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Ben Archives
When Omar Minaya was named Mets general manager following the 2004 campaign, he inherited a 71-91 club with a lackluster roster and low expectations. The prior regime lead by Jim Duquette (whose follies I chronicled in detail in an earlier piece) had set the organization back with a series of blunders headlined by trading pitching phenom Scott Kazmir for Victor Zambrano and stunting the growth of Jose Reyes, playing him out of position at 2B in favor of Kaz Matsui. Additionally, outside of two promising stars - Jose Reyes and David Wright - that had been recently promoted to the Majors, the cupboard was bare in the Mets minor league systems due to poor drafting and the mismanagement of prospects.
The arrival of Minaya ushered in a new era for the Mets. The Wilpons truly believed in Omar from the start and Fred Coupon, as many Mets fans had dubbed him, opened up his checkbook in 2005. The Mets landed two big time free agents in Pedro Martinez and Carlos Beltran to help sure up the team's starting pitching, lineup and team defense. In addition, young speedster Jose Reyes was moved back to his natural position at SS and flourished stealing 60 bases while his 3B counterpart David Wright enjoyed a breakout season belting 27 homeruns to go along with 102 RBIs and .306 batting average. Overall, the Mets improved 12 games in 2005, going 83-79 and the expectations going into the 2006 season were the highest since 2000.
The 2006 New York Mets were projected to be a serious contender for the NL crown before the season began but the questions lingered regarding the strength of the Mets pitching staff and whether Jose Reyes and David Wright could repeat/build upon their 2005 performances. However, as the season wore on the team's play silenced the critics and the Mets established themselves as the clear favorite to represent the NL in the World Series. The Mets nearly went wire to wire in the NL East, compiling 97 wins and winning the division by 12 games in what was the most dominant regular season performance by the franchise in 20 years.
Much of the credit for the team's 2006 success has to go to Omar Minaya as this was his finest hour as Mets general manager. Minaya pulled off a series of savvy moves in the offseason and during the regular season, improving the team exponentially each time. The most heavily publicized move was the signing of Billy Wagner which finally gave the Mets a bonafide closer and solidified the bullpen.
While the Wagner signing was essential, Minaya's true genius was on full display in his trade acquisitions. Minaya did some extensive shopping at the Marlins fire sale, coming away with first baseman Carlos Delgado and veteran catcher Paul Lo Duca for next to nothing. Then he landed unheralded outfielder Xavier Nady from the Padres in exchange for a disgruntled Mike Cameron. Delgado, Nady and Lo Duca would all enjoy solid 2006 campaigns and help make the Mets lineup one of the more dynamic in baseball.
Minaya's best work on the trading front came in a series of 4 deals between January and the trade deadline which helped to bolster the pitching staff in 2006 and beyond. One of the more under the radar moves was completed on January 4th, 2006 trading Jae Seo at the peak of his value for young reliever Duaner Sanchez. Sanchez would go on to open the season with 21 scoreless innings while Seo struggled mightily in LA and was eventually dealt to Tampa. Sanchez became a key cog in the Mets bullpen and his season ending shoulder injury sustained in a cab accident would hurt the team's chances immensely come playoff time.
On January 21st, the Mets and Orioles completed a deal that sent Kris Benson to Baltimore for Jorge Julio and John Maine. That deal was followed by a trade on May 24th shipping Julio to Arizona for Orlando "El Duque" Hernandez. The final deal came at the trade deadline on July 31st as the Mets landed Oliver Perez and Roberto Hernandez from the Pirates in exchange for Xavier Nady. These moves helped the Mets advance to the 2006 NLCS after a string of injuries ended the seasons of Pedro Martinez, El Duque and Duaner Sanchez. Further, Maine, Perez and Hernandez continue to be fixtures in the Mets' rotation while Sanchez will help bolster the Mets pen with his return in 2008.
2006 ended with a disappointing NLCS loss in 7 games to the St. Louis Cardinals and much of the blame went to the injuries that depleted the staff down the stretch. Entering 2007, the Mets were the odds on favorite to take home the NL. The team returned a similar lineup and pitching staff with the exception of Pedro Martinez who would be out until August and was looked upon as the perfect storm of veterans and youngsters, poised to make a serious championship run.
The Mets did make a few signings, bringing in Moises Alou to bolster then lineup and Scott Schoeneweis as a lefty arm out of the pen. However, Minaya's 2006 trading magic did not carry over in 2007 as deals which included relievers Henry Owens, Matt Lindstrom, Heath Bell and starter Brian Bannister yielded low returns and hurt the team's depth. The deadline deal for Luis Castillo was the lone win for Minaya, as it gave the team a veteran 2B and #2 hitter.
The 2007 Mets also encountered injuries, but this time the team counted on some of their prospects to pick up the slack. Lastings Milledge and Carlos Gomez filled in admirably in the outfield while 2006 draft pick Joe Smith did a great job out of the pen. In addition, 2007 Oliver Perez and John Maine established themselves as solid starters each winning 15 games.
By now, the Mets demise in 2007 have been clearly documented. The team lead the NL East for a majority of the season and entered the final 17 games with a 7 game lead over the Phillies before experiencing a monumental collapse. The Mets fall from grace concluded in emphatic fashion with an 8-1 drubbing at the hands of the Marlins in front of a sellout crowd at Shea.
The wounds inflicted by "The Collapse" are deep and Mets fans have experienced a tumultuous winter. However, the arrival of Venezuela's prodigal son and a clean bill of health for the man who goes by the name of Pedro have revitalized the fan base and more importantly raised the team's spirits. Rather than dwelling on the past, the Mets and their fans are looking forward to 2008 with one of the best clubs they have ever fielded.
Stay tuned for Part 2 of the 2008 New York Mets Team Preview focusing on the upcoming season.
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 The New York football Giants just completed hands down the greatest playoff run in NFL history and one that will never be topped. Since the inception of the wild card round in 1970, 9 wild card teams (including the Giants) have beat the odds and made it to the Superbowl. Five of those 9 teams went on to win the Superbowl however, three enjoyed a home game in the opening wild card round - eliminating them from consideration for the greatest run. That leaves the 2007 New York Giants and 2005 Pittsburgh Steelers as the only teams to win 3 road games en route to becoming champions of the football world.
The Steelers certainly had a tough road to reach Superbowl XL, beating divisional rival Cincinnati in a hostile wild card round matchup before upsetting Indy at the RCA dome and Denver at INVESCO field. However, Pittsburgh's run is hurt by the fact that they avoided facing the defending champion Patriots and were actually 3.5 point favorites in the Superbowl against a solid but far from dominant Seattle Seahawks squad.
While Pittsburgh's run could be described more as destiny given that Superbowl XL was played in Jerome Bettis' hometown on the heels of his retirement, the Giants run can summed up in one word: improbable. The improbability of what occured is not merely about the team's superb play or the outstanding performances from unexpected sources. The true historical brilliance of the Giants run from an afterthought in the NFC to Superbowl champions is a product of three things:
1) How the playoff picture played out.
2) The significance of the opponents beaten.
3) The circumstances under which the Giants prevailed.
When I say the Giants playoff run will never be topped, I am not saying another wild card team can't run the table and defeat the top 2 seeds in their conference then proceed to beat the NFL's best overall team in the Superbowl. In the modern age of NFL parity, there is a distinct possibility this could happen again in the next 5-10 years. My point is that no team will ever have the oppurtunity to overcome a greater set of odds on their way to a Superbowl championship. Let's take a look back at the Giants playoff run and highlight significance of each win:
Wild Card Round - Tampa Bay Bucaneers & Jeff Garcia
The Bucs and Giants don't have much of a history; however, the Giants and Jeff Garcia sure do. Garcia's heroics led to the greatest Giants meltdown of the modern era, a 39-38 loss at San Francisco in the wild card round of the 2002-03 playoffs. Garcia continued to haunt the Giants as a member of the Philadelphia Eagles last year, beating them in the regular season at Giants Stadium before knocking them out of the playoffs. The Giants began their championship run by exacting revenge on their old nemesis leading to a date with his partner in crime.
Divisional Round - Dallas Cowboys & Terrell Owens
The Dallas Cowboys had beaten the Giants twice in the regular season and put up gaudy offensive numbers against the big blue defense both times. They entered the game loaded on both sides of the ball, well-rested and armed with Giants killer Terrell Owens. TO was a key cog in the Giants' demise at San Francisco and continued to drop monster numbers and L's on them as a member of the Eagles and Cowboys. New York would make the third time a charm against Dallas, riding two Amani Toomer touchdowns and a great defensive effort to a narrow 21-17 win. After the game, a sobbing TO confessed his love for his QB and the Giants were off to frigid Green Bay.
NFC Championship Game - Green Bay Packers - Ice Bowl Revisited
After knocking off the NFC's #1 seed, the Giants prepared to play 2007's team of destiny, Brett Favre and the Green Bay Packers. Green Bay had earned a home game by way of Dallas' surprising loss and the script couldn't have been laid out any better for Favre. The Packers had dismantled the Giants in week 2, beating them 35-13 in Giants Stadium and now got an opportunity to face them at the frozen tundra of Lambeau Field, a place where Brett Favre has been more or less invincible over his career. The game that would go down as 3rd coldest in NFL history when temps hit -4 degrees, would end on a 47 yard FG by Lawrence Tynes - the first opposing kicker to make a 40+ yard field goal at Lambeau field in the playoffs, EVER.
Superbowl XLII - New England Patriots On The Brink Of Perfection
New England had become the first team to ever reach the 18-0 mark following a win against the San Diego Chargers and now all that stood in the way of the first perfect campaign in the modern era was the New York Giants. Like the Cowboys and Packers before them, the Patriots had also beaten the Giants in the week17, a win that clinched the first 16-0 regualr season in NFL history. While the Patriots entered on the brink of perfection, the Giants were in the midst of becoming a dubious footnote to the Patriots brilliance. There was a very real possibility that the two biggest wins of the Patriots season, 16 and 19 would be at the expense of New York. Well, that wasn't to be the case as the 12 point underdogs pulled a rousing upset stunning the Pats 17-14.
OK, let's recap here at what transpired in these four games:
- Defeated Jeff Garcia and Terrell Owens in the playoffs for the first time ever.
- Beat the Cowboys in Dallas after losing twice to them in the regular season.
- Participated in the third coldest game in NFL history.
- Beat Brett Favre at Lambeau Field.
- Lawrence Tynes became first kicker to ever make a 40+ yard field goal at Lambeau Field in the postseason.
- Ended the Patriots bid to become first team to go a perfect 19-0 in the modern era, defeating them in the Superbowl after opening as 14 point underdogs.
- Overall, won 3 straight conference playoff games on the road, defeated top two seeds in conference and an undefeated team in the Superbowl.
When you add up the improbable nature of the run based on low expectations attached to the team's playoff prospects, the Giants' youthful exuberance and the magnitude of the obstacles overcome, it is safe to say that as Giants fans or may be even sports fans in general, we will never experience anything remotely close to the events of January 6th through February 3rd, 2008.
Cherish this moment big blue faithful because championships like this are often won once in a lifetime.
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Being a Mets and Giants fan, I don't concern myself with the New England sports scene. I was too young to remember Mookie Wilson's grounder roll through Bill Buckner's legs, effectively ripping the hearts out of Red Sox nation and placing a dark cloud of despair over an area stretching from Rhode Island to Maine. Living in New York and being friends with numerous avid Yankee fans I've been an outside observer to the ferocious New York-Boston rivalry, but have never had the opportunity to participate first hand.
Fast forward to last Sunday as the Giants lead by a cast of improbable heroes including a QB who was a draft bust as recently as week 15, a cornerback left for dead on the bench mid-season and a WR braving the -4 degree temps with a busted ankle, knee and pinky took down mighty Brett Favre in Lambeau in an overtime thriller for the ages. As journeyman Lawrence Tynes joined the history books becoming the first kicker to successfully make a 40+ yard field goal at Lambeau in the postseason, (it was a 47 yard FG to be exact) I lay on my living room floor hands raised to the heavens when it dawned on me: very fittingly, it was up to New York to derail the perfect season once again.
We have been there before. It was week 17 and the Giants had been given the thankless task of stopping New England's quest for the first ever 16-0 season. All week the questions loomed: Would the Giants play their starters in what was a meaningless game a week before the wild card round of the playoffs? If the starters began the game how long would they play? Would head coach Tom Coughlin be willing to risk injury to deny Tom Brady and Bill Belichick the NFL's first look at true 16 game regular season perfection?
Three road playoff wins and a Superbowl berth later and the Giants' on-field performance speaks louder than words. Tom Coughlin did in fact play his starters for the entire game and while New England achieved perfection that fateful night in East Rutherford, NJ, the Giants valiant effort and spirited play gave them the added confidence needed to get by the best the NFC has to offer and move onward to Arizona.
On February 3rd, the Giants and Patriots meet one more time in Superbowl XLII and I am prepared to say that a New York win on Sunday would dwarf any of the sports-related heartbreak the Empire State has ever inflicted on the greater New England area in the past. Forget Bucky Dent, Bill Buckner and Aaron Boone, no sports team has ever had more to lose in one game then the 2007-08 New England Patriots.
The Giants enter the Superbowl as 14 point underdogs, picked to lose by everyone expect their fans and hopefully family members. The Patriots on the other hand arrive in Arizona 18-0, one win away from attaining absolute perfection and establishing themselves as the single best sports team of all-time. A Patriots loss in a game that has been all but handed to them by every "expert," talking head and fan in the football community would go down as perhaps the greatest upset in the Superbowl era.
Although the Patriots stands at destiny's door, on hallowed ground never before touched by any NFL team, they also remain one loss away from going down in infamy and becoming a punchline for all eternity. In the end, New England's season will not be judged by 18-0, but rather by either 19-0 or 18-1. If the New York Giants are the ones handing them that 1 in the loss column, the ghost of Babe Ruth can finally take a breather.
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At this point, it was starting to appear as if the Giants offense may be done scoring for the day. As it turned out the offense wouldn't so much as get another first down following the go ahead score. Thus, the collective hopes of the Giants and their faithful fans laid with the defense - a tired and injury-depleted defense at that.
To say the Cowboys dominated the time of possession on Sunday would be an understatement. The Dallas offense had the ball for nearly 37 minutes, running 69 plays; 28 more than the Giants. Adding to the tall task that lay ahead in the final 7 minutes was a shoulder injury sustained by Aaron Ross before the start of the fourth quarter which reunited him with fellow CBs Sam Madison and Kevin Dockery on the sidelines. If I told you before the game that to win, the Gmen would have to fend off two late go-ahead drives starting around mid-field with RW McQuarters and Geoffery Pope playing prominent roles in the pass defense would you have still tuned in?
Well that is exactly what the Giants did in nerve-racking fashion with one of the most inspired displays of team defense I have witnessed in all my years as a fan of the Big Blue. The first Dallas drive inside the 7 minute mark would get as far as the NYG 41 yard line before falling apart, thanks in large part to a Kawika Mitchell sack as well as a costly intentional grounding call on Tony Romo. The Giants defense started getting to and hitting Romo late in the game forcing him to rush throws with pressure ultimately resulting in two sacks.
Following another Giants 3 and out, the stage was set for Tony Romo to earn his first playoff win in dramatic fashion and for me to go on suicide watch. Being a Giant fan I have been on the receiving end of some terrible playoff losses which featured similar scripts. Sucking down beer like it was the anecdote for my nerve-induced nausea I paced in my living room, hands in pocket. Panicked text messages poured in and while I checked them during the commercial breaks I was too nervous to reply. I found myself living each passing moment by the code of my strange superstitions, developed entirely during the 4th quarter - stand in the same spot, keep hands in pocket, put beer bottle down while play is in progress, rinse and repeat...
Amidst the late game madness, was a sequence of events which was so surreal I pinched myself to make sure I wasn't stuck in a bizarre lucid dream. It began with Tony Romo completing an improbable shovel pass on the run to Jason Witten for a gain of 18 yards to the Giants 22. Immediately after the play, Fox cut to a clip of Brett Favre completing a similar type of circus pass on Saturday versus the Seahawks as Joe Buck gushed about Romo's virtues.
With my guests and I already visibly rattled, we are then taken to a close up of a fiery Jerry Jones clapping with great intensity on the Dallas sidelines, Superbowl rings blinging in the setting Texas sun. Finally, with the room now comatose, the Fox cameras head back to the field capturing Justin Tuck writhing in pain on the Texas Stadium carpet.
As demoralizing as that sequence was, it served to make the game-ending interception by RW McQuarters that much sweeter. The Giants had overcome great odds in avenging their lone road loss of the season, raising their record away from East Rutherford to an incredible 9-1. And, as always, to the victor goes the spoils. A bumbling, disheveled Wade Phillips looking like he just got bounced from a dive bar at 3am. A frowning Tony Romo left searching for answers and the icing on the cake, a sobbing TO feebly defending his QB.
With two ghosts of playoff past - Jeff Garcia and Terrell Owens - sent packing, the Giants now head on to Green Bay for what promises to be their toughest test of the season: Brett Favre in Arctic Lambeau.
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The Minnesota Twins are Major League Baseball's biggest tease. For the past few months, they have been flaunting their Venezuelan golden boy to anyone who would listen (or afford to listen) inundating sports websites and television programs with a myriad of rumors, most completely worthless. Johan Santana is the prize here friends, and he has been linked to about half the teams in baseball at some point. But for fiscal, need-based and/or cosmetic reasons there have always been only three possible teams that make sense: the Boston Red Sox, New York Yankees and New York Mets.
Back when the madness that is the "Santana Sweepstakes" began, a buddy of mine Phil, a Yankee fan and a co-contributor over at the Fantasy Sports Experience, told me flatly that the Mets would land Santana. He reasoned that the offers made by the Yankees and Red Sox were merely done for posturing. Essentially, the two teams were (to borrow a great line from season 2 of The Wire) "pissing on each other's leg" as they engaged in a high stakes game of keep-away.
Looking back objectively we all should have seen this coming. Baseball has clearly entered a new age where the prospect has more value than ever and the behaviors of the Yanks and Sox over the past 2 years exemplify this fact. Both teams are actively funneling more money than ever into buidling dominant farm systems rather than blowing money on the free agent market and it is working. Yankee and Red Sox pitching prospects have enjoyed a lot of success at the minor and more importantly major league level. Thus, it would stand to reason that there would be no need for either team to meet the hefty price tag it would take to land Santana from both a prospect or fiscal standpoint.
Naturally, the Twins have waited it out because let's be honest the Yanks and Sox can definately offer the best package of prospects if they wanted to. But amidst all of the smoke screens that were thrown up by the AL East rivals - offers that were nearly completed/reported to be complete, half-hearted deadlines, withdrawals from talks, re-entering talks, lowered interest, raised interest, etc. - the Mets and Omar Minaya always sat with a quiet confidence on the sidelines. They looked on as the media and experts poked holes in all of their prospects and made cases against potential offers knowing their day at the forefront of the sweepstakes lay ahead when the posturing was done.
Following the controversal Ryan Church trade, I wrote that although I liked what the trade did for our current roster, it's overall effect would be marginal unless we landed a frontline starter. As time wore on after that trade with the Nats and no Santana deal had been made, I slowly became a believer that the Mets would bring him to New York.
Overall, the Mets have been the best fit for Santana all along:
- Have the money to sign him long-term for big money (he wants 6 years-150 Million).
- Biggest need coming into the offseason was for an inning-eating front-line stater to slot in front of Pedro, Maine and Perez.
- This need is exasperated by the fact that the Mets have a deceptively old roster. While they have great young players like Reyes and Wright, this team also has many vets and aging stars at several key positions including Delgado (1B), Castillo (2B), Alou (LF) and of course the ever-important Pedro Martinez who is in the last year of his deal. Their best chance to contend for a World Series is this year.
- The Mets play in the National League, which means the Twins don't have to worry about Santana coming back to haunt them a few times a year.
- Santana wants to play in New York.
- Most importantly, despite all of the reports about the Mets not having the prospects of the Yankees or Red Sox, they have what the Twins need: Top-tier corner outfield & center field prospects (Fernando Martinez & Carlos Gomez) with power and speed as well a selection of young pitcher with relief and starting pitching upside (Kevin Mulvey, Deolis Guerra, Phil Humber, Mike Pelfrey)
All of this aside, I did not want to write about Santana until we saw what the Mets would be willing to offer, as I was still concerned about two things. The Mets weren't willing to give Santana the long extension or big money deal and/or although our prospects are good, we were overvaluing them and wouldn't make a legit offer.
After news broke mid-week that Fred Wilpon had publically given Omar Minaya the financial green light to bring Santana on board, my cautious optimism and lingering traces of skepticism melted away and now I firmly believe the Mets will complete a trade for Santana by month's end. The current package reportedly being offered include Deolis Guerra, Carlos Gomez, Kevin Mulvey and Phil Humber. While this is a decent haul for the Twins, I don't think this deal happens unless the mets include their top prospect Fernando Martinez who some claim is the heir apparent at the plate to Juan Gonzalez and could be up by the age of 20.
I am pretty sure the Mets will give in eventually and include Fernando Martinez in order to get Santana and personally I am all for it. While the farm system would be depleted, the Mets would retain Arron Heilman in the bullpen (for better or worse) and keep their top pitching prospect, Mike Pelfrey, who could slot in as a 5th starter or a power bullpen arm depending on how we use El Duque. This provides Willy with added options and some good flexibility throughout the pitching staff. Also, keep in mind we have 3 first round picks this season, so the opportunity is there to begin restocking the farm system.
Most importantly we will be filling our biggest need, getting a pitcher who has dominated the American League for the last 4 seasons, posting a win-loss record of 70-32 with an ERA well under 3.00 during that time. Not to mention he has picked up two Cy Young's in that span. Coming to the lighter-hitting National League, to a great pitcher's park, backed up by a solid defense and good offense, Santana would immediately be the front-runner for the Cy Young award and the Mets instantly become the NL favorite to reach the World Series.
Remember Mets fans, for every Jose Reyes there is a "5-tool prospect" like Alex Escobar and for every Josh Becket, AJ Burnett and Dontrelle Willis a Generation K. Given the makeup of this roster, it is time to surrender to our inhibitions and live in the now. With Johan aboard, the pieces are in place for 2008 to be the year we bring a World Series championship back to Queens.
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The news that the Atlanta Falcons have requested to speak to Steve Spagnuolo in regards to their open head coaching vacancy has made more tan a few Giants fans nervous and downright uncomfortable. Spags has done a tremendous job in his first year in New York, implementing a fast, aggressive defensive scheme that has been exciting to watch and very effective at shutting down opposing offenses. The Giants rank 7th in the NFL in overall defense and lead the league in sacks with 53.
The Giants haven't exactly had great luck with their offensive and defensive coordinators in recent years. John Hufnagel's offenses stalled more often then my old 1988 Nissan (which set a single season record for AAA service calls in 2003) while Tim Lewis' defenses looked like they were made of paper mache' and were very accommodating to the run.
Spags is the most talented coordinator we have had since John Fox left in 2002 to become the head coach of the Carolina Panthers, leading them to a Super Bowl a year later. Thus, please don't blame Giants fans if they are a bit overprotective of our young defensive coordinator as other teams come calling for his services. We knew this day would come eventually, but not this soon.
The chances of Spags leaving are compounded by the Falcons search for a new GM. Chris Mara, the Giants current VP of player evaluation, and Eagles GM Tom Heckert are the top candidates for the open GM spot in Atlanta and are both familiar with Spags. Heckert has known him since his days with the Eagles dating back to 1999 while Mara has worked with him this season. It is thought that both would make a big push to bring him on board as head coach if they are named GM.
While the interest in Spags is a bit disconcerting, have no fear faithful Giant backers, I don't think the boy wonder is going anywhere. According to most accounts, he is quite happy in New York and with only one year of experience under his belt as defensive coordinator, he does not quite feel ready to make the leap to head coach just yet.
We will know more after the playoffs as the Giants have temporarily denied the Falcons request to speak with Spagnuolo. The two sides will meet once the Giants are eliminated from contention to discuss the position. Until then, Spags should have only one thing on his mind: figuring out how to stop the potent Cowboys offense on Sunday.
UPDATE: Pete Carroll is now being considered the front-runner for the position after reportedly speaking with Falcons' owner Arthur Blank. This is some good news...
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 Recently, I began writing for a new fantasy sports blog appropriately named the Fantasy Sports Experience. While Giggin On Ya is still my first love, FSE allows me to feed my fantasy sports fix and that my friends is a good thing.
Anyway, from time to time I will link to some of the fun articles we do over there; sparing you from the detailed analysis that is not so much fun unless you are really into fantasy sports. This week, we decided to live blog the awesomely bizarre Roger Clemens press conference. Follow the link below and enjoy.
Link
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Taking a break from his busy schedule of judging fashion shows on Project Runway, exploting/berating ex-teammates for personal gain and being generally effeminate, Tiki Barber will attend the New York Giants-Tampa Bay Bucaneers playoff game on Sunday. In an article for his excellent Giants blog at the Star-Ledger, Mike Garafolo reports that Tiki announced his intentions to attend the game last night on his Sirius Radio Show - "The Barber Shop" - which he co-hosts with his brother, Bucs cornerback Ronde.
The article states that Tiki found himself in a "quandary" this week in regards to his rooting interest and has settled on a compromise. He will stand on the Tampa sidelines BUT also wear a Giants hat explaining to Ronde on the broadcast: "Dude, I'm rooting for you but I am a Giant. Sorry, brother..."
Well Tiki, I think I speak for most Giants fans when I say don't bother wearing our team's colors come Sunday. You showed your true colors earlier in the year when you tossed Eli under the bus to further your announcing career, tarnishing the sanctity of the locker room in the process. So while I thank you for firing up the Gmen this season and helping to improve team chemistry by retiring, you need to remember that you are no longer a Giant. Now, you are merely another talking head... a rather large one at that.
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New years is a time for reflection. A time to take stock of the things done in the past year with hopes that we will learn from our mistakes and become better for them. Yesterday, GM Isiah Thomas gave Head Coach Isiah Thomas a vote of confidence that his job is safe. Yes you read that correctly, couldn't make that up. So much for the 2 week deadline for criticism Isiah placed on himself. By the way, the team went 1-5 during that stretch...
Judging by the last 4 years under the leadership of Isiah Thomas and James Dolan, there is about as much reflection on past failures at MSG as there is accountability. Rather, Knicks management likes to look ahead, focusing on how best to save face and deflect blame while not caring in the slightest about winning or the fans.
With the holiday season coming to a close, now is as good a time as any to look back on the wonderful things Zeke and Jazzy Jim have given Knicks fans over the last four years.
1. Stephon Marbury - If you like losing basketball, then Marbury is your man at the point. Before coming to NY, Steph had built an extensive losing resume, from alienating Kevin Garnett and breaking up a young, talented T'Wolves squad to winning a paltry 0 playoff series. Isiah recognized this and brought his preternatural ability to fail to the Knicks. Over the past four years Starbury has registered 0 wins in playoff games and 1 remarkable scene of infidelity in a truck while killing any team chemistry that has sprouted up from time to time. Luckily, we still have 2 more seasons of him at about 21 million per year...
2. Steve Francis - Because having Stephon Marbury on the roster wasn't enough the Zeke pulled a savvy trade to create the losingest backcourt possible at the highest cap number imaginable. Trevor Ariza and Jalen Rose's expiring contract were traded away to acquire "The Franchise." Like they say at MSG "you've got to give something, to get nothing."
3. Eddy Curry - For the bargain basement price of two first round picks, two second round picks and enough bad contracts to ensure zero cap flexibility for the forseeable future, the Knicks received a "franchise center" with a history of weight and heart problems. To his credit, Curry did begin to come into his own a bit last year averaging 19 points and 7 rebounds a game. Fortunately, Isiah refused to trade him at the peak of his value this summer, instead opting to pair him with Zach Randolph to form an interior defensive presence almost as intimidating as
Steve Nash sans the shot blocking ability.
4. Jerome James - According to Isiah, Big Snacks was acquired for his "girth" not his ability to consistently fill a DNP spot. According to NYC buffets, business has never been better.
5. Jared Jeffries - Using the familiar negotiating strategy of outbidding himself, Isiah was able to sign bonafide offensive blackhole Jared Jeffries to an untradeable five year contract in 2006. Two years and roughly 10,000 unnecessary pump fakes later, Knicks fans are glad to have a guy who brings such "intangibles" as missing layups and being an overrated defender to their roster.
6. No All Stars - The natural progression from Isiah's free agent signings and trades bring us to the fact that the Knicks haven't had a player appear in the All Star Game since 2001. Conversely, several Knick players and personnel have appeared in court during that time...
7. Anucha Browne Sanders - Winner of the largest payout ever for a game of HORSE at MSG, 11.6 million dollars.
8. Head Coach Isiah Thomas - From the makers of General Manager Isiah Thomas, comes an inept head coach with no control of his players and a 41-70 record over the last two seasons. Puzzle piece pins sold separately.
9. Double Digit Losses - One of the key accessories included with Head Coach Isiah are blowouts as the Knicks lead the league with 14 double digit losses this season. I was going to research the number of double digit defeats over the course of Thomas' tenure but decided it was best if the loaded gun on the table remains next to the half-empty bottle of Jameson rather than my temple.
10. Isiah's Contract Extension - This post has focused primarily on Isiah; however, it wouldn't be fair to James Dolan if we didn't mention his contributions to Knicks fans. Not only can the fat man play some serious jazz music and grow a goatee but he also appears to have an uncanny sense for detecting "evident progress" where there is none. Since signing Isiah to a 3 year extension worth 24 million dollars late last season, the Knicks are 12-36. Thus, everytime you look to the Knicks sidelines and see Isiah with his head in his hands or staring blankly from the bench you know who to thank.
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Although the Giants were an accessory to the Pats perfection last night, they have nothing to be ashamed of. For four quarters the Gmen battled arguably the greatest team in NFL history tooth and nail, actually leading for a majority of the game. The lead ballooned to 12, 28-16, following an impressive Eli Manning touchdown pass to Plaxico Burress with 9 minutes to go in the third quarter. However, it was all Patriots after that as they scored 22 unanswered points punctuated by Tom Brady's 65 yard TD pass to Randy Moss which put the Pats up for good while breaking several individual regular season records - most passing TDs by a QB and most receiving TDs by a WR.
The positives for the Giants could be found all over. Eli Manning played his best game since week 1 at Dallas throwing for 252 yards, 4 TDs and only 1 INT. Manning looked composed and his decision-making was crisp as he looked very comfortable running the offense. Eli's play was bolstered by a healthier supporting cast featuring a few new faces.
The emergence of Kevin Boss (officially dubbed "The Big Bossman" last night although he does not hail from Cobb County, Georgia) really helped to balance the offense and give Eli added options in the passing game. While I respect Jeremy Shockey for playing through injury this year, his inability to run crisp routes coupled with his propensity to give up on plays was hurting this offense. Last night, Boss was able to run hard, true patterns which ultimately lead to a TD reception where he beat Rodney Harrison over the middle and he showed great hustle throughout. The latter was exemplified on a play in the second quarter when Eli eluded two tacklers near the Giants end zone, rolled left and hit Boss for a first down after Boss had followed Eli across the field. I just feel like a banged-up Shockey might not have been able to make either of those plays.
Sticking with the injury theme, Plaxico Burress looked as healthy as we've seen him in the second half of the season. He was running with good speed on his deep routes, was able to run patterns effectively and displayed good jumping ability on a long reception in the first quarter. When Plax plays well, the attention he draws opens up more space for everyone else to operate, putting Eli in a greater comfort zone. Another dinged up Giant who showed no ill effects of past injuries and played very well was Brandon Jacobs. He displayed soft hands in hauling in the first TD of the game and had some signature hard-nosed runs, running over Tedy Bruschi on a few occasions.
Three young guys who shined yesterday and can be difference makers come playoff time include:
- Dominick Hixon - starting in place of Ahmad Bradshaw as the primary kickoff returner, had several solid returns including one taken 74 yards to the house against a stout Patriots special teams.
- Gerris Wilkinson - replaced an injured Kawika Mitchell in the first quarter and was flying all over the field. Wilkinson played well against the run and was decent in coverage given the circumstances (having to stay with Randy Moss on a few plays).
- Steve Smith - made some plays in the passing game, giving Eli a formidable third option to Plax and Toomer. Smith showed good hands on a few second half receptions and could be a valuable weapon both due to his solid route running and potential as a deep threat out of the slot.
Unfortunately there were also a few injuries headed by center Shaun O'Hara and Kawika Mitchell who left with knee injuries and Sam Madison who left the game with an abdominal injury in the fourth quarter. O'Hara and Madison are indispensable members of the Giants O-line and secondary respectively, we will know more about their status later in the week. If either can't go, it would be a big blow to those respective units.
I feel that I have written enough about the general negativity/cynicism of Giants fans surrounding this team. Here's to hoping that people are beginning to realize this young team's promise heading into the playoffs and beyond. Next stop: Tampa.
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The way the New England Patriots' 2007 season has played out to this point reminds me of the 1993 western Tombstone. For those of you that do not have an unhealthy obsession with the film, the plot revolves around wild west lawman Wyatt Earp (played by Kurt Russell in arguably his finest hour). The movie begins with Wyatt and his two brothers, Virgil and Morgan, moving to the up and coming town of Tombstone, Arizona with hopes of leading a simple family-oriented life free from the burden of maintaining the law in the lawless west. Being a western, this is not how things shape up for the Earp family as a vigilante group of cowboys, lead by Curly Bill Brocius and his fantastic mustache, take exception to the "law dogs" setting up shop in their town.
The cowboys attempt to run the Earps out of town and Wyatt (the family figurehead) turns the other cheek for a while hoping to abstain from a return to a life of violence. However, two events - the shooting of Virgil and murder of Morgan - leave him with a fiery vendetta against the cowboys that can only be quenched with bloodshed. Eventually, a fully motivated Wyatt along with buddy Doc Holliday and cowboy defectors the ruthless duo of Texas Jack and Turkey Creek Johnson set out to destroy the cowboys. What follows is an improbable cameo by Charlton Heston and a montage of the fearsome foursome killing cowboy after cowboy in every way possible.
As I watched this movie the other day, I couldn't help but think of the Patriots. This was a team up to last year's AFC championship game loss at Indy which was modest in the way they approached playing the game as well as building their roster. Now, Bill Belichick has become Wyatt Earp and the shootings of his brothers - the AFC Championship game loss = Virgil losing use of his arm and Spy Gate = the murder of Morgan - have changed the Pats focus from simply beating opponents to absolutely overwhelming them. Tom Brady is the Holliday to Belichick's Earp fully having his back and hired guns Randy Moss and Wes Welker quickly bought into Belichick's cause and have raised their games to a new level. Aside from a close call in Baltimore and a gut check in Indy, the Patriots have been downright unstoppable beating opponents ranging from the Cowboys to the Dolphins in dominating fashion.
Tonight at Giants Stadium is the final showdown. Just like Tombstone didn't end until Doc Holliday finished off his nemesis, defacto cowboy leader Johnny Ringo (who was in the unfortunate position of being the second fastest gun in the west to Holliday at the time), the Patriots remain one step from completing their revenge upon the NFL.
Overall, the Giants matchup decently with the Pats. They have the ability to rush the QB with their front four and control the game on the ground with a consistent running game. Given the fact that blustery conditions are the norm at Giants stadium this time of year, the Pats pass game may be slowed a bit and the maligned running game will no doubt be tested. These factors could result in a closer game then many people expect if the Giants can take care of the ball (this means you Eli).
Tom Coughlin has shown no indication this week or from his past coaching exploits that he intends to rest the starters. With about an hour to gametime, it appears everyone from Plax to Brandon Jacobs will start and play a considerable amount. It will serve as an excellent tune up for some of the Giants youngsters, especially the guys in the secondary - Aaron Ross, Kevin Dockery and James Butler - going up against arguably the league's finest wide receiving corps and QB. Additionally, Ahmad Bradshaw has a good opportunity to further develop his game, facing a very active front 7. The experience gained tonight against one of the league's best defenses will help him to continue building on his week 16 breakout performance with an eye towards the playoffs where he will be needed.
Given that I expect a physical game tonight (Coughlin and Belichick would have it no other way) let's first and foremost hope for an injury-free game. If the Giants can play at a high level on both sides of the ball they will arrive in Tampa with added confidence when the second season begins next week.
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We here at Giggin' On Ya make no apologies for not getting you guys a Christmas gift. You see, we don't celebrate Christmas, as any of you who have been jocking my shit for awhile surely know by now. And while it may have been a function of a new city for me, I wasn't even entirely certain when the Hanukkah fell on the ol' calendar this year. This is not abnormal. For years, due to final exams and things of that nature, it was always a surprise to get the "Happy Hannukah" phonecall on that first night, what with it always being a different date, ranging anywhere from right after Thanksgiving to several days past Christmas. And so it is not only acceptable, but pretty much expected at this point, that presents from Becky arrive not so much during Hanukkah, as around Hanukkah. Sometimes wrapped. Sometimes not so much. I fucking suck at wrapping presents. Gift bags were invented for people like me. But I digress.
Yes, the gift-giving holidays are over (unless you count a raging New Years Day hangover a gift, in which case you and I will get along juuuuuust fine). But we here at the GOY (ironic?) believe that it's never too late for the holiday spirit. And so we would like to give to you, dear readers, the Holiday Gig List. For the most deserving of gigs for the past year.
Ben and I went back and forth for a few hours nominating those worthy of a year-end gig. He, especially, would like you to know that not all gigs are necessarily representative of the views and opinions of both giggers.
I bet you can tell which are from Ben, and which are from Becky.
Come open up your shoddily wrapped present, after the jump....
Continue reading "Your Holiday Gig List" »
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The Giants floundered out of the gates Sunday, finding themselves down 14-0 at the end of the first quarter. With 40-50 mph winds blowing and rain relentlessly falling on Ralph Wilson Stadium making conditions deplorable, the Giants offense struggled to consistently move the ball. Conversely, the Bills were seemingly calling all the right plays, keeping the Giants D off-balance by capitalizing on a slick turf that neutralized the team's defensive speed. Suddenly, playoffs aspirations were becoming more questionable by the minute as a showdown with the all-mighty Patriots lay on the horizon. Essentially two options lay in front of the Giants with 45 minutes to play: win today and clinch or lose and face the prospect playing a must-win against one of the finest teams in NFL history.
Fueled by two Buffalo Bills special teams miscues - a botched punt by Brian Moorman and roughing the kicker on safety Donte Whitner - the Giants stormed back (pardon the terrible pun) to tie the score on two Brandon Jacobs TDs from 6 and 43 yards respectively. After 30 minutes of play the Giants lead 17-14.
The second half got off to an inauspicious start as Eli Manning threw an interception on the first play, leading to a Bills TD a few plays later to make it 21-17. However, this would be the last lead Buffalo would enjoy thanks to the Giants defense which stepped up in crunch time yet again. Kawika Mitchell made arguably the biggest defensive play of the season, returning a Trent Edwards interception for a touchdown giving the Giants a 24-21.
The nail in the coffin came following an impressive defensive hold as little used rookie RB Ahmad Bradshaw ripped off a dynamic 88 yard touchdown run putting the Giants up 10. On the next Bills possession Corey Webster closed out the Bills funeral proceedings with the Giants' second interception return for a td on the game.
Key contributions came from all over the place as this was a true team win. Amani Toomer showed a lot of fire and grit in Jeremy Shockey's absence reeling in several huge third down conversions while compiling 99 yards receiving. Osi Umenyiora's relentless pass rush forced Trent Edwards' hand on a bunch of throws and Kawika Mitchell supplemented his potential game winning interception return for a TD with two sacks and sure tackling. The biggest contribution however came from the Giants RBs and O-line who more or less dominated this game. The RBs combined for 291 yards and 3 TDs lead by Brandon Jacobs (145 and 2 TDs) and Ahmad Bradshaw (151 and 1 TD).
The Giants fought back from a 14 point deficit on the road against a formidable foe, in wretched conditions no less, to clinch a playoff spot for the third straight year. Most impressively, this win marked the seventh straight on the road for the Giants who's lone road loss came in the shootout in Dallas on opening day.
The Giants win combined with Minnesota's loss on Sunday night clinched the 5 seed and sets up a date at Tampa Bay in the first round. So what is with the high level of cynicism among Giants fans? Why do the newspaper articles and fan commentary throughout the web focus on negatives like Eli Manning's recent play or Brandon Jacobs' durability rather than this team's heart or inspired play on the road? If I didn't know any better, I would assume that the Giants were eliminated from playoff contention weeks ago and were preparing to make a high draft pick in April.
In fact, it is getting to the point where Giants fans actually appear unhappy about making the playoffs because they don't want to be "disappointed again." Maybe we should ask the fans in Arizona, Detroit or Miami how to deal with these issues of consistently rooting for a playoff team. I am almost certain Lions fans will have no problem remedying our woes by lending us Matt Millen for a few seasons to decimate our roster.
Looking back at the beginning of the season, many of the "experts" predicted a last place finish for the Giants in the NFC East with about 5-6 wins. A majority of Giants fans I know and around the web set similar expectations for the team with the optimists saying .500 was a good goal in what was to be a rebuilding year after Tiki's retirement.
Well a funny thing happened on the way to a top 10 draft pick, we OVERACHIEVED people. The running game and offense really hasn't skipped a beat after Tiki chose Project Runway over football, better acclimating himself with his feminine side. A collection of good young backs lead by Brandon Jacobs have run well behind an ever-improving young o-line and Plaxico Burress has emerged as one of the elite WR in the business. Most importantly however, a Giants defense that was soft and ineffective under the reign of Tim Lewis (creator of the swiss cheese defensive scheme with a genuine, inherent ability for ruining talented NFL defenses and alienating star players) has transformed into one of the fastest and most aggresive units in football under first year coach Steve Spagnuolo. Additionally, as is the theme throughout the roster, many of the key guys on defense are still pretty young or freaks (Strahan) who will be around for a while. Overall, this roster will continue to improve and has a chance of being good for some time to come.
Considering all of the positives and promise displayed this season, topped off by a playoff game against a beatable opponent, it is shocking that so many Giants fans remain fixated on dissecting and trashing Eli Manning's performance. I agree that Eli has struggled late in the season; however, it hasn't all been bad. Eli played well in a win at Detroit when the Lions were playing at a high level and he engineered an improbable 4th quarter comeback in Chicago. Yes he has played terrible the last three games and the Minnesota game is inexcusable but look at the numbers for the opposing QBs in the last two games which took place in terrible conditions.
Looking around the league, analyzing the stats and game to game performances of other young QBs, it becomes apparent that there are more than a few growing pains that go into developing into a good QB. Carson Palmer has struggled with all his weapons in Cincy, Phillip Rivers has matched Eli's performance at best while Jay Cutler remain inconsistent in Denver. Additionally, other young QBs like Vince Young and Alex Smith have struggled mightily and regressed from their performance level of a year ago. The fact is, Eli is by no means perfect and has plenty to work on; however, so do many other young, promising QBs carrying the franchise label around the NFL.
It's important to remember that this makes three straight playoff appearances for Eli as a starter and by all accounts, he has the full respect and confidence of his teammates in the locker room due to both his late game performances and playing through a shoulder injury all season without so much as uttering a complaint or missing a game. If his teammates are content with Eli and are displaying patience and restraint with him, what more reason could the fans have to follow suit?
Saturday January 5th at 8pm the Giants will take the field for a playoff game looking for their first postseason win since 2000. Rather than focusing on petty negatives and setting impossible standards on this young team, take a step back Giants fans. Understand how far they have come since opening day and be excited that there is a lot of potential yet to be realized in the future. But most of all, sit back and enjoy the game as a devoted fan and leave the Giants bashing to trained professionals like Daryl Johnston
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Last Sunday night was cold and windy at Giants Stadium. Actually it was ridiculously cold and windy. Trust me, I was in section 321 wearing every article of winter clothing known to man short of a full body latex ski suit. So you can imagine my surprise when Kevin Gilbride, pronounced Kill-Drive around the Meadowlands these days, followed up a 19 yard Brandon Jacobs run off right tackle with three straight passing plays into the swirling winds. Quite a gameplan for a team that is among the league leaders in team rushing yards and has a stellar offensive line.
When all was said and done, Eli Manning had thrown 52 passes with 34 incompletions (2nd most all-time in a single game) and the Giants WRs had dropped around 10 of them. The Giants lost to Michigan legend Todd Collins and the Redskins setting up another win and in opportunity this Sunday at Buffalo.
The Bills were eliminated from playoff consideration last week; however, they loom as a difficult team to beat at home, just ask the Dallas Cowboys. They come into this game healthy with only Roscoe Parrish being listed on the injury report among their core players. With weather conditions calling for rain and wind that will make the artificial turf at Ralph Wilson stadium slick, this game should be Brandon Jacobs' time to shine.
The big man flourishes in sloppy games as evidenced by his 131 yard outburst in London and it is imperative the Giants establish him early. The Giants offense has been at their best this season when they feed off of the ground game, allowing it to set up the pass rather than forcing the issue as we saw against the skins. Jacobs is the key to the Giants moving the ball effectively against the Bills and it is important to establish him early in order to allow Eli Manning to settle into a comfort zone.
On the defensive side, the slippery conditions could be detrimental to the Giants speed rushers coming off the corners. The Bills have an up and coming young QB in Trent Edwards but lack explosiveness in their passing game outside of the underrated Lee Evans. The Giants D will need to focus on Evans; however, the Buffalo offense usually goes as Marshawn Lynch goes. The rookie RB is the would be ROY if not for Adrian Peterson and is a dynamic back. If the Giants can contain Lynch, not letting him get to the corners they should be able to control the tempo of the game.
This game might be the biggest game of the Coughlin-Eli era, as most Giants fans still do not believe in this team's ability to win a big regular season game, let alone a playoff game. Their performance on Sunday will go a long way in showing what this team will be capable of as we head towards the playoffs.
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Despite the giant pink slip-related madness that ensued outside of MSG yesterday afternoon, nightfall brought a strong performance from a motivated Knicks team. Following the Pacers debacle on Monday, I wrote that as currently constructed and coached, this team was headed nowhere. Like a majority of Knicks fans I want to see Isiah go. But as I have always contested, Stephon Marbury's play at point guard is the Knicks' biggest problem.
I attended last night's game, my first of the season, and was glad to see the young Knicks playing hard with Stephon Marbury out of sight and mind if only for one night. The offense looked crisp and selfless, there was a discernable energy both on defense and on the boards and the team generally looked to be in harmony on the court as well as on the bench. Here are a few observations from last night's win and my thoughts on what the Knicks should do going forward:
- Although he is far from perfect, Jamal Crawford is clearly our best option to run the offense. We know Jamal's strengths: ball-handling, getting to the rim and (although streaky) mid to long range jump shooting. We also know his vices: weak defender, turnover prone, careless with the ball, etc. However, dating back to the Larry Brown regime, Crawford's most redeeming quality has been his team-first attitude and willingness to learn and improve. Crawford dramatically raised his game under Brown's tutelage, developing better all-around skills (especially passing) and increasing his basketball IQ. He is the Knick that is coolest under pressure and according to most things you read, the one that garners the most respect in the locker room due to tenure and his poise. Last night, Crawford played a controlled game at point guard maintaining a good balance between passing and scoring. He made many good decisions and a few bad ones, but given the opportunity to run this offense his instincts will improve and he can make those around him better.
- Fred Jones, who I admittedly have trashed on a regular basis, is a good fit at the two spot beside Crawford. Given the fact the Knicks have so many guys that need the ball in their hands to be effective, Jones serves to balance out the lineup providing hustle, some defense and the ability to finish in transition.
- When Eddy Curry and Zach Randolph are on the court together, the offense is stagnant. Guys aren't moving or cutting, basically everyone is standing around watching Crawford try to create on the perimeter or the ball is force fed inside to one of the bigs and never seen again. I can't stress this enough so I'm going bold on ya - David Lee must start and play at least 35 minutes a night. Like Jones, Lee doesn't need the ball to be effective; however, that's where the likeness ends. Lee generates his own points through offensive rebounds and smart, persistent cuts to the basket where he is developing into an excellent finisher down low. In addition to his excellent rebounding skills, his athleticism and proclivity in starting fast breaks with solid outlet passes keeps the Knicks moving and injects life into the offense. A starting 5 of Zach Randolph, David Lee, Q, Fred Jones and Crawford is the most balanced and effective at both ends of the floor.
- Which brings us to Eddy Curry. He has had a hard time getting going this year and his game has regressed noticeably from a year ago. Watching him last night, I think this is a product of him being put in spots where he is less likely to succeed. As my co-worker Dan points out almost daily, Eddy Curry "is what he is," in other words he's a big that's only as good as the situations you put him in. I don't feel that his game will ever mesh with Randolph's for the simple fact that neither is a good passer and as such it will be difficult for them to develop a high-low chemistry. In addition, when they are on the court together there simply isn't enough room for them to both operate and each of their games are restricted and worse off for it. A second unit featuring Eddy Curry as the lone big will give him an opportunity to own the block and draw favorable matchups. Additionally, Randolph should be able to use his athleticism more with first unit due to the added breathing room. Maybe it will even persuade him to pass a little more...
- As for the remainder of the bench, Nate Robinson deserves at least 20-25 minutes a night. Nate is a guy that can pick a team up when down and make things happen on both ends, especially in the transition game. Another guy I came away impressed by was Malik Rose who offers the Knicks a solid veteran defensive presence at forward. Countless times Rose provided excellent weak side help in defending Lebron and even got an emphatic block. He's a good option to rotate in at the 4 spot for brief stretches. Jeffries and Balkman are also decent plays based on the matchup. Balkman is very skittish and hasn't seen a pump fake he didn't try to block into the stands. He has good defensive skills and is explosive in transition, however he must develop greater poise before getting viable minutes. Essentially, the Knicks rotation should not exceed 8-9 players.
- Finally, I simply don't see Steph fitting in with this current roster. He will most certainly be relegated to a backup role, coming off the bench for 25 minutes or so. Unfortauntely, I don't see any scenario where his presence off the bench helps this team. I feel, as always, he will try to do too much on the offensive end in terms of scoring and hurt the rhythm and tempo of the offense as a whole. I fear this selfish play will be further exasperated by his reduced minutes and serves as the biggest threat to the Knicks overall success.
The reasons for Steph's absence from the Knicks are tough, it is never easy to lose someone you love, especially a parent. However, from a purely basketball stand point - based on last night's play and the team's performance when he is on the court - the Knicks are best served with Marbury out of the equation. Isiah isn't going anywhere folks. The best thing we can do this season is cut ties with Marbury as soon as possible and roll the dice with Zeke's boys. As I said yesterday, this is the only way the young guys will truly develop as a unit and the best chance that the fans and management alike have to see what exactly we have here.
Steph will not be joining the team in Charlotte for Friday's game, let's see if the Knicks can build on the Cavs blowout....
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Mike Dunleavy Jr. He was my guy, he was my guy I tell you. For three straight seasons - 2004-05 to 2006-07 - I drafted him onto my fantasy teams and believed that he would develop into a good all-around NBA basketball player. Unfortunately, year after year he failed to live up to expectations; never fitting into Nelly's system and eventually getting shipped to Indiana where he continued his inconsistent play. This year I was officially done with him and for the first time my fantasy basketball team did not open with Mike Dunleavy Jr. in the starting rotation.
Naturally, Dunleavy has finally started to come into his own this year, flourishing in Jim O'Brien's fast-paced offense in Indiana. He is currently averaging career highs in points, assists, 3 pointers, 3 pt %, FG %, FT %... more or less across the board. So when MDJ went off for a career-high 36 points last night doing a little of everything - hitting circus jumpers, off-balance layoffs in transition and ripping threes - against my pathetic Knicks, it hurt on many levels.
First off, MDJ should never go off for 30+ points. If your team can defend at all, a big MDJ game should be of the 20 points 5 rebounds variety not 36 and 7. Secondly and most importantly, its simply time to accept the fact that this Knicks team is going no where with Lord Marbury at point guard and The Zeke coaching. The Knicks play with no fire or defensive acumen and run an unorganized offense reminiscent of a mediocre high school team.
This team has quit on its coach yet given they play in the parallel universe known as Madison Square Garden, coach has gotten a full vote of confidence from the owner. Basically, we as Knicks fans are totally screwed for the forseeable future unless a miracle (Marbury buy out & Isiah firing) were to occur. While it wouldn't remedy all of the problems associated with the current roster, it would at the very least give the young talent an opportunity to develop; allowing us the fans to finally see what exactly we have here.
So until there is a little light at the end of the tunnel or any signs of life in general, it is just easier to write about performances by the opposition. You can read about the poor play of the Knicks and the organization's general dysfuntion in your favorite New York paper. Wednesday night, I make my season debut at MSG as the Knicks take on Lebron and the Cleveland Cavaliers. I mean, he's no MDJ but that LBJ he's got some game... should be interesting to see if the Bron Stopper, Q-Rich (ha), can hold him under 36.
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This past Monday, the WWE rolled out a three hour Monday Night Raw special event commemorating the 15th anniversary of the show. Given the significance of this occasion, we decided to blog this event live along with our two resident wrestling experts, Josh and Big Larry.
FINALLY, the WWE has come to Giggin On Ya... follow the jump and enjoy.
Continue reading "Monday Night Raw 15th Anniversary Special - Live" »
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A Few Thoughts While Reading The Mitchell Report
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Now that the smoke has cleared and Roger Clemens' legacy has been thoroughly soiled (although he remain a first ballot lock for the Hall of Fame in my opinion) it is time to reveal the final results from the Mitchell Report Fantasy draft held Wednesday night:
Ben - 4 (Brian Roberts, Barry Bonds, Troy Glaus, Roger Clemens)
Phil - 3 (Juan Gonzalez, Eric Gagne, Lenny Dykstra)
Josh - 3 (Kevin Brown, Miguel Tejada, Mark McGwire)
Commenter John - 0 (thanks for coming out)
I am happy to report that Giggin On Ya is the big winner in the MRFL having defeated a slew of worthy competitors. However, there will be ample opportunities to settle the score in the future once the MLB releases multi-million dollar reports focusing on HGH, amphetamines and most importantly the rise of illegal pepper games.
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I just finished reading through the Mitchell Report (some damning information regarding Clemens in there, wow) and put together a comprehensive list of players named in the report. Some of the more prominent and/or surprising players mentioned in the report are presented in boldface.
- Barry Bonds
- Sammy Sosa
- Raphael Palmeiro
- Mark McGwire
- Gary Sheffield
- Juan Gonzalez
- Ken Caminiti
- Jose and Ozzie Canseco
- Ismael Valdez
- Lenny Dykstra
- Wally Joyner
- Derrick Turnbow
- Jason Grimsley
- Manny Alexander
- Mark Carreon
- Hal Morris
- Matt Franco
- Jack Cust
- Alex Cabrera
- Miguel Tejada
- Larry Bigbie
- David Segui
- Paxton Crawford
- Jason and Jeremy Giambi
- Armando Rios
- Marvin Bernard
- Bobby Estalela
- Benito Santiago
- Randy Velarde
- Brian Roberts
- Tim Laker
- Josias Manzanillo
- Todd Hundley
- Rondell White
- Roger Clemens
- Andy Pettitte
- Chuck Knoblauch
- Gregg Zaun
- David Justice
- F.P. Santangelo
- Glenallen Hill
- Mo Vaughn
- Denny Neagle
- Ron Villone
- Ryan Franklin
- Chris Donnels
- Todd Wiliams
- Phil Hiatt
- Todd Pratt
- Kevin Young
- Mike Lansing
- Cody McKay
- Brenden Donelly
- Nook Logan
- Daniel Naulty
- Jay Gibbons
- Kent Mercker
- Adam Piatt
- Jason Christiansen
- Mike Stanton
- Stephen Randolph
- Jerry Hairston Jr.
- Paul Loduca
- Adam Riggs
- Bart Miadich
- Fernando Vina
- Kevin Brown
- Eric Gagne
- Mike Bell
- Matt Herges
- Gary Bennett Jr.
- Jim Parque
- Chad Allen
- Jefff Williams
- Howie Clark
- Rick Ankiel
- Paul Byrd
- Troy Glaus
- Jose Guillen
- Gary Matthews Jr.
- Scott Schowenweis
- David Bell
- Darren Holmes
- John Rocker
- Matt Williams
- Steve Woodard
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The following list of players was compiled by a person who is closely connected to MLB. I received the list from a trusted friend who has access to a lot of news sources and vouches for its accuracy. Again, this is by no means the official final list of players, but I feel it has a lot of legitimacy.
- Brady Anderson
- Manny Alexander
- Rick Ankiel
- Jeff Bagwell
- Barry Bonds
- Aaron Boone
- Rafael Bettancourt
- Bret Boone
- Milton Bradley
- David Bell
- Dante Bichette
- Albert Belle
- Paul Byrd
- Wil Cordero
- Ken Caminiti
- Mike Cameron
- Ramon Castro
- Jose and Ozzie Canseco
- Roger Clemens
- Paxton Crawford
- Wilson Delgado
- Lenny Dykstra
- Johnny Damon
- Carl Everett
- Kyle Farnsworth
- Ryan Franklin
- Troy Glaus
- Rich Garces
- Jason Grimsley
- Juan Gonzalez
- Eric Gagne
- Nomar Garciapara
- Jason Giambi
- Jeremy Giambi
- Jack Kindregan
- Jose Guillen
- Jay Gibbons
- Clay Hensley
- Jerry Hairston
- Felix Heredia Jr.
- Darren Holmes
- Wally Joyner
- Darryl Kile
- Matt Lawton
- Raul Mondesi
- Mark Mc Gwire
- Guillermo Mota
- Robert Machado
- Damian Moss
- Abraham Nunez
- Trot Nixon
- Jose Offerman
- Andy Pettitte
- Mark Prior
- Neifi Perez
- Rafael Palmeiro
- Albert Pujols
- Brian Roberts
- Juan Rincon
- John Rocker
- Pudge Rodriguez
- Sammy Sosa
- Scott Schowenwies
- David Segui
- Alex Sanchez
- Gary Sheffield
- Miguel Tejada
- Julian Tavarez
- Fernando Tatis
- Mo Vaughn
- Jason Varitek
- Ismael Valdez
- Matt Williams
- Kerry Wood
UPDATE (11:50am) - Just received an email from someone over at Bloomberg. They are about to release a similar list over the newswire; further corroborating the accuracy of the preliminary list posted above.
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Tomorrow at 2pm, former Senator George Mitchell will reveal findings from an extensive 20 month investigation into steroids in baseball that may implicate as many as 80 former and current MLB players. On the heels of what promises to be a hellacious day in the baseball world, Giggin On Ya has decided to conduct the first (and last) Mitchell Report Fantasy Draft. Two special guests, Josh and Phil, will join me in building fantasy teams consisting of players that we feel will be named in the Mitchell Report. The following rules apply:
The draft lasts 11 rounds and each manager must select: 1 C, 1 1B, 1 2B, 1 SS, 1 3B, 3 OF, 1 U, 1 SP and 1 CL/MR
Players that have admitted to steroid use and/or been suspended by MLB may not be selected.
One point is awarded for each player implicated in the Mitchell Report.
Without further ado, here are the draft results and final rosters:
Round 1 - (1) Josh - Miguel Tejada, (2) Phil - Ivan Rodriguez, (3) Ben - Barry Bonds
Round 2 - (4) Ben - Rickey Henderson, (5) Phil - Lenny Dykstra, (6) Josh - Mark Mc Gwire
Round 3 - (7) Josh - Brady Anderson, (8) Phil - Mike Piazza, (9) Ben - Rey Ordonez
Round 4 - (10) Ben - Brian Roberts, (11) Phil - Juan Gonzalez, (12) Josh - Eric Chavez
Round 5 - (13) Josh - Bernie Williams, (14) Phil - Brett Boone, (15) Ben - Roger Clemens
Round 6 - (16) Ben - Yorvit Torrealba, (17) Phil - Jason Schmidt, (18) Josh - Dante Bichette
Round 7 - (19) Josh - Larry Walker, (20) Phil - Bobby Bonilla, (21) Ben - Melvin Mora
Round 8 - (22) Ben - Albert Pujols, (23) Phil - Jim Edmonds, (24) Josh - Roberto Alomar
Round 9 - (25) Josh - Sandy Alomar Jr., (26) Phil - Walt Weiss, (27) Ben - Roberto Hernandez
Round 10 - (28) Ben - Vince Coleman, (29) Phil - Eric Gagne, (30) Josh - Kevin Brown
Round 11- (31) Josh - Mo Rivera, (32) Phil - Rich Aurillia, (33) Ben - Troy Glaus
Josh
C - Sandy Alomar Jr.
1B - Mark Mc Gwire
2B - Roberto Alomar
SS - Miguel Tejada
3B - Eric Chavez
OF - Brady Anderson
OF - Bernie Williams
OF - Larry Walker
U - Dante Bichette
SP - Kevin Brown
CL - Mo Rivera
Phil
C - Ivan Rodriguez
1B - Mike Piazza
2B - Brett Boone
SS - Walt Weiss
3B - Rich Aurillia
OF - Juan Gonzalez
OF - Bobby Bonilla
OF - Jim Edmonds
U - Lenny Dykstra
SP - Jason Schmidt
CL - Eric Gagne
Ben
C - Yorvit Torrealba
1B - Albert Pujols
2B - Brian Roberts
SS - Rey Ordonez
3B - Melvin Mora
OF - Barry Bonds
OF - Rickey Henderson
OF - Vince Coleman
U - Troy Glaus
SP - Roger Clemens
MR - Roberto Hernandez
Check back tomorrow after the release of the report for the final tally and to see who the big winner is...
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While many see today's Michael Vick sentencing as a resounding victory for animal rights, I see it as a sorry defeat for a flawed legal system. In a nation where we've seen athletes like Ray Lewis avoid a murder rap with the old "asleep at the wheel" defense (didn't work for La Russa), Leonard Little run down a mother of four while intoxicated yet serve no jail time or NFL suspensions, Kobe simply pay his way out of a rape charge (and a divorce) and OJ... (enough said) we are conditioned to believe that athletes can get away with anything. Resentment at this air of legal privelage coupled with the growing attention given to the behavior of athletes following incidents like the Pacers-Pistons brawl has fueled an ever-growing rift between athletes and fans that transcends sports. Eventually, an athlete was going to be made an example, but I never imagined it would be done in such a bizarre fashion.
Michael Vick was sentenced to 23 months in federal prison today for his funding of the Bad Newz Kennels dogfigthing operation and killing pit bulls. It all started innocently enough in April with word that Vick might be involved with dogfighting and could face state charges on the matter. In the 8 months to follow, we saw the newly-formed federal investigative arm of PETA - oh wait that doesn't exist it must simply be the smoke screen known as the federal government - make this a federal case conducting numerous searches of Vick's property. We saw Henry Hudson, a self-professed animal lover and outdoorsman, be appointed as the judge on the case. I mean isn't that the equivalent of a diehard Lakers fan serving as the judge at the Kobe rape trial? How can he not hold a bias? Finally, in a country with an estimated 40,000 dogfighting operations and an average sentence of 6-12 months for first time dog fighting offenders, we saw Hudson sentence Vick to a prison term exceeding the reccomended maximum sentencing guidelines by 5 months.
Now I have never really been a Michael Vick fan and I am in fact a dog owner. My sheltie Dusty is a handsome pup and I appreciate him. Did Michael Vick deserve to go to jail for these crimes, yes; however, should the sentencing have gone over guidelines, absolutely not.
There are some strange undertones to this sentencing including the federal government's desicion to intervene in this particular investigation. But what I find more interesting is if slowly the life of a dog, the charmed pet in American culture, is worth nearly as much as that of our fellow man? The question I continue to ask myself is if Michael Vick was running a cockfighting ring, what are the chances he would be suiting up for tonight's game, sporting a pair of Nike Air Zoom Vick 5s and one of the NFL's top 10 best selling jerseys?
I'd say near 100%.
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Earlier today in the AAA portion of the Rule V draft, the New York Mets selected Garry Bakker, a 24 year old pitching prospect left unprotected by the Chicago White Sox. A fellow graduate of Suffern High School, Bakker will get the opportunity to pitch for the Mets AAA team this upcoming season. If all goes well, hopefully Rick Peterson will be touching his shoulder during a mound visit at Shea Stadium or Citi Field in the near future.
We at Giggin On Ya wish him the best of luck.
For more information on Garry Bakker click here (courtesy of The Baseball Cube).
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Earlier today, many Met fans found themselves up in arms as the team acquired Ryan Church along with Brian Schneider in exchange for the young Lastings Milledge. The outrage could be seen across internet message boards, comment sections, sports talk radio and my company email inbox as Mets fans lashed out at management for dealing one of the organization's more promising young positional players. The deal was not only lambasted by fans but also by respected baseball analysts including the venerable Keith Law, one of the better judges of talent among the experts.
On the surface this deal looks like a "heist" (as Law so bluntly put it) by the Nats. However, upon examining the numbers and considering the New York Mets current situation, this is a potentially beneficial deal in the short-term (next 2-3 years) given the following stipulation: the Mets go out and land a front-line starter such as Erik Bedard, Danny Haren or to a lesser extent Joe Blanton.
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