Now that the Great Balloon Hoax of Aught-Nine is over, we can concentrate on sports again (CC Sabathia’s uniform is so big and baggy, it could probably be filled with helium and flown across the country, too). This past week in New York sports, the Yankees swept the Twins and now have to take on those pesky, team-of-destiny Angels, the Giants killed the Raiders to stay undefeated, the Jets suffered their second consecutive loss, the Rangers kept on winning, the Devils heated up, but the poor Islanders still couldn’t manage to notch their first victory of the year. The most bizarre moment of the week, though, was the Mickey Rourke sighting on the Giants sideline. And Kevin Bacon showed up at the Garden for the Knicks preseason home opener. Is the cast of Diner making the rounds of the local sports teams to commemorate the 27th anniversary of the movie?
Besides being at the Knicks game, Bacon could also be seen hiding in the Yankees dugout on Friday because, unbeknownst to A. J. Burnett, that was Shrevie’s wife, donned in curly …
The Giants kept on rolling this week, the Jets lost to a good Saints team (but traded for troublemaker Braylon Edwards), hockey season has started, with mixed results for the three local teams, the Mets held a day-long press conference on Monday to announce the firing of two coaches, and the $200-million juggernaut that is the Yankees steamrolled over the Twins in the opening game of their playoff series. Here are some fun facts about the Yanks and Twins:
CC Sabathia eats more food in one year than the farmers of Minnesota produce combined.
Brett Favre was warming up in the Twins bullpen in the seventh inning of Wednesday’s game.
George Steinbrenner gave an inspired speech to the team down in Tampa after the Yankees’ final regular season game. It was short, yet fiery: “Where the hell is my damn calzone!”
After defeating the Tigers in their dramatic one-game showdown on Tuesday, the Twins immediately called Darryl Strawberry, Lenny Dykstra and Keith Hernandez to find out the most effective way to destroy a plane on a flight to New …
Sunday afternoon was a New York sports fan’s dream (or nightmare) as the Giants, Jets, Yankees and Mets all played at the same time – and they all won (even the Rangers played at noon on Sunday and lost, but we won’t count that because it was preseason). I’m jumping on the bandwagon and doing one of those running diary things that are so popular with the kids these days of that afternoon. Here we go:
12:30: Watch the last half of the first period of the Rangers game and eat a turkey, ham and cheese sandwich.
12:36: Yell at my daughter to quit jumping on the couch.
12:50: Bring plate into kitchen.
12:51: Sit back down in front of TV, and watch Terry Bradshaw, Michael Strahan, Jimmy Johnson and Howie Long laugh.
1:02: Giants game starts. They drive down field with ease and score their first red zone touchdown of the year. It was done so easily, I don’t think there was even another team on the field.
1:21: Switch to Channel 2 to check …
A Giant won, a Jet soared and a Yankee guaranteed that New York is the best place to call home.
Three sports team hailing from New York had simultaneous starts this afternoon (Yanks not on time due to rain delay).The Yankees, Giants and Jets each had something to prove today.
The Yankees had a reason to celebrate and be proud of this seasons accomplishments. The Bombers clinched the American League East Division for the playoffs which gives them home field advantage and an extra day off at their disposal.
The biggest upside for the Bombers not having to fly back to Anaheim to play the Angels in the first round. The Angels are that good and that scary.
Realizing why the Yanks looked like a beaten club even when they beat the Angels is because the Angels play small ball, long ball and run the bases fiercely. Easily, the Angels have the most comparable batting line-up to the Yankees so pitchers have to be virtually perfect. The Angels are relentless in …
The Giants and Jets both beat division archrivals this past week. And both are 2-0 and sitting atop their respective divisions. The Giants went down to Texas and paid the Cowboys back for beating them in the first-ever game at the Meadowlands in 1976 (Dallas won, 24-14). Of course, Giants Stadium didn’t receive quite the same amount of hoopla as Cowboys Stadium has gotten this week. Here are some reviews from 33 years ago when the Giants home first opened:
“It just looks like a regular football stadium. Where is the 60-yard JumboTron? Where are the go-go dancers? What do they plan to do here, just play football?”
“Where do you put 78,000 angry New Jersey residents to watch Doug Kotar gain 500 yards a season? The new Giants Stadium, that’s where.”
“The new stadium is a modern marvel, but can they do something about that swampy smell?”
“It just goes to show you the power of the Mob that they got this stadium built all the way out …
When we last saw the Jets, the comedy team of Eric Mangini and Brett Favre were sabotaging the season. Favre confessed that he had a torn biceps tendon, but he’s just covering up for his arm – it wasn’t torn, it was drunk. The team was even fined for the subterfuge. New and improved coach Rex Ryan gave a pregame speech to remember; it basically boiled down to this: Win on for Richard Todd. And win they did. The rookie coach even shed a tear after the game – it wasn’t because his team won, though, but instead the reason behind the crying was that he just found out that NBC cancelled My Name Is Earl to make room for Parks and Recreation. And when Ryan was about to present owner Woody Johnson with the game ball, Kanye West appeared out of nowhere, grabbed the ball and yelled out, “Weeb Ewbank is the greatest Jets coach in the world! In the world!”
Meanwhile, the Giants …
The Jets, Bears and Texans showed the most interest in signing former Rutgers DE Jamaal Westerman after the NFL Draft. Westerman chose to sign with the Jets for about $12,000 less than an undisclosed team was offering. The three-year college starter is second all time in school history with 30.5 sacks. However, he suffered a torn bicep in his senior season which forced him to miss the team’s bowl game and part of the scouting circuit. He did show his toughness by playing the second half of his senior season with the torn muscle. During his junior season the Ontatrio native made 14 TFL and eight sacks. He has recovered well from the surgery and his bench press is up to 25 reps.
Westerman has been working out as a standup linebacker in the 3-4 scheme. Not only can he get after the quartback but he can drop back in pass coverage. Westerman, was recruited out of high school as a linebacker. He has impressed coaches with his passion and sharpness. …
New York Jets owner Woody Johnson is on record saying he would support the franchise if they signed former Giants WR Plaxico Burress. Jets GM Mike Tannenbaum contacted his agent Drew Rosenhaus before the NFL draft to inquire about Plax’s legal situation. The GM was performing a tactic called “due diligence”. Head Coach Rex Ryan also said he is waiting to see what happens with the legal matter regarding the receivers availability. No other NFL team has come out with public interest about Burress.
Burress is a controversial figure with character concerns but is a very talented. The Jets tried to trade up for Florida WR Percy Harvin during the NFL Draft but were unsuccessful. Harvin, is another player with character issues who failed a drug test at the NFL Combine in February. The team is relying on their current receivers on the roster after never finding a replacement for WR Lavaranues Coles. The top of the Jets WR depth chart is David Clowney and Brad Smith,they caught a combined 13 passes …
Two game sevens were played this week, with two game-seven losers being the result, Brandon Dubinsky was bitten (who knew Mike Tyson played for the Washington Capitals?), Blair Betts had his face broken (who knew Mike Tyson played for the Washington Capitals?), Sean Avery was scratched, John Tortorella was suspended, Martin Brodeur got burned (twice), Daniel Murphy kept falling down, Mariano Rivera shockingly gave up two home runs in one week, the Mets got an early start on their next collpase and the Yanks recovered with three straight wins after starting the week by getting swept by the Red Sox. The opening salvo of the series was a warning by David Ortiz directed at Joba Chamberlain for his “dislike” of Kevin Youkilis: “Just play the game the way it’s supposed to be played.” Pitchers throwing at and intimidating batters is the way the game is supposed to be played (just ask your old teammate, Pedro Martinez). Wearing enough body armour to the plate to qualify as a football player while designated hitting is not the …
The Jets signed former Cleveland State basketball player F J’Nathan Bullock. Bullock was one of the best overall players in the Horizon League averaging 15.2 points and 7.1 rebounds in his senior season. He hepled lead the Vikings to the second round of the NCAA tourney upsetting Wake Forrest in the process. The 6′5″ 240 pounder was an honorable-mention football player at Flint High School. He played WR, TE, OLB, and DE before he played basketball at the collegiate level. Scouts from 12 NFL teams attended his pro day at Cleveland State as teams want to find the next Antionio Gates.
The Jets also signed Andrew Davie a TE from Arkansas. The former Razorback caught only eight passes last season but the 6′5″ 266 pounder is a good blocker which the team needs. With the Jets releasing P Reggie Hodges, the franchise signed P TJ Conley. Conley led the nation in punting with a 47.4-yard average last season at Idaho. DE Zach Potter was signed to add more depth to the defensive line. The 6′7″ …
I’ve gone from being dumbfounded to angry to depressed to optimistic to hopeful to “holy crap, we didn’t really give up that much.” I do not, or I guess I should say, did not like the personality I saw Mark Sanchez put on display the weeks leading up until draft day. He struck me as an egotistical jock who’s spent the past few years playing sports in Southern California. When asked about workouts he did for teams he pretty much said “I wowed them with my arm, with my football brain, and with my stunning smile.”
“I threw it really well. I was spinning it all day. I knocked down all the throws. It was great… As soon as I sat down with their team and their playbook, they were like, ‘Wow, this kid has a natural feel for the game. He understands our offense very well.”
That was right after his workout with the Jets a few weeks ago. Ryan Leaf had more modesty. I don’t know why …
QB
Mark Sanchez
The New York Jets moved up 12 spots to select USC QB Mark Sanchez with the Browns fifth pick. Sanchez threw for 3,204 yards and 34 TDS for the Trojans last season. The 6′3″ 225-pound QB was also was named the MVP of the Rose Bowl throwing for 413 yards and four TDs against Penn State. Even though he started one year in college, Sanchez will be given the opportunity to win the Jets starting QB gig for Week 1. He just has to beat out QB Kellen Clemens to win the job since QB Brett Ratliff was traded to the Browns in the draft day deal. The Jets will be paying Sanchez like a starter and team brass hopes he turns out to be their franchise QB. Jets Head Coach Rex Ryan said he has no problem starting a rookie considering his former team , the Ravens did it with Joe Flacco last season.
Sanchez has the tools around him to succeed with WR Jerricho Cotchery who has …
