Voices in the Crowd

Jeremy Lin Just Won't Quit

2012-02-15T11:28:00.002-05:00

(Photo courtesy of timeinc.net)

First, let me destroy the comparisons being made between Jeremy Lin and Tim Tebow once and for all. For one thing, Jeremy Lin actually plays well for the first three quarters of the game. But the differences don't end there.

Tebow was an All-American in college. Lin was All-Ivy. Tebow's receivers struggled often when the ball was in his hands thanks to an inability to read coverages and general inaccuracy. Lin makes his teammates better when he has the ball with impressive court vision and pinpoint dimes.

Most pro-Tebow articles refused to give credit to anybody but Tebow. That won't happen here, even as Lin tied the game last night with a minute remaining with a sensational three-point play and won it at the buzzer with a straightaway three-pointer.

How quickly people forget about Iman Shumpert, who picked Jose Calderon's pocket and got an easy dunk out of it to cut the Toronto lead to 87-84 two possessions before Lin's three-point play. The same can be said for Tyson Chandler, whose offensive rebound of Shumpert's late miss to give the Knicks the final possession helped Lin make magic happen.

Without Shumpert's steal, the Knicks are down two points on the final possession and Lin likely doesn't clear out for the three like he did. Without Chandler's rebound, well, Jose Calderon had a pretty good game himself (25 points, nine assists). Maybe he hits the game-winning three over Lin instead of Lin over him.

As much as his teammates have helped in spots, it's been Lin who has taken this Knicks team from out of the playoff picture back into contention. Before last night, he did it without Carmelo Anthony and Amar'e Stoudemire. Stoudemire scored 21 points in his return, but it was a quiet 21 thanks to Lin.

Lin has set two records in his first five NBA starts: Most points (136) and most turnovers (30). I see both going down in the near future thanks to the return of Anthony, who also likes to play with the ball on offense. Anthony's presence will lessen both the scoring and ball-handling pressure on Lin.

Anthony's return should also help Lin get some rest, as he's played over 40 minutes per game in his five starts. Fatigue has been evident at times for Lin; last night he missed some free throws late and some of his turnovers against Minnesota came when he was straight gassed.

Lin's minutes won't stay in the 40 range all season, especially if Baron Davis can come back healthy to play 20 or so minutes a night. It's funny how a few weeks ago, Davis was the savior who was going to need to play 30-35 minutes a night at the point. Now, he's going to help keep the Knicks' new savior fresh.

I might have slightly lowballed Lin in my previous article when I said "Once Stoudemire returns Monday and Anthony about a week later, the young point guard should settle in around 12-13 points per game and dish out five or six assists as well." Stoudemire's presence didn't affect Lin's numbers at all but Anthony's certainly will.

My amendment to that above predictions is as follows: I think Lin will score around 15 points per game with 9-10 assists. It's a big move up on the assists but considering even Raymond Felton averaged nine assists in 54 games in Mike D'Antoni's system last year, the quicker Lin should be able to at least match that.

Randy Moss: Should the Jets Consider Signing Him?

2012-02-13T14:20:00.002-05:00

(Photo courtesy of boston.com)

With today's news that Randy Moss plans to come out of retirement on his 35th birthday, rumors will inevitably swirl about Moss and the Jets being a fit: New York is unlikely to retain the services of Plaxico Burress and had serious interest in Moss last season.

The real question is: Should the Jets pursue Moss? While the possibility is tempting and it's always nice to give a shorter quarterback like Mark Sanchez a big target, I think the Jets should pass on the future Hall of Famer once again.

History tends to repeat itself and for the Jets, this would be deja vu all over again. Burress missed two seasons thanks to jail and came back at age 34. Moss didn't play last season and will be coming back at age 35.

Moss was still a stud in 2009 with 84 receptions, 1,264 yards and 13 touchdowns before going back to his malcontent ways in 2010, leading the Patriots to cut him outright. Burress had a great season in 2007 and a solid half-season in 2008 before shooting himself in the foot at a New York nightclub.

Burress was largely a disappointment this season with the exception of his three-touchdown game against San Diego in October. That was his only multi-touchdown game and he had more than four catches or 75 yards just once all season.

The Jets should be looking to get younger and faster at wide receiver. Moss accomplishes neither of those goals while adding another potential diva to the locker room alongside Santonio Holmes.

Unlike a guy like Terrell Owens, Moss has often been a good teammate in the NFL, especially when his teams were winning and he was a large part of their success. The last thing Mark Sanchez needs in his make-or-break season is another potential spat with a receiver who may not be contributing to winning (or losing) as much as he thinks he should be.

Everybody knows Randy Moss is talented and I don't doubt that he can make more of an impact this year than Plaxico Burress did last season. He's one less year removed from the game and was by far a better receiver in his prime. Moss can help a team in 2012, but it shouldn't be the Jets.

Fantasy Basketball Starts/Sits: Week of Feb. 13

2012-02-09T16:46:00.002-05:00

(Photo courtesy of turner.com)

Start ‘Em

Jared Dudley – Pho – Since being re-inserted into the starting lineup by coach Alvin Gentry six games ago, Dudley has averaged 15.7 points, 4.0 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 2.0 three-pointers and 1.5 steals while shooting almost 50% from the field. Those are numbers worthy of starting in almost any league but considering the Suns play five games next week, Dudley is a no-brainer.

Channing Frye – Pho – Sticking with the Suns, Channing Frye has seen a resurgence in his past two games, scoring 33 points with 14 rebounds, five three-pointers and four blocks. If he was dropped in your league, now might be the time to scoop him up with a full schedule on the horizon.

Randy Foye – LAC – The fourth guard in the Clippers’ rotation for most of the season, Foye will step into a much bigger role with Chauncey Billups out for the season. When Chris Paul missed five games a few weeks ago, Foye averaged 11.2 points, 4.6 assists, 2.2 three-pointers, 2.0 steals and 1.4 blocks per game in just over 34 minutes a night, numbers that he can easily match for the rest of the season. If you can stomach his poor shooting (39.8% from the field), he makes for a solid play with four games this week.

Jeremy Lin – NY – Lin has been the talk of New York over the past week and rightfully so; three straight games with at least 23 points and seven assists make him more than deserving of the attention he’s receiving. Lin won’t hit threes (1-for-10 in those three games) but he’ll help nicely in assists and steals (five during that two-game stretch), two of the more difficult categories to find on the waiver wire. Lin is becoming a must-start, especially with Carmelo Anthony expected to miss some if not all of next week with a groin injury.

Nikola Pekovic – Min – Pekovic might be playing better than any player on this list right now and he’s been doing it for a longer stretch of games. In his last nine games, Pekovic is averaging 14.7 points and 9.2 rebounds on 69% shooting from the field. He won’t contribute anywhere else but if you need quintessential big-man stats, Pekovic will give you four games of solid production even if Darko Milicic starts to eat into his minutes.

Sit ‘Em

Greivis Vasquez – NO – Vasquez played well while replacing Jarrett Jack in the starting lineup and certainly earned himself more minutes off the bench. While he can still produce enough across the board (especially in assists and steals) to maintain a roster spot in all but the shallowest of leagues, Jack’s return combined with the Hornets’ three-game week make him a must-bench this week despite his recent strong play.

Manu Ginobili – SA – Ginobili is “likely” to return on Saturday according to coach Gregg Popovich but even if he does, his minutes will likely be monitored for his first few games back. The Spurs play just three games next week and two come against Detroit and Toronto, opponents San Antonio will likely blow out and use as a reason to rest Ginobili. It may be tempting to get a stud back right away but if you have a decent option with four games (or a Phoenix Sun with five), bench Ginobili for this week and this week alone.

Trevor Booker – Was – Booker has played well since Andray Blatche hit the shelf but I’d be wary of using him next week. The Wizards play just three games in a West Coast road trip against the Blazers, Clippers and Jazz. Role players like Booker tend to perform better at home, which is where the Wizards played their last two games that saw Booker score 36 points. He could be in for a low-output week.

Daequan Cook – OKC – Cook has played well in his five games as a starter, averaging 9.2 points, 4.0 rebounds, 2.6 three-pointers, 0.8 steals and 1.2 blocks replacing Thabo Sefolosha. Sefolosha is due back soon and while there’s a chance he misses a game next week, his return would significantly cut into Cook’s minutes and make him devoid of fantasy value. With a four-game schedule, he might still be playable by deep-league teams desperate for three-point help but you can most likely do better next week.

Chris Kaman – NO – Two hornets on this list is a big byproduct of a three-game week but there are other reasons to bench Kaman. Since returning to the team he’s averaged 13.5 points, 10.5 rebounds and 2.5 blocks in two games, but he averaged just over 25 minutes a night. His season averages are 9.6 points, 7.1 rebounds and 1.4 blocks per game in just over 23 minutes, but some owners may look at his past two games and say he’s worth a shot despite only three games. You can get a subpar week out of a four-game player like Pekovic and find more value in him than in Kaman.

Jeremy Lin: Is He For Real?

2012-02-08T15:20:00.003-05:00

(Photo courtesy of businessinsider.com)

Jeremy Lin got a chance to play this past Saturday against the Nets, backing up Iman Shumpert at point guard for the Knicks. Six points, three rebounds and three assists in the first half later and Lin found himself on the court for most of the second half in a Knicks' win.

It wasn't just the numbers that were impressive about Lin, either. The former Harvard point guard gave the team a spark they haven't had all season; the kind of spark that can be provided by a player who is a natural point guard.

Lin enjoyed a huge second half with his extended playing time, finishing the game with 25 points, seven assists and five rebounds. His passes led to multiple easy baskets for teammates, including difficult alley-oop passes perfectly thrown between multiple Nets defenders that he made look easy.

Many questioned whether Lin could match his success on Monday against Utah and, with the exception of an unsightly eight turnovers, he was actually better. Lin, who has spent much of the season in the D-League, put up 28 points with eight assists and helped the Knicks beat a solid Jazz team without the absent Amar'e Stoudemire and Carmelo Anthony, who limped off the court early with a strained groin.

Nobody in their right mind thinks that Lin can continue to score 25-plus points per game and push double-digit assists every night, but he can certainly continue to contribute. Let's also not forget the eight turnovers and the fact that both of these games were at home; playing on the road adversely affects every NBA role player.

The Knicks travel to Washington tonight to face John Wall and the Wizards and, while Washington is one of the NBA's worst teams, it will be interesting to watch the undrafted Lin go up against last year's first overall pick in Wall.

Wall is one of the fastest players in the league and can definitely make life tough on Lin at both ends of the court, as Lin is nowhere near the athlete Wall is. Rather, Lin relies on his basketball IQ (he did go to Harvard) to get the most out of his talent.

I can see Lin being productive tonight and in the next week or so, but his 56% shooting (20-for-36) won't continue and he may turn it over three or four times a night. Considering the Knicks already lead the league in turnovers and have struggled at the point this season, those may not be that big of a deal if he continues to penetrate effectively and open up opportunities for his teammates.

With Baron Davis' return perpetually on the horizon and now pushed back until the All-Star Break, Lin will have a few weeks to prove he's not just a flash in the pan. Once Stoudemire returns Monday and Anthony about a week later, the young point guard should settle in around 12-13 points per game and dish out five or six assists as well.

The only major issue with Lin's game is his lack of range as a jump shooter. He hit just one three-pointer in his two big games and will need to work on his ability to stretch the floor to stay effective. Rajon Rondo can do that, but Lin can't rival his athletic ability. Regardless, Lin will remain easy to root for as a surprise solution to the Knicks' biggest problem.

2012 NFL Draft: Mike Adams a fit for the Jets?

2012-01-26T13:46:00.003-05:00

(Photo courtesy of espncdn.com)

With Wayne Hunter being one of the major disappointments for the Jets this season, the team is likely to search for his replacement in the offseason through the draft or free agency. A name that is gaining momentum at Senior Bowl practices is Ohio State tackle Mike Adams.

At 6-7, 323 pounds, Adams has the size to be an NFL right tackle and while his height creates some issues with footwork and bending at the waist much like Nate Solder last season, Solder had a productive rookie year with the Patriots filling in for Sebastian Vollmer.

Adams has been impressive so far this offseason, as seen in the following reports by Draft Insider's Tony Pauline from Senior Bowl practices Monday and Tuesday:

Mon: Wow….Wow….Wow…. Adams was slow at the start but once he got his feet underneath him he was completely dominant. There’s so much to like about his game; he’s big, strong, fluid and moves incredibly well. For the most part once he got his hands on the defender it was game over.

Tues: Overall not as good as yesterday but still a solid performance from Adams. He looked real good moving on his feet and showed the ability to quickly and easily get out to the second level and control linebackers when asked to block in motion.

Adams is playing himself into the first round and could make an instant impact along a Jets offensive line that regressed in both run and pass blocking this season. Mark Sanchez needs all the help he can get in a make-or-break season and Adams could give help give him more confidence in an offensive line that he seemed not to trust as the season wore on.

The need for a pass rusher may be first on the list for the Jets but with Courtney Upshaw being rumored to go in the top 15 or even the top 10, there isn't another 3-4 outside linebacker without some serious bust potential that early in round one. If Upshaw isn't on the board, Adams could become a serious consideration for the Jets by the time April rolls around.

Jorge Posada: Hall of Famer?

2012-01-25T15:24:00.003-05:00

(Photo courtesy of startworldnews.com)

With the official retirement of great Yankee catcher Jorge Posada, questions have been swirling about whether he's a legitimate candidate for the Hall of Fame. While Posada's credentials are far from first-ballot worthy, there really is no reason he shouldn't be a Hall of Famer.

Baseball is a game of statistics. Always has been, always will be. There are 13 catchers currently in the Hall of Fame and if Posada was to be enshrined, here's how his career stats would stack up against the others.

.273 batting average (10th out of 14)
.374 on-base percentage (5th)
.474 slugging percentage (7th)
1,664 hits (8th)
275 home runs (5th)
1,065 runs batted in (7th)
900 runs (8th)

Those numbers don't even count the most important one: World Series rings. Posada has five, regardless of how little a part he played in the 1996 championship team. Only Yogi Berra and Bill Dickey, fellow great Yankee catchers, have more.

Posada's numbers compare very favorably with the rest of the Hall of Fame catching crowd, but some may say that those numbers are skewed because he played in the "Steroid Era." Meanwhile, Posada has never been linked to any performance-enhancing drugs. Not once. Even with a .338 average, 20 home runs and 90 RBI in his age-36 season.

Since Posada played on loaded teams as a Yankee and in a time marred by performing-enhancing drugs, many will look to those facts as reason to exclude Posada from the Hall of Fame. But when you look at all of the reasons to induct him, you see a much more convincing argument than any against his legacy.

Posada deserves to be in the Hall of Fame. I just wonder if he'll ever actually make it.

Revisiting Last Year's Knicks-Nuggets Trade

2012-01-21T11:46:00.000-05:00

(Photo courtesy of espncdn.com)

Tonight's game between New York and Denver will be a tale of two teams trending in very different directions right now. The Knicks have lost five straight games to drop to 6-9 and sadly still hold the eighth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.

The Nuggets, on the other hand, have won three straight and five of six on their way to the second-best record in the Western Conference; and they're doing it with a former Knick as one of their key players.

Danilo Gallinari was the major piece of the trade that sent Carmelo Anthony to New York in early 2011 and anybody who knows me knows I was a huge Gallinari fan. I saw a future All-Star and, sure enough, the Italian is tenth among Western forwards in All-Star voting.

It can be argued that he's better than multiple players ahead of him (Odom, World Peace and Duncan) which places him squarely in the running for a spot on the team based on his performance this season. He may not make it, but there could also be more growth in his game in the years to come.

The Knicks also traded Wilson Chandler, Raymond Felton, Anthony Randolph and Timofey Mozgov in the deal while receiving Chauncey Billups and Corey Brewer in return, but only Mozgov hasn't changed addresses since the trade. The important piece is Felton, who left Denver for Portland after battling Ty Lawson for minutes.

The Knicks are 20-22 since trading for Anthony, while the Nuggets are 28-12 after ridding themselves of a player many view as selfish. Part of the Knicks struggles have come from their lack of a true point guard, as Billups was amnestied to make room for Tyson Chandler. This is where Felton comes in.

While Chandler has helped the team improve their defense, a simple task considering how bad it was last season, the loss of Billups has destroyed the Knicks' offensive efficiency (they're currently ranked 24th despite having two big-time scorers). Would the Knicks be better off with Felton and Gallinari than they would with Anthony?

The short-term answer is absolutely yes. That answer, however, assumes Chandler still would have come to New York if Anthony wasn't on the team. That can't be assured, as part of the reason to team up Anthony and Amar'e Stoudemire in New York was to attract free agents to the Big Apple.

The long-term answer depends on Gallinari's continued development. While he may never be on the same level as Anthony as a scorer, Gallinari competes harder on defense and doesn't rely on isolation to create scoring opportunities like Anthony, which destroys the Knicks' offensive rhythm.

If Gallinari becomes close to the player Anthony is, which I believe is entirely possible, the Knicks will have lost this trade in both the short and long run. They would have cost themselves depth and point guard play during Anthony's prime and a player more than four years younger than him for the long haul.

It's still way too early to judge the Knicks' 2011 roster purge and there are too many variables to make a truly educated guess on what the team would look like with Felton and Gallinari instead of Anthony. However, it's painstakingly obvious to all Knicks fans that they miss both Felton and Billups and, with all apologies to Baron Davis and Iman Shumpert, an answer doesn't seem to be coming soon.

I like Shumpert but he will never be a true point guard; once he becomes more consistent with his jump shot, he can be an ideal two-guard. Davis is old and has issues with motivation; considering the Knicks' current struggles, he may not be interested in playing particularly hard upon his return.

Knicks fans may still wish they had Felton and Gallinari rather than Anthony but assuming Chandler wouldn't have signed without Anthony on board, it's still a tough sell that the trade wasn't the right move (unless you think Anthony would have signed as a free agent). Regardless of right or wrong, this team is extremely difficult to watch right now and I'm not sure I see that changing until Steve Nash becomes a Knick, if he does.

Who is the Real Key to the Knicks' Defensive Turnaround?

2012-01-12T15:48:00.003-05:00

(Photo courtesy of washingtonexaminer.com)

When Amar'e Stoudemire and Iman Shumpert returned last Wednesday against the Bobcats, the Knicks thought their early-season problems on both offense and defense would be solved. After all, Stoudemire was sixth in the NBA in scoring last season and Shumpert's 6-10 wingspan makes him a defensive nightmare.

A home loss and 118 points allowed later, Knicks fans were left wondering how good their team really was on the defensive end. Shumpert and Stoudemire helped the Knicks score 110 points on offense but after allowing one of the lowest-scoring teams in the league to easily top 100 points, there were questions galore.

The Knicks were 2-4 and coming off consecutive home losses to Toronto and Charlotte. They have since turned the young season around with four straight victories including an impressive 85-79 victory last night against Philadelphia, the best team in the NBA so far according to power rankings from ESPN's John Hollinger.

While nobody believes the 76ers are THAT good or the Knicks are THAT bad (24th in those rankings before Wednesday, 19th after), it was still a good sign to see New York shut down one of the league's best two-way teams with a great mix of veterans like Andre Iguodala and Elton Brand and youth like Jrue Holiday and Evan Turner.

Skeptics will say that Philadelphia was playing their final game of a back-to-back-to-back and was tired, but the 76ers were playing with great energy down the stretch and seemed to have their legs. The one thing they didn't have was starting center Spencer Hawes, which likely contributed more to the loss than the third game in a row.

The Knicks allowed 99.2 points per game in their first six games compared to just 85.5 in their past four. Tyson Chandler was brought in to help this team's defense but he has played in every game this season and the team has had mixed results. The real key to this team's defensive success is Shumpert.

Since the rookie guard was elevated to the starting lineup in place of Toney Douglas, the Knicks have allowed just 82 points per game in three wins. While Chandler is great at protecting the basket, Douglas' struggles containing opposing point guards early led to serious issues with help defense and rotations, something Chandler himself can't overcome as one player.

With Shumpert now defending the point, opposing point guards haven't been able to penetrate the interior of the Knicks' defense anywhere near as well. Chandler hasn't been forced to help as often and as a result, New York's defensive rotations have been much smoother and teams have had less success around the basket.

The Knicks still switch on a few too many screens which can lead to serious mismatches, but Shumpert's height and length allows him to get a hand in the face of taller shooters and hold his own in post defense when forced to switch. His lightning-quick hands present a mismatch of their own against taller players less accustomed to handling the ball.

The combination of Shumpert's perimeter defense and and Chandler's ability to protect the paint has been the biggest boon to the Knicks defensively and with both now starting, the Knicks are tougher defensively from the outset. Shumpert would ranked third in the NBA with 2.2 steals per game if he hadn't missed four games and Chandler is 13th in blocked shots.

For all the heat the Knicks' brass took for taking the relatively unknown Shumpert in the draft and signing Chandler at the expense of Chauncey Billups (and potentially Chris Paul), these two have infused defensive life into a team that previously had none.

With two new defensive stalwarts, a weak Atlantic Division and two of the league's best scorers in Carmelo Anthony and Stoudemire, the Knicks all of a sudden look like a legitimate threat for the third seed in the Eastern Conference after many speculated they could struggle to make the playoffs after starting 2-4. What a difference a week makes.

Jets in Disarray: What's the Next Step?

2012-01-11T13:39:00.005-05:00

(Photo courtesy of media.nj.com)

Nobody questioned Greg McElroy's comments last week about the "corrupt mindset" and "selfish individuals" within the New York Jets locker room. The only thing that was in question was whether he had the right to say it.

Right or wrong, McElroy hit the nail on the head and Manish Mehta's article in the New York Daily News proves it. The Jets who criticized Mark Sanchez under the cloak of anonymity are the definition of selfish.

Some of the things said in the article may be true, such as, "'We have to bring in another quarterback that will make him work at practice,' said one player. 'He’s lazy and content because he knows he’s not going to be benched.'”

Without a credential for Jets practices, I know nothing of Sanchez's work ethic. However, it's hard to disagree that the team needs to bring in a quarterback that is actually a threat to Sanchez's job; something Mark Brunell never was. It will only be a positive for Sanchez's development.

What's easy to disagree with is the way some of Sanchez's teammates went about criticizing him. If you have something to say, so be it, but don't hide behind your comments. That's gutless and cowardly, as Nick Mangold tweeted this morning:

"@nickmangold: This (story) by @TheJetsStream is false. If "unnamed sources" want to attack Mark, man up and put your name to it #JETS"

Right on, Nick, right on. If people want to talk about a lack of leadership on the Jets, maybe they should look again at the team's All-Pro center. He's more deserving of the captaincy than either Sanchez or Santonio Holmes were this season.

An unnamed source in Mehta's report also said the organization coddles Sanchez and that his "lack of mental toughness" is apparent because he unfollowed all the Jets beat writers on Twitter. Really? What kind of a joke is that?

If I was quarterbacking the Jets, I wouldn't want to log onto my Twitter account and see nothing but people screaming for my job. It's hard to blame Sanchez for unfollowing the writers but hey, cowards will look for any way to legitimize the hypocrisy of anonymously bashing their quarterback in the media.

It's obvious that this Jets team has a lot of issues and frankly, I'm not sure how they're going to get past them. For Sanchez to come under fire from the media is one thing but when your teammates attack you as well, there are big-time issues.

There is a three-step solution to this problem. The first thing that needs to happen is Rex Ryan holding a public press conference to say that this anonymous finger-pointing won't be tolerated. Ryan has always been a talker but now that's seeping through to this team; he needs to set a standard that only he gets to speak out.

Ryan has also had his name attached to each and every one of his brash comments and he puts the blame on himself when the Jets lose. This self-accountability is what the Jets players should emulate in Ryan, not his unabashed talk. Ryan may need to tone it down a bit as well; his words aren't helping the team fly under the radar like they did in his first two seasons.

Secondly, the Jets need to bring in a competent veteran that can still play, but also work with Sanchez like Mark Brunell attempted to do. Competition fuels desire and success and without it, Sanchez may be doomed to repeat his mistakes of the past few seasons. A full offseason may also benefit the young quarterback, a luxury he was not afforded in preparing for 2011 after the lockout.

The third and final step? Sanchez himself needs to step up next season and put all these issues to rest with his play on the field. He claimed recently that the recent criticism didn't bother him, but that was when it was the media talking. How will he handle his own teammates doubting him?

Sanchez will come into next season with a new coaching staff and a proverbial fresh start from the handcuffing ways of Brian Schottenheimer. If he can't quiet the media critics and selfish locker-room cowards, their doubts will be legitimized and this team will crumble on his and Ryan's watch.

Maybe this motivation is just what Sanchez needs to get his up-and-down career back on track. Or maybe it will be his eventual downfall as an NFL starter. Only time will tell.

2012 NFL Draft: New York Jets First-Round Wish List

2012-01-10T13:05:00.002-05:00

(Photo courtesy of ESPN.com)

The Jets have many needs to address heading into next season. Their three major areas of needs are an upgrade to their pass rush, a safety adept at man coverage and help for Mark Sanchez on the offensive side of the football.

With bowl season concluding after Alabama's 21-0 domination of previously unbeaten LSU, it's time to take at look at some of the players the Jets should target with the 16th overall pick in April. (Hint: I waited until after the BCS Championship for a reason)

1. Courtney Upshaw (DE/OLB - Alabama)

The defensive MVP of last night's title game, Upshaw was an absolute beast in all facets of the game. He played well against the run and put pressure on LSU quarterback Jordan Jefferson, showing off the complete NFL skill set that makes him a first-round prospect.

Upshaw is strong at the point in run support, fast up the field and disciplined enough not to overpursue plays moving away from him. At 6-2, 265 pounds, Upshaw would be a perfect fit at outside linebacker in the Jets' 3-4 and instantly become the team's best pass rusher. This is the perfect storm of when talent meets a need.

2. Mark Barron (S - Alabama)

This would be more of a need pick for the Jets than anything, as their safeties were terrible in coverage this season. There will be better players on the board at 16 and usually I'm a proponent of drafting the best available player that also fills a need, but there are a few reasons to take Barron.

The Alabama safety is tough against the run, but needs to work on his pursuit angles and has a tendency to overrun plays at times. At 6-2, 220 pounds, Barron would be the Jets biggest safety and would provide immediate help against opposing tight ends, New York's only real weakness in coverage this season.

He would also make Jim Leonhard exponentially more effective, as Leonhard's best days with the Ravens came alongside future Hall of Famer Ed Reed. The Jets' veteran safety is coming off two season-ending injuries and should come at a nice discount; pairing him with Barron would essentially represent an upgrade at two positions with just one pick.

3. Trent Richardson (RB - Alabama)

Three straight players from the Crimson Tide? I must be an Alabama fan. The truth is that I'm not but the SEC is the closest conference to the NFL that you're going to find; most of the talent coming out of the SEC translates well to the professional level.

The first two players on this list address two of the Jets' three needs, while Richardson would provide Mark Sanchez with major help in the running game. Shonn Greene is serviceable but will never be better than average; he lost a step this past season and won't get it back anytime soon.

I honestly don't believe Richardson will be available at this point, as he's the best running back prospect since Darren McFadden in 2008 and deserves to be a top-10 pick (C.J. Spiller was, after all). If he falls past Cleveland and Tampa Bay in the top five, however, there are no other teams in the top 15 who need a running back unless Seattle doesn't resign Marshawn Lynch.

A competitive team that needs a running back like the Packers or Patriots could move into the top 15 to take Richardson but if he's on the board when the Jets draft, they need to at least take a look at him. They have plenty of holes and can get by with Greene, but Richardson would definitely be the best player available and take a lot of pressure off Sanchez in a make-or-break season.

4. Alshon Jeffery (WR - South Carolina)

It seem unlikely the Jets will get their hands on one of the top three tackles available in the draft and all the others seem like reaches at 16. Since helping Mark Sanchez is the goal if their defensive targets are off the board, how about a 6-4 wide receiver to replace the 6-5 Plaxico Burress and haul in the high passes that have become a staple of Sanchez's early seasons.

Notre Dame's Michael Floyd could also be on the board for the Jets but I like Jeffery more, as he was able to put up decent numbers this season despite issues at quarterback, a la Larry Fitzgerald. Neither Jeffery or Floyd can be as good as Fitzgerald, but the Jets need a downfield target and Jeffery's yards per catch for this three-year career stands at 16.6 despite lacking sprinter speed, compared to 13.6 for Floyd.

New York may shy away from Jeffery after his ejection from South Carolina's bowl game against Nebraska a few weeks ago since they already have one receiver with character issues. Floyd has had off-the-field issues in the past as well and while the Jets will likely address the receiver position in free agency or after round one, Jeffery is a solid pick if the three guys ahead of him are gone.

5. Dont'a Hightower (ILB - Alabama)

Back to Nick Saban's team we go and rightfully so; that Crimson Tide defense could go down as one of the best ever in college football and produce four or five first-round picks in April's draft. Unlike Arizona State underclassman Vontaze Burfict, Hightower has not yet declared but seems likely to after winning the national title.

Both linebackers have the potential to dominate against the run, but Burfict comes with a few character issues that Hightower doesn't. In a Jets locker room that was called "selfish" by third-string quarterback Greg McElroy (also an Alabama product), that could break any ties between Burfict and Hightower.

Hightower would add needed speed to the Jets defense and replace Bart Scott, who seems all but gone after slowing down significantly this season and flipping off reporters the day after New York lost their season finale to Miami. Come draft time, it seems likely the Jets will be saying, "Roll Tide!"

Honorable Mention: Whitney Mercilus (DE/OLB - Illinois), Melvin Ingram (DE/OLB - South Carolina), Vontaze Burfict (ILB - Arizona State), Michael Floyd (WR - Notre Dame), Vinny Curry (DE/OLB - Marshall)

Knicks need Stoudemire, Shumpert to return to lineup

2012-01-04T15:04:00.002-05:00

(Photo courtesy of nypost.com)

After scoring 106 points in their season-opening win against the Celtics, the Knicks have scored 85 points or less in three of their last four games. They played each of these games without rookie Iman Shumpert and the last two without Amar'e Stoudemire.

With the exception of their 114-point outburst against the Kings, who are always allergic to defense, the Knicks have been unable to find a consistent scorer alongside Carmelo Anthony, the only member of the team to score in double digits more than three times so far this season.

Both Stoudemire and Shumpert practiced fully on Tuesday and look primed to return tonight against the Bobcats. The Knicks desperately need Stoudemire's presence as a second scorer and as the team's primary option when Anthony needs a breather.

Shumpert's return may get less publicity than Stoudemire's but it's just as important, as the Knicks need a guard with the ability to create his own shot. If there's anything they've learned about Toney Douglas and Landry Fields through five games this season, it's that they can't.

Shumpert has come a long way from draft night, when countless Knicks fans (myself included) said, "Who?" when his name was called. Those same fans, like myself, likely fell in love with Shumpert's aggressive, fearless nature during the preseason and if they didn't then, they did against Boston.

Getting both players back will do wonders for the Knicks offense as they are arguably the team's second and third-best scorers, but their defense should improve as well with Shumpert's long arms spanning the perimeter. Douglas, a player known for his defense in the past, has struggled on both ends of the court this season.

Stoudemire may not be much more than below-average as an on-ball defender and average in help defense, but his presence will allow impressive second-round rookie Josh Harrellson to move back to the bench and push Jerome Jordan out of the rotation. Harrellson's ability to defend without fouling has been impressive, but he's not a starter.

As much as the Knicks have struggled this season, we've only seen them play once at full strength. That was on Christmas Day, when the off-season excitement carried over in a nice victory over the Celtics, whether Paul Pierce played or not.

With the returns of Stoudemire and Shumpert on the horizon, the Knicks should once again be able to score in bunches and bring back the excitement many fans had for this team just a few weeks ago.

Knicks Look Bad in Loss to Warriors

2011-12-29T13:18:00.002-05:00

(Photo courtesy of northjersey.com)

It's tough to expect NBA teams to come out firing on all cylinders this season after the lockout severely shortened training camps. The Knicks signed Tyson Chandler in the offseason and, two weeks later, they were playing the Celtics on Christmas Day.

It takes weeks, even months for a basketball team to gel on the court. The Knicks had the same issues last season after trading most of their roster for Carmelo Anthony and chemistry was still a work in progress two months later in the playoffs.

The need to preach patience with this team is evident. Last night's road loss to the Stephen Curry-less Warriors, however, was a poor performance all around. The Knicks held an eight-point lead with eight minutes to play in the third quarter but were outscored 52-30 over the final 20 minutes.

Brandon Rush scored 11 points in a nine-minute span and his 19 points in the game matched the output Golden State could have expected from Curry. Ishmael Smith, who started in place of Curry, outplayed Toney Douglas and exposed the Knicks' biggest weakness right now: The lack of a true point guard.

Upon signing Chandler, the Knicks had no choice but to amnesty Chauncey Billups and his $14 million salary. In losing Billups, the Knicks lost the only true point guard they had on their roster and, while Douglas had some good moments in the opening-round playoff loss to Boston, he's struggled to prove he's the answer in the season's first two games.

There's no real reason to rush to judgment as I alluded to earlier; the season is still young and even championship-caliber teams are going to have their inconsistent games in the first two or three months this season. But watching the Knicks struggle last night was extremely painful, especially against a team as defensively inept as the Warriors.

Chandler couldn't stay on the court with foul trouble, logging just 22 minutes, three rebounds and no blocked shots after swatting six against the Celtics in the opener. Anthony and Amar'e Stoudemire shot 8-for-27 from the field and had just 29 points combined while Bill Walker had 14 points and made six of his eight shots off the bench.

When Bill Walker is your best offensive option, you're in trouble as a basketball team. The Knicks shot just 40 percent as a team and made only four of their 21 three-point attempts, allowing Golden State to generate easy baskets and build momentum at home late in the game.

A better performance should be expected from the Knicks against Kobe Bryant and the Andrew Bynum-less Lakers tonight. We saw last night though that it's not about who their opponent is missing, but whether the Knicks can keep their stars in rhythm.

This is not a deep basketball team, especially without Iman Shumpert for up to a month. Chandler needs to stay out of foul trouble because without him, the team's interior defense is even worse than it was last season. The Knicks also won't win many games when both Anthony and Stoudemire have bad shooting nights.

Last night was the worst-case scenario for the Knicks this season and boy, did they look pathetic. I don't expect games that bad very often this season but if they start to become the norm, New York basketball fans will be screaming Baron Davis' name before we know it.

Fab Melo Hosts Block Party in Syracuse Rout of Seton Hall

2011-12-28T21:07:00.002-05:00

(Photo courtesy of syracuse.com)

After losing Rick Jackson to graduation, many thought Syracuse would struggle to replace his 10.3 rebounds and 2.5 blocks per game. While the Orange have missed Jackson on the boards, sophomore Fab Melo has been a more imposing presence than his predecessor on the defensive end.

After blocking a Syracuse-record 10 shots in a 75-49 victory over Seton Hall where the Pirates managed just 15 first-half points, Melo is now averaging almost three blocks per game. That average puts Syracuse's most improved player this season just outside the national top 10, no small feat considering most of the players above him play at a much lower competition level.

Much has been made of Melo's transformation from last season, when he weighed about 275 pounds and averaged fewer than ten minutes per game. Much like highly-touted recruits Michael Carter-Williams and Rakeem Christmas this season, Melo was a significant disappointment as a freshman.

The seven-foot center came back ready in 2011, shedding over 30 pounds to drop a more desirable playing weight of 244 pounds. While Jackson was a solid interior defender, Melo's presence alone changes far more shots than the 6-9 Jackson could have dreamed of.

As much as I liked Jackson, Syracuse is better off with Melo at center this season than they were with Jackson and the same lineup last year. It helps that Melo has averaged over 20 minutes per game and shown the ability to run the court effectively, picking up cheap buckets as a trailer.

Melo isn't the only sophomore to come back and play a bigger role for the Orange this season, as guard Dion Waiters has almost doubled his scoring average, assists and steals while shooting over 50 percent from the field and provided a spark off the bench. Waiters was great once again against the Pirates, scoring 15 points on 7-for-10 shooting with three assists and three steals.

His improvement has led to an increase in playing time, which has helped Jim Boeheim limit the minutes of turnover-prone senior Scoop Jardine this season. Jardine is much more effective playing around 20 minutes per game than he was playing 30.

Seton Hall's Herb Pope came into the game with Syracuse averaging over 20 points per game and more than 11 rebounds. He left after a four-point night where he made just two of his nine shots. As a result, his team scored just 49 points. Other teams with big-time scorers who rely on getting points in the paint may face similar fates against the Orange.

Syracuse has always been a great defensive team in their 2-3 zone, but Melo's presence in the paint just may propel this team to their first Final Four since 2003, when they won the national title behind another Melo, Carmelo Anthony. It's not unfathomable to think that the nation's current top team could finish the season right where they are now: On top of the college basketball world.

Mark Sanchez: Should His Days in New York Be Numbered?

2011-12-26T12:34:00.003-05:00

(Photo courtesy of media.nj.com)

It took almost three seasons of inconsistent play, but the media is finally starting to question whether the Jets should give up on Mark Sanchez. This is why they shouldn't.

Learning Curve

The quarterback position is the most difficult transition from college to the pros. I've always been an advocate that a quarterback should not start right away and, depending on the player, should sit on the bench for anywhere from half a season to two years.

Thanks to a lack of in-house options, Sanchez was thrown to the wolves right away with the Jets after just one season as a starter at USC. All he did was lead the team to two AFC Championship Games in his first two seasons and while that team was focused on defense and the running game, Sanchez made the plays he needed to make to move the offense and win football games. He saved his best football for the playoffs, when it mattered most.

Most people would agree that the top five quarterbacks in the NFL this season (excluding Peyton Manning, who didn't play) are Aaron Rodgers, Tom Brady, Drew Brees, Ben Roethlisberger and Eli Manning. The career progressions of these five quarterbacks shows how steep the learning curve truly is.

Case Study

Rodgers famously sat behind Brett Favre for three seasons until his breakout fourth season when he threw 28 touchdowns and 13 interceptions. We all know what he's done this season, his fourth as a starter.

Brady sat for one season, but didn't reach the 30-touchdown plateau until his eighth season as a starter. In the three years since, taking away the season he was injured, he has done it twice.

Brees sat for one season but didn't even crack 20 touchdowns until his fourth year in the league. Up until that point, many people were saying he couldn't cut it as an NFL starter.

Roethlisberger is the exception here, posting quarterback ratings over 98 in his first two career seasons as starter. Even he didn't crack 20 touchdowns until his fourth season, however, when he threw 32. His third season was actually the worst of his career with a 75.4 rating, 18 touchdowns and 23 interceptions.

Manning sat for half a season and, after year three, the New York media was questioning him as well. His third season looks eerily similar to Sanchez's with 24 touchdowns, 17 interceptions and nine fumbles compared to 30 touchdowns (six rushing), 15 interceptions and 10 fumbles for Sanchez. Actually, Manning's was worse.

My point here is clear: Every one of the quarterbacks on this list got better after their third season in the league and with the exception of Brees, whose numbers jumped in his third year as a starter, none took a quantum leap until their fourth season starting in the NFL.

Aaron Rodgers never threw more than 30 touchdowns until this year, his fourth as a starter, and he has a shot at 50. Brady threw 50 in his seventh season; his previous high was 28 and he never totaled 30 touchdowns in a season before that like Sanchez has this season.

It took Manning until year five as a starter to post a quarterback rating over 80. If the Giants gave up on him after year three, they don't win the Super Bowl in year four. If the Chargers gave up on Drew Brees after year three, he may have become a career backup and the Saints wouldn't have a Super Bowl trophy from the 2009 season.

Quarterback is unlike any other position in the NFL where early failures are generally a sign of a busted pick. Some quarterbacks don't hit their full potential until they're close to 30. Sanchez's quarterback rating has risen every year as has his ability to make plays, not to mention he's just 25 years old.

In his first season, he totaled 15 touchdowns. He had 20 in year two and 30 so far this season. Yes, his turnovers are costly at times but he's dropping back almost 35 times per game and the Jets called 64 pass plays against the Giants last week! There are only a handful of NFL quarterbacks who can succeed when put in that situation.

Flawed Coaching Philosophy

One of the keys for the Jets on Saturday was to keep Sanchez effective by establishing the run and working off of play action, where he's one of the league's best. Instead, offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer called almost 40 more pass plays than run plays against a team full of backup linebackers. What a genius.

Giving up on Sanchez isn't the answer for the Jets. The Peyton Manning trade talk will continue but New York has too many other holes to give up multiple draft picks to get him; they still won't win the Super Bowl (think about Manning's supporting casts in Indianapolis) and when Manning retires and they have no ring, they'll look really bad.

The answer here is firing Schottenheimer, which has been the answer for at least two years. If the Jets keep their embattled offensive coordinator on board, Sanchez will not be an NFL starter when his rookie contract expires in two seasons.

If the team starts fresh and brings somebody in that can play to Sanchez's strengths while developing other parts of his game, he has a chance to be a top 10-12 NFL quarterback considering the dearth of quality quarterbacks in the league today.

Let's take a quick look at the previous two quarterbacks Schottenheimer coached with the Jets. In his final two seasons with New York, Chad Pennington started 24 games and threw 27 touchdowns and 25 interceptions with an 83.8 quarterback rating. The year after when he went to Miami, he threw 19 touchdowns and seven interceptions with a 97.1 quarterback rating and won Comeback Player of the Year.

Brett Favre came to New York with high expectations but he struggled, throwing 22 touchdowns and 22 interceptions with an 81.0 rating in his one season as a Jet. What did Favre do the following year with Minnesota? He only threw 33 touchdowns compared to just seven interceptions and compiled a career-high 107.2 passer rating, the only time in his career he topped 100.

Struggles As a Team

People who say that Sanchez has regressed this season are missing the big picture. The Jets' entire team has regressed while Sanchez has improved, but the team's reliance on him to do more has exposed his flaws that were disguised when the team had a strong running game and an elite defense.

If New York can fill some of their other needs in the offseason, this team can definitely return to the playoffs with Sanchez at quarterback assuming he continues to improve like the majority of quarterbacks do from season three to season four.

I said before the season that 2012, not 2011, would be the year that decides Sanchez's NFL future and I stand by that assessment. If we're having this same discussion at the end of next season, it's probably time for the Jets to move on.

The Jets entire team was built to win over the past three seasons but rather than acquire a veteran quarterback to hold down the ship in 2009, they traded up to draft a rookie. Those are severely conflicting ideals and if the Jets are willing to give up on Sanchez after just three seasons, you have to start questioning their personnel decisions over the past three years more than their choice of quarterback.

New York Jets: Where do they go from here?

2011-12-19T11:25:00.003-05:00

(Photo courtesy of media.nj.com)

Yesterday's game in Philadelphia can be described in a few ways. Pathetic. Disgusting. Embarrassing. There's more, but there's no reason to harp too much on what happened.

The Jets' 45-19 defeat is just one loss as Rex Ryan said, but it's also the fifth time in their six losses this season that the Jets have lost by more than a touchdown. This team cannot play from behind and considering they have scored first in just three of their 13 games this season, that's a bad thing.

This New York team obviously has a lot to improve on, but thanks to Detroit's comeback against Oakland they still hold the final Wild Card spot in the AFC and control their own destiny. Before the playoffs can come to fruition, the Jets have some work to do.

-Keep Mark Sanchez effective

At this point in Sanchez's season, we know what he is and what he isn't. He is a quarterback who can succeed as a game manager with an effective rushing attack in a close football game. He is not a stud that can have success throwing the football on every down to bring a team back.

That's not to say that Sanchez can't play with the game on the line. In his three-year Jets career, Sanchez has shown a propensity for fourth-quarter comebacks. This year, he's done it against Dallas, San Diego, Buffalo and Washington, accounting for half of the Jets wins.

It seems that Sanchez is the antithesis of Tim Tebow, however. When the Broncos have won this season, Tebow gets a ton of credit he doesn't deserve when his team gave him a lot of help throughout the game. When the Jets win the credit is generally thrown at the defense or the running game, while Sanchez serves merely as a scapegoat in Jets losses.

This includes yesterday, which just wasn't his fault. Santonio Holmes' fumble that was returned for a touchdown put the Jets in an early hole and his drop deep in Eagles territory a few minutes later landed right in the hands of Asante Samuel. The Eagles turned it into a touchdown and a 14-0 lead.

On the Jets next drive, Wayne Hunter's inability to contain NFL sack leader Jason Babin led to a third-down sack on the drive's only pass play. Philadelphia scored again to make it 21-0, then forced a Sanchez fumble that allowed them to go up 28-0 with a short field.

Up until that fumble, none of the Jets' deficit can be put on Sanchez. Does he overthrow receivers at times? Yes. Will he make some poor decisions with the football? Yes. But he doesn't deserve the vilification he gets most of the time and when the Jets win, he usually deserves more credit.

Being Mark Sanchez in New York is a tough gig. The Jets need to help him out by not giving up the ball on offense; if you recall, Dustin Keller got the ball ripped away from him after a catch earlier this season that turned into a Chargers touchdown and put the Jets in a hole to start the game. Sanchez makes enough mistakes on his own, but he'll also make plays when you need him to; just not when he's facing a multiple-score deficit.

-Stop putting the defense on the field first

This seems like a blasphemous statement, considering the Jets are obviously a better team on defense than on offense. Many times this season, however, that defense has allowed an opening-drive touchdown to put the offense in an early hole. From there, one three-and-out and another opposing score creates a double-digit deficit, and we know how well the Jets react to those.

It would be a novel idea to put the offense on the field first and let the Jets control the pace of the game from the start. This team has proven multiple times this season that they can only win a certain type of football game, so why not give the offense a chance to create that atmosphere?

When the Jets defense was suffocating over the past two seasons, deferring was the way to go to give them the ball in the second half. While the defense is still good, it's not the same unit we've gotten used to seeing. Rex Ryan may still have the utmost confidence in them, but maybe it's time to switch it up and show some confidence in the offense.

The Giants' defense is bad enough that the Jets can control the game on the ground in the early minutes and work off play-action, which plays right into their strengths. If the Jets win the coin toss again this week, I would love to see Ryan put Sanchez and the offense on the field first.

-Fix the run defense

This one is listed last because it's the most difficult of these three keys for the Jets to accomplish. Losing Jim Leonhard was a definite blow to this team from a leadership perspective but also against the run, something they have struggled with all season even with Leonhard in the lineup.

Bart Scott is a step slower and the Jets obviously miss veterans Shaun Ellis and Trevor Pryce along the defensive line, not to mention the season-ending injury to Bryan Thomas. Frankly, I'm out of ideas on how the team can fix these problems this season.

For this week, however, the Jets should be able to get away with bringing Eric Smith into the box and playing an eight-man front. Hakeem Nicks and Victor Cruz are explosive on the outside, but Darrelle Revis and Antonio Cromartie are probably the best cornerback tandem they have faced all season.

Unlike Brent Celek, Fred Davis and the other tight ends that have killed the Jets all season, Jake Ballard isn't a top-10 consideration at the position. He's had a solid season up to this point, but he's not the kind of tight end that will hurt the Jets down the field if they bring a safety up to help stop the run. If anything, slot receiver Mario Manningham is more of a threat running down the seam.

Even still, the Jets should be focused more on stopping Ahmad Bradshaw and Brandon Jacobs. Both are effective runners on the edge, the part of the field the Jets struggle most to defend in the running game. If they can stop the run early with an eight-man front, open up a lead and make the Giants throw the football, they can drop Smith back into coverage and play the pass.

It may seem like a lot to ask, but Ryan and Mike Pettine have no choice but to use smoke and mirrors to cover up their defense's biggest weakness. The Jets' season and playoff hopes depend on it.

Early Observations From the Knicks-Nets Pre-Season Game

2011-12-17T14:59:00.003-05:00

(Photo courtesy of roguesportsllc.com)

The Knicks opened up their pre-season schedule today against the Nets with a 92-83 victory at Prudential Center. New York forced 25 New Jersey turnovers as new addition Tyson Chandler had both of the team's blocked shots and added three steals.

Other than a solid performance on the defensive end, there are a few other things that stood out about the Knicks' performance today.

-Iman Shumpert is a better shooter than we thought

We all knew Shumpert could play defense and the rookie from Georgia Tech showed that ability in the first half, using his long arms to slap the ball away from Deron Williams and take it coast to coast for an easy layup. The 17th overall pick also looked good shooting the basketball, touching nothing but the net on a few long jump shots early in the game.

The Knicks will need Shumpert to play 20-25 minutes per game this season behind Toney Douglas and Landry Fields, as he is already the team's best perimeter defender. Shumpert plays with confidence on both ends of the court and was aggressive with the ball in his hands, while Fields looked passive at times last season, especially after Carmelo Anthony arrived.

Nobody wants to overreact to one impressive pre-season performance but if Shumpert can find consistency with his jump shot, the rookie is more physically gifted than Fields and could find himself joining Douglas in the backcourt more often than not. Both are combo guards who can take on the ball-handling responsibilities, although Anthony will likely bring the ball down on occasion as well.

-Carmelo Anthony might be developing into a willing passer

For all of his offensive talents, Anthony is much maligned for being a black hole on offense. Generally when he touches the ball, he doesn't like to give it up. This left the Knicks offense stagnant at times last season and didn't allow his teammates to get into an offensive rhythm.

In today's game, Anthony showed that not only does he have the ability to be an effective passer but he might be willing to do more when it comes to orchestrating the offense. He showed off his passing ability on two nice second-quarter feeds to Renaldo Balkman for easy baskets at the hoop and set up a Tyson Chandler dunk in the third quarter with a beautiful bounce pass off of a pick-and-roll.

With the Knicks cutting Chauncey Billups thanks to the new amnesty clause, the team lacks a true point guard. The ball will be in Anthony's hands a lot on the offensive end and if he's willing to take on more of a point forward role in the offense to complement his scoring ability, this Knicks team could be even more difficult to defend.

-New York's bench has a nice mix of shooters and defenders

Everybody knows Mike Bibby can shoot; it's about the only above-average ability he has left at this stage of his career. Second-round rookie center Josh Harrellson out of Kentucky showed some long-distance ability as well and could help the Knicks stretch the court when he plays.

Harrellson was one of the most improved players in college basketball last season, which led to him being drafted in the second round after being well off the NBA radar before the season. He's deceptively athletic on the court and could give the Knicks some decent minutes behind Tyson Chandler.

Bibby and Harrellson should mesh well with the second unit, which looks like it will include Shumpert along with Renaldo Balkman and Jared Jeffries, three players who are known more for their defensive abilities. It will be interesting to see how Bill Walker may fit into Mike D'Antoni's rotation once his groin gets healthy, as he's another player who isn't afraid to toss up three-pointers off the bench.

Tyson Chandler: Did the Knicks Overpay?

2011-12-09T14:55:00.002-05:00

(Photo courtesy of bayareasportstalk.blogspot.com)

Tyson Chandler brought a defensive presence to the Mavericks last season that helped them win a championship. Now, he will try to bring the same presence to a Knicks team that sorely needs it.

Chandler signed a four-year, $58 million contract with the Knicks today, meaning the Knicks will have to use the one-time amnesty clause created by the new collective bargaining agreement to release point guard Chauncey Billups. This leaves the Knicks extremely thin in the backcourt, but gives them the interior defensive presence they have been lacking for years.

I've heard a lot of people say they think the Knicks overpaid for Chandler, but I disagree. It certainly seems to take them out of the running for an elite point guard like Chris Paul or Deron Williams, but the Knicks already play great offense. They struggle protecting the basket and outside of trading for Dwight Howard, another unlikely scenario, Chandler was the best option for the Knicks to fix their biggest problem.

This leaves the Knicks with Toney Douglas, Landry Fields and rookie Iman Shumpert to man the backcourt. Douglas will likely be the team's starting point guard and he's a player who benefited from Billups' veteran presence last season. Douglas learned things about the position he never knew from Billups and hopefully he can succeed in the role.

If Shumpert develops an offensive game, particular a better jump shot, he may be the Knicks' point guard of the future. For now, he will be a role player coming off the bench and his ability to defend three positions should mesh well on the court with Chandler's post defense and the Knicks two big scorers, Carmelo Anthony and Amar'e Stoudemire.

In the end, this is a big win for the Knicks. They may be out of the running for Paul or Williams now barring a trade including Anthony or Stoudemire, but they shored up their biggest weakness on the inside of their defense. Besides, waiting for something to happen with Paul or Williams could have left the Knicks with nothing, so why not get a player who can fill a need now?

Chandler should help the Knicks drastically improve their porous defense from the last few seasons, which may also attract even more players to play in the Big Apple. That's what Stoudemire did by signing last season and if the Knicks continue to add talented pieces that fill their needs, they could be legitimate championship contenders for years to come.

At the least, I bet the Heat are unhappy that the road to an NBA title (or in this case, an Eastern Conference title) may once again go through Tyson Chandler.

Syracuse Takes NIT Title With Late Comeback Against Stanford

2011-11-25T20:55:00.001-05:00

This blog has become more of a hosting site for my other work than actual writing, hasn't it?

http://sports-at-work.com/20111126908/CBB-National-News/stanford-cant-hang-on-as-syracuse-takes-nit-title.html

Will the Jets See Another Shot at the Super Bowl Anytime Soon?

2011-11-21T18:36:00.001-05:00

http://www.nyjets101.com/2011/11/21/has-the-jets-super-bowl-window-officially-closed/

Jets Midseason Report Card: Running Backs

2011-11-09T16:06:00.001-05:00

http://www.nyjets101.com/2011/11/09/new-york-jets-midseason-grades-running-backs/

Chad Ochocinco: Will He Follow Haynesworth Out The Door in New England?

2011-11-09T12:03:00.001-05:00

http://www.nyjets101.com/2011/11/09/chad-ochocinco-days-in-new-england-numbered-after-hayneworths-release/

Eli Manning: Where Does He Land On My Midseason Quarterback Rankings?

2011-11-07T15:02:00.003-05:00

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/929156-rankings-the-nfls-top-quarterbacks-midseason-edition

Aaron Maybin: Will the Bills Ruin His Homecoming?

2011-11-04T20:11:00.000-04:00

http://www.nyjets101.com/2011/11/04/aaron-maybin-returns-to-buffalo-to-face-former-team/

Syracuse Basketball: Preseason Opener Observations

2011-11-02T14:17:00.002-04:00

(Photo Credit: http://cdn.bleacherreport.net/images_root/slides/photos/000/516/622/fab_display_image.jpg?1290359538)

With the NBA still at the bargaining table and making little headway towards a new collective bargaining agreement, Syracuse's preseason game last night finally gave many die-hard basketball fans what they were looking for: on-court action.

Regardless of the competition level of opponent Cal St. Los Angeles, who flew across the country strictly for the experience and financial gain of playing a top-five team, it was nice to see the game of basketball being played rather than hearing about millionaires fighting over two percent differences in revenue sharing.

Syracuse won the game 79-49, but the halftime score was surprisingly close at 29-22. The Orange looked out of sorts offensively at times, but that's to be expected in the team's first action of the season. They stepped the scoring up in the second half with a 50-point outburst to open up the game and look more like a team ranked in the top five.

Anyway, here are a few things that stood out from the opener for Jim Boeheim's squad:

- Fab Melo looks rejuvenated and ready

At first glance, sophomore center Fab Melo looked slimmer walking onto the court before the game. At second glance, he looked quicker and more explosive while scoring six of Syracuse's first seven points. In 17 minutes of action, Melo led the team with 12 points and added eight rebounds, two blocks and a steal.

It would be asinine to anoint Melo as the savior after just one impressive performance, especially against an inferior team whose tallest player stood just 6-9. Somebody has to replace Rick Jackson though, and why not the seven-footer?

Melo was highly touted coming into last season but may have been the NCAA's biggest bust. Baye Moussa Keita returns as well and the Orange also brought in 6-9 forward Rakeem Christmas, but Melo is the player with the height and physical skills best suited to fill Jackson's shoes defensively and on the glass. Now, he just needs to keep improving and be consistent every night.

- Syracuse may be the deepest team in the nation

The Orange started the four players everybody would have expected in Melo, Brandon Triche, Scoop Jardine and Kris Joseph, but the fifth was even shocked himself to get the nod. Christmas started alongside Joseph at forward, scoring six points, grabbing five rebounds and blocking three shots in his first 19 minutes of collegiate action.

Regardless of whether Christmas continues to start or Boeheim uses Keita or C.J. Fair when the Orange open the regular season, the rest of the team's bench is impressive. Dion Waiters would start on most NCAA teams while Michael Carter-Williams was one of the top recruits in the nation. For the record, I've already mentioned nine players.

Syracuse can go deeper than nine, too. Freshman Trevor Cooney wasted no time showing off his shooting prowess, making a three-pointer just 20 seconds after checking into the game. James Southerland returns as well and if his shot selection is improved from last season and he can cut down on turnovers, he deserves playing time as well.

Boeheim will have a lot of decisions to make with his lineup in the season's first few weeks. His team can legitimately go 11 deep at times, but no coach wants to play that many guys on a nightly basis.

Even still, I wouldn't be surprised to see Boeheim go with an 11-man rotation during the non-conference schedule to see which units work well together, although it will be interesting to see who will be the odd man (or men) out when Big East play rolls around. It may be Cooney even if he doesn't redshirt this season, but he might already be the best outside shooter on a team that lacks distance marksmen.

- If there's anything this team lacks, it's a go-to guy on offense

This was the major issue with the Orange last season and was a big reason for their early departure from the NCAA Tournament. Most expected Kris Joseph to take over last season in Wesley Johnson's stead, but he was passive at times and didn't take the reigns. Joseph didn't look the part last night, either.

In his defense, Joseph has been bothered by an injury to his knee, and not the same knee he underwent surgery on in the offseason. He wasn't himself last night and it showed, but it's still a question whether he possesses the killer instinct to put the Orange on his back when they need him to.

Triche is the other player of whom more is expected, especially since he was the Orange's most-improved player from the 2009 season to last year. His jump shot still looks somewhat inconsistent, but if him and Joseph can take the ball to the rim with authority that may be a non-issue.

Fair showed flashes of offensive brilliance last season and comes into 2011 with a supposedly improved jump shot thanks to an offseason of hard work. If Fair really has extended his game beyond 15-20 feet, Syracuse may be able to rely on the trio of Joseph, Triche and Fair to carry the scoring load without a true top dog.

Then there's Jardine, possibly the only member of the Orange who has never seen a shot he didn't like. He had nine points and seven assists last night and played the role of playmaker and distributor, a role that most fans would love to see him embrace rather than chucking up bad threes at inopportune times.

St. Louis won the World Series, but did they deserve it?

2011-10-29T12:09:00.003-04:00

(Photo Credit: http://www.timesunion.com/mediaManager/?controllerName=image&action=get&id=1705557&width=628&height=471)

The Cardinals didn't win the World Series last night. The National League All-Stars won it in July.

In no way am I trying to take anything away from the Cardinals. They won this series by outplaying the Rangers in key moments when it mattered the most. It just so happens that it's easier to do that on the comfort of your own home field.

St. Louis stayed alive with two strikes and two outs in the bottom of the ninth of Game 6 thanks to World Series MVP David Freese, who also won that game for them in the 11th inning with a walk-off home run. After that momentum shift, the result of Game 7 was merely a formality.

For people who watched Game 6 and saw a clueless Nelson Cruz try to catch Freese's game-tying triple, it's hard not to think that he would have known where the wall was in his own home park and been more aggressive going after the ball. Before this year's World Series, Cruz had never set foot in Busch Stadium.

I'm not excusing Cruz's misplay, which essentially cost his team a World Series title. He's a highly-paid professional athlete, regardless of whether his strength is hitting home runs or making game-saving plays in the field. It's a play that could have been made, but is significantly more difficult in a foreign outfield.

If home-field advantage in the World Series was determined by team record like it should be, Texas would have played at home in Games 6 and 7. While the same exact scenarios are unlikely to unfold in a completely different park, you can't convince me that St. Louis wins this series without four games at Busch, "team of destiny" or not.

The home team won five of the seven games in this year's World Series, with the only exceptions coming in Game 2 in St. Louis and Game 3 in Texas. The final four games of the series, by far the most pivotal ones, were all won by the home team.

Ever since the 2002 All-Star Game ended in a tie, the result of the Midsummer Classic has affected which league gets home-field advantage in the World Series. It's absurd that the results from a game that doesn't matter has an effect on games that do and ultimately, the league's championship.

If the outcome of this year's World Series doesn't convince Bud Selig that his 2003 solution to "fix" the All-Star Game is flawed, nothing will. St. Louis beat both Philadelphia and Milwaukee to get to the World Series, and it's ironic that players from both teams helped them win once they got there.

Phillies pitchers Roy Halladay and Cliff Lee allowed just one run in the first three-and-two-thirds innings of the All-Star Game. If they had instead gotten shelled, the Rangers would likely be the team popping champagne like they won the championship game.

Brewers' first baseman Prince Fielder hit the three-run home run that put the National League up for good in the fourth inning. Think Fielder is happy that he aided a World Series victory for a hated division rival?

It's truly a shame that an All-Star Game from nine years ago affected the result of the 2011 World Series. It would be an even bigger shame if Selig didn't recognize his mistake and reverse it. If he doesn't, this won't be the last time the issues comes up. Mark my words.

New York Jets: Will the bye week help them heading into the second half?

2011-10-26T10:48:00.002-04:00

(Photo Credit: http://cbsnewyork.files.wordpress.com/2011/10/mark-sanchez-plaxico-burress1.jpg?w=300)

Coming off their best game of the season, the Jets will take a week off before heading to Buffalo for a divisional clash with the 4-2 Bills. After building momentum with a great second-half performance against San Diego, is hitting their bye week a good or bad thing for the Jets?

Getting Healthy

The bye comes at a perfect time for numerous New York players, none more so than All-Pro center Nick Mangold. Mangold returned three weeks ago against New England but has been limited in practice and looked out of rhythm at times against the Chargers. He was even uncharacteristically called for multiple penalties last week, including one that negated an early Santonio Holmes touchdown and led to an interception two plays later. The extra rest should allow Mangold, who has been playing at less than 100 percent on a high ankle sprain, to fully heal so he can back to practice and take the necessary reps with the first-team offense.

The Jets much-maligned rush defense should also receive a boost after a solid performance containing San Diego's Ryan Mathews and Mike Tolbert. Mike DeVito hurt his knee in practice late last week and missed Sunday's game, while rookie Kenrick Ellis filled in and sprained his ankle in the first quarter. According to Rex Ryan, DeVito would not have been ready for a game this weekend but should be good to go for the Bills game, as should Ellis. The Jets will need both along a thin defensive front to stop Fred Jackson, who ranked second in the league in rushing before Buffalo's bye last week.

David Harris also suffered a sprained ankle in the second quarter against San Diego and missed time before returning later in the game. While his injury is far from worrisome, as it's not a high-ankle sprain like Mangold's, the extra week should allow him to make sure he's back at full strength as well.

The Jets running game finally got off the ground against a tough Chargers front seven, but both Shonn Greene and LaDainian Tomlinson missed snaps in the game. Greene appeared to injure his ankle on a non-contact play in the fourth quarter but returned to the game shortly after, possibly because Tomlinson was sidelined with the flu. Both players should be fine by this weekend, and a full week of practice behind an offensive line that finally seems to be gelling should lead to good things on the ground for the Jets against Buffalo's 25th-ranked rush defense.

Momentum Breeds Chemistry

The Jets seemed to put things together on both sides of the ball in the second half of last week's game and, after watching the tape and analyzing the good and bad from their performance, should be able to use the bye week to build on what they did right and eliminate what they did wrong last week.

Mark Sanchez and Plaxico Burress finally got on the same page, connecting for three short touchdowns that proved to be the difference in the game after having to field questions about their chemistry (or lack thereof) the week before. The pair certainly put those issues to rest with Sunday's performance and with two weeks to prepare for a Bills secondary that has struggled at times, fans have to wonder what's in store for an encore.

The Jets will also look to build on the momentum from their best rushing performance of the season and their first game holding the opposition under 100 yards on the ground since Week 1. Shonn Greene went over 100 yards for the first time all year, hitting holes that weren't there in previous weeks with newfound authority, creating yards after initial contact and bouncing off defenders like the pinball he was as a rookie. The defense held a hot Chargers running game to just 97 yards, forcing Philip Rivers to beat the Jets' secondary. He couldn't.

Confidence Lingers

Ryan and the Jets have always been a confident bunch, but now they will have two weeks to wallow in their biggest win of the season. That would be a negative for many teams, but this bunch has played with a target on their back since making the AFC Championship game in 2009 and seems to thrive under the expectations of success. It also seems to help when Ryan says something controversial in the week leading up to the game, which we should expect about a week from now.

Coming off a three-touchdown performance and two more weeks of practice with Burress and emerging rookie Jeremy Kerley, the inconsistent Sanchez should head into Buffalo on a high note with his receiving corps. He will need all the confidence he can get, as the Bills led the NFL with 12 interceptions before going on bye last week.

The defense has also played with a certain swagger, which seemed to return in the final 30 minutes against the Chargers, who struggled to move the football and didn't score a point after the second quarter. If the Jets can contain Jackson, Ryan Fitzpatrick may have a difficult time beating Darrelle Revis and Antonio Cromartie considering the multiple injuries to his receivers.

Naysayers may believe that a two-week layoff is the worst thing to happen to the Jets right now, as they are flying high after a strong performance against a team many thought could represent the AFC in the Super Bowl (do we say that every year about San Diego?). However, New York is still a flawed team with issues they need to fix and you can bet Ryan has not lost sight of that after just two victories. The extra week should help the Jets further fix these flaws in preparation for a second-half playoff push.

New York finally put together a complete half for the first time all season and despite their struggles, still sit at 4-3, which says a lot about the potential of this team. With Baltimore losing a terrible game on Monday night in Jacksonville, no AFC contender has been as consistent as the Packers in the NFC. The playoff picture is still wide open and a confident Jets squad is one that nobody wants to play in the season's second half, especially consider they still haven't put it all together for an entire game this season.

Rex Ryan: Will Comments About Turner Help the Jets Win?

2011-10-20T19:18:00.003-04:00

(Photo Credit: http://assets.nydailynews.com/img/2011/10/20/alg_rex-ryan-norv-turner.jpg)

In a development that shocks nobody, Jets coach Rex Ryan opened his mouth and created a buzz in the media on Thursday. Ryan was asked about his interview for the Chargers job in 2007, which eventually went to Norv Turner.

""Well, I think I would have had a couple of rings," Ryan said. "I'm telling you, those teams were loaded."

It's hard not to love it when Ryan makes comments like these. While they may not help Brian Schottenheimer open up the playbook or help the Jets' defense stop the run, they undoubtedly help deflect attention away from the on-field performance of his team and redirect it solely towards Ryan, making him the story. Win or lose.

Instead of talking about all of the issues facing his Jets team, which might have posted one of the most unimpressive 18-point wins in NFL history against Miami on Monday night, the media is all over Ryan essentially saying he's a better coach than Turner.

The Jets head coach isn't the first person to question Turner's coaching ability and he probably won't be the last. Ryan was right when he said the Chargers have been loaded over the past few seasons and honestly, what do they have to show for it?

In Turner's four seasons at the helm in San Diego, he has just an appearance in the AFC Championship Game in 2007 and an opening-round playoff win in 2008 to show for 41 regular-season wins. Ryan has two appearances in the AFC Championship Game in two seasons with the Jets and has definitely earned the right to say a few words. It also helps that Ryan's Jets beat Turner's Chargers to reach the AFC Championship Game in 2009.

Realistically though, the issue at hand is less about the past and more about this Sunday's matchup between AFC playoff hopefuls. Ryan has once again succeeded at taking the headlines away from his struggling football team and letting them rest solely on him, something he has done consistently since joining the Jets before the 2009 season.

Like it has in the past, this strategy should allow the Jets player to relax and fly under the radar heading into a big game at home, where they are 3-0 on the season. Ryan's detractors may claim that his comments put more pressure on his players to come up big this weekend but even if the Jets lose, the media will focus on the battle between the coaches before looking at the Jets' deficiencies as a football team. It's not a complete free pass for the players, but it's about as close as they're going to get.

Regardless of how you feel about Ryan's comments, one thing seems certain. The Jets will need to take shots downfield on offense and clamp down on Ryan Mathews and Mike Tolbert in the running game to have a chance against a very good Chargers team.

Ryan has set himself up to take the heat if his team loses Sunday and now, it's on the players to realize they have less to lose and come out strong early to make their beloved coach look good. It definitely wouldn't be the first time.

Brandon Lloyd Trade Rumors: Should the Jets make a play at the Broncos' receiver?

2011-10-14T15:48:00.004-04:00

(Photo Credit: http://assets.nydailynews.com/img/2010/11/21/alg_brandon%20_lloyd.jpg)

With the Denver Broncos putting All-Pro receiver Brandon Lloyd on the trade market today, Jets fans should be intrigued. For a team struggling in all facets of their offense, adding a legitimate deep threat would seem to be a great move.

This is especially true considering the recent heat being placed on offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer for being too conservative. If the Jets added Lloyd before Tuesday's trading deadline, they would have no choice but to throw downfield to take advantage of his skill set.

Many may look at Lloyd's season last year and be tempted to label him a one-year wonder, but that couldn't be further from the truth. I've long been a fan of Lloyd's talent, almost stubbornly so, but he's always had the Pro Bowl ability he finally showed last season.

The main drawback for many teams interested in acquiring Lloyd is that he's a 30-year-old receiver who has played just one full season since 2005, which came last year. Perhaps that's the logic behind the Broncos asking price of just a third-to-fifth-round draft pick, which screams value.

Lloyd has been outspoken in his support of recently-demoted quarterback Kyle Orton and with Tim Tebow now at the helm in Denver and Lloyd set to hit free agency after the 2011 season, Denver may be somewhat desperate to make a move. With youth and depth at the receiver position and a need to rebuild, it makes perfect sense for the Broncos to test the waters.

With a bargain contract of $1.395 million and a reasonable asking price, Lloyd is a player the Jets should inquire about. General Manager Mike Tannenbaum is no stranger to trading draft picks for elite talent after trading a fifth-round pick for Santonio Holmes and a third-round pick (which became a second-rounder after the Jets' improbable 2011 playoff run) for Antonio Cromartie last year.

The Jets are still in win-now mode despite a 2-3 start and this marks the perfect opportunity to strike for a player of Lloyd's caliber. Plaxico Burress has been a moderate disappointment with just 13 catches for 202 yards, issues with dropped passes and a lack of chemistry with Mark Sanchez, while the trade of Derrick Mason opens up a spot in the receiving corps.

Sanchez and Lloyd would have to get on the same page quickly in order for him to make enough of an impact to help the Jets this season, but just the presence of a downfield playmaker might open up the short-to-mid passing lanes for the offense. If the two can't develop their chemistry and Lloyd leaves after the season, all it cost the Jets was a mid-round draft pick and a negligible contract.

This looks like a low-risk, high-reward situation for a Jets team that needs a spark, and Lloyd is exactly the kind of player New York could use to jumpstart their offense. While any trade involving Lloyd seems unlikely let alone one including the Jets, who haven't been reported as having interest since the news broke, it would be wise for them to at least look into making this move.

If the Jets can pull the trigger and turn their season around, we may very well look back at this trade as the reason the team made another run to the playoffs and potentially beyond in 2011.

New York Jets: Who's to Blame for Slow Start?

2011-10-12T14:21:00.007-04:00

(http://a.espncdn.com/photo/2010/0121/nfl_u_schottenheimer11_300.jpg)

After a 2-0 start at home in 2011, the Jets have dropped three straight road games to Oakland, Baltimore and New England, allowing 30 points to each team after letting up just 27 in the first two games combined.

That stat would make you think it's their defense that's letting them down and, to an extent, that's true. But it's difficult to play defense when your offense is consistently going three-and-out and you spend twice as much time on the field as you do on the sideline.

The recent trade of Derrick Mason for a conditional seventh-round draft pick may have a minimal impact on the field, much like Mason did in his short stint with the team, but the reasons behind the trade go much deeper and may hit on the ultimate problem for the Jets so far in 2011.

Mason and fellow receivers Santonio Holmes and Plaxico Burress reportedly approached Rex Ryan before the New England game to complain about Brian Schottenheimer's offense, as New York's top three receivers had just 35 receptions for 432 yards and three touchdowns through four weeks. By comparison, tight end Dustin Keller and running backs LaDainian Tomlinson and Shonn Greene had combined for 41 catches, 521 yards and three touchdowns.

Many are quick to defend Schottenheimer's conservative offensive approach due to the development, or lack thereof, of third-year quarterback Mark Sanchez. Without a competent quarterback, you can't stretch the field in the NFL and hit your receivers with consistent success.

You also can't stretch the field if you don't try, and the Jets don't. They have attempted just 13 passes of over 20 yards this season, an average of fewer than three per game, despite Sanchez averaging almost 35 pass attempts per game.

Defenses have been able to play with eight in the box against the Jets all season, suffocating the short passing lanes and leaving no holes in the running games. As a result, Sanchez has been blitzed religiously and has nine turnovers in just five games, while Greene and Tomlinson have averaged just 3.3 yards per carry and are consistently being hit in the backfield before they reach the holes that don't exist.

That brings me to the Jets' next problem: Their offensive line. Many questioned the Jets' release of former Pro Bowler Alan Faneca last preseason, but the team still succeeded on the ground and all was quickly forgotten. But losing Damien Woody to retirement before this season cost the team another veteran presence in the trenches and one they have struggled to replace.

Matthew Slauson and Wayne Hunter probably aren't legitimate NFL starters and Brandon Moore is aging. While D'Brickashaw Ferguson and Nick Mangold are studs, the two games that Mangold missed proved disastrous for the Jets with undrafted rookie center Colin Baxter snapping to Sanchez.

Mangold returned for Week 5 and the difference was noticeable, but the Jets also played against one of the league's worst defense, if not its worst.

Speaking of bad defense, the Jets have had their share of struggles on that side of the ball too. They have been solid against the pass but their run defense leaves much to be desired. Linebackers Bart Scott and Calvin Pace are a year older, while defensive end Muhammad Wilkerson is a talented yet inexperienced rookie.

Losing Bryan Thomas for the season is another big blow to the New York run defense. Backup Jamaal Westerman is an excellent pass rusher, as seen by his two sacks against Tom Brady on Sunday, but Thomas is a former defensive end whose main job in the Jets' linebacking corps was stopping the run. Thomas' torn Achilles will keep him out for the rest of the 2011 season.

It seems like I've hit on every aspect of the Jets team as reasons for their early struggles this season outside of their special teams unit, which is arguably the only reason they aren't 1-4 after multiple big plays in Week 1 against Dallas.

As much as it's difficult for me to blame coaches when players don't execute, the players can't be expected to succeed with a gameplan that handcuffs their talents. If I had to choose the biggest culprit for the Jets' 2-3 start, it would be Schottenheimer. And as the percentages below tell you, it's not a particularly competitive blame game.

Brian Schottenheimer: 55%
Offensive line issues: 25%
Rush defense: 15%
Mark Sanchez: 5%

What it ultimately comes down to is this: If Schottenheimer would open up the offense and take even occasional shots downfield, it would make things much easier for Sanchez, Greene, Tomlinson and the offensive line.

If the offensive line could hold up longer in pass protection, Sanchez would have time to get the ball downfield rather than running for his life, which it seems like he's doing far too often this season.

If Sanchez was able to stay comfortable in the pocket as a result, he could find time to convert third-and-long situations. It seems like when the Jets face third-and-nine or longer, they complete a pass that falls a yard or two shy of the marker. This would prevent three-and-outs and give their defense some rest, which would help in stopping the run.

And if Sanchez would just throw the ball away sometimes or was better at feeling blind-side pressure, he could limit crucial turnovers that have either led to points for opposing defenses or quick turnarounds for the Jets defense.

As you can see, there's a lot of blame to be tossed around this organization after a 2-3 start and it's all interchangeable. When one part of the team struggles, the rest of the team feels it.

But trailing in the division by just two games, all hope is not lost. There's a lot of work to be done, however, and the Jets will need to fix a few things if they plan on contending.

Step one: Open up the offensive playbook. Sanchez has talent, but you can't expect him to show it without letting him loose. He's already turning the ball over, so what do you have to lose? You never know, the rest might just fall into place.

New York Jets Week 4 Report Card

2011-09-26T10:50:00.005-04:00

(Photo Credit: http://media.centredaily.com/smedia/2011/09/25/19/29/252-sGYn.AuSt.55.jpg)

First off, let's be realistic and say that the way the Jets have played this season, they deserve to be 1-2 rather than 2-1. If it wasn't for Tony Romo's extra-early Christmas gift in the fourth quarter of the September 11 opener, they would be.

That being said, the grades in my upcoming report card won't reflect a team that's won two of its first three games. Let's get to it.

Rushing Offense:

It's unfair to grade the Jets based solely on their performance on the ground against a struggling Raiders' run defense, especially without starting center and offensive line captain Nick Mangold. While Shonn Greene had his best game of the season, he didn't even reach 60 yards (15 carries, 59 yards).

Just like last season, LaDainian Tomlinson looks like the best running back on the roster. He isn't running as well as he did at the start of last season and was essentially useless last week against Jacksonville, but Tomlinson totaled 154 yards on 11 touches this week, while Greene has 194 total yards all season.

Tomlinson is more of a factor in the passing game than Greene, which explains his lack of touches in the Week 2 blowout and his extensive usage in Weeks 1 and 3. Greene, however, caught seven passes for 47 yards against the Raiders and it looks like the Jets will look to get him outside the tackles more often.

With the team's current issues in the middle of their offensive line, the Jets will have to get Greene outside with tosses and swing passes if they hope to make him effective. He struggles to build momentum up the middle and looks plodding at times, but give him a head of steam and a 200-pound corner and you have a recipe for success.

The ground-and-pound mantra is dead, at least until Mangold returns in a few weeks and even with him, the running wasn't working. Two years ago, the Jets had an elite offensive line. Now, it's average at best

New York has two studs in Mangold and D'Brickashaw Ferguson, an aging veteran in Brandon Moore and inexperience at the other spots. They will continue to struggle running the ball inside the tackles if they can't win the battle in the trenches.

Grade: D+

Passing Offense:

While the stats look pretty from the Oakland game, where Mark Sanchez completed over 60 percent of his passes for a career-high 369 yards, three total touchdowns and just one interception, the game tape tells a different story.

Sanchez was wildly inaccurate at times and careless at others. While he made a few big plays in the passing game, the stats are slightly skewed by a 74-yard dump pass early in the game to LaDainian Tomlinson. He also had 12 of his 27 completions to his running backs.

After being turnover-free through the first five games last season, Sanchez already has four interceptions and a fumble through three games in 2011. He has made many bad decisions and, combined with frustrating inaccuracy at times, hasn't taken the leap forward that many expected.

The only positive to take from Sanchez's early-season performance is that his completion percentage is way up, sitting at 63.1 percent compared to 55.4 for his career. He has accomplished this as offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer has opened up the playbook with more shots down the field, something myself and many others who follow the Jets have been clamoring for since last season.

Sanchez still is nothing more than a game manager, but I still think it's too early to completely give up on him. I've always compared him to Ben Roethlisberger, who was the definition of a game manager in his first three seasons with the Steelers.

It wasn't until year four that Roethlisberger became a true playmaker with 32 touchdowns, not having reached 20 in any of his first three seasons. And while Big Ben started for three seasons at Miami (Ohio), Sanchez started just one at USC before joining the Jets. I doubt the lockout helped Sanchez either.

It may sound like I'm making excuses for the Jets quarterback, but I'm just choosing to take the route less traveled when it comes to Sanchez: patience rather than panic. If we're having this same conversation next season, I'll be done with Sanchez. But this year, it's not just his fault.

The real problem here is the Jets' lack of a successful running game. With the offensive line in shambles and a power back who can't seem to find space on the interior, New York will have to rely on the arm of Sanchez more than expected this season.

I'm not sure that's such a good thing for 2011, but maybe opening up the playbook and forcing him to win games rather than not losing them will finally allow him to develop into the player he has the talent to be.

Grade: C+

Rushing Defense:

Another area that was expected to be one of the strengths of the Jets has been anything but in the early part of the season.

The Jets allowed 234 rushing yards to the Raiders, including 171 on 19 carries for Darren McFadden. McFadden is an absolute stud, but for the Jets to allow nine yards per carry to anybody is shocking.

That performance came a week after the Jaguars ran for 112 yards on New York and, while they shut down Felix Jones and the Dallas ground game in Week 1, there is an obvious chink in this team's defensive armor.

The Jets' only loss along their front seven was defensive end Shaun Ellis, an aging run-stopper whose best days are clearly behind him. So what has made this unit so vulnerable in 2011?

Is David Harris still hobbled by his toe injury? Are Bart Scott, Calvin Pace and Sione Pouha just another year older and step slower? Is rookie Muhammad Wilkerson's presence along the defensive line a detriment? All of the above?

We'll learn the answers to these questions in the coming weeks, likely this Sunday when the Jets face former New Rochelle and Rutgers standout Ray Rice and the Ravens. If this unit is legit this season, they need to bounce back with an inspired performance and at least contain Rice this week. If not, it could be a long season for a team with Super Bowl aspirations.

Grade: C-

Passing Defense:

The Jets made journeyman Luke McCown look like a complete clown in Week 2 but then again, he's always been a complete clown. Jason Campbell was his typical average self on Sunday and Tony Romo was having a great day through the air in the opener until he folded late.

I have less complaints about New York's pass defense than I do with any other facet of their team. It's hard to argue that there's anybody better than Darrelle Revis at the cornerback position because you never hear his name called unless Romo is throwing a ball right into his chest.

I can definitely complain, however, about the still-inconsistent play of Antonio Cromartie, who coincidentally got paid big money once the lockout ended.

After one of the best games of his career against McCown and the Jags which included two interceptions and a touchdown, Cromartie was burned and flagged repeatedly against Oakland. If there's one thing the Raiders' receivers have it's speed, and Cromartie struggled to run with them or stay with them out of their breaks.

I'm not looking forward to watching Cromartie attempt to defend either speedy Ravens Lee Evans or Torrey Smith next week, especially after Smith's three-touchdown breakout against the Rams.

The Jets' pass rush is still non-existant outside of blitz packages, which are difficult for Rex Ryan to dial up when Cromartie can't cover anybody. Wilkerson is not ready to be the pass rusher this team needs and they will continue to be very boom (see: Jags game) or bust (see: Cowboys game) until they can pressure the quarterback with a four-man rush.

Grade: B-

Special Teams:

As usual, Mike Westhoff has the Jets' special teams unit playing at a high level. If not for a well-designed punt block that sprung Joe McKnight free up the middle, New York would have never beaten Dallas in Week 1.

I like what I've seen out of Jeremy Kerley on punt returns; he's small, quick and isn't afraid to go upfield first and gain a few yards rather than running sideways and gaining nothing.

As for kick returns, I'm fine as long as Antonio Cromartie never sees another ball. His fumble against Oakland essentially handed the Raiders the game late and, while he can be a game-breaker, the potential for good does not outweigh the potential for bad considering the new kickoff rules. All risk, minimal reward.

Nick Folk gives me no reason to complain, making all six of his field goal attempts this season, while T.J. Conley is what we thought he would be at punter. He's not crushing balls (41.4 yards per kick) but he has done a decent job of hanging balls in the air and placing them around the sidelines to prevent big returns.

Grade: A-

As you can see from my grades, I'm very disappointed in the Jets' performance through three games this season. Their record may sit at 2-1 but if they played up to their potential, they could definitely be undefeated. They also could (and should) be 1-2.

That's not to say I don't have confidence in this team turning things around, but it needs to happen sooner rather than later. No disrespect to the resurgent Bills who are a legitimate team for the first time in a while, but the Jets needed to take advantage of the Pats early loss on Sunday. They couldn't.

With three teams looking like 10-win possibilities within the division and the Ravens and Steelers looking the same way in the AFC North, one of these five teams will miss out the playoffs. If the Jets don't pick things up in the coming weeks in every facet of the game, it very well could be them.

Looking for the real scapegoat for NCAA realignment? Look no further than the BCS

2011-09-22T16:16:00.002-04:00

(Photo Credit: http://www.betvega.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/2009-2010-bcs-championship-odds.jpg)

Syracuse and Pittsburgh continued the exodus of college programs from the Big East and Big 12, in essence destroying the country's best basketball conference and possibly its second best as well.

Football will always be the breadwinner in college athletics, and obviously the moves made by schools like Syracuse, Pittsburgh and Texas A&M were strictly related to increasing the revenue received from their football program.

Big East football hasn't been the same since Miami, Virginia Tech and Boston College all left for the ACC in 2005 and from that standpoint I can see why Syracuse and Pitt are leaving the conference.

But I can't help but think that if the Bowl Championship Series was never adopted back in 1998, we wouldn't be seeing radical changes to the NCAA conferences. The BCS rewards power conference teams and devalues the accomplishments of teams from mid-major conferences.

While the Big East is still technically a "power conference" in the eyes of the BCS, its deterioration as a football conference leads to lower strength of schedule rankings for its teams and therefore, a more difficult road to the top of the BCS.

The BCS led TCU to commit to joining the Big East last November for the 2012-13 season. Leaving the Mountain West for a "power conference" would certainly help TCU's chances at a national title bid, but what will happen now to the Horned Frogs and the rest of the Big East?

We're still waiting for all the dominoes to drop, the next big ones looking like Texas and Oklahoma. If the Longhorns and Sooners leave the Big 12, it would create the possibility of the remaining schools like Kansas joining the Big East. The conference would be garbage in terms of football, but would sustain viability in basketball.

If Texas and Oklahoma leave, maybe Boise St. would join the Pac-12 or another power conference, giving their football program more viability as a national-title contender. And even if those schools stay, Boise St. may be able to find a power-conference suitor if other teams leave.

In the end, this realignment will lead to fewer, larger "super conferences" and will likely include more total teams than the current alignment, giving more programs the opportunity to compete to make the title game.

If only college football had adopted a playoff system by now, Syracuse and Pitt would still be members of the Big East. TCU wouldn't have joined last year either, and I doubt any of this realignment would be happening right now.

It's a terrible development for somebody like me from the Northeast, who is admittedly less obsessed over college football than 90% of the country that resides west and south of Pennsylvania. I prefer college basketball, in part due to the always-competitive nature of the Big East, my local conference.

Now the BCS has essentially taken Big East basketball away from me. No longer will the mecca that is Madison Square Garden host the Big East tournament, one of the more exciting postseasons in sports. The ACC tournament may be there once every three of four years, but that's little consolation

Out of 16 teams in the Big East, 11 won 20 games and had .500 conference records. The depth of the conference made almost every game interesting and even when my beloved Orange weren't playing, I would go out of the way to watch random Big East games. The entertainment level was through the roof.

But now, the conference has lost two of its powerhouses. If the Big 12 dissolves and teams like Kansas and Kansas St. enter the Big East, it will still be a decent basketball conference even if it loses more schools with football programs, like Connecticut and West Virginia, to the ACC. But it will never, ever be the same, especially with the loss of rivalries departing schools had with the remaining ones.

Thanks to the BCS, college basketball has been ruined ever so slightly for myself and many others. And until college football adopts a playoff system, the national-title picture will continue to be one big joke, "super conferences" or not.

With college football being no better and college basketball being worse, this whole situation is a lose-lose for NCAA sports. Just not financially.

More and more programs will now have the opportunity to line their pockets with football-generated millions, while players continue to see none of the profits they so obviously create.

Paying college players is another topic for another day. But it's a topic that will only garner more attention than it recently has in the near future, and rightfully so.

Realignment proves that college sports is nothing more than a professional business focused on making money. And for these business to refuse to pay their student-athletes is absurd. Give up the amateur pretense, NCAA. This realignment is officially the last straw, and nobody is buying it anymore.

He's far from elite, but is Eli Manning a Top-10 NFL quarterback?

2011-08-17T15:15:00.001-04:00

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/809439-ranking-the-nfls-top-10-quarterbacks-where-does-eli-manning-land

NFL Teams Going After Rival's Free Agents Like Never Before

2011-08-11T12:17:00.002-04:00

(Photo Credit: http://static.nfl.com/static/content/catch_all/nfl_image/s_smith_080203_IA.jpg)

In the modern era of NFL free agency, it has become commonplace to move from one location to the next. It's also becoming an industry trend for players to leave their old teams to sign with their biggest rivals.

Case in point: Ex-Giant Steve Smith signed with the Eagles yesterday. Smith says the Eagles wanted him more, which is just as much about him spiting the Giants for not showing serious interest in bringing him back than it is about Philadelphia wanting him.

This also isn't the first example of a New York player going to his former team's biggest rival this offseason. Former Jets defensive end Shaun Ellis, an 11-year veteran who was drafted by New York in 2000, took a similar path last week when he signed a one-year contract with the Patriots.

While Smith is in the prime of his career, Ellis is nothing more than a rotational lineman at age 34. Both players will have an impact on their new teams, but let's start with Smith.

From the Giants point of view, I understand. They have a budding superstar in Hakeem Nicks and a former third wide receiver in Mario Manningham who looks primed to breakout and become a solid No. 2. Smith is also a question mark thanks to microfracture knee surgery.

They drafted Ramses Barden last season and have guys like Domenik Hixon and last year's pre-season standout Victor Cruz, so it's not like the Giants don't have a few guys vying for playing time. Regardless, Eli Manning is going to miss Smith.

Manning has proven to be turnover-prone throughout his career, throwing at least 17 interceptions in four of his six seasons as a full-time starter. He threw a career-high 25 last season, which I believe to be a direct result of Smith's injury issues.

In the first eight games of the season, in which Smith caught at least four passes in all eight, Manning threw 11 interceptions. In the final eight games, where Smith played in just one game and caught only one ball, Manning threw 14 interceptions, a rise almost half an interception per game.

Manning had just one game without an interception during the season's second half; he had three such games with Smith in the lineup.

The Eagles recognized this and also saw the value in signing Smith for cheap (yes, $4 million is cheap for a Pro Bowl-caliber player). They are deep at receiver even if Jeremy Maclin's personal issues take him into the regular season and can afford to wait a few weeks while Smith gets healthy.

Even if Smith doesn't return at a high level, the Eagles will take advantage of his absence when they play the Giants. With a revamped secondary and Jason Babin added to rush the passer, Manning will struggle against Philadelphia without his favorite security blanket.

Nicks and Manningham are big-play receivers and neither can replace what Smith did for the Giants. Manning's receiving options look limited this season, especially with Kevin Boss' departure - although I like Travis Beckum.

Smith should have a larger impact on the field in Philadelphia than Ellis in New England, but the former Jet will help Bill Belichick in many other ways.

Ellis knows the Jets organization in and out, especially their defensive schemes over the past few seasons under Rex Ryan. Like Smith, he didn't feel wanted by the organization and will likely be looking to spite the Jets.

What Ellis can't do on the field anymore, he will likely do in the film room and on the sidelines. He knows the defense, he knows the players he will be lining up against and he knows how to beat them.

Whether he can do it himself anymore, Ellis will help everybody else along the New England line when it comes to playing against New York.

He won't make the on-field impact that Jets castoff Danny Woodhead made when he signed with New England early last season, but don't think he won't be an asset to the Pats. Bill Belichick wouldn't have signed Ellis if he didn't think he would help in some way.

It's too early to tell what will happen when the Jets and Pats square off and the same goes for the Giants and Eagles. But the defection of Smith and Ellis to bitter division rivals sways the pendulum slightly towards Philadelphia and New England. At least for now.

Jets re-sign Harris, going after Umenyiora?

2011-08-03T12:26:00.003-04:00

(Photo Credit: http://profootballzone.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/14.jpg)

The Jets assured their "Core Four" will remain together for another three seasons by re-signing linebacker David Harris to a four-year, $36 million deal, including $29.5 million guaranteed, the most for a linebacker in NFL history.

This deal confirms that Harris, Darrelle Revis, D'Brickashaw Ferguson and Nick Mangold will remain in green and white until 2014, when Revis' restructured contract expires.

After the Jets gave Santonio Holmes $50 million and Antonio Cromartie $32 million, many wondered whether Harris would remain unsigned by the team heading into next offseason.

New York knew they couldn't afford to let Harris hit free agency in 2012, not with Bart Scott aging and the premium on middle linebackers in their 3-4 defense. The team also saved $6.4 million dollars on the 2010 salary cap by backloading the deal.

The Jets may find themselves in cap hell in a few seasons but they're playing for a championship right now, future be damned. With an extra $6.4 million this season, what else could the Jets possibly do?

With Shaun Ellis still unsigned and first-round pick Muhammad Wilkerson behind the eight-ball thanks to the lockout, the rumors have begun to swirl about the Jets poaching another player from the Giants to bolster their pass rush - disgruntled defensive end Osi Umenyiora.

Umenyiora believes he's a top-five defensive end. I don't, and I don't think many people around the NFL do either. The Giants were reportedly looking for a first-round pick in exchange for Umenyiora, but have since realized that nobody is willing to part with one.

Under the new collective bargaining agreement, which significantly lowered rookie salaries and signing bonuses, high draft picks have even more value now than ever. Teams already overvalued their first-round picks in the pre-lockout days, meaning now most NFL squads won't be so willing to part with their top picks.

I think the Giants can legitimately expect a second-rounder in return for Umenyiora, especially from a good team who won't have a second-round pick that lands inside the top 50 or even the top 60.

AFC rivals Baltimore and New England are also interested in the Giants defensive end, meaning the Jets will have some competition if they throw their hat into the ring. If anything, trading for Umenyiora to keep him away from Bill Belichick would be a win for New York.

Any team that trades for Umenyiora will have to sign him to a new contract, even though he has two years left on his current deal. The Jets just freed up enough cap space to cover a large portion of the contract they would have to give Umenyiora.

This is a match made in heaven. The Jets desperately need a pass rusher along the defensive line, have the money to pay Umenyiora and have shown a willingness to move draft picks for immediate help.

After trading a fifth-rounder and third-rounder respectively for Santonio Holmes and Antonio Cromartie last season, the Jets would be making a huge blunder if they refused to move a second-rounder for Umenyiora this season.

Holmes and Cromartie were impact players the moment they stepped on the field for New York, much more so than any fifth or third-round pick would have been.

This team is trying to win now and everybody knows it. Make the move now, worry about the money later. It's not like they haven't been playing by that strategy all along.

How did the Jets do in free agency?

2011-08-01T13:27:00.001-04:00

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/787422-2011-free-agency-grading-the-new-york-jets-after-week-one

Yankees better off without Jimenez?

2011-07-29T12:18:00.003-04:00

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/784426-new-york-yankees-trade-rumors-4-reasons-they-shouldnt-trade-for-ubaldo-jimenez

Can the Jets legitimately sign Holmes and Asomugha?

2011-07-26T12:44:00.003-04:00

(Photo Credit: http://turnonthejets.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/nfl_a_revisasomugha_jh_300.jpg)

First off, I would like to say "Welcome back" to myself. After over a week away from the writing world and a few months away from serious football discussions, I am back in business.

In the three months after the NFL draft, I conducted my own personal "boycott" of the NFL. Deep down I thought they could get a deal done and I was far more optimistic of their chances than those of the NBA, but I wasn't going to give them attention they didn't deserve. At least not until I get paid for this.

I didn't even start my fantasy football league until yesterday, despite the ability to open it weeks ago. You want my business? Get back on the field, and that's exactly what the NFL has done.

Now it's time to get down to what the Jets need to do in the next few days to solidify their chance at another deep playoff run.

The first order of business for New York is to re-sign Santonio Holmes. Holmes is the best offensive player on the market and he made a huge impact for the Jets after returning from his suspension last season.

In 12 games last season, Holmes had 52 receptions for 746 yards and six touchdowns. In his final nine, he had 42 catches for 616 yards and all of his scores.

It took Holmes three games to get acclimated to Mark Sanchez and the Jets' system but once he did he was a difference maker, scoring game-winning touchdowns in the final 10 seconds (or on the final play) in two consecutive November victories.

I know the Jets have other free agents to sign, namely Braylon Edwards and Antonio Cromartie, but Holmes is easily the best player of the three. Edwards and Cromartie are top-10 names in this free agent period, but there's another big name the Jets are rumored to be after.

Raiders cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha, arguably the league's top cover corner (along with current Jet Darrelle Revis), is hitting the market. It's rare that a player of this caliber becomes an unrestricted free agent and the Jets would love to pounce on the former Cal stud.

I think Asomugha and Holmes are the two best players available. The real question is: Can the Jets afford both?

Already $1.2 million over the new salary cap, New York has some tough decisions to make. They can restructure the contracts of players like D'Brickashaw Ferguson, Calvin Pace and Bryan Thomas, but will that be enough to allow them to pay two top-tier free agents?

I'm no salary cap expert, but I'm not sure the Jets will be able to afford these two players. So the question becomes, who should the Jets go after harder?

If the Jets add Asomugha and lose Holmes, it will be absolutely impossible to throw on this team. They were a top-six pass defense last season and the Raiders were second, mainly due to Asomugha's presence.

Combining Asomugha and Revis would make New York's pass defense the best in the NFL, hands down. With an already solid group of linebackers and Shaun Ellis being the only potential loss along the defensive line, the Jets run defense would also stay in the top 10 after ranking third last season.

It's a legitimate possibility that the Jets could allow fewer than 15 points per game if they sign Asomugha after allowing 19 points per game last season. But would their offense be able to move the football?

Even with Holmes and Edwards last season, the Jets sometimes struggled to score points. Losing his top two receivers would not help Mark Sanchez's development, even if New York brought in players like Plaxico Burress, Randy Moss or Sidney Rice if they could afford him.

LaDainian Tomlinson is a year older and another year slow and while Shonn Greene is likely to take on an increased workload, he's yet to prove he can handle the extra touches.

If the Jets keep Holmes and miss out on Asomugha and Cromartie, they will be stuck with Kyle Wilson on the other side. Unless Wilson made vast improvements during the lockout, which seems unlikely, he's not ready to start at the NFL level.

The Jets may have Revis shutting down one side of the field but Wilson will get picked on all day, not to mention how bad the Jets nickel and dime backs will be.

Keeping Holmes would mean the Jets offense could stay afloat and Sanchez would avoid a disastrous third season. But would that be enough to overtake New England and finally win the division?

It really doesn't matter who wins the division, as the Jets proved last season. The defensive-minded Jets beat the offensive-minded Patriots in the playoffs because of the way the teams were built.

Adding Asomugha to an already stacked defense would make the Jets a force to be reckoned with in cold-weather playoff games. As much as I love Holmes, if I had to choose one player, it would be Asomugha.

There are talented but troubled wide receivers on the free agent market that would come cheaply as low-risk, high-reward gambles. Burress and Moss are the two names the come to mind.

Both of those receivers have reputations as selfish players, but both would step into roles where they would see a lot of balls thrown their way. That, along with the opportunity to play for a winning football team, means these two could be excellent gambles.

Filling the cornerback position opposite Revis will not be cheap for the Jets. And having Revis and Asomugha locked up for multiple seasons gives the team time to draft talent at receiver as well, leaving their Super Bowl window open for a few more seasons.

The NFL is a passing league. If you can stop the pass, you can win games. No matter how bad their offense might be, Revis and Asomugha would allow the Jets to do just that.

The Jets would love to get their hands on both Holmes and Asomugha, but that would take some skillful cap maneuvering. They will likely have to choose one, and the choice should be Nnamdi.

Bold Predictions for the MLB's Second Half

2011-07-14T14:38:00.000-04:00

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/767561-mlb-bold-predictions-for-every-division-in-the-second-half

Anthony and Stoudemire give Knicks fans another reason to root against a lockout

2011-07-08T10:52:00.002-04:00

(Photo Credit: http://www.inflexwetrust.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/amare-stoudemire-carmelo-anthony-and-kenyon-martin.jpg)

After reports surfaced that Deron Williams has a deal in place to play in Turkey if the NBA lockout doesn't end before next season, similar rumors swirled around Amar'e Stoudemire and Carmelo Anthony.

Stoudemire and Anthony reportedly reached out to the players' union about rules and insurance issues of playing overseas. Stoudemire's agent said his client is not interested but if he was, this would be terrible news for Knicks fans.

The major problem with this idea is the risk of injury. The Knicks were one of the few teams willing to give Stoudemire a max contract last offseason because of his injury history, which includes retina surgery and microfracture knee surgery.

Stoudemire also was ineffective in the Knicks' first-round playoff series against Boston due to a pulled back muscle, which he is still in the process of rehabbing.

Even Anthony has not been allowed to lift weights or shoot a basketball while rehabbing right elbow bursitis and, while that injury is nowhere near as serious as any of the ones in Stoudemire's past, it still proves the point that the Knicks can't afford to have their two stars risking injury overseas.

I've said previously that the Knicks can't afford to lose a season during the prime of their star players due to a lockout and this news adds to that sentiment. What happens if, god forbid, Stoudemire plays overseas and suffers a career-threatening injury?

The Knicks could not get insurance on Stoudemire's contract when they signed and if he was injured overseas, they surely would not have to pay him the balance of his $100M contract. Both Stoudemire and the Knicks would be screwed.

That scenario would leave the team with money to sign another big-name player, but would also ruin the current team structure Donnie Walsh and others have worked so hard to build and set the rebuilding process back a year or two.

While Knicks fans need to root against an extended lockout, they also need to root against their stars going to play overseas. The move makes sense for Deron Williams, who has just two years left on his contract, can opt out after next season and may not want to stay in New Jersey anyway.

Amar'e Stoudemire and Carmelo Anthony are not Deron Williams. Stay put, boys.

Should the Yankees worry about Phil Hughes?

2011-07-07T12:59:00.003-04:00

(Photo Credit: http://hammer41.files.wordpress.com/2011/04/hughes21.jpg)

Phil Hughes got off to a shaky start in his return to the mound Wednesday, but was that not to be expected?

Hughes walked Michael Brantley, the first batter he faced, and then allowed two singles, the second scoring Brantley. A Russell Martin throwing error led to another Indians run, but Hughes was able to get out of trouble down just 2-0.

Then he settled down...kind of. Hughes didn't have a clean inning all night but scattered three singles in the next three innings before hitting two Cabreras (Asdrubal and Orlando) and walking another batter in the fifth.

Hughes was able to get Lonnie Chisenhall to fly out to Brett Gardner to leave the bases loaded and end his night at 87 pitches.

All in all, it was a mixed bag of a return for Hughes. Five innings, ten baserunners, two strikeouts and 57 strikes compared to 30 balls. He worked his way into trouble in his first and last innings, but got out of the fifth without allowing a run or even a hit.

Stats are nice but what most Yankees fans are concerned about is Hughes' velocity. The 24-year-old right-hander hit as high as 93 mph on the radar gun and hit 92 at one point during his final inning.

But, as the New York Post reports, Hughes' average velocity dipped from 92.3 in the first inning to 91.5 in the third and 90.6 in the fifth, a bad sign for many who have questioned Ivan Nova's demotion to Triple-A to make room for Hughes.

While this drop in velocity may be reason for some to worry about Hughes' arm, it isn't for me. Most pitchers throw harder in the first inning than they do in the fifth, particularly one that hasn't thrown to major-league hitters in three months. Give the kid some time.

After allowing the first three batters he faced to reach base, Hughes allowed seven baserunners (still too many) and didn't allow a run on a hit, walk or hit batter. The late loss of control and two batters he hit are slightly worrisome, especially in the fifth inning when his velocity was dropping near pre-DL stint levels.

Overall it was a shaky first start back for Hughes, who obviously has some work to do before he gets back to his 2009 pre-All Star Break level. Some people I've talked to believe he never will, even before this start, while I'd like to see him throw a few more turns before I make any rash judgments.

Hughes is just 24 years old, an age where many pitchers are just starting their careers. Hughes already has an All-Star appearance and an 18-win season on his ledger, so he's earned a longer leash than one borderline start after a dead-arm period. I'm willing to be somewhat patient with him.

But are the Yankees? With Nova waiting for a rotation spot in Triple-A, the leash may be short if Hughes continues to struggle considering the way Nova was pitching since a rough April.

Some fans may be rooting for Hughes to fail and the team to bring back Nova, but I think that's a terrible way to look at the situation.

The Yankees need both youngsters in their rotation next season and, while Nova may be the odd man out as of now, Bartolo Colon and Freddy Garcia are no locks to stay healthy and it's likely neither will be wearing pinstripes next season.

Rooting against Hughes is not the answer for Yankees fans in the short or long-term, regardless of how you feel about the situation with him and Nova. The Yankees will need both in 2012 and very possibly later this season as well - you want both of these guys pitching well, not just one.

Do the Yankees miss Derek Jeter?

2011-06-29T12:36:00.003-04:00

(Photo Credit: http://jonathanjoyce.files.wordpress.com/2010/11/derekjeter.jpg)

Since Derek Jeter went on the 15-day DL with a strained right calf, all the Yankees have done is go 10-3 without their captain. Does this mean they are better off without him?

The answer to that question depends heavily on which Jeter we're talking about. Are we looking at the Jeter who has hit .260 in 62 games this season with just two home runs, 20 RBI and a .649 OPS? Or are we talking about the Jeter who has hit .312 for his career with an .832 OPS?

New York is obviously better off with a healthy and productive Jeter in their lineup but he has been anything but this season. Eduardo Nunez has filled in capably at the plate since taking over at shortstop, batting .295 (13-44) with a homer, 4 runs and 4 RBI.

The Yankees have actually performed better as a lineup without Jeter, averaging a full run more per game (6.1 to 5.1) and hitting .288 compared to .249 in the 20 games Nunez has started. Nunez also has three errors since Jeter hit the DL, while the captain had just four all season before his injury.

Defense aside, this brings up a legitimate point about New York's lineup: The Yankees are better off with Nunez batting ninth than they are with Jeter batting first.

Forgive my potentially blasphemous words, but shouldn't Joe Girardi consider batting Jeter ninth when he returns?

Despite sabermetricians' best efforts, Jeter is an obvious upgrade defensively over Nunez, diminishing range aside. While Nunez has hit well over the past two weeks, Jeter is also a better hitter. If the Yankees lineup is better with Nunez ninth than it is with Jeter first, wouldn't it be even better with Jeter batting ninth?

Brett Gardner is the only prototypical leadoff man on the Yankees roster. His .360 OBP this season trumps Jeter's .324 on-base percentage and that includes an awful April where people were questioning his spot in the lineup. In limited at-bats against left-handed pitching, Gardner's OBP is actually higher (.386) than it is against right-handers.

There's no need for a leadoff platoon at the top of the Yankees order. Gardner should be the man at the top and while Jeter has been a No. 2 hitter for most of his career, Curtis Granderson is thriving in that spot this season.

With the copious power running through the Yankees lineup in the next six spots, Jeter batting ninth makes perfect sense. He still has enough speed and base-stealing ability that he won't slow down Gardner and who else would you want to turn your lineup over?

If he doesn't hit, it's not a big deal; you don't expect heavy offensive contributions from your last hitter anyway.

If Jeter was truly a great Yankee captain, he would recognize that he hurts the team batting leadoff if he's not hitting .300 and I can't find many people who think he's still a .300 hitter. I sure don't.

Jeter has been the consummate team player throughout his career but he can add to his Yankee legacy by being open to batting ninth. New York may be in first place in the AL East right now, but they are not a championship-caliber team with a .260 leadoff hitter who has a home run in just one game this season.

Do the right thing, Derek. Offer to bat ninth when you come back, because Joe Girardi does not have the stones to pencil you in there. Your team will be better off and you just may have another ring on your finger.

What to make of Iman Shumpert?

2011-06-24T13:15:00.002-04:00

(http://imgs.sfgate.com/c/pictures/2009/02/01/sp-bkc01_ph_wake_0499741637.jpg)

The Knicks surprised everybody last night by drafting Georgia Tech guard Iman Shumpert. As an avid college basketball fan and somebody who follows the sport almost religiously, I can honestly say my first reaction was, "What?!? Who?!? The Knicks did it AGAIN!"

While I didn't have the opportunity to catch a Yellow Jacket game this season and know little first-hand about Shumpert, it's obvious that he has great size for a point guard at 6'5''. He's a gifted athlete and his size and length will allow him to guard up to three positions in the NBA.

Replacing the outgoing Donnie Walsh, interim general manager Glen Grunwald said in an interview after the pick that the Knicks wanted to upgrade their defense and they expected Shumpert to help in that regard. The problem with that statement is that the best perimeter defender in the draft went right after the Knicks' pick, with the Wizards drafting Florida State's Chris Singleton.

I understand Singleton is a forward with no jump shot and the Knicks already have Carmelo Anthony and Amar'e Stoudemire locked in at the forward positions. But like Shumpert, Singleton has size (6'9'') and the perimeter defensive ability to guard point guards, shooting guards and small forwards.

Also like Shumpert, Singleton has no jump shot. Although Walsh has claimed Shumpert has improved his shot, I'd like to see it in game action at real-time speed before I make any judgments. Since I admittedly haven't seen Shumpert play, I can't do that now.

The difference between Shumpert and Singleton, and the reason the Knicks likely took Shumpert, is the potential to play the point. Singleton is a better defender but Shumpert can handle the ball. ESPN's Chad Ford said this about Shumpert: "If he can learn to run a team and shoot the ball, he can be a monster in the NBA. But right now, that's a big if. "

It seems the Knicks envision Shumpert as a lock-down defender on the outside and their potential future point guard, especially if Chauncey Billups proves to be the solid mentor he was to Toney Douglas last season. A future Knicks backcourt with Shumpert, Douglas and Landry Fields, assuming the Knicks don't land a big-name point guard, could be an excellent defensive trio.

Singleton wasn't the only player the Knicks passed on that would have filled a need. Morehead State rebounding machine Kenneth Faried was still on the board and went five picks later to Denver at 22.

Faried's boundless energy and tenacious defense was on display in the NCAA tournament, when his block in the final seconds of round one (or do I mean round two?) led to Morehead State's shocking upset of Louisville. But he's only 6'7'' and the Knicks need a center, not a power forward.

Regardless of his ability to rebound and defend, his height was the likely reason the Knicks went with Shumpert. Faried isn't likely to be a starter in the NBA but having him and Stoudemire on the floor would require Stoudemire to defend the opposing center, which isn't something the Knicks wanted.

Speaking of centers, secound-round pick Josh Harrelson is worth a mention. The Knicks traded with Charlotte to get Harrelson, who has size and really stepped his game up in the NCAA Tournament for Kentucky.

This may just be the Syracuse fan in me, but I think the Knicks should give Rick Jackson a look as an undrafted free agent. They worked him out previously and I thought there was a chance they would trade into round two to get him, but they didn't have to.

Jackson is big, strong and knows how to rebound and defend. He improved drastically from his junior year to his senior year and is a hard worker. Those are the players that make it in the NBA at the back of a big-man rotation, and I'd like to see Jackson get a shot.

Overall, my thoughts on New York's draft have fluctuated. At first, it was shock, disbelief and disappointment, mainly because I knew little about Shumpert. As the hours went on and now, a day later, I can understand what the Knicks were thinking. I may not agree with it, but I can understand it.

They didn't pass up any potential superstars, that's for sure. In a weak draft, they picked a player who fills a positional need, a defensive need and has the upside to be a "monster" (Chad Ford's words, not mine). Ford gave the Knicks draft a B- and I'll copy his grade for the moment.

With the draft in the books, the next question becomes: Will there be an NBA season? Charles Barkley says no, while Ric Bucher says a 50-game season is the best-case scenario. The Knicks are rooting for no lockout, as they can't afford to lose a season in the middle of their stars' primes.

A lockout would also put Billups one year closer to retirement and hurt Shumpert and Douglas, as they will have less time on the court to learn from Billups. James Dolan should be one of the NBA owners pushing for a deal although with his history, he'll do the wrong thing. He always does - what would a Knicks article be without a shot at Dolan?

Mock NBA Lottery: Who Will Rise and Fall?

2011-06-22T14:35:00.000-04:00

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/744076-2011-nba-draft-projecting-the-lottery-how-far-will-kemba-walker-fall

Why the Return of Phil Hughes Makes the Yankees AL East Frontrunners

2011-06-21T12:46:00.000-04:00

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/742569-phil-hughes-5-reasons-his-healthy-return-makes-new-york-the-al-east-frontrunner

The Rise of Rory: Will he be better than Tiger?

2011-06-20T14:21:00.002-04:00

(photo courtesy of http://nbcsportsmedia3.msnbc.com/j/NBCSports/Components/Video/_NEW/s_nbc_glf_usopenlexuswrapseg3_110619_4x3.300w.jpg)

At the Masters in April, Rory McIlroy had a four-stroke lead heading into Sunday. But the 21-year-old suffered through one of the worst final-round collapses in major history, shooting an 80 and losing by 10 strokes.

Just two months later and a year older (technically, since his birthday was May 4), McIlroy was again in an enviable position through three rounds of a major tournament. His eight-stroke lead heading into Sunday's final round at the U.S. Open would seem safe for any other golfer but with his Masters collapse fresh in the mind of many, including himself, there was reason to think the tournament wasn't quite over yet.

McIlroy, who called his Masters meltdown "a character-building day" back in April, proved that statement true by shooting a 69 in the final round to set the U.S. Open scoring record, one of 12 marks he set this weekend. McIlroy also set the 36-hole and 54-hole scoring record, among others.

Just eight months older than Tiger Woods was when Woods destroyed the Masters in 1997, the comparisons between McIlroy and Woods have been constant in the past day. If you're tired of hearing about it, please stop reading now.

Last year's Open winner Graeme McDowell was quoted as saying McIlroy was the best player he's ever seen, high praise for such a young pro from a fellow major champion. While Woods was a prodigy seemingly from birth, McIlroy has burst onto the PGA scene with much less hype than Woods did, possibly because he doesn't have a father who liked to fuel such a moniker.

The resolve McIlroy showed in his first major following the Masters was impressive to say the least, as similar major meltdowns have crashed the careers of other very talented golfers. That's the first sign to me that McIlroy is on top to stay.

Golf experts everywhere are saying he has the prettiest swing they have ever seen and are even throwing his name around as the premier challenger to Jack Nicklaus' record of 18 major victories.

Does all this sound familiar? Wasn't this the same hoopla surrounding Woods early in his career? The difference is, McIlroy has a much better head on his shoulders than Woods at the same age and even now.

Woods would have never handled an epic collapse the way McIlroy did after the Masters. McIlroy was more than willing to face the media and took it as a learning experience, which only spurred his performance this weekend.

We've seen Woods' media ineptitude plenty of times, from the start of his career until the infamous incident with his ex-wife two years ago. Woods' fragile psyche has yet to recover and, despite being just four majors short of Nicklaus, he may never reach the same heights he once achieved or the records many claimed he was a lock for.

McIlroy is the new Woods and frankly, he's easier to root for. I haven't seen him snap at anybody for taking his picture or act out at the attention he's received, positive or negative. I see no reason that McIlroy can't continue his rapid ascent to the top of the golf world, where he is now ranked as the fourth best player on tour.

If I had any advice to McIlroy it would be this: Don't follow in the footsteps of Tiger Woods; make your own path. And please, don't get married until you've won your 19th major.

Where will Plaxico Burress play this season?

2011-06-06T14:13:00.001-04:00

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/725036-plax-is-back-5-teams-that-could-use-the-former-giants-receiver

Heat blow Game 2, can they recover?

2011-06-03T11:10:00.007-04:00

(Photo Credit: http://media.miamiherald.com/smedia/2011/06/03/00/B82761810Z.1_20110603004142_000+G5U2QBH7E.1-0.skyboxwide.prod_affiliate.56.jpg)

Up 15 points with seven-plus minutes to play after a Dwyane Wade three-pointer, the Miami Heat looked well on their way to a 2-0 series lead and being a near-lock for the 2011 NBA title. My friend who was watching the game with me even went as far as to say, "This game is over" and many other people posted Facebook statuses proclaiming Miami champions of the world.

That last part may be a bit sarcastic, but as instantly as those statuses hit the Internet the Heat cooled down in a major way. Dallas went on an 8-0 run as Miami didn't score for three minutes, finally getting points on a pair of LeBron James free throws.

The Mavericks continued to clamp down on defense, forcing the Heat into bad offensive possessions with little ball movement and making them settle for deep jump shots as the shot clock ran down. A Jason Terry steal with a minute left led to a three-on-one fast break that ended with Dirk Nowitzki finishing over Chris Bosh to tie the game at 90.

The rest is history, as Nowitzki used a beautiful Tyson Chandler screen to make a wide-open three with 26 seconds left. But a defensive breakdown off of the ensuing inbounds pass left Mario Chalmers wide open to tie the game, which he did.

Nowitzki once again beat Bosh at the basket on the final possession and Dwyane Wade's desperation three-pointer at the buzzer hit back iron. With a 22-5 run in the final 7:13, the Mavericks kept their championship hopes alive. And by taking their foot off the gas pedal too soon, the Heat let a golden opportunity slip past them.

Some of you may be thinking that Dallas went up 2-0 at home on Miami in 2006 and lost the next four games, so it's crazy for me to say a 2-0 lead was impossible to overcome. I just didn't think Dallas could beat Miami three times in a row, even on their home court. Now they don't have to.

That's a huge boon to a team that relies on its bench for so much. I'm a firm believer that role players play better at home and Jose Juan Barea is a perfect example of that. If you don't believe me, check out the stats from his last four road playoff games and his last four home playoff games. It's a telling story, especially if you've watched him struggle in the first two games of this series.

Peja Stojakovic, another key bench player, didn't score a point in the two games in Miami. If Dallas can win on the road in impressive, comeback fashion with just their top five players playing well, are they really going to drop two out of three at home when they get their bench and their crowd going?

Miami is lucky the NBA Finals format is 2-3-2 rather than 2-2-1-1-1. If Dallas was going home for just two games, this series could easily be 3-1 heading back to South Beach. It's just difficult to convince me that any NBA team can beat James and Wade three straight times, home court or not.

Everything you heard before the series started and after Game 1 was about Miami and their new-found ability to close out games. But nobody was talking about Dallas' ability to do the same; they were the only other team in this year's playoffs to consistently close out opponents and take advantage when other teams didn't finish against them.

Yes, the Heat blew last night's game in epic fashion, but the Mavericks saw an opportunity present itself and took control on both ends of the court. Teams like Oklahoma City and Chicago didn't, because they aren't championship-caliber yet. Dallas is, and many people overlooked that fact heading into the series.

I heard many people saying the Heat were going to win this series in five games or even sweep Dallas, which proves that people were getting way too caught up in the Heatles hysteria. Miami is a great team that has beaten a bunch of really good teams so far, just like Dallas. Now, the only two great teams in this year's playoffs have a battle on their hands.

I didn't expect Dallas to steal a game in Miami and now that they have, the Heat will probably need seven games to close out the Mavericks unless they find a way to steal two in Dallas. I think the momentum from Game 2 will carry over enough for the Mavericks to take Game 3, but the Heat should bounce back in one of the following two games.

That means this series will go back to Miami 3-2 in favor of Mark Cuban's Mavs and I think whoever wins Game 6 will take the title. Which makes my revised prediction: Heat in 7 (Honorable Mention: Mavericks in 6).

Heat-Mavs, who wins?

2011-05-31T13:53:00.002-04:00

(Photo credit: http://www.latimes.com/media/photo/2011-05/61998195.jpg)

Both the Miami Heat and Dallas Mavericks have rolled through the playoffs, losing just three games and never once facing a deciding Game 7. In fact, only one of their six series, Dallas' first-round matchup with Portland, went longer than five games.

The Heat have two of the best, if not the best, perimeter players in the league in LeBron James and Dwyane Wade while the Mavericks have a player that nobody can guard in Dirk Nowitzki. While Miami also boasts Chris Bosh down low, Dallas can counter with future Hall of Famer Jason Kidd and other solid veterans like Jason Terry, Tyson Chandler and Shawn Marion.

The 2011 rematch of the 2006 NBA Finals will come down to starpower versus depth. The Heat have the Big Three and not much else, although the return of Udonis Haslem has been huge for Miami. The Mavericks have six players that could start for numerous NBA teams and that's not including the injured Caron Butler.

Despite rumors to the contrary over the past few weeks, Butler is unlikely to return for the Finals despite his best efforts. While having Butler back would have been a boon to the Mavs, they're playing so well right now that keeping him on the sidelines may be better for their chemistry.

Dallas is the one Western Conference team that can beat the Heat; the Thunder and Grizzlies were too young and the Spurs and Lakers too old. Dallas' stars may be older, but Nowitzki is still in his prime, Kidd is still a top-tier point guard and Terry is a player you cannot leave open. Add in J.J. Barea's energy off the bench and it's tough to discount Dallas in this series, as many are trying to do.

With that being said and as much as I want to pick Dallas to win, I just can't. Nowitzki will have to play the series of his life and, while he's been extremely efficient and there's no player on the Heat that can guard him, I don't see him scoring 40 points every game.

Dallas does have the advantage at three positions on the court, however, winning the point guard and center battle with Kidd and Chandler against Mike Bibby and Joel Anthony and the power forward matchup of Nowitzki and Bosh. That fact alone means this series will go at least six games, if not the distance.

I'd be remiss if I didn't mention the success each team has had closing games in these playoffs, especially after the struggles Miami had finishing during the regular season. Both teams stormed back from late deficits in the clinching games of the Conference Finals, albeit against young basketball teams unfamiliar with the art of fourth-quarter finishing. And both teams destroyed the past two NBA champions in the second round, representing a changing of the guard of sorts.

Both the Heat and Mavericks are peaking at the right time, play solid defense and have players that can carry the offensive load. Dallas has the experience and depth advantage, while Miami has the edge in athleticism and top-tier talent.

It should be a barn-burning series but the Heat will represent home-court and win the first of what seems likely to be many titles. Unless, of course, the Knicks get Chris Paul.

Prediction: Heat in 6

Is Jose Reyes worth Carl Crawford money?

2011-05-30T11:34:00.002-04:00

(photo credit: http://7traintoshea.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/alg_mets_reyes.jpg)

Well, that depends who you ask.

If you ask Mets owner Fred Wilpon, he'd say no. "He thinks he's going to get Carl Crawford money," Wilpon said. "He's had everything wrong with him. He won't get it."

In a way, Wilpon is right. Reyes won't get "Crawford money" (8-years, $142 million) because not even Crawford is worth "Crawford money."

Crawford has proven his contract to be ridiculous after just 51 games by batting .236 with little power (.369 slugging percentage) and only seven steals. Those numbers were much worse a few weeks ago and he's been hot of late, but he's only batting sixth in the Red Sox lineup and deservedly so.

Wilpon also said David Wright was not a superstar and that Carlos Beltran was overpaid based on his performance in the 2004 playoffs. The Beltran comment is difficult to argue and while Wright does strike out a lot, he produces runs with his power and speed and plays good defense. If he's not a "superstar" he's close and regardless, Wilpon shouldn't be bashing his players in the midst of his serious financial woes.

Or should he be? Reyes, for one, has been obviously motivated by Wilpon's comments, recording multiple hits in seven of the eight games since the report came out. He is 17-for-37 during that stretch with 10 runs, four doubles, two triples and three stolen bases.

Reyes will be 28 in June and is right in the middle of his prime as a baseball player. It's a tough sell to give a player of his or Crawford's ilk $18 million a year but if Crawford is worth it, Reyes is too. And even if Crawford isn't, Reyes probably is.

Reyes has just one home run this season but is on pace for 53 doubles, 25 triples and 59 stolen bases while batting .335. The impact he has on a game from the leadoff spot is arguably more valuable than the league's premier power hitters. The main caveat with Reyes has always been injuries.

Crawford plays left field in Boston; most corner outfielders hit for more power than he does. But shortstop is the thinnest position in baseball and one of the most important; it also happens to be where the cannon-armed Reyes makes his home. Forget Hanley Ramirez and Troy Tulowitzki; Reyes has been the NL's best shortstop this season.

That's not a fluke, either. Reyes has the talent to be the league's best shortstop and when healthy, is one of its 10 best players. If Reyes continues to produce like he has through the first third of the season he will be a legitimate MVP candidate by year's end, assuming he gets traded to a contender. Reyes is more valuable to a team than Crawford is; I think that's a difficult-to-argue statement.

Wilpon's comments have seemingly sealed Reyes' fate in New York. If he wants Crawford money, which I think he can and should get, he will have to go elsewhere. This makes a trade a near-certainty.

With no intention of re-signing Reyes for the money he will likely demand, the Mets need to pounce on trade offers sooner rather than later. The MLB trade deadline is two months away, but the way Reyes is playing right now it's hard to see his stock rising any further. If the Mets want a big-time pitching prospect, like the Giants' Madison Bumgarner, they need to strike while the iron is hot (and while San Francisco is still reeling from Buster Posey's season-ending injury).

After Wilpon's comment, the iron is burning hotter than it will be the rest of the season. The time is now for the Mets to move Reyes to a team willing to pay him the contract he should continue to earn over the rest of the season. The return at this moment for an $18 million player will be extraordinary.

Who should Cleveland take with two top-four picks?

2011-05-18T12:15:00.001-04:00

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/705055-2011-nba-mock-draft-three-duos-the-cavaliers-would-love-to-draft

Quarter-season state of the New York Yankees

2011-05-16T15:13:00.004-04:00

(photo courtesy of http://blog.nj.com/yankees_main/2009/08/large_jorge.jpg)

The Yankees have had an eventful weekend, and not for good reasons. In addition to being swept by the hated Boston Red Sox to fall two games behind Tampa Bay and stay just a game-and-a-half out of last in the AL East, Jorge Posada's refusal to bat ninth on Saturday has caused much backlash throughout the organization.

Posada is hitting just .165 this season and, while his average has been low since Opening Day, hasn't shown the same power he flashed early in the season, which made his low average bearable in a small sample size. Manager Joe Girardi tried to bump him to the ninth spot in the order and Posada balked at his former teammate's idea.

Rumors have since flown about the Yankees' next move. The team nearly released Posada immediately but thought better of it, yet he sat again on Sunday against left-hander Jon Lester. A switch-hitter, Posada has yet to record a hit batting right-handed and yielded his lineup spot to Andruw Jones, who homered.

Many fans and people who follow the team, including myself, have been clamoring for top catching prospect Jesus Montero to be called up. I scouted Montero in person about a month ago when he played in Rochester; his defense could still use work, but the Yankees wouldn't be calling him up to catch. They have Russell Martin and Francisco Cervelli for that.

Despite just two home runs in Triple-A and plate discipline questions (he's drawn only five walks), Montero's bat is ready. I think he's just bored and what better way to rejuvenate a talented player than with a big-league audition. He'll respond.

The Yankees haven't made a move towards calling up Montero just yet, however, and many within the organization don't see it happening before the June 15 Super 2 deadline, if at all. So where would that leave the Yankees?

Derek Jeter came to the defense of his long-time teammate on Sunday, saying he didn't see what the big deal was that Posada said he didn't want to play. None of us know how the conversation truly went, but it has certainly become a distraction.

A team captain like Jeter isn't going to throw a teammate under the bus within earshot when reporters move from Posada's locker right near Jeter's. Regardless, the organization wasn't happy with Jeter's comments. If we thought the bitterness between both sides stemming from this winter's contract squabble was through, apparently it's not.

The Posada situation isn't the only issue dogging the Yankees right now. Derek Jeter used his breakout performance last weekend to take the attention off of his slow start but now it's Alex Rodriguez creating worries for the Yankees.

A-Rod's swing mechanics have been all over the place of late and his numbers have dropped across the board. I think he'll be just fine, but it's nothing like the New York media to stir the pot over a few poor weeks.

Like Jeter, Brett Gardner was an issue in the early season but he has picked it up of late, bringing his average back over the .250 mark. Nick Swisher's struggles are probably the second-biggest issue with the Yankees lineup right now; after hitting .225 with one home run and 11 RBI in April, Swisher is at just .200 with one homer and 2 RBI halfway through May. At least he's still smiling.

The back end of the bullpen, which was viewed as a strength before the season and in the first few weeks, has turned sour. Rafael Soriano has struggled without the pressure of ninth-inning work on his shoulders, while Joba Chamberlain struggled with gopheritis against Boston and has an ERA in the mid-4s. Maybe it's time New York gave David Robertson and his 1.76 ERA a seventh-inning look.

Bartolo Colon and Freddy Garcia were rotation savers in their first few starts, but both have fallen back to earth of late. With Phil Hughes still on the disabled list, the Yankees' starting rotation remains laden with question marks, including C.C. Sabathia. I actually heard a New York sportswriter say, speaking on ESPN, that A.J. Burnett is looking like the Yankees ace. Burnett has pitched well, but why overreact to C.C. Sabathia's "struggles" early?

The panic over Sabathia's issues is unwarranted; he has a respectable 3.47 ERA and is a notorious slow starter in April and May. Over the last three seasons combined, would you like to know what his high ERA for any of the final four months is? It's 2.98 in July; the rest are under 2.60 and for August and September, he's under 2.40. He'll be just fine.

Overall, I still think the Yankees are in good shape. They have a few contracts attached to veteran players (Jeter, Rodriguez, Sabathia) that may come back to haunt them, but that won't be an issue for at least a few seasons. This season, the Yankees need a healthy Hughes back and to sort out the back end of their bullpen.

The Yankees also need a new DH unless Posada gets going in the next week or two and Montero is the answer, even just as the right-handed side of a platoon with the lefty-killing Jones. Montero also has the ability to spell the fatiguing Martin behind the plate, although I've always liked the spark Cervelli gives the lineup once or twice a week.

Despite a .249 team batting average and no .300 hitters (Curtis Granderson leads the team at just .281), New York is still third in the league in runs scored thanks to a league-leading .445 slugging percentage and the third-best team on-base percentage in baseball (.336). Even with a few players struggling they have so much talent that this lineup should never be worrisome.

This team's recent issues have been overblown, partially because no one involved with the Yankees likes being swept by the Red Sox. Both the starting pitching and the bullpen remain an issue, but that surprises nobody.

If the Yankees can fix their staff with one or two low-profile moves (please don't trade any big-name prospects) they will be fine, especially if Montero gets the call and fixes the Posada problem. Other than that, I'm not sure the panic is warranted.

If the Yankees miss the playoffs, it will be because Tampa and Boston are just better. There's no quick fix for that.

Who will represent the Eastern Conference in the NBA Finals?

2011-05-13T13:02:00.003-04:00

(Photo Credit: http://nbcprobasketballtalk.files.wordpress.com/2010/08/heat_bulls-thumb-250x468-7824-thumb-250x468-7825.jpg?w=250&h=468)

With Chicago's decisive Game 6 victory over Atlanta last night, the Eastern Conference Finals are now set. When the playoffs began, I predicted the Heat would beat the Celtics and the Bulls would beat the Magic to set up a matchup between the top two seeds. I missed on the Magic, but at least I got the right winners.

The Heat has ridden the coattails of LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh so far in the playoffs with little contributions from other sources. James Jones has provided solid three-point shooting off the bench for Miami, making 16 of his 36 attempts from long range in 10 playoff games.

Jones' shooting has been huge for Miami, as Mike Bibby and Mario Chalmers have struggled from distance and Mike Miller and Eddie House have been non-factors. The Heat need somebody to stretch the floor and allow James and Wade to penetrate, particularly against Chicago's stout interior defense. It doesn't matter which of the aforementioned guys step up, as long as one does.

Many will point to the Bulls' defensive prowess as a reason they will win this series, as well as their 3-0 record against Miami in the regular season. Let's not forget that the Celtics were 3-1 against the Heat in the regular season and the last time I checked, that didn't matter in the Eastern semifinals.

Throw out the regular-season numbers; they're meaningless. But the Bulls defense is legitimate. They have allowed less than 88 points per game so far in the playoffs, while the Heat has allowed slightly less than 89. It's not just Chicago that can play defense.

Offensively is where the Heat have a serious advantage, with James and Wade patrolling the perimeter. League MVP Derrick Rose is the offensive focal point for the Bulls, but he will need to improve his abysmal 41.8 percent playoff shooting for Chicago to have a chance. Rose has been held below 40 percent from the field in five of the Bulls' 11 games so far this postseason.

Many questioned Rose's true MVP merits despite him garnering a large percentage of the voting, but I didn't. Then again, Rose shot 44.5 percent during the regular season and considering his scoring volume and questionable offensive supporting cast, I thought that was a respectable enough number to warrant MVP candidacy.

But 41.8 is not. It's tough for me to see Rose improving on that number against a Miami defense that is far tougher than Orlando's or Atlanta's. They may lack a point guard that can contain Rose, but I think Dwyane Wade will end up spending a lot of time guarding the MVP. Wade is a much better defender than anybody Rose has seen in the playoffs so far and it wouldn't surprise me one bit to see him shoot under 40 percent in this series.

If that happens, the Bulls have no chance. I understand they have a big size advantage down low with Carlos Boozer and Joakim Noah and that they out-rebounded Miami by over 10 boards per game in their three meetings this season. I said throw out the regular-season statistics, but that is one that may stick. And it will be Chicago's only chance to win this series.

I expect a lot of missed shots from Rose and considering the Bulls lack of shooters around him, with the exception of Kyle Korver and Luol Deng (who is shooting under 30 percent on three-pointers in the playoffs), Chicago may struggle to crack 90 points consistently, which they have done in seven of their 11 playoff games.

Unless Boozer and Noah crash the offensive boards hard and clean up their teammates' missed opportunities, long cold spells will be the norm for the Bulls' offense. If that's the case, this one could be over quickly.

The series will likely be played in the 80s, with any team who reaches 90 points looking good to win. Unless Rose can get back to his regular-season efficiency levels I don't think the Bulls can muster that many points in more than one or two games this series, while the Heat have two great scoring options in James and Wade and a third player in Bosh that has the potential to put up points as well.

The Heat was my favorite to come out of the East before the playoffs started and nothing I've seen in the two rounds since has changed my opinion. The Bulls have struggled through the first two rounds against inferior opponents, while the Heat just dispatched a veteran Celtics team in five games.

Miami was down late in Game 5 and it looked like Boston would steal the game and go back home looking to tie the series. But the Heat did something they've struggled to all season; close out a game late, led by James. If Miami has truly conquered that issue, they won't lose this series. I think they have.

Prediction: Miami wins, 4-2

Does enjoying the NFL lockout prove some players hate their jobs?

2011-05-11T12:59:00.000-04:00

(photo courtesy of bleacherreport.com)

It seems blasphemous to consider that people who get paid millions of dollars to play a kid's game (and $500K for showing up to work out) could hate their jobs. Maybe the word "hate" is too strong, but most Americans tend to dislike their jobs. These guys just enjoy getting paid lots of money for doing nothing. I mean, who wouldn't?

That's where the NFL players sit right now during the work stoppage that has lasted almost two months. DeAngelo Hall has already made $500,000 for working out when the lockout was temporarily lifted, a sum that amounts to more than most Americans make in a year. Or five.

While his Saints teammates are conducting private workouts led by quarterback Drew Brees, running back and likely ex-Saint Reggie Bush is busy tweeting how relaxed he is and how he's happy not to be "slaving" in 100 degree heat for nothing. That was probably the wrong choice of words by the former Heisman winner regardless of whether he was kidding or not, but surprisingly nobody has jumped on him for that.

ESPN First Take analyst Skip Bayless has publicly called Bush out for his tweets, however, saying his performance on the field (or lack thereof) doesn't give him the right to speak his mind (Bush's responses here, via Twitter of course). Sorry Skip, but the United States is a free country, although I understand why he would be unhappy with how Bush is publicly handling the situation.

Not everybody is enjoying the lockout layoff as much as Hall and Bush. Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez is leading his "Jets West" camp again while Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan has his team working out as well. Is it a coincidence that both of these quarterbacks, along with Brees, led their teams to the playoffs last season?

It seems players like Brees, Ryan, and Sanchez are enjoying the lockout, just in a different manner. Some players don't rest on their million-dollar laurels once they reach the NFL. Some enjoy playing the game, improving their skills and genuinely covet the time they get to spend around their teammates.

Those are the qualities you find in Super Bowl champions. On the flip side, Bush already has a ring, thanks mostly to his teammates, and Hall will probably never see one. Now we see why.

It's one thing to enjoy the opportunity for respite the lockout has provided. After all, playing in the NFL these days is a year-long commitment despite games lasting just six months. So to say players like Hall and Bush are wrong for what they're saying is, well, wrong. The only people they're hurting are themselves, and that's the way it should be.

If you're not working hard in the offseason to stay in shape and improve as a player, you will be passed by the next guy who is and soon enough, you'll be out of a job. And it will be your own fault. Hall and Bush are likely too talented to see some hard-working scrub take their job and frankly, they know it.

So why not take advantage of an opportunity for time off that they won't see again until they're retired? I have no problem with what Hall and Bush are doing and saying, but it helps prove the opposite point about players like Brees, Sanchez and Ryan.

As for the perception that they may hate or even "strongly dislike" their jobs as professional football players, that seems like a serious stretch. At the very least, they love the attention their celebrity status draws to their Twitter accounts.

Jeter's Big Day: Tease or Turnaround?

2011-05-09T11:15:00.002-04:00

(photo courtesy of sportsnet.ca)

Through 29 games this season, many Yankees fans were worried about Derek Jeter at the plate. His batting average was hovering in the .250 range, which isn't really a big deal considering he had just 117 at-bats on the season. One three or four-hit game could quickly turn that number into something respectable.

The real issue was his lack of power. After stroking 43 extra-base hits last season and at least 35 in every season since 1996, the Yankee captain had just three this season, all doubles. Jeter hadn't hit a home run in 62 games dating back to last season and many thought this was a sign of a rapid and surprising decline.

Even at Jeter's advanced age of 36, his track record pointed to a bounceback from last season's struggles (.270 average, 10 home runs, 67 RBI). But the early-season returns, especially in the power department (0 home runs, 6 RBI) left a lot to be desired.

That all changed in Sunday's 12-5 win over the Texas Rangers, where Jeter not only hit his first home run in almost half a season but knocked two balls out of the park in his typical fashion; over the right-center field fence. He finished the day with four hits, two runs, two home runs, three RBI and his first stolen base of the season.

Is it too rash to say Jeter is back? Jeter has been hitting an inordinate amount of ground balls this season and, despite a lower strikeout rate, has struggled to be the line-drive machine he has been throughout his career. His BABIP (batting average on balls in play) was just .278, well below his career number of .355.

It was difficult for me to believe he would stay at .256 all season, but I was starting to come to the realization that Jeter's ceiling may have been an average in the .280-.290 range with 85-95 runs, five home runs and 50 RBI. Those HR and RBI numbers would represent career lows in a full season for Jeter and considering Jeter has hit below .290 just once and scored under 100 runs only twice, the average and run production left something to be desired as well.

Will Sunday's performance, in which Jeter homered against the likes of Dave Bush and Arthur Rhodes, be the spark he needs to turn around his season after a disappointing first month?

I warn Yankees fans not to expect too much from Jeter after his big day in Texas. I was a believer in a bounceback for Jeter after a disappointing 2010, but I still didn't think he would hit .300 or reach double-digits in home runs. Scoring 100 runs is still a possibility in the always-potent Yankee lineup, but expecting a .300 average and 15 home runs is setting the bar too high.

Jeter is an all-time Yankee great and while his career may be on the downswing, he's not done just yet. Just make sure to accept his skills for what they are and, at a position that can be considered the shallowest in the major leagues, those skills still place him well inside the top-10 at shortstop.

Lakers shot at three-peat losing steam

2011-05-05T12:21:00.002-04:00

(photo courtesy of nbareporter.com)

It's been a while since I wrote about the NBA playoffs, pretty much ever since the Knicks were knocked out. I've been watching, but it's been as an impartial observer and someone who doesn't really care. Until now.

For the record, I thought the Grizzlies would beat the Spurs in the West and face the Thunder in the second round (you probably don't believe me). I also thought the Trail Blazers would knock off Dallas before losing to the Lakers, setting up an Oklahoma City-Los Angeles Western Conference Finals.

Now, the possibility still exists for a Memphis-Dallas series in the next round, as the Grizzlies stole Game 1 in Oklahoma City and have home-court advantage against the Thunder. Dallas, meanwhile, took the first two games in Los Angeles and put the Lakers in the precarious position of having to win two games on the road to come back in the series; and that's if they hold home court when they head back to Staples Center.

Much has been made of the Lakers' inability to hit jump shots in the first two games of the series, but their chemistry has been lacking on both ends of the floor. Kobe Bryant has taken 49 shots in the series and dished out just three assists while the frontcourt of Pau Gasol, Andrew Bynum and Lamar Odom has been inconsistent.

Bynum had just eight points in Game 1, Odom had just six points last night and Gasol is averaging just 14 points per game in the series after scoring just 13.5 per game against the Hornets. Everybody thought when the Lakers showed vulnerability in their opening-round series that they would be able to flip the switch for this series. It hasn't happened.

While their frontcourt has struggled, their backcourt has shown its age. Bryant isn't as young and spry as he once was and Derek Fisher is a fossil. Jason Kidd is no spring chicken himself but he still competes defensively and does a great job of finding teammates in positions where they can be successful. Sprinkle in the youthful energy of J.J. Barea (who has a hot girlfriend) and the Lakers have had issues containing the Dallas backcourt.

Magic Johnson tweeted that the Lakers' chances of coming back are slim and he's right. I do remember the 2006 NBA Finals when Dallas won the first two games, albeit at home, against the Heat only to four straight. But this is a fundamentally different Mavericks team thanks to one player: Tyson Chandler.

Before coming to Dallas in the off-season, Chandler thought the Mavericks were "soft." He has certainly changed that and, as one of the NBA's few true centers, his impact has been felt on both ends of the floor. While the vaunted Lakers' big men have struggled, Chandler and Brendan Haywood have provided the interior presence Dallas has been missing over the past few seasons.

As a Knicks fan, I've stated my desires for Chandler in the Big Apple numerous times. The impact he could have on the Knicks would be very similar to the one he's had for Mark Cuban's squad. But if Dallas continues past the Lakers and gets back to the NBA Finals, possibly for a 2006 rematch with Miami, I'm not sure they'll be so willing to let Chandler go.

Speaking of the Heat, they have the Celtics in an 0-2 hole as well. Boston, however, gets to go back home while the Lakers have to hit the road. I thought Miami would be the team to come out of the East before the playoffs started and nothing I've seen through their first seven games has changed my thoughts.

The Heat are clicking at the right time; it only took the entire season. But everybody knows how meaningless won-loss records and the NBA regular season as a whole is; it amounts to one long, grueling practice for the playoffs, when real basketball begins. And I'm going to continue to enjoy the ride even with the Knicks watching from home.

Dissecting the Jets' draft

2011-05-03T13:48:00.004-04:00

(photo courtesy of nj.com)

The Jets didn't have many picks in the 2011 NFL Draft, just six to be exact. However, they did well taking players at good value for the low pick they had.

Taking Muhammad Wilkerson at pick 30 was a mini-steal for the Jets. Wilkerson was projected to go as high as the middle of round one in many mocks and his versatility along the defensive line had him high on many teams draft boards. In the Jets' 3-4 defense, he should fit in as a two-gap end with great size (6'4'', 315 pounds) and the ability to generate a pass rush as well as defend the run.

Wilkerson also has room to further grow into his frame and could be a potential long-term replacement for Kris Jenkins at nose tackle. For now, he will see a lot of action at end along with the aging but still productive Shaun Ellis and Mike DeVito, who will likely see the fewest snaps of the three players if Ellis indeed returns.

If Wilkerson doesn't develop into the answer inside and sticks at end with the Jets, the team's third-round pick was 6'5'', 346-pound tackle Kenrick Ellis out of Hampton. He has the size of a prototypical 3-4 nose tackle but is littered with risk and question marks.

Ellis was suspended and kicked off the South Carolina team in 2008 for multiple rules violations, including reported drug use. He also faces trial in July for felony assault charges that stem from a campus incident last April where he broke a man's jaw. He faces 20 years in prison if convicted.

If Ellis can stay out of jail, on the field and keep his weight under control, he has the potential to significantly outplay his draft position and be the mammoth interior presence the Jets need. Sione Pouha was excellent in Jenkins' stead last season but, like Wilkerson, has the versatility to play multiple positions along a 3-4 defensive front.

A future defensive line including Wilkerson, Pouha and Kenrick Ellis is not unrealistic for the Jets and would give them three players with excellent size and underrated footwork.

Ellis can control the action inside with his strength and athleticism but will need work on his fundamentals coming out of a small school and adjust to the speed of the NFL. He plays too high at times and is the quintessential boom-or-bust pick.

One need the Jets didn't address on defense was their lack of a pass rush from the outside linebacker position. Wilkerson should help their three and four-man rush, however, and the Jets still have starting-caliber outside linebackers in Calvin Pace and Bryan Thomas.

Many also thought the Jets needed help at safety but with Jim Leonhard returning to the defensive backfield, the team felt they needed help in other areas, especially considering this year's weak safety class where the first one picked (Rahim Moore) dropped to the mid-40s.

Louisville running back Bilal Powell was a luxury pick for the Jets in round four with Shonn Green, LaDainian Tomlinson and last year's fourth-rounder Joe McKnight already on the roster.

Powell has good vision and running instincts but his lack of lateral quickness in the hole and marginal burst will limit him to second or third running back duty in the NFL, which is what the Jets will ask of him next season. This season, he and McKnight will learn behind Greene and Tomlinson.

Jeremy Kerley is a player that the Jets will ask to contribute right away on special teams and in four-receiver sets, potentially replacing free agent Brad Smith. With Santonio Holmes, Braylon Edwards and Antonio Cromartie set to become free agents, the Jets likely won't have the money to bring back Smith, who was one of the league's best special teamers last season.

Kerley lacks elite size (5'9'', 189 pounds) and speed (4.56) but should be able to give the Jets a solid return on a fifth-round pick. Seventh-round pick Scotty McKnight will also add depth to the receiving corps while fellow final-rounder Greg McElroy has the potential to be a quality backup for the Jets.

McElroy will have the luxury of learning under Mark Brunell as the Jet's third quarterback this season and, while he lacks the arm strength to ever be a starter in the league, possesses the vision, accuracy and intangibles to be a very good backup. In McElroy and Mark Sanchez, the Jets will move into the future with two tough quarterbacks who know how to lead a team.

Overall Grade: B

I think the Jets had an excellent draft, considering their lack of picks and low draft position. Wilkerson is a player that had top-10 potential for 2012 if he stayed for his senior season at Temple and fills a big need along the Jets' defense. Ellis is a high-risk, high-reward player but his late third-round position mitigates some of that risk.

The Jets also needed depth on offense heading into the draft, particularly at receiver. They addressed all of their skill positions besides tight end in the final three rounds with players who can fill roles and have a positive impact in their system down the line.

Outside of Wilkerson, the Jets didn't add any players who can have a serious offensive or defensive impact in 2011 with only one pick out of the first 90. They did, however, add pieces that can help down the line and if they can re-sign their three key free agents, should be looking at an improving roster heading into this season.

Another deep playoff run cannot be discounted and maybe, just maybe, this team will finally break through to the Super Bowl. If they don't, it won't be because they botched their draft.

Which teams got the most out of their draft?

2011-05-02T15:39:00.000-04:00

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/688057-2011-nfl-draft-5-teams-that-maximized-value-for-the-future

NFL Mock Draft: Picks 11-32

2011-04-28T11:45:00.004-04:00

(photo courtesy of gcobb.com)

I lied, today's version will include pick 10 as well. After some thought and dissension from my peers, the Redskins don't take Da'Quan Bowers. I considered putting Jake Locker or Prince Amukamara in that spot, but I'm going to stick with my initial instinct that they go with a defensive end. It just won't be Bowers due to the uncertainty surrounding his knee (which I don't worry about) and his better fit in a 4-3.

This mock is all based on teams staying where they are. I will mention potential trades I've been reading about, but no triggers will be pulled. So without further ado, the rest of the first round.

*10. Washington - Robert Quinn, DE, North Carolina

Same logic as yesterday, different player. Quinn's upside is that of a top-five pick in this draft but he also comes with risk after his rules-violation suspension last season and resulting apathy. But the Redskins are not opposed to taking risks and if Quinn pans out, opposing offensive coordinators could have nightmares trying to stop him and Brian Orakpo.

11. Houston - Prince Amukamara, CB, Nebraska

The Texans pass defense was terrible last season. I've heard rumors that they love Patrick Peterson and I could definitely see them making a trade with Arizona if he's still on the board when the Cardinals pick at five. Assuming they don't make that trade, Amukamara is a decent consolation prize.

I've seen people predicting Aldon Smith to the Texans here, but with Mario Williams already in tow as a pass rusher and a huge hole in their secondary, I don't see it. Houston drafted Kareem Jackson in the first round in 2010 but he was torched constantly last season; Amukamara is the best player on the board and fills a big need.

12. Minnesota - Jake Locker, QB, Washington

Minnesota seems unlikely to re-sign Ray Edwards opposite Jared Allen, so Aldon Smith is also a possibility at this spot. But Joe Webb is not the answer at quarterback and honestly, Jake Locker is. The Vikings want to move down for Locker, but I think Miami is a threat to take the Washington quarterback with the 15th pick.

If they want Locker, I think Minnesota needs to take him here. He went from the potential top overall pick last season if he came out to a possible second-rounder and now back into the early-to-middle portion of round one. The Vikings are getting much better value out of this pick than the Panthers taking Newton with the top pick and should be happy with Locker here.

13. Detroit - Anthony Costanzo, OT, Boston College

The Lions needs to keep Matthew Stafford healthy. This pick is similar to the Browns taking Julio Jones at six; it's being made mostly to help the team's quarterback. If Dallas moves out of the ninth pick the Lions will get Tyron Smith here but if the Cowboys stay in the top 10 and take Smith themselves, Costanzo should be a Lion.

Left tackle Jeff Backus is 34 and he's no world-beater anyway. If Detroit can keep Stafford on the field they have a chance to compete for a Wild Card berth (yes, I just said that) and drafting Costanzo can go a long way towards that goal. He has the height and size (6-7, 311) along with the athleticism to anchor their left side for years to come.

14. St. Louis - Aldon Smith, DE, Missouri

The Rams would have loved to see Julio Jones fall here and in early mock drafts, he did. But now that he seems likely to go to the Browns, the Rams will have to look elsewhere to find a go-to target for Sam Bradford. Mark Ingram is a possibility as well, but the Rams do still have Steven Jackson and can find a running back later.

For me, this pick comes down to Smith or Illinois DT Corey Liuget. The Rams have more of a need at defensive tackle, but Smith is the better player. James Hall is coming off a 10.5-sack season but hadn't had more than 6.5 since 2004 and is 34 years old. Smith can be a rotational player until Hall moves on and then form a dynamic pass rush with Chris Long. I think Liuget is a reach at 14; I don't even have him in my first round.

15. Miami - Mark Ingram, RB, Alabama

Mark Ingram was projected here by many experts until a few weeks ago, but I haven't seen many mocks lately with him going to Miami. Most mocks have them taking either Florida guard Mike Pouncey or Arkansas QB Ryan Mallett. I'm a huge fan of both players; Pouncey is a versatile lineman who can help Miami's interior line and Mallett has the upside to be the next Peyton Manning. He also has the downside to be the next Ryan Leaf.

If Locker was available at this spot, I think the Dolphins would be more than willing to give up on Chad Henne for him. And while Pouncey fills a need, I think Miami should take Ingram. There have been questions about his knee but Ronnie Brown has never been a perfect picture of health and is a free agent. Brown was healthy last season, didn't even run well and is pushing 30. If Miami can't rely on Brown even when he's healthy, they need to move on. With Ingram.

16. Jacksonville - Ryan Kerrigan, DE, Purdue

I'd love to see Jacksonville take Cameron Jordan here, who I feel is more talented, but I hear they love Kerrigan's character and leadership ability. It would also be nice to see the Jags steal Jordan from New England but the Patriots might be moving up anyway, making Jordan unavailable at this spot. Jacksonville benched 2008 first-rounder Derrick Harvey last season and Kerrigan seems to be his likely replacement.

17. New England - Cameron Jordan, DE, California

I've heard rumors of New England using their two-first round picks and overall draft depth to move into the top 10, potentially trading with Dallas who has the ninth pick. The Patriots like Jordan, he fits into their defense and he's the son of a coach. All of these things work great for Bill Belichick, but I'm not sure they need to move up to draft Jordan. He's a possibility for the Rams at 14 and the Jaguars at 16 but I think the Pats can wait. Whether they will is another story.

18. San Diego - J.J. Watt, DE, Wisconsin

The Chargers will definitely be looking defense without any huge holes on offense, despite great statistics on that side of the football. Watt is the best front seven player available here and will be the pick. I haven't heard much about San Diego trading out of this spot, but I wouldn't be surprised to see that as well.

19. NY Giants - Mike Pouncey, OG, Florida

The Giants will be very happy if the Dolphins pass on Pouncey at 15. With Costanzo already off the board and a serious need along the offensive line, New York would be left with few options. I've heard Mark Ingram rumors but I don't see it; he's a good prospect but not likely a superstar and the Giants do still have Brandon Jacobs and Ahmad Bradshaw in their backfield. Ingram can be better than both, but it's not necessarily a need pick.

New York could really use a linebacker, but there aren't any good ones available at this spot. They could trade down but their offensive line is getting old and has had issues with injuries over the past few seasons. Pouncey would solve a lot of their problems.

20. Tampa Bay - Da'Quan Bowers, DE, Clemson

If Aqib Talib hadn't tried to kill his sister's boyfriend, this would be an easy pick for Tampa Bay. Defensive end is their biggest need and Bowers fits well in their 4-3 scheme. Colorado cornerback Jimmy Smith is also a legitimate possibility here as Talib is likely going to be released once a new collective bargaining agreement is reached and Ronde Barber isn't getting any younger.

Bowers' precipitous drop in this draft due to questions about his knee should end here. After hitting with Gerald McCoy and Brian Price at defensive tackle last season, the Bucs will be young on the defensive line but also very talented. Bowers was a potential top-10 pick a few weeks ago and has the ability to make Tampa Bay very happy if he falls to them.

21. Kansas City - Gabe Carimi, OT, Wisconsin

This was a tough choice between Carimi and Colorado tackle Nate Solder, but Carimi is more ready to contribute right away and that's what the competing Chiefs are looking for. As a four-year starter at Wisconsin, Carimi could step right in to Kansas City's starting lineup at right tackle, as he might lack the skill and footwork to play left tackle early in his career.

22. Indianapolis - Nate Solder, OT, Colorado

Like the Chiefs, the Colts need help along the offensive line. While Peyton Manning is a one-man blitz detector, Solder has the athleticism and ability to eventually man the blind side, as well as the size (6-8, 320) and growth potential to improve his run blocking and end up at right tackle.

23. Philadelphia - Jimmy Smith, CB, Colorado

The Eagles have Da'Quan Bowers' knee problems to thank for Smith falling to them and filling their biggest need. If Bowers wasn't available for the Bucs at 20 they surely would take Smith, but instead Philadelphia will take the talented but risky cornerback. Smith failed three drug tests in college, one for codeine, the same drug that has been linked to Jamarcus Russell, who is now out of the NFL.

Dimitri Patterson just won't cut out on the other side of Asante Samuel, while the 6-2, 211-pound Smith has the size and athleticism to be an excellent corner once he matures and develops his game. He may not start right away, but he could very well crack into the Eagles' lineup after a few weeks this season. He could also bust but at 23, his talent is worth the risk.

24. New Orleans - Muhammad Wilkerson, DT, Temple

Even when they won the Super Bowl, New Orleans had issues on defense. They were just masked by a ball-hawking secondary and a defense that forced lots of turnovers. Last year, they were exposed and drafting Wilkerson will help their interior defensive line and pass rush.

Wilkerson was a tackle in college and many teams are targeting him as a 3-4 defensive end as well. But at 6-4, 315 pounds, he has enough size to play inside of a 4-3 where New Orleans will need him. His athleticism and versatility will also help New Orleans, as they can move him around their line to exploit mismatches.

25. Seattle - Andy Dalton, QB, TCU

The fourth quarterback taken, Dalton is one that has been rising up draft boards. His poise and leadership ability has been discussed ad nauseam but that makes him more attractive than a quarterback like Ryan Mallett, who has better physical tools but questionable leadership characteristics and intangibles. Dalton is a stronger-armed, more athletic Chad Pennington.

Dalton is also extremely accurate, which can't be said for many of the top quarterbacks in this draft. He isn't the running threat that Cam Newton or Locker is, but he can escape the pocket and pick up yards on the ground well enough to survive in today's NFL.

26. Baltimore - Cameron Heyward, DE, Ohio State

It seems more likely that the Ravens will trade this pick rather than take Heyward, considering Smith and the top six defensive ends will be off the board. This is the point in the draft where many teams will be looking to jump into the back end of the first round for a quarterback, and it's very possible the Titans could make a move for the Ravens' pick to take Mallett Florida State's Christian Ponder.

If the Ravens do stay at 26, Heyward will fit well in their defense. He has the ability to outplay this pick but likely will never be a dynamic pass rusher, something the Ravens will be fine with as a 3-4 defensive end. Good value at this point, but I still think Baltimore trades out.

27. Atlanta - Adrian Clayborn, DE, Iowa State

The Falcons are another late first-round trade candidate but if not, Clayborn would be an excellent fit for a team that needs a pass-rushing defensive end. John Abraham is still good but is no spring chicken and Kroy Biermann's biggest claim to fame is his touchdown last season rather than any of his work rushing the passer.

Clayborn has the size (6-2, 281) to play a 4-3 defensive end and the speed (4.81 40-yard dash) to wreak havoc in the backfield. The Falcons' defense is built on speed and the explosive Clayborn would be a great fit. His erb's palsy, which causes slight weakness in his right arm, is cause for concern for some general managers but he's a top-20 talent in this draft that will fall due to that and the overall depth at defensive end. If Atlanta stays here, they should be happy with Clayborn.

28. New England - Brooks Reed, LB, Arizona

Reed has drawn favorable comparisons to Clay Matthews and New England needs helps in their pass rush. I get the feeling they won't be picking at this spot; whether they trade the pick to move up or trade back with a team that wants a quarterback. But if they stay at 28, Reed is the perfect Patriot.

Reed is smart, coachable and brings the attitude to improve that the Patriots covet. Akeem Ayers is also a possibility at this spot, but Reed's intangibles give him the edge when a team like New England is picking. Bill Belichick knows that the Jets are giving Reed a long, hard look as well and he would love nothing more than to stick to New York.

29. Chicago - Derek Sherrod, OT, Mississippi State

Jay Cutler could use some protection on the blind side and Sherrod, despite a second-round grade from many draft sites, is the best player available at the Bears' biggest position of need. He can't be worse than Frank Omiyale, the player currently slated to start at left tackle for Chicago.

At 6-5, 310 pounds he will need to add strength to become a solid player but he has the athleticism and upside to justify this pick. Sherrod is a much better pass protector than a run blocker but the Bears' offense is pass-heavy and Matt Forte can just run right. Chicago doesn't need another Cutler injury in the playoffs to derail their chances at a Super Bowl run.

30. NY Jets - Phil Taylor, NT, Baylor

This pick could go two different ways if both Taylor and UCLA linebacker Akeem Ayers are available, but I think the Jets will take Taylor. A 3-4 defense needs a mammoth nose tackle and with Kris Jenkins gone, the 6-3, 334-pound Taylor should fit nicely. Sione Pouha did a great job replacing Jenkins last season but is more of a 4-3 tackle or 3-4 end. Drafting Taylor would allow Pouha to move outside and form a solid three-man line along with Shaun Ellis.

Ayers is a possibility as well but the Jets could still bring back Bryan Thomas to play outside linebacker opposite Calvin Pace and address the position later in the draft. With the Jets in win-now mode they will want a player who can produce right away and Taylor, despite concerns about his character and 2009 weight issues, can step right in and clog up the middle of the Jets' defense, allowing David Harris and Bart Scott to roam unimpeded.

31. Pittsburgh - Danny Watkins, G, Baylor

Watkins and Taylor become the second pair of college teammates drafted back-to-back after Solder and Smith go 22 and 23. The Steelers are unlikely to find a player at this spot who will start for them considering their current roster, but they could use help along the inside of their offensive line and Watkins could be a nice complement to budding star Maurkice Pouncey.

The downside to Watkins is his advanced age; he will be 27 in November. But that wouldn't preclude the Steelers from taking him here and looking to get him into their starting lineup this season or next season. Pittsburgh is a team looking to win in the present and Watkins is a quick learner and is ready to produce wherever the Steelers will need him.

32. Green Bay - Akeem Ayers, LB, UCLA

The Packers would love to get Ayers at this point and create a future outside linebacker tandem of Ayers and Defensive Player of the Year candidate Clay Matthews. Frank Zombo is an overachiever who played well last season, but doesn't have the same talent level as Ayers.

Ayers can rush the passer but that would primarily be Matthews' job, while Ayers could focus on stopping the run and pass coverage. A talented all-around player, the former Bruin will be a perfect complement to Matthews on the outside if he falls to the 32nd pick.

NFL Mock Draft: Picks 1-10

2011-04-27T12:44:00.005-04:00

(photo courtesy of vikingsgab.com)

With the NFL Draft coming up tomorrow night, this will be my first of a two-part segment on the first round of the NFL Draft. Today, I will break down who I feel each team in top 10 takes, why they take them and who they should take or would take if the draft played out like I think it should.

1. Carolina Panthers - Cam Newton, QB, Auburn

Why they take him: Despite spending a second-round pick on Jimmy Clausen last season, the Panthers don't believe he's the answer after an atrocious rookie performance. They seem to really like the do-it-all skill set Newton can bring to the table, especially with a dearth of talent along their offensive line and in their receiving corps, especially if Steve Smith has played his last down as a Panther. I like Newton more than most, but I don't think he's the right pick here.

Who they should take: Marcell Dareus, DT, Alabama

There is no Ndamukong Suh in this draft (or even a Sam Bradford), but Dareus is the best player on the board. Carolina also has serious issues on the interior of their defensive line, so Dareus represents a need as well as the best value. I also think Clausen deserves another season to prove himself. If he fails, the Panthers might very well end up with the first pick in 2012 as well and the rights to Andrew Luck, Stanford's can't-miss quarterback prospect.

2. Denver Broncos - Marcell Dareus, DT, Alabama

Why they take him: As I just said, Dareus is the best player in a weak draft. The Broncos have all sorts of issues defensively and while Patrick Peterson could also help them, they just re-signed Champ Bailey for another four years.

Who they would take: Patrick Peterson, CB, LSU

If the Panthers were smart enough to take Dareus and not reach on the quarterback position like so many other franchises do in the draft, the Broncos would jump all over Peterson as Bailey's heir apparent. Von Miller and A.J. Green would be options if Denver didn't spend a 2009 first-round pick on outside linebacker Robert Ayers and a 2010 first-round pick on receiver Demaryius Thomas.

3. Buffalo Bills - Von Miller, LB, Texas A&M

Why they take him: It's rare to see an outside linebacker go this high, but this year's draft is weak and Miller is one of the consensus top-four players available. The Bills need serious help in their front seven and with Dareus gone, Miller is easily the best pick and one of the few the Bills hopefully don't screw up.

Who they would take: Miller. The Panthers pick should not affect Buffalo's decision unless they take Newton and the Broncos take Peterson, in which case Buffalo should be ecstatic to draft Dareus. Newton should not be a consideration here with the other players available. Ryan Fitzpatrick can win football games and while he's likely not a championship quarterback, the Bills can improve their record with him under center.

4. Cincinnati Bengals - A.J. Green, WR, Georgia

Why they take him: With Terrell Owens and likely Chad Ochocinco gone, the Bengals need a wide receiver badly. Green will be the best player on the board in most scenarios and maybe adding him could convince Carson Palmer to stay in Cincinnati. Green has star written all over him.

Who they would take: Green. There are rumors that the Bengals want to trade out of this pick, move down and draft a quarterback with all the uncertainty surrounding Palmer but if they stay at #4, Green should be their man.

5. Arizona Cardinals - Blaine Gabbert, QB, Missouri

Why they take him: John Skelton and Max Hall were drafted last season but unlike Clausen, they were late picks who the team didn't invest much into. Skelton has the arm strength and physical ability to develop into a starter down the line but if the Cardinals don't believe he can take the reigns this season, they will likely go with Gabbert.

Who they should take: Patrick Peterson, CB, LSU. If picks one through four go Newton, Dareus, Miller and Green, I think the right pick for Arizona would be Peterson. I like Gabbert but a secondary with Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and Peterson along with Kerry Rhodes and Adrian Wilson might be the NFL's best. The Cardinals can always bring in a veteran quarterback to start while they wait on Skelton and if he doesn't develop, they can draft one next year or the year after. Gabbert isn't a no-brainer. Peterson is.

6. Cleveland Browns - Julio Jones, WR, Alabama

Why they take him: The Browns do have a need at defensive end and, with both Robert Quinn and Da'Quan Bowers available at this spot, could go in that direction. Cleveland spent a first-round pick on Joe Haden last season, so Peterson is out of the discussion, but the Browns have a young quarterback to develop in Colt McCoy and zero receiving talent to help him progress. Jones is a need pick for this team if they want to get the best out of McCoy this season and down the line.

Who they would take: Jones. None of the players the Browns covet seem likely to go in the top five, but it would be difficult to fault them taking either Quinn or Bowers. I just think if they pass up Jones, they are leaving McCoy in a no-success situation.

7. San Francisco 49ers - Patrick Peterson, CB, LSU

Why they take him: Peterson is the best player available at a position of need for San Francisco. Nate Clements is 31 years old and on the downside of his career; he's a better fit as a second corner at this point. This is a pick that 49ers fans will love for years to come.

Who they would take: Da'Quan Bowers, DE, Clemson. If Peterson is unavailable, which is unlikely but possible, the options become Quinn, Bowers and Nebraska CB Prince Amukamara. I like Amukamara but he's not Peterson and probably isn't one of the top seven players in this draft. San Francisco will have multiple options here, but I think Bowers is the right pick over both Amukamara and Quinn. I really think they'll get Peterson though.

8. Tennessee Titans - Nick Fairley, DT, Auburn

Why they take him: Three months ago, the Titans never thought Fairley would be available at this spot: There were many experts projecting him as the top overall pick. But his stock has fallen since then and rightfully so; he had one good season in college and isn't a completely clean prospect. The Titans have been looking for somebody to replace Albert Haynesworth and Fairley seems like their guy.

Who they would take: Fairley. There have been rumors of the Titans going quarterback with this pick and they like both Jake Locker and Andy Dalton. I can definitely see Tennessee trading into the back of round one to pick Dalton or taking Locker here, considering he would have gone over Bradford to the Rams last season if he came out. But Tennessee would rather get both Fairley and Dalton than Locker.

9. Dallas Cowboys - Tyron Smith, OT, USC

Why they take him: Dallas' offensive line is a mess and after watching Tony Romo go down last season, the Cowboys will want to protect his blind side. Enter Smith, the best lineman in this draft. Amukamara is also a possibility at this spot to replace Mike Jenkins and while I believe he's a better prospect than Smith (barely), the Cowboys have a bigger need at left tackle.

Who they would take: Smith. None of the top eight teams will take Smith so if he's who the Cowboys want, he's who they get.

10. Washington Redskins - Da'Quan Bowers, DE, Clemson

Why they take him: The Redskins' defense was terrible in all facets last season, finishing in the bottom five against the pass and bottom ten against the run. Amukamara is again a possibility here but with D'Angelo Hall and Carlos Rogers locked into their starting roles, Washington likely passes. This pick could also be UNC defensive end Robert Quinn.

Who they would take: Cam Newton, QB. If Newton falls out of the top nine, which I think should happen but don't think will happen, he becomes an intriguing pick for the Redskins. I said I like Newton more than most and see a decent amount of Daunte Culpepper in him, hopefully minus the injuries. Newton shouldn't fall out of the top ten, but it seems likely he won't fall out of the top one.

Coming tomorrow: The rest of Round One.

Who should the Jets take in Thursday's NFL Draft?

2011-04-26T13:38:00.001-04:00

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/678984-nfl-draft-2011-5-players-the-jets-should-target-in-the-first-round

Big off-season ahead for the Knicks: Re-sign Billups?

2011-04-25T14:09:00.004-04:00

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/677423-new-york-knicks-chauncey-billups-and-5-important-offseason-decisions

Rangers on the brink of elimination after fluky double-OT goal

2011-04-21T13:35:00.003-04:00

(photo courtesy of blog.silive.com)

Heading into the third period of Game 4, the New York Rangers were feeling good about their chances of taking the series back to Washington tied at two. A three-goal second period staked them to a 3-0 lead, one that goaltender Henrik Lundqvist could surely hold.

The Madison Square Garden crowd was as intense as ever in response to Washington coach Bruce Boudreau's comments after Game 3 that the Garden's reputation as a tough place to play was overstated. Fans came out with a "Can you hear us?" chant as the Rangers took control of the game in the second period.

But the Garden intensity wasn't enough to break Washington's spirit, as a tough break around the net and some good passing from the Capitals brought them within a goal in the early minutes of the final period. They would eventually tie the game on a long slap shot with 7:53 remaining in regulation.

After that goal the teams played over 40 minutes of scoreless hockey, including an Alexander Ovechkin breakaway in overtime that was turned away by Lundqvist, who stopped 49 of Washington's 53 shots in the game. By comparison, the Rangers had just 39 shots on goal.

The game-winner finally came in the second overtime when Marion Gaborik attempted to clear the puck in front of his own net. Instead of letting the puck trickle to Lundqvist, who was looking to cover it, Gaborik's clear went right into the chest of Washington's Jason Chimera, who let the puck drop to the ice before slamming it into the open net vacated by Lundqvist.

Down 3-1 in the series, the Rangers should take solace in the fact that just last season, the Capitals were the Eastern Conference's top-ranked team and held a 3-1 series advantage against the Canadiens, who won the final three games to advance to the second round.

Is history doomed to repeat itself for the Capitals? Rangers fans sure hope so, but their team desperately needs a road win to bring this series back to the Garden. If they can pull that off and represent at home to tie the series, anything can happen in Game 7. Anything.

Knicks miss golden opportunity at home court with second-half collapse

2011-04-18T12:45:00.005-04:00

(photo courtesy of camelclutchblog.com)

The New York Knicks had a great chance at stealing Game 1 from the Boston Celtics at TD Garden. They had a 51-39 lead at halftime only to let the Celtics climb back in the second half, much like the third meeting of the season between the teams.

In that game, New York was ahead 51-37 at the half and got outscored 33-17 in the fourth quarter to lose by ten. The game was much closer in crunch time this time around, but Carmelo Anthony made sure the Knicks didn't win.

After a scoreless first quarter due to instant foul trouble, Anthony scored 12 in the second quarter, making four of his seven shots and looking like the efficient version of himself that finished the season strong. But a 1-for-11 shooting performance in the second half doomed the Knicks, as Anthony was launching long threes out of the rhythm of the offense.

He hit two three-pointers in three attempts in the second quarter, but made none of his next five attempts in the second half. In the Knicks final seven possessions, he had more missed shots and turnovers combined (four) than points (zero). The Knicks outplayed the Celtics for most of the game, yet came up empty.

The worst part about Anthony's late-game struggles? Amar'e Stoudemire was on fire, scoring 12 of the Knicks first 18 points in the quarter to give them an 82-78 lead. He was hitting mid-range jump shots, driving the basket aggressively and finishing around the hoop. His 360 reverse layup in between multiple Celtics may be one of the year's best shots, followed shortly thereafter by a posterizing dunk

After a turnover with 2:15 left, it's like Stoudemire wasn't even on the floor. He barely touched the ball as the offense started to run through the cold Anthony again and the Knicks couldn't atone for their defensive breakdowns that allowed Boston to make up an 85-82 deficit in the final 37 seconds.

An alley-oop off of a half-court inbounds pass in the playoffs is inexcusable. I know the Knicks were worried about leaving Ray Allen open for a three-pointer (more on this later) but you still have to defend the basket.

On the next possession, Anthony was called for an offensive foul. The refs claim they let the players play more in the playoffs, which they should, but this was one of Paul Pierce's better flop jobs. And he's well-known for flopping.

When two All-Stars are battling for position 15 feet from the basket, you don't call a foul when they're ripping their arms through each other to establish position. Anthony ripped his arm through Pierce, whose Academy Award-worthy performance drew the foul and set up the game-winning possession.

Toney Douglas was tripped by Kevin Garnett setting a screen, leaving Allen open for a three with 11 seconds left. I knew it was in before it reached the basket. It's hard to fault the competing Douglas, the Knicks' best perimeter defender and the man who put them up three, as replays show a blatant trip.

With no timeouts remaining, the Knicks had to push the ball the length of the court for chance to tie. Anthony demanded the ball off the inbounds, didn't get it and jogged down the court. When he finally got the ball 40 feet from the hoop with eight seconds left, getting to the basket for a tying two-pointer seemed out of the question.

Anthony was double-teamed and rather than pass to an open Toney Douglas at the top of the key for the win, pulled up for another awful 25-footer that fell way short. This came just 50 seconds after Anthony took a contested three-pointer with a new shot clock after an offensive rebound. Overall, a terrible playoff debut in a Knicks jersey for Anthony.

An even bigger issue for the Knicks is the health of the geriatric Chauncey Billups. Did Denver know something we didn't (besides his age) when they were so adamant about moving Billups? He had been healthy as a Nugget but as a Knick, he's already been hurt twice.

Billups' first injury cost the Knicks a few games of building chemistry, while this one threatens any hope they have of upsetting the Celtics. Billups isn't necessarily needed for late-game shots with Anthony and Stoudemire on the team but losing him will be a big blow to New York's depth at guard.

Douglas has filled in more than admirably for Billups in the past but lacks the same level of playoff experience. Billups played 35 minutes in Game 1 and is expected to miss Game 2, meaning those minutes will be distributed among Douglas, Landry Fields, Anthony Carter, Bill Walker and even Shawne Williams. I like all of those players, but an expanded role means their weaknesses will be further exposed.

To win Game 2, the Knicks will need a big game from Douglas, hot shooting from Walker and Williams and an efficient Anthony; a tall task against Boston's defense. Even an Anthony that recognizes when his shot is off and is willing to defer to the hot hand, especially when that hot hand is a fellow star in this league, would be nice.

When he's shooting well the ball should be in Anthony's hand at the end of games but when he's not, there's a reason the Knicks have two top scorers. Pass the ball, Melo. Even if it's to someone like Douglas, whose three-pointer with under 40 seconds left broke a tie and put the Knicks ahead.

The day Anthony learns to trust his teammates when they're open in key late-game situations is the day he will become a winner in the playoffs. I'm just not sure I see it happening overnight, which is tough news for Knicks fans who were hoping for a surprising playoff run in 2011.

Scouting Yankees prospect Jesus Montero

2011-04-13T13:07:00.002-04:00

(photo courtesy of thegoldensombrero.com)

Working with the Rochester Red Wings, I have the opportunity to see a lot of baseball's top prospects in person. Last year, it was Stephen Strasburg, Aroldis Chapman, Freddie Freeman and Yonder Alonso.

Strasburg and Freeman performed at a high level when I saw them play and reached the majors in 2010, although Freeman didn't get there until September. Chapman struggled with his control as a starter during his visit to Rochester, but he has been great throwing 100 mile-per-hour fastballs out of the Reds bullpen since getting the call last season.

Alonso also came to Rochester and raked at the plate but likely needs to be traded to see a starting job in the big leagues anytime soon, considering Joey Votto's presence in Cincinnati. The possibility of playing Alonso in the outfield remains, but the Reds are set there with Jay Bruce, Drew Stubbs and Jonny Gomes as well. With Gomes' contract expiring after this season, Alonso could take over left field in 2012 if he's still a Red.

Like Alonso and Freeman before him, Jesus Montero comes highly regarded. As the fourth-rated prospect by ESPN's Keith Law, expectations are high for the 21-year-old prized catching prospect.

Montero projects as a player who will hit for both average and power and all of his hitting skills were on display in Scranton/Wilkes-Barre's four-game series against the Red Wings. Rochester may not have a lights-out pitching staff but Montero looked awesome with three three-hit games and a two-hit game, going 11-for-21 in the series.

Montero had four extra-base hits (three doubles and a home run), drove in two runs and scored six in the series. He even hit the ball hard when he recorded outs and while he didn't draw a walk in the series, two out of every three balls he hit were frozen ropes. He has an effortless right-handed swing and produces a lot of power with his 6-3, 235-pound frame.

Montero was also solid behind the plate and is far from a liability at the catching position, with a good arm and decent quickness and reaction time blocking balls in the dirt. The obvious drawback to him catching in the big leagues would be the necessary time off required, taking his bat out of the lineup on days where he doesn't DH.

With Russell Martin enjoying a resurgence behind the plate and Jorge Posada entrenched as the Yankees' designated hitter for the rest of this season, there really isn't a spot for Montero in the majors. That's a shame because his bat is ready and he has nothing left to prove in Triple-A.

If an injury were to befall either player, the Yankees would not be in dire straits. As much as I like Francisco Cervelli, he's nothing more than an energetic backup on a championship-caliber team. Montero should be the starting catcher in New York if they lose Martin for an extended period of time and probably should move into the DH role if an injury hits the aging Posada, something freaky like running the bases or getting hit by a pitch.

The Yankees could use Andruw Jones in the DH role as well, at least against left-handers, who he's proven he can hit already this season. But Montero could platoon with Jones and get the majority of at-bats against righties if he produces right away.

At the tender age of 21, Montero and his bat are ready for the show. Whether he will hit right away like Albert Pujols and Ryan Braun did remains to be seen, but there is little left for him to accomplish at Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. It will take an injury to a key Yankee for Montero's time to come in 2011 but if it does, New York has no reason to worry. The kid is for real.

10 Things the Knicks Need to Do to Beat the Celtics

2011-04-12T13:38:00.002-04:00

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/662634-new-york-knicks-10-things-they-need-to-do-to-upset-the-celtics

Red Sox wake up, take series from Yankees

2011-04-11T12:34:00.003-04:00

(photo courtesy of boston.com)

After scoring 16 runs in their first six games this season, the Boston Red Sox lineup finally came alive against Phil Hughes, Ivan Nova and C.C. Sabathia, scoring 17 runs in the three-game set at Fenway and taking two of three games against New York.

Hitting Hughes, whose fastball has been ordinary in two starts so far this season, and Nova, who is in his first full major-league season, is no real accomplishment. That's especially true considering the Yankees bullpen came in and shut down Boston's lineup in game two once Nova was pulled.

Making Sabathia work, however, is a great sign for the Red Sox. Sabathia labored through 5.2 innings, throwing 118 pitches, allowing nine hits and walking four batters. Boston worked the count against the Yankees ace and got him out of the game before the seventh inning, allowing them to load the bases and score twice against Joba Chamberlain in the seventh.

The Yankees were able to beat up on John Lackey and Clay Buchholz in the first two games, but couldn't solve Josh Beckett in the rubber match. Beckett allowed just three baserunners in eight innings and struck out 10, a far cry from his struggles against New York in recent seasons, especially at Fenway.

Am I worried about the Yankees' bats? In a word, no. They scored at least four runs in their first eight games and were missing Alex Rodriguez in the middle of their lineup. I'm far more worried about the rotation behind Sabathia and A.J. Burnett, who has pitched surprisingly well in his two starts this season and has kept the walks to a minimum (11 innings, three BB).

It's still early in the season and it may just be a case of Hughes needed to get his arm completely loosened up, but the Yankees need him to be productive. They should be able to score enough runs during the regular season to withstand average starts from Hughes, Nova and Freddy Garcia but come playoff time, New York cannot have just two starters pitching well, especially since Burnett is no lock for consistency.

Like the Yankees, Boston has rotation issues behind ace Jon Lester. Lackey and Buchholz both struggled this weekend and while Beckett threw well, he's as much of a guarantee as Burnett in New York. Daisuke Matsuzaka has proven he's no more than a fourth or fifth starter.

The AL East will be a hitting-heavy division this season if the first week-and-a-half of the season is any indication. That still favors New York and Boston in the long run, but Toronto's lineup is dangerous and if Baltimore's young pitchers continue to throw well, they may be able boast the division's best rotation. Could the AL East be more interesting this season than people expected?

Is it time for the 0-6 Red Sox to panic?

2011-04-08T12:16:00.002-04:00

(photo courtesy of bostonherald.com)

I saw a statistic on ESPN yesterday that said after the Red Sox 0-6 start, their projected win total dropped from around 95 to 86. The same computer decreased their chances of making the playoffs from approximately 66 percent to 36 percent. I know that simulation takes into account the fact that their current struggles make future success less likely, but those numbers seem drastic.

Through six games, most thought a team like Boston would be 4-2, much like the Yankees. Through six games, they have four fewer wins than "projected." So I ask, how does that drop their win total for the season by nine games?

I understand that they can't hit. And outside of Jon Lester's sterling start yesterday, their pitching has also struggled. But anybody who knows baseball realizes that this team isn't going to stay down for long. Not after picking up two of the top five players at their respective positions in the offseason (1B Adrian Gonzalez and OF Carl Crawford).

Starting in a little over an hour, Boston will play host to the Yankees for a three-game series at Fenway Park. Let's say they win two out of three games to climb to 2-7. New York will be 5-4, three games ahead with 153 games to play. If New York goes 85-68 to get to 90 wins, Boston needs to go 88-65 to tie the Yankees.

What I'm really trying to say is that this 0-6 start isn't half the big deal people are making it out to be. As a Yankees fan, I love to see Boston struggle. But they still scare me. Teams have made up three games in the standings in the final week of a season before, who's to say Boston can't do it in five-and-a-half months.

For comparison's sake, if this was football the Red Sox would be down big at halftime of their FIRST GAME. Because the baseball season is so long, an 0-6 start really doesn't doom a team and represents less than 1/25 of the entire season. So why the panic?

The Boston lineup will be fine, there's no doubt in my mind about that. So will Jon Lester and to a lesser extent, Clay Buchholz. But John Lackey? Josh Beckett? Daisuke Matsuzaka? Those three are legitimate reasons to worry for Red Sox fans, but the Yankees have similar issues at the back end of their rotation.

If Boston gets swept at home by New York to fall to 0-9, then there may be some reason to panic. A seven-game lead after the season's first nine games is a much bigger hole than three or four, particularly when the team you're chasing is just as good if not better on paper.

For anybody who was wondering, I don't count the Orioles as a legitimate threat. Their young pitching has been superb so far and guys like Zach Britton, Chris Tillman and Jake Arrieta come with high upside. But let's not forget how good the Blue Jays were early last season, only to fall off as the season wore on.

There's a good reason the AL East is arguably the best division in baseball year in and year out and Baltimore will find out that it's hard to stay at the top when you have to deal with the Yankees and Red Sox all season.

Even with an 0-6 start, Boston is likely to end up near the top of this division with the Yankees in the end. The only question is whether they can overtake them or clinch a Wild Card berth in the American League. But it's way too early for Sox fans to panic, as much as I love to see turmoil in Boston.

What to make of the Mets?

2011-04-07T12:10:00.002-04:00

(photo courtesy of nj.com)

Through five games, the Mets are tied for second in the NL East with the Marlins at 3-2. They won two of three games against Florida in their opening series, boucing back from an Opening Day loss to win the last two.

Mike Pelfrey started on Opening Day with Johan Santana on the DL and many thought his success last season would lead to the former first-round pick taking another step forward this season. The early returns have not been promising.

The Mets are 0-2 when Pelfrey starts and 3-0 when anybody else starts. It's a small sample size, but he's allowed at least five earned runs in both of his 2011 starts and is coming off a two-inning, eight-hit, six-run debacle in Philadelphia. Pelfrey was much better at home (2.83 ERA) last season than on the road (4.95 ERA) and not coincidentally, both of his starts this season have been away from pitcher-friendly Citi Field.

Jonathon Niese, R.A. Dickey and new addition Chris Young all pitched well in between Pelfrey's starts, with Niese and Dickey picking up where they left off last season. Young was in trouble in almost every inning but has always been a pitcher who puts runners on base and makes pitches when it counts. Citi Field will help him put together a solid season barring health, which is always the concern with him.

The bullpen has been solid so far, allowing just seven runs in 19.2 innings and despite Francisco Rodriguez blowing his lone save opportunity so far, the Mets rallied to win that game in extra innings behind David Wright, who is hitting .364 with one home run, five RBI and a .962 OPS early in the season.

Ike Davis leads the team with a .368 batting average and should improve on his rookie numbers, while Willie Harris has been a surprising early-season contributor in place of the injured Jason Bay. Carlos Beltran has struggled so far, but that is no surprise while he works his way back to full-time duty.

Overall, I've been slightly impressed with what I've seen from the Mets so far, with the obvious exception of Pelfrey. Why the Mets inexplicably chose over Andrew McCutchen in 2005 because they thought Lastings Milledge (ha!) was a better version of McCutchen I will never know. When you're wrong, you're wrong.

This team showed some fight last night climbing back from Pelfrey's 7-0 deficit to tie the game in the fifth, but lost the lead right back and couldn't recover. Either way, it's nice to see a team many project for nothing show the heart to fight against the big, bad Phillies.

Most people think the Mets major competition this year will be the Nationals - for last in the NL East. I think they are far better than Washington and could even beat out the Marlins for third in the division. I don't think they can outpace Philadelphia or Atlanta, but this team has a shot to beat last year's 79-83 record and finish above .500.

Five reasons the Knicks want the Heat in round one

2011-04-06T13:40:00.002-04:00

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/656400-nba-playoffs-top-five-reasons-the-knicks-want-to-play-the-heat

Butler dooms themselves with record-setting shooting woes

2011-04-05T13:01:00.003-04:00

(photo courtesy of nytimes.com)

Last night's national championship game may have been the ugliest in NCAA history, dating back to the prehistoric days before the three-pointer and pure athleticism dominated the game. Butler shot under 19 percent and made just three two-point field goals all game! Pathetic.

There was something about this Connecticut team heading into the tournament that intrigued a lot of people, me included. They came off a historic conference tournament run to win the Big East, the nation's best conference.

If you disagree with that statement, understand that Connecticut was 9-9 in conference play, finished ninth in the Big East and won a national title. They were 17-0 this season in games against non-Big East opponents.

Butler had another great run as an under-seeded mid-major and Brad Stevens, Matt Howard, Shelvin Mack and the rest of the Bulldogs deserve a lot of credit. They just ran into a more talented team that could match their will to win.

They also ran into a team with a bonafide superstar in Kemba Walker. I wrote in my tournament preview that Walker was the type of player that could carry an otherwise average team deep in the tournament, a la Carmelo Anthony and Stephen Curry. Lo and behold, he made me look smart.

Walker shot just 5-for-19, but this was the first time this tournament Butler had to worry about a player of his caliber. Neither Old Dominion, Pittsburgh, Wisconsin, Florida or VCU had a player who could dominate like Walker.

Despite his struggles, Walker showed how important stars are in the game of basketball, maybe moreso in college with the talent disparity being greater than it is in the NBA. I like Jeremy Lamb but outside of him, the Huskies lack scoring alongside Walker. Butler did a good job defensively making Walker work for shots, but that left other players open to do some damage.

Connecticut's role players did enough to win, but if Butler could have shot even 30 percent from the field they would have won this game. Their defense was outstanding but even if you hold a team in the 50's, you still need to score that much yourself. Their lack of a superstar on offense (sorry Matt Howard, you proved why you're not a pro) cost them when it mattered most.

That's not to take anything away from the Bulldogs, who had another great run. With the way they defend, this is a team built for March Madness and if they continue to recruit guys who will work defensively and make plays, they will continue to outperform their seed come tournament time.

Until they find that one big-time offensive player (like Gordon Hayward last season) to make their title dreams come true, they will continue to fall short. Defense takes you far in March, but you still need to put the ball in the basket. Last night Butler couldn't, and that was the ultimate downfall of the underdog.

Teixeira's homer binge propels Yanks to 2-1 start

2011-04-04T13:44:00.002-04:00

(photo courtesy of newyork.cbslocal.com)

To say Mark Teixeira struggled last April would be an understatement. Teixeira has always been a slow starter, but his .136 batting average, two home runs and nine RBI marked the worst April of his career.

This season, Teixeira homered in all three of the Yankees games in their opening series against Detroit and his RBI total (seven) is just two less than he had all of last April. If Teixeira can keep this momentum going, who's to say he can't contend for the American League MVP award?

Teixeira is widely known around the league as a second-half player but if he puts together an MVP-caliber first half, what will he do for an encore after the All-Star Break? This is the same player who finished second in the 2009 MVP balloting behind Twins catcher Joe Mauer after hitting .200 with three home runs and 10 RBI that April. He finished 2009 with 39 home runs and 122 RBI.

Combine a big season from Teixeira with Robinson Cano, who was third in MVP balloting last season and a healthy Alex Rodriguez and there is no lineup in baseball that can compete with the Yankees, both in the middle of the order and top to bottom. Not even Boston, who just finished getting swept by last year's AL champion Texas.

Other encouraging signs from Opening Weekend for the Yankees:

-A.J. Burnett had a strong outing on Saturday despite fighting a cold. He lasted just five innings and allowed three earned runs, but his six strikeouts compared to just one walk was very encouraging, especially after he struck out 11 and walked none in 13 spring innings.

If Burnett can bounce back and Phil Hughes can pitch like he did in the first half of 2010, the Yankees rotation come playoff time won't be as bad as most people think. Hughes will need to bounce back from allowing two home runs to Miguel Cabrera in his next turn, but more importantly he needs to regain the 2-3 miles per hour he's lost on his fastball.

-The bullpen looks dominant. And with the question marks surrounding New York's rotation, their relievers will be key this season. The combination of Rafael Soriano and Mariano Rivera is baseball's best in the eighth and ninth innings and if Joba Chamberlain can pitch up to his potential in the seventh, the Yankees can turn most of their games into six-inning affairs for opposing lineups.

-Russell Martin looks fresh and Jorge Posada looks locked in at DH. Martin is hitting the ball well and even stole third base on Opening Day, showing signs that he can tap into some of the potential he showed in his first three major league seasons.

Posada had two homers in Sunday's game and without the wear and tear of catching five times a week and an increase in at-bats, he could see a return to the 25-homer level he hasn't hit since 2003.

'Melo, Knicks back up "must-win" claim on both ends

2011-03-29T12:07:00.003-04:00

(photo courtesy of SI.com)

Carmelo Anthony has been as advertised since the trade to New York, at least based on my expectations. He's provided high-volume scoring (25.7 PPG), selfish offensive play (389 shots compared to 61 assists) and lazy defense.

But last night against Orlando, Anthony provided just one of those three things. The one good one: High-volume scoring.

Just two nights after scoring 36 points in a loss to the Bobcats, his highest total as a Knick, Anthony bested that mark by scoring 39 points on 12-for-26 shooting. While the scoring is nice, that was to be expected.

What wasn't expected was defensive intensity. It's rare to see anybody in the NBA play tight defense 30 feet from the hoop, let alone Anthony. But there he was, in Hedo Turkoglu's jock ten feet beyond the three-point line in the fourth quarter, pressuring the ball and making Turkoglu work to get to his spots.

I'm not advocating playing defense on guys when they're 30 feet from the hoop; it's never a good idea. But I'm sure all Knicks fan would rather see that Anthony and the one who locked down LeBron James last month than the lazy Anthony who sometimes seems like he just doesn't care about defense.

To top it all off, the ball was in Anthony's hands while the Knicks nursed a one-point lead with 15 seconds to play. Everyone in the building expected him to shoot including the Magic, who double-teamed. In a shocking development Anthony passed to an open Toney Douglas, whose floater was on its way in the hoop before Dwight Howard swatted it on the way down for a goaltend. Don't believe me? Here's proof (thanks to ESPN box scores):

0:32	Gilbert Arenas makes 23-foot three point jumper (Hedo Turkoglu assists)	97-98
0:10		97-100	Toney Douglas makes 6-foot jumper (Carmelo Anthony assists)

Yes, Jared Jeffries refused to put a hand up or even get in the way of Jason Richardson's game-tying three-pointer on the next possession. That's pathetic, especially for someone who's only use as a human being is defense. And yes, Anthony shot through a double-team on the final possession and missed the follow to force overtime. But I'm accentuating the positives here for once, so stick with me.

After Orlando took a 104-103 lead with 3:29 left, the Knicks clamped down again defensively and finished the game on a 10-2 run. It was nice to see a team that has seriously struggled closing out games finally finish one off, especially after blowing a two-possession lead in the final minute of regulation.

Anthony had just six points at halftime, but went off for 30 in the second half and three in overtime. The Knicks were obviously motivated by Anthony's must-win proclamation and came to play on both ends. If that continues, this team has a legitimate chance to be very good and nobody (including me) will complain about the trade any more.

Of course, this is just one game. I need to see this kind of effort from Anthony, Amar'e Stoudemire and the rest of the Knicks on a consistent basis. Speaking of Stoudemire, he scored 20 points on just 10 shots, compared to Anthony's 26 shots and Toney Douglas' 17.

I'm sure Stoudemire was glad to take a back seat while Anthony dominated the second half, but I doubt he'll be happy with 10 shots every night. And neither should the Knicks, who need Stoudemire's offense if they hope to go anywhere this season (or in the next 10 years).

Yes, the Knicks won and yes, they played defense. But this is still far from a well-oiled machine on either end of the court and until this type of performance becomes the norm, I will continue to expect inconsistency and frustration from this team.

VCU and Other Final Four Fun

2011-03-28T12:59:00.003-04:00

(photo courtesy of mensbasketballhoopscoop.com)

The 2011 Final Four will have its place in history for many reasons:

-It will be the first Final Four without a #1 or #2 seed and just the third without a #1 seed.

-VCU is just the third #11 seed to make the Final Four and the first to win five games on their way there (okay, so that one is cheating). The problem for the Rams? Both LSU (1986) and George Mason (2006) lost by double digits.

-#11 VCU and #8 Butler combine for the highest seed total to play in a Final Four game and this will be just the second Final Four with two teams seeded #8 or lower (and the first with one of those seeds being in the double-digits).

-The combined seeds of the four teams remaining is 26. The previous high was 21 in 2000, the only other time two #8 seeds or lower made it this far.

For those who think those stats are crazy, anybody who's watched most of these games understands how competitive and wild they have been. And each team has gotten here in their own special way.

#11 VCU has been torrid from beyond the arc, hitting 12 or more three-pointers in three of their five tournament games. They shot 12-for-25 against #1 Kansas yesterday, the team with the nation's best three-point field goal defense. Those were also the first three times all season the Rams hit more than 11 threes in a game.

The main hero from this tournament for VCU isn't a player, but coach Shaka Smart. He's pressed every right button and must be an expert motivator to get these kids believing they can beat anybody on any given night. If he isn't receiving offers from power-conference schools in the next year or two, something is wrong. Smart can coach.

#8 Butler is in their second straight Final Four for the same reason as the last one: Defense. Butler didn't allow a team to score 60 on them in last year's tournament until Duke scored 61 in the title game. While they have already allowed 60 twice in this year's tourney, one was an overtime game against Florida (that was tied at 60) and the other was against #1 seed Pittsburgh. I never saw this coming without lottery pick Gordon Hayward, but Brad Stevens is another great young coach.

#4 Kentucky came in hot on a six-game win streak, including three wins over ranked teams (two over Florida). Brandon Knight has struggled in two of the four games, but he also hit the game-winning shot against both Princeton and Ohio State in games where he combined for just 11 points.

Freshmen Knight and Terrence Jones are meshing nicely with veterans DeAndre Liggins, Darius Miller and Josh Harrellson, who has more than doubled his season scoring average in four tournament games. As a team, the Wildcats have the deepest talent base of the four remaining teams.

#3 Connecticut has followed up a great run in the Big East tournament with a similar run in the NCAA tournament. Behind the conference's best player in Kemba Walker (sorry, Ben Hansbrough), the Huskies head into the Final Four as the favorite to win it all. I said before the tournament that Walker is the type of player that can carry a team to a title and outside of Knight, Walker has probably been the tournament's best clutch player. And he hasn't had any off nights.

Jeremy Lamb is also enjoying a breakout since the Big East tournament began, scoring in double figures in all nine postseason games. He's averaging 16 points per game during that span compared to just over 11 on the season. When Walker leaves for the NBA next year, expect Lamb to take a big leap forward like Walker did this season.

If the top bracket on ESPN is to be believed, VCU will beat Kentucky in the championship game. The guy got the whole Final Four right, six of the Elite Eight and 28 out of 32 right in the first round. That's astonishing, but I don't think VCU will beat Kentucky. If they do, someone needs to hire this guy. Or get him to buy them lottery tickets.

I'm predicting Connecticut to beat Kentucky. The Wildcats are deeper (which shows how shallow the Huskies rotation is) but there's something about this Connecticut team this season. They started the season unranked and disrespected, won the Maui Invitational (over Kentucky) and have been ranked ever since. Walker reminds me of another undersized Big East guard who could fill it up on any night and in the NBA, I think he'll be a poor man's Allen Iverson.

All the signs point to Butler locking down defensively to limit VCU's effectiveness from long range, but the same signs were there against Kansas and the Rams led by double digits in the first half. I'm taking VCU to go to the title game, previous history of #11's be damned. If the five-day layoff hurts any team the most though, it's the Rams.

Now on to the title game. As one of the Morris brothers said to VCU point guard Joey Rodriguez before yesterday's game, "The run ends here." Whichever brother said it was wrong about that game, but Walker, Lamb and the Huskies will cut down the nets in Houston to cap an unbelievable postseason run.

It's funny to think some people thought UConn could lose as early as the first round because they were "tired" from winning five games in five days in the Big East tournament. With six days off between games, I don't think that's an issue anymore. It never really was in the first place.

Yankees trade Mitre, clear up potential rotation

2011-03-25T12:45:00.003-04:00

(photo courtesy of nydailynews.com)

I haven't been writing much about baseball during Spring Training but with Opening Day less than a week away, I think it's about time. It also helps that the Yankees traded Sergio Mitre, who was in the mix to be their fifth starter, to Milwaukee for outfielder Chris Dickerson.

Ivan Nova seems on track to be the Yankees fourth starter, having allowed just two runs in 14 innings and boasting a solid 7:2 K:BB ratio. You would like to see more than a strikeout every other inning, but if he can continue to show the kind of control he has in his small Spring sample you won't find me complaining.

The battle for the fifth starter's role is a little more interesting, with Freddy Garcia supposedly still the frontrunner despite a rough spring. Bartolo Colon has pitched well but hasn't thrown a major-league inning in two seasons, leading Joe Girardi to believe he's better suited taking Mitre's 2010 role in long relief.

Even if the Yankees do go with Garcia over Colon, New York may only need to use their fifth starter two or three times in April. If Garcia's struggles continue while Colon does good work out the bullpen, I wouldn't be surprised to see the Yankees change their minds. Spring performance is one thing but once the real games hit, you need to go with the pitcher who's performing better, which very well could be Colon.

It's no fun as a Yankees fan debating between Garcia and Colon, two washed-up has-beens who are shells of their former selves. It sure would have been nice to see Andy Pettitte in pinstripes in 2011, but he seems perfectly content to watch this baseball season from his couch.

The other major question facing the Yankees heading into the season is: Who will bat leadoff? I think Brett Gardner is the most logical option with Derek Jeter sliding down to the two hole, where he's spent most of his career. Girardi has talked about leading off Gardner against right-handers and Jeter against left-handers, but I think it should be Gardner every day.

Jeter hit 69 points higher against lefties last season than Gardner (.321 to .252) but Gardner's OBP was still .373 compared to Jeter's .391. The OBP numbers aren't even close against right-handers and while Jeter has hit .338 against lefties over the past three seasons, I see no reason to shuffle the leadoff spot when Gardner gets on base almost as often and possesses far superior speed.

Either way, the Yankees lineup will be their strength this season. Their bullpen looks good at the back end with Mariano Rivera and Rafael Soriano anchoring the eighth and ninth innings but I still have issues trusting David Robertson and Joba Chamberlain, who somehow got fatter, in the sixth and seventh innings.

With A.J. Burnett's potential inconsistencies and Nova and Garcia/Colon likely being unable to last deep into games, Yankees fans will see a lot more of Chamberlain and Robertson than they may like. New York may recognize the need to shore up their middle relief at the trade deadline if their starters struggle like many expect.

The Yankees should be okay when C.C. Sabathia and Phil Hughes start, but the other three spots leave a lot to be desired unless Burnett can bounce back and Nova can outperform expectations. This has the potential to be a long season at Yankee Stadium and by long, I mean as few as 85 wins and difficulty making the playoffs.

That's okay for a lot of teams, but not the Yankees. Missing out on Cliff Lee and Zach Greinke may prove more costly than whatever money they would have wanted if we got them.

Knicks continued struggles shouldn't surprise

2011-03-22T12:44:00.002-04:00

(photo courtesy of msg.com)

When the Knicks traded for Carmelo Anthony, many thought their chances of making noise in the playoffs this season were improved. A month later, I'm not sure many still feel that way. I hate to say I told you so, so I'll just stop this sentence right here.

Ray Allen said it best after the Celtics outscored the Knicks 59-35 in the second half in a comeback win last night. Allen was quoted after the game as saying the Knicks have very good one-on-one players. It was a definite slight on Allen's part that the Knicks are a far cry from the TEAM the Celtics are, but he's also right on the money.

The Knicks were 28-26 before the trade with Denver and what they lacked in superstar talent beyond Amar'e Stoudemire, they made up for with solid role players who fit coach Mike D'Antoni's system. Most importantly, Danilo Gallinari, Wilson Chandler and Raymond Felton were devoid of one thing: Ego.

That team wasn't a championship contender but they had chemistry. They enjoyed playing with each other and sharing the basketball and none of them cared how many shots they got on offense. They weren't defensive stalwarts but they competed, especially Gallinari who improved every time he stepped on the court (and still is in Denver where he will be an All-Star someday, mark my words).

Yes, I'm implying exactly what you think I am (and what I said in the weeks leading up to the trade): Carmelo Anthony is a selfish player with a big ego who feels he is entitled to take as many shots as he wants, whether they fit in the flow of the offense or not. And he is killing this team's offensive chemistry, the one thing that was keeping them competitive all season.

After Friday's late-game collapse against the Pistons where Anthony scored just six points, Stoudemire said that some players still needed to buy into D'Antoni's system. While he didn't mention anybody by name, the whole world could tell he was referring to Anthony. And he was right.

Before the trade, this team was all about run, gun and fun. That's not championship basketball, but neither is what they're playing right now. If fans thought this team was bad defensively before the trade, try trading three starters and a seven-footer for two players known as defensive liabilities. See what happens.

Stoudemire is a star, but his offensive possessions don't slow down the offense quite like Anthony's eight-second isolations. Stoudemire fits in the offense because he shoots quickly or drives to the basket. Anthony holds the ball way too long while the rest of the team stands and watches. The other Knicks love playing with Stoudemire; I'm not so sure they love playing with Anthony.

This was Stoudemire's team before the trade and still is, but Anthony seems to want it to be his rather than working to co-exist with Stoudemire. As long as that discord lasts, so will the Knicks struggles.

Anybody who reads my work knows how I felt about this trade, so I don't need to repeat myself here. It's become obvious to those who didn't already know that the Knicks are still not making it out of the first round this season, and probably not next season either.

This trade was made with eyes towards the 2012-13 season and we won't be able to fully evaluate its success until we see what kind of team the Knicks build around Stoudemire and Anthony. With only those two players, Toney Douglas and Renaldo Balkman on payroll for 2012-13, this team will likely look much different in two years. But will it be better?

If Anthony doesn't learn to co-exist with Stoudemire on the court and play within the offense it won't be, D'Antoni or no D'Antoni. Anthony claims he wants to win, but it's hard to believe that when his play on the court says "I want to shoot too much to get my 25 points per game and not play defense." Sorry Carmelo, but I'll believe it when I see it. And I haven't seen a thing yet.

Syracuse loss leaves Jardine's future role in doubt

2011-03-21T15:25:00.002-04:00

(photo courtesy of annarbor.com)

I'm not going to throw all the blame for Syracuse's loss to Marquette yesterday on point guard Scoop Jardine. It was a very ugly game all around, starting with the Orange's 18 turnovers that allowed Marquette to get easy baskets in transition.

It's hard for me to say anything bad about Rick Jackson after the season he had but for a player who played every minute of the game, it's almost embarrassing to have just four rebounds. Baye Moussa Keita and Fab Melo didn't give him much for help in the post, combining for nine minutes and more fouls (three) than points, rebounds and blocks combined (two).

The fact that James Southerland played 21 minutes off the bench says a lot about Syracuse's depth issues. Brandon Triche's injury early in the second half didn't help matters, as he was unable to return and left the backcourt in the non-trustworthy hands of Jardine and Dion Waiters.

Waiters played well with 18 points on 8-of-10 shooting but didn't record an assist. And his errant pass on a late inbounds play that forced Jardine into a backcourt violation led to Darius Johnson-Odom's go-ahead three-pointer.

The Orange missed Triche's leadership at the end of that game and they missed it badly. Especially when Jardine launched an ill-advised three-pointer with 20 seconds left when Syracuse had time to attack the basket and didn't need to force a three.

The real question now becomes: What happens next year? With McDonald's All-Americans Michael Carter-Williams and Rakeem Christmas entering the fold, Jardine's place on this team next season may be on the bench.

Triche will start and if Williams can avoid a Fab Melo-like freshman season, he has a chance to crack the starting five as well. Waiters is likely even a better choice than Jardine, whose mental lapses, poor shot selection and inability to take care of the basketball at important times far outweigh the occasional highlight he provides.

Christmas may be the replacement for Jackson at center unless Melo or Keita develop rapidly in the offseason and if Kris Joseph leaves for the NBA (which he shouldn't), C.J. Fair might work his way into the starting lineup. Either way, I think most Syracuse fans would agree that Jardine should not start next season unless he changes the way he plays, which is unlikely at this stage of his career.

NCAA Tournament: Southeast/Southwest Preview

2011-03-16T13:38:00.002-04:00

(photo courtesy of rivals.yahoo.com)

Southeast Region:

Favorite: #1 Pitt

If the #2 and #3 seeds in this region were stronger, I would have no issue listing one of them as the favorite. But with Florida being the most overrated #2 in the tournament and BYU missing one of its best players because he had a sex drive, Pitt has by far the easiest road to the Final Four. They have good balance on offense and a solid defensive team, but I just don't see them as a contender for the national title. In this bracket though, they're the best there is.

Main contender: #5 Kansas State

This may look like a stretch to some, but let's not forget the Wildcats were a top-five team at the start of the year. Butler was ranked highly at the beginning of last season and was a #5 in the tournament, does anybody remember how far they went? And this Kansas State team is arguably more talented than last year's Bulldogs, Gordon Hayward aside. The problem is, this team can easily lose to grossly-underseeded Utah State tomorrow. This region is a potential mess.

Sweet 16 sleeper: #12 Utah State

I mentioned the Aggies already, but it bears repeating that this is a top-25 caliber team that was highly disrespected by the committee. I hate their matchup against Kansas State, but I think whoever wins can make serious noise. I like Wisconsin but they struggle away from home and I wouldn't be surprised to see them ousted by Belmont in the first (I mean, second) round either. Utah State's ceiling might be as high as the Elite 8. Honorable mention here goes to #10 Michigan State, who could upend Florida to make the Sweet 16.

Southwest Region:

Favorite: #1 Kansas

The Jayhawks are one of the deepest teams in the country and probably have the second easiest path to the Final Four after Pittsburgh. Second-seeded Notre Dame lacks the defensive chops to make a deep run and the first time their shots don't fall will be their last game. The Jayhawks are talented and likely motivated after losing before the Sweet 16 last season, so Bill Self's crew should be able to make a Final Four run.

Main contender: #4 Louisville

Like Tom Izzo, Rick Pitino usually coaches his teams further than their seed would suggest. A potential Sweet 16 matchup with Kansas might decide who comes out of this region, as I think these are the two best teams in the bracket. With all due respect to Purdue, no Robbie Hummel likely means no Final Four for the Boilermakers. It's too bad because with Hummel, they're a title contender.

Sweet 16 sleeper: #12 Richmond

Like Utah State, the Spiders are underseeded and dangerous. I think their game with Vanderbilt will be closely contested all the way through and whenever you let the lower seed hang around, it can spell trouble. This region, along with the East, is least likely to have a double-digit seed representative in the Sweet 16 because of the relative strength in the top four seeds. But if anybody here can do it, it's Richmond. They will need to play the game of their lives against Louisville to get there though.

NCAA Tournament: East/West Preview

2011-03-14T14:46:00.002-04:00

(photo courtesy of rockmnation.com)

East Region:

Favorite: #1 Ohio State

The Buckeyes are the top-seeded team in the tournament and rightfully so. They can do everything on the offensive end with Jared Sullinger dominating on the low block and Jon Diebler and David Lighty firing threes. Ohio St. is also in the top 10 in defensive efficiency, making them one of the country's most complete teams.

Main challenger: #3 Syracuse

Syracuse, North Carolina and Kentucky are all in the same boat. They aren't elite like the Buckeyes, but they all have one thing they can ride deep in the tournament. The 2-3 zone will always be an advantage for Syracuse in March, as most teams just don't face many zones during the season. Kentucky has NBA-level talent at the top but lacks depth, as does UNC. The Tar Heels also have a true freshman at point guard.

I think the Orange have the best chance to face Ohio State in the Elite 8 and also to beat them. North Carolina struggles to shoot the three-pointer at times and that will hurt them in their likely Sweet 16 matchup with Syracuse's 2-3 zone, which is susceptible mainly to teams with strong outside shooters. But I still think Ohio State is the pick to come out of this region.

Sweet 16 sleeper: #7 Washington

Isiah Thomas (the godson of former Pistons great and Knicks bust Isiah Thomas) led this team to a Pac-10 Tournament title with a late buzzer-beater and the perenially underrated Huskies have a chance to make some noise. North Carolina feel behind big early against both Miami and Clemson in the ACC Tournament and if they do so against the Huskies, they may find it difficult to crawl back into the game.

Also, don't be surprised if #11 Marquette gets by Xavier and even Syracuse as well. Don't forget the Golden Eagles did win their only regular-season matchup against the Orange.

West Region:

Favorite: #1 Duke

Rumors of a Kyrie Irving return leave the true potential of the Blue Devils in doubt: With Irving, they are the nation's best team; without him, they may not even advance past the Sweet 16. I think the West is the most difficult region in this tournament, as the top four seeds were all ranked in the top 10 at one point this season.

Main challenger: #4 Texas

I think San Diego State is a very good basketball team and many people are likely to disrespect them because they play in the Mountain West. The fact remains that their only two losses this season were to a full-strength BYU team who was consistently ranked in the top 10. With the right draw, I would consider them a Final Four possibility. This is not the right draw.

Despite their recent struggles, the Longhorns are probably the best bet of any team ranked fourth or lower to reach the Final Four. They are one of the best defensive teams in the country and the only real question is whether their youth will hurt them. Then again, what great college team isn't young these days? People forget that they ended Kansas' home winning streak earlier this season and were in contention to be #1 in the country before a few shaky conference losses.

Sweet 16 sleeper: #11 Missouri

When the Tigers are only the 11th-best team in your region, you know you have your work cut out for you. Cincinnati and Connecticut aren't ideal matchups for Mike Anderson's team, as their main weakness lies in the post where the Bearcats and Huskies have big bodies residing. But if they can get past Cincinnati and Connecticut has to work to beat Bucknell, the potential fatigue of Kemba Walker and the Huskies could help Missouri surprise and reach the Sweet 16. It's a longshot, but stranger things have happened.

Southwest/Southeast bracketology coming soon...

Big East Tourney: Official Issues and More

2011-03-11T13:23:00.003-05:00

(photo courtesy of nydailynews.com)

After three days of watching the Big East tournament, I have a few observations. I'll start with the attention-grabbing incident involving the referees from the St. John's-Rutgers game.

-How do you not blow the whistle? Even if you're not staring at the clock as an official, it was pretty obvious from Tim Higgins' point of view that Justin Brownlee stepped out of bounds before the horn went off. This wasn't a toe on the line either, he was way out of bounds. Even if Higgins somehow didn't see that, how do you not call a travel?

Brownlee picked up his dribble with three seconds left and continued to move before launching the ball into the stands. I've also heard cries for a technical foul to be called once the ball was thrown into the crowd. I'm glad nobody called a technical foul, because that's a terrible way to hand a team a game, but someone should have blown a whistle for any of these three violations.

If a whistle was blown, the play could have been reviewed and Rutgers would've been given the ball with 1.7 seconds left and a chance to win the game. After the way they played the Johnnies in what was essentially a road game, they deserved that opportunity. And the officiating crew that "resigned" also deserved some punishment.

The other issue here is the referee rotation. Why should officials have to work consecutive games? Unlike the players on the court, refs aren't well-conditioned athletes. They don't get to sit on the bench for minutes at a time to rest either. The Big East should have a different officiating crew for every game in future years to prevent things like this from happening.

-Connecticut's win over Pittsburgh surprised many, but not me. That pick alone may win me my Big East Tournament bracket, but it's surprising to see how a number placed next to a team can influence people's opinion of that team so greatly. Connecticut finishing ninth in the Big East regular-season standings made people think there was a vast difference between them and top-seeded Pittsburgh. There isn't.

Any college team with a lottery-type talent like Kemba Walker for the Huskies will always have a chance to pull an upset. And how much of an upset was it really? Connecticut is a top-20 team and even found their way into the top-10 at one point after starting the season unranked.

They're a better team than Georgetown and Cincinnati, who finished ahead of them in conference, and you can argue they are on a similar level if not better than West Virginia and St. John's. I wouldn't even be surprised if they beat Syracuse tonight and went on to win the tournament, although that would be mighty impressive to win five games in five days.

This is a good young basketball team peaking at the right time, and with a player like Walker on the floor you always have a chance late in games. People slept on UConn and will likely do the same come time for the NCAA Tournament, which is a huge mistake. This team has Elite 8 potential if they get the right matchups; Walker is that Carmelo Anthony/Stephen Curry-type of college player who can carry a team deep into March.

-No other real surprises or storylines have come out of the first three days, but I will say that it's now obvious to me that the top six teams in the Big East (Pitt, Notre Dame, Louisville, Syracuse, St. John's and Connecticut) are better than the other five who will likely make the tournament (Marquette, West Virginia, Georgetown, Cincinnati and Villanova).

If Chris Wright makes it back for the Hoyas, they have an outside shot at the Sweet 16. But without Wright in the lineup, they are a prime candidate for a first-round upset if they get a top-eight seed. Austin Freeman is great, but without Wright that offense doesn't really go.

Do the Knicks need a third star?

2011-03-10T11:54:00.002-05:00

(photo courtesy of thehoopdoctors.com)

The New York Knicks' success since trading for Carmelo Anthony and the recent struggles of the Miami Heat beg the question: Is it smart for an NBA team to build around three stars?

Under the current collective bargaining agreement, filling a roster around three All-Star-caliber players is a legitimate strategy. Even still, it's not surprising that Miami is struggling against teams over .500, as these teams tend to be deeper than the Heat and have a surefire go-to guy to take the final shot late in games.

Give the Heat a few seasons and they will be able to build around LeBron James, Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh with mid-level exceptions and draft picks. The Heat team you see this season is not as good as the Heat team you will see next season or the year after that.

But with a new collective bargaining agreement on the horizon and the Knicks paying both Anthony and Amar'e Stoudemire more than any of Miami's Big Three, the possibility remains that New York will not be able to afford a third star like Chris Paul, Deron Williams or Dwight Howard. And if they can, their supporting cast might be weaker than that of Miami's.

Right now, the Knicks are beating good teams away from home with just two stars and without an injured Chauncey Billups. Would it really be smarter for the Knicks to try and acquire a third star at the price of talented secondary players like Landry Fields, Toney Douglas and future draft picks, which the team is already lacking?

At first glance, you may think I'm overreacting to the Knicks recent winning ways and the Heat's issues of late. But in order to acquire a third star, the Knicks would have to move players like Fields and Douglas and without draft picks to fill out the roster, they would be stuck with middling players filling 5-6 spots in the rotation, much like Miami this season.

For the price of one extra star, the Knicks could fill the final three spots in their starting lineup with players worthy of starting in the NBA. My sincerest apologies go out to Carlos Arroyo, Mario Chalmers and Joel Anthony in Miami; they simply aren't starting-caliber. And Mike Bibby is at the age where he isn't either. This is a major reason for the Heat's struggles closing out games.

As the season reaches its conclusion and becomes the playoffs, we should find out more about both the Knicks and the Heat and maybe we'll be able to come up with an answer to the question: Would the Knicks be wise to acquire a third star?

There's no crying in basketball! Or is there?

2011-03-07T17:09:00.002-05:00

(photo courtesy of hoopstopia.com)

After their fourth straight loss Sunday against the Bulls at home, Miami Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra admitted in a post-game interview that some players were crying in the locker room. Since those words were uttered, there has been speculation abound about what Spoelstra said.

Some people don't believe the Heat players were crying; they seem to think Spoelstra went into that interview with a gameplan to deceive the media and say his players were crying as some sort of posturing technique.

Today, Spoelstra said nobody was "whimpering" and there were no "guys with heads down." He blamed the media for taking his statement out of proportion. This doesn't seem like posturing to me and if you're going to say your million-dollar professional athletes were crying in the locker room, you have to expect some backlash.

I understand the Heat is unhappy. LeBron James, Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh are not players that want to be hated. They may respond well to boos and the mockery of opponents like Dwight Howard but deep down, these guys want to be embraced for doing one thing: Winning.

That's something they haven't done lately and something they haven't done consistently all season against good teams. In four games at home against winning teams since the new year, Miami is 0-4. They led in all four games and lost each by five or less points.

This team still has some chemistry issues and they struggle in last-shot situations, as seen by the fact they have missed 13 straight shots in the final 10 seconds that could have tied the game or given their team the lead. But the bigger issue to me is: Were these guys really crying?!?

The last time I remember a player crying after a loss was Adam Morrison when Gonzaga was knocked out of the NCAA Tournament in 2006. While I hated on Morrison's emotional outburst at the time and still do, at least he was reacting to his team's season ending. Regardless, this was just one more reason why his talents never translated to the NBA; you can't be soft.

Whoever was crying in the Heat locker room should be ashamed. You play 82 regular-season games in the NBA; no individual game means more than any other, regardless of streaks or quality of opponent.

While that is a blanket statement that some people would disagree with, it's hard to disagree with the statement that you should never be crying after a regular-season loss. These guys have played hundreds of essentially meaningless basketball games in their lives and this one loss drives them to tears? What a joke.

I understand the Heat is frustrated with their inability to close games against contending teams, both at home and on the road. But crying your eyes out in the locker room isn't going to solve anything; if anything, it tells me that you're soft.

Teams with soft players don't win championships, especially if James, Wade or Bosh, their "leaders," were the ones perpetuating the waterworks. If Miami doesn't grab a box of Kleenex soon, they could be in trouble: Their next seven games are against playoff-caliber basketball teams.

Maybe this incident will be a turning point for this team. Maybe they will use this negative attention to come out and start closing games in the fourth quarter. Maybe we will look back at this in May and laugh while the Heat take the NBA title.

But it's more likely that we will witness Miami players crying after they lose in the second round of the Eastern Conference playoffs. I already had my doubts about this team, how they compare to other contenders and their ability to handle adversity. After "Crygate," those doubts have been magnified tenfold.

'Melo to the Knicks: Early returns are mixed

2011-03-02T11:25:00.003-05:00

(photo courtesy of phoenixnewtimes.com)

The Knicks are 2-2 since trading for Carmelo Anthony and, as you can expect with an even record through four games, there have been ups and downs with this team.

Ups:
-Anthony scores 29, comes up big in fourth quarter to lead Knicks to comeback win in Miami
-Chauncey Billups is averaging over 23 points, six assists and almost two steals per game and lived up to his Mr. Big Shot nickname against Miami
-The Knicks turned up the defensive intensity in the final three quarters against the Heat, showing that this team can play defense when it wants to.

Downs:
-Up 84-73 with 1:24 left in the third quarter, the Knicks allow 37 fourth-quarter points and lose by six in Orlando. Billups is apparently no answer for Jameer Nelson.
-Carmelo Anthony has scored 108 points on 93 shots, making only 37 for a field-goal percentage of just under 40 percent. For comparison's sake, Billups has 93 points on just 49 shots.

You can excuse Anthony's poor shooting thus far as nerves or getting used to the system, but let's face reality. Anthony's career shooting percentage is 45.8%, which is solid but doesn't leave that much room for improvement from his current clip (at that rate he would have made 42 shots so far, slightly over one more per game).

Anthony is a high-volume shooter, but he's far from efficient. He bogs down the offense with his need to isolate and post-up on the low block and takes bad shots from outside his comfort zone. Yes, he can hit the occasional three-pointer but Anthony is a below-average perimeter shooter for a small forward. I'd rather see Amar'e Stoudemire shooting 18-footers than Anthony.

One thing I'm sure of through four games of watching the new-look Knicks is that while they are a better basketball team right now with Anthony and Billups on board, Anthony does not fit Mike D'Antoni's system. The link below agrees:

http://espn.go.com/nba/dailydime/_/page/dime-110302/daily-dime

This bad fit leaves one solution, since it's obvious Anthony is here to stay: D'Antoni has to go. Many people would say "Good riddance." D'Antoni's up-tempo, shoot-quick style has led many to question whether his teams could ever win an NBA title.

I think it's more about the players you try to fit into the system. His Suns teams that made deep playoff runs a few years back were good, but it's hard for me to say they were the most talented team in the league (or even the West) and fell short. No system would've taken that team any farther than they went.

While I do like a lot of what I've seen from the Knicks since the trade, it's obvious that placing Anthony in D'Antoni's system is akin to trying to fit a square block in a round hole; you may solve parts of the puzzle, but you will never complete it.

With Stoudemire and Anthony in tow, the Knicks are more attractive to future free agents even if they won't have the money for an All-Star caliber point guard like Chris Paul or Deron Williams once Billups moves on. But the first title they win (if they win one) will not be with D'Antoni at the helm.

The Knicks are just 32-for-104 (30.4 percent) from beyond the arc since the trade. Before the trade, the Knicks shot over 36 percent from downtown. The only Knick that can be relied on now for consistent outside shooting is Billups, unless you trust Shawne Williams or Bill Walker to hit a big three-pointer down the stretch.

The Knicks will remain an inconsistent enigma as long as the mismatch between Anthony's game and D'Antoni's style exists. They will beat good teams on the road (like Miami) and struggle to close against others (like Orlando). Unfortunately for Knicks fans, the solution isn't coming this season.

Knicks use defense to beat Heat

2011-02-28T13:09:00.004-05:00

(photo courtesy of everyjoe.com)

I've been writing a lot about the Knicks lately, but I think it's been fair. They made a blockbuster trade at the deadline and Sunday was their first test against a contending team. After losing to the last-place Cavs on the road Friday, they got to travel to Miami.

The Knicks were led by Carmelo Anthony on both ends, which I never thought I would say. He had 29 points and 9 rebounds and shot 10-for-22, but it was his play on the other end down the stretch that helped the Knicks finish on a 13-2 run. His offense has never been in doubt.

The real question is: Will Anthony improve his defense now that he's playing in New York? Amar'e Stoudemire did it and if Anthony is also now defensively motivated, he has the physicals tools to be a solid defender.

Anthony held LeBron James in check for the final three minutes as the Knicks came back and while James was able to get a shot towards the rim, Anthony stayed in the play the entire way to affect the shot and allow Stoudemire to help and block it.

We all know what these two guys can do on offense, although Stoudemire has seen his scoring drop since Anthony's arrival. Like James and Dwayne Wade did early in the season, these two will get used to playing with each other. And if that happens on both ends the Knicks can contend, especially with a proven playoff performer in Chauncey Billups manning the point.

Billups lived up to his "Mr. Big Shot" nickname last night, burying a long three when Wade sagged inside the arc to put the Knicks up one with a minute left. Also not known for his defense, Billups' steal on the next possession led to two Shawne Williams free throws and a 87-84 lead the Knicks would never give back.

Williams may be the most important Knick outside of their top three and Landry Fields, as he is New York's best outside shooter with Danilo Gallinari gone. At 6-9 he can play meaningful minutes at power forward and rebounds and defends the position well, something else the Knicks need.

The pedigree is there for the former first-round pick and with 25-30 minutes a night, he could get the chance to turn into this team's fifth starter instead of Ronny Turiaf. He only made one of four shots and grabbed three rebounds last night but was plus-four in his 28 minutes on the court.

I do think the Knicks need another shooter and another big man and Troy Murphy might fit the bill. He would provide a solid rebounder alongside Stoudemire, who leaves a little to be desired on the glass considering his size. Much like Williams, Murphy can also step behind the arc and stretch the court, which is key for the Knicks when Anthony posts down up low.

Split Murphy's and Williams' minutes at power forward and spell Stoudemire with Turiaf and you will never have to use Shelden Williams in a game again. One player I would like to see get another chance is Anthony Carter, because more minutes at shooting guard for Toney Douglas is always a good thing.

Knicks beat Bucks despite lack of chemistry, defense

2011-02-24T13:19:00.002-05:00

(photo courtesy of everyjoe.com)

Anybody who tuned into Knicks-Bucks last night expecting a flawless, smooth performance were likely disappointed. Realistically, how could you expect a team that just traded four rotation players and hadn't practiced together to look like a cohesive unit?

New York shot 50 percent from the field last night, but take away a sterling 10-for-12 night from Toney Douglas and the rest of the team hit just 44 percent of their shots. Two days after the Knicks shipped half of their team out West, it was one of the guys who stayed who may have been their best player.

This isn't to take anything away from Carmelo Anthony and Chauncey Billups, who had stellar debuts despite a lack of efficiency. Anthony scored 27 points and grabbed 10 rebounds but shot just 10-for-25 from the field, while Billups had 21 points, eight assists, six rebounds and two steals despite a 4-for-12 shooting night.

Anthony struggled to finish around the basket at times after strong moves to the hoop, but you have to imagine that the Brooklyn-born star was feeling some goosebumps in his first game at Madison Square Garden as a member of the home team. Don't expect his issues finishing at the rim to continue.

Amar'e Stoudemire, on the other hand, took just 13 shots and finished with 19 points. The Knicks spent a lot of time watching Anthony isolate one-on-one, even more than when Stoudemire was their go-to guy. Expect these two to become more comfortable playing alongside each other as the season winds down and don't expect Anthony to get twice as many shot attempts every night.

The Knicks have struggled to score this season with Stoudemire on the bench but when he fouled out late in the game, it was Anthony who came up big with clutch baskets. His short jumper in the lane between three defenders put the Knicks up six with 26 seconds left and provided the dagger in his Garden debut.

Anthony's arrival may have come just in time; after receiving his 15th technical foul of the season last night, Stoudemire is one eye roll or shoulder shrug away from a mandatory one-game suspension.

What Anthony and Billups didn't bring, outside of four steals between the two of them, was defense. Milwaukee ranks dead last in the NBA in points per game and the Knicks let them score 108 points, the Bucks' third-highest output of the season. The other two came against Toronto and New Jersey, two teams headed straight for the lottery.

It's going to take some time for this team to gel, and not just on the offensive end. Rotations, help defense and communication on switches all take time as new players get adjusted to a new system. It should also help once Mike D'Antoni adds Corey Brewer, one of the Knicks' few defensive-minded players, to the rotation.

The Knicks have another "warmup game" against Cleveland on Friday before taking their talents to South Beach to face the Heat on Sunday night. Last time they visited American Airlines Arena they lost by eight; will the result be any different with a new batch of players?

Nets get Williams: Better than Knicks' trade for 'Melo?

2011-02-23T12:53:00.003-05:00

(photo courtesy of newyork.sbnation.com)

After failing to land Carmelo Anthony the Nets still moved Devin Harris and Derrick Favors for an NBA star, stealing point guard Deron Williams from Utah. Williams is apparently unhappier about going to New Jersey than he was playing for Jerry Sloan, which could mean many things.

But first, let's go to what the Nets gave up. Harris, Favors, two first-round picks (New Jersey's this year and Golden State's this year) and $3 million. Compare this to what the Knicks gave up for Anthony and Mikhail Prokhorov looks like a genius.

Prokhorov will look like a fool, however, if Williams' unhappiness doesn't change and he refuses to re-sign with the Nets after next season. In that case, could he possibly head to New York to team up with Anthony and Amar'e Stoudemire?

As a Knicks fan, I would have rather traded Felton (comparable to Harris), Gallinari (comparable to Favors) and two or three draft picks for Williams. The Knicks could've kept players like Wilson Chandler, Timofey Mozgov, Anthony Randolph and a pick or two and gotten a player on the same level, if not better, than Anthony. Yes, the Knicks got Chauncey Billups as well, but he is not in the team's long-term plans.

Williams is better than Anthony in my opinion; anybody who read my 10-player list of stars better than Anthony knows this. To get a better player and give up less seems like a no-brainer, but the major issue with this deal is a disgruntled Williams.

After rumors that Williams forced Sloan out of Utah nobody expected him to be traded before the deadline, but the Jazz didn't want to be held hostage like the Nuggets were in the Anthony situation. It's hard to blame Utah for making the move and they got a solid return, but nobody cares about the Jazz anyway.

As for the Nets, they now have themselves a star for the next season and a half. But they won't win or even make the playoffs in that time and if Williams won't re-sign, they may have to trade him at this time next year or watch him walk away to New York or elsewhere for nothing.

Regardless of what happens, this has probably been the most interesting NBA trading deadline in recent memory. I'm not sure I can think of another recent deadline that has seen two of the top 10-12 players in the league change addresses. Especially when they both could end up in one place...

Did the Knicks give up too much for 'Melo?

2011-02-22T12:51:00.009-05:00

(photo courtesy of ice-dotcom.com)

The last time I wrote about Carmelo Anthony, it was to sarcastically put together a list of 10 NBA players who were better because I believe Anthony is overrated. And while I stand by my stance (although I'll listen to arguments for Anthony being in the top 8-10), that's besides the point; 'Melo is a Knick!

On the surface, the Knicks gave up A LOT to obtain Anthony's services. Raymond Felton, Danilo Gallinari, and Wilson Chandler were three of the Knicks' top five players on a team that lacked depth beyond their starting five. I know Chandler was coming off the bench recently, but he was still seeing more minutes than starting center Ronny Turiaf.

The Knicks also gave up Timofey Mozgov, a 2014 first-round pick, raw but promising young power forward Anthony Randolph, Eddy Curry's expiring contract, $3 million and two second-round picks they got from the Warriors in the David Lee sign-and-trade deal. In addition to Anthony, the Knicks also got point guard Chauncey Billups from the Nuggets and swingman Corey Brewer from the Timberwolves.

When you break it down in terms of all the assets the Knicks gave away, I think they traded too much. But when you dissect the trade from a team-building standpoint, both Denver and New York won and it's the definition of a trade that helps both teams. Confused? Let me elaborate.

Wilson Chandler is a very good player and at 23, still has room to grow. But he was gone whether we traded for Anthony or signed him as a free agent, so that's a moot point. Felton was signed as a two-year stopgap until the Knicks could sign Chris Paul or Deron Williams and Felton-for-Billups is essentially an even swap for the next season-and-a-half.

Discluding that, the trade becomes Gallinari, Mozgov, Randolph, Curry, a first-round pick, two second-rounders and some inconsequential money (although I wish I had $3 million!) for Anthony and Brewer.

The Knicks are giving up numerous assets but if I ran the Knicks and Denver came to me with an offer like that, which is essentially Gallinari, Mozgov and Randolph for Anthony and Brewer, I would do it in a heartbeat. Anybody would. It's a NO BRAINER!

If this team does find a way to trade for or sign Paul (or Williams) next season or next off-season, the Knicks are back to being a championship contender. But many of you are probably wondering, does this trade make them better right now?

In a word (or two), kind of. The Knicks gave up a lot of depth and their starting lineup now includes Billups, Landry Fields, Anthony, Amar'e Stoudemire and Turiaf. Toney Douglas will back up the guard spots while Brewer, Shawne Williams and Shelden Williams should also see minutes off the bench in the frontcourt.

That's not a championship lineup, but it's a lineup that can legitimately claim to be on par with Atlanta and Orlando, something the Knicks couldn't before. They still aren't as good as Boston, Miami or Chicago but if they can somehow manage to get up to fifth in the East (currently 5.5 games back of Atlanta) and play Orlando or Atlanta in round one, they could win a first-round series.

Considering the state of the Knicks since the days of Patrick Ewing, the fact that winning a playoff series is even a legitimate discussion is thrilling. But Knicks fan won't truly see the ramifications of this trade until the 2012-13 season, or the end of 2011-12 if they make another big trade next season.

Say they gave up too much all you want but if the Knicks didn't pull the trigger before Thursday, after everything that has gone on in the past few months, they would've looked TERRIBLE. And what superstar point guard like Paul or Williams wants to come to a franchise like that?

The only way this deal blows up in the Knicks' face is if the new collective bargaining agreement sets the cap at a number that would prevent them from signing one of the big-time point guards or Dwight Howard. In that case, we may have to revisit this trade with angst and disgust. A full evaluation of where this move puts the Knicks really isn't possible until the 2012-13 season.

But until then, Anthony's presence alongside Stoudemire makes a Paul/Williams addition much more likely than it was before. And that alone is reason for Knicks fans to celebrate!

Who's the best team in college basketball?

2011-02-21T11:35:00.003-05:00

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/615658-college-basketball-with-the-nations-top-four-teams-losing-whos-the-best

Suspend Miguel Cabrera?

2011-02-17T15:47:00.003-05:00

(photo courtesy of motownsports.com)

Last season, Tigers first baseman Miguel Cabrera was one of baseball's best stories. After blowing more than three times the legal limit after a domestic dispute with his wife in October, Cabrera underwent treatment, cleaned up his act and had a career season, finishing second in the AL MVP voting behind Josh Hamilton.

Just when you think Cabrera had learned his lesson and turned a corner, he gets arrested for DUI last night in Florida and has the audacity to grab a bottle of scotch and drink it in front of his arresting officers. There is dumb and there is REALLY dumb. Right now, Cabrera is REALLY dumb.

The only question left now is: Should Cabrera be suspended? If Roger Goodell ran baseball he would take away one-quarter of Cabrera's season, like he did when Ben Roethlisberger was accused of sexual assault in the offseason. Both were arrested and in a professional environment, especially one where millions of dollars are at stake, you shouldn't be allowed to get away with this.

I don't think it's too much to suspend Cabrera for the first month of the season. Considering the Nick Adenhart situation, where the promising Angels pitching prospect was killed by a drunk driver after a game almost two years ago, baseball knows the dangers of drunk driving first hand.

If Bud Selig doesn't punish Cabrera, it will send a terrible message. That message: Driving drunk is okay as long as you don't kill anybody. Cabrera is a multimillionaire just like Braylon Edwards; hire a driver and you don't have to worry about getting yourself into trouble.

If baseball doesn't suspend Cabrera, the Tigers should. But it's a tall order to ask any team to essentially forfeit their season by sitting their star player out for 25 games. As much as I like Cabrera as a player and believe he has limitless potential when clean, this incident proves that maybe he hasn't learned his lesson for the long run.

A suspension would be good for baseball's image and good for Cabrera too; hopefully it would prevent him from doing this again in the future, understanding that actions have consequences. Now it's time to wait and see if the MLB has the balls to suspend one of its brightest stars.

Carmelo Anthony: Not a Top Ten NBA Player

2011-02-16T15:09:00.003-05:00

The Nuggets' latest offer of three starters for Carmelo Anthony and Chauncey Billups is ridiculous, considering Anthony really isn't the superstar many claim him to be. If you're interested as to why, check out this slideshow I posted on Bleacher Report.

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/611121-ten-nba-players-better-than-carmelo-anthony

As always, comments and disagreements are more than welcome.

SU looks to build on West Virginia win

2011-02-15T12:45:00.002-05:00

(photo courtesy of suathletics.com)

After losing three straight games at home and with a four-game losing streak not to distant in the rear-view mirror, Monday night marked a big game for the Orange against an unranked-but-talented West Virginia team. As good as West Virginia's resume may be, Syracuse is a better team and they needed to represent at the Carrier Dome. They did.

Brandon Triche scored 20 points for the second time this season and the second time in three days and has really come into his own of late. Triche has been this team's most improved player as the season has gone on and is really stepping into the role of team leader as just a sophomore.

Triche's resurgence has unfortunately coincided with the struggles of Scoop Jardine. If Syracuse could get both players going, they would have an extremely dangerous backcourt to go along with Kris Joseph and Rick Jackson up front. Then maybe I'd consider them an Elite 8 team but right now they're just a Sweet 16 contender, if that.

The removal of Fab Melo from the starting lineup has cut the Syracuse rotation to seven players, a good thing for this team. They may lack size with only Baye Moussa Keita (who saw just nine minutes last night) as a true big man outside of Rick Jackson but this team plays much better basketball when they go small, create turnovers and get out on the break.

ESPN made a big deal during their broadcast about Syracuse's lack of fast-break points in recent games leading to their struggles, but that all starts with defense. You can't run the break if you don't create turnovers and long rebounds and lately, the Orange have been doing neither.

But Monday was a different story as Syracuse had 13 steals, five from Jardine. Jardine played well with nine points, six assists and five rebounds despite still not being able to shoot straight, having just one game in his last 10 with a field-goal percentage above 50 percent and three above 40 percent.

Those 13 steals led to 19 points in transition, more than double their recent average. But Syracuse is still getting killed behind the three-point line, as the Mountaineers were 11-for-22 from beyond the arc despite just four points in the paint.

This tells me that the Orange defenders are quick to recover to the post and the middle of the court, but slow to recover to shooters outside the three-point line. On numerous occasions I've watched the Orange guard well for 30 seconds, struggle to recover to an open shooter late in the shot clock, have their hands down and allow a clean look for three. Those are demoralizing possessions.

For a team that struggles so much in their half-court set, they need to get out and run. No team can expect to record 13 steals per game so if the Orange want to continue to get out on the break, they will need to defend the outside shot better and create more long rebounds and transition opportunities.

Syracuse has two tough Big East games remaining, both on the road next Monday at Villanova and next Saturday at Georgetown. The Orange already lost to both teams at the Carrier dome and to win away from home, they will have to turn up the defense to create some offense.

Do professional athletes have more power than coaches and executives?

2011-02-11T12:46:00.005-05:00

(photo courtesy of swarmandsting.com)

The longest-tenured head coach in sports is no more. After 23 years with the Utah Jazz, Jerry Sloan and one of his assistants, Phil Johnson, have resigned. There have been rumors that All-Star point guard Deron Williams forced Sloan out and I hope they aren't true.

Williams is one of my favorite NBA players; after all, I have an affinity towards do-it-all point guards. It's nothing new for coaches and stars to have disagreements, that's part of the business and any coach-star player relationship. But if Sloan called a play and Williams changed it, that can't be happening.

That led to a heated halftime exchange and according to a source was the last straw for Sloan, who denied any such rumors. Sloan's relationship with Williams had also been rumored to be strained over the past few weeks and at age 68, the coach just had enough. Allegedly.

The energy that Sloan had early in his career just wasn't there, which is to be expected after 23 seasons, and that's why he said he's stepped down. I believe it, and I'd also like to believe that's the Sloan that Williams wanted to play for; not a tired old man who lacked the passion that was evident in the days of John Stockton and Karl Malone.

Regardless of the specifics, this situation is indicative of a growing trend in the NBA; a trend that may turn into a problem somewhat soon.

In today's association, players now seem to have more power than coaches and executives. Case in point: Carmelo Anthony forcing the Nuggets' hand in Denver and the Williams-Sloan situation in Utah.

In Utah, Williams won; whether he wanted the new Sloan or no Sloan, those were his only choices. Replacement Ty Corbin won't be able to control Williams to the level Sloan could or provide this team better leadership than Sloan. That now falls on Williams, who I think can embrace this.

In Denver, if Anthony is dealt by the trade deadline in less than two weeks he will also have won - essentially choosing where he wants to play rather than playing where he was drafted (a la Eli Manning forcing the Chargers to trade him).

I hate Manning for that move but I likely won't hate Anthony for two reasons; he played where he was drafted for years, unlike Manning, and he might go to the Knicks. Call me a hypocrite, I dare you.

This isn't just a problem in the NBA either; just look at Albert Pujols and the St. Louis Cardinals. Pujols wants a new contract and if he doesn't get it before spring training, he will test the free agent waters. That doesn't mean he won't end up re-signing in St. Louis, but nobody wants their star hitting free agency; especially in baseball where a handful of teams have more money than everybody else.

We all understand that sports are a business, but it seems the players are beginning to run that business. And this is an issue that will only get worse as time goes on because no team, in any league, can win without its best players. Stars are finally starting to realize that and abuse the leverage they do have.

Knicks vs. Lakers for Melo, who wins?

2011-02-09T11:40:00.004-05:00

(photo courtesy of thisisthedream.com)

The Knicks and Lakers play in primetime on Friday night, but that game won't decide NBA titles for years to come. The Carmelo Anthony sweepstakes very well could.

Right now, New York and Los Angeles are the only two teams rumored to be actively pursuing Anthony. The Knicks package involves Wilson Chandler to the Nuggets along with Corey Brewer and the Timberwolves' first-round pick, while Minnesota would get Anthony Randolph and the expiring contract of Eddy Curry.

The Lakers' offer hinges on injury-prone center Andrew Bynum, who has the potential to be a great player if he can stay on the court. But numerous knee injuries have hampered Bynum, who will turn 24 in October. His potential is much higher than that of Chandler, however.

The real question for Denver may become whether they want to fuel the next Los Angeles dynasty. The Lakers look old this season but I'm not sure trading Bynum for Anthony makes them a title contender; size is one of their major advantages and losing Bynum would hurt their interior defense, not to mention the fact that Kobe Bryant and Anthony would have to learn to co-exist.

But adding Anthony would give the Lakers their next superstar when Bryant does decide to retire, and the Lakers would be a force in the West until at least 2020. Wouldn't Denver rather ship Anthony to New York and get a good player who is a lesser version of Anthony in return, as well as add a defensive presence with potential like Brewer?

I love Bynum as a player, but I still think the Knicks are the front-runners here. In the end though, they may have to add a player like Danilo Gallinari or Landry Fields to sweeten the pot for Denver. As much as I love the potential of both Gallinari and Fields, Gallinari's game is more similar to Anthony's and he would be a better fit in the trade.

Fields does the dirty work and has the potential to be a good offensive player, but Gallinari's main asset is his ability to shoot, drive aggressively to the hoop and score the basketball. I'd rather have Fields playing alongside Anthony for years to come if I had to choose one, although it would be nice to have both. I'm just not sure Denver will bite without the inclusion of one more young Knick.