Nothin' Amazin' Goin' On

Just as they have done in the past, the NY Mets have begun the second half of the season with pure letdowns. They were over achievers prior to the All-Star break, actually making believers out of most people, leading us to think that they could sustain the winning and keep up with the rest of the pack until wild card time. Ironically, this is the first season for MLB to have (2) wild card teams from each league (American/National). So it looked as if the Mets could actually cling on to one of those spots. It would be horrible to spoil such "amazin" feats that have occurred already during the first half of the season: Johan Santana's "no-hitter", RA Dickey's magical start (12 wins, league lead in K's, numerous one-hitters and the consecutive scoreless inning streak). David Wright keeping his average at the top of the heap (.390 and then finally leveling out at .360) and the team as a whole clawing and fighting in almost every game, winning from behind or bouncing back from being swept by dishing out their own sweep. BUT, as all Mets fans have come to understand, this is all an illusion. It doesn't matter who the skipper is (Terry Collins should have been named Manager of the first half) because the Mets are predisposed to collapse after the All-Star break. There is no clear time as to when they will collapse, right after it (like this year so far) or in September. All that we know, is that the Mets will somehow figure out a way to lose games, give up leads, drop pop flies, blow saves and trickle down to the bottom of the division by the time the season comes to an end. It's very disappointing to know that your favorite baseball team will eventually break down, it's also depressing because when they screw with your emotions early in the season and then kick you to the curb, you go into a black hole waiting for the next local team you love to begin their respective season. As a fan, you shouldn't have to be wishing for another sport to begin, you should be basking in the glory of the current season, cheering for your team to try and fight to win. The Mets however don't give you that chance after July. It could just be that Carlos Beltran is the culprit and he is an example of signing a deal with devil, in exchange he would have a long and wealthy career as long as he watched a called third strike eek past his knees in the 2006 NLCS. Who knows?? Unfortunately, I am writing this blog today in response to the ongoing state of the Mets. They desperately need bullpen help, Jason Bay is the biggest bust since Mo Vaughn, they need starting pitching, Valdespin should be in the line up, they need a bigger bat to protect Wright, the owners  needed to stay away from Madoff and they need to stop thinking that the veterans will bail them out, they won't. The DC Nationals showed that if you invest in youth, it will come back ten fold. The Mets can't really do that since they are in the NYC market, to have seasons like the Nats have had prior to this year would surely run the Mets out of dodge and would prompt a "for sale" sign to be posted outside Citi Field.

So rest assure Mets fans out there, the Jets and Giants begin pre-season in about a month, the Olympics will be on TV this next week and the Knicks and Rangers start back up again in October.

Tebow(mania)

     Here's how it breaks down in my opinion:
 Having Tim Tebow on the NY Jets is actually a positive move for the team. The "mania" surrounding Tebow really has nothing to do with him personally, he does not seek out nor does he create the media whirlwind that everyone has come to know. He is a religious person and that's something you see all of the time. If you remove the media issues from the trade, then what the Jets got was a very talented football player that will only enhance and upgrade a very average offense. How you ask? Well as most Jets fans know, Mark Sanchez is not the strongest QB in the league when it comes to throwing deep. The Jets made a mistake trying to force Sanchez into throwing the ball 50 times a game last season and what that did was put too much pressure on Sanchez to be a "Brady" or "Manning" like QB, which he is not. The Jets were most successful, getting to back-to-back AFC championship games, with a ground and pound mentality on offense. Once they left that and had Sanchez try to win games with his arm, throwing to mediocre WR's, things went south for the team and they missed the playoffs entirely. Now, it's not all of the offense's fault they missed the playoffs, the Jets desperately needed help on the defensive line and at the safety position (which GM Mike Tannenbaum addressed with this year's signing of LaRon Landry). But, the main issue last season was the inability of the offense to put up big numbers and make the big plays.
     With the addition of Tim Tebow, the Jets can take the pressure off of Sanchez and limit him to 20-25 throws a game, while incorporating "wildcat" packages and "trick" plays with Tebow at the helm. If Sanchez has help like that, like he did when Brad Smith was on the team, he has a much better chance of getting the defensive looks he wants, where he will be able to have more success. There are so many types of plays a team can run with Tebow when he is not the focus of the offense 100% of the game. The Broncos mistake, in my mind, was trying to have Tebow be there starting QB, involved in every snap and every play. Teams quickly caught on to Tebow and they identified his weaknesses immediately, fortunately for Tebow he just happen to catch the defenses off guard in big games, completing passes beyond his abilities (with some spiritual help). SO the Jets have an advantage with Tebow because teams will prepare for Sanchez, a pocket passer with limited range but enough experience to lead an offense, and they will have to simultaneously prepare for Tebow, a strong, running QB, who can throw if needed to and is smart enough to understand what defense is on the field against him.
      In NY, this hunky dory story of having 2 starting QBs coexist on one team at the same time, with the media and the fans might not be possible. Especially when one of the QBs is a polarizing figure, that whether or not he wanted it, gained enormous popularity with the national media and fans. There can easily be a situation at the New Meadowlands stadium, where Sanchez throws 2 interceptions and the whole place is chanting Tebow's name. Or, Tebow could throw so many wobbly passes, that people will be calling for an exorcism. Either way, this new and improved Big Apple Circus show will be entertaining at the least and if it succeeds, Mike Tannenbaum and Rex Ryan will look like geniuses.

Soccer...er...Football

When will soccer (or football, as it's known everywhere else) fall into the hearts of American sports fans? Has it already? If it hasn't, what is stopping it from becoming as popular as it is around the rest of the world? And, for those American fans here, why are you a soccer fan? What is your team and why? It is an unfortunate state of affairs that these burning questions must be asked.

In terms of fan base, talent and viewership, North America, mainly the U.S., is so far behind the rest of the world when it comes to soccer. For kids however, from ages of 4-22, soccer is a main stay in scholastic and extra curricular activities. So where is the disconnect?

Daily Rant: 4/20/2011

Things aren't exactly what people expected to be during the first two playoff games between the Knicks and the Celtics. The Knicks have played better defense when it mattered most in both games, despite having a coach that doesn't coach defense. The Celtics have shown that they are vulnerable in the front court against teams with talented forwards (anyone in Boston missing Kendrick Perkins yet?). Doc Rivers has proved once again that he is a very smart coach and that he knows how to squeeze every last drop out of his players. Home court advantage in this series doesn't mean having raucous fans, it means having half-witted officials giving away calls to the home team. Carmelo Anthony can score 30 or 40 points at will when he decides to, but only if he is the lone superstar on the court. Sophomore, Toney Douglas, is a very capable point guard, with the range of a shooting guard and the toughness of an 8 year veteran. Paul Pierce and Ray Allen are still both clutch. Shaq is too old to be in uniform. Lawrence Frank is really small. Jared Jeffries should never touch the ball....ever, even if he is wide open and can place the ball in the basket uncontested. Boston isn't that good, they got lucky the Knicks can still find ways to lose. If a team with Carmelo Anthony and 4 bench players that David Stern is not even sure are in the NBA can take the so called "Big 3" of Boston to the final buzzer down 1 point, then the Celtics need to reevaluate their own talent. The Celtics won both games because of better coaching, because the Knicks can't sustain solid defense throughout an entire game and because there isn't enough talent around Anthony and Stoudemire. If the Knicks can get the same preferential treatment at home from the referees that the Celtics got in Boston and if Stoudemire and Billups can just be at least 50%, than maybe they can even the series here in NYC. If not, then Boston will take it in 5 games and then get manhandled by their next opponent.

Daily Rant: 4/18/2011

To quote Dick Vitale, "ARE YOU SERIOUS!?". The officiating during Game 1 of the Knicks/Celtics Eastern Conference playoff game was so atrocious and beyond one-sided for the home team. The worst of the bad calls came with the game on the line and 21 seconds left with the Knicks having possession of the ball. The refs called an offensive foul on Carmelo Anthony, which it clearly was not and it in turn gave the ball back to Boston, who ended up winning by 2 points because of it. Also, there was a clear "no call" when Toney Douglas was run over. The officials have again regained control over these NBA games with their foul calls and missed calls and have taken away the option of letting the players play. If they don't call the foul when Douglas is mowed over, then be consistent and let Carmelo move with ball while being closely defended with the game on the line. It's frustrating to watch your favorite team lose, but it's harder to see them have the game taken away by the officials, giving them no opportunity to win. It's true though, the Knicks did blow a 12 point lead and then were outscored in the 3rd quarter, but they fought back and kept it tight until the last buzzer. The Celtics have more experience in the playoffs and the home court advantage, but the Knicks have started to find rhythm and have dabbled in playing defense. They could have and should have won last night and if they can pull out a win tomorrow night before returning home to NYC, then the series is up for grabs.

Daily Rant: 3/29/2011

What did people think was going to happen when Carmelo arrived in NYC via trade during the last quarter of the season? Did people think the Knicks were going to spontaneously mesh as a team and play fluid basketball? Did people think they would have solid defensive schemes and offensive plays ready to use each game? When the "big 3" of Lebron, Wade and Bosh began this season in Miami, they struggled to figure out what was going on during a game, who was getting the ball when and where each guy was supposed to be on the court during certain situations. That confusion, miscommunication and questioning happened to the Heat, with a pre-season and a training camp attended by the current roster. The Knicks however, are having the same problems that the Heat are having, except that it's happening during the end of the season and during a playoff push. This is not to say that the Knicks are as good or as talented as the Heat, but it is too similar of a situation that needs to be identified before the media and fans trash the heck out of the team and the coaching staff for the losses. It has to be very frustrating for players that have never played together on a team, to go out night after night and try to have some sort of comfort level with each other on the court. Unfortunately, the Knicks might not find that this season. As for next season, there is a very good possibility that with a full summer league, training camp and pre-season under their belts, this team can install defensive plays and be ready with an offense that will be more controlled and ready. If the Knicks do make the playoffs this year and can win some games, then they should be pretty proud of it, seeing as though their roster was shuffled mid-season and the new players involved were big names whom took on the pressure of winning right now here in NYC.

Daily Rant: 3/22/11

$18 million, that's what it cost to release Oliver Perez and Luis Castillo, 12 to Ollie and 6 to Louie. They now join Bobby Bonilla as the highest paid Mets, not wearing a Mets uniform. Without a doubt, the mistakes that Omar Minaya made with these contracts were hard to ignore and needed to be addressed immediately. And like the big contract flubs that Isaiah Thomas made with the Knicks, this was a no-brainer fixer-upper. Donnie Walsh and Sandy Alderson both have had to deal with their predecessor's errors. And so far, the purging has been mildly successful. The Mets, unlike the Knicks, are still a few years away from having enough financial freedom to make some moves to strengthen their roster. Even though right now things look a little bleak for the Knicks, in the long run, the Carmelo Anthony trade is a great thing for the team.  It takes a whole season for teammates to be comfortable with each other on and off the court, not 20 games. As for the Mets, well they have some youth, some unknowns, some veterans and some experiments on their roster this season, which in most fans' opinions, is better then having overpaid, underachieving players occupying roster spots.

Daily Rant: 3/21/11

Some food for thought for Knicks and Mets fans...

Who got the better of the Nuggets/Knicks trade? Present and future? Things are looking bleak for the Knicks lately...

Will the Knicks make the playoffs? And if they do, when will the "big 3" begin to mesh as a team?

How many games will the Knicks win in total?

Reaction to Luis Castillo and Oliver Perez being released this morning by the Mets. Anyone going to miss Luis Castillo? Maybe... How about Ollie Perez? Doubtful...

Luis Castillo signed a short term invitation deal with the Phillies, do any Mets fans care?

Carlos Beltran is rehabbing again, is he ever going to be healthy for a long period of time?

The Chris's (Young and Capuano) are making a good impact so far this Spring, do they keep their spots in the rotation?

Johan Santana not coming back until June...how bad will the Mets be before he pitches again?

Daily Rant: 3/16/11

Let the Madness begin! Two of what the NCAA call, "The First Four" were decided last night. Clemson pounded UAB and UNC-Asheville defeated Arkansas-Little Rock in overtime to make up half of the early entries into the main pool of teams in the tournament. The NCAA expanded the field to 68 teams this year and even though they were exciting games last night (most college basketball games are), it has created more confusion and has added more chaos. The Tournament is by far the best way for college teams to whittle themselves down to a champion, most experts and fans believe that college football should conduct their playoffs the same way, but increasing the numbers like they did this season has taken a little bit away from the glory a team receives from punching a ticket to the "big dance". It almost seems like any team can make it into the tournament now and the NCAA is talking about expanding it even further. When they added the "65th", play-in team last year, it was only one extra team and it actually made attaining that last spot fun to watch teams battle it out for. Now, that excitement has been has been dulled a little and the top of everyone's bracket is crowded with teams that have hyphens in their names, which no one has ever heard of. It was fun to see teams like Gonzaga, Butler, Ball State, George Mason, etc., make runs during the previous tournaments, because those one teams had to fight and never stop fighting to get anywhere past the first round. This new system gives these unknown schools an easy in and will inevitably sway next years seeding because they made the tournament through the new expansion. No one knows how this will all play out this year and fans will probably end up getting used to it being close to 70 teams playing in the tournament, but as of now, things are still jumbled. Until the games begin on Thursday, these first games just feel like regular season ones that don't matter. The real ones will start and everyone will sigh in relief that this is actually March Madness.

Daily Rant: 3/9/11

Why would Erik Spoelstra tell the press that his players were crying in the locker room? Is he trying to bring back Pat Riley to the bench? Does he want to humiliate his players and burn his bridges? It doesn't help that the Heat are on a 5-game losing streak. Apparently, Lebron James isn't bothered by this losing streak either, he was quoted as saying, "This isn't rock bottom for us. Crazy thing is, we could lose every game and still make the playoffs in the Eastern Conference." 


So what does Lebron mean by that? Would Phil Jackson put up with Kobe saying that it didn't matter if the Lakers were losing every game because mathematically they are in the playoffs? Probably not. Can Erik Spoelstra control his big stars mouths, now that he was betrayed their trust with leaking the news of tears of sorrow flowing after the game? No one ever thought he could control the "big 3" to begin with, now with all of the controversy and losing going on in South Beach, how is it any different? The Heat have lost to every one of the other top 8 Eastern Conference teams except Philly, at least once. What is the proof that they are that good? They beat up on the weaker teams and compile winning streaks against all of them, which is only a mask of what they really are. They are superbly talented but, with no coaching direction, no flow as a team and no confidence in their bench. But who lost out on this whole situation? The city of Cleveland, that's who. A small market team like the Cavaliers was flourishing with their hometown hero playing for them, winning an average of 45-50 games a season. Now it's a slap in the face to that city and its fans, especially that the South Beach Experiment isn't working out very well. Lebron James should have never left Cleveland, he was selfish and poorly mentored when he decided to do so and the only thing that keeps those fans going is seeing the Miami Heat suffer.