens DC Marvin Lewis been with the Bengals. Not very.

Now, I'm sure Rex Ryan can coach. He may even be good for all I know. But there are a lot of question marks that make it a bad decision to fire Mangini. Does anyone believe Ryan has a greater chance of being successful? I don't see what would lead anyone to believe that. Also, had they kept Mangini for one more year and it still didn't work out, they'd have access to the free agent coaching class of 2010, which includes Mike Shanahan, Bill Cowher, and Mike Holmgren. Instead, they replace their coach with yet another question mark.

Brian Schottenheimer? REALLY?

Pittsburgh Steelers vs......the Arizona Cardinals?

2009-01-19T11:05:00.003-05:00

The NFL never ceases to amaze me. The Cardinals are the first 9-7 team to make the Super Bowl. Parity is king and we see yet another example of that this year.

The Arizona Cardinals are going to the Super Bowl for the first time in their franchise history, but they certainly didn't make it easy. At halftime, the Cardinals were up 24-6 and things looked very good for them to coast into the big game. However, the Eagles battled back and actually took a 25-24 lead in the 4th quarter. At this point, I was certainly thinking, "same old Cardinals."

Then Kurt Warner, with a lot of help from Tim Hightower, orchestrated a drive to put them up 32-25 and Donovan McNabb could not match. The Eagles 1-4 record in NFC Championship games speaks for itself, but consider they were favored in most of them and it will make Philly fans sick. I'm still not sold on this Cardinals team, but they continue to prove me wrong.

As for Pittsburgh, they did exactly what I thought they would. The miracle run for Joe Flacco ended aburptly as the Ravens offense could get nothing going. The Steeler defense made a statement loud and clear: We're the best defense in the NFL and it's not even close.

Big winner this weekend? Bill Cowher. Two of his assistants will be facing off in the Super Bowl. I'm sure we'll hear a lot about this story next week. More to come on the Super Bowl...

Larry Fitzgerald

2009-01-18T16:16:00.001-05:00

Welcome to being a superstar. The guy was always good, but now everyone knows. He's basically made the 2009 playoffs his coming out party.

Belichick Mocked on Jeopardy

2009-01-17T14:20:00.001-05:00

Thought this was pretty funny...

Jon Gruden Fired; Jets Interested?

2009-01-16T18:35:00.003-05:00

I've contended all along the Jets should not have fired Mangini, but now they may be able to land an established coach. Jon Gruden just got fired by Tampa Bay. To me it's a very realistic possibility the Jets could get him and it would appease Favre (if that's their goal). I knew they weren't getting Cowher or Shanahan, but I'd stay tuned on this one.

NFL Conference Championship Games Preview

2009-01-16T17:53:00.002-05:00

The Divisional Playoff Round was rough for Subway Sports. Our predictions fell flat on their face and we finished 1-3 against the spread. That brings us to a disappointing, but not horrible, 4-4 for the playoffs with three games to go.

Philadelphia Eagles (-3.5) at Arizona Cardinals

This might easily be the least predictable NFC Championship match-up in the history of the NFL. So it's fitting the #6 seed in the conference is favored. The Eagles have been on a roll capped by their dismantling of the defending champs last week. Also, the Eagles beat the Cardinals 48-20 on Thanksgiving Evening. At the same time, the Cardinals have completely turned their season around and dominated the Panthers. I want to take the Cardinals because their running game has picked it up and their defense has played well. But remember, Jake Delhomme gift-wrapped that game for the Cardinals. The Cardinals' fans will be loud and the team will be ready to play but I don't see the Eagles getting phased. I'm confident that the Eagles won't give the game away and they won't let the Cardinals run the ball. So, can Warner, Fitzgerald, and Boldin make enough plays to steal this one? My view is that they can't.

Eagles 27 - Cardinals 20

Baltimore Ravens (-6) at Pittsburgh Steelers

This is going to be a brawl. Once again two physical teams are squaring off in a grudge match. Expect the Ravens to be up to their usual antics. They are going to fly to the ball and their defense will make plays. However, the Titans were able to move the ball against them last week and turnovers saved the Ravens from giving up points. If the Steelers take care of the ball, they will win this game. The Ravens need 10 points minimum to be set up by the defense to have a chance. I don't see it happening. With Willie Parker back in the fold and the momentum of a 35 point performance, I confident the Steelers will pull this one out.

Steelers 22 - Ravens 10

Derek Lowe to the Braves

2009-01-14T21:04:00.003-05:00

The Mets lost out on the Derek Lowe sweepstakes when the Braves swooped in and signed him. The Braves and Lowe agreed to a 4-year deal worth $60 million while the Mets best offer was 3 years, $36 million.

The Mets have obviously had a change of heart from how they used to do business. They gave Glavine and Pedro multi-year deals when no one else would due to their age. If they had offered Lowe a fourth year earlier they might have gotten him. They are going through the same thing with Oliver Perez right now.

The reality is, the Mets could contend with the team they have right now. A starting pitcher or two and a bat for the middle of the order can put them over the top. Considering they are moving into a new stadium and the Yankees have been on an epic spending spree, I'm surprised they didn't pony up for Lowe.

On a side note, why isn't anyone signing Ben Sheets? I know he has a history of injuries and is now 30, but AJ Burnett has had injuries and isn't getting younger either. For my money, I'd rather have Sheets. His cost must be dropping so I think the Mets and Yankees (although especially the Mets) should go after this guy. If he can stay healthy, he's a number 1 starter.

Rangers top Islanders

2009-01-14T19:19:00.003-05:00

The Islanders' season is in free fall mode right now. They currently boast the worst record in the NHL and things don't look like they are getting any better.

The Rangers were able to come back a defeat the Isle's 2-1 behind 33 saves by Goalie Henrik Lundqvist. After a hot start the Rangers have been playing mediocre. If they are going to turn it around and hold on to their division lead, they are going to need this level of play from their goalie.

Eddy Curry Accused of Sexual Harassment...by a man?

2009-01-13T19:07:00.004-05:00

Eddy Curry's driver is suing him for sexual harassment claiming that Curry exposed himself to him and referred to him by using derogatory racial slurs. Some of Curry's teammates have come out in his defense. For example, Malik Rose said,

"I know for a fact Eddy’s not gay."

I never though I'd see this story. Another Isiah addition finding himself in trouble. I hope this doesn't damage his trade value, but how could it not?

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/basketball/nba/01/13/curry.ap/index.html

Giants and Jets are out. Now what?

2009-01-12T19:30:00.004-05:00

Now that the Jets and the Giants are done for the season, most NY football fans think they are probably too disgusted to watch the rest of the games. But if they are like me, despite the pain, they will find a way to watch the conference championship games and will pick a team to support.

So I'm going to make a case as to why NY fans should support each team.

Pittsburgh Steelers: The Steelers are a classic team and for some fans it is strange to see a team like the Cardinals win the Super Bowl. For traditionalists, the Steelers are the pick. Also, head coach Mike Tomlin is pretty likeable. At age 36 he can win his first Super Bowl in what looks like it will be a pretty successful career. Finally, James Harrison is one of the best stories in the NFL. Harrison is the first Defense Player of the Year to have gone undrafted. Harrison was not only undrafted, but he was cut four times earlier in his career. It's easy to root for someone with that much determination, so the Steelers could be your team.

Baltimore Ravens: The Ravens are the villains of the NFL Playoffs. Am I the only one who feels like the Ravens are like a bad guy from the WWF? So if you like that sort of thing, then you'll be rooting for the Ravens. Also, who is more exciting to watch then Ed Reed? The answer is no one. If you don't believe me, watch his record setting pick six.

Arizona Cardinals: Everyone loves an underdog. No one thought the Cardinals would get this far and now they are one home win away from the Super Bowl. They are fun to watch. They have a wide open offense and Warner fits their system perfectly. They have Larry Fitzgerald and he does things like this.

Philadelphia Eagles: If you are a New York fan there is no way you can root for the Eagles. For Giants fans this is obvious. But even for Jets fans they should not be your team. They've already won the World Series and they are a rival city to NY. Pick one of the other three.

Hall of Famers Announced

2009-01-12T19:13:00.006-05:00

Today the MLB Hall of Fame announced that Rickey Henderson and Jim Rice will be the class of 2009.

I believe the hall should be only for the truly elite players and Rickey clearly makes the list, which is why I was glad to see he was a first ballot inductee.

Clearly, Rickey is the best lead off hitter of all time. He holds the career record for must runs scored (2295) and most stolen bases (1406). To give you an idea of the type of seasons he used to put up, in 1990 he won the AL MVP with the following stats: .325 Avg, .439 OBP, 119 R, 28 HR, 61 RBI, 65 SB.

Rickey played for many teams over 25 seasons including the Yankees and Mets. He played 4 full seasons for the Yankees from 1985 to 1988 and scored an average of 118 runs a year, making the all-star team in all 4 seasons.

Later in his career Rickey played for the Mets and helped them make a playoff run in 1999. He'll most be remembered for his time with the Oakland A's and will certainly be inducted wearing an A's hat.

Congrats to an all-time great.

Giants lose 23-11

2009-01-11T16:46:00.001-05:00

The Eagles defense was able to stifle the Giants offense when it mattered most and they were able to keep the Giants out of the end zone all day. That combined with 2 missed field goals created a frustrating day for the Giants offensively. The Eagles were able to do enough on offense to pull this one out, although they were helped immensely by an Asante Samuel interception that he returned inside the Giants five yard line. The result was a 23-11 victory for the Eagles, setting up an unpredictable NFC Championship Game between the Cardinals and the Eagles.

It will take some time to get perspective on the season, but a few things are apparent for the Giants going forward.

1. They need a play maker at receiver. I'm not saying it should be Plaxico Burress, but they have to replace his production on the field.
2. Justin Tuck had a good game despite being banged up, but having Osi Umenyiora back should make a big difference. Tuck was being doubled a lot and with Osi back in the fold that can't happen.
3. The Giants have a tough decision on Brandon Jacobs and Derrick Ward. Both had good years, but Jacobs was the primary guy. However, giving running backs big contracts almost never works out and considering his history of injuries and running style, the Giants are in a tough spot.

More to come, but today was certainly a tough day for Giants fans.

Upset Saturday in the NFL

2009-01-11T10:36:00.005-05:00

I barely consider the Ravens victory an upset because I fully expected them to win. However, they really should've lost. They forced three turnovers when the Titans were driving deep into their territory and the Titans missed a field goal. I'm not taking any credit away from the Ravens, but they didn't play as well as I thought they would.

The real Cinderella story is the Arizona Cardinals. I thought for sure that the Panthers would handle them, but the Cardinals dominated Carolina on their home turf. This game was over by halftime. The final was 33-13, and it was 27-7 at halftime. I find myself liking the Cardinals because they are so fun to watch. Their style of offense makes for an entertaining game. We'll see how far they can take it, but to me they are the underdog team of 2009 and the Super Bowl is now in reach.

As for the Giants game the weather report is for it to be very cold, but no precipitation. That's a good thing because at a Giants-Eagles game you know snowballs would be a problem. Then again that would be fun to watch.

As said in an earlier post, I like the Giants 21-16. I think it will be close, but I could see the Giants running away with this one as well. The Eagles have looked good the last two weeks, but remember the Cowboys played awful and the Vikings don't have a quarterback. Also, the Eagles lost 10-3 to the Redskins in a must win for Philly the week before, so they aren't that good.

Enjoy the games.

Giants and Jets make the All Pro Teams

2009-01-10T15:16:00.004-05:00

A number of Giants and Jets have been voted All Pros by the AP. Congrats to all, but especially two of Subway Sports' favorites, Justin Tuck and Leon Washington.

Giants:

Chris Snee - Offensive Guard, 1st Team
Justin Tuck - Defensive End, 1st Team
Madison Hedgecock - Fullback, 2nd Team
David Diehl - Offensive Tackle, 2nd Team
Shaun O'Hara - Center, 2nd Team
John Carney - Kicker, 2nd Team

Jets:

Leon Washington - Kick Returner, 1st Team
Alan Faneca - Offensive Guard, 2nd Team
Kris Jenkins - Defensive Tackle, 2nd Team

Former Yankees on the Move

2009-01-10T09:35:00.006-05:00

This week a few ex-Yankees found new homes. Most notably Jason Giambi went back to Oakland and Carl "I steal money" Pavano signed a one year deal with Cleveland.

It's sad to see Giambi go, but it had to happen. He's not getting any younger and he didn't produce the way the Yankees had hoped when they signed him. In seven seasons with the Yankees, Giambi's average season was .260 AVG, 30 HR, and 86 RBI which is a far cry from the .342 AVG, 38 HR, 120 RBI he hit the year before the Yankees signed him. Add to that no World Series titles and the steroids scandal and it was pretty disappointing. But overall the guy gave the Yankees decent production and plenty of funny stories including his lucky golden thong and this year's moustahce.

I think most Yankee fans certainly wish him well in Oakland. But not too well, because adding Giambi and Matt Holliday to Oakland's roster could make them dangerous. I wouldn't sleep on the A's, especially with K-Rod and Teixeira leaving LA.

While most fans will miss Giambi, they certainly won't miss Carl Pavano. This guy is a complete bum and what's worse is now he's whining about it.

"When you're down, you expect your organization to pick you up, not kick you when you're down. I've had to pick myself up quite a few times the last four years."

Carl, how exactly did you pick yourself up? You barely even pitched until right before you contract was up. I don't know how hurt the guy was or if he could've pitched. But it's quotes like this that make you think the guy had no heart. Carl do you really not get it? You got paid $40+ million to do absolutely nothing. The team desperately needed you at times and you couldn't even get on the field. How do you expect to be treated?

I am worried that AJ Burnett could be Carl Pavano 2. Here's hoping that doesn't happen.

Giants vs. Eagles Preview

2009-01-09T18:00:00.004-05:00

For those of you who used to play Tecmo Bowl for Nintendo you might find this interesting. Watch the 2009 Giants play the 2009 Eagles.

First Half:

Second Half:

Just like everyone else, Tecmo is predicting a tight game.

Playoff Preview: Divisional Round

2009-01-08T18:02:00.010-05:00

Last week, Subway Sports went 3-1 against the spread. This week we go for perfection.

Baltimore Ravens (+3) at Tennessee Titans

Is there a more exciting defensive player than Ed Reed? He's as big a threat as anyone to score on Saturday. In a battle of two physical, defense teams, the question is which defense will be able to set up their offense for easy points. Earlier in the season when these teams met, the Titans won 13-10. It was Flacco's 4th game and he threw two interceptions. I think he'll do a better job taking care of the ball and the Ravens defense will find a way to put up points. The Ravens are a sexy pick right now, which makes me nervous, but I like them to win this one. Take the Ravens with the points and check out Ed's return skills.

Ravens 23 - Titans 10

Arizona Cardinals (+9.5) at Carolina Panthers

The Cardinals were 3-5 on the road this year, while the Panthers went 8-0 at home. The Panthers barely got into this bye position on a last second field goal by John Kasay, but I think the week off will probably do them well. In games like this you have to pick the more physical team. It's hard to give 9.5 points when the Cardinals can score as well as they do, but the Cardinals proved down the stretch that they are soft, so I expect the Panthers to win this one easily.

Panthers 34 - Cardinals 20

San Diego Chargers (+5.5) at Pittsburgh Steelers

Earlier in the season the Steelers beat the Chargers 11-10, although they should've won by more. A controversial call on a Troy Polamalu fumble return caused the Steelers not to cover and angered many sportsbetters. With LaDainian Tomlinson hurt again this week, the question is can the Chargers put enough points on the board to beat the Steelers. The Steelers offense is dreadful and the Charges have been hot, but I don't think there will be very much scoring. I like the Steelers in a close one, but I think the Chargers will cover. Check out Polamalu's play. There's no way that was a forward pass, but even if it was the refs got the rule wrong. Either way people who bet on the Steelers were robbed.

Steelers 14 - Chargers 13

Philadelphia Eagles (+4) at New York Giants

The Eagles and Giants have played two tight games this year with the Giants winning one 36-31 and the Eagles winning the other 20-14. The difference in these games was the Giants ability to run the ball. In their win the Giants ran for 219 yards headlined by Jacobs gaining 126 yards at about 6 yard per carry. In the Giants only home loss of the season, the Eagles limited the Giants to only 88 yards. The week of rest should do the Giants well as it helps Jacobs get healthy. I think this will be a tight one because the Eagles are playing so well, but the Giants defense and running game should carry them through to the next round. The Giants will be ready to play and if you don't believe me, listen to Justin:

"You know what, I think people make football more complicated than it necessarily needs to be. You got a helmet, a jersey, some cleats, and some pads and you go out and beat the guy in front of you. If you need a speech to go do that, then you shouldn't be here."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j1qsTipf228

Weather may be a factor here, so I don't think they'll be too much scoring.

Giants 21 - Eagles 16

Knicks Lose to Thunder

2009-01-07T21:27:00.005-05:00

After beating the Celtics, the Knicks turn around and lose to the worst team in the NBA. The worst part is that no one is surprised.

There's always 2010....

BCS Championship Preview

2009-01-07T19:07:00.003-05:00

#1 vs. # 2. Last year's Heisman vs. this year's Heisman. Bob Stoops vs. Urban Meyer.

There are a lot of great match-ups in this game, but the last two BCS Championship Games have been blowouts. Florida and LSU beat up on Ohio State and placed the SEC on a pedestal as the premiere conference in college football. Will Oklahoma suffer a similar fate?

We've all read about Oklahoma's prolific offense which scored 60+ points in its last 6 games. They haven't played a defense as good as Florida's, but they are going to score points. The key to this game is whether or not Oklahoma will be able to prevent Florida's offense and special teams units from making big plays.

The Sooner front four on defense is very solid, lead by projected top-10 pick DT Gerald McCoy. However, their back seven lacks speed and may be susceptible to big plays. Brandon James' return ability is a huge factor as well.

The last two games were decided by the fact that the SEC defenses boasted a clear speed advantage to the Ohio State offense. Ohio State couldn't score and Florida and LSU blew them out as a result. This year, it's Florida's speed on offense and Tebow's ability to make plays that will likely decide this game, but I don't see Heisman winner Sam Bradford going down without a fight.

Florida 42 - Oklahoma 34

Mangini Hired; Jagodzinski Fired

2009-01-07T18:58:00.005-05:00

It didn't take long for Eric Mangini to land on his feet. The Cleveland Browns have reportedly signed Eric Mangini to a four year deal bringing him back to where he started his NFL career as a ball boy in 1994. Now Mangini is far from a ball boy as he will be tasked with turning the Browns around.

As the Jets scramble to figure out who will be their next coach, the speed at which Mangini was hired should give them pause. As I've said from the start, firing him was an awful decision.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=3817088

As reported last week, Jeff Jagodzinski was putting his job at risk by interviewing with the Jets this week. BC athletic director Gene DeFilippo gave Jagodzinski an ultimatum that if he interviewed with the Jets he would be fired and the AD followed through.

The Jets have the rare distinction of being responsible for the firing of two head coaches in one offseason.

David Lee Will Be Traded Soon

2009-01-06T20:23:00.004-05:00

I think every Knicks fan has come to love David Lee. On a team that never hustled, he hustled. On a team that under-achieved, he over-achieved. On a team that didn't care, he cared. Who wouldn't like a player that has shown the heart and dedication that Lee has?

D'Antoni has come out a praised Lee for his effort and I think he genuinely likes him as a player. The bad news is that Lee is a restricted free agent this summer and will likely fetch a deal worth $7-10 million a year.

Of course the Knicks will not be able to pay this because they'll need that space in 2010. So, Lee is going to be gone sooner than later. With the trade deadline looming on February 19th, you have already started to hear rumors about Lee being traded. The latest rumor has him in a package going to Portland for some combination of Travis Outlaw, Channing Frye, Jerryd Bayless, and/or Rudy Fernandez. Eddy Curry has been mentioned as part of this deal as well.

Knicks fans understood the Crawford and Randolph trades because of the need to clear cap room. The "understanding" of Knicks fans will be tested with the trade of their favorite player. Donnie Walsh knows this, so expect the Knicks either to get something good for Lee (like Rudy Fernandez) or force the team that gets Lee to take Curry (clearing more room for 2010).

The bottom line is that Lee is a virtual lock to be traded.

Yankees Introduce Teixeira, Say Goodbye to Pettitte?

2009-01-06T18:59:00.013-05:00

Today the Yankees introduced Mark Teixeira, and he recounted a conversation he had with his wife about how he decided on the Yankees:

"I'd been asking her for weeks and weeks, Where do you want to go? Where do you want me to play?" he related. "And she said, 'I want you to be happy. I just want you to be happy.' And finally, she said, 'I want you to be a Yankee.' So that's when it was done. And once we got the contract figured out, it was a no-brainer.

Teixeira, who's childhood favorite player was Don Mattingly, seemed genuinely excited to be part of the Yankee franchise and be the first 1st baseman to play at the new Yankee Stadium. It cost the Yankees a lot of money, but Teixeira can hit for both power and average and is an excellent fielder. The Yankees offense was very disappointing last year, I don't expect that this year.

Check out the press conference below if you missed it. The message from management is pretty clear: they want to win every single year and will do whatever it takes.

At the same time there was some sad news in Yankeeland, Andy Pettitte declined the Yankees' 1-year $10 million offer. I was sad to see this happen considering all Andy has meant to the Yankees, but you can't blame the Yankees because Pettitte didn't pitch that well last year (14-14 W-L, 4.54 ERA, 158 Ks) and faded down the stretch. Considering Pettitte is typically much better in the second half of the season, this was a very bad sign. I think the Yankees will be looking for additional starting pitching and my guess is it will start with Ben Sheets. His injuries are scary, but when healthy he is an elite pitcher. The market is pretty quiet, so I don't think the Yankees will have to overpay.

Knicks beat Celtics

2009-01-05T19:21:00.011-05:00

The Knicks finally scored a win against the Celtics for the first time at MSG since 2005. Wilson Chandler scored 31 and Al Harrington added 30 of his own in a 100-88 win.

The victory doesn't mean much for this season because the Knicks are struggling pretty badly and even a win over the Celtics won't change that. However, it is refreshing to see the Knicks finally beat the Big 3 after many lop-sided losses and trash talking.

Wilson Chandler is showing that Isiah didn't do everything wrong (I know, he did close to everything wrong). This guy can play and will be one of the few players on the team in 2010 (his contract isn't very big and goes through the 2010 season). It's especially exciting because he would complement any one of the big free agents in 2010.

Also worth noting is how good Al Harrington has been since being acquired. I really like Jamal Crawford and only liked the trade because it cleared cap space. However, Harrington has been a man on a mission averaging 23 points and 7 rebounds since joining the Knicks.

Jets Candidate to be Fired?

2009-01-05T19:10:00.003-05:00

This is a pretty bizarre story. The Jets are going to interview Boston College coach Jeff Jagodzinski who once worked closely with Brett Favre in Green Bay. What's strange is that Boston College has come out and said that if he interviews, he will be fired. Apparently Jagodzinski is going to interview anyway, which could set off the following chain of events:

1. Jagodzinski gets fired and BC pays Jagodzinski for 3 years
2. Jets decide that after firing Mangini they need to make a bigger splash and pass on Jagodzinski
3. Boston College, Jagodzinski, and the Jets wish this never happened

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=3811657

The other possibility is that the Jets management is so enamored with Favre that they have prematurely fired their coach, alienated their best players, and now are trying to hire a coach they think can pursuade Favre to stay.

Note to Woody Johnson: 22 interceptions.

Giants get Eagles

2009-01-04T22:21:00.006-05:00

Since they re-seed in the NFL playoffs the Giants will be getting the Eagles next week. The Eagles beat the Vikings 26-14 and have played the Giants tough twice this season splitting the season series with a 36-31 loss and a 20-14 win. Luckily for the Giants, the Eagles showed some weaknesses that play to the Giants' strengths. The Eagles gave up 148 yards and 2 TDs on the ground, so the Giants should be able to run the ball. Also, Jared Allen had two sacks, which means you should expect results from this man...

I expect this game to be close, but will give my predictions later in the week.

Speaking of predictions, SubwaySports went 3-1 this week against the spread. Not amazing, but I'll take it.

Patriots to franchise Cassel?

2009-01-04T13:54:00.005-05:00

ESPN is reporting that the Patriots are going to franchise Matt Cassel this off-season. To me this move makes a lot of sense considering the Pats won't know if Tom Brady will be 100% next year. Letting Cassel leave as a free agent would be pretty costly, so this gives them time to monitor Brady's health and possibly trade Cassel later in the off-season or keep Cassel as an insurance policy.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=3809444

What's unclear is whether they will designate him with an "exclusive" or "non-exclusive" franchise tag. Exclusive franchise players have to be paid at least that average of the top 5 at his position based on salaries for the coming season or 120% of his salary, whichever is greater. Non-exclusive franchise players have to be paid at least that average of the top 5 at his position based on the previous seasons salaries or 120% of his salary, whichever is greater. Also, non-exclusive franchise players can negotiate with other teams, but the team that tags him has the right to match and if they don't match they get two first round picks.

So for Cassel he would get paid the average of the top 5 quarterback salaries, which comes out to about $14 million in addition to the $15 million that Brady is going to get paid. It will be interesting to see how this changes the Pats ability to pursue free agents. I wouldn't be surprised to see them use the non-exclusive tag figuring if they can get 2 first round picks it would be worth it.

For the Jets, if this happens it take another QB alternative off the market. There aren't many great options at QB who are free agents:

Kurt Warner
Jeff Garcia
Rex Grossman
JP Losman
Kyle Boller
Kerry Collins

Warner and Collins are probably going back to Arizona and Tennessee, respectively. Other than that, Garcia is the only one I'd have any interest in if I'm the Jets. They also could trade for Derek Anderson, but that's pretty risky too. If they stick with Kellen Clemens, then they'll have to add someone as a back-up just in case.

Then again maybe Favre will come back. You never know with this guy.

Big East Basketball

2009-01-04T11:54:00.007-05:00

Big game for St. Johns at the Garden yesterday. They took down the #10 ranked Fighting Irish of Notre Dame 71-65 bringing their record to 10-4. Don't expect miracles here. Despite their good record, I don't see the Johnnies having a lot of success in the Big East. But this is a big win for a team trying to find itself. Watching the game, I was pretty impressed with their athleticism.
Also, #3 Pitt was very impressive with a convincing win at #8 Georgetown 70-54. Pitt who is now 14-0 looks like the real deal this year. Pitt is good every year but rarely do I expect much of them tournament time. However, this year might be different for the following reasons:
1. They have a top tier floor general in Levance Fields, a Brooklyn product out of Xaverian High School.
2. They're also very good inside with DeJuan Blair who had 20 points and 17 rebounds this week.
3. They may have the big east player of the year in Sam Young who can score inside and outside.

If they can find some 3 point shooting, watch out.

Yankees shopping Matsui?

2009-01-04T08:48:00.003-05:00

I think the Yankees are looking to move Matsui. Last year there were some rumors about discussions with the Giants that I didn't believe, but this year I believe its true. He's been injury plagued and the Yankees have plenty of outfielders with the addtion of Swisher.

My guess is after Ramirez signs you will here about discussions with the Dodgers (reunite with Torre) or the Giants regarding a Matsui trade.

The Yankees have been too quiet after the Teixeira signing. I don't think they're done.

Also, no Matsui post would be complete without a link to the story about his wife. If you don't know this story, you need to read it.

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/baseball/yankees/2008/03/27/2008-03-27_yankees_slugger_hideki_matsui_weds_longt.html

Favre to Retire?

2009-01-04T08:43:00.003-05:00

I'm not going to post something every time there is news about Favre's retirement because:

1. This blog is not Sportscenter, which talks about Favre ever 5 minutes
2. It's one of the more annoying stories that gets discussed 24/7

However, not surprisingly, Favre appears to be "leaning" towards retirement. I'll believe it when I see it, but it seems right. For the Jets sake, I really hope so.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=3808669

Cheer up Jets fans

2009-01-03T14:21:00.002-05:00

Things aren't going too well for the Jets right now. This always makes me happy and hopefully it will make you happy too.

New Years Resolutions

2009-01-02T16:59:00.002-05:00

Let's take a look at some New Year's Resolutions for 2009:

Brett Favre: Finally let the sport go. Brett, it's time to retire. Every player probably wonders what could be if they came back for one more year, but now it's time to go. And don't drag it out either. You're still a beloved figure in NFL history, don't change that.

Jose Reyes: Up your on base percentage to .400. The Mets will need to score a lot of runs with their starting pitching and it starts with Reyes.

NY Yankees: Don't let all this money go to waste. Specifically, CC Sabathia's waist.

Stephon Marbury: If you are lucky enough to go to the Celtics, don't do what you have done everywhere else you've been. Also, be nice to Rajon Rondo. His play is improving and no one needs you to corrupt the young man. Luckily the Big 3 should keep him in line.

Phil Hughes: Stay healthy. It's a make or break year for Hughes who needs to prove he is deserving of the Johan Santana non-trade.

NY Mets: Finish strong. In both individual games and the season as a whole. The Mets lead the majors in blown saves last year and blew a late lead in the division the past two years. Omar Minaya is doing his best to prevent a similar collapse by bringing in K-Rod and JJ Putz, but they'll need some more starting pitching to make it to the post-season.

Plaxico Burress: Get away from football and figure your life out. Use your teammates as resources and friends, not as alibis.

Hank Steinbrenner: Keep giving Red Sox fans a hard time. Whether or not ESPN likes it, it's good for the rivalry.

Eric Mangini: Change new-born son Zachary Brett Mangini's name to Zachary Scott Mangini and hope that's enough to convince Scott Pioli to take the Browns offer and hire you as coach.

NY Rangers: Trade for a scoring forward. The Rangers are off to a great start, but they miss Jagr more than their record indicates. Come playoff time goals will be at a premium and a front line scorer will help.

NY Knicks: Keep clearing cap space, but develop a back up plan for signing Lebron. Lebron will start to be happy in Cleveland if this winning keeps up. The Cavs are 26-5 and a lot closer to winning a championship than the Knicks. Luckily for NY basketball fans, the class of 2010 is pretty deep and Amare Stoudamire and/or Chris Bosh would make good consolation prizes. But nothing compares to King James.

NY Islanders: Don't finish with the worst record in the NHL.

NY Giants: Don't give Brandon Jacobs a mega-contract. Running backs slow down fast, especially when they have the running style of Brandon Jacobs. A big running back who welcomes contact is a dangerous commodity to pay a lot of money. Take a look at Shaun Alexander to see what happens to aging running backs.

Jets Fans: Don't get your hopes up no matter what happens next year. The possibility of a "same old Jets" collapse always looms.

Spike Lee: Offer Lebron a movie role.

Marty Brodeur: Use your injury as a chance to rest for the post-season.

Justin Tuck: Win the Super Bowl MVP you should've won last year.

NJ Nets: Move to Brooklyn already. 2010 is approaching rapidly and Lebron doesn't want to play in the Jersey.

Vernon Gholston: Wake up or you'll be a draft bust by mini-camp.

Derek Jeter: Return to your status as the greatest winner in baseball. Jeter didn't get the opportunity to shine on the October stage last year, but given the chance he's proven he will deliver.

Woody Johnson: Jets fans appreciate the free agent spending spree last off-season. But now is the time to show patience. This team can be good next year without any more panic moves.

Yankee Stadium and Citi Field: October baseball. Sure the free agent signings are a nice way to usher in the new stadiums, but playoff baseball is a much better way to do it. What made the old stadium great were the classic post-season moments, if you guys are going to live up to their legacy, then 2009 is a good time to start.

Playoff Preview

2009-01-01T19:59:00.005-05:00

Picks for this week's playoffs games --

Atlanta Falcons at Arizona Cardinals

The Cards have been in a free-fall until last week against the Seahawks. They look like a team just happy to have made the playoffs. The Falcons turn around was among the most impressive in the NFL and have been building momentum. They were a last second John Kasay field goal from being the #2 seed with a bye. However, the Cards are 6-2 at home while the Falcons are only 4-4 on the road. Combine that with the Falcons starting a rookie quarterback (although an impressive one) and I'm going with the Cards in a tight one.

Cardinals 27 - Falcons 24

Philadelphia Eagles at Minnesota Vikings

Adrian Peterson is a little banged up but should be good to go. Even so the Vikings are still way too one dimensional to go up against a Jimmy Johnson defense. The challenge for Philadelphia will be on the offensive side of the ball. If they can get to 20 points they should go home with a win. My guess is that they will.

Eagles 23 - Vikings 14

Indianapolis Colts at San Diego Chargers

Two of the hottest teams in the NFL meet in this rematch of last years division playoff game. Last year the Chargers spoiled the much anticipated AFC championship game between the Colts and Patriots. This year, I expect that Peyton Manning will out duel Phillip Rivers and the Colts will win in a shootout.

Colts 41 - Chargers 38

Baltimore Ravens at Miami Dolphins

The Dolphins are the comeback team of the year with the comeback player of the year in Chad Pennington. By beating the Jets in NY they made themselves the #3 seed and knocked out the Patriots. The Ravens still boast a formidable defense and have improved QB play out of rookie Joe Flacco. While I'm nervous about rookies in the playoffs, the Ravens defense is too good. I expect a similar result to the game earlier in the year between the Dolphins and Ravens.

Ravens 30 - Dolphins 13

If this were to play out this way the Giants will get the Eagles next week. If I'm Tom Coughlin I'd rather play either the Cards or the Falcons. I'm not saying the Eagles would beat the Giants, but they've played them tough twice this year already. Enjoy the games.

Thomas Jones calls for Favre Benching

2009-01-01T13:11:00.004-05:00

Finally someone has called out Brett Favre. Thomas Jones may get some flack for going to the media with this but he's exactly right.

"We're a team and we win together ... but at the same time, you can't turn the ball over and expect to win," Jones said in an interview Tuesday with New York Hot 97 FM. Favre threw three interceptions in the Jets' season-ending 24-17 loss to Miami that clinched the AFC East for the Dolphins.
"The other day, the three interceptions really hurt us. I mean, that's just reality," Jones told the radio station. "If I were to sit here and say, 'Oh, man, it's OK,' that's not reality. ... I don't like it, I know everybody else on the team doesn't like it.

Reading between the lines, I think what Jones is really saying is that he doesn't think Brett Favre cares and frankly I agree. If you are going to win in the NFL you have to really want it. I want guys on my team that can't sleep at night when they lose. From watching Favre this year I never really got the feeling he cared. He said it himself, he was just having fun playing. For Favre, a sure-fire hall of famer, that may be fine. But for guys like Jones who are trying to build their legacy and win their first championship, that just isn't right.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=3804004

More evidence to this point in a Newsday artcle today.

"According to a Jets player and he was backed by very supportive comments about Mangini from other Jets very few in the room thought Mangini deserved to be fired, and that the acquisition of Favre and his subsequent "me-first" attitude hurt the Jets more than anything."

http://www.newsday.com/sports/football/jets/ny-spfavre0101,0,147368.story

Happy New Year!

2008-12-31T15:14:00.014-05:00

Happy New Year to all. Enjoy the festivities.

I've been seeing top 10 of 2008 lists, so why not a top 10 NY sports stories of 2008.

1. Giants win the Super Bowl

The Giants historic victory over the undefeated Patriots team is probably the best story in all of sports in 2008. The Giants unlikely Super Bowl run culminated in quite possibly the greatest Super Bowl upset of all time. Whether you are a Jets or a Giants fan you had to love this.

2. Last game at Yankee Stadium and Shea Stadium

NY Baseball will be played in two new venues starting in 2009. Yankee Stadium got the most attention given the All-Star Game and its place in both baseball and overall sports history.

3. No October baseball in New York

NY baseball fans had an unfamiliar feeling in October with neither team in the playoffs for the first time since the strike shortened season in 1994.

4. Jets get Brett

The Jets made a bold move and brought in Brett Favre after his several month long retirement saga with Green Bay. The move appeared to be paying dividends until a late season collapse that cost Mangini his job.

5. Knicks fire Isiah Thomas, hire Donnie Walsh and Mark D'Antoni

The long overdue changing of the guard at the Garden has given Knicks fans hope. After absolute futility on the floor, the Larry Brown saga, the Anucha Brown Sanders saga, and several horrble signings/trades, Thomas was finally cut loose.

6. Yankees Spending Spree

The Yankees don't react well to not making the playoffs. Hank and Hal have gone on an epic spending spree bringing in top free agents CC Sabathia, AJ Burnett, and Mark Teixeira.

7. Nets trade Jason Kidd

An end of an era for the Nets. They dealt the face of the franchise for a package headlined by Devin Harris.

8. Plaxico Burress shoots himself in club

After several suspensions for missing meetings and being late to practice. Plaxico upped it a level by accidentally shooting himself in a club. Looks like the end of the Plaxico-Giants marriage.

9. Mets get Santana; Yankess go with Hughes and Kennedy

The Yankees flirted with getting Johan Santana but decided to stick with a youth movement. Hughes and Kennedy were terrible and you can see this offseason the Yankees are back to their old ways. The Mets took the opportunity to add Santana, who had a solid year, but not good enough to get into the playoffs.

10. Rangers blow 3-0 Game 1 lead against Penguins

The Rangers seemed poised to make a run in the playoffs after easily disposing of the Devils and jumping out to a 3-0 lead in game 1 of their series against the Penguins. They wound up blowing the lead and losing game 1 5-4. The Penguins never looked back and finished off the Rangers in 5 games.

No Bill Cowher

2008-12-31T14:30:00.002-05:00

Well its official. As suspected, Bill Cowher is not coming to the Jets. Don't get all excited about Shanahan because that won't happen either.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=3799959

I'm getting more and more concerned that the Jets had no plan when they fired Mangini. In my eyes you fire a coach for 2 reasons:

1. you have a much better coach that you know you will get
2. the coach has no chance of turning the team around because either they are not a good coach or they have lost the team

All the ESPN fodder is garbage. Yeah, he should've never lost to Seattle and you can make the case that he deserves to be fired. But it's not about whether or not he deserves it, it's about whether or not the Jets are better off without him. My guess is they won't be.

As for why the Jets fired Mangini, it's clear the Jets did not have a much better coach they knew they could get. So the question is did Mangini have a chance to turn the Jets around? I think he most certainly did. He's got the ability and he was just getting to know these players. Remember Bill Belichick got fired from his first coaching job with the Browns. How do you think they feel about that?

Mike Shanahan Fired

2008-12-30T18:48:00.002-05:00

Mike Shanahan just got fired after 14 years with the Broncos. Let the speculation on Shanahan's landing place begin.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=3800768

Giants Injuries

2008-12-30T17:50:00.005-05:00

Sam Madison was just put on injured reserve and is going to miss the playoffs. This isn't a big deal for the Giants as his role has been diminishing, but it does hurt their depth. Crafty corners like Madison can always come in handy.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=3800714

More importantly, the Giants have the bye week to get Brandon Jacobs, Justin Tuck, and Aaron Ross healthy.

Tuck played some against the Vikings and should be close to 100% by next week. Jacobs and Ross should be fine and I think Jacobs could've played if the game meant something to the Giants.

Jets Coach and Quarterback News

2008-12-30T17:45:00.005-05:00

There are conflicting reports out there. Some say that Cowher is telling teams he's going to wait til next year and others say that Cowher is going to listen to what the Jets have to say. My guess is deep down he doesn't want to coach next year, but for the right price he could coach the Jets. Still a long shot in my eyes, but at least they are going to talk.

http://www.nypost.com/seven/12302008/sports/jets/cowher_and_jets_will_talk_146540.htm

As for the quarterback position, reports are coming out that Favre was hurt.

http://www.fannation.com/si_blogs/nfl_tracker/posts/36602-report-favre-wont-need-major-surgery?eref=fromSI

Unless his eyesight was impaired it doesn't justify him throwing interceptions directly to the other team.

How do you think Mangini feels about naming his son after Brett Favre? Zach Brett Mangini is probably going to get a name change.

Andruw Jones to the Mets?

2008-12-29T17:46:00.004-05:00

There are reports that the Mets are talking to the Dodgers about trading for Andruw Jones. I;m sure the Dodgers would pay a large part of his salary but this seems like a dumb move to me. The last two years he's hit .222 and .158 respectively and has shown diminishing power. I'm sure they could get him on the cheap but there have to be better options for the Mets right now.

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3798671

UPDATE: Looks like the Mets are back off. Smart move if you ask me

Mangini Fired

2008-12-29T16:44:00.004-05:00

Woody Johnson tipped us off to this one. I had very high hopes when the Jets hired Mangini that he was going to be a career coach for the Jets. I feared that he was too young and needed more experience. Experience that he would get with the Jets and then go on to be a terrific coach.

I don't like this move because I don't think it was very well thought out. Who are the Jets going to get? Is Cowher coming? It doesn't seem like it, but money could make anything happen I guess.

The Jets had a whole new defense, a new quarteback and a new offensive line. It takes time to learn about a team. I don't think 1 year was enough. Look at the Giants with Coughlin. Patience can pay off. Now the Jets start over.

Poor Lions

2008-12-29T16:38:00.003-05:00

I usually stick to NY sports, but you have to feel bad for Lions fans.

This has to go down as the worst play of the year. The Lions lost this game 12-10.

The King of Queens?

2008-12-28T22:29:00.008-05:00

Mangini is looking more and more like Kevin James with every loss. The only difference is he doesn't have Jerry Stiller to make this funny.

Maybe we should've listened to Broadway Joe. I think he's trying to say Chad is a good quarterback, but Suzy Kolber is too hard for any man to resist...

The results are in....

2008-12-28T22:23:00.004-05:00

The Giants continued to perform. Even in defeat they showed will to win and depth in a game that meant nothing to them. The week off should do them well considering Jacobs and Tuck are slightly banged up. Their first opponent will be the Falcons, Cardinals, or Eagles. You have to believe the Giants would be able to handle all of these teams, but the Eagles would scare me the most.

As predicted it didn't matter for the Jets. The Pats won in a monsoon and the Ravens won easily. That being said, it would've been nice to see the Jets win. It would also be nice to see Brett not throw pick-6's. The silver lining is that they knocked the Pats out of the playoffs. I never thought it would happen like this.

Knicks Struggling

2008-12-28T14:38:00.008-05:00

It should come as no surprise that the Knicks are struggling. Going into the year we all knew the Knicks would be more exciting to watch, but far from a playoff team. The cap-clearing trades crushed any hope of a successful 2008-2009, but it had to be done. The Knicks competing for a playoff spot would be nice, but taking a run at the free agent class in 2010 will be nicer.

D'Antoni seems frustrated, but Knicks fans are used to this. I've seen enough terrible basketball as a result of quick-fix rebuilding to be patient for 2 more years.

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/basketball/knicks/2008/12/27/2008-12-27_knicks_coach_mike_dantoni_says_team_has_.html

Keep the faith...

What keeps the Yankees up at night?

2008-12-28T11:17:00.005-05:00

CC: Can you believe we got all this money?
AJ: Why do you think I tried so hard against them last year?
CC: You want to get something to eat after this?
AJ: Nah, my elbow hurts

Derek Lowe to the Mets?

2008-12-28T11:10:00.006-05:00

GM Omar Minaya has told everyone that nothing is imminent, but this signing would make a lot of sense. After adding both K-Rod and Putz the pen looks pretty solid. The rotation is pretty questionable, especially with Perez still testing the free agent waters. Lowe isn't an ace, but he's a solid 3. With the Yankees out of the way and the Red Sox not biting, the Mets have to be the front runner at this point.

http://www.fannation.com/si_blogs/hot_stove/posts/35502-mets-jump-into-derek-lowe-talks?eref=fromSI

Another thing to look out for is the Mets joining the Manny Ramirez race. We know Minaya loves him and they could use a left fielder. I'm not convinced in Delgado putting up big numbers in 2009. Bringing Manny back to NY is a huge risk because there will be a ton of distractions. But the guy can hit and they might be able to get him on the cheap. I think it just comes down to Minaya convincing ownership. Stay tuned.

New York Football this weekend

2008-12-27T18:04:00.003-05:00

It's the last week of the season and the Jets and Giants are headed in opposite directions.

Can the Jets right the ship? I think so, but unfortunately they are going to need help. The Jets need to win and have either the Patriots or Ravens lose for them to make the playoffs. A Jets win and Pats loss and the Jets win the division. A Jets win and a Ravens loss and the Jets are the six seed.

First, can the Jets win? I certainly think so. The Dolphins have been playing well but they aren't that good. The Chiefs almost beat them last week. Sure, Chad Pennington is going to be motivated but we've all seen enough of him to know his limitations. I really think the Jets will pull this one out.

The bigger problem is that the Pats are at the Bills and the Ravens are at home against the Jags. I find it hard to believe the Pats are going to lose this game. They have too much experience and they are too well coached. The Ravens at home against a Jaguars team that has nothing to play for? The Ravens defense alone is probably good enough to win this one by themselves. Crazy things happen in the NFL, but I see both the Pats and the Ravens winning these games.

As for the Giants? Sit your stars. Momentum is great, but if David Carr has to start in the playoffs it won't matter.

Yankees Spending Spree

2008-12-27T17:51:00.004-05:00

The biggest story in New York sports has to be the Yankees right now. After spending almost 500 million dollars on free agents the team is starting to take shape.

Here's my quick breakdown of the signings:

CC Sabathia - it's a lot of money and you know he didn't really want to come to New York. That being said the Yanks had to do it. If you are going to spend money, spend it on elite players and Sabathia has proven himself to be just that. Especially after they passed on Santana last year they had to do this. They haven't had a bona fide ace in 5 or 6 years and they haven't won a world series either.

AJ Burnett - I hope the Yankees watched some games other than just the ones he pitched against the Yankees. Burnett was dominant against the Yankees, 3-1 with a 1.64 ERA, but not outstanding against everyone else. For the year he was 18-10 with a 4.07 ERA. Don't get me wrong, I'd take that especially in lieu some of the Yankees starters last year. But considering last year was only his third season throwing over 175 innings and that he got hurt after the previous two, I'm pretty worried about this guy's arm.

Mark Teixeira - believe it or not the Yanks needed another bat. The offense in 2007 was dominant, last year it was average. For as bad as the starting pitching was, the offense didn't bail them out. Again, it's a lot of money for Teixeira, but he's only 28, fills a void at first base, and can take the Yanks offense back to where it was in 2007.

Overall, it's hard to argue with what they are doing. They went out and got the top players to fill their needs. If Burnett stays healthy they have to be the favorites right now.

Looking forward, despite reports that Pettitte isn't coming back I don't buy it. I think they'll wind up resigning him. Also, its looking more and more that Matsui or Swisher is on the way out. My guess is Matsui because Swisher is more versatile and Matsui's injuries are a concern.