Sports Bytes (December 31, 2009)

Although I do believe that the Pacquiao-Mayweather drug testing disagreement is legitimate, I also believe that Bob Arum (Manny Pacquiao's promoter) and Oscar de la Hoya (Floyd Mayweather's promoter) are doing an excellent job of exploiting the issue for publicity. The latest is that "Pacquiao filed suit in U.S. District Court in Nevada on Wednesday against Floyd Mayweather Jr., Floyd Mayweather Sr., Roger Mayweather, Mayweather Promotions and Golden Boy Promotions executives Oscar De La Hoya and Richard Schaefer, alleging that they made false and defamatory statements accusing him of taking performance-enhancing drugs." The PED issue has kept the fight foremost in the minds of the public. When was the last time sports fans and sports media alike wrung their hands about a boxing match during the lead-up to the NFL postseason and the NCAA Bowl Games? PR 101 par excellence, folks . . .

The NFL Pro Bowl selections have been announced and everyone involved chose well. There were no glaring omissions; although Giants fans are upset that wide receiver Steve Smith was not selected, even as a reserve. Smith's stats are excellent (97 receptions for 1,163 yards) but they must be weighed against the stats of his competitors. Of the four wide receivers selected (Miles Austin, Larry Fitzgerald, DeSean Jackson, and Sydney Rice) two have more receiving yards than Smith (Austin and Rice). DeSean Jackson has 37 fewer receptions than Smith, but nearly as many yards receiving. He also has 10 receptions for 40+ yards. Larry Fitzgerald's stats are comparable to Smith's, but if it comes down to a choice between Fitzgerald and Smith, Fitzgerald will win every time since he is considered by many to be the finest receiver in the conference. Steve Smith was not robbed. He was just the odd man out . . .

Since the Academy Awards have their antithesis, the Golden Rapberry Awards, I decided to create an anti-Pro Bowl list to "honor" those players whose performances were less than stellar. This list is far from exhaustive so feel free to add your own suggestions:

NFC

• NFC QB - Chicago Bears Jay Cutler - That's an awful lot of hype for a 6-9 team.
• NFC RB - NY Giants Brandon Jacobs - Was it a nagging knee injury that hampered his production? Perhaps. But regardless, that left-right combination Jacobs threw at Albert Haynesworth was the most aggression he showed all year.
• NFC WR - Dallas Cowboys Roy Williams - 596 yds receiving? Being paid premier receiver-dollars but delivering Patrick Crayton-numbers is unacceptable, Roy.
• NFC Defense - The entire Giants defense and Washington Redskins DE Albert Haynesworth - No explanation necessary for the Giants defense. Haynesworth because his minimal impact had D.C. officials on the verge of ordering an APB on his whereabouts.
• NFC K - Dallas Cowboys Shaun Suisham - The only thing more amazing than the distances of Suisham's missed field goals is that the Cowboys signed him after he was cut by the Redskins.

AFC

• AFC QB - Tennessee Titans Kerry Collins - Not many QBs can boast having led their teams to an undefeated record through 10 games and to home field advantage throughout the playoffs, only to lose their starting position midway through the following season.
• AFC RB - Cleveland Browns Jamal Lewis - 500 yds rushing for a guy who once rushed for 2,066 yds in a single season. Not good.
• AFC WR - Buffalo Bills Terrell Owens - 51 receptions for 764 yds. 20 players in the AFC have more receptions than Owens, and six of them are not wide receivers . . . That Sharpie in his sock must be frozen solid since he has only scored four TDs this year.
• AFC Defense - Kansas City Chiefs - 400 points in 15 games. That's even more points than the Giants have surrendered.
• AFC K - Jacksonville Jaguars Josh Scobee - 65% field goal success rate. To put it in perspective, that is only 6.3% higher than Shaquille O'Neal's free throw percentage for 2009.

The Jets will win Sunday . . . Here's hoping Darrelle Revis shuts out "the wide receiver formerly known as Chad Johnson" . . .

Dallas vs. Philly in the final week of the season for the NFC East Title and possibly for a first round bye. It doesn't get any better than that . . .

Minnesota needs a win to secure a first round bye and establish some momentum. At home this week against a demoralized Giants team should provide them with that opportunity. It is difficult to envision the Giants showing any fire now that their season is over and a housecleaning probably awaits them in the offseason . . .

Steelers linebacker Lamarr Woodley thinks the Patriots and the Bengals will lay down on Sunday to keep the defending champions from making the playoffs. "No one wants to see Pittsburgh in it. That's just how it is. Everybody knows we're a dangerous team once we get into the playoffs, no matter how we played the whole year. Once we get into the playoffs, the Pittsburgh Steelers is a playoff team." Don't be surprised if the Steelers lose to Miami on Sunday and eliminate themselves from playoff contention. How many times have you seen a player shoot his mouth off only to later remove his foot from it?

If Jason Bay passes his physical, I think the Mets are making the right move by signing him. Four years is a year too many and starting pitching is still the Mets' greatest need, but considering how irrelevant the Mets have been this offseason, any opportunity to improve the club has to be seized. And Bay will make the offense better. He is a good player and by all accounts a hard worker and a good teammate . . .

Since there is a Bowl Game for everything else, how about a Government Stimulus Bowl? . . .

Sports Bytes (Dec 29, 2009)

The NJ Nets are playing so poorly that fans can purchase a near-courtside ticket on eBay or stubhub.com for less than the cost of a beer or a pizza at the Izod Center. The New York Daily News reports that tickets are selling for as cheaply as $7.00, while the cost of a beer or a pizza is $8.00 . . .

Ouch. The Philadelphia Eagles have lost their starting center Jamaal Jackson for the rest of the season because of a torn knee ligament. Eagles fans have watched enough football to know that a poor snap from a backup center usually occurs at the worst possible times . . .

New York Giants defensive end Osi Umenyiora believes he has reached the end of his career with Big Blue. Umenyiora was a major disappointment this year. Stopping the run was never his forte, but it was tolerated because of his pass rushing skills. But seven sacks does not a pass rushing specialist make. Entering the season fans expected the Giants' pass rush to be unstoppable with Umenyiora and Justin Tuck breathing down quarterbacks' necks. Reality has been far different though as the two have combined for only 13 sacks. To put it in perspective there are three players who alone have more sacks than Umenyiora and Tuck do together: Denver's Elvis Dumervil (17), Minn's Jared Allen (13.5) and Indy's Dwight Freeney (13.5) . . .

Is Mike Leach running a football program at Texas Tech or a gulag? . . .

Who is falling faster right now the Vikings or the Saints? Yes, the Vikes deserve credit for storming back from a 16-0 deficit to the Bears and sending the game into overtime at 30-30. But ultimately they lost. They have now lost three of their lost four games, and on Monday night they blew an opportunity to secure a playoff bye. The Vikes managed to make the 6-9 Bears look like an offensive juggernaut, surrendering 36 points to a team that averages only 18 points per game. Meanwhile, the Saints, who secured home-field advantage throughout the playoffs with Minnesota's loss, have lost two in a row and look very different than the offensive dynamo they were earlier in the season . . .

The Eagles look like the most dangerous team in the NFC right now; although with the Jekyll and Hyde nature of the NFL this season, that may change more than once before the playoffs begin . . .

Last night's victory over the Vikings was a big one for Bears coach Lovie Smith, but probably not big enough to save his job. This isn't Army defeating Navy . . .

22 of the 32 NFL teams have a record no better than one game over .500 . . .

Sports Bytes (December 28, 2009)

About eight years ago when I was their Public Relations Director, Main Events teamed up with Lion Promotions (Main Events' partner in promoting Lennox Lewis) HBO and Showtime to negotiate a potential blockbuster bout between Lewis and Mike Tyson. Many people predicted the fight would never happen because of the myriad of obstacles--the biggest of which was that the two fighters fought on competing television networks: Lewis on HBO and Tyson on Showtime. But despite the corporate egos and rivalries; despite the brawl at the NY press conference that resulted in Tyson's suspension by the Nevada State Athletic Commission; and despite the assortment of other issues that emerged during the promotion, the fight was made. And at the time it became the highest-grossing bout in history. The bottom line was that there was too much potential revenue for everyone for the fight not to happen. It is for the same reason that I believe the Pacquiao-Mayweather bout will happen and that an agreement will be reached regarding pre-bout drug testing. Money is an exceptional arbiter . . .

You knew it had to happen. You knew the Maginot Line would return to Giants Stadium. Yes, Madison Hedgecock's holding call on Manning's first quarter TD pass was crippling; and yes, Manningham's fumble on the same drive was a confidence killer. But it was the Giants defense who deserves the blame for this disgraceful performance. The Maginot Line gave up 41 points to a team with a 6-8 record that was already eliminated from playoff contention. The usual suspects in the secondary proved incapable of covering anyone, but as bad as the Giants pass coverage was, the entire defense's tackling was even worse. Panthers RB Jonathan Stewart accomplished something that hadn't been done since 1978: he rushed for more than 200 yds against a Giants defense. The tackling was so shoddy that Giants defenders looked like TSA officials frisking airline passengers. Pathetic is the only suitable word . . . Here are some other thoughts and facts about the game:

• Giants RB Brandon Jacobs has been a 2009 bust. For most of the season he has been so ineffective and irrelevant that he might as well have been in the witness protection program. Today was no different. Jacobs rushed six times for a total of one yard. That's only one more yard than I gained and I wasn't even playing. It is time for the Giants to accept that Jacobs is not a feature back.
• FB Madison Hedgecock is a waste of a uniform when he is doing anything but blocking. The Green Monster is softer than those brick mitts he calls hands.
• The Panthers scored points on 7 of their 10 drives. (Their last drive ended with them kneeling to run out the clock). Five of those seven scoring drives ended in TDs.

Simply put, the Giants unprofessional and gutless performance was an embarrassment to NY . . .

I can't say I was rooting for them, but it is only fair (in a cosmic sense) that the Cowboys defeated the Redskins yesterday and eliminated the Giants from postseason contention. After Sunday's horrific performance the idea that the Giants could still qualify for a wildcard spot was untenable. They no more deserved a playoff spot than I deserve to be NY State Senator. . . Congrats to the Cowboys for winning two big games in December and earning a playoff invite . . .

When is spring training? . . .

Count me among those who believe it was foolish for the Colts to remove Peyton Manning and other Team-A players in the third quarter of yesterday's game against the Jets. You don't sacrifice an opportunity to stay undefeated, nor do you voluntarily relinquish a season's worth of momentum. Fortunes change quickly (see: Saints) and when momentum is lost it is usually difficult to recover. The Colts will regret this . . . Having said that, kudos to the Jets for playing the way a team is supposed to play when battling for a playoff spot. At least one NY football team did . . . If the Jets defeat the Bengals next week, which they are capable of doing, they will secure a wildcard position . . .

If the Saints continue to play like they did these past two weeks, they will march themselves into an early postseason exit . . .

The Miami Dolphins are another team that, at least initially, looked as if they were more interested in hitting the golf course than in playing postseason football. Although they did later mount a comeback, the Dolphins inexcusably fell behind 27-0 at home to the Texans . . .

Green Bay and Pittsburgh both deserve credit for taking care of business. Green Bay mauled Seattle (48-10) and the Steelers grinded out a victory over their hated rivals the Baltimore Ravens (23-20) . . .

Don't look now but the Pats have won the AFC East again. Could they be poised for a late-season run? . .

The Eagles squeaked out another win. Eventually that type of luck runs out . . .

Sports Bytes (Dec 23, 2009)

Is Manny Pacquiao hiding something? Apparently boxing's pound-for-pound champion is refusing to "agree to the Olympic-style drug testing procedures the sides had been negotiating." Mayweather wants the testing to be in compliance with the United States Anti Doping Agency. Pacquiao will only agree to be tested according to the less-stringent rules of the Nevada State Athletic Commission . . . Earlier, Fightnews.com reported that Manny Pacquiao, through his attorney Franklin Gacal, is "demanding a penalty of $10 million per pound or a fraction thereof over and above 147 lbs during the weighin” for the March 13 mega-bout. Pacquiao is trying to prevent a repeat of what happened in September when Mayweather paid $600,000 to Juan Manuel Marquez as a penalty for weighing in two pounds over the contractually-agreed limit. Many people, including this writer, believe Mayweather never had any intention of trying to make the contract weight. Pacquiao says the proposed March 13 penalty should apply to both he and Mayweather . . .

Greater minds than mine believe the Yanks made the right move sending Melky Cabrera and two farm hands to the Braves for the former Yankee Javier Vazquez. I must admit I am skeptical. Perhaps it is because Vazquez looked so unimpressive the last time he wore pinstripes in 2004, going 14-10 with an ERA of 4.91. And take a wild guess at who gave up the grand slam to Johnny Damon in Game 7 of the 2004 ALCS? Admittedly, last year Vazquez pitched solidly for the Braves, going 15-10 with an impressive ERA of 2.87. The question is which Vazquez are we getting? . . . I hope Yankees GM Brian Cashman has a plan for left field that hasn't materialized yet, and I hope that plan doesn't include re-signing Damon or making Brett Gardener the starting left fielder. Cabrera is a B-level player, but I would rather have him in left field than either of those choices . . .

When Pope Benedict XVIvisited New York, the Jets' braintrust should have asked for a Papal Blessing because it is clear this team is cursed. Someone, somewhere put the Evil Eye on that organization . . .

The Saints cut veteran kicker John Carney and threw their support behind 2nd-year kicker Garrett Hartley. Until yesterday the Saints had kept two kickers on the roster . . . Something tells me that in the playoffs when the Saints are faced with an important field goal they are going to regret releasing the 21-year veteran . . .

I have been accused of unfairly singling out Philly fans for bad behavior when other cities are just as uncivil. This is true . . . but only up to a point. Many snowballs were thrown in football stadiums around the country on Sunday, but I don't know of any fans who were as out-of-control as these Eagles fans . . . Kudos to SI.com's "Hot Mustard" for bringing it to my attention . . .

Sports Bytes (Dec 22, 2009)

Not surprisingly it looks like Pacquiao-Mayweather will land at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. When asked by ESPN.com boxing writer Dan Rafael if the MGM will serve as the fight venue, Oscar de la Hoya (Mayweather's promoter for the bout) responded, "It looks like it. There is no other place you really want to do a big event. It has to be in Las Vegas. But there is nothing 100 percent yet. A done deal is a signed deal and there is no signed deal" . . .

Not much to say about the Giants drubbing of the Redskins other than, "Wow". It was over early as the Giants scored 24 points in the first half and then rolled to a lopsided 45-12 win to keep their playoff hopes alive. Below are some thoughts and facts from last night's game:

• If you are a Giants fan there was no more welcome sight than Redskins QB Jason Campbell re-entering the game in the 3rd quarter. The Giants track record historically against back-up QBs who enter games is not good. I remember in 1985 when the Giants knocked Dallas QBs Danny White and Gary Hogeboom out of the game, only to have Steve Pelluer beat them.
• At halftime the Giants led time of possession 21:51 to 8:09, and had converted 16 first downs to the Redskins 2.
• The Giants scored on six of their first seven possessions.
• Manning was nearly flawless, completing 19 of 26 for 268 yards and three TDs.
• I can't remember the last time the Giants' defense pressured an opposing QB as much as they smothered Campbell
• I know Giants RB Brandon Jacobs is a big boxing fan and that he is close friends with former jr. welterweight champion Kendall Holt, but the 265 lb bruiser can't be throwing overhand rights during skirmishes. Both he and Redskins DE Albert Haynesworth should have been ejected.
• The Redskins have played hard for head coach Jim Zorn, but it will be hard to justify keeping him beyond this season.

So let me get this straight: the Cowboys think they've upgraded at kicker by dumping Nick Folk and signing Shaun Suisham? . . .

Mike Holmgren has agreed to become President of the Cleveland Browns. I hope he doesn't fire head coach Eric Mangini. Mangini may not be the most likeable guy, but the Browns have won two of their last three games and every coach deserves more than one year before his performance is evaluated . . .

Why would I want to watch Magic Johnson interview Kobe Bryant at halftime of a Giants-Redskins game?

Ever notice how when Favre acts like a jerk it's because he's the ultimate competitor, but when others do the same they are simply jerks? . . .

The NY Yankees were informed that their 2009 luxury tax was $25.7 million. Do you think there is anyone in the organization who doesn't think it was worth it? . . .


Somehow the Chicago Bulls managed to blow a 35-point lead to the Sacramento Kings and lose 102-98. Unless I were playing guard for the Bulls I don't see how that is possible . . .

Congrats to NJ Devils goalie Martin Brodeur for his shutout of the Pittsburgh Penguins. The shutout was the 104th of Brodeur's career, shattering the record set by Terry Sawchuck . . .

Sports Bytes (Dec 21, 2009)

NY Jets, meet Tony Gonzalez. Tony is a future Hall-of-Fame tight end. You may want to consider covering him, especially near the goal line . . . Forget Mark Sanchez's three interceptions and the defense's failure to stop the Falcons on their final drive. The blame for that loss falls squarely on the shoulders of the Jets' special teams. Three field goal attempts under 40 yds--zero conversions. A bungled snap, a missed field goal, and a blocked field goal . . . Undertakers are assumed to have the most job security because people are always dying. But I think an even safer and more lucrative occupation is gastroenterologist. The Jets give their fans such aggravation and agita that a gastro doctor will have a never-ending supply of patients . . .

Fomer Indiana Hoosiers basketball coach Bobby Knight once told Bill Parcells that the only thing a prevent-defense prevents is a win. That adage was proved again yesterday, this time by the Bengals. Dropping back into a soft coverage not only removes your defense's aggression, it also gives the opposing quarterback a lifetime to throw. Give any NFL quarterback, let alone someone like Philip Rivers, enough time and he will eat you alive . . .

If the Packers make the postseason, don't expect them to hang around long. Leading the NFL in penalties will only lead to disaster: see Packers-Steelers.

• Protecting a six point lead with under 2:00 remaining in the fourth quarter, Packers cornerback Jarrett Bush intercepted Ben Roethlisberger at the Packers 42-yard line, only to watch as the play is nullified by an illegal contact call on linebacker Brandon Chillar.
• Just five plays later Packers defensive end Cullen Jenkins sacked Roethlisburger at the Packers 39-yard line, but saw the play wiped away by a defensive holding call on defensive back Josh Bell.

Only moments later with time expiring Roethlisberger hit M. Wallace for a 19-yard TD pass to give the Steelers the improbable victory and hurt the Packers playoff chances . . .

Never say never. I never thought I'd see a more boneheaded play this season than Bill Belichick's decision to go for it against the Colts on 4th-and-2 from his own 28-yard line with only 2:00 left to play in the game. Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin proved me wrong. Ahead by two points with 3:58 remaining in the game, Tomlin mystifyingly called for an onside-kick. Although his call did catch the Packers off-guard, the ball was touched by a Steelers' player before traveling 10 yards, which is a penalty that results in the receiving team gaining possession. Unbelievably, because of Tomlin's dumb call the Packers started their drive on the Steelers 39-yard line. Seven plays later the Packers were in the end zone and ahead 34-30 . . . If I were Mike Tomlin I would play Santa this week and buy Big Ben whatever he wants for Christmas. His game-ending TD pass made Tomlin's gaffe irrelevant . . .

This is certainly not the year of the kicker. Shaun Suishen was cut by the Redskins for missing field goals and you have to wonder how much longer the Cowboys will stick with Nick Folk. Today, Jay Feely missed a costly field goal for the Jets, who lost by three points (10-7), and Mason Crosby missed a 34-yard field goal for the Packers, who lost by a single point (37-36) . . . On a positive note Nate Kaeding's 52-yarder in overtime locked up the AFC West title for the Chargers, while Rob Bironas' 46-yarder in overtime gave the Titans an upset victory over the Dolphins . . .

There are now six teams in the AFC with a 7-7 record . . .

Lovie Smith's days as Bears head coach may be numbered. The Associated Press reports that "Chicago Bears general manager Jerry Angelo on Sunday said the fate of coach Lovie Smith has not yet been decided." Angelo's statement was a response to a Friday evening report on Comcast SportsNet/Chicago that Smith would be retained by the Bears . . . Angelo's quote wasn't exactly a show of confidence was it . . .

Quite a day for the Cleveland Browns who defeated the Kansas City Chiefs 41-34. Josh Cribbs tied the NFL single-game record for kickoff returns by returning two for TDs--one for 100 yards and the other for 103 yards. Jerome Harrison rushed for three TDs while amassing 286 yards rushing--the most rushing yards ever by a Browns running back and the third-highest by any running back in NFL history . . .

Congrats to the Eagles for securing a playoff spot for the eighth time this millenium . . . What a surprise! Michael Vick is injured again . . . Donovan McNabb to Desean Jackson is a lethal, exciting combination, but if the Eagles can't run the ball in the postseason we will the familiar refrain of "wait till next year" . . . Andy Reid is an underrated coach . . .

Gotta hand it to the Raiders. As badly as they've played against some teams (Giants, Jets, Redskins, and Chiefs) they've looked like playoff contenders against others (Eagles, Broncos, Steelers, and Bengals). If the season were to end today, three of the Raiders' five wins would have come against playoff teams. Of the other two wins, one is against the defending Super Bowl Champions. Talk about Jekyll and Hyde . . .

Sports Bytes (Dec 20, 2009)

Now that is how you end a December swoon. Kudos to the the Cowboys' offense for jumping on the Saints early and to the Cowboy's defense for stiffening on the final drive even though they were tired and on their heels . . . A fumble-causing sack to seal the win. Makes you wonder what DeMarcus Ware would have done if he didn't have a sprained neck . . . Excuse me if I sound like Ebenezer, but Cowboys kicker Nick Folk should receive one gift in his stocking this week: a pink slip . . . It was inevitable that the Saints' would get burned by their recent penchant for falling behind and then storming back to pull out close wins . . . Maybe now people will cut Tony Romo some slack. Not only did he do a great job getting the Cowboys out to an early lead, but when the chips were down and it looked as if Dallas was going to choke, he led them on a 10-play, 75 yd drive to the Saints' six yard line. The drive took 5:44 off the clock and Romo completed pass plays of 32 and 23 yards. It's not his fault that Folk missed the chip-shot field-goal . . .

WBC/WBO world middleweight champion Kelly Pavlik successfully returned to the ring Saturday night, stopping WBC #3 ranked contender Miguel Espino in five rounds in Youngstown, OH. The bout was Pavlik's first since suffering from a dangerous staph infection in his left hand 10 months ago . . . How Espino earned the #3 ranking is a bit of a mystery considering that the combined record of his last four opponents was 81-51 . . . Heavyweight Samuel Peter knocked out someone last night named Gabe "Big G" Brown. Big G weighed 363 lbs and entered the ring with a record of 18-13-4, 12 KOs. That's not even a good record if you are a pitcher . . . Believe it or not the fight card was a pay-per-view event . . .

Am I the only who couldn't give a rat's arse that "the wide receiver formerly known as Chad Johnson" has decided against wearing Chris Henry's jersey for today's game? . . .

The Oakland A's are reportedly close to signing Coco Crisp. Yeah, I know. Sooooo? . . .

New England QB Tom Brady and wife Gisele Bundchen finally announced the name of their son who was born on Dec 8: Benjamin. I don't know about you, but I was torn between worrying about what the boy's name is and whether or not Congress could agree on a healthcare bill . . .

Duke is ranked #7, but after the way they manhandled Gonzaga 76-41 on Saturday I'd like to see the six other teams who are considered better . . . Duke guard Nolan Smith hit three pointers from everywhere in the Garden except the mezzanine level . . . Duke point guard John Scheyer scored 20 points and added eight assists . . . 41 points was the lowest point total for Gonzaga in 25 years . . .

Do you think there's much sympathy across Major League Baseball that three Scott Boras clients (Johnny Damon, Jason Bay, and Matt Holliday) will probably have to settle for less money than they want because of a lack of team interest? . . .

Sports Bytes (Dec 18, 2009)

One of life's ironies is that often people are harmed not while they are committing criminal or dangerous acts, but years later after they have stopped. For ex., how often have you met people who were healthy while they smoked, but then were diagnosed with cancer five or ten years after they kicked the habit? In Chris Henry's case he had multiple run-ins with the law and even earned the nickname "one-man crime wave" from a municipal court judge. But by all accounts he had seemingly gotten his life together. Yet it is now he dies, by an accident no less . . .

Nice job by Manning leading the Colts to a 35-31 victory over the Jaguars. But if the Colts continue to squeak out wins the question of whether they should rest players will be irrelevant . . .

Nick Johnson? I confess I'm confused by this potential signing. I thought the reason for letting Matsui sign elsewhere was to open up the DH spot for Posada. So why bring in Johnson? . . .

The PGA will learn quickly that a sport's popularity takes a big hit when it loses a larger-than-life athlete. Just ask the NBA about the impact of Jordan's retirement . . .

Jason Bay is a good player, but as a baseball fan said to me yesterday, "If the Mets give Bay five years Minaya should be fired" . . .

What a surprise. It's not even Christmas and NY Daily News columnist Mike Lupica is already criticizing the Yankees . . . At least he's writing about sports and not lecturing us about politics. Pretty soon he'll be giving movie reviews and penning his own comic strip . . .

NY Daily News "Touching Base" columnist Jesse Spector has an interesting take on the Red Sox signing of John Lackey: "Lackey is a proven ace, and I believe that he’s good enough to figure out ways to adjust, but there are reasons for Red Sox fans to be concerned about this deal, from Lackey’s failure to make 30 starts either of the last two years to his past struggles at Fenway Park to the history of pitchers with similar hit rates and lots of innings pitched in the early stages of their careers" . . . Good points, but I still think the Red Sox made a great move getting Lackey . . .

Wonderful. As if the Maginot Line (NY Giants defense) is not in bad enough shape, it may be forced to battle the Redskins offense without cornerback Corey Webster. A knee injury in last week's loss to the Eagles prevented Webster from practicing yesterday . . .

It looks like Mark Sanchez will start on Sunday vs. the Falcons. Unless Sanchez needs to be wheeled onto the field, this is a good decision. The Jets defense is good, but Atlanta can score points. Sanchez makes things happen and they may need some of that Sunday . . .

Interesting comment by Knicks coach Mike D'Antoni who says that he'd play "Satan" if it would the Knicks to win . . . Not a good idea. I've heard the Evil One gets into foul trouble quickly . . .

Former Indiana coach Bob Knight took a verbal slap at Kentucky coach John Calipari during a speech at the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame: ""We've gotten into this situation where integrity is really lacking and that's why I'm glad I'm not coaching," he said. "You see we've got a coach at Kentucky who put two schools on probation and he's still coaching. I really don't understand that" . . . Knight's point is well taken, but do we really need to hear about integrity from a guy who threw chairs onto the basketball court when he was angry, and who never passed on an opportunity to belittle players and members of the media?

According to the NY Post, "The NFL yesterday gave preliminary approval to the Giants and Jets to bid for the 2014 Super Bowl." Yeah, like that will happen. Pseudo-football fans, which is who usually attend the Super Bowl, are going to drop $1,000-plus to sit in a freezing Meadowlands in February? Face it. Super Bowl's occur in warm weather cities or in domes because the event has become corporate America's bacchanalia. There is about as much chance of the Meadowlands hosting a Super Bowl as there is of the Yankees lowering the costs of their box seats to that of the bleachers . . .

Sports Bytes (Dec 16, 2009)

The Tiger Woods circus is out of control. More than a baker's dozen of women claim to have been his mistress. One of the tabloid newspapers even has a story that there is a "love child" involved. Now there are allegations that Woods is a gambler and that he may have taken PEDs. Soon somebody will swear that Woods was on the grassy knoll the day Pres Kennedy was assassinated . . .

I think Jason Bay is a better player than Mike Cameron, but if you're the Red Sox and you can't re-sign Bay, then Cameron is not a bad substitute . . .

The Giants have had the Redskins number for some time now, having won six of the last seven. Although the Redskins are playing better and the Giants defense is as effective as the Polish cavalry was against the Nazi tanks, the Giants should still find a way to win on Monday. Jason Campbell is not McNabb, Romo, or Brees. At some point he will throw a costly interception . . .

Too many people are counting out the Cowboys. Look for them to put up a bigger fight against the Saints than is expected. I don't think the Boys will win, but they'll threaten the Saints undefeated season until the final bell . . .

Your bitter rival just traded for one of MLBs best starters, Roy Halladay. So if you are the Mets how do you respond? According to the NY Daily News one of the players the Mets will be "monitoring" is Chien-Ming Wang. Huh? . . . It seems the Bernie Madoff pyramid scheme hurt the Wilpons more than they are acknowledging because this offseason the Mets are behaving more like a small-market club than a New York baseball organization with its own television network . . .

Does Rex Ryan start Mark Sanchez this week? He may have no choice because of the opponent. Unlike the Bucs, the Falcons can score points. If you're the Jets you would rather have your postseason chances riding on a less-than 100% Sanchez than a 100% Clemens . . .

In week one the Colts eked out a 14-12 victory at home over the Jaguars. Tomorrow the two play again in Jacksonville with the Jags battling for a playoff spot. With all the speculation about the Colts resting players it will be interesting to see how hard they push to maintain their undefeated record . . .

Do you get the feeling David Haye really doesn't want to fight either Klitschko? It seems like one of those "Hold Me Back" instances . . . All quiet on the Mayweather-Pacquiao front . . .

Say a prayer for Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Chris Henry who is facing life-threatening injuries after falling off the back of a pick-up truck . . .

Sports Bytes (Dec 15, 2009)

Where have you gone, Elvis Patterson?

Considering how much money is at stake in professional sports, would anyone be surprised if Tiger Woods had taken performance-enhacing drugs?

The Yankees released Chien Ming Wang. Honestly, Wang pitched so infrequently over the past two seasons that I'd forgotten he was still on the team . . .

Hideki Matsui has signed a one-year deal with the Angels. I think the Yankees will miss his bat. Not only was he the 2009 World Series MVP, but in his seven seasons with NY he hit 140 homers and drove in 597 runs. Matsui's number would have been even better were he not riddled with injuries the past four seasons. Godspeed, Gojira . . .

As if the gap between the Mets and the Phillies is not already gaping wide, Philadelphia has acquired Toronto Blue Jays ace Roy Halladay. In return, as part of a three-way deal, they are expected to part with Cliff Lee, who will be sent to the Mariners. It's a good move for the Phils. Cliff Lee has only one year left on his contract and indications are that re-signing him will be difficult. Halladay not only agreed to join the Phillies, but he has even said he will sign a three-year contract extension . . .

Speaking of the Mets, did they even attend the winter meetings? . . .

The Red Sox signing John Lackey is a major coup for Boston. Lackey is a big-game pitcher and he will bring a fiery attitude to the Sawx dugout. In a previous blog entry I said Lackey reminds me of Curt Schilling, so it is only fitting that he'll be pitching in Fenway Park . . .

The Yanks have expressed interest in free agent starting pitcher Ben Sheets. Just what NY needs--a pitcher who missed all of last season recovering from elbow surgery. What are the chances of Sheets bouncing back from a flexor tendon tear as successfully as Andy Pettitte did? . . .

It's December so you know what that means. Cowboys fans are straddling the ledges of many skyscrapers, preparing for the inevitable end of the year cowpoke collapse. But wait. Those days may be coming to an end. All signs indicate that in 2010 the NFL salary cap may be relegated to the dustbin of history. If this is true the Cowboys are the team that will most benefit from the change. Cowboys owner Jerry Jones is the NFL's version of George Steinbrenner. He wants to win and he will spend whatever money is necessary to bring in the talent to accomplish that. It won't be long before the Cowboys are once again sitting atop the NFL . . . There are reports that DeMarcus Ware may play against the Saints this week. Just when you think you cannot hear anything stupider . . .

With the exception of a small handful of teams, it is difficult to take the NFL seriously this year. Out of 32 teams, 21 have records of 7-6 or worse. Last night with an opportunity to lock-up the NFC West, the defending NFC Champion Arizona Cardinals turned the ball over seven times in a humiliating 24-9 loss to the 6-7 Niners. Pitiful . . .

The Jets will make the postseason, but the Giants will not . . .

Don't look now but the Celtics have won 11 in a row . . .

Sports Bytes (Dec 14, 2009)

Kudos to Paulie Malignaggi for sticking to his game plan and using his superior boxing skills to earn the decision victory many felt he earned, but didn't receive, in his first fight against Juan Diaz . . . Nice job by Kevin Johnson in Switzerland Saturday, doing his impersonation of The Mummy from the 1932 classic film of the same name. Just as The Mummy was a one-armed attacker, so was Kevin Johnson. Jab, jab, jab, snore . . . But then again at least The Mummy was moving forward . . .

More proof that All-Star Games are often nothing more than fan popularity contests: SI.com's Extra Mustard points out that right now Tracy McGrady is scheduled to start in the 2010 NBA All-Star Game even though he has not played a single minute this year because of injuries . . .

More proof that stats don't always tell the story: Five teams on Sunday won the turnover battle but lost the game:

• Miami (3) - Jacksonville (0) Jaguars lost 14-10
• San Diego (1) - Dallas (0) Dallas lost 20-17
• Indianapolis (3) - Denver (1) Denver lost 28-16
• New England (3) - Carolina (0) Carolina lost 20-10
• Houston (2) - Seattle (1) Seattle lost 34-7

The Maginot Line returned to East Rutherford, NJ on Sunday as the Giants defense made it virtually impossible for the Giants offense to score enough points to defeat the Philadelphia Eagles. Here are a few thoughts about the game:

• NBC color analyst Chris Collinsworth remarked at one point in the game, "I have never seen so many blown coverages in one game." Welcome to the Giants defense, Chris . . .
• Giants def coordinator Bill Sheridan must go after this season. Yes, the Giants secondary has been depleted with injuries, but that does not justify the cornerbacks and safeties being clueless as to what their assignments are. That is a result of poor coaching . . .
• The Giants secondary is so bad that it is not uncommon to see opponents' receivers catch passes without a Giants defender in the camera shot . . .
• Giants punter Jeff Feagles is playing in his 22nd NFL season. Perhaps senility is setting in because on DeSean Jackson's punt return TD, Feagles attempt to push Jackson was so lame that it appeared as if Feagles thought he was playing flag football . . .
• At some point Bill Sheridan will realize that the Giants have no pass rush when they only rush the four down linemen . . .
• The Giants offense was tremendous. They scored 38 points and chewed up 512 yds offense, 379 of which came from Eli Manning's arm. Brandon Jacobs ran better today than he has all season, carrying defenders on his back and wearing down the Eagles front seven. Ahmad Bradshaw had a few big plays himself . . . My only complaint about the offense is that there were too many dropped passes. Nicks dropped a few; Boss also dropped a big one inside Eagles territory in the fourth quarter . . .
• My gut reaction is to say that with their pitiful defense the Giants don't deserve to make the playoffs. But after I look at how many bad teams there are right now, how many teams do deserve to make the postseason? . . .
• Good win for the Eagles, but if their defense plays like that in the postseason against the Saints, Brees and company will break 100 points . . .
• All those gimmick plays the Eagles ran yesterday did nothing but provide ESPN's SportsCenter with B-roll footage . . .
  

I've grown so tired of these stoppages of play because of coach's challenges, that I'd rather they eliminate instant replay. Let the refs make the calls and be done with it . . .

Nice job by the Jets. It doesn't matter what the record of the opponent is, you still have to win. (Just ask the Steelers) . . . The Jets defense held Tampa Bay to 106 total yds . . .

A few thoughts on the Cowboys-Chargers game:

• The Cowboys are the ultimate Jekyll and Hyde team. In the first half they had 24 plays inside Chargers territory and only scored three points. Yet in the third quarter they managed an 11-play 99 yd drive. Go figure . . .
• Dallas kicker Nick Foulke will soon find himself playing golf with Shaun Suisham if he keeps missing field goals like he did today . . .
• Some of Jason Garrett's playcalling for Dallas was odd. With 2:13 remaining in the first half the Cowboys found themselves facing a 4th down inside the Chargers one-yd line. They had just run the ball with Marion Barber three times and were unsuccessful getting into the end zone. Instead of calling a QB sneak and letting Romo get the one or two feet that were needed, Garrett called for a handoff again to Barber, who was stuffed behind the line of scrimmage. Why call a play that gives the defense time to penetrate into the backfield? You only need a foot or two. It's not like you have to blow the defense off the line of scrimmage . . .
• Glad to see DeMarcus Ware is okay. Anytime I see a stretcher brought onto the field after a blow to the head my stomach clenches . . .
• I don't want to hear anyone tell me that Philip Rivers is an elite quarterback. Yes, his numbers are excellent, but elite QBs do not throw balls up for grabs when they are standing on their own two yd line with 1:46 remaining in the half. Rivers dumb decision gave the Cowboys the ball at the Chargers 27 yd line . . .

If I were a Bengals fan I would be worried, very worried. In the past four games they are 2-2. They lost to the Vikings and the Raiders, and looked less than spectacular in defeating the Browns (16-7) and the Lions (23-13) . . .

Note to the Colts and Saints: If there's one thing I learned from watching the 2007 Giants is that there are no meaningless games. Giants head coach Tom Coughlin played all of his starters in the week 16 showdown against the Patriots, even though the Giants had already locked up a wildcard playoff spot. The team had not been playing well, but after that gutty performance against the Pats, the Giants were a different team entering the postseason. For any who have forgotten the Giants won three road games against Tampa Bay, Dallas, and Green Bay, and then ruined the Patriots perfect season by defeating them in the Super Bowl. So my suggestion to both the Colts and Saints is to keep their feet on the gas pedal. Forget resting players. Momentum is fleeting and once you lose it, it is often very difficult to recover . . .

Sports Bytes (Dec 11, 2009)

Overheard at a party last week: "Tiger's problem was that he cheated on his mistress" . . . There is one athlete having a worse week that Woods: Ravens linebacker Terrell Suggs. Suggs is being sued for $70 million by a woman who claims he fathered two of her children. At least Woods hasn't been accused of that yet . . . Yet . . .

The sun has set on the Steelers' season . . . Cue "Dandy" Don Meredith . . .

Seems like there will be a lot NFL starters who are not scheduled to play on Sunday. Here's a list of a few of the more recognizable names:

• Mark Sanchez (NY Jets): Knee
• Matthew Stafford (Detroit Lions): Left Shoulder
• Matt Ryan (Atlanta Falcons): Turf Toe
• Chris Houston (Atlanta Falcons): Hamstring
• Marc Bulger (St. Louis Rams): Fractured shin and groin injuries
• Mike Sellers (Washington Redskins): Thigh

Jason Bay would be a good fit for the Mets. He is a quiet guy who plays hard and delivers strong power numbers. He's not going to win any Gold Gloves, but his defensive skills are adequate enough to handle left field for NY. Last year Bay hit 36 homers and drove in 119 runs for the Red Sox . . .

Cincinnati coach Brian Kelly has reportedly accepted an offer to coach the Notre Dame football team. Kelly led Cincinnati to an 11-3 record in 2008 and to a 12-0 record this year. The undefeated season earned Cincinnati a first-time ever appearance in the Sugar Bowl, where they will challenge Florida. There's little doubt that Kelly is capable of developing a solid football program, but can he recruit as successfully? It will not be easy convincing top-level players to enroll at Notre Dame given the university's failures this past decade . . .

It is probably best for Red Sox 3B Mike Lowell if he is traded to Texas for C Max Ramirez. Lowell is a professional hitter who needs to play for a club where he can DH. In 2008 he missed almost a month because of a sprained left thumb, and then was forced to undergo offseason surgery for a torn labrum in his right hip. Last year he spent time on the DL for a strained hip. Physically he is incapable of being an everyday third baseman, but he can still do plenty of damage with his bat . . .

Why is Boston accepting catcher Max Ramirez in the Lowell deal? The word from scouts is that Ramirez is not strong defensively, but can hit. Isn't that Victor Martinez? . . .

The Yankees are crazy if they spend anywhere near $13 million to re-sign Damon . . . I would still rather they re-sign Matsui, but I understand their hesitancy if they are planning to keep the DH spot open for Posada. One thing that was clear in the 2009 postseason is that Posada's reflexes behind the plate have diminished. There were several instances where he was seemingly unable to raise his glove quickly enough to catch Sabathia's high fastball . . .

The Justice Department has declined to posthumously pardon former heavyweight champion Jack Johnson, stating in a letter that the Dept's "general policy is not to process posthumous pardon requests." Johnson was imprisoned for being involved with a white woman. The Justice Department's pardon attorney, Ronald L. Rodgers, also said in the letter that the Dept's resources would be better spent on people "who can truly benefit" from them . . . Johnson's imprisonment was a disgrace, but at this point would pardoning him be anything more than a photo-op for Senator John McCain and Rep Peter King? . . . . The American public pardoned Johnson years ago . . .

On Saturday Brooklyn's Paulie Malignaggi gets an opportunity to avenge his Aug 23, 2009, controversial loss to Juan Diaz. Many observers thought Malignaggi won the first bout but wasn't given the decision because the fight took place in Diaz's backyard of Houston. HBO will broadcast the rematch from Chicago. If Malignaggi sticks to boxing and doesn't allow Diaz to lure him into trading punches, Malignaggi should get the decision this time . . . Saturday will also feature WBC heavyweight champion Vitali Klitschko's title defense against Kevin Johnson. Don't expect this one to go more than eight rounds. The most recognizable name on Johnson's record is Bruce Seldon--yes, the same Seldon who was knocked out by an air-punch from Mike Tyson 13 years ago . . .

Sports Bytes (Dec 10, 2009)

When did Tiger Woods find the time to golf? . . .

Glad to see Pettitte agreed to a one-year deal with NY. At this stage of his career he cannot fault any team for wanting to deal with him on a year-to-year basis. If this ultimately becomes Pettitte's final season, he'll finish it where he belongs: in Yankees pinstripes . . .

Cowboys Stadium is reportedly out of the running for Mayweather-Pacquiao. According to ESPN.com's Dan Rafael, Mayweather's promoter, Golden Boy Promotions, refuses to consider Texas as a possible site for the match. In a conversation between Top Rank President Bob Arum and Golden Boy Promotions CEO Richard Schaeffer, Schaeffer reportedly said, "'I'm not going to Texas. I'm not going to do the fight in Texas" . . . If Schaeffer is objecting to Texas, you can bet that it is because his fighter wants no part of the Lone Star State . . . Look for the other two domed stadiums under consideration (the Superdome and the Georgia Dome) to fall out of the running in the next week or two . . .

A person's character is most evident, not when things are going well, but when they are going poorly. For ex., it is easy to be the perfect teammate when your team is winning. At practice you may run the same drills and be forced to listen to the same coaches, but because life is good neither of these things are as irritating or as tiresome as they'd be if you were losing. Enter the Patriots. Apparently Randy Moss, Derrick Burgess, Adalius Thomas and Gary Guyton all arrived late to an 8 a.m. meeting yesterday at Gillette Stadium. All four were reportedly sent home. The players' explanation is that they were delayed because of weather conditions. That is certainly possible. We've all been in that spot before. Yet, I must admit that I find it a little suspicious that Moss' lateness coincides with the Patriots free fall . . . Maybe I'm just being paranoid . . .

The Associated Press reports that a "House subcommittee approved legislation Wednesday aimed at forcing college football to switch to a playoff system." Oh good. I was worried that our government was wasting its time on pointless issues, like unemployment, American troops in Afghanistan, and healthcare . . . Georgia representative John Barrow said it best when he told his colleagues: ""With all due respect, I really think we have more important things to spend our time on" . . .

NY Jets coach Rex Ryan has decided to sit QB Mark Sanchez for this week's game against Tampa Bay. In fact, Sanchez will not even fly to Tampa Bay for the game. Given the Jets precarious playoff position one could argue that Ryan should have given Sanchez an opportunity to practice before evaluating his status for Sunday. But I believe Ryan is maing the right move. The Jets should be able to beat the 1-11 Bucs whether it is Kellen Clemens or Clarence Clemons under center. An extra week of rest will do Sanchez good . . .

Masochism, defined by dictionary.com as "the act of turning one's destructive tendencies inward or upon oneself.". The reference site may soon be able to add a photo to its definition. Apparently, there is a GM interested in trading for Cubs outfielder Milton Bradley. Whoever that GM is, he can find better ways of punishing himself, such as self-flagellation . . .

Sports Bytes (Dec 9, 2009)

It would have been more fitting if Tiger's name had been that of Greg Norman, The Shark, because this never-ending exposé about Woods and his mistresses has become a feeding frenzy . . .

How long will it take before the NFL realizes that "the buffoon formally known as Chad Johnson" doesn't care how much, or how often, he is fined by the league? . . .

Former world champion Doug DeWitt has been cast in a play by former NYSAC chairman Ron Scott Stevens. DeWitt battled some the sport's best fighters, including Hall of Famer Thomas Hearns and world champions James Toney, Milton McCrory, Nigel Benn, Matthew Hilton, and Sumbu Kalambay. The play is called The Cutting Den and it is about a Brooklyn barbershop that is fronting for a gambling parlor. It will begin its run in February 2010 at the Soho Playhouse in New York City. For more info visit: www.thecuttingdenoffbroadway.com (Disclaimer: I am affiliated with the event as publicist) . . . Fightnews.com reports that WBA heavyweight champion David Haye is ripping WBC heavyweight champion Vitali Klitschko's upcoming title defense against Kevin Johnson. Haye demands that Vitali forego voluntary defenses and instead unify the titles. Perhaps the British puncher has already suffered too many blows to the head since he conveniently forgets that it was HE who backed out of a fight against Vitali earlier this year . . .

NY Daily News baseball columnist Bill Madden does not believe that the signing of Curtis Granderson automatically makes the Yankees a better team. He argues that Granderson's strikeout-to-walk ratio is poor, making him the "very antithesis" of the type of #2 hitter Johnny Damon was last year. Madden believes the Yankees will continue to try and land another outfielder, and that Johnny Damon heads that list . . . I disagree with Madden about Granderson's effect on the team. The defensive upgrade in the outfield alone makes the Yankees better. Granderson in centerfield and Cabrera in left field is much more comforting than Cabrera in centerfield and Damon in left field. Plus, let's not forget Granderson's speed on the basepaths. Madden does make an excellent point concerning Granderson's mediocre on-base percentage. Hitters with big swings and low on-base percentages tend to be unreliable when it comes to sacrificing and making quality outs, something that haunted the Yankees in the postseason until 2009 . . . I hope Madden is wrong about Damon heading a list of potential outfielders. Damon was an integral member of last season's championship team, but why spend $13 million per year on a 36-year-old liability in left field who is physically breaking down?

In signing Granderson the Yankees would lose lefthander reliever Phil Coke, righthanded starter Ian Kennedy, and outfield prospect Austin Jackson. Coke appeared in 72 games last year, and although his ERA was mediocre at best (4.50) he was a relatively successful lefthander in the bullpen, which is something that is often difficult to find. He was pounded in game five of the 2009 World Series, but he did not surrender a run in either the divisional series or the league championship series . . . Kennedy recently recovered from an aneurysm in his right arm. Although once considered one of the Yankees top pitching prospects, Kennedy was banged around in 2008 and was sent back to the minors . . . Outfielder Austin Jackson, according to Bill Madden, "tailed off badly at Triple A last year and has never shown much power potential" . . . So overall, the Yankees will not have to part with much talent to get Granderson . . .

Los Angeles Angels manager Mike Scioscia is considered a wizard at getting the most out of his rosters. Well, that skill will be sorely tested in 2010 as the Angels have already lost Chone Figgins to the Mariners, and will more than likely lose John Lackey and Vladimir Guerrero to free agency. Scioscia will need to be Merlin to overcome those losses . . .

The Nets defeated the Bulls (103-101) to win their second game. Don't look now but with the NBA's generous playoff system the Nets are only a few games out of qualifying for the last playoff spot . . . Nets rookie Terrence Williams tweeted (def: the verb for what you do with Twitter) that he imagines what life would be like if he had been drafted earlier. In other words, he is not overjoyed with being a member of the Nets or with the amount of playing time they are giving him. Someone should remind Williams that he has missed 33 of his last 44 shots . . .

The Eagles have signed head coach Andy Reid to a three-year extension . . .

Sports Bytes (Dec 8, 2009)

Not surprising that alcohol is suspected in the Tiger Woods incident. How else do you explain Woods snoring on his lawn in his socks? Except maybe that he was abducted by aliens in his sleep and dumped there . . .

23 penalties on Monday Night Football this week, which is amazing considering the game didn't include the Oakland Raiders or Flozell Adams . . . For those who missed it, the Packers defeated the Ravens 27-17 to raise their record to 8-4 and remain at the top of the NFC wildcard picture with the Eagles . . .

Both the Saints and the Colts have dodged bullets recently to remain undefeated. Both have fallen behind against inferior opposition and have staged comebacks late in the game to pull off victories. Falling behind early and surging ahead late will be more difficult against playoff teams. Don't be surprised if both teams enter the postseason undefeated--only to be eliminated from contention prior to the Super Bowl . . .

I don't understand why the Mets are not pressing to sign former Angels pitcher John Lackey. Lackey is a top-notch pitcher who has proven he can pitch in big games, and his fiery personality is just what the Mets need to bring some heart to that dugout. As NY Daily News columnist John Harper points out, spending does not appear to be an issue "based on the higher revenues they have generated from their new stadium, including naming rights, and from their TV network." If the Mets plan to instead stick with Mike Pelfrey as their #2 starter, then I suggest they listen to the statement uttered by my cousin (an avid Mets fan) following Chase Utley's two homer game against the Yankees: "All I can say is that it was nice to watch someone on the Phillies homer and not see Mike Pelfrey standing on the mound with his head down" . . . Enough said . . .

Rumors persist that a proposed Mayweather-Pacquiao showdown may take place at a pro football stadium. Among the stadiums mentioned are Cowboys Stadium, the Superdome, and the Georgia Dome. Although an NFL venue cannot be dismissed, it is likely that Top Rank President Bob Arum is "talking up" this possibility as a way to extract more concessions from a Las Vegas property . . . It's too bad the new Giants stadium is not a dome. Arum is a huge Giants fan who has owned season's tickets since the 1960s . . . Arum even approached Giants DE Justin Tuck about getting in the ring . . .

I'd like to see Andy Pettitte return to the Yanks, but I agree with the organization's reluctance to grant him more than a one-year contract. Last year Pettitte threw 194.2 innings. How many seasons like that does he have left? . . . MLB.com is reporting that a three-way deal is on the verge of completion between the Yankees, Tigers, and Diamondbacks. The Yanks would send lefthander Phil Coke and outfield prospect Austin Jackson to Detroit, and righthander Ian Kennedy to the Diamondbacks in exchange for Detroit centerfielder Curtis Granderson. Detroit would send pitcher Edwin Jackson to Arizona in exchange for Max Scherzer and Daniel Schlereth . . .


The Redskins cut kicker Shaun Suisham. Not soon enough if you're a Redskins fan . . .

Sports Bytes (Dec 7, 2009)

When all is said and done will Tiger Woods have more mistresses or majors?

The Giants victory over the Cowboys was their biggest win since last December when they defeated the Carolina Panthers to earn home-field advantage throughout the playoffs. The defense played well overall on Sunday, shutting down the Cowboys running game and preventing Romo from completing any big plays to his wide receivers. As usual Jason Witten was a thorn in the Giants' side, but even with 14 catches his effect on the outcome was minimal. The one big complaint is that the defense allowed the Boys to convert too many third and longs . . . The Giants made mistakes offensively (Manning's interceptions, Smith's dropped passes) but they executed several big plays and received contributions from an assortment of players to overcome those errors. It was the most heart and focus the Giants have shown in months . . . If the Giants defeat the Eagles next week, which will not be easy, winning the division is a distinct possibility . . .

Don't blame Romo for this one. He played smart and he didn't turn the ball over. The Cowboys lost today because of poor tackling, specifically on two big plays:

• On Brandon Jacobs 74 yd TD reception, linebacker Bradie James missed an opportunity to shove Jacobs out of bounds at the 22 yrd line. Considering the difficulty the Giants offense had moving the ball, it is not a stretch to believe that the Cowboys defense could have held the Giants to a field goal if James had done his job.
• On Domenik Hixon's 79 yd punt return TD, several Cowboy players circled Hixon when he caught the ball, but then allowed him to escape to his right. From there it was a foot race, and following a couple of good blocks downfield, Hixon was in the end zone . . . The Cowboys have the toughest remaining schedule of all the teams in the playoff hunt. They must play the Chargers, Saints, Eagles, and Redskins to end the regular season season . . . Think Cowboys OT Flozell Adams is a dirty player? When you type his name into a Google search, the third choice offered is "Flozell Adams Penalties" . . . Maybe it is from having to go through life with the name Flozell . . .

The defending-champion Steelers have lost four in a row. They remind me of last year's Giants. New York was defending its crown and rolling through its schedule until the last few weeks of the season. Analysts and fans blamed the dropoff on the Plaxico Burress arrest and suspension, but I didn't agree with it then and I still don't today. Sure losing Burress made a difference, but the Giants' problems went deeper. They had a difficult schedule, and because they were defending champions every team played them as if it were their Super Bowl. By week 13 they looked like a tired team, like a spent fighter intent on going the distance but knowing he doesn't have enough left to stop his opponent. That is how the Steelers look. Tired . . .

Wasn't Reagan president the last time the Patriots lost three out of four games? . . .

I guess blowing a Redskins victory over the Cowboys a few weeks ago wasn't enough for kicker Shaun Suisham. This time he needed to snatch a loss from the jaws of victory by missing a 23-yd chip-shot field goal and blowing an upset of the undefeated Saints. The closest Suisham should get to a Redskins game next year is the Fed-Ex Field parking lot as a tailgater . . .

Is Arizona poised for another late-season run? Adrian Peterson was held to 19 yds rushing and Brett Favre threw two interceptions as the Cardinals dominated the red-hot Vikings 30-17. Just 12 months ago the Cardinals caught fire late in the season and it carried them to the Super Bowl . . .

Alabama's front line opened holes in the Gators defense that were wide enough for me to drive my 1997 Grand Prix through . . .

Nebraska's choke to Texas last night was among the most pitiful performances I have seen on any level of football. After Nebraska's kicker Alex Henery completed a 42-yard field goal to put the Cornhuskers ahead 12-10 with 1:44 remaining, Nebraska's other kicker Adi Kunalic inexplicably kicked the ball out of bounds on the ensuing kickoff, giving Texas the ball on its own 40 yard line. Following a pass completion and a 15-yd penalty against Nebraska for a horse-collar tackle, Texas found itself sitting on the Nebraska 26 yd line. Moments later it was over . . . Did Nebraska's special teams coach say anything to Kunalic prior to the kickoff? The special teams coach has one responsibility in that position: tell the kicker to "KEEP IT IN BOUNDS!" If he did instruct Kunalic accordingly and the kicker kicked it out of bounds anyway, then Nebraska coach Bo Pelini should use Kunalic as a tackling dummy in practice this week . . .

It wasn't easy but Paul Williams defeated Sergio Martinez Saturday night by majority decision. Williams may be the most avoided fighter in the sport right now. After all, if you are not going to be paid millions of dollars to fight him, why get in the ring with a southpaw who can punch? Martinez fought well, even dropping Williams in the opening round. Most thought the decision could have gone either way, but a ridiculous scorecard by Pierre Benoist (119-110 Williams) left all involved with a bad taste in their mouths . . . Williams can be hit and hurt as Martinez showed; however, I still don't think it is a good bout for Kelly Pavlik, who was Williams' original opponent for last night's event in Atlantic City, NJ. If Pavlik catches Williams on the chin it could be lights out, but since Pavlik is stationary he may not get the chance. Williams can be a sharpshooter . . . In the heavyweight co-feature on Saturday night Chris Arreola stopped Brian Minto in four rounds . . . Not exactly Foreman-Frazier is it . . .

Sports Bytes

Minnesota Vikings RB Adrian Peterson was cited for traveling 109 mph in a 55 mph zone. For those keeping score at home, Peterson's speed was higher than his yards-per-game rushing average: 98.5 . . .

Bernard Hopkins is a future Hall of Famer and a master of his craft, but sometimes watching him box is as painful as sitting through an episode of The View . . .

The Cowboys are angry with NY Giants QB Eli Manning. Following the Giants 33-31 open day victory at Cowboys Stadium this year, Manning printed the following words on a wall in the visiting team's locker room: his name, the score, and the phrase, "First Win in the New Stadium". Manning says he was asked to sign the wall by an attendant. Some Cowboys players, such as linebacker Bradie James, felt that the signature was "a form of taunting" and they planned to use it to fire up their team. My question to Bradie James is why do the Boys need a lame reason like Manning's signature to get motivated for Sunday's game? The Giants have lost five of six and have virtually no chance of winning the eastern division unless they win this week. Shouldn't hammering one of the nails in the Giants coffin be enough inspiration for the Cowboys? Unless of course they don't believe they are as good as their 8-3 record . . .

The Giants running back corp is eroding quickly. Ahmad Bradshaw may not play Sunday because of left ankle and foot problems, and Danny Ware is already sidelined because of a concussion. Considering that Brandon Jacobs seems to limp off the field at least once during a game, at some point on Sunday the feature back may be rookie Gartrell Johnson . . . Oh brother . . .

Big win for the Jets Thursday night against the Bills. The 19-13 win raises their record to 6-6 and keeps them in the heart of the wildcard race. Here are a few other comments about the game:

• Jets QB Mark Sanchez has to play smarter. His guttiness is admirable, but foolhardy. Unless he is the reincarnation of Rickey Henderson, he has no business diving head-first into the turf. Didn't he learn anything from Joe Girardi last week?
• The Jets defense shined, limiting Buffalo to only 71 yds passing . . .
• Bills wide receiver Terrell Owens didn't exactly exert himself trying to prevent Darelle Revis from intercepting Ryan Fitzpatrick's pass on the Bills final drive . . .
• Part of being a good team is dominating those aspects of the game where your opposition is weakest. Entering the game the Bills had the worst rushing defense in the NFL. The Jets capitalized on that by rushing for a lopsided 249 yds . . .
• The Jets have winnable games the next two weeks (Tampa Bay and Atlanta) and then finish the regular season against the Colts and Bengals . . .

The Phillies signed free-agent 3rd baseman Placido Polanco, hoping he will be serve as an offensive upgrade from Pedro Feliz . . .

Former NBA referee Tim Donaghy told 60 Minutes that "the mob threatened his family to ensure he provided his insider picks to inform betting on games." Donaghy was sent to federal prison for 15 months after pleading guilty to two felony counts related to gambling. The 60 Minutes interview will air Sunday evening . . .

With their 117-101 loss to the Dallas Mavericks, the NJ Nets set the NBA record for consecutive losses to open a season. Five more losses and they will tie the NBA record for overall consecutive losses in a season: 23. That record was set jointly by the 1995-1996 Vancouver Grizzlies and the 1997-98 Denver Nuggets. I am going out on a limb here and predicting that the Nets will win one of their next five games . . . Purely a gut feeling . . .

Sports Bytes

All Hail the Kings of the NBA Court. The NJ Nets. 0-18 and counting . . . It could be worse: they could be Tiger Woods . . .

If I were Tiger Woods I wouldn't count on receiving much sympathy, especially from the media. I have never met Woods, but publicist colleagues of mine have organized events that he has attended. Across the board they all had unpleasant things to say about him. The same is the case with journalists I know who have dealt with him. Nasty and unfriendly were two of the words used to describe him. A couple of other terms are not fit to print. Apparently Tiger never learned Ralph Kramden's adage: Be kind to the people you meet on the way up, because you are going to meet the same people on the way down" . . .

In an interview with ESPN.com, Dallas Cowboys head coach Wade Phillips said the following: "All I do is try to do the best I can as a coach. I work hard at that. And I don't think I get a lot of respect for that, but that's the way it goes." Phillips is learning that coaching the Cowboys is much like managing the Yankees. Respect and job security only come with postseason victories, and ultimately, championships . . .

Speaking of the Cowboys, Jerry Jones is reportedly interested in staging the proposed Manny Pacquiao-Floyd Mayweather, Jr super fight at Cowboys Stadium. It's an interesting possibility, but also a very unlikely one, for the following reasons:

• The state of Texas is heavily Hispanic, particularly Mexican. Neither Pacquiao nor Mayweather is Hispanic, and neither has any connection to Texas. Pacquiao is from the Phillipines, while Mayweather is from Michigan. What is the marketing angle?
• It is doubtful Jones would pay a site fee to secure the fight, which means that promoter Top Rank would be on the hook for live-gate ticket sales. Why would Top Rank President Bob Arum agree to that when he can convince a Las Vegas property to pay a multi-million dollar site fee to host the event? Not only would he receive guaranteed money, but he would also pass the onus of filling the arena onto the property. Arum and his staff could instead focus their energies on pay-per-view sales.
• If you have never promoted a boxing event, you would be shocked at the amount of money spent on logistical concerns, such as hotel rooms, food per diems, travel, etc . . . Promoters save tens of thousands of dollars in hotel costs when they sign deals with hotel/casino properties. A Las Vegas property such as Mandalay Bay or the Mirage will provide the promotion with comped and reduced-rate hotel rooms. Since the property will generate a profit through live-gate ticket sales and the increased fight week gambling, it is in their best interest to make these hotel room deals. By contrast those types of deals are not normally available when you bring a fight to a stand-alone arena because the promotion is forced to cut deals with individual hotels that have no investment in the event. Those hotels can only make money by booking their rooms. And good luck finding a hotel that has enough rooms to house everyone involved in the promotion. Chances are you'll have people scattered all over the city . . . .

The Jets travel north today to battle eastern division rival the Buffalo Bills. With Mark Sanchez still achy from tweaking his knee last week, the Jets would be wise to run the ball as much as possible, a manageable task since the Bills have the NFL's worst rushing defense. Buffalo's defense is surrendering a staggering average of 165.1 yds per game . . .

Sports Bytes

Looks like Tiger has been swinging his club in more ways than one . . .

For any who wonder why so many former basketball fans now detest the NBA, look no further than Ron Artest's comments to the Sporting News.

Roy Halladay announced that he will not accept a trade anywhere once spring training begins. The Toronto ace is either forcing Blue Jays management to act quickly, or he is less interested in leaving Toronto than he says. Think it's ludicrous to believe he'd want to stay in Toronto? Blue Jays GM Alex Anthopoulos said the following: "He [Halladay] wants to win and he wants to win in Toronto. He'd like to stay in Toronto, but with assurances that we are going to win in the immediate future" . . . .

Roy Jones needs to retire. Yes, he can still box and his hand speed is still exceptional, although not as blinding as it once was. The problem is he cannot take a punch any longer. On Tuesday evening in Australia Jones was destroyed by Danny Green in just 122 seconds. A single right hand dropped Jones at about the one minute mark, and after a follow-up flurry referee Howard Foster stopped the bout. This is now Jones' fifth loss in his last 10 bouts, with three of those loses coming by knockout. And let's not forget that although he went the distance with Joe Calzaghe, he was punished in that bout as well. Forget a March date against Bernard Hopkins, Roy. Go back to Pensacola and your chickens, and enjoy the rest of your life . . .

ESPN.com's Dan Rafael is reporting that Floyd Mayweather, Jr has agreed to terms for a Manny Pacquiao showdown. That is great news, but don't be surprised if there are a few more hiccups before Mayweather actually signs the contract. My crystal ball says Mayweather will look to extract as many concessions as possible from Top Rank President Bob Arum before actually adding his John Hancock to the document . . . But, fear not, the contract will be signed. There is too much money on the table for it not to be . . .

Shame on Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Hynes Ward for questioning Ben Roethlisberger's toughness as if Big Ben were the Steelers version of Carl Pavano. Roethlisberger has played through injuries over the years that would have sidelined many NFL QBs. Sure Ward apologized for it, but it was a moronic comment nonetheless. Ward claimed that "some players masked concussions to play, and he estimated half of the Steelers have had at least one concussion." Sounds like Ward has had one too many concussions himself . . .

How ironic is it that Jason Kidd may be the player who sends the NJ Nets into the record books with an 0-18 record to start the 2009 season? Kidd, you may or may not remember, led the Nets to back-to-back NBA Finals in 2002-2003 . . .

Sports Bytes

Not surprisingly Charlie Weis was fired Monday as Notre Dame football coach. I don't feel any sympathy for the Fighting Irish since they brought this disaster onto themselves. In 2005 the university signed Weis to a 10-year contract extension after he led them to a record of 5-2. It's boneheaded enough extending a contract based on only seven games. But when you consider how quickly fortunes can change why would any organization tie up its program for a decade, regardless of whether the coach is Charlie Weis or Vince Lombardi? Hence, the most-storied university in college football history is now forced to pay a new coach's hefty salary plus the last six years of Weis' contract . . . Six years with reportedly as much as $30 million still owed to him. Sounds like Weis has the NCAA version of a Golden Parachute . . .

I can't remember the last time I saw Tom Brady as inaccurate as he was Monday night against the Saints. Come to think of it I can't remember the last time I saw the Patriots offense so flustered and amateurish . . . Great job by the Saints secondary. Moss and Welker had Saints cornerbacks draped on their backs all evening . . . The Patriots secondary on the other hand looked as if they were playing the sport for the first time . . . Wide receiver Devery Henderson was so alone on the the Saints second touchdown that I was expecting to hear the crowd yell, "Run, Forest, Run!" . . .

Impressive drive by Titans QB Vince Young, but lets not go clearing a spot for him in the Hall of Fame just yet . . .

If the Giants lose Sunday at home to the Cowboys and both the Eagles and Packers win, the organization should seriously consider sitting Manning for the rest of the season. Word has it that Manning is dangerously close to a stress fracture in his foot. If the Giants lose and both the Eagles and Packers win, the Giants will be two games behind both teams in the wild card race with only four games left to play. A postseason berth at that point would still be possible, but unlikely, especially considering that the Giants will have lost six of their last seven games. It would be wiser to rest their franchise QB rest and instead take their chances with David Carr . . .

I miss baseball . . .