Battle: New York

Luckily for New York fans, the NFL playoffs start early this year. Between inconsistent play and a few inexcusable losses, both the Giants and Jets have backed themselves into a corner and must win their remaining games in order to keep control of their own destinies. If the Giants lose, they need the Cowboys to lose out in order to win the division, which includes a finale between the two teams. They have no wildcard hopes. The Jets, on the other hand, have no hopes of winning the division. If they lose, they hand control of the last wildcard spot over to the Bengals. While it is not necessarily true, the winner of this game will likely make the playoffs, and the loser will likely miss them. This game qualifies as possibly the most important Jets vs. Giants game in history, and might be the biggest game played in MetLife stadium until the 2014 Super Bowl. Now that we have established the importance of this contest, who will win?

Just before this season began, I wrote up an article previewing these two teams and their chances. I believed that while both teams had considerable issues, they were both strong enough to make some noise and the Jets were slightly better off. Now the Jets are one game ahead as these two teams fight over which gets to escape mediocrity. As I said then, the Giants have the more dynamic offense but the Jets have the much better defense, and neither offense is nearly consistent enough to be considered elite. Rarely do things go according to prediction, so I do feel the need to point this out, but never has there been a more unpredictable game. Due to the Jekyll and Hyde nature of seemingly every facet of both teams, no one really knows not only who will win, but also what kind of game will it be. Eli Manning has put up some extraordinary numbers that put him in the top 5 quarterback conversation, and the Giants cannot shut down any quarterback entirely so Mark Sanchez has a chance to build on what has been a career year. With Shonn Greene running the ball well lately, the Jets offense can get moving and we may have a shootout on our hands. Despite all this, Darrelle Revis and company still boast one of the league’s best secondaries, and on the other side of the ball Jets Right Tackle Wayne Hunter cannot physically block anybody so the Giants famous pass rush may feast on Sanchez. Therefore, this game could also be a defensive struggle. Since basically everything can go either way in this game, the winner will be the team that can simply plug up the most holes in their questionable play, to say the least. It is an anticlimactic deciding factor, but it will determine their fates nonetheless.

Back in September I identified the Giants’ flaws to be the turnover ratio, and they have done a pretty good job at limiting their key mistakes while still throwing all over the field. On the Jets side, I said their problems were the heavy limitations of their quarterback and also their head coach Rex Ryan, who has opened up the playbook slightly and Sanchez is actually having a pretty good year. While Eli has kept a relatively clean slate and Sanchez has been on his way up, both teams have slipped. Last week, we saw both sides of New York football revert to their signature problems. Their regressions have led to nothing but concern over their ability to win future games. Fortunately for both teams, they now play each other, so something has to give. If the game opens up early and becomes a shootout, I think the Giants have a clear advantage. Their defense may be bad, but Sanchez is not good enough to torch any defense for thirty something points by himself. He needs help from his defense to win, which is not the case with Eli. If the game is a low scoring and close one to the end however, I give the edge to the Jets. I used to value pass rushers over pass coverers, but in this new age of offenses quarterbacks can get rid of the ball in less than two seconds if they really want to. The few times my Steelers got pressure on 49ers QB Alex Smith, he had already gotten rid of the ball. The only way to keep the ball from receivers in modern football is to make sure they are never open, which is what the Jets are best at. Eli will not find an open receiver on Revis island with the game on the line, and the G-Men no longer have the running game to compensate and make up for this. Sanchez, on the other hand, will be given few, easy, and quick throws, most of which will be off of play action. Even a clear path through Wayne Hunter wont be enough to consistently get to him.

Coach Rex Ryan readied his troupes by calling this game a “battle for New York supremacy.” While this comment was made in typical Rex fashion to build hype and help the public forget their embarrassing loss to the Eagles, I do believe he is exactly right. The Giants reminded New York that the city belonged to them when they beat the Patriots in the greatest Super Bowl of all time. However, their grip on the city has slowly loosened with every disappointing season and the Jets have climbed to their sinking level with consecutive AFC championship appearances and their effectively arrogant demeanor. The best tie breaker of all is the game we will watch later today: Jets vs. Giants, winner take all.

I despise guessing scores but this one is too important to pass up. 20-23 Jets (OT)

NBA Season Preview

Dirk and company will unofficially team up with the rest of the NBA for a second straight season to prevent the seemingly inevitable: a Miami Heat championship run. There may be a few new faces in the tier of highly competitive teams this year, and a few familiar faces may see the end of their run. The western conference representatives are preparing their latest defenses for what has been a new millennium of western supremacy. At the same time, a few beasts in the east are planning to shift the balance of power in their favor. With a great opening set of games just days away, the Christmas season will bring answers to our questions and speculations about this abbreviated NBA season. While we can only guess so much about the upcoming year, the NBA is traditionally the most predictable of the major sports. We may be able to draw up the 2011-12 blueprint right now, or at least outline the big contenders from each conference.

Picking the Heat to win the eastern conference again is typical for a reason. Three superstars were able to essentially wing it and take their team to game six of the finals despite a lack of on-court chemistry. Between two primary ball carriers, no depth whatsoever, and how seldom they utilized what little post presence they had, the system itself was not a good one at all. Despite all this, the sheer talent of their “Big 3” led to human highlight reels and getting to the free throw line at an absurd frequency. This year, they return with another off-season together under their belts and the quiet addition of veteran Shane Battier. He will provide quality defense to what was already the league’s best defensive team and, more importantly, the clutch shooting that they so desperately need. Battier is a nice contrast to the series of useless veterans who agreed to minimum salaries just to hop on the Miami bandwagon with the hopes of finally winning a ring. If the Heat can fix even a few of their many imperfections, they will remain clear favorites.

It is tough to talk basketball without rambling on about the Heat at some point, so for this I do apologize. Yes, all those things will make them formidable again, but there are a few teams that will not let them simply walk into the finals again. First of all, the only thing scarier than the increasing cohesiveness of the Heat is the maturation of MVP Derrick Rose. The Chicago Bulls are by far the most complete team in the east and are just as good defensively as Miami. Offensively, they will need a much bigger contribution from Carlos Boozer as a right hand man and Rose can still be their top scorer. I have nothing against scoring point guards as long as they can also distribute when necessary. Rose has to avoid becoming either reckless or selfish with the ball. There is so much left to his game, such as perimeter shooting and better passing, yet he has already won an MVP. No team can beat Chicago if Rose reaches his full potential.

It has become popular to predict the demise of the Boston Celtics, and I cannot even fully disagree with this after the embarrassing effort the put forward in the playoffs last season against Miami. Their roster is ancient and their front office must be some degree of insane after trying to trade away Rajan Rondo, who is now their best player. However, one major factor makes me think that these Celtics might be the best we have seen since their championship. They are the one team in the league that is actually happy about the NBA lockout. Every year, despite their age, they have gotten off to great starts. Progressive fatigue eventually kicks in and they slowly get worse towards the end of the season. This year, a shorter season might avoid what has become a routine downfall. I will not remove the Celtics from the elite category until they actually have a bad season because their leadership and talent is strong enough to overcome their obvious obstacles. Oh and God forbid Rondo actually learns how to shoot, in that case we’re all doomed.

The New York Knicks could really go either way but their problem is very simple. It would have been great to land Chris Paul, which has been the big plan for some time now, but unfortunately we simply had nothing to offer New Orleans because, like Miami, the Knicks roster is very top heavy. You have your superstars followed by barely serviceable supporting pieces. Adding Tyson Chandler was actually the biggest move made, in my opinion, by any team this off-season. Some people say he was overpaid, but I say you can’t put a price on defense, which is essentially what we bought. The simple problem facing the Knicks is that they don’t play any defense, and Chandler might just be the guy to fix that. Defense is a contagious art; Kevin Garnett set off a chain reaction in Boston once he arrived, and this case might be a similar situation. It has been a long time since a team won a championship without a good point guard, but my jury is out on Douglas, who I think will emerge as the starter over Bibby and Davis. It is a concern, but not one that can’t work out well for New Yorkers. The Knicks already have the best front court in the game, and if the backcourt develops they will become one of the league’s elite teams for years to come.

The western conference has the reverse dynamic of the east; one young team is battling against three old teams. Teams like the Lakers, Spurs, and Mavericks are all on the thin line between end of their prime and past it. They will all drop out of the elite teams at some point, but whether or not that point is this season remains to be seen. I always have faith in what Kobe has left in the tank, but I am beginning to fear the worst for one reason. What has always driven Kobe and the Lakers is that despite winning so much, they still are the hungriest team in the league to win another championship. Towards the end of this past season, they surprised me with such a disappointing effort. I suspect this hunger may be running out, and if this is true their old age and decreasing talent will begin to show. Phil Jackson may have seen this before any of us and made his departure a timely one. The Spurs are even older and showed that while they still execute well and can win games, they can be beaten by younger and more athletic teams. The Mavericks lost a key piece in Chandler and one of my pet peeves in basketball is forcing a power forward to play center. Dirk is a great scorer but was labeled soft until he did not have to be the biggest man on the court. Pau Gasol has a similar dynamic with Andrew Bynum, who gives him the freedom to avoid opposing centers. This leaves the Thunder, who seem to be the inevitable team to inherit the western conference. The only question is do they take over this year or sometimes in the next two, but I think they are ready now to make the jump over the legends that surround them.

It is tough to cover everyone but I would say we came close, at least in terms of the serious contenders. In my opinion, one notable team was left out from each side. The Magic are nothing without Dwight Howard, whose heart is clearly not in Orlando. In the west, the clippers made a big splash signing CP3 but gave away much of their nucleus to get him. Power forward Blake Griffin is now their biggest player with Kaman gone, which you now know I am fundamentally against. Paul will shine as a Clipper but does not have much more around him than he did in New Orleans, so I cannot expect much more success from the team that is still the younger brother in Los Angeles.

Overall, I think that a complaint about the NBA’s lack of parody is a joke. Yes, there is a shortlist of teams that can win it all, which would never happen in the NFL, but it’s not nearly as bad as having two or three super-teams. This was such a concern going into CBA negotiations, but if it takes this long to analyze the major contenders for this year’s title, the league is in good shape. If your fanhood was not represented here, then you may as well start cutting players to clear salary cap space for the free agent class of 2016 or something; it’s what my team put me through for about four years, and hopefully it’s finally going to pay off.

Tebow Time

A young Denver Broncos quarterback and Florida Gators legend has found an interesting place among the NFL’s top stories this season. In a year graced with an undefeated defending champion, a tight end destroying records in New England and four quarterbacks on pace to break Marino’s single-season passing record (Brees, Brady, Rodgers, E. Manning), Tim Tebow has somehow worked his way into more top stories on ESPN than anyone else. This demonstrates how the only figure more potent in the media than a great player is a polarizing player. Between his unconventional playing style and his off-field persona, Tebow is either hated or loved by both fans and analysts. While coming up with a verdict on Tebow as a player is hard enough, today we will face the even tougher challenge of establishing a middle ground.

The Tim Tebow haters have used valid fundamental logic to create excessive and eventually mindless criticism. First let’s acknowledge a few points you will often hear from Tebow’s opposition. He is obviously not as good a passer as the elite NFL quarterbacks, however I have trouble finding what is so terrible about someone who is less accurate than Tom Brady because it describes an alarming majority of the league. It may also be true that even the second tier guys can out-throw Tebow. Despite his lack of glamour or style points, Tebow is simply more effective than most players when it comes to a few crucial elements of football. Two areas where the game is either won or lost are the turnover ratio and fourth quarter play. If you are not going to be the most prolific passer, you better hang on to the ball. Tebow has scored 14 times this year (11 passing, 3 rushing), as opposed to only two turnovers this season. If you are on the offensively challenged side of New York fans, you are used to a quarterback who not only fails to be prolific, but also is accustomed to costly turnovers that sometimes decide games. Tebow is also the NFL’s highest rated passer after the seven minute mark in the fourth quarter. He may begin the game with high school level passing, but after the third quarter he will rise again. I would bet that Dallas fans, despite their offensive production, would love to have a guy like that to prevent so many late game collapses.

I may defend Tebow in debate against those who simply hate him just to hate him, or because someone like him as a person is just too good to be true, but at the same time anyone talking him up too much and hash tagging Tebow Time makes me sick. Excessively praising Tebow is like occupying Wall Street, there’s a halfway decent point to be made there but you need to stop because you’re making the reasonable fans of your idea look stupid. Superman does not wear Tebow pajamas and yes, Chuck Norris would mess with him if he wanted to. Tebow’s success this year deserves more of a pie chart of credit. Sports writers are so eager to distribute blame for tough losses, but the same should be done for acclaim after a great win. Tebow does play an essential role, but so does running back Willis McGahee or a rapidly improving defense. Against elite competition, Denver will not have the chance to pull off some late game heroics. Sadly, it will take a full four quarters of Tebow Time to defeat Tom Brady and the Patriots this Sunday. Granted, if Tebow beats New England in overtime at Mile High, I might have to make a status myself to sing his praises, but it is important to not overreact to what has been a pleasantly surprising player.

Tebow’s intangibles and religious stance make him that girl in high school that many girls hated, but they didn’t know why. Some people are fortunate enough to have their biggest flaw be that they have no apparent flaws. He is simply a great human being who brings his determination to the football field and ultimately achieves greatness in one way or another. Ironically enough, the only guy in the Broncos organization who actually wanted him there was soon after fired for his “poor decisions”. Josh McDaniels may not have been a great coach, but we have to say he made the right call on that one. If Jack Del Rio made that same call in Jacksonville, he might still have his job. If I had to sum up my opinion on Tim Tebow, it would be an NFL spin on an independent party. I simply see him as a good player who has a great deal of NFL potential. In five years or so, he may even be the sport’s greatest game manager. I actually feel pretty safe in predicting that future, because his mistake free and clutch style of play are exactly what he needs to never lose the game for his team and win quite a few in the process. He is currently among the NFL’s best in only one significant category, and that is winning percentage. Now if I had the opportunity to speak to Tim Tebow myself, I am willing to bet that he would not want it any other way.

Like Clockwork: 602

There are very few players who have clearly distinguished themselves as the greatest of all time at his or her respective position. The level of both regular and post-season greatness needed to achieve such an elite title is almost unheard of. Mariano Rivera took over the Yankees closer position with big shoes to fill. His illustrious career from that point on made John Wetteland’s 50 saves in 1996 (7 of which were in their championship playoff run) one of the greatest personal seasons to be quickly forgotten. The numbers don’t lie with Mo; his 2.22 ERA through over 1200 innings has left hitters in a state of complete and utter confusion for fifteen strong seasons. Putting Rivera’s career into perspective is no easy feat, but no one has to. In this case, in depth appreciation will do.

Mariano’s weapon of choice has been a product of his machine-like delivery and production. His cutter has the ability to saw an opposing bat in half, and moves in on left handed batters so violently that many switch hitters have opted to bat right handed against him. Right handers don’t have much luck either as the cutter runs away from them. The consistent success and effectiveness of using just one pitch doesn’t make much sense; a batter who knows what’s coming should have the advantage. But Mo suspends logic by finding the loop hole in an MLB swing. While his velocity has taken a slight hit in his later years, his delivery and precision are unlike anyone else in baseball. Consistency is the one word to describe Rivera and how he has been unaffected by the wear and tear of a long pitching career. As a result of this gift, Yankee fans are exceptionally spoiled when it comes to their team’s 9^th innings. I am as good an example as any, it never occurred to me that 9^th inning leads aren’t safe at all. The few saves that Rivera blows every year are devastating because the game is assumed to be over. For many, Metallica is the opener to the post game show. As Mo’s career inches closer and closer to its final trick, I have become more and more awestruck by what he brings to our team. Even more importantly, I no longer take it for granted because it has become clear that what he has done is not normal or routine; it is extraordinary.

Mariano embodies what it means to be a New York Yankee. From his performance to his overall demeanor, he is a true professional. The image of Jorge Posada literally pushing Mo back into the center of the diamond symbolizes the mystery behind how one can remain so humble despite such consistent dominance. I would note that his unassuming and gracious personality is unlike the majority of five time champions who carry a sub-1 ERA in the post-season, but I’m in no mood to search for another guy who possesses those numbers. No man has ever slammed so many doors shut, all while holding one open to keep his team’s championship hopes alive for years. When he finally does retire he will be as missed as any to have played the game of baseball. While they will breathe a much needed sigh of relief, even fans of other teams will miss Rivera. It is not every day that a fan of any given sport can watch the greatest of all time take the field and do what he does best. Mo will be missed one day, but not yet. After all, who knows the age at which that cutter becomes ineffective? Either way, I am happy the last man to ever sport a 42 jersey every day in baseball has done the honor such justice.

But let me clear up one misunderstanding. Mo did not just become the greatest closer of all time. Truthfully, the greatest closer of all time now has the most saves. To sum it all up, Mariano is the closer of all closers. He is the exclamation point on the thrilling sentence that is a Yankee game. After watching a star studded and powerful lineup battle through eight innings, the crowd’s excitement begins to grow as they anticipate the most predictable yet still awesome ending in sports. The call to the bullpen. The crowd stands up. And then…enter sandman. That goofy rocker guy with the long hair in the crowd goes up on the big screen. A roar of applause greets the man himself. Then comes business as usual. Cutters painting corners; the ump basically uses them to check how his strike zone was throughout the game. A broken bat or two later, the crowd stands again for the final strike. Whether by swing or just window shopping, the final batter takes a seat. Cue music as Frank Sinatra fills the stands and the fans make their way home. And just like that, like clockwork, the sandman strikes again. 

A Tale of One City

The pre-season game between New York’s two prominent NFL teams (sorry Bills…) previewed their actual showdown in week sixteen of the regular season as the Jets and Giants look to overtake their respective divisions’ favored rivals. The Patriots have consistently been atop the pre-season odds to win the AFC through much of the past decade. Despite their incredible victory in last year’s playoffs, the Jets have yet to officially overtake New England as the AFC East’s powerhouse. Their goal will be the divisional title and, eventually, a playoff run that doesn’t fall short. On the other hand, the Eagles made this off-season’s biggest splash and look to take their faux-dream team to their franchise’s first championship. They edged out the Giants last season by a few minutes in one fatal game, but this season they are expected to beat out the G-Men by the margin of a few games. The Giants are the only recent champion in that division, but one more mediocre season would remove them from contention for NFC East supremacy. Now that the stage is set for their own divisional battles, who is in better shape for this upcoming season? While the rivalry itself is irrelevant in the grand scheme of the NFL, the Giants-Jets debate is fun to have between devoted fans. While both have considerable potential, there are gaping holes in both teams that could be a collective detriment to their success.

Mark Sanchez and Rex Ryan, in their only two years as Jets, have taken their team to consecutive AFC championship games, losing to the Colts and Steelers. These additions have clearly launched this franchise among the league’s best. Despite this, I have ironically found that these two may have been the biggest obstacles in the way of the Jets’ ultimate goal. Overall, the talent amassed by GM Mike Tannenbaum is impressive, but they have taken a few steps in the wrong direction this off-season. Defensively, losing Shaun Ellis and James Ihedigbo to the Patriots will be costly on multiple fronts; both were valuable role players on the Jets defense and will also be able to provide some valuable information and experience for the Patriots defense. New England has proved in the past that they can win with a little extra help, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see them do it again. The Jets’ defensive weakness has been their pass rush, which puts extra pressure on Revis and company to cover opposing receivers. Losing their best defensive lineman and pass rusher to a divisional rival simply cannot be a good idea. They will still have an elite defense, but will not be a complete one. Offensively, they replaced most of their receiving core. Plaxico Buress will be the new Braylon Edwards, and Derrick Mason will fill the void left by the combined efforts of Jerricho Cotchery and Brad Smith. I actually believe these are slight downgrades, but the difference is marginal enough to not cost the team in the long run. In terms of the running game, each back is a question mark. Shonn Greene has failed to emerge as a top tier runner, and one cannot expect a repeat performance from LT, who was a saving grace for the Jets last year. Despite these many concerns on offense, Mark Sanchez has the power to overcome any difficulties if he has a true breakout year. While he has had success, he has largely been carried by a ship that he has simply managed not to sink. The Jets baby him and ask that he avoids losing games instead of winning them. While this can earn a degree of success, no team aside from the unnatural Ravens team of 2000 has managed to reach the promised land with a similar strategy. I am harder on Sanchez than most, but even I will acknowledge that he has significantly improved when it comes to limiting turnovers, managing the game, and even delivering a clutch performance here and there. With all that said, he still lacks the ability to carry a team, which he will have to for the first time this year. Rex Ryan is another issue, and not because of his press conference antics. From a football standpoint, he simply has not yet become a well-rounded coach (pun intended, seeing as he is most likely the roundest coach in the NFL). He is well liked and respected by his players, but he still cannot draw up an offensive system to even come close to his defensive productivity. He is a defensive genius, but his simple approach on offense does not make the job any easier for an already struggling Mark Sanchez. To me, he is a glorified version of Wade Phillips, who brought a similar persona to Dallas and has since been fired. The reason I have such high hopes for Dallas is while they still have a defensive stud in Rob Ryan, they are also led by an offensive coordinator with head coach Jason Garrett. In order to go any farther than they have in recent years, Mark Sanchez will have to develop into a quarterback worthy of his roster, and Rex Ryan will have to raise his level of thinking to his level of talking. If those two pieces can fall into place, the remaining pieces will be there waiting for them. The Jets have made it to consecutive AFC Championship games with, arguably, sub-par performances from the two most important positions on the team: quarterback and head coach. The brains of the entire operation haven’t even been fully tapped into. If Sanchez and Rex can meet their potential, the Jets may be unstoppable this year.

The Giants are faced with very different problems that are equally troubling and, in many ways, are the polar opposite of their AFC counterpart. Unlike the Jets, they have a dynamic offense and a proven head coach who has a championship ring to his name. However, while their offense can move up and down the field, they are the most turnover prone team in the NFL. Between a pair of running backs that carry the ball like a loaf of bread while fighting for extra yards and a quarterback whose decision making skills couldn’t outsmart Madden on rookie, the G-Men frequently shoot themselves in the foot despite their productivity. The offensive line has gotten progressively worse since their incredible victory over the Patriots, which won’t help matters at all in terms of stabilizing the offense. It would take quite the anchor at head coach to piece this team back together after the many hits they have recently taken. While Tom Coughlin’s credibility surpasses that of Rex Ryan, he is largely disliked among his current and former players. Osi Umenyiora has been a quality example of how excited players are to work for him. The Giants can ill afford disputes with their defensive stars considering the many injuries they have already suffered throughout the pre-season. Their decimated secondary and linebacker core will have to be carried by their defensive line, which has been among best throughout the past decade or so. With Justin Tuck and a strongly emerging Jason Pierre-Paul, and even minimal contributions from Osi, this is actually possible. Things are messy on the Giants’ half of New York, but it is no stretch to predict a strong season. After all, they are coming off of a 10-6 season that was one game away from a division title and a first round bye week in the playoffs. While the roster has gotten slightly worse, the players can be exponentially better. I believe that if Eli could manage to keep his interception total around fifteen, which isn’t exactly MVP material, his yardage and touchdowns would be more than enough to overwhelm NFL defenses. He will likely have a bounce-back season because of targets like Hakeem Nicks, who has potential to propel himself into the top ten receivers this season. Since Plaxico and Steve Smith, or even Amani Toomer, the lesser Manning has always needed a security blanket receiver to succeed. This either comes from a jump ball receiver to hit when no one is open or a reliable slot receiver who can provide yards after a short gain through the air. Nicks can provide both if his play reflects his talent. If Jacobs and Bradshaw can stay on their game and last for sixteen games, the Giants can run behind a ground and pound approach en route to a playoff appearance. The NFC East has briefly lost its exclusive title as the best division in football, but has the potential to claim it once again. With the miraculously assembled Eagles, the Cowboys preparing a season of redemption, and the Redskins possibly not being terrible, the Giants have the chance to complete that higher level of competition that would prepare them well for the playoffs. All the Giants need to do is tighten up the screws and stay as healthy as they can from this point on. While they may not have everything, the Giants have the running game and defensive line necessary to dominate both lines of scrimmage.

Both New York teams have uphill battles to fight in order to even be as good as they were last year; to surpass their last performances would be very impressive. If I had to pick which team was in better shape, I would lean towards the Jets because of team stability, a weaker division, and the fact that their quarterback is still undergoing the improvements and overall development that could significantly help his team. With that said, the Giants aren’t far behind if at all, and could easily be an explosive team if they only limit their mistakes. With the Patriots and Eagles, New York teams are in an unfamiliar position as they lie (relatively) under the radar. When discussing teams that are usually suffocated by hype and scrutiny, sometimes playing the role of an underdog can be a blessing in disguise.

Odd Men Out: The Yankee Surplus

Late August is the best time to analyze a team’s home stretch, just as things get exciting but still before the NFL’s regular season arrives and makes all else obsolete to most fans. As the pennant race continues to heat up in the late days of August, the American League East division finds itself in a familiar situation as the Yankees and Red Sox battle for first place in the season’s final months. Their play has been nearly dead even outside of the rivalry itself, which the Sox have dominated this season by a count of ten wins to only two for New York. This result would suggest that the Yankees have been better against the rest of the league, and that if they can even play average baseball against Boston for the remainder of the year they have a good chance to finish atop the league’s best division when October comes. With such a tight race, even the smallest decision or an individual game can determine the outcome of this year’s battle for baseball supremacy. As the season progresses, one major problem has been passed down to manager Joe Girardi, but it a good problem to deal with. How he handles this issue may severely help or hurt the Bombers’ chase for an unprecedented 28^th championship.

In a league with a standard five man pitching rotation, the Yankees are fortunate enough to have six (or five and a half as I will go on to explain.) Surprising seasons from Bartolo Colon and Freddy Garcia have kept the Yankees afloat alongside a couple of young studs and an excellent bullpen. While the pitching has been good this year, the gap between ace CC Sabathia and the next five starters is immeasurable. There is complete uncertainty surrounding who is the number two starter for the upcoming playoff run. Most teams seek out a one-two punch at the front end of their rotation, but us Yankee fans are now accustomed to one haymaker followed by a series of surprisingly effective jabs. This immense grey area has revealed the biggest hidden blessing in baseball today. The pitching surplus has led the Yankees to unintentionally create something unheard of in modern sports and in many cases, the world: a performance-based profession. Because only one of the six was safe by the halfway point in the season, the other five have been pitching for their lives. These life or death situations have forced what is, in my opinion, the most overachieving pitching rotation in baseball. I mean that in the best way possible; this competition has been great for the Yankees and they wouldn’t be the same without it.

There is one exception that has been a flaw in this competitive system, and continues to plague a team that can’t afford any cheap losses while chasing such a formidable rival. AJ Burnett started the year as the presumed second starter in the rotation, but continued to work his way down through his many struggles and bad performances. In recent months, Ivan Nova escaped the hot seat by pitching brilliantly and while many have been awaiting the collapses of Garcia and Colon, they simply have not happened. This leaves two questionable pitchers, Burnett and long time prospect Phil Hughes. Hughes went from winning eighteen games as an all star to a terrible start to the 2011 campaign that sent him to the DL for much of the first few months. However, in his last two starts he has pitched twelve innings and given up three runs. One of those appearances was shortened due to rain interrupting a shutout against the White Sox. I view his response to landing on the hot seat as a performance worthy of the Yankees rotation. Burnett, on the other hand, has been a different story. He may not have immunity from Girardi, but he definitely has inconceivable leniency. If I got the opportunity to ask Girardi one question on the matter, it would be just how badly does this guy have to pitch to be the odd man out?

Over his last two starts, Burnett’s “hot seat performance” as we’ll call it for now, included ten and a third innings pitched and eleven runs given up. He was given thirteen runs of support in the first few innings against the same White Sox that Hughes embarrassed, but was unable to even finish the five innings required to secure a statistical win. If this is how he responds under pressure, I am dreading the day if and when he knows he is going to keep his job and grows complacent. To put it plainly, I just don’t like the guy. I don’t even like his attitude; die-hard fans will notice that he even gets worse when faced with any adversity, such as an error or bad call from an umpire. He even committed the cardinal sin of ripping off his jersey during a temper tantrum, an act reserved for the special kind of stupid found in any bad teammate. From 2009 until a few hours ago, I had as many wins in August as a starting pitcher as AJ Burnett. Being that terrible in August is the definition of how to screw up a run to the playoffs. He even did his best to foil tonight’s plans as he surrendered a lead in the 5^th inning. Luckily for him, the offense that has spoiled him for years now regained control of the game. His questionable benefit of the doubt has come from two undeserving areas. For one thing, his “stuff” has been said to be among the league’s best. The term “stuff” may be the most overrated aspect of baseball. A 95mph fastball is great until it is sent to major league hitters flat, without any movement, and is then promptly sent over the outfield fence. A curveball with dramatic movement is nice when it does not end up in the dirt or somewhere around the backstop. The other reason he is still around is because of all the numbers I could use to break down AJ Burnett, the one Joe Girardi seems to be most concerned with is $16,500,000. That is the money the Yankees are giving Burnett this season. It is a shot to the egos of both manager and GM Brian Cashman to demote anyone making that many millions.

Now that we have established Burnett’s recent history, I believe Phil Hughes has much more to offer both the Yankee present and future. It is a disservice to the team if Girardi shuffles Hughes between the rotation and bullpen until he is eventually ineffective in both, all to defend what has often proven himself to be a bad investment. Phil Hughes was the most valuable Yankee prospect for years; we refused to trade him away for Johan Santana in his prime. Since when did that same guy get treated like an expendable player to help a much less worthy veteran than an ‘07 Johan? Hughes’ numbers are bloated in a season that he spent injured in the early months; I believe they are not indicative of his ability and what he can bring to the team from this point onward. This makes Burnett’s futility slightly more difficult to define by the numbers. If you are willing to grant me the Hughes exception, Burnett’s ERA is about a full run higher than the next highest on the starting staff. Hughes can still be developed into an elite pitcher, whereas Burnett is sadly at the stage that will likely linger for the remainder of his career.

There is a reason I can rant for days about my team’s fifth starter, a position that is typically insignificant. Many teams don’t even use a fifth starter come playoff time. The reason the Yankees are different is because as mentioned earlier, we do not have two elite guys that can carry us to a championship. Ideally, a second Sabathia would appear and then the rest of the pitchers could really be anybody. The Phillies steamrolled into last season’s NLCS and ran straight into a wall as Tim Lincecum and Matt Cain led the charge of an unlikely champion. In order to compete with those teams that have multiple aces and situational hitters, every pitcher in the rotation has to be at least good. If Girardi goes the way I fear he might and continues to place his stock in Burnett, I feel as if we have one guaranteed loss per week unless we constantly light up the scoreboard. Keeping him around is essentially blind faith in him becoming the pitcher we bought, as opposed to the pitcher we have. It isn’t the worst risk in the world, but it is not one that a championship contender can afford to take, especially when someone more capable is waiting in the wings. Believe it or not, my managerial standpoint doesn’t leave AJ Burnett out completely. He can be used for long relief out of the bullpen and, more importantly, somebody needs to pie the guys in the face that hit the walk-offs.

NFL Goes Green: 2011 Free Agent Frenzy

NFL free agency has definitely lived up to our expectations, revitalizing the league immediately after the end of the lockout. While some teams have stayed conservative, relatively content with their rosters, many dove into the wildfire that continues to expand as the pre-season approaches. There have been some surprises throughout the process that has separated front offices’ men from boys and, predictably, the free agent contest of 2011 has its winners and losers. Originally, I was looking to distinguish a top and bottom five from the rest of the league. What ended up happening after evaluating each and every team showed that the majority of teams who fell on either side leaned more towards losers than winners. In my opinion, the losing franchises from this offseason currently outnumber the winners, seven to four.

Losers:

7. Packers-Due to their age and the fact that their previously injured players are basically acquisitions within themselves, the Packers seem like a champion that is more likely to repeat than any team since the peak of the New England dynasty. Being such a complete and well rounded team gives you the ability to nitpick. Two areas of possible improvement were running back and middle linebacker, seeing as Nick Barnett was released and has since signed with Buffalo. The Packers missed out on Ronnie Brown, Reggie Bush, and any other available back that could have started for them this season. Lofa Tatupu is one of the few big free agents left at this stage, and I think he would be a great fit in Green Bay. Unless they address one of those areas, this off season will remain somewhat of a missed opportunity for a team that is somehow under the salary cap, but is failing to do much about it.

6. Dolphins-Between the Patriots and Jets, the AFC East is an uphill climb for a team in the bottom half. Miami had a small window a few years ago when Tom Brady was injured and the Jets were before their time. Going from 1-15 to 11-5 was a stunning turnaround, but the beating they received at the hands of the Baltimore Ravens in the Wildcard round may have marked the end of this current team’s playoff hopes. Despite a bleak situation, there was hope this month to make some sizeable improvements. There were quarterbacks left and right that could provide help, and picking up Reggie Bush seemed like a great move to compliment Ronnie Brown. However, two problems arose: Ronnie Brown is now gone, and the QB move never happened. They are now a power running team without a power runner; Reggie Bush wouldn’t last two weeks in their current system, and I don’t consider a meeting with Tiki Barber to be any form of redemption. Unless they pull the trigger on a deal for Kyle Orton from Denver, Miami is looking at a slightly worse roster, which could lead to a much worse season.

5. 49ers-I don’t even consider the loss of two defensive starters and failure to sufficiently replace them as the problem here. In a division that allows a 7-9 champion, anything is possible. Each team is one good move away from a playoff spot. In the case of San Francisco, Quarterback Alex Smith has died nine times already and is still in line for the starting spot. Their QB draft pick is from Nevada, an atypical college offense, and will need even more time to adjust to the NFL than the usual prospects. Trading for Donovan McNabb or signing Matt Hasselbeck would have likely made them favorites to win the NFC West. Instead, they stood idly and ended up without a chair when the music stopped. Making the move to pick up Braylon Edwards would be nice, especially with Michael Crabtree injured, but this division will be won with quarterback play. Kyle Orton, as mentioned before, is the last capable QB who is also available. There isn’t enough of him to go around to each team in need, and San Francisco has done nothing to lift their division from its atmosphere of mediocrity. I would say they are the last of the minor offenders; everyone from here on out can be labeled as some form of disgrace.

4. Giants-The Giants actually kicked off the free agent frenzy, signing undrafted free agent Mark Herzlich. As a cancer survivor with first round talent, the Giants made a great move and got an absolute steal. From that point on, everything went downhill. Instead of cutting one of their two running backs (most likely Brandon Jacobs), they chose to cut two of their starting offensive linemen and immediately began restructuring the deals of both backs. While they later signed one replacement lineman, more problems appeared. The receiving core is a big question mark between Steve Smith still unsigned and the failure to sign Plaxico Burress. As if this isn’t enough, Kevin Boss is crazy enough to think he is an elite tight end and should be paid like one. In addition to this dispute, Osi Umenyiora was seeking a trade after the Giants failed to renegotiate his contract. Eventually this died down, but there is still tension. But no worries everyone, they did have time to sign David Carr. The Giants started over the cap and had to cut players, but made questionable decisions and are currently too much of a mess to even focus on making any progressive moves.

3. Bengals-Already a shaky organization, the Bengals can ill afford some tough breaks. Volatile personalities have led to frequent arrests and overall instability for a team that has enough to deal with when competing alongside the Steelers and Ravens in the AFC North. Stealing the aforementioned starters from the 49ers defense and resigning running back Cedric Benson are positive elements. In addition to this, the Bengals have recently been a team that drafts very well. However, the organization was sent spiraling when every dynamic element of their passing game fell apart. Chad Ochocinco was traded away to the Patriots; Terrell Owens was lost to free agency and will not likely be signed until September. Carson Palmer is fed up with the entire franchise and has forced an ultimatum upon Coach Marvin Lewis: either to trade his disgruntled Quarterback, or watch him retire. Coach Lewis has chosen to take an integrity based stance, displaying the strong will of the team and inviting the retirement. I personally think this is a selfish injustice to the organization that is more about saving face than making his team better. There could be some serious value for Palmer on the trade market, at least a second round pick and possibly even a first.

2. Bears-Between what I believe was a massive overachievement last year and a rapidly improving NFC North, the Bears needed to make improvements this summer. Their biggest weakness was a receiving core that does little to help an already inconsistent Jay Cutler at QB. They get off to a sluggish start, signing no noteworthy players that would help their areas of need and losing two defensive starters. They then make arguably the worst move of this month of madness by trading away tight end Greg Olsen to the Panthers for a third round draft pick. Young quarterbacks and bad ones have a few things in common, one of which is frequent reliance on his tight end. Whether or not you believe in Jay Cutler, it is commonly known that he frequently resembles a bad QB; Olsen provided a security blanket. When in doubt, the biggest target that hovers around the middle of the field and has great hands and athleticism is a pretty safe bet. Losing this puts much more pressure on the weapons the Bears do have or acquire, and I do not have much faith in the decision to pick up Cowboy castaways Marion Barber and Roy Williams. They lack a number one receiver and primary target; this and Cutler’s shaky play may lead to the most stagnant offense ever led by Offensive Coordinator Mike Martz.

1. Buccaneers-As I said while writing about the upcoming free agent frenzy a few weeks ago, the Bucs were by far in the most advantageous position due to their massive total of over $50 million that they had to spend on both their own players and others to add to a young and promising roster. In arguably the best division in football, keeping up with a couple of superbowl contenders in New Orleans and Atlanta would be a challenge, but they were at the forefront of the Nnamdi Asomugha race and if he didn’t pan out well there were plenty of other moves to be made. The Bucs took the conservative route and showed everyone exactly why they will not continue to compete with the league’s best throughout the next few years. It is one thing to prioritize your own players and reserve money for renewing their contracts; my own Steelers have been doing just that. And for a team that started $10 million over the salary cap, that’s a fine idea. But Tampa Bay could start another franchise with their cap space; they could buy the LA Dodgers. There isn’t even a move to criticize here because that implies that they did anything of value, which was not the case. Wait wait…they did sign a punter. The Jets spend money they don’t even have, and this team can’t even make a move? I don’t know a Bucs fan but after seeing this attitude, I at least know why.

The NFL transaction market is not a system built for chaos, and that list of organizational futility has shown just that. Noticeably left off that list of losers were the Dallas Cowboys. Many analysts have grouped them amongst the league’s worst in this category, but I feel they cut the right players to get rid of a team salary that was well over the new cap. The team’s original position needs to be factored in when grading their results. Alongside the misguided activity and frustrating inactivity, however, were a few displays of inspiring and aggressive moves that will truly change the course of division races in favor of a few winners. These fortunate teams are few in number, but successfully navigated through the most hectic period in their managerial history.

4. Jets-As my only winner that does not involve the team in question getting any better, the Jets are in a unique position. Last year, due to the expiration of the last Collective Bargaining Agreement, there was actually an uncapped year in which any team could spend all the money they could gather. The Jets took full advantage and were the big winners of last year’s off season. While this was beneficial in many ways, it carried a long term burden. Their hands were essentially tied this summer, and their main focus had to be saving money instead of spending it. Despite this, they were frontrunners for much of the Asomugha race and were eventually able to resign players such as Santonio Holmes, Antonio Cromartie, and David Harris. This was made possible through both the unselfishness of Mark Sanchez and LaDainian Tomlinson, who were willing to take pay cuts to help out, and an overall front office mindset that fans of any other team should be envious of. Their only losses were Brad Smith, a decent player who was sufficiently replaced in the draft by receiver/returner Jeremy Kerley from TCU, and star receiver Braylon Edwards. They signed Plaxico Burress fresh out of prison who, at this stage of his career, will only be slightly worse than Edwards in his prime and will even be a better red zone target. The fact that the Jets were able to maintain the overall caliber of their team despite the previous summer’s splurge makes them an incredible accomplishment.

3. Patriots-I am not the biggest fan of assuming a risky move is a good one just because Coach Bill Belichick made it. It is the low degree of risk that makes their two big moves so efficient and effective. They traded for Chad Ochocinco from the Bengals and Albert Haynesworth from the Redskins. If I own another team and the Patriots call me, I immediately hang up, because I’m probably getting ripped off. They simply know how to get the better end of trades by underpaying for talented veterans. Randy Moss was the perfect example, a 4^th round pick to the Raiders for a record setting season…I’d do that too. For whatever reason, the rest of the league lets them get away with these garbage deals. Haynesworth has the work ethic of a sloth and Chad has become a bigger gimmick than talent. But since they paid so little for these guys, they can just cut them if they don’t work out well. There is no risk and such a high reward because they both have pro bowl history and potential.

2. Panthers-For the eight or so years that I have been watching football, I have never seen a team so unhappy with finishing last in the league. The Panthers could have easily let their own free agents escape and accepted the harsh reality of simply being a bad team. Instead, they immediately worked towards resigning John Beason (the biggest beast in the league that no one knows enough about), Charles Johnson and Deangelo Williams. With the new CBA, rookie QB’s are no longer grossly overpaid, so Cam Newton doesn’t cost nearly as much as a Sam Bradford or he-who-shall-not-be-named (Jamarcus Russell). Using this extra money, the Panthers also made the move to trade for Bears tight end Greg Olsen. As I said earlier, rookie QB’s love a good tight end, and the Panthers also picked up Jeremy Shockey earlier this year. Due to the competitiveness of this division, these moves may not help their position among their rivals, but they will win them more games and make them a better team. Who knows, maybe one of this year’s surprises is the Panthers finishing third in the NFC South ahead of the stagnant Buccaneers. As a matter of fact, I’d like to crown that as my first prediction I may regret later, one of my favorite lists every year. I just feel that so much of a team’s potential can be seen through the attitude of the management, and the willingness as an organization to both improve and compete.

1. Eagles-I considered trying to find a way to put Philly anywhere other than number one on this list but that would just be contrary for the sake of being contrary. It may be obvious but it is also true: The Philadelphia Eagles cornered this year’s market. To put this in perspective, they added half a defensive line with a pro bowler and a super bowl champion (Jason Babin and Cullen Jenkins). They spent themselves into a secondary surplus with the best cornerback combination in the league. It started by ripping off the Cardinals and sending an overrated/perennial backup quarterback away for arguably a top ten cornerback and a 2^nd round draft pick. Then, they shocked the sports world by also signing Nnamdi Asomugha for much less money than he was expected to go for (5 years/$60 million). By the way, they still have Asante Samuel. They signed Vince Young to back up Mike Vick; once he’s injured their system remains the same due to the similar skill sets. They signed Ronnie Brown, the most underrated player on the market, to solve the short yardage problem that they have had for about a decade. As a former franchise back, he agreed to a one year, one million dollar contract just because he sees a championship ring in their near future. They signed right tackle Ryan Harris in a quiet yet brilliant move that will protect Vick’s blind side and may save their season if he keeps him safe. The hype will be this team’s only downfall; once they were crowned a Dream Team by the media their chances took a bit of a shot. Despite the challenges provided by such moves that will test their chemistry and mental toughness, the Eagles have without a doubt won the free agent contest of the ages.

One of the many things that make the NFL great is the competitive balance that levels the playing field. Football is the only sport where there are no shortcuts and a championship cannot be bought. Unlike the Miami Heat, the Eagles haven’t essentially clinched a ring; they are still just chasing one. The free agent frenzy has been great fun, but in the grand scheme of things will not determine the superbowl champion. The Steelers and Packers were boring but will be just fine. The Patriots will be great with or without their poorly conditioned fat man and the Titan of Twitter. The real determinant of greatness will be as it always has been, the strength and execution of the 32 NFL systems. With that said, this unique few weeks has been a crazy second half of summer to remember.