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With the NBA season upon us I, as a Knicks fan, am looking forward to the season for the first time in what seems like decades. Here are my thoughts, surprises, expectations and other things for the 2008-09 season.
- For all of those folks who may play fantasy basketball I am going to give you a name to remember (I'm not big on fantasy basketball so he may actually be on the radar or what have you). Wilson Chandler of the New York Knicks. That is the name, he will have a major impact this season statistically. I believe he'll throw up a 15 and 7 type season in his first season in D'antoni's system. And who knows, if he starts it could be better than that. Picking that guy in round 8-10 will be great value for a lot of people. Hopefully he stays healthy as I think the guy can flourish.
- I am very interested to see how the young nucleus in Memphis performs. Now I realize they are a bad team, have been so forever, and will probably continue to do so, but the core of Mike Conley/O.J. Mayo and Rudy Gay can be something special in the future. I'm curious to see what strides they take this year. Gay just came off of a 20 and 6 season in his sophomore season in the NBA, and the sky is the limit with a guy of his caliber of talent. No offense to Shane Battier as guys like him are valuable in their own kind of way but I didn't understand it on draft night, and I still don't understand why you would trade away the #8 overall pick, which ended up being Gay, for Shane Battier. That moves still makes me scratch my head.
-Speaking of young talent has anyone paid attention to what the Blazers have done in the draft the last couple of years? They drafted a potentially game changing big man, they drafted a young stud in Brandon Roy, another nice big in LaMarcus Aldridge, now Jerryd Bayless. On paper, the Blazers have absolutely made a living in the draft. They are building their team the right way and seem to be on the road to success. We'll see how it plays out. I think having Oden in the middle defensively will do wonders for their defense. When you have a shot blocker and inside presence on the inside it makes offense harder for everyone on the opposing team and it makes perimeter defense easier for everyone on your team given that they can play tighter defense. It's somewhat similar to playing CB with a guy like Ed Reed playing behind you. You can be as aggressive as you want with that kind of security blanket behind you.
- If Jermaine O'neal can stay healthy (yep I know, that if is as big as Shaquille O'neal), the Raptors will be tough to handle. Having both O'neal and Bosh to block/alter shots will do wonders for the Raptors defense, and with their assortment of perimeter shooters and a rising young point guard in Jose Calderon, who reminds me of a poor man's Steve Nash. They have the talent, but I don't think much of their head coach. Sam Mitchell seems like a loose cannon. I'll be interested in seeing what they do this year.
- Maybe this is the season, Tyrus Thomas finally elevates from glorified pogo stick to good player? I doubt it, but boy has he been disappointing for a #2 overall pick. All the talent in the world, but a limited offensive game, and what seems like a limited basketball IQ. Between Thomas and one of the biggest stiffs in the NBA Joakim Noah, could the Bulls have done any worse?
- The Denver Nuggets are stuck in neutral. Bringing back Iverson from a basketball standpoint, is kind of pointless. If they did feel they were title contenders, they wouldn't have just given Marcus Camby away for the good ole fart in the jar. So if you don't feel you are a title contender, the point of bringing back Allen Iverson at his price (besides the business ramifications), was? He's a good player but at this point is he worth 22 million?
- Can Chris Paul be the best point guard EVER when his career is over? I know, I know, that is a very lofty and presumptuous kind of question but his numbers and progress cannot be denied as he gets better annually and has one of the better skillsets at the position that the league probably has ever seen. He just came off a 21 and 12 season where he should have been league MVP. It's scary to think, but I truly believe that he can do that consistently. Can you imagine that? Nope, I can't either.
-Interesting to see that in the first year, of that incredibly unwarranted contract, that Gilbert Arenas is already hurt. So he's injury prone, selfish, doesn't play defense, has no sense of what a good shot is, and is practically a black hole offensively. Washington's management was thinking more economically than their brains on this one in my opinion. We will look back at that and it will be one of the worst contracts in recent memory.
- I love Jason Kidd, and I've made that be known as much as I can. He has brought me some of my greatest memories as a basketball/sports fan, and I miss him dearly even though it was probably the best thing for all the parties involved that he was traded. It's a shame he probably won't see a ring, but I still am greatly entertained by his game, and hope he can have a big year. I think he will, as this is a contract year and its probably his last chance to cash in.
- LeBron James for MVP, start the campaign now.
- I swear I feel like I'm the only one who doesn't understand what was so great about the Mo Williams acquisition for the Cavaliers? What does he add that they didn't already have? All he is, in my opinion, is a rich man's Delonte West. Cleveland needs a post threat, and they still don't have that. Instead they are paying a better version of Joakim Noah 17 million (Ben Wallace). Was getting Wally Sczerbiak and Delonte West really worth taking on that absolutely horrific contract? I think Mo will contribute but I don't really think he makes them that much better.
- With the presence of Elton Brand in Philly now, I definitely think that Iguodala can vault himself into the company of the elite, he just needs to work a little on his offensive game. The athleticism is there, and the defense is there, if he can get to the point where he can be a go to player offensively, he will be the straw that stirs the Philly drink, all the way to the playoffs.
-The Boston Celtics will repeat as champions this year.
- The Portland Trail Blazers will make the postseason
- LaMar Odom will not finish the season with the Lakers
-The Hawks will fall back to obscurity
-The Spurs will start off slowly with Captain Flop...err, I mean Manu Ginobili on the injured list.
Game 1 of the World Series is beginning here shortly, but before then I will put my prediction and thoughts on the series out there.
As far as pitching goes in this series, I definitely think that Tampa has the upper hand. While I believe that Cole Hamels is right up there when it comes to best left handers in the National League, last time I checked he can't pitch all the games. After him it is very spotty, as you have a potentially nice #2 starter in Brett Myers, though you never know what you are going to get out of him, Jamie Moyer who never pitches well in the postseason as the 'slow, slower, slowest' stuff doesn't get it done.
I think Joe Blanton is a wildcard here, as he is a guy who can give solid innings, so if he gets a chance to pitch in this series it will be worth watching to see how he fares. As far as the bullpens go, the Phillies have the advantage here by a longshot. Brad Lidge hasn't blown a save all year, even though I tend to think that he is due. As good as the guys in Tampa were during the regular season I think they showed during that seven run debacle in Game 5 against the Sox, that they aren't fully trustworthy. I think David Price is a sleeper though, his stuff is incredible and it seems as if the pressure doesn't get to him. If I'm Joe Maddon I'm using him as my closer this series.
As far as the hitting I'll give the Phillies the edge as they seem to have a million guys who can rake. They are not the best contact hitting team in the league but they can score, score and score some more. Tampa is no slouch in this category as they have several good hitters like Upton, Longoria and Crawford. I do think that Tampa's speed adds a different element to the game.
Keys to this series:
1) Chase Utley- I know this is somewhat redundant but this guy is their best position player. For them to win he has to produce, otherwise it's going to be a long but yet short series for Philly.
2) The Phillies have to win the games that Hamels start. He is their best pitcher, he is the only sure thing you have. If I am Manager Manuel I pitch Hamels in Games 1, 4 and 7 (if necessary). The Phils might be able to scratch one or two out with their other starters but they must win the games Hamels start.
3) The Rays youngsters- So far the brighter lights of the playoffs hasn't affected Upton, Longoria, Garza among others. They have to continue on that path, since this team is chock full of younger players. Evan Longoria seems like he is cool and collected, and BJ Upton does everything so smoothly (I mean, the guy probably brushes his teeth in a smooth fashion for pete's sake) so I don't think the butterflies will be an issue.
4) The Philadelphia "lunch pail players"- While some of these guys are actually quality MLB players, most of them are the hard working, dirty work kind of players. Guys like Shane Victorino and Jayson Werth along with Jimmy Rollins to a lesser extent, bring an energy to the team, and their production has also been good for the most part. Victorino seems to be developing a power stroke as well, as he has come up with several big hits. And of course Jimmy Rollins is the heart and soul of the Phillies team.
I like both of these teams, I think they are both very good and well constructed, but when it comes down to it, I don't think the Phillies have enough pitching to deal with Tampa. I like Philly's core of players and I think Jimmy Rollins is one of the best leaders in the sport. Their style of play, and the kind of players they have is the only reason I give them a shot in the series. I just think Tampa is very good, and destiny is on their side.
PREDICTION: Tampa Bay in 7 games
and their joke of a head coach, Eric Mangini. Look, to all the people who may read or skim this blog, this will be as blunt, uncut and forthright an entry as I probably ever will write. Eric Mangini and his fat, arrogant, gum chewing, passive ways needs to be fired. He was good back in 2006 when he took a team nearly devoid of any talent and brought them to the playoffs with innovative schemes and aggressiveness, and actually playing to win. Now he coaches football like Mr Softee, but that isn't even the biggest issue with him. This team is NEVER prepared, and they have been unprepared, lackadaisical and emotionless for the most part this season and it is disheartening. The team has no identity on offense, and plays this bend but don't break nonsense which makes average QBs look wonderful and bad QBs look average.
What exactly did Eric Mangini do to get this job anyway? He was a defensive backs coach on a terrible pass defense for a season when the Jets decided to try and emulate the Patriots (god knows they've been doing this for WAY too long), but I digress as that is not even the point of this. Every single god forsaken game the Jets play you leave the game wondering 'Who the hell is this collection of morons' running the ship? Not one game this season have the Jets been well coached. NOT ONE. Do you know how pathetic that is? And that reached its pinnacle yesterday when Mangini was outcoached by Tom Cable. Yes, that's right, the coach of the most pathetic franchise in the NFL.
The Jets ran the ball as they so pleased yesterday as the Raiders were hell bent on taking away Brett Favre and the threat of the big play. They did that successfully as they harrassed Favre all day, as he made his trademark stupid decisions (see the blind hurl to Hall at the end of the 4th) and forced Jones to beat them, which he did somewhat successfully as he had a boatload of yardage and did whatever he wanted with the Raiders defense except score. While I am not criticizing Jones for his game yesterday, an average back scores 3 long TDs yesterday. Jones simply cannot make anyone miss and it was on display yesterday as Jones had several opportunities to 'hit a homerun' and did not do so. Now, with Jones running the ball the way he was, you would think the Jets would have run a playaction fake somewhere in the second half? Throughout the fourth quarter and overtime I am sitting there waiting (more like hoping) for the playaction since the Raiders were literally sticking their entire team in the box. But the Jets coaching staff sat there with their collective finger up their collective ass, and ran, ran some more then ran some more. I have no issue with them pounding the rock, but what I do have an issue with is not running a single playaction pass, as well as running the ball the entire overtime period. The Jets were essentially waiting for the Raiders to hand them the game instead of going out there and taking it. This type of playcalling and general nature around the team has been going on for the last two seasons, and it absolutely repulsive.
My issues with Eric Mangini and the rest of this incredibly putrid coaching staff: That dumbass clueless look on Mangini's face no matter how the game is going. No matter the events in the game he has this same emotionless face and is chewing gum. I don't care about yelling and screaming and all that stuff, but could you at least look like you give a damn?
- The overly conservative, play not to lose, soft as charmin garbage playcalling that we Jets fans have to endure on a weekly basis. We trade for Brett Favre, and upgrade from one of the worst QBs in the league, yet we are running the same damn offense we ran last year. Why? What sense does that make? I understand it isn't feasible to throw 40 yard bombs every play, but can we see a 20 yard post? Can we see a playaction? - The use of Kerry Rhodes/the insistence on not putting any legitimate players around him and Darrelle Revis. Nobody has thrown at Revis or Rhodes all season long. Why is that? When you have the human turnstile (Eric Smith) and a rookie who was a 4th round draft pick, why would you throw near Revis or Rhodes? While I think very highly of Darrelle and have since the day we drafted him, does anyone think he is THAT good to the point where he hasn't been thrown at 10 times all year? I don't. I am not sitting here expecting a pairing of LaRon Landry and Kerry Rhodes (even though we could've traded Vilma to Washington and realistically made this happen), or a pairing of Darrelle Revis and Champ Bailey, but is it so hard to have two competent guys around our two very good players? Why the hell is Eric Smith still on the team let alone starting? Oh I forgot, he's smart, hard working and cares about football. Do those things make up for not having any talent, or not knowing how to play the safety position? By the way I am absolutely sick of 'hard working, smart and cares about football' Chad Pennington was all of the above and Eric Mangini swore for him like he was his son. Why? No idea. I guess it's the glaring lack of talent that Eric likes.
I like Dwight Lowery and he is playing well for a rookie 4th round draft selection, but is it really the smartest thing to have him out as the #2 CB when:
A) Our LBs in the middle are very shaky when it comes to pass coverage
B) Our pass rush (the pansy, soft as charmin, play not to lose 3 man rushes certainly don't help) isn't anywhere close to good enough to cover up liabilities much like the Giants is. I can't believe anyone actually thinks Aaron Ross is any good. Whenever the QB has a shred of time to throw the ball, he gets beaten and abused.
-The lack of adjustments. The gameplan isn't working, Mangini stands there with that dumbass look on his face meanwhile we continue to do whatever isn't working. I mean, how many times on 3rd down has the Jets defense rushed 3, watched the QB stand in the pocket until the next damn lunar eclipse and complete a pass for a first down? Hello, Coach, you have a rookie CB, a flat out garbage nickel back, and MLBs who have trouble in the pass game. Might want to try and say, I don't know, put pressure on the damn QB?
-The consistent sticking with favorite players no matter how much they suck and/or struggle. He stuck with Chad Pennington far too long, he stuck with Jonathan Vilma far too long (oh look Vilma just made another tackle 15 yards downfield), only god knows what his obsession with Eric Smith is, etc. If the players are bad, why keep playing them? There are many others but I could conceivably write a book on my problems with this clown and the rest of the clowns on his staff. Bottom line is this, I think the Jets are talented enough, especially with a depleted AFC, to make the postseason and I believe they will in spite of this utterly moronic coaching staff. That being said, we will never take any strides with Eric Mangini as coach. Woody Johnson, the Jets owner, needs to cut bait with that entire coaching staff as soon as possible, before its too late.
Just when you thought Dallas' offense couldn't get any more potent, they go out and acquire a big, talented, fast WR in Roy Williams. In a blockbuster move at the NFL trade deadline (those are a major rarity), Dallas acquired Williams from Detroit for 1st, 3rd and 6th round picks in the 2009 NFL Draft. The trade of Williams to Dallas is an intriguing one from many vantage points.
-Since Dallas already has the 3rd ranked offense in the league adding Roy Williams seems like overkill.
- Dallas is going for broke this season by trading for the aforementioned Williams who could have been had this offseason for just cash.
- Does Dallas plan on just outscoring everyone en route to a Superbowl win? We saw how well that worked out for the New England Patriots.
- How does Dallas plan on working out their defensive woes? PacMan is in 'trouble' again, Newman is out, whoever they line up opposite Hamlin at safety normally gets targeted. Personally I think they need to be more aggressive and blitz more often. They are playing passive and it shows.
-How does this open up the field for the rest of the weapons Dallas has? Are you going to leave Owens 1 on 1? Are you going to leave Witten 1 on 1 with a linebacker? Are you going to leave Roy 1 on 1? Are you going to bring an extra DB on the field and leave yourself susceptible to the ground attack led my Marion Barber running behind the five run blocking mammoths in front of him?
- How Mr. Owens feels about this. For the record I think he realizes that this move for the short term is good for him. Call me naive but I think he will jive with it. Perhaps I am giving him too much credit.
My thoughts on the trade
- I don't think you can evaluate this trade properly when it comes to its short term gain until the season ends. If Dallas gets to and or wins a Superbowl, the trade was a success for the now. I don't care how they win it, as long as they do. If they don't, I think it's a minor failure since Dallas has loads of young talent and a lot of picks coming to them in the upcoming draft. It's one of those that they will brush off and move on.
- If they don't win the Superbowl but put up production that rivals the 2007 Patriots at some point over the course of the next two seasons, the deal was a success. Since the Tony Romo stint as starting QB started the Dallas Cowboys, the Cowboys have scored the third most points in the league in that time period so there is nowhere to go but to write your names in the history books. As long as Mr. Romo does his part, there is no reason why Dallas cannot be a record breaking offense.
-I have read and heard a lot of people saying that this trade for Roy basically is the beginning of the end for Terrell Owens and I personally believe that they couldn't be any further off. Owens still has plenty left despite his apparent struggles the last three weeks. Now, obviously Dallas now has an insurance policy in the event that Owens goes loony or just flat out loses his skill over the next 10 or so games, but I think the purpose of this was to make this offense a juggernaut, not to replace the flashiest looking toy with another flashy toy.
- This trade is an excellent one for the Detroit Lions who seem to have turned the corner and are weeding out some of the bad seeds. First Millen, then Kitna (placed on IR despite saying that he can play), now Roy. They received a 1st and a 3rd for a guy who was not going to sign an extension with them under any feasible circumstances and have now quickened the recovery process. Good for them, the city of Detroit needs some good news regarding Detroit. It's a new day with the Lions, and the management so far has done well.
-Patrick Crayton, who I personally don't feel is any good, goes back to the slot where he belongs. Now he will get the Wes Welker treatment. He's yet another beneficiary of this trade. He'll see a lot of shoddy coverage and favorable matchups from here on out.
Final thoughts:
I respect Jones for trying to hit the homerun and win this team the Superbowl. In that regard there should be more owners trying to win, but it seems like too many are more worried about making money. Jones tries to win, and no matter who you are or how much you like or dislike the Cowboys you have to respect that. Now we will see whether the deal works out for Dallas, and I think it will. Williams won't have to be a focal point and is playing with a great quarterback, so he will get his. He just needs to focus on being a good teammate, and make the most of the opportunities presented to him.
-First and foremost I have to start on the Houston Texans. I don't normally use internet lingo in any of my entries. But scratch that for today and 'LMAOOOOOOOOO' @ Sage Rosenfels. I can't fault the guy for the second fumble since it was an excellent play by Robert Mathis, but the first one was simply, for lack of a better word, hilarious.
Funny components of that play:
1) The situation in the game. Rosenfels' team was up by 10 with a little less than 4 minutes left in the game.
2) The fact that Sage Rosenfels apparently thought he was LeBron James and tried to jump over/through FOUR Colts defenders, not one, FOUR.
3) The fact that if he landed safely he, in all likelihood, is STILL short of the first down, even with that incredibly idiotic effort.
4) The fact that Sage could have literally sat down and farted on the football for the last 5 minutes of the game, and that would have helped the Texans more than the events that actually took place.
- As most people who know me would tell you, I have a bias towards good quarterbacks. Ben Roethlisberger's 4th quarter performance is basically the epitome of why I hold that bias. Watching him dodge defenders and make throws in nail biting situations, was an absolute pleasure. And its also been nice watching him grow as a quarterback. He gets better every year, and it's like the man is impossible to sack. That was a big time performance at the tail end of that game Sunday. There's nothing like watching a QB with that proverbial 'ice in his veins' with the game on the line.
- The Lions are just bad, REALLY bad. Exactly what is the point of Marinelli still coaching that team? He won't be there next year anyway.
- Watching Herman Edwards fold tent is nice. He is proving his worth as a head coach right about now. He rode Parcells leftover talent in new York to two playoff appearances, weaseled his way out of New York, and now is stuck in Kansas City making a fool of himself on a weekly basis. Way to go, Herm.
- You know I must tip my hats to the Dolphins for two relatively impressive wins in a row. That being said, Chad Pennington getting credit for this success makes zero sense. All I've hard is how 'well' he's playing and how he brings 'credibility' to the QB position in Miami. A couple things about that, Chad has 3 TDs in 4 games, and Miami's offense is ranked 24th in the NFL in points scored. What exactly is Chad doing differently, that now all of a sudden is worth praise? Is it the fact that in nearly every big down, Miami takes the ball out of his hands and has Ronnie Brown in the shotgun taking snaps? Or the fact that Miami's defense held San Diego and New England to 23 points combined in successive weeks? Think that might have a tad bit more to do with the success of the Fins?
-Big time props to Matt Ryan. I've been on the 'Matt Ryan is a bust' train since Atlanta took him at #3 in the draft. He has been relatively underwhelming in my opinion, but much props to him for his performance against Green Bay this past Sunday. He was precise on his passes, and was very productive against a good Packers team. Kudos to Ryan.
- I'm glad to see Eli Manning still doing well as I thought he would. I realize the Giants have played nothing but pancakes asides from Washington thus far, but that never stopped Eli from playing like Inconsistent Eli in the past. He looks like a different QB, and his pocket presence is EONS better than it was at this point last season. On a side note, this Eli is the best Manning talk is WAY premature, and that is coming from one of his biggest fans. Eli could only dream to be as good as Peyton is.
- The Titans defense is just plain nasty. That style of football, while often ugly, is quite enjoyable at the same time. Physical, in your face football is enjoyable on so many levels. There is nothing better than the defense who hits you, hits you again, then gets in your face to yap about it, then comes back the next play and does it again.
- Either San Diego is not as good as I personally believe they are, or they are just slacking as usual early in the season, or the Shawne Merriman loss as severely damaged their season. Maybe it's all of above sprinkled with a side of bad Norv Turner coaching. Who knows, but San Diego needs to turn on the switch soon. I don't think they have too much to worry about since the AFC is all over the place, but so are they at the moment. They need to get it together.
-Jay Cutler is growing tremendously as a quarterback weekly. This past week the Broncos played a tough defensive team in Tampa, one that forces patience. Cutler, while he was not productive, took what the defense instead of recklessly forcing the ball like he has throughout his career. While it was a fairly nondescript day for Cutler, his maturity shows. If he ever puts it all together, you may be able to call him the best QB in the league at some point in his career. Oh and I am still laughing at the Titans for taking Vince Young over him. That was a bright move. Is it finally safe to say that Cutler is by FAR the best QB in that draft class or does the never-ending patience with the two busts, Leinart and Young, continue?
- I enjoy seeing the Eagles lose. I also enjoy McNabb talking out of his rear (per the usual, see the many times he has played the race card unnecessarily).
After the game, 'There's no way those guys are better than us'
Really Donovan? The 10 offensive points that you led the team to, and the 200+ yards than the Redskins amassed on the ground seem to scream otherwise. So instead of giving the other team credit, you decide to take the 'we were better even though we were dominated and lost' angle. Well you can be 'better' all you want, but if McNabb doesn't step up his utterly underwhelming play then the Eagles will be golfing come January. Then McNabb will have all the time in the world to talk about how great the playoff-less Eagles were much like he did this past offseason when he claimed that the Eagles were the best team in the NFC. Really, is that why the Eagles finished 8-8 with little offensive production the entire year? Some people just do not belong with a microphone in front of them, and McNabb is one of them.
- I love watching Lee Evans play. That guy is so ridiculously fast and it looks like he isn't even trying. He's a nice all around WR, and as Trent Edwards develops as a QB, he'll be able to flourish in other areas to compliment his supreme deep ability. The guy is putting up madden esque numbers, 16 catches for 432 yds for an average of 27 YPC and a couple of TDs. On a side note, J.P. Losman might be a bad quarterback, but my oh my can he launch the deep ball.
- Reggie Bush had an excellent night in the return game on Monday but that leads me to a question. After the first return for a TD, and Reggie tripping over himself possibly preventing another TD, why would you tempt fate and kick it to him again? Bravado? Or the kicker just couldn't find out of bounds?
One of sports most famous sites, the Cathedral, also known as Yankee Stadium closed its doors Sunday night after 85 illustrious years in business. It closed on a positive note as the Yankees defeated the Orioles, 7-3 in a game that took an extreme backseat to the pre-game and post-game festivities. In an all around tough season for the Yankees this was definitely the best moment of the year. Though the Yankees are all but eliminated from playoff contention, this was a special moment, a special farewell that adds to the lore of Yankee Stadium.
I am a relatively young guy, 20 years old. I have been a Yankee fan since the strike shortened 1994 season, so needless to say when it comes to the Yankees, my tenure as a fan has been good. I've seen 4 World Series Championships, and ten division titles along with thirteen consecutive postseason appearances. Even with all of that, I would have to rank this up there when it comes to moments in relation to the Yankees. I've watched my beloved Yankees celebrate World Series titles, hit walkoff homeruns in the playoffs, clinch division titles among the many other goose bump inducing moments. I don't think any single moment or achievement tops the celebration of the Stadium that took place tonight. From the pre game festivities with the fans on the field, to the game itself with Andy Pettitte starting and Mariano Rivera throwing the last pitch in the history of the stadium, this was a beautiful night in the Bronx.
This is the kind of night that makes the Yankees one of the most famous organizations in pro sports. From the festivities, to the preparation to the post game speech by the Captain Derek Jeter to the victory lap around the stadium in front of a packed house, this is one of those moments, one of those days you probably don't see anywhere else. Seeing Bernie Williams, Paul O'Neill, and Tino Martinez as they came out of the dugout as they honored the old Yankee players during the pre game was heart- warming. Seeing those three men brought back a lot of positive memories, from the Martinez grand slam in Game 1 of the World Series that broke the game open, to Martinez game tying solo HR against Byung Hyung Kim in Game 4 of the 2001 World Series, to the fans chanting Paul O'neill's name as he ran into the Yankee Stadium dugout from right field for the last time.
Growing up as a youth, Yankee Stadium has always been a place to be for me. I'll remember taking the 4 train to the game, getting there early enough for Batting Practice then screaming for the players as they pass by the stands.
On a final note, I'd like to do the unthinkable and give credit to ESPN. Their coverage was absolutely excellent. From the beginning of the day to the point of silence after the last out for about 15 minutes, the coverage was definitely good. I mean, for once, the network just let the picture tell the story. I commend them for that, and maybe someone should send the memo to Tony Kornheiser.
I'll end the writeup with this. The most ironic part of the night is, if the Yankees make the postseason this send off most likely doesn't happen, since the Yankees would be 'knee-deep' trying to win a World Series, so I guess everything does happen for a reason. Goodbye Yankee Stadium, you have a special place in my heart and you will always be remembered.
The worst case scenario happened for the Patriots this Sunday. Their superstar quarterback limped off the field with a knee injury after a low hit by S Bernard Pollard in Sunday's game. It didn't look good then, and the news that would come was even worse. They would come to find out that Tom Brady is done for the year. In a game against the potentially cellar dwelling Kansas City Chiefs, a far inferior team, the Patriots narrowly won the battle but lost the war in all likelihood. Now this opens the door and makes the AFC a lot more wide open than it was.
Matt Cassel, who has been a backup QB behind great QBs at every level will now step in and try to keep the ship afloat for New England who plays the Jets at the Meadowlands this week. Cassel backed up Matt Leinart and Carson Palmer in college and has backed up Tom Brady in the pros. Literally speaking, Cassel hasn't started a game since high school, which is incredible if you think about it. Cassel came in on Sunday against a team that didn't have a chance to gameplan for him, and a team with a glaring lack of talent offensively and looked merely decent. Decent won't be enough to do much on this team, unless the defense turns back the clock. With Belichick as the coach that is entirely possible but given the amount of old guys on the defense it isn't likely.
This loss obviously hurts the Patriots. Losing a top two quarterback in this league, one who threw 50 TD passes, and won the MVP is a blow of epic proportions. I don't think it leaves a mortal wound though. I still feel this Patriot team is a good one, with a great coaching staff, and a few good offensive players. I wouldn't be surprised if the Patriots surprised people this season. Belichick will have those guys ready to play, especially this week where they will play like a wounded animal. They will be desperate and hungry. I think they will win the game this week and go on to a respectable 10-11 wins, and win the division.
Spain had just cut the lead to two on a Rudy Fernandez three pointer. It was gut check time for the United States, and Coach Krzyzewski called a timeout with eight minutes left to play in the Olympics. All the sacrifices this team of superstars had made, all the time they put into this Olympics, achieving the gold medal they had to have came down to eight minutes of basketball.
Doubt started to creep, would the Americans crumble? Would they start to play 1 on 1 basketball? Well, fresh out of the timeout team play was still emphasized. Kobe Bryant drove the lane, the defense collapsed on him and he kicked the ball to a wide open Deron Williams in the corner. Williams nailed an open three pointer, and the doubts started to fade away a bit. On the very next United States possession, Kobe drove into the lane once again drew the defense and hit Dwight Howard with a pass for a dunk.
The tables had turned, as the U.S. gave themselves a bit of a cushion on their way to winning the gold medal and putting U.S. basketball back on top. After embarrassments in the World Championships and the Olympics, a lot was said about basketball in the United States. The players being too selfish, the caliber of basketball in the U.S. taking a hit among other things. So in an effort to become a power in basketball again, Jerry Colangelo sculpted this team three years ago, and it has been a commitment ever since then. They brought the best talent over here, arguably having the two best players in the world (James, Bryant), 3 of the 10 best point guards in the world (Kidd, Paul, Williams), the best center in the world (Howard) among other talent. It was getting them to play as a team that was the most important part, because obviously the talent is there. It all came together, and the Americans did it. They brought home the gold.
On a side note, I deserve a face full of crow for my stance on Dwyane Wade being on the Olympic team. As is documented in my initial entry about the U.S. basketball team I didn't think Wade belonged there, as I felt we had three bigger better versions of him. Well, Wade was the best player in the Olympics as no one could guard him and he played great defensively. So, Wade gets props, as he played wonderfully.
Preseason injuries have sculpted or better yet ended a season for many playoff contending teams in the past. Another big name went down in season-ending fashion Saturday night as New York Giants standout defensive end Osi Umenyiora suffered ligament damage during the game against the Jets.
It is a significant loss to the Giants, as they lose 13 sacks and a major contributor to the defensive front that wreaked havoc throughout the postseason, making lives for QBs miserable. The front four was clearly the unit that made the Giants go last season during the stretch run, while thoroughly dominating one of the best lines in all of football en route to a legendary victory in Superbowl XLII.
While the loss is a significant one for the New York Giants, as it hurts the bread and butter of the team, I truly do not believe it is crippling. You have the possibility of bringing back a Hall of Famer in Michael Strahan, one who had a good year last season and proved his worth after a slow start. You have the option of playing Mathias Kiwanuka who is also a good pass rusher and has shown the ability to cause problems for offensive lines in limited duty.
I'm not saying that Osi is a bad player or that his impact on the SB team is overlooked. I just personally think that the Giants, even without him, can be effective as a unit since they have guys who can pick up the slack. I do think that they will sign Strahan, and once he gets his legs under him he will be a good replacement. I think we will see a lot of what we saw in the postseason, especially the Superbowl, when the Giants lined up the 3 DEs on the field during passing downs to maximize the pass rush. This worked, especially in the SB where Justin Tuck absolutely owned Logan Mankins up and down the field that day.
Losing a pass rusher of Osi's ilk is never good, and I am not portraying it to be that way. I just don't believe its really that big a blow considering they have people up to the challenge of replacing him and might be adding another in Strahan. I think if the Giants lose any of the following, Eli Manning, Plaxico Burress and Antonio Pierce they would then be in serious trouble. Without Eli Manning, I need to go no further than to say David Carr would be starting for the New York Giants in that case. Read that sentence again, it scares me just writing it. Plaxico Burress is the only thing that is even close to resembling a playmaker on the offensive side of the football. While the Giants can plug in a few guys who could play decent enough to keep the Giants from falling into an abyss, Burress' playmaking ability would be sorely missed. Look at how he abused Al Harris in the NFC title game for reference as to why Burress is vital to this team's success.
As for Pierce, I still think the guy is one of the most underrated players in the game. He is a stout player in the middle of the Giants defense, and a sound tackler but his value as far as his emotional leadership, being the captain of that defense and his knowledge of the game and the Giants defense as a whole. Pierce is the heart and soul of the Giants defense and there isn't exactly someone waiting in the wings who could take over.
All in all, the loss of Umenyiora certainly is a bad thing, but it could have been worse. The Giants at least have viable options who can step in and be production. The loss of Umenyiora certainly doesn't spell the end of the Giants season. They will still make the playoffs, and still have a relatively successful season.
This entire Olympics, the United States basketball team has been on a mission. They have been on a mission to erase the bad memories of 2004, and bringing the gold medal back to the United States. They took one step closer to the gold medal, defeating Argentina this morning by the score of 101-81, placing them just one win away from the gold medal.
Argentina, the defending gold medalists, and the team that defeated the US in the last Olympics came into the game looking to send a message. They often delivered hard fouls, and seemed to be trying to get into the heads of the Uniter States players. Well, it didn't work as the US jumped out to a 21-4 lead, and held off Argentina the rest of the way for a relatively easy victory. It sets up a matchup on Sunday with Spain for all the marbles. Manu Ginobili left the game in the first quarter with the left ankle problem that has been bugging him. The U.S. was led by Carmelo Anthony who scored 21 points, and LeBron James added 15.
The US stifled Argentina by pressuring them relentlessly on defense and by attacking offensively, since the three point shot was not working for them. Luis Scola scored 28 points for Argentina who didn't go down without a fight. It just wasn't enough to derail the U.S. on this day. The crisp passing, the attacking the basket, the pressure defense was too much for Argentina to handle on this day. Now this three year reclamation project comes down to 40 minutes, one game on Sunday.
The U.S. wins and they erase the bad memories of 2004, and represent this country with a gold medal. If they lose, it won't be pretty but losing for this team isn't very likely. They are too focused, and too hellbent on getting redemption. Good luck Spain, you'll need it.
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