The Sportsbar

Big Statement by the New York Jets

2008-11-23T13:09:00.000-08:00

The Tennessee Titans were undefeated this season just hours ago. They still were 10-0 until they met the New York Jets who put an end to that streak. Gang Green completely dominated the Titans at home, by record the best team in football, and made a statement to the entire NFL that they are for real and in there for bigger things. Eric Mangini outcoached Jim Fisher, Brett Favre picked the vaunted Titans defense apart and if that wouldn't be enough, the Jets also ran all over one of the finest defensive units in the AFC. Their very own defense, again led by the monstrous and mean Kris Jenkins, made Kerry Collins and the Tennessee offense look as average as they are and at times even worse. All around this was one hell of a performance! Congrats JETS!!!

Knicks Clear House, Randolph Gone Too

2008-11-22T01:46:00.000-08:00

At the beginning of the season, with many of Isiah Thomas' players or should I say losers, were still on board. One might have wondered if the New York Knicks are really serious about rebuilding. Now, after they shipped out Jamal Crawford and Zach Randolph in a matter of hours, there's no doubt left. Pain, losses and scandals from the recent history seem forgotten. It's the true beginning of a new era in New York. The Knicks under Donnie Walsh have set the sights on the future, on superstar free agents and potential championships after 2010.

Crawford went to Golden State for Al Harrington and Zach Randolph along with Mardy Collins was traded to the Los Angeles Clippers for Cuttino Mobley and Tim Thomas. All the contracts the Knicks received in those deals will end either in 2010 or before and it will help them to get way under the cap that year, a summer in which the likes of LeBron James, Chris Bosh or Dwyane Wade are looking at potential new homes. While losing Randolph and Crawford, the two best scorers they had, may hurt them in the next one and a half years, no Knicks fan around the world will shed a tear as these guys were symbolic for the team's demise in recent years. We don't have to go into detail but it was evident that the group of franchise cornerstones former GM and coach Isiah Thomas assembled, Randolph, Crawford, Stephon Marbury and Eddy Curry, wouldn't take this team anywhere. Under new coach Mike D'Antoni they might have made the first playoff round this year. But this time around the Knicks aren't about playoff berths or short term success. Donnie Walsh and Mike D'Antoni are serious about winning, real winning, which in the NBA equals only one goal: Championships. A lot of stuff needs to happen, sure, but with a plan on their minds and pieces falling into place, things haven't looked better in New York in almost a decade. And now Mike D'Antoni's comments that are shown on the video screen before every home game at Madison Square Garden don't seem that far fetched anymore. He talks about bringing championship ball back to New York. And after last night, we surely believe him...

Knicks Deal Crawford For Al Harrington

2008-11-21T11:48:00.000-08:00

Donnie Walsh's interest in Al Harrington wasn't surprising, given the history between the two and Harrington's bad situation over in Oakland. But that the deal would send Jamal Crawford to the Warriors for the combo forward was pretty suprising yet it makes a lot of sense for the Knicks. They get rid of Crawford's contract which would have ended in 2011 for a contract that that ends in 2010. As we all know, this is the year that Donnie Walsh and the Knicks want to make the big splash in free agency. With this deal they clearly make a step to that goal and in the upcoming days and months we will likely see more moves regarding the long term future.
All future talks and scenarios aside, Harrington is a player that should flourish in D'Antoni's offense and he will give the Knicks a much needed frontcourt player with other bigs like Jared Jeffries and Eddy Curry out. He is a versatile, athletic forward with a good outside shot. He tends to fall in love with it though and forget about his inside game. Crawford's scoring and ball handling will be missed yet nobody will have a problem with sending his erratic play and inconsistent performances out of town. All Knicks fans should wish him well though, he always was a good, likable guy, just not a winner.

Jets Prevent Themselves From Dominance

2008-11-19T10:30:00.000-08:00

The New York Jets and their fans couldn't feel any better than they do right now. They are sitting at the top of the AFC East and they are just about a week removed from a classic overtime win against the hated New England Patriots. But there's still something that's giving Gang Green headaches these days with a clash against the unbeaten Tennessee Titans and hopefully even bigger games on the horizon. The Jets have one of the worst pass defenses in the entire NFL and if they can't get that corrected in the next few weeks, a potentially special season could end sooner than expected.

You just can't help but wonder why the Jets can't put it together. On paper, their defense has everything you need to be right their at the top with other feared defenses like the ones from Baltimore, Pittsburgh or the New York Giants. The Jets have a dominant defensive line, anchored by nose tackle Kris Jenkins, that ranks among the best units against the run in the entire NFL. The Jets pass rush, non existant last year, is also among the league's best (3rd in the NFL with 34 sacks, even ahead of the great Giants pass rush). In the secondary you have cornerback Darrelle Revis and safety Kerry Rhodes who are both among the best the league has to offer at their respective positions. Yet the Jets still give up the 3rd most first downs passing, they allow the 5th most passing yards per game and they have allowed the 5th most completions this season.
Of course there are some weak links in te Jets lineup too. Rookie corner Dwight Lowery, after playing terrific early on, goes through some struggles in his first year. Opposing teams pick on him as they won't dare to throw near Darrelle Revis. Behind Lowery you got many names but no real solutions. No wonder New York signed oldie Ty Law last week to help out in the secondary. The Jets linebackers aren't the most gifted or most athletic in coverage and have trouble defending short routes, especially against tight ends. But no defense in the world has every position secured perfectly with an all pro stud yet they still manage to put fear into opposing offenses. While Eric Mangini definitely could use a few new players for his defense, personnel isn't the problem with these Jets.

It is the defensive mindset that is killing them. Since the first day of the season they have been almost scared to death to give up the big play. That's why they drop their corners and safeties way back into zone coverage, yet forget to cover the zone right behind the defensive line. Drop off passes become huge gains for even the most average of tight ends. With their dominant run defense the Jets have their opponents in third and long more often than not but even in these situations, they aren't aggressive or force the issue. No, they just wait until they allow the 10 yard completion. It doesn't seem like a big deal but in the big picture, this bend but don't break approach will tire out the defense and give every opponent a huge amount of confidence. And some players, like New England's Matt Cassell, start to play way above their heads with that newfound confidence.
Eric Mangini has to change this passive approach if he ever wants to send a true dominant defense on the field. Don't be afraid of giving up the big play. Darrelle Revis and Kerry Rhodes are two guys that will make a big play on a deep ball more often than not. The pass rush will make it hard for the opposing QBs to step into long throws. So unleash the players! More blitzes, more people at the line of scrimmage, more man to man play (on every down) and less zone coverage. Only then we will see the entire potential of this defensive group and only then, when Mangini and defensive coordinator Bob Sutton forget about their scared approach, this defense will win entire games for you. And as we all know, this part of your team becomes more and more important with the cold January days looming.

Hopefully we will see adjustments in the next couple of weeks. This season, the Jets and their fans have seen enough completions, enough passive playcalling and enough prevent defense. It's time for a different approach or the Jets will prevent themselves from being as good a team as they can be.

Jets Win Monumental Battle At Foxboro

2008-11-13T20:53:00.002-08:00

On a cold and windy night at Foxboro, a ball sailed through the uprights at Gillette Stadium and turned a monumental game into a night to remember for the New York Jets. In an epic battle with the New England Patriots, the Jets prevailed 34-31 in overtime and took a stranglehold of the AFC East Division. Not only did it keep all hopes alive for this season, by beating the Patriots the Jets finally put an end to what has been a nemesis to them for so many years. And now as a franchise, they can move on, to greater heigths and even bigger games.

This was the game that should seal their fate, and the Jets took every shot they could from the proud Patriots. And probably a few more. But they stood strong in hours of struggle, heart breaking plays and near defeat. They bended but didn't break. Brett Favre, the living legend, brought to New York for battles just like this one, put the team on his back and just wouldn't let them down. After Randy Moss tied the game with 1 second to go in regulation, it seemed like the Jets' long time rivals would once again hammer them in as cruel a loss as you can imagine. Yet Brett Favre, aided by incredible rookie tight end Dustin Keller and a gutsy offensive line, drove his team down the field to set up a game winning field goal by Jay Feely. A night that had many heroes for the Jets, all they can do is breath a giant sigh of relief and after that understand that they are now on their way to a special season. Special seasons take special efforts, and there were many turned in by the Green and White tonight. In these moments, just cherish the victory and move on, for the New England Patriots are finally left behind. J-E-T-S!

Knicks Leaving Good Impression

2008-11-13T09:52:00.000-08:00

Now before we start to jump up and down over the good 5-3 start by the New York Knicks, let's remember we already had a few ups and downs this year with them as well. We just have to think back to the humiliating loss at Philly or the complete no shows at San Antonio and against the Bucks. But wait, those are already all the Knicks losses. And they still have won five other contests which in recent years might have already been the quarter of their win total for the entire season. So as a Knicks fan to have a good feeling about this year's team is more than just understandable.

Last night in Memphis (132-103) the Knicks once again showed improved team work, confidence and the new found positivity around the team that has helped them to a more than solid season start. The players are smiling, cheering each other up and they are all working together for the one goal which in the game of basketball is winning. Even if many of these guys won't be here in a couple of months and rightfully so, it's refreshing to see the team atleast give it all they got and play solid team basketball. That hasn't been the case on many occasions in recent years and probably won't be for the entire season. But it's still a good start and an enjoyable, too. Keep it up fellas!

Jets Head North To Meet Their Fate

2008-11-12T06:24:00.000-08:00

Eric Mangini is known for getting his team up for big games with a little trickery. He likes to show his players legendary boxing matches or other motivational videos in order to raise their intensity level. We don't know what he will show these days but it better be something gutsy and heroic. That's exactly the kind of effort it will take this Thursday, when the New York Jets head north to Foxboro for a deciding clash with their long time rivals, the New England Patriots.

Both teams will enter the game with a record of 6-3, sitting at the top of the AFC East standings. With a win on Thursday night either team would take control of the division and propably wouldn't look back anymore. The loser will be lost in the wild card hunt and his playoff or Super Bowl dreams may be gone for atleast another year. Especially for the Jets this game is more than just another contest with a division foe. The Patriots have dominated the Jets for many years and now Gang Green has the chance to atleast make some of the pain from recent years go away. With a revamped roster that is developing better chemistry by the day and Tom Brady on the sidelines with a knee injury, the chances couldn't be better. This Jets team has one goal and that is go deep into the playoffs. The talent is there but there's one giant mountain left to climb, which is wearing blue, red and silver and is led by Bill Belichick from the sidelines. No matter what the gameplan is, no matter who will be out there on the field or not, this game will be decided in the minds of the 22 men on the field. And in the mind of the 2 men on the sidelines. The Jets cannot come out scared, they cannot wait for New England to make a mistake or hand them the victory. If they want to turn this campaign into a special season, here is your chance. Go out there and take this game with everything you got!

The great sports writer Grantland Rice once wrote: "For When the One Great Scorer comes to write against your name, He marks - not that you won or lost - But how you played the game." With Thursday night's affair being kind of a life and death situation for each team's season, nobody will care how you played the game. All that matters is the win. No moral victories, no excuses. Just win, whatever it takes!

Knicks Opening Night 2008/2009

2008-10-30T10:09:00.000-07:00

I went to my first Knicks game at Madison Square Garden back in 1997. It was in those days when the Big Fella Patrick Ewing used to patrol the paint for New York and on the opposing Orlando Magic a guy named Penny Hardaway was a young upcoming superstar in the NBA. Now, roughly 11 years later, I finally got to see my first Knicks victory in person yesterday after leaving the arena with a hanging head numerous times in between. So personally, the Knicks home opener against the Miami Heat was definitely something special for me. But of course this wasn't the reason why yesterday wasn't like any other night for the New York Knicks. It was the beginning of a new era and a long awaited goodbye to probably the darkest period in franchise history. And of course, Opening Night itself with all the pregame show isn't just another game, no matter what year it is.

While the offseason talk among the Knicks has been more concerned with excitement and entertainment than with actual results, yesterday proved that both things can exist in unison. Jamal Crawford and company overran the Heat for about 3 and a half quarters and withstood a late Miami comeback on their way to a 120-115 victory. Crawford, who spoke the season's opening words before the game among raucous cheers of the Garden crowd, led the team with 29 points and was supported by five other Knicks in double figures. The game was an early indictment what new head coach Mike D'Antoni is all about: Sharing the ball, pushing the tempo and having fun on the basketball court. Of course that fun only reaches the group that is actually on the court and playing which didn't include highly prized veterans Stephon Marbury and Eddy Curry yesterday, who both got a big, large DNP and were the night's huge stroyline next to the actual victory. But first to the happenings on the court. Offensively the Knicks looked like they are truly buying into the newly system which is based on a lot of player movement, tempo, unselfish passing and good spacing. Nearly at all times during the game we could witness extra passes, sharp cuts to the basket and quick uptempo basketball. Jamal Crawford, Zach Randolph and Nate Robinson at times fell back into old habits of overdribbling and boneheaded decisions. But you can't take all their individual strength away in favor of the team concept, therefor these guys are by far the Knicks most talented offensive players and they have to create on their own from time to time. While it's hard to really pick out an individual in New York's exceptional team effort, Wilson Chandler (17 points, 9 rebounds) looked the best among the guys in orange in blue. At times, he seemed like the best athlete in the building (even with Shawn Marion and Dwyane Wade suiting up for the Heat) and he presented us a newfound confidence he didn't possess last year. When I talked to him last season he said confidence would be a huge factor for him making the next big step as a player and judging by the preseason and last night's performance, he's well on his way. He moved great without the ball and constantly found holes in the Miami defense, finishing strong on most of his drives. He also was the lone Knick who actually resembled somewhat of an inside presence defensively, challenging a bunch of shots and playing hard nosed, aggressive defense.
Which brings us to the big problem this Knicks team will face in the upcoming months. Sure, mental lapses like at the end of the fourth quarter, when they let a 21 point lead dwindle down to 3, are bad. But the defense is what will present the most problems to a team that is undersized and also not very adapt defending their own basket. The Miami Heat, starting combo forwards Michael Beasley and Shawn Marion and no true center, were a good matchup for the Knicks. But even against a small Heat frontline David Lee, Zach Randolph and Malik Rose had huge trouble inside. Otherwise you wouldn't allow 6-8 Udonis Haslem to explode for 23 points on 10 for 14 shooting. Those are all star numbers, the only problem is that Haslem is as close to being an all star as he is to being a professional ballet dancer. Which for all of you believing in his dancing skills, is damn near impossible. What will happen when the Knicks face true All Stars on the inside? The likes of Dwight Howard, Chris Bosh or Kevin Garnett? Sure, with speed and agility the pairing of Randolph and Lee will also present some problems for strong powerful frontlines trying to defend them but in the end, size is what matters in this league and it will prevail over any gimmick lineup the Knicks will try to assemble. It isn't just the big men matchup alone but the inability of the Knicks to rotate and challenge shots. Once a guard beats his man, he has as much stress scoring in New York's paint as he would have lying on the beach in Florida during the offseason. The Knicks frontline lacks length, size and actual athleticism. While Lee is a good athlete, he doesn't play big at all and neither do his teammates upfront. Something needs to happen here, there's no question about it. But as we all know, this Knicks team isn't a finished product by any means which leads us to the other big storyline of the evening.

Eddy Curry and Stephon Marbury, two cornerstones of the former Knicks regime under Isiah Thomas, didn't play a minute in yesterday's game, fueling discussions of both players' status under D'Antoni. Curry isn't in the rotation because he came in out of shape, something that finally has backfired on him after years of too many cookies in the summer. But Marbury's demotion came surprising, mostly maybe to some fans who chanted "We want Steph" in the third quarter, met my boos from other fans. D'Antoni is showing his teeth here and he makes it clear that you can only crack this rotation by sporting a winning attitude and a team first mindset. By sitting both Curry and Marbury he also slams the door behind the recent Knicks era of overpriced veterans, losses over losses and a boatload of scandals. Neither Curry nor Marbury figure to be in the longterm plans of the Knicks (unless they change their ways which especially for the 31 year old Marbury is unlikely) and with the building of a future core picking up steam, they are the odd men out. Maybe they will soon be used as a trade bait to find a few young guys who might fit into the plans of D'Antoni and GM Donnie Walsh of creating a young base or clearing cap space for the summer of 2010 when many big name free agents will be available. Al Harrington is all but gone in Golden State and seems to be on the Knicks radar and Memphis point guard Jarvaris Crittenton, who looks perfectly suited for playing under D'Antoni, is also rumored to be available. While all this drama took a lot of today's headlines, let's remember what yesterday's game was about. The Knicks and their fans celebrated the start of a new era with a victory and a thunderous party before, during and after the game. It is a small little step and there will come a lot more bumps in the road but the New York Knicks are finally on their way back out of hell. It'll be a long journey but for now, Knicks fans, just enjoy the moment and look ahead to what might happen a few years down the road or even next Sunday, when the Milwaukee Bucks visit the Garden. Once again the Knicks will play a meaningful game and it should be exciting, just like last night...

Boston Red Sox: The Heart Of A Champion

2008-10-17T10:27:00.000-07:00

Under the dark and cold skies of a Boston night in October, Fenway Park, one of the great cathedrals in all of baseball, was silent as a graveyard. Even in this hour of silence you couldn't hear any beating. But there was one beneath the white jerseys of the Red Sox. Somewhere inside of them a fire was burning and a heart was beating. Still beating. And it was the heart of a champion.

Trailing the Tampa Bay Rays in the American League Championship Series by 3-1, the Red Sox faced elimination in Game 5 on Thursday night. And the end of their season was inching closer and closer with every inning. They Rays jumped in front by 7-0 and with evey passing at bat, more and more fans left Fenway Park. Stunned, shocked, hopeless. But for those who stayed, who kept believing in their proud team, the rough hours turned into a night to remember. David Ortiz, struggling all series long, made it 7-4 with a homerun in the bottom of the seventh. J.D. Drew followed him up with a homer in the eighth and Fenway erupted as if the Sox had just won the World Series. All of a sudden the swagger, the pride and the hope, it all was back. And when Coco Crisp singled in the tying run off Dan Wheeler, you could hear it beating all around Boston. It weren't the hearts of the Red Sox players but the stands in a ballpark that had turned from a graveyard into a frenzy. And to make this a legend that will be told for many many years, Drew got his second clutch hit in the 9th as he singled home Kevin Youkilis who was greeted by thunderous cheers and his emphatic teammates at homeplate. After the game, which lasted almost 5 hours, Terry Francona maybe put it best: "It was simply magical."

Damn sure it was. In 79 years baseball hadn't seen such a comeback on as big a stage as there is, with everything on the line in an elimination playoff game. But Francona also reminded Red Sox Nation that it's only the first step on a long climb that lies in front of his team. "Hopefully there will be a moment when we can sit back and say that this was what put us over the hump. But we are still climbing." They are as the series will go back to St. Petersburg on Saturday for Game Six. Josh Beckett will start for Boston and face James Shields, trying to keep the momentum on the side of the defending World Champions. It's still a long way to go but with last night in the books, no matter what happens from now on, the Red Sox can end their season with their heads up high. But that's all in the future. For now, Boston lives to fight another day. And as we saw around midnight at Fenway yesterday, they will fight... until the very end. With the heart of a champion.

NFL Rookie Report Week 6

2008-10-14T10:09:00.000-07:00

As Week 6 in the NFL once again proved, everything can happen on any given Sunday. The Giants lost to the Browns, Washington falls to the lowly Rams and all around the league we saw interesting developments. Same can be said among the current rookie class where we also had some surprising breakout games, some players continuing their pro bowl caliber play and others stepping onto the scene for the first time. Let's have the weekly look at the rookies' play in week 6.

Offense:
We have to look no further than Atlanta to find some of the most impressive rookies of the 2008 class. The surprising Falcons beat the Chicago Bears and again got a tremendous performance from their first year signal caller Matt Ryan. The third overall pick completed 22 of his 30 passes for 301 yards and a touchdown. That gave him a 116.1 rating for the day and was just another reason for Falcons fans to smile about the upcoming years and to forget about a certain player with the number 7. Two other rookies help Ryan in Atlanta's offense: Tackle Sam Baker once again looked great on the offensive line and wide receiver Harry Douglas had a true breakout game against the Bears. Douglas, critisized by many before the Combine, caught 5 balls for 96 yards, both season highs. Matt Forte had another strong showing in the same game for Chitown with 110 all purpose yards and a rushing touchdown.

The other rookie starting quarterback, Joe Flacco in Baltimore, struggled this weekend despite a good completion percentage and 241 yards in the air. In a blowout loss at Indianapolis, Flacco found himself on his back 4 times and also threw 3 interceptions. Former Michigan star running back Mike Hart got his first real action for the Colts and rushed once for 2 yards and caught a pass for 18 yards. A little more impressive was the performance of Detroit's Kevin Smith who poured in 62 yards on only 5 carries against a tough Minnesota front and also added 11 receiving yards. His numbers scream for more touches. Unlike Smith, Eagles rookie sensation DeSean Jackson and Rams' receiver Donnie Avery don't have to worry about playing time right now. Jackson caught 6 balls for 98 yards and with now 433 total receiving yards he ranks 11th among all NFL receivers for the season, in front of some big names such as Terrell Owens or T.J. Houshmandzadeh. Not bad for a 5-10 second rounder that couldn't save himself from negative predraft buzz. Donnie Avery helped the Rams to celebrate their first win of the season with a nailbiter at Washington. The 5-11 Avery hauled in 5 passes for 73 yards against a very talented Redskins' secondary. A number of other pass catchers had solid showings this weekend, too. Jordy Nelson grabbed 4 balls for 42 yards and tight end John Carlson (Seattle) caught 4 passes for 22 yards including a 6 yard touchdown from backup QB Charlie Frye. Running back Ben-Jarvus Green-Ellis got his first action for the New England Patriots and caught a pass for 9 yards. The Carolina Panthers felt how valuable rookies already can be as Jeff Otah missed his second start in a row. The Panthers got destroyed by division rival Tampa Bay and the offense stuttered without it's starting left tackle in all areas.

Defense:
Looking at the defensive end, we can also start with an Atlanta Falcon. Linebacker Curtis Lofton racked up 8 total tackles in his team's win against Chicago and contiues to be a disruptive force in the middle. Fellow linebacker Keith Rivers recorded 6 tackles in a losing effort at the Meadowlands. In that game, Jets rookie cornerback Dwight Lowery passed another important test going up against Chad Johnson (sorry, that namechanging crap can't be taken serious) and T.J. Houshmandzadeh. While both had their moments, Lowery played well and at no point lost his focus. He finished with 3 tackles and defended two passes. For the Bengals Corey Lynch had an early career highlight. Not only did he defend a pass from quarterback legend Brett Favre, no, he also got his first career interception against old number 4. Defensive tackle Pat Sims out of Auburn also had a strong outing for Cincinnati with 4 solo tackles and an assist.

Aqib Talib also had a great game on Sunday. The big and physical corner intercepted a pass from Jake Delhomme, batted down two other throws and also added 3 tackles in an important division game. The second overall pick Chris Long had a key play against Washington when he recovered a fumble to go along with 3 tackles. Two other well known rookies led their respective tackles this week. Chris Horton, safety for the Redskins, finished with 10 stops against St. Louis and Jerod Mayo collected 7 tackles for the Patriots. Bryan Kehl also stood out as he got his first heavy duty for the New York Giants. The former BYU star finished with 6 stops at Cleveland. Kenny Phillips had 4 tackles in the same game for the Giants but was part of a secondary that got killed by Cleveland's air attack. Alex Hall had two tackles for the Browns and also sacked Eli Manning once. Trevor Laws (Eagles) and Calais Campbell (Cardinals), both heralded defensive line rookies, had solid outings with 2 tackles apiece and Campbell also forced a fumble against the Dallas Cowboys.

Special Teams:
Devon Bess had 113 kick return yards for the Miami Dolphins and also had a nice punt return for 25 yards. As if his receiving prowess wouldn't be impress enough, DeSean Jackson also comes around as a return man. After recording his first return touchdown last week he netted two punt returns this week for 28 yards. His teammate Quintin Demps had a tremendous 63 yard kick return against San Francisco on his way to 116 total return yards. The highlight play this week came from Tampa Bay's Geno Hayes though as he blocked a punt against Carolina and returned it 22 yards for the score. He also added 3 tackles and defended a pass, respectively.

Knicks On The Verge Of A New Era

2008-10-08T05:22:00.000-07:00

Looking at the roster of the New York Knicks today it's hard to see many changes. Yes, there is the newly aquired Chris Duhon, who came from Chicago, and there's italian rookie Danilo Gallinari, the 6th pick in this year's NBA Draft. Oh, and how could I forget Patrick Ewing Jr. who hopes to make the roster as a first year player and follow in the footsteps of his father, who's retired number is looking down on today's Knicks from the Madison Square Garden rafters. Overall, that's not what you would call a radical rebuild, something that seems inevitable for a team that lost 216 games in the last four seasons. Yet the storied franchise from the Big Apple is still on the verge of a new era with the 2008/2009 season just weeks away. New general manager Donnie Walsh and head coach Mike D'Antoni were the Knicks' big offseason (or last season) aquisitions and they are now in charge of bringing the team back to long forgotten glory.

Not that former GM and coach Isiah Thomas didn't have the same intentions. But unlike the new men in charge, he not only lacked a certain plan but also a winning and well respected resume around the league (as an executive I might add). Walsh, a big part of Indiana's success in the 90s and the early new millenium, and D'Antoni, who transformed the Phoenix Suns into a perennial championship contender in recent years, know how to win and what it takes not only for a team to change it's culture but also for a franchise. If anyone needs further proof, we only have to look back a few days at the Knicks training camp. While the players were the same guys who invented losing as an entire new art form, the coach was different and so was the vibe all around the team. It went way beyond D'Antoni's on court tactics that intend to make a Knicks a running, fastbreak team. No, the entire culture of the team is changing. You could sense an upbeat atmosphere, a new motivation and a group of players that figure there are going to be changes for the better. But next to all the positivity, Mike D'Antoni's remarks from Tuesday's practice tell the most important early chapter of what hopefully will be a blockbuster success story with a happy end down the road. He wasn't satisfied with the effort of his players and he reminded us all that there something needs to happen inside everyone of the Knicks. "You play three or four years and not every play matters, then you develop bad habits", said D'Antoni about his team's recent "success". "When not every game matters, then your mind plays tricks on you. You think you're playing hard but you really aren't." With those words he hit a very sensitive nerve that has been nagging on this franchise for years. Being able to win comes from within a group and how they act every day. It takes more than just making a jumpshot or beating your man. It is a mental thing, too. "Of course these old habits have to change. Then we can think of becoming a good team, when we understand how hard it will be." What might sound like a sidekick at former Knicks regimes is actually much more of a direction for the future. What happened, happened. But now things have to change. Not only players.

And things will change. Maybe not today in the Knicks first preseason game against the Toronto Raptors, maybe not in the first regular season game, maybe not even this year or next year. But by listening to Donnie Walsh and Mike D'Antoni, you understand that they will make the certain changes that will take care of the losing culture around the Garden. When a player isn't willing to follow, he will be removed sooner or later. When a player doesn't fit this kind of way, he will also be shown the door one day. This hasn't happened yet in terms of roster changes, but believe me, if necessary, D'Antoni and Walsh will make these decisions. It will take time, no roster can be build in one season. But under the new leadership of holding people accountable, it is more than likely that the franchise makes steps in the right direction. Right now, the Knicks are at the bottom of the ladder and have many many stairs to take. Knicks fans though can be happy that they have the right persons leading the team up those stairs that will hopefully end one day at the top of a podium...

NFL Rookie Report Week 5

2008-10-07T05:25:00.000-07:00

With every passing week more and more rookies start to see the field and begin to breath their first true professional air. Of course some rookies have already established themselves as top performers on their respective teams and even start to scratch at the bottom of the league's elite at their positions. Now let's take a look at the rookie performances from week 5 and who made an impact or his first big play in the pros.

Offense:
A number of receivers got their first career catches this weekend. The list includes former Michigan star Mario Manningham for the New York Giants (1 catch for 6 yards), Buffalo's 7th round draft choice Steve Johnson (1 catch for 8 yards) and Arizona's Early Doucet. The former LSU Tiger made the most of his chance, catching 6 passes for 42 yards. He might look at more playing time and plenty of opportunities from now on in Arizona's high octane offense. The Cardinals game against the Bills had another rookie receiver stepping up in the Bills' James Hardy. The tall wideout presented a nice big target, especially on third downs, and finished with 35 yards on 3 receptions. Another receiver who might have increased his playing time this weekend is Washington's Devin Thomas. He could be a valuable part in Jim Zorn's West Coast offense as he caught 2 balls for 28 yards at Philadelphia. He looked much more comfortable than he did in recent weeks, basically following the development of the entire Redskins' squad. Tight end Tom Santi had a nice showing for the Colts as he caught 4 passes for 27 yards, including a key touchdown in Indy's comeback victory at Houston.

Three rookie running backs particularly stood out in week 5: Houston's Steve Slaton, Arizona's Tim Hightower and the Cowboys' Felix Jones. All of them have more than cemented their roles as key parts in their teams' offense and continue to make big plays. Slaton rushed for 93 yards on 16 carries and two scores against the Indianapolis Colts. He also showed off his explosivness with an impressive 41 yard run. Hightower also scored two touchdowns, including one for 17 yards. He carried the ball only 7 times but made the most of it, collecting 37 yards on the ground. Felix Jones also didn't need the ball much to make his presence felt. He finished with 93 yards on just 9 carries, once again proving how much of an explosive runner he can be. His 33 yard touchdown run against the Bengals was easily the Cowboys' highlight of the game.

On such highlight runs the offensive linemen mainly have an assisting job but are just as important as the ball carrier. Numerous rookies look terrific in the trenches early in the season. Jeff Otah starts for the well playing Panthers and Atlanta's Sam Baker does his job for one of the most surprising offenses in the league. Gosder Cherilus made his second start for the Detroit Lions but as you can imagine, Detroit isn't the greatest place for a rookie to shine. Running back Kevin Smith had a nice outing though, finishing with 56 all purpose yards and a 12 yard touchdown run. A much more impressive performance took place in Miami with the Dolphins beating the San Diego Chargers, aided by top draft pick Jake Long. The big, mauling left tackle thrives in Miami's running attack and looks more and more comfortable in pass blocking. Carl Nicks made his second straight start at guard for New Orleans.

Defense:
Something is happening down there in Miami as Bill Parcells and company have quickly changed the culture of the franchise. Young defensive players Kendall Langford and Phillip Merling once again looked very good against the run. They along with their teammates allowed only 60 yards on the ground against San Diego. Another defensive lineman getting more and more reps is Eric Foster for the Indianapolis Colts as he had 5 solo tackles and batted a pass down against Houston. The smallish Foster (6-2, 265) fits right in with the rest of the Colts defense that builds on speed and quickness.

Plenty of quickness can also be seen among the defensive backs in this rookie class. Chris Horton led the Redskins in tackles, finishing with 8 stops in another impressive road victory in the NFC East. Fellow safety Kenny Phillips is looking very good for a strong New York Giants defense. He recorded 7 tackles in the Giants' blowout victory over the struggling Seattle Seahawks. Brandon Carr (Kansas City) is slowly getting used to blowouts, too, playing for the lowly Chiefs, yet he does a solid job in the secondary. Against Carolina he finished with 8 tackles, suffers though from the overall state of his entire team. It's hard to look good on a team as young and inexperienced as the Chiefs. Charles Godfrey finds himself in a better spot as the starting free safety for the Carolina Panthers. He recorded just 2 tackles but was part of an impressive Panthers' backfield that only allowed 92 yards in the air. Keith Rivers didn't have his usual high number of tackles but made plenty of other plays in his team's close loss to Dallas. He forced a fumble, defended a pass and intercepted a Tony Romo pass that he returned 39 yards. Rivers is proving to be a very versatile linebacker who is capable of making plays all over the field. Defensive end Jason Jones out of Eastern Michigan recorded 3 tackles for the Tennessee Titans and continues to earn his reps among one of the league's best defensive fronts. In Jacksonville Quentin Groves finished with half a sack and 2 tackles but couldn't prevent his team from losing to the Steelers. Defensive back Orlando Scandrick (Dallas Cowboys) had 4 solo tackles against Cincinnati, Leodis McKelvin had 5 stops against Arizona and his Buffalo teammate Reggie Corner finished with 2 tackles, the first two of his NFL career. Overall the Bills' secondary had a rough day though against the Cardinals as Kurt Warner and his receivers racked up 250 yards in the air. Just like Corner, two other defenders recorded the first stops of their pro careers: Cliff Avril (Detroit) and Ali Highsmith (Arizona) each had 2 solo tackles. Another very good rookie performance was turned in on Monday Night Football as Tyrell Johnson continues to play well at safety for the Minnesota Vikings. One of the stars at the Combine, Johnson had 3 tackles, a fumble recovery, defended a pass and got the first interception of his NFL career in the dying seconds of the Vikings' road victory at New Orleans.

Special teams:
Though he didn't have a very impressive day as a receiver (1 catch), DeSean Jackson still got Eagles' fans excited against Washington as he scored on a 68 yard punt return. Brett Kern was the most impressive rookie kicker of the week. Of his 5 punts 2 found their way inside the 20 yard line and overall he averaged 49.6 yards per kick. On Monday Night Reggie Bush shined with two punt returns for touchdowns and one of those was aided by a first year player. On Bush's first score, JoLonn Dunbar had an absolute monster block near the sidelines, paving the way to the promise land for his teammate.

Injuries:
Left tackle Branden Albert (Kansas City) didn't play due to a hyperextended elbow. The Saints suffered another serious injury, this time to rookie defensive tackle Sedrick Ellis. The former USC Trojan had to get arthroscopic surgery on his right knee and could be out for a month. Carolina's defensive end Hilee Taylor had to leave his team's win against the Chiefs with a minor knee injury. Explosive wideout Eddie Royal suffered an ankle sprain in Denver's win against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Chicago Cubs: The Weight Of A Century

2008-10-03T03:35:00.000-07:00

As the Los Angeles Dodgers celebrated in Wrigley Field for the second straight day, the Chicago Cubs left the diamond with their heads down. Their stunned faithful in the stands exited with the same expression. Some looked up to the heavens as if they wanted to ask the baseball gods how all of this was happening. As the cold wind was blowing through the emptying stadium it seemed as if it would take all glimpse of hope up in the skies, out to Lake Michigan and beyond into the dark night, never to return. Atleast not this season. Not with the way the Cubs played, with the fear of failure on their mind and the load of a 100 painful years on their shoulders.

Over the course of the year you get to see many bad teams like the Pittsburgh Pirates or the Seattle Mariners from time to time. They all had their moments where you could have labeled them an offense to the game of baseball, that's how terrible they played. But last night's performance by the Cubs tops everything that you might have seen during the MLB season. The fans saw a lifeless team if there has ever been one and players that looked like the played the game for the first time ever. Bobbled ground balls, terrible at bats, frightened faces without emotion - it all added up as the Dodgers won the game 10-3 and took a commanding 2-0 lead in the National League Division Series. "It just wasn't good baseball, it was terrible", said Cubs manager Lou Piniella after the game. "These were propably our worst performances of the entire year. It wasn't fun to watch." No, it wasn't. It's no exaggeration to say that the Cubs faced a little more pressure than any other team in this year's playoffs. They are the team everybody dies to watch. They were the story that everyone wanted to see have a happy end. And given how the team played this year, with their 97 wins, the strong pitching and the dangerous lineup, it seemed more realistic than ever that they could finally bring that World Series title back to the city for the first time since 1908. This was a good team, maybe even the best in baseball. They looked immune against the talk from the outside, the ghosts of former failures and the heavy pressure to perform. Yet with the postseason on the horizon something changed within Lou Piniella and his troops. Who can say what it is, they might not even know themselves, but all of a sudden it seems like the team has lost all of it's confidence. All the smiles, the poise, the strong character from during the season - blown away. They keep it real to their franchise's history as if they want to prove that the Cubs can't win. They are the "lovable losers" and they can't come through either. But that is not true. A curse doesn't exist on the field or in a city. The curse exists in the people's heads and as the last two games proved, it exists in the minds of this team. This version of the Cubs is afraid to win, afraid to fail again and they don't believe in themselves. Despite proving all year long that they are one hell of a good baseball team. Now they fail to show that they have what every great team has and that is mental toughness.

How come that they all of a sudden chase pitches way out of the strikezone after being one of the most patient teams all year long? How come they commit one horrible error after another despite showing good defense during the season? Why do the pitchers lose their poise? We could ask more and more of these questions and the answer would be the same. It's not because the Los Angeles Dodgers are the better baseball team or because the Cubs are a bad baseball team. You don't win 97 games if you don't know how to play. No, the reason for the Cubs downfall is that they bow down in front of a myth that has been part of baseball legends for so many decades. As a player you have to forget about that. It takes toughness under such circumstances to believe in yourself and to fight of the ghosts that have haunted so many players before you. After two games, these Cubs don't have that toughness. Actually, it looks like they never had it. No matter who you pick, if it is the struggling Alfonso Soriano, the declining Derrek Lee, the rattled pitchers, all rounder Kosuke Fukudome, they all showed the same fear, the same lack of guts and the inability to raise their game to the occasion. They dropped all their strongpoints of the year, their good, patient approach at the plate or their undying believe after falling behind. Nobody stepped up and put the team on his back either. Carlos Zambrano tried to do it but fell short. Lou Piniella could have tried it by moving a runner to third in the first inning with nobody out. He decided to let Ryan Theriot swing and strike out. It was a crucial situation not to score in that first inning as it only added to the doubts in his players' minds. In the end, they failed as a team in a monumentally bad effort from top to bottom.
You could pick hundreds of symbolic situations or images from last night to describe the Cubs' state of mind. Mark DeRosa's postgame interview isn't one of them: "Don't count us out, stay with us. We're not dead." Well, even though it's hard to believe, he's right. There is hope. Like in 2004, when the Boston Red Sox were in almost the same situation as they Cubs are in now. Down 0-3 against the New York Yankees in the ALCS after decades of disaster and without any hope of bringing back the long wanted World Series Championship. That Red Sox team though fought back in a legendary comeback and later won their World Series ring. The talk was the same about curses, ghosts and losing. Yet the players stepped up, they showed their guts, their toughness and their heart. Even though they didn't have history on their side as no other team had ever come back from a three game deficit. This year it looks better for the Cubs actually. The Yankees once came back from 0-2 to advance against Oakland. So could we say history is on the Cubs' side? Not really as the history and how they deal with it is the reason why these Cubs are where they are right now. And they better find their hearts quickly or the lights at Wrigley Field will not shine again this season. For another year until the ride begins again. With another added year of weight on their shoulders...

NFL Rookie Report Week 4

2008-09-30T02:51:00.000-07:00

Offense:
The rookies who have made an impact in these first weeks of the young season mostly continued to do so in Week 4. Philadelphia's DeSean Jackson is slowly but surely turning into one of the most dangerous offensive weapons in the NFC East as he recored 35 yards on two carries and 71 yards on 5 receptions and a touchdown. He lost a fumble though which is his second mental mistake in as many weeks and something he has to work on. Eddie Royal has been very impressive so far for the Denver Broncos. The speedy wideout is a true playmaker as he showed in the Broncos' loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. Royal caught 9 balls for 104 yards and added a long pun return for 36 yards. The Broncos look to be in great shape at the wide receiver position for many years to come with Royal and teammate Brandon Marshall. Steve Slaton of the Houston Texas is taking advantage of the vacated backfield in Houston and is making the best out of his new found playing time. Though he only gained 33 yards on 10 carries against a stout Jacksonville front, he managed 83 yards receiving yards including a touchdown. Jonathan Stewart for the Carolina Panthers is more of a bruising type of runner. He splits carries with DeAngelo Williams but had a solid game on Sunday as he finished with 52 yards on 14 carries and a touchdown. It was already his fourth score in as many games. Chicago's rookie runner Matt Forte wasn't fortunate enough to get a touchdown in his team's win against Philly but once again showed off his impressive versatility out of the backfield. Subpar on the ground with 43 yards on 19 touches, he helped his team with 42 receiving yards and continues to give quarterback Kyle Orton a nice security blanket on short passing situations. Another star among this year's rookie class is Tennessee's Chris Johnson. He tallied in 61 solid yards on 17 carries against devastating Vikings defensive front, reached the endzone twice and helped his team to remain unbeaten. Such joys are far away for the Rams' Donnie Avery as his team continues to wait for their first victory of the season. If they get it though, you figure that Avery might be a reason for it. On Sunday he rushed for a 37 yard touchdown on an end around and added 3 receptions for 22 yards. Not special numbers but a welcomed sign for a squad that desperately needs new life. Other receivers were rather quiet this week, yet Jordy Nelson (Green Bay) and Dustin Keller (New York Jets) have solidified their roles on their respective teams. Nelson caught 4 passes for 31 yards and Keller caught Brett Favre's career high setting 6th touchdown against the Cardinals. Not bad for your only catch of the day!

In the trenches some of the young big guys continue to look real impressive. Jeff Otah starts at right tackle for the Carolina Panthers and does a fine job in both pass protection and run blocking. Same can be said for Duane Brown of the Houston Texans who looked outstanding against Jacksonville in passing situations. He needs to develop quicker feet but used his arms very well to fight off pass rushers. Carl Nicks got his first NFL start for the New Orleans Saints at left guard and did a very good job. He got through the game without commiting a penalty and got a great push in the run game, using his massive size and quick feet to open holes for his running backs. Branden Albert played well for Kansas City against Denver but got injured in the second quarter. Joe Flacco had a very solid performance on the first Monday Night Football game ever for him. Even though he couldn't lead his team to victory against the Steelers, he showed toughness on the road throughout the game and threw the first touchdown of his NFL career. Rashard Mendenhall replaced Pittsburgh's Willie Parker in the lineup but his first career start was cut short. He injured his shoulder on an inside run in the third quarter and didn't return. Best wishes to him!

Defense:
The linebackers among this rookie class continue to impress. Curtis Lofton once again racked up a high number of tackles for the Atlanta Falcons (7 solo stops, one assist) and looked good against the run. Former USC standout Keith Rivers has owned a starting spot at outside linebacker for the Cincinnati Bengals and he thanks his coach for the confidence with solid performances. In the "Battle of Ohio" against Cleveland he recorded a total of 8 tackles. Both players not only continue to play heavy minutes, they also pay back by being very active on the field and playing very solid for first year players. Another linebacker who starts to burst onto the scene is Alex Hall from the Cleveland Browns. The 7th round pick from tiny St. Augustine College got a lot of snaps for the second week in a row and contributed with a tackle, a forced fumble and a sack. He already got to the quarterback the week before against Baltimore and looks to be a nice shot in the arm for an overall struggling Cleveland Browns defense.
The New Orleans felt a big boost this weekend by finally seeing Deuce McAllister run hard again. But on the defensive side of the ball they continue to get contribution from two first year players that fill important holes for the newly constructed Saints D. Tracy Porter is emerging as a true playmaker in the secondary and filled up the stat sheet pretty nicely against the 49ers. The aggressive corner from Indiana had 3 tackles, his first NFL sack, defended a pass and also got the first interception of his young career. He might have openend a little bottle after that game! And if he did, I'm sure Sedrick Ellis joined him. The strong defensive tackle looked stout in the middle by occupying blockers and he also recorded his first sack in the pros. There are a number of other players who got their big debut play this weekend. Hilee Taylor, defensive end for the Carolina Panthers, got his first sack and might continue to take advantage of the double teams against his teammate Julius Peppers. Taylor went to college at North Carolina by the way, just like Peppers. Buffalo's cornerback Leodis McKelvin finally got some extended playing time in the Bills' win at St. Louis. He immediately made an impact by forcing a fumble and recovering the loose ball. Brandon Flowers also recovered a fumble to set up a score for Kansas City, who not only got their first win of the season but also played a lot of first year players all around the gridiron. Flowers finished with 7 tackles and batted down 2 passes while his teammate in the secondary Brandon Carr managed his first career interception. Beside the pick he also defended 3 passes, recovered a fumble and added 2 solo tackles. And there was another rookie for the Chiefs who got his first highlight in the pros. Defensive end Brian Johnston sacked Denver quarterback Jay Cutler, rounding out the overall impressive performance by the Chiefs rookie defenders. Jets corner Dwight Lowery collected 9 tackles and forced a fumble against Arizona in a lopsided victory for his team.

In Tampa Bay the Buccaneers got solid contribution from two rookies in their secondary. The athletic Aqib Talib had 3 tackles (after only having one throughout the first weeks) and his rookie teammate Elbert Mack (undrafted out of Troy) also chipped in with 4 stops. Both might have a chance to take away some snaps from the aging and struggling Ronde Barber, even though this is hard to imagine considering Barber's resume in the league. Someone who is also working on such a storied legacy is Chris Horton, starting safety of the Washington Redskins. So far, he is doing a tremendous job. In Washington's impressive road victory at Dallas he had 3 tackles and an interception, giving him 3 for the year. He possesses good speed, gets quickly to the line of scrimmage and stays tight in coverage (he had a great tackle against Jason Witten on a crossing route). The other Redskins rookie safety, Kareem Moore out of Nicholls State, also had a solid showing with 3 solo tackles and adds to an already good depth in Jim Zorn's secondary.

Special Teams:
Well, let's also give the kickers and special teamers some props. We didn't have an impressive highlight reel return this weekend, atleast not from a rookie, but for the first year players the special teams are always a great opportunity to raise a few eyebrows. So did Washington's punter Durant Brooks. With two of his four punts he pinned the Cowboys inside their own 20 yard line and averaged 46.3 yards for the night, putting his defensive in good position numerous times. Tyvon Brach had a highlight tackle against San Diego's mighty mouse Darren Sproles, as he brought him down immediately after a catch. Branch is starting to become a star special teamer for the Raiders and his coaches love his contribution in this part of the game. Brian Witherspoon is propably getting similar reviews from his coaches in Jacksonville. Evn though he hasn't made the big splash with a touchdown, his returns have been a nice spark for the at times offensively challenged Jaguars. Against Houston on Sunday, Witherspoon averaged a solid 26 yards on kickoff returns but added an impressive 21.5 yard average on his punt returns. Another player who got his work in on special teams was Vernon Gholston for the New York Jets. He struggled so far on defensive snaps but his contribution on kicks and punts this week (4 tackles) earned him coach Eric Mangini's "Special Teams Player Of The Week" Award.

Blackout: Dark Night For Georgia

2008-09-28T05:42:00.000-07:00

In the weekly war down on the gridirons across the South, every game is a unique challenge to a team's mental toughness, to their physical talent and last but not least to their heart. Some games are even bigger than others, like last night's clash between the #3 ranked Georgia Bulldogs and the #8 ranked Alabama Crimson Tide. Sadly though, only one of the teams was up for grueling challenge on another hard Saturday in the SEC. It weren't the Bulldogs, who suffered a painful 41-30 home defeat and left a quiet "blacked out" Sanford Stadium into an even darker night with more questions than answers on their minds.

Georgia, previously unbeaten just like the high riding Crimson Tide, came out of the tunnel fired up with the black jerseys on their proud chests for just the third time in modern history. Yet that pride and that energy quickly got lost in what turned into one of the worst played halfs by a Georgia football team in recent years. Not to take anything away from Alabama, who came in with an excellent gameplan and a boatload of confidence. They outplayed Georgia on both sides of the ball in the first 30 minutes, yet the game could have been much closer if the Dawgs wouldn't have self destructed completely. But, sadly for Bulldog Nation, they shot themselves in the foot numerous times. And it wasn't just some little graze shot, it as more like bomb crater everytime they made a mistake. They served Alabama over 50 free yards on penalties on the Crimson Tide's first three drives. One of those miscues even neglected an Alabama fumble on their opening possession. Georgia fumbled the ball on a first down play on their side of the 50 yard line. And if that wouldn't have been enough, punter Brian Mimbs experienced propably one of the most horrible nights in his early football career. On his first two kicks he averaged 24 yards, including an 18 yarder that gave Alabama great field position. After all these errors added up and the Crimson Tide had seen how vulnerable their opponent was on that night, the first half was over. So was the game as Alabama led 31-0 at the break. With the huge lead, Bama could execute their gameplan to perfection, handing the ball off to their strong running backs behind their gigantic offensive line. Georgia had to play catch up and their young line's problems in pass protection got exposed numerous times. Star running back Knowshon Moreno only carried the ball 9 times for 34 yards and a touchdown, basically taken out of the game by the lopsided score. Despite an inspired second half comeback, the Bulldogs lost in the end and took a huge blow to their confidence and their National Championship dreams.

It was a painful loss, both because of the result and also because as Bulldogs coach Mark Richt put it because of "the self inflicted wounds". Not only did penalties and bad execution hurt Georgia right from the opening kickoff, the talented Alabama squad also showed the vulnerability of the Bulldogs team that has yet ot figure out how to get rid of some of their own shortcomings. There is the defense that in recent games is playing way too passive under coordinator Willie Martinez. Blessed with one of the fastest linebacking corps in the nation, Martinez at times just refuses to bring more pressure through blitz packages and different formations. Last night a more aggressive approach might have helped against a big offensive line and a quarterback in John Parker Wilson who can be rattled by pressure in his face. Georgia though rather sat back in their zone, continued to play way off the wide receivers and only rushed four, giving Wilson easy pitch and catch throws all night long. Another problem with the Bulldogs right now is their lack of a short passing game. When they land in obvious passing situations, quarterback Matthew Stafford almost exclusively goes down the field. That might work against average defenses like Arizona State but not in the SEC. The long throws and plays also take time to develop, making it even harder for the inexperienced offensive line. Mark Richt and Mike Bobo have to find a way to include more crossing routes, more slants and more screens into the gameplan or they will never be able to move the ball consistently against a good defense that takes away the long ball. Now another problem that is slowly but surely developing for Georgia is an unwelcomed visitor in their locker room: The injury bug. Already without starting left tackle Trindon Sturdivant, star defensive tackle Jeff Owens and hardnosed fullback Brannan Southerland, the Dawgs lost another leader yesterday to injury with All SEC middle linebacker Dannell Ellerbe who left the game midway through the first drive with a knee injury. His status is uncertain as of now. No matter how talented or deep your team is, if you are losing key players on a weekly basis it's hard to really get rolling.

Georgia now enters the bye week with a lot on their mind and Mark Richt will have his hands full to bring back the confidence in his players that carried them to a Sugar Bowl victory in 2007. Everything can change from week to week in college football and with Florida's loss to Ole Miss yesterday, the Bulldogs still have everything in their own hands in the SEC East. Even the National Championship is far from being out of reach. The top unbeaten teams will all face each other in one way or another and Georgia still has the possibility for redemption against the Tide if they make it to the SEC Championship. A lot of ifs, a lot of question marks, the bottom line is that the Bulldogs have a lot of work to do. Not only because of their brutal remaining schedule (including trips to Baton Rouge and Auburn) but also because of what they brought to the field on Saturday. Hope is clearly there, as Georgia was in the same position last year after early season losses to South Carolina and Tennessee and bounced back. "If we want to look at a bright spot, it's just the beginning of the season", said Knowshon Moreno. "You saw last year what can happen, it's not the downfall of our team. We still can bounce back." But to bounce back, the Bulldogs need to regroup first. In that case, the bye week couldn't have come at a better time...

Wild Afternoon In College Football

2008-09-27T12:43:00.000-07:00

The Sportsbar opens early today as there is a lot to talk about already on this Saturday afternoon in September. Johan Santana is giving the Mets an almost legendary performance right now as their playoff hopes are hanging by a threat. And of course a bunch of college football games are already in the books and fans got so see some wild ones all over the country. So have a beer and let's take a look at the action across the gridirons.

#14 Ohio State 34, Minnesota 21
The unbeaten Golden Gophers came in with a strong 4-0 record but this one is just as much history as the waiting time for the Buckeyes freshman sensation Terrelle Pryor. While the return of star running back Beanie Wells was the story of the day, Pryor once again gave the fans at the "Horseshoe" a lot to cheer. He finished with one passing touchdown and a rather unspectacular 69 yards through the air. Yet he turned on his weels for 97 yards on the ground and two scores giving Ohio State a preview what he can do for them in the upcoming years.

Michigan State 42, Indiana 29
Oh come on, Mr Ringer! We are used to see a better effort from you. MSU's star runner "only" rushed for 198 yards and a touchdown as he once again carried the Spartans on his back to an important road victory. He missed his third straight 200 yard rushing performance by only 2 yards. This time he got important help from his quarterback Brian Hoyer (260 yards, 2 touchdowns) and kicker Brett Swenson who went 4 for 4 on field goals and was perfect on extra points. Despite a gutsy effort from Keenan Lewis the Spartans prevailed and should be ranked in the next polls.

Maryland 20, #20 Clemson 17
Well, Cullen Harper once again laid an egg and couldn't keep up with his explosive rushing duo of James Davis and C.J. Spiller who combined for 220 yards on 31 carries. Harper got picked off once and lost a fumble as the Terrapins are looking better and better as the season goes on. Quarterback Chris Turner managed the game well, avoided mistakes and can now celebrate another big win after beating Cal two weeks ago. After an opening thrashing against Alabama, the Tigers though find themselves wondering how quickly their dreams and hopes of a magic season went south.

Mississippi 31, #4 Florida 30
Who would have thought a missed extra point would decide this game?! Ole Miss pulls off the gigantic upset at the Swamp, beating the confused Gators in a nailbiter. Senior kicker James Phillips, who looked good all season, missed a PAT with about 3 minutes to go and left the crowd, his teammates and the country stunned. Tim Tebow couldn't convert on a 4th and 1 as the Gators' National Championship hopes took a huge hit. Even Percy Harvin's 286 all purpose yards and two touchdowns weren't enough. How much a little extra point can mean to a season...

JUST IN: New York Mets 2, Florida Marlins 0
Johan Santana - 9 IP, 3 hits, no runs... outstanding performance by one of the most dominant pitchers of our time. The Mets live to fight another day.

The Game To See: Alabama at Georgia

2008-09-26T12:50:00.001-07:00

#8 ALABAMA CRIMSON TIDE - #3 GEORGIA BULLDOGS

7:45 pm ET, Saturday, Septembter 27, 2008
Sanford Stadium, Athens, GA

All eyes will be on Athens Saturday night as blacked out Sanford Stadium will host one of the best games of the entire season. Both unbeaten teams are on a roll entering this clash of traditional SEC powerhouses and will put their record to the test in what should be a physical and dramatic matchup. Georgia is led by the explosive Heisman hopeful Knowshon Moreno at tailback, their strong armed quarterback Matthew Stafford and a relentless linebacking corps. The Crimson Tide will counter with a big defensive front and an experienced, nasty offensive line featuring star left tackle Andre Smith. Alabama will look to establish their potent running attack with junior Glen Coffee and freshman Mark Ingram leading the way against a stout Georgia front seven. As with most SEC games, this game will test not only the talent, the heart and the strength of each opponent. In the end toughness will determine the winner of this game, may it be on a deciding goal line stand, down in the trenches or on a critical 4th quarter drive. But that's nothing new to Bulldogs coach Mark Richt, his counterpart Nick Saban or their players. It's their daily fate in the SEC and it will once again make up for one hell of a night down South!

Mets Have It In Their Hands Again

2008-09-26T12:36:00.000-07:00

It's just one of those stories that you'll only find in sports. How big a story it was, the collapse of last year's New York Mets, when they blew a huge division lead to the Philadelphia Phillies on the last days of September. The Mets have to go at it again, in a year where they had their chances, their leads and their praise as one of the teams to beat. Now, even though they are right in the middle of the National League playoff race, the story is basically how they will manage to just fall short again? What big late inning lead will they choke away or what play will they mess up on their road to another painful long winter full of ruined dreams and what ifs? Yet they again have it in their own hands. At home, on the last days of good old Shea. 3 games, 3 finals. Do or die. They heard this story before. And they sure are sick of it. But to get rid of that dark history, they have to deliver. Today, tomorrow and on Sunday. In their closing regular season series they face their division rivals, the Florida Marlins. But that shouldn't matter. Just as the results in other stadiums or the matchups shouldn't interest the Mets right now. It's all about themselves. Their heart, their guts and their will to win. And what better way there is to say goodbye to Shea Stadium than give the ballpark another few days of life...

Down Goes Southern California

2008-09-25T22:07:00.000-07:00

Everyone in the college football world was waiting for January when the mighty USC Trojans would be put to the test. When they would have to face the Sooners, Bulldogs or Tigers of this world. Everybody waited for a worthy opponent to go up against the number one team in the nation... until last night, when it took a 5-6 true freshman running back and a team of highly motivated and fired up Oregon State football players to ruin the Trojans' National Championship dreams.

The Beavers upset USC 27-21 on Thursday night at Reser Stadium and look to be the deciding factor in Southern Cal's bid for the National Championship. Freshman halfback Jacquizz Rodgers rushed for 186 yards and 2 touchdowns on 36 carries to lead the Beavers to their second upset of USC in the last three years. Throughout the entire game Rodgers found room inside the trenches where his offensive line manhandled the Trojans front. Asked how he was able to have such success against the highly praised USC defense, Rodgers had a quite amusing answer: "I'm a small dude, I was just hiding behind my offensive linemen. They couldn't find me." If it would be just that easy... After dominating the first half on route to a 21-0 halftime lead, Oregon State looked to lose the hold of the game in the third quarter. Pete Carroll's talented Trojans stormed back to get within one touchdown yet they couldn't finish their aspired comeback. When quarterback Mark Sanchez threw an interception with about 2 minutes to go, Corvallis exploded in a collective uproar that was heard around the entire nation. The Trojans might not forget that sound anytime soon...

NFL Rookie Report Week 3

2008-09-24T07:13:00.000-07:00

So, week 3 of the NFL season is in the books and quite a bunch of rookies continue to make an impact. Others are slowly but surely earning their spots and should see more and more time in the upcoming weeks. Let's see who the best rookie performers were this weekend.

OFFENSE:
The highlights of the offensive rookie class this season has been without a doubt Eddie Royal, Chris Johnson and Matt Forte. While Royal and Johnson had solid yet unspectacular outings this week, Forte once again proved his worth to the Chicago Bears, even though they lost their home opener to Tampa Bay in overtime. Forte finished with 89 yards rushing on 27 carries and added 7 receptions for 66 yards and a touchdown. He continues to show his versatility and that he will be the all purpose back of the future for the Bears. Steve Slaton had his first breakout performance for the Houston Texans this weekend. It didn't factor in the decision since we are still talking about the Texans here, but Slaton's 116 yards on 18 carries were clearly impressive. He also added a touchdown. Felix Jones continues to seize the opportunities given to him in Dallas' high octane offense as he finished with 76 yards on only 6 carries, including a big time 60 yard touchdown run against a tough Green Bay defense. He will only see more chances as the year goes on since not only Marion Barber will wear down many defenses but also the Cowboys gigantic and experienced offensive line.
We also have some emerging players at the fullback position among this year's rookie class. For example new Seattle Seahawk Owen Schmitt, a throwback bulldozer who's main response is opening holes for his halfback and hammering his head into opposing defenders. Schmitt helped Julius Jones to break the century mark of 100 yards in the last two games and is a big part of the resurgance of Seattle's running game. The undrafted Mike Tolbert out of Coastal Carolina hopes to have the same impact in San Diego where he blocks in front of superstar LaDainian Tomlinson. While he has trouble in the blocking department, Tolbert proved to be a capable receiver on Monday Night against the New York Jets. He finished with 4 receptions for 17 yards and a touchdown. In the same game Dustin Keller had his first stellar performance for Gang Green. The athletic tight end regularly got open down the seam and caught the first touchdown of his young NFL career. With his 4 catches for 41 yards he clearly was a bright spot in New York's rather unimpressive offense. While running back Michael Turner has been the star in Atlanta's impressive start, signal caller Matt Ryan continues to amaze people with poise, a strong arm and solid game management. The third overall pick completed 12 of 18 passes, including a 70 yard TD bomb to Roddy White. While it's still early, Falcons fans can't be more happy with the early development of their franchise quarterback.

Franchise players are also often playing on the left side of the offensive line. This week, two rookies had outstanding games at the important left tackle position. Sam Baker from the Atlanta Falcons is showing nice technique and experience, coming from his career at USC. He didn't allow a sack and Atlanta's running game is performing brilliantly so far. While Baker was good, the offensive line star of this weekend was top pick Jake Long. The Michigan standout was a key in Miami's upset win at Foxboro as he not only kept his quarterback Chad Pennington on his feet but also opened big holes in the running game. The Dolphins' rushing attack came out with numerous option plays and direct snaps, keeping New England's defense on their heels. Long went up against one of the best defensive fronts in the league and clearly passed that test with great marks. Same can be said for Tampa Bay's Jeremy Zuttah, who had to deal with Tommie Harris in the trenches of Soldier Field. He did a good job in pass protection. Branden Albert continues to start at left tackle for Kansas City.

DEFENSE:
Some rookies around the league really have solidified their spots on the defensive side of the ball. Antoine Cason in San Diego is giving good performances as the nickelback while Tracy Porter (New Orleans), Brandon Flowers (Kansas City) and Dwight Lowery (New York Jets) start on the outside for their respective teams. Lowery had two great pass breakups against the Chargers but also got beat two times. His coverage though was solid on both occasions. Another cornerback who is slowly expanding his number of snaps is the Cowboys' Mike Jenkins. The former South Florida star clearly showed some jitters but looked very solid and physical in coverage as he finished with 3 solo tackles. With an overall struggling secondary, Jenkins figures to get more and more playing time as the year goes on. Kenny Phillips for the Giants and Charles Godfrey for the Panthers are two safeties who right now make the most of their opportunities. Phillips knocked down a pass and had 5 tackles. Godfrey finished with 4 solo tackles and one assist and also got the first sack of his career. With Godfrey, Carolina's safety problem appear to be over.
The most surprising game of the weekend clearly was played in New England, where the previously winless Miami Dolphins ended the Patriots 21 game regular season win streak. While the result was a suprise, the performance of Miami's rookies up front shouldn't be that surprising anymore. Kendall Langford and Phillip Merling have had a great start to their NFL careers and even though they have to learn a lot, they make their impact felt. Langford starts at defensive end in Miami's 3-4 front and while he didn't have a sack this week, he looked much better against the run. He held his own inside, finishing with 2 tackles and a blocked pass. Merling's stats are a bit more impressive with a fumble recovery and a sack. Both look to be long time parts of Tony Sparano's front seven and will only get better with more experience and confidence. One of the more "experienced" rookies is Jerod Mayo as he continues to start at inside linebacker for the New England Patriots and getting almost no breathers in the first three weeks. Against Miami he finished with 8 tackles and 4 assists, though I'm sure he would have liked to pass the experience of losing his first NFL game. But hey, it's all about the learning process!

Monday Night Meltdown For Jets

2008-09-23T05:54:00.000-07:00

It wasn't about the result yesterday for the New York Jets when they lost 48-29 to the San Diego Chargers on Monday Night Football. You can lose over there on the West Coast, especially against a Chargers team that had their backs against the wall and was playing to rescue their season after an 0-2 start. But the way the Jets played in the bright lights has to raise an armada of red flags, not only for next weekend's clash with the Arizona Cardinals but also for the entire season.

The night couldn't have started any better for the Jets as new starting safety David Barrett intercepted Phillip Rivers for a touchdown on the second series of the game. But from that point on, everything went south. An early onside kick didn't work, Favre looked like he played for the Chargers the way he was targeting their defensive backs and Thomas Jones fumbled right into San Diego's hands to give them a short field. Yet all of this wasn't nearly as bad as the injury to nose tackle Kris Jenkins. Believe it or not, the 6-4, 350 pound Jenkins is by far the most important player on this Jets team. Yes, including number 4, Ben Graham or Eric Smith (who had an atrocious game yesterday). With the man mountain in the middle, the Jets have the potential to be a top 5 run defense in the league and when they ever start to blitz again, a top 10 overall defense. Without Jenkins though, as we saw last night, the front seven looks like a high school team going up against Earl Campbell in his heyday. It was that bad. The Jets can scratch their heads about the offense all day long, if Jenkins is out for any longer amount of time, the season is over. If you want to be a contender with a 3-4 defense, you can't have some kind of journeyman like Sione Pouha playing nose tackle for you. Great teams are never made by their offense alone and as old the saying seems, defensive still wins championships. The Jets have a lot of pieces in place (above average linebacking corps, strong secondary) but without Jenkins, make your plans for an early January vacation.

While Jets fans have to keep their fingers crossed that big Kris Jenkins is healthy, last night's game puts a rest to those idiots who just wanted to unleash Brett Favre and let him throw the ball all over the place. This group includes the majority of ESPN's inept Monday Night Crew. Mainly Steve Young acted like a voice of reason and had his reservations, calling the idea of letting an unprepared Favre loose "foolish". That comment could be expanded to his pregame partner Emmitt Smith, who is just a notch below Tony Kornheiser in terms of Monday Night stupidity and lobbied for a heavy dose of Favre without giving any indication how that might look. A couple of hours later, Steve Young proved to be oh so right. I don't want to hear all that legend stuff and how great Favre was, is or will be. This isn't about Favre, this is about the New York Jets. He better learn the playbook quickly and gets held accountable for his mistakes. While he sure doesn't have chemistry with his receivers, you still don't have to throw a ball into triple coverage off your back foot. Sure, Favre has always been that way but he better develop some chemistry with his receivers at some point in the near future. The coaching staff has to do their part too, putting up some plays that favor Favre's ability like the vintage quick slant pass that we finally saw once last night. Now Favre is only one of the problems of the Jets offense. The offensive line has been far from good this season. While they looked ok in run blocking yesterday, Faneca and company had trouble keeping the pocket intact. You could expect more from a group that includes two recent first round picks and two big offseason additions. There were also some positive things on offense, like the expanded role for rookie tight end Dustin Keller (4 catches, 41 yards and a touchdown) and the continuing emergance of Chansi Stuckey (6 catches, 42 yards and a touchdown). The special teams were flat out spectacular with Leon Washington electrifiying the field with 198 return yards, a recovered onside kick by rookie Vernon Gholston and another great return by Jerricho Cotchery. But on a night where nothing else works out for you, such bright spots quickly get lost in the dark skies.

Something has changed with these Jets from 2006, Eric Mangini's first year in which they went a surprising 10-6. That team overachieved, though short on talent and personnel, and did everything imaginable to gain an advantage on their opponent (except for video taping of course). They ran trick plays, had a quick striking offense and blitzed all day long with a gigantic package of formations. Yesterday you saw a little glimpse of 2006 when Mangini ordered an onside kick with the game still close. Gutsy call, but somehow it seemed like a desperation move. This year so far, the Jets not only play conservatively and almost passive, no, they also seem to be unprepared. You see the two inside linebackers David Harris and Eric Barton trailing 5-11 scrub receivers on third and long, good blitzers like Kerry Rhodes are wasted in deep coverage, Leon Washington seems to only get the ball on special teams - it's just a long list of things that add up in the big picture and make it hard for this team to break out. On top of that, the Jets look lethargic and don't seem to play with a lot of fire. That includes Brett Favre, even though he already pointed out the Jets' lack of passion in the media. The bye week can't come quick enough for the Jets who have to develop a certain gameplan and an identity on the field. They have to work on chemistry, leadership and a lot of other things. Even though last night was tough, nothing has happened yet. You can lose at San Diego (even though the Chargers are far from anything special right now) but now the Jets face a ton of pressure against Arizona. Going into the bye 2-2 would be good but 1-3 might be something this team, that doesn't really show great resilliance, fire or character right now, can't come back from... especially without Kris Jenkins.

Fair Play Lessons By Rodney Harrison

2008-09-22T13:15:00.000-07:00

Good one, right?! As some of you might expect, the title is full of irony. Even though he tried his best after New England's embarrassing blowout loss to the Miami Dolphins on Sunday. Harrison got worked up over what he thought was a dirty hit by Miami's Ricky Williams against Mike Vrabel. Williams laid a low block on the Patriots linebacker on Ronnie Brown's 62 yard touchdown run in the second half. The block might have been dirty, maybe not. But what am I even thinking about it, let's rather hear what the role model for fairness himself, Rodney Harrison, had to say: “There’s no place in the game for that. (But) it’s part of the game. You have to protect yourself. It’s disappointing that guys don’t take care of each other, but we’ll just have to be on guard, because there’s some dirty stuff out there.” Oooohh, sounds almost like a conspiracy from which the Patriots out of all teams have to be protected. If you haven't broke down laughing as of yet, consider this: Here we have Rodney Harrison, a well known late hitter who got voted as the "dirtiest player in the NFL" by not only the players but also the coaches, complaining about dirty play against his teammates. Pretty funny I would say and well, Rodney Harrison doesn't look like the smartest guy around whining about something with which he made a living for years. But hey, it's all about fair play! We'll wait for more lessons from Mr. Harrison...

Javon Ringer For The Heisman Trophy

2008-09-21T05:48:00.000-07:00

Every year there are so many great players in college football. And many of them would be well deserved winners of college football's most prestigious individual award, the Heisman Trophy. Yet the whole debate usually centers around a few. This group is a selected bunch of the nation's greatest talent. And this season, you just can't forget about one guy when you're talking about the Heisman hopefuls: Michigan State's senior running back Javon Ringer, the tough little guy with a heart the size of Lake Michigan and the legs with the strengths of a hundred horses. People knew he would be good, but only few propably expected him to be that good.

Following up a strong 2007 campaign, where he already finished with 1447 yards and 6 touchdowns while splitting carries with Jehuu Caulcrick, Ringer is now the man in East Lansing and well on his way to a historic season. Through four games, in which he led his Spartans to a 3-1 record, Ringer has rushed for 699 yards and 11 touchdowns. The most impressive thing about it is his workload for a rather small back (5-9, 202), taking on every imaginable pain a running back has to endure in the trenches. Ringer knows that he has to put his team on his shoulders and that they depend on him. He already carried the ball 143 times, including over 40 times in each of the Spartans' last two victories against Florida International and Notre Dame. In those games he also cemented his part in MSU history as the first back ever to rush for 200 or more yards in two consecutive games. Impressive, ha? Well, it gets even better when you look at the kind of leadership the 21 year old possesses. After beating the Fighting Irish yesterday, the press surrounded Ringer like no defense has been able to this season. It was his moment in the spotlight, time to make the nation set their eyes on him and his formidable accomplishments. But he wouldn't have none of that as he brought out all of his offensive linemen and blockers, reminding the star hungry press circus that there's more to a football star than just his individual numbers. "They make me who I am", the humble Ringer said. "I could be the best running back in the world, if they wouldn't block for me that wouldn't mean anything. My success is their success and they do a great job. They set a lot of trust in me and I don't want to let them down. " It might not be the best slogan for a Heisman campaign. But then again, maybe it is. Ringer is the heart and soul of the Spartans, scoring 11 of MSU's 13 touchdowns, but he doesn't forget that he is still a part of a football team.
There is much more to this kid than just his numbers, his black belt in Karate or his impressive athletic talent. With Michigan State's season off to a good start and a quite managable schedule down the stretch, Ringer should have more than just darkhorse chances for the Heisman. Ultimately, we can't forget how important team success is for the the outstanding individual honor. But hey, that's obviously the last thing we need to tell Javon Ringer. From what we've learned this season, he won't let his team down. And if it takes a thousand carries...

NFL Rookie Report Week 2

2008-09-17T03:09:00.000-07:00

The NFL season continues and the first year players continue to make an impression on the big stage. Some more, some less. Let's take a look at some of the best rookie performances this weekend and what it might mean for their future roles.

PASS RUSHERS:
Some of the highly touted pass rushers have taken a step forward this weekend and don't have to wait for their first NFL sack anymore. Quentin Groves had a good showing for the Jacksonville Jaguars as he recorded 3 tackles, a sack and a forced fumble. It looks like the speedy Groves can give the Jaguars' defensive line another much needed dimension. Even though Chris Long might have the same potential for the Rams, what does it matter?! The St. Louis defense is so bad that even good performances by Long tend to get overlooked. He also recorded his first professional sack and added 3 tackles against the New York Giants. Up in Seattle former USC star Lawrence Jackson is making a name for himself. Even though his Seahawks have a boatload of problems early on, Jackson looks like the solution at DE opposite of Patrick Kerney. He enjoys single coverage opposite the pro bowler and turned it into 2 sacks and 4 tackles on Sunday. Other notable rookie pass rushers like Vernon Gholston (Jets) or Derrick Harvey (Jaguars) are struggling to find their place right now. Both though entered the Draft after their junior year and have time to develop.

RUNNING BACKS:
The game? Ugly as hell. The teams? Not what you would call NFL elite. Darren McFadden's performance? Spectacular! McFadden rushed 21 times for 164 yards and a TD. D-Mac shows an incredible burst when he hits the hole or bounces runs to the outside. He also fumbled which should be watched closely in the upcoming weeks as ball security was a problem for him at Arkansas. In Tennessee the Titans officials have found their own explosive runner in Chris Johnson. He is showing tremendous vision and balance paired with an out of this world speed. Johnson torched a miserable Bengals defense for 109 yards on 19 carries. Jonathan Stewart for the Panthers managed to impress with even fewer carries. He rushed 14 times for 77 yards but the numbers don't tell the whole story. He was the sparkplug in Carolina's comeback win against the Chicago Bears. The bulky Stewart hammered right into the heart of the Bears defense and scored two crucial touchdowns. He will earn more carries as the season goes on, there's no doubt about it.

Matt Forte already has secured his heavy dose of carries for Chicago. Though overshadowed by Stewart's heroics, he was very solid once again, finishing with 93 yards on 23 carries. He also added 3 receptions for 21 yards, showing off his versatility and balance in the open field.
Dallas rookie Felix Jones managed to impress in an area other than rushing behind the offensive line. Though drafted as a running back, the speedy Jones made his presence felt on Monday NIght in the return game. Almost 250 return yards including a sparkling 98 yard touchdown return gave Jones his role in the offensive spectacle between the Cowboys and the Eagles.

RECEIVERS:
Even though he made a boneheaded play at the goal... ehh one yard line, DeSean Jackson continues to shut up critics who questioned his size and his pro potential. Blessed with outstanding speed, nifty moves and the arm of Donovan McNabb, Jackson cracked the 100-yard plateau for the second time in as many games. Not as flashy and not quite as impressive numbers-wise was tight end John Carlson. With 6 recpetions for 78 yards, Carlson has finally filled the long vacated tight end spot in Seattle and he should stay a big part of the Seahawks offense in the upcoming weeks.
After his tremendous showing on Monday Night last week, you almost had to be dissapointed with the Broncos' Eddie Royal. The tiny receiver collected "only" 37 yards on 5 recpetions, but didn't fail to take a crack at the hero's role once again. After a questionable call to set up Denver's last minute touchdown, Jay Cutler found Royal in the endzone for the successful two point conversion. Gutsy call by coach Mike Shanahan, but such plays seem to become business as usual for his rookie Royal. Highly touted tight end Dustin Keller had his first reception for the New York Jets and should see more playing time in the upcoming weeks. He could be a shot in the arm for the Jets receiving corps as he gives them a different dimension with his size and athletic ability.

LINEBACKERS & DEFENSIVE BACKS:
Even though they both aren't playing for tremendous defensive teams, Curtis Lofton (Falcons) and Keith Rivers (Bengals) are making their presence felt early on. Lofton is a quick and speedy tackling maschine and excels in flying to the ball. Against Tampa Bay he finished with 5 solo tackles and 3 assists. Keith Rivers showed his solid technique and his versatility on Sunday on his way to 4 tackles and 4 assists against Tennessee. He will have many more chances to show his tackling prowess given the overall shaky Cincinnati defense. Philipp Wheeler for the Colts didn't have a spectacular game with 2 tackles and one assist, but he helped to tighten up the middle in the second half for Indianapolis against Minnesota. As a quick and mobile linebacker, Wheeler figures to see more and more playing time to keep the Colts' undersized linebacking corps fresh throughout the game. Jerod Mayo led New England in tackles at the Meadowlands, giving the aging Patriots' linebackers a much needed blend of youth. He will have to continue his performances to keep this group at the top of their game.
It has been a terrible start for the San Diego Chargers, yet rookie cornerback Antoine Cason doesn't deserve any of the blame. He is very active and is slowly but surely becoming a big playmaker for the Bolts. Against Denver he had 1 interception and defended 2 passes and he looks like a vital part of a strong San Diego cornerback group. Even though he will struggle with playing time next to Nnamdi Asomugha and DeAngelo Hall, rookie corner Tyvon Branch looks like a good pickup for the Raiders. Always around the ball, he had an interception and a pass defended in Oakland's win at Arrowhead Stadium. Last week's top performers, the Jets' Dwight Lowery and New Orleans' Tracy Porter, started once again. Lowery was solid and while Porter finished with 8 tackles, he struggled with the Redskins' experienced receiving corps. In the same game another star might have been born in Redskins' safety Chris Horton. The former UCLA Bruin intercepted two passes and recovered a fumble in Washington's home opener. He deservingly got the NFC Defensive Player Of The Week Award. Not bad for your first NFL start...

Favre, Jets Not There Yet

2008-09-15T08:35:00.000-07:00

The world for the New York Jets couldn't have looked much better shortly after their game against the New England Patriots started yesterday. A stellar opening drive, big chunks of yards against their biggest rivals and in the big picture, the AFC seemingly up for grabs. But then a ball sailed wide right and everything changed in a matter of about four quarters...

It was a frustrating afternoon for the New York Jets and their fans. Not only did they lose their home opener and Brett Favre's Meadowlands debut to the Tomy Brady-less Patriots, no, they also had to realize that it takes more to be a good team than just throwing out a lot of money over the summer. It takes time, hours, days and weeks for a team to grow together and to become a unit. Not only in the locker room but even more important on the field. Now in the Jets' case there is especially one piece to the puzzle that doesn't fit in yet: Brett Favre. As the quarterback he is the engine of the offense and he needs to be on the same page with the other parts of Gang Green's attack. The problem right now, while you see flashes of fitting together and positive plays, Favre and his new receiving core aren't really clicking with each other just yet. Remember Brett Favre in his last year in Green Bay, where he developed outstanding chemistry with his young Packers receivers?! Every slant, every out route, every pass looked crisp. That's what chemistry, a lot of practice and thousands of reps do for you. Favre, who arrived late in training camp, just doesn't have enough work under his belt with Jerricho Cotchery and the rest of the Jets receivers. So even though yesterday's offensive output was putrid, the Jets have to realize that it isn't surprising that their offense is struggling and that it will take some time to integrate Favre.

The defense suffered from the bad execution on offense and definitely showed encouraging signs yesterday. Yes, they were beaten by the same screen pass again and again but other than that the Jets D looked really strong. Their performance should even be more rewarded considering how little help they got from their offense and their special teams. Numerous times the Patriots started their drive in Jets territory and they also spent a lot more time on the field than Favre and company. Sure, LaMont Jordan got his yards when the Jets defense got tired at the end of the game but before that New England got no push at all up front. Or where were the 5 to 10 yards run we got used to seeing the last couple of years against a Jets defense?! The front seven also did a great job of pressuring the quarterback which resulted in numerous hurries and sacks. But just like with the offense, it will take some time until the defense really works perfectly together. Blitz packages need to be refined, pre snap communication has to get better and formations have to be trained. But again, so far the Jets show all the signs of a potentially dominant defense. Kris Jenkins at the nose tackle spot is basically unblockable and Calvin Pace is a force at outside linebacker. Cornerback Darrelle Revis also showed once again why he is considered as one of the top young cover corners in the NFL, limiting Randy Moss to just two catches. The potential to get better is also there, considering that rookie Vernon Gholston hasn't been more than a situational player in the first two weeks.

So far, so good. A little optimistic and positive, don't you think?! Well, maybe, but in my opinion it's foolish to doom a season after just two games, as frustrating as a loss to the hated Patriots may be. Especially since the Patriots, despite what the media wants you to believe, are nothing to write home about so far. Many of their starters are aging and no win against a horrible Kansas City team (how can you lose to Oakland?) and an unprepared Jets team can change that. They deserved to win yesterday, no question, but their performance was far from impressive.

Even though a lot of factors explain the Jets loss yesterday, some things that happened at Giants Stadium were just inexcusable. There was for example the play calling. How come Favre was throwing screens left and right even though the Pats didn't get a single bit of pass rush early on?! How come head coach Eric Mangini calls Thomas Jones' number three times in a first and goal from the three yard line?! Yes, the same Thomas Jones who had all of one TD last season. Then why do the Jets have to waste timeouts in the most improbable of situations?! A lot of questions to which the answers have to be given on the field. Even though Eric Mangini didn't have his best day, the most frustrating part was the Jets' kicking game. Newly aquired kicker Jay Feely missed a 31 field goal on the opening drive, basically setting the tone for the entire game and taking a lot of life from the stadium. Punter Ben Graham didn't want to be left behind and thought that he could screw up even worse than Feely. 20 yard punts, head starts for the return man, terrible location - Graham's performance could fill entire video tapes that show how not to punt. Yes, it was that bad! Another thing that the Jets lacked yesterday was the certain fire you need to win a rivalry game. The Patriots did a good job of taking any emotion out of the game and they succeeded. Only a few Jets were ready for the challenge and played like it. Passion, will to win and confidence shouldn't require a training camp to be developed. But then again, maybe it takes a little longer for a 4-12 team from last season...

NFL Impact Rookies Week 1

2008-09-09T06:07:00.000-07:00

The first week of the NFL season is in the books and it's always interesting to see if and how well rookies adjust and do in their first true professional games. During the weekend we had quite a few first year players stand out and helping their team with outstanding performances, not only putting a smile on the GM's face but also hope in the eyes of their fans. Here's a list of some of the top rookie performers in week one. Others played well, too, of course but these guys clearly stood out in their professional debuts.

Tracy Porter (CB, Saints) - It was an emotional game once again for the Saints and in the end Reggie Bush proved to be the hero with a long TD reception. But quietly the former Indiana standout Tracy Porter had an exceptional game at cornerback, breaking up three passes and looking more than ready for the professional game. He was matched up with the bigger Antonio Bryant for most of the day and did a great job of limiting Tampa Bay's free agent aquisition. Porter was solid in run support and he kept pace with his assignments, leading to some impressive plays in coverage. He might be a shot in the arm for the notoriously bad Saints' secondary.

Matt Forte (RB, Bears) - Many considered Forte to be a rather solid pick for Chicago and rather unspectacular. His performance in the Bears' upset against the Indiananapolis Colts was far from that though. A star at Tulane, the second round pick sliced through the speedy Colts' defense for 123 yards on 23 carries, including an impressive 50 yard touchdown run to get the night started on the right track for his team. Forte showed nifty feet, a strong forward push and the speed to hit the hole hard. He also couldn't be thrown off by a hard hit of Colts' safety Bob Sanders, showing a great deal of toughness for a rookie runner. After Cedric Benson's departure, the Bears appear to have found their running back of the future.

Dwight Lowery (CB, Jets) - The fourth rounder got plugged into Gang Green's starting lineup against Miami due to the injury to Justin Miller and it appears that he found a home right there. The San Jose State product showed great awareness all day long, being aggressive in run support and strong in coverage. He broke up two crucial Chad Pennington passes on third and fourth down to key a big stop for the much improved Jets defense. Lowery never really looked like a rookie out on the field despite numerous tries by the Dolphins to pick on the 22-year old. Lowery looks to be an absolute steal for New York in the fourth round and actually appears to be the solution for the number two cornerback spot opposite Darrelle Revis.

Eddie Royal (WR, Broncos) - Brandon Marshall out? No problem for Mike Shanahan's team. In their opening day massacre of the Oakland Raiders, the former Hokie Eddie Royal displayed an impressive arsenal of moves and routes on his way to a formidable rookie debut. Royal, a second round pick, exploded for 146 yards on nine catches, including the Denver's first touchdown of the season with a 26 yard grab early in the first quarter. The speedy Royal showed great chemistry with his quarterback Jay Cutler and was impressive changing directions and finding holes in the Oakland secondary. Quick off the snap, elusive and with a great pair of hands - Royal looks like a perfect fit for Shanahan's offense.

Ryan Clady (OT, Broncos) - This isnt Boise State anymore, big fella, and you won't face the Hawaiis and other WAC competition anymore. Ok, the Raiders might also have trouble in any college conference right now but nonetheless, Ryan Clady had a very impressive debut for the Broncos. The 6-6, 325 pound Clady started at left tackle for the Broncos and did an outstanding job in both pass protection and run blocking. He looked quick on his feet, featured a solid push up front and basically never had his name called during the game, which is the ultimate compliment for an offensive lineman. Mike Shanahan though will know what he has in Clady, the 12th overall pick in the draft. If Clady can keep this up and develop, the Broncos might look at their franchise tackle for the next decade.

Chris Johnson (RB, Titans) - The story in Tennessee was the quarterback controversy surrounding the once again awful Vince Young, who now is sidelined for about four weeks and fearing to lose his job to Kerry Collins. Almost forgotten in the Titans' opening win against the injury-depleted Jacksonville Jaguars was the tremendous performance of first year runner Chris Johnson. The freakish athlete with his 4.2 speed didn't wait long to show the NFL how dangerous a weapon he can be, rushing for 93 yards on only 15 carries and adding 34 yards and a TD through the air. With their QB situation in shambles, the Titans will rely on the spectacular Johnson even more in the upcoming weeks as they look to make a serious push to the top of the division.

Antoine Cason (CB, Chargers) - Just like his cornerback buddies Porter and Lowery, Cason had an impressive first showing on the big stage, looking like anything but a deer in the headlights. The former Arizona All American came up with 6 tackles, defended a pass and forced a fumble for San Diego, who lost on a last second TD toss by Jake Delhomme. For a contender like the Chargers, a seasoned and experienced rookie like Cason can prove to be gold on their long way to the Super Bowl.

Jerod Mayo (LB, Patriots) - It wasn't a good day for New England Patriots fans on Sunday. As we all know, superstar quarterback Tom Brady injured his knee against the Kansas City Chiefs and is out for the season. Despite that gigantic loss, the Patriots appear to have found a young stud to strengthen their aging linebacker corps. Mayo, the 7th pick out of Tennessee, showed good closing burst, moved well around the field and was aggressive up the field. He finished with six solo tackles and looks to be counted on even heavier in the near future as the Patriots have to make sure to find other ways to win.

DeSean Jackson (WR, Eagles) - Too small, weak frame, only a specialist... whatever was said about DeSean Jackson before the draft, the speedy receiver out of California did everything to shut his critics up in week one. Connecting with Donovan McNabb for 6 receptions and 106 yards, the former Cal Bear had an impressive debut for the Eagles in their rout of the terrible St. Louis Rams. Jackson's speed is out of this world and he looks a lot more polished as a receiver as many thought before the draft.

Knicks Add Chris Duhon

2008-07-04T13:48:00.000-07:00

It's not the kind of blockbuster deal a city like New York will take much notice of. Not a multiple page filler in the Post or the Times, no breaking news on ESPN or anything else. But the verbal agreement of former Bulls point guard Chris Duhon with the New York Knicks on friday is just the kind of deal that will add a piece to a puzzle. And it is a move that isn't putting the franchise's future in jeopardy, unlike desastrous moves in recent memory...

The quick facts on Duhon and the deal: The 6-1, 185 pound Lousiana native played four years for the Chicago Bulls before basically agreeing to a two year, 12 million dollar deal with the Knickerbockers. Duhon, who will turn 26 in August, spent his college career at Duke, compiling an outstanding four year run at one of the most historic hoops academies in the country. Duhon finished as the all time leader in minutes played at Cameron and he was a member of the 2001 National Championship team for the Blue Devils. In the NBA he has been in and out of the starting lineup in Chicago, mainly bringing strong defense and solid playmaking ability to the table. So much for that, no big news, let's move on into a long summer... well, not so fast. By getting Duhon Knicks GM Donnie Walsh accomplished something that former general manager Isiah Thomas couldn't do in years: He got a true point guard. Yes, a true point guard. Not a Rucker Park legend, no undersized shooting guard, no Harlem Globetrotter. A solid, rugged and experienced point guard. For that reason alone you have to like the deal, even though Duhon isn't the greatest offensive talent. But that's also not what you necessarily need from your point guard. One thing is for sure, new Knicks coach Mike D'Antoni will be happy to see a reliable ball distributor (and a good citizen like Duhon) on his team when training camp begins. Nobody should expect the ex Blue Devil to become an All Star all of a sudden but it doesn't seem like a reach that he can take a step forward under a coach like D'Antoni.

Even more important for Knicks fans should be the amount of years Duhon will sign for. The two year deal guarentees the Knicks cap flexibility and it won't go longer than most of the Knicks horrible deals that expire in the next two seasons. Overall it's a very solid deal for a very solid basketball player. And that's what the Knicks need. You don't have to swing for the fences on every pitch but you can change a culture by adding pieces here and there. And at some point in the future these solid basketball players will take over the spots of the malcontents and we might look at a better future on the Garden floor...

A Junior For The Ages

2008-06-10T11:04:00.000-07:00

After years, months, weeks and days of waiting, the press and baseball fans around the world were interested what Ken Griffey Jr. had to say after hitting the 600th homerun of his glorious career against the Florida Marlins yesterday. It was a great moment in baseball history as the feat puts him in the club of only 6 players who ever exceeded the 600 plateau. But Junior's answer seemed not nearly as shiny as the moment deserved. "When I grew up my dad was my hero... I mean... I always tried to be like him. I never imagined or dreamed of coming close to 600, I had no idea I could even come close. It's great to play the game and to have the chance to be like my dad." An honest answer as there is and also much more low key than you would expect for a player who just cemented his status as one of the greatest players who ever lived. And just that is making Ken Griffey Jr. so special, so great and so memorable. His character, his class, his love for the game and his honesty in a baseball era of lies, lack of class and tainted records.

It was great to see a player like Griffey achieve what he did last night. But as happy as you are for him, everyone wonders about what could have been. Today, Griffey is just a shell of his former self. Few even remembered his heyday in the 90s after his career tumbled in Cincinnati between injuries and losing records. But yesterday all that admiration, all that love and all that praise came back for a player who proapably deserves it more than anyone else. In the steroid era it's hard for baseball fans to believe anything they see. It wouldn't surprise anyone if people would be taken back in admiration of Griffey's talents and records. But nobody ever doubted him. Nobody. And that says more than a thousand tests in my opinion.

While yesterday every baseball fan could be a fan of Griffey for one more time, there has always been that sad kind of feeling watching Junior in recent years. As the injuries piled up, the statistics dropped. The highlights weren't there anymore as was the admiration by the general public. Here he was, the greatest player of a decade, on the downside of his career. The man with the perfect swing. And he was slowly but surely falling of the face of baseball excellence on a small market team. But just like in his interview after number 600, it was about the love for the game for Griffey. He wanted to be home, play for the hometown Reds, where his father already rounded the bases.

His career isn't over, and even though it can hurt to see Griffey at times today, that's a great thing for baseball. A class act and a figure like Griffey doesn't come around every day, not every decade. A guy who cares for others and a player who plays for the love of the game. It doesn't always look like Griffey has fun playing the game today at the age of 38 and with a body hurt by many many injuries and highlight crashes into outfield walls. Griffey once said about the search for records: "As long as I have fun playing the game, stats will take care of themselves." As he said, the stats took care of themselves. And so should his legacy. We shouldn't look at him howling in pain or striking out. We should remember him in his prime. In those years back in Seattle where he was one of the greatest all around players that ever lived. Where he hit towering homeruns with a grace few others could ever achieve. Where he put his body on the line for an out and his team's success. And where he put together a stretch that can hold up against any player's prime in the history of baseball.

Ken Griffey Jr. is a great baseball player, but even a greater person. He is a true legend of the game, even though others have taken the spotlight today. He is a player where fathers will turn to their sons in a few decades and tell them that they saw him in his heyday. And we should feel honored today that we are able to do the same...

Pedro to the rescue

2008-06-04T11:00:00.000-07:00

There are those pitchers who have that certain presence on the mound. Not the good ones, I'm talking about the great ones. The pitchers with that certain aura, these guys who are the stuff of legends. Who will forever be remembered by players, experts, fathers and sons. The New York Mets, in the middle of an up and down season that started out as a championship mission, can be happy that one of these great pitchers wears their uniform. His name: Pedro Martinez.

Now of course, Pedro 2008 isn't the same Pedro he was years ago during his golden era. When he was the best pitcher this game has ever seen. But for a team longing for a presence, a leader and every help they can get, Pedro Martinez is more than just a shot in the arm. Not only can he still pitch well, he can put a team on his back. This outing last night against the lowly San Francisco Giants wasn't just about Pedro's solid numbers in the lopsided 9-3 win for the Mets. It was about rejuvenating a dead team that couldn't live up to the expectations so far. Right from the start you could sense an energy around the Mets and a completely new found confidence. Martinez, who touched 92 mph on numerous occasions, was well aware of his role: "I felt good. I can be a leader for this team and I hope I can keep it going." So does Mets manager Willie Randolph, and he is not the only Met who's praying that Pedro stays healthy. For now he is. This might just have been the day the Mets have turned their season around. Now don't get me wrong, they got a long way to go, many games to play and a lot of ground to gain. But with an all time great like Pedro Martinez on my side, I'll take my chances...

Knicks Lottery Report

2008-05-21T04:06:00.001-07:00

Last night's NBA Draft Lottery presented the New York Knicks with a huge opportunity to turn the struggling franchise around in one day. Yet what started out as a dream of game changing talent and giant steps in the right direction turned into a nightmare of lucky old rivals, bouncing ping pong balls and the certainty, that the way to the top of the league will be a long and winding road. And there will be bumps on this road which is hopefully leading the Knicks out of the abysses where former GM and head coach Isiah Thomas left them.

The Knicks ended up with the 6th pick in the upocoming NBA Draft (June 26th) and weren't quite as lucky as 24 years ago, when the first overall pick fell into their hands and turned into Patrick Ewing. With point guard Derrick Rose and forward Michael Beasley being the two top prospects in the draft, the lottery seemed to have two clear cut prizes, just like last year with Kevin Durant and Greg Oden. Even though the Knicks only had a chance of less than 8% to land the top pick, the hope around Gotham was huge. In the end, a team with an even slighter chance, the Chicago Bulls came away as the Lottery winners. Another old Knicks rival, the Miami Heat, got rewarded for tanking their recent season and will select second in June.

Knicks GM Donnie Walsh and new head coach Mike D'Antoni will face a much tougher task with the sixth pick as opposed with one of the two top picks. The lower you go down in the draft order, usually the less obvious the choices become. "Well, now we finally know where we are and our work really starts." said an upbeat Walsh who is also considering to trade the pick. "Yeah, we definitely look at everything out there. Maybe there will be a trade or we could move down. There are a lot of options and we will look to do what's best for the Knicks. No matter how you put it, the pick is an asset and we are looking forward to use it."
Mike D'Antoni was also feeling quite good about the situation the Knicks are in with their draft choice. "You can always get talented players, even in the second round", said the former coach of the Phoenix Suns. "I think there are a lot of good basketball players out there. Now we have to look at everything and make the right pick." Asked about the skills he is looking for in players, D'Antoni gave an answer that really isn't describing many current Knicks: "I try to look if a player has a feel for the game. You always want to have complete players who can shoot, pass, rebound and do other things out there. Otherwise you have a problem." Interestingly, that's just the problem he will face with a roster full of one dimensional players and guys who lack a true feel for the game. But I'm sure D'Antoni knew that before, just like he knew that this Knicks job won't be a walk in Central Park. With a little luck yesterday the whole process of rebuilding the once proud franchise might have become a lot easier. But just as both Walsh and D'Antoni mentioned yesterday, they know where they are and they have to make a good pick. What's done is done and there only one way... forward.

Who could the Knicks target at #6?

Of course D'Antoni and Walsh didn't give any names or directions where they might head with the sixth pick. They will go through the normal evaluation process to figure out who their selection will be. But knowing D'Antoni's approach to the game and the available players, there might be some guys who might fit a little better than others.

D'Antoni was paired with Steve Nash in Phoenix and made it known many many times that he loved his point guard as a player. He kind of lived that uptempo style and smart play that D'Antoni likes to see from his players. With no real point guard on the current roster, the Knicks might very well target a floor general in the Draft. One truly could remind D'Antoni of Steve Nash. D.J. Augustine from Texas is a fan of the two time MVP himself and he also visited his summer camp last year. "He's a terrific young player," Nash said after watching the young Augustin last summer. "He's a very good shooter and has a great feel as a point guard. He seems unflappable and has a lot of confidence. He's got a bright future ahead of him." Nash is right, Augustin is a terrific point guard in any shape or form. He has the mindset of a floor general and is a natural leader on and off the court. At 20 years of age he is still in the middle of his development process and you can already see some similarities to Nash in how he slices through the defense or finishes in traffic. He doesn't have the greatest size at 5-11 and can become a little inconsistent with his shot, yet Augustin could be the smart, true floor leader the Knicks lack for many many years.

Another strong possibility might be Darrell Arthur from the Kansas Jayhawks. The 6-9 power forward won the National Championship with KU and would be the perfect fit for D'Antoni's uptempo game. Ultra athletic and quick, Arthur possesses a great skillset in the low and high post and he can get up and down with the best of them. He was inconsistent throughout his career in Lawrence, but there is no denying of his talent. He also brings these certain NBA skills to the table that are required on the next level. He is a great athlete and has decent size (even though he's a little skinny, he already has bulked up since his freshman year), unlike some of the other top big man prospects. Now both Augustin and especially Arthur seem like stretches at number 6 overall. But there's always the possibility of a trade on Draft day and the draft boards will certainly change in the next few weeks. And if you really like a player, then there isn't truly a wrong spot to take him.
One of the elite talents that might drop is O.J. Mayo. Being hyped big time since his high school days, the 6-5 combo guard hasn't exactly lived up to all the expectations surrounding him. That doesn't mean though that he isn't a terrific player with his NBA ready body and outstanding jumper. With rumors about NCAA rule violations and some bad reputation in high school, Mayo could very well be there at number six and it's hard to imagine the Knicks would pass up a player like him. Whoever the pick will be, I'm confident that Mike D'Antoni and Donnie Walsh will have their reasons for the choice. And right now all you can do is trust these two guys and their track records.

Knicks Land Mike D'Antoni

2008-05-11T08:23:00.000-07:00

As the summer comes along and the sun treats us with it's warm and shining light, the atmosphere around Madison Square Garden is getting better by the day. Yesterday wasn't just another day of evaluation for Donnie Walsh, the new boss of the New York Knicks. He added another piece to the puzzle of rebuilding the once so proud franchise and man, what an important piece it can be. The Knicks signed former Phoenix Suns head coach Mike D'Antoni to a four year deal worth 24 million dollars and gave him the tough assignment to turn the struggling mess of a team around. Of course there were other names in the mix like former Knicks point guard Mark Jackson but the final decision fell on D'Antoni, who grew restless in Phoenix after a recent first round exit and some inner house struggles with general manager Steve Kerr. It would be easy to praise the signing just because the former point guard after all isn't Isiah Thomas, the man who is responsible for many of the Knicks' problems today. But that approach would not only be too easy, it's would also sell the new man on the bench short. In Mike D'Antoni the Knicks land an excellent head coach with an even more excellent knowledge of the game of basketball.

D'Antoni has spend many many years overseas, first as a player and then as a coach. He won numerous titles in Italy and along the way, he developed a great understanding and a brighter approach to the game of basketball which helped him tremendously in his recent stint with the Phoenix Suns. His winning ways also continued in the desert after he formed an offensive powerhouse around two time MVP Steve Nash.
Even though he won over 250 games with the Suns and reaching the Conference Finals in consecutive years, many people are critical of D'Antoni time in Phoenix, especially in the States. His style of a team oriented, fast paced game isn't known to be very successful in the playoffs. Well, he didn't reach the Finals but you hardly can call "Mike D" unsuccessful in postseason play. Another often mentioned misconception about D'Antoni's teams is that they don't play any defense. First of all a faster pace also gives the opponent more opportunities to score. Then, you can't overlook that D'Antoni coached some very poor defenders in Phoenix like Steve Nash or a young Amare Stoudemire (who actually developed really nice in that department recently). With all the talk of the Suns being soft and horrible defensively, they never finished worse than 16th in the league in opponents' field goal percentage. Where I come from, this is average and not terrible. Without Stoudemire, who missed a big part of the 2005/2006 season due to a knee injury, the Suns even spent a long time in the top five in that certain category. These things give me no reason to believe that D'Antoni will punish his teams for playing both ends of the court.

All records and numbers aside, which in this case are just outstanding for D'Antoni, he is a coach with a system and he knows what he wants. He will give the players a direction and teach them the importance of the team's game. Unselfish, well structured basketball have only been played by visitors in recent years at the Garden. On top of his strategic and on court abilities, D'Antoni is widely regarded as a good character, respectful guy. He will give the team a direction and he will have a plan in place how to turn this Knicks team around. Many people already see the Knicks just running and gunning up and down the court. But nobody knows if this is truly D'Antoni's idea. All we know is that everyhwere he has been, he has been a proven winner and his teams always got better when he arrived (not counting his 50 game stint with the Denver Nuggets in the late 90s). He will work on fundamentals and bring a positive approach to the locker room and to the Knicks organization, something which is desperately needed on a team that has gone through nightmarish experiences in recent years. Sure, D'Antoni has his flaws (please don't whine so much in NYC, Mike) but so has any other coach in the world. In the end and under the current circumstances, with the state of the franchise and the team, the New York Knicks can only be extremely happy that they got a basketball mind like Mike D'Antoni...

New York Jets Draft 2008

2008-04-28T10:13:00.000-07:00

After a weekend of excitement and dealing at the NFL Draft, the New York Jets just like all other teams added a new group of rookies to their roster. Let's take a look at the newly aquired members of Gang Green and how they can help the team to bounce back from an underachieving 4-12 season.

6th Overall: Vernon Gholston (DE, Ohio State)
At sixth overall, the Jets faced a pretty heavy decision on Saturday afternoon and came away with defensive end Vernon Gholston from the Ohio State Buckeyes. Entering the draft after his junior year, the 6-4, 266 pound physical specimen left with a tremendous track record at the national powerhouse. He ranks 5th in Ohio State history with 22.5 sacks (14 in 2007) and reached two consecutive National Championship Games with the Buckeyes.

Gholston shines when rushing the passer and creating havoc in the backfield. He is build like a rock and brings unbelievable brute strength and power to the table. For his size he also possesses a unique blend of speed which is further demonstrated by his outstanding 40 yard dash in 4.58 seconds. He mostly played defensive end in college but projects as an outside linebacker in the NFL. So he's a good fit for the Jets 3-4 defensive scheme. While he is tremendous physical talent, Gholston also has some concerns hanging over his head like a black cloud. For a long time scouts have been questioning his motivation, consistency and love for the game. Gholston's high school coach Thomas Wilcher has heard about these rumors: "People said he isn't tough or aggressive enough. I even got a call during his first year in college from a Buckeyes coach. Well, he may never be tougher. But he will do what you tell him to do. You tell him to move a mountain, then he will move that mountain for you. He doesn't need any antics or all that stuff. But he will walk through a wall for you." If you look at Gholston and his ripped body, it could make you believe that he actually could run through more than offensive linemen.
The Jets under head coach Eric Mangini have been especially focused on values like hard work, character and love for football. There is no reason to believe that they didn't closely watch this situation with Gholston and didn't read his mind. Gholston hasn't been in trouble and is known as soft spoken and a good character guy. He clearly was the most talented at sixth overall and he also fits great for the Jets as they have been atrocious rushing the passer for two years now. Another interesting fact is that the Detroit native is only playing football since his sophomore year in high school and so presents an upside like few others in the draft. Jets GM Mike Tannenbaum agreed: "We think the best football is ahead of him. We feel that in our program we can help him develop and get better." 14 sacks in 13 games not being his best football just tells you how dominant a player Vernon Gholston can be.

30th overall: Dustin Keller (TE, Purdue)
When the Jets fans heard that they traded up to select a tight end, many of them might have been close to a heart attack. But past draft blunders have nothing to do with this pick that looks like an excellent addition to a once toothless passing attack. Just like his new teammate Vernon Gholston the 6-3, 242 pound Keller is an incredible athlete. At the NFL Combine he blew scouts and his competition away by showing his oustanding combination of speed, athletisism and strength.

His natural ability translates well to the football field where he will give the Jets the big target they need. Keller can stretch the field vertically and there seems to be no catch he can't make. If you don't believe me, just check some of his youtube highlight videos. The former Boilermaker was converted from wide receiver to tight end early in his college career and you see that in the way he moves around on the field. You just won't find many 242 pound receivers with his athletic ability.
While he excels in the passing game, Keller also suffers a bit from his past. He isn't a great blocker but you don't have to tell him that. "I know that blocking right now is a weakness of mine. But hey, I will work hard as my goal is to be an every down tight end on the next level." This is your level now, Dustin. And there's no reason to believe that he won't adjust to the NFL game. Even if he doesn't develop into a great blocker, he will remind people of San Diego's receiver Vincent Jackson who is similar in size and speed to Keller. And maybe in a few years people will compare draftees to him, too.

113th Overall: Dwight Lowery (CB, San Jose State)
Jets fans had to wait quite a while for this one as the team not only didn't have a pick in the third round but also traded back a few spots in the fourth with the Green Bay Packers. Lowery transfered to San Jose State after his sophomore year after spending the first two years of his college career at Cabrillo Community College. He turned a few heads during his junior year by picking off nine passes which tied him for the nation's lead.

At 6-1 and 185 pounds, Lowery is a tall corner with great ball skills and instincts. He might not be the clear cut second cornerback the Jets might need next to Darrelle Revis but he is definitely a solid selection. He was very productive in college, is a smart player and he can make plays. He isn't blessed with the greatest speed but he isn't a turtle either on the field. As a fan you can only trust that pick due to Eric Mangini's past as a defensive backs coach. He will surely have some fun with the young kid from the West Coast.

162nd Overall: Erik Ainge (QB, Tennessee)
This is clearly a project pick for a few years down the road. Erik Ainge comes from a tremendous program and faced elite competition in the SEC. So that is a good way to start. Then he is also friends with Peyton Manning which can't hurt either. He dropped due to questions about his toughness and mobility but he is certainly an interesting prospect. He is blesseed with a very solid arm and at 6-6 he has a good presence in the pocket.
Ainge will spend some time on the bench behind either Kellen Clemens or Chad Pennington. He won't have a problem though with that as he knows both of them well, from his time in Knoxville (where Pennington holds an offseason camp) and his earlier years in Oregon where he is from and Clemens went to college.

171st Overall: Marcus Henry (WR, Kansas)
In the 6th round the Jets added the tall target from Kansas, who really emerged during his senior year. At 6-4, 210 pounds and solid speed for his size, there is nothing to complain about that late pick. Henry will give the Jets a tall possession receiver and help them in the red zone.

211th Overall: Nate Garner (OL, Arkansas)
Well, who is that? Don't ask me. I guess most people know him for coming from the same school as Darren McFadden which certainly isn't a bad thing when you're an offensive lineman. At 6-7 and 320 pounds Garner is a huge kid who will atleast add some depth to the offensive line and maybe even more down the road. Solid pick, no more no less.

OVERALL REVIEW
The Jets had a good Draft 2008, plain and simple. They made solid picks and got players that they targeted and needed. After spending big bucks in the offseason and adding serious talent to their team from last year, this is certainly not a bad thing. When we look at the Jets' weaknesses, one huge concern about them was their lack of athletisism and speed. Vernon Gholston and Dustin Keller belong to the best athletes in the entire draft and maybe even in years so the Jets definitely made huge strides here. Both these players will give speed and good size at their respective positions. Gholston was one of the best pass rushers in the draft. For a team that didn't even know where the quarterback was last year, this is a welcomed shot in the arm. Gholston has the potential to become that terror off the edge that you definitely need in today's NFL. The two teams in the Super Bowl were one and two in the NFL in sacks last year, just for the record.
You can't argue with any of the other picks either in terms of being a need. Ainge may have been a bit of a wasted pick as other positions such as inside linebacker were still available. But in the end you can say that about any pick. No matter if Clemens, Pennington, Ainge or Joe Namath will be the Jets QB next season, the front office did a lot to help out their signal callers. Henry and Keller both will present a big target. You could also say they will give the team something that it didn't have last year.
No draft is perfect. Never, you can always do this or that better. But considering that, the New York Jets really did a good job addressing needs and finding players who fit on and off the field.

NFL Draft 2008 Day One

2008-04-27T04:48:00.000-07:00

After most of us have slept a night over our team's draft picks and we slowly start to shake off the hangover from yesterday, let's take a look at yesterday's first day of the 2008 NFL Draft.

It must be a weird feeling sitting in the green room at the NFL Draft. Every year the top prospects are awaiting the moment of their young lives with an entire nation and even parts of the world having their eyes on them. How do you react to certain news? What do you do the entire time in front of legions of TV cameras? For some the experience and the excitement ends real quick as they are among the first selected, living up to their pre draft hype and the high expectations that were placed on them by family members, teammates, coaches, fans, scouts and officials. Others have to wait a little longer, just ask Brady Quinn. The Notre Dame standout had to wait all the way until the 22nd pick in last year's draft until he finally got chosen by the Cleveland Browns. You have to wonder how many self doubts that guy had about a year ago concerning his production, his career and his pre draft work. This year none of the members in the green room had to wait too long as the NFL went six for six with their choices of the top prospects.

Everyone knew that massive offensive tackle Jake Long from Michigan would go number one to the Miami Dolphins. After that you could hear all the usual rumors and rumblings about potential deals, trades and moves that always swirl around at this time of the year. If every expert would earn a dollar for every false rumor they reported, well, then I guess they wouldn't have to work for another day in their lives. But that's also the great thing about the NFL Draft in particular. You almost never know what's gonna happen (except for when the top picks are getting their phone calls) and in a matter of seconds the fortune of a franchise can turn around. The teams with the highest picks certainly hope that they did just that with their top picks this year.

Howie Long's son Chris went to the St. Louis Rams at number two. Which seems to be a great pick due to all the great attributes the young defensive end brings to the table, you'll never know how it's gonna turn out in the future. Long is a great kid yet I question if he has "it" to really be a dominant defensive player in the NFL. He won't make mistakes and this and that but drafting a player that high you want something special from him. We'll see, I'm far from an expert so we'll just let time decide... At three the Atlanta Falcons went with quarterback Matt Ryan out of Boston College and at four the Oakland Raiders once again did something very "Raiderlike". Despite having many holes to fill on their roster, they selected Arkansas running back Darren McFadden. Sure, he gives them an explosive All-SEC-backfield with last year's number one pick JaMarcus Russell, but you wonder what they will do without a defense or any help from the outside. At five and six we saw the last two guys in the green room go off the board as defensive tackle Glenn Dorsey (LSU) went to the Kansas City Chiefs and Ohio State's pass rushing specialist Vernon Gholston was selected by the New York Jets in front of a usually large green and white crowd.

After that the wheeling and dealing began as the Patriots traded back, the Ravens traded back, the Saints traded up, and the... and so on and so on. I don't want to put anyone to sleep by going through every draft and every trade. Some moves were questionable, others seem to be great on paper. The Chiefs for example added another highly touted player in Virginia offensive lineman Branden Albert at fifteen, which definitely did not only make NFL Network's Charles Davis happy. Another team that looks like true winners are the Dallas Cowboys as they added an explosive compliment to Marion Barber at running back with Felix Jones (Arkansas). They also got help in the Roy Williams reigned secondary by selecting Mike Jenkins, a true cover corner from the University of South Florida. So far so good, today we will see how the rest of the Draft pans out and which teams may get a late round steal and send their fans to the bars once again, either in order to celebrate a great day for the franchise or to forget another wasted opportunity to right their ship. Look out for more Draft Coverage at the Sportbar in the next few days...

Pacman Jones is back

2008-04-24T08:42:00.000-07:00

When I talk with my basketball friends about the ultimate headcases and knuckleheads in professional sports, then they usually come up with names like Stephen Jackson, J.R. Smith or Ruben Patterson. All deserve their place on such lists, no question about it. But I always say to my buddies that I got them beat. I tell them to check the wikypedia page of Adam "Pacman" Jones. The first laughs arise about the nickname "Pacman" as my buddies usually do not watch much football. Then I give a quick review of Pacman's profile on the internet database. It is as far away from a sports profile as you can imagine as it lists all of Pacman's legal troubles and personal issues. And boy there have been many of those. Soon though, you will also read about a trade to the Dallas Cowboys.

The Cowboys agreed in principle with the Tennessee Titans about a trade for the troubled cornerback, who was suspended the entire 2007 season for a Las Vegas nightclub shooting. Finally, the Titans got rid of Jones and all his baggage but they certainly also lose one of the most talented defensive backs and punt returners in the NFL. The Cowboys fill a huge need in their backfield, which is often as fragile in coverage as Pacman's temper. Dallas is used to flamboyant and troublesome players (such as Michael Irvin or Terrell Owens) but Jones might be another caliber. And you have to wonder how the rather soft spoken head coach Wade Phillips will deal with the situation. I could describe all of Pacman's potential and his playmaking ability here, but it has been a long time since talk surrounding him has been about his actions on the field. You have to wonder if he even deserved a last chance as he had so many before. But we'll see how this turns out...

Knicks Begin Coaching Search

2008-04-22T12:26:00.000-07:00

You could almost say Isiah Thomas left his coaching position with the New York Knicks quietly. I mean after years of frustration in and around the Garden, mostly influenced by Zeke himself, who would have thought that everything would happen rather quickly and actually cleanly so far. But I think I will speak for all New York Knicks fans if I say that Isiah Thomas is the past and it's time to move on (even if he'll likely will stick somehow within the franchise). Newly aquired president of basketball operations Donnie Walsh has started his search for a new coach yesterday. By selecting his first candidate he demonstrated a great deal of something that has been missing for years in the Knicks organization: Class.

Walsh didn't start with some big name from out of town. No, he looked right around the corner of his office and gave the first job interview to long time Knicks assistant coach Herb Williams. The 50-year old owns a spot on New York's bench for five years and has gone through some of the more troublesome times of the organization. He has filled in numerous times as an interim coach, too. Throughout his tenure in New York, earlier in his career as a player and recently as a coach, he has been nothing short of a class act and has always been respected around the league and in the locker room. Even if Walsh doesn't really plan to hire Herb Williams, giving him a chance to interview means paying a guy respect who deserves just that. It's proving that a new culture has arrived at Madison Square Garden where mostly scandals and other ugly stories reigned the newspapers in recent years. Walsh is setting a tone early and you have to like what you see from the new boss in town. The coaching search will continue in the next few days and weeks and it seems like former Knicks point guard and rookie of the year Mark Jackson is a leading candidate for the job. We'll see what happens but just by giving Herb Williams the first interview for the head coaching job Donnie Walsh has already made a great move...

Slumping Sluggers

2008-04-20T05:45:00.000-07:00

The new baseball season is now almost three weeks old and when we look around the majors, some players are really not having the kind of numbers they usually have. Now that's not an uncommon thing at the start of a season but we'll take a look at the struggling big boys and evaluate if their teams have to be worried or not. It should also be noted that there are different standards set for each player. You don't expect the same numbers from Carlos Delgado as you expect from Ryan Howard at this point in their careers. But overall, both haven't been hitting well lately and that's the whole point of the article.

David Ortiz (Red Sox) .141, 1 HR, 10 RBI
After he had knee surgery in the offseason, Big Papi is not looking like the same feared hitter he was the years before. He doesn't feel comfortable with his knee yet and was even benched in a series against the Yankees last week. At 32 years of age Ortiz should be in the prime of his career.
Chance of Recovery: Good. Maybe he will struggle throughout the season but everything is pointing to a return to form for him. HIs buddy Manny Ramirez, batting behind him, is tearing the cover off the baseball and Ortiz will see more and more good pitches with Manny continuing to dominate. The last six games have proven just that as Ortiz had 7 hits and 7 RBI without taking a single walk.

Gary Sheffield (Tigers) .192, 1 HR, 2 RBI
Sheff is clearly on the downside of his career at the age of 39. But of course you wouldn't expect him to struggle as much and bat below .200. Just like his team he is off to a terrible start, even though his OBP has been rather solid at .364. With the addition of Miguel Cabrera, the Tigers don't have as big of a role for Sheffield as he is used to.
Chance of recovery: Not great. Sheffield is old and even though he is still a feared hitter, there is no comparison to the past. Last year he finished with 25 homers and 75 RBI and it will be hard to match these numbers. He still isn't fully confortable with the role of the designated hitter and should never be the same hitter he once was.

Frank Thomas (Blue Jays) .167, 3 HR, 11 RBI
"The Big Hurt" was expected to be a key part of the Toronto offense but he hasn't lived up to it. After a MVP-caliber year 2006 in Oakland, the career .300-hitter is clearly looking worse and worse at the plate. It also seems like he has problems inside the clubhouse and he was livid about his recent benching against Detroit. But hey, you can't expect to play everyday with this batting average.
Chance of recovery: Slim. Thomas will turn 40 soon and his body has taken a lot of blows over the years. He doesn't have his nickname for nothing. After hitting his 500th homerun last year he might also not have the same motivation anymore as he had before reaching the milestone.
BREAKING NEWS: Two hours after this article was finished, Thomas was released by the Blue Jays.

Jason Giambi (Yankees) .116, 2 HR, 6 RBI
If you think the Yankees offense as a whole has struggled, then you haven't been watching Jason Giambi. He has been terrible at the plate and is more and more looking like a sure goner in New York next year. He is currently splitting a lot of time at DH with catcher Jorge Posada and the banged up catcher is also digging into Giambi's first base starts.
Chance of recovery: Bad. Giambi isn't in great shape physically (We could wonder why if we are mean...) and he doesn't seem to have a great standing with Joe Girardi either. He won't face Mike Timlin every game and since 2005 his averages has been going down consistently. He doesn't seem to be in the Yankees' long term plans and that isn't a good sign for the rest of the season.

Carlos Delgado (Mets) .213, 1 HR, 8 RBI
If you watch the big run producer in the dugout, you wouldn't imagine he is going through a slump. He is always joking and enjoying the time with his teammates. But his numbers tell a different story. One problem for Delgado has been his decreasing bat speed. He has been taken out of the cleanup spot multiple times recently (also due to the fact the Mets faced tons of lefties).
Chance of recovery: Average. Delgado is clearly on the downside and being 35 years old, you can't expect him to make any great leaps in his form. His averages has been going down for three years now and he isn't the big run producer on the Mets anymore. But if he finds his swing, he could be valuable behind the likes of David Wright and Carlos Beltran which ultimatively is all the Mets need from him. His presence in the clubhouse is clearly positive.

Ryan Howard (Phillies) .182, 4 HR, 9 RBI
He is the youngest among our slumping sluggers and due to that fact alone, Philly fans shouldn't be too worried about his slow start. He had a bad start last year too and still finsihed with terrific numbers for the season. His strikeout numers are astronomically high though and that's something he should definitely work on in the future.
Chance of recovery: Great. As bad he looks at the plate right now, and we are talking awful here, his track record gives no reason to worry at all. Last year he slumped in April and still finished with 47 homers and 136 RBI. The year before he was the National League MVP with an incredible 58 homers and 149 RBI. He bats in a small ballpark and once he recovers mentally, he will be fine. Watch out, Philly bleachers!

Alfonso Soriano (Cubs) .175, 2 HR, 5 RBI
Just like last year, Soriano is struggling early on and April. And just like last year, too, the left fielder is injured early on with a strained right calf. He was almost non existant in the first couple of games but looked better as in the second week of the season. Unfortunately for him, he went down with the injury.
Chance of recovery: Great. Soriano is only 32 years old and he isn't your prototypical power hitter. Not only does he lead off and is blessed with good speed on the bases, he is also in outstanding physical condition and arguably one of the most gifted athletes of our generation. His lone year in Washington proved that where he finished with 46 homers and 41 stolen bases. He will be back soon and he will find his swing just like he always does. His free swinging mentality won't change, yet that doesn't mean he still isn't a great player to watch and have on your team.

Ok, that's it with our report of the slumping sluggers. Many of you will disagree with some predictions and mabye you will also miss a few names (Andruw Jones anyone?). Feel free to comment on the list and get into a discussion.

Santana Strikes Back

2008-04-19T06:30:00.000-07:00

Any other pitcher would have been worried last night before facing the Philadelphia Phillies. Especially after he had given up three homeruns in his previous outing. And then this Citizen's Bank Park - a stadium where even normal infield popups sometimes make their way into the bleachers. On top of that he would face his new team's nemesis, the Phillies. Everything pointed to a long and stressful night. But then, Johan Santana isn't just any other pitcher. Far from that, actually, as he once again proved last night. Even the most critical New York Mets fans, maybe even the idiots who booed Santana in his home debut, had to be amazed by watching their new ace lead their team to a 6-4 victory. On the road, against their division rivals, a team they couldn't beat last year when it mattered most.

Santana pitched a tremendous game that can't be limited to his numbers. He gave up 3 runs in 7 innings of work and struck out 10 batters. But it was more than that, it was his presence that mattered more than any statstic. In a game the Mets desperately needed for their confidence, Santana took the mound with force and did what he has been doing for years now - dominate and show the people that he is one of the best pitchers of our generation. And he proved what he can be for the Mets. He can be that guy, who will go out every five days and lead your team to victory. He is the horse, the leader of your staff. A Cy Young caliber pitcher. A true ace. Or you could say something the Mets got one year to late. Last year they missed just this front of the rotation starter when they blew a huge division lead to those Phillies at the end of the regular season. But this year it is a different story.

You shouldn't judge great players like Johan Santana by one bad night (like his home debut against Milwaukee). You rather should relax and wait for the inevitable to happen, which actually, just happened last night in Philly. Santana now posts a 3.25 ERA with an even 2-2 record. Some might say it's not worthy of the 137 million contract Santana got from the Mets in the offseason. But he's also not getting paid to only pitch four regular season games. Especially not in April. Who still is worried with Santana's performance so far has to remember that the venezuelan has been a notoriously slow starter in his career. Actually his 3.25 ERA is his best April ERA since he became a starter in 2003. And if you consider that start as slow, well, then watch out National League!

Unfazed with his team's former choking acts against the Phillies, Santana went to work and did what he has proven to do year after year in the majors. "I had the same approach I usually have", said the 29-year old left hander. "Sure, you can sense a bit of a different atmosphere. But I always try to be myself. I want to go out and enjoy every moment out there." Mets fans surely enjoyed every strikeout and every moment of last night's performance. Just like Santana's teammates. "There aren't too many pitchers in the game that can single-handedly bring your team to another level", explained third baseman David Wright. "But Johan is certainly one of them." So, the Phillies now know about Santana and his teammates are aware of him and his meaning to their team, too. Hopefully all Mets fans realize soon what they really got in this tremendous pitcher and that there's no need to boo him anymore...

Barry Zito: Wrong Curve

2008-04-17T05:49:00.000-07:00

I mean you can't help yourself but Barry Zito is an interesting guy. Or how did the announcer's put it yesterday - he's beating to a different drum. So far so good. Just look up his wikypedia file and you will read about some of the stories concerning the veteran left hander of the San Francisco Giants. He collects stuffed animals, is outspoken and media friendly, bought his own baseball cards and one of his nicknamesa includes "Planet Zito" - just to name a few of the little anecdotes that surround this refreshing young man. But there is one story that will hang with him forever and that will ultimately create his legacy. It's not the legend of the dandy pitcher with the incredible curveball but of the downfall of this once great hurler who signed this enormous 126 million dollar contract, which will haunt for the rest of his baseball days.

When Barry Zito left the Oakland Athletics and signed the contract with the Giants, worked out by his new agent Scott Boras, many knew that it was a mistake by San Francisco. Zito wasn't the same pitcher anymore that he was in 2002, when he won the American League Cy Young Award behind a tremendous 23-5 record and a strong 2.75 ERA. And he isn't now either. What is left of him is just a memory. Today, his fastball is barely scratching the mid eighties. Back in the day, he constantly topped out in the low nineties which made his superb secondary stuff just that much more effective. But how good can a pitcher be without any kind of effective fastball and spotty control?! Not very good, just ask Barry Zito. Or the fans of the San Francisco Giants. Zito has lost all four of his decisions so far this season, something that never happened in his entire career before. His ERA in the usually more pitcher friendly National League has gone up to 4.50 - despite coming from the American League and pitching in a pitcher's ballpark. You can turn it and see it how you want but the story of Barry Zito is a very sad one. He's earning the big money, sure, but don't believe he's happy with what he's doing. I mean here's a guy at the age of 29 who once belonged to the elite pitchers in the game of baseball. It's not like he is a 36 year old nearing the end of his career. Now he still has over 5 years left on a contract that rests on his shoulders like the image of a needle on Barry Bonds. He will hear more and more boos as the season goes. And he will have to deal with more and more doubts by fans and himself with every loss if he doesn't make adjustments and reinvents himself as a pitcher, something he hasn't been able to do for quite a few years now. In the end, all he will have is a big bank account and a memory of better days, but his legacy will never be what it once was...

Carmelo Anthony Is Sorry Now

2008-04-15T12:47:00.000-07:00

Listen up fellas, Carmelo Anthony is sorry! Did you all hear it, Carmelo Anthony, star forward for the Denver Nuggets who by the way just clinched the final playoff spot in the Western Conference, is sorry! He actually is so sorry for his latest arrest due to driving under the influence of alcohol that he had to read his apology from a prepared statement. Man, Melo, you really got our respect for standing up for your mistakes and not continuing being a foolish wannabe thug...

I'm sick and tired of hearing such stories. I mean first of all it's terrible to even do it, I'm talking DUI. But how can a professional athlete right in the middle of a season deciding playoff race be arrested for DUI?! How idiotic, stupid and dumb do you have to be?! It's bad enough to do it in the offseason or for that matter ever but in the most important part of your season?! As a fan of that team I seriously would have to wonder if this guy actually deserves to be in the playoffs...

Big Struggle For Big Papi

2008-04-14T05:14:00.000-07:00

What happened Sunday night at Fenway seemed as unlikely as anything you can imagine. It's the rubber match between the Boston Red Sox and the New York Yankees for their first series of the new MLB season and one big name is missing on the Red Sox lineup card: David Ortiz. Big Papi not playing?! So he's seriously injured? Did the heaven come down?! What's going on? Something very serious has to happen that Red Sox manager Terry Francona leaves his star slugger out of his starting lineup. Red Sox fans can only hope that it has nothing to do with an injury and it was just a day off because of David Ortiz truly serious slump to begin the season.

Either way, Big Papi is going through maybe the toughest time in his career. The 6-4, 230 pound Dominican is batting only .070 with one homerun and three RBIs. Yes, it's David Ortiz we are talking about here, not some average hitter who happens to have a slow start to his season. At first the reason for Papi's struggles seems obvious. He had knee surgery in the offseason and he might not be fully recovered. Yet then you have to ask when will he recover? The season has started now and for a guy his size it's definitely not helpful to play baseball every day when his knee isn't fully healed. Right now, he is feeling terrible as you can tell by him not carrying his usual smile. The situation will be interesting to follow not only for the Red Sox but also for the rest of the American League, as Papi is a vital part of Boston's success. Even if it might not yet be time to panic, Papi's struggles are definitely a serious concern for Red Sox nation...

Three For The Ages

2008-04-07T20:56:00.000-07:00

Bill Self put it well before the game when he addressed his players - this will be a special night. Oh boy it was! And not only Self, his players and Jayhawks fans will remember this night for the rest of their lifes, every basketball fan will think back to this National Championship game with joy and a full heart.

The game looked over with 2 minutes to go and the Memphis Tigers leading by 9 points in what was an evenly matched contest throughout. Yet the Jayhawks never gave up. With every second passing and every point Kansas chipped away from their deficit, the Tigers felt more uncomfortable. Then the moment came that they feared most all year long: They led the big game and had the chance to ice it at the foul line. And just how so many experts have promised, one clank after another put Kansas back in business. Superstar freshman Derrick Rose missed one of two after the Tigers couldn't convert on four free throws in the final 1:12 minutes. With the score 63:60 Memphis and roughly 10 seconds to go, all the Tigers' title dreams turned into a monumental nightmare. Sherron Collins raced the ball up court and handed it to Mario Chalmers. With the eyes of a nation on him, Chalmers pulled up for the three at the top of the key. A moment later the biggest shot of his life turned the Kansas fans and bench into a frenzy and let every Memphis fan hang their head in shock. At that moment, with the game going into overtime, there could only be one winner. The Jayhawks dominated the extra period to win the third National Championship in school history. With his late game heroics, Chalmers closed the book in deserving fashion on just another NCAA Tournament and another March Madness. And he reminded us all why we love college basketball so much.

I won't have to talk about this love to the Memphis Tigers right now. They couldn't put the icing on the cake of a dream season in which they won 38 games and only lost two. But the second one proved to be one to many. Derrick Rose put the team on his shoulders in the second half showing everyone why he is considered one of the premier NBA prospects in his class. Others like Joey Dorsey and Robert Dozier shipped in with admirable efforts only to come up short in the end. You gotta feel for these guys who missed out on an opportunity that they will regret the rest of their being. Congrats to Memphis for a great season, even though this night belonged to Kansas and only to Kansas!

Bill Self put the game in jeopardy for his Jayhawks, switching to a zone and a box and one midway through the second half. Out of their usual aggressive man to man defense the Jayhawks lost their rythmn and almost the game. But it was a furious late game comeback, highlighted by Chalmers' game tying trey, that let "Rock Chalk Jayhawk" sound as loud as ever. Darrell Arthur led Kansas with 20 points, proving that he is a tremendous pro in the making. Other key contributors were Brandon Rush, who locked down Chris Douglas-Roberts in the second half, and the speedy Sherron Collins who never took his foot of the pedal. Overall Kansas' depth gave them the second air and they could withstand foul difficulty, unlike the Tigers who lost their senior leader Dorsey late in the fourth quarter. What a great game it was! A true night to remember in a Tournament that has given us so many great moments over the years. Mario Chalmers' three pointer will rank right at the top with these eternal plays of the past and it will make him a hero for life. A life in which he will always have this moment for himself and for Jayhawk nation. Even though ever is a long time, this one will last for the ages. Deservingly so...

On The Road

2008-04-05T13:09:00.000-07:00

Baseball is getting started, the Final Four this weekend... and where am I?!? On the road! I'm currently sitting in a hotel lobby blocking the local internet. I'll get home tomorrow and then the blog will pick up again! Until then, best wishes!

ELITE EIGHT PREVIEW

2008-03-29T08:06:00.000-07:00

Too bad the Spartans didn't make it but we are still looking at a tremendous weekend with four truly intriguing matchups. The winners of the four games will advance to the Final Four in San Antonio next week and keep their hopes of a National Championship alive. Here are the previews of the Regional Finals 2008:

EAST REGION

1 North Carolina vs 3 Louisville
Charlotte Bobcats Arena, Charlotte NC, Saturday, 9:05 pm ET
This is without a doubt the most interesting matchup as many feel these are the two best teams left in the Tournament. Nothing but blowouts paved the way for these two teams but now it figures that both will face an equal opponent.
North Carolina has the homecourt advantage on it's side and enter the game with tremendous confidence. They will look to push the ball especially off turnovers to avoid Louisville's vaunted full court press. In the halfcourt Roy Williams' team will heavily rely on point guard Ty Lawson to keep the tempo high and create off the bounce.
Louisville is an even bigger team than UNC and has just as deep a bench if not even deeper. Their greatest asset is their rugged and aggressive defense, both full court and halfcourt. Despite playing a zone, they are really tough on three point shooters. Rick Pitino will have a few tricks in his bag and in David Padgett and Terrance Williams he's got two outstanding leaders on the court, too.

PICK: Louisville. Do you remember Clemson? Right, the team that took North Carolina to the wire in all of their three matchups this year. They just like Louisville play a full court press (even though U of L runs a zone press) and took UNC out of their comfort zone. Lawson is healthier now but North Carolina will struggle in the full court. Tyler Hansbrough will have his hands full with the athletic and strong Cardinals' big men. The one thing that is worrying about Louisville is ball security. They can't allow Carolina to run off their turnovers.
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WEST REGION

1 UCLA vs 3 Xavier
US Airways Center, Phoenix AZ, Saturday, 6:40 pm ET
The West bracket is highly regarded as the easiest in the Tournament. Well, I don't know if these two teams care, but easy or not, they are now looking to make it out of this bracket in what should be a low scoring game.
The Bruins still haven't proven they can score on a consistent basis or that they are able to shoot it well every night. Nonetheless, they feature one of the best defenses in the entire tournament and also match up fairly well with a rugged and physically tough Xavier squad. Darren Collison has to control the game for the Bruins or they will struggle.
The Musketeers go as far as Drew Lavender goes. The small point guard is their leader and their floor general. His teammates follow him. Now Lavender tends to go through ups and downs and will face a tough opponent in UCLA's pesky defensive backcourt. But if Lavender can get his teammates the ball in good positions and control the tempo, then Xavier has a good chance of winning this game. The Musketeers top scorer Josh Duncan has to stay out of foul trouble as he is clearly their best offensive player inside.

PICK: UCLA. I'm really not sure about this matchup as both teams are hard to figure out and very inconsistent. Xavier has shown last year that they feed off the role of the underdog and can elevate their game in such a situation. Yet Kevin Love I think will be too much inside for the Musketeers to handle. Man, I really like Xavier too though and I will just pick the Bruins because they are advancing in my bracket. So much for good analysis!
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MIDWEST REGION

1 Kansas Jayhawks vs 10 Davidson Wilcats
Ford Field, Detroit MI, Sunday, 5:05 pm ET
I guess we have found this year's cinderella story and the star of this year's Tourney: Davidson and their sophomore guard Stephen Curry. But in Kansas they will face a team that is on a mission and looks like they won't be denied.
Bill Self still has the reputation of being a choker but now his team is back in a spot where they can finally make it to the Final Four. The Jayhawks are a much deeper team, got great players at almost every position and they can run and gun with anybody. Yet they won't have any problems with a tough physical contest either. Especially their guards around Mario Chalmers and Russell Robinson will go after Curry on both ends of the floor.
Davidson has come a long way now and the nation is standing behind them. Stephen Curry has shown unbelievable shooting and scoring ability in the Tourney so far and they will need that once again from him to have a chance. His supporting cast is also doing a great job defending, doing the dirty work and operating as a team on both ends of the court. They have to make this an emotional game and feed off the crowd to have a chance.

PICK: Kansas. Sorry folks but I think the cinderella story has reached it's last chapter. The Jawhawks are a much better scoring team than either Georgetown or Wisconsin and they will unleash a relentless attack on Davidson's undersized defense. Kansas also has the perfect players to defend the quick Wildcats and Stephen Curry. He might even have 6-6 Brandon Rush against him from time to time. Kansas is too strong, too talented and as I said earlier, they are on a mission.
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SOUTH REGION

1 Memphis vs 2 Texas
Reliant Arena, Houston TX, Sunday, 2:20 pm ET
The South is the only region where both top seeded teams made it to the final game and it will be a highly intense battle under the hot red sun of Texas. It will be a great scene for two great college basketball teams.
Memphis silenced their critics by dominating Michigan State 92-74 in the Sweet Sixteen. They have tremendous speed, size and defensive awareness. Plus they are playing a chip on their shoulder. Yet this chip can quickly turn the other way and the team gets too confident. John Calipari is a great coach though and he should have an eye on that. Derrick Rose looks to be playing on another planet in the moment.
Texas in front of a raucous crowd will once again come out firing. All of their players can hit the three ball and with their big men stepping out, they present an enormous task for opposing defenses. Their backcourt is very small which could be a problem against the tall guards of Memphis. D.J. Augustin though is the smartest player on the court and if he can take over offensively and with his decision making, watch out.

PICK: Texas. Memphis looking outstanding against the Spartans last night yet this is another game. I hear everyone already talking about how the Tigers have proved anyone wrong and this and that plus I saw Joey Dorsey and company jawing and showboating out there. This is a different game and Texas has the homecourt advantage and they got the much smarter team. While I like Calipari as a coach over Barnes, this game will be decided mentally. I just feel somehow that Memphis even though they are the much more talented team, will struggle and maybe get overconfident.

See You Next Year, Spartans!

2008-03-29T06:06:00.000-07:00

Now that wasn't how Michigan State fans, Tom Izzo, his team and myself envisioned their Sweet Sixteen matchup last night against the Memphis Tigers. The game which ended 74-92 was basically over at halftime with the Spartans trailing by 30 points. Yeah, that hurts. It was basically no contest and the talented Tigers just dominated the game from the first minute on. But you know how it is, there are some nights when nothing is working for you and everything goes right for your opponent. It was a tough night for the Spartans, especially for seniors Drew Neitzel and Drew Naymick, who ended their college careers on a sour note. But there weren't just endings last night as the other Spartans begin their quest for greater heights next year right about now.

And with the preparation for the new season you also have to look at your shortcomings and weaknesses. Last night discovered a glaring problem of the Spartans in recent years, they not only struggle to score but they also have huge problems to operate outside of their systems. Kalin Lucas was basically the only player who constantly could create off the dribble and that just isn't enough. Next season though the Spartans will have a different look as they compliment their perimeter players with a true rock inside. Tom Izzo recruited one of the premier power forward prospects in the country in Delvon Roe and he will turn to a talented sophomore class to compensate for the losses of Neitzel and Naymick.

Next year's starting lineup will propably look like this: Kalin Lucas at point guard, Chris Allen at shooting guard, Raymar Morgan at small forward, Delvon Roe at power forward and senior Goran Suton at center. I'll take that for a start! Especially Allen and Morgan have to work on their games as they have to handle the ball better and create off the dribble for themselves. With Roe in the post the Spartans will once again be a true power team that will pride themselves on rebounding, inside game and defense. It's gonna be real interesting how the young guys around Lucas, Allen and Durrell Summers develop and if they can carry the load of the Spartans' perimeter offense. Their chances in the Big Ten seem to be pretty good with powers Indiana and Wisconsin losing quite a few talented seniors on their own. Izzo definitely has an exciting offseason in front of him and hopefully we will see positive results next year. One thing is for sure: The Spartans will be back!

Pitino's Fingerprints

2008-03-28T07:04:00.000-07:00

Rick Pitino has nothing left to prove in college basketball. We all heard about his accolades, the Final Fours with three different programs, his 500th win earlier in the season and his NCAA Championship with the Kentucky Wildcats. Pitino is without a doubt one of the most glamorous and well respected coaching figures of our time. Yet it's always great to see this man at work and see his teams and his players thrive under the leadership of this great coach. Well, I don't know if Bruce Pearl is so happy watching it. His Tennessee Volunteers got hammered by Pitino's Louisville Cardinals 79-60 in the Sweet Sixteen last night in what was a full court clinic for almost forty minutes. The Cards beat the Vols at their own game, their own strength and now look to face Tournament favorite North Carolina in the Elite Eight. Rick Pitino once again has his team at full strength and dangerously confident at Tourney time and it not only shows in the results but also in the individual development of his players.

There is for example Earl Clark, a hot commodity among NBA scouts, who was benched earlier in the year and made the news due to violating team rules and character issues. Today, about a season later, Clark is one of the best players on this Louisville team as he showed last night with 17 points, 12 rebounds and 4 blocks. He looks quicker, better prepared and mentally tougher than early in the year. "The way we are playing now is just the way Coach P wants us to play", says the 6-9 Clark, who is finally living up to the hype he faced since arriving at Louisville in 2006. "It feels great to live up to his expectations and to finally click as a team at the right time." Doesn't sound like a headcase to me. More like a kid who is finally seeing the light after his coach worked hard with him through some bad times. "Earl's problem is he is so young. New York city kids, greater metropolitan area kids, are the toughest kids to coach", explains Pitino. "But once you get through them and you have them working hard, they are the greatest kids in the world to coach." It seems like he has gotten through Earl Clark who is averaging 14 points, 8.4 rebounds and 1.4 blocks over his last seven games. Or during "the right time" as Clark said.

Another example of Pitino's influence is Terrance Williams. I remember Louisville's game fron last year's Tournament when they lost to Texas A&M in a close contest. Terrance Williams played like Terrance Williams used to play. Wasting his athletisism on the perimter, immature and as trigger happy as they come. Now, a year later, this exact same Terrance Williams is one of the vocal leaders of the Cardinals team and propably it's most unselfish player. Rarely pulling up for longrange bombs anymore, Williams has actually become a stat sheet stuffer who plays outstanding defense and gets his teammates involved. He even made school history this season, recording two triple doubles, just as many as there have been in the history of Louisville basketball before him. It's great to see the development in talented players like Clark or Williams and how they respond to good coaching and outstanding leadership. Too bad not everyone seems to commit to that as Louisville's sophomore center Derrick Caracter is thinking about entering the NBA despite being far from pro ready. He's a good buddy of Clark and maybe he should just listen to him and how listening to Pitino could actually work out. There are worse things to do than listening to one of the greatest coaches in college basketball...

SWEET SIXTEEN PREVIEW

2008-03-26T08:30:00.000-07:00

It's time for the second weekend of the NCAA Tournament 2008. Here's a preview of the Sweet Sixteen and all the great matchups that are waiting for us on Thursday and Friday:

EAST REGION

1 North Carolina vs 4 Washington State
Charlotte Bobcats Arena, Charlotte NC, Thursday, 7:27 EDT
The Tar Heels feel quite comfortable in the state of North Carolina as they have won their first two rounds by a combined margin of 69 points. The Heels scored over 100 points in both contests and proved how much they love to get the ball up and down the court and in transition. Inside they will rely on their All American superstar Tyler Hansbrough who will love WSU's physical style.
After a sluggish start to their first round game against Winthrop, the Cougars have impressed a lot of people aswell. Seniors Derrick Low and Kyle Weaver lead the way for the tough, physical Cougs who only allowed 81 points in the first two rounds. It looks like we will see a battle of systems in this one and whoever manages to control the pace of the game might come out on top.

PICK: North Carolina. The Tar Heels are basically playing a home game and they got a deeper bench than WSU. You can't underestimate the heart of the Cougars' seniors though.

3 Louisville vs 2 Tennessee
Charlotte Bobcats Arena, Charlotte NC, Thursday, 9:57 EDT
What a matchup! These two teams will throw a devastating full court press at each other and it could turn out to be one of the great games of this year's Tourney. Louisville is a lot bigger than the Vols yet they struggle to score from time to time. In the halfcourt Rick Pitino's team will look to exploit their tremendous size advantage inside with players like senior David Padgett, Derrick Caracter, Earl Clark and Juan Palacios. The X-factor for Louisville is junior Terrance Williams, who can control the game on the perimeter.
Tennessee coach Bruce Pearl hopes to have his sharpshooter Chris Lofton ready for this game. The senior is battling a foot injury and the Vols would clearly miss the three point specialist. Tennessee loves to play an uptempo game and they could look to turn this game into a shootout. The Vols have to find a way to solve Lousiville's aggressive halfcourt zone.

PICK: Louisville. The Cardinals are a better defensive team overall and their advantage inside is immense. The turnover battle in this game will be interesting.
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WEST REGION

1 UCLA vs 12 Western Kentucky
US Airways Center, Phoenix AZ, Thursday, 9:40 EDT
This game looks like the most lopsided matchup of the regional semifinals but Bruins head coach Ben Howland knows to well to not take the Hilltoppers lightly. UCLA just survived a fistfight with Texas A&M, a game in which they basically trailed the entire game. A few experts even think, the offensively challenged Bruins got exposed in their 53-49 win. But they not only bring a lot of talent to the table, they are also a lot more experienced than their opponent.
Western Kentucky is making a bid to be this year's great cinderella story. They are led by their talented guard duo Courtney Lee and Tyrone Brazelton. Both have the ability to take over a game with their shooting and their athletic ability to get into the lane. It's gonna be interesting how the Hilltoppers react to the off week and if they can get their intensity back that propelled them into this round.

PICK: UCLA. Too strong, too experienced, too deep. Western Kentucky hasn't faced a team even close to UCLA's strength and that might be their downfall. Of course we are rooting for the underdog though, go Hilltoppers!

3 Xavier vs 7 West Virginia
US Airways Center, Phoenix AZ, Thursday, 7:10 EDT
The Musketeers will have to deal with the role of the favorite once again when they square off against WVU. Led by point guard Drew Lavender, the Musketeers will look to control the tempo and pressure West Virginia's attack around junior phenom Joe Alexander. The Musketeers have a lot of options to defend against Alexander, for example senior Josh Duncan.
He has struggled a bit from the field recently but he is clearly the focal point of the Mountaineers' offense. Bob Huggins will get his troops ready for this game and he needs a big effort from Alexander's supporting cast - De'Sean Butler, Darris Nichols and Alex Ruoff. WVU will look to get their momentum back early after beating Duke in the second round on a couragous effort.

PICK: Xavier. After falling behind against Georgia in round one, the Musketeers are playing some great basketball. Their previous opponent (Purdue) was pretty similar to West Virginia and they will be ready for Huggins' team.
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MIDWEST REGION

1 Kansas vs 12 Villanova
Ford Field, Detroit MI, Friday, 9:40 EDT
The Jayhawks are arguably the most talented and deepest team in the entire tournament. They got a tremendous size advantage against Villanova and will look to pound the ball inside to Darrell Arthur, Sasha Kaun and Darnell Jackson. Junior Mario Chalmers has emerged as a leader for the Jayhawks who at times lacked that one player who would take the ball and put the team on his shoulders.
Scottie Reynolds is taking that role for the Wildcats. He is a talented scorer who can explode on any given night. He will face a tough time though against the Jayhawks' vaunted backcourt defenders Chalmers and Russell Robinson. A lot will depend on the contribution from the young guys for Nova, like Corey Stokes for example who has been playing tremendous at the end of the season.

PICK: Kansas. The Jayhawks can throw a lot of different guys at Reynolds and they should be able to handle Nova's zone pressure. This should be a tremendous game as both teams have a lot of ultra quick guards who can control the tempo of the contest.

3 Wisconsin vs 10 Davidson
Ford Field, Detroit MI, Friday, 7:10 EDT
After two upsets Davidson will look to continue their tournament run against the experienced and battle tested Badgers. Wisconsin won't do Davidson the favor though of commiting 20 turnovers (like Georgetown in round two) as the Big Ten champions rarely beat themselves. They will try to slow the game down, control the tempo and win in a slugfest, just like they did all year under coach Bo Ryan.
The Wildcats have to make the game a little wild and once again depend on superstar shooter Stephen Curry, who already scored 70 points in the first two rounds. Andrew Lovedale is another important factor as he can do a little bit of everything. One thing is for sure, Davidson won't go quietly and the momentum may give them an emotional edge over the ice cold Badgers.

PICK: Davidson. Well, I don't believe they will win but it's a nice pick and we all want one true cinderella to advance. I feel though that Georgetown beat itself against the Wildcats.
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SOUTH REGION

1 Memphis vs 5 Michigan State
Reliant Stadium, Houston TX, Friday, 9:57 EDT
Memphis didn't do much to silence their critics in their 77:74 win against Mississippi State in round two. And coach John Calipari can make as many bets as he wants but 15 for 32 from the free throw line won't get you to a National Championship. The Tigers are talented enough though to go all the way, that's out of question. But you might wonder a bit about their mental toughness.
The Spartans didn't show any signs of mental problems when they defeated the red hot Pittsburgh Panthers in round two. Drew Neitzel filled the role of the senior leader and was unguardable down the stretch. Tom Izzo will once again have his team ready for a long, physical night and the Spartans won't back down from the physical challenge that the talented Memphis team with players like Joey Dorsey presents. Derrick Rose against Kalin Lucas at the point guard position should be an outstanding matchup to watch.

PICK: Michigan State. I root for the Spartans so I'm obviously a bit biased here. But they are as mentally tough and physical as they come and their guards are one hell of a matchup. It will be interesting who defends Raymar Morgan. Note for the refs: Please let them play and we have a classic March battle going!

3 Stanford vs 2 Texas
Reliant Stadium, Houston TX, Friday, 7:27 EDT
We just have to look at the arena and we already know that we will face an unbelievable scene. Stanford will not only have to battle a talented opponent, they will also have to deal with 50,000 raging Longhorns fans deep in the heart of Texas. Led by point guard D.J. Augustin, the Longhorns will spread the floor and then let the threes rain over the Cardinal.
The entire Texas starting lineup can drain the long range jumper and that will force the Cardinal's bigs, Brook and Robin Lopez, to step out. It will be interesting to see if Stanford can hold down the Longhorns with their D and if they can exploit their size advantage against a very stingy and quick Texas defense. The Longhorns can play themselves into a zone and with the crowd behind them, it could get a long night for Stanford.

PICK: Texas. I think I have already said why I like Texas in this one. They got the homecourt advantage and their spread offense is ideal to operate against the Cardinal who like to rely on their big men defense inside.

Good Bye Chris Webber!

2008-03-26T06:07:00.000-07:00

It's always sad when a great player hangs up the sneakers forever. You realize that you will never see that player in action again, you will never see him dunk again, never see him fight for a rebound or make a pretty pass. You will miss him in box scores and in the starting lineup. The same thing should happen to Chris Webber when he announces his retirement after 15 years of NBA service, even though his career has been one of the more controversial and certainly more tragic in recent history...

Remembering the player Chris Webber isn't that hard. He is propably the best passing big man who ever set a foot on the NBA hardwood, his career numbers (20.9 points, 9.8 rebounds and 4.3 assists) are staggering and live up to almost every hype the 6-10 power forward faced throughout his career. He was always entertaining, smiling and he just looked like he always had fun playing basketball. But C-Webb's legacy will never be just about his play. Thinking of Chris Webber there's always this little sore taste, may it be because of his infamous timeout in the NCAA National Championship game 1993 or because of his legal troubles (some of which resulted in the deleting of Webber's college records) over the years or this one missing NBA championship on which great players like him get judged upon. Even though he is clearly one of the great talents in the last 20 years, he was always hampered by injuries (like the knee injury that ultimatively is ending his career now) and the problems that always slowed him down will never be forgotten. In today's media you often just read about the miscues and the bad stuff concerning an athlete and his career, especially when we are talking about a guy in Webber who never really was a media favorite. People will joke about his timeout and knock him for his errors many decades from now. And Webber made mistakes, that's out of question.

But as a fan, as a basketball fan, I try to remember Webber's best years which were in Sacramento where he led some outstanding Kings teams to the top of Western Conference. These teams played some of the best team basketball that you can imagine and CWebb was a key part of those squads. I don't know the person Chris Webber, but I will clearly miss the player Chris Webber, who was nothing short of spectacular and worth every minute you watched him on the court.

MLB Opening Day in Japan

2008-03-25T12:16:00.000-07:00

Hey, it's baseball season again! It is?! I thought the Yankees and Mets were still playing Spring Training games right now?! But didn't you see the Red Sox last night beat the Oakland Athletics 6-5 in extra inning over in Tokyo?!? You know what, I did not see it. Because I'm so not in a baseball mood right now, it's crazy. How in hell could the MLB put up such a horrible schedule and let the season start before it actually starts...

Now I would have had the chance to see the game at 11 am today in Germany but I was on the road. You guys in the US could have seen the game at 6 in the morning. And baseball wants to tell us that this is the right way to start the season?! They should have just waited until next week when all the other games start and then let the Red Sox play on the same day. It was a terrible day for baseball, a terrible day for every other country than Japan and just a terrible day to start the season. How in hell did I even get myself to write about the game yesterday?! Ehh, wake me up when the real baseball season starts!

Just Another Day In March...

2008-03-21T15:11:00.000-07:00

There isn't a greater time for basketball than right now. There's a reason people invented the term "March Madness". It's these days when unknown players turn into heroes, when masses become fans of teams that they haven't seen before, when careers are ending and careers are made. Moments are made. Legends are made. Seconds become eternities. Winning and losing are as close as ever. These are the days a basketball fan wants to shape all days upon.

Madness is finally here! After a rather quiet first day of the NCAA Tournament yesterday, this Friday has been nothing short of spectacular. Upsets, overtimes, buzzer beaters, floor burners, hard fouls... make your pick, we have seen it all today!

The day started with what should have been an easy game for the number two seed from Tennessee. But the resistant American Eagles gave the high flying Volunteers all they could handle. In the end Chris Lofton and company did what not every favorite was able to, they survived with a scare. From Little Rock we go to Raleigh, North Carolina, where the young Stephen Curry proved to be everything experts made him out to be before the first round clash between his Davidson Wildcats and the Gonzaga Bulldogs. And even more. Curry, son of former NBA sharpshooter Dell Curry, put his team on his smallish shoulders and they sunk the Zags 82:76 from downtown. In the end he had 40 points, 30 of them in the second half, to give Davidson it's first Tourney victory since the 1960s. Talk about making history! Back to Arkansas and another small guy stepping up big. Miami's Jack McClinton shook off a sluggish start against St. Mary's and scored 38 points. He even finished with 32 in the second half to power the Hurricanes to a 78:64 win.

On to the next round for the Hurricanes and for us to Tampa, Florida. Or overtime town as we might call it today. Drake vs Western Kentucky - OT! Drama all over the court. Jonathan Cox, a walk on for Drake, exploding for a double double but on the other side tiny guard Tyrone Brazelton would not be denied. He took it to the hole time and time again and he also found the ball in his hands down one and with only seconds to go in the extra period. What does he do?! He just scored a career high 33 points but he gives it up to Ty Rogers, who lets it go... for the win... got it! At the buzzer! The first huge upset of the Tourney! Players fall all over each other after the 101:99 thriller win! About 2 and a half hours later we are right in the middle of another dandy. UConn faces elimination but the Huskies won't back down from the San Diego Torreros. Without their leader A.J. Price (best wishes to him and a quick recovery) they never give up, only to fall short in the end. The clock showed 1.2 seconds in OT when all dreams of San Diego came true and all the Huskies hopes shattered with a basket by De'Jon Jackson. The final pass, a hopeless attempt at stopping the inevitable, got intercepted and the party was on for the Torreros!

This is just a short try to put a little of the excitement, of the fascination, of the drama into a text. You gotta see it to believe it. Today was a day that showed everything March Madness is about. And it was just the start to another great time of basketball. To another terrific NCAA Tournament. Even though it was just another day in March...

Recap: O.J. Mayo vs Michael Beasley

2008-03-21T04:33:00.000-07:00

Now usually I hate to concentrate on two players when I talk about a game. I mean basketball is a team sport and there are definitely more important stories to the Tournament than individuals. Anyways, we most likely got a close look at two of the top five picks in the upcoming NBA Draft, O.J. Mayo from the USC Trojans and Kansas State's Michael Beasley. So let's judge their performance from last night and take a look at their potential in the future.

The game: Kansas State won 80:67 behind a balanced attack, yet the deciding factors were definitely Michael Beasley (23 points, 11 rebounds) and his fellow freshman Bill Walker (22 points). The Wildcats opened up an early lead against a struggling Trojans who had no answer for K-State on the boards. Both teams had to fight through foul trouble the entire night and overall I thought the refs did a terrible job of destroying the flow of the game. Sometimes you just have to let the players play and not call every ticky tack contact. Awful officiating job yesterday! The Trojans' offense was a complete mess, partly due to the stifling Wildcats' defense but also because of the stubborness of head coach Tim Floyd. He limits his impressive athletes to slow und predictable halfcourt sets (counter screen after counter screen) and he rarely opens up the offense. No wonder that USC looked the best when O.J. Mayo started to take the ball to the hole and dish to open teammates. Overall Mayo finished with 20 points and 5 assists, but outside of Davon Jefferson (15 points) he got little help from his buddies.

O.J. Mayo: Mayo had an up and down game last night. At times he looks as impressive as they come and in other situations he just seems to be far away from anything special. Yet you can't deny the unlimited potential this guy has. When he even gets the smallest daylight his outside jumper is as automatic as they come. Very quick release, high arch and good elevation. On top of that his shot looks extremely effortless. His outstanding longrange jumper will already make him a good pro.
His ballhandling is solid, yet he hasn't really shown a second gear. Mayo rarely looks to operate outside of the offensive sets which can be seen as a positive or negative. Yesterday he should have taken over when his team was struggling, but again, I blame nobody who is part of a Tim Floyd offense. His body is NBA ready and he can take the ball to the hole. As of now, he often pulls up for the outside shot, something he has to change in the future. He also has to learn how to set up his drive with his jumper as defenders guard him really close. At times he just puts his head down and rams to the hole, something that you often see with physical impressive players and which clearly can be corrected.

His court awareness is good (especially in the open court) despite some stupid turnovers when he tried to make a spectacular play instead of a solid one. That approach clearly changes on defense where Mayo rarely gambles and handles himself very well. He has long arms, quick feet and the strength to be an even better defender than he already is.
Overall, Mayo is a very good NBA prospect as he will be even more effective with the court opening up. I see him as a shooting guard on the next level. He has the size for the position but can also bring the ball up and man the point from time to time. This versatility and his mental toughness will bode well on any team. He has to work on his quickness (it seems he put more emphasis on weight lifting early in his career) and on his midrange game. You would also like to see a little more emotion from him, yet you only hear positive things about him from teammates and coaches at USC.

Michael Beasley: Beasley struggled early yesterday because of foul trouble but didn't miss out on the chance to show his impressive skillset to a national audience. At 19 years of age, he is very strong and athletic. Despite only being a generous 6-9, he is a tremendous presence in the paint where he always presents himself as a target and almost never gets pushed off the block. That might change in the NBA when he faces taller and stronger competition.
Beasley really doesn't impress as much with his physical ability but with the skillset he possesses. As a lefty he does a great job attacking the basket from all angles and even finishes well with the right hand on occasion. For a big man (which he clearly is in college) he handles the ball extremely well and can easily step out to knock down a jumper or take bigger opponents off the dribble. His hand coordination is outstanding as he catches everything. He is a matchup nightmare on the college level and if he further develops his perimeter skills, he should be in the NBA, too. He is a prolific scorer who has a knack for getting his shot off and for developing offense where there is none. In college he is mainly double or even triple teamed, which makes it hard at times to evaluate his talents. But it also tells you how dominant he is even without looking at his numbers.
The most dominant part about Beasley's game might be his rebounding. With long arms and a great timing, there isn't a board out there he won't be able to get. Especially on the offensive end it's hard to keep the crafty forward from getting a putback. On defense he is willing to challenge shots but has quite a few mental lapses. Not many guys challenge him in college but in the post he gives up ground a bit easy and doesn't really realize his potential in that area of the game.

As it happens with O.J. Mayo, there are discussions about his position on the next level. Is he a power forward or a small forward? He clearly has the talent to be either one but does he also have the size or the quickness to play inside or outside? No matter where he will end up, you won't find as many naturally gifted players with the variety of talent that Beasley brings to the table. And guys like him shouldn't be limited to one position. I'm not sure how much of a team player he is as he is a willing passer but he also tends to be in his own world at times. His coach really lets him do what he wants and I never like that during the education as a basketball player. But anyways, Beasley is an outstanding prospect and he should easily be the top overall pick in the NBA Draft 2008.

Overall: Now I don't want anyone to judge these players just because of the game yesterday. A player is almost never as good or as bad as he looks in one single game. I've watched plenty of these two guys over the course of the season and my conclusion is that any team that gets either Mayo or Beasley, will have a lot of fun with them and a great cornerstone for the future of their franchise.

NCAA Tourney underway

2008-03-20T15:37:00.000-07:00

You guys should have seen me today... I had to work until about 6 pm (european time) which meant I was 40 minutes late for the Xavier vs Georgia tipoff. Damn! On top of that my mom calls me and tells me I have to get a pack of water bottles. I bought them at the supermarket and then I was running with that 6 bottle pack under my arm all the way to my house. Of course it was nasty cold and it was raining. What a great start to the NCAA Tournament 2008!

But hell, who cares? The games had already began and I was looking forward to the Michigan State/Temple matchup. I'm rooting for the Spartans and they should atleast make it out of the first round. First box score 30:17 Spartans! Yes! I had already jumped off my bed again. The next hour or so I followed the Spartans game closely and enjoyed them running away with it early in the second half. Just like most of favored teams the Spartans really didn't have that much trouble leading throughout basically the entire contest. Just like Kansas, Pittsburgh, Stanford and Purdue. Xavier was in a dogfight with the Georgia Bulldogs who continued their frenetic bid for keeping their season alive. Too bad these guys ran out of gas in the second half but they put up a great fight.
Just like Joe Crawford and Ramel Bradley from the Kentucky Wildcats. Both senior, they went up against a tough Marquette team and basically took the depleted Wildcats team on their back. Crawford was incredible with 35 points but it shouldn't be enough as the Golden Eagles survived 74:66. But this is what March Madness is all about - seniors stepping up, teams fighting against the odds and their inevitable destiny. I tip my hat to Crawford, Bradley and their teammates!
I can't tip it though for Kent State. Well yes, maybe I can. I had money on UNLV (who crushed Kent by 13) and on Marquette. So thank you Kent State for putting up the lowest total in a first half in NCAA history. It sure was worth the money for me, paired with a foul call three seconds before the buzzer in the Marquette game. Sometimes you need a little luck.

Hopefully we'll also be a bit luckier and the action picks up a bit. The weekend already waits for us with some great matchups. Michigan State vs Pitt is an example. And right about now, in a couple of minutes, this Mayo guy and the Beasley kid going up against each other, that should be pretty entertaining too...

Interview with Wilson Chandler

2008-03-20T15:25:00.000-07:00

A couple of weeks ago I met with Knicks rookie Wilson Chandler in New York and we did a short interview. He was a great guy, very friendly, humble and nice to be around. Here's what the emerging youngster had to say:

MW: Wilson, how does it feel to finally get some serious playing time after spending a lot of time on the bench earlier in the season?
WC: It definitely feels good. I mean you always want to be out there as a player. Right now I'm starting to get a feel for the game and I'm starting to get my rhythm back. I try to work hard, get easy shots and play hard.

MW: How tough was it for you to sit on the bench for basically the entire first half of the season?
WC: It was really tough coming out of college where I played a lot. It was a difficult experience and a big adjustment for me. But I tried to stay focused and work hard for my minutes.

MW: What was the toughest adjustment coming into the NBA? Was it the speed or the size of the opponents?
WC: It is everything. You are playing the best players in the world night in and night out. You have to be ready every day and you have to be mentally prepared for that.

MW: For a rookie you seem to be very calm and confident. Tell us why you aren't as hesitant as many rookies?
WC: I sat on the bench a long time so I knew when I get in there I had to be ready. I had to be aggressive and make plays. It is a chance and an opportunity for me to play and I want to make the best out of it.

MW: Who helped you the most in the beginning of the season?
WC: Definitely Malik Rose and Quentin Richardson. They kept me focused and tried to held my confidence up.

MW: What part of your game do you think needs the most work?
WC: I have to work on my ball handling and also on my shooting. I try to be a complete player but these two things definitely stand out to me.

MW: Was there any moment where you thought that you have arrived in the NBA and that you are a part of the league?
WC: It was on Draft Night actually. It was a great experience when I heard my name called. It was a dream come true for me. Every day I'm still thankful and happy that I made it to the NBA and it's a great feeling.

MW: Thanks a lot Wilson and good luck!
WC: Thank you!

Red Sox Standing Up

2008-03-19T10:12:00.000-07:00

Today I thought I might give the Red Sox/Blue Jays Spring Training game a look as it was televised at a favorable time for me here in Germany. I decided to take a short nap before the game and of course, I overslept. So I turn on the TV about a half hour late and I didn't see any balls thrown. The Red Sox were striking!

What happened? There was a miscommunication between the Red Sox and the MLB about the compensation of their coaching staff for the upcoming trip to Japan. The Red Sox players decided to delay the game and even put the flight to Japan in jeopardy until they felt that their coaches would be treated fairly. Mike Lowell said it was out of question that the players would stand up for what he called is part of the family: "I'm very proud of this team. The vote was unanimous, unlike the one for the trip (to Japan), and it was clear that we would not put up with this." Quite a noble gesture for a professional team and it only reflects the atmosphere and the togetherness in the Red Sox clubhouse. It is something you can't teach and the reigning World Champions definitely did the right thing today.

Now as I am awake, the game has finally started. Doesn't it seem to be the greatest thing to participate in Spring Training? Great weather, laid back atmosphere, work here and there... must be great to be a baseball player in the month of March. Just like it must be awesome to be a Red Sox staff member, knowing the players stand behind you!

Knicks GM Position: Be Careful

2008-03-18T16:11:00.000-07:00

With recent rumors about Donnie Walsh replacing Isiah Thomas as the Knicks general manager, I thought I would take a look into this. I believe the rumor is pulled out of the air and is creation by the New York media. But that's not the point. The thing I fear in this whole discussion that the Knicks organization may settle for less when replacing Isiah just because the current state of the franchise is so unbelievably bad.

Now I'm not talking about Donnie Walsh here. He's well respected around basketball and had a terrific run in Indiana. I would say his quality as an executive in the NBA is out of question. Plus he's a New York guy. But just the idea of getting a new GM presents the huge opportunity for the Knicks to once again screw up this franchise for another few years. Now of course everyone wants to see Isiah gone as both GM and head coach. Yet the Knicks organization should be careful who they choose as their new guy. Don't set the standard low just because Isiah was as good to the Knicks as Britney Spears is at 5am behind a steering wheel. Don't settle for anything less than a person who you fully trust and who comes with as few question marks and baggage as possible. If they look in the direction of the caliber of Donnie Walsh, fine. But if not... replacing Isiah is a huge chance for this franchise. The Knicks basically can't fall any lower and a new guy would have a lot of credit with the fans and everyone in New York. But the Knicks have to realize that they should look to make the most out of this chance. Don't treat it like a normal personal change, it is not. It will be a monumental change and hopefully for the good...

NCAA TOURNAMENT PREVIEW

2008-03-18T05:05:00.000-07:00

It's time fellas! With the opening round game or play in game (or whatever the NCAA wants to call it) tonight between Mount St. Mary's and Coppin State, the NCAA Tournament 2008 gets under way. Life is good, isn't it? Well, actually not many people care about the play in game and the NCAA should get rid of it as soon as possible but nevermind. I'll propably still put some money on the game even though I haven't seen any of the two teams play all year. Shame on me I guess. But enough of me, meaningless play in games and my addiction to betting college basketball, the Big Dance is here and it's time to have a little preview of the action to come! I will try to break down every region and say a few words about the teams here and there. Don't expect too many bold upset predicitons as we already heard enough from every expert around the world. Nobody knows what will happen and that's the great thing about the Tourney.

EAST REGION

The North Carolina Tar Heels seem to have a pretty easy way to the Final Four. By securing the number one seed in their region, the ACC champions will play in Charlotte, Raleigh and... well, that's it! If they make it through the first four games in the state of Carolina they'll be in the Final Four. The task is far from being easy though when we look at the rest of the bracket. In the second round the Tar Heels will have to take on either Arkansas or struggling Indiana, who make up for one of the most interesting first round matchups.
Everyone seems to be picking the 6th seed Oklahoma being upset by St. Joseph's and that might not even be a bad idea. Other strong contenders in the East will be the Louisville Cardinals and the Tennessee Volunteers. Both can throw an excellent full court press at you and have a load of talent on their roster. Having Rick Pitino and Bruce Pearl on their benches won't hurt either. I would love to see that matchup in the Sweet Sixteen and then watch the winner test UNC. Other teams that could make some noise include sharp shooting Notre Dame, the tough Cougars of Washington State and the Butler Bulldogs. They might find themselves in a tough environment, though, facing South Alabama in Birmingham.

MIDWEST REGION

As it happened, two of my favorite teams were seeded in the Midwest: Kansas as the number one seed and the Georgetown Hoyas as the number two. Both play different styles but not only have the depth and toughness to make it to the Final Four but also the talent. The Hoyas need their senior center Roy Hibbert to step up and lead the way, something he did in the Tourney a year ago against the likes of Greg Oden and Tyler Hansbrough. I'm looking forward to see the big fella developing a little mean streak.
I'm not to high on the third seed Wisconsin. This isn't Big Ten play anymore and their style has proved to be vulnerable in the emotional atmosphere of March Madness. In the second round they will get a look at either O.J. Mayo (USC) or Michael Beasley (Kansas State), who will meet in a showdown of super freshman in Omaha. Both will be looking to solidify their draft stock and their legacy which should make up for an outstanding duel. Other possible bracket busters are the Clemson Tigers, who had an outstanding ACC Tournament led by James Mays, K.C. Rivers and Trevor Booker, Vanderbilt with sharpshooting Shan Foster and maybe even Davidson and Stephen Curry, who won 22 games in a row coming in!

SOUTH REGION

Ah, Memphis, you and your weak conference and your free throw struggles. Man, I'm tired of hearing that. This is a very good team, plain and simple, and they can beat anybody in the Tourney. They aren't more vulnerable than North Carolina, UCLA or any other favorite. With that said, a tough road is awaiting them in the South as they not only might meet either Pittsburgh or Michigan State in the Sweet Sixteen, but also might face the Texas Longhorns deep in the heart of Texas. Doesn't that sound great.
All year I've been preaching that the Michigan State Spartans are a dangerous team. They were highly inconsistent during the season though and at times only proved dangerous to the records for lowest points totals in the Big Ten. Anways, with Tom Izzo at the helm and a talented team, the Spartans could go further than many expect them to go. I'll stick to my picks! Texas is an outstanding team led by Point Guard D.J. Augustin and they can sink you from long range. Depth seems to be no issue anymore, either.
I don't really like Stanford, I just can't stand the Lopez knuckleheads. Kentucky against Marquette seems like a great first round matchup but it really isn't. The Golden Eagles will advance as the Wildcats with or without Patrick Patterson (who I like) aren't anything special. They should have never been in the Tourney to begin with and now all they got left are Ramel Bradley and Joe Crawford. Not enough if you ask.

WEST REGION

Will they make it this time? After reaching the Final Four in each of the last two seasons, the UCLA Bruins finally want to make the next and last step. The schedule looks really good for them on paper. The next three seeds Duke, Xavier and UConn haven't played particularly well at the end of the season and might be vulnerable to even be upset before meeting the Bruins. A Kevin Love/Hasheem Thabeet matchup would be one hell of a game though in the Sweet Sixteen.
A very interesting matchup awaits us between the number five seed Drake and the 12th seed from Western Kentucky. Both seem to fit the makeup of a cinderella to a tee. I really like the Hilltoppers' name and their guard heavy lineup around the strong Courtney Lee. He might look to shoot himself into the first round of the upcoming NBA Draft and this is his last chance to shine on the college stage.
Many people expect a lot out of Xavier. After seeing them in last year's Tourney, I would agree. After seeing them lose to St. Joseph's twice in recent weeks, I have my doubts. They are a good team though. But we won't root for them in the first round as they face Georgia. What an incredible run by the Bulldogs that was in the SEC Tournament, great for them and for college basketball! The Dukies have fallen off a bit lately but we'll see what happens. Coach K is a mastermind yet they lack inside game and are too dependant on the outside jumper.

MY PICK TO WIN IT ALL

KANSAS - very deep and talented team, inside outside attack, strong guards. Rock Chalk Jayhawk!

I guess the last remaining thing to do is to wish everyone a great Tourney and enjoy the excitement that we only have for these precious weekends in March. For a basketball fan this is the greatest time of the year! Let's play ball!

How good is Jerricho Cotchery?

2008-03-17T14:58:00.001-07:00

Jerricho Cotchery is not a speed burner, but he's not really slow either. He's tough, actually tough as nails. Standing 6-0, he's not particularly tall yet you also wouldn't call him undersized. You would call him good, but how good? A question many Jets fans may have to ask themselves with the latest offseason development.

2007 was a career year for the physical wideout from North Carolina State. He once again did what he does best, being a tough possession receiver and racking up big numbers after the catch. He matched his career high in receptions from the year before (82) and he collected a personal best 1130 receiving yards. That places him 16th among NFL mide receivers and actually fits right in with what many people think about the 25-year old. He is a great number two receiver, but a number one? Ehhh... now I wouldn't really disagree with that notion as Cotchery surely lacks some things to be a true elite receiver in the NFL. We are talking TO, Moss or Larry Fitzgerald type here. Because outside of these guys, "Cotch" has to fear no comparison around the league.

If we take another look at his stats we see he actually only played 15 games last season. If we assume that he would have gotten his yard average in his only missed game against Miami, then his rank among the NFL receiving corps looks a lot more impressive all of a sudden. Adding an average of 75 yards to Cotchery's total of 1130 would give him 1205 for the season. I know, I know, I'm playing with a lot of numbers and speculation here but hey, how unrealistic would it be that Cotchery catches balls for 75 yards against the oh so great Dolphins?! Anyways, back to the numbers game. With 1205 receiving yards Cotchery would suddenly rank 8th in the entire NFL. The guys in front of him? Reggie Wayne, Randy Moss, Chad Johnson, Terrell Owens, Larry Fitzgerald, Brandon Marshall and Braylon Edwards. Pretty good group if you ask me. And right behind them... the underappreciated Jerricho Cotchery from the New York Jets. Yes, from the same Jets team that started the season with Chad Pennington at quarterback. A guy who was lucky that the wind didn't carry his passes backwards. And yes, also the same Jets who replaced Pennington with first year quarterback Kellen Clemens who was just getting used to the league.

Ok, let's see, what else can we take into consideration when we want to judge Mr Cotchery... ahh of course, the wideout next to him: Laveranues Coles. In the four games without Coles, who is widely regarded as the Jets' main receiver, Cotchery upped his average to 81 yards per game. He surely missed his buddy! Maybe he will miss even more as the Jets and Coles are in the middle of some heated contract talks and rumors has it that Coles is even considering sitting out some time for not getting a new deal. That would leave the Jets pretty thin at wide receiver with... yes, only Jerricho Cotchery! New York will likely add a rookie or two, but can you count on these guys?! Who knows. But after a terrific season last year the Jets know one thing. No, not only that the Patriots can't get Cotchery's knee to the ground (what a play that was). No, the Jets also know that they got one hell of a receiver in Jerricho Cotchery. Number one, two or ten.... it doesn't matter, this guy is one hell of a football player!

KU/UT: What A Ballgame!

2008-03-16T14:13:00.000-07:00

Now I only watched this one in front of my TV and even I am completely out of breath. Fran Fraschilla said it best: "What a ballgame!" Now I've have seen a few basketball games in my lifetime but this Big 12 Championship Game between the Kansas Jayhawks and the Texas Longhorns is without a doubt one of the greatest games I've ever seen.

Man, where is my water bottle?! These two teams ran up and down the court with a pace that would have rivaled the one of a Nascar race. You had everything out there - outstanding teams, tough defense, top pro prospects (Darrell Arthur fellas), stars stepping up, a great college atmosphere and so on! In the end Kansas pulled it out, 84-74, but two teams who deliver such a wonderful and outstanding game can only both be considered winners! Kansas came out firing only to see the Longhorns match them long bomb for long bomb, block for block and play for play. Just when you thought one team would maybe take over a bit, the other club went on a run of their own. We saw 14 lead changes and the quality and intensity of play you only experience in college basketball.

I actually had money on this game, taking Kansas with the spread of 5.5 and so I clearly had my favorite in this contest. But man, even I was just smiling with joy over some of the incredible plays the Longshorns made. They followed their leader D.J. Augustin, who sadly ran out of gas later in the game, and never showed any shortage of desire. What an effort and nobody on the Longhorns side should hang their heads tonight. The hero though was a member of the Jayhawks: Mario Chalmers. The junior guard, known as a ferocious defender, exploded for 30 points on 10 for 15 shooting and 8 for 12 from behind the arc. He never backed down even though Augustin went crazy early and he was just lights out from the outside. He often found himself as the recipient of oustanding Kansas ball movement, as the Jayhawks had 24 assists on 25 field goals. Wow!

I could bring up more numbers, stats, game situations or whatever analysis - you must have seen it to believe it! Now the stage was big but we aren't through with the season. March has just begun and this game had everything that you love about this beautiful month where basketball is at it's best. Too bad this couldn't have been the National Championship Game, because tonight both teams played like champions...

Pitt: The Power Of Will

2008-03-16T08:14:00.000-07:00

After losing last year to Georgetown and having to fight the image of runners up in the Big East Championship game, the Pittsburgh Panthers send others home this time thinking about what could have been. And I'm sure with numerous New York kids on their roster, they found some nice spots to celebrate last night in the Big Apple.

After losing six of their last seven Championship Games, Pitt took revenge for the humiliating loss in last year's final, beating the reigning champs from Georgetown 74-65. And exactly here lies the secret of the win. The Panthers were the underdogs, yet they felt they had something to prove. They wanted this game a little bit more and it showed throughout the forty minutes. They got 18 offensive rebounds and made the little plays that ultimatively can decide such a game. Despite playing their fourth game in four nights, it proved that you can make up for fatigue by sheer will, determination and again, wanting it a little bit more.

The Georgetown Hoyas weren't ready last night. Not that I'm saying they didn't want to win this game, they obviously wanted to, but they couldn't get up for this game like the Panthers could. Maybe they already had their minds on the NCAA Tourney or maybe they just never broke out of their usual ice cold routine. That can be a problem later in March. It didn't help that Pittsburgh shot 35 more free throws then the Hoyas but so what. Congratulations to head coach Jamie Dixon and his Panthers!

Clemson Gets Them This Time

2008-03-15T15:07:00.000-07:00

Everybody was already thinking about another North Carolina versus Duke matchup after UNC's miracle in the first semifinal in the ACC Tournament. Not so quick fellas and take a minute to celebrate with the Clemson Tigers! Clemson against Duke?! Yes you heard it right, after losing twenty two in a row to the hated Blue Devils, the Tigers finally pulled one out against all odds.

Last year Clemson already had a fairytale season under coach Oliver Purnell but they collapsed toward the end. This year it's a different story. And there also wasn't any collapse in tonight's game. Led by the emphatic frontcourt duo of James Mays (17 points) and Trevor Booker (18 points) the Tigers ran away with the victory in the closing moments, 78-74. It was a fast paced game due to the never ending full court pressure by the Tigers, who never got tired and completely disrupted Duke's rythmn offensively. They forced the Dukies out of their comfort zone and into a miserable 6 for 26 performance from behind the arc.

But tonight is not about Duke, their overrated freshman Kyle Singler (1 for 9 from the floor) or everybody's darling Greg Paulus. It's a historic night for the Clemson Tigers basketball program. And when people think back in a few years on this day, they will not only remember the relentless play of Mays and Booker inside. They will also think of senior guard Cliff Hammonds, who was playing despite a broken wrist on his non shooting hand. Now that is toughness! On top of even being out there, Hammonds tallied in 17 points, including key free throws in the final minutes of the game. If the Tigers continue to have players with that great a heart, I'm sure they won't have to wait another twenty two until they beat Duke again...

Bob Knight Rocking In The Studio

2008-03-15T13:54:00.000-07:00

Look at that, I've been pleasently surprised about a recent personal decision by ESPN. I guess we all have our problems with some of the knuckleheads the "Worldwide Leader In Sports" trots out there on a weekly basis. I won't give any names this time as it's time for some praise. ESPN got one of the greatest basketball coaches of all time to analyze for them in the studio, none other than the great Bob Knight.

Just by listening to him for a couple of days you can tell as a fan that he deserved every win he got over his career. He doesn't waste his time in trying to be funny (even though even he had to take a shot at Hubert Davis today who is brutal in the studio) or trying to make points that every guy in his living room already knows about. He makes great observations, really focuses on the key points in a game and gives you true in depth analysis. It's really refreshing to finally have some substance over style on a basketball program. Hopefully Mr Knight doesn't return to Indiana as proposed by the always refreshing Dick Vitale today. He has won enough and if his stint on TV is cut short it would be a huge loss for ESPN.

If the network keeps him around he maybe would even get sick of some his partners and maybe, just mabye he would one day freak out and throw his chair at Digger Phelps for example. If nothing else, that would be some entertainment.

Jenkins A Huge Addition For Jets

2008-03-15T06:03:00.000-07:00

Jets fans might have to rub their eyes the first time they see their new and revamped defense on the field in 2008. Having one of the most undersized units on this side of the ball in recent years, the Jets have finally made an effort to actually look like a true, big 3-4 NFL defense. And nowhere will the change be more obvious than at nose tackle, where Kris Jenkins will anchor the front seven of Gang Green.

With trading for the 3 time pro bowl defensive tackle from the Carolina Panthers, the Jets did something they should have done two years ago. There isn't a more important position to a 3-4 D as the nose tackle spot. Ideally this player obtains multiple blockers and paves the way for his teammates to make plays. But to me something more defines the nose tackle as a special player. More than most players on the football field, he can put fear into the minds of his opponents. When he walks up to the line of scrimmage they have to sense that nasty demeanor paired with the brute force of a gigantic body. If you would look up the word "nose tackle" in a dictionary, you might very well find a picture of Kris Jenkins. A physical speciman at 6-4 and 345 pounds, he just is what you call dominant on the football field.

But let us just wait a second. Didn't the Carolina Panthers run a 4-3 system? Isn't it true that Jenkins has never played in a 3-4 defense before? That is certainly true, yet in Jenkins' case that doesn't matter. "I've played quite some zero technique before in Carolina, too, and the coaches here told me it won't be much different", says the 28-year old Jenkins, who was second round pick back in 2001 out of Maryland. "I'm definitely looking forward to the challenge." Jenkins isn't a system player like the Jets' most likely former defensive tackle Dewayne Robertson. Standing at the line of scrimmage you can be sure that opposing linemen are thinking about Jenkins. And in the back of their head there might even be a little bit of fear, knowing they could very well be stomped to ground by that massive giant in a couple of seconds. Robertson never had that kind of impact or force for that matter, especially not in the 3-4 where he was a complete misfit. The only fear he put into the minds of opponents then was that they could stumble over Robertson and hurt their ankles after pushing him five to ten yards upfield.

There are concerns with Kris Jenkins, too, that's out of the question. His weight has been rumored to be an issue and he missed basically two years in 2004 and 2005 with injuries. Yet this is the past and a change of scenery might just be the right thing for the longtime Panther. "Nothing went wrong in Carolina and I'm very thankful for everything they did for me. But now I'm a Jet and I will do everything in my power to be in the best physical condition I can be and help the team win." Words you like to hear, especially coming from a player with the ability and the raw talent that Jenkins possesses.
In terms of judging the trade you have to compare the risk to the reward, as always. Not only did the Jets only give up lower draft picks, the contract (5 years, about 30 million) they gave the big man is also heavily in the team's favor as it includes a lot of money upfront and certain clauses concerning durability. So the risk is limited. And the reward of having a motivated monster anchoring your defensive line can only be described as "gigantic".

Jenkins for his part is happy that he has found a new home. And a new task. "You know, I actually get really excited about the opportunity to play here in New York and in a new system. I'm anxious to show what I can do as a true nose tackle. I'm very passionate and proud about what I do, not only as an athlete but also as a man and you can be sure I will be up for the challenge."

Looks like the Jets finally have found their nasty man in the middle...

Hoyas Flexing Their Muscles

2008-03-14T17:43:00.000-07:00

In two Big East Tournament games the Georgetown Hoyas have shown something they basically didn't show all season. And they shut all their critics up for now with two dominating performances against Villanova on Thursday and tonight against the West Virginia Mountaineers (72:55).

You could sense it, the Hoyas were just tired of hearing about what they can't do and what they lack. They can't shoot. Check, as they rained a Tourney record 17 threes on the Wildcats yesterday. They can only play a zone defense. Check, as they started out both games with a stingy man to man defense, completely taking both their opponents out of their rythmn. They can't withstand runs. Check, as WVU's and Nova's comeback bids were countered with impressive Georgetown runs that put the games away. They can't score. Check, as the team of John Thompson III dropped 82 and 72 points in consecutive games. The Hoyas aren't a contender for the National Championship anymore. Check, as I am sure no team wants to face these Hoyas come NCAA Tournament time.

They did go through an up and down season but that never bothered the tough troops from the DC area around their senior center Roy Hibbert, who dominated in the semifinal with 25 points and 13 rebounds. Just as it never bothers great teams how they do in the regular season. This team is deep, strong and as level headed as they come. They got their flaws but so does many other, much more heralded teams around the country. Not many can match the Hoyas lockdown defense with guys like Patrick Ewing Jr. or Jesse Sapp hounding their opponents into submission. Just ask WVU's Joe Alexander how tough GU's D is... no thirty tonight for him.

The Hoyas seem to be peaking at the right time and that is so important in the final weeks of the season. All those critics over the course of the year motivated Georgetown and you could see that chip on their shoulder the last couple of days, pounding chests, high fiving and bouncing in their steps. And if you ask the Hoyas, they would like to bounce all the way into April.

Hokies Keep Hopes Alive

2008-03-14T13:08:00.000-07:00

Virginia Tech lives to fight another day. Or maybe even a few more weeks. The Hokies just beat the Hurricanes of Miami in the Quarterfinals of the ACC Tournament and made their case for their NCAA Tournament Bid. And they didn't do it quietly.

Even though the final score of 63:49 indicates that the contest was everything but pretty or interesting, for me it was a joy to watch these two teams go at each other with full force and flying banners. It was as physical a game I can remember in recent weeks, yes maybe months. Players were knocking each other down, fighting for every ball and put their bodies on the line at both ends of the floor. There were tons of moments where you could have called the foul but the refs did a great job of letting these kids play and in the end decide the game themselves. That's the way it should be. Maybe the Big East Officials can watch a tape of this game and maybe next time they don't destroy the entire flow of almost every Tourney game they officiate.

Seth Greenberg's Hokies prevailed in the end because they just wanted the game a little bit more and were a little more determined. With their big guy Jeff Allen in the middle and ultra athletic Deron Washington, the Hokies pounded the Canes on the boards and put the game away late in the second half. Seeing this fight, this physicality and this emotion from a team that had everything on the line... well, throw away all your stupid RPIs, ESPN takes or Hubert Davis' opinions. The Hokies will dance this season!

A little note in the end: It didn't hurt that I bet on the Hokies today!

Crystal & Yankees strike out

2008-03-14T02:02:00.000-07:00

If anybody still wondered about the importance of Spring Training to the New York Yankees, then Thursday's game against the Pittsburgh Pirates should have settled that for good.

I have no problem with a nice gesture to a lifelong fan. Actually it should be a priority for any professional athlete, no matter what the situation is. But letting an actor have an at bat in a real Spring Training game?! I don't know. Maybe I'm biased because I don't particularly like any of Billy Crystal's movies, but I just think the whole situation is very odd. This now is the second "incident" if you want to call it like that in a week that proves that the Yankees and their manager Joe Girardi (after his rants over the Rays game) don't give a crap about the March exhibition contests. Well, why shouldn't they as the real season only matters, right? Not really. For 250 million man Alex Rodriguez, sure. But for young players or guys who are fighting for roster spots, certainly not.

Even if you can debate about the importance of Spring Training, the Yankees still did something uncalled for and basically gave baseball the finger with full force. What would happen if now every team started to include fans or celebrities?! If Bill Murray would suit up for the Cubbies? Or the Boston Red Sox give Ben Affleck a shot at pitching an inning? While we are at it, let the Phillies mascot roam the outfield for a game. It sure would be fun, just like Chrystal's at bat. Or maybe not as it would turn the entire Spring Training process into a circus.

And for everybody who didn't see the whole thing, there you go:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w4j-xmgUEx8

Troublesome Threesome

2008-03-13T15:41:00.000-07:00

Now I sure don't want to get on ESPN too much as they are one of the reasons I can watch NCAA basketball on a daily basis. But man, I just can't take their three man crew of Sean McDonough, Jay Bilas and Bill Raftery anymore. The first problem I see is Bill Raftery in general. I know he had this one great moment with "Send it on, Jerome!" but that day isn't every day and also that play isn't every play. I just can't take his stupid sentence endings anymore, sounding more and more stupid the more you hear them. When I hear the color commentator get himself worked up over meaningless, normal drives to the hoop ("With the blow by"), I just have my problems with taking the basketball conversation on the station seriously.

Now even if you would be able to stand Raftery, I just can't see how anyone can take three, yes, three guys in the booth during a game. Not only do Bilas, who brings up good things yet sometimes likes his own knowledge a bit too much, and Raftery constantly disagree on certain points (especially on foul calls or big guys swinging their elbows), they also waste way too much after a play to both make a point and sound smart. Really, when a great play happens, McDonough hasn't missed it and calls it, I don't need to have two color guys trying to beat each other out with overanalyzing and commentating the play. One is more than fine.

MORE THAN FINE, how Bill Raftery would scream. Bilas also gets wasted as he is usually a very good color guy in the booth. He constantly gets on teams when they are playing terrible and points out stupid plays which certainly is the truth on many occasions. But hell, this is ESPN and more is always better for them. More studio guys, more meaningless talk, more praise for Brett Favre and so on.

Thank god tonight's games are called by the much less heralded yet way more calmed pair of Dan Shulman and Len Elmore. Even though they could be a bit more excited, their chemistry is a lot better and they let the game do the talking.

Following His Father

2008-03-13T12:33:00.000-07:00

I could imagine Patrick Ewing Junior is pretty tired of this same old story. Everybody is talking about Patrick Ewing when he collects his thoughts about the 6-8 senior forward from Georgetown. Only problem is they aren't really talking about him. Young Pat is facing the same situation that so many sons of former professional athletes face. Carrying a (soon) Hall Of Fame name just makes it difficult to make a name for yourself.

Even though Patrick Ewing is doing the best he can to do just that. So I honestly apologize for even mentioning the former Knicks star, as today's Ewing success stories are all about the junior. Patrick Ewing is mainly seen as a hustle player, coming off the Hoyas bench as an energizer. Yet this term really undervalues the impact he can have on a game. Scouts aren't drooling over him because he isn't a flashy scorer and limited offensively. But how many guys are complete offensively in the NBA though?! Maybe 5%?! Anyways, the fact that Ewing has tremendous size for his position and that he is a ferocious defender if there's ever been one, that alone makes him an NBA prospect. Not his name.

You just have to ask his coach, John Thompson III who knows a bit about being the kid of a basketball legend. "I said it so many times, don't look at Patrick not being a starter. He is extremely valuable to our team." Thompson sees Ewing's biggest strength in his versatility and his defensive prowess. "He can guard guards and centers with his athletisism and his intelligence. Plus he has a little bit of his father's stubbornnesswhich allows him to stick his nose in there and really frustrate opponents."

Here we go ago, thank you JT3! But his assessment of the young Ewing is exactly right. He is not only an athletic freak as can be seen by his numerous highlight reel dunks or blocks, but he's also a very intelligent player on both ends of the court. On both ends?! Yes, because you have trouble to really play a key role for the Hoyas if you wouldn't be a smart basketball player. And Patrick is improving by the day. In his senior year he has not only become a terrific passer in Georgetown's version of the Princeton offense, no, he also is getting more and more comfortable with his outside shot.

His progress is undeniable but he still has to work a lot on his game. He comes from a background and a program though that values just that: Hard work, determination and effort. And he also knows how to put things into perspective. "Of course I know about my father and how good a player he was. But I am my own person and player. Coach Thompson always told me that."

His teammates appreciate the younger Ewing more than anybody else. "He's a great guy", says senior guard Jonathan Wallace. "Many people don't see how important he is for us but we definitely know it. He does so many small things." These small things include rebounding, tough defense, shot blocking and being a leader on and off the court. "During timeouts he always tells me what to do", says GU's center Roy Hibbert, who's also Ewing's roommate. "His energy is contagious for the entire team." Not only his energy but also his personality. A true class act, he is a perfect representative for Georgetown university. Anf for his family. Ahh damn... ok, so let's hear his father, Pat Ewing senior. "He is doing very well and I couldn't be more proud of him."

He can be proud of his son. Not because of his name but because of his play!