LeBron James is Amazing

"At the end of the day, a max deal doesn't really matter. It is all about winning to me. When that day comes next summer, I want to win. If I feel like the team is capable of winning, then I will make my decision based on that."

That's what Lebron James said after the Cavs beat the Knicks 100-91 last night in Madison Square Garden, amid a star-studded cast celebrities. You hear that Donnie Walsh? LeBron wants to "win."

To me, that is one of the best quotes to have ever come from a superstar free agent. It pretty much sums it up, no matter what sport you are talking about. Sure, there are many players who are looking for a payday. Running back Derrick Ward, the second-string back for the New York Giants bolted to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for a $17 million dollar contract, only to wind up on an 0-7 team. Alex Rodriguez signed a 3 year deal with the Texas Rangers worth $252 million dollars, and ended up in last place in the American League West in both 2002 and 2003 before finally starting to turn it around in 2004. But LeBron just wants to win games. He is a pure competitor at heart, like Michael Jordan was in the 90's. You simply cannot see LeBron go to a terrible team just because he is offered a max contract.

Right now, New York is throwing a nauseating supply of celebrities at him. Jay-Z, Joba Chamberlain, C.C. Sabathia, Alex Rodriguez, and Mark Texiera were all on hand, courtside for last night's game. Oddly enough, Charles Oakley, Anthony Mason, and Larry Johnson, 3 Knicks players from the 90's, were there as well but didn't get too much notoriety. There is even an 8 story tall picture of him in Times Square posing for Air Jordan. All of this is nice, but LeBron is too mature and gracious to be swayed by such transparent flattery.

LeBron James just wants to win. And that is precisely why Donnie Walsh needs to do whatever is possible to get him. He has made it clear that he won't sign with anyone less than a contender, and that will not be the Knicks unless someone steps up to become a leader. David Lee is probably their best player, but you would never know it because he just doesn't speak up. He is a role player, and Donnie Walsh was right not to pay him top dollar. Wilson Chandler is probably the 2nd best player on the team, but he is far from a verbal general at this point in his young career. I believe Danilo Gallinari is the key. He seems passionate about winning, and he absolutely needs to step up and start commanding wins. He is already averaging 17.5 PPG, and is top 3 on the team in scoring. The team is wide open for the taking. Who is it going to be? Chris Duhon, is hardly an elite point guard. He is slow and prone to mistakes, but at least he spoke up recently to demand a little more effort and seriousness in the pregame warm ups. It was hardly a call to task, but it was a nudge. Unfortunately the criticism didn't work. Duhon is not the leader. It has to come from someone else.

If Gallinari has the guts to stand up and lead this team, perhaps along with Chandler or Lee, then LeBron James and other free agents in 2010 will take notice that the Knicks' building blocks have potential.

Someone on the Knicks needs to stand up and say, "this is my team." Who is it going to be? Gallinari, Lee, or Chandler?

Knicks @ Heat - 2009 Opening Night Thoughts

When the father of one of my football players generously gave me two tickets to the Heat game, I was very excited. When I realized that the seats were in the 2nd Row on the baseline and that the Heat would be playing the Knicks I literally jumped out of my seat!

It was befitting that Tim Hardaway's jersey was retired on that night. He had been the starting point guard on so many of those Knicks/Heat rivalry games of the 90's, and he talked about those match ups in his pregame speech. It really was nice to see his jersey retired. As much as I hated him and Alonzo Mourning, I also admired and respected them for their tenacity and toughness.

I was also excited to see Mike D'Antoni's "speed-ball offense." I was curious to see how it worked. The Knicks actually looked good in the first half. They mixed it up nicely and David Lee was a beast under the basket. However, I was a bit disappointed as there was nothing special about the way they played. To me it just looked like regular basketball.

Until the 2nd half...

The Knicks came out flat and slow. They quickly fell behind by over 30 points at one point and I remember turning to my friend Lou and saying "here we go again. It looks like it's going to be another long season." D'Antoni's speed ball offense was nothing more than fast breaks and jump shots. It wasn't really very exciting, and I wasn't really very impressed. The Knicks also played absolutely zero defense in the 2nd half. It was ugly, I have to admit.

The final score: Knicks 93 - Heat 115

Dwayne Wade, on the other hand, was spectacular to watch. When you get an opportunity to see a player of his caliber up close, you realize just how special they really are. The one thing that stood out to me was his quickness. He was zipping by everyone, and he spread the floor effortlessly. He is always trying to dazzle with reverse layups and dunks, and most of the time he succeeds.

The other stand out of the evening was the Knick's sharp-shooter Danillo Gallinari. He made something like 6 or 7 3-point shots over the course of the game. I remember reading once where Mike D'Antoni called Gallinari "the best shooter he had ever seen." On Wednesday I saw what he meant.

Gallinari, or "Gallo" as his Italian friends called him when he was playing professionally in Italy, was very smooth. He effortlessly side stepped defenders and drained 3's one after another. In the end, he and David Lee led the team with 22 points.

If Gallo is the future of the Knicks, then the Knicks seemingly have a future to look forward to. He is for real, and I predict him to crack the starting line-up sooner rather than later.

Quick Note:

Actress Gabrielle Union was sitting 4 seats away from me in my row to my left. She was there with two of her girlfriends. Unfortunately for me, two very old (senior citizen old) ladies were sitting in between us, thus blocking her view from noticing us. I'm sure my girlfriend is very thankful of that, even though we had no chance with the young starlet. ;-)

NY Knicks Glory Days Video

Here is a video from the archives to get you pumped about Knicks basketball. Remember the glory days of Ewing, Starks, Oakley & Mason? I can remember following this team with every breath. They fought and scrapped and went at it with the Bulls and Heat too many times to keep track of. Unfortunately for the Knicks, they played in an era at the same time as the Chigago Bulls and their dynasty led by the greatest ever - Michael Jordan.

NY Post Giants Preseason Report

NY Post beat writer Paul Schwartz gives us a quick look at the Giants preseason camp in Albany.

First Day Wearing Pads at NY Giants Preseason

Breaking down Giants camp and the impressive defense so far

9 Year Old Basketball Prodigy

Check out this 9 year old baller that another website had came accross and posted on UTube. I thought it was worth a look, so if you have a few minutes check it out. In particular, check out his skills at the 4:30 mark... His hand/eye coordination is undeniable.

...I bet he'd make a really great drummer too. ;-)

Knicks Close to Signing Bucks' RFA Ramon Sessions

Alan Hahn reports on the latest information he is hearing about the Knicks' pursuit of Ramon Sessions as the team's next point guard.

"What I have been told is the Knicks want Sessions and they will eventually get him," Hahn writes. "The price remains TBD."

Hahn earlier reported that the Knicks were offering slightly less than the team's mid-level exception, which starts at around $5.8 million in the first season.

Via Twitter (Alan Hahn, Newsday)

Eli Manning Inks New $97.5 Million Contract

Posted by ESPN.com's Matt Mosley (Click title to link to ESPN Story).

Eli Manning has agreed to a six-year, $97.5 million contract with the New York Giants, according to ESPN's Chris Mortensen. The contract would make Manning the highest-paid player in the league, although the $35 million guaranteed that Mort is reporting is $6 million less than the Redskins gave free-agent defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth.

Obviously Manning would've been worth more on the open market, but the Giants were never going to let him get there. The quarterback became a made man in New York when he led the team to a Super Bowl win following the 2007 season. He's recognized as one of the top quarterbacks in the game, and he's now making more money than his older brother Peyton -- as long as you don't count TV commercials.

This is a contract negotiation the Giants didn't want to linger. Last season, they waited until the night of the first regular-season game to finalize a new deal with Plaxico Burress. You knew that wouldn't be the case with Manning. Could he have squeezed a couple more million guaranteed out of the Giants? Probably, but in the end he simply wanted to have the security of knowing he'd be with the Giants for years to come.

This deal may have been finalized in early August, but in reality it started in Feb. 2008, when Manning led the Giants to a stunning victory over the Patriots. Manning is the unquestioned leader of this team and there was no reason to drag out the negotiations. Match today's news with Antonio Pierce being cleared by a Manhattan grand jury Monday and you have a lot of good news coming out of Albany.

Fantasy Football Mock Draft from NFL.com

Football season is right around the corner. For those of you who have to start thinking about their upcoming fantasy football draft, I give you some analysis taken from NFL.com's website. Let's just start getting an idea of who all the top scorers are, shall we? I don't agree with all of thesepicks and their placement, but for the most part, these are some of the top guys in the league that you should be targeting come draft day (barring any unforseen training camp injuries, of course!).

Round 1

Minnesota Vikings
1. Adrian Peterson
Running back Peterson's name will remain atop these mock drafts right through August. He scored an unimpressive 10 touchdowns last season, but he led the NFL with 1,760 rushing yards and still hasn't hit his ceiling in terms of fantasy value. Peterson is a talented and elusive runner with a tremendous offensive line ahead of him, so he should continue to thrive with a team that will lean on him a lot.

Chicago Bears
2. Matt Forte
Running back Forte was a huge draft value last season, breaking out for 1,715 yards from scrimmage and 12 total touchdowns. With Jay Cutler now under center for the Bears, Forte could see even more opportunities to score points for fantasy owners. Forte, who was selected ahead of Peterson in a recent expert league draft I participated in, is a surefire star in fantasyland. He's a solid choice in standard and PPR formats.

Jacksonville Jaguars
3. Maurice Jones-Drew
Running back Jones-Drew's days of being underrated are over. He has averaged 1,314 yards from scrimmage and close to 13 touchdowns in three NFL seasons, and he'll now be the featured back after the release of Fred Taylor, who signed with the Patriots. Jones-Drew's stock rose even more after the NFL draft, as the Jaguars added OTs Eugene Monroe and Eben Britton to what will be an improved front.

Atlanta Falcons
4. Michael Turner
Running back Turner is coming off a breakout season in which he rushed for 1,699 yards and 17 touchdowns as the centerpiece of the Falcons' offense. While he did finish with 376 carries, Turner is still young and fresh enough to handle another heavy workload next season and post solid numbers. The Burner, who will benefit from TE Tony Gonzalez's presence in the offense, will be a surefire top-five selection in most drafts.

Carolina Panthers
5. DeAngelo Williams
Running back Fantasy leaguers who think Williams will score 20 touchdowns again are bound to be disappointed, but he's still a solid bet for around 1,300 rushing yards and 12 to 15 scores. While I have seen him fall in some recent expert drafts, Williams remains a surefire first-round selection in a Carolina offense that will continue to lean on the run in 2009. However, Williams could come off the board later in PPR leagues.

Tennessee Titans
6. Chris Johnson
Running back Much like Forte, Johnson exploded onto the scene as a rookie and helped countless owners to a championship. He ended the season with 1,228 rushing yards and nine touchdowns despite seeing just 53 percent of the Titans' running back/fullback carries. Johnson is fast and elusive, and he's slated to see an even bigger role in Tennessee's offense in 2009. He will be selected ahead of Williams in most PPR leagues.

St. Louis Rams
7. Steven Jackson
Running back Despite missing four games last season, Jackson still finished with 40 catches, 1,421 yards from scrimmage and eight touchdowns in 2008. The Rams will use a West Coast offense under coordinator Pat Shurmur, so Jackson should be able to use his immense skills as a pass catcher. Behind what will be an improved line that added OT Jason Smith in the draft, Jackson should thrive if he can avoid injuries.

Arizona Cardinals
8. Larry Fitzgerald
Wide receiver The top wide receiver in fantasy football, Fitzgerald is almost certain to come off the board in the first or second round in drafts. He has been ultra-consistent and productive, and he's possibly the best player at his position in the game right now. With QB Kurt Warner coming back to Arizona after signing a two-year deal, Fitzgerald's value in fantasy circles will remain prominent. Let's just hope the Madden cover curse doesn't affect him in 2009.

San Francisco 49ers
9. Frank Gore
Running back Gore showed flashes of his impressive 2006 form last season, but injuries limited him to 14 games and hurt his value down the stretch. However, in what promises to be a run-based offense under new coordinator Jimmy Raye, Gore will remain prominent in the 49ers' plans. He's young (26) and doesn't share carries (rookie Glen Coffee is more of a potential handcuff than a committee back), which also is a positive.

Dallas Cowboys
10. Marion Barber
Running back Barber is a touchdown machine who would be ranked ahead of Gore if it weren't for the presence of Felix Jones and Tashard Choice in the Cowboys' backfield. Reports out of Dallas suggest that Barber could lose his starting role to Jones and be used as a "closer" -- a role he thrived in from 2006 to 2007 -- so the situation shouldn't be seen as serious detriment to his value. A versatile back, Barber remains a No. 1 option in all fantasy formats.

Houston Texans
11. Steve Slaton
Running back While his lack of size (5-foot-9, 203 pounds) was seen as a concern last season, Slaton disproved the critics as the top runner in Houston. He finished with 50 catches, 1,659 yards from scrimmage and 10 touchdowns, so his value in 2009 will be immense. The Texans failed to add a short-yardage or goal-line back in free agency or the draft, so Slaton's role should remain prominent. He could go higher in PPR drafts.

San Diego Chargers
12. LaDainian Tomlinson
Running back Tomlinson recently turned 30 and appears to be on the downside of his career. However, he's still capable of putting up big numbers at times, and coach Norv Turner said this offseason that he wants to get Tomlinson around 320 carries. Tomlinson wasn't at all consistent in 2008, though, and could lose work to Darren Sproles. Tomlinson should be considered more of a low-end No. 1 fantasy back.


Round 2

Houston Texans
13. Andre Johnson
Wide receiver Johnson, who could be selected ahead of Fitzgerald in some drafts (especially for superstitious owners who fear the Madden curse), is coming off a career season with 115 receptions, an NFL-best 1,575 receiving yards and eight touchdowns. He's a younger version of Terrell Owens and an absolute nightmare for opposing defensive backs. Barring injuries, Johnson will continue to produce for fantasy leaguers.

Detroit Lions
14. Calvin Johnson
Wide receiver Johnson played on a winless Detroit team and had to adapt to several different quarterbacks last season, but he still had 78 receptions for 1,331 yards and 12 touchdowns. Whether it's Daunte Culpepper or No. 1 overall draft pick Matthew Stafford under center for the Lions next season, the man called "Megatron" is a virtual lock to come off the board in the second round in both standard leagues and those that rewards points for catches.

Washington Redskins
15. Clinton Portis
Running back Portis was the best running back in fantasy football for much of 2008, so it's hard to keep him out of the top 15 in next season's drafts. The Redskins didn't add a running back this offseason, so Portis will remain a featured player in an offense that will lean on the run. But be warned: His 342 carries and a multitude of injuries down the stretch could be a red flag that a physical breakdown is on the horizon.

New England Patriots
16. Randy Moss
Wide receiver Moss experienced statistical decreases across the board in 2008, as the Patriots' offense was far less explosive once QB Tom Brady was lost to a torn anterior cruciate ligament in the season opener. However, Brady's expected return next season has increased Moss' value in fantasy football. Moss won't duplicate his immense 2007 numbers, but he is without question an elite No. 1 fantasy wideout again.

Philadelphia Eagles
17. Brian Westbrook
Running back Westbrook will be 30 to start next season, and we've already started to see signs of wear and tear on his problematic knees. He's coming off an arthroscopic procedure, not to mention ankle surgery that could keep him out for part or all of training camp. That makes Westbrook even more of a risk, but one that's worth taking in the second round. If you do draft Westbrook, taking rookie LeSean McCoy later is imperative.

New Orleans Saints
18. Drew Brees
Quarterback Brees is coming off a monster season in which he threw for 5,069 yards and 34 touchdowns. He led all players on NFL.com with 363 fantasy points, and he's one of the few non-running backs who's worthy of first-round consideration in all standard leagues. Brees is consistent and reliable, and he will be the most coveted signal-caller in most fantasy drafts. He'll be one of the top picks in touchdown-based formats.

Carolina Panthers
19. Steve Smith
Wide receiver Smith, who was suspended for the first two games of last season, still finished with 78 receptions and 1,421 yards. Despite his lack of size, he's still a terror for opposing defensive backs and will remain prominent in Carolina's pass attack and the top option for QB Jake Delhomme. That makes Smith a solid No. 1 fantasy wideout and worth a second-round pick in standard and PPR formats.

New York Giants
20. Brandon Jacobs
Running back Jacobs produced career bests in rushing yards (1,089) and touchdowns (15) -- numbers good enough to put him in the top 12 among running backs on NFL.com last season. The Giants have lost Derrick Ward (free-agent contract with the Buccaneers), so Jacobs should be in line to see more carries next season. While his proneness to injuries is a concern, Jacobs is still well worth selecting in the second round.

New England Patriots
21. Tom Brady
Quarterback News on his recovery from knee surgery continues to be positive, and the trade of Matt Cassel to the Chiefs shows that the Patriots are confident Brady will be under center in Week 1. That deal moved Brady to second on NFL.com's quarterback rankings behind Brees and into the second round of this latest mock fantasy draft. Barring setbacks, Brady will be off the board in the second or third round.

Arizona Cardinals
22. Anquan Boldin
Wide receiver With the draft now in the rearview mirror and fewer trade rumors surrounding him, Boldin seems destined to remain in Arizona. That's good news in fantasyland. Boldin finished last season with 89 catches for 1,038 yards and 11 touchdowns, and he did it in just 12 games. While Boldin does tend to miss time because of various injuries, he's simply too talented to pass on in the second or third round in fantasy drafts.

Indianapolis Colts
23. Reggie Wayne
Wide receiver Wayne saw his reception, yardage and touchdowns totals fall last season, compared to his impressive numbers in 2007. Still, he did post 82 receptions and close to 1,150 yards as the top option for QB Peyton Manning in the Colts' passing attack. With Marvin Harrison now out of the mix in Indianapolis, Wayne should see a rise in both production and fantasy draft value. He's a surefire No. 1 fantasy wideout in most leagues.

Atlanta Falcons
24. Roddy White
Wide receiver In what was a bizarre 2008 fantasy season, White scored more points on NFL.com than Randy Moss and Steve Smith. With the emergence of QB Matt Ryan and in an offense that's well balanced with Turner in the backfield, the athletic White should continue to be a solid source of fantasy points. White, who also will benefit from TE Tony Gonzalez's presence, should be considered a No. 1 option at wide receiver.


Round 3

Miami Dolphins
25. Ronnie Brown
Running back Brown found himself in a backfield committee with Ricky Williams last season, but he still rushed for 916 yards and scored 10 touchdowns. Brown also has one full season under his belt after a reconstructive knee procedure heading into 2009, and I think he'll see a greater portion of the workload, even with Williams still in the backfield mix. Brown should be seen as a solid No. 2 fantasy runner.

Indianapolis Colts
26. Peyton Manning
Quarterback Manning is coming off what some would call a "down" season, throwing for 4,002 yards and 27 touchdowns. But he'll enter 2009 at 100 percent (he was coming off multiple knee surgeries to start 2008), and the talent around him will remain solid. Manning is a virtual guarantee to throw for 4,000-plus yards and 30 touchdowns, which makes him a lock to come off the board in the earlier rounds.

Green Bay Packers
27. Greg Jennings
Wide receiver Jennings might not be the "sexiest" pick at wide receiver, but it's hard to ignore his numbers over the past two seasons. The favorite target of Aaron Rodgers, Jennings finished with career bests in receptions (80) and yards (1,292) in 2008. A consistent and productive option across the board, Jennings is a surefire No. 1 fantasy wideout. He won't last past the third round in most standard and PPR formats.

Kansas City Chiefs
28. Dwayne Bowe
Wide receiver Bowe is the most attractive breakout candidate at wide receiver. He should mature and develop under new coach Todd Haley, who has helped past receivers such as Keyshawn Johnson and Marty Booker have huge seasons. The top option in what will be a pass-laden Chiefs offense after the trade of TE Tony Gonzalez to the Falcons, Bowe should now be seen as a very viable No. 1 fantasy wide receiver.

New England Patriots
29. Wes Welker
Wide receiver Despite the absence of QB Tom Brady because of injury, Welker quietly finished last season with 111 receptions for 1,165 yards. The smallish wideout will continue to see a prominent role in the Patriots' offense next season, and the return of Brady makes Welker that much more attractive. Welker, who has added value in leagues that reward points for catches, is a borderline No. 1 or 2 fantasy wideout across the board.

Detroit Lions
30. Kevin Smith
Running back Smith should be seen as a potential breakout candidate in 2009. He was a star at the end of his rookie season with nine catches, 329 yards from scrimmage and three touchdowns in his last three starts. New Lions coach Jim Schwartz will no doubt lean on the run, so Smith should see more than his share of chances, even with Maurice Morris in the mix. Smith will be drafted as a No. 2 fantasy back in most formats.

New Orleans Saints
31. Marques Colston
Wide receiver Colston, the ultimate fantasy sleeper in his rookie season, expects to be 100 percent recovered from knee surgery and fine for the regular-season opener against the Lions. The top wide receiver in the league's most prolific pass attack, Colston should bounce back from an injury-plagued 2008 season and thrive for fantasy leaguers. He's a borderline No. 1 wideout and well worth a third-round selection.

Denver Broncos
32. Brandon Marshall
Wide receiver While he was inconsistent at times last season, Marshall still finished with a career-best 104 receptions last season and was a solid option in PPR formats. The addition of new coach Josh McDaniels in Denver should be a positive, as is news that Marshall will avoid a league-imposed suspension for off-the-field issues, but the trade of QB Jay Cutler hurt the wide receiver's stock a bit. Overall, Marshall should be seen as a borderline No. 1 or 2 fantasy wideout.

New Orleans Saints
33. Pierre Thomas
Running back The Saints released Deuce McAllister this offseason and didn't draft or sign a back to replace him, so it looks like Thomas will be the starter in coach Sean Payton's backfield in 2009. Thomas is an underrated talent who helped countless fantasy owners win a championship last season with stellar performances down the stretch. Despite the presence of Reggie Bush in New Orleans' backfield, Thomas will be a second- or third-round pick in drafts.

Dallas Cowboys
34. Roy E. Williams
Wide receiver Williams was an absolute disaster for fantasy leaguers last season, finishing with career lows in receptions (36), yards (430) and touchdowns (two). With Terrell Owens now out of the mix, however, Williams becomes the top wideout in a Cowboys offense that should put some points on the scoreboard. If he can avoid injuries in 2009, Williams should bounce back and produce around 1,100 yards and seven-plus touchdowns.

Green Bay Packers
35. Ryan Grant
Running back Grant failed to live up to expectations last season, but a return to his 2007 form could be imminent. Grant will have a full training camp for the first time since joining the Packers, and that should help him produce better numbers. Grant also is a featured back, which is rare in this day and age of the backfield committee. Grant could turn into a very nice draft value and is worth a third-round choice in most standard drafts.

Buffalo Bills
36. Terrell Owens
Wide receiver Is it me or will Owens look odd in a Bills uniform? Regardless, his extended age (he'll be 35 to start the 2009 season) and an offense that isn't like the ones he played with as a 49er, Eagle or Cowboy will hurt his value. Owens also needs Trent Edwards to take a few steps forward in his development as an NFL quarterback. Still, Owens is a No. 2 fantasy wideout, even if he doesn't put up huge numbers as in past seasons

What's with the Knicks?

It's like The New York Knicks are cursed. They just can't seem to get anything to go their way.

First, Ricky Rubio was drafted and then Stephen Curry was taken one spot ahead of the 8Th pick in the 2009 NBA Draft. Knicks fans were heartbroken. They wanted Curry so bad, when Jordan Hill was selected they actually booed him out of frustration. To his credit, Jordan Hill took it like a champ. The 6'10" power forward from Arizona handled it well.

Welcome to New York, Jordan. At least you'll be rich!

After the draft, the Knick's General Manager Donnie Walsh turned his attention to the 2009 free agent market which began on July 1st, to see who he could sign to help bolster the roster for 2009 in an attempt to help lure a big free agent like Lebron James to New York in 2010.

o-2. That's the record the New York Knicks now have in recruiting free agent talent now that the July 1st has come and gone. First, the Knicks brought in free agent Jason Kidd. Kidd was once considered the best point guard in all of basketball is now 37 years old and still considered a great basketball player, but he is hardly the player he was in his prime. Kidd was brought in, interviewed, wooed, and offered a $18 million deal. Kidd politely went back to Dallas, where Mark Cuban counter offered with $25 million. "Thanks, but no thanks" was Kidd's decision.

Next, General Manager Donnie Walsh turned his attention to another over the "Hill" veteran small forward in 36 year old Grant Hill. Hill also declined the invitation to play for the Knicks. This was an even bigger snub at New York than Kidd. At least in Kidd we could all say, "ok - we were out bid fair and square." In this case, Hill decided to take less money - $3 million for one year with an option for a second year; as opposed to the Knicks generous offer of one year at $5 million or three years at $10 million.

Ouch!

New york was snubbed by two OLD veteran players, one of which (Hill) is really just a role player. I mean, it's not like Hill is Larry Bird or Willis Reed in his final year!

What should New York do now? It seems like no one wants to play for Head Coach Mike D'Antoni and GM Donnie Walsh and owner James Dolan. Is it the overpriced cost of living in NY? Is it the fear of getting treated like the way Stephon Marbury was treated when he was feuding with Knicks management? Is it the fact that the fan base is completely irrational at times (i.e., booing first round draft pick Jordan Hill because they were disappointed we were not able to draft crowd favorite Stephen Curry)? Is it because owner James Dolan is just plain unlucky? Is it because the Knicks have shunned hiring Patrick Ewing or Mark Jackson?

Whatever the reason is, James Dolan, the owner at the top, needs to do something about it. In my opinion, I believe he should sell the team to a NY businessman who actually CARES more about winning than he does about playing in a rock band . We need a new owner. A Mark Cuban type who eats, sleeps, and drinks Knicks basketball. I applaud the Knicks for finally cutting ties with Isiah Thomas. That was a marriage made in hell. It set the Knicks back many years. I'm glad that Donnie Walsh is trying to shed the pieces of the last regime, but there is more to it than just that. The culture of the Knicks is critically damaged and Walsh MUST find the answer.

I'm no GM, but if I were Walsh, I would realize that every Knick is expendable. The good news is that it seems that there are no takers for David Lee this off season, making it more and more likely that we will be able to retain him at the mid-level exception. The same goes for Nate Robinson. But more importantly, there are bigger issues. McDonalds mascot Eddy Curry - the pine rider from last season has apparently shed 50 pounds, making him an intriguing chip in the free agency market. With Houston's Yao Ming out for the entire 2009-10 season, perhaps Walsh could orchestrate a trade sending Curry and Nate Robinson to Houston for Tracy McGrady? That would free up cap room and get NY the star it was looking for this off season. Sounds too good to be true right? I know, that's the problem with being a Knicks fan -we are so accustomed to disappointment, that we just assume it could never happen. I'm sure there is some reason Houston would not want to take on Curry's contract, but wouldn't it be great if Walsh at least looked into it? At least that way, Knicks fans weren't left in the dark, with nothing to nibble on except his two moves to try to sign two very old veterans at the mid level exception.

This off season, Donnie Walsh has been out shined by every GM in the NBA. The Lakers signed Ron Artest. The Cavs signed Shaquille O'Neill. The Magic traded for Vince Carter and Brandon Bass. The Raptors signed Hedo Turkoglu. The Celtics signed Rasheed Wallace. The Knicks traded Quentin Richardson (garbage time all-star) for Darko Milicic (bust).

If that's the best Donnie can do, New York will be a bad team for another 10 years. The cap space in 2010 will be less because of the dreary economy, meaning teams must trim their payroll. This is more bad news for New York and Donnie Walsh, who was hedging their hopes on landing two superstars from next year's free agent class. Now, with less money to work with, NY may only be able to sign one superstar.

Walsh had better have a plan C, because the free agent pool is almost dried up. Going after Kidd and Hill prompted many of the fans, including this one to say, "Walsh! What are you doing?!" Most of the blog fan comments on the Daily News and New York Post are happy that neither of them signed with New York. I happen to agree with this sentiment. I would rather go with my young core of drafted players, and hope that one or two of them emerge into superstars good enough to lure a Lebron James or Dwayne Wade to NY in 2010. But they alone will not be enough. We need a player with leadership for 2009-10 or a player with "buzz appeal" like Stephen Curry or Ricky Rubio.

As for the free agents in 2010, in my opinion, I would prefer the Wade & Bosh/Nowitski mix. Lebron James has shown signs of being a primadonna (refusing to shake Orlando's hands after their 2009 playoff loss and confiscating tape that surfaced of a college student dunking on him) and egos like that usually do not fare well in a giant market like New York City. But, if he opted to sign with NY in 2010, I sure as heck wouldn't be disappointed either!

2009 NBA Draft Pick Brandon Jennings Disses the Knicks in Profanity Laden Interview

Via the NY Post:

Bucks point guard Brandon Jennings was caught on a YouTube video clip cursing out the Knicks for not drafting him last Thursday and taking Arizona forward Jordan Hill instead.

In a profanity-laced video with rapper Joe Budden, Jennings allegedly cursed out Rickey Rubio, among others. Bucks GM John Hammond reportedly has contacted Jennings, who was selected 10th in last week's draft, about the video.

A spokesman for his agent, Bill Duffy, said Jennings, who opted to play basketball with the Italian team Lottomatica Roma out of high school instead of playing college basketball, had no idea he was being taped.

- YEAH RIGHT!!!! Jennings you dope!!!! Way to write the book on how to NEVER EVER get traded to the biggest market in the world! Say bye bye to any hopes of a big pay-day. Congratulations. You are now officially the homer of the 2009 NBA Draft. Here is the video - you can all see it for yourself.

-Mike ;-)

The Longest Lines were at the ATMs at the New Yankee Stadium

I finally saw it - the new and improved Yankee Stadium with bigger, wider sides to accomodate for more stores to sell "stuff." Sigh. What was once a place where families could go to escape the pavement of New York City, has become monstrous homage to merchandising. The new-look Yankees are overpaid home-run hitters. Now I see how they are paying them. Each one of our tickets were $100 a piece. Four of us went. Now I see why much of the rest of the country has come to hate NY and it's overinflated cost of living and bravado.

The NY Giants and Jets are doing the same thing, but even worse to an extent with their Personal Seating Licenses (PSLs) - a one time buy in fee for the right to own your seats like an investment in a company through the stock market. However, it is not clear to me whether the ticket prices drop when the team starts losing. But let me get back to Yankee Stadium...

Besides the relentless and obnoxious in-your-face merchandising, it is my opinion that Yankee stadium was hastily designed. There are a number of noticeable flaws in it's design:

- The scoreboard is too big and too busy. The HD jumbo-tron is gorgeous, make no mistake about it. It's the clearest and biggest picture I've ever seen. It's 60 feet by 100 feet wide! The picture is astoundingly clear. Watching the instant replay on it was cool. However some might argue that it takes your focus off the action on the field. The scoreboard is surrounded with so many advertisements for companies like Budweiser, Utz and Delta, that you can't find the pitch count, outs, etc... There is so much to look at, that it took me almost a minute to find the pitch count. Then, once I did locate it in a tiny area to the left of the enormous screen, I kept having trouble locating it every time because that area is just, well, so darn busy! The MPH per pitch is located at the top of the screen, and the scoreboard by inning is too small and located at the bottom of the screen. The Ball/Strike count is located off to the left surrounded by advertisements. So basically, everything is spread out, rather than in one, quick, easy to see spot. By the time you locate the info you want in order to truly follow the game, your have missed the pitch on the field. That was really, really annoying for the $400 price tag to get in. It was glitzy, flashy, sparkly, and filled with digital graphics meant to awe you into believing $400 was worth it. They overdid it in this department. In my view, it takes away from the game, and makes the whole experience a bit too much techno-metro sexual for my taste. You can see a video with new scoreboard here: http://newyork.yankees.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20090414&content_id=4263702&vkey=news_nyy&fext=.jsp&c_id=nyy

- Poorly placed and sized signage/directions around the stadium. The hallways were teeming with patrons and the hallways need bigger, better placed signs. It was hard to locate the directions to the men's room.

- The men's rooms were very poorly designed. For a billion dollar stadium, you'd think they would have automatic flushing toilets right? Why would I want to touch that handle? And why is there only one entrance to the bathroom? There should be an entrance and an exit to the men's room with no doors, so you can enter and exit from either side. The door that was installed had no handle on the inside so we couldn't get out! We were locked in there, and had to wait until someone came in and pushed open the door from the outside. I'm not kidding you! They need to add some interior door handles for the men's rooms! Finally there were no air blowers to dry your hands. Instead, the geniuses installed paper towel dispensers 1 foot above the wet sink counter tops, so when you dispense the paper towels, they dispense out onto the wet counter top. Yankee Stadium must be wasting millions of pounds of paper towels because of the poorly placed dispensers.

- For the average Joe, it was way too expensive to have a good time! One beer costs $9.00. We're not talking Amstel Light or Bass Ale here, we are talking 1 normal plastic bottle of Bud Light. A 6 pack at the supermarket is $7.00. There were Yankees stores at every other gate (the gates were poorly labeled as well) and everything inside was approximately 25% more expensive than a store in a mall or on Main Street USA. The steak sandwich, which by itself (no sides came with it) was $16.00.

So in conclusion, the Yankees are now a baseball team with more razzle-dazzle than any other team in MLB. They may be in first place, but the only ones who care are those who either sit in the bleachers for $20 or watch the games from their couch or read about it the next day in the paper. There is nothing macho about this crowd. Instead, you find flashy bankers and middle aged men dishing out $20's to their kids to go consume overpriced food and merchandise. There were too many people getting up and leaving during the course of the game. Too many times I was asked to get up. No one seems to want to just sit and watch a baseball game at Yankee Stadium. Instead they bleed green the entire time due to a merchandising effort unlike anything I have ever seen. The Steinbrenner boys are certainly milking the majestic Yankee History for every possible dollar. The price is Yankee pride. How can I take pride in the Yankees when they are trying to sell me a 3"x 3" piece of "Yankee History" (dirt) with a few blades of grass on it in a box for the low-low bargain price of $80.00?

By the time the game was over, I could barely remember who had hit each of the 5 home runs in the game. But I absolutely do remember that the longest lines were at the ATM's. That pretty much says it all right there.

NY Giants Draft Offensive-Heavy in 2009 NFL Draft

Needs Analysis: The Giants hit it big in this draft. Wide receiver Hakeem Nicks is suited to replace Amani Toomer in time and Ramses Barden is a physical clone of Plaxico Burress, which gives them a big red zone target. Clint Sintim can rush the passer and fits well in the Giants' fire-zone scheme. The steal of the fourth round was Andre Brown, a big running back with really good hands. The G-men satisfied every need in the draft and are ready for camp.


Round 1, Pick 29 (29)
Hakeem Nicks
WR
6'1"
212
North Carolina
Pick Analysis:The former Tar Heel is an outstanding receiver with all of the tools to be a No. 1 receiver as a pro. As a big, strong playmaker with outstanding hands, Nicks should fill in nicely for the departed Plaxico Burress in the Giants' receiving corps.

Round 2, Pick 13 (45) (From Saints)
Clint Sintim
OLB
6'3"
256
Virginia
Pick Analysis:The Giants continue to pick up quality football players regardless of position. Though Sintim was used as a 3-4 outside linebacker, the Giants' scheme flexibility will allow the former Cavalier to play to his strengths as an NFL player.

Round 2, Pick 28 (60)
William Beatty
OT
6'6"
307
Connecticut
Pick Analysis:The former Husky surprisingly falls to the Giants in the second round. Though the team doesn't have an immediate need at the position, Beatty gives the Giants a young, athletic offensive tackle prospect to develop for the future.

Round 3, Pick 21 (85) (From Eagles)
Ramses Barden
WR
6'6"
229
Cal Poly
Pick Analysis:The Giants pick up a big, physical receiver with outstanding talent and potential. Barden gives the team another tall receiver to potentially replace Plaxico Burress' production in the passing game.

Round 3, Pick 36 (100) (Compensatory selection)
Travis Beckum
TE
6'3"
243
Wisconsin
Pick Analysis:Beckum is strong and he was very productive in college. He should be able to fit in on special teams nicely. He has some experience playing linebacker and is a decent athlete. The Giants will have to find a role for him.

Round 4, Pick 29 (129)
Andre Brown
RB
6'0"
224
North Carolina State
Pick Analysis:Brown is a steal at this point in the draft. The Giants do a good job with picking their players. He really made a name for himself at the Senior Bowl and flashed outstanding skills. He's got receiving talent and gives the Giants a great replacement for Derrick Ward.

Round 5, Pick 15 (151) (From Saints)
Rhett Bomar
QB
6'2"
225
Sam Houston State
Pick Analysis:The Giants take a chance on Bomar in the fifth round. The Sam Houston State product has all of the tools to develop into a solid pro quarterback and could be a promising developmental prospect and a decent backup for Eli Manning.

Round 6, Pick 27 (200)
DeAndre Wright
DB
5'11"
198
New Mexico
Pick Analysis:Giants scout Steve Malin really liked Wright, and Malin holds some weight in New York's war room. Coming out of New Mexico, Wright has decent size and he'll come in and compete to be a backup for the Giants.

Round 7, Pick 29 (238)
Stoney Woodson
DB
5'11"
197
South Carolina
Pick Analysis:Woodson is a fast corner who the Giants may be looking to for depth purposes after Kevin Dockery departed in the offseason. He turned in times of 4.53 and 4.57 in the 40-yard dash at his pro day.

Trade Rumor - Braylon Edwards to NY Giants

With the 2009 NFL draft just 6 days away, there have a number of new trade rumors swirling around. One of the hottest rumors around is the potential trade of Cleveland Browns wide receiver Braylon Edwards to the New York Giants. Edwards, a former 3rd overall pick in the 2005 draft is listed at 6'3", 215 lbs. Former NY Giant Plaxico Burress is listed at 6'5" 232lbs. A difference of 2" and 17 lbs. Not much of a difference, right?

In 2007, the year the Giants won the Superbowl, Burress caught 70 receptions for 1025 yards. In his BEST season, Burress caught 76 passes for 1214 yards. This was in 2005, the same year in which Braylon Edwards was drafted. It was his 6th season as a pro in the NFL.

In Edwards' BEST season - 2007, his 3rd season in the NFL, Edwards caught 80 receptions for 1289 yards.

Conclusion - Edwards was better in his 3rd season as a pro on a team that went 10-6, than Burress was in his best season on a team that went 11-5.

These numbers are very similar. However, Edwards gets the edge. because he did it in his 3rd season as a pro while Burress did it in his 6th.

Possible trade discussions have included the Giants giving up a 2nd and a 5th round draft pick(the 2 picks received from New Orleans from the Jeremy Shockey trade), PLUS either WR Steve Smith or Dominic Hixon.

I say, NO Smith and No Hixon. I think Hixon has the potential to be a solid #2 receiver, and Smith is already the perfect slot/possession receiver. Everyone else on the Giant's WR squad is tradable in my opinion.

Moss needs to be part of this trade. He is, and always has been the odd man out. Furthermore, who says we need to give them 2 draft picks and 1 player? Why not give them a combination of 2 players and 1 pick? How about giving up Wide Receiver Sinorice Moss and Linebacker Gerris Wilkinson or Defensive Lineman Barry Coefield and a second round pick. This way the Giants would still have 4 picks in the top 5.

Wilkinson was a 3rd round pick and Moss was a 2nd. That's giving up two 2's and a 3rd for Edwards who was a first round pick. Plus, they all have Superbowl experience to bring to the table.

In my opinion, Moss is a burner and just needs a shot. If the Browns select WR Michael Crabtree with the 5th overall selection in the Draft on Saturday, paired with Moss, that wouldn't be so bad for the Browns. A taller Crabtree and a smaller, speedier Moss (5'8" - 185 lbs) would be difficult for defenses to account for.

Top 10 Wide Recievers Available in 2009 NFL Draft

Michael Crabtree - Texas Tech

1. Michael Crabtree, Texas Tech, 6-3, 214. 2008: 97 receptions, 1,165 yards and 17 touchdowns.

2. Jeremy Maclin, Missouri, 6-0, 198. 2008: 102 receptions, 1,260 yards, 13 touchdowns.

3. Percy Harvin, Florida, 5-11, 192. 2008: 40 receptions, 644 yards, 7 touchdowns.

4. Darrius Heyward-Bey, Maryland 6-0, 210. 2008: 42 receptions, 609 yards, 5 touchdowns.

5. Hakeem Nicks, North Carolina, 6-1, 215. 2008: 68 receptions, 1,222 yards, 12 touchdowns.

6. Kenny Britt, Rutgers, 6-2, 218. 2008: 87 receptions, 1,371 yards, 7 touchdowns.

7. Juaquin Iglesias, Oklahoma, 6-1, 210. 2008: 74 receptions, 1,150 yards, 10 touchdowns.

8. Brian Robiskie, Ohio State, 6-3, 199. 2008: 42 receptions, 535 yards, 8 touchdowns.

9. Mohammed Masaquoi, Georgia, 6-2, 198. 2008: 58 receptions, 920 yards, 8 touchdowns.

10. Louis Murphy, Florida, 6-2, 203. 2008: 38 receptions, 655 yards, 7 touchdowns.

'Excited' Isiah Thomas accepts FIU basketball coach job

Isiah Thomas' unfortunate career with the NY Knicks is officially over, as he accepts a job to coach the FIU Panthers. FIU has done much better fundraising in recent years than University of Miami, and is slowly making a name for itself in Division 1 sports.

BY PETE PELEGRIN
ppelegrin@MiamiHerald.com
Not knowing where newly hired FIU basketball coach Isiah Thomas would arrive, several TV station cameramen and media waited at both the Miami and Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood international airports.
Those stationed in Fort Lauderdale received Thomas just as he de-planed.
Thomas, wearing a dark navy blue jacket, gray slacks and sunglasses flashed a big smile and said: ``I guess you're waiting for me.''
Although his introductory news conference is scheduled for Wednesday morning, there was plenty of interest in meeting Thomas on Tuesday.
Fans at the airport offered congratulations to Thomas. Others asked to take their pictures with Thomas and received autographs from the former All-Star point guard who helped lead the Detroit Pistons to two NBA championships.
Another group of cameramen and media was perched outside FIU's U.S. Century Bank Arena throughout the day Tuesday waiting for Thomas to arrive on campus.
For the most part, the Basketball Hall of Famer declined to comment Tuesday on his new job as coach of the Golden Panthers, instead preferring to speak at length in Wednesday's news conference.
''I'm excited,'' Thomas said. ``I'm happy and I look forward to working with the FIU family and doing good things. I'm happy to be working with kids and be back in the gym again.''
FIU hired Thomas to be its men's head basketball coach Tuesday morning.
Thomas signed a five-year contract. Financial terms were not disclosed.
Thomas replaces Sergio Rouco, who was re-assigned within the athletic department Monday.
''This is bigger than basketball and bigger than athletics,'' FIU president Modesto ''Mitch'' Maidique said. ``Having a nationally recognized coach like Isiah at FIU will have a positive impact on our university as a whole, helping us achieve additional national exposure.''
Said FIU athletic director Pete Garcia: ``He's a workaholic and he's passionate about basketball and he knows the game. I am confident that Isiah Thomas can recruit quality players to FIU.''
At FIU, Thomas inherits a basketball program that last had a winning record in 1999-2000 at 16-14. The Golden Panthers, who went 13-20 this past season, have made one NCAA Tournament appearance -- in 1995 when they lost in the first round to UCLA.
But Thomas, who last coached in 2007-08 with the New York Knicks, will be welcomed by a group of players eager to learn from the former NBA great.
''Everybody is excited to learn from him,'' FIU senior forward Nikola Gacesa said. ``This is a man with great experience coaching at the highest level of basketball. He can help us win a lot of games. I called my teammates and everyone is real pumped to start playing basketball for him.''
Thomas would not comment on his coaching staff, but former Miami Heat great Tim Hardaway, who was candidate for the FIU head-coaching job, could be a possible assistant.
''Nothing yet,'' said Hardaway, when asked if Thomas had contacted him for a job at FIU. ``I'm just waiting. We have a great relationship. I'm happy he got the job and he's going to do great things at FIU.''
Besides getting a new team, Thomas will coach in a renovated home arena.
U.S. Century Bank Arena will undergo a $5 million renovation with the help of the capital improvements trust fund FIU received from the state.
The New York Knicks went 23-59 in Thomas' last season as coach. His overall record in New York, where he also served as team president, was 56-108.
Previously, Thomas coached the Indiana Pacers and led them to three straight playoff appearances.
Thomas compiled a 187-223 career record as an NBA head coach.

2009 NY Jets Season Schedule

1. 9/13 at Houston, 1 p.m.

2. 9/20 New England, 1 p.m.

3. 9/27 at Tennessee, 4:15 p.m.

4. 10/4 New Orleans, 4:05 p.m.

5. 10/12 at Miami, 8:30 p.m.

6. 10/18 Buffalo, 4:15 p.m.

7. 10/25 at Oakland, 4:05 p.m.

8. 11/1 Miami, 1 p.m.

9. 11/8 Bye

10. 11/15 Jacksonville, 1 p.m.

11. 11/22 at New England, 4:15 p.m.

12. 11/29 at Carolina, 1 p.m.

13. 12/3 at Buffalo, 8:20 p.m.

14. 12/13 at Tampa Bay, 1 p.m.

15. 12/20 Atlanta, 1 p.m.

16. 12/27 at Indianapolis, 1 p.m.

17. 1/3 Cincinnati, 1 p.m.

2009 NY Giants Season Schedule

Week; Date; Opponent; Time; Network

1; Sun., Sept. 13; vs. WASHINGTON; 4:15 PM; FOX

2; Sun., Sept. 20; at Dallas; 8:20 PM; NBC

3; Sun., Sept. 27; at Tampa; 1:00 PM; FOX

4; Sun., Oct. 4; at Kansas City; 1:00 PM; FOX

5; Sun., Oct. 11; vs. OAKLAND; 1:00 PM; CBS

6; Sun., Oct. 18; at New Orleans; 1:00 PM; FOX

7; Sun., Oct. 25; vs. ARIZONA; 8:20 PM; NBC

8; Sun., Nov. 1; at Philadelphia; 4:15 PM; FOX

9; Sun., Nov. 8; vs. SAN DIEGO; 4:15 PM; CBS

10; Sun., Nov. 15 BYE

11; Sun., Nov. 22; vs. ATLANTA; 1:00 PM*; FOX*

12; Thurs., Nov. 26; at Denver; 8:20 PM; NFL Network

13; Sun., Dec. 6; vs. DALLAS; 4:15 PM*; FOX*

14; Sun.; Dec. 13; vs. PHILADELPHIA; 8:20 PM*; NBC*

15; Mon., Dec. 21; at Washington; 8:30 PM; ESPN

16; Sun., Dec. 27; vs. CAROLINA; 1:00 PM*; FOX*

17; Sun., Jan. 3; at Minnesota; 1:00 PM*; FOX*

*Times and networks subject to change because of flex scheduling

Picture Tour of Yankee Stadium

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/baseball/yankees/yankeestadium/index.html#home

Click on the link above for this post to visit the new Yankee Stadium. It's amazing. I promise you won't be disappointed.

Knick's Danillo Gallinari Back Surgery Update

The Knicks released a statement today indicating what type of surgery the 20 year old rookie from Italy will require. Judging from what they are describing in the article, it sounds like Gallo has a slipped disc in his back. Ouch! I can't imagine anyone being able to play through that. I've heard that a slipped disc can be debilitating. So, good luck with your surgery Gallo, I'm hoping it's successful!

Here is the most interesting meat from the story, taken from their website:

"Following the surgery, Gallinari said it will probably take about 15 days before he begins the rehabilitation process. He could be ready for July’s Summer League, although it appears to be a long shot at this point.

“Six to eight weeks and he’ll be halfway through the summer and start really working hard and be ready hopefully with a new body and everything else by next October,” Head Coach Mike D’Antoni said. “Obviously, (Summer League) is not that important, but if he is healthy and playing then, yeah, he can participate. But I don’t think it’s something to think about now.”

The Knicks are more focused on getting Gallinari back for next season’s training camp and are hoping the pain will be gone following the surgical procedure that shaves the bony plate surrounding a nerve root. This will be the 20-year-old’s first surgery, but he says he’s not nervous right now.

“It’s been eight long months of playing through the pain, so I can’t wait to feel like how I used to feel,” Gallinari said. “It’s not easy playing with the pain.”

Giants Release Plaxico Burress

Amid bonus disputes, illegal gun charges, and various reports of displeasure with Giants management, Plaxico Burress was finally cut by the New York Giants. As I wrote in one of my previous blog entries, Burress is a liability to the team, and apparently, general manager Jerry Reese agrees with me.

Burress was welcomed back to the team by head coach Tom Coughlin and general manager Jerry Reese at the end of the 2008 season. Reese stated publicly his intention of standing by Burress. The Giants did so by renegotiating his contract, when they could have just cut him outright immediately following the shooting. So, although there was a signing dispute in progress over 1 million dollars the Giants were trying to recoup, the Giants offered a new incentive laden contract to Burress that his lawyers had advised Burress to sign. ESPN reported earlier tonight that Burress rejected the Giants' offer even after his lawyers had advised him otherwise.

This was the last straw. Burress not only helped wreck the Giants' season last year, but he also had become a disenfranchised problem to the organization. The fact that Burress' legal issues would not be resolved by the time the draft would roll around did not help. Had Burress plead guilty earlier this week, the Giants would have at least known what hand they had been dealt with Burress. The delay of the hearing until June just meant that this would drag on and on for the Giants. In the end, this, along with his rejection of the contract was the reason why Burress was cut.

Was cutting Burress the right thing to do? Yes and no. By cutting Burress the Giants lose their number one receiver (one of the few elite in the league), and a popular locker room figure and leader. The tandem of wide receivers currently on the roster don't exactly elicit fear from today's elite cornerbacks. None of them currently demand double coverage. This leaves the Giants with a gaping hole on offense.

Adversely, the Giants just dumped a major headache. I'm sure Coughlin and Reese are happy to be rid of this distraction. The Draft is coming up, and they have to focus their energy on finding a suitable number 1 replacement. Also, by cutting Burress, the amount of money that that was supposed to go to Burress can now be used towards his replacement. Names that have been rumored are disgruntled Arizona Cardinals WR Anquan Boldin, Cleveland Browns WR Braylon Edwards, and St. Louis Rams WR Tory Holt. Of the three, Boldin and Edwards would make the best fit. Unfortunately, Boldin wants elite money, and it is unclear at this point how much cap room Burress' release frees up. Will the Giants have enough cash and considerations to land Boldin? No one knows for sure at this point.

Edwards is another interesting fit, but unfortunately his counterpart, Dante Stallworth was just charged with manslaughter charges stemming from an accident in Miami Beach where he struck and killed a 59 year old man on the MacArthur Causeway at 7am on a Saturday. Toxicology reports issued by the Miami-Dade Police Department stated that Stallworth's blood alcohol level was .12, or for a 200lb man, the equivalent of driving after drinking 6 beers. With Stallworth's legal issues and career up in the air, the Browns would be left with no legitimate number 1 receiver to throw to. This greatly diminished the likeliness of his trade. But, if anyone can make a trade happen, I believe Jerry Reese can. As we say over on the Daily News Blog: " ...In Jerry We Trust."

Plaxico Burress to Plead Guilty to a Lesser Charge

The NY Times reported today that Plaxico Burress' attorney is trying to work out a deal that would allow Burress to plead guilty to a lesser crime. This sounds like good news at first, given that the mandatory minimum for the crime that he is charged with carries a mandatory minimum of 3 1/2 years in prison, but in actuality it's still not good news for the NY Giants. By pleading guilty to a lesser charge, Burress is admitting his guilt and will have to face some form of punnishment.

The NY Times is reporting that most people charged with the same crime who have plead guilty to a lesser crime have done some form of jail time. It's possible that Burress could likely face 1/2 of the mandatory minimum of 3 1/2 years. Should Burress get off the hook with only 1 3/4 years in prison, that would make him eligible to be released sometime in the 2010/2011 season; around the time when he turns 33 years old and is considered a "veteran." This means that Burress, who is now 31, could possibly miss the entire 2009 and half of the 2010 season if the judge decides to make him serve only half of the mandatory 3 1/2 year minimum. For a man who is 31, that would NOT be good news.

Former Atlanta Falcons Quarterback Michael Vick was sentenced to exactly 23 months in jail for orchestrating a dog fighting ring in Atlanta. He will get out a little bit early for serving time in jail during his trial. Its hard to compare Burress' situation to Vick's. It's like comparing apples to oranges, but if you consider how little time Vick was sentenced to for the horrible, premeditated animal cruelty charges, it seems to me that it is plausible that Burress may likely walk away with even less than half of the 3 1/2 minimum that his crime carries. My bet is that Burress will get sentenced to 12 months in jail, less time off for good behavior. He'll miss the entire 2009 season, and is back in time for 2010.

Oregon State University Lineman Andy Levitre Recounts the 2009 NFL Combine and his Encounter with the NY Giants

Ever wonder what the NFL Combine is really like? I stumbled accross an AMAZING recollection from this year's NFL Combine by OSU lineman Andy Levitre. 260 questions from the NY Giants??? Wow, they must REALLY be interested in him.

Here is the excerpt taken from Blog.Oregon.live.com. Happy reading :-)

Here is former OSU lineman Andy Levitre's thoughts after going through the NFL Combine ... thanks to Andy and to his agent, Leo Goeas, for the dispatches from the Senior Bowl and the Combine.
Levitre, unplugged:

"Well, this week has been pretty busy for me.
Waking up around 5:30 am for the last three days and going to sleep around midnight really takes a toll on your body which I am sure most people participating in the Combine found out after day one.
The hotel we stayed at was on lock down 24/7 and you needed a special pass in order to get past the security points.
This was one of the most hectic weeks that I have ever had.
The first day of the Combine consisted of a Cybex test which tests the strengths in your hamstrings and quads for each leg to make sure that you don't have any issues from past injuries. .. the day also consisted of going to the local hospital and getting some things done, like: urinalysis, blood tests, injury history's, X-Rays and heart scans which took about two hours for it all.
We also had some informal meetings with some coaches and scouts.
That was the easiest part of the entire four days.
On Day 2 we had 5 a.m. drug testing which was the beginning of a long day.
After drug testing we had breakfast and headed across the street to Lucas Oil Stadium where we were going to do our official height and weight.
I ended up taking a detour to that because I had to get an MRI on my knee that was only supposed to take 40 minutes but ended up taking me about two hours to complete because the doctor felt he needed photos to cover more of my knee.
I ended up missing my weigh-ins and tagging along with the Tight Ends and then getting a late start on my orthopedic exams. Everyone was carrying a large manila envelope with their X-Rays in them to show the doctors.
There were six stations set up with about 5-6 team doctors/trainers at each station to examine each player. First we started out with a general medical check up by team doctors and also had a vision test. The general doctor saw that I had a resting heart rate of 40 beats per minute which is very low for a guy my size who measured in at 6-2½, 305 lbs. so they sent me to get a stress echo which is an ultrasound of your heart.
They hooked up a bunch of wires to my chest and had me run on a treadmill for ten minutes then I hopped on a table and they did the ultrasound to make sure my heart was pumping correctly which it was.
Then we met with the orthopedic doctors. This was the weirdest thing for me to go through. There is a circle of doctors surrounding a table and each player takes a turn hopping up on the table then they put your X-rays up on the lights and pull up any other material like MRI's.
Then, these doctors start to come up and look at your medical history and start tugging on your arms and legs like you are a piece of meat and then they turn away with their voice recorders and remind themselves of any notes that they had about you.
After doing this about six times it was about three o'clock in the afternoon.
I went back up to my room to take a nap for about an hour before dinner.
I ate dinner and then went back across the street for some more formal interview where I met with half of the NFL teams whether it was an offensive line coach or another position coach or even some scouts just so that they could collect some background information on me.
One of the big things coaches do is try and quiz you by having you draw up a play you ran or have you remember a play they draw up and the flipping it and seeing if you can remember.
Day 3 was our first chance to compete.We had to wake up at 6 a.m. this morning because we had to eat breakfast and then take our Wonderlic Test. I felt like the test went well for me since I answered 42 of the 50 possible questions in the allotted time of twelve minutes.
I feel like I at least answered 30 of the questions correct and the average for lineman is usually around 25.
After this test we went over to meet with the Players Association (NFLPA) to talk about things like the collective bargaining agreement and inform us about how they were created to help fight back for players and give them a voice to the NFL's General Managers and such.
It was a very interesting meeting and I also had a similar meeting in Mobile at the Senior Bowl.
When we finished the meeting we headed to the psychological testing area.
The tests are basically to find out what kind of person you are on the inside and make sure you aren't crazy or going to cause trouble.
The one test that got on my nerves a little was the test given by the New York Giants which consisted of 260, yes that is TWO HUNDRED AND SIXTY questions plus another packet of 70 short answer questions after you finished that.
When I finished this I had the chance to speak with the offensive line coaches from both the Chicago Bears and the Dallas Cowboys for a little bit and talk about some football and draw up some more plays and explain the rules of the plays.
My next stop was to the bench press which was our first chance to put up some numbers for the coaches and show our strength. I usually don't get nervous before big events but for some reason I just couldn't hold it back. I was pretty pumped to get up there on stage and bench press in from of offensive line coaches, head coaches and GM's.
I ended up putting up 225 pounds 23 times which isn't necessarily bad but it isn't a great number.
While I was benching I was so focused on my workout that the strength coach yelling at me and the players screaming from the side were muted out of my hearing.
After this I met with my agent and my trainer and warmed-up lightly for Saturday's big event which consists of a lot of running.
This was my only day of scheduled formal interviews. I had twelve interviews. The teams that I met with were: Tennessee Titans, Houston Texans, Carolina Panthers, Philadelphia Eagles, Pittsburgh Steelers, Washington Redskins, Miami Dolphins, Indianapolis Colts, San Diego Chargers, New York Jets, New York Giants, and the Oakland Raiders.
Most of these meetings were conducted in a similar manner. They asked about my family background and personal information then got into some football related questions and also either had me draw up some plays or even put some film on the television and had me critique myself or explain in detail what the play is that we were running.
Also during some of the interviews I had the chance to put in a good word for some of my old teammates. I spoke with Andy Reid from the Eagles and Mike Tomlin from the Steelers about the Rodgers brothers and they were asking me what it was like blocking for those guys and about how great college careers they have been having thus far.
I told some teams about Stephen Paea and how great of a player he is and how under-rated he has been so far. The meetings were great and went very smooth.
Well today was Day 4 and it was time to show off my athleticism.
It was a culmination of all of the hard work that I have had since I was a freshman in high school. All those drills that we worked on were now finally going to be tested at the highest level in the world.
We started off with some mobility and flexibility tests to show off our athleticism.
Next was our 40-yard dash. My first attempt, I tried to start to early so I was called back for a retry. My first run went alright but I felt like my start was a little slow but my second run ended up being better and recorded as 5.24 seconds.
Next we moved over to position drills where I felt very good being able to show off my versatility by taking pass sets and pulling from a left and right handed stance.
My best position drill I felt was the mirror drill which I feel I did a good job keeping my feet moving and had my eyes on my target the entire time.
Next was the vertical jump, this ended up being one of my best events on the day. I ended up jumping 30" on my first jump and got another half an inch on my second jump to make it 30.5".
I ended up being tied for 8th or 9th place overall for offensive lineman in this drill.
The next one was the broad jump which I thought I could have done better on but ended up not doing too bad. I ended up with my best jump being 8'7". Next I went over to do the 5-10-5 shuttle. The shuttle wasn't great for me because it took me about 7 tries to complete the drill.
On one of mine where I just barely missed the line I was told by someone in the stands timing me that they had me at a 4.38 seconds which would have put me at the second best for lineman in the drill but I ended up recording a time of 4.54 which was still the fifth overall best for lineman.
By the time I finished this drill I had to take off to catch my plane which left at 4 p.m. because it was already 2:30 so I decided that I would run my 3-cone drill at pro day in Corvallis.
I cut it so close to make my flight that I didn't even have time to shower before I hopped on the plane to come back to Denver.
I ended up making my flight on time and now I am back in Denver for another week before I head back to Corvallis to finish my training for Pro Day.
Thank you for taking the time to learn about the experiences that I am having.
It has been a great to have the chance to be doing these things to prepare for the NFL since there are only a select few people every year that get the chance to do this.
I hope you all enjoyed reading my blogs as much as I have enjoyed writing them.''
- Andy Levitre

Should the Giants Take Plaxico Burress Back?

Since Plaxico Burress signed with the NY Giants back in 2005, he has been fined for a multitude of team infractions. Last year marked the biggest infraction of them all when he accidentally shot himself in the leg with an unregistered handgun in a posh NYC nightclub. While Plaxico's wounds were not serious, he checked into a hospital under the alias "Harris Smith" to receive treatment. When Mayor Michael Blumberg found out about the incident, the Mayor called to make an example of Plaxico. Should the Giants follow suit?

There is no question that the distraction of Plaxico's legal troubles was a major factor towards all of the losses in last year's season. The Giants were 12-4 at the end of the season, but I believe that they could have been 14-2 or even 15-1 had Plaxico not shot himself.

Tom Coughlin has not said outwardly that he would welcome Burress back to the NY Giants in 2009 provided he gets away from the legal system with merely a slap on the wrist. Five years probation and a stiff fine would be a huge sigh of relief for the troubled reciever. But in a league in which NFL Commissioner Roger Goddell is starting to impose more and more strict rules, there is no reason Burress will even get to that point. Should Burress get by the legal system, he still has to then face Roger Goddell and any punishment he dolls out. Only then, does Tom Coughlin really have to make a decision - that is unless Giants GM Jerry Reese trades Burress away for another wide receiver or draft picks.

Tom Coughlin is a "Team First, Talk Is Cheap" kind of guy, but I do believe that he is big into the "family man" mentality. Judging from the outspoken proclamations by fellow teammates Osi Umenyiora, Justin Tuck, and Brandon Jacobs; Burress is a wanted part of the Giants family. Will Coughlin listen? Or, will he be swayed by forces out of his control? Who knows. I do know that whatever punishment the state of NY decides to bestow upon Burress will be with or with Coughlin's consent.

I, for one, am a little torn between keeping him and welcoming him back. It's a tuff decision because he is a very talented reciever. But I do lean one way more that the other. I am very disappointed at Burress for his antics that sank last season. I have had it with the countless run-ins with the law and various problems with Coughlin's team rules. He has not showed respect to Coughlin, yet he was given a huge salary. Why should the Giants support him now after the way he let down his teammates last season and disobeyed Coughlin's rules time and time again? However, on the other hand Burress was a warrior the year before. Playing through a hurt leg injury the entire season, and leading the WR corps as the #1 reciever that demanded single and double coverage. He was, and can be, that guy that defenses have to game plan against. This double coverage has opened the windows of opportunity for secondary and slot receivers such as Toomer, Smith, or Boss to get open in the middle of the field.

In my experience, having coached in the pee-wees, middle , and high school levels, I have always tried to coach my kids to do the right thing - cheating is bad, play fair, work hard, respect your coaches, etc... So to me, the fact that Burress receives all that money and still snubs his teammates and coaches, really gets under my skin!

Burress is a professional who doesn't act like one.

The Giants won the Superbowl 2 years ago, and Burress was a major part of that amazing run. I will never forget it. But he let the team down, he let the coaches down, and he let the fans down when he broke the law doing something that may very well get him labeled an idiot for the rest of his life.

The Giants are a class act team. The only way I would accept Burress returning to the Giants is if the Judge were to do something out of the ordinary. Just for giggles, imagine if the judge were to force Plax to admit his idiocy in court, and then order him to donate 2/3 of his annual salary to inner city schools for the entire 3.5 years (the mandatory minimum time that should be spent in jail for violating the law that Burress broke in NYC) that he otherwise would have spent in jail, or else he were to actually GO to jail. Then, I would welcome Burress the idiot millionaire back to the Giants with a large, all-is-forgiven grin on my face. But unless something out of the ordinary like that occurs, I fear that Burress will never learn, and I don't want an ungrateful dope representing the team that I have loved ever since I was a child.

NY Giants Recieve an Extra 3rd Round Draft Pick

The Gmen are on a roll! Today it was announced the the Giants will receive another Draft pick - the 100th overall - as compensation from the NFL for losing LB Kawika Mitchell, LB Reggie Torbor, and S Gibril Wilson to free agency last year. Since compensation picks are NOT tradable, this pick cannot be packaged to move up or down in the draft, or to receive another player via trade. The Giants must use it to select a player.

The pick brings the grand total awarded to the Giants to 10. The NFL Draft is April 25th and 26th.

Here is a complete listing of the first round draft order:

1 Detriot Lions
2 St. Louis Rams
3 Kansas City Chiefs
4 Seattle Seahawks
5 Cleveland Browns
6 Cincinnati Bengals
7 Oakland Raiders
8 Jacksonville Jaguars
9 Green Bay Packers
10 San Francisco 49ers
11 Buffalo Bills
12 Denver Broncos
13 Washington Redskins
14 New Orleans Saints
15 Houston Texans
16 San Diego Chargers
17 New York Jets
18 Chicago Bears
19 Tampa Bay Buccaneers
20 Detroit Lions (from Dallas)
21 Philadelphia Eagles
22 Minnesota Vikings
23 New England Patriots
24 Atlanta Falcons
25 Miami Dolphins
26 Baltimore Ravens
27 Indianapolis Colts
28 Philadelphia Eagles (from Carolina)
29 New York Giants
30 Tennessee Titans
31 Arizona Cardinals
32 Pittsburgh Steelers

Why Isn't Patrick Ewing working for the Knicks?

In an interesting article written in today's NY Daily News, Frank Isola asks the question: why isn't Patrick Ewing working for the Knicks when he is adored by most Knicks fans? Isola makes a point when her says that it's ridiculous that NY brass hasn't even as much as reached out to Patrick to at least offer an interview, after introducing him every time he comes back to the garden as "one of the greatest Knicks ever to play inside Madison Square Garden."

The only answer that I can think of is plain and simple - James Dolan, Jr. doesn't like Patrick Ewing. What else could it possibly be? They have offered interviews to the likes of Starks and Houston, so why not Ewing? Ewing was 2 times the player that either Houston or Starks was, and he was with the team for much longer than either of those guys. So why the cold shoulder? It just doesn't make sense! Oh wait, lets recall that Dolan is the same guy who hired Isiah Thomas and allowed him to spend all the available cash on horrible players that were too out of shape or crazy to play. Dolan is responsible for sinking a once championship caliber ship, and for making it the laughing stock of the league. As long as Dolan is in charge, I think the better question is - should we be surprised?