nyc sports

NFL Playoffs Continue

noreply@blogger.com (Mark) — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 23:31:00 +0000

The NFL Playoffs continue this weekend. Saturday will feature Colts vs. Ravens and Cardinals vs. Saints. Sunday will showcase Jets vs. Chargers and Vikings vs. Cowboys. Each of these match ups are intriguing. The Jets have the top defense and running game in the NFL while the Chargers have a top ranked passing attack. The Ravens have been one of the top defensive teams for the past decade and they will go up against the Colts led by Peyton Manning who is one of the top passing quarterbacks in NFL history. He seemingly makes stars out of every receiver plugged into the roster. The Vikings are led by Bret Favre who would have made the hall of fame if he had retired five years ago, enough said. They also have Adrian Peterson, one of the top running backs in football. The Cowboys have looked good late in the season and crushed the Eagles last week. The Saints will match up with the Cardinals. Drew Brees and Kurt Warner are two of the best quarterbacks in the game but lately the Saints have not looked so good losing their last three games. The Cardinals put up 51 points against the Packers last Sunday and the Saints may not have the defense to stop their offense. Any picks, predictions, or opinions for this weekends games?

Murphy

noreply@blogger.com (Mark) — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 10:09:00 +0000

Daniel Murphy misplays a ball and it becomes a triple. I bet we will be hearing similar statements during the season. He doesn't look like he will be a good defensive left fielder and it's costing the Mets win. It's not just Murphy's defense though, why do the Mets always score in the beginning of a game and then leave lots of guys on base from the third inning on? They never score when Johan Santana pitches which so far has not been a problem because his ERA is under one but it won't stay that low all season. The Mets have a lot of work to do because they don't even look like the best team in their own division let alone the National League.

Mets

noreply@blogger.com (Mark) — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 10:33:00 +0000

The Mets still look like the same old team. I have seen the Yankees start off slow only to finish with 95-100 wins. The Mets have choked the last two Septembers and starting off slow may put them in a bad position later. I know a lot of people think that it's early and these games don't count. If the Mets lose the division or the wild card by one game you can look back and say that a loss in April surely meant something. It all counts or else the season would start later.

K-Rod

noreply@blogger.com (Mark) — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 10:17:00 +0000

I know K-Rod got the bases loaded in the 9th inning last night but the good part is he got out of it without giving up a run. This proves that he can get the Mets out of a bad situation. I know it's only the second game of the season but it still looks good.

Yankees

noreply@blogger.com (Mark) — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 01:09:00 +0000

For all the Yankees fans out there I wouldn't worry too much about the poor performance by C.C. Sabathia. It was only the first game of the season and he always performs better as the season progresses. If he's still pitching this poorly in June then I would be concerned. Johan Santana pitched very well for the Mets in their opener but I wouldn't say he's going to win the Cy Young just yet. It's too early too judge any player or team.

Knicks

noreply@blogger.com (Mark) — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 14:11:00 +0000

The Knicks were officially eliminated from playoff contention so they eliminated the Raptors from playoff contention as revenge. At least they can say they accomplished something this season. It is not very hard to make the playoffs in the east. The 7th and 8th seeds in the east have losing records so this just proves how bad the Knicks are. Anyway, baseball season stars today. The Mets are at the Reds and the Yankees are at the Orioles this afternoon.

noreply@blogger.com (Mark) — Sun, 05 Apr 2009 01:18:00 +0000

The Mets got beat up today by the Red Sox 9-3. Good thing it's just preseason.

New Stadiums

noreply@blogger.com (Mark) — Sat, 04 Apr 2009 12:20:00 +0000

Citi Field is a nice looking ballpark and Yankee Stadium is a nice looking ballpark. They were both expensive so they better be. This will most likely be the only time in my life I will see the Mets or Yankees get new stadiums and they happened in the same year. Tickets are expensive, food is expensive and it's expensive to watch on television. Will I go to both stadiums anyway? Yes!

Lebron

noreply@blogger.com (Mark) — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 01:52:00 +0000

Everyone is talking about the star NBA players that will be available after the 09-10 season. Lebron James is the top player who will be available during the summer of 2010. Knicks fans are hopeful of acquiring James but don't be surprised if he stays in Cleveland. He could get more money from endorsements and more publicity by playing in New York but he's already such a big star does it make much of a difference for him? Lebron James will have a greater legacy by staying in Cleveland. He grew up in Ohio and now is a megastar in Ohio. The Cavaliers have the best record in the NBA. They play killer defense and who can stop Lebron in a 7 game series? Only the Lakers or Celtics can in my opinion and they have both been plagued by injuries this season. Lebron already has NBA Finals experience in a losing effort against the Spurs 2 seasons ago. I guess we can only wait and see what will happen this June and next June.

finding a Backup

noreply@blogger.com (Mark) — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 01:45:00 +0000

The Major League Baseball season begins soon and it's a good thing because if you are a New York sports fan you don't have much to look forward to with the hockey and basketball playoffs starting. Nobody expects the Knicks or Rangers to do anything anytime soon and football season is 5 months away. now that I think about it the Mets and Yankees have huge payrolls but have not had success recently. Sometimes, no matter how die hard a fan may be they should have some sort of backup plan. I will be rooting for the Celtics in the playofs because I enjoy watching them play as a team. I love to watch Lebron James too. Not every fan can root for teams that aren't their own but I can and it's a good thing because I haven't seen much hometown success in recent memory.

Jay Cutler

noreply@blogger.com (Mark) — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 22:21:00 +0000

Are the Jets interested in disgruntled Broncos QB Jay Cutler? There are some rumblings that they are. I don't think the Jets have too much confidence in Kellen Clemens. I think Cutler is a spoiled baby. He is mad at the Broncos because he heard they were trying to trade him in order to get Matt Cassel from the Patriots. Hey, wake up, the NFL is a business. You are just a player. Sure Cutler was selected to the Pro Bowl after this season but the Broncos didn't even make the playoffs after they looked like a lock after a few weeks. Cutler surely isn't John Elway so why doesn't he think he can be traded? With that said I wouldn't mind having his ability on my team. He's a skilled quarterback which is the most important position in the NFL. I hope he grows up and reaches that potential and who knows maybe he'll be wearing green in 2009.

Wright was Wrong

noreply@blogger.com (Mark) — Sat, 21 Mar 2009 01:34:00 +0000

Charlie Manuel is apparently angry because David Wright thought he had a broken toe and continued to play for the United States in the WBC. As it turns out he only had a broken nail but it just proves how unimportant the WBC is. David Wright's obligation is to the New York Mets because they pay him very well and if he gets hurt playing elsewhere he should quit and rejoin the Mets. The WBC is nowhere near as important as the MLB season is. If I were a team owner or general manager or manager I would be a little angry too. What if he gets hurt and can't play until May or June or July? The WBC couldn't even sell out an 11,000 seat stadium so again, is it worth the risk or getting injured? I don't think so.

David Wright

noreply@blogger.com (Mark) — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 10:35:00 +0000

David Wright fouled a ball off of his big toe last night. I don't like the World Baseball Classic because he could have been badly hurt which would have been a crushing blow to the Mets when the season starts. The WBC is meaningless as everything seems manufactured. There are no real rivalries and I can't accept Jimmy Rollins and David Wright playing together with Derek Jeter. A Met with a Philly and a Yankee??? When someone gets seriously hurt in this tournament a lot of MLB teams are going to think twice about their star players participating.

Knicks Lose

noreply@blogger.com (Mark) — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 10:30:00 +0000

The Knicks lost again last night as their playoffs hopes begin to dwindle. They were defeated by the Nets 115-89. How do you give up 115 points to the Nets? The Nets only average 99 points a game and the Knicks only average 107 points per game against. The Knicks are actually third in the NBA in points per game at 105 but give up 107. The Bobcats have a better record than the Knicks by the way but at least their still better than the Wizards.

Knicks & the Playoffs

noreply@blogger.com (Mark) — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 01:28:00 +0000

It's almost time for the NBA playoffs and the Knicks are trying their hardest to make it. Their best shot is the 8th seed and only twice in NBA history has the 8th seed made it to the second round, the 93-94 Nuggets and the 98-99 Knicks. The 98-99 Knicks went to the final and got smacked by the Spurs in 5 games. Don't expect this to happen this season as it seems very unlikely the Knicks could win a 7 game series against the Cavaliers or the Celtics. The Knicks have improved over the last few seasons but they can't play defense and in the eastern conference you must play defense. They are currently in 11th place in the east. That's still not good but it's an improvement. For all you Knicks fans out there I hope you don't expect too much.

Expensive Arms

noreply@blogger.com (Mark) — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 00:35:00 +0000

Johan Santana has experienced some pain in his arm recently. He's a $150 million pitcher so the Mets need to be careful with him. I know he's paid to eat up innings but overworking him can cause physical problems. What should be done in a situation like this? How about not giving pitchers so much money. I have learned to accept the fact that professional athletes are extremely overpaid but a starting pitcher only plays about once every five games. A baseball team needs a good rotation, not just one great starter.

I love having Santana as the ace of the Mets but problems such as this can occur. By not pitching him so hard you are taking away what makes him one of the best in the game and your investment won't pay off but by pitching him too hard he may become injured and he may not be durable over time. This situation also kills the investment so my point is spending too much on a starting pitcher may not be such a great idea.

Media Problems

noreply@blogger.com (Mark) — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 21:37:00 +0000

The Yankees have a huge payroll and a roster full of star players but will this Alex Rodriguez performance enhancing drug problem be a distraction for the team? Everything A-Rod does is a distraction. I'm not saying it's his fault but it is the fault of the media. The New York Daily News had A-Rod on the front page with his Valentine's Day date. Who cares about that? Why is that of any importance? Why was it so important to sports fans that he was divorcing his wife and going out with Madonna? The New York media is so quick to criticize everything their teams do or don't do but they cause many of the problems.

There was an article in the Daily News the other day that said the Yankees should prove a point by getting rid of A-Rod. Get rid of a guy in 2009 for something he said he last did in 2003 even though probably half the players in the league did the same thing. Jason Giambi had a similar problem and he wasn't under the same scrutiny as A-Rod is now. Giambi was MVP of the American League before he came to the Yankees so it's not as if he was just this role player pinch hitting in the 9th inning.

The New York media will never change but they should look in the mirror and blame themselves sometimes too. When guys were hitting 60 homeruns every year it was on the back and front of every newspaper even though there were some quiet talks of drug use. Now when everything is out we should hang all of the players. I know they are just trying to sell newspapers because for all the talk they do about players being overpaid and greedy, the newspapers do anything to sell a paper and make a buck too. Let the players play and stop asking Derek Jeter about A-Rod's use of a banned substance.

A-Rod

noreply@blogger.com (Mark) — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 01:36:00 +0000

Since Saturday all I hear about is Alex Rodriguez failing a drug test in 2003. Those tests were taken in 2003 and no names were ever supposed to be leaked. Out of 104 failures how was A-Rod the only name to get released? Today A-Rod admitted he did take some performance enhancers yet he wasn't very specific but at least he didn't do like Bonds and Clemens and totally deny it.

What should be known to the public is how only 1 name out of 104 was released and it just happens to be one of the top players in the game. None of the names should have been released. I'm not condoning the use of performance enhancers but why is it that A-Rod is being singled out in this case? I'm not the biggest A-Rod fan and I don't like the Yankees but this isn't fair. If players are under the assumption that a test is confidential then how does a name get released to a Sports Illustrated reporter?

I hope the names of the other 103 players don't get released because while the players who failed are wrong they were told it would be confidential and it should have stayed that way. Why weren't the tests destroyed? This was a huge problem in 2003 and everyone ignored it. The players union and the commissioner should have been working together a decade ago but less homeruns would have meant less money for baseball.

Can the Knicks Stop Anybody?

noreply@blogger.com (Mark) — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 00:19:00 +0000

The Knicks are not very good. They can score but don't play any defense. If the Knicks of the 90's had a crystal ball and could see into the future they would be ashamed. Patrick Ewing, John Starks, and Charles Oakley would be laughing at this sideshow. Every night it appears the Knicks are just trying to score as much as possible without attempting to stop the other team at all. As bad as the Knicks are they still have a shot at making the playoffs, most likely as an 8th seed.

Has it gotten to the point where individual stars are trying to outdo each other against the Knicks? Kobe Bryant scored 61 against the Knicks on Monday night and all you would hear on Tuesday and Wednesday was what Lebron would do to them next. It doesn't even occur to anyone that the Knicks can contain him. The question is will Lebron choose to score 62 or will he just have his usual excellent game? It's the individuals choice whether or not he wants to erupt on another team or not? That all you need to know about the Knicks in 2009.

The Knicks play the defending NBA Champion Celtics on Friday. Will the Celtics big 3 of Allen, Pierce, and Garnet score a combined 100 points? Will the Celtics beat the Knicks by more than 50? Will more than 3 players have a triple double against the Knicks? Pay attention to the media immediately after tonight's game against Cleveland to hear the debate.

1970 NBA Finals

noreply@blogger.com (Mark) — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 01:40:00 +0000

Whenever people talk about the 1970 NBA Finals it's always about Willis Reed and his dramatic entrance onto the court in Madison Square Garden for game 7. It was inspiring and I'm sure his heart really gave a boost to the Knicks for that game. The problem I have is he scored the first 2 field goals of the game and never scored again. Walt Frazier had a performance that should be talked about as one the greatest in championship game history. Frazier had 36 points, 19 assists, and 7 rebounds. The final score was 113-99.

What Willis Reed did was great and it showed how dedicated he was to the game but I wish Walt Frazier would get a little more credit that he has received. I'm not saying Frazier isn't recognized because he's in the Hall of Fame and he was named one of the NBA's top 50 players of all time but for what he did in game 7 of the 1970 NBA Finals, I don't believe he gets the credit he deserves. It's still a great moment to watch in 2009, seeing Willis Reed hobble to the court with the fans cheering and Marv Albert making the call but 36-19-7, those are some legendary numbers.

Perez and Burnett

noreply@blogger.com (Mark) — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 23:53:00 +0000

The Mets just signed Oliver Perez to a $36 million dollar over 3 year deal. The Yankees spent $82.5 million over 5 years on A.J. Burnett. Perez will average $12 million per season while Burnett will average $16.5 million per season. I don't think Burnett is worth that huge contract the Yankees gave him and I think the Mets got a much better deal on Perez.

Last season both pitchers put up similar numbers. Burnett's numbers for the Blue Jays were slightly better but I don't believe an extra $4.5 million a season better. In 2008 Burnett had an 18-10 record but his ERA was 4.07. He did strike out 231 which was the best in the American League. Perez had a 10-7 record with a 4.22 ERA with 180 strikeouts.

I don't like to pay too much attention to a pitchers won-loss record because a lot of that depends on the rest of the team. Johan Santana had the best ERA in the major leagues last season (2.53) but only won 16 games because the Mets offense was pathetic on many of his starts. Burnett does strikeout more batters but the difference in ERA was only 0.15. We also don't know how Burnett will perform in New York. He could be another bust like Carl Pavano, Kevin Brown, or Randy Johnson. Perez pitched well for the Mets in the 2006 NLCS and he's been here for a few years so we know what we are getting with Perez.

I think for the money paid the Mets got a better deal. Perez is experienced in New York and a pressure playoff situation. We know he's a solid starter who can be very good while Burnett just came off a rougher than usual season for him. He gave up 100 earned runs for the first time in his career and his ERA was over 4 for the first time in a full season since 2001 (His ERA in 2003 was 4.70 but he only pitched in 4 games).

It will be interesting to see how both the Mets and Yankees rotations are in 2009.

Poor NHL Markets

noreply@blogger.com (Mark) — Sat, 31 Jan 2009 23:20:00 +0000

I understand that professional sports leagues in the United States are all about expansion. The more teams the more money there is to be made. This isn't always a good idea though, just look at the Marlins and the Rays. Nobody in Florida wants them. The Rays were in first place all season and nobody came to the games until the playoffs. The Marlins have won 2 championships in their 15 year history and their games have pitiful attendance.

The Hornets moved from Charlotte to New Orleans where they still can't draw a crowd. What does Charlotte then go and do? They get another franchise, the Bobcats who ranked 24th in attendance last season.

Worst of all is the NHL. Hockey is not a popular sport in all parts of the United States. In cities where the NBA or Major League Baseball teams aren't very popular, the sports themselves may still be popular whether at the collegiate level or just people playing outside. Hockey isn't this way.

The Atlanta Thrashers, Washington Senators, Florida Panthers, San Jose Sharks, Anaheim Ducks, Nashville Predators, Columbus Blue Jackets, and Phoenix Coyotes all rank at the bottom in attendance. A couple of teams in strange hockey cities such as the Dallas Stars and Tampa Bay Lightning have good attendance but there are too many franchises in cities that shouldn't have hockey teams that are losing money. I also kept in mind that not all arenas have the same seating capacity but these teams aren't selling out smaller buildings, they just aren't drawing fans. Why do Atlanta and Nashville have professional hockey teams? I'm not saying that these teams should move to a different city, I'm saying these teams should not exist at all.

There are too many teams in the NHL and and too many of them don't attract fans or make money. This applies to other sports as well but Major League Baseball, the NBA, and NFL are all very financially healthy, the NHL is not.

Performance Enhancing Drugs

noreply@blogger.com (Mark) — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 20:30:00 +0000

Today we found out that there is more evidence that Barry Bonds took steroids. The economy is in bad shape and money continues to be spent trying to find him guilty. This applies to Roger Clemens as well. I don't care for either one of them and they should both be ashamed if in fact they were cheating. There is evidence that they both did but so did a whole group of players.

When Jose Canseco comes out with a book and starts naming names and making accusations about players taking performance enhancing drugs it's not because he regrets what he did and wants the game to be cleaned up, it's because he wants to make money. I don't respect him for that.

I understand that if guilty, these players did in fact commit crimes but there are more severe crimes that don't receive this type of attention. An armed robber can get a slap on the wrist but Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens took steroids!!!!! Let's get the FBI and spend lots of money to prove a point meanwhile the rest of the country falls apart. Many Americans have lost their jobs while others are victims of serious crimes but we continue to show that our priorities aren't straight when Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens are headlines.

What about the hundreds or maybe even thousands of players who have taken some performance enhancing drugs? I know Bonds and Clemens are high profile stars but there must be a better way to deal with this situation. The integrity of baseball was hurt but not just by those two men. Don't vote them into the hall of fame if you really want to hurt them. Their reputations are already destroyed and that may be a punishment that hurts them more than anything else.

The situation with Bonds and Clemens is ridiculous. As a fan it is disgusting but there are far worse criminals out there who get off much easier than this. Bud Selig and the players union knew drug use was going on but turned a blind eye to it because the fans loved all of the homeruns and they needed the fans back after the 1994 strike. All parties involved are responsible from the commissioner to the players union to the players. The government doesn't have its priorities straight, especially with the shape our country is in right now.

New QB for the Jets

noreply@blogger.com (Mark) — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 01:07:00 +0000

Should Brett Favre be the quarterback of the Jets next season? It's not only his decision as new Jets coach Rex Ryan will have some say if Favre decides he wants to come back. Favre started off the 2008 season very well and the Jets had an 8-3 record going into week 13 but then lost 4 of their next 5 games. The sole win was due to a fumble run in for a touchdown so it's not like the Jets were even in control of that game either. Favre finished the season with 22 touchdown passes as well as 22 interceptions. He fell apart at the end of the season. I know he was injured but Favre is almost 40 and he hasn't missed a start since 1992. Chances are he is going to be beat up towards the end of the season.

The Jets have third year quarterback Kellen Clemens who has only played in 14 games. He is 133 for 256 in pass attempts with a 59.3 rating. This isn't enough to judge how good or bad of a quarterback he really is. Now is the time to take a gamble. What else do they have to lose? They were 4-12 in 2007 and finished 9-7 after collapsing like the Mets in 2008. Try a young quarterback for a season. What other options do the Jets have?

Mets Rotation

noreply@blogger.com (Mark) — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 00:38:00 +0000

As of January 25, just a few weeks before spring training, the Mets starting rotation for 2009 is Johan Santana, Mike Pelfrey, John Maine, Tim Redding, and Jonathan Niese. Redding and Niese? How can this be so close to spring training. The Mets need more starting pitching and they still haven't signed Oliver Perez. The Mets originally offered Perez about $30 million over 3 years. It is now believed that they have improved on that offer. There are not many options left so what are they waiting for? Why is this taking so long? They wanted Derek Lowe but he is no longer available so just sign Perez already. Perez is a good middle of the rotation pitcher who pitched very well for the Mets in game 7 of the 2006 NLCS against the Cardinals. He is a solid pitcher who has proven he can pitch in New York and in a pressure situation.

Pitchers Ben Sheets and Randy Wolf are also available and the Mets have shown some interest in at least one of those two as well. The top three starters in the Mets rotation look good but they need two more. They don't seem to be attacking this problem. They appear to be waiting as if Perez or even Sheets or Wolf will ask for less money. Just sign someone already. Show your fans that you are attempting to fix these problems.