Reyes

is a candy-ass b*tch.

Can't wait for him to sign somewhere else and get the hell off our island.

What a shame that Cleon, Mex, Wally, Nails, or Johnny Slow Balls never won a batting title first, so that Josie wouldn't have to be remembered forever as the answer to some key Mets trivia.

Congrats on winning your batting title, Josie. And doing it as a coward and a pussy. Ted Williams is giggling his ass off at your girlie "take me out in the first inning" bullshit.

Jose, Jose, Jose. This guy saved his best for his walk year. A meaningless year for the team from a W's and L's perspective, a year where there was no chance of competing for championship. He saved his best for getting himself paid. And I'm sure he'll be taking the best offer--no hometown discount here.

Why couldn't he have brought this kinds of focus to the table in '06, '07, or '08, when it might have helped the Mets win one or more titles? Back in the glory days, when Jose was too busy uppercutting and free swinging his way to an OBP that was .005 higher than his BA. When he was more interested in practicing his on the field pat-a-cake routine with Delgado and Beltran than playing baseball. When he wanted to engage in a knifefight with his gangster manager instead of taking his manager's damn instructions.

No, this clown has been given a free pass, even adored, by many Mets fans because he's "home grown." F*ck that. He's got a great smile, great wheels, and lots of talent. And until now, hasn't been able to leverage them.

His career will have a short shelf life, and he's no doubt at his peak right now. His wheels won't last long. He's injury prone, and strikes me as the kind of player who'll sit out a few extra games rather than rush to get back in the lineup. He'll probably average 90 games a year for the remainder of his career. Whether that's 4 or 7 years, who knows?

What I do know is that some team is going to have to sign him for too much money and too many years, and I'm going to have fun laughing at the sucker who does it. Even if they squeeze two more good years out of him, he'll still be the same old cancer clubhouse. Rallying the opposition. Ducking the media. Douching between innings.

I look forward to seeing what Sandy can do with the compensatory picks.

Tough stretch

The Jets have a real tough stretch coming up here:
@ Bal
@ NE
Mia
SD
@ Buf
NE

They will need to go 4-2 through this stretch if they want to put themselves in good position to make the playoffs. The loss to Oaktown forces them to pick up a tough win somewhere else in the schedule, probably in this stretch. I'm just not sure what to expect. D has been suspect, Cro and Kyle W look lost, and Mangold's injury doesn't help O. Glad to see they did more power tosses to Greene in last game; I was getting tired of every run being a draw up the middle in first two games.

In the Bunker with John Marinatto

Big East (football) presidents acting like 28 days later...

Trapped in a building and trying to get the eff out.

Villanova has applied for ACC membership.

U Conn is begging to get in the ACC.

W Va makes a pitch to join the SEC.

Rutgers is deciding between the Big10 and ACC.

10 total programs (is ND among them?) have already reached out to the ACC, which is inclusive of Syracuse, Pitt, and some of the schools above.

Remember, the schools that run the slowest are just man meat for the zombies.

Next up: the Big 3

Of course, there are still many big shoes left to drop, namely Pac12/SEC/Big 10 expansion.

PAC-12 is going to get first dibs, with the richest football contract from a TV revenue standpoint.  OK and OK St are going there, and we're going to get that news soon.  How do they get to 16?  That is the big question.   Texas would be the big win for the conference, and they were interested last go-around.  But now that they have their own TV network up and running (Longhorn Network), they're not willing to go equal splits, and I think that's a PAC-12 requirement.  Texas Tech, Kansas, K St., Mizzou, UNLV, Nevada, Boise St. would all be possibles.  

The SEC and Big 10 could look to feast on the carcass of the Big 12 (Kansas, Mizzou, K St., Iowa St., TTU, Baylor) after the PAC-12 has gotten its fill.  Or they could turn east.  If they turn east, the SEC will almost certainly be targeting ACC schools.  The SEC is clearly the major leagues of college football--will that tempt NC St., Virginia Tech or Maryland?  Possibly so.

And if the Big 10 looks East, with their money making TV network, they could probably throw some more dollars at schools like W Va, Maryland, Louisville, Cincinnati, or BC than they're getting now.

If the ACC were to lose 2-3 schools, they could quickly fill the void with schools like WVA, Temple, USF, which would maintain their regional integrity.

And as an aside, it's interesting that ND may finally not be able to stand pat as an independent.  If we're going to 4 conferences of 16 teams, and membership in a superconference is the only way to be included in the FBS playoff system, then ND may have to choose.  I'm sure Big 10 would be the most likely. 

And the hits keep on coming.

From ESPN:

If the two schools [Syracuse and Pitt] are to join the ACC, Krzyzewski doesn't want the conference to stop at 14 teams. He said he'd like to see 16 teams, taking two more schools that have comparable rich basketball traditions and are in the Eastern time zone. An ACC official told USA Today that Connecticut and Rutgers would be the candidates.

Pay that man his money.

For IDK how long, I've tried convincing you degenerate bastards that the ACC is the superior league to the Big East. I understand that you all have a bunch of sentimental strings clouding your judgment and preventing you from seeing the truth, but today has to smart. It was bad enough when BC and VT left for the ACC. One was a BE charter member, the other their strongest football program. But now, with 'Cuse and Pitt joining the ACC, there's a real question as to whether the Big East will even survive as a football conference.

And even if the league manages to survive (by adding directional schools (ECU/CFU) or geographical misfits (TCU/KU/Mizzou)), it seems likely they will lose their automatic BCS berth.

 Worse to come, the Big 10 is likely to come calling for WVU or Conn. There's also a real chance the Big 10 could raid the ACC for Maryland or BC, but in that case, it will still suck for the Big East, b/c the ACC will just take 2-4 more programs out of the Big East to fill the void.

I have to point out, I think the B.E. will persist as a good basketball league.  The teams with good bball programs and non-affiliated FBS programs (SJU, GTown, Providence, DePaul, ND, Seton Hall, 'Nova, Marquette) would still make a great standalone bball league.  But it's going to be a niche bball league if it comes to that.

Fans of the B.E. (read: you all) may like the league, but those on the inside (like ADs) know where the quality is. And that's why, out of the 4 B.E. programs the ACC has offered membership to, all 4 have accepted. It hurts. Doesn't it.

You've GOT to be kidding me

Well, this is not good news for the Johnnies. Three of their top recruits have been ruled academically ineligible, at least for the fall semester. Not a good start to the Lavin class.

FOOTBALL!!!

Thank you, baby Jesus!

After this summer of "baseball," the NFL couldn't start soon enough...

Mad Props

Congrats to Chris Capuano for giving Mets fans something positive to remember from this season.

Friday night he pitched one of the best games in Mets history: CG shutout, 2 hits, 0 BB, 13 K's, on 122 pitches. Only one man reached 2nd base--on a 2 out double.

Capuano adds his name to the list of great performances: Seaver's 19 K game against the Padres, Bobby Jones's (the white one) Game 4 one-hitter against the Giants in 2000, and Aaron Heilman's imperfect perfect game against the Marlins (leadoff hit, runner erased on double play, perfect from there on).

A tip of the hat to you sir--welcome to the club...which mostly consists of guys that make most fans say "Who?"

Hallooooooo....

Wow.

Such a large room and it's so empty...every sound seems to echo for days...

Actually, I just got really sick and tired of a post about Jeter being at the top of a Mets page.

That is all.

Jeter

5-for-5. Really?

Remember Carter trying to get to 300 HRs? This was the polar opposite.

Listen, I'll always hate the Jankees, but let's face it, this guy has been a HOF player. A real professional. #Props.

Finkel and einhorn, einhorn and finkel

Just when you think things couldn't get any worse...

...Fred Wilpon opens his mouth. Well played, you idiot. You have somehow found a way to reduce the trade value of our players even further. Good luck offloading Beltran and Reyes for fair value now.

Not to mention, what kind of leader would throw David Wright under the bus? Here's a guy who has done nothing but made positive comment after positive comment, to the point where it's actually annoying to me because the situation is so obviously a shit sandwich. So to give him a backhanded compliment after he's produced and had a great attitude is outrageous.

Well, this sucks

One of the few things that actually matter...developing solid young pitching.

Hopefully Mejia can make it back.

In response to the last post...

...the more I think about it, the more I realize this really is the BEST possible start to the season.

Why?

Because it means we can dispense with the charade that this is a good team. That they're just not playing up to their potential. That they are one player away from greatness. The reality is, the team blows and it's time for some wholesale changes. Hopefully this start forces ownership and management to accept what the fans have known for seasons now.

Good start to the season

that is all

Legggoooo Butler!!!

That is all.

Interesting Mets Preview

A friend of a friend has a nice preview of the upcoming Mets season here. Check it out.

Here's a little tidbit about the power of mid-majors

In the six Final Fours from 2006 to 2011, the CAA (two) and Horizon (two) have each sent more teams than the Big 12 (one). The Horizon also has more Final Four victories (one) in that span than the Big East, which hasn't won a game at the event since Connecticut's 2004 national championship.

Link

Of course, the one Big 12 entry did win the whole enchilada, Kansas in '08.

I would add that the ACC has had 3 FF entries (UNC x 2, Duke), 4 FF victories, and 2 titles in that stretch (UNC '09, Duke '10).

I. Don't. Like. UConn.

The end.

Independence Day

Read the good news here.

Johnnies angling for a high seed

They're on track for a 3. If they win out, and make deep run in the B.E. tourney, a 2 is certainly possible.

How many?

How many F'in Top 10 teams does St. John's have to beat before they are ranked? Ranked! I'm not even asking for a top 10 ranking, I'm just asking for any ranking!

They have the #3 strength of schedule, 5 super quality wins, and as of last week had BARELY cracked the "Others receiving votes" category. What a crock. All I know is this team better be top 20 when the new polls come out.

Under New Management

Grown-ups are back in charge of the clubhouse, with the Alderson/Collins era underway. At least if we act like professionals, I can bear the losing.

With pitchers and catchers set to report tomorrow, the manager gave his first press conference of the spring.

Interesting tidbits:

• Asked to identify the areas of competition on the team, Collins named second base, the final two spots in the rotation behind Mike Pelfrey, R.A. Dickey and Jon Niese and the bullpen, which he said the organization needs to "recreate."

Collins acknowledged projected rotation members Chris Young and Chris Capuano are "up there" in the competition, but he also identified Dillon Gee, D.J. Carrasco, Oliver Perez and Jenrry Mejia as candidates. The manager added that Mejia is likely ticketed for Triple-A to work on his secondary pitches.

• Asked for "slam dunks" for the bullpen, Collins mentioned K-Rod, Bobby Parnell, Carrasco (if he's not a starter), Tim Byrdak and Taylor Buchholz.

He also said he planned to have a long man, with Pat Misch a logical candidate and Ollie perhaps in that mix.

• Collins did not dismiss Luis Castillo as a second-base candidate, but this comment was telling: "I do believe today second base has become an offensive position." That bodes well for Daniel Murphy, who should be on the team in some capacity, as well as Rule 5 pick Brad Emaus.

Collins expressed full confidence in Murphy as a second baseman, noting how Wally Backman and Tim Teufel were among the coaches working with him Wednesday. "Somebody is going to teach him to turn a double play," Collins said.

Great win for Johnnies

Always a bit torn in these Duke-St. John's games. I'm always rooting for Duke, but I'm glad to see the Johnnies resurrection underway. Lavin has his team playing well and they're a great matchup for a team like Duke that likes to run an overplay man-to-man D.

If this can build some momentum for the Storm and they can string together a few wins, a return to the NCAAs may well be in the cards...

Can't Wait Fail

"Bart Scott, the one who couldn't wait to get to Pittsburgh, the one who talks like his pro wrestling heroes, kept whiffing on tackles and playing as if he was ordered to lose by some WWE script."

-Ian O'Connor

Rex's Stalingrad

Well, I think this article perfectly encapsulates my reservations about the Rex Ryan era.

Here's Ian O'Connor's take at ESPNY NY:

"After pushing all the right human buttons in Rounds 1 and 2, inspiring his Jets to knock out Peyton Manning and Tom Brady, Ryan suddenly lost the pulse of his team. The stunning disconnect between coach and player allowed the Pittsburgh Steelers to score the first 24 points of the game, and ultimately guaranteed that a second-half rally would save face, but not the season.

"We played a good half," an emotional Ryan said. "We just never played a good game."

Rex has to take the fall for that. His chief responsibility as head coach is to have his team ready to play, and yet the Jets were a lifeless mess in the first half, finding inspiration in absolutely nothing...

The Jets' defense was playing flag football out there, lunging and grabbing for air, looking like a unit prepping itself for the Pro Bowl instead of the Super Bowl.

I've said time and again, that a players coach who spends as much time cheerleading his players as drilling them can end up with a team that lacks focus and discipline. A team that doesn't want to work for 60 minutes, but thinks it can turn its effort on and off like a switch.

This Jets team has loads of talent, but for what was seemingly the 7th or 8th time this year, played about 30 minutes of football. We still pulled out some of those games against mediocre opponents. We almost pulled out last night's game, against the AFC's best, in their own stadium.

But we're not the AFC champions. Champions bring discipline for 60 minutes. Last year's Duke NCAA championship team was probably the 6th or 7th most talented team in the country. But they brought 40 minutes of tenacious defense every night, and selfless, intelligent play on offense to most possessions. This Jet's team is probably, on paper, the best of the 4 teams that were left standing on Championship weekend, but aren't getting to the final game. To me, that's the difference between the GOAT (Coach K) and Rex. Rex is fun. Rex is a character. Rex makes the player's happy. Rex makes reporters happy. The GOAT wins championships.

This team, and this coach, will probably have one more run at the SB in them. But if they fail to advance beyond their high-water mark again, I think questions will definitely arise over whether this team, with its character and approach, is capable of getting it done against the league's best. And once those questions start to creep into the psyche of the Jets players, it's over. You turn into the Buffalo Bills of the 90's.

After failing to defeat the Red Army at Stalingrad, the Wermacht still controlled Europe from the beaches of Brittany to the suburbs of Moscow. On paper, the German army still appeared a formidable force. But their guts had been eviscerated on the banks of the Volga, and their aura of invincibility destroyed.

While I hesitate to use a military metaphor for something as trivial as a football game, the analogy captures how this game might be looked at, a few year's hence, when considering the Ryan era in retrospect.

Jets v Steelers

3 burning questions:

1) How do the Jets DBs matchup with Pats WRs? Put Ward on Revis Island? Or Wallace?

2) Will Sanchez be able to make his throws and keep his poise in 10 degree windchill conditions with the swarming Steelers D?

3) Will the Jets continue to play 3-3-5 defense, with only 5 in the box, as they have with regularity (and great success) the past two weeks?

Patsies

From DC: As much of a d-bag as Belichek is, at least he's smart enough to keep his cheating behind the scenes and not get caught on national tv in the middle of a game.

Oh, if only that were true. Unfortunately for the Patsies, both Fox Sports and CBS ran footage yesterday of the Pats in week 2 doing the same thing as the Jets. They also set a wall, and had the last guy try to trip a Jets player out of bounds.

Pats SB record with Spygate: 3-0. Without Spygate: 0-fer. Suck it, Pats. 0-3 in their last 3 playoff games, 2-3 against Rex Ryan and the Sanchize.