Happy Happy Joy Joy

Note to the experts (I'm talking to you Steve Phillips and Mike Golic): The Mets ain't no third place team.

Last night, after sitting through the Cardinals raising of the World Series Champions Banner, and having to watch Keith Hernandez trot onto the field as part of the 1982 Cardinals team (though Keith did wear some conspicuous Blue and Orange at least), the Mets took care of business, smacking around Chris Carpenter and the Cardinals on their way to a 6-1 victory in the opener.

There were many positives to take away. First, Glavine, who looked like he had taken no time off this winter. The first five innings were quite nice thank you, and the 6th wasn't all that bad, being able to get Molina to pop up to end a bases loaded threat. Should Tommy keep this up, he should have win #300 by the end of May.

The defense was fantastic for the most part as well. Moises Alou made a sparkling catch. Beltran made a perfect throw home in the sixth that Lo Duca (not one who excels with throws to the plate) held on to tag that little shit Eckstein, saving a run. Valentin made a fantastic grab in the 8th inning to close the inning and end a bases loaded threat. He also had a part in a couple of other double plays. Wright made a nice play on an in-between hop to start an earlier double play. Defense not only wins championships in football, it helps in baseball as well, right Sparky?

But the best sight was the lineup. The much maligned trio of Lo Duca, Green and Alou came through. Green had hits his first couple of times up. Alou hit the ball well. Lo Duca had 3 RBI's. Delgado took the ball the other way for a run scoring double. Wright had a hit. Reyes got a walk in the first game (though Jose needs to lay off the high heat still). The lineup is going to be the difference maker this year, and there are few, if any other teams in the NL who can match them 1-8. Yes, Philly has Howard, Rollins and Utley. Yes, Atlanta has Larry and Andruw. But few teams can match the Mets up and down the list. That is what helps to separate them from the others. Now, if only Phillips would realize this, he would stop making a fool out of himself on national TV and Radio.

Yes, the pitching staff has some concerns. El Duque's health. Perez' ability to recapture the magic of 2004. Pelfrey is young, and Maine is untested. We've heard it all. The pen has some questions, as there are some untested guys there in Joe Smith (who had a case of the nerves last night, at least, that's what I'm telling myself this morning). But there is enough there in the staff to keep the Mets in good position to allow the bats to make some noise.

A good start to a season that seems to be filled with promise. It is hard to not get too high after seeing them dismantle a top starter last night, and to see the pen bail itself out of trouble. It is only the first game, but it was a complete win. The first of many.

*****
Programming note.
You will notice that there are a couple of new links to the right. First, "Coop's My Summer Family" Coop is a commenter on other Mets site (including here), and has joined us to talk about her beloved Mets. Welcome aboard Coop.

Also notice "Flushing University", a new site that features links to other bloggers, as well as original content from a host of bloggers, some specific to the site, others from other sites. Stop by to read original works by "Metstradamus" and Shari Frost from "Take the 7 Train", as well as other writers.

And starting Wednesday, your very own Ed in Westchester. The people at Flushing University asked me to write for them as well, and I accepted, so, once a week (on Wednesday's) I will provide original content to them. This will have no impact on The BOG. It is just another outlet for me. So, stop by and have a read.

Sunday, it Begins...

We are two days away now. The long, cold winter is nearly complete. We can start to put away the bad memories of last season, and the crushing loss in Game 7. All numbers go back to zero, in the standings, and in the stats. For the first time in 19 years, the Mets are defending NL East Champions, and there is a good possibility that they can repeat, for the first time in their short history.

We can move past last season, the likes of Lima Time! will not appear. Nor Jeremi Gonzalez. Nor Victor Zambrano. Of course, we will also be without Uncle Cliffy (a cub), and Dirty Sanchez (injured) and Pedro (injured as well, but hopefully back for the stretch run).

We have much to look forward too. Can Beltran build on his awesome MVP type season from last year? Will Delgado give his newborn daughter SON (thanks Shea) a present in the form of a top flight season? Can David Wright continue to build his career and exceed even the loftiest expectations? And we have Jose! Jose! Jose!, for whom the sky appears to be the limit. We may also see a lot of Lastings Milledge, a possible key cog for the future.

From the mound we have Glavine looking for #300 and another ring. We have El Duque, continuing to defy Father Time. We have the hope of John Maine and Oliver Perez building on their excellence in Games 6 and 7, when no one thought they could step up. And the new hope of Mike Pelfrey. It has been over 20 years it seems since the Mets last had a high potential starting pitcher reach that potential. It is time for the baseball gods to let it happen again.

Oh, their are those who do not share the optimism. The "experts" at the World Wide Leader in many cases do not see out Mets making the playoffs at all (I'm talking to you Steve "Skill Sets" Phillips.) They worry about the pitching being old or unproven, while at the same time ignoring the same about other teams. Players on other teams declare their second place 12 game back teams to be the "team to beat", while others who should know their place agree (paging Mr. Jacobs).

The Mets fan is used to all of that. We suffer the slings and arrows time and again. We are immune to the catcalls. This is no longer Art Howe and Jim Duquette. We have Willie and Omar. This is not Mo Vaughn or Robbie Alomar. This is Wright and Reyes. And Beltran. And Delgado. There are no Benny Agbayani's here, we have Endy Chavez.

We have faith, because that is what is best about sports. Having a favorite team means sticking with it through thick and thin, not jumping off at the first time of trouble. Or jumping on because a team is winning. We have been there in the dark days of the late 1970's, seen the hope of the mid 1980's, the pain of the 1990's, and the joy of 2000, and of last year.

We hear the experts and scoff, because when they doubt our boys despite the evidence, they have been proven wrong. Last year few expected the Mets to own the NL East. The Braves were still the team to beat, despite signs of a collapse. They derided the pen and rotation, yet the pen was solid, among the best in the game. The rotation persevered. The lineup ran roughshod over all comers, till the NLCS.

Hope returns on Sunday. Yes, we worry over Spring Training, and wish things had gone smoother, but realize that a lot of guys who were young, or perhaps will not make the team this year, were there playing for much of the pre-season. Championships are not won in March, they are won in October.

We have some worries of course. The loss of Dirty. The aching elbow of Heilman. Wright's missing power stroke. Shawn Green. But we have faith in them all, that they will do their best, and that in the end they will succeed. We have faith that Willie will make all the moves he needs to make to ensure the best players are on the field. We have faith that Omar will find another hidden gem for us if needed.

Sunday, it all starts again. We can sit back and watch another season unfold. And hope that it will be as good, if not better than last.

Ed Has Seen the Future!

Last night, I was finally able to complete work on my time machine. Alas, I can only jump 1 month into the future at a time. Here is what I saw

The Mets open the season with a nail-biting 5-1 victory over the Cardinals. Tom Glavine picks up win # 291. Jose Reyes leads off the game with a single, then steals second and third. David Wright, in his new #2 spot in the lineup drives him in with a home run. All of NY says Wright has found his power stroke again.

In game 2, despite 7 innings of good El Duque pitching (giving up 3 runs), the Mets lose 3-1. After David Wright gets only 3 singles, NY wonders if he lost his power stroke again.

Game 3 sees the first surrender by an opposing manager, as the Mets destroy Braden Looper, scoring 10 first inning runs, prompting Tony LaRussa to drink a fifth of vodka on the bench, and wave a white flag. Jose Reyes leads off with a home run, and goes 2-2 in the first inning. David Wright hits 2 double in the inning, as fans are relieved he found his power stroke again.

The Mets go to Atlanta, and win two of three. Despite Joe Smith having pitched 5 innings of no hit ball, Mike and the Mad Dog still say he is not a good fit, since no one mentioned him to them back in early February.

The Mets return to Shea, to face the Phillies. Despite Jimmy Rollins’ Spring Training proclamation that the Phillies were the team to beat in the East, the Phillies enter the series 0-6. The Mets sweep the series, as John Maine, Tom Glavine and El Duque each go 7 innings. Billy Wagner picks up his 4th and 5th saves of the season, having not allowed a runner to reach base.

The Mets lose 2 of 3 to the Nationals, as David Wright, who is hitting .389 with 5 HR’s and 6 doubles, fails to record an extra base hit, leading fans to worry his power stroke is gone again.

The Mets then travel to Philly, where Mets fans outnumber Philly fans 2-1 (as there are 12,000 Mets fans and only 6,000 Philly fans in attendance. “Lets go Phantoms” chants are heard, as the fans realize that the AHL Hockey team is the only decent team in the city. The Mets sweep the series, by a combined score of 25-3. In two games.

Next up are the Marlins. Mike Jacobs goes 0-8 in the two game set, and states “I’m sorry I picked the Phillies over the Mets, what the hell do I know, I’m just a guy who can’t hit lefties”. The Mets win the two games.

The Mets return home to face the Braves, and lose 2 of 3, leading the NY Media to proclaim the Braves are in the Mets heads. Mike and the Mad Dog still refuse to acknowledge Joe Smith, stating that simple name cannot belong to a pro athlete. “It sounds like some guy on the street” says Mad Dog.

The Mets finish up the month taking 2 of 3 from the Rockies (despite Kaz Matsui going 9-15 during the series), losing 2 of 3 to the Nationals (Manny Acta has the Nationals in second place) and taking the first game of the three game set from the Phillies.

As the month ends, despite Glavine and El Duque pitching into the 7th inning in each of their starts, Oliver Perez looking good despite taking a couple of hard luck losses, and John Maine and Mike Pelfrey pitching very well, Steve Phillips still thinks the Mets will finish in third place, despite already having an 8 game lead in the East.

The Mets are 17-9. David Wright is hitting .379 with 7 Hr’s and 10 doubles. Jose Reyes already has 13 walks. Carlos Beltran and Delgado have 4 HR’s each. Moises Alou has started 20 of 25 games and is hitting .295. Shawn Green is hitting .280 with 6 doubles and 3 HR’s.

Weekly Observations 3/28/07

1. Billy Wagner has had quite a spring full of quotes. First, he said the Phillies are the best team in the East, but that the Philly fans will hold them back. Then, opining on the return of Mota from a steroid suspension he said that everyone cheats. I'm guessing Billy doesn't cheat, since if he did, he might not have blown all those games last year.

2. Oh, and Billy, little less talking, little more consistent pitching, OK?

3. Let's see, all the experts were worried about the Mets rotation, given the old age of some, and the youth of others. In the Bronx, the experts were giddy about Pettite being back (though he didn't exactly dominate the "weaker" NL), Wang rounding into form, the arrival of Kei Igawa. So far, The Mets have had El Duque miss a couple of days. The Yanks have had Pettite out for a week, and have now lost Wang for a month. Yet, the "experts" think the Mets win 84 games, while the Yanks will win 100. How's that work?

4. Katie Couric took a lot of heat for her questioning of the Edwards' on 60 Minutes over the decision by John to continue running for the White House despite the illness. Many have said Katie was too hard on them. I wonder if a man had asked the same questions if the same points would have been made?

5. Oh, in case you were wondering, yes, the Mets did age another week since last week. Experts now predict that they will finish last in the NL East as a result.

6. The Jets signed Andre Wadsworth, who last played in the NFL in 2001. I saw Uneccesary Roughness, bringing an old guy back only works in the movies.

7. Peyton Manning apparently acquitted himself quite well on SNL the other night, some saying he did better than any other sports star before him. I'm sorry, but nothing tops Joe Montana's "I'm going upstairs to masturbate" skit.

8. Peyton's only problem was he kept trying to change the skits with audibles during rehearsals, but SNL brought in Bill Belichick to confuse him.

9. PacMan Jones will be coming to NY to meet with NFL Commissioner Goodell. As a result, all strip clubs in NY will be closed for 3 days.

10. Martha Stewart is trying to trademark the name "Katonah" which is the name of a rich town in Westchester, for a line of furniture. Katonah inhabitants are against this, since they do not want to be linked to K-Mart.

11. Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen are planning to get matching nose jobs. Tell me why I should care about this.

12. Britney is apparently done with rehab. I'm trying to figure out, have more guys been in and out of her than she has been in and out of rehab?

13. Snoop Dogg has been banned from Britain, causing the cancellation of a tour featuring him and Diddy. I'm just trying to figure out, why the hell is SNoop touring with Diddy?

14. A report out this week states that pregnant women who eat a lot of beef may cause their sons to have lower sperm counts later in life. I'm left thinking, who signs up for this study?

15. A zoo in Thailand is trying to get a panda that won't mate interested in the act by showing it porn. The panda is said to have taken one look at "Deep Throat" and said "how the hell is that going to get her pregnant"?

16. The Soprano's wanted to film in NJ, but a local town was against it, since they felt the show put Italians in a bad light. Yeah, a TV show makes people think italians are mobsters. I can think of another series of shows that does the same thing. The News.

17. This just in, in an attempt to upstage the Jets signing of Wadsworth, the Patriots have signed Blair Thomas.

18. The NHL and NBC have extended their contract to air weekly games for a month and games 3-7 of the Stanley Cup Finals. All 3 fans who actually watch the NHL on NBC are thrilled.

19. A 7 ft 9" man in China has married a 5 Foot 6" woman. Too many jokes to list here.

20. The mother of a missing Wycoff NJ (a rich area) teenager thinks the boyfriend, from Patterson (a not so nice area) is involved in her running away from home. She opined "He does not belong in Wycoff". Strangely, she was not wearing a sheet over her head at the time.

21. The U.N. is urging adult men be circumsised as a way to combat HIV. Yeah, that'll work. You can't get guys to wear a condom, you really think they are going to let a doctor use a knife on their penis?

Housekeeping

looks like sanchez is going to be late again...a few months

"The Boy", comment posted 3/26/07

Yep, that seems to be the case. Dirty has a hairline fracture in his shoulder, a possible after-effect of the original injury. Assuming the surgery and rehab goes well, and that Dirty is on time for all of it, he could be back in AUgust, around the same time as Pedro. I'm not gonna hold my breath. Not that I don't have faith in Dirty, it's just you don't know what is going to happen.

So, our pen wil now rely more heavily on Heilman (he of the balky elbow), Joe Smith, The Show, Park (who better get out of the habit of hanging breaking balls, or the fans are going to break his), PedroDos and whoever else Omar is able to pull off the scrap heap. Is it time to panic, no. Is it time to be a little concerned, yes, since the hope was that Dirty would be back in April or May. Losing him will hurt. Let's hope Mota can come back and be effective without the benefit of needles.

In other news, the Islanders are still struggling to make the playoffs. Seven games left, and it is a tough road, playing mostly other playoff teams the rest of the way. This will be the time for them to show what they are made of. Ricky has been great since his return. Now, the offense needs to start scoring some damn goals.

Finally, this past weekend saw the second Fantasy Baseball draft of my life. Last year was year one, and I did not do too well. I did have Reyes and Wright, but too many other guys who were streaky. Plus, my pitching sucked, escpecially once Glavine and Duque went down in August, as I lost a couple of weeks for not meeting the minimum innings. So what did I do differently this year? Not much. Here is the roster for "Looper is a Douche", which I will probably change to "In Omar I Trust".
Note this is a head to head non-keeper league with 21 rounds of drafting. Not an auction. I picked 6th out of 12.

Hitters - Runs, HR's, RBI, Steals, K's, BB, AVG, SLG

C - Mike Piazza (a late round pick)
1B - Delgado
2B - Dan Uggla
3B - Joe Crede
SS - Miguel Tejada
OF - Carlos Beltran (my First round pick)
OF - Rocco Baldelli
OF - Pat Burrell
Util - Prince Fielder
Bench - Bengie Molina
Bench - Aubrey Huff

Pitchers - Wins, Saves, Holds, K's, ERA, WHIP

SP - Roy Halladay
SP - Jeremy Bonderman
RP - Brad Lidge
RP - Jason Isringhausen
P - Dontrelle Willis
P - Scott Linebrink
P - Oliver "Coop's Fav" Perez
BN - Brad Penny (only for games not at Shea)
BN - Pedro Feliciano
BN - Mike Pelfrey (Last pick for me)

These are my guys. I'm not too happy with my closers, but the pickings were slim. I don't have a lot of speed, so steals will be a category I won't win.

That's all for today. Be back tomorrow with the Weekly Observations.

Mets Preview Part 2 - Here Comes the Questions!

Well, I was prepared to write a blog of support for Mike Pelfrey to make the rotation, but apparently Mike gave Willie all he needed to see, so I can settle down to my Pitching Preview.

Since last season ended, we have seen some changes in the make-up of the pitching staff, particularly the bullpen that helped the Mets make the NLCS. Gone are Darren Oliver, Steve Trachsel, Chad Bradford, Guillermo Mota (for a little while at least). Pedro Martinez will be MIA until July or August. Omar did what he could to fill in the bullpen, adding Scott Schoenweiss (aka The Show, which is a hell of a lot easier to type). From a rotation standpoint, Pedro is not available until July or August. Barry Zito is not walking through the door, deciding to go with the less egocentric San Francisco Giants (note to Barry, hope you like the losing).

The rotation as of now looks like this:
Glavine
El Duque
Maine
Perez
Pelfrey

Of course, the "experts" are making a lot of noise about the age of Tom and El Duque, as well as about the recent past of Perez in Pittsburgh. All they have done this spring is basically look good. Glavine is on target to be the Game 1 starter. Duque, despite arthritis, has looked good, going 6 his last time out. Perez has done very well, as had Maine until Saturday. Better to get the clunker out of the way now. Pelfrey is night and day compared to last spring, as his slider and change have looked a lot better, even if he did leave a change up high yesterday.

The thing that annoys me is that yes, Glavine and Duque are old, but they have pitched well. Glavine had a very good playoff, and El Duque did well for the Mets. Perez and Maine, well, we all know what they did in the playoffs. So yes, there are a couple of older guys at the front end, but there is youth in spots 3-5, and we have Rick Petersen to show them the way. I think Maine and Perez could win 15 games each. Glavine will win around the same, possibly 18. El Duque is an enigma, but he could win 12-15. Pelfrey I'm thinking will win around 10. Not too shabby.

The bullpen on the other hand is a question in my mind. Wagner is still working on another pitch. I still like the signing, and think he is among the top closers in the game. He just needs to focus a bit more, and stop worrying about how big the lead is when he comes in. Billy, always think it is a 1 run game.

In front of Wags, we have Heilman, who turned it on once Dirty went down. Yes, he gave up the homer in Game 7, but he is still among the top set up men in the game. If The Show can do his job against lefties, we can deal with the missing Dirty for a while. Mota coming back May 27 (game 51) will leave him fresh for the second half, assuming his performance here was all Him, and not all whatever he shot into his ass. Pedro2 is back, and has had a great spring. I'm not worried about him. Replacing Bradford is rookie Joe Smith, who's non-descript name belies a nice mix of pitches and strong character. He will slot in nicely. Jon Adkins will have a role, somewhat surprisingly, as he struggled early in camp, but has done well as of late. The question is, who replaces Oliver, who filled the role of long man, short man and seemingly every role except emergency starter? For now, it appears Chan Ho Park has the role. So our pen looks like this:

Wagner
Heilman
The Show
Feliciano
Smith
Adkins
Park

With Mota on deck, and maybe Dirty Sanchez, depending on his rehab. We are still waiting to hear the results of his MRI fromover the weekend.

Omar made a couple of other additions, adding Ambiorix Burgos for Brian Bannister, Jorge Sosa (who is probably a goner). Jason Vargas came abourd, but was sent to the minors to work as a starter. Aaron Sele was brought in, but odds are he will be released, since he thinks he is too good for the minors (note to Sele, um, not really there champ, take a look at the numbers will ya?)

The key to this team last year was the bullpen. The same holds true for this season as well. At first look, it seems a little shakier, since Dirty is not there at the start, Heilman's elbow was barking, and the loss of Oliver and loss of Bradford leave some reason for concern. That being said, Park can take over for Oliver, and Smith seems to fit in for ChadBrad. Willie must use the pen wisely, taking care to not overuse people if possible. The return of Mota should help, as will Dirty. The bullpen is the question in my mind, moreso than the rotation.

This year we will not have to suffer through Lima Time!, or the other misfits. The depth this year is a little better, with Vargas and Park probably ready to step in if another starter is needed.

So, experts be warned, any staff can have issues (take a look at the Bronx, who have had a couple of injuries, and will have Carl Pavano as opening day starter). There is something to be said about a 41 year old with 290 wins as your rotation anchor, along with a winner like El Duque. The wild card is Perez. If he can recapture his form of 2004, the Mets will have stolen him from the Pirates, and will have a 3-5 of youth and talent.

Last year, I stated on Metsgeek that the Mets needed to win 6 of 10 in order to win the division. They nearly did so, going 97-65 for a 599 %. I think that between the bats and the arms, they can do the same. Remember, they did not have Pedro for a while last year, and did not have a talent like Pelfrey at the back end of the rotation.

That's my prediction, and I'm sticking to it. Feel free to add yours in the comments.

Weekly Observations 3/21/07

1. Former MLB Commissioner Bowie Kuhn died last week. I tend to think fondly of Kuhn, since he was the only Commissioner with the testicular fortitude to reject a trade the Yankees made for being too lopsided.

2. Dick Cheney's leg was bothering him the other day, the same one he had a blood clot in a couple of weeks back. There were worries about the clot travelling to his heart, but instead it travelled to an undisclosed location.

3. Pete Rose was upset to hear the Kuhn died last week, he had May 23 in his dead pool.

4. I stopped caring about the NCAA BB Tournament the moment Albany lost, which was at noon last Friday as soon as they stepped onto the floor against Virginia.

5. Never have so many been so elated over a loss in the NCAA as when Duke lost. Perhaps the only other loss enjoyed more was the Yankees in 2004 to the Red Sox. BIGGEST.CHOKE.EVER!

6. I have to ask, a lot was made of Phil Mickelson's choke jobs last year, yet when Tiger lost on Sunday, shooting a final round 76, not a peep about his choking. I smell bias against men with man-boobs.

7. Sorry, I have just been informed that Tiger does not "choke", he simply decides he does not care to win.

8. Dancing With the Stars had its highest ratings ever Monday, as 21 million tuned in to see Joey Fatone and Ian Zering. Wait, you mean people wanted to see Heather Mills? Why, its not like she only has one leg or something.

9. So let me get this straight. Investigating the firing of 8 US Attorneys is not important. But investigating the firing of the White House Travel staff is?

10. So the Maple Leafs got revenge against Cam Jannsenn last night for his dirty hit on Tomas Kaberle. Hey Magoo, isn't that premeditated goonery? Shouldn't Wade Belak be suspended? Or was Jannsenn ask for it by daring to step on the ice?

11. Nassau County DA Karen Rice has decided to not press charges against Chris Simon for his hit on Ryan Hollweg. Hollweg decided he did not want to persue the matter, and Rice decided that she has other crimes more important to look into, like rape and murder.

12. Britney has left rehab. Bar Owners in California are rejoicing!

13. At the Mets game last night in Port St. Lucie, a fan decided to yell "A-Rod is better" as David Wright came to bat in the third inning. At what, choking with RISP?

14. During a broadcast of a Tom Brokaw special about Health on NBC last week, an affiliate in Arizona showed some hard core porn. The worker was fired, since he did not leave it on long enough to generate any ratings.

15. A woman on a flight from Delhi to London died in coach and was upgraded to first class. Wow, and you thought the $500 fee at the gate was tough.

16. Lastings Milledge cut his hair recently, in another step towards creating a better image. He then announced he was donating the hair to Britney Spears.

17. Note to El Duque, lets not run full out for a while, OK?

18. Andy Pettite could miss a start due to back spasms. Tell me again why the age of the Yankee staff is not a concern amongst the experts? Mussina is 38, Pettite 35, and Pavano, well, he just sucks. But the Met staff is old.

19. Doug Mientkiewicz is hitting a robust .077 this spring. Oh Dougie, you still suck. Tell me again why you hated the Mets?

20. Anna Benson has put her fat mouth in the spotlight again. She once again rails against the Mets for trading her husband Kris Benson for "a fucking bag of balls". Well Anna, they needed them, since you had Kris'.

21. Anna also said Kris is a 30 year old stud pitcher. What Anna fails to realize is that the bedroom does not tranfer to the field. She also said if she was a Mets fan, she would be beside herself. Well, this Mets fan is beside himself with giddiness that the Mets actually made it to the NLCS last year. Meanwhile Kris did what exactly?

22. It's OK Anna, you can crawl back into your hole now. I'm sure you can fit.

23. Isiah Thomas said that the Knicks were no match for the Dallas Mavericks. Wow, talk about a coach who knows how to motivate a team.

24. Zeke was right of course, as the Knicks lost 92-77. Then again, the Knicks aren't really a match for most NBA teams.

25. Several Pro Wrestlers have been named as having purchased HGH and Steroids in the ongoing on-line Roid case. Pro-wrestlers do steroids? Next you are going to tell me that the matches are fixed.

Mets Preview Part 1 - Here Comes the Pain!

No, I'm not talking about the state of the Mets pitching staff. I'm talking about the lineup, which can beat opponents in a variety of ways, so long as guys are producing (wow, there's a shock eh?) The last part is why they lost the series to the Cardinals in the NLCS. It wasn't the pitching (for the most part), it was the fact that guys who for most of the year had produced, simply did not get the job done against the Cards (I'm talking to YOU David Wright and Jose Valentin.)

Here are the numbers the projected starters put up last year. I threw in super-sub Endy Chavez, since he will see significant time again, due to the age of Green and Alou.

Player AVG SB HR RBI OBP
Reyes .300 64 19 81 .354
Lo Duca .318 3 5 49 .355
Beltran .275 18 41 116 .388
Delgado .265 0 38 114 .361
Wright .311 20 26 116 .381
Alou .301 2 22 74 .352
Green .277 4 15 66 .344
Valentin.271 6 18 62 .330

Chavez .306 12 4 42 .348


The big difference for this year should be the addition of Alou in place of Cliff Floyd. Alou typically destroys left handed pitching, something the Mets did well early last year, but succumbed to in the latter half of the season. A chief culprit in that was David Wright, who in the second half seemed to lose his power stroke. I'm not talking about Home Runs, I'm talking doubles. Was he tired? Did the HR Derby hurt him? Was it the Vitamin Water? Was it the Evangelist? Who knows, but whatever the cause, he needs to be more consistent this season. I'm not down on young David, he's quite possibly my favorite Met along with Jose Reyes, I'm just keeping it real.

As for the rest of the lineup, two players had huge years, both after seasons where some fans questioned their abilities. First, Jose Reyes, who had many fans questioning if he was the right fit for the leadoff spot. He responded in a big way, boosting his OBP and walks, and hitting 300. Oh, and he had 19 HR's, 64 steals, 30 doubles and 17 triples. Where the year before the "experts" at ESPN were saying he was not all that special, last season he showed he was the most exciting player to watch, and someone that could make a run for the MVP. He is a catalyst, and Omar was wise to lock him up towards the end of last season, removing the specter of arbitration hearings in the future.

The other bounce back guy was Carlos Beltran. After an first season in Orange & Blue beset with injuries, a mostly healthy Beltran showed why he was given the $120 m contract. Tying the Met record for HR's with 41. Hitting 275, driving in 116 runs, and playing very good defense. He missed some time early with a quad injury, and some late with a knee injury thanks to the stupidest damn fence in baseball in Houston. He is a quiet player, who last year showed all the tools. I think we can see further improvement from him. Already he is talking about running more, something he does quite well. Add that the lineup, and it becomes even more dangerous. Julio Franco deserves some credit for his acceptance by the fans, urging Carlos to acknowledge an early season curtain call. But the addition of friend Carlos Delgado had to help as well.

Delgado brought with him a fearsome reputation as a hitter. Some fans tried to make an issue of his stance regarding the singing of "God Bless America", but nothing came of that potential issue (of course, the trading of the Mouth that Sored Anna Benson probably helped here). He became the main bat, allowing Beltran to relax and settle in. It was an up and down season for Delgado, but when he was down, others stepped up, and he was there when others slumped. After some off season surgery on his elbow and wrist, he feels ready to improve on his numbers. That is not something the opposition wants to hear.

The addition of Moises Alou is good news. Yes, he has been injured the past couple of years, but even the, he still rakes. He will offer protection to Wright (though some studies show protection in a lineup is not real, only imagined), and also avoids the LOOGY's of the opposition being able to stymie the bats. Let's hope he can play 120 - 135 games this year.

Shawn Green is a player who many think is done. I'm not quite sure. A look at the numbers above shows his bat is still OK. He may not hit 30 HR's anymore, but he can still be an effective hitter, as he was in the NLCS. The problem with Green is that his fielding is not exactly Bronze Glove, much less Gold. Odds are, he will be lifted late in close games for Endy, who is an above average fielder.

If Green struggles in April and May, we could see the arrival on a full time basis of Lastings Milledge. Lastings rubbed opponents and teammates the wrong way last year. He seems to have learned, as he has shown more maturity this spring, from his dealings with teammates and the media. He has stated that it is time for him to step up and no longer be a prospect. He knows he has to show he can get the job done. He's had a good spring, though K's are somewhat of a worry (then again, he is still young). Let's hope this growth, as a player and a person, continues.

Jose Valentin was a revelation last year. Many (including myself) were booing him early on. Once Kaz Matsui was hurt, Jose played 2nd every day, something he had never done before, and played very well, while sporting the best Porn Stache this side of Keith Hernandez. He also began to hit, removing a gaping hole at the bottom of the lineup. Alas, he slumped at the end of the season, and Chris Woodward was not a suitable replacement. The hope this year is that Damion Easley can spell 'Stache every once in a while, keeping him fresh.

Finally, we have PLD. Acquired in a trade from the Marlins, PLD came with the rep of slumping in the second half of the season. Many were worried that Omar had given away too much in the trade by moving Gaby Hernandez, while he could have signed Bengie Molina or Ramon Hernandez. By the end of the season, most were eating crow. PLD set the tone for this team, adding a bit of swagger. He was not afraid to call for an inside pitch. He was not afraid to call out an umpire (though he needs to dial this down a tad). He was a very good #2 hitter behind Reyes, taking enough pitches to allow Jose Jose Jose to run, and still hitting .318. All this while battling tabloid reports about his gambling and love life (Paulie likes the fillies and the young 'uns), as well as a bad ligament in his thumb. He had surgery to fix the thumb, and I'm hoping someone is going to validate the ages of his friends this year. Oh, and Joey Bagadonuts, Paulie asks that you stop calling him, he ain't betting anymore.

There are a few areas of concern in regards to the lineup as we get ready to invade St. Louis April 1st. PLD has had a poor spring, though he has battled the flu and other ailments. Willie has had Wright batting 2nd a few times this spring, as a possible PLD replacement if he struggles.

Green and Alou have also struggled, though this is the norm for them in regards to poor ST stats. That being said, the Mets need at least one of them to produce up to past high standards. Replacing both would be tough.

Is Delgado totally healthy after the surgery? He says he is, and if so, and he can improve on last year, this lineup is going to be dangerous.

As for the bench, we have Endy of course. Ramon Castro will be the #2 catcher. Ageless Julio (DP) Franco will be there. That leaves room for Easley and David Newhan. Easley is the backup infielder, and Newhan gives us scrappiness, which we have to hope is not crappiness. If Newhan struggles, we would see Ben Johnson, though that limits Willie's infield options if there is an injury to Valentin and Easley has to start a lot.

All in all, the lineup looks to be one of the top in the game, much less the NL. There are 3 - 4 MVP candidates (Reyes, Beltran, Delgado, possibly Wright).

Part II, where I look at the pitchers, will come within the week.

Blast away if you feel the need. Or, you can show a little love.

Weekly Observations 3/14/07

1. So Greg Maddux is ailing due to a mild lower abdominal strain. Seems Greg, who likes to give rookies a "golden shower" while in the showers, hurt himself sidling up to his next victim.

2. The new Nationals stadium will have Cherry Trees behind the left field bleachers. I'd love to hear Ralph Kiner say "He popped that one into the cherry" just once.

3. The Reds are unveiling a Pete Rose exhibit in their Hall of Fame. Among the items will be old uniforms, hats, bats and balls, along with his betting notebook and a copy of his book.

4. Rose still thinks his fans would love to see him reinstated. Of course, his fans are all bookies, but that's beside the point.

5. Attorney General Alberto Gonzalez admitted that mistakes were made in the firing of 8 US Attorneys. He followed that quote with "what, you expect anything to actually go right in this administration."

6. Dick Cheney is healing well after being treated for deep vein thrombosis (a blood clot) which occurred after a recent long trip in Asia. Of course, he did not go to Walter Reed, since only veterans can go there.

7. Has the Anna Nicole Smith judge stopped crying yet?

8. I have a question for Paula Abdul, are any of the women on American Idol not pretty?

9. A-Rod said yesterday that NY fans will either ask him back or force him out. Now, we are talking about Yankee fans here A-Rod, so get those bags packed, and be ready to exercise that opt out option.

10. Carl Pavano made it through another start without an injury. More at 11.

11. So ESPN finally remembered that the NHL is around. Of course, only due to Chris Simon's dirty hit. Otherwise, ESPN could give a rats ass about hockey, concentrating instead on such things as poker, and the Arena Football League.

12. Glad to see Steve Phillips in is mid season form already. In other words, he is still an idiot.

13. Barry Zito stated in a forthcoming issue of Esquire magazine that he enjoyed the meeting with the Giants because there were no ego's involved. I guess that means Scott Boras was not in attendance.

14. Some are taking Zito's comments as a swipe at the Mets. Barry my boy, a little news flash for you, it's not nice to piss off Met fans.

15. Of course the Giants had no ego's when compared to the Mets, they SUCK!

16. The smart folks over at Deadspin (which I enjoy by the way), used the fact that Tina Fey went to Virginia as the rationale for their picking Virginia to beat SUNY Albany (alma mater of Ed in Westchester.) They overlooked the fact that Albany is the alma mater of Steve Guttenberg, star of the Police Academy films. OK, so maybe that is not such a good thing. Moving on...

17. Former NJ Gov Jim McGreevey is suing his ex-wife for custody of their young daughter, as well as for alimony. So, not only is he a "Gay American" he is an idiot. What judge is going to give a man who has admitted to cruising rest stops custody of his daughter?

18. Britney has apparently fallen for a guy she met in rehab. They had a lot in common, drugs, booze, lack of panties.

19. Iran is pissed about the hit movie "300". Then again, they're pretty much pissed about anything the US does.

20. In Iraq, the sons of Saddam have been re-buried near dear old dad. Ah, family, together in life and hell.

21. The Packers are looking into dealing for Randy Moss. Ah, that will go well, given the past mooning and all.

22. In case you are wondering, yes, the Mets pitchers did age another week.

23. Seattle Tight End Jerramy Stevens was arrested for DUI and pot possession. He immediately received a contract offer from the Bengals.

24. Lastings Milledge cut his hair last week, in an effort to further ingratiate himself to fans and media. If it works, A-Rod will shave his head bald.

25. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Peter Pace came out this week against openly gay men serving in the military saying it is morally wrong. As for openly gay women, he said "no problem there, so long as I can watch."

26. Has anyone seen Aaron Heilman? This is turning into the newest game of Where's Waldo.

27. Ah, the Post. After Chan Ho Park's recent not so great outing, the headline read "No Day in the Park". The best in journalism in the NY Post.

28. Oh, Colin (Mr. Magoo) Campbell, time for new glasses. That WAS a fucking goal by the Islanders in the game against the Rangers next week. Fuck you very much. If they miss out on the playoffs by a point you fucking waste of space, it is your fault. Next time, pull your head out of your ass and look at the fucking replay. (YES, I'M VERY BITTER.) Hey Magoo, you are no longer employed by Dolan, so you can stop giving him the reach around.

29. Mr. Magoo is also upset that Brendan Witt questioned his review of the call, and the lack of follow up punishment for Donald Brashear, who punched Witt (who had his hands down) flush in the face with his glove on Saturday. Magoo claims that Witt had feigned a punch at Brashear just before the punch, so it was in essence deserved. That's great. So during the next Islander Ranger game, if Witt beats the piss out of Sean Avery, there better not be a suspension, cause Avery speared Witt earl er this season.

30. I still want to know how Magoo, who was an awful coach, got a job with the NHL.

Ed is Not a Professional Photographer

These are the pics I took during my 1 hour visit to Port St. Lucie a couple of weeks ago.




Yes, this time, Beltran did take the bat off his shoulder.



Young Lastings was heard to mutter "back in High School, I had other guys take batting practice for me.



Carlos Delgado at Batting Practice



Shortly after this photo was taken, Aaron finally had enough of the teasing over his parking space, and started pegging the other pitchers with fastballs.

And the Winner Is...

The Fucktard of the Week Award (thanks Toasty Joe) goes to New York Islanders forward Chris Simon for his gutless action last night where he baseball batted Ryan Hollweg of the NY Rangers late in the third period of last nights game.

Forget for a minute that the ensuing penalty led to the game winning goal. THe key here is that Simon, who did get hit from behind by Hollweg earlier, should not have reacted in that fashion. Hollweg is a fighter, so Simon should have invited him to drop the gloves if he was so pissed.

Instead, Simon decided to swing his stick towards the head of Hollweg. It nearly hit him in the throat, which could have been deadly. As it was, it hit his chest first, and hit Ryan in the mouth. Given the recent brawl in Buffalo, and other ugly incidents this season and in the recent past, the NHL cannot allow this type of action. I fully expect Simon to be suspended for the rest of the season, and the playoffs. This was reminiscent of the Bertuzzi/Moore incident, and for those who have been fans for longer, the Hunter/Turgeon incident. Just ugly and gutless.

And if the league does not step in, it is incumbent upon Islander Coach Ted Nolan, GM Garth Snow, and owner Charles Wang to see to it that Simon never wears the Islander jersey again. He brought dishonor to the franchise last night. He is a discredit to the game and the team.

My hope is that the Rangers do not try to retaliate. There are two more games left between these teams. I would hate for this to lead to something worse.

Weekly Observations 3/7/07

After a missing week, the Observations are back.

1. In case you are not aware of this, the Mets have a few players on the team that are older than 40. Thanks to all the local NY papers for reporting that today, because we fans never would have known.

2. Moises Alou had his first spring training hit yesterday. Apparently, he had run low on his favorite hand lotion due to dehydration.

3. The Brother's Giles are apparently fond of shaving their body hair. I'm guessing San Diego is gonna need a lot of Drano for the showers this year.

4. John Rocker has been linked to the HGH scandal that is rocking the sports world. He claims it was prescribed to help his recovery after rotator cuff surgery. Even Barry Bonds thinks that excuse is lame.

5. Britney Spears apparently tried to hang herself last week. I can understand. I mean, when K-Fed is being viewed as a better parent, you're pretty much fucked.

6. This just in, the Mets have questions about the starting rotation.

7. The Islanders traded a couple of former first round picks and a 1st rounder in this years draft for Ryan Smyth, due to be a Free Agent at the end of the season. And we thought Mike Milbury was no longer in charge.

8. Carl Pavano made his first ST start without hurting himself. In other news, he also did not fall in the shower, did not trip over his shoelaces, and was able to recite the alphabet without hurting his tongue. No word on whether he has finally learned how to drive however.

9. Gary Sheffield expects A-Rod to have a great year this season. "I left him all my stuff from my locker, including the cream and clear."

10. Breaking news from Yankee camp, Jeter and A-Rod actually said "Hi" to each other today. More at 11.

11. The papers in Florida feel the Marlins pennant chances are hurt by the loss of Johnson for the first two months of the season. Really, I thought their chances were hurt by simply being the Marlins?

12. By the way media, other teams have some rotation issues as well. Like the Braves (Hudson and Hampton coming back from injury), the Yankees (Igawa? Pavano? Wang?). How about a little talk about them eh?

13. Jimmy Rollins is still an idiot.

14. The Mets are all a day older today, film at 11.

15. Why do I feel that after the Isles Rangers game on Monday Rick DiPietro was like Denis Lemiux from "Slapshot" in the locker room after the first period of the championship game?

16. "Scooter" Libby was found guilty of several charges in the PlameGate case. I'm thinking if he goes to jail "Scooter" ain't gonna find many guys with similar nicknames.

17. VP Dick Cheney was treated for a blood clot in his leg after some recent travels. The White House thought about blaming Iran, but they realized that even Fox News wouldn't fall for that line of shit.

18. Anne Coulter called John Edwards a "faggot" at a recent speech and claimed she is not sorry, because it is locker room talk. I'm just wondering how much time Anne spent in men's locker rooms, and what she did while there.

19. Bud Selig claims that even if baseball goes ahead with the Direct TV deal for the Extra Innings package, fans should not be upset, because they can still see their local team. I'm sure the folks in Alaska are real happy about that.

20. Pac Man Jones could be released by the Ravens in light of the recent Las Vegas shooting during NBA All Star Weekend. If Al Davis were still alive, he'd sign him to the Raiders in no time.

That's all for this week. Ed's a tad busy and there isn't all that much funny out there.

By the way, last week I got the invitation to my 20th High School Reunion. The letter noted that there are quite a few people from my class who they have not been able to locate. So, if anyone out there graduated, or knows someone from William Floyd High School in Mastic Beach, NY in 1987, drop a comment here so we can communicate about this.

Tanned, Rested and Ready

I'm back from the week in sunny Fla. Nice little trip, we had a lot of fun and sun. Seems there might have been some interesting stuff happen with my teams since I last posted, but first, a quick review or the trip.

First, I hate Delta Airlines. I travelled with a party of 4, me, the wife and the two little girls. There is apparently a rule that checked luggage can weigh no more than 50 lbs. per bag. So, if we checked 4 bags, we would be allowed 200 lbs total. We had two checked bags, one weighed 54 lbs, the other 64 lbs. Delta would not see the common sense approach, which is that we are still under weight, so they charged $25 per bag extra. Pricks. The flight down was uneventful, though we were on an old MD-80 which did not have any TV's or even radio. The flight back was delayed departure by 25 minutes, though we did touch down on time. We then sat on the tarmac for a 1/2 hour, first waiting to cross an active runway, then for our gate to clear. Finally, we gate, they tell us where to get our bags, only to find that they switched where we would get them, but of course they did not tell us. I'm pretty much done with Delta. Jet Blue (yes, I know about the issues during the storm on V-Day) is my preference for now on. TV and music and nicer planes for me.

As for Fla., I took the 6 year old to Port St. Lucie last Monday, which wound up being the first Intra-Squad game. We got there in time to see some pitcher fielding drills and some BP. Then, it was game time. No "charge" though they did ask for a $5 donation to the Brian Cole Fund (for those who don't remember, Cole was a prospect who died a few years ago in a car crash). I gave a bit more than $5. Nice job by the Mets organization.

So, after getting some food and memorabilia (hat, cards, ball for my older girl, socks for the baby and a new BP hat for me), we settled into our seats. One "fan" was heard stating the "Milledge had shown me nothing so far this camp" and "Beltran does nothing for me". Had my daughter not been there, I might have had to have a conversation with said curmudgeon. I did get to see a couple of blasted foul balls by Beltran (one just missed down the left field line) and a nice HR by Delgado, but not much else in the way of hitting, as my daughter was antsy in the hot sun, so we left after about an inning and a half. I did get a couple of pictures, which I will post once I (1) figure out how and (2) get my home computer a new fan. Sorry, the scouting report stinks guys and girls, but it's hard keeping a 6 yr old entertained.

So, what else happened while I was gone. Oh yeah, the Jets cut a few spare parts, like Patrick Ramsey. This move Kellen Clemens to the #2 spot, and prepares him to be #1 (many hope) in 2009. They were quiet over the weekend once Free Agency opened. Other teams made big splashes, but Tannenbaum and Mangini waited. And then, yesterday, they struck freaking GOLD, trading down in the second round and getting 29 yr old Thomas Jones from the Bears. This is HUGE, the one thing they lacked last year was a consistently strong running game. They cut Kevan Barlow, and were looking for a primary back to share the load with Leon Washington. Jones is coming off back to back 1,200 yard seasons, and a Super Bowl where he was the Bears best player. How they did it for so cheap is amazing.

So what else happened. The Mets didn't sign anyone. The Knicks won a couple of times as the Nets lost, so everyone has the Knicks making the playoffs and the Nets not. There was something else, what was it now. Oh, that's right...

THE ISLANDERS TRADED FOR RYAN SMYTH!
I almost passed out when I read this. First, thanks "Dep" (commentor from metsgeek) for posting the comment here. I happened to check it and saw that post and couldn't believe my eyes. This is an absolutely FANTASTIC move by Garth Snow. Yes, he gave up a couple of former first rounders, but neither were projected as "Stars". Nilsson was a mistake, they should have drafted Parise, and it seemed Nolan did not like him. O'Marra is pegged as a #2 center and a good leader. The pick this year, middle of the first round in a weak draft, is nothing to worry about.

Smyth is a player I have liked for years, dating back to when I used to participate in a fantasy hockey league with some old college buddies and some other guys. I must have drafted him half the time. He is not flashy, and is not a 50 goal scorer, but he is a power forward of the Tonelli mold. He's going to part his ass in front of the net on the power play, and drive to the net when needed. For now, he is playing with Blake and Robittaile. The hope is that Yashin comes back soon (perhaps Thursday against the Rangers). What a first line that would be. The PP has already improved, scoring much more frequently and creating a lot more chances. The addition of Bergeron on the point, and now Smyth, allows Nolan to roll out 2 PP units with different styles. Special Teams play has not been great this year, but it is improving now.

So last night, the Isles faced the Rangers at the Garden. Big game, and I was all set to watch in HD for the first time. But I did not realize that the game was going to be on Vs, which does not have HD. Another great move by Bettman. How the hell do you go to a non-HD network for a game MADE for HD? Sweet jesus, they screwed the pooch on that move. Plus, the audio and video on Vs. remind me of the days of UHF.

As for the game, the Rangers dominated, firing 57 shots at Rick DiPietro. Rick denied all but 1, allowing a goal at the start of the third period, and nothing else until the shoot out. The Isles lost, but gained a point, which is still important. And DiPietro showed again that he is coming into his own. He made several outstanding saves during the game. Even new pick-up Richard Zednik made a save, hugging the post in the third while DP was on the ice. The defense is tight for this team, DP is outstanding of late, and the offense, with Zednik and Smyth and the soon to return Yashin makes for a team few will want to face in the playoffs. I'm not saying Cup, but they can cause some damage.

That's all for today. I'll have a Mets post later in the week. In the meantime, head on over to MetsGeek for daily game chatter and other topics. I'll be there I'm sure.

Various Crap

A few things to cover today.

An Open Letter to Jimmy Rollins:

Dear Jimmy,

I read with great interest your recent comments about how your team, the Philadelphia Phillies are the "team to beat" this coming season. I appreciate your honesty, and am glad to read and hear that you see things the same way that many Mets fans do. You see Jimmy, the Phillies are indeed the team to beat...the living crap out of. Oh, I know you have Ryan Howard, and Utley, and yourself, but who else in your lineup is scaring opposing teams? Do you really think the addition of HR machine Freddy Garcia in your bandbox is going to help? Better hope that Rowand and Victorino don't hurt themselves crashing into the fence this year chasing all those fly balls. At least you won't have to worry about Burrell in that regard.
You see, the team to beat is usually the team that won the division the prior season, not the team that finished 12 games back, and had its fans chanting for their football team during baseball games in August. It's not smart to piss off the other teams in your division when you have won jack shit in years. So, if you want the bullseye, you got it. You see, teams that win don't have to talk the talk. They just walk the walk, and hand out beatings. The Mets plan on doing the same this year.

Yankees
I really love how the media is still talking about this. Both guys want it gone, yet the media won't let it go. They need something to talk about. The more turmoil in the Bronx, the better for me. Oh, and Bernie isn't coming to camp. More fodder for the media and fans.

Young Mets
Ambiorix Burgos wowed management and teammates yesterday, breaking several bats during batting practice, including one of Lastings Milledge. Coach Sandy Alomar Sr. noted to Lastings "I thought you had fast hands". The response, a chuckle and "I must have left them at home". Good to see Lastings take the joke. Maturity perhaps?

This followed a hitting display by 18 yr old Fernando! Martinez on Tuesday, where he hit one HR over the center field fence estimated at 450 ft. The dimensions at Tradition Field are the same as Shea, and the ball hit the "eye" about 50 ft up. "Wow" was the response from Jeff Wilpon. Wow indeed.

The NY Times used "scrappy" today when describing David Newhan. Watch out Eckstein, we have scrappy utility player too!

Miscellany
The Islanders sit 1 pt out of the playoffs, with games in hand on several of the teams ahead of them. They get Toronto tonight and Montreal Saturday, two of the teams they are battling/chasing. They MUST get at least 3 pts here. Anything less, and we are probably looking at them being sellers at the trade deadline next week. I'm on board with trading Simon, Hill and Blake, so long as the returns are good.


This is the last post for this week (barring anything interesting coming out today). I'll be leaving for sunny and warm Florida on Saturday. I'm going to be near Port St. Lucie, so I'm hoping to head over there on Monday to catch workouts with my 6 yr old daughter. Not sure if I will post anything next week, but you never know, so check back. I'll try to get some photos, and post them when I get back, assuming I can figure out how.

Have a nice weekend everyone.

Weekly Observations 02/21/07

1. In response to the many queries, no, I am NOT the father of Anna Nicole Smith's baby. I'm thinking at this point, it might be easier to track those who are not claiming to be the father as opposed to those who are.

2. Sylvester Stallone is under investigation in Australia for possession of HGH. Sly's response is that they were not his, the bag belonged to Mark Sweeney.

3. Britney Spears checked into and out of a rehab facility in the Caribbean last week. She left because there were none of her friends there.

4. Britney then found another facility in California, but heard that the carpets and curtains matched, so she shaved her head before checking in.

5. How fucked up is your life when your loser ex-husband is laughing with your ex-boyfriend, who, after dumping you then dated Cameron Diaz for a couple of years? No wonder she is in rehab.

6. Barry Bonds dared the Grand Jury to investigate him. He claimed there is nothing to be found. Where is Kenneth Starr when we need him?

7. The Mets are nearly done with their offseason sprucing up of Shea. The paint has been touched up. The field has been manicured, and a urinal has been installed in Moises Alou's locker.

8. Alou was asked what special diet he uses, and he said all he does is drink Lite Beer. It seems Lite Beer has less impurities, leaving cleaner urine for his special hand washing.

9. Jimmy Rollins once again stated that the Phillies are the team to beat. That's right Jimmy, other teams are looking forward to beating up on you again this year.

10. The Chargers hired Norv Turner as coach. Wow, and they thought Schottenheimer was an idiot.

11. Tim Hardaway is still a fucktard (thanks to Toasty Joe for the new euphemism.)

12. Tom Brady's ex-girlfriend Bridget Moynihan, is having a baby. Tom claims that he is excited to be a father. But not as excited as he is to be fucking Gisele Bundchen.

13. The Big Eunuch claims that the NY Media wasn't nice to him, and that they caused him to pitch in pain, leading to decreased performance. I get it, it was the media who made his fastball slower, and his slider straighter. I'm waiting for Jose Lima to use the same excuse.

14. Sean Avery of the Rangers was bitching last night that Martin Brodeur gets the benefit of calls, while Avery does not. Wow, you thinks so Sean? You mean, a goalie who has won 3 Stanley Cups, and is acknowledged as one of the best of all time might get the benefit of a call over a complete asshole like you? Never.

15. The Bears let Defensive Coordinator Ron Rivera go this week. Yep, nothing like getting rid of the DC who helped your team get to the Super Bowl, despite having Rex Grossman as your QB. Whose running the Bears, AJ Smith?

16. Michael Irvin was let go from ESPN this week. No longer will we see the mile wide ties. The bad news is that in addition to Irvin leaving, 5 transcript reporters were let go, since they are no longer needed to transcribe whatever the fuck it was he was saying.

17. MLB is unveiling new game caps, designed to wick away sweat better than the old wool caps. MLB Uniform Czar George Costanza has lined up many tributes to the effectiveness of the new material, and is working hard on getting cotton uniforms approved as well.

18. Tommy Morrison has been licensed to fight again, 11 years after being banned for testing positive for HIV. Morrison claims he never had HIV, and that the government planted the failed results. Morrison also claims that the government is also responsible for Rocky 5.

19. Donald Trump, that paragon of all that is good and pure, is involved with the WWE in a "Hair vs Hair Match" with WWE owner Vince McMahon. Each will choose a wrestler to be their proxy. The billionaire whose wrestler loses will have his head shaved. So maybe Britney was practicing for a guest appearance?

20. Aaron Heilman got a short haircut, which revealed a bald spot on the side of his head. Aaron said there is no truth to the rumor that Britney was the one who cut his hair.

21. Derek Jeter spoke yesterday on the most important topic in Yankee camp, the new practice caps, which feature a multi-layered interlocking NY and a white loop over each ear. Jeter does not like the cap, will not have it over for sleepovers, and will not share his limo with it.

22. A-Rod this week stated that his relationship with Jeter is not what it once was. Where the two once had sleepovers and went out for dinner, now they just do what they need on the field. Of course, this is mostly due to A-Rod getting married, and Jeter "dating" numerous models and actresses. Well, that and the fact Jeter kept refusing to let A-Rod try on his WS rings.

23. Heilman was also upset that the Mets did not assign him a parking spot. Mets officials stated that they just want him to park far away, so he is in shape for the jog in from the bullpen.

24. USC hockey goalie Mickey Meyer put on a show the other day, riding his stick like a horse, slapping his thighs, and then dropping trou. Charleston Chiefs coach Reg Dunlap quickly offered him a contract.

25. Meyer received a ticket for public lewdness. He then got a call from Sean Salisbury, asking if he took any pictures.



On the serious side, good thoughts for Brendan Shanahan. He might be a Ranger, but that was one ugly collision, and I hope the effects are not long lasting. Brendan is a great player, and I would hate for him to wind up like so many other hockey players with Post Concussion Syndrome.
Good thoughts for Mike Knuble, the other party to the collision. May both recover fully.

Why I Love Willie Randolph

From today's NY Times, and other papers:

"Come on, give me the first Milledge negative question, C'mon, throw it at me. I know you can't wait."

Willie starts his morning presser, which followed a session between the media and young Lastings, with that beauty. I love it! He knows the vultures want to start up on Lastings. He knows they want to dredge up the crap that went on last year. SO he says, let's go, ask away, and I'll answer.

Look, I'll admit, Lastings made some mistakes last year. You don't show up 70 minutes before a game, even if you are not starting. You don't turn your back on the manager when he is talking to you (though we do not know if that was intent, or if he merely thought Willie was done speaking and he went to walk away). You don't act like you are all that and a bag of chips when you are a rookie. But you know what, that was then, this is now. New season, new beginnings, and a new start for Lastings.

He said all the right things yesterday. He worked out during the offseason, cutting out the hamburgers, and adding on 12 pounds of muscle. He looked to be in good shape, and had a good BP session. His teammates appear ready to move on. Wagner said "He just has to come in here and respect his teammates. If he does that, his play will be good enough for him." On Day 1, it looks like he has. I'm hoping Lastings learned from last year, and is listening to his teammates. THey don't have it in for him, they want him to succeed.

Last week, John Delcos of the Journal News, posted a blog piece about how Wright was a week early, but Milledge was not. This is the type of crap Willie was talking about yesterday. Taking a nothing and turning it into a negative. Some fans, myself included, posted in Lastings' defense. Others decided to re-hash the stuff from last year, and even stuff from when Lastings was 16 years old. How long do we need to keep reading the same stupid stuff? That HS shit happened 5 to 6 years ago. It is done, and it is no different than what a lot of 16 year old kids do. I'm not saying I like it, I'm just saying I understand it happens, and that he does not need to walk around with a scarlet "A" around his neck for the rest of his life. A lot of players do some messed up stuff, even now (PLD anyone?), and we do not hold it against them. Let's give Lastings the same treatment, shall we? Besides, Willie will keep an eye on him:

"Just because you're talented doesn't mean you have a feel for the game. I'll be watching him for that reason."

Willie and the guys will watch him. Let's hope the vets help him a tad. I want to see him reach his full potential in NY, as a Met.

Willie also said the following :

"I feel that's one of the only things missing from his game since he's been here. That's another dimension. He can steal 50 bases, 50 bases, easy. He could steal more than Jose."

That was in regards to Carlos Beltran. Man, could you imagine Beltran stealing that many bases in NY? Forty is not out of the realm of possibility, he's done it twice before. What an added dimension that would be.

Willie grew up playing for the Yankees during the Bronx Zoo era. He knows what can happen if the players run things. If personalities clash. He seems to do a good job making sure everyone is on the same page, and that they toe the company line. If he can continue to do that, we have the makings of something special here.




Meanwhile, in Tampa, you have Rivera screaming for more money. Bernie not willing to be a non-roster invitee. A-Rod saying he and Jeter are not BBF anymore. The Big Eunuch throwing darts to the media. Giambi saying he would like to play 1st base. Contrast that to PSL. It is night and day.

Few things warm the cockles of my heart more than angst in the Yankee clubhouse. The acknowledged best closer in the past 10 years, if not history, is not happy. He could very well walk away at the end of the season. One of the great Yankees, Williams, is being shunted aside, even though he has a pretty good bat. Giambi appears to be accepting his DH role, but how will he adapt? And then there is A-Rod, who finally told it how it is and said he an Jeter aren't having sleepovers anymore, and that all he wants is for the team to succeed. Now, Jeter has yet to respond, but you can be sure that the repsonse will be very measured, and non-incendiary.

I say bravo to A-Rod. Tell it like it is. You messed up and called out Jeter in 2001 in the media. Jeter got rightfully pissed (though I do think Jeter's role in those WS wins is a tad over-hyped, A-Rod was right in what he said, he was wrong for actually saying it). The bottom line though is Jeter needs to say, it's done, he said something that pissed me off. But now, he is a teammate, and I realize that in order for us to reach our goal, we all need to play to the best of our abilities. The guy had a good season last year, and I think he will do better. So fans, lay off, so we can concentrate on reaching the World Series.

But he won't say that. And the media won't let it go. So there will be a fun sideshow in the Bronx this year. The first slump for either player will be magnified. And if the booing keeps up, A-Rod will opt out of his deal, and go elsewhere. Leaving the Yankees with a sizable hole at 3rd base.

So It Begins...

Today is a day that Mets fans have been waiting for since that cold October 19th evening, when the hopes of a World Series appearance, the first since 2000, were ended. Pitchers and Catchers report today. Spring (despite the weather in NY) is in the air. Position players report on Monday, and then things will be in full swing.

Several Mets have been in camp for a few days already, including David Wright, desperate to wash the taste of a Cardinals series that saw him hit .160 from his mouth. In addition to Wright, other early arrivals are Aaron Heilman, John Maine (taking nothing for granted, a very good sign), Mike Pelfrey, Philip Humber, Jason Vargas, Jon Adkins and Ben Johnson. But the best news for Mets fans is Pedro Martinez is already there (that makes 3 years in a row on time for Pedro, who used to be a late arrival in the past). Pedro is working hard on his rehab, and is looking forward to coming back in July or August, primed to show the best of Pedro, better than anything Mets fans have seen according to reports quoting him. But the simple fact that he is there is a boost to the fans, and to the rest of the team. Young pitchers can look to him for advice. He did it last year, and will hopefully do it again.

Now, this morning the Daily News had the obligatory "Aaron wants to start" story. Aaron once again asked if he could start, and was told no. He is needed in the pen, what with Mota being out for 50 games, and questions about Filthy Sanchez being ready for Opening Day. Duaner is rehabbing on schedule, but has not thrown off a mound yet. Heilman is a key component of the bullpen, especially in light of the question marks in the starting rotation. Now, some fans may be upset with Aaron for asking the question, feeling that he is being a tad selfish. I do not agree. He asked the question, was told no, and accepts the answer. He stated in the News

"I've got to come in and still do a job and help this team win. Unfortunately, I can't have a lot of say in what my role is. I can just try to control things I can - which is my performance when I'm out there. I'll just go out there and have another good year and help the team win."

Issue closed. He knows his role, and accepts it. He may not be happy about it, but he is moving on. Of course Adam Rubin was going to ask the question. I don't blame him for it. Aaron answered truthfully, and acknowledged what he needs to do, which is accept his role and be a key cog in the pen.

There are of course lots of questions as we enter camp. How will Perez and Maine do following their stellar performances in Games 6 & 7? How will Sanchez' rehab progress? Can Burgos and Vargas be key members of the pen? What of Juan Padilla, can he rebound from surgery? Who will emerge as the fifth starter? Is Petersen a magician, and can he fix Park or Sele? And of course, how will Glavine and El Duque fare?

From the offense, there are some questions as well. Can Reyes and Wright continue to progress? Were some of Delgado's struggles last year related to his elbow issues, and will the offseason surgery help him (I know, the man had a great year, but there were some slumps)? Can Beltran replicate his fantastic season of a year ago? Will Alou stay healthy and provide Wright with protection in the order? Will 'Stache be the 'Stache of July, or of October? Will Milledge push Green for the starting job in right, or perhaps a bench role? Can Milledge shake the problem child label he is being tagged with by fans and the media? Can PLD do it again? Quesitons abound. But you know what, Mets fans have to be feeeling good at this point. Experience was gained lart year for a lot of key youngsters. And the pain of loss is a great motivator.

Even with the questions as camp begins for the reigning NL East Champions, they still have to be considered the favorite in the East. Yes, the Braves shored up their pen, but lost some offense. And I wonder, why is it that people think Hampton can come back to what he once was, but people question whether Glavine and El Duque can still do the job? Yes, the Phillies added Freddy Garcia, but they still lack a good bridge to Tom (Puke) Gordon. Oh, and they better hope Freddy doesn't get whiplash watching all those fly balls leave the bandbox that is Citizens Bank Park. The Marlins surprised last year, but how many of those youngsters can repeat their performances? Note the lack of the Nationals in the discussion, they suck.

Let the battle begin! Opening Day is April 1. It can't get here soon enough.

Weekly Observations 02/14/07

After a short winter's nap (OK, laziness), Ed is back with the observations.

1. War, famine, genocide, all took a back seat to the death of Anna Nicole Smith last week. Glad to see our priorities are in good shape.

2. Rupert Murdoch of Fox News announced that he is starting a Fox Business Channel. It will be more business friendly than CNBC per Rupert. The tag line, "We Report what we decide is going to make business look good."

3. Chan Ho Park has been signed by the Mets. The World Series is OURS!

4. I went to MSG Friday to watch the Rangers beat the Lightning. Sat in the second row, right behind the Lightning bench. Apparently, Ed has a bad influence on teams he sits behind, as the Lightning were zapped. Ed was not happy.

5. The only good thing about the night was being able to eat and drink on Jim Dolan's tab. Ed made up for a couple of months of cable bills.

6. Welcome to the life of a presidential candidate Barak. How's that foot taste?

7. Mariano Rivera demands some freaking respect. Mo wants to be re-signed prior to the start of the season, but the Yanks want to wait. Mo feels they will take care of him. Yeah Mo, just like they took care of Andy Pettitte a couple of years ago.

8. Sele, Park, Vargas, Burgos, Perez. Man, The Jacket better clone himself.

9. The Dixie Chicks won 5 Grammy awards the other night. I'm still trying to figure out who the hell the Dixie Chicks are.

10. The FBI has lost 160 weapons and 160 laptops in the last 44 months. Yep, these are the guys and gals protecting us from evil. Keep up the good work.

11. Deadspin posted a story where someone claimed Eli Manning likes to frequent call girls. Well, at least they won't scream at him if he is off target with a pass.

12. Kris Benson is out for the season after tearing his rotator cuff. Orioles GM Jim Duquette moved quickly to fill his spot, signing Steve Trachsel. So at least the O's have someone to lead the rotation in suckitude.

13. Hoping that Duquette was also looking for a way to replace Anna Benson, Jose Lima was anxiously awaiting the call. Lima Time! apparently forgot that even Duquette realizes he sucks.

14. The Chargers fired coach Marty Schottenheimer a month after announcing he would coach the team next season. Apparently, they finally got around to watching game tape of the playoffs, and realized that Marty sucks.

15. The Westminster Dog Show was this week. Bill Cosby's dog won a ribbon as best in its breed, beating out 0 (that's zero folks) challengers. It then lost the "Best in Show" title to another dog. Afterwards, the winning dog's owner was quoted as saying "Tell Bill to have a coke and a smile and shut the fuck up".

16. Peyton Manning was on Letterman, and said the Super Bowl felt "normal". Peyton apparently was hypnotized into believing this was a regular season game.

17. This just in, Rex Grossman still sucks.

18. Two players on Gonzaga's basketball team were arrested after cops smelled pot. During a search of their car, the cops found mushrooms. Of course, being that they are high profile athletes, no charges have been filed.

19. Because it can't be said enough - Braden Looper is a Douche.

20. David Wright reported early to Mets Spring Training. So did Pedro Martinez. Lastings Milledge did not, leading many Mets fans to say the he is cocky, arrogant, and undeserving of a place on the roster. Of course, the same will not be said about the other 22 players who have not reported yet.

21. The Cardinals will raise their World Series Banner and receive their rings prior to their opening night game against the Mets. They want to enjoy that winning feeling prior to the Mets knocking the living shit out of them.

22. The AP reported that Keith Hernandez will be on hand for the festivities. Keith was quoted as saying "Just like a women's place is in the kitchen, my place is with the Cardinals."

23. Tiki Barber singed a contract to be a correspondent for NBC on the "Today" show, and on NBC's Sunday Night Football pre-game show. I hope Tiki read the fine print where he has to report to all meetings 15 minutes early, and appear in full pads.

24. Braden Looper is a douche. (Yes, Ed has an irrational hatred of Braden Looper, why do you ask?)

25. More on Gonzaga. Apparently, the 'shrooms were in a baggie that was sticking out of one player's gym bag. Great institute of learning Gonzaga. I mean, shit, these guys can't even properly close a gym bag?

26. Beyonce is on the cover of the SI swimsuit issue. I have nothing funny to say about this.

27. OK, just kidding. It might be the first time a model's ass was bigger than her breasts. Mind you, I'm not complaining. Beyonce has a very nice ass. (man, I really hope the wife is serious when she says she doesn't read my blog. Just in case, honey, I did not write that, it was my evil twin skippy).

28. Carlos (The Greater) Zambrano told the media this week that if the Cubs do not re-sign him prior to Opening Day, he will walk as a free agent. He referred to himself in the third person several times in the interview, even coining a new nickname, the "Big Z". When did the Cubs hire Rickey Henderson to work with their players?

29. Mavericks owner Mark Cuban said that an active NBA player who came out of the closet would be an idol to many, and would be rich beyond his wildest dreams. Cuban said he hoped the player would be from his team, since he would know how to deal with it. The money that is.

30. Some NBA players were up in arms about the possibility of an active player being gay. They worry about the impact on the locker room. Don't these guys realize the important thing here, it leaves more groupies for the rest of them! Keep your eyes on the important things here guys.

So endeth the observations for this week. Hope you enjoyed, and remember, Braden Looper is a douche.

*addendum*

Why the Looper references you may ask? Well, Spring Training opens this week, with Pitchers and Catchers reporting. I'm just trying to get myself ready for the season as well. Yeah, I've practiced hate with the Rangers, but it's not the same, since they suck, and the Isles aren't much better. Baseball is where the vitrol really gets going.

I start out slow, just some long tossing from 120 feet with Looper. I'll then move closer, and hit on Pujols, LaRussa. Then, get on the mound and go at Larry Jones for some batting practice. Finally, game ready, and open up on the Yankees. So much there, A-Rod, Pavano, contract issues, Torre. And let's not forget the fans themselves.

As Metsradamus posted a couple of weeks ago, you have to keep the hate muscles in shape.

Be Verry Verry Quiet, They're Hunting Playoffs...

Maybe I should write another Isles are inconsistent post, since the last time I did so, they started to play better. But no, I'm going to give them credit, well deserved credit.

A team that most figured for dead last in the conference at the beginning of the season, and who I myself was basically leaving for dead a couple of weeks ago, has decided it is time to start playing some good hockey. Since the last game before the break, the Islanders are unbeaten in regulation, going 5-0-3 in that span, with wins over the Thrashers, Sabres and Canadiens during the stretch, along with 2 against the Flyers. The have lost in OT to the Red Wings (after blowing a 3-0 lead), in OT to the Thrashers (after coming back in that game to force OT) and the Capitals (2-1 in a shootout). The gap for the 8th playoff spot is now 2 points, and there are only 5 points between them and 4th place in the conference. So why the turnaround? Yashin is out, they missed Poti (a tremendous surprise, a grudging thanks to Neil Smith) and Gervias (rookie defenseman who has played well) and Radek Martinek (out again, this time a broken leg). All these pieces missing, yet, for the fist time since 2001-2002 under Peter Laviolette (the fantastic 9-0-1-1 start), the Isles have taken at least a point in 8 straight games. How is this happening?

Well, for starters, the other forwards besides Blake are starting to score. Miroslav Satan is shotting and scoring. Kozlov is doing the same. Trent Hunter continues to hit everything on skates, and now is adding the back of the net to the mix. Blake still leads the team with 27 goals, but Satan, Kozlov and Sillinger are close to 20, and Hunter is now at 14. I, along with others, have bemoaned the lack of scoring from the other lines, and now we are getting it.

But goals alone are not going to get the job done. Defense remains key, and they have stepped up there as well. Despite Poti missing 4 games prior to last night, and Gervais a few more, and with Martinek out for 4-6 weeks, the defense has tightened up. Brendan Witt is playing very well. Chris Campoli is reminding us of his strong play from last season. Sean Hill still makes some mistakes, but is steady for the most part. With Poti and Gervais back, lesser guys like Freddy Meyer will see less time. But the key to it all remains Rick DiPietro.

If this team is going to make the playoffs, and do any sort of damage there, Rick needs to continue to show he is one of the top goalies in the league, which is what he needs to be based on his (stupidly long) contract. Last night, shutout #5 for Rick. Yeah, it was the Flyers, but they had been playing well as of late. Rick's numbers aren't in Brodeur territory, but what other 25 year old goalie is in that group? Here are the numbers and rankings:

Wins - 22 (tied 12th))
Losses - 16
GAA - 2.68 (16th)
SV% - .915 (9th)
Shutouts - 5 (4th)

Now, some of those stats are skewed by backup goalies, but in a few of them he is ahead of top goalies like Hasek, Miller, Turco and others. He is the key. A hot goalie, as any hockey fan knows, can make a world of difference. In 1993, the Isles rode Glen Healy to the Conference Finals. How many games did Billy Smith steal? Look at last year with the Hurricanes and Oilers, goaltending made the difference. If this team is going to do anything, Rick is the guy to lead the charge. Yes, they need to score, but a hot goalie can help there, as the other team will break down on defense if they need to jump into the play to try to generate opportunities.

Now, all is not roses. They still take too many penalties, and the special teams are not. There is some dead weight here, like Chris Simon and Shawn Bates. Blake is streaky, and needs to be consistent. And the absence of Yashin is not a good thing over the long term. But on the whole, this team has a chance. There are 28 games left, starting tonight against the Devils. The key is going to be avoiding a multi-game losing streak. A loss here or there is not awful, but they cannot afford a 3 game losing streak, or a lose 4 out of 6. The remaining games are mostly in conference, and with so many teams bunched up, they can't afford missteps. Nolan needs to keep preaching smart hockey, and they need to keep listening. I want to watch playoff hockey on the new LCD TV this year. And I want it to be Islanders playoff hockey.

In other Hockey news, as noted in yesterday's observations, Mark Messier has thrown his bald head into the ring to be the next Rangers GM when Sather retires. I'm sure Don Maloney is happy about that. Most think this is a good idea. These are the same people who laughed when Garth Snow was named Islanders GM with no front office experience. Now, I know, Messier won 6 cups. Tell me something, how does that translate to success wither behind the bench or in the front office? Brian Trottier won 5 Cups, yet he failed as a Head Coach. Wayne Gretzky is not having a great deal of success in Phoenix. Well, I guess Messier does have some experience, since he basically ran the Rangers during his last tour, forcing out players like Petr Nedved. How well did that work out for them? No playoffs during his last go around. Winning as a player does not make you a good coach. As Larry Brooks (who I have no love for) noted yesterday, Messier is not the leader everyone makes him out to be. He is not a mentor to young players, he likes his clique, and that's it. He disdains players who do not play his way, which may not be a bad thing for the most part, but when it forces talented players out of town, it hurts the team. His last go around, he was not the player he once was, but refused to play on a 3rd line, using valuable ice time that could have been given to younger players, allowing them to gain valuable experience. But Messier brought the Cup to MSG, so he could do what he wanted. I for one hope this happens, since it will certainly help drive the Rangers deep into an abyss of losing. And since Jim Dolan is in charge, it will probably happen.

Tomorrow, for the first time since since September 1997, I will grace MSG with my presence, as I attend the Rangers game against the Tamp Bay Lighting. The last time I was there, Pat LaFontaine was making his Rangers debut in the home opener. I of course applauded Patty, remembering the good times from the Islanders days. But you can bet your ass that I will be applauding nobody in a Rangers jersey tomorrow. I'm not sure where the seats are, but given the places I've sat when I've attended other sporting events with the friend who got the tickets, I'm pretty sure they will be quite good. So I'll hit a bar before the game, have a couple, then enter MSG, and hope to see a Lightning win, keeping the Rangers 4 points behind the Isles (at least, depending on tonight's Isles/Devils tilt). Now, the question is, should I wear the Islanders hat or not...

Weekly Observations 02/07/07

Direct from the frozen environs of NYC, your eagerly awaited Weekly Observations:

1. Two sons of Eagles coach Andy Reid were arrested last week on various charges. The good news is that the Bengals think they are ready for the NFL now.

2. John Kerry announced he is going to look into the MLB Extra Innings deal with Direct TV. He was very upset the Red Sox fans would not be able to watch their favorite team. Within hours, the Swift Boat Veterans for Satellite Truth put out an ad stating the Kerry is actually a Yankee fan.

3. Brett Favre is coming back next year. Opposing cornerbacks in the NFC are rejoicing, knowing the interception stats will be padded once again.

4. San Franicisco Mayor Newsome apologized for sleeping with the wife of his chief of staff, blaming it on the booze. Ah, the old beer goggles defense. It's good to know that works beyond college.

5. Wait a second, the mayor of SF is straight? Did the voters know this?

6. The NFL Network apparently replayed all of the past Super Bowls last week, including SB III. Thanks to douche Jim Dolan, no one in NY with cable was able to see it. Thanks again Jim. Hey, do you have another "Metro Traffic & Weather Channel" for us?

7. Loved the Budweiser commercial during the Super Bowl with crabs on a beach taking the cooler of Bud. Yep, drink enough Bud, and you could get crabs on the beach. Just like on Spring Break.

8. As if we needed more proof of how big a douche Bill Belichick is, retired Patriots linebacker Ted Johnson said this week that he was forced to play despite suffering a concussion. Belichick said in response "How the hell would he remember what happened, he had a concussion".

9. A-Rod has written a book "Out of the Ballpark" for kids. Yankee fans were estatic, as they felt it was an announcement that he was leaving the team.

10. The A-Rod book tells the story of a young boy who makes an error costing his team the game, but then helps them win later on with a big hit. So, its part non-fiction, and part fiction.

11. The target audience for the A-Rod book is young kids, reading at a grammar school level. Too bad, it will go over the head of most Yankee fans.

12. Rumors abound that Bill Parcells will return to the Jets in a consulting role. Of course, he could return, only to leave a few days later.

13. This just in, Rex Grossman still sucks.

14. Astronaut Lisa Nowak was charged with attempted murder after driving 900 miles, wearing a diaper to avoid having to make pit stops, and attacking her rival for the affections of another astronaut. Somehow, I don't think Huggies or Pampers is signing her up as a spokesperson.

15. Nanny Govt alert - a State Senator from Brooklyn is proposing a ban on walking while listening to an iPOD, talking on a phone, or using a Blackberry, claiming that the devices distract walkers. Wow, I'm so glad that this important issue is being discussed. I mean, who waste time on silly things like health care, taxes and crime.

16. Mark (El Capitan) Messier announced that he is moving back to NY, with an eye on becoming the next Rangers General Manager. Current GM Glen Sather said he is happy to hear Mark is interested. Just what the Rangers need, the leadership of Messier in the front office. You know, because it worked so well when he was de-facto GM his last time as a member of the team.

17. Of course, Ranger fans are happy Messier would be GM. The same fans who laughed at the Isles for naming a former player with no front office experience GM.

18. Nicole Ritchie is afraid that she will have to go to prison due to her recent DUI arrest. She's worried she would actually have to eat.

19. Another Bengal was arrested last week. Nice to see consistency in the NFL.

20. In order to ensure parity in the NFL next year, all teams will be required to have at least 2 players arrested during the season.

21. In recent weeks, the Knicks have faced superior teams not able to field their best lineups, allowing the Knicks to win. The Lakers missing Kobe at MSG due to a suspension. The Grizzlies missing Gasol. The Heat with Shaq.

22. Mike Piazza's wife gave birth to the couple's first child last week, a baby girl. Congrats to the happy couple.

Pitchers and Catchers draws ever closer. Ed is very happy about this.