The chase for 600

The wait continues as Alex Rodriguez is on the verge of reaching a career milestone that only seven have reached before him. I am certain the Yankees fans are disappointed that he could not hit it at home during the recant home stand, but the notion that he will get it eventually leaves optimism for the seven game road trip. On a down note Rodriguez was hit in the hand yesterday and it could have an effect on whether or not he can hold a bat steady let alone hit a home run. I had the great opportunity to be at the game as all of the fans collectively anticipated each at bat hoping to get a live in person view of history. The Yankees rallying to get Alex one more at bat for the fans showed how much the team wanted him to do it in front of the Yankee faithful. However the Royals Pitcher Blake Wood did not want to have his name on the wrong side of history and did the only thing he felt was better for his career. The fury every fan felt that a team would stoop this low was that of a grease fire when you add water. While the hit that we all wanted to see did not happen, there was still some history to be shared as Robinson Cano collected his 1,000 career hit, making him on of the fastest to reach that plateau. Could this the the first part of his march to 3,000 hits? who knows but it will be interesting to see how it plays out.

It is nice to see Derek Jeter putting together good multiple hit games as he has corrected the one flaw in his swing. With him holding his hands higher he should be able to strike the ball with more authority, thus collecting more hits and shortening the wait for the illustrious 3000 hit.

Lebron's decision

Now that the waiting is finally over and James is officially going to Maimi, it is time to give a critique on his big move out of Cleveland. It seems that perhaps the loss to the Celtics in the playoffs may have dug deep into James' soul and made him fearful losing in the playoff yet again. For his sake, while it completely has devastated the Cavaliers and their fans, who grew to love their hometown hero expeditiously from the moment he was drafted, he was in a lose lose situation. While he would have total financial security, the Cavaliers probably would have had no way to get another player to help take the pressure off James. Miami made the Necessary moves to land big time players and everything fell perfectly in place for Lebron James to delve right in and form what is being called the "South Beach Super Team" with Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh. For the teams in the running, it has to be quite the disappointment especially for the Knicks as everything they have done for the past 2 years has been to land Lebron and that has backfired. Perhaps this is what happens when you try to lure a free agent in with no way of actually getting him to come, especially after the fact that your team virtually tanked two seasons and dumped off one too many draft picks. It back to the drawing board for the Knicks and there is certainly much work to do, hopefully they will do the right thing this time around.

This Free Agency period has certainly shaken up the NBA and 2010-11 looks to be quite an exciting season. One thing can be said most definitely though, every sports fan from all around are heavily anticipating Lebrons return to Cleveland as a member of the now loaded Miami Heat.

links to articles about Yankees-Dodger series

here are some interesting articles I have discovered about the series be sure to check them out

http://newyorkpost.com/p/sports/yankees/former_manager_still_father_figure_KXXy0g7xGCYTnfQAuAhlSN

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20100624&content_id=11533100&vkey=news_mlb&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/writers/lee_jenkins/06/25/joe.torre/index.html?eref=sihp

A time to reflect on the past

There is no doubt that all Yankee fans will be reflecting on years past as the Yankees take on the Dodgers in L.A. with none other former Yankees manager, and leader of the last Yankee dynasty...Joe Torre. Though he has been managing in L.A. for the last 2 years it will still bring a feeling of unbalance watching him manage against the team he grew to love for over 12 years. His departure still leaves some anger in faithful Torre advocates, but there is a certainty that many have gotten over it now that there is a post Torre championship in New York or fans may have called for the removal of the Yankee brass. For players like Jeter Posada, Rivera and Pettite it will very bittersweet to look in the other dugout knowing that Torre is managing against them.

On a baseball standpoint one would think tha the Yankees would be at a disadvantage because of Torre's knowledge of the Yankees players, but let us keep in mind that while he knows the core four, he does not know everyone else. on the other side the Yankees will get to see an familiar foe donning Dodger blue, Manny Ramirez, who has been a thorn in the side of the Yankees for his entire career, especially during his time with the hated Red Sox. It will be the first time the Yankees get to see the 2009 walk off machine Andre Ethier, and young pitching stud Clayton Kershaw. Outside of the folklore of the reunion of Torre and the Yankees there is a quite interesting series that should draw much attention for the baseball and not just the storyline. Let's hope emotion does not get the better of the Yankees, who need wins to to extend their AL East lead.

A look at the situation

Since the injuries to Johnson, Posada, Granderson and Aceves the Yankees seem hard pressed to get production from key spots on the team. Now some may say that Johnson was not hitting anyway and his presence would not have made a difference, but when we look at it from the perspective of baseball he was bound to turn his struggles around and become the hitter the team hoped for when he was signed. As for the loss of Granderson, there is a significant loss of continuity that has been sorely missed for the last two weeks with him out of the lineup, Gardner has been a breath of fresh air with his surprising hitting, but two is always better than one. The absence of regular players has played a part in a tumultuous week where the Yankees have not been able to get key hits when needed. Every hitter has it in their minds to try and do to much with runners in scoring position and abandoning the true objective, which is to just get a hit and keep the wheels turning. Without runs the pressure is put on the pitching staff to hold off the opponents for as long as they can until the team can manage to score, but that is way too much to put on a starting pitcher who is not likely to throw continuous shutout ball star after start, not to mention how much stress the bullpen is under if the starter does not do just that. The injuries are taking their effect and things may look bleak to fans who are fast to throw the Yankees under the bus, but no one should lose hope as things are bound to turn around for better, it is baseball after all.

For those who are wondering why Jeter is struggling, look no further than the positioning of his hands. in the past when Jeter's hands are up in his batting stance, he hits the ball with more sting and drive, but when his hands come down, he will hit everything weakly and have no ability to turn on anything on the inside part of the plate. I do not know if Kevin Long has noticed this or not but he should do so in a timely manner before this slump becomes far too prolonged.

Hughes

Tonight was another brilliant start for Phil Hughes as he moved to 5-0 on the young season. though some were skeptical of how he would perform, he has exceeded all expectations and looks more like he is the ace of the staff, not the 5th starter. Hughes has certainly held his own with tough American league lineups which feature some of the best hitters in all of baseball. Most impressively taking a first place Oakland Athletics team to the 8th inning, 6 outs away from a no hitter. His time in the bullpen in 2009 has paid great dividends in building his confidence on the mound and the trust he has in his pitches followed right along. With consistency like this, it is sure to make some wonder why the Yankees are still letting him pitch behind Vasquez but he has completely blown the Yankees away with how well he is doing that it probably caught the organization off guard. Young pitcher who actually do well in the majors now days are watched very closely in order to ensure that they do not get worn out or suffer setbacks to the same equivalence of Mark Prior in his rookie season with the Cubs. Though it would be best to let him alone, the Yankees are bound to still look after Phil Hughes intently so that nothing happens to debilitate his great start to the year. Perhaps it is true that Hughes is indeed the future ace of the pitching staff, with a 5-0 record and an ERA of 1.38 he looks willing to take that role on a lot sooner than later.

The NFL Draft

The NFL Draft is now over and it was quite the interesting follow with so much talent lingering for each team to pluck from the board. Sam Bradford is now the new face of the Ram Franchise just as Matthew Stafford is for the Lions, it will be a tough road for Bradford as it is almost certain he will take his lumps right away even though some may disagree. It is imperative that the Rams get this young quarterbacks feet wet or he will gain the experience that is needed to develop into a top line quarterback in the NFL. Perhaps the Biggest Surprise is the Draft of Tim Tebow in the first round by the Denver Broncos, It is puzzling as to why Coach Josh McDaniels, the scout team and management would take a quarterback who seems to lack the basic skills to last as an average quarterback. Perhaps the resume that Tebow racked up as the QB for the Florida Gators that included 2 national championships made his stock rise even as he was projected to fall very far. With more skilled and fine tuned quarterbacks like Tony Pike, Colt McCoy, and Jimmy Clausen fall ins= as much as two and three rounds behind him there will be wonder as to why the Broncos chose not to draft either of them. As far as Tim Tebows NFL future goes, we cannot predict the future so only time will tell whether or not it was a good or bad decision.

Opening Day, NFL Trades

It was a momentous day in New York as the Yankees opened up their home season by receiving their championship rings and raising the 27th championship banner. It was nice to see Jerry Hairston and especially Hideki Matsui be greeted so warmly by the New York faithful for all they did to help in the championship effort last season. Watching the ring ceremony was a reminder to all Yankees fans of the rich tradition and respect that the team brings to the city and all of baseball and why in part they are so liked and hated across America. Pettite pitched another good game and looks poised to have a nice campaign this season and it was nice to see Nick Johnson get his first home run since he seemed to be struggling to hit for the first few games. Opening Day has always been special to the Yankees and with a ceremony to commemorate a wonderful season, there was something extra special in the air and it seemed to inspire the team as it so often has over the years.

The NFL trade waves have busy this week, with the Jets acquiring Santonio Holmes from the Steelers and the Dolphins acquiring Brandon Marshall from the Broncos. The moving of these two top flight receivers definitely makes things interesting in the AFC East as the Patriots strangle hold on the division is sure to be tested. The Jets have made many moves to make the team a Super Bowl contender, but one has to wonder if the Jets are banking on a potential lockout in 2011 in order to avoid having to give long term contracts to the players they brought in, or if it is just the benefits of the uncapped year. Whatever the reasoning Jets fans are certainly pleased with the effort of the Jets management to put the best team possible on the field after almost making the Superbowl in 2009. The Dolphins are looking to not be left out in the mix with their offensive talent, there is still a possibility in their minds that the division is theirs for the taking since they defeated the Patriots in both division match-ups last year. The Eastern conference in the AFC and NFC is expected to be most competitive in the 2010 season with the talent on each team it is safe to say the it's up for grabs for eastern supremacy in the NFL.

A Great Game

As opposed to opening night C.C. Sabathia was stellar in his second start of the season, taking a no hitter into the eighth inning. He certainly nullified any problems doubters may have had regarding his overall stamina afters such a heavy work load last postseason. One thing that stood out to me was the fact that Cervelli was behind the plate calling the game and not Posada. For some this is probably a shock that Francisco Cervelli caught a near no hitter in his first start on the season, but he has done this before with Sabathia. Last year he caught the Yankees only complete game shutout against the Orioles with C.C. on the mound,so many feel his ability as a catcher is very underrated. Sabathia had everything working on the mound and baffled the Rays lineup which had just roughed up Javier Vasquez the previous night. With great defensive plays by Texieria, Cano, and Rodriguez, C.C. was able to keep his no hit bid in tact through the seventh inning, until Kelly Shoppach got the Rays first hit with two outs in the eighth. Though he could not seal the deal, he gave Yankees a reason the feel that he will be just fine in the 2010 season..

MLB Umpire Joe West made a surprising comment this week about the length of Yankee-Red Sox games calling the "pathetic and embarrassing" and a "disgrace to the league". I am sure there are many who completely disagree with his statement including both the Yankees and Red Sox. The length of the games has become an issue over the the past year, however when two quality teams that pride themselves on taking pitches and waiting out at bats get together the games a most certainly going to be longer, that is what makes the Yankees-Red Sox rivalry so entertaining. These games are not like games between lesser tiered teams such as the Pirates or Nationals who will have faster games because their players are not going to have long at bats so therefore you can expect the games to be shorter. West's comments certainly show how he does not care for the integrity of the game, he could start calling a wider strike zone during Yankees-Red Sox games just to prevent the game from pulling too much TV overtime, but then again the Yankees and Red Sox have their own TV networks and am sure ESPN is not going to complain about one of sports greatest rivalries staying on air past the 3 hours allotted to it. If the MLB is truly worried about the length of games they will make fair adjustments for every team to respect and not listen to one umpire complaining about one game which has no effect on the whole.

Final Four

Last night Duke and Butler solidified slots in the national championship game with wins in their respected Final Four games. Butler handled themselves as they have all tournament against a very formidable Michigan State team whom went to the National title game last year. It is m ost impressive what third year coach Brad Stevens has done with this team over his last 3 years of service, and perhaps the most astounding thing about him...he is only 33 years old. Butler has a highly cohesive unit who understand the game of basketball and how it is played. Gordon Hayward and Shelvin Mack have been essential to the teams success as they lead the offensive attack that the Bulldogs have used to push through to the final game.

Dukes convincing victory over West Virginia proves that they will be a daunting task for Butler to overcome. With players like John Scheyer, Kyle Singler, and Nolan Smith leading the team in scoring as the big three, it is safe to believe that the National title will rest on their shoulders. Mike Krzyzewski will most definitely have the Blue Devils ready for Butler like they are for any other team, his legend as a coach has grown exponentially over the years and his tactics as a coach have him and his team always prepared for the situation at hand. Butler will be a daunting task however, though some feel that with their similar playing styles this game plays right into the hands of Krzyzewski, but don't tell Duke that, because everyone should know that in this tournament, no one has the safe-ground and anything is possible, even in the last game.

This past week the NCAA announced that they will be soon put forth a vote on expanding the tournament to 96 teams. NCAA vice President Gary Shaheen feel that this would be the best fit and have a positive result on the overall outlook of the tournament. This is not a popular decision amongst many fans and schools alike due to the reasoning behind possibly making such a change. Should expansion happen it would completely wipe out the NIT Tournament which has been held since 1938, and had a greater meaning in college basketball until the Division I tournament expanded to 64 teams in 1985. The executive committee says that this idea was spurred on by the complaints that not every good team gets the chance to make it to the tournament because of limited spots, however the novelty of making the field of 65 would be taken away due the uselessness of conference tournaments to decide automatic bids. The news of possible expansion should come as great news to school such as William & Mary, Chicago State, and the 34 other teams that have never had the chance to play in the big dance, but terrible news for any team that could potentially have their chances ruined of ever making another tournament if conference tournaments a rendered obsolete. This most definitely spurred on by the financial gain the NCAA and sponsors would get with a bigger tournament. More teams means more games and larger broadcasting ranges, this gives the selection committee the freedom to choose teams that will grab the biggest market and implant them into the field though they may not deserve to make it. For the last 10 years people have been calling for changes in college football to make it fairer to the little guys who do not get a chance Instead the wanted change could come in the sport which already had a fair process in deciding a national champion.

The Tourney, NFL Update

The first two rounds and half of the Sweet Sixteen are in the books and there have been quite a few surprises thus far. Certainly the most noticeable is the colossal upset of Kansas, the tournaments number one overall seed. Northern Iowa had a great game plan though they had a little trouble towards the end of the game, they held on for the win. it seems that the Presidents good graces did not bear onto the fortune of the Jayhawks as they could not rely on their lorns, which is common place in a tournament where anything can happen.

One team that everyone is calling an underdog, since they play in a mid major conference is Butler. However, I feel that their success was very much to be expected because they were riding a 20 game winning streak coming in to the tournament, the longest in the nation. Syracuse, has struggled in games that they were expected to win so it is safe to say that many orange fans are not too pleased with the Sweet Sixteen defeat. Cornell who was one of the cinderellas has a valiant run with rather impressive wins over Temple and Wisconsin, but ran into a faster, stronger, and more athletic team in Kentucky which became their undoing.

Well it look as if the trade talk with Donovan McNabb has heated up and several teams are showing interest in the Eagles QB. There is not much to take from this story right now but things are bound to intensify as the eagles have laid out their asking price on a top 42 pick. Who will step up and acquire the services of McNabb is now left to who makes the best offer and is willing to part with their draft picks.

March Madness

The NCAA Tournament is now here and as many will say over the next few weeks...let the madness begin. Each team comes in with high hopes of competing for a national championship, with fist time school looking to leave a lasting impression on the nation, and veterans programs in search of adding to their their school folklore. Their are many speculations as to how the tournament will pan out, with so many probabilities it is impossible to pick out the exact scenario that will happen. It is well know that within the field of 65 exists a cinderella who will progress further than anyone thought they would, the only question is who. In at the bracket, teams such as Cornell, Utah State, and Murray State all seem to have been vastly under seeded and could have the potential to make a serious run to the sweet 16, however let us not forget about the Siena Saints who made that for mentioned run last year, knocking off Ohio State in the process. With Purdue's loss of their best player Robbie Hummel, it is safe to believe they are very much in danger of a first round loss to Siena. With those four teams in mind we are now left to wonder, which of them could become this years George Mason and ride a wave of momentum all the way to the Final Four.

Their was big news in the NFL, especially if you're a Jet fan as they have signed Ladanian Tomlinson to a 2 year contract. It is very clear as to the motivation for Tomlinson to go to New York, the Jets had the NFL's top rushing attack and made the AFC Championship game. The career of Tomlinson has compiled many yards and touchdowns, but has significantly slowed down over the past three years with injuries and a weakening offensive line in San Diego. Perhaps the good years for Tomlinson are behind him now and he is just lookiing for the opportunity to play for a team that will potentially contend for a championship. Some thought that he would be better off joinig the Vikings, however should his motivation had been to play with Brett Favre and Adrian Peterson, it would mean that he would be waiting on whether or not Favre will retire and getting limited touches behind Peterson. How muich is left in the tank for Tomlinson? we cannot speculate, but Jet fans hope that their O-Line can provide the push he needs to guide them to a place they have watched the Giants get to four times since 1980.

Baseball is in the Air, NFL FA

Now that spring training has officially begun, it is safe to say that baseball fever is back. Each team comes with high hopes of success and a fresh mindset for what can be accomplished in the upcoming year. For myself this is a time to get a look at what each team can bring to the table and how they stand up to the rest. The Yankees may not look as impressive as some would like to see, but they treat spring training as a way to get into shape for the long season ahead. Many teams use march baseball to establish a new precipice for themselves, we can look at the Rays of 2008 as a great example of this. Nonetheless the are just exhibition games and its not quite the time for worry over games that have no meaning but to get everyone back in baseball shape.

It was quite a beginning to the NFL free agent period indeed, the Chicago Bears signed both Chester Taylor and Julius Peppers to upgrade their team, which makes perfect sense due to the draft picks they surrendered to acquire Jay Cutler. Peppers will make the Bears defense even scarier with a returning Bran Urlacher to captain it, however Taylor could be a more than comparable in the long run. The Giants signing of Antrel Rolle makes a significant upgrade to the secondary that was practically non-existent in 2009. He is going to team up with Kenny Phillips who himself is coming off of knee surgery, but when healthy Philips is one of the best players on the team. There are expectations of the Giants going after a linebacker in free agency, but I doubt they will try and pay a player too much monet to come to New York, so the draft is their best bet. The futures of free agents such as Owens and Joey Porter and many others are up in the air, but it should be quite a free agency period with so much uncertainty looming in the uncapped year. What will Brett Favre decide to do? will the Vikings pursue trading for Donovan McNabb if Favre does retire?, Will the Eagles try and trade Michael Vick? Where will Brandon Marshall end up? These are questions everyone is asking and only time will tell us the answers to what we want to know.

The NFL Draft

Now that were less than two months away from the NFL Draft I want to take some time to talk about the potential draftees and their prospective pro careers.

For the most part there was no argument as to who the top will be, but for the last week speculation as to what the Rams might do has raised many interests. Ndamukong Suh of Nebraska loooks to be the best physical player in the draft and makes the most sense considering that the Rams were one of the worst defensive teams in all of football this past season. If you are not aware of just how talented Suh, look no further than the Big 12 Championship game, where he had 6 sacks and was an absolute nightmare for the Texas Longhorns offensive line. Suh is the top rated defensive lineman in front of Gerald McCoy from Oklahoma, who was considered the best defenseman for most of the season before January. The uncertainty of the top pick further escalates because of the the Rams need for a top QB. As of last week it was said that the Rams were interested in possibly taking Sam Bradford of Oklahoma or Jimmy Clausen of Notre Dame so that they would not waste the opportunity to get a top tier quarterback. The Rams hold the key to the entire draft as whomever they should pick will impact which direction the draft will take.

Besides the formetioned, there are other college footballers who are quite impressive and could definitely make a splash on the pro scene. Eric Berry(Tennessee), Joe Haden(Florida) and Golden Tate(Notre Dame) each have the possibility of having a substantial impact despite the fact they will most likely not be top 10 picks. Many players put an emphasis on the Scouting Combine to impress scouts and improve their draft stocks, but usually it is the teams need that take precedence when decision time comes in the first round. One player I feel could have a great chance to be a first round sleeper Rutgers CB Devin McCourty who really made heads turn at the Senior Bowl with his aggressiveness in coverage. He may not have played for a large scale football program, but McCourty's 261 tackles in 4 years give the sense that Greg Schiano can certainly churn quality players. I expect teams to look at him pretty hard as cornerbacks with his aggressive style are becoming a dime a dozen in the league.

Tiger Woods

On friday Tiger Woods broke his silence by addressing the public for the first time since the now infamous car accident, which spurred the whirlwind of troubles has had to endure about his life beyond golf. Woods made a thirteen minute long statement in a small room with a small media presence as well as family and friends who were there for moral support. Woods made it his business to apologize to all of the people who put their faith in him and how he knows his actions have made a mockery of all that he stands for. Though he did not go into detail about what caused the car crash and how his relationship with his wife Elin is as of this point, Woods was very animated in denying any reports that there was any physical abuse the night of the accident. I have no doubt that many have drawn their opinion on what took place that evening already, and some have made it clear that Elin should leave Tiger and forget about him altogether. However, as Woods said, is up to the two of them. In hearing the plethora of observations and critiques of Wood's statement I have only heard criticism and chastising of his demeanor, body language, and sincerity. Though what Tiger Woods did should not be condoned by any married couple, he did not commit any crime according to American Standards. He did not do anything that no one else has done before and he will definitely not be the last. It is due to the image that was made for him as this perfect, flawless person that this has drawn so much attention from all standpoints. I do agree that there is much repairing Woods must do if he is to regain the trust of his sponsors, fans, and especially his family, but I have total faith that he will overcome all of this and return to golf with a better mindset, both professionally and personally.

Last night the new Acquisitions of the New York Knicks made their debuts in a match-up with the Oklahoma City Thunder. I will admit there were some very impressive performances by Eddie House and Tracy McGrady, however there is still a missing attitude with the Knicks that will prevent them from getting anywhere. I still feel that it was better to develop a team that could build a good foundation for improvement and relevance, but I guess one can only hope as a fan that it all pans out for the best, or else it will not be pretty for Donnie Walsh and everyone else in the Knicks organization.

The Knicks Future

The trade deadline in the NBA is tomorrow and it looks like things are going to get interesting for the Knicks. As far at it can be told the Knicks possibly have a trade in place with the Boston Celtics involving the Knicks giving Nate Robinson to the Celtics and New York acquiring guard Eddie House. This trade, should it go through will most likely upset Knick fans as Robinson is certainly a popular player and one of the reasons fans came to see the Knicks play. One could think that the Knicks would hold a player like Robinson in high regard and try to get a much needed draft out of any potential deal, but it seems the Knicks negotiating skills are feeble at best. Perhaps this does ensure that the Knicks will keep David Lee for the long haul, however we cannot be certain until that happens. Another made that is official is the trading of Darko Milicic to the Minnesota Timberwolves in exchange for Brian Cardinal who will be waived. That is yet another move to get money off the books in preparation for the upcoming star studded free agent year. I'm a little skeptical of how the Knicks are going about their future with moves that do not seem to make much basketball sense, the lack of quality drafts, let alone draft picks, has done more harm than good to the team as it bared little or no results on the court. Somehow it can be felt that the organization is growing desperate and they think a marquee player will suddenly make things better, but a free agent is only as good as the team they play for. Tracy McGrady is only another high profile piece to getting ultimate cap space to overextend the free agent market, but the onus should be placed on creating a team that can perform on the court and not in the bank. I know that some say that if the Knicks can sign one or two free agents they will become like the 08-09 Celtics, who sent shock waves around the league buy acquiring the services of Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen and rode it all the way to a championship. However, that is highly unlikely to happen as there is so very much to do in order to get the team out from under the barrel many analysts and writers have placed them.

Today, a very welcoming sight has come to Yankees fans all around as the team has opened spring training, this means only one thing. The quest for 28 has officially begun, Here's hoping that the new campaign can build similar results as the previous one.

NY Frustrations

To start I would like to congratulate David Lee on being the Knicks first all star in 9 years. I know it is by default, but he truly deserves it for the season he is having. The Knicks could use some bright spots as things haven't been going to well for a long time. In my opinion, the Knicks should invest in building a good team instead of waiting for a free agent to come and be the franchise's savior. Come to think, of it how many free agents will be willing to come to New York and play for a team that has shown no sign of improving? If the Knicks hope to make anything of their future they had best lock up their young players i.e. David Lee, Nate Robinson, Wilson Chandler and Danilo Gallinari and get an actual center, then there will be room for improvement. If the Knicks really do believe that a high profile free agent will make all the difference then they are short changing themselves as an organization and should sell themselves to a billionaire like the Nets have done in order to save the teams integrity.

I want to talk about the Mets simply to vent some frustrations I have with their handling of the free agent period. Last year the Yankees made it top priority to sign players like Sabathia and Burnett to improve the team and re-insure the fans, the Mets however seem to lack this same urgency. I guess I cannot solely blame the team itself since the management are the ones calling the shots. The signing of Jason Bay was the one move that can be seen as a move to improve the team and lock up left field, however that was not the only place the Mets needed to get better at. Outside of Johan Santana, there is no starter that has proven that they can win games consistently, Kelvim Escobar is sure to be delegated to the bullpen since he has had recent Tommy John surgery and no one knows how he will perform on the mound. Omar Minaya has not done much to attack the areas of need with poor decisions that mirror those of Isaiah Thomas during his stay with the Knicks. His management has cost the Mets opportunities to sign players such as John Lackey and Orlando Hudson as a result of long tenured contracts to players that do not live up to the hype. Do not get me wrong as the Yankees have made these mistakes as well, but they have certainly made up for them as thet claimed their 27th championship. If the Mets want to get out of the shadow of the Yankees, they will need to make serious adjustments or face a very long decade thinking of what might have been if they had made the right moves.

Something for a snow day

With looming contract years for Jeter and Rivera some fans are probably feeling a sense of worry about the future of the two core players. I know for a fact that there is no way either of them will ever play for a team other than the Yankees for any reason. I have full confidence that Cashman will lock up Jeter for the remainder of his career,after all he is the face of the franchise. With Rivera now forty years old and probably not having many years left in the league, it is a safe bet that the Yankees will give him a contract which will be based on how many years he will pitch until retirement. I personally think that the team should allow him to stay to help groom the next closer in waiting, whomever that may be. Now that that is in mind, the reasoning behind not giving a contract to Damon makes more sense. I am pretty sure fans would much rather give Jeter 14 million a year than Damon, that is not saying that the fans didn't like him, but Yankees fans love Derek Jeter more.

2010 is going to be interesting in football, and now that it will be an uncapped year that makes for a very exciting free agent period. It seem that Osi Umenyiora is still at odds with the Giants after being taken out of the starting lineup for the final part of the regular season. With that in mind it is best that Umeniyora make nice in talking with Tom coughlin so that the Giants organization won't be tempted to look at hims as a potential distraction. He and Justin Tuck are two of the best pass rushers the team has, and if the rival Cowboys have taught us anything it's that disgruntled players can bog down an entire team if they are not reeled in expeditiously. My hopes are that the change in coordinator will give some closure to the situation, however the uncapped year could bring a player like Julius Peppers to New York if all is lost. While Peppers is a major dynamic and a menace to any offensive line, he does want a franchise tag, and I don't know if the giants are ready to make that kind of investment with a free agent. I would really like to see Osi stay, but that is up to the result of the meeting he has with Coughlin. it would be much better for Perry Fewell to have to core of the defense that won in 2007 still in tact, that will make for an easier transition considering he is new to the team. Remember Sheridan failed the Giants because of his lack of communication with the defense, an angry player will make it increasingly hard to focus on the task at hand. The Giants certainly need to get on the same page with the players that Sheridan alienated in his system, New York is normally good with damage control and that will come in handy when trying to keep around one of their best players.

Super Bowl

Well the Super bowl is over and I must say that while it was not the result I was pulling for, it still was a great win for the Saints, and especially the city of New Orleans. The game was rather pedestrian for the first half with the game seeming to fit right into the Colts hands, but the tide quickly turned when the Saints pulled an unprecedented call for a surprise onside kick to take away possession from the Colts, which payed huge dividends as they went down and scored. Who would have thought Sean Payton would something like that in a game of this magnitude, Talk about a game changing play, I guess fortune really does favor the bold.


Despite the sudden momentum shift I still felt that with Peyton Manning, the Colts were still in the drivers seat to retake control and win the game. It looked like that was going to happen, until Manning through an uncharacteristic mistake that cost the Indianapolis a touchdown. A that moment you cold sense that all was lost for the Colts. Even though I was not rooting for them, I can say with honesty that the Saints truly earned this win and deserve to hold their heads high as champions of the world. The signing of Drew Brees looks to have payed off after all, and the grumbles of Dolphins fans who wished their team would have taken the chance on him are growing even louder than before. This is quite a way for New Orleans to kick off Mardi Gras and it seems the party won't end until next season. This Championship truly means the world to the people of Louisiana who had to endure 42 years of shame from with no bright future on any horizon. Once more I give my congratulation to the Saints for a job well done and the Colts for a great season. March Madness and spring training are right around the corner.

Joba Chamberlain

One of the hot topics for debate amongst Yankee fans for the past two years has been the role of Joba Chamberlain in the pitching staff. He was simply dominant out of the bullpen and I just knew that the Yankees were going to keep him there, since he was practically untouchable. When the Season was over, one could not help but look into the advantages of having Chamberlain as the bridge to Rivera and the sense of hopelessness opposing teams would get if the game got to the seventh inning. This, however was not the plan the organization had for Joba, as general manager Brian Cashman and the coaching staff announced that they would use him as a starter to get the full compliment of his talents. While it seemed totally illogical to the fans to take a pitcher who had so much success out of the Bullpen and suddenly place him in the rotation, where so many pitcher had fallen victim to sour careers before him. Nonetheless, support for Chamberlain came as Yankees fans still wanted to show their confidence in the team, as well as support for the up and coming Joba in hopes he would prove all the naysayers wrong and anchor a championship formula; which was accomplished this past season, though he worked as a reliever not a starter in the post season.

As a Fan of Chamberlain I would like no more than to see him return to the bullpen as I have said previously. I say this on behalf of his statistical output in the bullpen as compared to as a starter. Who can argue against an ERA of 0.38 in his first year as a reliever as opposed to a 4.75 in his first years a a full time starter. It is most probable that his inconsistencies as a starting pitcher are due to the Yankees holding him back in hopes of preventing injury that could hamper his career as it did to Mark Prior. While I do understand the logic behind it, I cannot condone coddling a pitcher to protect their arm, young pitcher like Justin Verlander, Zack Grienke, Tim Lincecum, and Andrew Bailey were not held back by their respected teams, and they each have carved a name for themselves as elite pitchers in the major leagues. As a team that now has twenty seven championships I am certain I speak for all Yankees fans in saying that they should not allow other organizations to best them in player development. Whatever the future holds for Joba I certainly hope he is successful in the endeavors of making a name for yourself in the most unrelenting sports haven in the world...The Yankee Universe

Time for an Update

I know it has been a while and I want to apologize to any reader who I may have kept waiting. Since it is now February and the Superbowl is fast approaching I thought I would take the time to elaborate on the game itself as well as my prediction for the contest. It is safe to say that this should be a great game to watch with two stellar quarterbacks at the helm of their respected teams. Drew Brees has has nothing short of an amazing season with 4,388 passing yards and 34 touchdown passes and though some may say that he is at a disadvantage in a game of this magnitude since he really does not have the experience, he is still a professional player and this is what everyone works for so I fully expect him to perform at his highest. On the other side there is Peyton Manning who is arguably the greatest quarterback of this generation. Not only can he manage a game well, he is capable a reading defenses mid game and adjusting accordingly to have the best chance at success. The Saints defensive coordinator Greg Williams says that his defense will go after Manning continuously all game long, but I think it will take much more than just blitzing to stop a quarterback who had 4,500 passing yards and 33 touchdowns in the regular season. It is this plus the fact that I just cannot bet against a Manning in a big game, that I am picking the Colts to win. That is not saying that I think the Saints are not capable of winning, they are after all the sentimental pick of nation due to of their treacherous days as the "Aints" and of course the devastation and hardship of Hurricane Katrina, but it is safe to believe that the Colts want to win just as badly to prove that once and for all they are an elite championship team.

It is more than three months away but I figured I would give some input about the Giants draft possibilities. It's obvious the most glaring need is defense and in reading some draft predictions from different analysts, linebacker is the most pressing need with the health of Antonio Pierce in question. Their are many choices for the Giants but they should go for the player who will make the biggest impact immediately. With a new defensive coordinator in Perry Fewell it should be safe to think that the defense will return to it aggressiveness it showed during the 2007 season. That will surely be a welcome sight to see after the debacle that Bill Sheridan created in trying to change the style to a system in which the Giants were not familiar and, for all intensive purposes, did not have to talent to run it effectively. Hopefully the Giants will use the the upcoming NFL Scouting Combine to narrow down their decision as to who will be the best fit in re-establishing themselves as an NFL powerhouse.

One thing I have heard throughout the off season is how the Yankees would deal if they had to loss Johnny Damon. While many fans, myself included, feel that not having him will have a great impact on how the lineup will look. I fully understand what the Yankees are doing. For the past three years the Yankees have wanted to get younger and more athletic because of the team aging. They made these changes by bringing up Brett Gardner and acquiring Curtis Granderson from Detroit though it cost them one of their top prospects in Austin Jackson whom they were reluctant to give up. Players like Jaime Hoffmann, whom the Yankees scooped up in the Rule 5 Draft from the Nationals, Ramiro Pena, Francisco Cervelli, Juan Miranda, and Kevin Russo, who like myself is from Long Island, the Yankees are telling the league that they are indeed willing and capable of becoming a younger, more athletic team than in years past. Defense is a virtue in any sport and the Yankees know that as well and any major league ball club. The return of Nick Johnson will not only give the Yankees a good backup for Mark Teixeira but someone who can be a DH and hit at the top of the lineup. With Johnson's tremendous on base percentage he is sure to fit nicely into a lineup full of hitter who are patient and can wear down a pitcher through their at bats. As far as the pitching rotation is concerned, the trade for Javier Vazquez gives the Yankees four legitimate starters leaving the fifth spot up for grabs. While I am not certain of who will win the spot, I do favor Phil Hughes since he has now graduated to true pitcher status while working in the bullpen. Chamberlain in my view should be the setup man and future heir-apparent to Mariano Rivera, but I am not a member of the Yankees staff so it is up to them. As far as Mitre and Gaudin are concerned, they both can have great spring trainings and slip into the rotation. If not, they will be more than valuable out of the pen and it's been a while since the Yankees have had a legitimate long man in the pitching staff. Spring Training will be upon us before we know it and one thing that is certain is that the Yankees will be looking to repeat as champions in 2010 and claim title number 28 in team history.