The Sports Chronicles

ALL STAR FOWARD - GARNETT OVER STOUDEMIRE? REALLY?

2010-12-29T16:09:00.014-05:00

How is it possible that Garnett is leading in votes over Stoudemire? This solidifies the theory that people from Boston have no lives and must be voting throught out the day! Let's go Knicks fan and as a matter of fact any basketball fan, period, should be voting for Amar'e Stoudemire.

VOTE AMAR'E STOUDEMIRE

HOPE! CHANGE!............. AMAR'E!

2010-12-12T23:54:00.004-05:00

Who would've thunk it! The NY Knicks are playing their best basketball in over a decade! The GARDEN is beginning to renew the aura that players and fans loved to experience in the 90's. The recent additions of Amar'e Stoudemire and Raymond Felton have helped elevate a team that was once in distress. The future looks bright for the NY Knicks, but we always live in the present and can the Knicks sustain their current level of playing for the whole year?

THE CHOSEN ONE? REALLY?

2010-07-16T09:19:00.004-04:00

LeBron is no longer the centerpiece, the king, or even the chosen one. As Skip Bayless states, "He is Robin and Dwayne Wade is Batman." Not only did he make a poor decision with the all about me "Decision," he also hurt his image by no longer being the leader of the team. Everyone that supports his decisions claims he did the right thing because he just wants to win championships. Well, can we ever consider him as one of the all time greats because of championships, if that's the case Robert Horry is an all time great with 7 rings. It's not just about the rings and there's where LeBron's inner circle influenced him to make a poor decision. It's all about the competition, the drive, the ability to lift your teammates expectations and talents. There is no way that you can even put LeBron James in the same sentence as Kobe Bryant and even Dwayne Wade (who performed with the will to win during the 2006 playoffs). His performance in this year's recent loss to the Celtics proves that he doesn't have that drive. Bill Simmons hits it right on the money when he states, "If he owned that cutthroat Jordan chromosome, or Magic's leadership chromosome, it would have surfaced by now." He continues, "I mentioned how there comes a point in every great player's career when you have to pour the cement, let it harden and see what you have. We poured the cement for LeBron in this series. It hardened last night. We know what we have."

A statement by Bryant Gumble of Real Sports:

“Finally tonight, a few words about championship rings. Just when did they become the all-important barometer of who does or doesn’t count in sports? When did they supersede personal excellence or exemplary character as a standard of greatness?

“I got to thinking about that the other night after the self-anointed chosen one, LeBron James, embarrassed himself as he tried to make his decision to seek rings in Miami sound like a search for the Holy Grail. It’s when he essentially admitted to placing a higher priority on winning than anything else.

“LeBron’s decision is typical of our immediate gratification era, but it flies in the face of history. Even though he never won a title, Dan Marino is still the biggest hero in Florida. And in Boston, all those Celtics championships are dimmed by the unforgettable brilliance of Ted Williams, who never won anything. In Chicago, Gale Sayers and Dick Butkus have legendary status despite playing on losing teams. And even in the NBA, where guys seem obsessed with being viewed as ‘the man’, real men like Barkley, Ewing and Baylor are ringless, but revered.

“Despite such evidence to the contrary, LeBron James seems to think he needs a ring to change his life and secure his legacy. Maybe he’ll get one, maybe he won’t, but it’s probable that no amount of rings will ever remove the stench he wallowed in last week. LeBron may yet find that in the court of public opinion, just as putting on a tux can’t make a guy a gentleman, winning a ring can’t make one truly a champion.”

Well LeBron, let us know how it feels to be in the back for once and not the center of attention. The picture states it all, you will forever be in Dwayne Wade's shadow!

MEET THE METS!

2010-07-15T12:59:00.005-04:00

After an up and down first half of the season, can the NY Mets pull it together in the second half to make the playoffs this year? The NY Mets did not come into the season with high expectations from fans. Fans did not know how long it would take Reyes to get into game shape, whether Wright will be more productive than last year's 10 HR's and 72 RBI's, can Jason Bay meet expectations, how will pitching hold up this year, and lastly when will they see Beltran back in the line up? The answers to those questions have been answered, however can they shake off old habits and get into the playoff (maybe even win a series)?

The first half assessment:

Pitching: Although it was up and down, some performances were clearly not expected. R.A. Dickey, the knuckleballer, for one had no expectations coming into the season. Oliver Perez disappeared into oblivion so they needed a fifth starter. There was definitely doubts as to how can he be successful with only a 82-85 mph fastball. Well, he's 6-2 and batters still can't figure him out. As far as the closer, well K-Rod is no longer K-Rod! He has four blown saves and clearly does not have the "stuff" he was once known for. He needs to locate his pitches better and not be afraid of getting hit! Takahashi was a great surprise for the bullpen. Although the plan to give him some starts are not reaping it's rewards as of late, the move back to the bullpen further solidifies their innings eater in case someone blows up early. Neise had a productive first half going 6-3 another 5 to 6 wins in the second half will be a fair assessment since he's still young. The biggest surprise has been Pelfrey starting off on fire and as of late starting to cool off. If Pelfrey can find himself once again and give you another 6-8 wins that will be more than acceptable. Santana has had a tumultuous first half and unlike Pelfrey, has significantly picked it up winning his last three games. Santana has always been known as a second half pitcher and will clearly be needed in the end as he tries to erase the earlier notions that he is no longer the number one pitcher on the NY Mets!

Infield:

The infield started started shaky but the move to bring up Ike Davis gave them a boost and provided a long ball hitter to the line up. Although Davis has been just average, that is more than enough from a young batter playing in the majors for the first time. The catchers have all been clutch especially Barajas, started off hot but since cooled down. Blanco and Thole's situational hitting have helped keep the line up strong when sometimes the bottom of the order is snoozing away. Castillo is well Castillo, let's hope that Ruben Tejada and Alex Cora can continue to help in that position. Tejada is young and they are just working him into the line up to get some at bats. Jose Reyes started off slowly but only because he was adjusting to the game speed after coming back from an injury. Reyes is not producing numbers as he was two seasons ago but fans should be happy that he is actually playing (although this oblique injury can phantomly get worse, NY Mets medical staff is known for botching injuries). As for David Wright, what more can you say other than he has taken leadership of this team and the numbers are clearly where they should be. He's leading the NL in RBI's and has been boosting his average as of late.

Outfield:

Two word "Polar Opposites!" Coming into the season everyone was expecting Jason Bay to produce the same numbers that he usually puts up. Of course, Citi Field is not batter friendly but no one expected such a slump from him. On the other hand, Angel Pagan, who was suppose to be a temporary fill in until Beltran returned has provided the Mets with clutch hitting and an overall great peformance. His performance has clearly made an impression with the manager because he is sticking with him when Beltran gets back and benching Francoeur. After getting Francoeur in a trade last year, his role was merely a role player that brings a toughness and attitude to the team. As much as they would like to keep his toughness in the line up, he still needs to produce numbers which for the first half have been absent. The decision to keep Pagan in the line up is a no brainer, let's just hope his replacement in center field, Beltran can produce! Beltran's injury has been keeping him from joining the Mets week after week but today will FINALLY be in the line up!

If the NY Mets can continue to pitch well and if the big three (Wright, Reyes and Beltran) all start to hit and perform as they are capable of, there's no way this team can miss the playoffs. The injury bug devastated this team last year and the two years prior to that, they blew division leads. Well this year they are in the mix for the division lead and also for wild card and none of this was expected of them this year. Maybe they perform better as UNDERDOGS!

LET THE WAITING BEGIN!

2010-04-15T12:50:00.003-04:00

Is it really Lebron or Bust for NY Knick fans? I kept my promise on not writing about the Knicks this season, in order to save myself the aggravation and turmoil (also tax season is officially over). The season for the Knicks is officially over and now the writing, speculation and hope begins for all NY Knick fans. Will it really be a horrible summer if they do not land LeBron James? Donnie Walsh has given every indication that he merely set up the franchise to be able to sign free agents within the next two years. LeBron James is CLEARLY not leaving Cleveland! He has been quoted as saying, "I got a goal, and it's a huge goal, and that's to bring an NBA championship here to Cleveland,' James said. 'And I won't stop until I get it." Maybe he does get it this year or maybe not either way he is not leaving Cleveland. A whole city (maybe even state) is depending on him being there. We all know the Cleveland Browns and Indians are not winning anytime soon so the city is fully dependent on the Cavaliers and LeBron James. How bad will LeBron James look if he were to leave Cleveland for more money (or as he states a better team)? How bad will the economy in Cleveland suffer if he were to leave? Cleveland fans constantly heckle and boo the Brown's players every season, now just imagine when LeBron comes into Quicken Arena sporting a NY Knicks jersey (any other city for that matter), do you really think that Cleveland will give him a standing ovation, highly doubt it. Donnie Walsh has put the Knicks in position to attract all free agents to the New York market, not just LeBron James. So while all the writers, bloggers, and analyst crave for LeBron James they are making the other free agents almost feel not wanted. Just look at the case of Dwayne Wade stating that he wants to be "wooed" as well. We can't forget that there are other free agents that can make the Knicks competitive again. Take any combination of Joe Johnson, Dwayne Wade, Amare Stoudemire, Dirk Nowitzki, Carlos Boozer, Chris Bosh and let's not forget 2011 free agent Carmelo Anthony. The Knicks have a better chance of landing a combination of the 2010 top tier players mentioned or getting one in 2010 and landing Melo in 2011 (what's another year to wait for....right). New York City has been waiting for this for over a decade. It's time to establish NYC as the mecca of all basketball again! SO LET'S ALL SIT BACK AND HOPE THAT "YES WE CAN" BECOME A BETTER TEAM NEXT YEAR!

IN SANCHEZ WE TRUST?

2010-01-13T14:21:00.003-05:00

Can the NY Jets win with the arm of Mark Sanchez? There is no doubt that Sanchez will be asked to make plays this Sunday as the Chargers will do everything possible to eliminate the running game. After a tumultuous regular season, Mark Sanchez showed better poise and confidence in last weeks win over the Cincinnati Bengals. This is a whole different monster though, the Chargers clearly present a lot of mismatches on the offensive end and definsively they're in the middle of the pact as far as yards per game allowed. The playmaking of Gates and Sproles will have to be limited and if they NY Jets have trouble stopping either of them, they will most likely be playing catch up the whole game. Which leaves us to the point, will the Jets be forced to unleash Mark Sanchez and have him throw 25-30 attempts, with the hopes of keeping the interceptions down? Tune in Sunday................

GROWING PAINS!!!

2009-11-23T09:56:00.002-05:00

Fans are tired of hearing the same old saying "He's only a rookie!" It's safe to say that at this point fans expectations are not being met. And that's not to say that they were high, not at all. Fans were most likely expecting an average quarterback with a rating in between 85.0 and 90.0 and about 15 touchdowns, 10 interceptions........
Man, were they in for a surprise, how about 16 interceptions, 10 touchdowns, a quarterback rating of 61.1 (which is only higher to JaMarcus Russel and Derek Anderson)!!!! The unfortunate part, there's six games left. Can Sanchez salvage some respect because the season is completely over at this point. Sanchez's poor performance has cost the Jet's 4 wins. Although it is difficult to solely blame one individual for a team's loss, Sanchez is an exception. Sanchez continually puts the defense in bad situations by turning the ball over. He hurts the offensive play calling because most of the time they are playing from behind and need him to throw the ball (ugghhh)! He hurts the special teams because.............he just hurts them..ok. What more can we expect from Sanchez this season? How will he hurt Jet's fans next?

CHAD BEING CHAD!!!

2009-11-13T09:54:00.003-05:00

The most entertaining figure in football!

Beginning of a New Generation!

2009-09-21T21:15:00.002-04:00

It's been too long since the NY Jets have been consistently dominant but with this Rex Ryan Era, they look to turn that around!
Never has the Jet's defense look so confident as they have these past two weeks. All the fuss about Rex Ryan's defense and how it will impact the Jets are being displayed on every down. No longer and they playing that boring, conservative (Mangini) defense they are actually going after the QB. The are two defensive players away from being an elite defense with the likes of the Steelers, Giants, and Ravens.* The change is dramatic and will only continue to get better as they will get back Pace in Week 5 and as the season progresses the defense will further adapt and understand their position and strengths. All that was asked for the offense is to establish the run and let Sanchez manage the game which he has done exceptionally well. There is a new attitude in New York and it won't be a surprise if they end up dethroning the Giants as the best defense in New York!

*The NY Jets are in need of an outstanding outside linebacker that can cover and also go after the QB. The question is will Gholston take on that role? They also need an athletic defensive end, like an Osi Umenyiora that can further pressure the QB. You can rest assure that Rex Ryan will look to fill one of those positions this coming off season.

How Long Will Sanchez Last?

2009-08-26T12:30:00.003-04:00

How long will it be before Jets fans hate this guy? New York fans are tough and expect a lot from their quarterbacks. Look at all the back stabbing comments that have been made about Pennington, Favre, and even Eli Manning, who actually brought them a championship. If you're drafted that high and get paid as much as Sanchez, then you need to perform - point blank. Sanchez is not being asked to win games with his arm, even though from the make up of this team he maybe asked to lead a 2 minute drill, however he only has to manage the game and not lose it. Fans should not expect a gun slinging Brett Favre or a conservative Chad Pennington, instead a happy medium, that's exactly what he is. We'll just have to wait and see until what week are fans truly disgusted by his performance or for that matter what year......

World Series Prediction?!?!?!

2009-08-24T10:14:00.004-04:00

Relax Viking Fans!

2009-08-19T09:29:00.003-04:00

What to possibly write about this confused soul? Other than the fact that Brett Favre is clearly an undecisive individual. Once again he strings along the media with the "I'm retiring," bull-ish. Only to once again end that retirement, he almost beat out Junior Seau with the quickest end to a retirement (not really but three weeks is pretty fast). Well, what can Viking fans expect from Favre this season? Clearly they are a playoff team but can Favre take them over that hump? Last year Brett had a hot start but then cooled off drastically. He claims he retired because he could not deal with the strenuous season and also stated, "I didn't feel like physically I could play at a level that was acceptable." But all of a sudden those thoughts changed, Viking fans better be prepared for what lies ahead. Of course Brett brings with him that gunslinger mentality but that obviously did not help the Jets last year when some people questioned what the hell he was thinking on some throws. Another point to bring up is the fact that he does have a tear on his throwing arm and the Vikings still decided to sign him to a two year deal, does not make sense at all. If Favre and the Vikings fail to go deep in the playoffs then what becomes of Favre next off season, will he continue to debate and fight his inner demons on retiring? With all the drama that surrounds Brett Favre he can make more money if he had a reality TV show.

"Favre and Confused"
"The Favre Saga"
"The Never Ending Story"
"Hello/Goodbye"
"One Last Brett"

NY STATE OF MIND!

2009-06-23T10:14:00.003-04:00

What is running through the mind of Donnie Walsh and the rest of the higher ups with the Knicks organization come this draft day? Will they make a better selection than last year's pick in Danilo Gallinari (not to say it was bad but can they improve)? There are rumors that the Knicks are looking to move up in the draft to possibly the 5th and even up to the 2nd spot. This is clearly a rebuilding year once again but they still want to be competitive. Can they actually draft someone (in this year's weak draft), that can actually come in and make a difference? Can they have better luck with a Curry this time around? Can an undersized Spanish point guard lead this team? There is no doubt the Knicks have a lot of questions that they need to answer but it is difficult to draft players to fit a certain system. There is always talk (just like the Mets) about breaking up the core, in this case Nate Robinson, David Lee, and Wilson Chandler, who may be the best players on the Knicks now. But does David Lee fit in D'Antoni's system, he had a great year last year but is a liability defensively and over matched by forwards like Garnett and Bosh. He is looking to get their type of money too so do you let him go and look to draft someone like Jordan Hill or pick someone up in free agency? Nate Robinson is a difficult decision as well. There is no doubt that he is a play maker and brings a lot of passion to the team, however, what position is he with the Knicks? He still does not have the decision making abilities of a true point guard, even if he is a scoring point guard. As a shooting guard well you would need to be consistent and last year he went through an awful shooting slump and defensively can he guard other shooting guards from the perimeter? Wilson Chandler is the only player that fits D'Antoni's system perfectly. His game is very similar to Trevor Ariza and look at the performance he had during the playoffs. Wilson Chandler plays great on ball and off the ball defense, he can penetrate and he can knock down the three. Although his shooting needs to improve a little more there is no reason other than some bad decision making to keep him off the floor. The rest of the players on the Knicks are there temporarily, with the exception maybe of Chris Duhon and Danilo Gallinari who may stay but are not true starters in the sense that they can change the game. Chris Duhon provides the Knicks with a solid point guard but last year had a rough second half of the season (could have been from overplaying him) and Danilo Gallinari they are committed to through 2010 but can he play stronger and make himself more of a presence on the court? It all comes back to the system of Mike D'Antoni, who will fit in? You can always say we will draft the "best available player," but if that player does not fit in the system you're left with the current identity the Knicks have now, NONE!

Rivalry??

2009-06-10T14:25:00.004-04:00

Could the Yankees vs. Red Sox still be considered a rivalry? The Yankees won the series in 2007 8-7 but the Red Sox won the Championship which is obviously more important. In 2008 the series was tied 9-9 but it was the Red Sox that made it to the ALCS and the Yankees didn't even make the playoffs. And this year well let's just say that the Red Sox have 6 wins and the Yankees 0....

Wouldn't it be ironic if Wang (which had a 34.50 ERA at one point) gets the first win versus the Red Sox.

It falls true to every sport that a rivalry is not present unless both teams are successful!

THE FUTURE OF VICK?

2009-05-22T12:19:00.004-04:00

What will the future hold for an once up and coming star and face of a franchise? Michael Vick was fun to watch on the field although his passing game did not develop he was still a playmaker on every down. He led the Falcons to the conference championship in 2005 (with no real receiver other than Crumpler). An option quarterback that actually succeeded in the NFL system. The promising success would've continued if it were not for the stupid decisions. Would any team be willing to take a chance on Vick and hope that he can still play on the NFL level. Could he be a starter or a backup? Can you move him to a different position? Has he really changed? Will he give us an opportunity to win? These are the questions that general managers and coaches need to ask themselves before they make any decision. Where will Vick end up - on a NFL team or staying in the construction business?

Can't Let It Go!!

2009-05-07T09:23:00.002-04:00

All the talk surrounding Brett Favre's return with the Minnesota Vikings is confusing. Do the Vikings really believe that he can perform at a high level? The Pros - the Vikings play in a dome which means half of his games will be played indoors (we all seen how he played in the frigid cold come November/December), they have an established running game, he will have the chance to play Green Bay twice. The Cons - HE IS 40 YEARS OLD, for a passing game to be successful you need at least one big time receiver (do you really think Percy Harvin could be that receiver), they play Green Bay twice, he claims to have a bicep injury (a poor excuse for a bad performance down the stretch with the Jets), and again HE IS 40 YEARS OLD!!!!

WHAT IT MEANS TO HISPANICS

2009-05-01T09:21:00.004-04:00

ARTICLE FROM THE STAR LEDGER FROM M.A. MEHTA

A few days after the Jets' blockbuster draft-day trade, Gerry Salme hoped a man he had never heard of would help him.

Salme can't recite Mark Sanchez's career statistics or gauge his arm strength. He's not certain whether the Jets fleeced the Cleveland Browns or gave up too much to get the University of Southern California quarterback in last Saturday's NFL draft.

For the director of operations at the FOCUS Hispanic Center for Community Development in Newark, Sanchez's greatest impact will involve forging a connection with the nearly 1.4 million Hispanics in New Jersey.

Sanchez -- a 22-year-old third-generation Mexican-American -- became a fabric of the Latino community in Los Angeles during his college career. He was a role model to countless underprivileged Hispanic children, working with youth centers across the city.

"It would help our children if he could have that direct involvement," Salme said. "It would motivate them, raise their self-esteem and give them hope that they also can become professional athletes if they set their minds to it."

Sanchez's charisma could also fuel the National Football League's efforts to boost its Hispanic fan base, estimated at 25 million people. The league's diversity initiatives to attract Latino followers have included promoting stars like Pro Bowl tight end Tony Gonzalez and playing a regular-season game in Mexico City.

Sanchez, who will practice with the Jets for the first time Friday in Florham Park, already has a solid foundation playing for a team that was one of the first in the NFL to broadcast its games in Spanish. His No. 6 jersey is the top seller coming out of the draft and the hottest piece of team merchandise this week, said Matt Higgins, executive vice president of business operations for the Jets.

"The dynamic is already in place for Mark," Higgins said. "It doesn't have to be contrived on our part. He's already got a deep following in the Hispanic community. Now that he's on the national stage in the capital of the world, that's only to grow."

Sanchez's bi-coastal appeal also could turn him into a mega-star if he lives up to the Hollywood hype.

"The guy's got an unbelievable opportunity to do some damage," said Ryan Schinman, president of Platinum Rye Entertainment, a Manhattan advertising consultant. "He's the player on the Jets now. He can be a terrific inspiration for other Hispanics. He knows he can make a difference."

He knows the dangers, too.

OVERNIGHT SENSATION

Kids in Los Angeles were sticking out their bellies and looking to the heavens, mimicking that funky windup.

Nick Sanchez Jr. vividly remembers the summer of 1981 when Fernando Mania swept the city. Dodgers pitcher Fernando Valenzuela, the pudgy son of a poor Mexican farmer, had become an overnight sensation in Hispanic neighborhoods. Stickball games were sprinkled with children filled with hope.

When Sanchez's kid brother started his first game for USC in 2007, it was Fernando Mania all over again. Fans gravitated to Mark Sanchez, wearing serapes and homemade T-shirts with Â¡Viva Sanchez! stretched across their chests. The Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, USC's home field, became one big Latino festival complete with well-wishers chanting for their newest hero.

"The fans were just wild for him," said Nick Sanchez, a former quarterback at Yale. "The Hispanic community had somebody to root for in a position where they rarely have. He embraced it. He was playing for everybody ... the whole city. It wasn't just one community. But he was really grateful for that and tried to honor them in return."

Sanchez's simple gesture of thanks caused an uproar.

Midway through the 2007 season, the USC dentist gave the quarterback a custom-made mouthpiece emblazoned with the Mexican flag.

Sanchez's four-touchdown performance against Notre Dame in his second career start was quickly overshadowed by the firestorm over the mouthguard. Detractors questioned Sanchez's patriotism, calling his decision to wear the protective gear a sign of radical activism.

Sanchez, stunned at the backlash, received threatening letters.

"In his eyes, it was a fun thing to do," Nick Sanchez said. "He called it a high-five or thanks to them for being so supportive of him. It wasn't some sort of planned political stance. He really didn't know how folks would respond to it. He didn't think it would be negative in any way. So, it surprised him."

Sanchez's popularity within the Latino community continued to soar after he ditched the mouthpiece.

Before long, he found support in the strangest places.

SOURCE OF PRIDE

Fabian Ruiz is ready to root for a man on a team he despises.

The Rutgers tight end won't pull a No. 6 Sanchez jersey over his head anytime soon, but the life-long Miami Dolphins fan wants the rookie quarterback to succeed.

"There definitely is a source of pride," said Ruiz, who left Cuba at age 6 and settled in Miami. "We've come a long way. Especially now when there's a lot of talk of immigration, it's nice to know that a Mexican-American is highly thought of somewhere."

Said Paterson Mayor Jose Torres: "He's clean-cut and very humble. He's going to be an asset on and off the field as a role model for young Latino men to emulate."

Rutgers linebacker Manny Abreu, a Union City native, hopes Sanchez will make a trip there to steer Hispanic kids toward the game. He hopes having a Mexican-American at the most important position in the biggest market can pave the way for limitless opportunities for Latinos in football.

"He can show that baseball is not the only Hispanic sport," Abreu said. "And that football is obviously out there. We just need to push our young kids in that direction."

For long-suffering Jets fans, Sanchez could be the one who finally delivers a Super Bowl.

For Hispanics everywhere, he could be so much more.

NFL DRAFT

2009-04-24T17:05:00.004-04:00

The 2009 NFL Draft is finally here giving you a little taste of what is to come for the 2009 season. This is where teams really rebuilt and establish themselves for the future. You can say all you what about free agency but look where it has taken the Redskins. The draft is where you can get the future standouts even in the middle or late rounds. Who will your team decide to draft? Everyone is a critic and you can never satisfy your fans nowadays even if you have the first pick in the draft. Will he be a franchise player or bust!!!!!

It's Amazing!!

2009-04-17T09:19:00.003-04:00

PREDICTION - LAKERS VS. CAVS

2009-04-16T11:59:00.002-04:00

Not only will this be a great NBA Finals but it will go down as one of the best matchups since Magic vs. Bird. Each player knows how important it is for their team to win a championship. Every minute you are on the floor, every shoot that you take, every basket counts! The higher ups are basically praying for a prestigious matchup, just think of all the promotion and ratings for a meeting of two of the top players in the league today. They both have their work cut out for them but the Cavaliers seem to have an easier road to the Finals. Prediction Kobe wins his fourth championship (finally without Shaq)!

NBA PLAYOFFS ARE FINALLY HERE

2009-04-16T09:26:00.003-04:00

East: (1) Cleveland Cavaliers vs (8) Detroit Pistons

(2) Boston Celtics vs (7) Chicago Bulls

(3) Orlando Magic vs (6) Philadelphia 76ers

(4) Atlanta Hawks vs (5) Miami Heat

West: (1) Los Angeles Lakers vs (8) Utah Jazz

(2) Denver Nuggets vs (7) New Orleans Hornets

(3) San Antonio Spurs vs (6) Dallas Mavericks

(4) Portland Trail Blazers vs (5) Houston Rockets

Better Deal?

2009-04-07T15:17:00.007-04:00

Although Johan Santana seemed to struggle at times he did not look no where near as bad as C.C. Sabathia did on Opening Day. There has been talk that the Yankees passed up on Johan Santana because in the end they really wanted C.C. Sabathia, if there is some truth to this, did the Yankees make the right move? It's hard to tell after only one game but Santana looked more composed, managed the game well, and most of all recorded seven strike outs. Who do you believe will have a better season?

RECESSION? NOT HERE?

2009-03-27T14:18:00.006-04:00

Recession Proof Yankees! That is absolutely right, during these economic times only the Yankees can afford to spend and offer players a boat load of "dinero." With the creation of the new stadium the Yankees seem to have moved away from the old baseball tradition of offering middle class families and blue collar workers some entertainment value. The new stadium is completely geared to offer corporations and upper class individuals the life of luxury for merely 3 hours. Even the bleacher seats are now obstructed by the member's only "Mohegan Sun Sports Bar!" Wghile the financial capital of the world continues to struggle during this recession only the Yankees seem to overcome this epidemic. With the MTA and the NYC cabs both raising their fares, you would think that the Yankees would keep prices the same or offer better ticket deals for season ticket holders to help families go to the game, NOPE! Instead the Yankees have shafted hundreds of season ticket holders by either moving them to another location (higher up seats or obstructed views) or hiking up the prices. With all these banks and corporations failing, how exactly are the Yankees getting all of their funding? You cannot expect nothing less because the Yankees are the "Yankees," playing in the greatest city in the world, they are expected to be above the rest. In this case they are clearly above banks, corporations, and probably even the government, damn those RECESSION PROOF YANKEES!

Kobe Lessons - Get Your Game Up!

2009-03-20T16:37:00.002-04:00

LET THE MADNESS BEGIN!

2009-03-19T09:37:00.001-04:00