Zito...

Just saw that Barry Zito signed with the San Francisco Giants for $126 million over seven years. That is way more than I thought he would get. I think that he is a very good fit with the Giants. They needed a veteran pitcher and they have a great ballpark for him. In addition, he knows the city and is comfortable there. I could see him putting up a huge 2007 in San Francisco, but the overall size of the contract is way more than I feel he deserves. In any event, the Giants have a very good rotation, but serious issues with their line-up.

From a Mets perspective, I have mixed feelings about this deal. I wanted Zito, but there is no way I would have wanted them to pay this much. The Giants blew away the competition with this offer, so I can not wonder if the Mets made the wrong move. I still hope the Mets acquire a starter though. Not sure who is out there, but I would offer a Heilman/Milledge combo out there and see whats out there...

What a Predicament

I can honestly say that I have never seen a team in the situation that the Giants are in this week. They have sent their fans on a rollar coaster of emotions through out the season, from a 6-2 start to the disgust of the 7-8 record they currently hold. The fans don't like the coach and are continually frustrated with the quarterback. There has appeared to be no discipline on this team from the start, yet the team is still in control of its playoff destiny. Talking to different Giant fans, it is clear that they are conflicted on what they want for the rest of the season. Is it worth it to go 8-8 and lose in the first round of the playoffs? Is it better to lose this week and make major changes in the offseason? Does this team , at 8-8, still have a chance to make a run in the postseason?

Last night I was hanging out with my roommate and The 50 Greatest Moments at MSG came on TV. It was up to the moment when Larry Johnson got that four point play in the 1999 playoffs against the Pacers. As we watched, my roommate asked me how the Knicks were able to go from being so good, to so bad in what seems like such a short time. While there are many ways to answer this, a correlation with this years' Giants popped into my head. That season the Knicks were the #8 seed and barely made the playoffs. They ended up winning series after series, and lost in the NBA Finals. It was a memorable postseason run, but it also masked the deficiencies of that team. No changes were made in the offseason and two years later they were trading Patrick Ewing for expensive players, Allan Houston and Latrell Sprewell were getting old, and Marcus Camby was a walking disabled list. Jeff Van Gundy walked out on the franchise and within four years of being in the NBA finals the Knicks were a NBA doormat.

The NFL is much different as far as being able to rebuild a franchise. There is much greater salary cap flexibility and contracts are not guaranteed. One bad offseason though can set a team back for a couple seasons though. Some people believe that if the Giants brass gets fooled by making the playoffs, or even making a playoff run, that they will miss out on the changes that the Giants clearly need.

I do not buy into this way of thinking. My reason for this is that no matter what, the Giants are making major changes. The General Manager, Ernie Accorsi, is retiring. The only question is if the replacement is form within the organization or not. In addition, Tiki Barber is retiring. He not only is the teams' starting running back, but probably its best player and one of its strongest personalities. Lastly, the offensive coordinator has already been fired. Those are three major parts of a team that will be changed. While some people want wholesale changes, that may not be needed. In addition, whomever the new GM is will make changes to mold the team more into his own product.

Swallow your pride. Root for the Giants this weekend, and hope for a playoff run. Changes will be made no matter what in the offseason. This is a team that still has a ton of talent. It had a rough season, but it is not over. Personally, I would love nothing more than to win this weekend and then go into Philly for a Wild Card playoff game and end their season. If that happens, I don't care about the ups and downs. I will be happy with this season and look forward to the changes and hope that next season can be more consistent and last even longer.

• I will try to get longer post in after the New Year. Things have been pretty hectic lately. I am getting in what I can.

STKAFI

My Bad

I just realized that I was too soft on the Giants. While I still agree that it is all good if they make the playoffs, I left out that changes need to be made no matter what. I find it similar to when the Mets brought in Omar Minaya. At that point in time, the "patients were running the asylum." Guys like Al Leiter, John Franco, Tom Glavine and Mike Stanton were using their veteran status to influence the direction of the team, often times in a negative way. The GIants right now have a core group of players who have been on the team for a while and dominate the mood of the team. This past season it was a problem on a number of occasions. We know Tiki will be gone. Shockey will stay and Strahan will most likely stay. Burress and Manning will obviously stay as well. There will be a new GM and possibly a new head coach. I would strongly consider getting rid of Strahan. He has had a ton of injury problems, and even more media problems. He still can produce on the field, but the franchise may need to turn the page on this group of veterans. The most valuable development though would be the QB developing and finally taking a strong leadership role on this team.

G-G-G-G-G-bye Unit??

I am very impressed that that Yankees are looking to trade Randy Johnson. Unlike with AROD, they realize that Johnson is not producing the way they would like and cutting their losses before it gets worse. He can dump the remainder of his contract and still get back some talent in return. Randy never came up clutch for the Yanks, but I still believe that he had the most dominating stuff on the pitching staff when he was healthy. Their rotation may be more consistent without him, but they still lack a pure #1 stopper. Randy always had that potential, but it appears that he has run out of chances in New York.

STKAFI

I Just Don't Give a F*ck

When it comes to the G-men, I don't. Not in the way you think though. I don't care if they make the playoffs at 8-8. To me, making the playoffs is an acomplishment in itself. Look, this has been the toughest season that I have ever had to experience as a Giant fan. The expectations were so high on every level. The team was coming off of a division title, the quarterbakc was supposed to be entering his break-out year and the defense was hyped as having the best pass rush in the league. There was some skepticism concerning the difficulty of the schedule, especially early, but after starting 6-2 greater expectations dwarfed any concern. Since that time the Giants have gone 1-6, but they somehow still control their own destiny. I understand the tremendous frustration that Giant fans are feeling, but don't go crazy just yet. If the Giants win this week, then who cares what happened in the past two months? They would be in the playoffs, on the road, and playing a team that everyone would think they could win.

I have gone back and forth on this Giant season so many times. That is why I am not getting excited about the opportunity to win this week and be in the playoffs. At the same time though, if they get in, I will be energized. If they win a Wild Card game, I will consider this season as an improvement over last season. The playoffs are what matters, even if the regular season was as wierd, or pathetic as the Giants one was this year.

As for the GM, and potential coach vacancy, I would be calm. If the Giants get killed in Washing ton, and blow this chance I would strongly consider firng Coughlin. In addition, I would interview Scott Pioli, the current GM in New England. If the interview went well I would hire Pioli, and hope he can bring in Charlie Weis. My ideal situation still remains to make the playoffs, keep Coughlin and hire the GM from within. This team is definitely flawed, but it needed to be humbled. The coach, the QB, the wide-out/TE, the defense and the fans. There was too much talk. I honestly believe that this group would come back stronger next season. It is really pointless to write all of this though. Lets see what happens Saturday night and go from there.

Jets

Great win last night. The playoff picture is set up perfect for them. If they don't beat Oakland they don't deserve to be in. In the same respect though, I can say that about four different games the Giants lost this season. Just win the game and you will get the props you deserve.

Bizzaro Knicks Game

Yes, I went to the Knicks game last night. My boss came over to me at 3:00 and said he had two seats in section 58 if I wanted them. Basically these seats would be front row at a hockey game and at a basketball game they are the first section behind the folding chairs. I was across from the Knick bench, about 15 rows off the court. It was insane. I brought my dad and we had a great time. So much to tell, I do not know where to start. I will just break it down as best I can...

• I was pumped to see Adam Morrison and he did not disappoint. While he did not have a great game, he had a very good first half. The highlight was seeing him hit a jumper and then yell "Keep talkin shit, I'll make that all day" to a fan in the front row that was heckling him. I honestly was hoping he would have dropped 40, but that was not to be. In any event, he is officially one of my favorite players, and horrendously ugly.
• There was a guy sitting behind us that was the worst kind of fan. He would yell out things that made him sound like he knew what he was talking about, except he would say them too late. Here are a couple examples....Guy shoots a free throw and half a second after it hits the rim he yells "short." The Knicks get the back with 15 seconds left in the first half and he yells "last shot" after they were already walking it up. There are more examples, but those were the best (or worst) of them.
• There was an all-star squad of 1990's basketball personalities at the game. The usual Knicks, Patrick Ewing, Charles Oakley, and John Starks. In addition Michael Jordan (part owner of the Charlotte Bobcats) was there accompanied by his boy Ahmad Rashaad. I was waiting for Ahmad to take out a NBA on NBC mic and ask Michael such questions as "How does it feel to be back at the Garden?", "What strip club do you want to hit up after the game?" or "When you gunna pay be the 50k you owe me from poker last night?". Funny anecdote...Jordan was initially sitting across from the Bobcat bench, and then at halftime he moved to midcourt next to Oakley and Ewing. John Starks meanwhile was somewhere off to the side. Ewing and Jordan are Hall of Famers, so they can sit where they want. Oakley gets to sit where he wants as well, which I think is self explanitory. I guess Starks should have shot better than 3-18 in Game seven and he could have been at midcourt as well....
• "Rob" from Staten Island (random fan) his a three point shot to win 10k at one of the timeouts. Always a great moment that gets the crowd going. He proceeded to gesture to the crowd and go over to the Knick bench and pound his chest, show the "New York" on the front of his jersey to them, and yell. Considering the Knicks were down by 19 at that time, maybe it helped spark them....?
• One more Jordan note....when he was first shown on the big screen the Bulls music from their intro accompanied him on the loud speaker. The crowd went nuts and he got a standing ovation. Basically Michael Jordan (who killed the Knicks year after year) got more cheers last night than Isiah has for the entire season. Is it possible that Isiah could hate him more now than he already did? Doubt it, but this sure did not help...
• Disturbingly, I once again found myself cheering for the Bobcats. When I was not consciously thinking about it, I would fine myself saying "nice pass" or "there ya go" to a Charlotte play. I am embarrassed for myself to do that at a Knick game. Isiah, I hate you.
• Andy Samberg and Seth Meyers from SNL showed up to the game as well. I really really wanted to go up to Samberg and comment on his "D*ck in a Box" song from this past episode. I bet if my boy Buns were there he would have. First of all he is a bigger fan of the show than I am, plus one of his roommates and Samberg are related. Not really, but they look like each other. Watever...check out the clip... http://youtube.com/watch?v=-pkkzX-N2QE
• Being so close to the action made me realize that it is not hard to be a basketball scout. Now I understand how Bill Simmons knows so much about basketball and probably can't dribble with his left hand. When you are that close, players effort is so apparent, as is their hands, vision, and quickness. I was very impressed with Raymond Felton, but I still don't think he will ever be as good as Deron Williams or Chris Paul. Okafor is a great defensive player, with a non-stop motor. Morrison looked good, but he needs to not shoot so many jumpers, and try not to force his game. I won't comment on the Knicks players. I have seen them so much, and I know them too well.
• Oh yeah....The game went to double OT and the Knicks won on one of the craziest endings of all time.
• Also, I saw Jim Dolan at the game. I really hope that fans heckle him good. He is a jerk and a punk. If I knew I was not going to get kicked out, or banned from the Garden I would have gone up to him and told him what a loser he is.
• I had a great time with my dad. After going to so many games of different sports with my boys its nice to go wit my dad and remember how it used to be. Usually I am wasted and just messin around. With my dad it was the same as when I would go to games with him when I was a little kid. We hung out, talked, laughed and really enjoyed great basketball and greater entertainment around us. Nights like this don't happen nearly enough, so even with my Knick issues, I will always go and hope they turn out this fun.
• Lastly, I want to give credit to Bernie Bikerstaff, the Charlotte coach. With all the attention being given to Isiah and Doc Rivers, he has not been mentioned nearly enough for what a horrible coach he is. All game Okafor had an advantage down low. Frye, Curry and Lee all can't guard a good post-up player. He waited until the Bobcats were down in the fourth quarter to go to him. I don't understand his substitutions, and the defense on that last play was embarrassing. With Jordan probably watching his first game of this team all year, that is not a good way to impress. Maybe Jordan as too busy checking out the Knick City Dancers with Rashaad and Oakley to notice though....

STKAFI

The Answer

I am extremely pumped for AI to go to the Nuggets. Combining Iverson and Carmelo Anthony will prove to be one of the most explosive duos in NBA history. They both have somewhat surely reputations, but I believe they are two of the most misunderstood players in the NBA. People are saying that their won't be enough shots to go around and that will lead to problems with each other and problems with their somewhat combustible coach (George Karl). I do not buy it.

Iverson has been in the league for 11 years. He has consistently performed at a tremendously high level and is probably one of the top 25 or 30 players of all time. He has been to the NBA finals once, but over all his teams have been up and down. The fact remains though that he has never had anything close to a second all-star (Mutumbo in 2002 was all defense, no offense) or legitimate scoring option on his team. I have never heard any of his teammates, current or former, say anything negative about him. While his practice habits have been questioned, he plays his hardest 48/82 (48 minutes/82 games).

Carmelo is in his fourth year in the league. He has yet to make an All-Star game, but has been in the playoffs every year. His team has lost in the first round in each of those seasons though. TO be fair, with the exception of last year against the Clippers, his team was a heavy underdog in each series. He has not had the same success as either Lebron James or Dwayne Wade so far in his career. In addition he has had many off the court problems. The fact remains though that he is still just 22 years old and prior to the fight Saturday night he was leading the league in scoring. He, much like Iverson (unlike Lebron), always plays hard and seems to be on a mission.

Combined, Iverson and Carmelo average 11 assists per game. That is a very good number for a teams' top two scorers. Not only are these two going to be the top two scorers in Denver, but they are presently the top two scorers in the entire NBA. Carmelo has shown that while being a tremendous player, he still struggles as a leader. Iverson can come in and be a mentor for Carmelo. I think both will defer to one another in some respects off the court. On the court though they are both tremendous competitors and I think that as will both be able to produce. They will probably not each average 30 ppg, but they will be good enough. Another important aspect is the fact that George Karl has a lot of experience coaching stars. While he has clashed with players in the past, he has their respect due to his track record and his toughness.

The Trade

I think that Philly got a good deal. Definitely not a great one, but probably as good as they could hope for. Andre Miller is a very good player who has one year left on his deal after this season. He could be an All Star, or he could also be used as trade bait. There are many teams in this league who would love to have Miller as their PG. Joe Smith has an expiring contract, and while the two 2007 draft picks will be in the 20's, this draft has been hyped as one of the deepest in years.

The fact is though that the Sixers did not get an impact young player (unless you count one of those two draft picks). There was not much out there though. The Clippers would not give up Shawn Livingston and the Celtics would not trade Al Jefferson. The Wolves would trade Randy Foye, but they did not have the expiring contracts to match with him, or any first round draft pick this decade.

Overall...Nuggets (A) Sixers (B)

AI will cost a lot in luxury tax for the Nuggets, but it is always good to see ownership stepping up to the plate and showing their fans they will pay the price to win. The Sixers will see the real benefits of this trade after next season when Webbers' contract is off of their books and they have a ton of young talent on their roster.

STKAFI

It's Official

Up to this point in the NBA season I have been going back and forth on the Knicks. From game to game, half to half, play to play. I root for them, then I can't stand them, then for some laughs I root for them again, then they do something so ridiculous that I have to root against them. After this brawl and the unbelievable aftermath I am done. I did not make this decision consciously. Instead, I was at my office party last night and the Knicks fell behind as usual. By the time I got home they had recovered and had the lead. I was drunk and without thinking, reacted in disgust. Down the stretch I was cheering made baskets by Utah and watching with glee when Crawford would chuck crazy shots, or when Curry would go for a rebound with out boxing out and have a guy four inches shorter snatch it from him. In the end the Knicks won against a top team, but I am sick of the organization and its antics.

The team has built up this "me against the world" persona. It really seems like everyone is against them, from New York fans, to NBA fans across the globe, to local/national media, to other NBA franchises. Teams enjoy coming into the Garden and sticking it to the Knicks while the fans boo. It is pathetic, and symbolic of the embarrassing operation that Isiah is running.

At the same time I still enjoy talking about the Knicks with other Knicks fans. Everyone is going through the same dilemma and whether any of us choose to boo or cheer, there is a mutual respect. That is much more than we can say about the product that is put on the court.

Other stuff

• I was impressed by the Utah team. I had wanted to see them play since they got off to such a good start. Deron Williams is a top five point guard in the league. The front line is tremendous, but I would like to see them have another guy who can create his own shot. Okur is a great shooter, and Boozer is great in the low post. Kirilinko has freakish talent, but a very raw offensive game. I like Harpring off the bench, but they still need another piece. Over all though, a very solid team that does not get rattled, and obviously has a top five coach in Jerry Sloan.
• I finished The Education of a Coach by David Halberstam. It is about Bill Bellichek, his family and career. Besides learning about him as a man and how he became the man he is today, the best parts are his dissection of the Buffalo Bills offense in Super Bowl XXV and the St. Louis Rams offense in Super Bowl XXXVI. He is a flat out football genius, and any team that he gets into the playoffs is extremely dangerous. Reading this is what makes me feel that he will be the guy who beats the Chargers in the playoffs. Unless his offense turns over the ball, there is no way his team can lose to a QB such as Phil Rivers. Can he lose to Manning? Yes. Palmer? Yes. McNair? Maybe. No one else in the AFC though.
• In a related note, the AFC is all that matters, because the NFC is a joke. As I said a couple weeks ago, there is going to be one 8-8 team in the playoffs and maybe even two. The only team that has a chance in the Super Bowl is Dallas. Chicago has a brutal QB and an overrated defense. I would say Seattle, but only is Shawn Alexander remembers how to run the football.
• Mets are going to meet with Zito today....If I am the Texas Rangers I am insulted. Texas offered Zito $100 million two weeks ago and he is still waiting on the Mets. In the end i see him coming ot New York for 5-6 years $80-90 million.
• Yankee fans...Thoughts on trading Melky for bullpen help?? I am very much against it. The bullpen is not the reason the Yankees have not won a title since 2000. Getting old and lack of starting pitching is. Melky is a young guy who does not care about playing time. Would it surprise anyone for either Damon, Matsui, Abreu, or even Giambi to miss an extended periond of time? Keep Melky! I understand wanting to bring back Bernie, but his time has passed. Let him walk away. He has given the Yankees many great years, but they also gave him a lot. I feel that it is time to let him go and stick with Melky as the fourth outfielder.
• Random...I love that I continue to get invites to different New Year's Eve parties at bars. Every invitation has the same characteristics....costs minimum $75, has a "great DJ:, not over-crowded, "best deal in town", oh and if you pay double you can get the VIP treatment. They should really say, always a rip-off and a guaranteed horrible time!
• I love that I scored 130 points in fantasy, while the teams that are still in it all had less than that. I will be back with Rudi Johnson, LDT and a high draft pick that the scrubs that finished higher though...
• Im rooting for you smruph in the finals though....glad you took out Curtis, go is back to where he belongs with a 70 pt week.

STKAFI

Weekend Follies

Before I get to any NFL stuff I have to address the fight at the Garden Saturday night. I did not see it live, but I received updates through out the night, and then watched many replays and read a few articles on the subject. First off, I want to make it clear that this fight was nothing close to the Pistons/Pacers brawl from 2004. This fight was more reminiscent of the old Knicks/Heat fights from the 1990's. While it spilled into the crowd briefly, the Garden security did a great job and there were many players/coaches trying to break it up as well. Fights like this happen in baseball a few times a year, it is always appears crazier in basketball though because the fans are so close to the action. Also, people perceive basketball players differently because of the "hip-hop" characteristic they bring to the sport. That is a much more difficult issue to dive into, so I will just examine this crazy scene individually.

The first culprit is George Karl. There is no way that he should still have his starters in the game at that point. His team is up by 20 points with 2:00 to play. At that point it was clear he was trying to prove something to Isiah/the Knicks and daring them to respond. At that point Isiah apparently told his team to foul them hard on any lay-ups. While I understand that feeling, you need to have more composure than to respond that way to Karls' lack of class.

Mardy Collins did basically what is coach told him to by fouling a guy hard on an open lay-up. Its tough to kill JR Smith since he was the one who got fouled. A natural reaction is to back up to the guy who fouled you. The main instigators are Carmelo Anthony and Mate Robinson. Robinson and Anthony went right into the scuffle with no intentions of breaking anything up. Robinson began jawing with and then wrestling with Smith. Anthony was being held back and then broke free to punch Collins in the face. At that point it seemed like half the Knicks team tried to get after Anthony while he back peddled. The officials did the right thing by ejecting all 10 guys on the court. The Nuggets did the right thing by not commenting on any of it after the game. The Knicks on the other hand showed another example of how low this organization has fallen. Instead of saying that it was an unfortunate event and they could have prevented it, guys like Isiah and Robinson are talking about how the Nuggets were trying to embarrass them and they felt they needed to respond. To me that is a joke. I understand that the Nuggets are not doing the right thing, but that does not give you carte blanche to attack them. All the Knicks had to do was swallow their pride and play hard. At the end of the game Isiah could have voiced his displeasure and everyone would have agreed with him. Now he and his team look just as bad as the Nuggets.

Predictions on suspensions (only main culprits):

Carmelo Anthony: 10 games
J.R. Smith: 5 games
Nate Robinson: 5 games
Mardy Collins: 3 games
Jared Jefferies: 2 games
Isiah Thomas: 2 games

Carmelo was an instigator and threw a punch, Robinson was a main instigator, Smith fought and instigated, Collins started it all with the foul and Jefferies tried chasing Carmelo down the court and could barely be restrained. Isiah did not fight at all, but there are reports that he ordered hard fouls and after the game his comments were inappropriate. In addition, the league should come down harder considering the players union will appeal and chances are the suspensions will be slightly reduced after that.

Giants

A very bad loss. I don't have much to say. The defense did not play well, especially on the go ahead drive at 23-21 Giants. At home, late in the season with the playoffs still within your control you can not lose that game. In the same respect though, the Eagles have played great in the last month after Donavan McNabb went down. As a Giant fan I feel that they had a ton of opportunities (as usual). I still feel that they will get into the playoffs, but I obviously would have been much more confident had they won this game. Not the Eagles and Cowboys are ahead of them within their own division. The only good news is that the Eagles go into Dallas next weekend. It is going to be tough, but Atlanta and Carolina both lost this week as well. It is very conceivable for the Eagles and Giants to be the two wild card teams, even if one is at 8-8.

Jets

Sorry Jet fans. Did not watch any of the game. I see that they won, while Jacksonville and Kansas City lost. Looking good at the moment, but next week is HUGE.

Other Stuff

• How else can I say that LDT is the best in the league. Not sure if he is the best ever as some are saying. The only one that I have seen play at this high of a level on such a dominant team is Marshall Faulk for about a four year period with the Rams. He did not run the ball as well though, but got more receptions.
• Do the Eagles have a chance in Dallas? Yes. I think their defense will cause fits for Romo, and they could easily come out of Dallas in control of the division.
• I really like what the Chargers are doing, but I do not think Rivers is able to the big plays and stay away from the turnover in the postseason, especially against the Pats. I honestly feel that the Patriots will go into San Diego and beat the Chargers with in the Divisional Round, or the Conference Chamionship. Bellichek will dissect Rivers like he did Big Ben two years ago.
• If Buster Olney is on target and the Mets are going after Alex Rios, I would definitely be in favor. He broke out last year, with the exception of an injury. The Mets have enough bullpen depth to deal Heilman. In addition, Green is definitely not an answer in right.

STKAFI

Not Enough...

Like Jordan, I am encouraged by the Knicks effort in their last game. They looked good from beginning to end both offensively and defensively. Jared Jeffries has played well since he returned from injury, and the backcourt has been more fluid since Stevie Franchise has been out of the line-up. Channing Frye is expected back some time this week, and he will provide more inside scoring punch. Eddy Curry has been playing at an all star level for the past three weeks and the league has noticed.

With all that being said though, the Knicks are still five games under .500 and in the worst division in the history of the NBA possibly. They just had a very impressive win, but it came against an Atlanta Hawk team without their best player. No team in the NBA should lose to the Hawks at home when Joe Johnson isn't playing for them. I really can not get too wrapped up in that victory. Now, the Knicks play in Indiana tonight and then are at home against Denver tomorrow. They could very easily lose both of those two games, and then we will be up in arms once again.

This Knick team has plenty of talent, but it is bogged down by way too many bodies, high salary and a horrible head coach. In addition, it has a black cloud hovering over in the form of the fans and media. No one likes this team. Not the individual players, but the people that constructed it, Isiah and Jim Dolan (owner). In addition, the fans and media are sick of the propaganda that is spewed from MSG Network. Dolan and Isiah are both very hard headed and are not straight up guys. They think they are smarter than the next guy (fans and media alike) and continue to dig their own graves. This results in a snowball effect where the fans start to boo. After the fans boo, Isiah talks and the fans get on him even more. Why can't Isiah actually try to be himself and not put on some public face preaching positivity and patience? Be emotional with the fans and tell them you are tyring your best! The BS that comes out of his mouth, the owner and what they feed to the MSG network is an insult to us all.

At this point I still feel that the best case scenario for the Knicks is to fire Isiah, bring in a young, smart GM and totally gut the front office. The only untouchables in my mind are Curry and David Lee. Three others that I really like are Quentin Richardson, Renaldo Balkman and Jared Jefferies. Other than that I would look to trade. Shed salary by moving a higher salary guy with a lower salary guy. Do not wast the mid-level exemption on an average player for a couple years. Act like you don't have the most money in the NBA for 3-4 years and then come back with a vengeance when the team is better constructed. This thing needs to be totally ripped up before it can be build to the top again. Look at what Phoenix and Orlando did with their franchises. They were locked into long term deals with players they did not want. They traded for any cap relief they could find, got draft picks, got lucky in the lottery and now they are back where they want to be. This process is always shorter than you think. In any event, I enjoy watching these Knicks, and any further rebuilding will be much less painful than what Isiah and Dolan have made us sit through in these past three years.

STKAFI

Well Done

I have to big up the Boston Red Sox on their signing of Matsuzaka (Dice-K). I was very skeptical that they were going to get it done. In the end though they gave him six years and $52 million guaranteed. If I am a Red Sox fan, I am very happy. They gave Dice-K the annual salary that they intended to, but gave him the years that Boras wanted. I am sure the Sox would be happier at four years, but if he pitches as good as they hope, six years is fine.

I am not one of those people that combines the posting fee with the contract. The posting system is in place right now and there is no getting around it. Which ever team signed this guy would have paid some posting fee. The Yankees just paid $25 million for a guy who might not even be in their rotation and who some scouts project as a long reliever. This is the way business is done with Japanese players, so you have to consider the contract and the posting fee mutually exclusive. Hopefully this posting system will change over time, but right now its the way business is done.

As for the Red Sox, they look very good on paper right now.

Dice-K
Beckett
Schilling
Palpebon
Lester
Wakefield

I would keep Palpebon in the pen since they appear to have a glaring weakness at closer and five capable starters. After this season, Schillings' contract is up and there is a chance that he retires. If that is the case, move Palpebon then, and go after a big time closer. Maybe Craig Hansen will have developed into the stopper they projected by then.

1. Julio Lugo SS
2. Kevin Youkilis 1B
3. Big Papi DH
4. Manny LF
5. JD Drew RF
6. Jason Varitek C
7. Mike Lowell 3B
8. Coco Crisp CF
9. Dustin Pedoria 2B

This is a team that has a deep line-up and is very good defensively. They have a solid fourth outfielder in Wily Mo Pena, which is key considering Drew's health issues and Mannys' head issues. They need a back-up catcher who is better than Mirabelli, and who can catch Wakefield. They have Alex Cora, who can play multiple infield positions off the bench as well. Their bullpen has issues, but over all, this is a much better ballclub than what they finished up 2006 with.

Ultimately, it comes down to how they match up with the Yankees. I like what the Yankees have done with their pitching. They have a bunch of older guys who have proven they can pitch in big games on short term deals. In addition, they have a bunch of promising young guys who they hope can take over in a year or two. Guys like Phil Hughes and Humberto Sanchez have a lot of potential. What I do not like though is that the Yankees pretty much stood pat with their line-up. They need a good defensive first baseman and a good back-up catcher. In addition, their outfield defense look horrendous. In addition, this AROD situation is three years deep and has shown no signs of improving. It gets to a breaking point every October, and the Yankee executives try to forget it over the offseason when no one is talking about it anymore.

The Yankees need the AROD soap opera gone. They will regret having Matsui and Damon in center and left. They will suffer if Giambi plays more than 20 games at first base. Randy, Pettitte, or Mussina will go down for the season in the middle of the year and Hughes will be given a shot. Wang had a great year, but his strikeout (or lack thereof) numbers are staggering. Guys like Rob Neyer have shown that it is borderline impossible to consistently have the success that Wang has had with so few K's. That will be interesting to watch. The bottom line though is the division title will come down to a big series between the Sox and the Yanks in September. As much as I root for the Blue Jays (my mom is from Toronto) realistically I do not know how they can match-up well with the Yanks and Sox. The Sox have done more this offseason, but they also had more holes. At this point both should be happy with where they are at.

Now if the Mets would only sign Zito so I can be content as well.........

STKAFI

Daisuke Matsuzaka

It has been almost one month since the Red Sox were awarded the winning bid on this Japanese right-hander. They put an astounding $51.1 million on the table just to have exclusive negotiating rights for one month. After that one month there are conflicting reports as to what may happen. Some believe that he will go back to Japan for one year, some believe for two years. Some believe that the team with the second highest bid will now have exclusive negotiating rights (see below). All I know is that this is a messy situation that could have not gone worse for the Red Sox or Matsuzaka.

I believe that the player agent (Scott Boras) and the Red Sox are both at fault with these negotiations. All indications are that since receiving the winning bid, the Sox have tried every which way to not pay a top dollar contract. There have been reports of them trying to lower their bid after winning by such a large margin, or gaining some sort of help from a Japanese team in some wacky marketing agreement. At this point though it is up to them to sign him to a contract, and the word is they want to pay him around $8-9 million a year. I do not care what they paid in a posting fee and that this pitcher is not a proven MLB commodity, but that is absurd. With Gil Meche getting $11 million a year for five years, Matsuzaka deserves more.

In the same respect thought Scott Boras has appeared more rigid on this negotiations than normal, which is saying something. He has come out and said that Matsuzaka deserves a five or six year deal worth about $100 million. I am sorry, but I am not making this guy only the third pitcher in the history of baseball to receive a $100 contract. I feel that the market has dictated a lot this offseason, but the posting fee should not be ignored in negotiations.

Barry Zito will get a contract either close to or over $100 million. While he is not good enough to deserve it, the market is so crazy right now he will get it. Matsuzaka could get a contract around $80. The posting fee is an additional, but expensive, expense and Matsuzaka has never made one major league pitch. A couple seasons ago he would have only received $50 or so, but the market right now is out of control. So many teams are spending, and doing it heavily on pitching. As far as the Sox/Boras debate, I think they are both at fault. If you are going to bid over $50 million on a guy, you better not try to low ball him on the contract. After all the bid is not being paid to him, but to Japanese baseball. Boras though is puting himself in the spotlight and not puting the best interests of his client. He is solely concerned with the money and not having his client in a MLB uniform for the 2006 season. I think the deadline will come and go without an agreement. I did not think this two weeks ago, but both sides have proven very stubborn in negotiations in the past (Red Sox with Pedro, Damon and Boras with AROD, Millwood, others...). This whole situation though is a joke and the Japanese baseball officials and MLB need to fix this bogus blind bidding process.

• The Sons Of Sam Horn Wiki, which is one of the most well respected Red Sox websites around, even frequented by the Red Sox owner as well as Curt Schilling, has a copy of the rules and procedures of the Japanese Player contract agreement.The interesting part of the agreement is the paragraph below, which is section 13... (13) The U.S. Commissioner shall have the authority to oversee the bidding procedures set forth in paragraphs (8) through (12) above to ensure that they not been undermined in any manner. Among other actions that he may deem appropriate and in the best interests of baseball, the U.S. Commissioner shall have the authority to revoke a U.S. Major League Club's exclusive negotiation rights with respect to a Japanese Player (and, subject to the Japanese Club's approval pursuant to paragraph (11) above, to award such rights to the next highest bidder, if any) and to declare null and void any contract between a Japanese Player and a U.S major League Club that the U.S. Commissioner deems was the result of conduct that was inconsistent with this Agreement or otherwise not in the best interests of professional baseball. Very interesting. So if the Red Sox were to fail to come to an agreement with Matsuzaka, which seems very likely at this time according to
  \nKeep in mind a wiki can be edited by anyone, and we would like to confirm with another source if this is truly the correct language of the agreement. \n\n",0]
  );
  D(["ce"]);
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  ESPN, the commissioner would have it in his power to award the rights to negotiate with him to the Mets, who were the next highest bidder. Stay tuned folks, this might get interesting.Keep in mind a wiki can be edited by anyone, and we would like to confirm with another source if this is truly the correct language of the agreement.
• Not sure if this is accurate, but if so the Mets wold be next in line and Omar would treat this much better than the Boston clowns have.
• Speaking of the Sox, I still feel that front office is fractured between Lucciano and Theo. I would be worried if I were a Sox fan. One of those guys needs to go, hopefully Lucciano...
• James Dolan spoke yesterday. When he apologized for hiring Larry Brown did anyone else wish he apologized for owning the team and not selling them? He is a joke, as is the team. I don't see how anyone can take him even relatively seriously.
• Marcus Giles is a free agent. I hope the Mets sign him to a one or two year deal. He would be perfect for them. He gets on base, is good defensively at second and is a very hard nosed player. In addition, as a righty, he would compliment Valentin who is a much better hitter from the left side. Giles is injury prine and Valentin is older, so it would be a good thing to support each of them.
• The latest report on Matsuzaka is the Red Sox are offering $8 million a year and Boras is looking for $11 million a year over six years.
• http://www.miraclefoundation.org/ Buy a gift for an orphan in India or you can by one in someone elses name as their own present.

STKAFI

NBA Generations

I am 23 years old. I first remember paying attention to NBA basketball when I was in the first grade. I vividly recall reading the box scores of the Knicks vs Nets in the New York Times. That was the 1989-1990 season. I remember the Knicks falling behind two games to none against the Celtics in the first round of the 1990 playoffs. They ended up coming back to win, with Patrick Ewing hitting the first three pointer of his career in game five to put the nail in the Celtics' coffin. The Knicks lost to the eventual champion Detroit Pistons in the next round, but my interest in NBA basketball was born.

That was a turning point in the history of the NBA. The 1980's were dominated by the Celtics and the Lakers. The 1990's would be dominated by Michael Jordans' Chicago Bulls. Every decade or so has a group of players that dominates the league. While I was not around to see much of it, the 1980's had Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, Isiah Thomas, Moses Malone and others. My first NBA generation of greatness was the 1990's. While Michael Jordan dominated them all, this "Dream Team" generation was a very impressive group. This is my list...

Michael Jordan
Hakeem Olajuwon
David Robinson
Karl Malone
John Stockton
Patrick Ewing
Charles Barkley
Scottie Pippen
Clyde Drexler

All of these players were drafted in the mid to late 1980's, but had their best years in 1990's. Not until the mid 1990's did the next generation of great young players hit the league. I would dub this the "Prep" Generation. They are a group who has a few signature qualities. They grew up idolizing Michael Jordan. They left college early or did not attend college at all. As a result of entering the league at such a young age they have had great expectations thrown on them and only now are people realizing their greatness. These players include...

Kobe Bryant
Tim Duncan
Kevin Garnett
Allen Iverson
Shaquille O'Neal (entered in 1992)
Tracy McGrady
Paul Pierce
Chris Webber
Jason Kidd

These are the names that have dominated the league for this decade. They are all almost at or past their 30th birthdays. In addition, there is already a young crop of players looking to dominate the league right now. Do these now older players have the ability to hold off the James', Anthonys, and Howards for a couple years? It will be an interesting time in the history of the NBA to watch.

Side note...I know Dwayne Wade won a title already, but Shaq was a big part of the team. In addition, the rest of the team were older veterans. I am looking for the next team of younger players to take the league by storm (Duncans' Spurs, Shaq/Kobe Lakers, Jordans' Bulls, etc).

The Answer

http://youtube.com/watch?v=eGDBR2L5kzI

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u4DR9YXLlSE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QZARgv6ulkg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ENNuPZXCUNo&mode=related&search=

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oWdp1bhUEfA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dmEdsjeRDDs&mode=related&search=


The reason I started thinking about this was a result of the ongoing Allen Iverson trade situation. Iverson has been by far my favorite athlete for some time now and I began to wonder where he ranks in NBA history. When I evaluate a players' spot in history I always like to start with his contemporaries. Iverson has played in a time that has been dominated, at least championships-wise, by Tim Duncan and Shaquille O'Neal. When you talk about the top players of this generation, those must be at the top. Comparing Iverson to these players though is not really fair though when you consider that he is borderline 6'0" and they are seven footers. It is fair to say though that the top two perimeter players of this generation are Kobe Bryant and Allen Iverson.

Coming out of Georgetown in 1996, AI was the number one overall pick in the NBA Draft. The Philadelphis Sixers drafted him and he was instantly the face of that franchise. He has been through numerous coaches, owners and GMs in the 11 years since he was drafted. He has seven all-star games, four scoring titles, two all-star game MVPs and one league MVP. What he has been able to do in this league is amazing considering he is not only short, but about 165 lbs. He has taken a beating through out his career, but continued to dominate.

His impact on society is even greater than that on the court. If there is one player since Michael Jordan that has captured the streets and the basketball world it is Iverson. He plays with such a combination of reckless abandon and sensational flair. He is lightning quick, and still is strong enough to finish at the basket. His style on and off the court has been critiqued by the suits in the league office and emulated by kids all over the globe. AI was the first to have corn rows. He tatted up his entire body and wore his shorts hanging below his knees. While he may not have been Wilt Chamberlain in the respect of them changing the game to stop him, but they sure changed the dress codes to try and stop him. He is as close to a revolutionary that there is in the sports world today. He is revered by all his teammates and has been constantly questioned by authority. His toughest couches in the past (John Thompson, Larry Brown) are now his most loyal supporters.

If you watch those You Tube clips you will see the greatness of AI. His uncanny ability on the court and his refreshing perspective off the court. He has made mistakes (arrested, rap album, etc) yet he has constantly stood in front of everyone and explained that as a man he is someone who is not perfect. He is doing his best just like we all are, and sometimes he screws up just like we all do.

Recently it was reported that AI demanded a trade. Some may feel that he is turning his back on the franchise and Philly. I strongly disagree. First of all this team has been trying to trade him for six years. Ever since Larry Brown's first year as coach they tried moving him. In that time he has never spoke out against the franchise. Over the years he has had an amazing lack of talent around him. It is tough for me to think of a greater player with less around him through out his career. Even with that though he brought his team to the 2001 NBA finals. In any event, this past week he demanded a trade, but he never said a word to the press. He approached the team as a man, and they complied. I can only hope that he goes somewhere that he can have a chance to win a title. He is not obsessed with his image or marketing like other players have been (see Jordan, Lebron, others). Instead, he is himself. Love him or hate him, its up to you.

• Next Generation? My prediction....Lebron James, Dwayne Wade, Carmelo Anthony, Chris Paul, Dwight Howard, Deron Williams, Adam Morrison....No college players yet, but I will shout out Joakim Noah always.
• My favorite three players to watch....Kobe, AI, Melo
• I love watching Knicks/Celts....the play is so undisciplined and the coaches are so bad that it supplies so many good laughs at the end of games. Can we please change the schedule so that they play once a week or something??
• Eddy Curry is developing into a very very good post player. He has two great post qualities....quick feet and soft hands, in addition to a very wide body. He will never be a great post player though until he gets the vision and ability to make passes out of the post to both open shooters and cutters. The best I have seen of this combo is Olajuwon, Webber (pre-microfracture), and Shaq. It is rare (Ewing never was a great passer), but he can at least improve form where he is at.
• Big rumor this morning is AI to the Warriors in a three-way deal with the Bulls.
• I was wondering what the puzzle piece that Isiah wore on his suits during games meant. It turns out its to support a non-profit organization that helps kids with autism. Here is a link to the website if you wanna help out or just be informed...
• http://www.autismspeaks.org/index2.php

STKAFI

This One Hurts...

I am a fantasy junkie. Ever since high school I have been participating in fantasy sports leagues. I have mostly competed in football or baseball, with a a couple tries at basketball and even Nascar this season. In the spring of 2005, a couple of my best friends at college and I started a keeper league. We each got together the best fantasy players that we knew and agreed that we would all compete in both football and baseball each year. It is a motley crew of guys that don't all know each other, but reconvene twice a year for each draft.

So far the Boston boys are the only to win a title. In addition, no #1 seed going into the playoffs has ended the season on top. I have made the playoffs in each of the four seasons so far. This is definitely a solid accomplishment, but obviously what is important is winning it all. This past baseball season I had a dominant squad. I had speed, power, hitting, and pitching. I ran away with the regular season title, but floundered in the playoffs. It stung, but I was already well aware of the #1 seed curse and wary of it burning me. This football season, I scored the most points in the league, but was the #4 seed due to poor luck in match-ups. I felt that this would be my chance to burn someone else and finally get my championship. Yesterday my team went up against "Craig Biggio Football." My team was definitely favored, mainly because I have the most dominant player in the history of fantasy football, Ladanian Tomlinson (LDT). LDT had a big day as usual, as did the majority of the rest of my guys. I racked up 127 points. On most days that gets you an easy win. Unfortunately, the team I faced had the week of their lives. They some how put up 171 points. Absolutely ridiculous. This loss burns more than any of the others by far. All I can say is I hope Maurice Jones-Drew tears his Schur, I mean ACL and Drew Brees dislocates his shoulder. Oh and the Miami defense comes down with a case of HPV.

In any event imagine how I felt going to sleep last night after having to watch Drew Brees single handedly destroy both the Dallas Cowboys and my fantasy season in the process. My girl was over and wanted to know why I was feeling so bummed. I attempted to explain it all to her. This was very therapeutic in one respect because it made be laugh thoroughly at how ridiculous I sounded. In addition I got response such as "You made the playoffs?? That is so great!!" or "You tried your hardest and has a nice season!!". I tried explaining that there are no moral victories in fantasy, but then I realized once again how silly I sounded. In any event, congratulations Craig Biggio for having the fantasy week of your life. I will be back with LDT waiting for you next season.

Giants

Great win. The QB played well, as did the defense. Not much more to say. Dallas lost, and now the division title is back in the picture. Another big game next week against Philly. If they can win out, they will be the most dangerous team in the NFC playoffs and a team that no one will want to face.

Jets

Tough loss. The Bills played well, and ran the football. The Jets gave up way too many big plays and the QB did not look good. The Jets do not have the talent to win a game that they do not set the tone in physically. The Bills pushed the Jets around from the beginning of this game and had them on their heels. When this happens, the Jets have no chance. Like I said before, I do not see them making the playoffs, but I think they will finish a very respectable 9-7. After the season they need to upgrade their skill positions. One thing I am quite certain of is that Chad Pennington, while dependable, is not a bigtime QB. He can only take you so far, and the Jets will need to upgrade over him before making a major playoff run.

STKAFI

http://www.iloveisiah.com/

STKAFI

GIANT Shadow

January 27, 1991 was a historic day in Giants history. It was the night of Super Bowl XXV, which the Giants won 20-19 over the Buffalo Bills. In addition it was the last game that Bill Parcells ever coached for the franchise. He left citing health issues and feeling "burnt out." Giants fans were of course dissapointed, but they could not be angry. he brought the organization two Super Bowls and returned them to an elite level that they had not seen in decades. The NY media constantly needs to reinforce the fact that the franchise was at its absolute best when Parcells ran the show and that his shadow has loomed ever since. The Giants have gone through four coaches since Parcells, but have never seemed as satisfied as when he was in charge.

The New York media loves to play up this story. Parcells is a guy that, in addition to being a great coach, is tremendously gregarious and likable with the press. The media has continued to measure Giant coaches next to Parcells large shadow. This is something that really pisses me off. Parcells has been gone for 15 years! Get over it! In the time since he left he has never reached the same success that he did with the Giants either. He has been just as inconsistant as the Giants and has been to just as many Super Bowls as them in the time since he left. Yet the media constantly beings his name up and will always float it out there when the Head Coaching position is open. There are already bogus rumors that Coughlin could get fired if the Giants collapse and Parcells could be sick of dealing with Jerry Jones and return to where he started his coaching career. What a joke! The media needs to forget about Parcells, because the franchise has. The fans loved him while he was here, but now we could care less about him. When he left he encorsed Ray Handley to be the next head coach! That is almost unbelievable considering how bad Handley was and how great some of Parcells other former assistants have been. The Giants have definitely had their problems since his departure, but are still better off than most teams in this league.

In any event, many people are beginning to hypothesise that Tom Coughlin could lose his job. In addition, many of these same pundits speak of Parcells as some sort of Greek God. While I do not agree with either of these possibilities, I know what would be the perfect solution to both of these feelings. This is something that I actually would love to happen, even if I don't think that it is going to happen. The Giants should go to South Bend, meet with Charlie Weis and give him the same offer that the Dolphins gave Nick Saban when they got him to leave LSU. They should offer him a four or five year deal that would pay him in the top five head coaches in the league. Since the Giant GM, Ernie Acorsi, is retiring the Giants would have an opportunity to bring someone in t GM who has a strong relationship with Charlie as well.

Charlie Weis is a Jersey guy. He was born and raised in New Jersey and is a former assistant with the Giants under Parcells. Insiders say that the Giants head coaching position would be his ideal job in the NFL. In addition to being an assistant with the Giants, he was an assistant under Parcells in New England and the Jets. When Belicheck got the Head Coaching job in New England, Weis became his offensive coordinator. After winning three Super Bowls in four years, he left New England to be come the Head Coach at Notre Dame, his alma mater. He has been at Notre Dame only two seasons, but has reinvigorated the program with two straight BCS bowl bids and has them once again as a recruiting leader. He is loved both on and off the field in South Bend by everyone from the fans, to the media to the administration.

Charlie Weiss is one of the only people in football, and the only one potentially available, that could come to the Giants and be able to operate with full atonomy and have the personality to deflect any Parcells comparisons. First of all he has a superb resume. He won where ever he went as a coordinator, and learned under men affiliated with the Giants. He has lead a college program to success, and has groomed two succesful quarterbacks. He is from New Jersey and has a presense with the media. He can be both intimidating and likable, similar to Parcells. He is very well respected throughout the NFL and college and would have the ability to imidiately have the attention and respect of his players.

Do I think this is likely? No. First of all he has said time and again that he is commited to Notre Dame and wants to retire there. While I do no think this will happen, I do not think that he will bail on them after just two years. He has that program on the right track, and if he left now it would be premature. Notre Dame is his alma mater, and he has a young family. With that being said, if there is any job that could pull him away from Notre Dame it is his with the Giants. the timing just may not be right at the moment.

This all comes back to the Giants and the mishaps that have followed them in head coaching decisions. If you look around the NFL you see former Giant assistants littered through out. Romeo Crennel, Sean Payton, John Fox, Mike Nolan, not to mention Parcells and Belicheck. With the exception of Crennel, each of these coaches has their team still in playoff contention. This curse of Giants assistants leaving to become succesful head coaches elsewhere goes all the way back to the 1950's. From 1954-58 Vince Lombardi was an assistant with the Giants and ran the offense. During that same time, Tom Landry ran the defense. Lombardi left to coach the Green Bay Packers in 1959, and Landry left a year later for the Dallas Cowboys. Many people believe when speaking of the greatest head coaches of all time there is the "holy trinity" and then the next level. The three that are put in the trinity are Lombardi, Landry and Belicheck. All three are former Giant assistants, who were never given the opportunity to be the head coach.

People felt that when the Giants promoted Parcells to head coach from defensive coordinator they made up for losing out on Landry and Lombardi. For a period of time they were vindicated, but now the thought of it still stings with Belicheck being added to the list of legendary coaches they did not keep. That of course beings us back to Charlie Weis once again. He is a former assistant who many believe is one of the top offensive minds and overall motivators in the sports. If the Giants have the chance will they go all out for him, whether it is after this season or in the near future? I sure hope so. At least they would be able to say they tried, even if it was all for naught.

Hits

• I am not going to kill the Red Sox for their recent spending spree. What I will kill them for is their constant change in philosophy. One day their do not have the money to fully compete with the Yankees, and the next they are throwin $75m to JD Drew, $51.1m for a posting fee and $36m to Julio Lugo. One question Red Sox fans....would you rather have Johnny Damon for four years and $52m or Drew at five years and $70m. While we are at it, would you rather have Orlando Cabrera for four years and $32m or Julio Lugo at four years and $36m? This is all in addition to preaching a philosophy of developing young players and then turning around and trading two great ones for Josh Beckett. Look, this offseason has been a success on paper, but they need to be consistant in their philophy because it is costing them more money to not be.
• The Yankees and Mets have been quiet so far. Neither seems inclined to overspend or rush anything just yet. I honestly see Pettite staying in Houston and the Mets losing out on Zito and acquiring a starter via trade, probably Javier Vazquez.
• The Cubs seem to be in on multiple starting pitchers (Lilly, Meche, etc). THey will be better after spending all this money, but I do not like the dynamic of their ballclub with all righty sluggers and no young pitching.
• I like what the Blue Jays are doin in trying to acquire more pitching. If I was them I would trade Vernon Wells and move Alex Rios to center field. They could get back a ton (pitching), plus they already have improved their offense with Frank Thomas. Wells seems focused on getting a huge contract next winter, and the Jays will not be able to afford him.
• I am just starting The Education of a Coach by David Halberstam. It is all about Bill Belicheck and his development as a coach from whenhe was a little boy to now. Only 30 pages in or so, but it is great. I didn't think I would get into it so easily, but there is a lot of interesting stuff in it.
• http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/story/477511p-401759c.html Good Lupica article on the Knicks and the garbage Isiah tries to feed to us.
• Happy belated birthday to my mom (it was yesterday).

STKAFI

Wow....

http://redsox.bostonherald.com/redSox/view.bg?articleid=170537&srvc=sports

I don't even know what to say about this....

I thought that the NY papers could be negative, this is on a level of its own...

STKAFI

One Thing...

http://select.nytimes.com/2006/12/05/sports/football/05rhoden.html?ref=sports

You need Times Select to read this article. Its main point, which I agree with, is that winning is what is important as an NFL coach, not image. At the moment Eric Mangini is being ortryed as a coach who is in control and never gets too high or too low week to week. If they were losing though, I could see him being perceived as a guy who is not emotional enough and does not motivate his team. Tom Coughlin right now is being perceived as a diciplinarian who drives his team so hard that it has a reverse effect on them. He loses his composure, as does his team. If the Giants were winning though, this would be viewed as playing hard, with him being the guy pushing them as hard as they are playing.

The bottom line is that winning is what matters. If the Giants miss the playoffs Coughlin may lose his job, but if they make them (even at 8-8), he will retain his job. He will also probably get an extention since it is never smart to have a "lame duck" coach in the last year of his contract. Remember that the best coach of our generation (Bill Belicheck) got fired in Cleveland for amongst other things, being surly to the fans and media, being a control freak, and was perceived as a guy who had no compassion and could not relate to his players. Now he is looked at as a legend. Winning can do things like that....

In any event, a couple guys have mentioned to me that Coughlin should be fired. While at this point I disagree, I decided to see what was out there in terms of potential coaching canidates. To be honest, there is not much out there. There is only one guy in either college or the pros that I would both love to have as coach and is somewhat realistic. Start guessing if you want, but I am going to write a post about this canidate tomorrow......Lets just say he ain't in the best of shape...

STKAFI

1nce Again

I am trying to figure out whether the feeling at the end of these gut wrenching losses keeps getting worse or if I do such a good job of making myself recover during the week that I forget how bad it felt the last time. In any event, the Giants lost another game last night. Each week it seems to be a different combination of the same recipe. A few idiotic penalties, unable to get a big stop on defense and a couple just wacky plays (hello Kiwanuka). Throw in come controversy and you have the Giants season. The only aspect this game didn't have that the others did was horrendous play by the QB, who actually played really well yesterday. In any event, there are a number of good and bad aspects of the Giants from yesterday, so I will list and comment on them below.

Good

1. The QB. He played very efficiently. You could tell they were focused on a couple things early. Get Shockey the ball and give the QB an opportunity to get in a rhythm through safe throws. He did not get sacked all game or turn it over. He made good read and checked down to Tiki when he had to. He played the way he needed to if the Giants were going to win. As a fan you can only hope that he can build on this down the stretch of the season.

2. Gameplan. As I said above, the Giants seemed to have a very precise gameplan and they stuck to it for much of the game. They stopped the run on defense, were committed to it on offense and kept the pressure off of #10. They were able to put good pressure on Tony Romo, but did not tackle well enough to get him down. I felt the coaches were very dilligent in sticking to this plan, which with better execution would contributed to a win.

3. Effort. You could tell that the Giants were up for this game. After the tough loss in Tennessee there were some that felt the Giant smay just not show up yesterday. They did show up and it was clear both on offense and defense that they were playing hard for the entire 60 minutes. Some of this intensity boiled over though through over the top and careless penalties.

Bad

1. Red Zone Offense. They were inside the 10 yard line three times and came away with only one TD. The bottom line is to be effective in the red zone you have to be able to run the ball. They struggled with that, especially inside the 20 yard line. While I have heard people angry about the calls they played inside the 10, I am not one of them. The fade to Plax is always a good call, and the incomplete to Shockey would have been a TD if the pass was on target. The slant to Plax was a good call because you have to figure the cornerback was thinking fade. It turns out either Plax tipped his route or Aaron Glenn just made a veteran move and jumped the route. The QB could have thrown to another receiver, Plax could have done a better job in running his route. In any event, I believe it was the execution, both running and passing in the red zone that was to blame.

2. Tackling/Big plays. The Giants defense played ok, but the tackling was attrotious. They consistantly got to Romo, but could not bring him down. As a result he would roll out and get a big play down the field. In addition, Kiwanuka intercepted a ball and inexplicitely dropped the ball without getting touched after running 10 yards the other way. The Cowboys recovered and marched back down the field for a TD. The pass to Witten at the end of the game killed them, as did not converting the 4th and 1 at the near the end of the first half.

3. Special Teams. The Giant punter has been great all year, but yesterday he muffed one and netted only 15 yards on it. The main problem though was the kickoffs. Jay Feely just can not reach the end zone and the Cowboys were consistantly getting field position at their own 35-40 yard line. That puts so much pressue on you defense through out a game. In addition, the Giants don't seem to have any explosiveness in their return game. Can we please try Sinorace Moss next game and get something going back there?

Controversy

1. Time out with 1:40 to play. Plaxico called it, but the Coach did not want it. Plax said he thought he saw Coughlin running down the sideline calling for a TO. At the time I did not kill them on this, even though I knew it was stupid. I thought they called it to make sure they were all on the same page, since they had struggled in the red zone all game. It turns out they left way too much time on the clock and it burned them bigtime.

2. Going for it on 4th and 1. I felt this was the right call, but the wrong play was called. Jacobs is one of the most dominant short yardage back in the sport. Give it to him up the gut and force the Cowboys to stop him. They did not do this. They called a stretch play instead and Demarcus Ware was able to run Jacobs down before he got outside. I never understand why teams do this, but once again the Giants got burned by it.

3. Anyone who is calling for Coughlins' job right now is an idiot. The team is still in line for a playoff birth and they are still playing hard. If they don't make the playoffs then you can talk, but they are still very much in the hunt and the players have definitely not quit on him.

Lastly, there are two major positives to come out of this devistating loss. Number one is the play of the QB. I do not want to get ahead of myself, but he played a very good game. He spread the ball around and did not turn the ball over. I hope that the coaches concentrate on not overwhelming #10 and keeping him an a rhythm like last night. The second major positive is the injuries. Osi Umienyori, Brandon Short, Sam Madison and Moss all returned last night. If Michael Strahan and Cory Webster can return next week, then the team will be as healthy as it has been in over a month. It will definitely be an interesting last month of the season. Some may feel like its anti-clmimactic, but if the Giants play like they did yesterday, and just find away to reduce mental errors, they can still have an impact on the playoff picture.

Something is up with the formatting on the blog right now. Excuse me if there are dumb spelling errors. Right now there is no spell check function. In addition, the bulleting is not available, so I will do stuff about the rest of the league/sports/weekend later on.

STKAFI

Nuthin really...

Don't have much time for a post....Just wanted to put up a a link...

https://www.lighttounite.org Light a candle and it donates $1.

Other tidbits..

• Kobe was insane last night. Him and Melo are the two best scorers in the League.
• The Giants are going to beat the Cowboys.
• The Bengals are the one team no one will want to play in the AFC playoffs..
• Lets hope Glavine comes to his senses and resigns so the Mets can move on to more important matters already...
• Lastly, just finished Blind Side by Michael Lewis. I will give a more in depth review over the weekend, but I would say it is a must read for both sports fans and non sports fans. Great story all around.